I don't own Pride and Prejudice.
The younger girls had been having a quiet evening at home, working on different projects. Mrs Ainsley had not been feeling well, so had gone to bed early as there were no visitors expected with the master and mistress away for the evening. It was this reason the girls were all surprised when the Earl of Matlock was shown into the parlor, his third son right behind him.
"Georgiana, you look lovely this evening." The Earl spoke to his niece, ignoring the other two girls in the room.
"Thank you uncle, I'm afraid we weren't expecting you, my brother and sister are away from the evening." Georgiana wasn't sure how to handle the situation. She knew her brother and uncle were not getting along at the moment, but her uncle had always been kind to her.
"I'm afraid I didn't know that my dear, I had something of great importance I must speak to him about. Perhaps I can relay it to you and you can tell him for me?" Her uncle looked so serious.
"Of course uncle, you can tell me, and I shall be sure to tell Fitzwilliam the moment he gets home." She was eager to help the man in any way she could.
"I'm afraid this is something of a sensitive nature. It should be kept within the family." He spoke, finally acknowledging there were others in the room.
"I'm sure whatever you say can be said in front of us," Kitty's voice sounded more sure than she felt, "Fitzwilliam said we are never to leave each other alone." Seeing Georgiana about to ask them to leave.
"I believe it shall be ok, I'll be with my uncle and cousin after all." Georgiana reassured her friend, "I will come find you both when we are done."
Kitty could see that Maria wanted nothing more than to leave, but she also didn't want to leave Georgiana alone. There was just something she didn't like about these men. Leaving the room, for there was really no other option for her, she closed the door behind her, trying not to draw attention to herself.
"Anna, will you take Miss Lucas up to her room and stay with her? Steven will escort you and then return down here to me. Please make sure you lock the door behind you and only open it for me and Mrs Wilkes." She was praying she was over reacting, but she still felt the need to do exactly what she thought Lizzy would do.
She could hear the voices inside, though she couldn't hear what they were saying through the closed door. She figured as long as they were talking everything was ok. That is until she heard the door lock.
Grabbing the nearest item she could, she rushed into the room, and slammed it over the head of the man manhandling her little sister. Grabbing Georgiana by the hand, she ran with her from the room, and up the stairs, calling for Anna to open the door when they got to the floor Maria's room was on.
Once they were through the door, she slammed it shut, locking it behind them.
Everyone returned home in high spirits, that is until the saw the broken vase on the floor. "Mrs Wilkes, what happened here?" William asked, and Elizabeth recognized the vase as one having sat on the table in the hallways.
"I'm sorry sir, that we did not put the room to rights, but I felt you needed to see this for yourself." The housekeeper looked nervous.
"Are the girls alright Mrs Wilkes?" Elizabeth asked before anymore could be said.
"Aye Madam, I just checked on them myself, sleeping together in Miss Maria's bed." The housekeeper confirmed, so Elizabeth laid a hand on her husband's arm to calm him.
"Then please, take the time to collect yourself, and tell us what happened." They all sat down, and a maid was called to clean the mess.
"I'm terribly sorry Sir, it was your uncle, the Earl what did this. He showed up with master Matthew, and demanded to speak with Miss Georgiana about a private matter alone. Miss Kitty tried to tell him no, but Miss Georgiana said it would be alright and sent the other girls away. From what Anna and Steven told me, Miss Kitty shoved a little bit of paper into the hole in the door frame that the lock would slide into when no one was looking..."
"It is how I used to get out of rooms I was supposedly locked in as a child." Elizabeth said, surprised her sister had picked up on the trick.
"Well it worked perfectly," Mrs Wilkes gave a relieved smile, "This next part is from Miss Kitty herself. She said she listened outside, until it suddenly got quiet. At this point she grabbed the nearest thing she could carry, which happened to be the vase, and rushed into the parlor where she saw Matthew Fitzwilliam struggling with Miss Georgiana."
The women of the group were unable to contain their gasps, while the men looked ready to murder. "For such a little mite of a thing, your sister packs quite the punch, for she brought the vase down on your cousin's head, and grabbed Miss Georgiana. The two girls were able to lock themselves with Miss Maria in her room, and stayed there even after your uncle and cousin were thrown from the house."
"I'll kill them both." William muttered, heading for the door.
To her surprise it was Richard that stopped him, "You will do no such thing old man. What good would you be to your wife and sisters if you were charged with murder. No, you will instead do as you have been threatening to do from the beginning of this. Tomorrow afternoon you and I will go to the club, and officially cut my family."
Fitzwilliam Darcy had never been so angry in his entire life as he was while walking into the club to officially cut ties with his uncle. Each time he tried to calm himself Kitty's tearful face as she apologized for ripping one of his books would swim to the forefront of his mind. He had embraced the young girl and apologized for not being there to protect her and Georgiana. He had praised her for her actions, and informed her that the book meant nothing to him when compared to her and Georgiana's safety.
If it wasn't the memory of Kitty's tears, it was Elizabeth vibrating with fury as she described the bruises Georgiana showed her. He had never seen anyone as angry as his wife, it was truly a sight to behold, and he could only liken her to the Valkyries he'd read about. He had no problem imagining his wife murdering his uncle and cousin.
He had been so focused on Elizabeth that he had missed an equally Valkyrie-like Mary right behind her, however Richard had not. He had gone to resign his post moments after the two women had left their company. Upon returning from the war office he asked Mary for a courtship, to which she granted once she got over her shock. She was still glowing when they left the house to take care of his uncle.
"Ah Darcy my boy, what a pleasant surprise, and Richard, I was not expecting to see you today!" His uncle exclaimed upon seeing the two of them.
As one, they both looked him in the eye for a few seconds before turning and walking away. Neither should have been surprised to hear his uncle's scathing retort. "You think you can just come in here and cut me Boy?!" Neither looked back, though they could feel the man's ire grow.
"Your sister has been ruined by my son, what are you going to do about that?" William stopped in his tracks before slowly turning to glare at the man.
"Even if she had been ruined, which we both know was not the case, I would never have agreed to the marriage." He could see all eyes on them. "It is true you came to my home, knowing my wife and I to be away, and tricked my sister into meeting with you and your miserable excuse of a son. What you didn't know was that my wife's sister never left you completely alone." He then smirked, "At least you didn't until a girl of seventeen felled your sorry excuse of a son to stop him from manhandling my sister. No, my sister remained protected and her reputation is safe, but should you continue to and say otherwise I will gladly settle this in the courts." Seeing his uncle pale was exhilarating.
"I warned you that if you could not respect my wife, my family, I would end all ties. Well, you have refused to acknowledge my marriage, and now attacked my sister. Consider this to be the end of our relationship. I no longer recognize you as family. I will no longer offer my support should you need it. You sir, are completely on your own and have only yourself to blame."
"Richard, if you walk away from me..."
"You'll what? I have been financially independent of you for years now father, uncle Darcy provided more for my future than you ever did." Seeing Richard this angry, it was easy to see how he earned the fear and respect of his men. "You forget, not only is Georgiana my cousin, she is also my ward, a responsibility I take very seriously."