Madam and Missy — A Pride and Prejudice Variation
This is dedicated to all the writers both here and on KU who've released their stories for free! As I enjoy reading them so much, I thought that I'd have a go, and here it is.
[Note that I'm a Brit, so have written with British spelling, punctuation and terminology 😏]
In which Elizabeth teases Darcy's artistic efforts, and he feels jealous
Shropshire
Darcy
Though they had pottered about near the lodge, spending their time playing backgammon and chess in a sunny nook in the garden, it was three days before they walked back to the oak tree, again taking a basket of food. Darcy was pleased that Elizabeth seemed more at ease with him, supposing that their forced intimacy had been in their favour. As they walked, he watched with pleasure as she darted this way and that picking wild flowers.
"Are you sure that you have recovered?"
"Yes, thank you. Though I am most certainly not looking forward to my next one, at least I shall not be so alarmed."
"Nor I!" He pulled a face and laughed.
"Thank you again, William, for taking such good care of me."
"There is no need to thank me. It will sound odd but, though it was distressing, it meant that we spent more time together than we might have and so I hope that you are feeling more at ease with this strange new husband of yours."
"I am!"
They reached the oak tree and sat beneath its branches.
"Missy, I must talk with you about something— "
"Should I dread what you have to say?"
"No, not at all." He smiled at her. "I am not going to be severe. Much as I should like to, I shall not be able to spend every hour with you while we are here."
She looked at him enquiringly.
"As you know, this is my first summer as master of my estate."
She took his hand and squeezed it, acknowledging the loss of his father. "Will you have to go away?"
"I hope not. But my mother has arranged for a lad, Mrs. Reynolds' son, I think, to ride between there and here with any letters and papers that I must address."
"Oh, I shall find ways to occupy myself."
"I can see that you are a little disappointed — I was going to ask if you would like to join me for a couple of hours each morning to work with me. It would be a way for you to learn about your future home."
"Do you mean that?"
"Indeed," he nodded. "I do. I might have to conceal one or two things from you and, I am sorry, I might have to return there if I, we, cannot manage at a distance."
She grinned. "When do we start?"
Such enthusiasm!
"As my mother and uncle are still at the manor house, we must wait until she is returned to our estate. In the meantime, we have a picnic to eat, hills to explore and — whatever else you would like to do." He paused. "I am hoping to teach you to ride." Seeing her eyes widen in alarm, he continued, "Perhaps, at first, you would ride with me as you do with your father."
"Perhaps."
"I should appreciate it if you would try."
"Mmm." Her tone was noncommittal.
"I can see that you are frightened, but am sure that I heard you say something about your courage rising at attempts to frighten you."
"Unfair, Madam Adam! Unfair!"
He raised his eyebrows and looked at her expectantly.
"Very well. I shall compromise and meet the beast. That is all that I shall agree to at first."
"Ajax is no beast, but I shall take you to meet him."
"'Ajax'? A Trojan hero? Why could you not have chosen a gentle name like 'Buttercup'?"
He snorted. "'Buttercup'?"
"Or 'Daisy'?"
"'Daisy'?"
"Or even 'Blossom'?"
"Now I know that you are teasing me, my most vexing wife!"
"Your only wife!"
When they returned to the lodge, Darcy followed Elizabeth as she entered through the kitchen door.
"Mrs. Reynolds, Sarah," she handed the women the wildflowers. "A very small token of my gratitude for your care of me these last few days."
"Oh, thank you, Missy!" Sarah took the flowers and popped them into a jug on the windowsill.
After the departure of Richard, the Gardiners and then the Fitzwilliams, they settled into a daily routine with the mornings reserved for Darcy's estate work. He had been both pleased with and in awe of his new wife's dedication to learning everything that she could about her future home. They laughed together at his attempts to draw a map of his land.
"How many rivers run through it? I count one, two, three, four on your drawing!"
"That is not a river, that is the drive through the park to the house; and that line is the boundary between those farms."
"'Tis just as well that gentlemen are not judged for their artistic talents as gentlewomen are!"
"Nor are we judged for our musicality or sewing skills. Thank goodness!"
Elizabeth laughed. "And thank goodness that you did not call off our betrothal when you first saw my embroidery!"
"I should have you know that, to this day, I treasure the handkerchief with the brown clouds."
"They were oak leaves, as well you know." She looked at him feigning outrage then smiled. "Well done, Madam Adam — you are learning how to tease!"
"I have the best instructor, my most teasing wife."
"Your only wife!"
Sarah knocked at the door to ask if they would like tea. "Yes, please, Sarah. It might steady Mr. Adam's drawing hand. When you come back, perhaps you would show me which are the rivers on this drawing, as I think that this one flows straight into the house."
Sarah shook her head and left for the kitchen.
"If you persist in teasing me, my most vexing wife, we shall not finish in time for a walk this afternoon. And," he paused, giving her a secretive look, "you might miss the surprise that I have for you this evening."
"Ooh! What surprise is that?"
He refused to tell her until they were sitting under 'their' oak tree later that afternoon.
"There is an assembly in the local town. Apparently, people come from quite a distance to attend. I thought that you might like to come with me."
"I should, thank you. I love to dance."
"Would you reserve a dance for me?"
"I know not. There might be some fine-looking fellows in there."
"Huh," he cried as if offended. "Am I not a fine-looking fellow?"
"Mmm." She regarded him in thought. "You are tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me to dance."
She was on her feet and running before he realised what she had said; but it did not take him long to catch her and demand a kiss on his cheek as penance.
Elizabeth
Their first argument was on the morning after the assembly.
Why is he so cross? Elizabeth wondered. "Will you not tell me what has upset you?"
He did not answer, but continued eating his breakfast.
"Have I upset you?" She sighed. "William, I shall not start my marriage by being afraid of upsetting you and cowering waiting to find out what I have done to do so."
"You are not cowering," he retorted, without looking at her.
"Not yet, but, if I have to wait for your disproval for very long, I shall be."
"Hmph."
She got up to leave the room. "I shall go for a walk while you decide if you are to speak with me."
"Wait!"
"Wait, please."
"Wait, please."
She returned to her seat.
"You are my wife." He looked at her, sternly.
"Yes, your only wife." She lifted her chin.
"And I expect you to behave as my wife."
"What do you mean?" She furrowed her brows in confusion.
"I do not expect my wife to flirt with other men!"
"'Flirt with other men'?"
"You flirted with every man in that room, last night." His voice rose in anger.
"I did not!" Outraged, she stood.
"You laughed and smiled with every man there."
"I spoke with many people, both men and women. They are our new neighbours. I might have smiled too, but I was not flirting."
"They liked you too much!" He stood and raised his voice.
"Who did?"
"The men there."
"I did not notice any other men there as I was too busy flirting — with my husband." She left the room and ran out into the garden feeling lost. Do not cry, Lizzy, do not cry.
Almost immediately, two big arms encircled her from behind. "I am sorry, Missy. I was jealous."
"I accept your apologies, William, but am unhappy when you will not tell me what has upset you." She turned to face him, with tears in her eyes.
"I can only apologise again. I am new to this role as your husband." He wiped her eyes.
"You are my only husband and, though some might find you only tolerable, I am pleased to be your wife."
"My only wife."
"Are you calm enough to find a compromise?"
"I shall try. I can see that you are much more sociable than me; you are able to talk with strangers."
"While I can see that, sometimes, you struggle to catch their tone of conversation or appear interested in their concerns."
He nodded. "As I see you do with ease."
"Now that we have reached an understanding, let us see what estate matters await us this morning. And, on our walk this afternoon, we can talk more."
Please don't copy, but please do let me have comments/corrections 😏