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 Darcy and Elizabeth are formally introduced

Longbourn

Elizabeth

At daybreak, Elizabeth was about to slip out of the house for her customary walk, when her father called her.

"Lizzy, are you off to view the land?"

"Good morning, Pappa. I had not yet decided where to walk today," she replied.

"Having seen the clouds scurrying away, I should think that it would be a lovely view this morning."

"I expect that you are right as it is always a lovely view!"

"If you go to sit amongst the oak's roots, I shall try to join you there in an hour, perhaps."

"I do not need such persuasion to climb Oakham Mount, but I look forward to seeing you there."

He handed her a small basket, saying, "Knowing that you have taken my breakfast with you, will spur me to climb it too." She laughed and kissed him goodbye.

She wandered along the familiar paths wondering why her father should choose that morning to join her. He often did so when he had something to discuss with her. He will not be telling me about my betrothal!

Passing through the woods and climbing up the gentle slope to the oak tree, she decided not to anticipate his news but to enjoy the morning. Arriving at the top, she sat in her usual place between the roots and started the story of the land.

Darcy

Darcy had not slept. He had spent the night in worry and anticipation; the former in case he had misunderstood the stress that Mr. Bennet had put on the word 'son', and the latter in case he had not misunderstood at all.

He had saddled Ajax himself and had ridden south east towards the small hill that Mr. Bennet had pointed out on the map. He saw the wood and, dismounting, led Ajax up the hill. As they neared the top, he saw the oak tree and, behind it, the skirts and boots of a figure sitting just out of sight. Ajax whinnied and the figure started and stood to look towards the sound.

He could tell the moment that she saw him beside the horse: she froze. Her hands then covered her mouth as her eyes widened in shock. "W-William? William?" Suddenly she was running. He dropped the reins to catch her and spin her round and round. His hat fell to the ground as she clung to his neck. "William! William!"

He could not answer as he pushed his face into her neck, feeling her kiss his ear and temple. He stopped spinning and felt the toes of her boots against his shins, but did not release her, ashamed to feel tears in his eyes. She loosened her hold around his neck, encouraging him to do the same. He gently lowered her feet to the ground.

"Come," she said, pulling him by both hands. She led him toward the oak to stand between its roots. Stepping up onto a particularly thick one, she stood almost eye-to-eye with him. As he held her loosely in his embrace, she took his face between her hands and kissed his tears away. She pulled back and smiled softly. Then, she kissed his forehead, she kissed his cheeks, she kissed his jaw and, grinning, kissed the tip of his nose. She pulled back again, this time searching his face as if trying to memorise every detail. In disbelief, she touched and stroked his head and face.

"I do not believe that it is you — surely this is the most— " she shook her head to think of the right word, " —glorious, most glorious dream!" She wrapped her arms around his neck again and hugged him.

In return, he tightened his about her and said, "I do not think that I could conjure such a dream, so we must both be awake."

"What brings you here? Oh, you have met my father!"

"I have, indeed, Miss Elizabeth Bennet!"

Still grinning with joy, she teased him. "No sir, you are mistaken; I am Mrs. William Adam."

Releasing her, he stepped back and bowed. "I must beg to correct you. Allow me to introduce myself; I am Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and thus you are Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy."

"Are you quite certain that it is 'Darcy' not 'Adam'? I rather enjoyed being Mrs. William Adam."

"Mmm," he nodded. "I am quite certain. It is 'Darcy'."

She pretended to consider this. "As your mother advised us, we should compromise. Could I not tempt you to be Mr. William Darcy, as that Fitzwilliam fellow abandoned me four years ago or more, you know?"

"It will be as you command, my darling Mrs. Darcy." He bowed with a flourish and kissed her hand.

She stepped down from the root and curtseyed to him. "Welcome to Oakham Mount, Mr. Darcy." She caught his hands again and pulled him to where she had been sitting between the roots. "If you sit in that space, I shall sit next to you and we shall be quite snug together."

He sat as instructed but pulled her into his lap. "We shall be snugger like this."

She looped an arm around his neck and, with heads together, they sat for a while in joyful silence.

Settled quite nicely in his arms, he thought, Elizabeth began to tell him the story Longbourn's land. Looking towards the rising sun, she pointed out the features in the landscape; she told him of the various tenant farms and who lived in each; she listed the crops and livestock. He listened keenly, interested in her knowledge and in admiration of her love for her home. Watching how the sunlight lit her beloved face, he hoped that she would love Pemberley as much.

Mesmerised, he almost did not hear her ask, "Are you hungry?" She shifted away slightly to reach for a basket. "I have a basket with some," she looked inside it, "bread, cheese and a flask of," removing the top, and sniffing, "tea. Oh, there are some apples too."

He reached for her to pull her back to his lap, but she popped the basket on his knees and squeezed in next to him instead. "What would you like first?"

"To eat?" he asked with a small smirk.

"Yes, to eat!" She batted his chest playfully. "Let us begin this feast with bread and cheese, shall we?" She passed the cheese to him to cut up, and broke the bread into smaller pieces. They talked about Melissa and Phoebe while eating the bread and cheese; she telling him of their daughters' latest antics. Then, as he offered her the flask of tea, she asked, "So what brings you to Hertfordshire, Mr. William Darcy?"

"It was mere chance, though had I but known that you were here, my darling wife, I should have come many years ago!" He took her hand and kissed it. "I am here now as my friend Charles Bingley has let Netherfield."

"You have told me a little of Mr. Bingley."

"He asked for my help, as it is his first time running an estate, and I am glad to give it. My intention was to stay here for but two months, but now I shall never leave!" He watched her bite into a slice of apple. How dainty she is. "Your father came to welcome Bingley to Meryton yesterday. He watched me rather acutely."

"He does that!"

"He saw me playing with an acorn — thank you for giving one to Stevens; I needed it yesterday."

"Oh. Why?" she cried with concern.

"I am telling the story in the wrong order; would you mind if I started again?"

"Very well, but will you start from the very beginning, or part of the way through?" she teased him.

"My teasing wife! I shall start with Bingley renting Netherfield. Or would you like me to start at his birth?"

"Your only wife. Start with Mr. Bingley renting Netherfield."

"Bingley's father made his fortune in trade and it was his dream that his son becomes a landed gentleman. Bingley heard of Netherfield and thought that, as it is but half a day's journey from London and not too big an estate, it would suit him to rent while he learns.

"He and I visited about a fortnight ago so that he could look at it before deciding."

"You were here a fortnight ago?" She looked a little dismayed.

"I have already stated that had I known that you were here I should have come sooner. So, of course, had I known a fortnight ago, nothing would have kept me from your doorstep." He kissed her hand again, murmuring, "My dearest wife."

"Your only wife!"

"Would you like me to finish this story or would you prefer me to shower you with compliments?"

"I think that I prefer Mr. William Adam after all; he could do both." Shaking her head, she looked away feigning disappointment.

"Oh," he groaned. "If I could kiss your lips now, Missy, I could show you how much Mr. William Darcy could compliment you." Instead, he gently untied the ribbons of her bonnet. Taking it from her head, he put his lips against her cheek and sighed, "Oh, how I love you!"

"Very well, Mr. Darcy, I am all attention. Continue with this tale of Mr. Bingley and his brave quest for gentlemanship — if that is a word." She sat up pertly, regarding his face intently.

"He took the estate; we came here; I rode out and saw you, my love; the end."

"More detail, please, or this account will never be published to any degree of acclaim."

"Hmph. Bingley decided to lease Netherfield. He, his family and I arrived two days ago to take residence."

"Who are the other members of your party?"

"Bingley is accompanied by his two sisters. The elder is married to a Mr. Hurst, and the younger is to keep house for him." Seeing that she wanted more information, he continued. "Mr. Hurst is a gentleman and, should you meet him at a time when he is not distracted by food or drink or, indeed, is asleep, you would find that he has a cutting, rather unusual sense of humour."

"I can only hope to witness it."

"Of the sisters, I find it difficult to speak as anything that I should say would be ungentlemanly."

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. "I should not ask you to be ungentlemanly, but should like to know a little of them."

He sighed and closed his eyes to consider his words. "The older, Louisa, is led by her younger sister. Miss Caroline Bingley wishes for, appears to wish for, nothing but wealth and consequence."

"I suppose that there are many young ladies such as that."

"Indeed." He paused to think, again. "I regret to report that her very behaviour will impede her desires. I find her to be too attentive, too flattering, too forward, too— "

"Ah," snorted Elizabeth. "I see. 'Tis your wealth and consequence to which she aspires."

He nodded ruefully.

"Never fear, sir. I see that this tale requires a heroine, so Buttercup and I shall gallop to your rescue!"

"Gallop, would you?"

"Hmph; we shall trot slowly to your rescue!"

"Trot? You have been practising!"

"Very well; I shall run, leading Buttercup by his reins."

"Should I give my daring rescuer a favour?" Darcy asked, whipping a handkerchief from his pocket to present to her.

"Oh," she laughed. "Is that one of my early attempts at a horse?" Accepting the favour, she continued. "Miss Bingley is going to be very disappointed as I wed you before you were Mr. 'wealth and consequence' Darcy, in fact when you were 'M' whose letters I awaited so eagerly." She kissed his cheek. "And I have loved you for almost as long."

"Aye, she will be disappointed. She would have been disappointed even if I had not wed my wonderful Missy, as I should never have married her even had she compromised me."

"Would she try such a thing?"

"The day that we arrived, she walked into my chambers and tried to dismiss Stevens."

"I should bet that the redoubtable Stevens would not have left your side, whatever she said."

"She was very persistent and, by the time I had closed the door following her retreat, I was quite disquieted."

"Is that why the stalwart Stevens gave you an acorn?"

Darcy nodded. "I must thank you, my dearest and only wife, for supplying Stevens with those little balms for my soul." He pulled her closer. Now it was his turn to kiss and stroke her face. He showered her face and neck with kisses, murmuring words of love. His fingers travelled back into her hair and found the pins holding it up. He pulled them free, allowing her hair to fall around her shoulders. "'With a glory of dark brown hair'," he sang softly as he ran his fingers through it.

"My love," she whispered.

Please don't copy, but please do let me have comments/corrections 😏