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 Mr. Bennet and Charlotte share their news

Netherfield

Darcy

Darcy could see that Elizabeth had been pleased to see her father and sister but it was also apparent to him that she had been relieved that they had not stayed too long.

Elizabeth looked at the others, rather shamefaced, and said, "That horrid fruit cake has given me a bit of an appetite. Would you mind if I asked for something more substantial?"

"Your wish is my command, my dearest wife," Darcy replied, flamboyantly bowing over her hand.

She smiled at him. "Then I wish for it to stop raining so that we can go for a walk."

"Ah, you shame me, my dearest wife, as I hold no sway with Thor."

"Then you are fortunate that today is Frige's day, not Thor's day," she said teasingly.

I wish to kiss that smirk as I have missed it so much. "Think you to tease me about Norse gods? I know full well that Frige was the goddess of love."

"Was not Woden Frige's husband?"

"Indeed. He was the protector of heroes, and heroines too, I expect." Just as I shall protect you, Missy, my love.

While waiting for Mrs. Stevens, they discussed the proposed trip to London. Lady Anne suggested that they leave on the following Monday or Tuesday.

"I have already moved out of the mistress' suite," said his mother. "So it is ready for you, Lizzy."

"Are you sure? I am happy to share with my sister."

"Your wish is my com— " began Darcy, disappointed.

"No, no; do not claim that, as I can see that it is still pouring with rain."

Darcy shook his head as if in defeat, and sighed, "I shall allow you ladies to arrange this, as I, the master of the house, clearly have no authority in the matter."

"Oh, Madam, you are silly," Elizabeth replied, nudging his arm. "When we wise women have agreed, you have the authority to agree with us."

I love your alliteration.

Mr. and Mrs. Stevens entered carrying trays of tempting food.

The following morning, Darcy gently awakened Elizabeth.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Almost dawn. It has stopped pouring and is only drizzling, so I thought that you might like a short walk before the others awake."

"I should like to, but do not wish to be seen like this." She looked a little distressed.

"We shall bundle you up and hide under an umbrella; and I shall ask Stevens to lead us through the servants' passageways."

"Poor Stevens. Do you not think that you know your way along the servants' corridors well enough by now not to disturb him?"

"You are correct; shall we go?"

Miss Bingley

Waking far too early — no-one of fashion wakes before noon— and unable to go back to sleep, Miss Bingley rose and went to the window. It is not even dawn!

About to return to her bed, she caught sight of two figures under an umbrella walking in the gardens. Who is that, at this hour? One of the figures bent to pick up something. Is that Darcy? What is he doing? Who is that with him?

The light was not good enough and the slight rain obscured her view. Is it Lady Anne? Surely she would not be up so early. She squinted, rubbing the condensation from the glass. Is it a servant? Is Darcy with a servant?

The figures turned towards the house, but Darcy's larger form hid the smaller one from her eyes.

Who is it?

Miss Bingley was very cross; she could not dress herself quickly enough to catch Darcy before he returned to his chambers. She rang for her maid.

"I expect you to come immediately when I ring! Ten minutes is too long."

"I am sorry, miss."

"Why are you not dressed properly?"

The maid hung her head and did not answer.

"You must go to Mr. Darcy's servants and find out with whom he walked this morning. Now! Go now!"

The maid dipped a curtsey and fled.

Darcy

Later, Stevens knocked at Darcy's sitting room door.

"Yes, Stevens," said Darcy.

"I have something to report to you, sir."

"Does Missy need to hear this too?"

"It regards Miss Bingley, sir, so I should expect that Mrs. Darcy would prefer to know."

Of course, Miss Bingley! Darcy called Elizabeth in from the bedchamber.

"Go ahead, Stevens," said Darcy as Elizabeth joined them.

"It seems as though Miss Bingley witnessed your dawn walk this morning. She has charged, ordered, her maid, Helen, to find out who was with you, sir."

Darcy shook his head, exasperated. At least we have only two more days here.

"Will Helen be well if she does not provide Miss Bingley with an answer?" asked Elizabeth. "She is the daughter of one of our tenants and I should not like to see her harmed."

"We can find a place for her if she wishes to leave Miss Bingley. Perhaps you would let her know, Stevens."

"Yes, sir."

Elizabeth

After church, on Sunday, Stevens announced that Mr. Bennet, Lydia and Charlotte had arrived, and were being shown to the sitting room.

"Charlotte?" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Why is Charlotte come here?"

"Shall we meet them to find out, my loveliest wife?"

"Very well, my most tolerable husband." She kissed his cheek and he groaned.

They arrived to hear Mr. Bennet reacquainting Lady Anne with Charlotte.

"Lizzy!" cried the latter, embracing and kissing Elizabeth. "I have so much to tell you! And, it seems that you have much to tell me!"

Elizabeth looked from her friend to her father and sister in confusion. Lydia was grinning with barely suppressed excitement.

"You have arrived just in time to hear my announcement, daughter. And son," Mr. Bennet said. "Another minute and you would have missed it as Lydia is about to burst!" He took Charlotte's hand in his and said, "Miss Lucas, Charlotte, has done me the greatest honour of agreeing to become my wife."

"Oh! Oh! That is wonderful!" Elizabeth gasped.

Darcy joined in the well-wishes, shaking his father-in-law's hand and kissing Charlotte on the cheek.

"I have already told Charlotte that we shall not call her 'Mamma'!" said Lydia. "'Though we might call her 'Step-mamma' if she is horrid to us."

"I do not quite believe it; when did this happen?" Elizabeth asked.

"Your father spoke to me and my father yesterday morning. Then he and my youngest step-daughter," replied Charlotte, with a teasing look at Lydia, "took me for a walk up Oakham Mount where they told me a most remarkable, almost unbelievable, story."

"Indeed," agreed Darcy.

"I could tell that Mr. Darcy admired you, Lizzy, but had no thought that he was your husband, nor that little Melissa and baby Phoebe are your daughters." Charlotte shook her head in disbelief.

When Lady Anne invited them to sit, Elizabeth allowed Charlotte to pull her next to her. Lydia joined them.

"All this time, these years, that you have shown no interest in any of the young men hereabouts— "

From the corner of her eye, Elizabeth saw Darcy stiffen.

" —and this is why! You already had your young man!"

"Indeed!" said Elizabeth and Darcy in unison, to the others' amusement.

As Lady Anne asked Lydia to help her to serve the tea and refreshments, pointing out the lemon cakes, Charlotte leaned towards Elizabeth and asked to hear the whole story.

"Mmm," said Elizabeth. "Are you asking as my dearest friend or as my step-mother?"

"She has you there, Charlotte!" said Mr. Bennet with a chortle.

"Charlotte or step-Charlotte?"

"Lizzy!" Charlotte protested. "I am not yet your step-mother, so I ask as your dearest friend."

"Ah, but will you keep the knowledge of my answers when you become my mother? There are some things which ought not be shared with one's parents, you know." Elizabeth took her friend's hands. "Do Jane and Mary know? And Kitty? Did I miss hearing the banns cried this morning?"

"Yes, your father told your sisters — and the latest Miss Prout! — when we returned from Oakham Mount. And, yes, you did, step-daughter dearest, miss hearing the banns, but do not change the subject!"

"Very well. Charlotte, may I introduce my dearest husband to you?"

"Delighted to meet you, Miss Lucas," said Darcy, standing to bow to her.

"And you, Mr. Darcy. I know that Mr. Bennet keeps calling you 'son' but, as I think that you are older than me, I shall not do the same!"

"I shall not comment, Step-mother," said Darcy, hiding a grin. "I have found that it is most inappropriate to talk of women's ages."

Lady Anne leaned towards Mr. Bennet and said, "He was never like this until he married Lizzy, you know!"

Mr. Bennet laughed. "A bit of teasing is a fair exchange for the Fitzwilliam Family Feud, methinks."

"The 'Bennet Family Teasing', perhaps," said Elizabeth.

"Oh no, it needs alliteration," cried Lydia. "What about 'Longbourn's Light-hearted Laughter?'"

"'Meryton's Merry Mirth?'"

"'Darcy's Delightful' — um — " began Darcy.

"You are, indeed, delightful, husband, but we are awaiting a third word!"

The others turned to look at him, waiting for him to finish. He shook his head, unable to think of an ending.

"Ah, I have it!" Charlotte announced. "'Netherfield's Nonsensical Nitwits'!"

"Very well," agreed Mr. Bennet, with a happy smile. "While we are here at Netherfield, that will do nicely. I shall rely on all of you to find alternatives for when we are elsewhere."

They all laughed.

Charlotte took advantage of the pause in conversation to speak quietly to Elizabeth. "I was so sorry to hear about Mr. Collins' attack on you, Eliza." She stroked her friend's bruised face. "To think that we were at Longbourn on Wednesday morning and knew nothing of it."

Tears filled Elizabeth's eyes and she was aware that Darcy was watching her carefully.

"I did not intend to upset you; I can see that you are being well cared for here."

Elizabeth nodded.

"If I can pretend to be your mother for a moment— " Charlotte lowered her voice further. "I understand that you do not wish Jane to see you thus, but I think that she would be very upset if you were to leave without seeing her."

"I know."

"Are you worried that she would be too distressed?"

Elizabeth nodded again. "It— it— The horrors sweep over me and I should be unable to bear Jane's pain."

Darcy came to kneel by them and took his wife's hand. "Would it help if Miss Lucas were to speak to Miss Bennet first? Then her first feelings of distress would fade before she sees you."

"That is a good idea. What think you, Lizzy?"

"But, as soon as you tell her about Mr.— the monster, you would have to tell her all. You are more practical than Jane; she feels things deeply. I admit to cowardice in not telling her, but, when she finds that I have been keeping a secret, such an important secret, for so very long— " Her voice drifted away.

Mr. Bennet had been listening to their quiet conversation. "It is best that I tell Jane and shall do so this afternoon. I shall tell her that you were not permitted to tell anyone, and that she must not be upset that you obeyed me in this. I shall not tell her of the Fitzwilliam Family Feud, only that Darcy's parents and I arranged your marriage."

Lydia looked ready to speak.

"No child," Mr. Bennet continued. "Jane — neither she nor Kitty — need not know of our, um, other business. And I shall certainly not tell Kitty of Lizzy and Mary's marriages."

"We had not decided when to travel to London," interjected Lady Anne. "But shall now not leave until Tuesday; so you may bring Miss Bennet to call on me tomorrow, if you wish."

"I thank you, my lady, I shall. I shall also instruct Mrs. Stevens and Nanny Jameson to ready the little ones ready to leave with you on Tuesday."

Darcy added, "Shall we leave the final arrangements until tomorrow? I think that Lizzy ought to have a short rest now."

"No, no! I am well!" Elizabeth protested.

"That is good to hear, my dear, but I have an important task to perform today, and perhaps I need a rest beforehand, so we shall take our leave and some or all of us shall return on the morrow." Mr. Bennet pronounced.

In which the author hopes that you spotted where the charming bracelet would have had its tearful reunion with Lizzy if it had been cruelly kidnapped.

Please don't copy!