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. and Mrs. Hurst visit Darcy House without Miss Bingley
Darcy House
Lady Anne
Having received Mr. Hurst's card a few days after Lady Matlock's ball, Lady Anne had sent an invitation to him and his wife. Darcy and Elizabeth waited with her in the informal parlour as their guests were shown in. As they made their courtesies, Lady Anne watched the Hursts' faces. How will they react to seeing Lizzy? she wondered. Her curiosity was soon assuaged.
Mrs. Hurst started to greet 'Miss Bennet', but was interrupted by her husband:
"I think that you ought to address her as 'Mrs. Darcy', my dear."
"'Mrs. Darcy'?" Louisa Hurst was taken aback. "I have not the pleasure of understanding you."
Lady Anne watched Mr. Hurst's amusement as he explained, "Darcy spent all of his time in Hertfordshire at Longbourn, then he spent all of Lady Matlock's ball either watching or dancing with Miss Elizabeth, and now Miss Elizabeth is staying here."
Mrs. Hurst regarded the others in the room and, seeing that none were offended, conceded. "I had no idea!" She turned to address Elizabeth, "Allow me to offer my congratulations, Miss— Mrs. Darcy."
"I thank you, Mrs. Hurst, while saluting your husband's keen albumen," Elizabeth smirked at Mr. Hurst.
"Oh, Miss E— Mrs. Darcy, you beak me again!" he replied, laughing.
"May I be party to your joke, Lizzy?" asked Lady Anne.
"Of course, Mamma. At Netherfield, Mr. Hurst joined William and myself in a discussion on the raising of chickens."
"Apparently, my knowledge was poultry," added Darcy.
"Aha, thus 'albumen' is 'acumen'. I shell have to think more on this."
"No, no, Mother! Do not start Lizzy and Hurst off again!" cried Darcy. "Mrs. Hurst, please support me in this!"
"I should be glad to do so, Mr. Darcy, as I should prefer to chat with Mrs. Darcy about your wedding," replied Mrs. Hurst.
Elizabeth laughed. "And I should be glad in turn, but first should like to hear more of your husband's conclusions."
As Lady Anne poured the tea, Elizabeth handed the cups to their visitors.
"Well, Mr. Hurst?" Elizabeth said, with an expectant look.
"Well, Mrs. Darcy?" Mr. Hurst replied, mirroring her expression.
"Do tell us what you have gleaned." Seeing his slight reluctance, she continued, "I doubt that your suppositions will be nearly as offensive as those of your sister. My apologies, Mrs. Hurst, but some things that she said were really quite cruel."
"You have no need to apologise to me, for I have lived with her all of her life," demurred Mrs. Hurst.
Mr. Hurst sighed. "Very well, but I needs must prefix this with the caveat that I do not intend to cause offence."
In the pause that followed, Lady Anne wondered why Elizabeth was so keen to hear their guest's thoughts. Perhaps it is to provide information to Mr. Bennet.
"I believe that you have been married for a few years— "
"'Years'?" gasped his wife.
"Yes, years — long enough for you to have a two-year old daughter."
"Melissa — well done," Darcy acknowledged.
"The other little lass is not your child, no matter how much Caroline claimed it so."
"She is my lady's maid's daughter," said Elizabeth.
"I confess to being unsure about the babes, as I did not spent much time with them — huh, and cannot claim to be an expert in children of that age!"
Lady Anne saw that Mrs. Hurst blushed and noticed that Elizabeth took her hand. She watched the two younger women exchanged small smiles, while the men feigned to not notice.
"Any more, Hurst?" asked Darcy.
"I do not know why your marriage is not common knowledge, but suspect that Mr. Bennet's plots have something to do with it." He turned to address Elizabeth and continued, "Miss Lydia appears to be involved too, but they are very adept at hiding their schemes."
"I shall answer thus: you are correct and it is not for me to tell you more. My father will write to you when his plan is set." Elizabeth stood and pulled the bell-cord. When a footman entered, she asked him to let Georgiana know that she would be welcome to join the visitors in the parlour.
Shortly, Georgiana entered the parlour holding Melissa's hand. Following her was Nanny Jameson carrying a very sleepy Phoebe. Melissa pulled free of her aunt's grasp and hurried to her mother. As Darcy stood to take the baby, Lady Anne heard Mrs. Jameson say that it was almost time for the girls' nap. Melissa proved this true by climbing onto Elizabeth's lap, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck and falling asleep.
"I had intended to introduce you!" said Elizabeth, wryly. "If you would excuse me for a few minutes, I shall take this one up to the nursery. Nanny, would you take Phoebe, please?"
As Elizabeth accepted Darcy's hand to pull her to her feet, Lady Anne caught her eye and glanced at Mrs. Hurst.
"Would you like to come too, Mrs. Hurst?"
"Very much so, I thank you."
The men stood as the women and girls left the room. Lady Anne excused herself too, saying, "I shall leave you gentlemen to talk of other things than confinement and the arrangement of nurseries!"
Darcy
"Come into my study, Hurst, and I shall tell you a little more."
"Perhaps with something a little stronger than tea?" added Mr. Hurst, accepting, with gratitude, a brandy.
As they took seats by the fire, Darcy asked, "Am I to infer that you will be gaining much needed expertise with babes later this year?"
"Mmm. It is very early days yet, and Louisa has not told anyone else. Caroline, I need not say, is too selfish to, well," he paused and tutted, "care that her sister hopes for motherhood and how very happy it would make her."
"Indeed. I am sure that my wife is expressing all of the happiness that your wife needs to hear, and I shall offer my own congratulations."
"I thank you, Darcy. I know that Louisa is a little nervous, unsure, so I hope that speaking with Mrs. Darcy — how strange that sounds! — will bring her some comfort."
"Indeed."
They sat in silence, sipping the brandy.
At last, Hurst spoke, "Have you heard from Bingley?"
"No, have you?"
"A short note to Louisa saying that he was well."
"No more?"
Hurst shook his head.
Darcy wanted to find out if the Hursts knew of their brother's elopement, but felt that he ought not ask more.
"There was, um, there was more in the note," Mr. Hurst began then hesitated. "He, er, he said that he has married."
"Indeed. Did he say to whom?"
"No, but, from the tone of your voice, this is no surprise to you."
"Indeed." It was Darcy's turn to hesitate. "Elizabeth says that we should await your brother's return to find out how he would like to have the news shared. I find that I cannot justify withholding the information from you, his brother, although members of his wife's family would prefer that Miss Bingley is not party to it."
"'His wife's family'? I assumed that his bride is the Bennets' cousin who we met last year."
To defer an answer, Darcy stood to refresh their glasses.
"Darcy?"
"I find this deceit abhorrent, so shall tell you knowing that you will tell your wife but will not tell your sister."
"Agreed."
"Part of my hesitancy is that I know not what Bingley himself knows."
"What?"
"Indeed. You met his bride at Longbourn, and, strictly, she is a distant cousin of the Bennets; she is actually my own cousin."
"Your cousin?" Mr. Hurst's eyebrows rose. "Miss Anne de Bourgh!"
"Is now Mrs. Charles Bingley."
"Ha," barked Mr. Hurst.
"I have no way of knowing if 'Miss Hannah Prout' told Bingley that she is really the heiress of Rosings."
Mr. Hurst continued to laugh.
"The earl has forbidden us from speaking of it."
"I shall not tell her, but I cannot wait to see Caroline's face when she does find out!"
"Indeed. Anticipation of Miss Bingley's reaction was one of the arguments that swayed him from not pursuing Bingley and Anne."
"And the others?"
"The other arguments?"
Mr. Hurst nodded.
"Surprisingly, it was Miss Bennet's repeated professions of Bingley's kindness."
"Hmph, that speaks more of her own kindness," said Mr. Hurst.
"Indeed." Darcy felt it churlish to say otherwise. If you but knew. He shifted in his chair and continued, "Returning to my own marriage; I can tell you that you were correct in your assumption, it is to do with Mr. Bennet's schemes. More than that I cannot say, except that he and Lord Matlock will inform us when it is our time to act."
"It is not just Wickham, is it?"
"No. He is part of it, but the other players are— " he cast around for the right words, "higher in society."
"'Higher'?"
"Indeed. Much higher."
Mr. Hurst frowned at him. "I see."
"Indeed." I expect that you do.
Further conversation was halted by the sound of feminine voices. Elizabeth and Mrs. Hurst came into the study.
"Ah, I thought that you might hide in here once we had left you," said Elizabeth. She looked between the men. "By your faces, I infer that you have had the same conversation as Louisa and I have."
As Darcy drew breath to reply, Mr. Hurst beat him to it, "Indeed!"
"I have tried to persuade Louisa to stay for a family supper, but we have agreed that they will come next week instead." She turned to Darcy. "Do you have any commitments on Tuesday evening?"
"No." He shook his head.
"So shall we see you on Tuesday?"
"Yes, that would be lovely, Lizzy, I thank you. Now we ought to take our leave. Please thank Lady Anne for today's invitation."
The Darcys saw the Hursts to the door and bade them farewell.
Mr. Hurst's townhouse
Miss Bingley
"Louisa! Louisa! Where have you been?"
"Sister, Gilbert and I have been to take tea with some friends," Mrs. Hurst replied, as she climbed the stairs.
"Who is this Mr. Gilbert?" Is he worth knowing?
"My husband, Caroline!"
"Mr. Hurst?"
"Yes! We were invited to tea, this afternoon."
"With Mr. Gilbert?"
"No, Mr. Adam," Mrs. Hurst sighed.
"You ought to have taken me with you!" cried Miss Bingley, looking down on her.
"The invitation was from one of my husband's friends and did not include you," sighed Mrs. Hurst.
"Nonsense, my inclusion is implied. It was very rude of you to go without me."
"The invitation was addressed to 'Mr. and Mrs. Hurst', not to you."
"Let me see it!" Miss Bingley held out her hand. "Give it to me, now!"
"No, Caroline. I do not have it, and, even if I did, I should not give it to you."
"Who is this Mr. Adam? Where is his townhouse?" How wealthy is he?
"Louisa, go ahead. I shall join you shortly." The sound of Mr. Hurst's voice came up the stairs, followed by the footsteps of the man himself.
"Really, Hurst! It is not done! To go without me!"
"Caroline, you would have found it dreadfully dull. My friend and his wife talked and talked about their young children. The nanny even brought in the children for introductions and our attention." He sighed. "Our faces are exhausted from having to maintain polite smiles — we were glad to make our escape."
She shuddered and made a noise of repugnance. What sort of people could they be to behave thus?
"If you are determined to accompany us next time, I shall ask him to extend an invitation. They pressed us to return for supper soon. Maybe you women would take the talk of children away, leaving us men in peace. Aye, that would work well."
"I think not; I have no desire to hear of children. You must, though, take me when you visit childless people."
"Very well," sighed Mr. Hurst, excusing himself to retire to his chambers.
He is so easy to bend to my will, she thought. I shall yet persuade him to take me to Darcy House.
She called after him: "Where does Mr. Gilbert live?"
Please don't copy! 😏