Ch 4

Previously…

Taking a deep breath from the well-worn chair he sat in, Darcy exhaled saying, "My name is Fitzwilliam Darcy and I am here to marry your daughter Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Mr. Bennet quickly chocked on the tea he had been sipping.

As he continued coughing, Darcy stood, alarmed for the older man "Please sir, is there something I can do to assist you?"

Waving the young man off, Mr. Bennet regained his composure saying, "I'm sorry young man, could you please repeat that?"

"Mr. Bennet, surely you haven't forgotten the contract you and my father drew up several years ago. You must forgive my absence in the matter as I had only recently become aware of the agreement. I truly was not trying to neglect you or your fair daughter" Darcy said; giving possibly the longest speech he had ever given to someone he just met.

Mr. Bennet's eyes grew wide as his palms started to sweat. The contract. That damnable contract. How could he know some day it would come back to haunt him?

He always thought somehow, Mrs. Bennet would discover it and drive him to an early grave trying to enforce it. Not this man. And for some reason it seemed the young Mr. Darcy still wanted to go through with it.

"Forgive me young man, but I had not planned on you being here," said Mr. Bennet, struggling to find words.

"As I said previously sir, I had only just recently discovered its existence and wanted to rectify the situation at once".

Mr. Darcy thought there might be some shock, but this was more than he expected.

"And are you sure you wish to continue with this? " asked Mr. Bennet.

"Forgive me sir, I should've asked you a similar question: do you wish to buy out the contract for 5000 pounds? Is your daughter engaged elsewhere?" asked Darcy.

He wouldn't be surprised that the young woman had become betrothed to someone else in that time, having not heard from him in so long.

"No sir, my daughter has no other offers of marriage at the present. And as for the 5000 pounds, well... you see... the thing is..."

How was he to explain that this contract was created to help his daughters marry other men? Obviously, this gentleman had no one else he was interested in marrying. And he seemed to actually want to marry his Lizzy.

At this point, Mr. Bennet contemplated faking a heart attack to give him more time to think about what to say.

"So then it's settled. The contract is to be enforced as it was originally written. I was quite worried there for a moment," sighed Darcy in relief.

In all his excitement to meet his future bride, he had worried about the family of the girl presenting him with the buy out. Now that he knew they would not, he could breath easy.

"Should we call your daughter back in so we can be properly introduced?" asked Darcy.

"Call her back?" asked Mr. Bennet furrowing his brow, "Oh no! That was my Jane who showed you in. I'm not quite sure where my Lizzy is at the present."

Trying again, Mr Bennet asked, "Sir, are you quite determined to follow through with this contract?"

"I am sir. I have been searching for a wife in society long enough. I am tired of looking and I am ready to settle down. My estate is in need of a mistress and my sister is in need of female companionship" stated Mr. Darcy narrowing his eyes, "Is there some reason I shouldn't?"

"I just think," stalled Mr. Bennet "that you and Elizabeth might not be well together."

This comment caught Mr. Darcy by surprise."Clearly you thought we would be well together at some point. But if that has changed I will accept your buy out." Darcy said with his usual air of pride.

"Sir, I have a confession to make," sighed Mr. Bennet. "I have not the money for the buyout. That sum will clear out my daughters' total dowry."

"Then if that be the case I must insist we continue with the contract as it was originally intended" Darcy said determinedly.

Mr. Darcy didn't want the old man to feel trapped, but clearly this contract was what his father wanted, and he wanted to fulfill his father's wishes. His father had never steered him wrong before and he knew he wouldn't now.

"You must allow me to speak with my Lizzy first. I'm warning you, I don't believe she will take this too well," Mr. Bennet said wearily.

"I'm sure she's a reasonable woman that will understand," stated Mr. Darcy with all his normal haughtiness. "Call on me at Netherfield once you have spoken to her. I will be residing there during my visit."

Mr. Bennet could only incline his head in response.

Suddenly, the door to Mr. Bennet's study opened admitting another young woman.

"Papa, I fell from the tree while I was gathering apples. Is there anyway you can distract mama while I get this dress clean and mended without her knowing? I'm truly not it the mood for another lecture"

The young woman who gave that speech finally looked up from her dress. Noticing the other gentleman occupying the room, she quickly launched into an apology.

"Please, forgive me father. I did not know you had company."

"That's quite alright Lizzy. You should probably go upstairs and change. And I fear there's not getting around your mother." smirked Mr. Bennet.

Curtsying, and quickly as she appeared she was gone again, leaving a very shocked Mr. Darcy behind.

That was Elizabeth Bennet? thought Darcy. The young woman with leaves and a rather good size twig protruding from her hair. A dress with the hem caked in six inches of mud and torn? Not torn as to make it improper, but torn all the same. This woman was to be his wife?

Mr. Bennet couldn't have been happier about Lizzy's appearance. Surely this proper, impeccably kept young man didn't wish for someone like his Lizzie for a wife. He was far too serious for a lively disposition.

Mr. Bennet leaned back in his chair smiling.

AN: Hello again all! Again can't thank you enough for the reviews! I wish I had time to thank everyone personally but I think most of you would agree you'd rather have my time spent finishing the story :). Still sticking to my updating schedule. I'm trying to always have at least the next 4 chapters written in rough draft form so I'll always have a chapter ready for the week. Once I'm done with the story I plan to start updating twice a week but that might not be for another month or so hopefully. Thank you again for all your support and thanks as alway to my beta adrilu1192 for everything!

Also chapter length will increase as more characters are added.