Disclaimer – Jane Austen owns Mr. Darcy and ITV own Amanda Price. I own the rights to Constance Darcy.

Special Thanks – LucifersAngel23

Chapter 3 - Silly Girls & Marriage

Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way. - Jane Austen

Elizabeth sighed as she watched Constance run out of the ball. If it had not been enough that Constance was at an impressionable age, her father had embarrassed her in front of a potential suitor. She was torn between following Constance and giving her husband a stern talking to and goodness knows he needed it. She wanted to scream but since they were at a ball and too many scenes had already been created for one night, she decided to speak with a civil tongue. As civil as an angry mother could get.

Feeling the sting of understanding how it felt to be a teenager, Elizabeth walked towards Darcy and demanded, "Must you antagonize her so."

"She must know to not act like a silly girl anymore. Most silly girls her age are getting married."

"You must know," Elizabeth's eyes blazed, "that you married a silly girl."

Darcy smiled thinly as Elizabeth continued, "She is easily influenced by her surroundings." She shook her head, "It is an age when nothing seems to fit right and when you look at your bum in the mirror… you think; why can't I look like that girl in the fashion glossy?"

Darcy uncomfortably exchanged looks with James Shelton (who was still standing across from Darcy). James looked down and shuffled his feet wondering what a fashion glossy was but did not want to ask lest he look misinformed. Anyway, James Shelton felt the outsider in this conversation and decided that being quiet would suffice. He felt a bit trapped between wanting to run away as Constance had and standing his ground like a proper gentleman. The latter sounded good to him but he wondered, with a small smile, how Constance could bear listening to this every day.

"Thank you for enlightening us on the plights of young women," Darcy said with disdain.

"You wouldn't know," Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, "seeing how you almost lost me due to your cluelessness and your own daughter has just run away from you."

Darcy took in a deep breath as Elizabeth turned away from him. She walked out of the ballroom hot on Constance's trail. She saw Constance running through the corridor that led to the courtyard. Constance opened the French doors and Elizabeth called out her daughter's name. Constance did not hear her mother as she shut the doors behind her. When Elizabeth reached the doors, she watched helplessly as her daughter was sucked into a portal.

Elizabeth swiftly opened the French doors, "Constance!" Nevertheless, it was too late. Her daughter was gone. Elizabeth stared blankly ahead. She never thought that this would happen again especially since the portal had stopped working. No, this couldn't have happened.

Finally, Elizabeth came to and she collapsed to her knees. The cold, wet grass soaked into her white dress as she panicked, "Oh no! Oh no!" She found it hard to breath and heard someone running up to her. She looked up to see her husband had concerned eyes, "Elizabeth?"

"Stop it," she shook her head. "I'm not Elizabeth and you know it. I'm Amanda Price-Pember and you're Leigh Pember and we need to go back."

"Elizabeth," he continued despite Amanda's protests; trying to keep up appearances. "What happened?"

"Oh dear," a haughty voice criticized, "look at her petticoat. Six inches deep in mud as usual."

"Caroline," Darcy said through clenched teeth, "please leave."

"Pardon me," Caroline looked affronted and sashayed through the garden as though Pemberley were hers.

"She's gone," Amanda shivered.

"Yes," Darcy scooped Amanda up in her arms and carried her back inside, "I told her to leave."

"No. Not Caroline," Amanda shook her head and leaned her head against Darcy's chest, "Constance is gone."

Darcy sighed, "Where did she go?"

Amanda began to cry and Darcy carried her upstairs to bed. The party was still going on but it would have to do so without the host. He set her gently upon the bed and watched as she restlessly fretted about her daughter.

"She will be punished for putting you into such a state," Darcy said gruffly.

"No," Amanda cried; burying her face into her pillow, "No! It's not her fault that she's gone."

"Whose fault is it?" Darcy crossed his arms as though preparing himself for the blame.

"It is no one's fault," Amanda said through the pillow; muffling her voice.

"Where did she go?"

Amanda turned to look up at Darcy, "Through the portal."

"What are you talking about?"

"She went through the portal," Amanda repeated.

"Then," Darcy looked down, "this is a breakthrough for us."

"Our child is gone and that's all you can think about."

"Well, as a matter of fact, yes." Darcy ignored Amanda, "It is a breakthrough for us after all. We can go back and forth as we please again."

"The portal doesn't work for us anymore."

Darcy blinked, "But, I thought you said-"

"It's broken," Amanda stated flatly.

"Apparently not," Darcy raised an eyebrow. "It just doesn't seem to be-"

"But, why is it not working for us?"

"I think the portal does not work for us anymore because our destiny is here," Darcy concluded.

"But, we're not even Elizabeth and Darcy."

"No." Darcy shook his head, "No. We are Elizabeth and Darcy. But, we are also Amanda and Leigh. Our destiny is here because what would the world be like without Elizabeth and Darcy."

"Less complicated," Amanda pouted, "I can tell you that."

Darcy furrowed his brow, "Here we go again."

"No. No! Not here we go again," Amanda sat up in bed; staring daggers at her husband. "Have you no compassion-"

"For your poor nerves?" Darcy smirked, tilting his head to the side.

"Ugh!" Amanda groaned in frustration, "You don't understand. You don't get it."

"What do I not understand, my dear?"

Amanda said in a rush, "I mean I can't use my mobile here. No signal and I can't call my mum and ask her to drop off Constance! It doesn't work that way!" Amanda's breath quickened, "Oh no! My poor daughter! Sh-she's in Hammersmith! Dressed as if … as if she belongs in a Jane Austen novel! Oh no! Something bad could happen! Have you lived in England in the 21st Century? Oh god! She hasn't even seen a car! Oh no! I can't breathe!" Amanda took in a deep breath according to Darcy's instructions and watched as he poured her a glass of water from her bedside carafe.

Graciously, Amanda accepted the glass of water. She took in a deep breath as the cool liquid coursed down her body. She glanced sidelong at her husband, "Now do you get it?"

"I get it," Darcy sat beside her; smoothing her hair away from her face, "Amanda, you need to calm down. The portal leads to the Republic of Pemberley. Your mother owns the club now. Pirhana works there too. So, you see, my love, she's in safe hands."

Amanda sighed deeply, "I hope you're right."

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