Since I did not include this in the published version of 'RISING FROM THE ASHES' I can leave it here for those of you who who did not get a chance to read it before.
BTW I only wrote this because that was my original idea to get Elizabeth and Darcy together in the story before my fingers decided on a different solution. When I mentioned that, some of you wanted to know how the alternate version to the HEA would play out. So – here it is.
As you probably have noticed, most of Rising from the Ashes (Karma) has been removed because it is now available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited.
~A~
Mrs Bennet went for a walk. At least she called it going for a walk.
That it took her into the vicinity of Longbourn lands was purely coincidental. She could not admit, even to herself that she was spying on Elizabeth.
Ever since her eviction from Longbourn, and even more so the rebuffal by her younger daughters, she had often wondered what it was about Lizzy which made her sisters and the other members of the community such faithful defenders of that irritating and headstrong girl.
For several months now, Mrs Bennet had taken the opportunity to observe Elizabeth in her interactions with her neighbours and sisters to discover the cause. And perhaps why her neighbours had turned against her after Mr Bennet died.
This morning, Mrs Bennet had noticed Elizabeth going in her gig towards the new Russel's farm, accompanied by Bob, who seemed to be her shadow.
Since it was a nice sunny day, and Mrs Bennet had brought some sustenance, she decided to consume her meal in a small glade near the lane where she had seen her daughter.
She had just finished her meal, when she saw Bob pelting hell for leather towards Netherfield on Horace, who had been relieved of his harness.
Wondering what could be happening, Mrs Bennet crept towards the lane and was just in time to see Elizabeth hurrying from the track which led to the Russel's farm and turning towards Meryton.
It was obvious to her that something must have happened to one of the Russells, and both Bob and Lizzy were going for help.
~A~
Someone else was watching Elizabeth.
Frank Chambers, former tenant at Longbourn had returned to the area from which he had been evicted the year before. The last year had not been kind to him. Having lost his farm because he could not pay the rent, he had attempted to find work on other farms.
Unfortunately, his attitude and resentment had made him unpleasant and unreliable as an employee, and his jobs never lasted long. And it was all the fault of that uppity girl from Longbourn, who thought that she was better than any man.
He had returned to show her just how wrong she was. Chambers had a plan which would not only provide him with his revenge but also with a very nice estate.
He chuckled to himself as he envisaged Elizabeth humbled and at his beck and call. But so far, he had not had a chance to get her on her own. She was always with at least Bob, who was very good with his fists, as Chambers had once had the displeasure to discover.
But today his patience paid off. He saw Bob riding off on his own and the uppity chit hurrying from the Russell farm. Having longer legs than Elizabeth, he was able to catch up with her just as she turned into the lane towards Meryton.
~A~
Chambers reached out and grabbed Elizabeth's arm, throwing her off balance at being stopped so abruptly.
'Not so fast, Missy,' he growled.
Elizabeth regained her balance and attempted to pull her arm out of his grip. 'Let go off me. I am in a hurry.'
'Too bad, but today you will not be going anywhere until I am finished with you. And then the only places you will be going is to the church to marry me and then wherever I tell you to go.'
'You must be insane to think that I would ever marry you,' Elizabeth panted as she clawed at the hand which held her in a vicelike grip.
Chambers chuckled with a nasty grin on his face. 'Once I've had my fill of you, you won't have any choice but to marry me,' he gloated before he backhanded Elizabeth across the face.
Elizabeth gasped as tears sprang into her eyes at the pain, but she remained defiant. 'There is no way in hell that I will ever marry another brute like you,' she managed to say before he punched her in the stomach, winding her and leaving her gasping for breath.
'We'll see about that. You'll change your tune once I cut up your pretty face,' Chambers threatened as he pulled a knife from his belt, which he waved in front of Elizabeth's face.
Elizabeth's eyes followed the movement of the knife in horrified fascination. Her mouth went dry and her mind went blank in fear.
Suddenly the knife was gone, and a shrill voice screamed, 'RUN, LIZZY.'
Without thinking, she tore herself from the grip which had loosened, and she ran blindly down the lane with all the speed her fear-fuelled legs could muster.
~A~
Bob was fortunate in his mission to get help from Netherfield by encountering Darcy and Fitzwilliam who had just set out for a ride. Briefly explaining that help was needed at the Russell farm to lift a tree which had fallen on Russel, the men sent Bob on to Netherfield for additional men, while they went ahead to lend their assistance.
The had just gone careening around a bend in the lane, when they saw Elizabeth pelting towards them, while there seemed to be a fight in progress just beyond her.
Fitzwilliam called to Darcy, 'You take care of Elizabeth,' as he rushed towards the uneven fight.
Darcy pulled Hermes to a halt and jumped off his back just as Elizabeth was about to run past him.
Seeing the absolute terror on her face and the bruise forming on her cheek, he gently called to her as she approached him, 'Elizabeth, stop,' he called. 'Let me help you.'
Seeing an obstacle in her path startled Elizabeth and she was about to swerve to get away from what, in her panicked mind, she perceived to be danger, when Darcy again called to her, 'You are safe now, Lizzy.'
'Safe?' she repeated as awareness came back into her eyes as she stopped and recognised Darcy.
'Yes, you are safe,' Darcy repeated with a smile and held out his hand but did not approach, as he recognised that Elizabeth was still balanced on a knife-edge of fear. As much as he wanted to hold her and protect her, he knew that she had to calm down before he came any closer.
A moment later, the decision was taken from him.
~A~
Elizabeth had never been so frightened in all her life.
While Collins had beaten her, it was never with any kind of malice. She had been completely unprepared to see the malicious joy in Chamber' face as he hit her and threatened to most horrible fate for her.
When that shrill voice had given her an opportunity to get away, she had not hesitated to rush towards safety.
And now she had found safety.
Darcy was standing there, offering safety but giving her a choice to accept or reject his help.
That patience made the choice for her.
With a sob, she threw herself into his arms and wrapped her own about his waist as she burrowed the uninjured side of her face into his chest.
Darcy was startled at this development but after a moment he very slowly and gently enfolded her in his arms.
Suddenly her mind cleared, and Elizabeth realised that this was what she wanted. For the first time in her life, she felt utterly loved and protected and safe.
There was only one thing which she could say in this situation. She let out a deep breath that was almost a sigh. 'I love you, William,' she whispered.
Darcy's face lit up as he heard the words he had longed to hear. He could not help but respond, 'I love you too. Will you marry me?'
He was rewarded by feeling Elizabeth give a small nod as she whispered, 'Yes.'
~A~
Their brief moment of bliss was interrupted by a shout from Fitzwilliam. 'Darcy, you had better come here and give me a hand.'
The couple looked towards Fitzwilliam and saw him kneeling on the ground next to two figures.
They rushed over and saw Richard trying to staunch the blood which spread over Mrs Bennet's midsection. 'You had better hurry and get Jones,' he snapped at Darcy.
Mrs Bennet feebly batted at his hand and croaked, 'Too late.' She looked up and past Richard's shoulder she saw the bruised and horror-stricken face of Elizabeth. 'I am sorry, Lizzy,' she whispered.
Elizabeth fell to her knees and took her mother's hand. All she could say was, 'Why, mama?'
Mrs Bennet managed a pleased little smile at Elizabeth's form of address and said, her voice getting weaker with every painfilled word, 'I could not stand by and let another man hurt you. Perhaps you can forgive me and be happy with that nice young man of yours.'
As Mrs Bennet's eyes closed for the last time, she was ecstatic to hear, 'Yes.'
~A~
Just Fates (working title) by Sydney Salier, Copyright © 2023