Wow, I love this story. Hehe =)
Thank you my reviewers!
Disclaimer: Don't own, just my plot and characters.
This story is very opposite from what really happened, so please remember this is a fan-fic!
~paperbackwriter9
Alaine Cleary
It has come to my awareness that you have not fulfilled the agreement that we had created. Please pack your things and visit me as soon as you have received and read this letter through. We must discuss the money that was given to yourself, due to my belief that you have not earned it. Understand Ms. Cleary that if you do not come to see me at once, I shall still collect my money. If you do not return to your household, I shall still collect the same amount I have paid you from your family's own wages. I advise you to not take my warnings lightly. You have not seemed to disrupt the relationship between Tom Lefroy and Jane Austen; therefore you are being dismissed from her home.
The letter was not signed.
I placed my hand over my stomach and breathed in sharply. It was one thing to suspect someone was trying to separate us, but another to see the plans written out on paper. What was so wrong about Tom and I being together? I walked to the window and placed my hand on the cool glass.
Well, no one would force us apart.
At that thought, anger spread through me. We had been through too much to be forced apart once more. The pounding in my head was painful, so I placed my head against the cool glass window.
The rain still fell, and puddles surrounding the trees had grown larger. At least there was no thunder and lightening. If I was to ever lose Tom again, I could almost see myself lying face down in the puddle. That thought brought shivers running down my spine.
"Goodnight Tom!" I heard someone shout and I left the window and waited for him to come into the guest bedroom.
I heard footsteps on the stairs and then a voice. "Jane? Are you still in there?"
"Come in Tom," and he slowly entered the room.
"Jane, what is the matter?"
"You're drunk," I said looking at him.
"I swear I'm not, even smell my breathe. Not a trace on me," and he walked over to me. It was true; there was no scent of alcohol anywhere. "See?" And he smiled and lifted my chin, "What is the matter?"
"Tom," I whispered out and felt the tears behind my eyes start to form. "I can not believe it," and I looked at the floor.
"What is it love?" His face held concern, and I could not imagine what he would do when he read the letter.
I held it up without a word, and he hesitated. "Go on, read it. It is the same letter that the messenger delivered to the girl that left." He grabbed it out of my hands and I watched his eyes move quickly over the words.
When he finished, he looked up at me. "Jane, this is- it is true. Someone is trying to break us away from one another."
Then the tears fell from my eyes. Not just because of the letter, but because of everything. I had not had one moment to rest in a very long time. Before I was sick I had been heart broken, then deathly ill, then Tom came, and the strange girl, and now this letter. I had not had a chance to write! How I missed my pen and paper and my stories.
"Oh Jane, I will not let anyone split us. We will ignore this. We shall be unbreakable," and he pulled me to him. For all the time Tom was here, in my home, I had not had a moment with him that was not clouded with worries or doubts. "I love you Jane."
"I love you Tom," and he kissed me lightly.
"What if we went somewhere?"
"Where?"
"To my apartment in London?"
"Tom, what will people say? We are not married," and he sighed and I looked up at him. His blue eyes stared ahead and I sighed as well.
"What if we traveled with Henry and Eliza, we could all get away from the country and to the exciting city of London," he looked at me and smiled.
It was a good idea, "I have no money to spend," and painfully enough that was too true.
"I have money for the both of us," he said and smiled.
"And my parents? What will they say?"
"You are old enough to travel with your brother, and cousin, and future husband by yourself, is you not?"
"Of course I- future husband?" My heart started to beat and he went down slowly onto one knee. I could not believe this!
Tom smiled and kissed my hand, "I am just as nervous as you are, and this is sudden, but Jane, my Jane, I love you… will you marry me?"
"Oh Tom! Yes!" I smiled and shouted and he rose and kissed me.
"This is not the most romantic place, but I could not wait any longer. And Jane, you shall see that no one will ever separate us," and he kissed me again. The place did not matter to me at all, but the fact that I was now engaged to Tom Lefroy! Thoughts of the letter disappeared quickly from my mind, as I was in his strong arms.
Jane Lefroy… sounded nice.
The door opened and my family entered. They were just outside the door, listening in to the proposal. "I told them my plans while you where up here," Tom admitted and each member of my family smiled.
Mama came over to me and kissed my hand, "My Jane is getting married, finally," and she had tears in her eyes. My father told me how much I deserved this happiness. Eliza and Henry offered their congratulations and Cassie hugged me and cried.
When everyone had settled and the moon was now fully round and bright, we all readied for bed and I kissed Tom again for the hundredth time that night. I took the letter from my pocket, and he took it from me. "Tonight, dream happy things. Jane, I love you," and he kissed my forehead lightly.
But as I lay in bed, I could not think of anything but the word finally. How many times had I imagined being married to him? I was so close with the elopement, but to actually be out in the open and able to marry him and feel no regret about anything.
Too many thoughts clouded my head, so I rose and lit a candle and pulled out a story I had been working on. It was called, First Impressions, and I loved it to death.
I sat at my table, and wrote, wrote until my hand cramped.
Picking up the paper, I read over the idea I had wrote down. It was about Elizabeth's sister Jane finally being proposed to by Mr. Bingley. The girls, and their mother were listening outside of the door and Elizabeth felt happiness for her sister Jane. I stared at the words and laughed loudly out loud.
For once, I felt happy.
The sun rose and the light wind blew the curtains around my window. Quietly and silently I rose and looked out the window. There was no rain for once, like there had been for the entire week.
How lovely!
I changed into a soft red dress and headed down the stairs, and saw that my parents had decided to over sleep this Tuesday morning. Cassie was awake and sewing an old dress of hers in the kitchen, and the Eliza seemed to be reading and talking to Henry about important matters.
Tom was no where to be seen and I sighed.
"Cousin! Come here," Eliza said and I walked into the parlor.
"Good morning," I said and Henry yawned loudly.
"Henry," Eliza said and frowned at him.
"Excuse me sister, I'm afraid I'm not aloud to yawn," and he smiled and Eliza rolled her eyes. "If you'll excuse me," and he bowed to me and winked.
I sat over by Eliza and helped with some sewing she had on the chair. "Why is he in such a happy mood?"
"We are returning to London. We have been away long enough, and Henry is anxious to depart. I am as well, and I hear that you and your fiancé are also going to London." I think that is wonderful Jane! We shall go out and have quality time to spend-"
"It is not yet finalized, I have not told mama, or papa," and she eyed me.
"You are old enough to be on your own, I am sure they shall understand," and she smiled and returned to her book. When I did not move, she looked up. "Go own Jane," and she lifted her eyebrows.
Sighing, I stood and walked to see if my mama had woken. Before I reached the stairs, the door opened and Tom walked inside with his hands behind his back. "Good morning my darling," and I laughed.
"Darling? I am not ready for-" and he pulled out a bouquet of flowers. "Oh Tom, their lovely," and I took them.
"Have you told you mother about the plans?"
"No-"
"Jane," he sighed.
"I was on my way when you came in," and he sighed. I left him standing there and walked up to see my mother. She was walking down the hall when I was at the top of the stairs.
"I woke late, so much excitement last night," she said tucking her hair up. As she headed down the stair case, and I followed after quickly. "My stomach is rumbling, I hope there is tea," she said to herself.
"Mama," and I followed her into the kitchen.
"Your wedding must be planned well, for we shall not waste money on dresses that will just go to waste. How excited everyone shall be! I wonder if…"
"Mama-"
"Oh Jane, you have made me so happy. Mr. Lefroy can afford things well enough-"
"Mama!" I yelled and she turned to look at me.
"Yes Jane?"
I breathed in and the out, "I am going to go with Eliza, Henry, and Tom to London for a short while, to distract and forget about the events dealing with that stranger that had come." My mother eyed me, and then did something I did not expect. She hugged me. "Is that a yes mama?"
"Jane, you are old enough, and engaged. You should go if you want to," and she smiled at me. "I am so proud of you," and I shook my head.
"For what?"
"Everything," and I smiled.
Even with the sun out, the wind had picked up, and I pulled my hat tight on my head. The carriage Tom had sent for was here, and the sun had risen a short time ago. Cassie had woke up with us, and I begged her to come along.
"I will only be a burden," and she pulled the blanket around her shoulders tighter. I was sad for my sister, wanting her to feel the same love that I felt. It truly pained me to leave her and know that I was engaged, and her fiancé had sadly died. "This is a wonderful chance at happiness for you, and you deserve it so much. Do not fret over your sister."
Mama hugged me tightly, and my father sighed and spoke, "I can not believe you found someone who is worthy for you my sweet Jane," and that unexpectedly brought tears into my eyes.
"We must go now I'm afraid," Henry said and kissed my mother on the cheek and shook hands with my father. A noise brought our attention to the road. It was a carriage and it was headed towards our house. Tom squeezed my hand and I hoped that this was not other scheme of someone's.
I then recognized it as Lady Gresham's carriage, what could she want? As it pulled up, she leaned out the window. "Why Lady Gresham, what brings you here?" My mother asked her and she eyed me and Tom.
"I heard by word of mouth that these two are engaged?" It was a strange pause, and no one said anything. "My congratulations," and I eyed her. Did she really mean that? Had she come to our house just to see if it was true that I was engaged?
"Thank you," Tom said and Eliza walked forward.
"We are so happy that they are together. Lovely isn't it? That after all these years, they loved one another." If I could yell at Eliza, I would. What was she thinking?
"Hmm, yes, quite lovely. I must be going, good morning," and the carriage left.
"How strange," my father said and no one moved for a moment.
"We really must be on our way," Tom said and I turned to Cassie.
She hugged me, "Do not think of Lady Gresham. She will not longer be able to use her poor nephew to woo you." And at those words, I almost jumped. What if Lady Gresham really did send the letter, and the girl?
"Jane? The carriage?" And gave Tom my hand and I went and sat inside away from the wind.
"Goodbye!" We yelled as the carriage left for the busy city of London, and I smiled at Cassie who shrunk in the distance. My mother and father had left to go inside, and she stood there, all alone and I almost stopped the driver to go and get her.
Please, I wished, may Cassie find someone to love.
I love this, I must admit. The other chapters are all planned out and I can not wait to post again soon! Thank you reading and reviewing, it means so much!
Some of the 'events' that Jane went through in the chapter I had her write about in her book First Impressions, also known as Pride and Prejudice, she changed the title when she published the book.