Pride and Prejudice
AU NOT Canon
No Common Lady
A/N Since Jane Austen often had the oldest daughter bearing the name of the mother, I have Mr. Bennet's first wife referred to as Jane also.
Pride and Prejudice
Previously
And Aurelia kept quiet as she kept her hands in her lap. Here was a man who had not mocked, or laughed, but let her cry over Caroline; an infant daughter not strong enough to live. He, and the men in his family -with the exception of Mr. Collins- were a league unto themselves.
Pemberly Party
Ch. 17
The night was dark and the road leading to Pemberley was illuminated by the flickering flames of torches. Coaches and people arrived in droves to attend the party hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Darcy. It was no longer a secret that Mr. Bennet would be accompanied by Mrs. Fletcher, his former housekeeper and current love interest. Tongues wagged; most of the guests were in favor of the situation, in spite of her humble origins. Of course, it helped that Lydia, Mr. Bennet's youngest daughter, had become much more sensible and well-behaved under Mrs. Fletcher's guidance. However, there were still some who disapproved and muttered under their breath, namely Lady Catherine and Mr. Collins.
"She should keep to her place. How can you encourage such behavior?" Lady Catherine protested to her nephew, her voice shrill and haughty. "That woman will drag Mr. Bennet down just like her mother did her father."
"Her mother did no such thing. You, dear aunt..." Mr. Darcy said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. A deaf mind could have heard the contempt in the word dear when spoken by him. "Should be careful whom you believe, and you will keep quiet, or you will leave." He glared at her with a stern expression, daring her to challenge him. His aunt, while shocked, still changed the subject.
The ballroom was a dazzling sight, with chandeliers and candles reflecting the light and the colors of the guests' attire. People ignored, or did not even hear, Lady Catherine's reply as Mr. Bennet walked in with Aurelia Fletcher on his arm. She looked radiant in her pale blue dress, which flowed just as easily as had the purple one. Her hair, while not totally down, was done in a style that allowed some of the curls to hang loose, framing her face. She smiled warmly at Mr. Bennet, who looked both pleased and happy to have her by his side.
"He is just with her because she is young and beautiful." Lady Catherine muttered low, not wishing to be told to leave; unfortunately for her, Elizabeth overheard and soon enough Mr. Darcy was ushering one very upset widow off the premises. He was not going to tolerate any insults or slanders against Mrs. Fletcher, who had proven herself to be a loyal and brave friend to his family.
Aurelia had heard none of it and soon enough she and Thomas were dancing. She had eyes for no one but him; not even Lydia who had walked in behind them. Lydia looked lovely in her pink gown and seemed to have matured a lot under Mrs. Fletcher's influence. She smiled as she watched her father dancing. She liked the changes her friend had brought about in Mr. Bennet. He smiled more, laughed more, and was far less sarcastic. Yes, his humor was still very much in place. Yes, people - if they did not know him - might accuse him of being his old self but in all reality, he was being far more satirical than sarcastic. And when he was being the latter? It was never aimed at Mrs. Fletcher; it would always be aimed at her attacker.
Jane and Mr. Bingley entered the ballroom, hand in hand. They looked radiant and happy, as they always did when they were together. They glanced around the room, admiring the decorations, until their eyes fell on Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Fletcher. They saw them dancing gracefully, in perfect harmony with each other.
She easily came to Mr. Bennet's chest and looked as natural by his side as their own mother ever had, even more so- though they would never tell Mary or Kitty that. They smiled as they saw their father's affectionate gaze and Mrs. Fletcher's tender smile. They felt a surge of joy and gratitude for the woman who had brought so much stability to Lydia and thereby happiness to the Bennet family. It was only when the music ended that Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Fletcher crossed over the dance floor and met up with the Bingleys.
"It is good to see you made it." Mr. Bennet smiled as he kept an arm around Mrs. Fletcher
A lone figure stood in the corner. He said not a word but listened to all the talk. His eyes watched how the Darcy's, Bingley's and especially Mr. Bennet were treating Mrs. Fletcher. A soft smile crossed the man's face though it went unnoticed by all.
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"I thank you for your warning, Mr. Bennet, of Ambrose Preston. I would have become one very poor man if you had not sent word."
"You can thank Mrs. Fletcher." Thomas nodded to where Aurelia stood on the opposite side of the room. "It was because of her words and actions that I even became aware of his dishonest words and deeds." He left off the conversation with Father Browning seeing no need to toss it into their conversation.
"What kind of gentleman goes about doing a disservice to such a fine lady as she?" Mr. Gardiner asked with indignation.
"No gentleman at all, I assure you and your wife of that." Mr. Bennet replied with a grimace on his face. "He is a scoundrel, a cheat, and then some, who has been swindling people out of their fortunes for more years than I care to count. He had the audacity to court Mrs. Fletcher before he wed his current wife, hoping to gain access to her wealth and influence, but she saw through his schemes; unfortunately, those around her at the time did not. Thankfully, we were wiser than they."
"She is a remarkable woman." Mr. Gardiner said with admiration. "And a very brave one too, to see beyond the lies of such a villain."
Again, the same gentleman who had been watching, and listening, the whole evening was going unnoticed. He marveled how much Mr. Bennet was risking for Aurelia Fletcher. How much his family was banding together for the lady. He was not making his presence known this evening simply because he had not thought a dying man's wishes could ever reasonably be met and he wanted to check things out without any false pretenses being thrown up if people knew who he was. No, he had not hid his identity twice before, but then again, those times he had been on other business unrelated to that of tonight's.
The ballroom was filled with music, laughter, and dancing. Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner sat on a sofa, facing each other holding a glass of wine unaware they were being watched, or listened to. They had just finished their dinner and were discussing the recent events that had almost ruined their lives. They were grateful to Mr. Darcy for hosting such a splendid party at his magnificent estate, and for inviting them as his guests of honor.
On the opposite side of the room, Mrs. Fletcher was surrounded by a few friends who were having a polite conversation with her and Lydia. She was wearing a blue gown that matched her eyes, and her hair was pinned up in a simple but elegant style. She looked serene and graceful it put a soft glow in Thomas's eye. Aurelia could not help but smile as she saw Thomas watching her but managed to focus on the conversation on hand.
Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley were also in the ballroom, watching their wives with admiration and love. They were happy to see them so cheerful and lively, after the distress they had deal with because of Ambrose Preston. It was refreshing to have the business of the letters all wiped out.
"Mrs. Fletcher is quite the lady." Mr. Gardiner grinned and then counted it a blessing she had come first to Meryton, not Mr. Preston.
"She is indeed." Mr. Bennet agreed. "Mrs. Fletcher saved us all a lot of headaches. And I am honored to have her by my side."
"Have you reached an understanding with her then?"
"Not yet my dear brother." Mr. Bennet still considered Edward a brother though Jane had passed away. "Nonetheless, I hope that will soon be the case."
Their observer blinked twice. Had he heard correctly? His second motive for slipping into this party under the guise of a coachman - and then ditching that disguise for another once he was inside- was out of desire to see how Mr. Fletcher's daughter was doing, not because he thought anyone above the working class would be looking at a mere companion as a potential wife. Maybe, Mr. Bennet was going to prove him wrong after all. Therefore, he listened closer than he had before.
"I think, by now, everyone knows what that normally would get you as she is of the working class. However," Mr. Gardiner grinned wide. "I too hope that is the case." He then asked Mr. Bennet if he minded stepping away for a bit. "I have some private matters I wish to discuss with you that, sadly, cannot wait."
The two men made their departure, but not before Mr. Bennet stopped by Mrs. Fletcher and assured her that he would return. The unobserved visitor quickly followed. The music played on and on. People laughed, danced and visited. It appeared all was going well. That is until Elizabeth noticed Mrs. Fletcher's face pale after Collins began speaking to her. Elizabeth also noticed Lady Catherine, whom she had no idea had returned- nor did she have any idea how the Lady had gotten back in the first, just standing there saying nothing to prevent Mr. Collins from speaking. Elizabeth then watched in horror as Aurelia fled the room followed shortly by Lydia. She hurried to go find her father who, unfortunately, had not returned yet with Mr. Gardiner.