AU Pride an Prejudice

For Clarissa's Sake

NOTE: Thank you to Siciliana for your review on special licenses; I misunderstood what I had read. I edited this chapter and gave a reason for why Mr. Bennet had them read, because when I wrote that part it DID feel correct.

Fan Fiction

Previously

"And that, my dear." Mr. Bennet grinned wide once the man had left to get them their meal of venison stew and vegetables. "...is why it is not good to ever assume things about people you have just met." He found Clarissa's smile matching his own.

Dropping Clarissa off 0 Talk with Elizabeth

Ch. 6

Clarissa took a deep breath as Mr. Bennet helped her down from the carriage, followed by her companion and servant. She could not help but silently gasp. Netherfield was a splendid mansion, with well-kept lawns. Its windows sparkled in the sun and an archway was covered with well-attended flowers. It looked nothing like what she had heard from some of the girls who had attended parties at places like Brighton.

"Netherfield, who would want to live there?" An earl's daughter had held a glass of wine and spoke through her nose. "Visiting such a shabby, modest place would be bad enough."

"Why Mr. Bingley settles for an unworthy place for his fortune and taste is beyond me." The girls had then laid the blame all at his wife's feet.

Clarissa just knew if those same girls had known her father had not only arranged a marriage for her, but to the father of Mr. Bingley's wife, they would be mortified. She could not help but wonder if, deep inside, they were in reality only jealous. Maybe, just maybe, they were hiding their insecurities behind fancy houses and money. It seemed to her Netherfield was a delightful and elegant house, and - if permitted - she looked forward to exploring its rooms and gardens.

Miss Grey's lady's maid carried two bags as did Mrs. Smith, even Clarissa had opted to carry a traveling bag, along with a small present for Jane, knowing a year would pass fast enough. Mr. Bennet had no need to carry a bag as his would stay in the carriage until he arrived at his own home.

"Father. Miss Grey." Jane hugged her father and then welcomed Clarissa and the Smith women to Netherfield.

"I hope you like this, Mrs. Bingley." Clarissa handed Jane a blue colored journal and hoped Mr. Bennet's daughter would know it was her way of thanking her for allowing her to stay at Netherfield.

"Thank-you so much." She then told her father Elizabeth was waiting for him at Longborn after a servant had taken Clarissa to and the Smiths to their rooms.

"I expected as much. I do not have time for idle chat, but..." He sighed. "She is the daughter of an old friend who may, or may not, be dying. He begged me to take her to wife."

"And you said yes?" Jane was shocked.

"I served under him in the army, and I felt obliged to help him. I'm sorry, but I can't stay and chat. I promised your sister I would be at Longbourn by one. Please, trust me on this. Will you give her a chance? I want you to know that I did not rush into marriage with Miss Grey. The baron got us a special license, but I still had the banns read to give you and your sisters more time to get to know her, and her to get to know me. And, as I told Miss Grey, a quick wedding would have caused gossip, just like Lydia's elopement did. I hoped that by slowing things down, we could avoid at least some of that and make it easier for our family to cope, though I confess it may not help at all on that end of things."

"For your sake, I will give her an honest chance. And I do appreciate the time you have given us though you did not have to." Jane gave her father another hug and watched him walk towards a coach she knew to be borrowed before closing the door to go take care of her own infant son.

Thomas, when he'd turned and began to walk towards the carriage Baron Grey had lent him, noticed a lone rider watching him; while the man was too far to get any detail Mr. Bennet had to blink twice as he could have sworn it was a thoroughbred the stranger was riding and the sun's ray hitting the horse's bridle gave off a shine that shouted it was ordained with silver ornaments. However, when Thomas blinked a third time the rider was gone; all he could think was 'I can't wait to sleep in my own bed'.

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Thomas closed the door to his library and sat behind his desk, facing Elizabeth. She stood with her arms folded, looking torn between throwing his head to the pigs or listening to him. His second eldest had tried to remain neutral, had succeeded in front of her sisters, but she could no longer hide her true feelings. Mr. Bennet decided to let her speak first, so he waited quietly. Elizabeth soon broke the silence.

"Father, who is this Clarissa-May Grey that you brought to Netherfield to stay with Jane and Mr. Bingley?"

"Miss Grey, who prefers to be called Miss Clarissa, is the only daughter of my old friend, Lord Morgan Grey. He is a baron. We served together in the army; he was my commanding officer. A man of great honor and courage. He is very ill, and he has asked me to take care of his daughter, to marry her. And I agreed."

"Marry her? Father, you can't be serious. You barely know her. She is a stranger to us, to our family, and to our friends. No one in Meryton has ever heard of them. What are they blackmailing you with?"

"Elizabeth do not be so harsh and suspicious. They are not blackmailing me with anything." Thomas understood his daughter's concerns, and he tried to keep his tone calm and reasonable. He continued, "Miss Clarissa is a sweet and kind-hearted girl who needs a husband that her parents can trust. Lord Grey knew me from our days in the army and sent me a letter to come to his bedside. And so, I went. And, as I told you and your sisters in my letter, her dowry consists of land, not money. And it is next to Longbourn. They also went through a lot of trouble to transfer the properties to my name. That is why I did not worry about any money after his death."

"Father, are you marrying her for the money that land can bring in and her title?"

"No, Elizabeth, I am not marrying her for either of those reasons. I am marrying her because it is my duty and my honor to do so. As I have already told you, Lord Grey was my friend and superior in the army. He and his wife have entrusted me with their most precious treasure. They both asked me to marry their daughter as his last wish, and I am doing it for Miss Clarissa's sake."

"His last wish? That sounds very convenient for him. And what of your own wishes, father? Do you not care about your own happiness? Or ours?"

"Elizabeth, do not be so selfish. This marriage will benefit not only Miss Grey, but also Kitty, if she remains unmarried. You know that Longbourn will go to Mr. Collins if this marriage produces no sons, but what about the land that belongs to Miss Grey as her dowry? It has a condition that not only Miss Grey and her children can live there, but also any of my daughters from my first marriage, if they have no sons of their own. You would all have a place to stay. The other land is not entailed, and I can put whatever conditions I want on it. I was not only thinking of Miss Grey, but also of your sisters and yourself."

"Then you must understand how I feel, father. You must know that marriage is not only a matter of convenience or duty, but also of love and respect."

"I do understand that, Elizabeth. But you must also understand that sometimes we have to make sacrifices. And you may wish for me to have a marriage of love - one that you know did not occur with your mother." Her father sighed. "I confess, at times, I have wished that for myself." He stood up and laid a hand on her shoulder. "But sometimes we have to put aside our own feelings and do what is best for others. Some of us simply do not have your luxury, as much as we may want it."

"Very well then, I hope you will not regret it and I will support you in your decision. I will also do whatever I can to make sure my sisters do the same." She then admitted that she was not really angry with her father, but rather afraid and worried for him and for the baron's daughter.

"All I can promise is to try to be a good husband to Miss Grey, and never to harm her in any way. If ever I do, you have my permission to slap me."

"Trust me, I will."