The Story Girl

Fitzwilliam Darcy had heard so much from his sister about "the story girl" that he knew she must be real, but in seven years he walked and rode Hyde Park he had yet to encounter her himself. Yet when his very sad and withdrawn sister suddenly showed life after finding that girl's stories in a published book, he resolved that he must find her for his sister's sake.

Netherfield Park, Early November 1811

Jane's fever had abated late that night, or rather very early in the morning and she now slept peacefully. Elizabeth should have slept at that point after such a prolonged battle, but she was instead in that terrible state of being too exhausted to find that much desired state of rest. Finally giving up on the effort, she rose again, threw an extra log on the fire in her borrowed room, and opened her writing desk.

Her first intent was to put pen to paper and work on her latest manuscript. After all, she had promised the finished work just after Christmas. However, just as with sleep, creativity eluded her. Sighing, she instead picked up the already opened envelope from her publisher that her father had inserted into the desk before sending it to her at Netherfield.

Elizabeth read the relevant portion again,

"We have again been approached by a gentleman of great distinction and consequence with the request for your identity. Having been refused once, this time he explained that his request was not for his own sake, but for the sake of his sister who has been in ill health. It seems that she met you while still a young child when you told a few of your stories at a park. She recently acquired a copy of your book and recognized several of the stories in it.

"The gentleman further explained that the discovery has sparked the first animation in her for a long while and he hoped to bring the two of you together in the hopes that his sister might make a further recovery.

"In order to protect his sister's privacy and prevent unwanted attention from Society, he has requested that his and his sister's names remain undisclosed until and unless you choose to grant his request. In return he has promised before God and man to protect your own name and anonymity from that same society. As the gentleman is of the highest reputation and not unknown to us, we can assure you of our own trust in his discretion, good behavior, and honor.

"Please advise us soonest on how you wish us to proceed.

"As ever, your humble publishers, Adam Bristol and Sons"

Folding the letter closed again, she tapped a corner of the document on a fingernail as she considered her response. Although she desired anonymity, being a female author and a gentlewoman, she was also a sister. This plea from a concerned brother touched her heart. She finally returned the letter to its hiding place and took out a clean sheet to pen a reply:

"Dear Messers Bristol,

"Although I am ever wary of disclosing my true identity as an author, I find myself unequal to the task of refusing such a request. If the gentleman and young lady will be in London anytime in January after the Twelfth Night then I shall be pleased to meet them with my Aunt Gardiner as escort. The Gardiners will celebrate Christmastide and the full holy time with my family at my father's estate and then I shall travel with them to London to bring you my second manuscript as promised.

"I only ask that my name and identity be preserved until such time as we meet so that I may determine for myself if I am willing to trust them and disclose it.

"Be assured that despite the press of life I will complete and edit the manuscript in time.

"Sincerely,

"Elizabeth Bennet, A Storyteller."

Longbourn, Christmas Eve, 1811

Elizabeth greeted her beloved aunt and uncle just as enthusiastically as the rest, though with more dignity than those in her family that immediately asked after gifts, fashion plates, and gossip from London. Madeline Gardiner met her gaze as she was being overwhelmed and her eyes promised to have a more sedate sit-down and conversation after the others had calmed. In return Elizabeth and Jane took charge of their little cousins and led them away to the little entertainments that they had planned for them. Of course the chiefest of these would come later, when "Lizzy" would sit with them in the nursery and share one of her stories. In their young minds nobody told stories better than Cousin Lizzy.

It was several hours before the silently promised conversation took place. The youngest Bennet girls had run off to examine the fashion plates from London minutely. Mrs. Fanny Bennet, worn out from excitement, had taken herself to her room. Mary was playing pianoforte. And Jane, dear poor Jane, had expended as much cheerfulness as possible in her current disappointed state and had gone down for a nap. Before Elizabeth shared her own version of the latest happenings she first explained the request from Adam and Sons.

Madeline Gardiner easily agreed to accompany her niece on such a meeting, somewhat concerned with supporting an anonymous meeting between her pretty and vivacious niece and two complete strangers. She resolved to take Bruce, her largest and most forbidding footman, along for the meeting. That resolved, she listened to Elizabeth's recounting of the Bennet woes. Having already received several letters from her two eldest nieces, she was not necessarily surprised at her niece's description of events with their temporary neighbors, but she had come to Longbourn with both a tale and a caution from several old acquaintances.

"Lizzy, I was not here with you when all of this took place, so I cannot dispute anything that you've told me. There is, however, one portion of your tale which has me concerned. Ever since you wrote of Mr. Wickham, that name has disturbed me. I wrote to two old acquaintances in Lambton out of curiosity and concern and have only recently heard back from both. It seems that your Lieutenant Wickham, if he is the same son of a steward who hails from Pemberley, has grossly misrepresented himself."

Elizabeth's first reaction was denial, but of late she had spent little time around the man and was therefore less enchanted than when they first met. "In what ways, Aunt?"

"According to both ladies, George Wickham presents every appearance of gentility, manners, and trustworthiness at first, but it is never long before the truth comes out. He is a spendthrift and an inveterate gambler who leaves a great deal of debt wherever he goes. In this he is no different than many who claim to be gentleman or even nobles.

"But there is more. Lizzy, you know that I have never believed that young women should be shielded from the ugly truths because that makes them vulnerable, so I shall say this outright: George Wickham is known to have dallied with many of the young ladies in the local area there and has left more than one with-child. According to reports he promised marriage to each as soon as he received the inheritance promised to him. But it is widely known that the elder Mr. Darcy wanted the young man to take orders, which he has never done. Though his way at Cambridge was fully paid, he still never completed either his degree or took orders.

"Naturally, given his conduct, it was a great relief when the former Rector of Kympton passed on that George Wickham declined to take up the position and accepted payment from young Mr. Darcy instead. They people of Kympton, according to my two friends, are quite happy with their new parson and quite relieved that they did not need to protect their daughters and souls from Wickham."

Elizabeth sat back in her chair somewhat stunned. Then the full import of what her aunt had shared with her hit her, "Aunt Madeline! What should we do about Meryton? If all of this is true, then the our friends should be warned! Oh! And now I am worried about Lydia and Kitty! They both fancy themselves quite in love with several officers at once and Mr. Wickham in particular!"

"Calm yourself, Lizzy. I notice that you do not include yourself as being taken with him, though your letters and your ready belief in his stories say otherwise. Am I wrong to be concerned about your heart?"

Elizabeth shook her head, "I admit that I have thought of him as one of the handsomest men of my acquaintance and was greatly looking forward to sharing a dance or two with him at the Netherfield Ball, but since his absence from that event and his subsequent lack of attention my own attraction has waned. If I am not mistaken he seems intent lately upon securing the hand of Miss Mary King, who has recently come into an inheritance of ten-thousand pounds... Oh dear... I hope that it is not too late."

Madeline Gardiner was relieved that her favorite niece was so easily dissuaded from chasing after that scoundrel. As to Elizabeth's grim determination to despise Mr. Darcy, she chose to leave that matter alone. It was highly unlikely that the two should ever meet again, given the great difference in their circumstances and standing in Society. "Do not worry yourself. I spoke about all of my concerns with your uncles before we journeyed here. He came prepared to speak with the merchants and fathers, while I have come prepared to drop words of caution into the ears of the mothers. We shall engineer it in such a way that a simple audit will reveal any debts and also any assignations."

The Gardiners did exactly as promised and in such a subtle way that nobody even knew them as the author's of their new caution and suspicions. Before the Twelfth Night the debts had been assessed, compromised young ladies had been identified, and George Wickham had been carted away to an ignominious fate.

London, January 1812

Darcy was cautiously pleased to arrive in London and find a post explaining that the author of "Tales of a Country Shire" had agreed to meet with him and his dear sister. Nevertheless, despite strong assurances that the authoress was a young lady of impeccable conduct, morals, and integrity he was still concerned about revealing his and his sister's identity before first meeting the person. With that in mind, rather than arranging a meeting at Darcy House, he arranged for the meeting at the townhouse where his sister had once taken up residence with the now detested Mrs. Younge. He had purchased the property at a good price and had considered selling it, but had yet to do so with so many other matters on his mind.

He immediately realized his mistake upon seeing his sister's expression when their carriage stopped in front of the structure. Her previously slightly hopeful demeanor had immediately fallen and she rapidly devolved into tears. It was fortuitous that the house was not too far removed from Darcy House because it gave him time to deposit his sister there and return, it being already too late to cancel the meeting altogether.

Much careworn even at this early hour, he let himself into the house and waited.

Elizabeth and her aunt stepped down from the Gardiner carriage in front of a very respectable but small town home in a fashionable neighborhood. The location and the state of the building relieved some of the two ladies' concerns yet they still retained the somewhat daunting support of the very large Gardiner footman as they ascended the steps and Elizabeth used the knocker.

A respectable and matronly housekeeper responded quickly, though she had a set and somewhat sad look on her face as she welcomed them and led them in.

Madeline Gardiner would later recount in detail the startled responses of both her niece and the gentleman of the house when they were led into his presence. At the same time as Elizabeth almost barked "Mr. Darcy!" he rocked back in shock and said, "Miss Elizabeth!" It took a moment for the two to compose themselves and it was Mr. Darcy who spoke first. "Thank you, Mrs. Mabrey. I will speak to the ladies alone if you please."

Elizabeth was shocked to find herself in the detested man's presence, yet her writer's sense of detail could not miss the tired and very sad expression on the man's face. Still, her first words were, "I... I think that we should leave."

In a surprisingly gentle voice Mr. Darcy replied, "Please don't. Though matters have not gone as I hoped, I think that my sister requires your presence more than ever." Madeline took note of the fact that this man did not seem to disdain her niece at all. In fact his eyes seemed to drink her in like a man lost in a desert. How very interesting.

Elizabeth arched an eyebrow, "I do not understand."

Darcy rubbed his face in an involuntary gesture that revealed just how lost in the moment he felt, "There is nobody's discretion that I trust more than your own, Miss Elizabeth. And your companion... your aunt...?"

"This is my beloved Aunt Madeline Gardiner." She emphasized the one word as if to warn the man that she would tolerate no arrogance toward her aunt. "There is nobody that I trust more, though I trust her husband my uncle equally. If you cannot speak before her, than you cannot speak before me."

Darcy nodded, accepting her words and desperate enough not to press the matter. "I miscalculated when I brought my sister here today to meet you. Not knowing who the authoress might be and not wishing to expose my sister any more than absolutely necessary, I planned for us all to meet here and then to judge whether or not to share our true identities. Unfortunately I had not calculated on my sister's reaction to seeing this house, where someone she once trusted and who later betrayed her trust in the worst way once resided with her."

Finally deciding to just speak frankly, he continued, "Georgiana fell into tears upon seeing the place and I had to return her to my town home. If... if you would be willing, I should like to take you there instead in the hope that your presence might help her."

Elizabeth's dislike of the man was forgotten for the moment upon seeing his earnest love and concern for his sister. Clearly something very great had happened, though she did not know what it could be and did not wish to speculate. Still... "Mr. Darcy, I honestly do not understand how my presence could be of any great benefit? I merely penned a book of stories... and children's stories at that."

Darcy, who had sat close to Elizabeth, reached out as if to take her hand but managed to stop himself, though the gesture was not lost on Madeline. "Miss Elizabeth, Georgiana was eight when she met you. At the time she was feeling quite lost after the death of our father. Our mother she barely knew, given that she passed when Georgiana was only two. It was summer and you were at the park, telling stories to young children. According to my sister you had drawn quite a following of little ones who raptly listened to your every word, herself included. I do not know the circumstance, but you went there at the same time every day for almost a fortnight.

"My sister was so fascinated with your stories and the manner in which you told them that she forgot her own grief for just a little while. That was so fond a memory to her that she still remembered nearly every detail. So when some of those stories appeared in a published work, she was overjoyed and wanted nothing more than to meet you again. I have read the stories myself and can easily understand why they might have made such an impact on her."

Elizabeth was shocked to find her cheeks warming at both the strong praise and the tender look of sincere appreciation in the man's eyes. What bothered her more was that she had seen a similar look before, many times in fact, and had interpreted the looks entirely differently. "I was on an extended visit with my aunt and uncle while my aunt was nearing her delivery date for her second youngest. I took the other two down to the park to get them out of the house and began telling them stories. I was frankly surprised at the number of other children who arrived to feed the ducks and chose to listen to my stories instead. I seem to remember that the ducks were quite put out at the neglect."

Darcy smiled tenderly, making Elizabeth's heart race before his expression fell again, "Recently Georgiana had another setback, this one enough to destroy her self-confidence and rob her of any joy. Your stories restored some of that and prompted me to seek you out... please Elizabeth... would you meet with her?"

Two sets of eyes widened at Darcy's obviously unintentionally intimate address. Elizabeth shared a long look with her aunt, then turned back and replied, "I have already agreed to do so. Though I don't know how it will help, I am willing to try."

"You once walked three miles shortly after a storm only to attend your sick sister. I believe that Georgiana would benefit as greatly from your sisterly instincts as from your prowess as a storyteller."

Pemberley, August 1812

It was neither a quick nor an easy matter to restore Georgiana Darcy's belief in her own worth and her right to live a full and happy life, but Elizabeth and her aunt, to a lesser degree, managed the task. Elizabeth's planned residence in Gracechurch Street of one month became four, in which time she became as much sister as dear friend to the young lady. Meanwhile Fitzwilliam Darcy, having entirely forgotten all of the many reasons that he could not pursue a match with her, gently and persistently wooed Miss Elizabeth Bennet at both Darcy House and the Gardiner's home, where Georgiana had all but installed herself.

By the time that Darcy was required to attend his aunt at Rosings, the engaged couple thought it best that Elizabeth postpone any parallel planned visit to Hunsford Parsonage, lest a great hue and cry be raised by the matron of that great estate. Of course there were still moments of heated conflict between the two very strong personalities. Elizabeth made very certain that Darcy knew her feelings about his interference in Charles and Jane's romance while he managed to make her understand his very real reservations about some of her family members.

The first was resolved by a frank discussion the sent Charles back to Netherfield. Of course Jane made the boy grovel for throwing her aside so easily, but she also learned to be more forthcoming about her honest feelings. Their second courtship lasted for a year before it became a marriage.

The second was more difficult. Elizabeth had to concede that many of her family's behaviors required alteration, but it was easier said then done. Mary became less pedantic after time spent with the Gardiners though the Darcys were always too exalted for her interests. Kitty, on the other hand, became fast friends with Georgiana after a rather emotionally bloody fight with her younger sister. She left home for a residence with the Darcys and essentially never returned.

Lydia may have lost access to George Wickham but she found several other young officers to lead her into trouble. Thankfully for the family one of these who had an allowance from his family was willing to marry her even though it was uncertain if the babe she carried in her belly was actually his.

Mrs. Bennet was so distraught by her favorite daughter's condition that she was in very poor health for over a year. She survived but emerged slightly more circumspect than before. She regained some of her former place in the neighborhood hierarchy, mostly due to the fact that she knew too many of their secrets. Unfortunately even this was insufficient for her to regain her husband's affection. With their house nearly empty they lived almost like strangers. She passed seven months before her husband and so never experienced the hedgerows that she so feared.

Mr. Collins passed after only three years of marriage to Charlotte Lucas, but he had left her with a son who was nothing like his father. In fact Mr. Bennet liked the boy so much that he often left his study to walk or ride his estate with the child and prepare him to assume the mantle some day. There were some who tried to accuse Mrs. Charlotte Collins of having an affair with Mr. Bennet, but that was so laughable that almost nobody but Mrs. Bennet believed it. When Thomas Bennet passed she moved into Longbourn until little Marcus Collins graduated from Oxford. Then she accepted an proposal by a local farmer who had held her in high esteem for years.

Elizabeth's book was published to great interest and rapidly vanished off of bookstore shelves, requiring further printings of both the second and first volumes. A third volume was much delayed as time was required for Elizabeth to plan a wedding with her beloved Mr. Darcy, enjoy a honeymoon, and then learn the management of a much greater household than Elizabeth had ever imagined.

More books did follow, however, including two novels geared toward older readers. Although Elizabeth Darcy never openly revealed herself as the authoress, her own six children and her many nieces, nephews, and grandchildren all recognized the stories in her books as the same ones she had tested on them first.

Only her favorite aunt ever knew the full story of how Elizabeth Bennet came to re-encounter and fall in love with the man she had once despised and then learned to love more than any other.

AN: I have read the many corrections sent to me by kindly readers for my previous stories in this collection and fully intend to fix the problems. Please bear with me and thank you for taking the time and the care to offer edits.

I just flew back into my state and returned to my home after an extended time away. I cannot tell you how nice it is to be home.