Chapter 1

Mr. Darcy was restless and disappointed with himself. Despite having promised himself that he would not dance with Elizabeth Bennet the previous night, he had done so anyway. He still could not understand why he felt so dangerously drawn to that lady. It was true that she was much prettier than he had initially estimated. Still, he had known beautiful women with excellent manners and connections, and none had captured his attention as Elizabeth had.

But even though Mr. Darcy wanted to believe that his attraction for Elizabeth was nothing more than a passing infatuation, he knew that his interest was based on a deep admiration for the many qualities she had unintentionally shown him. She was not only a pretty lady but also intelligent and of a kind nature. Furthermore, she defended her ideas forcefully without being rude or losing her composure like his friend's sisters. Caroline and Louisa did not know how to mask their contempt.

In any case, all of that would soon be in the past because he planned to leave Hertfordshire soon. Mr. Bingley had departed for London early that morning because he had some business to resolve in town. But as soon as he returned, Mr. Darcy intended to speak with his friend and explain that he needed to return to London.

"Mr. Darcy, we apologize for interrupting, but we need to speak with you urgently," Caroline said, feigning concern.

"Do not worry; please tell me how I can assist you." Mr. Darcy did not like his friend's sisters, but he was a gentleman and would never be discourteous to them.

"Thank you, Mr. Darcy, for dedicating some of your time to us," Louisa added.

Both sisters sat and began to explain to Mr. Darcy how their brother was behaving irresponsibly without considering the implications of his actions.

"Mr. Darcy, I am certain that Charles is seriously contemplating courting Jane Bennet, and I believe that would be the total ruin of our family," Caroline said in despair.

"We know that Jane Bennet is a sweet girl, but her family is horrendous," Louisa added.

"And it is clear that Jane is not interested in Charles, but if her mother pressures her, I am sure she will accept him because my brother is wealthy and honorable. No lady in her position would dare to reject a man like him."

Louisa and Caroline continued to explain their concern about their brother and the Bennet family's situation. Mr. Darcy could not help but agree with Louisa and Caroline. He had also observed how the younger sisters and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet had behaved the last evening during the ball.

Additionally, he noticed that Miss Bennet always looked serene without showing any particular emotion when she was near his friend Bingley, in contrast to how Elizabeth acted when she was near him. She could not help but challenge and provoke him to get his attention.

"I understand your dilemma perfectly, and I certainly believe that we should do something to help Bingley see the reality," Mr. Darcy said firmly.

But he could not continue speaking because, at that moment, his valet entered the room and told him that he needed to talk urgently with him. Therefore, Mr. Darcy excused himself and asked Harris to accompany him to the study.

"I suppose you have something important to tell me. Otherwise, you would not dare bother me when I was talking to my hostess."

"Of course, sir. A messenger brought this, and he was quite insistent that you should read it as soon as possible. Mrs. Reynolds sent you this letter." Harris handed the message to his master and left the study.

Mr. Darcy read it and could not believe it. He needed to read it more than one time to understand the content. After ten minutes of trying to make sense of it, he was devastated by the news. To compose himself, he had to sit for a while and take a deep breath. At that moment, he felt like crying out of sorrow and anger, but he knew that would not help him resolve the tremendous tragedy affecting his family.

Therefore, he decided to leave Netherfield immediately and travel to Derbyshire. He would not let himself be defeated by that tragedy and would find a solution.

Two hours later, Mr. Darcy set off for Pemberley with a broken heart and a confused mind. To avoid questions and the need to explain, he informed his friend's sisters that there was an emergency on his estate and he was the only one who could resolve it, so he had to travel urgently.

Without Mr. Darcy's presence, Caroline had no reason to stay in Hertfordshire, so she and Louisa decided to travel to London to keep their brother there and prevent him from reuniting with Jane Bennet and her vulgar family.

P&P

"Father, my mother told me that you wish to speak with me," Elizabeth said, her eyes still red from crying.

"Yes, Lizzy, I need to talk to you. Please close the door and sit because I want to explain some important things. I need you to understand my reasons for asking you..." Mr. Bennet pointed the chair in front of his desk and waited until Elizabeth was seated before continuing to speak.

That morning, Mr. Collins had proposed to Elizabeth, and she had flatly rejected him. To avoid hearing her mother's laments, she left home and spent much of the morning on Mount Oakham. When she returned home, she found her sister Jane in the garden reading a note from Caroline Bingley. She explained that they were leaving Hertfordshire, probably never to return.

Elizabeth thought that day could not be worse. But she felt that at least she had the affection and understanding of her father, although she would soon discover how wrong she was.

"Elizabeth, my dear daughter… Believe me, if I could go back in time, I would do everything differently… I would try to save money and find a way to protect you and your sister better, but unfortunately…"

"Father, why are you telling me all this? You will not pretend that…"

"Lizzy, please listen to me. I imagine you remember how ill I was last winter. Lizzy, I am not a young man anymore. After being so fragile, I started to think that..."

"Father, please, I ask you to tell me once and for all what you want from me."

"Alright, Lizzy, I shall be honest and direct. I want you to accept Mr. Collins because if you do not do it, I shall force you to marry him, and I do not want it."

Elizabeth felt sad and alone. The night before, she had been happy thinking that Jane would marry Mr. Bingley, and now, she and her dear sister did not know what to do. Mr. Bingley abandoned Jane, and she was heartbroken.

Elizabeth knew she could never be happy if she married Mr. Collins. But if she did not marry him, it seemed, she would have to face the rest of her life away from the family she loved so much.

"How can you ask me to marry that man, father? You know very well that I could never be happy with that fool."

"And do you think you could be happy working as a governess while your mother and younger sisters have nowhere to live? Lizzy, once you are married you can live your own life… like I do with your mother…"

"I am sorry, Father, but I do not want to discuss this further."

"I understand, Elizabeth. But let me tell you that I have already spoken to Mr. Collins and told him that in another month, we shall have everything ready for you to get married…" Mr. Bennet could not continue explaining his plans because Elizabeth left his office and locked herself in her room for the rest of the day.

P&P

"Excuse me, Mr. Darcy, but you must eat. Sir, you cannot spend the whole day locked in your study, blaming yourself. Please eat because everything will be even more difficult to solve if you get ill."

"I am sorry, Mrs. Reynolds, but I am not hungry," replied Mr. Darcy, but seeing the housekeeper's stern face, he added. "I promise I shall eat later, but now I need you to tell me how everything is going. Has Mrs. Brown had any fortune?"

"Sir, my sister arrived in London only two days ago. Please be patient and give her a few days."

"You know better than anyone, Mrs. Reynolds, that we have no time to waste. How is Georgiana?"

"Miss Darcy is very sad. Sir, she feels guilty about everything happening. Please do not stay away from her; she needs you."

"I am sorry, but this is stronger than me. Every time I see her and realize everything she is going through, I cannot help but feel guilty. I was supposed to protect her, and I failed."

Mrs. Reynolds tried to cheer up his young master, but she could not get him to stop blaming himself. She admired him profoundly for trying to do whatever he could to support her sister.

After Georgiana returned from Ramsgate, George Wickham contacted her by correspondence. Despite everything her brother and cousin Richard told her about the scoundrel, she maintained contact with him. A few months later, he asked her to meet him in a city park. Then, he tricked her into a house where he was staying and abused her. He intended to take Georgiana to Gretna Green and force her to marry him, but she fled and returned home. Unfortunately, she never told anyone about that fateful day. She felt sorry, afraid, and ashamed and thought that she deserved everything that had happened to her.

But two months later, Mrs. Reynolds noticed something strange happening with her dear girl and discovered she was with child. Georgiana could no longer hide everything that had happened between her and Wickham and told Mrs. Reinolds everything. Doing the math, the housekeeper concluded that Georgiana was about ten weeks into her pregnancy.

After talking to Georgiana, she notified Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam. They reacted very differently to that terrible news, and it was tough to make them understand that they should focus their energies on helping Georgiana. Richard promised that he would kill Wickham, and Mr. Darcy felt it was his fault for not explaining openly to his dear sister the deviant nature of their father's godson.

Fortunately, Mrs. Reynolds managed to reason with them. She convinced Colonel Fitzwilliam not to chase Wickham because he would force Georgiana to marry him if he found out what was happening. They all agreed that keeping that scoundrel away from her was the best.

Mr. Darcy decided to take all the blame and pay with his own sacrifice to protect his sister. He planned to make a deal with a woman who would agree to marry him and accept Georgiana's son as theirs. For that, after getting married, he, his new wife, and his sister would tell everyone that they were going on a honeymoon trip somewhere on the continent when, in fact, they would hide on a small estate he had in Scotland.

Once they returned, Mr. Darcy would inform his family that his new wife had become pregnant during the trip and that, due to various pregnancy complications, they had to stay outside England longer than planned. Upon returning, he would register the baby as their child, thereby protecting his sister's reputation and the child's life. That baby would be Pemberley's heir because Mr. Darcy was unsure if he would ever be able to have children of his own, given the nature of his future marriage.

But the main problem was finding a woman willing to accept his conditions and assume the task of being Mrs. Darcy. He had never aspired to a love union because it was not what his father and mother had instilled in him. That is why his biggest concern was being able to find a suitable woman, given the urgency he was to get married.

Fortunately, Mrs. Helen Brown, Mrs. Reynolds' sister, knew a possible candidate and had promised to contact her and give Mr. Darcy a response as soon as possible. Mrs. Brown had worked for many years with a Derbyshire family, and the young daughter of her master had to seek employment when her father died. She knew that Emily Grant was working as a companion for the daughter of a wealthy merchant. She was twenty-eight and had never received a marriage proposal because she had no dowry and was not particularly attractive. But despite that, she was an educated lady with good manners and quite serious and respectful.

Mr. Darcy had never met Miss Grant but had heard of her father. Emily was the daughter of Mr. Grant's second wife, and when he died, his eldest son, the son of his first wife, did not want to take care of a sister whom he practically did not know. Mr. Darcy knew that the Grants were socially inferior to him, but at least they were a family of landed gentlemen.

"Mrs. Reynolds, we have a month to resolve all of this. Otherwise, I shall have no choice but to travel with Georgiana and look for a wife outside of England."

"I know, sir. Believe me when I tell you that my sister will have an answer for us before the end of this week."

"I hope Mrs. Brown has better fortune than us."

Mrs. Reynolds left the study, and Mr. Darcy remained locked in his study, thinking and thinking about how he could solve the enormous problem that was not letting him rest.

P&P

Mrs. Brown was completely devastated walking without looking much where she was going. She greatly appreciated the Darcys, especially Mr. Darcy, who had helped her pay for her son's studies when her husband died. Besides, she knew how good he was from everything Mrs. Reynolds had always told her, and although she did not know the details or ask any questions about it, she sincerely wished she could help him find a wife. Unfortunately, Miss Emily Grant married a tradesman a month ago, and she knew no one else who could wed her sister's master.

She was so focused thinking about the letter she had to write that she did not realize when she collided with a lady leaving a shop. "I am sorry, madam, let me help you," Mrs. Brown said, picking up a package from the ground. But when she raised her head and looked at the woman before her, she said with great surprise. "Miss Fletcher, is that you?"

"Mrs. Brown? What a great surprise to see you after so many years."

"My dear Mrs. Fletcher, it must have been at least twenty years since you and your family left Lambton."

"You are right, Mrs. Brown. We left Derbyshire almost twenty years ago. In those twenty years, a lot of things have happened. I got married, and now I am Mrs. Gardiner."

"You look just as pretty and elegant as you did when you were a young lady," said Mrs. Brown excitedly. Madeleine Fletcher's father had been a prominent merchant in Lambton, a fair man who had always helped her and her husband when needed.

"Thank you very much, Mrs. Brown. But please allow me to introduce you to my niece, this is Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

"It is very nice to meet you, Mrs. Brown," Elizabeth said with a beautiful smile.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Bennet," replied Mrs. Brown. It did not escape her how pretty Mrs. Gardiner's niece was and how beautiful her dark green eyes were.

Mrs. Gardiner noticed Mrs. Brown was very agitated, and to be polite and friendly, she invited her to the tea room around the corner. That way they could talk about old times and inquire more about the people she remembered so fondly.

Although Elizabeth tried to follow the thread of the conversation that her aunt and Mrs. Brown were carrying on, she could not. She had taken refuge in her uncle's house in London to avoid her mother's continuous recriminations and her father's censure. But she knew she could not stay at her uncle's house forever and did not know what to do. She traveled to the town hoping to find employment but did not know where she could look for it or what she could do. Furthermore, Elizabeth knew that if she did that, she would jeopardize her sisters' reputation and could threaten a future relationship between Jane and Mr. Bingley. But what could she do? Unfortunately, more and more, she was resigned to the fact that she should accept Mr. Collins and live an empty life.

Elizabeth was so immersed in her destructive thoughts that she did not realize that Mrs. Gardiner had left her alone with Mrs. Brown because she went to greet a friend. Mrs. Brown saw Elizabeth concerned and asked her a question, but she did not hear her.

"Excuse me, but I was distracted and did not hear you."

"Do not worry, Miss Bennet; I just asked if you felt alright. You are a little pale, that is all."

Elizabeth smiled, but with a sorrowful smile, and replied, "I guess I shall be better tomorrow; please do not worry."

Mrs. Brown was sad to see such a kind and pretty girl so melancholy and decided to share some of her problems. "I understand you perfectly, Miss Bennet; I am not very well either. I had promised my dear sister to find a young lady for an important task, and the person I had in mind was no longer available. That is why she was walking so distracted."

"Do you need someone to work for your sister? What kind of employment is she offering? You know, I am looking for a position…" Elizabeth said impulsively.

"It is a complicated duty; I do not think a young lady like you would want to do it."

"My situation is quite desperate, Mrs. Brown."

Mrs. Brown hesitated a little but knew she could not talk more about that topic there, so she told Elizabeth. "Do you know the park that is two blocks from here?" When she saw that Elizabeth nodded, she continued. "We can meet there tomorrow at noon, and I shall be able to explain better."

"I shall be there," Elizabeth said.

Mrs. Gardiner rejoined the ladies and they talked for a few more minutes until they finally said goodbye. Elizabeth was unsure if he had done right by acting so impulsively, but she had nothing to lose by listening to what Mrs. Brown had to tell her.

P&P

Elizabeth had been in a small house in a small village in Yorkshire for almost three weeks. The last two weeks she had spent in the company of Mrs. Brown's sister and from what she had understood, the task she would perform would be as a companion to a young lady with some emotional or health problem.

But her legal guardian would explain the details of the position and the details of the contract.

She had left the Gardiners' house, telling her aunt and uncle she was returning home. She wrote to them only when she arrived in Yorkshire to tell them that she planned to work and did not wish to be a burden to anyone. Elizabeth prayed that everything would turn out as planned because otherwise, she would not know what to do. She was not sure her family would forgive her for what she had done, but anything was better than being the wife of a man she could never respect or admire.

Mr. Darcy had traveled to finalize the deal with the woman Mrs. Brown had contacted and whom Mrs. Reynolds had interviewed and known for several days.

"The young lady is waiting for you in the drawing room, Mr. Darcy," the housekeeper said nervously.

"Mrs. Reynolds, do you think the young lady would want to accept my proposal?"

"I think so, sir. She is in a tough situation because her family wants to marry her to a man she does not love."

"And why do you think she will accept my proposal then? It is clear, she has no intention of getting married."

"Because you will propose a marriage of convenience, not one in which she is expected to fulfill the duties of his wife. The lady is intelligent and reasonable and she will understand. Furthermore, I sincerely believe that she has no other alternative."

"And her background? Are you sure she meets the minimum requirements to be my wife?"

"She is the daughter of a gentleman, she is intelligent and very pretty too."

"I think I shall no longer delay this matter, and I shall talk to her. If this does not work, Georgiana and I shall leave for the continent next week."

"I understand, sir."

Mrs. Reynolds hoped everything would work out between her beloved master and Miss Bennet. She sensed that Mr. Darcy needed a woman like her in his life.

Mr. Darcy had asked his faithful housekeeper not to reveal his identity to the young lady and not to tell him her name either. If they maintained anonymity, it would be easier to talk about such a delicate topic, and if they did not reach an agreement, it would be easier to forget the matter.

Elizabeth paced impatiently waiting to speak to the guardian of the young lady she would work for. She did not quite understand why everything had been done with so much secrecy, although if she was in a delicate condition, she could understand why.

She suddenly heard a knock on the door, sat on a chair, fixed her hair a little, and said with a trembling voice, "Come in, please."

Mr. Darcy hesitated a little, took a deep breath, and thought of Georgiana, who cried every day, afraid of what the future held for her. He entered the small room, ready to do whatever was necessary to protect his little sister.

"Good afternoon, miss, I hope…" Mr. Darcy could not say anything else as he realized that the person in front of him was someone he knew very well.

"Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth said in a thin voice, thinking she was in the middle of a nightmare.

P&P

I wrote and shared this story with my Spanish-speaking followers. Now, I will share it in English for those who want to read it. I hope you like it.

I hope my English is better than the translator :)

Saludos,

Yo