Pride and Prejudice

Fan Fiction

Cracking the Mask

Previously

"We have to leave for Pemberly in two days at the latest, our obligations await us there. It is up to you Mary whether you stay here with Kitty, or she go to your place." When his wife started to protest, Mr. Darcy put his foot down. "Mrs. Darcy, you know full we both made commitments we can not break."

Catching Up

Ch. 3

"Your Grace, Mr. Bennet, welcome to the King's Arm Inn. I have reserved the best table for you." The waiter said with a smile as he led them to their table, pulled out their chairs, and handed them the menus. The man then bowed and asked, "Is there anything else I can do for you, gentlemen?"

"Please bring me some Sherry wine." Paul, even in public refused to think of himself as 'Your Grace' though he did not stop others from calling him by the title, requested politely. "Order anything you want, Thomas. You saved my life."

"That is a gross exaggeration, my good man." Thomas replied modestly.

"Not at all." Paul insisted and Thomas ended up ordering Grape wine.

"Now, tell me, how did I save your life when i did nothing of the sort?" Thomas asked curiously.

"But you did." Paul leaned back and looked around the room. Its golden-laced walls and portraits of various members of the royal family and their relations did not impress him. However, the King's Arm Inn was one place that had plenty of windows that let light into the long and narrow dining room. Looking back at his old friend, he crossed one arm over the other. "Do you remember the night you were studying late in Professor de Borough's class?"

"Yes, good man, the only bad thing about him was that he had the misfortune of being related to Lewis de Borough." Thomas agreed.

"Sir de Borough was decent, it was his wife that I could not stand. Why he married her was beyond my comprehension. Has she improved? Did she ever grow up?" Paul wondered aloud.

"She has not changed at all. She would still fawn all over you. That should answer your other questions." Thomas rolled his eyes.

"Thank you for the warning. Anyway, I assume you remember that night. We were the only ones left in the building. I was sitting on a set of stairs leading from the second floor to the main one." Paul slumped his shoulders. "It was right before the first Christmas I spent at your place. At first, I did not know you were still in the building." Paul continued.

Mr. Bennet had a vague idea of what his friend was going to say. He felt shivers run up and down his spine. His mind began to race. Surely, he was not going to hear what his mind was now screaming. But he did.

"I was planning to hang myself that night, and was just trying to decide which room and railing to use. I had no one who cared. My father had drowned himself in a bottle after my mother died and my sister was married and avoided him after his choice. Why she chose to ignore me was never clear to me. It was not like I ever gave him the cursed thing. And, since she died in childbirth that same year, I never found out why." He uncrossed his arms and placed his hands on the table. "You walking up to me and sitting down next to me startled me. And when you invited me to your home for Christmas dinner, and did not give up, I started to see that there was life beyond my father and his bottle." Paul smiled. "Especially, when you were so gentle in your persuasions. It was as if you needed my friendship as much as I needed yours."

"I had no idea you were in that state of mind." Mr. Bennet was stunned. Then he decided that they should discuss what the duke wanted to talk about, since their time in London was short. So, he asked his friend to please start talking.

"Thomas, I have a proposition for you. A proposition that could benefit both of us and secure your family's future. A proposition that involves a certain sum of money and some legal matters. A proposition that would require your trust and your discretion." Paul worded things that way because they were in public, and he thought it was more appropriate to not spell things out.

"Why? I have already agreed to let you provide Kitty with a dowry." Mr. Bennet chuckled. "So, my selling those antiques and books may not matter much now."

"It means a lot." Paul gave a genuine smile. "I give from my excess; you give from your heart. You can still help Kitty with that money." He shook his head. "I do not know if I could ever sell family heirlooms, not even for one of my children. You are ahead of me on that."

"My question remains, why? I agreed to the one...should that not be enough? In the end, what do you want?"

The duke smiled warmly and said, "Thomas, the most I want is for us to be brothers though it would be in our hearts only - no strings attached. I would expect nothing in return for that...honest. I also want to...in my own way... ensure the well-being of your daughters, whom I hope to view as nieces. I want to give them a secure and comfortable future, especially Kitty if she does not marry, and to free them from the burden of the entailment and the threat of Mr. Collins. I hope you will accept my offer, not as a charity, but as a gift from a brother."

"I can see that you are sincere, so, I can live with that.' Bennet lifted a finger in warning. "However, hide your generosity from George Wickham, the scoundrel who ran off with my youngest, Lydia. He only married her because Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy found them here in London. You would regret the day a dime went to that couple." Mr. Bennet warned.

"I am sorry to hear that. But I am not surprised. George was always a cad. I wish we had reconnected sooner. I could have spared your family a lot of trouble and grief." Paul said regretfully. He leaned back as their main course was served. "Now, let us enjoy our meal and then go to our separate rooms. I will then take care of what I need to before meeting you again at Longbourn."

It was not long after eating that the duke climbed into his carriage. His driver took his Grace down the cobblestones towards another part of London to send a post with an offer that the gentleman knew would likely not be refused. And if it was? Well, it was not his only way to show Thomas, who would soon be his brother his gratitude. Paul turned and waved to Thomas, who then headed towards his own room to pack.