Pride and Prejudice

Fan Fiction

Keeping A Vow

Previously:

Mr. Collins did his own share of squirming. "The only defense I have was ...too invested... in my loyalty to Lady Catherine for all the help she had ever given me. I could not see the forest for the trees before her passing. Since then... Charlotte's been able to get through to me. As to the others that say different..." He shrugged his shoulders. "I still can be annoying...when I want to be." He then winked his eye and left with Charlotte.

"In other words, he still knows how to chase unwarranted guests off." Mr. Bennet laughed as he helped his wife into their carriage.

Stranger at Pemberly

CH. 14

Pemberley was quiet and calm compared to months earlier at Longbourn; for the moment it was anyway. Nadia stood near a window, placing one hand on the window sill and another on her waist. She was trying not to think of the last night at her parents' home, where a fire had destroyed everything they had. She still had nightmares about it, and she missed her parents terribly.

"Breathe." Mr. Bennet laid his arm around his wife's shoulder. "We are not your parents." He said, gently. He knew she had a difficult relationship with them, and he did not want her to feel pressured or unhappy.

"I keep reminding myself of that." She said, smiling faintly. She watched as people rode up in their carriages. They were guests invited by Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth for a Christmas ball. "I remind myself Mr. Darcy has been wise enough to steer clear of doing any business with anyone associated with Mitchell Brown in any way, shape or form, as has Mr. Bingley. Good heavens, even Mr. Collins has steered clear of men involved with the blackard up north." Nadia nestled against her husband's side once he had them sit down on a nearby sofa. She was grateful for their support and friendship. They had helped her and her father escape from Mr. Brown's schemes, and they had introduced her to Mr. Bennet, who had fallen in love with her and married her.

People began filing in. The Bingleys, the Lucases, the Darcys, Kitty and Mary with their new beaus; one a preacher and one a baron, also wise enough to steer clear of Mr. Brown. There were many others who joined in when music began to play. Mr. Bennet stood up and, to everyone's amazement, led his wife onto the dance floor; the gentleman had not danced in years.

It was not so much being seen on a dance floor that sent people into shock; for they had little, if any, expectations on how the couple would dance. What threw everyone in the room for a loop was when Mr. and Mrs. Bennet not only joined in the waltz, but did it exceptionally well. Since Nadia was, naturally, focused on Thomas and the music, the lady did not notice just how many eyes were on her and Mr. Bennet. They moved gracefully and effortlessly, as if they had been dancing together their whole lives.

Not one beat was missed. They two might as well have been water flowing smoothly down stream with no barriers to stop their flow. And, even when someone passed by them, their eyes never broke contact.

"I had no idea your father knew how to dance. And so exceptionally well." Mrs. Collins whispered to Elizabeth.

"Do not look at me, neither did I." Elizabeth whispered back, surprised and delighted.

"Good for him, old chap, still has it in him." Mr. Philips chuckled from the sidelines. "I have not the energy to go out on any dance floor anymore."

"Anymore?" Scoffed Mr. Philip's neighbor. "Man, you never did, not even on your wedding day."

Mr. Bennet would have listened to a neighbor of Mr. Philip's who began talking about gardens except his attention was solely on Nadia. It had been she who had taught him the waltz when no one was around. Yes, he had danced a lot in his youth, in the privacy of his study he had kept certain steps up, but not out in public. However, after finding out how much Nadia loved dancing and, after seeing how much effort Mrs. Bennet was making to be the kind of wife that would make him happy; not to mention seeing her doing the waltz one day by herself when she did not think she was being watched; he simply had slipped in behind her and - politely - insisted on being taught.

It was only after the music ended, and they were sitting down, that Mr. Collins walked up with a stranger. He introduced him as Mr. Wells, a friend of one of his parishioners. "They asked if I minded bringing him along as they were too sick to come. I had no valid reason to say no, and now he has asked to speak with you." He then begged leave to sit down as the poor vicar had been standing all day. Therefore, Mr. Collins went and sat near the window not far from where the Bennets were sitting and closed his eyes, exhausted; glad his wife only intended to stay part of the time.

"Please excuse me..." The gentleman spoke with an unknowingly patronizing tone to the Bennets; one both of them picked up on. He was a tall and thin man, with a pale complexion and a sharp nose. He wore a dark suit and a hat, which he did not bother to remove. "I do not mean to be rude, I realize this is a party, but we did not know what better time to talk to you."

"We?" Mr. Bennet asked, looking around, thinking they must have a mental case on their hands.

"I mean I was sent on behalf of a Mr. Stephan Wall, he was hoping Mrs. Bennet could help him out by recalling anything strange about the events leading up to, or following the fire which destroyed her father's home." Mr. Wells said, looking at Nadia with a piercing gaze.

"No, I do not, I am sorry." Nadia spoke politely, but Mr. Bennet, who had now been married long enough to his wife, could read her small, almost invisible, body language well. Something was wrong. She was tense and nervous, he could feel it through her hands.

"Are you sure?" Mr. Wells' voice hardened just a little. "He is most anxious to know as he is investigating the matter; seems to think the fire may not have been...accidental." The way the man had spoken accidental had sounded like as if it had turned into a six-foot snake and Bennet felt his wife's hand put even more pressure on his palm.

"If my wife says she remembers nothing, then she remembers nothing." Mr. Bennet said firmly, standing up and invited his wife to dance. He did not like the way this man was questioning his wife, and he did not trust his , the man still asked his question one more time.

"Sir, there is nothing to remember." Nadia said firmly, clenching her jaw. She felt a shiver of disgust and fear as she faced the man who was questioning her. " Life was normal until that fiery blaze. People lost their lives and I fled for my life. There is nothing more to tell." Nadia said, looking away from Mr. Wells. She did not want to remember that night, or the secrets that it had buried.

"I am sorry to have wasted your time." Mr. Wells said, with a fake smile. He went and sat down next to Mr. Collins, who had his eyes closed.

Mr. Bennet asked Nadia for a dance, hoping to distract her from the unpleasant encounter. They joined the other couples on the dance floor, where a lively tune was playing.

It was only when the couple was far enough away from the stranger did Nadia talk again. And she made sure her back was to Mr. Wells. "He is not from Mr. Wall." She whispered to Mr. Bennet, who looked at her with surprise.

"How do you know?" He asked.

"Because before you came, Mr. Wall told me if anyone ever came down and claimed they were with him but used his name of Stephan Wall, they were not from him." Nadia whispered back, feeling a chill down her spine.

"We best tell Darcy, so he can show the man out." Thomas was looking around for Elizabeth's husband only just then Mr. Wells jump up yelling Mr. Collins was an idiot.

"You are the clumsiet man alive! Now look at my suit!"

"Why are you yelling at me? I have not had my eyes opened all that long." Mr. Collins was standing with his own suit wet. "And I was not the one serving drinks. Nor is it the servants fault someone let the dog in."

"How on earth did Rooster get in here?" Elizabeth groaned and went after her dog.

"Rooster?" Nadia asked fighthing back a smirk.

"Do not even think it tonight." Thomas ordered.

"Too late...I married you." That made her husband about choke and then had to pretend he had swallowed water instead of laughter. He quit when Nadia -literally- jerked back and whispered. "We need to talk in private."