Checkmate, Mr Darcy Chapter 17, a pride and prejudice fanfic

Dear readers

I respectfully recommend that you do not consume any beverages until you have finished reading this chapter.

YA 😉

~O~

Chapter 17

The Bennet ladies were still engaged in reducing the clutter in the drawing room, but now that their possessions were safely stored in their new home, the urgency of the last few days had abated.

Mrs Bennet looked around the room and fretted, 'I feel like something is still missing.'

Elizabeth sighed but offered, 'Mama, how would you feel if Jane and I, perhaps with the help of Mrs Hill return to Longbourn and scour the house from the attics to the cellars to see if we missed anything.'

Mrs Bennet beamed at her daughters. 'Oh, would you? I would feel so much better. I would hate to have anything of ours fall into the hands of that odious Mr Collins. I feel certain that he would never allow us to retrieve it.'

As they rode to Longbourn in the carriage, Jane said, 'Mama shall miss having a carriage available to her. But at least we still have the use of it to transport us about until Mr Collins arrives.'

'Indeed,' Elizabeth agreed while thinking of speaking to their Uncle Gardiner to find a gig and a horse for the use of her mother and sisters remaining at home. She shook her head as it occurred to her that she had thought of The Hedgerows as home.

~O~

The interior of Longbourn looked somewhat forlorn without its occupants. Much of the furniture was mismatched due to having been rescued from the attic to replace the pieces which had been removed as they were the personal property of one of the Bennet ladies.

Still, Collins would not be able to complain as the house was fully furnished with the items mentioned in the entail. There were also pictures on the walls, but the interior needed a woman's touch to turn the house back into a home.

It turned out that this last search was not wasted. The sisters and Mrs Hill discovered several small items which had been overlooked in the rush. But the attic contained the most significant find. Two trunks of carefully preserved clothing which had belonged to the previous generation of Bennet ladies. The assortment of silks and brocades was breathtaking.

'Mama was right when she felt we missed something,' Jane commented as they closed the trunks.

~O~

Jane had left in the carriage with the last of their possessions as Elizabeth planned to go for a final walk around Longbourn.

Mrs Hill stayed behind to give instructions to the few staff who had or had been chosen to stay at the estate because the new house did not require as large a staff. Mr and Mrs Hill, the cook, Bob the footman, the head groom and their personal maid Sally had all relocated.

Elizabeth was taking leave of the study in which she had so much time while growing up. Glancing around the room, she sighed at the emptiness.

The estate ledgers were still on one shelf, and four other shelves were filled with the books from her great grandfather's time. But all the books which had filled the shelves for the last few decades now resided at their new house.

She was about to leave when Hill announced, 'Mr Darcy is here to see you, Miss Elizabeth.'

Elizabeth briefly frowned, wondering what that unpleasant man could want with her. Perhaps he was just stopping by to offer his condolences. Since she would not find out the purpose of his visit without speaking to him, she nodded and said, 'Show him in.'

~O~

Darcy was not best pleased as, despite his best intentions, he had not been able to leave for Longbourn as early as he had planned.

It seemed as if fate was trying to keep him from reaching Longbourn,

An express from Pemberley had arrived to which he had to respond. A household matter needed his adjudication. Then, just as he was about to leave an old friend had dropped in and it had taken half an hour to get rid of him.

Once he was on his way, things did not improve as one of his horses lost a shoe just after leaving St Albans.

Just after the turn-off to Meryton, a wagon had lost a wheel, which caused its load to be spilled across the road, slowing Darcy even further.

But it was getting rather late in the afternoon by the time his coach pulled up in front of Longbourn.

Exiting his vehicle Darcy thought the place was eerily quiet.

Undeterred, he knocked and after a delay was admitted by the housekeeper, who escorted him to Mr Bennet's study and announced him.

~O~

Elizabeth thought that Darcy must have been standing in the hallway just outside the library because he entered only a moment after Hill stepped outside. He did not glance back and therefore did not notice that Mrs Hill left the door partially open. Elizabeth guessed that she was waiting just out of sight.

Darcy and Elizabeth exchanged greetings and she was pleased when her guess proved correct as Darcy said, 'I came to offer you my condolences on the loss of your father. I know this must be a very difficult time for you.'

'Thank you, Mr Darcy. You are most kind,' Elizabeth replied politely, wondering if she should offer refreshments but uncertain if tea could be provided as very little was left in the house.

While she deliberated, Darcy fidgeted for a few moments. Running his hand through his hair in obvious agitation, he suddenly burst into speech.

'You must allow me to tell you how much I love and admire you. For months I have struggled but I cannot get you out of my head or heart. Yet despite the inferiority of your connections and despite the existence of your relations whose condition in life is so decidedly beneath my own, I have been drawn to you. While I could never marry someone with a family like yours, as soon as I heard of your travails, I felt compelled to come here and to offer you my protection.'

Elizabeth blanched at those words and, fearing the worst, she cried, 'What do you mean… protection?'

'Just yesterday I was informed that your father has passed away and that Mr Collins is about to take possession of Longbourn. I am also aware that he will not allow you and your sisters, or your mother, to remain in your home. Having heard of your impecunious circumstances, I know that you will be forced to accept the charity of your relations and at best subsist in genteel poverty.'

Seeing Elizabeth's pallor, Darcy's heart went out to her, and he was assured of the rightness of his actions. He therefore continued, 'To ensure your safety, wellbeing and peace of mind, I propose to set up your mother and sisters in a home of their own here in Meryton, while you come to Pemberley with me, where I shall be pleased to instal you in the Dower house.'

Unable to believe that Mr Darcy could possibly mean what she thought he was saying, Elizabeth whispered in horror, 'Do I understand you correctly? Are you offering me a carte blanche?'

'Indeed, and you must agree that under the circumstances it is a most generous offer. Most men would just offer you a small cottage near their estate and not concern themselves with your family.'

Seeing Darcy's self-satisfied attitude and his assurance at her grateful acceptance of what she considered an obscene proposition, Elizbeth became angry. No, anger was too tame an emotion, she was furious. She pressed her lips together to prevent herself from screaming and took a deep breath.

As soon as she had her voice under control, even though the rest of her was shaking with suppressed anger, she said coldly, 'Mr Darcy, You can take yourself and your disgusting offer back to whichever rock you slithered out from underneath. How dare you insult me in such a fashion. But you have just proven yet again that you are no gentleman, and you have no respect for anyone.'

'Although I must say that I am surprised by your change of heart, since the first time you saw me, you called me tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt you. And you were under the mistaken impression that you could give consequence to anyone in this area.'

Elizabeth had the satisfaction of seeing the look of confidence being replaced by puzzlement as Darcy was starting to realise that Elizabeth was not falling into his arms with pleasure.

'And then you proved your disdain for me, my family and my neighbours by not warning us about the character of Mr Wickham. It was left to a mere tradesman to uncover his vile proclivities.'

'I do not know where you got the idea that we would need your dubious charity. Just because, unlike you, the Bennets do not brag about their wealth or connections does not mean we are destitute. But even if we were, I can assure you that I prefer life in the hedgerows than taking up your repulsive offer.'

Stung by the vehemence of her rejection of his generous offer, Darcy became angry as well. But somehow, he could not accept that his expectations were being dashed, especially as he had dreamt all night about Elizabeth's enthusiastic welcome of him.

He refused to have his dream snatched away from him at the last moment. 'You are quite incorrect, madam. You do not have a choice but to accept my offer since one word from me could ruin you as you ignored propriety and spent time alone with me.'

At those words, Mrs Hill burst through the door. 'You disgusting man. If you think I will allow you to slander Miss Lizzy, you have another think coming. If you had bothered to look, you would have seen that the door was open the whole time and I listened to your sickening offer.'

While Mrs Hill was not a small woman, Darcy still towered over her as he drew himself up to his full height. He was about to give her a piece of his mind when Mrs Hill reached up, grabbed hold of his ear and twisted… hard.

Darcy let out an undignified yelp. But the pain was such that he could do nought but follow Mrs Hill out of the room and out of the house. All the while the irate housekeeper berated him for his manners, or lack thereof, for his honour or lack thereof. She listed every one of his faults as she perceived them in excruciating detail.

At the door she let go of his ear and gave him a push. The unexpectedness of Mrs Hill's actions caused him to stagger down the steps. This was accompanied by the final piece of advice at full volume. 'Now get out and stay away from my ladies. Miss Elizabeth and her mother and sisters are ladies, but you are no gentleman.'

Darcy stared as the door was slammed, wondering if the world had gone made. Miss Elizabeth and that virago of a housekeeper most certainly had.

Turning away from the house in disgust, and ignoring the barely supressed sniggers from his staff, he entered his coach, demanding, 'Back to London.'

~O~

Mrs Hill hurried back to the study, fearing the state of mind in which she would find Elizabeth.

She was surprised to see that Elizabeth looked remarkably cheerful.

There was still an edge of anger in her demeanour, but she smiled as she said, 'Oh, Mrs Hill, you have no idea how good it felt to tell that arrogant man exactly how I felt and what I thought of him.'

She grasped the housekeeper's hand. 'And I must thank you for your support and being such an excellent chaperone.'

'You are welcome, Miss Lizzy. But I could not let that… man insult you the way he did. I don't know how they do things in London, but in the country we still have standards.' Mrs Hill gave a small chuckle. She was pleased with herself as she said, 'But I sent him back with a flea in his ear. I doubt he will do this sort of thing again in a hurry.'

Elizabeth threw her arms around the dear woman. 'I knew I could count on you.'

~O~

Ooops 😊

I confess, this whole story has been leading up to the proposition.

~O~