A Child for Elizabeth Bennet: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Juliana Abbott

Author:Juliana Abbott [Abbott, Juliana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-11-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen – Darcy

Darcy sat in his father-in-law’s study, one leg crossed over the other, and took a deep breath. So early in the morning, the home still smelled of his ever-frugal father-in-law’s tallow candles. It had always amused him how different Elizabeth’s parents were. Her mother, who loved to spend freely, was the stark opposite of her husband, who seemingly always had his head in his books, attempting to balance them and keep the family from facing the poor house.

His insistence on tallow candles instead of the more expensive, better-smelling beeswax ones was cause for repeated arguments between the pair. They’d engaged in a battle of wills over whether or not to buy beeswax candles the night before Elizabeth’s accident.

The memory of that day was hazy in his mind, a circumstance that caused him much pain. He’d chided himself for not having committed every moment they’d spent together to memory, so he would have at least had something left, should she never truly return to him. He could hardly remember the day other than the argument between his in-laws and Lizzy’s desire to get away from the ever-quarreling pair.

“Mrs. Bennet,” Mr. Bennet’s voice drew him from his thoughts, and he looked up just as Mrs. Bennet entered the room and closed the door behind her. She slipped into her seat and folded her hands in her lap.

“She has gone with Jane and Will into the garden,” she reported, then looked at Darcy with the sort of expression that told him what was to follow. “Mr. Darcy, you must put a stop to this.”

Darcy took a deep breath, working hard to control his emotions. When Mr. Bennet summoned him, he knew this would be the subject of their conversation. He’d dreaded it but understood there was no way around it.

“My wife is right. It has been a month since we started acting out the past in the hopes it might inspire her to remember her forgotten life. Yet, I see no sign that this is so.”

Darcy slipped to the edge of his seat. “But I do. I beg of you, give me time. I spoke to her the other day, and she recalled details of our life at Pemberley. She remembered the lake; she even recalled the seamstress in Lambton who makes her gowns.” He was well aware of the desperation in his voice, and while he did not care for it, he did not attempt to hide it. He wanted his parents-in-law to hear his passion and his determination.

“Vague memories. Mr. Miller told us that might happen,” Mr. Bennet said gravely. “We cannot continue this. Our Jane came out of mourning hoping this would help, but this exercise has caused her nothing but strain. Kitty cannot see her betrothed for fear Lizzy might come upon them, and Mary is ….”

“Perturbed,” Mrs. Bennet concluded. “She has always been a most vexing child, but of late, she has been nothing but difficult. She wishes to marry but had no chance of doing so due to the present circumstances.

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