Cads & Capers: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Duology by Amy D'Orazio & Jessie Lewis

Author:Amy D'Orazio & Jessie Lewis [D'Orazio, Amy & Lewis, Jessie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quills & Quartos Publishing
Published: 2024-08-30T00:00:00+00:00

When Darcy left Longbourn following Jane and Bingley’s wedding breakfast, Mrs Bennet was no doubt quite certain she had won her wager with Elizabeth. She seemed less sure, however, when he reappeared two days later and asked to see Mr Bennet. He was shown into the master’s study immediately while Mrs Bennet and her daughters straightened themselves and began sending eager but questioning looks around the room, save for Elizabeth who avoided any telling expressions.

“If it was Colonel Fitzwilliam,” said Mrs Bennet, “I might have been more certain. He seemed to be paying her a bit more attention, but I put it down to her being one of the few from Hertfordshire that he was acquainted with.”

Elizabeth who had just then risen to quit the room, smiled to herself at that. “As it is,” she told her mother, “the colonel was quite taken with Lady Harriet Thorpe. Who knows how many weddings might spring forth from Jane’s?”

She entered her father’s study moments later to see him regarding Darcy somewhat dubiously. “Do not look like that, Papa,” she said as she took the seat that Darcy helped her into and accepted his hand around her own. “I have already told you that Mr Darcy and I have found we were much more in accord than ever we suspected.”

She was grateful she had spoken to her father privately on the subject the day prior. Phrases such as ‘have you gone mad’ and ‘thought you hated him’ would not have been well met in the present circumstance. Mr Bennet was nevertheless somewhat disgruntled and unhappy-looking as Darcy explained to him how much in love he was.

Darcy’s declarations were undoubtedly no little source of astonishment. To hear a man who was widely believed to be taciturn and disagreeable tell her father that she was a woman most worthy of being pleased, that he was in no way her equal but would spend the rest of his days trying to make her happy, that he would every day and in every way feel his good fortune in having her—it was almost too much to bear in its sweetness.

About halfway through these expressions, Mr Bennet appeared to lose some of his churlishness and, indeed, almost smiled when Mr Darcy concluded by saying, “I can only assure you, sir, in the most violent of terms, that I love her more than I have ever loved anyone or anything. Many men say they are the happiest of men when a woman they love accepts their offer, but I truly mean it.”

“And you, Miss Lizzy?” Mr Bennet asked. “Can you give me any such guarantees?”

“I can,” she said softly. “I promise you, Papa, I do not wish to marry to be like Jane, or to become the wife of a great man. I have no thought for wealth or position or any such trivial thing. I have accepted Mr Darcy because I love him and, in truth…” She turned to look at her intended and concluded, “I find the idea of living without him quite insupportable.

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