Mr. Darcy: The Key to Her Heart: A Pride & Prejudice Novel Variation by Zoe Burton

Author:Zoe Burton
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Read, Extreme canon twisting (aka FWC), Purchased, Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms
Publisher: Sweet Escapes Press
Published: 2022-03-30T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Longbourn

Christmas Eve, 1805

Elizabeth looked up as her aunt approached the window seat where she was currently located. She moved her feet to give the other woman room to join her.

“Are you well, Lizzy? You have not been your usual cheerful self. Your father makes jokes about you being crossed in love, and Jane does her best to make you seem happy, but I can clearly see you are not. Do you wish to tell me about it?”

Elizabeth grimaced. “There is not much to tell. My father is probably correct.”

Maddie took her niece’s hand. “Were you crossed in love, then?”

“I do not know. Perhaps.” Elizabeth looked down at her hand joined with her aunt’s. “He was very attentive. He asked to call on me here, after the house party at Netherfield last August, and he did for a week or two. Then, he suddenly vanished. Mrs. Darcy told me he had been called home because his father was ill.”

“And he never came back?”

“No, but … I heard, also from his aunt, that his father died. This was back in October, just after Michaelmas, so he is in mourning.” Elizabeth sighed, her eyes filling with tears at the thought of Darcy’s pain. “I understand why he left. What has me upset is what Mrs. Darcy said the day she told me he had been called home. She said they expect great things of him and that he is destined to marry well, and that she was certain I understood. But, when he spoke to me, he said things that made me sure he wished to marry me when his tour was over.”

Maddie bit her lip. “I do not know what to say. She may be correct, or she may not. It is likely that his relatives do expect him to marry high. The Darcys of Pemberley are among the wealthiest families in all England. On the other hand, they are not known for being overly high in the instep. Mrs. Darcy is his aunt and not his mother; it is entirely possible what she thinks is not what his parents believe. Look at myself and your mother. Can there be two totally different points of view?”

Elizabeth chuckled through her tears. “No, I do not suppose there can be. Do you think there is reason to hope?”

Maddie shrugged. “I do not know. There may be, and there may not be. If he could write to you, it would be possible because he could explain himself, but he cannot, since you are not engaged.”

Elizabeth looked down again. “True.”

“Your uncle is asking your father for permission for you and Jane to come with us when we return to London. It will be good for you to have a change of scenery, I think. What do you say? Would you like to visit us for a while?”

“I would.” A grateful smile spread over Elizabeth’s face. “Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it. We are delighted to be able to provide you girls this opportunity to see more of the world.

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