The Next Mrs. Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Speck Kate

Author:Speck, Kate
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-12-02T00:00:00+00:00

~*~

“You are very kind, Mr. Darcy.” Elizabeth commented, after he described his meeting with her parents. “Did my mother plan one of her daughters to be married off to Colonel Fitzwilliam? Did she bemoan that you were already married and give you all of the reverence you deserved as a wealthy gentleman?”

Darcy chuckled as they strolled the Netherfield gardens early next morning. “She seemed to believe that a proposal was imminent and that you would be the wife of an officer by the end of this summer. It sounded as if Mrs. Collins was too enthusiastic with your frequent invitations to Rosings and wrote to her mother about it. My cousin has no idea he is getting married!” They laughed together. “What shall you like as a wedding gift? A new white carriage or a trunk-full of jewels?” He rubbed her fingers affectionately. “Although, I must admit I was curious about her statement about being a colonel’s wife as an improvement to a lieutenant’s. What did she mean by that?”

Elizabeth flushed bright red in mortification. “I cannot believe she mentioned that. Oh, I certainly do not miss living at Longbourn, even if I do miss my father. The library at Netherfield is shameful but at least I have peace here without her criticisms.” She took a deep breath. “Last autumn, the militia was settled here and there was an officer who had initially taken an interest, and mama was gushing about having two of her daughters soon married off, but that man quickly found a young lady with a recent inheritance of £10,000 most intriguing. I believe they were close to an engagement before Miss King’s uncle swiftly whisked her off to Liverpool and the militia moved up north soon after.”

Darcy harrumphed with the information. “He sounds mercenary and does not deserve a worthy woman. I hope he did not injure you with his abandonment, Elizabeth.” He growled as he possessively held her hand. “I would have killed him with my bare hands if he wounded you.”

Elizabeth smiled at his protectiveness. “No, Fitzwilliam. He did not injure me and although Kitty and Lydia were angry with his turn of attentions and then prattled about that he might return to court me, I found him rather tiresome and was disappointed by his lack of accomplishments. He was nearly thirty years old but seemed to had done little with his life. Lieutenant Wickham was...”

“WICKHAM?!” Darcy exclaimed. He spluttered for a moment then continued. “Elizabeth, was his name George Wickham? Nine and twenty, about my height, dark hair?”

Elizabeth nodded in surprise. “Do you know him?”

Darcy dipped his head once and looked around. Seeing a large tree at a distance that would provide more privacy from the residents of the mansion, he pulled Elizabeth’s arm to lead her there.

“Elizabeth,” he began after ensuring that there was no one about, “Wickham is the same man who attempted to elope with Georgiana. He colluded with my sister’s former companion, a Mrs. Younge, while in Ramsgate to run off with her to Scotland for her dowry and is likely my grandfather’s illegitimate son.

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