Marrying Mr. Darcy, page 1
Marrying Mr. Darcy: A Sensual "Pride & Prejudice" Variation
Abbey North
Published by Abbey North JAFF Books, 2022.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
MARRYING MR. DARCY: A SENSUAL "PRIDE & PREJUDICE" VARIATION
First edition. October 29, 2022.
Copyright © 2022 Abbey North.
Written by Abbey North.
Table of Contents
Blurb
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Epilogue
About The Author
Further Reading: Compromising Mr. Darcy: A Steamy "Pride & Prejudice" Variation
Also By Abbey North
Blurb
Someone is marrying Mr. Darcy, but which one?
EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO, Fitzwilliam left Netherfield and Lizzy behind after they nearly shared a kiss. Lizzy couldn’t dwell on the knowledge he was going to marry Anne, because she had to accept Mr. Collins’ proposal after her father’s untimely death. She consigned her feelings for Fitzwilliam to a deep place in her mind, never to be considered.
Years later, her daughter returns home from a visit to Rosings Park with the news William Darcy wants to marry her. Lizzy is at first opposed to her daughter marrying Mr. Darcy’s son, but after seeing them together, she’s convinced Lottie will be happy with the boy. It’s no surprise when Mr. Darcy appears in full wrath, intent on preventing the union. As Lizzy and Fitzwilliam clash about their children’s futures, the past they never addressed lingers between them. Will passions ignite and give them a second chance, or are they both too proud and prejudiced to embrace this new opportunity?
This features a widely divergent timeline sprinkled with a dash of what-if. What if a reformed Lady Catherine, shaped by grief, has mellowed and wants to play matchmaker? What if Lizzy took the reins of Longbourn? What if Fitzwilliam never learned to temper his pride in the past and is forced to do so now to embrace a chance at a happy future?
While Abbey sometimes writes sweet JAFF, this is strictly SENSUAL.
Prologue
THE NEWS FROM NETHERFIELD was terrible. Lizzy had barely begun her morning walk when she ran into servants from the adjoining property. They’d informed her the occupants of Netherfield were packing up and leaving. Mr. Bingley had gone on earlier, and Lizzy imagined Mr. Darcy had been with him. Thinking of the man sent a pang through her chest, and she couldn’t help recalling just the night before, when she had danced with him. He wasn’t much of a conversationalist, but there had been a moment when their eyes met as they were completing a complicated dance step, and she had sworn he was going to kiss her.
Of course, that would’ve caused a great scandal and ruined her unless he offered marriage quickly thereafter, which she was under no illusion he would do. After all, according to Mr. Collins, he was already betrothed to Anne de Bourgh, so he wasn’t free to pursue any feelings he might have for Lizzy anyway. Perhaps that was what had prompted his departure from Netherfield, but it seemed unnecessarily cruel that he was also taking Mr. Bingley with him. After all, Mr. Bingley had great fondness for Jane, or seemed to, and Lizzy knew her sister loved him. Jane was bound to be devastated when she heard the news.
As though thinking of her sister had conjured her, Jane came running from the house, waving to catch Lizzy’s attention. At first, she assumed Jane must have heard the news the Netherfield party was departing, because her sister’s face was bright red, and her eyes were blotchy. Tears stained her cheeks, and it was obvious she’d been crying. As soon as Jane caught up with her, Lizzy said, “Oh, dear sister, all hope is not lost.”
Jane blinked, looking surprised for a second. “I know not of what you speak, but you must come quickly.” She was tugging inelegantly at Lizzy’s arm as she spoke.
Her sheer desperation seemed to be far out of proportion to the news of Mr. Bingley leaving Netherfield, which caught Lizzy’s full attention. “What troubles you, Jane?”
“Oh, it is terrible, Lizzy. Papa has collapsed in his library.”
Lizzy gathered her skirts and ran after her sister, soon overtaking Jane in her haste. Her heart was beating a frantic signal in her chest, and it felt like she couldn’t draw in a deep breath as fear washed over her. She couldn’t lose her dear papa.
She burst into the house, darting out of the range of Mr. Collins, who seemed to be waiting with an expression of concern. He probably meant well, but she had no time for him right then.
She ran down the hall and burst into the library, finding it empty. “Where...?” She let out several deep gasps as she tried to regain control of her breathing.
“He has been moved upstairs, Miss Eliza,” said Mr. Collins in a solicitous tone. “It would be my honor to escort you.”
She nodded, but she didn’t really wait for him. She turned and raced up the stairs, uncaring it was not ladylike in the least. The sheer urgency of Jane’s summons suggested it was more than something trivial plaguing her father.
When she burst in, Mr. Jones was standing over her father, who looked pale. Pale didn’t even begin to adequately describe him, quite truthfully. He was whiter than the white linen he laid against, practically gray in places, with large shadows under his eyes. He looked like he had aged twenty years in a day, and she rushed to his side, taking his hand. “Oh, Papa, what troubles you?”
“I do not believe he can speak,” said Mrs. Bennet. “Oh, my nerves. Why must you do this to my nerves, Mr. Bennet?”
Her father’s lips twitched slightly, and he managed to open his eyes. “Chose not to speak.” Those words obviously cost him a great deal. “Was waiting.” He gave Lizzy a significant look. “Love you, my daughter. Love you all.” He closed his eyes again.
Lizzy clutched his hand tighter. “Papa, what is it? What can we do?”
“I am afraid there is nothing to be done, Miss Bennet,” said Mr. Jones. The apothecary wore an expression of grief. “Your father’s heart is barely beating, and it is only a matter of time until it gives out.”
“Oh, he mentioned chest pains last night, but I insisted that he must come with us to the ball. Do you remember, Mr. Collins?”
Lizzy stiffened slightly at the idea of the man standing in the room where her father was slowly dying. He truly had no right to be there, though he was technically family. For a moment, all her rage and helplessness at the situation wanted to direct to Mr. Collins. It took every ounce of control not to turn and scream at the man to get out.
Her father’s hand tightening slightly on hers helped her regain focus on what was important, and as his eyes opened again, she leaned closer. “What is it, Papa?”
“I am sorry, Lizzy.” He had a little more strength in his tone. “I planned poorly for all of you, and I fear you must now pay the price for everyone. Think long and hard about the choice you make when it is offered to you, my girl. I would never have you marry for anything but love, but I do not think you have that luxury now.”
Lizzy’s head whirled with confusion as she leaned back, and when Mr. Collins put a hand on her shoulder, she froze in dismay while thinking about shrugging it off.
Fanny rushed forward to sit by Thomas, taking his other hand. He whispered something to her, and whatever it was, it must have been lovely, because her mother smiled for a moment before she burst into tears again. “Oh, my nerves. What will I do without you, my dearest Thomas?”
Lizzy eased back, allowing all her sisters a chance to say their goodbyes. Mr. Jones seemed so dour about the possibility that they would have much more time, and she refused to be selfish enough not to allow them all to say something. Even Lydia pushed forward, presenting a great deal of theatricality as she threw herself against Papa and wept. Lizzy imagined the emotion was genuine, but her younger sisters tended to be overly dramatic.
She sat quietly, lost in a fog of grief as the others said their goodbyes. When she was satisfied they’d had time with him, she moved closer again, realizing Mr. Collins had kept his hand on her shoulder the entire time. She took her father’s hand in hers, and his gaze met hers. He gave her a small smile before he breathed his last. With his final exhalation, his words sank into her mind, and she was then able to grasp them.
He referred to the forthcoming and unwanted proposal from Mr. Collins. Lizzy had braced herself to reject him, expecting an ugly scene, but in light of the death of her father, she understood what he had meant when he said she no longer had the luxury of declining. Papa hadn’t phrased it quite that way, but she’d gotten the message. If she wanted to take care of her mother and sisters and herself, to save her home, she would have to undertake the unpleasant task of becoming Mrs. William Collins.
She wasn’t certain whether it was the grief of losing her father or the knowledge of losing her future, but suddenly, the floodgates burst, and she let out a small wail and drew into herself, barely aware of Jane and her other sisters coming to embrace her a second later. She heard Fanny telling Mr. Collins to give them some time, but she wasn’t really paying attention to that. She was grateful for the reprieve, no matter how slight, but she couldn’t stave off the inevitable forever. After a suitable period of mourning, she would be forced to accept Mr. Collins’ proposal.
Chapter One
EIGHTEEN YEARS LATER
Lizzy waited impatiently for the barouche box bearing the de Bo
She didn’t even wait for the driver to get down. She burst forward and opened the door, allowing her daughter to step out before she embraced her. Lizzy took a step back, admiring her pretty features and naturally curly hair. Fortunately for Lottie, she’d inherited nothing from Mr. Collins save for the light color of his eyes and the slightly large shape of his ears.
That was easily hidden with hair, and she never failed to think how beautiful her daughter was and how lucky she was to have been blessed with Lottie. That and saving Longbourn had been the only two true good things that came out of her short marriage to Mr. Collins.
She almost laughed at herself. Even all these years later, she could barely bring herself to think of him as William, and she didn’t think she’d ever called him William during the brief duration of their marriage. Even in the marriage bed, if she had addressed him at all, she was certain she’d used Mr. Collins.
She shook her head as she had the thought, realizing it was out of place under the circumstances. “You look beautiful, my dear. How was your visit with Lady Catherine?”
“She is a dear old thing, and I had a wonderful time, but best of all, William was visiting.”
Lizzy’s mouth became dry at the thought. “William Darcy?” It must be him, the son of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Anne de Bourgh. Having lost his mother at birth, he often spent time at Rosings Park among his other relations though often without his father. Lizzy wasn’t certain she approved of that, but it wasn’t her place to approve or disapprove of Mr. Darcy’s raising of his only son.
“He was visiting before going to Cambridge this autumn. He shall live in London in a fine apartment, and it is the very one his father lived in along with a Mr. Wickham. I do not know the man, but his name came up a couple of times when William was speaking of Cambridge. William said his father does not seem to like mentioning Mr. Wickham.”
“I can hardly be surprised at that. Mr. Wickham was not of good moral character.”
That had been well-proven when the scoundrel had inadvertently ruined Charlotte after hearing a rumor Sir Lucas was quite wealthy. He’d gone after Charlotte relentlessly, but her friend was too practical to fall for the man’s schemes and lies, so Wickham had orchestrated to be caught alone with her, forcing a marriage. It was only upon learning he’d been misinformed of her fortune that he had departed in the middle of the night before the wedding could take place.
After the scoundrel had absconded from Meryton, Charlotte’s reputation had been ruined, and any faint remaining prospects of marriage had faded entirely. It had been more than poor Charlotte could stand, and she’d faded away and died within half a year. Ostensibly it had been from pneumonia, but Lizzy couldn’t help thinking it had more to do with a broken heart at her tarnished reputation.
“It is most exciting, Mama.” Lottie looked like she could barely contain herself. “Oh, I suppose I should not tell you yet, but I cannot wait.” With a squeal of excitement, she said, “William is coming to visit us at Longbourn, and while he is here, he will ask for my hand in marriage.”
Lizzy’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open in shock. “You are but seventeen.”
“It does not matter. I know I love him. Aunt Lydia married the brother of Harriet Forster when she was but sixteen. Kitty was only seventeen when she married Uncle Fields. They are both still happy, are they not?”
Lizzy could hardly deny that. Her younger sisters had been luckier in marriage than Lizzy had been, both still happily married to this day. Even Mary had spent a few happy years with her law clerk before he died suddenly, and she’d returned to living at Longbourn.
Jane was perhaps the happiest of all the sisters and had been for many years. When Mr. Bingley had returned the next spring for hunting after his hasty departure the autumn before, he had renewed his romance with Jane, having previously believed she had no interest in him. He hadn’t known their father had died, and there had been no chance to travel or even write letters for a time.
His offer of marriage had been well timed for Jane, but it had been poor timing for Lizzy, for she’d already been married to Mr. Collins for two weeks by then. Had she known there was an option or a possibility of something else, she never would’ve accepted the proposal.
At least she’d had the good fortune for him to get himself killed in a plowing accident shortly after his takeover of Longbourn. She felt a small pang of sadness for his ill fate, because he hadn’t been a cruel man. He’d just been oafish and obsequious, and there had been absolutely nothing about him that she loved. Lizzy had tried, but she hadn’t been able to get past her repugnance of his character, and their blatant mismatch as a couple.
They had spent four months living at the rectory first before returning to Longbourn, because it had taken that long to settle his affairs and to find his replacement. During that time, Lizzy had met the infamous Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She’d fully anticipated disliking the woman, having heard so much about her from Mr. Collins. To her surprise, Lady Catherine had been loud and a bit overbearing, but she’d also shown hints of kindness.
Lizzy had stood up for herself on more than one occasion, such as resisting putting shelving in the rectory closets, which seemed to have impressed Catherine with her backbone rather than put her off. Oh, Catherine still chastised her about her impertinent opinions to this day, but they had gotten close during those four months, and it had been a surprising turn of events when Lady Catherine showed up and stayed as a guest for two months at Longbourn following Mr. Collins’ untimely death.
Lizzy had been pregnant with Lottie by then, and Catherine had been anticipating the arrival of her own grandchild. For Lizzy, her story had ended happily enough. Being married to Mr. Collins for five months and being courted for several months before that had been plenty of time spent in his company. She had Lottie and control of Longbourn to show for the experience, and that was certainly well worth everything she’d had to endure for less than a year. She’d also formed that surprising friendship with Lady Catherine, who was still somewhat like a grandmother to Lottie.
Oddly enough, Lizzy wondered for second what Lady Catherine would’ve thought of her if she had perceived her as a rival for Mr. Darcy’s affections back then. Of course, the near kiss had never been mentioned to anyone, and for all Lizzy knew, it was all in her mind. She was embarrassed to consider it again all these years later, but it was no mystery why she was thinking of Mr. Darcy today, since his son was due to arrive soon to ask for her daughter’s hand in marriage.
Her first instinct was to protest and say an immediate no. “You are so young, daughter. I do not know that it is a good idea to marry so early in spite of Kitty and Lydia’s successes. I was nearly one-and-twenty when I got married, and I still did not feel completely prepared.” That had more to do with the identity of her groom than her age, but she wasn’t going to reveal that about her daughter’s father. She’d done her best to ensure Lottie had only good information about her father, feeling she owed Mr. Collins that, since he’d tried to be a good husband and probably could have been for the right wife. Lizzy just hadn’t been the right one.
“I am most sure that I love him, and I do ask for your blessing, Mama. Officially, I know Uncle Bingley will have to give his blessing, but I could never go through with it without your blessing as well.”
“If you are that certain, how can I deny you a chance at happiness?” She still had her reservations, chief among them her daughter’s age, but also the fact that she was about to tie herself to a Darcy. Lizzy wondered if Fitzwilliam Darcy had yet received the news that his son planned to marry so beneath him. Perhaps once Mr. Darcy discovered the plan, he would put quietus to it before William could ever appear to ask for Lottie’s hand.
