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Blurb:
Elizabeth and Jane Bennet have their very own guardian angels in the form of elder twin brothers, Michael, and Gabriel, who are on high alert when Meryton is suddenly flooded with eligible gentlemen. One is honorable although a tad too proud, one is a known flirt always on the lookout for his next ‘angel,’ and one is a garrulous bore. All of them have their eye on a Bennet sister.
The brother’s protective instincts are further heightened when a dangerous predator arrives in their sleepy village, and more than one lady learns that evil can appear in the guise of a handsome man.
Where there is no wood, the fire goes out.
In this retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, new and old friendships are forged in bonds of steel while others are lost in the waves of gossip.
First Chapter:
All of Meryton waited with bated breath when the party from Netherfield Park entered the assembly room at the Red Lion Inn. Elizabeth Bennet, dancing with Samuel Watson, missed the initial introductions given by Sir William Lucas, master of ceremonies for most of Merytong's public social events. This minor oversight did not worry her in any way. Given the fact her father was the largest landowner in the area, she knew she would at some time during the evening, make their acquaintance.
As she and Mr. Watson waited to go down the line, she noticed the much talked about Mr. Bingley was as good-looking and gentlemanlike as her friend Charlotte Lucas had reported earlier in the week. She was not wrong in saying he had a pleasant countenance and easy, unaffected manners. Mr. Bingley’s sisters carried themselves with an air of decided fashion, although Elizabeth felt they were quite overdressed for a simple country assembly. The older man, whom she learned later was married to Mr. Bingley’s eldest sister, looked the gentleman, but his fastidious attendance to a hidden flask in his coat pocket soon put paid to that observation. However, it was the third gentleman of the group who grabbed Elizabeth’s attention.
Upon laying eyes upon him and hearing his name, she felt a faint fluttering of excitement. Never in her life, had she seen such perfection in male beauty. Tall and broad-shouldered, he towered over the rest of his party. Raven curls, grown a touch too long to be thought fashionable, skimmed the top of his crisp, white cravat, while piercing blue eyes beneath dark brows, scanned the room, drawing together to form a small frown. His face was savagely beautiful, his lips firm and sensually full.
She was extremely glad she had worn one of her newer gowns and taken extra care with her toilette. Normally Elizabeth’s maid braided and pulled her hair into a simple bun, but this evening Sarah had managed to pin the riotous curls into some semblance of order, securing them in place with various pins and decorative flowers. Although Jane was the undisputed beauty of the family, Elizabeth felt for once she could stand with her head held high, knowing she looked her very best.
It wasn’t long before Mr. Bingley asked Charlotte to dance and they joined the set. From where she danced, Elizabeth could plainly see Mamma was not at all pleased with this turn of events, but her glare turned to smiles when the affable young man solicited Jane’s hand for the next two.
As pleasant and friendly Mr. Bingley was upon first acquaintance, his friend did not enjoy the same praise and good thoughts from the citizens of Meryton. He danced only with the ladies of his party and spent the rest of the evening stalking about the edges of the room, ignoring anyone who dared to attempt polite conversation with him, refusing all introductions to other patrons of the assembly.
It came as no surprise to the gentlefolk of Meryton the most outspoken against him was Mrs. Bennet, whose dislike of his general behavior was sharpened into a particular resentment when the following incident took place.
Obliged by the scarcity of gentlemen to sit down for two dances, Elizabeth became aware the handsome gentleman had paused in front of her. Would he notice her and ask for a set? Mr. Bingley, dancing with Jane, broke from the line to implore his friend to join the set. With no intention of listening to their conversation, Elizabeth could not avoid the two friends when they paused no more than a few feet from where she sat.
“Come, Darcy,” Bingley said, “You must dance. I hate to see you standing about when you could be enjoying the company of a pretty girl.”
Could this be the Mr. Darcy she had heard so much about?
“You know I detest dancing unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly as this, it would be insupportable. Besides, there is not any woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with.”
“You are so frustratingly fastidious,” cried the younger man. “These people are my neighbors. Can you not, for my sake, soften your attitude for one dance? Truly Darcy, I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life, and several of them are uncommonly pretty.”
“You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room,” said Mr. Darcy, looking toward the dance floor. Elizabeth noted where he directed his attention and felt a slight thaw in her disgust. Someone who thought Jane was beautiful could not be all bad.
“I agree. She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! Regardless, you will not detract me from my mission. I must have you dance.” Bingley cast his gaze around and it fell on Elizabeth, who looked away, embarrassed at having almost been caught listening in on their conversation. “I say, there is a young lady sitting down just behind you who is quite pretty. Miss Bennet will know who she is. Do let me ask my partner to introduce you.”
Elizabeth worked hard to regulate her breathing, counting to ten while mentally preparing a positive response when asked to dance. By the time she reached three, she realized there had been no answer from Mr. Darcy, other than, ‘Which do you mean?’ Without thought, she glanced up and found him staring directly at her. Thinking him vexed with his friend, she sought to alleviate his discomfort by smiling. Upon catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said, “She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me. I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. Return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, you are wasting your time with me.”
Stunned, cheeks burning with mortification, Elizabeth could not even form words in her mind at his brutal observation. Mr. Bingley opened his mouth to argue further when a familiar figure stepped in front of both gentlemen.
“Excuse me. I believe you owe my sister an apology.”
“I do not know who your sister is,” Darcy replied, giving the younger man a haughty glare.
“She is the one whom you find barely tolerable, and not handsome enough to dance with.”
Oh dear, this could get messy. Elizabeth hurried to join them. By this time, a second gentleman had come alongside and he also glared at Mr. Darcy.
“If you require introductions, sir, you are cordially invited to join us outside. My brother and I will introduce you to our fists. You will find they are not tolerable as well.”
“Michael! Gabriel!” Elizabeth stepped in their midst. “Apologize to this gentleman at once.”
“He insulted you, Elizabeth,” Michael ground out between clenched teeth, his steely gaze never wavering from Mr. Darcy’s.
“He deserves to be horsewhipped for saying such things about a lady to whom he has not been introduced,” Gabriel added, and gently tried to move his sister aside. “It was extremely rude.”
“I agree, Gabriel. Would you like to take the first punch?”
“No, you are the elder Michael, you may go first.”
“Stop!” Elizabeth shook off Gabriel’s hand, stood her ground, and stared her brothers down. “There will be no punches thrown, nor whippings given, and you will apologize to the gentleman.”
“No need, Miss Elizabeth. I will apologize.”
She shot a hard glare over her shoulder in the direction of Mr. Darcy, deciding he was not so handsome after all. “We have not been introduced, sir. You will not address me until you are. I am of a mind to let my brothers have at you.”
“You are the Bennet twins!” At Mr. Bingley’s astonishing outburst, Elizabeth looked at the young man who stood open-mouthed, completely forgetting his dance with Jane. “You were two years ahead of me at Cambridge. I have heard much about the two of you.”
“As we have of you,” Michael Bennet said in a decidedly cool voice, keeping his attention on Mr. Darcy. He looked at him from head to toe and back up again to stare him directly in the face. “Because we are Cambridge men, I know you have a younger sister,” – Mr. Darcy gave a violent start – “and would like to pose a hypothetical question. If someone wholly unconnected with your sister said within her hearing, she was not handsome enough to dance with, what would you do?”
“I would be tempted to call them out onto the field of honor.” Mr. Darcy turned his somber gaze to Elizabeth and gave her a polite half-bow. “Although we have not been properly introduced, please allow me to apologize for the insult I levied in your direction. It was not well done, and I am heartily ashamed of my words.”
She longed to turn and leave without acknowledging his apology, convinced it was given because he’d been called out, not because he felt any regret over his odious words. However, she was raised as a gentlewoman and would behave like one.
“Apology accepted, sir.” She gave him an equally polite curtsy, then without so much as a by your leave, grabbed an arm of each of her brothers, and dragged them to the other side of the room.
“Promise me you will seek retribution with Mr. Darcy this evening. The next set is starting, and Jonathan Lucas awaits me at the refreshment table.”
“We promise,” the brothers said in unison. She could only hope they would keep their promise and made a mental note to follow up with more explicit directives when they got home. Her brothers were too clever by far, and just because they promised not to take action at the assembly did not mean they would not exact vengeance on the man in the following days or weeks. She paused and turned back to them. “Do not think you are relieved of this promise once the clock strikes midnight.”
From their slight reaction, she knew she had struck a chord. The Bennet brothers were known to be protective of their sisters. Mrs. Bennet bemoaned their actions, saying no eligible young man would ever darken the door to Longbourn for fear of facing the wrath of Michael and Gabriel, Longbourn’s resident guardian angels. With any luck, Mr. Darcy would be gone from the area after a short visit with his friend. Satisfied her brothers would behave, she continued to the refreshment table and her next dance partner.
Once her dance with Mr. Lucas was complete, she found herself standing with Jane in a quiet alcove. By tacit agreement, they both stayed out of their mother’s sight and hearing.
“Whatever happened, Lizzy? One minute I was enjoying a dance with Mr. Bingley, the next I knew, I was alone in the middle of the dance floor watching our brothers stand toe to toe with Mr. Darcy.”
Elizabeth heaved a heartfelt sigh at the memory.
“Oh, Janie. I had such high hopes when I heard his name. Our cousin Peter has often spoken of him.”
“I remember. All of it was good, and our brothers were slightly in awe of him. He took first in almost every subject at Cambridge.”
“True, but no one has yet to beat our father’s record.”
“Father excelled because at the time he had no inclination to become a landowner as Uncle Edgar was still living, and Papa wanted to remain at the university and teach.”
“I was only five when our uncle died, and I still remember the library.”
“We all know you will never judge a man by his purse or status. If he has more than two shelves full of books, your heart will be his for the taking.”
“You know me well, dear sister.”
“Enough procrastinating.” Jane took hold of her hand. “What happened between Mr. Darcy and our brothers?”
Even though her pride had been pricked and tender feelings trampled on, Elizabeth presented a bright smile and rendered her version of events. She even managed to have Jane stifle a giggle when she came to the part of her brothers asking who would throw the first punch.
“Poor Mr. Darcy,” she murmured. “We shall have to be extra vigilant with our brothers. They will not take this slight lightly, even though he did apologize.”
“He tendered an apology, not because he regretted his remarks, but because he was called out over his manners. I firmly believe if no one had taken him to task, he would never have felt any remorse or changed his mind. He thinks too highly of himself, and the company he keeps is but a reflection of his true self.”
“Mr. Bingley is an amiable young man.”
“That may be so, but his sisters act as though they live in a sphere of rarified air. If their noses were held any higher, I would have to climb a ladder to see if a falcon’s nest was lodged in them.”
“Lizzy!”
“You know I speak the truth. As it is, a flock of small birds might well take flight out of Miss Bingley’s turban at any moment. Look! You cannot miss her in the crowd. The feathers jump and twist with each word she speaks.”
Jane did take a quick glance over her shoulder and then turned back to her sister, her eyes dancing with merriment.
“For shame, Elizabeth. Now I will fight all evening to suppress a grin when I look at her.”
“I plan on not looking at her at all.”
“Elizabeth Bennet, remember you are a lady and will be polite to all you meet. Do not lower yourself to their level. Remember what Susannah said last year when that horrid little man declared your nose was too thin for his liking.”
“He would have been better off picking new friends instead of picking his nose?”
“No, the other thing she said.”
“Shall I call on Sebastian to defend your honor?”
“Lizzy, be serious. I was speaking of her teaching us the stratagem of projecting tranquility. Never let strangers see the turmoil of your heart and mind.”
“Rest easy, Jane. I remember. ‘Be a swan, my dear Miss Bennets. Calm and sedate as you float about in the pond of humanity, your feet paddling like mad beneath the surface.’” Elizabeth snuck a glance around the corner of the alcove in the direction of Miss Bingley and her sister. “Frankly, I prefer ‘Ponder and deliberate before making a move.’”
“You are talking as though they are our mortal enemies.”
Elizabeth looked at her sister and impulsively took both of Jane’s hands in hers.
“I give you leave to like Mr. Bingley. He is a very amiable young man. However, his sisters…” She pursed her lips and shook her head from side to side to emphasize her point. “Given the fact they have not spoken to a single person outside their own party, shows they hold us all in contempt.”
“You know I trust your instincts and will approach them with caution.” Jane turned to leave the alcove but not before asking, “What of Mr. Darcy?”
“What of him?”
“Are we to avoid him as well?”
“At this exact moment, I am uncertain. We shall have to see if his apology was genuine and made a determination based on his future behavior.”
Jane’s next partner arrived to escort her to the dance floor, and Elizabeth waved her sister off with a wide smile. She caught sight of Mr. Darcy prowling about the edges of the ballroom, a scowl marring his handsome face and sighed. How was it such a handsome man, who seemed to have no earthly worries, could be so miserable?
***
“Badly done, Darcy.” Bingley prodded the dying fire with an iron poker.
“I am aware. You need not beat the horse dead.” Darcy laid his head against the back of the chair and blew out a heavy sigh. He made a colossal mistake by misinterpreting Miss Elizabeth’s smile. With whispers abounding throughout the room of his wealth and property, he immediately thought she was being coy and flirtatious. Her brothers, making their sentiments known, had abused him of that notion. “Lord save us, from overprotective brothers.”
“In this matter, I would suggest you are the pot talking about the kettle.” Darcy nodded in agreement. He could not dispute the fact he was very protective of his younger sister, Georgiana. And for good reason, as he discovered to his detriment this past summer. He dimly noted Bingley was still talking. “They are protective because you behaved like an ass – which is something you do far too often lately.”
“I am sorry if I put you into an uncomfortable situation.”
“These people are going to be my neighbors, and hopefully friends. Could you not have been more friendly? Truly, Darcy, what did they do to earn such obvious disdain? They are no different than the people you deal with at your estate. The village of Lambton is not much bigger than Meryton. Do you treat the landed gentry around Pemberley like you did Sir William or even Mrs. Long?”
“No, I do not.”
“You realize Caroline will now follow your lead and believe it her right to condescend and belittle anyone she meets. I shudder to think of how she will behave if she thinks any young woman in this area looks twice in your direction.”
“I am not her betrothed. I am not even her friend. I am here at your bequest. Please remind her of that fact.”
“I can remind her until I am blue in the face from lack of air. She listens only to you, and you prevaricate in putting her in her place.”
“Because it is not my place. I suffer her company because you require a hostess in order to invite guests for dinners and other entertainments. Although, with your sister Mrs. Hurst in residence, why not send Miss Bingley packing? Preferably far, far away. Would the Hebrides be too far, this time of year?”
Charles chuckled, then turned serious.
“Louisa is a terrible hostess. She is far more interested in her jewelry than pouring tea and making conversation. No, I am stuck with Caroline until I marry.”
“Then prepare yourself for a miserable three months. She may have her sights set on me, but she also has lofty goals for your future as well, and if you think she will allow you to settle with a gentleman’s daughter when she sees a titled lady in your future, think again.”
“Darcy, she does not have a titled daughter in my future, she envisions your sister gracing my arm at future events.”
“She does not!”
“Not only does she wish to secure the position of Pemberley’s mistress, but she also wants me to court your sister.”
“Georgiana is not yet sixteen!”
“I am aware and as much as I like your sister, I do not think of her in such a manner.”
“Which, for your health, you will continue to do so. It is bad enough I had to—”
Darcy stopped abruptly, almost divulging the fact his sister had nearly eloped this past summer. If he and his cousin Richard had not arrived at Ramsgate two days earlier than planned, they would not have been able to save her from the greedy clutches of George Wickham, his late father’s godson, an unrepentant rake who seduced her for her marriage portion of thirty thousand pounds. Even though she heard with her own ears how Wickham had pursued her for money, her tender heart was badly bruised, and given her age, she found it hard to stop loving him. Time was the only thing Darcy knew would cure her. That, and the wise counsel of their Aunt Lucinda, Lady Matlock.
“We should explore the estate tomorrow.” Bingley’s whimsical tone brought him out of his troubled thoughts. “With any luck, we might find ourselves near Longbourn.”
“Where is this Longbourn, and who lives there?”
“Longbourn is the estate which abuts Netherfield, where your double trouble nemesis and their sisters reside.” Bingley gave him a wicked grin. “With further luck, we might stumble across the fair Miss Bennet.”
Darcy felt a pinch of alarm. Bingley had a habit of falling in and out of love with each new angel he met.
“I must caution you against raising the young lady’s expectations. This is not London. Society is very limited here and what is acceptable in town is not acceptable here.”
“Surely, I can appreciate the company of a beautiful woman without her thinking I am about to fall on bended knee. I enjoyed our dances and would not mind getting to know her better. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“I still think you should keep your distance. At least until you know more about her family.”
“Always worried about connections, eh Darcy?”
“You cannot think only of yourself, Bingley. You must also consider your sister and make sure your actions do not hinder her chances at making a good marriage.”
On that note, he took his leave and made for his rooms. After his nightly ablutions were complete, he dismissed his valet and warned him to ensure both his doors were locked.
“Is there anything else you need before you retire, sir?”
“No, that is all, Jenkins. Thank you.”
His trusted valet slipped from the room, and Darcy finally took himself to bed. As tired as he was, his mind whirled with the evening’s revelations. He had finally met the famed Bennet brothers, known for their quick wit and equally quick tempers. Staunchly supportive of those they deemed the underdog, they had made a name for themselves at Cambridge defending those who were bullied. Although Darcy had already graduated, he heard of their escapades via Bingley and admired them based on the good reports his friend brought with him whenever he visited. However, he had metaphorically put his foot in it regarding their sister. He was heartily ashamed of what he’d said. All breath had leeched from his body when they’d posed the question of how he would have reacted if the lady in question had been his sister. Georgiana.
If she overheard a stranger say she was barely tolerable, and not handsome enough to tempt a man to dance, she would have been utterly destroyed. There would have been no road to redemption for the man who expressed such pompous words. Despite his turmoil and self-disgust, he finally fell into a restive sleep with dreams centered around a young woman with fine eyes.