By Reason, by Reflection, by Everything Read online

  Pray, my Jane will meet the young man’s approval and pierce his elusive facade, Mr. Bennet silently considered. We are all depending on her. The thought of what life would be like back at Longbourn should this alliance not take place gave him considerable pause.

  My dear wife would be beside herself with grief. Jane’s marriage is meant to put all the other daughters in the path of rich young men who would marry each one of them in their turn, including Lizzy. With little to no dowries to speak of, such a fate was crucial. He laughed a little despite himself in recollection of his wife’s favorite antics.

  Once again, he took up the task of admiring the beautiful scenery rushing by the carriage window. His wife’s words echoed in his mind: “Surely my Jane cannot be so beautiful for nothing. Young Darcy would have to be a fool not to fall madly in love with her.”

  Miss Jane Bennet had her own thoughts on the matter. The idea of an arranged marriage was certainly not something she was likely to reject out of hand. If she could change but one thing about the scheme that was evidently planned for her before she was even born, she would have been told of it earlier in life. At nearly three and twenty, she had all but given up the hope of ever finding a husband. It was not entirely beyond the range of possibilities that her youngest sister, Lydia, might be married first, Jane often lamented—but only to herself. Her nature simply would not allow her to do otherwise.

  If not Lydia, who was only fifteen, then certainly Catherine, Kitty for short, who was next to her in age, but most likely it would be Lydia who was thought by all who had ever met her to be the first-place contender in the silliest girls in all of England competition. Jane immediately chastised herself for thinking the way she did. Proud to be thought of by everyone who knew her best as the most kind-hearted person in the world, who acted — nay existed, mainly to please others, Jane was afraid she had grown a bit cynical over the years.

  Jane would be lying if she denied that the possibility of marrying one of the wealthiest gentlemen in all of Derbyshire and one of noble lineage as well did not intrigue her. Having never seen a likeness of him, she could only imagine what the gentleman must look like. On the other hand, what did it matter? He might well have warts covering his entire body, and it would not deter her in her quest to garner a marriage proposal.

  I shall try my very best to accomplish that which my family expects of me.

  The possibility that the gentleman might be a handsome man caused her heart to stir. She smiled a little at this thought. A lady might be just as well suited to marital felicity with an agreeable looking man as a disagreeable-looking man, she silently pondered. I am praying for the former.

  Again, such thoughts as these caused Jane to rebuke herself.

  I must not entertain any such thoughts like the ones I am wont to think of late.

  Jaded or not, this was her chance to be the person everyone praised her as being—the person whom she had aspired to be all her life.

  Jane sighed. I know that at any moment I am free to choose how I present myself to the world in general, and at this moment, I choose goodness. I choose warmth. I choose optimism. For that is the very nature of the person I am meant to be.

  “Jane,” Elizabeth said, thereby interrupting her sister’s silent affirmation.

  “Yes, Lizzy,” Jane replied, hoping that her inattentiveness had not been of a long duration.

  “You seem rather pensive—a thousand miles away in fact.”

  Jane reached out her hand. “Pray forgive me, dearest Lizzy. I am afraid I am a bit overwhelmed by the splendor of all this.”

  Elizabeth laughed a little. Accepting her sister’s hand, she gave it a gentle squeeze. “By the looks of things, prepare yourself for a whirlwind of pleasures.”

  Chapter 3

  Wonder and Intrigue

  Today is everything it ought to be. My Jane shall meet the gentleman whom she very well may marry and with whom she may spend the rest of her life. Elizabeth could not imagine being anywhere but by her sister’s side during such an auspicious occasion, and thus the two of them sat next to each other, arm in arm, as their carriage rounded the bend headed for Pemberley.

  Everywhere Elizabeth looked she beheld the estate’s natural beauty. When at last the manor house came into view, she gasped on behalf of her sister as well as herself. There stood a massive stone mansion backed by a ridge of high woody hills. In front of it, flowed a large stream, its banks neither formal nor falsely adorned.

  Never have I seen such a place as this, Elizabeth silently reflected. Pemberley. Is there any wonder it is hailed as one of the finest estates in all of Derbyshire?

  One glance at her sister and she rather supposed their thoughts must have tended along the exact same lines. Both of their faces overspread with contagious smiles.

  “Dearest Jane,” Elizabeth remarked, “how fortunate you are. To be mistress of such a place as this must surely be something. How fortunate you are indeed.”

  Jane squeezed Elizabeth’s hand. “Dearest Lizzy, I appreciate your enthusiasm over the prospects for my future life, but truth be told, I feel more overwhelmed than fortunate at this moment. What if the gentleman takes one look at me and concludes he wants nothing to do with me? What a considerable distance to travel to be summarily sent on one’s way.”

  “Not like you! Jane, do not be ridiculous. I posit Mr. Darcy will fall madly in love with you the moment he lays eyes on you. How could he not? Unless of course, the gentleman is a fool. But even a fool would fancy himself the wisest and the luckiest man in the world to proclaim himself your future husband.”

  “We shall see,” Jane replied in a voice that lacked the joy the moment warranted.

  “Jane, I can see you are not as convinced of your unmitigated charms as you ought to be. But you need not worry, for I have enough confidence for the two of us. Mark my words, there will be a wedding here at Pemberley in under three months, or my name is not Elizabeth Bennet.”

  “Oh, Lizzy! Where would I be without you?”

  “Pray you will never find out.”

  “Then does that mean you will accompany me on my wedding journey?” Jane bit her lower lip sheepishly. “That is to say, should events unfold as you anticipate.”

  “I agreed to spend this time with you here at Pemberley, did I not? I see no reason to abandon you once you have accepted your prince.”

  A little while later, a mixture of wonder and intrigue commanded Elizabeth’s thoughts as their carriage drew to a halt in front of the imposing manor house. The number of people awaiting them was such that she had never witnessed before.

  What a welcoming reception.

  Two tall, very distinguished looking gentlemen were flanked on either side by lines of servants uniformly attired in stark black and white. The older of the two, Elizabeth quickly surmised as being the master of Pemberley, Mr. George Darcy. His countenance was stern and dignified, but there was something about his eyes that gave a real glimpse into his character. While indeed a man to be reckoned with, Elizabeth suspected buried beneath his austere outward appearance was a heart of gold.

  The gentleman who stood beside him, much to Elizabeth’s surprise, wore a military uniform.

  How can it be that the future master of Pemberley is an officer? Elizabeth immediately questioned herself in silence. As they were mere moments from meeting their magnanimous hosts for the summer, she suppressed her urge to ask her father how he had overlooked conveying such a fascinating tidbit of information to any of them.

  How pleased Mama will be upon learning not only does her eldest daughter stand a chance of being the next mistress of such a grand home, but moreover her would-be son-in-law is a dashing officer.

  Not very long afterward, Mr. Bennet, Jane, and Elizabeth descended the carriage and awaited the approach of the two gentlemen. Elizabeth tossed her sister a tentative smile. Any irksome reservations she suffered that Jane might be subjected to a less than desirable alliance faded with each step the eminent gentlemen took.


  A good measure of formality was cast aside as the older gentleman eschewed the expected handshake and embraced her father. “Bennet, my old friend, after all these decades it gives me enormous pleasure to say to you, ‘Welcome to my home. Welcome to Pemberley.’”

  Her father responded to his old friend in the warm manner that was to be expected of acquaintances who had not had the privilege of sharing each other’s company after a great long absence, and soon thereafter it was time for introductions to the other members of the assemblage.

  All at once, a quiet hush spread throughout the gathering as all heads swung in the direction of a new addition to the welcoming party. Elizabeth could hardly believe her eyes. She knew without being told that she had been mistaken earlier as regarded the officer’s identity. The tall, handsome gentleman with dark hair, brooding dark eyes, and noble mien who appeared before them was the most beautiful sight her eyes had ever beheld.

  Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy.

  My sister Jane is a most fortunate woman, she could not help but think, even though the gentleman’s eyes were not fixed on Jane. To Elizabeth’s bewilderment, his eyes were fixed on her. She was powerless to turn away. But turn away she must, for this was Jane’s moment, and Elizabeth truly did not want to miss bearing witness to a single second of her sister’s joy.

  Elizabeth must have blinked an instant or two, for before she knew it, the gentleman stood by the elder Mr. Darcy’s side and was introduced to her own father. And no sooner had her father been introduced to the officer did the three gentlemen focus their full attention to Jane and Elizabeth.

  “Allow me to present my eldest daughter,” Mr. Bennet began, directing everyone’s eyes to Jane. “Mr. Darcy, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, and Colonel Fitzwilliam, meet Miss Jane Bennet.” Each of the gentlemen, starting with the eldest, greeted Jane in their turn. Elizabeth could not help noticing the decided contrast in the manner of the gentlemen’s addresses. The elder Mr. Darcy’s expression was lively, his manner warm and welcoming—very much the same as it had been toward her father. Colonel Fitzwilliam’s greeting was equally pleasant, but the other gentleman’s - the one that mattered the most - was rather wanting.

  Before Elizabeth had too much time to mull over the implications of what such a reception might mean for her sister’s prospects, it was her turn to be introduced. Once again, she detected in the gentlemen the same measure of civility that had been extended toward Jane with but one exception, for she was confident that the younger Mr. Darcy’s eyes held fixed with hers a second or two longer than was necessary—his hand lingered upon hers just a bit longer than that.

  The situation righted itself moments afterward when the two older gentlemen moved side by side and turned toward the manor house, the colonel took his place by Elizabeth’s side, and finally, the younger man fell into place beside Jane. As the party proceeded inside, Elizabeth threw a look in her sister’s direction and was pleased to observe that Mr. Darcy seemed to be focused entirely upon his companion. What a relief this was for Elizabeth to see that things were exactly as they ought to be.

  Soon after, upon entering the grand foyer with towering ceilings, glorious paintings, black-and-white marble floors, and gilded stairways, Elizabeth was pleased to know Jane and she would be escorted to their respective apartments to allow them a bit of a reprieve before joining the rest of the Darcys’ houseguests. It was a much-needed reprieve at that, for the last part of the journey had been filled with such wonderment of what was to come that Elizabeth had not bothered to sleep for fear of missing a single moment of the adventure unfolding before her.

  How happy she was upon discovering that she and Jane were assigned apartments just across the hall from each other. Of course, she would have been just as pleased if she and her sister had been assigned a single room, for no doubt they would be spending a prodigious amount of time with each other as they were wont to do while at Longbourn. Aside from a much-needed reprieve to refresh herself, there was but one thing uppermost on Elizabeth’s mind, and that was discovering what her dearest sister thought about Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. On second thought, there was another matter for Elizabeth to dwell upon in private.

  What precisely is my own opinion of the heir apparent of Pemberley?

  Chapter 4

  His Own Resolve

  Known for his fastidiousness, no one was more disappointed that he was late arriving to welcome Pemberley’s newest guests than Darcy himself. It could not be helped. In his haste to return to Pemberley after his lengthy wool-gathering session that morning, he struck out on a less traveled path across a wide-open meadow which seemed safe enough but instead was wrought with peril. His stallion took a most unexpected tumble. Neither man nor beast was injured. However, the accident resulted in an inevitable delay.

  Upon arriving at Pemberley, Darcy found his attire badly stained, and he decided to don fresh clothing before joining the others.

  Darcy was not disappointed by what he saw upon his late arrival. If he could have changed but one thing it would have been his visceral response upon laying eyes upon the dark-haired young woman with amazing dark eyes. She stole his breath away. On the other hand, he did suffer a bit of disappointment of sorts, for although he had no intention whatsoever of giving any serious consideration to his father’s marital scheme, he meant to afford the occasion with the proper civility that was warranted. That, of course, meant singling out the eldest daughter for the greatest measure of his esteem. But how could he when all he saw was the younger of the two ladies?

  Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

  Fortunately, his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam had seen fit to recall Darcy to his purpose by claiming the place by Miss Elizabeth’s side, leaving Darcy to act in accordance with what was expected of him.

  Darcy’s mind wandered to the precise moment when he tore his eyes away from the younger sister and regarded the older Bennet daughter.

  She is fairly lovely, but alas she does not tempt me. As for her sister, I fear I may be in grave danger.

  He shook his head to clear away such thoughts. As though trying to bolster his own resolve that he was simply going along with the scheme for his father’s sake, he voiced aloud, “It is not as though either of the two women will likely garner my affection.”

  Turning away from the window, Darcy watched as his cousin wandered into the room. The colonel looked like he wanted to say something and did not know where to start. He marched around the room with his hands clutched behind his back.

  “Why do I fear I am about to be subjected to a severe rebuke?” Darcy inquired.

  His cousin gave him a stern look. “The fact that you would say such a thing is a strong indication that you are aware your behavior was beyond the pale earlier today.”

  Darcy shrugged. “If you are referring to my tardiness in arriving to greet the Bennet family, it simply could not be helped.”

  “Indeed, you were noticeably late, which I wager was more by design than not.”

  “By design?” Darcy repeated, his brow arched.

  “No doubt you meant to suspend your would-be bride’s pleasure in beholding you for the first time.”

  “On the contrary, for I am not one who enjoys toying with a young woman’s sensibilities.”

  “Then how exactly would you explain your unabashed fascination with her younger sister?”

  “I solemnly declare I meant no offense.”

  “Are you quite certain?”

  “In all honesty, my reaction took me by surprise as well. I shall endeavor to make amends to Miss Bennet when next we meet. I believe it is the least I can do, what with her being the eldest daughter and the guest of honor of sorts.”

  “Capital,” said the colonel. “And I shall endeavor to see that Miss Elizabeth Bennet is agreeably diverted as well.”

  Hearing his cousin speak those words took Darcy slightly aback, but he dared not voice his discomfort aloud. He knew his cousin well enough to know that Miss Elizabeth would be perfectly safe with him what with t
he colonel being a second son as well as a gentleman. Not that the colonel did not have a way with women, but Miss Elizabeth was not just any woman.

  She is a gentleman’s daughter. Indeed, a gentleman with no fortune. Nothing that would tempt my cousin.

  Would that I might say the same of myself, Darcy silently considered as the image of Miss Elizabeth Bennet lingered in his mind: her light and pleasing figure and the beautiful expression of her bewitching dark eyes, which rendered her face uncommonly intelligent.

  Changing the subject, the colonel remarked on his uncle’s demeanor prior to the Bennets’ arrival. It was sufficient diversion, indeed, albeit in an odd sort of way in Darcy’s view. But anything to escape talking about the second eldest Bennet daughter was deemed a welcomed reprieve.

  “I could not help noticing that my uncle has not quite been himself of late. Surely you must have noticed it too.”

  Darcy ran his fingers through his hair. As much as he wanted to confirm his cousin’s suspicions with a detailed accounting of all he knew, he could not.

  My father’s secret is not mine to tell.

  “Perhaps you have a point. I shall keep an eye on things.”

  No doubt he would. Thoughts of his father’s ailing health had become Darcy’s near constant companions since he learned of it some months ago. What would it mean for Pemberley as well as the leagues of people who depended on its current master for their very livelihood?