An Invisible Thread Read online

  An Invisible Thread

  A Pride and Prejudice Variation

  Lily Bernard

  Copyright © 2017 by Lily Bernard

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used ficticiously and respectfully. Several phrases in this novel are paraphrased from the writings of Jane Austen.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Quotation

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  For Joni, who unknowingly started it all.

  For my family, for everything you are.

  An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of the time, place and circumstances. The tread may stretch and tangle, but it will never be broken.

  -Ancient Chinese Proverb

  Chapter 1

  Hertfordshire, 1812

  As she quietly left Longbourn in the early hours of a lovely September morning, Elizabeth Bennet was looking forward to her daily walk. She enjoyed being outdoors where she could appreciate the beauty of nature and her solitary walks also afforded her some privacy with her thoughts. Elizabeth knew from experience that it was impossible to spend time in quiet reflection in a house occupied by four sisters and a mother with a tendency for histrionics.

  Elizabeth had not been sleeping well since she returned from Kent several months earlier. Although she had not seen him in months, her mind was kept busy with thoughts of a certain gentleman from Derbyshire. As she set off from home, she quickly decided she would walk to her favorite spot in Hertfordshire, Oakham Mount. Elizabeth was still trying to process all that had happened to her in the past few months.

  It all began with an Easter visit to her dear friend, Charlotte Collins, in Kent. Charlotte had recently been married to William Collins, a distant cousin of the Bennets’ and the parson of the Hunsford parish. The parsonage was located less than a mile from the Rosings Park estate, the home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her daughter, Anne. While visiting the Collins, Elizabeth received an unexpected and insulting proposal of marriage from Lady Catherine’s nephew, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. The day after refusing his proposal, Mr. Darcy came upon her as she was out walking and he handed her a letter which he requested that she read. He quickly turned away and walked back to Rosings. It was improper for him to have written a letter to a woman to whom he was most certainly not betrothed, but Elizabeth had been taken by surprise when he handed her the letter and she placed it in her reticule. She was disconcerted by her encounter with Mr. Darcy and she walked back to the parsonage so she could read the letter in privacy. Elizabeth shared some tea with Charlotte and then went upstairs to her room so she could be alone. After she finished reading and rereading the letter from Mr. Darcy, she thought a great deal about the information he had conveyed to her. She began to regret the harsh words she used when refusing his request for her hand. Elizabeth began to understand the true nature of Darcy’s long relationship with George Wickham and his letter allowed Elizabeth to believe that Darcy was justified in his treatment of his former friend. The letter also made her question her anger towards Darcy with regard to his treatment of her sister, Jane. Elizabeth had been quite upset about Darcy’s role in separating her beloved sister from his best friend, Charles Bingley. In his letter, Darcy explained that he did not believe Jane felt any affection for Bingley. Darcy thought that Jane was only listening to her very determined mother’s advice that Jane smile sweetly at this attractive, wealthy man.

  Elizabeth was also thinking about the news that had reached Longbourn yesterday. Mr. Bingley was returning to Netherfield Park, his leased estate which was located only three miles from the Bennet home. As Elizabeth walked, she wondered whether Mr. Darcy had anything to do with Mr. Bingley's decision to return to Hertfordshire. She had criticized Darcy for his total misinterpretation of Bingley and Jane's feelings for each other. ‘Was Darcy really listening to me when I explained how broken hearted Jane was to be left so suddenly?’ The Bingley party had precipitously departed Netherfield Park the morning after the Ball. Did Darcy truly comprehend the derision Jane endured from their friends and neighbors at Mr. Bingley's hasty withdrawal and failure to return? Jane had been so despondent after Bingley’s retreat, she eventually fled Longbourn for the safety and comfort of their Aunt and Uncle Gardiner’s home. The Gardiners resided in the Cheapside section of London near their uncle's successful import businesses. Aunt and Uncle Gardiner were always a source of unconditional love and support for the two eldest Bennet sisters. How she missed Jane, her dearest friend and closest confidante. Elizabeth loved her sister and knew that being away from the whispers and ‘sympathetic’ looks of their neighbors was the best thing for Jane.

  As Elizabeth walked toward Oakham Mount, she tried to make sense of all these recent events. She thought again about what Mr. Darcy told her about his younger sister and Mr. Wickham’s near elopement and she came to the painful realization that she was a poor judge of character. She was dreadfully sorry that she had once considered George Wickham a friend and his recent engagement to Miss Mary King, shortly after she inherited a dowry of ten thousand pounds, was short lived. Mary King's uncle, who was her legal guardian, heard of the engagement and the reputation of the man she was planning to marry. He quickly whisked his niece and her dowry far away from Meryton. When Elizabeth had returned from Kent, she had not given her father all the specifics of Wickham’s long list of dishonorable behaviors, but she had told him enough that he felt compelled to warn all his daughters and their closest friends and family away from the scoundrel in no uncertain terms. She knew Wickham was no longer welcome at Longbourn nor was he received as a guest at Lucas Lodge or even at her Aunt Phillips’ home in Meryton. Like her youngest nieces, Aunt Phillips had a penchant for men in red coats.

  Elizabeth was very much lost in all these thoughts as she walked around the countryside. She was scarcely able to appreciate the beautiful scenery surrounding her. As she walked through the fields on the way to Oakham Mount, she was looking forward to enjoying the magnificent view from the top. She had almost reached her goal when she suddenly stopped walking. She saw him leaning against a tree as if he was waiting for her to arrive.

  “Mr. Darcy! Good morning, sir. I am surprised to see you here,” Elizabeth managed to utter although she was shocked by his presence on Oakham Mount. ‘How can he actually be here when he has been on my mind throughout most of the night and since I awakened this morning?’

  “Good morning to you, Miss Elizabeth,” said Darcy after a brief bow. “I was hoping to encounter you here this morning. I remember this prospect to be one of your favorites.”

  “Indeed, sir, you have remembered well.” Elizabeth paused before she looked up at Darc
y and said, “Mr. Darcy, I cannot imagine the reason for you to seek my presence this morning. Pray allow me to speak to you about an important matter before any other discourse between us proceeds.”

  “Miss Elizabeth, I am completely at your service.”

  “I thank you, sir.” Elizabeth paused and finally said, “I have read the letter you gave me at Rosings many, many times since I left Kent. I must tell you that my shame increases with each reading. I spoke to you so severely, misjudged you so completely and entirely misunderstood your dealings with Mr. Wickham. You must allow me to apologize for my false accusations. I did not know if our paths would ever cross again, but now that you are here before me, please accept my most sincere apology for my unfeeling and inaccurate words.”

  Darcy was happily surprised by Elizabeth’s unexpected yet welcomed words. “Miss Elizabeth, your apology is, of course, accepted. Other than not knowing the true nature of Wickham’s disreputable ways, what did you say to me that night that was untrue? Did I not look down upon the people of Meryton with false pride and arrogance? Did I not insult you and your family? You said many things in Kent which I initially rejected as unjustified, false accusations. As I continued to think about your words, I eventually realized that what you said was, for the most part, true. Since then I have been striving in words and deeds to be a better person, less judgmental and more accepting. In essence I have been trying to be a person you, Miss Elizabeth, might want to consider a friend. I have you alone to thank for it. I accept your apology for your misdirected feelings about my dealings with Wickham, but as for the rest of your comments, I fully accept your observations as the truth.”

  “Sir, you are too kind. I find myself woefully sorry for most everything I said that night and if I could, I would wish those comments were never spoken. When I returned from Kent, I conveyed to my father almost everything I could about Mr. Wickham’s behavior without divulging Miss Darcy’s name. As a result of your information, Wickham is no longer welcomed at any of the better homes in Meryton.”

  After a brief pause, Darcy spoke, “I am pleased to hear that. Now that the apologies and acceptances have been dealt with, may I address the issue of why I sought you out so early on this beautiful morning?”

  Elizabeth was still feeling remorseful about her harsh criticism of the man and said, “Please, Mr. Darcy, I am most willing to hear anything you have to tell me.”

  “Madam, I find myself in a very difficult situation. As you will recall, at Hunsford I told you how ardently I admired and loved you. Since I uttered those words, my feelings for you have not changed. Elizabeth, you are always on my mind, day and night. You are beautiful and honest and clever and you are the last woman in England that anyone could call a fortune hunter. You have made me want to be the kind of man Elizabeth Bennet could care for.” At these words, Elizabeth began to blush.

  “What about the things you said in Kent about the inferiority of my family, the ridiculous behavior of my mother and younger sisters and my father’s indolence? You also mentioned my lack of a dowry and my connections to trade. None of those things have changed.”

  “I have lived my entire life doing what is right and proper and what was expected of me. I believed that my duty to my family came before all else. I no longer feel that way. I now believe I must do whatever I can to ensure my own happiness. When my beloved father died five years ago, I became master of Pemberley, a position that included controlling not only great wealth but controlling the lives of hundreds of people. I also assumed the co-guardianship of my much younger sister.”

  “Sir, I fail to see what any of those facts have to do with me.”

  “My Aunt Catherine has forced me into a very complicated position. You know that my Aunt is a very formidable person. Once she sets her sights on a goal, she will do anything to achieve it. I know you are aware of her desire to unite me in marriage with my cousin Anne. A union neither Anne nor I have ever wanted. My Aunt Catherine is quite unhappy and dissatisfied with not achieving her goal. She has enlisted my Uncle Hugh, the Earl of Matlock, to help her further her ridiculous scheme. My cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, is co-guardian of Georgiana. You met Richard several times at Rosings. He is presently on the Continent fighting with His Majesty's Army and Lord Matlock is now temporary co-guardian of Georgiana until Richard returns. My aunt and uncle are threatening to remove Georgiana from my custody if I do not bend to their ridiculous wishes and marry my cousin Anne. Their sole motivation is the power and prestige that would be achieved by uniting our two estates. They do not care about the feelings or wishes of the two people who would have to get married in order to achieve this business merger.”

  “Sir, I am most sorry for your troubles. I know how dearly you love and care for Miss Darcy. The thought of losing your precious sister because of your scheming relations must truly bring you devastating pain. After her ordeal with Mr. Wickham last summer, I imagine this is the last thing she needs, a threat to be separated from the one person upon whom she knows she can always rely for love and support. How can I be of any help to you or Miss Darcy?”

  “As always, my dear Miss Elizabeth, you have shown your keen intelligence as well as your caring nature in your precise analysis of the situation. How you can help is simple, you can marry me.”

  Chapter 2

  “Really Mr. Darcy, this is no time for humor!”

  “My dearest, loveliest Elizabeth, I am most sincere in my offer. You already know I love and respect you. I know you're an intelligent, caring and compassionate young woman. You are the perfect life partner for me and I know you will be a wonderful sister and role model for Georgiana. I realize you may not love me at present. Your words this morning have led me to hope that your feelings toward me may have become more positive after reading my letter. I pray that you may someday come to love me. If you and I are married, I am sure we will both be happy and my relations cannot continue to try to force this misalliance with my cousin. Georgiana will undoubtedly benefit from your engaging personality and kindness.”

  Elizabeth was very quiet for several minutes as she looked down and studied her boot rolling a small rock around in the dirt. She was shocked. Who wouldn't be surprised by a renewed proposal from someone she had spoken to so harshly just a few months ago? ‘I know my feelings toward Mr. Darcy have changed for the better but have my feelings changed so much that I could consider marrying the man?’ She did not consider him the arrogant, proud person she thought he was before she read his letter. Since she returned from Kent she had had time to reflect on all that had occurred but did she actually come to regret refusing his initial proposal? Marrying Mr. Darcy offered her a chance to marry a handsome and intelligent man as well as gain ing financial security for herself as well as her family. Becoming Mrs. Darcy would bring her an elevated social standing, about which she cared nothing, but a connection to the Darcy family might be beneficial in helping her sisters marry well. Elizabeth had always thought she would only marry for love and she was fairly certain those were not the feelings she had for Mr. Darcy and there was still the matter of his part in separating Jane and Mr. Bingley.

  After what felt like an eternity to Darcy, she looked up at him and they spent several moments just looking into each other's eyes. Darcy tried hard to remain where he was standing. He was afraid if he took one step toward his beguiling Elizabeth, he would be unable to stop himself from rushing to her side and capturing her in his arms.

  Finally, she spoke, “Sir, I thank you for the renewal of your application for my hand. You have given me a great deal to contemplate. Before I try to think through everything you have presented to me this morning, I would like to ask you a question.”

  “Miss Elizabeth, I am completely at your service.”

  “Sir, are you in any way responsible for Mr. Bingley returning to Netherfield Park?”

  Darcy ran his hand through his hair, a movement she had seen before and knew indicated his unease. He looked around him, trying to think of the correct
words to say. Finally he spoke, “After our encounter in Kent, I thought a great deal about what you said about your sister’s feelings and her subsequent melancholy and I am sorry to say, humiliation. When I saw Bingley in London recently, I saw that his mood was quite similar to Miss Bennet’s. I told Bingley that he should be his own man and if Miss Bennet was his true desire, he should follow his heart.”

  “So, you are the reason Mr. Bingley has returned.”

  Darcy simply nodded his head once.

  “You can tell Mr. Bingley that Jane is not here. She could not face the disappointment of his leaving so suddenly after she was so sure of his affection. Jane is the sweetest, gentlest soul you will ever meet. She could not bear the condescending looks from our friends and neighbors and she is living in London with my Aunt and Uncle Gardiner.”

  “Miss Bingley mentioned that your sister was in Town over the winter but I had thought that she would have returned to Longbourn by now.”

  “Through my Uncle’s many business connections, the son of one of his associates has been calling on her. There is no formal courtship but when I last heard from Jane, she was in no rush to return to Longbourn and the scene of her prior embarrassment.”

  “So, my friend Bingley may be too late. If that is the case, I am truly sorry for my part in their separation.”