The day was bright and shining as Darcy made his way into the southern county of Hertfordshire. The letter from his cousin Richard had been much in the same vein as Bingley's in his glowing phrases expounding the many wonderful attributes of the females in the town of Meryton, especially of one family by the name of Bennet who had the good fortune of having five daughters. Darcy was intrigued at the missive of his cousin who he had asked to take his place watching out for Bingley's interests in letting a manor in the neighborhood. Richard was a military man, not prone to flights of fancy in describing members of the opposite sex. Unlike Bingley who fell on his knees at almost any young pretty girl, Richard, who although enjoyed the amusement of women had a more practical nature with a heart not easily touched. And so when letters came from both men with an invitation to stay at Bingley's newest acquisition, Darcy couldn't resist seeing what all the fuss was about.
He arrived in just a few hours and was welcomed by all the party including Bingley's sister who, like most females of the town, fawned over him, hoping to catch his eye as well as his wealth and prestige. Bingley tried to tell her how useless were her vain attempts with his college friend, but still she persisted, hoping to wear him down. Little did she know that Darcy had had years perfecting his defenses against just the likes of women with similar aspirations, and could discourage and fend off any who dare to tempt him. He ignored her as much as possible, as he chatted with his cousin and friend of the many charms of the neighborhood.
"There are countless paths and lanes to either walk or horseback, offered Bingley who tried to keep up with his friend at his equestrian pursuits.
"As well as the Assemblies now a weekly event during this time of year," added Richard smiling at his cousin while sipping coffee.
Darcy looked at his cousin knowing full well his meaning without voicing it. They had grown up together and were close as brothers. Both doubted anything would ever come between them. Darcy smiled and sipped his coffee silently.
"There is one this Saturday at the hall in Meryton. Shall we not all attend?" asked Bingley enthusiastically, hoping to see the lovely girl he had danced with the week before.
"Oh, Charles, must we?" whined Caroline pouting slightly. "I had wished to have a quiet night at home for once."
"You may stay home if you wish, Caroline," replied her brother kindly, but added, "But Darcy and Richard wish to attend, and I as their host must accompany them, and introduce Darcy around to our neighbors."
She huffed, not at all happy to have to share her Darcy with anyone. "Well, if you insist then, I suppose Louisa and I will go too."
"As you wish, Caroline," replied Bingley smiling to himself.
Richard and Darcy simply smiled, both glad not to have such a sister.
The day of the dance came, and all of the party traveled in two carriages. Bingley, Richard, and Darcy took the first one while Caroline made do riding with her sister and brother-in-law when she wished she had been invited in the other coach to sit beside Darcy.
"Thank you for the coach arrangements, Bingley," Darcy said. "I doubt I could have kept my countenance much longer with her blatant flattery."
"You are most welcome, Darcy," responded Bingley shaking his head. "I have often tried to dissuade her, but she is quite determined."
"I think," began Richard changing the subject, "that you will find many of the ladies a much more pleasant diversion here in Meryton, Darcy. There is one who even I have become enamored."
"Richard, you astonish me. Never have you remarked so highly upon any woman of your acquaintance. She must be an amazing woman to have turned your head."
"Oh, she is, Darcy. I will grant you."
Darcy couldn't wait to meet the woman who had besotted his cousin.
As the party entered the assembly hall, a hush fell over the room. Netherfield was always associated with wealth, which brought a sense of awe with it. This reaction was something Darcy had had to live with all his life and had always felt uncomfortable dealing with. Still, he held his ground determined to be amused by all those who felt him above themselves. Within a span of a few seconds a jolly man came forward and bowed to the party.
"Mr. Bingley, it is good of you to grace our humble assembly again."
"Sir William," replied Bingley smiling and bowing in return. He added enthusiastically, " It is always a pleasure to attend. You remember Colonel Fitzwilliam, and my family, of course. Allow me to also present my good friend, Mr. Darcy. We were at Cambridge together, and he has become quite close to us."
Darcy bowed, and said, "It is an honor to meet you, Sir. William."
"The honor is mine, sir. I hope your stay in Hertfordshire will be a pleasant one."
Darcy wondered if this tiny hamlet would meet his need for society for much longer than a week or two with its unvaried populace. Still if Richard was amused, perhaps he could find something to occupy his time as well. Bingley brought him out of his reverie with a question.
"Darcy, would you like to meet some of the other neighbors?"
Richard laughed at this, and replied, "Bingley, you just want to go over to that family in order to secure a dance or two."
"And you do not?" accused Bingley back with a smile. "I seem to recall you dancing with her sister for two sets."
"Yes, I did at that," admitted Richard. "I did, indeed, and enjoyed it immensely. Come, Darcy. Let me introduce you."
They crossed the room toward a group of ladies, some of whom looked quite charming. The blonde was extremely handsome, but the brunette had her back to Darcy at the moment talking to her friend.
"Mrs. Bennet," bowed Bingley to the mother, but was smiling at the blonde girl.
"Mr. Bingley," gushed the mother noticing him staring at Jane, and her smiling back.
"I wonder, if she is not already engaged, perhaps Miss Bennet would do me the honor of dancing the next set with me."
Jane smiled and replied, "I am not at presently engaged, sir."
"Good. Good," gushed Bingley.
Richard piped in, "And you, Miss Elizabeth, are you likewise able to honor me with a dance?"
Catching Elizabeth's attention she turned around and looked at Richard smiling, and would have said yes had she not noticed the gentleman standing behind him. She gasped as her eyes locked on Darcy's who was staring at her in amazement.
"It can not be," he thought aloud staring at her. Neither of them breathed as they head their hearts pounding like surf of the ocean in their ears. For a few seconds there was no one else in the room but they two. Suddenly Elizabeth saw bright spots flashing before her eyes before darkness overtook her. As she fainted Richard, who was closest, caught her and carried her to an adjacent room setting her on the couch. Mrs. Bennet was beside herself in panic and irritation. Never had Elizabeth done anything so remarkable as this, and she didn't know how to handle it.
"Mrs. Bennet, do you have some smelling salts?"
"No, not with me," was her reply as many of the onlookers crowded around.
"Perhaps, she just needs some air," Jane suggested, meaning for everyone to back away.
"Yes. Let us all depart while the ladies attend to her," suggested Bingley trying to get the throng to re-enter the assembly hall. He closed the door with only Jane, Mrs. Bennet, Richard and Darcy in the room.
Jane sat on the couch beside her, and patted Elizabeth's hand and said gently, "Lizzy, please awake. Lizzy, please."
Elizabeth moaned and her eyes fluttered as she regained consciousness, sitting up with a gasp. Jane was the first person she saw. Elizabeth hugged her tightly and began to cry.
"I think we should let her rest in here a while," Bingley said.
"Yes," agreed Mrs. Bennet moving toward the door. "I will inform everyone that she is better." And then she left the room.
Bingley motioned for Richard and Darcy to depart as well, thinking Jane would be the best one to attend her sister. But Darcy was frozen in place staring at the form on the couch.
"Darcy?" Bingley said questioningly noticing his friend's behavior. That's when Darcy's knees buckled, and both Richard and Bingley grabbed either arm before he fell. He was panting and staring at Elizabeth.
"Darcy, what is wrong?" He noticed Darcy simply staring at Elizabeth. "Do you know her?"
Elizabeth locked onto his gaze again, and froze, and couldn't believe he was here.
"Yes. No. I mean..."began Darcy, his voice trailing off at he tried to control his breathing as he continued to stare at her.
"What is it, Lizzy?" Asked Jane still holding her shoulders, but staring from her sister to the stranger before them. "Lizzy, what is the matter? Have you ever seen him?"
"Yes. No. Yes." Elizabeth stammered beginning to breathe in short gasps knowing she wasn't making any sense.
Richard couldn't believe his cousin was so affected by any woman, let alone some one he had never laid eyes on.
"Darcy, what is this all about?"
Darcy couldn't stop staring at her, and forced his legs to move him closer to the couch. He knelt beside Jane, who was still holding Elizabeth. Darcy reached out and touched Elizabeth's cheek, caressing it gently with his hand. Tears formed in his eyes as he leaned closer to make sure she was real this time.
"Oh, my God. It is you," he whispered as he smiled. His other hand came up and cradled her head. She began to cry and smile as she touched his arms.
"I thought you were a dream," she whispered. Jane sat beside her sister as Darcy gently pulled her to him, and held her to his chest, as his eyes finally closed. He was overjoyed with the sensation of feeling the touch of her against him.
"I never thought I would ever find you," he whispered. "And now you are in my arms." Elizabeth clung to him crying tears of joy at finally being able to touch him after all this time.
Richard and Bingley stood there stunned at this very inappropriate display for even relations, let alone total strangers. It was quite unnerving.
"Darcy, what are you doing?" Richard began.
"This is highly improper," agreed Bingley.
"Lizzy, what does all this mean?" Jane asked confused, but still not wishing to make accusations.
Finally Darcy came out of his own world enough to reply to their inquiries. He swallowed and said, "From the age of ten I have had this reoccurring dream of a woman and man walking down the halls of Pemberley. It was only after I had grown that I realized that the man in the dream was myself. For the rest of my life I have dreamed about the woman, holding my hand as we walked, about having her in my arms, about her being at Pemberley, sharing my life."
"Yes?" Asked Richard still not understanding.
"Elizabeth is my vision," Darcy explained. "She is the woman in my dream."
"That is ridiculous," Richard scoffed. "How can you envision someone you have never met?"
Darcy tightened his arms around Elizabeth and looked into her eyes and smiled. "I know not, but I swear by all that is holy, Richard. She is the one in my dream."
"Darcy, how can you say that?" asked Bingley totally amazed at his story.
Elizabeth interrupted him as she smiled at Darcy and touched his cheek. "It is true, for I have had the same dream. Remember, Jane? I told you once about it."
"Yes," Jane said trying to remember. "But you never mentioned that it was you in the dream."
"That was because I was a child when the dream began, and I did not recognize my adult appearance. It was only after I had grown that I knew it was me."
She leaned her head on Darcy's shoulder, and felt his arms tighten around her. She responded by holding onto his arms tighter.
"I never thought it was real. I always thought it was some fantasy that kept reoccurring. And tonight when I saw his face, I knew it was he. He was truly alive and standing before me."
Before their stunned faces, Darcy bent his head down and kissed her lips lovingly. "Oh my love, I will never let you go now that I have found you," he whispered. "Marry me, Elizabeth."
"Now wait a minute, Darcy," began Richard, but Elizabeth would not wait.
"Yes, " she whispered back. Darcy hugged her tightly again, not ever wanting to let her out of his arms.
"This is highly irregular," said Bingley.
"Yes," agreed Jane. "I do not know what father will say to you, Lizzy, accepting someone you have just met."
"I have known him all my life, Jane, and I will marry him."
Richard couldn't believe what was happening. His cousin had just stolen away the girl he was partial to. How could he do such a thing? They had always had an unspoken rule to never interfere with the other one's pursuits of any woman. And up until now that rule had never been tested. But when Richard had met Elizabeth, he knew she was special, and knew that he could very easily fall in love with her and even though she was penniless, he felt that they could manage on his Colonel's salary until he inherited Rosings Park. And in an instant all those plans were gone, snatched from him by Elizabeth's chance meeting of his cousin.
But as he looked at how she acted with Darcy, how he held her so tenderly, and how she responded to him, as she never had to him, Richard knew he had lost her. She was with the person she was meant to be with. He saw the love in both their eyes, and finally accepted defeat. Actually he was happy for his lonely cousin who had waited his entire life for his dream girl. Jane and Bingley were slower to come around to the same conclusion.
"Lizzy, I think it would be best if Mr. Darcy talks to father."
"Yes," agreed Elizabeth still looking into Darcy's eyes. "He needs to speak with father about the wedding. We would like to have it as soon as may be."
"How would that look to the town?" asked Bingley not wanting to offend anyone.
Darcy and Elizabeth smiled as he caressed her cheek again. "It matters not. We will leave for Pemberley as soon as the ceremony is over." He kissed her lips gently again and hugged her again.
"Lizzy, we need to go home this minute. I will inform Mamma," Jane said and she departed taking Bingley with her. Richard watched them staring at each other still not believing each was real, and then slapped Darcy on the back saying, "I will have the carriage brought around," and he realized something wonderful was happening.
Left alone for the first time, Darcy kissed her again, deepening the kiss with encouragement from Elizabeth. She began to pant as her own desires surfaced.
"I love you so," she whispered between kisses.
"My dearest Elizabeth. You are truly a vision to me." His lips traveled down her neck and he felt her shutter. "I don't want to ever let you from my arms." His hands caressed her back, coming up to her shoulders, and then cradling her head again as her kissed her lovingly. His gentle ministrations made her body become alive with new sensations she had never experienced before as she responded to him.
Quite suddenly Mr. Bennet opened the door, having just arrived from Longbourn to relate some important news to his family.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" shouted Mr. Bennet as her entered the room, and witnessed their encounter.
But the couple didn't jump apart from each other as any normal couple would. Instead they clung tighter to each other.
"Lizzy, come here at once," demanded her father.
"Father, I love him. I wish to marry him."
"That is out of the question," he father stated. "Not only have you just met this man, according to your mother, and he has you behaving most disgracefully, but you cousin, Mr. Collins has already asked me for you hand, and I have agreed. And none too soon by your conduct."
"Father, I will not marry my cousin."
"You will do as I say. For the sake of our family, and now our honor, you most certainly will marry him."
"Sir, you do not understand," began Darcy, but Mr. Bennet would not even listen.
"I do no ever want to see you again, sir," said Mr. Bennet. "You are not welcome at Longbourn, and will never be allowed entrance there. Lizzy, you will never see him again." He looked at his daughter still in Darcy's arms. "Is that clear, Lizzy?"
She looked from her father to Darcy and finally down at the floor. "Yes, father."
"Elizabeth?!" pleaded Darcy not believing what he had just heard.
She put her hand to his lips. "I will have to go with him right now, but, I promise, somehow, I will find a way. Good-bye, my love." Sobbing she kissed him and hugged him tightly. He didn't want to let her go.
Mr. Bennet grabbed her hand and tried to pry her away, but Darcy held her giving the elder gentlemen a defiant stare. "Unhand her this minute, sir. You are a stranger, but I have lived here all my life, and have friends who will bodily remove you if you do not do as I say.
"It will be best for now," pleaded Elizabeth not wanting him to be harmed. His heart was breaking as her father pulled her from his arms.
"You had best leave now," replied Mr. Bennet, "for soon she will be out of your immoral influence." With that he dragged his daughter from the room.
Within as little as a few days time, a wedding had been arranged. It seems that Mr. Collins had talked with the local parson informing him that Elizabeth had been indiscreet and that her family wanted to have her out of the area as soon as may be. The parson was not so stupid as to believe that Miss Elizabeth had done anything of the kind especially with this toad of a man, which is what he was inferring. But with a letter from Mr. Bennet agreeing to the special license, the parson agreed to officiate at the ceremony.
Before she knew what was happening, Elizabeth found herself being pulled down the aisle of the local chapel toward the altar by her father to stand beside her cousin who looked lecherously at her even though he tried not to. The parson sighed and began the ceremony, and when he got to the part where he asked Elizabeth if she took this man to be her lawful husband, she stood mute. The parson, who had no knowledge of the true reason for such a quick arrangement, looked at Elizabeth questioningly.
Mr. Collins grabbed her arm roughly, and squeezed it so hard it hurt.
"Come, cousin," he hissed with clenched teeth. "You just need to say I DO, and it will be concluded."
She looked at how he abused her in front of the parson and the rest of the congregation, and knew he would have no qualms of escalating abuse when they were alone. She looked to the parson for aid, but he only repeated, "Do you take this man, Lizzy?"
"I do not!" she blurted out, and felt the pain in her arm as he squeezed it so tightly she cried out.
"Lizzy!" her father hissed, embarrassed at her opposing him so in public. "You will accept him."
"No, I will not, father. Parson, I am being forced to accept a man against my will - who I could never love or accept."
The parson looked from her defiant eyes to the groom's angry stare, to her father's stern gaze at his determined daughter.
"I can not sanction this marriage in the church if the bride is so opposed to the marriage." And with that he closed his book. The congregation sat in stunned silence. Mr. Collins's anger finally exploded as he slapped Elizabeth across the face, and raised his arm to repeat the abuse. But Elizabeth wrenched her arm from his grip and ran down the aisle and out the front door and down the steps into Darcy's waiting arms.
Richard was beside him with a worried expression. She didn't care about anything now, only Darcy as she kissed him again and again. He returned her kissed until he began to stagger, and fell to his knees.
"What is happening? What is wrong?" she asked as she tried to hold him up.
"I followed him here," Richard said. "I found this note and this bottle." He held up a small vial and read the note.
"As you descend the stairs of the church, you will find my body as a testament of the love I had for you that was so intense that none but your denial could expunge it. Know that I have never loved another, or will live to ever love again. Good-bye, my heart."
"Oh, my love," she whispered as she held his head in her lap. "I could not go through with it. I defied my father, and came to seek you that we may run away and finally be happy. Oh, my love. What have your taken? Is there no antidote?"
"I am afraid it is too late," said Richard as he saw Darcy collapse never to rise again.
Elizabeth was beside herself with grief, crying. She asked Richard, "What poison was in the vial?"
"I have no idea," he said as she grabbed it from his hands, and drank down the remainder. "NO!" he shouted, but it was too late. She had ingested nearly the entire contents, and so death came swiftly.
As her heart slowed and stopped beating, she fell upon her one true love. Her father rushed out and cried as he knelt and held her in his arms crying, "My child, I am so sorry."
The entire congregation crowded around the tragic scene at the foot of the steps of the chapel, a shrine to God of forgiveness. They knew not what to say or do or even what to think about the events that had transpired in less than a week's time.
"Tis a shame," one said.
"To have a daughter take her own life."
"To have one of our brightest loveliest girl leave this world in such a way."
She must have truly loved this man to follow him in death."
"Tis a tragedy for sure."
"Will people never learn the power love has on a soul?"
Everyone froze in place in the scene for a good five more seconds. Then the director yelled, "CUT! Print. That's a wrap, people. Thank you for all your work."
With that the gentleman in the role of Mr. Bennet came up from his knee and grumbled, "I'm getting too old for this!"
After he got up and walked toward his trailer, Elizabeth and Darcy resurrected, and smiled at one another as two actors do with a scene well done.
"You were superb, Billy," she acknowledged.
"As were you, Betty, my sweet," he said and leaned over and kissed her cheek and then helped her to her feet.
"Thank you. I needed that. These corsets are quite restrictive. Whew! Now I can breathe again." He was smiling at her. "What?" she asked smiling back.
"The costume people are in a hurry to get the wardrobe back." She slapped his arm, but smiled up at his innocent look.
"And am I to infer that you wish to aid them by removing my costume including the corset?"
He looked out at the row of trailers and smiled.
He kissed her lips gently at first, and then with more passion. She smiled up at him and the husband and wife acting team went to their trailer for privacy.