Jump to new as of January 20, 2003

Posted on Thursday, 1 March 2001

In the following tale, I shall attempt to put my money where my mouth is, and tell the story of Mr. Darcy's pre P and P love affair. I will also be giving you my explanation of the ring he wears. My story's title comes from the Appalachian ballad "The Riddle Song". I hope you like this, and I hope the more gently bred Dwiggies are not shocked by this, my new opus. LYLAS, YGA.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that when a married man in possession of a good fortune, attains his thirtieth year, it is a time to reflect back over his life. It is also true that it is best to have one's family and friends, when one reaches such a milestone. Such was Fitzwilliam Darcy Esq. the Master of Pemberley surrounded, on the day he attained his thirtieth year. Darcy smiled at the toasts that were made to him. Choruses of: "Happy Birthday William!", "Happy Birthday Papa!" and "Happy Birthday Darcy!" rang through Pemberley's large formal dining room, during the party that his Elizabeth organized for him.

Lizzie sat at his side, and noticed as he listened to the salutes, Darcy glancing at the gold signet ring he always wore on the little finger of his left hand. Surprisingly, Lizzie noticed a far-away look on his face, and a tear rolling down his cheek. Lizzie wondered who or what he was thinking of.

Posted on Saturday, 24 March 2001

I am about to have Mr. Darcy confess to Lizzie of the discreet affair he had, and his mistress. This story will eventually explain why he wears the ring on his little finger, hence the title.

Later that night, while they lay in their bed, Lizzie asked Darcy about it.

"William, ever since I made your acquaintance at the assembly at Meryton, you have worn that ring. I know that it means a great deal to you. Was it a gift from a family member, perhaps Georgiana?"

This immediately caused Darcy's face to colour, something that Lizzie noticed.

"No it was not a gift, it was a legacy. But it was not from a family member, it was from. . . . . . . . . . . . . from. . . . . . . . . . . . . well . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . this is somewhat embarrassing. . . . . . . . . . . . I received it from. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . from. . . . . . . . ." Darcy managed to stammer out.

"It was from a Lady you cared for deeply at one time, is that not so William?" finished Lizzie.

"Yes it was. I forget how perspicacious you are My Dearest, Loveliest Elizabeth," replied Darcy.

"You and she were very close, very close indeed, were you not?" asked Lizzie.

"You put me to the blush, Elizabeth, for it forces me to admit that she was my mistress. Forgive me for shocking you, Elizabeth, but this is the first time I have thought of her without having some tears fall. You are the second person I related this to, but until the spring before I came into Hertfordshire, the only other soul who knew of my first and only affair, was James. It only came to light, as it was then that I came into the possession of this ring, though it was I who had bought it. James, as you are aware is my best friend and my closest advisor, so he was quite shocked to discover that I had had a mistress in my keeping." replied Darcy.

"What was her name? What was she like? How did you come to meet? It is obvious that you cared most deeply for her. That is most unusual in such a relationship." said Lizzie, looking up into her Dearest William's dark brown eyes, eyes that shone with nostalgia.

Posted on Wednesday, 22 August 2001

Now it is true that propriety dictated that a wife was not even supposed to know of the existence of mistresses, and it would appear that the woman that had been Mr. Darcy's had died, if his ring had been a legacy from her, Lizzie had still been curious about her. If he wore his ring in her memory, she must have affected his life in a special way.

"Now why am I not shocked by your curiosity about this subject, my Dearest, Loveliest Elizabeth?" asked Mr. Darcy." Though I must admit that it is not the done thing for a husband to be discussing his former mistress, even if she had been his first and only." said Mr. Darcy, as he closed his eyes, and his mind traveled back in time to another birthday, his twenty-first.

"Her name was Marged Jones, she was witty, warm and compassionate. She was, forgive me from sounding as if I am comparing you to her, but you and Marged had much in common in looks and personality. Mayhap, I was still mourning her, when Bingley invited me to see Netherfield, and when I saw you at the assembly in Meryton, I was so unnerved by the sight of you that, I could not bring myself to stand up with you that night, even if Marged, who was very wise would have laughed at me and insisted that I dance with you, in fact I could almost hear her laughing at me that night. How did we make each other's acquaintance? It was upon the occasion of my twenty-first birthday." replied Mr. Darcy.

The Twenty-first Birthday of Fitzwilliam Darcy

The clock in the hall was just striking eleven, as the waning hours of his twenty-first birthday hurried on. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Esq. , who was now the Master of Pemberley had just seen his Aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh and his Cousin Anne on their way back to Kent. He was quite glad of that for his Aunt had once again given his annual lecture on his "duty" toward his family, which meant once more reminding him the arrangement that she truly believed had been made between his Mother and her older Sister. He loved his cousin Anne very much, but more as a cousin. He, James and Marsden did what they could while they were growing up, to help their cousin do all the things that had been proscribed by her mother. All in all Anne was quite plucky, for someone who was supposed to be so sickly, and he hoped that she would find a proper match. While Anne wished himself the same happiness. Mr. Darcy hurried up the stairs, for he had just enough time to change his clothes and be on his way to Brook Street, where his newly married cousin, Marsden and his Viscountess were holding a special soiree in his honour. His cousin James would also be there. He had not seen him since his return from the Peninsula.

Leaving Darcy House, he climbed into his Town carriage, and was soon on his way to his cousin's house.

Posted on Thursday, 4 October 2001

Darcy's town carriage arrived forthwith at his cousin's house in Brook Street. Alighting from his carriage, he hurried up the front steps and applied the knocker to the front door, and was soon ushered into the Drawing Room to special wishes of the day from the his cousin Marsden and Kate, James, and George Knightley. Pardon me for this, but as readers of "The Darcys' Christmas Miracle" are aware, the Knightleys are some the guests at Pemberley, and Mr. Darcy went to University with Mr. Knightley. As Mr. Darcy entered his cousin's Drawing Room, he made his compliments to Kate, who was positively glowing from her first pregnancy.

"Darcy, you at least are honest with your flattery, as My Darling Rogue is not." Swallowed a small cabbage indeed", but never mind, Marsden and James have someone who wishes to be made known to you." replied Kate, with a mischievous smile.

"I wonder who could that be." thought Darcy to himself, as he turned to meet a pair of the most speaking grey eyes he had ever seen, set into a sweet heart-shaped face, framed with curls the colour of a raven's wing. Their effect was immediate, as he finally remembered to take a breath, as he found that he forgotten to breathe. He found that her face was not the only feature that was pleasing about the young woman, her figure was light and pleasing. She wore a stylish, but plain grey gown of sarcenet. He at first wondered why she wore grey, but we would soon be made aware of the fact that she was a widow in half-mourning for her husband who had died on the Peninsula. Her husband had been a member of a regiment of Welsh Fusileers, and had been another friend from University, David Jones had been a quiet and deep young man, who was somewhat reticent as he was.

"Darcy, this is Jones' widow Marged." said his cousin James, as he came forward to make his condolences to his old friend's widow.

"I am sorry to hear of your husband's death. He told me much of you. James told me of his death, and that you have just returned from the Peninsula." said Mr. Darcy.

Posted on Tuesday, 14 May 2002

The young woman smiled, as Darcy took her hand, bowed slightly over it.

"It was due to circumstances that my return from the Peninsula has delayed for almost a year. It was the Major* who gallantly saw to my safe return to these green shores. David always mentioned you with a great fondness." said the young woman, whose tone of voice had the musicality that seemed to characterize the Welsh. Even this intrigued Mr. Darcy, who uncharacteristically smiled back at his friend's widow.

"Your husband wrote me of your wedding on the Peninsula. He told of how you met, that you were the daughter of the Colonel of his Regiment. He told me that you had been following the drum for most of your life. I will miss your husband, he was a good friend. I will miss many things about him, especially his singing. His tenor will be sadly missed at gatherings at Pemberley and Darcy House" replied Mr. Darcy, trying hard not to dwell too much on his fallen friend. He had enough to worry about since his Father had died, he had had to take responsibility for the Great estate of Pemberley and a young Sister, who was becoming as shy as he was. Yes he had the assistance of his Cousin Fitzwilliam and his Aunt Matlock, but it was still difficult, for he had found that he had a thorn in his side, his Father's godson, George Wickham. He had simply refused the legacy that his father left him, the living at Kympton and instead decided to go into "the law", as he had smirked that day two months ago.

Posted on Friday, 10 January 2003

DNA:Please forgive for not keeping up with my stories, but I wasn't feeling well before Christmas and I just wasn't up to walking down to the library. Then I would have had a hard time deciding which story to work on.

In spite of his troubles, Mr. Darcy decided to not worry about them while he was at his cousin's house, for it was his 21st birthday, he had come into his majority and for one night he had wished not to think of himself as Master of Pemberley. He would start doing that in the morning.

"Mr. Darcy, you are being very quiet. What are you thinking about?" asked Mrs. Jones, in a quiet tone, as she rose from her chair and crossed the room, to stand by his side.

"The great changes that have taken place in my life recently. Not all of them could be considered good. My Cousin, no doubt has made mention of the fact that My Father passed away and I am now the Master of a large estate and guardian to my very young Sister." replied Mr. Darcy, in just as quiet a tone.

"Not the sort of thoughts one should be thinking on one's birthday, even if it the birthday that has given you that particular responsibility. Your cousins are giving you this special evening, you will have the rest of your life to think on your responsibilities, besides I am in need of a cup of punch." said Mrs. Jones, smiling at Mr. Darcy, who immediately noticed the dimple in her right cheek.

"Your wish is my command, Madame. You have but to speak the word and it will be yours." said Mr. Darcy, who sketched a bow and made his way to the punch bowl, surprised by his behaviour. His friend's widow was somehow affecting him in a manner he was quite unprepared for.

DNA: Sorry so short. For those new Dwiggies, please do not become too shocked in reading this story. For I am a member of the school who has come to believe that Mr. Darcy was "experienced" on his wedding night and that years prior to the events in P and P, Mr. Darcy had carried on an affair that was so discreet, that even Colonel Fitzwilliam, his closest advisor, was shocked to hear of it. I am also explaining certain things, such as the ring Mr. Darcy wears on his little finger. Please do not think that Mr. Darcy would cheat on Lizzie with Mrs. Jones, as she has passed away.