P&P200: Darcy Cancels the Dinner at Pemberley
After tearing himself away from Elizabeth at the Lambton Inn, Darcy had given free rein to both his horse and his temper. Galloping over the familiar countryside was the perfect situation for venting his rage at George Wickham, who once more had come between Darcy and his Elizabeth. Darcy wanted Wickham’s blood. He would thrash him for ruining Lydia Bennet, then pummel him bloody for making Elizabeth cry. Darcy had never felt more helpless than when he had seen tears running down Elizabeth’s lovely cheeks. He had longed to take her into his arms, to tell her that he would fix everything, that all would be well again, but all he could do was to offer her a glass of wine. He would have been happy to rip Wickham limb from limb.
By the time Darcy reached Pemberley, he had dismissed his fury and was once more a civilized man. If he wanted to help Elizabeth, he would have to render courtesy and no doubt a substantial sum of money to Wickham, rather than the beating he deserved. His love for Elizabeth and his responsibility as master of Pemberley left him no other choice.
Inside the house, Georgiana flew down the stairs to meet him, her face alight. “What did she say?” Then, as she took in his sober countenance, her smile vanished. “Oh, no. Did she refuse you? I am so sorry.”
For a moment Darcy was taken aback by her question. “I did not ask her,” he said shortly. “It was not the right time. She had just received some bad news from home, and will be returning there immediately.”
Georgiana hesitated. “I hope it is nothing too serious.”
Darcy did not meet her eyes. “Some scandal concerning one of her sisters, nothing more. Hopefully it will come to nothing.”
His sister looked puzzled by his vagueness, but did not question him.
Miss Bingley, of course, could not leave well enough alone when he announced that the Gardiners and Miss Bennet had sent their apologies and would not be dining with them that evening. “What a pity!” she cried with patent insincerity. “I had so looked forward to seeing dear Eliza again.” Her attempt at civility annoyed Darcy as much as her insulting comments on Elizabeth’s appearance had done the previous day.
“I say, Darcy,” Bingley said. “Did they give any reason for their sudden departure? I had thought they planned to remain in the area for several more days.”
“Just that they were returning home immediately,” said Darcy. He had promised Elizabeth that he would hide the truth as long as he could, and with any luck, the whole matter of Lydia Bennet could be resolved before Bingley heard of it.
“No doubt one of the Gardiners’ children has some trifling ailment,” said Mrs. Hurst. Her tone suggested that such an ailment must have been deliberately planned by the child.
“Children seem to recover so quickly,” said Miss Bingley, who apparently could not leave the subject of Elizabeth’s family quickly enough. “Do you suppose tomorrow will be as fair a day as today? Perhaps we could take a drive through the grounds. I declare, there is no spot in England that can make the beauty of the park here!”
“I hope the weather will permit it, but you will have to excuse me. Some pressing business has arisen in Town that requires my personal attention, and I will be leaving early tomorrow morning.” Darcy braced himself for the storm that was sure to follow his announcement.
It did not materialize, apart from an agonized look from Georgiana. Miss Bingley merely tightened her lips, and all conversation came to a halt until Mrs. Annesley displayed her good breeding by changing the subject.
Darcy let the discussion flow around him as his thoughts turned to his plans for locating George Wickham. He was not so preoccupied, though, that he did not notice Mrs. Hurst speaking urgently in her sister’s ear. From their whispered conversation, he suspected that Miss Bingley had not missed the significance of his sudden change of plans immediately following Elizabeth’s departure. Perhaps now she would finally stop pestering him with her obsequious attentions.
The image of Elizabeth’s reddened eyes rose before him again. Damn George Wickham!
16 Responses to P&P200: Darcy Cancels the Dinner at Pemberley
Our Novels
P&P: RC
Be sure to vote!
*Giveaways
Enter our monthly contest using the Rafflecopter form on the
Giveaway Page.
All rules and prizes are listed there! Click the image or link provided.
Our Imprint
Purchasing
Austen Authors Amazon Marketplace
Contact Us
Authors can be contacted via their email link on the Austen Authors page. For general information or to contact the admins, click the image to the left.
April 2
April 8
April 30
May 20
Facebook
RSS
Twitter
The Writers Block
Amazon Store
It’s interesting to imagine Darcy tearing Wickham limb from limb or better yet, running him through with his sword! The conversation I’d love to hear is the negotiation between Darcy and Wickham that lead to Lydia and Wickham’s wedding.
That would be an interesting one! What I’d love is to have it from both points of view – what Darcy is thinking and what Wickham is thinking.
It would be fascinating to get into Wickham’s head since we know less about how he really thinks. It’s not something that’s in the line-up for P&P200. Maybe we should add it?
I add my vote for this! I would love to see at least one point of view if not both!
Oh, yes! I fully agree as well! I am always curious to know what is really going through Wickham’s head these next few weeks!
I agree…I have always been curious to know how the scene between Darcy, Wickham and Lydia played out.
Great post, emjoyed it
I wonder what Miss Bingley reaction would be when E&D engaement is anounced!!
I imagine her public reaction would be fairly correct, since she’s got to know it’s coming. I hadn’t thought of it before writing this vignette, but she can’t have missed the fact that Darcy decamps immediately after Elizabeth does, right after having said she’s one of the most beautiful women of his acquaintance. But I also imagine there’d be quite a temper tantrum in private about it!
Caroline, though catty, is not stupid. Great addition to a wonderful story by AuAu!
Wonderful as always! I love a seething Darcy and he’s ready to wring Wickham’s neck. Thank goodness the Bingley sisters didn’t pester him too much after the announcement.
Excellent! Thanks for posting.
This is EXACTLY why I love ‘From Lambton to Longbourn’ so much. I always found it so frustrating when Darcy and Elizabeth were at the inn together and both misinterpreting the silent cues from the other. If one of them had just spoken up and said what they were really thinking.
I always enjoy your Darcys. They’re red-blooded and emotional. I can just see him tearing about Pemberley on his horse, looking to kick somebody’s rear.
All of the above! And I really like the thought that he would have proposed then and there if the moment would have been different!
I love getting further into Darcy’s head and you do it so well! His thoughts about Wickham are priceless. I can imagine Darcy having no patients for Caroline, especially once Elizabeth and her troubles so vivid in his mind. Wonderful, Abigail!
I recently read an adaptation where Darcy “forgives” Wickham, but I prefer to think he finally knows HIS revenge on his former companion.
I loved how Mrs. Annesley is the one to change the conversation…:)
I almost wish Caroline would have pushed his buttons, I wish his gentlemanliness would slip just a little and he’d say something crude to her….but it just wasn’t done – at least in this context. Great post!