A Different Impression Rewrite

Today’s chapter is mostly a sweet one as Our Dear Couple prepare for their wedding. Wickham has been dealt with—at least for now. (Dun, dun, dun…) Darcy and Elizabeth finally have a chance to tell each other what has happened while they were apart, and Mrs Bennet, of course, has a plan of her own.

A quick reminder that the revised edition of A Different Impression is now available for pre-order. Amazon currently lists the release date as October 29, although I am still hoping for a late September release. I am also hoping to release the audiobook at the same time, which I am very excited about.

You may pre-order it here, should you desire to do so. It will also be available to read for free through Kindle Unlimited.

As always, I appreciate your comments and your help spotting anything that is unclear or inconsistent.

Now, on to today’s chapter, A Misguided Scheme.

While William was in Meryton dealing with his father’s godson, Elizabeth and Jane worked together in the still room at Longbourn. They had been discussing Elizabeth’s approaching wedding when she noticed that Jane had grown unusually quiet.

“Is everything well, Jane?”

Jane lowered her gaze to the linen in her hands. “Yes, Lizzy. I am well.”

Unconvinced, Elizabeth moved behind her and embraced her. “I shall miss you, Jane.”

Jane turned and returned the embrace. “I shall miss you too. I do not know what I shall do without you here.”

Elizabeth drew back and studied her sister. “We have not spoken of Mr Bingley in some time. Have your feelings towards him changed?”

“I like him, but I know very little of him. Our conversations rarely concern anything of consequence, and I do not know how to encourage him to speak more seriously. Sometimes I wonder whether he is truly interested in me or merely seeking pleasant company while he remains at Netherfield.”

“What do you imagine William and I discuss?” Elizabeth asked teasingly.

“I do not know precisely, but he smiles when he speaks with you in a way he does not smile at anyone else. Mr Bingley smiles at everyone. He seems nearly as pleased to speak with—with Papa as he does with me.”

Elizabeth suppressed a smile at that comparison. “His frequent visits and his request for your hand for the first set at the ball are certain to attract notice. Would you object if I asked William merely to remind his friend that such marked attention may raise expectations?”

“I would rather you did not ask Mr Darcy to question him about his feelings.”

“I shall not. William need only caution him to consider how his behaviour might appear. Nothing more.”

After a moment, Jane nodded. “Very well. I should be grateful for that.”

The sisters returned to their work. Soon afterwards, they washed their hands and went to join the rest of the family.

When Mrs Bennet and her companion joined the family for tea, Elizabeth was surprised to see her mother downstairs. Her confinement had evidently grown intolerable, and Papa had reluctantly permitted her to receive their visitors. Whether Mama intended to abide by the conditions he had surely imposed remained to be seen.

Elizabeth discovered her purpose soon enough. Almost immediately, Mama began praising Jane while directing nearly every remark towards William.

Elizabeth had little difficulty guessing at the reasoning behind it. Her mother considered Jane deserving of the wealthiest suitor available and had never understood why any man of consequence might prefer her second daughter. No doubt she would have considered Mr Collins—whose intention of choosing a wife from among the Bennet daughters had reached her through the servants—a perfectly suitable husband for Elizabeth, while Jane received all the consequence and comfort of becoming Mrs Darcy.

Her mother’s gaze moved inquisitively over Georgiana, Mrs Annesley, and Colonel Fitzwilliam. The gentlemen stood, and Papa supplied the necessary introductions.

“Mrs Bennet, allow me to introduce Miss Georgiana Darcy, Mr Darcy’s sister, and Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, Mr Darcy’s cousin and Miss Darcy’s other guardian. The lady seated near Mary is Miss Darcy’s companion, Mrs Annesley.”

Greetings were exchanged, and everyone returned to their seats. Mrs Bennet smoothed her skirts and began fanning herself.

“Oh, Miss Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam, it is such a pleasure to meet you both,” she exclaimed, batting her eyelashes. “Mr Darcy, Mr Bingley, we have already had the pleasure of meeting you, and it is always a joy to see you again. I see my dear Jane has been doing an excellent job of taking care of you all. She is such a perfect hostess, and I have trained her so well. She will do a wonderful job of running a grand estate and will be the perfect wife for a truly great man. I dare say any gentleman would feel it a great privilege to have her upon his arm.”

William merely nodded as Mrs Bennet continued in the same vein, speaking loudly enough to bring every other conversation in the room to an end.

“I must say, Miss Darcy, you are quite lovely. And Colonel Fitzwilliam, you cut such a dashing figure.”

Colonel Fitzwilliam chuckled. “Thank you, Mrs Bennet. You are too kind.”

Mama appeared not to hear him. Nor did she seem to notice the embarrassment upon the faces of her daughters and their guests.

“Of course, Mr Darcy is quite the handsomest man we have ever seen here in Meryton, and his dark looks would complement my beautiful Jane’s fair hair and eyes exceedingly well. I think they would make quite the pair, do you not, Colonel?”

Elizabeth could scarcely believe what she was hearing. Beside her, William went rigid, his hand tightening beneath hers. He looked towards Elizabeth, and she squeezed his hand reassuringly before attempting to direct the conversation towards a safer subject.

Her mother ignored her. Indeed, she appeared not to require a response from anyone. She merely continued listing Jane’s many virtues, addressing nearly every word to William and giving him no opportunity to answer.

Mrs Higgins and Papa both attempted to redirect the conversation, but Mama refused to be diverted. At last, Papa rose, crossed the room, and firmly assisted his wife to her feet.

“I fear Mrs Bennet has overtaxed herself during her first afternoon downstairs,” he said, making their excuses as he escorted her from the room.

The door closed behind her parents, but it did little to muffle their raised voices. An uncomfortable silence descended upon the drawing room as everyone attempted to pretend that they could not hear what was taking place in the corridor.

Her father spoke first, although his words were initially too low for Elizabeth to distinguish. Her mother’s reply, however, carried clearly through the door.

“Lizzy does not deserve Mr Darcy! He would do much better to marry Jane.”

Elizabeth closed her eyes briefly, wishing the floor might open beneath her. William’s hand settled over hers, its warmth providing some reassurance.

“How foolish can you be, Mrs Bennet?” Papa’s voice rose sharply. “If he had wanted Jane, he would have pursued her. He chose Elizabeth.”

The next several words were indistinct, but Elizabeth caught fragments concerning their engagement and the signed marriage articles. Her father’s voice grew clearer again as his anger increased.

“Nothing you say will change that—but it may prevent Mr and Mrs Darcy from ever inviting you to any of their homes. Why should he wish to return to Longbourn if you continue speaking poorly of the daughter he has chosen?”

“Why does he not want Jane?” Mama cried. “She is so much prettier than Lizzy!”

Jane’s face turned scarlet. Elizabeth hardly dared look at anyone else, although she felt William’s fingers tighten protectively around hers.

The words that immediately followed were muffled, but her father’s next declaration carried clearly into the drawing room.

“If Darcy sought only a pretty woman to adorn his arm, he could have chosen one from amongst the ton long before he arrived in Meryton. Perhaps there was something more he desired in a wife, and perhaps Lizzy possesses exactly what he wanted. Have you ever considered that a man might want more than a pretty face to look at across the table?”

The remainder of the exchange fell below their hearing. A few moments later, footsteps receded along the corridor. No one in the drawing room spoke until Colonel Fitzwilliam finally cleared his throat.

“I propose a walk in the gardens to work off some of these treats we have been served,” he said. “I have rarely enjoyed such a delightful afternoon tea.”

Elizabeth and William readily accepted Colonel Fitzwilliam’s proposal, as did Jane and Mr Bingley. Mary, Kitty, and Georgiana hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances, but eventually agreed to accompany them. Mrs Higgins remained behind, and Elizabeth noticed the weary resignation with which she glanced towards the door through which Mrs Bennet had departed.

Once outside, the group soon separated. Mary, Kitty, and Georgiana walked together, whilst Jane found herself between Mr Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam. Elizabeth gladly allowed William to draw her away from the others, knowing he had yet to tell her what had happened with Wickham.

As soon as they were sufficiently sheltered from curious eyes, however, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

“I love you, Elizabeth,” he told her.

She smiled and caressed his cheek. “How did it go today, William? I sense that the encounter still troubles you.”

He sighed. “Wickham proved to be as much of a coward as we anticipated. Nevertheless, he has resigned his militia commission and enlisted in the Regulars. He will be sent to Portugal, and, with luck, that will be the end of his interference in our lives. I should not be glad to see him injured, but if he dies in battle, it may be the most honourable thing he has ever done.”

Elizabeth frowned slightly. “How did you persuade him to agree?”

“Wickham resigned his militia commission and enlisted in the Regulars for unlimited service. He resisted until I instructed Colonel Forster to summon the bailiffs, but he eventually signed the attestation. He will be sent to Portugal.”

“You are certain this is for the best?” she asked.

“I am.”

She studied him for a moment. “And how do you feel?”

“Relieved, I think,” he replied after a slight hesitation. “Does that make me terrible? He has chosen military service rather than imprisonment and may be killed in battle, although I can imagine him attempting to desert just as easily. Regardless, he will be removed from our lives and, I hope, rendered incapable of injuring anyone in my family again.”

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tightly. “I do love you, William, not least for the sense of honour with which you approach everything. Dealing with Wickham must have been difficult, if for no other reason than that your father loved him. He would surely have been disappointed by what Wickham became, but you have acted honourably to protect those whom he might otherwise have injured.”

“You paint my character in a generous light, my love. I am not certain I deserve it,” he replied, dropping a kiss upon her forehead.

They remained that way for several minutes before Elizabeth reluctantly ventured to change the subject.

“William, may I ask a small favour concerning Mr Bingley?”

He drew back enough to look at her. “Of course.”

“I do not wish you to question him about his feelings, nor would Jane welcome our interference. However, his frequent visits to Longbourn and his request for Jane’s hand for the first set at the ball are certain to attract notice. If his intentions are not serious, he may not realise that such marked attention could raise expectations or expose her to gossip.”

William grew thoughtful. “He visited Longbourn frequently while we were in London as well, did he not?”

“He did.”

“I confess I have given little thought to how his behaviour might appear. I can remind him generally that repeated attentions towards an unmarried lady are likely to be interpreted as courtship. I need not ask him to disclose his feelings or tell him what he ought to do.”

“Thank you, dearest.”

“I am no good at subtlety, Elizabeth, as you well know.”

Her merry laugh rang out, bringing a smile to his face. “I do enjoy your lack of subtlety—or should we call it your honesty? Shall we make it a virtue rather than a failing?”

His own laughter joined hers. “Oh, please do, my dear Elizabeth. From now on, you shall be in charge of my character and do all you can to promote it so that I appear to the best advantage.”

“And you shall do the same for me, sir?” she enquired.

He kissed her. “You always appear to the best advantage, dearest. I need do nothing to aid in that.”

Well, Mrs Bennet has certainly not abandoned her belief that Jane deserves the wealthiest man available—even when that man is already engaged to Elizabeth! Poor Jane may have been even more embarrassed than Elizabeth by the entire conversation.

I enjoyed giving Mr Bennet an opportunity to defend Elizabeth, although it is unfortunate that his defense came only after Mrs Bennet had humiliated both of their eldest daughters in front of everyone.

Then there is Jane’s uncertainty about Mr Bingley. She likes him, but she does not yet know him well enough to be certain of his intentions—or even of her own feelings.

What did y’all think? Did Mrs Bennet go too far here, even for her? And will Darcy’s warning be enough to make Bingley consider exactly what he wants from Jane?

— Melissa Anne 💙

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