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  A DANGEROUS COURTSHIP

  (A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE NOVELLA)

  ANNE LOUISE

  A DANGEROUS COURTSHIP ~ (A Pride and Prejudice Novella) Copyright © 2017 by Anne Louise

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, in whole or in part, in any form whatsoever.

  This book is a work of fiction. The characters depicted in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  INTRODUCTION

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  EPILOGUE

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  DEDICATION

  INTRODUCTION

  Fitzwilliam Darcy, the scion of one of the wealthiest families in all of England, was unhappy. He was twenty-seven, mostly a private man, and lived with his younger sister, living in town at Darcy House and in Derbyshire, at Pemberley, his great estate.

  He was a tired man, and was nearly worn out by the effort to learn to manage the many properties that had passed to him after his father's death four years earlier. Though he was depicted by the London papers as one of the most sought after bachelors in all the country, he rarely attended events during The Season, including dances and soirees, and thus had never met a woman he was attracted to. That all changed at a Christmas dance when he met a young woman.

  She was not like the young women who the suffering mamas would push his way, but she was intelligent, clever, witty and pretty and he was bewitched. He was not experienced in love, but neither was the young woman he met that night.

  Darcy came to help her family during an influenza outbreak, but not long after that he returned to town and later faced his own crisis. His life and that of his family and friends were on the line because of a diabolical plot by others. How Darcy would react to this and other danger would soon test his mettle and determine if he and the woman had a future together. All he knew for certain was this woman had given him a reason to hope. Amid the turmoil of the tragic events and lives loss, he continued to plan for a future that included his new friend, but there was still danger ahead.

  Note:

  It is my hope that you will enjoy reading this story. My thanks to all who have previously provided reviews for your comments and suggestions on my previous books. I also invite you to take the time to provide a review on Amazon on this book.

  Thank You,

  Anne Louise

  CHAPTER 1

  The dance was a lively affair, set over a week before Christmas and one gentleman was not enjoying himself. One by one the mothers would parade their daughters before the man and attempt to receive an introduction, but none was to be had. The closest contact that Fitzwilliam Darcy had with a young woman was when he tried to enter a room and he and a young woman seemed to be unable to let the other pass, when the young woman finally spoke. “You, sir, must perform a military maneuver if you wish to get by me. We seem to be blocking each other’s path.”

  “You are aware of military maneuvers?” The man watched as the young woman blushed, but her voice calmed him and for some reason he did not want her to walk away.

  She must be about twenty and I have not seen her before tonight. I did see her and another woman when they were speaking with my aunt.

  “Yes, sir, my knowledge is from reading and I enjoy studying history, and yes, recently I have been reading about the war between England and America.”

  “Then you must read a great deal to find military history interesting?”

  “Military history is very interesting, and how can it not be, reading of epic struggles and the monumental decisions that were made that affected countless souls who participated and have shaped our present lives? For myself, I find it much more enjoyable than reading romance stories and other things that you might suspect a young woman would read. I just enjoy reading, but mainly I like history and current events and science and I also appreciate the arts.” What a mouthful! I am making a fool of myself, but he wants to talk with me. This must be the type of man Papa is warning me against. He certainly dresses the part but appears innocent enough, but perhaps he senses my gullibility.

  “Certainly I have not seen you before this evening but I did catch a glimpse of you and another woman speaking with my aunt.”

  “You are correct, I am visiting with my aunt and uncle in town and apparently my uncle knows your uncle from his business.”

  “So you have met my aunt and she has already told you about me?”

  “She did not go out of her way to mention your name, but she did spy you off in a corner surrounded by mamas looking to introduce their daughters to you and she said that you rarely dance on these occasions.”

  “That is true. I have not danced this evening and likely will not.”

  “But you are wrong, sir. When we tried to walk through the door and blocked each other accidentally until you gave up, some would call that dancing.”

  “I did not give up.”

  “Why did I think you would say that? I will not let you reply right away, but I must say that you are a man used to having his own way. I saw you watching others dance. Did not one young lady catch your eye?”

  “Yes, one has caught me by surprise. If you will return to speak with your aunt and my aunt, I will walk by and then we both will receive a formal introduction.”

  “Very well, sir, I shall do that.”

  The young woman returned to meet with her aunt, who was with Mr. Darcy’s aunt and moments later the gentleman appeared.

  “Now nephew, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to my friend, Madeline Gardiner, and her niece, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Miss Bennet lives in Hertfordshire. Madeleine, Miss Bennet, this man is my nephew, Fitzwilliam Darcy.”

  Darcy bowed as the ladies curtseyed.

  “Your Ladyship, your nephew and I did meet some minutes ago but were never introduced.”

  “That is probably a good thing for you, Miss Bennet, for my nephew comes to such events with a frown and never dances.”

  “I danced earlier with Miss Bennet as we were passing each other going through the open door.”

  “Then she is the one young woman to speak with you so far. Miss Bennet, please take my nephew under your protection from these fortune hunting mamas out to marry off their daughters.”

  This prompted a giggle from Elizabeth who suddenly felt sorry for the man. Next the two aunts walked over to greet others and left Darcy and Elizabeth together.

  “Miss Bennet, would you do me the honor of dancing the next dance?”

  “Yes, but by accepting I will be despised by the other single women present and others as well.”

  “But I have watched you dance earlier and I saw many gentlemen admiring you.”

  “Sir, I have only danced three times, so my dance card is by no means full.”

  Next the couple went onto the floor and almost immediately Elizabeth saw heads turning to watch Mr. Darcy and her dance, and dance they did, and Elizabeth enjoyed the dance and secretly enjoyed the attention. She was grateful for the new dress the Gardiners gave her and for her aunt’s pearls that she wore, but this evening she was breaking new ground. This was the first time she had met such a handsome and rich gentleman and her self esteem grew to think that such a man could take an interest in her.

  After the dance they took some refreshment and later stepped outside to get some air.

  “Mr. Darcy, it was getting warm so I am glad you suggested stepping outside.”

  “It is a beau
tiful evening, Miss Bennet, and is not uncomfortably cold. It certainly does not feel like mid December. Just feel that breeze and see that sky and it is full of stars. Are you interested in astronomy, Miss Bennet?”

  “Yes, I have read some and know the mariners navigate the seas by the stars. Look, there is Orion the Hunter.”

  “That is very good, Miss Bennet. Most young women would not know that.”

  “And the same applies to your sex, sir.”

  That evening they spoke at length of history and Shakespeare and Chaucer and other writers and poets and of the Romans and ancient Greeks and of ancient Egypt and of Napoleon and about the wars that England has fought. Darcy could not fathom how a young women without formal schooling was so knowledgable on everything he brought up and had learnt in his own schooling, including his time at Cambridge.

  My, this young woman is educated at home and is one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. How can it be that she is not married? I must have her meet my sister.

  This was a very difficult task and Darcy knew he must arrange for Georgiana to meet the young woman before she returned home to Hertfordshire. Later that night, in bed, he thought of how stupid he had been not to suggest that they meet on the morrow. He wanted to tell his sister of meeting Miss Bennet but preferred that they meet before he spoke of her.

  What can I be thinking? Already I am having a difficult time in thinking of anything but her. No, I am Fitzwilliam Darcy, and when I choose to marry, it will be to a woman from the highest circles in England, and not the daughter of a country gentleman farmer.

  Such thoughts consumed him as he tried to sleep and he even began to suspect he was becoming obsessed over a woman who could never be in his life, but next he thought of Georgiana and how happy she might be if she met Miss Bennet. Now he knew he could prevail upon his aunt to tell him more about Miss Bennet.

  ****

  The next Monday, Elizabeth and her Aunt Gardiner visited a men’s store to shop for a Christmas gift for Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet. Suddenly Elizabeth spotted a young woman inspecting an exquisite pair of gloves and soon the young woman could not decide because she was unsure of the hand size. Sensing the young woman’s frustration, Elizabeth examined the same gloves and looked at some other things nearby as a man approached the young woman.

  “Miss Darcy, may I be of help to you?”

  Elizabeth blushed crimson and now watched as the shy young woman said she was unsure of her brother’s hand size. Georgiana next told the man that she would continue to peruse other items and would charge everything on the Darcy account.

  “Miss Darcy, I could not help from overhearing your conversation. Last Saturday night I met your brother, if he is called Fitzwilliam.”

  “I am his sister, Georgiana.”

  “And I am Elizabeth Bennet. Please allow me to introduce my Aunt Gardiner?” The women curtseyed and the greetings continued.

  “Miss Bennet, I must apologize if my brother offended you at the dance. He does not like these dances and soirees and other events that bring him into contact with the suffering mamas looking to introduce their daughters to him.”

  “But I did meet your brother and found he was a perfect gentleman.”

  “It is easy for me to imagine that many young women do not feel that way. My brother can appear indifferent at such functions, perhaps even abrupt and rude, but this morning I could see he had his mind engaged on something that seemed far away, so I decided to do some early Christmas shopping.”

  Just for a moment Elizabeth let her mind wander back to the difficulty she had going to sleep after the dance. She had been grateful that her aunt did not bring up the man, but still she knew the subject would come up later, and she had watched the two aunts as she and Darcy danced and could see they were following the couple.

  “Miss Darcy, as for your question, your brother has very large hands. Here is my hand and his is nearly twice the size.”

  Georgiana and Elizabeth next spoke to the owner and he provided her with a pair of extra large gentleman’s gloves and wrapped up some other parcels and held them for her.

  “Thank you, Miss Bennet. I am certain the gloves will fit and the owner said I can return them if necessary.”

  “Miss Darcy, please call me Elizabeth.”

  “And you must call me, Georgiana.”

  “I will Georgiana, and I was also happy to meet your brother.”

  “Did you dance with him?”

  “I did, and he is a splendid dancer. That is where I saw his large hands.”

  Mrs. Gardiner allowed the young women to talk as she continued to peruse the store until Miss Darcy and Elizabeth approached her.

  “Aunt Gardiner, Miss Darcy has offered me to visit with her at her home and even asked me to join her for dinner. She said her carriage would take you home and after dinner she and her brother will return me to Gracechurch Street. Would you mind if I joined her?”

  “That is not a problem, Lizzy. I have some matters at home that I need to attend to.”

  After returning her aunt to her home, the carriage returned to Darcy House and Georgiana and Elizabeth came inside.

  Georgiana knocked on the study door and Darcy watched as she entered. “I hope you were successful with the shopping?”

  “Yes, William, and the best thing was that I have met a friend.”

  “Good, Georgie, when will I see her?”

  Georgiana walked to the door and came inside with Elizabeth. Almost immediately Darcy rose to bow to the young woman as she dropped him a curtsey.

  What in the world? My aunt and her aunt have planned this meeting. Miss Bennet is just another scheming young woman.

  “Miss Bennet, I am happy to see you again and doubly pleased that you have met my sister. This is extraordinary, Georgie, but how did you both meet?”

  Georgiana answered her brother and it was obvious that he was pleased to see Elizabeth again. He now knew that he could not openly question if there was a motive for such a meeting, because it was just fate.

  “Georgie, perhaps Miss Bennet would like some tea, and later you might show her around?”

  “She did say she wanted to see the library.”

  “You mean this is not a library combined with a study?”

  “No, you must have missed it Miss Bennet. The library is in the adjoining room.”

  “But you have so many shelves full of books, and the books are leather bound with gilded pages and there are hundreds of them. This is all so well done. What my father would give to see your study and to learn of an attached library.”

  “Georgie, Miss Bennet is a great reader and we have many common interests in what we read.”

  “I hope our cousin can meet her for she loves the study of England’s wars.”

  “He has returned to town, brother. Should I send for him to ask him to join us this evening for dinner?”

  Do I want to risk having Colonel Fitzwilliam see her this early? No, I need more time with her and he can meet her later.

  “No, Georgie, let us three have dinner this evening. Our cousin is likely very busy with other things.”

  “Good, so I will leave and speak with the cook and return with some tea and scones. Elizabeth, I shall return in a few minutes.”

  Georgiana could see that her brother liked the young woman and suspected he did not want their cousin to meet her so soon. I believe he likes Elizabeth and that she likes him. I will give the two of them more time together.

  “I hope, sir, that I am not keeping you from important business?”

  “No, Miss Bennet, I am glad that you and my sister have met. She seems to like you very much.”

  “And I like her as well. She reminds me of my eldest sister, Jane, who I love dearly.”

  She next told of how they met and Darcy laughed.

  Elizabeth was puzzled by his reaction but Darcy saw the meeting as not contrived and no longer thought Elizabeth was a fortune hunter.

  “Why are you laughing, Mr.
Darcy?”

  “I was just thinking that Georgiana is giving us time together.”

  “Is that a bad thing, sir?”

  “In your case it is a very good thing for both my sister and myself. I do not recall ever having a young lady friend visit Darcy House. So I suppose that you will be back in your home for Christmas, will you not?”

  “Yes, the Gardiners come to our home every Christmas and leave after the first of the new year. Because their children are older and bigger, I will leave to return home a couple of days before they leave.”

  “Have you completed all of the shopping you came to town for?”

  “No, Mr. Darcy, I still must choose something for my father.”

  “Miss Bennet, you have told me that your father is a great reader. I have a great many books and sometimes more than one copy. What say you take some of his favourites that he does not own and you can say that you got them from a man clearing out his library?”

  She did not respond immediately, so Darcy asked her questions and with each response he honed in on some of her father’s favourite books and gave her new copies of two of them plus a copy of another that her father was planning to buy in the next few weeks.

  “I cannot accept these gifts, Mr. Darcy.”

  “Look, Miss Bennet, either you take them, or I will donate them, since I have extra copies. Knowing that your father is a great reader, I prefer to give them to you to do as you please. You see, your telling him that you got them from a man clearing out his library is not untrue. Think of it this way, you will now have more money to buy other gifts for your family. It is not as though I do not have extra copies of these books.”

  “Still, that is very kind of you. I thank you for your generosity, sir, and I know my father will be delighted. Like I told you at the dance, you are a man that is accustomed to having his way, are you not?”

  “That is not necessarily so, Miss Bennet.”

  He next told of the history of losing his mother after Georgiana’s birth and of his father dying four years ago and him assuming responsibility over the Darcy estate.

  “Then you must not work so hard. Have you considered delegating more responsibility to others and freeing yourself to make more efficient use of your time? From the little I have seen of you, it appears that you have been an unhappy man for some years.”