Welcome to our Pride & Prejudice prequel! P&P: Prelude to Pemberley tells the story of the time leading up to the events of Pride & Prejudice, including what Darcy and Elizabeth were doing and thinking, Georgiana Darcy’s story, the events of Ramsgate, how Mr. Bingley came to lease Netherfield, and much more! Join us on our journey as the Austen Variations authors post the events of 1811 in real time on the date they happened – 214 years in the future.
25th of June 1811
“Georgiana?”
At George’s gentle tone, she lifted her head, but not so much that their gazes met. “I-I do not know. What you ask is not an easy decision.” The last time she had resisted his pleas to elope, he had become furious. What if she stirred his ire once more?
With a knuckle to her chin, he lifted her face and forced her to meet his gaze. “I have been calling on you since mid-May—since we met again on the Promenade. These mornings spent in your company have only deepened my feelings for you. Do you not feel the same?”
“I do, b-but instead of making me the offer of your hand, you asked m-me to elope. W-why would we not marry at the chapel at Pemberley with my brother and all our friends surrounding us?” Despite the strife she had endured with Fitzwilliam, surely he would not deny her request to be married from her home. His last letter had been conciliatory. He had apologised for not listening to her requests about school and had promised to do better. Besides, she would be wed and no longer such a bother to him. Until his letter, she had not understood how much he would need to alter his life if she lived with him. If she married George, he would not be required to change anything.
She also could not discount Lady Catherine’s proclamation of her inalterable and irrevocable ruination. George was dashing and handsome and likely the best she could expect given her circumstances. He had been a friend to her when no one else had, with the exception of Mrs. Younge. Lady Catherine had also mentioned men who would seek to entrap her for her fortune. George had been friends with Fitzwilliam as well as her father. He would never scheme so against her.
“Your brother and I are long-time friends, yet I do not believe he would approve of a match between us, my dear. He should think me too old, and you know he was jealous of the friendship I had with your father. I fear he has never gotten over your father’s decided preference for me. As matters stand, I should prefer to present our marriage as a fait-accompli, so he cannot separate us. You are important to me, Georgiana. If your brother took you away, I would be bereft. I love you too much to let that happen.”
She drew back from him and stepped over to the window. The back garden was awash with the roses in bloom. They were so cheery, but the brilliant blooms did little to soothe the agitation within.
An elopement? She longed to be with George, but what he proposed was scandalous. Her brother, her aunt, and even her cousins would be affected by such an event. If Lady Catherine believed her ruined before, what would she be considered after eloping to become Mrs. George Wickham?
Unlike the last time George had suggested an elopement, today, he had been all that was charming, and his words had been heartfelt. How could she believe him to be anything but sincere—but an elopement? The plight of poor Lady Cecilia came to mind. How could she dwell on anything but?
Lady Cecilia, the only daughter of the Earl of Cheshire, had suffered so after her own elopement. From what the girls at school claimed, she had been convinced by the younger son of a baronet to journey to Gretna Green. The young lady had even left a note behind in her bedchamber declaring her intentions and proclaiming her undying love for the rogue. Her brothers had attempted to stop the travesty before it had occurred, but with no luck. Lady Cecilia had been wed to Mr. Holmes and without a marriage contract.
Upon the couple’s return to London, they were not acknowledged by Lord and Lady Cheshire. Instead, they had been forced to live with the baronet and his family. Mr. Holmes then squandered Lady Cecilia’s fortune in gambling halls and other establishments while the lady could do naught but wait at home for his return. After he was found dead in the mews in Seven Dials, Lady Cecilia had been turned out by her husband’s family—even though she was heavy with child. The last of the rumours circulating in Town was that Mrs. Holmes had been sent to Scotland by her own family. The young lady had two younger sisters whose reputations had also been tarnished by Lady Ceclia’s actions.
However, George had been in Georgiana’s life for as long as she could remember. Would he be so callous as to relegate her to the same fate? She could not believe it of him, but Lady Cecilia’s plight was difficult to ignore. Yes, Lady Catherine had proclaimed her ruined, but eloping would diminish her further in the eyes of her family—in the eyes of the world. What if Fitzwilliam abandoned her as well?
“George, what you ask of me is no small request. My reputation has been harmed by my behaviour in school, but should we elope, I—”
He caressed along her jaw. “Do not refuse me, Georgie.” He kissed her cheek. “You would not want to break my heart, would you?” He appeared on the verge of tears. Did he truly love her so?
She squeezed her eyes shut. She had no desire to injure him. “Very well. I agree to journey with you to Gretna Green, but not yet.”
“Why would we wait?”
Georgiana drew back far enough that George’s hand fell from her shoulder. When he caressed her as he was, she was distracted. She needed to be able to think.
“Fitzwilliam is in London. I should prefer to wait until he is at Pemberley. Any word sent to him there would take time, and we would likely be wed before he could pursue us.” Hopefully, her excuse was plausible. In truth, she had no idea whether Fitzwilliam was in London or not. By his last letter, he was still in town, but she could only guess whether he remained there still. Yet, this gave her time to persuade George to wed before those she loved. She had to convince him. An elopement was too big of a risk.
One side of George’s lips curved. “You have made me exceedingly happy. I shall begin preparations.”
She drew herself up so she was as tall as she could make herself. “You must give me a fortnight—at least. I shall agree to nothing before that time.” She had done her best to mimic Lady Catherine. Had she done so well enough to convince George?
“I suppose I can wait. . .as long as I am promised a lifetime.” He slipped his gloves back on his hands with a smug grin. “I shall require a few days to make preparations as it is. We shall need to depart in the middle of the night while Mrs. Younge is asleep lest she pen a letter to your brother and warn him what is afoot. Ensure you reveal naught of our plans to her.”
“I shall tread with care.”
Mrs. Younge entered the drawing room and raised her eyebrows. “I was not informed of Mr. Wickham’s call.”
George bowed to Mrs. Younge. “I cannot speak to why you were not informed, madam, but I have overstayed, so I must take my leave.” He turned and bowed to Georgiana. “Miss Darcy, I shall return on the morrow to continue our conversation. I am quite interested to hear more of your opinion on the matter.”
As soon as George departed and the front door clicked shut, Mrs. Younge lifted her eyebrows. “What could you have discussed that made him not only overstay his call but make him wish to return so soon?”
She shrugged. “Nothing more than a discussion on Julius Caesar. I had not understood until today how much Mr. Wickham enjoyed that particular work. Now, if you will excuse me, I wish to pen a letter to my brother.”
Georgiana hastened upstairs to her bedchamber and hurried to close the door behind her. What was she going to do? She could not elope! As much as she had no interest in more of her brother’s lectures and platitudes, she needed him; she needed her family. What would she do without them? She could not end up like poor Lady Cecilia—alone and cast out with her child in Scotland.
Her feet stumbled over each other as she rushed to the escritoire in the corner. She pulled a piece of paper from the drawer and sat down with the pen in hand.
18 Westcliffe View
Ramsgate
25 June 1811
Fitzwilliam,
I hope you are well. For the most part, the weather in Ramsgate has been pleasant, although we have had rain here and there. The back garden’s roses are blooming and beautiful. At times, I walk the path along the edge so I can enjoy the scent. My situation here has made me very happy, and I thank you, brother, for allowing me to live in Ramsgate and partake of its diversions.
I should also like to thank you for your previous letter and your apology. As I consider all that has occurred, I do understand I share a good portion of the blame for all that has occurred. Perhaps if I had been more candid about the bullying of the girls and the severity of it all, we would have never disagreed on the subject. As such, I hope you will accept my own apology for my behaviour as well.
Since I have not written in some time, you must wonder at the reasoning for my letter. I should like you to visit if you have the time before returning to Pemberley for the harvest. I have news of great import I wish to speak of to you. These are the sort of happy plans I should prefer to discuss face to face if you would be so kind as to journey to Ramsgate within the next se’enight. If you are unable to come, I am resolved to act in such a manner which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness without reference to you, or to any person whether connected to me or not.
Your sister,
Georgiana Darcy
There. She had done what she could to repair the damage between her and Fitzwilliam, but would he come?
1 comment
Now Wickham and Mrs Younge have taught Georgiana to lie, she’s using the skill against them to avoid eloping. I’m relieved she’s the sense to object to elopements. But though Wickham agreed to wait she wants a fortnight’s delay while he said he needs a few days to prepare for the elopement so he may ask her to elope in a few days and be furious if she refuses. I hope she’s the sense to post the letter herself and won’t order a servant to post it. Some servants may be in the pay of Wickham or Mrs Younge. Lady Catherine was stupid to tell Georgiana that no respectable man will marry her. I hope Georgiana tells Darcy what Lady Catherine said and he convinces her that it’s wrong. A good ending. I hope Darcy races to Ramsgate at top speed.