The Word of a Gentleman · A Pride and Prejudice Variation

When a tall, proud, disagreeable stranger arrives at Longbourn to announce he and Jane are engaged, Elizabeth is horrified. She believes that Jane would not wish to marry such a rude, arrogant gentleman. Her initial reactions to him is confirmed when she hears Mr Wickham’s account of the man’s dealings with him. Elizabeth is further concerned when her father informs her that Jane must marry or there will be a scandal, which will affect all his daughters. She is further distressed when she hears Jane is suffering from a fever and is confined to bed at Pemberley, the gentleman’s house.

Mr Bennet insists that Elizabeth accompany Mr Darcy on his return to Pemberley to act as chaperone to her sister. She travels to Derbyshire with Mr Darcy, his sister Miss Georgiana Darcy and his cousin Miss Anne de Bourgh. On arrival she finds that Jane is not only suffering from a feverish cold but melancholia due to the circumstances of the engagement.

Insult is added to injury, when she overhears Mr Darcy speaking to his friend about marrying beneath him and becoming a member of the unsuitable Bennet family.

As the days go by, Elizabeth begins to see a different Mr Darcy, a Mr Darcy who would be a fine husband, but he is engaged to Jane and he is, she is certain, a man of his word.

The course of a true lasting love never did run smoothly.