Marooned With Darcy

  Marooned With Darcy

  A Sensual Pride & Prejudice Variation

  Abbey North

  Contents

  Blurb

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Blurb

  Lizzy and Jane are on a ship bound for America to stay with Mr. Collins’s younger brother when they meet Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy’s disapproval of the burgeoning affection between Jane and Charles is painfully obvious, and Lizzy does her best to thwart his attempts to stop the developing relationship. She is puzzled by how invigorating it can be to trade barbs with Darcy, and he seems to enjoy it as well, but he is the last man she could ever soften toward due to his haughty manner and prideful ways.

  When their ship wrecks, Lizzy and Darcy end up stranded alone on an island. As the days pass while they await rescue, the undeniable attraction between them becomes overwhelming, leading them both to act. Even as Lizzy succumbs to the temptation and falls for Darcy, she wonders if he is indeed the last man she would ever marry, or if she has been fooling herself about the strength of her emotions all along?

  While Abbey sometimes writes sweet JAFF, this is strictly SENSUAL.

  The timeline is different here. Mr. Bennet died shortly after Mr. Collins came to Longbourn and left after Lizzy’s rejection. Darcy and Charles never came to Netherfield. Darcy and Lizzy are meeting for the first time aboard the ship bound for America.

  1

  Lizzy smiled when Jane laughed, a warm and engaging sound she’d heard far too infrequently from her eldest sister in the last two years, since Papa passed away and life became a struggle. That it was the charming Mr. Charles Bingley who elicited the laugh further pleased her. She couldn’t think of a better match for her sister, and it had surely been providence that they were all traveling on the same boat from London to Boston, bringing her uncomplicated sister into the same sphere as the congenial and equally unfussy Mr. Bingley.

  Without her permission, her gaze darted briefly to Mr. Bingley’s companion, the stern and grim-faced Mr. Darcy, who made no attempt to hide his disapproval of Jane and Mr. Bingley’s interaction. It was unfortunate providence had also seen fit to ensure he trailed along behind his friend as they embarked on a great adventure at Mr. Bingley’s insistence.

  Darcy had made no attempt to hide his dismay at the journey Mr. Bingley wanted to undertake, seeing no reason to tour the Colonies. That was just one of his many strongly held opinions of which Lizzy had heard over the last two weeks as they sailed together.

  With a sigh, trying to dismiss the tiresome man from her thoughts, she returned her gaze to Jane and Mr. Bingley again. The two sat an appropriate distance apart, but there was warmth in their interactions, and she couldn’t help thinking they had a future between them, unless Mr. Darcy managed to tarnish it.

  She finished her dinner, keeping a complacent eye on her sister and a more watchful one on Mr. Darcy, who continued to scowl in the other couple’s direction. She shook her head, wondering how he could stand to be so stern and disapproving of someone he’d barely met, though of course, it was hardly surprising.

  The Bennet girls were in reduced circumstances. Though they had once been a landed gentleman’s daughters, they now lived in a small house on Longbourn land, provided through the sheer generosity of Mr. Collins, and Lizzy suspected only at her dear friend Charlotte’s behest, who had the misfortune of being married to Mr. Collins.

  She shuddered, briefly remembering the time Mr. Collins had come to Longbourn when her father still owned it, hoping to acquire a wife from among one of the five Bennet sisters. Mercifully for Jane, she had spent the summer recovering from a nasty bout of cholera, so she’d been frail, spending most of her time in bed. That had allowed her to elude the distasteful eye of the reverend.

  Unfortunately for Lizzy, his eye fell on her instead, and though her mother had encouraged the match, Mr. Bennet had endorsed her robust rejection. Perhaps Lizzy would’ve changed her mind if she’d realized that just months later, her life would alter irrevocably, but her father had seemed hale and strong at the time, and it was a distant fear that someday he would pass away before them with none of the daughters married.

  No, she couldn’t imagine she could’ve been happy as Mr. Collins’s wife. Her friend Charlotte had stepped in, acquiring Mr. Collins’s attention after Lizzy’s harsh rejection, and she wished her friend well. Charlotte seemed content enough in the match, and she was mistress of Longbourn now. They were still good friends, and Charlotte didn’t lord it over her in any fashion that she was only staying on their land in the small house due to her benevolence.

  Mr. Collins was a different matter, and she winced when she thought about him again. He lost no opportunity to be smug about the position of power he held over them, or to remind them they lived at his largess. She could only hope she and Jane were making the right decision by accepting Mr. Collins’s younger brother’s invitation to come visit him in Boston.

  They were hoping to make fine matches, or at least find some prospect that would alleviate the concern Mrs. Bennet displayed for their future. More pragmatically, it would help with their aunts and uncles’ burdens, since meeting their financial obligations fell to the Gardiners and the Philipses at this point.

  Perhaps Lizzy would be the only one searching for a beau or a promising position when she reached Boston though. She eyed Jane and Charles speculatively as they finished the meal.

  “Would you fancy a turn about the deck, Miss Jane? I find it good for one’s digestion.” Mr. Bingley issued the invitation with a wide grin.

  “Perhaps you would do better with some reflection in your cabin,” said Mr. Darcy, apparently trying to dampen Mr. Bingley’s enthusiasm.

  Lizzy gritted her teeth and glared at him before smiling at Mr. Bingley. “I am certain Jane would much appreciate the idea, as would I. There is nothing quite as invigorating as a walk.” It was certainly different aboard a ship though. Gone were the days of meandering through Longbourn Park and occasionally finding herself on Netherfield Park land as well.

  Netherfield had been abandoned for years, and though the skeletal staff did their best to maintain its former glory, it was a losing battle. Lizzy really liked the wildness that had settled over it, along with the unexpected delight of wandering through meadows to find a field of lilacs, or growths of wildflowers that had never been allowed to flourish in the days of Lord Horn, who had been the previous owner before his death, when he had kept landscaping staff.

  That was certainly a contrast to Longbourn, which had always been neat and tidy, except for a few wild areas. Now, it seemed almost barren, since Mr. Collins was the frugal sort. He’d done away with all unnecessary expenditures, including planting flowers that were suitable only for decoration. They had a leaner existence at Longbourn, and Lizzy had always tried to accept that rather than resent how he’d changed things in her father’s stead.

  She grasped the shawl and wrapped it around her as they walked up the ladder to reach the deck. Though it carried some cargo, the Corsica was primarily a passenger ship, so it had most of the modern conveniences and accommodations, but the deck could still be slippery. She took a step forward and almost fell, startled when Mr. Darcy was the one who reached out to keep her from doing so.

  He held her for a moment longer than necessary, likely ensuring she was steady, before she nodded her thanks and took a step back. She was more cautious this time when she walked, and she was
strangely aware of him hovering nearby as they followed Jane and Mr. Bingley for a turn around the deck.

  She deliberately dawdled behind them a little bit, allowing the couple some privacy, and also hoping to speak to Mr. Darcy alone. When sufficient space remained between them, she slowed to a stop and turned to face him. “I wish to discuss something with you, Mr. Darcy.”

  He scowled. “I can well imagine what it is. You are hoping I will withdraw any objection to Charles and Miss Jane. I assure you now, that shall not happen, Miss Bennet.”

  She put her hands on her hips as she glared up at him. “Why ever not? What objection could you have to Jane? She is the sweetest, kindest soul I know.”

  He arched a brow. “Perhaps she is. I have seen no indication that she is not the most congenial and pleasant sort, but nor have I seen any indication she has true regard for Charles.”

  Lizzy’s mouth dropped open. “Are you blind, sir? Have you not seen how she lights up in his presence, and tonight, she laughed so delightfully? It has been a long time since I have seen my sister with such a carefree manner. I daresay, she prefers Mr. Bingley’s company above all others, myself included.” She pulled a wry face for a moment, forgetting with whom she was conversing.

  His frown only deepened. “Then I submit the likelihood of her troubles being eased might be what encourages laughter, not true affection.”

  She glared at him as she took a step closer. “How dare you, Mr. Darcy? You do not know my sister, so how can you presume to know her heart?”

  He maintained a passive expression, seeming to have no response to her anger. “I heard the rather charming tale of how your mother tried to marry you off to Mr. Collins, and another time, she attempted to steer your sister Mary toward the new vicar in your village, going so far as to try to arrange for them to be compromised alone before you interceded.”

  Lizzy winced with shame. “That might be true.” She cleared her throat. “In fact, it was true. Unfortunately, Reverend Bowers had been a comforting presence to my mother upon Papa’s passing, and she thought it was a sound match. She was overzealous in her grief, and I stepped in to prevent any compromise from occurring.” She shrugged. “Jane is not my mother, nor am I. If she has an interest in Mr. Bingley, it is because she likes him as a person, not as a possible purse. You have underestimated her, sir.”

  He snorted. “I see little evidence of that.”

  “Perhaps you should open your eyes and look harder, Mr. Darcy. You have allowed your own prejudice to sway your actions and impressions.”

  He shook his head. “You are certainly one to call out another on pride and prejudices, Miss Bennet. You have done little to hide your dislike for me from the moment we met.”

  Her eyes widened. “Perhaps it was because you told Mr. Bingley the night of the reception to welcome guests aboard that it would be a long and tedious three weeks with nary a handsome woman among the group, and none of sparkling wit or conversational abilities. You were looking directly at me as you spoke the insult, Mr. Darcy.”

  He flinched, looking uneasy for the first time that she could recall, other than when he was in social situations. “You heard that? But how? I was across the room.”

  Lizzy managed a small smile. “We had a gardener with a deaf son when I was a child. Wesley and I were friends, so when his master came to Longbourn to teach him how to read lips, I participated in the lessons as well. It has proven to be a most useful skill, though I have occasionally overheard words no one should.”

  His expression softened slightly. “I apologize for that comment, Miss Bennet. I was out of sorts and feeling ill that evening. I confess, I am not much for sailing, and seasickness had gotten the better of me. Charles was encouraging me to mingle and get acquainted with my fellow passengers, but I literally had no stomach for it. I spoke harshly and out of turn, irritated with him far more than the caliber of any company that might be aboard.”

  She cocked her brow, still skeptical. “You hold yourself aloof from everyone, Mr. Darcy. Perhaps you regret expressing your opinion so vehemently where I was able to discern it, but I doubt it changes your assessment.”

  He shrugged a shoulder. “I suppose it does not matter. I am unlikely to change your opinion of me.”

  “Likewise, I am certain. I believe Mr. Bingley said once your good opinion is lost, it can never be regained. However, I do ask you to look upon my sister with new eyes and reconsider what judgments you have drawn against her. She is a kind woman, and she would be a good partner for Mr. Bingley if his affections are inclined in that direction.”

  He frowned. “Unfortunately, I suspect they are. If you will allow me to be blunt, Miss Bennet?”

  She steeled herself as she squared her shoulders. “Please do, Mr. Darcy. There is a time and place for polite dancing around words, and there is a time for dispensing with the mincing of them.”

  “Your sister has no connections. I have not yet met the rest of your family, but your mother sounds dreadfully embarrassing. Any man who tied himself to the Bennets would be a disadvantaged fool. Charles is in a good position, but he is still vulnerable to the whims of society, and his business is successful based on connections he forges. To marry someone like Miss Bennet, who is not an heiress or particularly socially accomplished, would be a mistake.”

  Her lips tightened, and she reminded herself she had invited him to be blunt with his version of the truth. “I cannot deny anything you have said, but I still entreat you to look beyond your perceptions to see how the two of them feel about each other. Perhaps my sister is not the best match from a pragmatic viewpoint, but if she makes Mr. Bingley happy and vice versa, should that not be enough?”

  He smirked. “What a naïve young woman you are. I know you did not grow up among the ton, so you likely do not understand full expectations, or just what social suicide it would be for a man of Mr. Bingley’s or my standing to take a bride such as you…your sister.”

  She frowned at the words. “It is most fortunate for you that no one is asking you to take a Bennet as a bride, Mr. Darcy. You must concede you can hardly dictate the direction of Mr. Bingley’s heart.”

  “No, indeed I cannot, or he would have already ended this unsuitable association with Miss Jane. I can do my best to sway him toward seeing sense and reason though, and to point out the young lady in question seems little more than a fortune hunter.”

  Lizzy was pushed beyond the bounds of endurance. Before she could think better of it, her hand snaked out and collided with Darcy’s cheek with a resounding slap. The sound would have been even harsher if she hadn’t been wearing a glove. “You go too far in your assertions, Mr. Darcy.”

  He grasped her wrist as she started to step back, pulling her closer. He glared down at her, and his chest was heaving just as hard as hers in his obvious anger. She stared up at him, rage clouding her vision, but there was a disconcerting irregularity in her pulse that couldn’t be purely from the surge of adrenaline. She couldn’t identify what was affecting her so strongly as his hand gradually loosened on her wrist, his thumb sliding underneath the cuff of her glove to touch the palm of her hand.

  Perhaps they would’ve stared at each other like that all night, locked in a stalemate. Lizzy thought there was an expectation, an air of something more to come, though she didn’t know what. She was most relieved when Jane’s voice broke the spell, calling out, “Lizzy, come at once. There are dolphins.”

  She jerked her hand away from Darcy’s hold and rushed to her sister, relieved to be away from him and whatever strange enchantment had stolen over her for a moment. The bloody nerve of the man, decrying her sister, and likely her as well, as fortune hunters. Her only regret was not slapping him harder.

  2

  Fitzwilliam was miserable, his stomach clenching and twisting as the ship listed back and forth on heavy waves. The storm had taken them by surprise, and the captain had immediately sent all the passengers belowdecks to their cabins. He looked across the room where Charles slept pe
acefully, seemingly unaware of how the ship was rocking, and the ill effects it had on his stomach.

  In an attempt to distract himself, and because his cheek still stung, he lifted a hand to touch the area where Miss Bennet had slapped him. He found himself chuckling at the memory, though there had been nothing funny about it at the time. He’d been just as angry as her, but now, as he looked back with the benefit of a few hours of perspective, he found some amusement in the incident.

  She’d looked so enraged, and her fine eyes, already pretty, had become captivating. For a woman, she had a firm right hook as well, though she’d not punched him. Her palm had connected with his face, and he was grateful she had worn a glove, because he would likely have a bruise rather than just some tenderness if she had not.

  It was a surprise to see that hint of passion in her, sparked by her mother bear instincts to protect her sister. Perhaps he had been too blunt with his opinion, but he couldn’t deny he’d wanted to generate just such a response. There was something invigorating about arguing with Miss Bennet. Though he was a man unaccustomed to anything but harmonious accord in his domestic relationships, he couldn’t deny he enjoyed trading barbs with her. It was almost like a form of foreplay.

  He froze at the thought, forcefully rejecting it. Miss Bennet was entirely unsuitable, no matter what physical response she might engender within him. He might want to bend her over the rail and kiss her senseless, but he was in control of himself enough not to do so. She was eminently unsuitable for a wife, but she was far too respectable to make a mistress.