Pride And Prejudice Fanfic - Tumblr Posts
A World In Lilac Hues, complete.
“I don’t think anyone would mind if you cried,” murmured Darcy in her ear. “As the maid of honour surely it’s traditional.”
No doubt it was, thought Elizabeth, and she fully intended to honour that tradition with a long and luxuriant bout of weeping. Later, when she was alone. Not here, amidst this crowd of onlookers, greedy for gossip fodder.
“And what of you,” she challenged, with an arch look reminiscent of the Elizabeth of old. “As best man will you be crying?”
“Certainly not,” he replied, stiff and haughty in that classic Darcy manner, which would fool her had she not learned to spot the glint in his eye. “As best man it is my duty to clap Bingley robustly on the back, steer him down the aisle, then shake his hand in a manly fashion once the deed is done and congratulate him on his newly acquired ball and chain.”
“And have you carried out those duties?”
“Impeccably.”
“Then I believe there’s only one thing still required of you.”
“Oh? And what is that?”
She grinned. “Don’t you have to dance with the maid of honour?”
“Ah, well.” He plucked the champagne flute from her fingers and deftly laid it on the tray of a passing waiter. Smooth, thought Elizabeth. Years of practice at posh dos, no doubt. “I suppose if I must I must.”
Darcy took her hand and led her onto the dance floor—a wooden platform set up in the centre of the garden, bordered by flower garlands and torches that would be lit come nightfall—where he twirled her into his arms and the first steps of a waltz.
The music was… not conducive to waltzing. Elizabeth laughed.
“Can you dance like a normal person?” she inquired.
“This is dancing like a normal person,” he retorted. “It’s you lot with your uncontrolled writhing and gyrating like maniacs that’s weird.”
“Someday, I will get you into a nightclub.”
“The day hell freezes over.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“Yes we will.”
They laughed together as he drew her closer and they danced in a manner completely inappropriate to the music, totally out of sync with everyone around them. Neither one cared. No one did, with the exception, perhaps, of Caroline Bingley, whom Elizabeth observed from the corner of her eye, watching them with a sour expression.
Darcy saw her too. “Caroline’s sussed us, I do believe,” he said. “She’s been asking me some rather pointed questions about you lately.”
“Well we did agree we’d have to tell people, now that we’re living together. Perhaps she’s the place to start. I don’t think Jane’s wedding is the ideal venue, but—”
“What if we didn’t.”
Elizabeth frowned, certain she’d misheard him. “What?”
“What if we didn’t tell them.” Darcy met her surprised look with an arch one of his own. “Or at least if we didn’t announce it like it’s some monumental thing. Jane and Bingley already know, and Gigi.”
“And Charlotte.”
“And Caroline suspects. What if we just… started doing things together, and let people draw their own conclusions.”
“Things,” repeated Elizabeth. “Things like, say, publicly waltzing to Uptown Funk?”
“Bloody hell, is that what this racket is called? But yes. Waltzing, for a start. Drop it into conversation with your parents that you’ve moved in with me.”
“Just all casual-like.”
“Exactly.”
Elizabeth considered this. “That’s diabolical,” she declared. “I love it. Mum’ll go mad.”
“I very much look forward to that entirely unprecedented occurrence,” said Darcy drily.
on AO3
(i can’t believe this is finished. i’ve been writing it for two years. it’s probably the best thing i’ve ever done. if you enjoy my writing and have any interest at all in Pride and Prejudice you should read it. i have been Emotional all day. this fic means a lot to me. thank you to all who’ve read it ❤️)