The Corrupt Plan Read online

  The Corrupt Plan

  By

  Linda Blanchette

  Text Copyright@2015 Linda Blanchette

  All Rights Reserved

  Dedication:

  To my parents, the first people who believed that I could accomplish anything

  Acknowledgement

  A special thanks to Maria, Kathryn, Nina, Beth, Richard, and Danielle for all their help. Without their generosity, support and hard work, this book would not have been published.

  Thank you to the sites of Meryton AHA, Darcy and Lizzy, Bloom and Quill, and Austen Underground for the opportunity of posting my stories.

  Thank you to the wonderful members of the Jaff World. Your support and comments have been precious to me.

  To Jane Austen for creating characters that we know and love.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  The summer before Bingley leases Netherfield

  It was a beautiful day as Elizabeth stood in front of Pemberley observing the beauty around her. The stately house overlooked a pond, and had so many windows that Elizabeth wondered how many months it took to clean them all. They all shined as if they had been washed yesterday. She glanced around to the flowers, pathways, and trees that surrounded the front of the house. All were beautifully maintained, and only enhanced the majesty of the house. She could not decide what she liked better, the house or the surrounding nature. Elizabeth was in awe as she turned around in glee. It was obvious that the property owner took great pride in his estate.

  Elizabeth, who was traveling with her aunt and uncle, Madeline and Edward Gardiner, had not planned to visit Pemberley estate. Aunt Madeline had heard that the master was to return at any time. Not wanting to intrude, they had decided to skip the visit of the estate. Elizabeth’s mind changed, however, after hearing her aunt embellish the glory of the estate, causing her to dream of it all. Upon awakening, she decided, she simply needed to see the estate for herself, and persuaded her aunt and uncle to visit the estate. Not wanting to disappoint their favorite niece, they had inquired if the master had indeed returned. Receiving the answer that he would only return in a few days, a tour was quickly arranged.

  Elizabeth and the Gardiners excitedly headed towards the estate. Mrs. Gardiner had only toured the estate once before as a child, and was thrilled to see the estate again. Elizabeth wanted to see if it was as majestic as the one in her dreams. As they gradually ascended for half a mile, they found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye instantly caught sight of Pemberley, on the opposite side of a valley. It was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills. In front, a stream gently cascaded into a large pond. Its banks were neither formal, nor falsely adorned. The three stared in awe at the view before them.

  Elizabeth and her relatives smiled at each other as they descended from their carriage. Elizabeth stood taking it all in, the estate was better than she could ever have dreamed. It was a sight to behold. It was as if the house had been standing amongst the trees for centuries. She had never seen a place where nature and stone structure met in complete harmony. As Elizabeth meandered throughout the estate, she was delighted. Walking past the front of the estate, she looked at every flower, every water feature, and every garden. Her aunt had not exaggerated. This was indeed a beautiful place.

  Waiting for their tour to begin, Elizabeth found herself separated from her party. Deep in thought, she had followed a path on the side of the house that led away from it. As she strolled enjoying her surroundings, she soon realized that she had gotten too far from the house, and turned back. Before she went too far, she heard a noise which sounded like water splashing to her right. Curious to what it was, she walked a few feet to find a pond, and a man coming out of the water. Surprised with maiden sensibilities, Elizabeth gasped. She knew that she should not look, but she could not help herself. The man’s back was turned to her, but she could see that he was tall, athletically built with short black hair that was plastered to his head. His white shirt glued to his body, giving Elizabeth an eye full of his broad shoulders and back. Before she had a chance to admire more of his physique, the man turned, and they both gasped in unison at the other standing there.

  “Who are you?” he asked angrily, embarrassed that he was caught in such a condition.

  Elizabeth blushed furiously, and could not respond for a minute. Finally finding her voice, she answered harshly. “Who are you, and why are you here?” She asked in a accusing tone of voice.

  “I asked you first,” he said, surprised that she would question him and that she did not know who he was.

  “I am taking a tour with my aunt and uncle.”

  The man glanced around and replied, “I do not see them.” He smirked wryly.

  Mortified at being caught venturing away from her relatives and in the presence of a man who was indecently dressed, Elizabeth answered quickly, “They are closer to the house.”

  “Are you not a bit away from them then?”

  She knew that he was correct in his assessment, but she was not going to let him get the better of her. When she saw his smirk, she could not help herself.

  “You should comment.” Elizabeth retorted. “Are you not alone yourself? Perhaps a bit separated from your friends.”

  He was enjoying this. She was trying very hard to act as if their situation was not bothering her. It was obvious that she did not realize who he was. Testing her, he said. “If you are visiting, you must be a friend of the master. I have heard that he is an arrogant, prideful, stoic man.”

  “I thought…” she started to say, interrupting herself. Then with an odd look, asked, “You do not know the master?”

  The man did not answer, which Elizabeth took as a “no.”

  Indignant that the owner must deal with trespassers, she criticized. “Sir, you should not be on this property. You have no right to use this pond without the owner’s permission.”

  Darcy was stunned that she thought he was an intruder, but he could resist her eyes that sparkled as she fought with him. Darcy was so enchanted that he could not stop himself from baiting her. “Why not? He has plenty to spare. He probably does not care for his estate at all. Many of these wealthy men do not.”

  Elizabeth huffed, “That is not true. I am sure that he works hard for his estate. It is clear in every aspect, as there is nothing pretentious or fake about this property. Furthermore, as we drove up, I noticed that all of the tenants’ homes were well maintained. Not to mention, the townspeople speak glowingly about Pemberley’s master.”

  This woman, who did not know him, knew more of what he stood for, than many people who had known him for years. Darcy could not help but smile and comment. “Thank you. I am glad that you like the property.”

  She regarded him strangely. She was trying to interpret his odd comment when she glanced down, noticed his atti
re, and realized that she should not be alone with a man so indecently attired. She quickly curtsied, and murmured. “We should not be here. I am sorry to have troubled you.” She walked away, leaving Darcy perplexed.

  As Darcy began to walk towards his home, he could not get the slight, young, outspoken woman out of his mind. He had never met a woman like her. One who spoke her mind with such passion and conviction. Unlike many of the women he had met over the years, she was willing to reprimand him. However, even when she criticized him, there was softness in her manner. Before he could change his mind, he raced back to the house. He entered by way of the servants’ entrance, and then headed to his bedroom suite.

  Elizabeth ran a few feet away, and then stepped behind a tree. She needed to regain her composure. All she could think of was how wonderful the man looked. He is probably a vagrant that I will not see again, she thought as she remembered how his wet clothes clung to his body, showing off his muscles perfectly. “You must stop thinking about him, it is most improper,” she admonished herself. She took a deep breath and quickly made her way to the front door where she found her aunt and uncle who had begun to worry. After assuring her aunt that she was well and had only gotten a tad lost, they headed into the house for the tour.

  Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper began their tour and soon the trio found Mrs. Reynolds sweet and knowledgeable. She had known the master for three and twenty years since he was four, and it was clear that she held a great affection for the man. “He is the sweetest, most generous-hearted boy in the world, now every fortune hunter wants a piece of him, including the Bingleys.” She covered her mouth with her hand as she glanced at the guests’ faces. “Oh, I am sorry. I misspoke. Please forgive me.”

  It was Elizabeth’s uncle who spoke. “Do not worry. It speaks well of the man when his staff cares about him as you obviously do.”

  Mrs. Reynolds smiled and nodded. “Thank you. I should not have spoken out of turn about the master’s friends especially considering that they will be here in a few days with the master.”

  Elizabeth thought about the man in the woods. Mrs. Reynolds certainly has a different opinion than the man in the woods. He is probably one of those friends who clearly overstep his friendships, she thought, still trying to determine his identity.

  Regaining her composure after her faux-pas, Mrs. Reynolds continued the tour. As they entered a room, there was a large glass case filled with miniatures. Elizabeth glanced at them all until she came upon one in which she swore was the man she met at the pond. Elizabeth gasped.

  Her aunt heard the sound, and asked, “Are you well?”

  “Yes, it is just that I think I have seen this man before.” She elaborated as she pointed to Darcy’s miniature.

  Mrs. Reynolds, curious to whom she was referring, peeked into the case. “Do you mean this one, madam?”

  “Yes, that is the one.”

  “Oh miss, that is the master, Mr. Darcy. Do you know him?”

  Elizabeth blushed as she envisioned Darcy in his wet shirt. “I am sorry. No, I do not know him. He looks like someone I met before.” She finished saying as she began to look around them.

  “Elizabeth, are you ill? You seem flushed.”

  “I am well, but we must leave quickly.”

  Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner exchanged looks, but did not comment.

  Mrs. Reynolds said. “There are only a few rooms left on the tour. Would you like to see them?”

  Elizabeth nodded reluctantly, knowing that she would have much to explain if she stopped their tour now. As they moved from room to room, Elizabeth kept glancing around, expecting to see him at every turn. She could not get Darcy out of her mind, and she was beginning to lag behind.

  Entering the portrait gallery, Elizabeth slowly looked at the portraits of ancestors that hung in the room. As she came around to the last one, she was indeed gazing at a wall-sized portrayal of Darcy. She stared at it, wondering what he thought of her, a foolish young woman who did not even know that he was the master. Elizabeth covered her face in embarrassment. She had even tried to throw him off his own property. How humiliating. She was glad to finish this tour as she did not want to see him again.

  “Come along, Lizzy.” Her aunt called her, “You do not want to be left behind,” as she left the room with Elizabeth’s uncle and Mrs. Reynolds.

  “I will be right there.” Elizabeth called out as she turned back to Darcy’s portrait, and whispered, “You should have told me. What you must think of me.”

  After bathing and refreshing, Darcy headed downstairs in hopes of finding Mrs. Reynolds. That was what he was telling himself. Although, he knew that Mrs. Reynolds was giving the tour to that girl named… He realized he could not remember her name, because he had not introduced himself.

  As he eagerly roamed about his home, he heard voices coming from the portrait room. By now she must have seen his likeness; which meant he no longer had any anonymity. He headed in that direction to see his housekeeper, and a couple coming out of the room. Where was the girl? He wondered anxiously when he heard her talking.

  After scolding Darcy’s portrait, she turned to leave the room only to see him standing at the door. Mortified of what he must think of her, she tried to pass him. Without understanding why, he knew that he wanted this girl’s good opinion.

  Before she had a chance to leave the room, he stopped her and offered. “Please, you must understand that it was refreshing to have a conversation where my companion does not estimate my net worth or want something from me.”

  Elizabeth slowly turned towards him and quietly said. “You must think I am a simpleton for not knowing who you were.”

  “No, I do not. Believe me, I did not think anything of the sort. There are few who want nothing from me.”

  After grasping what he had first said, she asked, “You must have a friend in your life who does not desire anything from you?”

  Darcy thought for a moment, and asked, “As in a friend, who only wants to share in my joys and fears?”

  Elizabeth nodded.

  “Then no. I do not have such friends.” he sadly observed.

  Elizabeth thought of Mrs. Reynolds’ remarks, thinking how sad it was for a man to be only valued for his property and money. Elizabeth stated, “I must apologize for being so harsh to you.”

  Darcy chuckled, “You mean when you tried to throw me off my own property?”

  Elizabeth blushed, nodded, and looked away.

  “Do not be uneasy. I enjoyed your honesty. You expected the best from the estate and its occupants. I cannot fault you for that.”

  “Sir, I believe that you are being too generous.”

  “Nonsense, but perhaps you could repay my kindness.” Darcy said as he moved closer to her so that he was almost able to whisper to her.

  Elizabeth glanced away. When she looked back, Darcy was staring at her.

  “How?” She asked in a small voice, wondering what the man wanted. Somehow she knew that he would not hurt her.

  “By telling me your name. It is only fair since you now know mine.”

  Elizabeth smiled. He wants to know my name, she thought excitedly. “It is Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

  Elizabeth, he thought to himself before saying out loud, “Miss Bennet, it is a pleasure to have you in my home.” Knowing that her relatives would be coming back soon wondering where she was, he added, “Perhaps I could help Mrs. Reynolds with the rest of the tour, that is if you would not mind my being on my property.”

  Elizabeth flushed as she laughed. “Of course, Mr. Darcy, it would be an honor.”

  As they left the room to rejoin the others, Darcy could only think of the beautiful, petite woman next to him who radiated such joy.

  ***

  The day following Elizabeth’s visit, Bingley and his sister, Caroline, arrived late in the afternoon. Bingley had been Darcy’s friend for a long time. Always a jovial man until recently, Bingley had turned quite disagreeable. Darcy knew something was bothering Bingley, but wa
s unable to get him to discuss it, and did not know what to make of the change. He knew that Caroline was difficult to handle, and wondered if she was the problem. Caroline was everything that he despised in a woman of the Ton. She was spiteful, and concerned only for his estate, not him. Darcy was getting tired of Caroline’s insinuations and suggestions. He was always able to ignore her wish of becoming the next mistress of Pemberley, but lately her brother and his sister, Georgiana had subtly been sending the same message. Marry Caroline.

  The group had not been together for a long time due to the arrival time of the Bingleys, but when they finally retired, Darcy was at wit’s end. He could not stand it anymore. He only wanted to think of Elizabeth, and yet with the assistance of Georgiana, the Bingleys were making it clear whom he should marry. Needing time to unwind and think of a way to discourage Bingley and Caroline’s aspirations, Darcy secluded himself in his study, leaving instructions that he was not to be disturbed.

  He sat in his favorite chair, grabbing the book that had become his companion. He fingered the lettering on its cover, before gingerly opening the tome which contained the words of his mother. As she lay dying, she had written a memoir and booklet of advice. She hoped that it would assist him in the years that would follow. Whenever he felt that he needed a few words of wisdom or affirmation, he would open it. It gave him great comfort. He opened the tome to find the passage that he knew was somewhere in the volume.

  When you find the right woman to marry, you will know. Your heart will quietly inform you that this is the one. Listen to your heart, my son, but be sure that she is worthy of the title, Mistress of Pemberley.

  He thought of Caroline, and shuddered. He understood exactly what his mother was saying about being worthy. Marry someone with connections and wealth such as his parents had done or had his mother meant something else? He wondered. He thought back to the previous day when Miss Bennet defended him to his face. Elizabeth is protective of our home and land, mother, he whispered. He loved the look of passion on her face as she expounded his greatest ideals.