Free Goodly Creatures: A Pride and Prejudice Deviation by Beth Massey Page B

gifts. She was struck by the complicity of Mrs Darcy. What kind of people were they? They were as depraved as the French aristocracy. Neither cared whether they ruined her life or her sisters’ lives… and probably assumed when they were thrown out of their home and couldn’t afford to buy bread, they could always eat cake.
    She managed to leave the house with no one seeing her except the footman. She would walk home and never tell another living soul what had happened to her—and if she was lucky—never see anyone from this most despicable family again. Her most fervent wish at the moment was that when the Viscount read the end of Laclos’ story, he would feel fear. Elizabeth knew there was no young man who would ever avenge her, but maybe some other young woman would have a loved one who would kill him.

5 CAN I SEE ANOTHER’S WOE, AND NOT BE IN SORROW TOO?
    Mr Darcy was just arriving home when he saw a diminutive figure in a red cloak coming down the steps of his townhouse. There was mist in the air, and the tiny woman pulled the hood of her cloak over her head. It was the young woman from the theatre, but he could not remember her name. As she passed him, she seemed to be quite agitated. She kept mumbling to herself what sounded like, “beware the Ides of March". She did not acknowledge him, even though he was standing beside his carriage. She began walking away from the house, and he noticed her shoulders would slump and then straighten as though a war was going on in her body between despair and determination. He ran to catch up with her… he could not remember her surname but finally remembered her first name. “Miss Elizabeth, where are you going?”
    She did not look at him, but in a voice that was barely audible said, “Home”.
    “Is not a carriage coming to pick you up?”
    “No.”
    “Where is home?”
    “Cheapside.”
    “You plan to walk from here all the way to Cheapside?”
    “Yes.”
    “The wind is very blustery and it is beginning to rain.”
    “I have a cloak.”
    “But you are not wearing boots, only slippers.”
    “I am an excellent walker. I will be fine.”
    “Do you know the way?”
    “I have made the trip numerous times, and I remember most of the directions.”
    “Miss Elizabeth, it is dangerous for you to walk by yourself. Where are your aunt and uncle?”
    “My uncle is at his warehouse working, and my aunt had to stay home with baby Susan. Mr Darcy, please leave me alone. I do not want to talk… I just want to go home.”
    “Let me take you home in my carriage.”
    For the first time she looked at him and glared, “No.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because I do not want to…Why will you not leave me alone?”
    “You are too young to be out unaccompanied in London.”
    The young woman slumped once again and said in a profoundly defeated voice, “You are right, sir. I am too young and too silly. I should never have left Longbourn. But please, I want to be alone.”
    Mr Darcy followed behind the young woman who looked very much like Little Red Riding Hood. She was even carrying a basket. For a tiny thing, she could walk very fast. He caught up to her and asked once again, “Please let me take you in the carriage. I am very worried about you. At least let me walk with you.” He attempted to take her arm.
    Her response was loud and fearful, “Mr Darcy, do not touch me!” She paused and looked around to see whether she had drawn attention to them. She seemed to realize she must offer some explanation. “I am very dirty, and I fear I must reek.” She turned and looked at him. Her face seemed haunted and consumed with sadness… and perhaps a touch of madness. He could see tears pooling in her eyes, but there was some inner fortitude that stopped them from rolling down her cheeks. When he met her, she had seemed to have a joyful inner light that gleamed out through her eyes. It was gone.
    What did she mean she was dirty? She looked clean enough, but there was, indeed, a