A Compromised Christmas: A Pride and Prejudice Holiday Variation

By Belle Reeves

Lydia's fate was changed thanks to the intervention of a mysterious benefactor… but when Elizabeth learns the gentleman's identity, she cannot help but wonder if she has made a terrible mistake in her judgment of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. 

 

But when she is finally able to put aside her pride and thank him for his assistance, she is confronted with the realization that Mr. Darcy's thoughts and wishes may have turned toward a young woman who has been approved by Lady Catherine de Bourgh and who possesses all of the accomplishments and recommendations that Elizabeth does not. 

 

Will Elizabeth be able to accept such a thing and remain in Hertfordshire with her broken heart, or will she have to take matters into her own hands to achieve her goals? Is her unexpected love for Fitzwilliam Darcy worth the possibility that it will all be for naught? 

 

"A Compromised Christmas" is a sweet and clean Pride and Prejudice Holiday variation that can be enjoyed by all lovers of Jane Austen's timeless classic. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Flowers Press
• Release date: Dec 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215875438

Book preview

One

Elizabeth

It was difficult to believe that Lydia’s plight had been corrected with such expedience. In the shortest span of time possible, my mother had transformed from a woman distraught over her youngest daughter’s undeniable ruin to a mother who was thrilled to have her youngest child married.

Even though she had not been able to exercise any of her influence over the ceremony, my mother was in high spirits, and was loudly disappointed that she could not have anything to do with the engagement. But she had, instead, decided instead to focus on the reality of the situation—while forgetting the ruinous beginnings of such a happy union. 

A happy union, I muttered. 

Do not mutter into your tea, my mother snapped. Lady Lucas will be far less forgiving than I if you forget your manners in polite company.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Lady Lucas did not care about such things. My mother cared about such things, but only so far as whether or not it impacted what people thought of us.

The whole business of Lydia's disappearance had sent her into a spiral of panic when she realized what implications it might have for the, admittedly minimal, status of our poor family.

Charlotte’s mother was fond of gossip, and I knew that my mother worried endlessly about what had been said during her seclusion while Lydia was missing.

Now that we were not treading on the knife-edge of scandal, my mother's focus could return to what was most important—something that I dreaded. The fact that one daughter was married ahead of schedule only brought into the focus the inescapable fact that neither Jane, nor I, were engaged. 

Jane, at least, was very likely to be engaged to Mr. Bingley within a few short days. Even Papa had hinted at it over supper one night. 

Is Lady Lucas coming to tea? Jane’s question distracted our mother from any further judgements and I breathed a small sigh of relief.

She had sent word, Mrs. Bennet said noncommittally.

I have an invitation to Netherfield Park, Jane said, but I will send a reply that I am not able to attend if she is coming.

Oh, no, our mother cried. You must do everything in your power to remain under Mr. Bingley’s eye. Our position is still quite precarious, Jane! If you are to secure a proposal, it is vitally important to bring Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst to your aid. They shall give their brother all of the encouragement that is required to make your engagement possible!

My mother's voice was shrill and I winced as I sipped my tea. She was not incorrect in her assessment—we were still in a precarious position. There had been gossip when Mr. Bingley and his horrid sisters had departed Hertfordshire so close to Christmastide the year before, and now that he had returned, I could not blame my mother for fearing that they might take flight again and leave Jane without an engagement yet again... how could one family bear so much insult?

It did not help matters that I recalled all too well how eager Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst had been to convince their brother that Jane had no affection for him whatsoever.

I could not bring myself to reveal the truth of it to Jane, and since their return to Hertfordshire, the other women seemed content to pretend that they had played no part in driving the couple apart.

To say that I despised them would be generous, indeed. They did not have to see my sweet sister's pain... My discovery had been a shocking betrayal made even worse by the fact that I could say nothing about it unless I wished to break my sister's heart all the more, but I could offer my silent support when Jane asked me to accompany her to Netherfield Park.

I took some petty comfort in knowing that they had been brought back to Hertfordshire against their will, and that they would be miserable all through the Christmas season.  

As though she could hear my thoughts, my mother shifted in her chair and pointed her fan at me  in a meaningful fashion that sent a chill up my spine. Lizzy, you will, of course, go to Netherfield Park with Jane.

I opened my mouth to reply that I had intended to do precisely that, but Mrs. Bennet snapped her fan open and cut off anything I might have been about to say. 

"If Mr. Bingley will make a proposal to Jane, then I daresay that Mr. Darcy