P&P What-Ifs #2 - Impossible to Refuse
My publication page felt a bit too empty, so I’ve decided to start sharing some of the Pride and Prejudice variations I’ve already written. These are what if questions that could easily grow into full stories, and this one began with a simple thought:
What if Mr. Darcy, once back in London, couldn’t forget Elizabeth and decided she must become his wife?
But instead of waiting for her acceptance, what if he arrogantly took it for granted… and set about improving her circumstances to make her “worthy” of being Mrs. Darcy?
This story explores just that. Darcy’s love, his pride, and an offer to Mr. Bennet that turns out to be, quite literally, Impossible to Refuse.
Impossible to Refuse
Six weeks had passed since Darcy left Netherfield Park, yet as he stood at the window of his study, each falling snowflake summoned Elizabeth’s image, her impertinent smile, her voice cutting through the polite dullness of the ballroom. He had fled Hertfordshire to forget her, and yet here she was, haunting his home.
If his heart was already hers, what purpose could his pride possibly serve? The master of Pemberley was forced to admit he was in love with an impertinent country miss, no less.
Once he surrendered to his feelings, the path was clear: she must become his wife. Once he gave in to the madness of wanting her, the rest was just logistics.
Her lack of connections and fortune did not matter to him; he was wealthy and well-connected enough for them both. The problem was her family: her mother was vulgar and loud, and her younger sisters were not fit for polite society. With Longbourn entailed, the burden of their care might one day fall to him.
Was there a way to circumvent the entail? The property was destined for his aunt’s ridiculous parson, a man whose entire life revolved around Lady Catherine.
He recalled a modest estate in Kent left by his mother, less profitable than Longbourn, but conveniently near Rosings. Mr. Collins, he reasoned, could be persuaded to exchange his claim for proximity to Lady Catherine.
Resolved, Darcy wrote to his solicitor, who confirmed that the arrangement was legally feasible. A week later, the solicitor dispatched a carefully worded offer to Mr. Collins proposing the exchange of his future claim to Longbourn for a modest estate in Kent. The language was formal, the terms generous, and the appeal unmistakable: designed to flatter vanity, preserve appearances, and place Mr. Collins conveniently near his esteemed patroness.
At Hunsford Parsonage, Mr. Collins read the letter aloud three times, each time with increasing embellishment, until, overcome with emotion, he declared it “a most providential favor from above, surely directed by Her Ladyship’s invisible hand,” he exclaimed to his wife, “We are to become landowners far sooner than expected.”
Charlotte, ever the pragmatist, asked no questions. She merely folded the letter, set it aside, and agreed that yes, it was indeed a very fine piece of luck.
Mr. Collins responded with eager acceptance, replying by return post in a tone of near-religious gratitude. The necessary documents were signed within the fortnight, and the matter concluded with far less resistance than Darcy had anticipated.
Now, all that remained was to secure Mr. Bennet’s cooperation. Once secured, Elizabeth would be Longbourn’s heiress, a respectable inheritance for Darcy’s second or third son.
Two months after the Netherfield Ball, with everything arranged to his satisfaction, Darcy returned to Hertfordshire.
He went directly to Longbourn, deciding to speak with Mr. Bennet before making his proposal to Elizabeth.
“Mr. Darcy, I am very surprised to see you here,” said the older gentleman with his usual sardonic tone. “What can I do for you?”
“Mr. Bennet, I have come to request your permission to marry your daughter, Miss Elizabeth Bennet,” said Darcy.
Bennet looked at the young gentleman in astonishment. Had this gentleman not done little but find fault with Lizzy? Yet here he stood. With a glint in his eye, Mr. Bennet sat back, this promised to be diverting.
“I have struggled with this decision. My family expects me to make a brilliant match, yet your daughter has charmed me in such a way that I cannot imagine the future without her by my side,” explained Darcy. “With that in mind, I made the decision to improve her situation so that she may be more readily accepted within my circles.”
“Indeed? And how do you propose to improve my Lizzy’s circumstances?” Mr. Bennet asked, struggling to suppress his amusement at the young man’s arrogance.
“Here.” Darcy laid the documents on the desk with deliberate care.
The older gentleman began reading, his jovial smirk faded as the gravity of what Darcy was offering sank in. Lizzy, the heir to Longbourn? It was more than he had dared to ever hope. Longbourn could remain at the hands of his family, his wife and daughters would never have to fear for the future.
With all his concerns so neatly resolved, Bennet had only to sacrifice his Lizzy to the gentleman before him. Could he do it? The shame of having no choice weighed heavier than he cared to admit. But he would not dare refuse such an offer from Mr. Darcy.
“Mr. Darcy, this is an offer impossible for me to refuse,” said Bennet.
The problem would be in having Lizzy agree to accept the proposal. He had made many a jest at the expense of his family. But this... this was no laughing matter.
And how would he ever explain it to her?
Let me know your thoughts, would you like to see this expanded into a full-length variation? Drop a comment, I always enjoy hearing from you.
"He had fled Hertfordshire to forget her, and yet here she was, haunting his home" I really liked this line :)
Could you continue this story?