ext_15150 (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
malabud.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
crack_van2008-01-31 06:38 pm
malabud.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2008-01-31 06:38 pm
Entry tags:
Caroline's Courtship by Rita H. (PG)
Fandom: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Pairing: Caroline Bingley/George Wickham
Length: 25,000 words
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: The Derbyshire Writers' Guild
Why this must be read:
You are probably staring at the pairing in disbelief. Even an Austen slash pairing would be more believable than that! But, to my surprise, this story is rather fun, humorous, and yes, slightly even believable. True, George Wickham turns out to be not quite so awful as the book paints him, and true, his reformation is rather sudden, but such characterization concerns did not keep me from thoroughly enjoying this lighthearted story.
The premise is this: Caroline Bingley is quite depressed over the engagement of Jane Bennet to her brother, Mr. Darcy's refusal to interfere in said engagement, and the fact that Mr. Darcy is no nearer to proposing to her. (Obviously, some canon events have been changed around.) She tries to drown her sorrows in drink to no avail. Then to top everything, Darcy becomes engaged to the presumptuous Elizabeth Bennet. During all this, she meets Mr. Wickham at an assembly to celebrate her brother's engagement, and he persists in bothering her constantly. They form an unlikely friendship, and one thing leads to another.
To tell any more would spoil the story. Go read it and enjoy.
* * *
Of course, propriety dictated that she had to attend the first public ball held after her brother's engagement was announced. All the local riffraff were there - even the reclusive Mr. Bennet attended. It took only minutes for his wife to start crowing over the success of their eldest in securing the hand of such a worthy suitor. Caroline knew it would be a long evening; her only comfort was that Miss Eliza had left town the previous day to visit a friend for a few weeks, and that saved Caroline the trouble of being civil to someone she despised, or at least despised more than most.
As usually, the locals were oooing and ahhhing over Caroline's gown, jewelry, fan, and lace -- you'd think they had never seen anyone of quality before, but Caroline reminded herself, they probably hadn't. One of the officers, Mr. Wickham of all people, approached her for a dance. Caroline remembered that Mr. Wickham had done a disservice to Mr. Darcy in the past, although she had no idea what the incident involved -- she knew the man was not to be trusted. She tried to deflect the offer.
"Wouldn't you rather be dancing with Miss King? I believe the two of you have become quite close lately, Mr. Wickham," she said.
"Miss King is a charming young lady, Miss Bingley," he replied, "but she is not half the woman you are."
"You mean her worth is only half as much as mine, don't you Mr. Wickham?" Caroline quipped.
The man didn't even take offence at her implication that he was a fortune hunter, he merely gave a slight nod of assent. The fact that she knew what he was about didn't seem to bother him in the least. He repeated his request for the dance and Caroline saw no polite way to refuse him.
Caroline's Courtship
There is also an unfinished and, alas, apparently abandoned sequel entitled A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Bath.
Pairing: Caroline Bingley/George Wickham
Length: 25,000 words
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: The Derbyshire Writers' Guild
Why this must be read:
You are probably staring at the pairing in disbelief. Even an Austen slash pairing would be more believable than that! But, to my surprise, this story is rather fun, humorous, and yes, slightly even believable. True, George Wickham turns out to be not quite so awful as the book paints him, and true, his reformation is rather sudden, but such characterization concerns did not keep me from thoroughly enjoying this lighthearted story.
The premise is this: Caroline Bingley is quite depressed over the engagement of Jane Bennet to her brother, Mr. Darcy's refusal to interfere in said engagement, and the fact that Mr. Darcy is no nearer to proposing to her. (Obviously, some canon events have been changed around.) She tries to drown her sorrows in drink to no avail. Then to top everything, Darcy becomes engaged to the presumptuous Elizabeth Bennet. During all this, she meets Mr. Wickham at an assembly to celebrate her brother's engagement, and he persists in bothering her constantly. They form an unlikely friendship, and one thing leads to another.
To tell any more would spoil the story. Go read it and enjoy.
* * *
Of course, propriety dictated that she had to attend the first public ball held after her brother's engagement was announced. All the local riffraff were there - even the reclusive Mr. Bennet attended. It took only minutes for his wife to start crowing over the success of their eldest in securing the hand of such a worthy suitor. Caroline knew it would be a long evening; her only comfort was that Miss Eliza had left town the previous day to visit a friend for a few weeks, and that saved Caroline the trouble of being civil to someone she despised, or at least despised more than most.
As usually, the locals were oooing and ahhhing over Caroline's gown, jewelry, fan, and lace -- you'd think they had never seen anyone of quality before, but Caroline reminded herself, they probably hadn't. One of the officers, Mr. Wickham of all people, approached her for a dance. Caroline remembered that Mr. Wickham had done a disservice to Mr. Darcy in the past, although she had no idea what the incident involved -- she knew the man was not to be trusted. She tried to deflect the offer.
"Wouldn't you rather be dancing with Miss King? I believe the two of you have become quite close lately, Mr. Wickham," she said.
"Miss King is a charming young lady, Miss Bingley," he replied, "but she is not half the woman you are."
"You mean her worth is only half as much as mine, don't you Mr. Wickham?" Caroline quipped.
The man didn't even take offence at her implication that he was a fortune hunter, he merely gave a slight nod of assent. The fact that she knew what he was about didn't seem to bother him in the least. He repeated his request for the dance and Caroline saw no polite way to refuse him.
Caroline's Courtship
There is also an unfinished and, alas, apparently abandoned sequel entitled A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Bath.