Chapter One – The redoubtable Alice Hill

The worldly-wise housekeeper of Longbourn Manor

"Wait one if you please, Miss Lizzie," a familiar voice halted Elizabeth Bennet and she tried not to groan in frustration.

The persistent rain of the past few days had continued into the early-morning and prevented Lizzie's beloved early-morning jaunt for the third time. It had also kept visitors and potential suitors away, so Mrs. Bennet, Lizzie's mother had been particularly loud and vociferous in her complaints. Worse still for Lizzie in particular was that Mr. Collins, her odious and odoriferous cousin, was in the house.

When Mr. Bennet had first informed his wife that his cousin, the heir presumptive to Longbourn, was soon to arrive, she had been near apoplexy. But when she learned that the man wished to heal the rift between their two families through a marriage to one of her daughters, the man had suddenly transformed into a favorite. Naturally he fixed his intent on Jane first, as the eldest and most beautiful. Just as naturally, Mrs. Bennet steered his attentions toward her least-favorite daughter Lizzie. Since then he had shadowed poor lizzie like a pestilent storm cloud. It had been bad enough when she could escape for a private walk. It had been much worse during this last week of torrential rain.

Now the sky was clear, her tormentor's were both napping and Lizzy longed for nothing but freedom! It was only her deep love and appreciation for the homely housekeeper which kept her tongue from being sharp as she responded, "Mrs. Hill, surely this could wait? I need to go before others awake and demand my attention."

Mrs. Hill knew exactly who the "others" were, so she proposed a solution, "Then let us walk together toward Meryton. I need to buy a few items and you need to hear my words."

As strange as such a statement might sound to the ears of an outsider, Elizabeth Bennet took no offense. Alice Hill was much more than just the Longbourn housekeeper to her and her sisters, most especially to Lizzie. Before the birth of her second daughter, Mrs. Bennet had merely been a silly woman. After Elizabeth's birth, a dark cloud had descended on the woman. She became at times depressed, at times angry, and at times dangerous to herself and others.

In a century and a half this postpartum condition would have a name. Even at the time it was not completely unknown, but it did not make the results any different. Life at Longbourn became much more than uncomfortable, even frightening at times, but nobody suspected how bad it might get. One day Mr. Bennet was riding back from visiting a tenant when he saw his wife carrying his newest child out into a field that bordered on the river. Something about her manner alarmed him and he quickly caught up with her, demanding her purpose. When she behaved in a guilty manner and could not explain, he took possession of little baby Lizzie and escorted his family home.

Mr. Bennet considered his options. His own family was all gone, his own dear mother having passed soon after little Jane's first birthday. His brother-in-law, Edward Gardiner, was as yet unmarried and travelling the world in search of new goods for his growing import business. The other family option, Mrs. Phillips, was his wife's sister, just as silly, and prone to submit to her sister's whims. The pair were as close as peas in a pod, so placing his daughters in that woman's care would not ensure her safety. He found his solution in Alice Hill.

Mrs. Hill was only a maid at the time, but she had received a sound education at the hands of her mother, a former governess. Her new husband was Mr. Bennet's valet. The young woman was already being trained to take over for the aging Longbourn housekeeper. She was kind and responsible and had already been taking care of his children without being asked. Decision made, Mr. Bennet had the dower cottage refreshed and then moved the Hills in, along with his infant Elizabeth. It was another ten months before Frances Bennet stabilized and Mr. Bennet finally felt safe bringing his daughter back to Longbourn. Several new realities had been set in motion during the intervening time: First, Mr. Bennet had known that his wife was a silly, shallow woman, but her beauty and vivaciousness had overshadowed any negative up until then. His eyes were open now and, sadly, their marriage would never be the same. Second, Mrs. Frances Bennet recovered and felt normal again, but she would never look upon her second daughter in the same way as her first or those that followed. She was also aware of her husband's distance and she blamed that also on this child. Third and most important to this tale, Elizabeth Bennet and Alice Hill had bonded in a manner far deeper than simply child and caretaker.

That bond remained throughout the intervening years, though its reality and strength was always concealed from the mistress of Longbourn. It was Mrs. Hill who taught Lizzie to read even before her older sister. It was she who taught her to love the outdoors and long walks. It was she who taught Lizzie and Mary the rudiments of the piano forte. And it was she who taught Lizzie to look at the world from more than one perspective, an attitude which had helped the girl to make sound judgments so many times in the past. So when Alice Hill expressed the desire to speak privately with the second Bennet daughter, Lizzie naturally complied...

And on this day she would find the subject of their conversation to be quite uncomfortable.

"Miss Lizzie, we need to speak about two men."

Elizabeth laughed and took her beloved Alice's arm as soon as the road turned and took them past the possibility of prying Longbourn eyes, "Very well then, My Alice..." this was how little Lizzie had always secretly thought of the woman, "Let us speak of men. Please tell me that you do not intend to usurp my mother's role as matchmaker?"

"Hush Lizzie-girl," Alice scolded affectionately, "And please hear me out. What have I always told you about how one can discover a man's true character?"

Elizabeth had a ready answer, "By how that man treats those beneath him."

"That is right. So now I want to tell you the story of two men. As you know, servants have their own way of discovering things... and hide that smile... yes they gossip. But sometimes they choose not to gossip because they wish to protect the ones they serve and respect."

"Just as the Bennets know that you can always be trusted to protect our silly family secrets?"

"Just so... but sometimes, under certain circumstances, a servant will pass on important information to other servants he or she may trust which might prevent harm."

Elizabeth was serious now. Once before Alice Hill had enlisted her help to prevent a match between a visiting baronet and Jane Bennet after learning that the seemingly innocuous man was actually nothing of the sort. When Mrs. Hill took on such a tone, Elizabeth knew that it was time to listen. "You have my full attention, My Alice."

"This is the story of two men, both very handsome but opposites in every other way. One seems arrogant and rude. The other seems to be all that is good." Hill did not need to look at her Lizzie's face to know that the young lady knew exactly which two men were being discussed, but thankfully the girl remained silent and continued to listen.

"The first came into our neighborhood and behaved in such a proud and arrogant manner that he immediately offended everyone. Worse, he managed to insult the best and brightest young lady in the whole county..."

Elizabeth laughed, "Now you're using hyperbole, My Alice. We both know that Jane is all of that and I don't even run a close second."

Alice Hill did not agree, but she chose to continue, "The second came into the neighborhood and did all that he could to please everyone... and he flattered the vanity of that same young lady. Then he told a story that painted the other gentleman as the worst sort of scoundrel and she eagerly believed every word."

The younger lady tensed, feeling certain that she was not going to be pleased to hear what was coming. More importantly, Hill's use of the terms "flattered" and "vanity" put her own perspective in a new and uncomfortable light. "Go on."

"You told me about the two men and, to be honest, I was ready to see everything through your eyes. How dare any man insult my dearest Lizzie?" She received a loving look from her younger companion. "But then certain behaviors by both men made me re-think my ideas."

Elizabeth tensed, but only prompted, "Behaviors?"

"Miss Lizzie, you know that I have always believed that the gentry do their daughters a wrong by hiding the truths of the world from them. How can a girl protect herself if she does not know the truth about the behaviors of men?"

Nodding, Elizabeth agreed, "I have always valued that Alice. You have helped me to see people as they truly are. It has helped me to protect my sisters at times."

"Well then, now it is time for you to protect yourself. So please listen. Your Lieutenant Wickham is the worst sort of man. He regularly visits Mrs. Sally and her girls, but then many of the soldiers do. But he does not content himself with that. He has seduced several of the shop girls and a daughter of the gentry... I will spare you the names though I fear that the young lady's situation may very soon be known and she will be ruined, along with her family. That was still not enough for him though..." She took a long breath before continuing, "Young Phoebe Bogs did not offer herself up willingly, so he took what he wanted without her consent."

Elizabeth released her dear friend's arm and began to pace in shock and anger. The Bogs were Longbourn tenants. Fourteen year-old Phoebe had only recently taken a maid position with the Longs. She was a pretty, shy, and unassuming child. "How...? Why... why is he still walking freely? Why hasn't the constable put him in irons?"

Alice shook her head, "You know why, dear girl. If the Bogs accuse him, poor Phoebe's name will be dragged through the mud along with her family's. If your own mother hears, she will insist that the entire Bogs family is dishonored and must be cast out."

"But... but it isn't her fault!"

"And when has that mattered. Men dishonor women and girls all of the time and it is the gentler sex that is ruined. The society women who should be the first to rally to their sex instead are the first to denigrate them and even celebrate their downfall. That is how men like Wickham are able to continue doing whatever they wish."

Elizabeth stilled and her rage descended into mortification, "He seemed to be such a good man..."

"Let us move away from him for now and speak of the other gentleman."

Elizabeth flinched, "Must we?"

"Yes Dear, we must. Like everyone else, I was prepared to despise your Mr. Darcy forever after he insulted you."

"He is most certainly not my Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth corrected, then lapsed into silence when the greatest mother-figure in her life gave her a stern look.

"When dear Jane became sick and then you also became a resident of Netherfield, I was concerned. So I began to ask questions of the servants there. Did you know that Mr. Darcy is the only resident there who knows ever servant by name? Or that there is not one of them but speaks well of him. He is most certainly above them, but polite and kind to each and every one, unlike that Miss Bingley... terrible woman. Did you know that when several of the servants became ill recently, he was the one who insisted on giving them rest? He caught Miss Bingley in the middle of yelling at that poor dear Jenny Baker and intervened after seeing her condition." Hill scoffed, "And of course Miss Bingley was all sweetness after that.

"He had Mrs. Johnson, the housekeeper look into it and found that four had the sickness. That Bingley woman wanted to cast them out, but he had them sent to their rooms and even sent for Mr. Jones to check on them. Later Mr. Bingley became involved, but until then Mr. Darcy paid for everything."

Alice raised an eyebrow at her psuedo-daughter and waited for a response. Elizabeth found herself struggling against every desire to find some sinister explanation for the man's acts of kindness. Finally she conceded, "I did notice how well he acted towards the Netherfield servants."

The older woman had a strong suspicion, but chose not to address it yet, "At the same time as I began inquiries locally, I also sought out information elsewhere." At Elizabeth's own raised eyebrow, she added, "Did you forget that your Aunt Madeline hails from Derbyshire? You probably did not realize that her childhood town of Lambton is only five miles from Mr. Darcy's estate?" At Elizabeth's surprised look, Alice added, "Two of your aunt's servants also hail from there, her having brought them with her into her marriage. They have both maintained their contacts back home..."

Alice hesitated before continuing, "Lizzie-girl, the information I am about to share comes to me through a servant at Mr. Darcy's estate. He would not be pleased to know that it was known, much less shared. But when that person learned that the inquiry came from the housekeeper in a home with five beautiful young ladies, that trusted servant chose to quietly pass it on to another who she knew well and trusted completely. I will not reveal names. Only know that there are some of us who keep communications open to protect, not to gossip."

Only after Elizabeth nodded firmly did Alice continue, "Mr. Darcy came into this neighborhood in a foul disposition only after having left his dear fifteen year old sister in the protection of a trusted aunt and uncle..." Elizabeth's sharp mind quickly surmised the rest and she gasped. Alice Hill quickly added, "There was no compromise, but there was almost an elopement."

"Wickham?" Elizabeth practically growled.

Alice nodded.

"Oh, that poor girl. How could I have been so easily fooled? I, who pride myself on being such a good judge of character!?"

Alice smiled sadly and arrested the younger girl's pacing with a gentle hand, "I believe that I know the answer to that, but I suspect that you will not like it."

Elizabeth took both of Mrs. Hill's hands in hers and said, "Tell me? How have I been so blind?"

"Because the perfect man for you, the first man you have ever felt such a strong attraction for, insulted you and refused to dance with you."

Elizabeth immediately dropped Alice's hands and laughed bitterly, "Impossible! I assure you that he considers me tolerable and beneath his notice! He only looks at me to find fault!"

"Lizzie, I was not speaking of his interest in you... though we will address that next. I am speaking of your interest in him."

"My Alice, allow me to state unequivocally that I have no interest in that arrogant, insufferable man."

"Miss Lizzy, I have always spoken the plain truth to you, have I not?"

Reluctantly, Elizabeth nodded.

"Then allow me to state that you are lying to nobody but yourself." When Elizabeth's beautiful eyes flared, Hill stopped any rejoinder with a pointed look, "You have been insulted many times. You own mother, your younger sisters, your jealous rivals, and even one or two single gentlemen. Miss Bingley has never ceased to insult you since her arrival. And have you ever reacted so strongly to any of them? Have you held onto the resentment with such fierce tenacity that you cannot even see their good sides?"

Elizabeth thought on this and finally, very reluctantly, conceded the point.

"Very well then. My mother, who was a governess and a very learned woman, once told me that the opposite of love is not hate."

"It isn't?"

"No Dear. The opposite of love is indifference. If you have no feelings for another person, then you can be indifferent to their actions and attitudes toward you. Love and hate, however, she explained, are two sides of the same coin. To truly hate someone, you have to feel something for them."

Elizabeth pondered this and then she pondered Mr. Darcy. She sighed, "I suppose that your mother was right. That insufferable man does occupy too many of my thoughts. In fact, I cannot seem to expel him from them. But what does it truly matter, My Alice? He sees nothing good in me. He only looks at me to find fault."

Alice reached out and caressed her dear child's cheek, "Oh, child, you are the only person in all of Meryton except for your foolish mother and younger sisters who still believes that. In fact, Mrs. Johnson claims that she would swoon if a handsome man like Mr. Darcy ever looked at her the way that Mr. Darcy looks at you. And that is the consensus among many in the area."

Elizabeth felt both alarmed and thrilled, "But... surely... are you certain?"

"Hettie Johnson is an observant and wise woman, Lizzie. What she told me is that Mr. Darcy speaks often, though with few words, when among his friends, but he becomes positively tongue-tied around you and only you. Except for when the two of you argued over some book or other when you were staying there. Then his spine straightened, his eyes shone, and he became quite chatty."

Elizabeth snorted, a habit she despised in her younger sisters. "So he likes to argue? What does that prove?"

"No Dear, he likes to debate with you. Just as your father does. Lizzie-girl, do you know of any other men who take the time to appreciate your rather brilliant mind?"

Elizabeth suddenly found herself suddenly remembering those "debates" through a new perspective. Once again she was arguing some point with the tall, ridiculously handsome man. But now instead of disdain, she was seeing respect and even admiration in those dark, intense eyes. For just a moment she was thrilled, but just as soon as she allowed herself to finally acknowledge a deep attraction to the man, cruel reality stepped in. With unbidden tears in her eyes, Elizabeth quietly whispered, "What difference does it make, Dear Alice? He will never choose me."

Alice Hill wrapped the smaller young woman into her loving arms as Elizabeth allowed months of pent-up emotions to release. "There, there, girl. You can never know what time will do."

oOo

In her private little office, Hettie Johnson read the short letter from her dear friend Alice Hill. After carefully locking the note away, she sat and pondered. Then, resolved, she rose.

When Fitzwilliam Darcy rode Hector back into the Netherfield yard and turned the stallion over to a groom, he found Mrs. Johnson waiting for him just outside of the stables. "Good Morning, Mrs. Johnson. Is there anything you need of me?"

"Yes, Sir. I wish to speak to you about Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

What followed was a long and serious discussion. Mr. Darcy was at first offended by a servant's interference in his personal affairs, but Mrs. Johnson wisely called upon his chivalry to keep him talking. By mentioning that both Mr. Wickham and Mr. Collins had theirs sights set on the poor dear girl, she played on both his affectionate concern and his jealousy. She followed that by relating a little of Elizabeth's childhood and bemoaning the fact that Mrs. Bennet would not hesitate to throw the poor girl at the worst of men.

She left him with one thought, "Mr. Darcy, I know it is not my place to say, but you can search your Ton for the rest of your life and you will never again find another young woman who is so intelligent, so loyal, and so kind as that dear girl. Maybe there are many as pretty or prettier, but none her true equal."

Internally, Mr. Darcy's only reply to this was there is nobody as beautiful as my Elizabeth. Not one. But he did not speak his thoughts aloud. Instead he nodded and wandered off away from Netherfield to think.

oOo

On the following night, after a humiliating half hour of having her toes stomped on by a clumsy Mr. Collins, Elizabeth stood trying to recover while talking with her dearest friend Charlotte Lucas. When Mr. Darcy approached, she felt the man even before she saw him and a delicious shiver passed through her. Her shining emerald eyes were captured by his dark brown eyes as he softly asked, "Miss Elizabeth, might I have the honor of your second set?"

She could only nod.

Before those two dances were over, Mr. Darcy had requested and secured her supper set, shocking everyone in the ball room and exciting much speculation. Before dinner was over, Mr. Darcy requested and secured permission to speak with her privately in the morning.

Mr. Collins was oblivious to the undercurrent of the evening. Mrs. Bennet was thankfully too busy proclaiming Jane Bennet's success to take notice. Just as thankfully, Mrs. Johnson was not. Long before the Bennet carriage departed Netherfield, a servant had been dispatched with a quick note for Mrs. Hill. That worthy woman had a special drink ready for both the mistress of the house and their guest when they arrived home. Just for good measure, this drink was also shared with the youngest Bennet daughters. They all slept well past the noon hour, blissfully ignorant of the world around them.

At daybreak a tall young man was pacing Longbourn's little park, his practiced declarations steaming the chill morning air. Once again thankfully, his well-intended but unintentionally insulting words were completely lost when his beautiful Elizabeth stepped into the clearing and allowed the love in her heart to shine from her stunning eyes.

Somehow the dignified Mr. Darcy managed to stammer out the words "I ardently admire and love you" before he skipped all of his lines of prepared dialogue and went right to "will you marry me?"

oOo

It was well over a year later that Elizabeth managed to tease Fitzwilliam Darcy's entire prepared speech out of him. He reluctantly and very apologetically gave in and waited with great trepidation for her response.

It was not long in coming. Elizabeth giggled, "Oh Dear, that would have been an unfortunate speech indeed. I am so glad that you skipped right to the end."

"So you forgive my arrogance?"

Considering that they were lying together in bed, relaxing while Darcy caressed his wife's very prominent belly, large with their first child. Elizabeth could only smile. "We, neither of us, would do well to enumerate our behaviors and attitudes of that time, My Love. In fact, had it not been for dear Alice and Mrs. Johnson, I hate to contemplate what we would have made of our feelings. There is nothing to forgive." She moved over and kissed her handsome husband. He reciprocated with growing fervor. We will leave them to themselves for anything that followed.

oOo

When Mr. Bennet passed away twelve years later, Mrs. Bennet was removed into the dower house that had been long prepared and even expanded for her benefit, despite her endless prognostications concerning hedgerows.

Mr. and Mrs. Hill saw her installed, but did not follow her. Nor did they remain at Longbourn to serve the somewhat improved Mr. Collins and his wife Mary. Instead they packed their belonging and waited for the wagon to load them on. Then they cheerfully boarded the large and well-sprung crested carriage that would convey them all of the way to Derbyshire and finally Pemberley. The still ridiculously handsome master and even more beautiful mistress of that estate, along with six children greeted them with honor on the front drive. Then, after much hugging, visiting, and dining, the entire family paraded down the drive toward the delightful cottage and garden that had been prepared just for them.

The Hills remained in their cottage for the remainder of their days, which, for Alice, spanned almost three decades. Her passing was mourned with as much true feeling as was ever felt for any Darcy family member then or since.

The widow Mrs. Johnson, upon her retirement from serving Mr. and Mrs. Bingley, settled comfortably in a home she had been gifted in Ramsgate. She was occasionally visited by both the Bingleys and the Darcys and she maintained a correspondence with Alice Hill for the remainder of her life.

Working together, Elizabeth Bennet and her fiance had begun the process of sending Lieutenant Wickham to debtors prison. Unfortunately or fortunately, he was found face-down in a ditch before they were successful. If Jeremiah Bogs, the father of little Phoebe, happened to be seen walking around with swollen and bloody knuckles shortly thereafter, nobody deigned to take notice. In his defense, Jeremiah found a good match for his sweet daughter (with a little help from a certain tall gentleman) and always treated her first child with as much love and respect as those which followed.

Author's Challenge: Just for fun, I thought I might challenge other FF writer's to contribute their own ideas to this concept. Let us call it the "Not so silent challenge." How could the timely intervention of a servant or servants have altered the lives of our P&P characters. This does not need to strictly adhere to the original. If you have a story idea in mind where the servants might intervene, then please contribute.