Prologue to Love: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

And what if their love had indeed a prologue five years before their well-known meeting? Just before she turns sixteen, Elizabeth first encounters Darcy, along with his sister and some Fitzwilliam family members. They cross paths while she is accompanying the Gardiners to the theatre. A minor incident during this encounter reveals Darcy’s strong character and Elizabeth’s courage, leaving a lasting impression on them both. This chance meeting becomes Elizabeth’s most cherished secret treasure, and she shapes her model of the ideal gentleman around Darcy. In turn, Darcy vividly remembers the intelligent and vivacious young lady, feeling intense emotions whenever he thinks of her. However, when they meet again in Hertfordshire five years later, the man Elizabeth encounters bears little resemblance to the friendly gentleman from that distant night, and Darcy discovers the precious gem from his past in an insignificant town, living with a family he instantly despises. Darcy’s conceited demeanour and apparent disdain for the local assembly make him everything Elizabeth loathes—a man filled with deep prejudice and unnecessary pride. At the same time, Elizabeth’s family and circumstances make Darcy resolve to forget her forever. Yet, their lives seemed punctuated by incidents that occur when they are in each other’s presence. Even though she rejects his marriage proposal in Kent, a dramatic circumstance brings them together again, compelling them to realise that happiness can only be achieved together.