by J Dawn King
“Cousin! That is enough!” Darcy, too, rose and stepped towards them, his voice stern. “Miss Bennet is correct. It is only the four of us who are aware she wrote the letter. I have it here in my pocket.” He removed it and, walking to the fireplace, tossed it in. They all watched as it curled and shriveled in the flames. “There, it is no longer a consideration. The problem is our own.”
Richard hoped he could regain the upper hand. It would be an extraordinary marriage if he could get past the next few minutes.
“Miss Bennet, could you identify the messenger if you saw him again?”
“Most certainly I could, Colonel. I’ve known Jimmy almost all of my life,” she said in a huff. Then it hit her. There was someone other than the four of them who knew about the letter. Someone who was as much a common sight in Meryton as she was. She gulped down her humiliation.
“Well now, Miss Elizabeth. It looks like you have a choice.” Richard tried his hardest not to grin. He had taken a chance that the express rider was from Elizabeth’s home area. Most messengers were based out of one spot, but rode wherever they were needed. “You could marry the most ridiculous man in England, your cousin, Mr. Collins. Or, you could marry mine, the finest man I know. Because, dear lady, marriage is your fate and none other.”
Elizabeth spun back to Mr. Darcy, her hands wrapped protectively around her waist. She had to give the colonel his due. He had backed her into a corner that she could not find her way out of. She looked at the misery in Darcy’s face and knew that the idea of marrying a stranger was as repugnant to him as it was to her. Elizabeth waited, hoping he would chime in with an idea which would rescue them from this predicament. Darcy only looked back at her in silence. Then he looked to Richard.
“Darcy?” Richard recognized the instant his cousin made his decision.
“Miss Bennet,” Darcy spoke directly to the woman, as if ignoring the presence of the others in the room. His bearing and the firmness of his voice indicated his full belief in the correctness of his opinion. “In seeking to help my sister, you have been placed in the untenable position of having your reputation threatened. If there was anything else that I could offer you to repair any possible damage done, I would. However, all of us in this room well knows the position society takes when there has been an exchange of a private letter between two individuals who are so wholly unconnected. The consequences would be most severe. Therefore, it would do no service to your family nor to mine to leave this matter undone. I do not believe there is any other choice.”
Elizabeth recognized the conviction in his voice. She also witnessed a sadness in his eyes that touched her heart. Whether it was from the idea of marrying her or the actions of his young sister, she could not know. Since they were cousins to the colonel, it made Mr. and Miss Darcy the grandchildren of an earl. They held a position in society far above hers. It must be distasteful to him to be attached to a woman so far below his sphere. Yet, what was done was done.
Elizabeth glanced back at Richard and then dropped her head. Resignation filled her followed by determination. She refused to be intimidated. She raised her head and looked the colonel directly in the eye. “Then let us go to Longbourn. My father will be in his study.”
Richard saw before him the Mistress of Pemberley. She would be a fierce woman for his cousin to have at his side. It took all his effort not to jump in the air and click his heels. He was supremely confident that Darcy and Miss Bennet would thank him later.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Letter?” Mr. Bennet examined the faces of the four apprehensive individuals standing in front of him. He stared at first one then the other. Their arrival at Longbourn by hired hack from Meryton had been a surprise to Mr. Bennet. Their explanations were even more so. “That is a paltry excuse.”
Richard was, at first, affronted at the insolence of the man. And, then he was nervous. He saw his plan crumbling like the ancient stone wall at his father’s rundown estate in Ireland. He feared that very estate might be his final destination if his father ever heard about his role in today’s activities.
Mr. Bennet pointed at Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana and yelled. “Out!”
Richard saw clearly which parent Miss Elizabeth Bennet resembled. The same pointed finger. The same tone of voice. He took the hand of his trembling young cousin and left Darcy and Elizabeth to their fate; one in which he no longer had a directing part.
As soon as the door closed behind the two cousins, Mr. Bennet kindly asked Darcy and Elizabeth to take a seat in front of the desk he sat behind.
“Mr. Darcy, I regret causing any upset to your sister as I believe that, while she may have had a contributing portion of today’s activities, it is the colonel who bears the lion’s share of the blame.” Mr. Bennet loved his Lizzy more than the four other girls in his household. He loved her resourcefulness, her ability to think things through, and he loved that she was humble enough to make amends quickly once she had been proven wrong. He had not done well by his daughters, and the current situation at Longbourn was a result of that negligence.
Darcy did not reply. He was beginning to see the benefits of being connected to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Beyond a shadow of a doubt his wealth, stature, status, and name had not impressed her. For him, that was a first. Since he reached his majority and entered the marriage mart, there had not been one unmarried lady he had been introduced to who had not fawned over him and advertised her accomplishments, in an attempt to attract his attention. To have a woman who strongly held her own opinions – heavens! To be in the same room with a woman who even had an opinion other than his own, was virtually miraculous! Darcy had noticed the interaction Miss Elizabeth had with Georgiana. This was exactly what his sister needed, a woman of sense and duty. He also had not failed to notice the fire she emitted when she stood up to Richard. Darcy knew the colonel’s reputation. Men feared him. However, this slip of a woman did not. And her eyes! What man could help not wanting to drown himself in the depths of those chocolatey pools? Darcy shook his head. Not him.
On the other hand, it was disconcerting to know that she appeared to not find one thing attractive about him. Her connections to trade, her lack of dowry, and the vulgarity of her mother and younger sisters had all been determined in the first few minutes of acquaintance with her family. These things, while they would be degrading to him, paled in the face of the potential for ruin if he did not take this course. Georgiana’s actions had sealed his future. He only wished that Miss Elizabeth and her father were more cooperative.
There was not one woman of the ton who would not be a source of misery for him to be connected to in marriage. To have a woman of courage and valor as a lifetime companion appealed to him.
“Let us get to the bottom of this, Mr. Darcy, Lizzy.” Mr. Bennet leaned forward in his seat and rested his elbows on his desk. “Lizzy, did Jimmy see you write the letter.”
“He did not.”
“Did you make arrangements with him personally to deliver the letter to Mr. Darcy?”
“I did not.”
A faint glimmer of hope threatened to flare to life in Elizabeth’s heart. There still might be a way to remove herself from this.
“And did you put the letter into Jimmy’s hand so that he might connect you with its contents?”
At this, Elizabeth looked down, crushed. Her answer came out a mumble. “I did not expect it to be him. Jimmy was on his return to Meryton and had stopped to see if there was work to be had at the coaching inn. I admit that I was relieved that it was a rider that I could trust. I’m sorry, Papa.”
Mr. Bennet had not needed to hear the answer. Guilt was written in his daughter’s countenance. However, her words confirmed his suspicions. He spoke softly. “Elizabeth, you know Jimmy’s propensity to gossip. I would imagine he has already told the tale from Meryton to London and back. He’s not malicious, you know that. Jimmy is just fast on his horse and fast with his mouth.”
“Is there any way he can be worked on, Papa?” Elizabeth kept her eyes foc
used on her tightly fisted hands resting on her lap.
“You know that there is not, Lizzy.” Mr. Bennet sighed. He looked carefully at the man in front of him. Was he deserving of Lizzy? Most likely not! Was he more deserving than Mr. Collins? Most likely he was. Never had Mr. Bennet felt like such a failure. However, it was not his nature to dwell long on his errors.
“Mr. Bennet, when is Mr. Collins to arrive?” Darcy had not seen evidence of the clergyman’s presence since they had arrived at Longbourn. Mrs. Bennet and her daughters had been upstairs preparing themselves for dinner. By the time Longbourn’s mistress had been made aware of the arrival of two single men, she had hurried her flock of females down to the entrance hall only to see their backs as they went down the hall to the study. Her voice followed them.
“Now, girls, do not worry that Lizzy will interest either one of them. She is destined for Mr. Collins. The handsome one with the lovely frock coat will do for Jane. Lydia can have the officer and they can both put you, Mary, and you, Kitty, in the way of other rich men.” The tone was shrill and the words offensive. This was Miss Elizabeth’s mother?
Mr. Bennet knew that Lizzy had been embarrassed by her mother’s comments. It was another area that Mr. Bennet had not taken charge of and it was unlikely that he would do so now. Elizabeth’s father determined that he would not make sport of the situation, though his inclination was to do so.
“Mr. Collins arrives in two days and has determined to stay at Longbourn for a fortnight.”
“Mr. Bennet. Miss Elizabeth. I find myself torn by what needs done both to preserve my family name and to satisfy the constraints placed upon me by society. You must know that it will be a degradation to attach the Bennet name to the Darcys. Since birth, I have been raised to know my position in society. It was always assumed that my wife would come from the same sphere. My aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, has long considered me engaged to her only child, Anne. So, there will be an uproar inside my household and outside in the ton at my marriage.” He heard Elizabeth’s sharp intake of breath. Darcy abhorred disguise and unwisely assumed that admitting his feelings as he saw matters was beneficial, under the circumstances. He did not take his eyes off Mr. Bennet so did not see how Elizabeth reacted to his words. “It is for the protection of my household that I am resigned to proceed with this marriage and for this reason only. My sister’s future must be secured.”
Elizabeth looked at the man beside her in wonderment. As a gentleman, he would have received the finest education available at either Oxford or Cambridge. As a gentleman, he would have cut his teeth on decorum and good manners. As a gentleman, he was obligated to treat those in the lower classes with tolerance, not derision. Yet, this man had insulted those dearest to Elizabeth and she would not stand for it. Before Mr. Bennet could summon a reply, Elizabeth rose from her seat and turned to glare at the man before her, hands tightly fisted at her side.
“Since birth, Mr. Darcy, I have been raised to show Christian kindness to those not of my station. From my cradle, I have been taught to hold my tongue rather than spew forth words that cause insult and pain, such as you have just done.” Elizabeth could feel the heat radiating from her heart to her brain. Mr. Darcy continued to refuse to look at her and that served to increase her ardor. “My ill judgment in sending you a note to warn you of the actions of your sister pales in comparison to her agreeing to elope with the son of one of your father’s servants. My sin was born of compassion for a young girl who was suffering the consequences of her own foolish decision. Think, Mr. Darcy.” At her clipped demand, he finally raised his eyes to her. “Had I not contacted you, where would Miss Darcy be now?”
When she saw the man shudder and drop his head, Elizabeth knew her barbs had hit home.
“Mr. Darcy, you seem to be under the impression that I want to marry. The simple fact is that I have no desire to marry for any reason other than the deepest love. I do not love you nor do you love me. There is no respect. There is no admiration. There is only circumstance that demands me to align myself to you— and this I do most unwillingly.”
Darcy stood and faced her. While it registered inside him that the fire shooting out of her eyes added to their magnificence, it was her words and reasoning that were at the forefront. “Miss Bennet, you have said enough.”
His tone was firm, yet not cruel.
“You are correct, Miss Bennet, that the error is not your own.” It pained him to admit his sister’s fault in the matter. “I believe it is safe to say that this is a situation that neither of us wanted. If I have failed to show my appreciation for your kindness in acting to protect Georgiana, I am sorry. Had Wickham accomplished his goal, his revenge against me would have been complete and the devastation to my sister would have been for her lifetime.”
Darcy’s heart ached and, at the thought of Georgiana becoming Mrs. Wickham, he felt closer to tears than he ever had since his father’s death. He adored Georgiana. She was his last link to his beloved mother, as Georgiana was much like her in appearance and temperament.
Earlier, he had allowed Richard to take charge, not because he could or would not, but because Darcy’s father had entrusted Richard with equal authority over Georgiana. Now, it was time to show Miss Bennet that he was Master of Pemberley and more.
“Miss Bennet, you are correct, I do not love you.” It was a bold statement made with little feeling. When she started to interrupt, he put his right hand in the air, palm facing her. “However, please let me say that I am not averse to being joined to you in matrimony. My words, that you deemed so offensive, were said to explain the response that notice of our wedding will bring to those in my circle. My primary reaction has been and will always be the protection of my family. You will receive that same protection as my wife, Miss Bennet.”
“Furthermore, as a single man in possession of a large fortune, I have been the target of both mothers and daughters who have made every possible attempt to entrap me into an undesired marriage. The comments made by your own mother, which she uttered on our way down the hallway, were not uncommon.” He saw the color fade from Elizabeth’s cheeks at this. “To find a woman of gentle birth who has not seen my properties and my banking account as their first priority is such a rare occurrence that it gives me hope that our future may not be bleak.”
He paused to see how she would respond. It pleased him to see her eyes slightly soften as she took in all he had to say to that point. “Miss Bennet, while you had resolved not to marry until you found the deepest love, I had resolved not to marry until I found my intellectual equal. Someone I could share every aspect of my life with. Someone who would kindly and compassionately assume the role of Mistress of Pemberley. A woman who would see to the advancement of those under our authority. It is my hope that I have found that someone in you.” His voice had softened to a whisper as he finished.
Elizabeth was speechless.
Mr. Bennet smiled to himself as he observed the couple. As a longtime student of character, he easily recognized that his Lizzy had met her match. This man was just as intelligent and hard-headed as his second daughter. Yet, they both resonated with goodness. Shaking his head slightly, he wondered how Lizzy would answer Mr. Darcy. Yet, he knew this conversation from here on needed privacy. With the events of the day in mind, his resolve was to allow them that privacy for a few minutes only.
Neither Darcy nor Elizabeth noticed the click of the latch as Mr. Bennet closed his study door.
CHAPTER SIX
Colonel Fitzwilliam was appalled at the conduct of Miss Elizabeth’s two younger sisters. At one point, he almost sought refuge behind his cousin, Georgiana, only stepping out from behind her when he realized how cowardly his actions were. He had always thought of his coat as a protection. Now, it served to draw Kitty and Lydia like mosquitoes he wanted to swat.
Georgiana had not helped his situation at all. When Mrs. Bennet asked if he was a second son, he nodded an affirmative while Georgiana innocently replied, “of an Earl.” The effus
ions were immediate and the attention of Mrs. Bennet and her younger daughters intensified. Might Miss Elizabeth Bennet be adopted?
Apparently, there was another daughter who was not in residence. What he gleaned from Mrs. Bennet’s comments was that the eldest was extraordinarily beautiful and was considered far too good a “catch” — Mrs. Bennet’s own words — for the heir to Longbourn. Miss Jane Bennet had been transported earlier that day to the relatives in London that Elizabeth had just left, so she would not be in the path of temptation by the ridiculous Mr. Collins.
It also did not take long for Richard to perceive that Elizabeth was her mother’s least favorite daughter. Snide comments about Elizabeth’s lack of looks, her wit, and her suitability of being Mr. Collin’s wife frequented the conversation. It was all Richard could do not to jump in and defend his future cousin for the brave woman she had proven to be.
Richard easily admitted to himself that Miss Elizabeth Bennet was a superior woman — far superior to her mother and younger sisters in the drawing room. Elizabeth’s calmness with Georgiana was admirable. Her standing up to him and to Darcy was outstanding. However, those qualities were not what he looked for in a potential wife. Richard required a woman of wealth as the second son lived off only what he could earn. And, he would look for a wife who was submissive. Richard would be lord and master of his home. Which, most likely, was why he was almost thirty years of age and still unattached.
