by Tiffany Ward
“Well William, we canceled our plans after receiving Georgie’s note. She wrote that we were needed here urgently. I assume this is important. Please tell us what we need to know.” Uncle Henry, Lord Matlock requested as he greeted his nephew.
“Is there a reason that you have invited additional guests for this family dinner cousin?” Jonathon Fitzwilliam, Viscount Newbury was staring at Elizabeth as if she did not belong. “If this as important as we believe, shouldn’t we remove visitors from this discussion?”
Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam was intrigued by the petite lady coming down the stairs with Georgiana. He could tell that both of his cousins had feelings for this woman, but why was she staying with Darcy in his home? What had happened in Meryton? Would his family support Darcy? He needed information before making any decisions that would affect his ward. “Why don’t we allow William to present his reasons for calling us here in his own time. I trust him to hold our family information sacred.”
After everyone had a drink, Darcy introduced Elizabeth to his family. “I wanted all of you to come tonight so you could meet my intended. Miss Elizabeth Bennet and I will be marrying next week at Pemberley. If you are available to attend, we would appreciate your support.” Darcy took Elizabeth’s hand and kissed it in front of his family. He wanted to demonstrate his devotion to his betrothed.
Aunt Adelaide raised her eyebrow, then spoke. “While I would love to welcome you to the family, I need more information before I can honestly accept you as a member of our family. Darcy, when you left town, I was worried about Miss Bingley compromising you. Now you have returned, announced a betrothal, and immediate wedding to a woman that you have only recently met. Please explain how these events occurred.”
“I will explain everything. Understand that Elizabeth was a victim in this; she is completely innocent.” Darcy paused to take a drink and squeeze Elizabeth’s hand. “Georgiana met Elizabeth when she was visiting tenants at Netherfield with Miss Bingley. Elizabeth’s father is a gentleman who owns the estate that borders Netherfield. She has been checking on the tenants for the absent owners for several years. Georgiana was impressed with her creativity, and she invited Elizabeth for tea later that week.”
Georgiana interrupted her brother to clarify the facts. “Caroline invited Elizabeth and her sister Miss Bennet for tea two days later at my request. Caroline was extremely rude to Elizabeth at the time.”
“Elizabeth has some unique and inciteful ideas on helping tenants that impressed Georgiana, so she asked that I be available for tea. Georgie wanted to implement some of these changes at Pemberley. I met Elizabeth and asked her about some of the ways that she helped tenants who were sick or hurt. She explained her ideas and the reasons behind them. I was enthralled with her methods. Caroline was upset that I was paying attention to Elizabeth while ignoring her. That is why she acted rudely.” Darcy continued to explain about meeting Elizabeth in the bookstore, asking her to help Georgiana, and dancing at the assembly.
“At the assembly, William danced with me twice. He also danced with my friends whom I introduced to him. He did not dance at all with Miss Bingley.” Elizabeth had tears rolling down her face freely. She was not attempting to hide the hurt that she experienced. “To punish me for gaining William’s attention, Caroline spoke to the matrons who were feuding with my mother.” Elizabeth paled, stood up and left the room quickly. Darcy followed, knowing that Elizabeth could not take any more hurt. She stopped at the nearest chamber pot. When her stomach was empty, Darcy helped her stand. “I am sorry; I can’t talk about today any longer.” Darcy held her until she could stand on her own.
“Why don’t you go to the library? I will send Georgie to you. I will come and collect both of you when dinner is ready.” Kissing her brow, “I understand that today’s events were traumatic for you. Remember that I love you. This will turn out to be a good thing.”
Darcy escorted Lizzy to the library, then returned to his family. Georgie left her family to sit with Elizabeth at her brother’s request. “Lizzy, all will be well. They will understand that Caroline started this and that you are innocent.” Georgie took Elizabeth’s hands. “Trust William. He will work to make everything right. My brother loves you dearly. I noticed his esteem for you after our tea. He could not take his eyes off of you during our visit to the bookstore. William loves you. My brother always protects the people he loves. Now, let us get you upstairs to refresh and clean your teeth, then we will come back and wait for William to collect us for dinner.”
Darcy returned to the sitting room. “Well, that was dramatic. Please tell us why Miss Elizabeth was so upset.” Uncle Henry curious, he noticed how supportive his niece and nephew were to the stranger. It was obvious that they both cared for the woman.
Taking a deep breath, William told his family about the cause of Elizabeth’s downfall. “Caroline told the matrons of Meryton that she and I were engaged. Caroline informed the ladies that Elizabeth was aware of our engagement. She claimed that Elizabeth was a homewrecker, attempting to break the betrothal. Neither one of us heard the rumors until this morning. Elizabeth’s aunt arrived at her home before sunrise this morning. She threw the allegations in Elizabeth’s face as she was pulled out of bed and physically assaulted. Elizabeth’s parents kicked her out of her home. Elizabeth had nowhere to go, so she walked to the top of her favorite place, where she spends her mornings to think. I had found out about her favorite spot, and I was waiting for her.” Darcy filled his glass with whiskey, then drank it all. It was hard remembering the state his intended arrived that morning. “She was distraught, barely able to walk without stumbling. I asked her if her family was all right. She slapped me and accused me of being a rake.”
Richard interrupted the comment. “You a rake?” Richard could not stop laughing at this comment. His father cuffed his arm to get him to quit; they needed to focus on the facts, not entertainment.
Jonathon was shocked, “She actually slapped you? She called you a rake?”
“Please let me finish, and then you can ask questions. Elizabeth collapsed, I had to help her to Netherfield. She was completely distressed.” Darcy sighed and continued reliving the horror of the day. “The sad part is that I wanted to ask for her hand this morning with the sunrise. This was supposed to be a wonderful day, and Caroline Bingley destroyed Elizabeth’s family and her reputation.”
“You really do love her then?” Aunt Adeline watched William as he looked into her eyes and confirmed his feelings for Elizabeth. “If you truly love her, we will support both of you through this. We will also destroy the Bingleys if they try to ruin her publicly.”
“Yes, I love her. I will protect her.” Darcy shared the following information to ensure his family knew that Elizabeth was not a fortune hunter. “She has had her world destroyed due to a jealous woman, yet her concern was not about her future, but about potentially ruining Georgie or myself. When I convinced her that this would not affect Georgie, she agreed to marry me. We decided to plan the wedding at Pemberley as soon as the special license is available. Will any of you be able to attend the wedding?”
“Tonight, both Elizabeth and Georgiana will move to Matlock House immediately. We cannot allow any other issues to harm Elizabeth's reputation at this time. Richard and Jonathon will stay here to keep you entertained. Besides, it will take at least three days to get a special license. The earliest that you can get the license is on Thursday. I will take both of your ladies shopping on Bond Street for the next three days. Her trousseau will not be ready by that time, but it can be sent to Pemberley when the dresses are finished.” Lady Matlock planned to keep the family safe from gossip while ensuring Darcy married on his schedule. She took charge of the arrangements. “Does Georgie have a dress that can be altered for Elizabeth to use as a wedding gown? If not, we can look through your mother’s gowns and mine for something appropriate for the ceremony. We need to get my seamstress to begin altering the dress immediately. William, we will do everything we can to suppo
rt you.”
“I believe that it is time to gather my ladies. We need to discuss these plans with Elizabeth and Georgie.” Darcy wanted Elizabeth to see that his family was supportive of their marriage. These people would be her family soon; this was something that he could give her that Caroline had taken away.
Chapter Ten: Netherfield Owners Revealed
Richard followed Darcy to the library. He escorted Georgie to the dining room, allowing Darcy a few moments alone with Elizabeth. “Darling, do you feel well enough for dinner? We need to discuss some plans for our wedding.” William kneeled in front of Elizabeth, taking her hands into his. Kissing her cheek, and looking into her eyes.
“Do they hate me?” Leaning forward, Lizzy hugged her betrothed, trying to gain some comfort from William. “Do they blame me?” Elizbeth was crying quietly as she asked the question.
“No, they only blame Caroline. They know that I love you. I want to marry only you Lizzy. You and I will have a happy life together. We need to be strong for the next few days, then all of this will eventually pass.” Darcy began drying her tears with his handkerchief. “Please know that my family has agreed to support us. They love Georgie and me; they will learn to love you as well.” Darcy leaned in and kissed Elizabeth for the first time. She leaned into him further, needing the comfort of his embrace. Darcy deepened the kiss, cupping her face gently. “Are you ready?” With Lizzy’s agreement, they joined his family for dinner.
Lady Matlock approached as they entered the room. Gathering Elizabeth into her embrace, she proclaimed, “Welcome to the family my dear. I know that today has been a terrible shock; you will survive and be stronger for it. We will go on the offensive tomorrow. You, Georgie and I will take on the ton, demonstrating that our family supports you unconditionally. We will state that you are engaged to Darcy; we will imply that it has been a long-term engagement. We will not give any specific information.” Releasing Elizabeth, to lean back and look at her new niece. “Tonight, you and Georgie will come home with us. You cannot stay with Darcy; he is an unmarried man. There will be enough rumors surrounding your speedy wedding, and we do not need anymore. It will take three days for the special license to be prepared. Once he has the license, you can decide to leave for Pemberley, or we can have the wedding in our parlor.”
“Thank you, Lady Matlock. I appreciate your support. I am sorry that I broke down earlier; my courage usually rises when I face challenges. I believe that I am still in shock. Last night I went to bed with a family, this morning I was assaulted and thrown out of my home due to no fault of my own, or I should say for reasons created by another.” Shaking her head, she refocused on the present. “I will follow your lead. I will be strong. I will be a Darcy soon.” Lizzy smiled at her intended and her future family.
“Let us eat and focus on some happy thoughts for a while; then we can discuss the particulars after dinner.” Uncle Henry declared as he looked at his sons. “You will have the full support of the Fitzwilliam family. You have relatives here in town, should they be contacted to determine if they want to be part of our plans? What if the owners of Netherfield, should we let them know that you are no longer attending their tenants?”
“Yes, I can write letters tonight so that they can be delivered in the morning. This will allow my relatives to know that I am safe. They may not want to be involved with me, and if they shun me, I hope they do it in a letter. The owners of Netherfield may visit to find the truth of the situation. I believe that they will support me.” Elizabeth paused, worried that this might cause problems with William’s family. “Can a footman deliver my letters tomorrow?”
“I will assign one of my footmen to deliver the letters when you are ready. Who are the owners of Netherfield? No one has stated who they are. Can they help quell the gossip in Meryton?” Darcy was curious; he had noticed Lizzy’s concern. “Why is the information so well guarded?”
“Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, is the true owner of Netherfield.” Darcy’s family all turned toward Lizzy in shock. “His daughter Princess Victoria has been my best friend since we were seven. If they agree to support me, the rumors will be ended immediately.”
“You know our royal family? You are close friends with Princess Victoria?” Uncle Henry was in shock. “Why did you not say anything earlier?”
“They have asked for years to be treated as normal citizens while in residence at Meryton. Their titles are not used unless they specifically require it. Few of the citizens of Meryton know their true identities. It is a deeply held secret, the only other members of my family who know are my father and my sister Jane. If I send a note to them, this will either end all issues with my family’s ruin, or I will have to leave England permanently. What do you suggest I do?” Lizzy looked at William, waiting to hear his answer.
“Sweetheart, you need to write your letters. We will have the missives delivered in the morning. I know that the Duke’s family is currently staying at Kensington Palace. We will know the truth of their support by tomorrow evening.” William encouraged Elizabeth, yet he was nervous due to the new information. “You may have royal visitors in the morning. I propose that if they favor us, we marry here in London, in Matlock’s parlor. If they do not endorse us, we will leave for Pemberley as soon as the license is ready.”
“For now, let us go with the plans we currently have in place. Georgie and Elizabeth will move to Matlock House tonight. Before leaving, we need to find a wedding gown for Elizabeth. My seamstress can alter it while we are shopping tomorrow. Georgie, do you have a dress that Elizabeth can use? Alternatively, should we look in the mistress chambers for a dress that belonged to your mother? Anne was about the same size as Elizabeth. There might be one or two gowns that we could alter for the time being.” Aunt Adeline wanted to make this wedding happy for the couple. She was worried due to the involvement of the Royals, but she would support her nephew no matter what. “Tomorrow, your letters will be delivered. Then we will finalize the plans. I will make a list of all the items you need for your trousseau.”
Elizabeth was taken to the mistress chambers. The three ladies looked through the dresses that were left by Lady Anne. Two were selected as potential wedding gowns. Mrs. Barnes was present to help the ladies sort through the gowns. “These day dresses are out of date, but of good quality and still serviceable. Miss Elizabeth, if you could try them on, we can determine if you can wear them for your shopping trip in the morning. If they need a few alterations, we can begin with them until your trousseau is prepared. There are some additional trunks in the attic; I will have them brought down in the morning so we can clean and press the gowns before you decide if you can use them.”
“I agree with your suggestions. The first step is to try on the gowns that are here. Mrs. Barnes, can one of your maids bring pins so we can begin setting the alterations. We need to try the potential wedding gowns first. The first altered will be one of the day dresses. Let us work with the yellow striped gown. That is still stylish, and the color will look good on you. You can wear that dress tomorrow on our shopping excursion. While we are out, my seamstress can work on altering the wedding gown.” Aunt Adeline held up a gown for Elizabeth to try on for the wedding. The Countess considered hiring an additional seamstress for the duration, to help prepare her new niece for society.
After the wedding gown was selected and pinned, several gowns that remained stylish were chosen for day wear. Three evening gowns were also tried on to be altered. “Since some appropriate gowns require minimum alterations, I believe that our family needs to attend the theater on Wednesday evening. This will demonstrate that your engagement was not a recent event and that our family is supporting you as its newest member. If the royal family is also in attendance, and they support you, then the gossip would die down completely, and your family would no longer be ruined.” Aunt Adeline decided it was time to take Elizabeth and Georgiana to Matlock House. It was apparent that Elizabeth was physically and emotionally exhausted. She needed to retire before
she collapsed. Lady Matlock ordered to have trunks packed for both ladies.
Arriving downstairs, the ladies joined the men. Darcy took Elizabeth’s hands. He could see that she could not handle anymore tonight. “Sweetheart, are you ready to head to Matlock House? I believe that it is time for you to get some rest. I will be there for breakfast in the morning. We can discuss further plans at that time.” Darcy kissed her hand, wanting more but refusing to embarrass her in front of his family.
“Richard and Jonathon will stay at Darcy House until after the wedding.” Uncle Henry announced. “They will be here to support William during this time. Their servants will deliver the trunks within the hour. Your valets will remain with you during your stay.”
Watching their cousin, they realized Darcy did love Elizabeth. She was suffering, so he was anxious. After their parents took the ladies home, Richard asked Mr. Barnes, the butler for some more whiskey. “Darcy, please tell us the story of meeting Elizabeth. We want to know all that happened, even what you did not tell mother and father.” Richard wanted to begin ruining the Bingley family with facts. There would be no mercy for Caroline Bingley. The Fitzwilliams were very protective of their women, and Elizabeth was now a member of the Fitzwilliam family.
The brothers kept their cousin entertained in the billiards room. “I told your parents most of the information. The part that I did not disclose was the behaviors of Elizabeth’s family. Her parents would not be accepted in our society. Her father is a gentleman, but he pursues academic endeavors rather than raises his children. He married the daughter of a country solicitor. She has never been given guidance on the appropriate behavior of a gentlewoman. Mrs. Bennet has not learned to keep her desires and wishes to herself; instead, she loudly announces every thought that enters her head.” Taking a large drink, William continued describing the rest of his fiancée’s family. “She has four sisters. The eldest is a true lady who smiles too much. The next youngest enjoys reading sermons and moralizing. The last two are too young to leave the nursery. They enjoy attracting the attention of men in red coats.” Pouring himself another drink, he continued. “As they have cut my Elizabeth, we will not be seeing or assisting them in the future.”
