A Vision of the Path Before Him

by Elizabeth Frerichs

  “I would suggest that you find a young woman of the ton who is comparable to Miss Elizabeth!”

  “I will not. As I have already told you, I have looked in the ton and none compare to her.”

  “You would risk my disapproval?” Lady Matlock said, one eyebrow arched. “I will ruin you socially.”

  “I highly doubt that,” Darcy said dryly. “I cannot see you causing any stain of dishonour on the Fitzwilliam name, and I am a half-Fitzwilliam.”

  Lady Matlock turned to her husband. “You see, Rupert! He has lost his senses!”

  “Now, now, my dear, I do not believe he has lost his senses. You have met Miss Elizabeth—she is a very likeable young woman. One does grow weary of all the faux sophistication and vicious hunting forever aimed towards a young man of wealth and influence.”

  “But—” his aunt spluttered.

  “I am not saying that he should marry her, Lottie. I am saying that I understand why Darcy desires to marry Miss Elizabeth. If she came from a better family, I would support their marriage at once.”

  Lady Matlock glowered at him. “But she does not.”

  “True, but Darcy is correct. You wouldn’t really disgrace him, at least not publicly. What are your primary concerns?”

  Lady Matlock glared at her husband as though he had just suggested she procure a special license and have Darcy and Elizabeth marry that very day. “I hold the same concerns that you do,” she said through gritted teeth. She took a deep breath, her face settling into lines of politeness. “Darcy,” she said kindly, “at your age it is natural that you desire to seek a wife, however, you have a duty to choose one who will either increase the Fitzwilliams’ standing or, at the very least, not decrease it. Miss Elizabeth’s family, though I would find them very droll were it not for the circumstances, are not the sort of people with whom you ought to ally yourself.

  “Mrs. Bennet has no concept of how polite society behaves—it is like watching a caricature of one of the most grasping mothers in the ton. Not to mention her family connections! A tradesman for a brother and a solicitor’s wife for a sister? You could not introduce her into society! No one would accept her, and she would make a laughingstock of you within moments. Not to mention Mr. Bennet’s odd sense of humour.” She took a deep breath. “In addition, apparently, the youngest girl has a habit of eloping with officers, and, as their estate is entailed, the girls are virtually penniless.”

  “As Georgie has pointed out, members of the ton are no less likely to make unwise decisions in matters of the heart, and I do not need more money,” Darcy said in clipped tones.

  Lord Matlock chuckled. “So you say now, but wait until you have a wife.”

  Lady Matlock glared at him.

  He cleared his throat. “Er, I mean, you will need capital to replace the loss of Georgiana’s dowry once she marries.”

  “I have never needed to touch Georgiana’s dowry, and I have no intention of starting.”

  “M’boy, in the case of an emergency—”

  “Then I would prefer to marry a woman who will weather the emergency with me than one whose dowry may assist but who will ensure that I am miserable during it.”

  Lady Matlock sighed again. “Darcy, you have known this woman for less than two months—you cannot know how she will weather any emergency. Nor can you be sure that she is not a fortune hunter or that you truly love her.”

  Darcy exchanged a look with Fitzwilliam, his thoughts whirling. As he had told Georgiana, he had no intention of speaking of his vision with his aunt and uncle, particularly not when they were already concerned about his mental well-being.

  Fitzwilliam cleared his throat. “Mother, you know Darcy—he is not the sort of fellow to fall head over heels in love with a fortune hunter, is he?”

  “I would never have thought so, but—”

  “Are you more willing to take Miss Bingley’s word than Darcy’s?” he asked pointedly.

  Lady Matlock glared at him for several long moments before she sagged and turned to Darcy. “What do you intend to do about her family?” she demanded.

  “Bingley and I have already agreed to pay for a companion for the younger girls ourselves if necessary,” Darcy began.

  “I hope you have not mentioned that to your Miss Elizabeth,” Lady Matlock said tartly.

  “Actually, I have.” Darcy’s lips turned up in fond remembrance. “She requested that I refrain from engaging in any pecuniary gifts until after she had decided whether she desired to marry me. She does not wish our courtship to be complicated by finances.”

  Lady Matlock stiffened. “Whether she desires to marry you?” she repeated blankly.

  “I told you she was uncommon,” Fitzwilliam crowed. “I wager there is not another woman in England who would consider turning Darcy down!”

  “That is odd,” Lord Matlock said. “Are you certain that is what she said?”

  Darcy refrained from rolling his eyes by only the thinnest of margins. “Yes.”

  “If she is the sort of woman who does not know the honour you do her by courting her, perhaps she is not the right woman for you anyway,” Lady Matlock said with a hint of relief.

  Darcy shook his head. “No, that means she is the perfect woman for me. I do not wish to be accepted for my wealth or position. I wish someone to marry me for myself.”

  “You speak like a commoner,” Lady Matlock snapped. “You are related to nobility, and—”

  “Did not my mother marry for love?” came Darcy’s riposte.

  Lady Matlock subsided.

  “You have not addressed what you intend to do about Mrs. Bennet and her connections,” Lord Matlock said mildly.

  “I am hopeful that the right woman may subtly provide instruction for Mrs. Bennet in addition to the younger girls.” Darcy hesitated, considering how much he ought to share about Mrs. Bennet’s circumstances; though he did not like the woman, he did understand why she was so rapacious. “Mrs. Bennet has made marrying her daughters the sole aim of her life, but I believe it is a passion borne of fear and desperation. Due to the entail, the family will be virtually penniless after Mr. Bennet dies, as you pointed out. I am hopeful that relieving her fears will allow her to direct her energies in more positive directions.”

  “You still could never introduce her to the ton,” Lady Matlock said.

  Lord Matlock put a hand on Lady Matlock’s arm. “I don’t know, Lottie. She is no worse than some of those mothers. Did you not tell me that you found her amusing?”

  “Not if I am related to her,” Lady Matlock said tartly.

  “He is a grown man, Lottie,” Lord Matlock said gently. “He has thought this through. I would be much happier were he to settle for a long engagement. Darcy is sensible; if he is blinded by infatuation, it cannot last for more than a month or two, can it?”

  “But—” Lady Matlock protested.

  “Fitzwilliam approves of her,” her husband put in.

  “Fitzwilliam would approve of anyone if doing so provided sufficient entertainment,” Lady Matlock returned grumpily. “I think the Nanny dropped him on his head.”

  Lord Matlock gave her a sad smile. “We can advise, but . . . .”

  “Aunt, I know that you mean well,” Darcy said. He took a deep breath, reminding himself that his aunt was a product of her experiences and upbringing just as he was, and that her snobbery and pride ought to elicit pity rather than annoyance.

  “And I am greatly appreciative of your care for me.” He leaned over and gently took her hand. “Though no one can ever take my parents’ place, you and Uncle have acted as mother and father to me, and though I love you both dearly and it pains me to go against your wishes, I do not agree with you in this matter. I have learned that people are people the world over. The Bennets’ blood is not better or worse than ours merely because we have money and status. The first Fitzwilliam was born without both. We do not retain our money and status when we die. What matters is what we do with the lives we’ve been given—servan
t, master, pauper, or king.”

  Lady Matlock looked down at their clasped hands meditatively.

  “Miss Elizabeth is no more responsible for the actions of her family than you are for the actions of your sister-in-law,” he said, his lips quirking up as his aunt stiffened; Lady Catherine had never been a favourite. “As Georgiana said, even with her upbringing, she nearly made the same mistake.” He held her gaze. “You are afraid, like Miss Bingley, that the Bennets are fortune hunters and that I have been bewitched. However, Miss Elizabeth has already refused to accept financial assistance from me, and,” he hesitated, considering whether to bring Mr. Collins into the argument. It would require a longer story and the introduction of another person, but perhaps it would convince her. “She has already refused an advantageous match.”

  Lady Matlock’s eyes widened. “Explain.”

  Darcy sat back in his chair. “The cousin on whom their estate is entailed proposed and Miss Elizabeth refused him, despite the fact that it may leave their family penniless.”

  Lord Matlock harrumphed. “The girl lacks common sense.”

  Darcy smiled. “No, she possesses character. She refuses to marry someone whom she does not love, regardless of how advantageous it would be for her family.”

  His aunt’s lips thinned. “Darcy, I have told you that that is acceptable for commoners, but—”

  Darcy shook his head. “No, my mother married for love, and I know that you did not object to her match.”

  “Darcy, you have the opportunity to marry someone far better than a penniless countrywoman; I know several of the debutantes this season and I would be glad to introduce you,” his aunt persisted.

  Darcy’s eyes narrowed. Was this her real objection? He had known that Lady Matlock desired to choose his bride, but was she refusing to support anyone she did not choose? “Aunt, are you objecting because you did not find Miss Elizabeth yourself?”

  Lady Matlock waved the question away. “That’s ridiculous! This isn’t about introductions, it’s about the woman’s unsuitability.”

  “I have already told you that I believe status and wealth do not make one a good person—something you are well aware of if your elaboration of the latest ton scandals over breakfast is to be believed,” Darcy said, beginning to tick points on his fingers. “Your status and savvy with the ton and my own position would be enough to ensure that Miss Elizabeth and her family are tolerated if not outright accepted, therefore, the Fitzwilliam name will not be unduly harmed with any but the strictest of sticklers. I do not need an influx of capital. Miss Elizabeth is not a fortune hunter. I am willing to wait long enough to prove that I have not been ‘bewitched’ before marrying Miss Elizabeth. What else is there?”

  Lord Matlock turned to his wife. “Lottie, we may not like the situation, but Darcy has clearly thought it through.”

  Lady Matlock’s mouth opened and closed several times as though so many thoughts were trying to get out at once that they were causing a traffic jam in her vocal cords. Finally, she closed her mouth and her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she studied Darcy. “Nephew, I have only ever wanted your happiness. Marrying someone outside of our social strata can be—difficult.” A pained expression crossed her face. “One of my dearest friends from school was exiled from the ton.” Her mouth twisted bitterly. “She had the misfortune to fall in love with and marry a gentleman much like your Mr. Bingley who, though not destitute, did not come from a good family. Her parents were indulgent and, though they did not approve of the match, they allowed it. She was ostracised, and when her husband grew bored with her, she had no friends, no one to fall back on. To my shame, I did not stand up for her, though I doubt it would have made any difference. It was not until after her death that I learned the truth of her situation.”

  “Her death?” Darcy asked gently.

  “She died of illness, but I have always believed that she lost the will to live. She had written several letters to me, which were delivered after her death, that documented her gradual despair.” Tears shone in Lady Matlock’s eyes, and she dabbed at them with a dainty lace handkerchief. “I would not wish such a fate on you.”

  Darcy knelt in front of his aunt and clasped both her hands. “Aunt, I am sorry such a tragedy befell your friend, and I am so grateful that you want the best for me. But I am not going to fall out of love with Miss Elizabeth, nor is she going to fall out of love with me. We have—” He hesitated, trying to decide how best to explain the bond they had forged between them despite, no, because of, misunderstandings and adversity. “We have already surmounted obstacles. I was abominably rude to her when we first met.”

  Lady Matlock’s gaze sharped. “You were what?”

  Darcy flushed. “I was rude. I did not believe the people in this country town were worth being polite to, and I did not wish to attend that ball in the first place.”

  “Fitzwilliam, you know that both Darcys and Fitzwilliams are known for their civility.”

  Darcy inclined his head. “Yes, and I was polite most of my life for that reason. But true politeness is a matter of the heart. It is based on respect for others and—” he shook his head, realising he had been derailed into a tangent. “The point is that it took some time for Miss Elizabeth to forgive my rudeness and for me to prove myself a man worthy of her affections.

  “Though infatuation is fleeting and effortless, love takes work. I have been infatuated with Miss Elizabeth, but my infatuation did not last. It could not, not in the face of her dislike and her plain speech regarding my pride and arrogance. Instead, we have grown a friendship between us. We have already weathered difficulties in the form of Wickham’s plot, Miss Lydia’s behaviour, Miss Bingley’s schemes, Miss Elizabeth’s family, and my poor behaviour. It is how I know that we have a love that will only grow as we nurture it and that will survive even the ton’s disapproval.” He squeezed his aunt’s hands. “But I truly believe that we shall not have to weather more than a mild disapproval if you are willing to support us.”

  His aunt searched his eyes for several long moments.

  “I am not in the same position as your friend, Aunt. I have people who will support me even if the entire ton rejects me.” He glanced towards Fitzwilliam and Georgiana, giving them each a grateful smile. “You have said that you would have chosen Miss Elizabeth yourself if she was a member of the ton. I am asking you to choose her for me now, to support me as you wish you had supported your friend.”

  Lady Matlock looked towards her husband. He reached out a hand for hers, and Darcy stood and returned to his chair.

  “Lottie, it is as I said, he is a grown man. We both love him, but we cannot do more than give him our advice. I, for one, have found Miss Elizabeth to be delightful. With your backing, I believe she will be quite the sensation.”

  Lady Matlock’s gaze went to her lap where she stared pensively for several moments. “I believe—”

  A knock sounded at the door and then it was wrenched open, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh burst in.

  Chapter 52

  The room seemed frozen as Lady Catherine looked around wildly; then Lady Matlock, the consummate hostess, took a deep breath, stood, and greeted her sister-in-law. The gentlemen and Georgiana also stood.

  “Come and sit down, Catherine,” she said, gesturing for Fitzwilliam to reposition another chair. “You look dreadful! I can’t even imagine how early you must have gotten up this morning to be here at this hour,” she said, a hint of gleeful malice in her voice. “Is everything well with Anne?”

  Lady Catherine stiffened. “No, everything is not well with Anne. I have just been informed that Darcy has completely forgotten himself and is on the verge of becoming engaged to—to that hussy, despite his prior commitment to my daughter,” she raged. “I told Mr. Collins that Darcy would not so far forget himself, but, indeed, I have just come from that—that woman’s home, and she refused to speak plainly.”

  All anger at his Aunt Catherine’s interruption fled as cold settled into Darcy�
�s bones. What had his aunt done?

  She turned to Darcy, her fists trembling. “I demand that you refute these scurrilous rumours, Darcy! I will not have you dragging Anne’s reputation through the muck with your affairs!”

  Fitzwilliam choked.

  Darcy’s eyes flicked towards him.

  “Affairs?” Fitzwilliam mouthed incredulously.

  Darcy ignored him in favour of asking after Elizabeth. He turned back to his Aunt Catherine. “Are you saying that you spoke with Miss Elizabeth?”

  “That is precisely what I am saying,” Lady Catherine said acidly. “And people think my hearing is going bad,” she muttered. “Of course I went to her at once to demand she repudiate the gossip, but she refused to do so!”

  “It is no concern of yours whom Darcy marries,” Lady Matlock said coolly. “He is a grown man.” At this, Lord Matlock gave her a sideways glance which she pointedly ignored.

  Lady Catherine glared at her. “Of course it is my concern! My daughter—”

  “Is not promised to Darcy,” Lady Matlock said in clipped tones. “Now, there is no need for us to stand about in this stupid, uncivilised manner. Let us sit.” She gestured towards the chairs, and the men obediently sat, Georgiana joining them at once.

  Lady Catherine glared at her before ungraciously dropping into a chair. “You cannot believe that Miss Elizabeth Bennet is a suitable person, even should these scandalous falsehoods hold a kernel of truth!”

  “I should say that your coming will be taken of confirmation of their truth,” Darcy said. “Why did you come, Aunt Catherine?”

  “To hear the denial with my own ears, and,” she glared at him, “if necessary, recall you to your duty. I knew that such rumours were likely mere wishful thinking on the part of the young woman, probably started by she herself, but you must stamp out the rumours most forcefully or she will continue.”