CHAPTER 27
Somewhat to Darcy’s surprise, Mrs. Gardiner made no objection to their return to Darcy House that day, provided his arm was well supported in the carriage and that he would be careful to keep warm poultices on his wound whenever possible. He fully agreed to her conditions, earning an approving look from Elizabeth, who doubtless would not have allowed him to disregard her aunt’s instructions in any case. So, after profuse thanks to the Gardiners for all their hospitality and support, Darcy finally had Elizabeth to himself in his carriage – or almost to himself, as there was an exhausted puppy curled up at Elizabeth’s feet.
She sat on his left so that their hands could remain joined. It was a much needed comfort to him, since the ride over cobblestone streets sent a stabbing pain into his arm with every bump, despite all the springs and cushions that his luxurious vehicle provided.
He was relieved when the carriage finally pulled up in front of his elegant townhouse on Brook Street.
Although Darcy of necessity permitted the footman to open the carriage door, he insisted on handing Elizabeth out himself. He wanted to see her face as she discovered her new home. She looked up and down the street, then smiled at him. He offered her his arm and led her up the steps to Darcy House.
As he had expected, the door opened to them immediately. Briggs bowed lower than usual, but showed no other sign that this was anything beyond a normal day, in keeping with the instructions Darcy had sent ahead.
Elizabeth had been through enough today without dealing with a formal presentation to the servants and meeting the housekeeper. Tomorrow would be time enough for that.
Briggs took his hat and gloves. “Mr. Thomas Wickham is in the sitting room, sir. I informed him that this was not a good day to call, but he insisted that the matter was urgent and must be dealt with today.”
Darcy frowned. This was not how he had planned matters. “Well, he must wait a little longer, then. I will be with him in half an hour. Are Mrs. Darcy’s rooms prepared?”
“Yes, sir, everything is in readiness.”
Darcy turned to Elizabeth. “I thought you might prefer to wait until tomorrow to tour the house.”
Her eyes sparkled. “I will follow wherever you lead.”
Uncaring for his dignity, he took her hand in his and raised it to his lips. To have Elizabeth here as his wife was such a long-standing dream that he could hardly credit it was true. “Come, then,” he said.
***
Thomas helped himself to some of Darcy’s finest port as he cooled his heels in the sitting room. He had heard Darcy arrive, but realized he was apparently to be kept waiting on the great man’s convenience. Finally footsteps sounded in the passageway and Darcy appeared in the doorway. No, not just Darcy; Miss Elizabeth Bennet was with him as well. Trust Darcy to ignore the rules of propriety when it suited him.
He nodded to Darcy and was about to take his companion’s hand when he noticed she was not wearing gloves. Quickly he converted his gesture to a simple bow. “Miss Elizabeth, this is an unexpected pleasure. Are Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner here as well?”
Elizabeth’s mouth twitched in a small smile, but it was Darcy who replied. “No, Mrs. Darcy’s aunt and uncle are no doubt at home in Cheapside.”
Thomas glanced down at Elizabeth’s left hand. Yes, it bore a wedding band. Although his expression did not change as he offered the couple his warm congratulations, inwardly he was seething. So much for his assumption that Darcy would include Lydia and him in his life! He had never expected Darcy would treat him as an equal - after all, why should he? - but he had not expected to be completely dismissed, either. Now he could see that apparently he was just another dependent to Darcy. Darcy had not even bothered to invite his wife’s sister to the wedding, nor even to inform her. No doubt he did not want them mingling with his oh-so-high-and-mighty family. Thomas felt an unexpected pang of sympathy for his younger brother, who had so often been a victim of Darcy’s pride.
“Darcy, I do not wish to intrude upon your happiness with your bride, but I would appreciate a few minutes of your time to discuss an urgent matter.”
“You may speak in front of my wife. She is aware of the circumstances.”
Thomas wondered what she thought of the decision to exclude Lydia from their wedding. He had not thought her to be overly proud when they had met before, but exposure to Darcy might have changed that, or she might have only agreed to please Darcy. “If that is your pleasure. I saw him carried aboard ship earlier today. He was protesting vehemently that he was being taken against his will, and the captain unfortunately took him at his word. Understandably, he fears a future charge of kidnapping. He has agreed to keep him on board tonight, but he says George will be put off tomorrow unless he receives assurances from you that George did, in fact, agree to this. Since he is due to sail with the noon tide, it seemed prudent to inform you of this today.”
He spoke in a clipped voice, as if reporting to his employer, which was no doubt how Darcy saw him. The ease in his manner earlier in the month had likely been yet another effort to cajole him into marrying Lydia, and now the lord of the manor was back.
Darcy frowned. “I should have known he would not keep his word. Very well, I will write a letter.”
Elizabeth said, “Or I will write it for you, and you will sign it.”
Darcy bore a long-suffering expression, which earned him no sympathy whatsoever from Thomas, who said, “I tried to avoid this. I reminded him that you still hold his debts. I thought that might discourage any idea of staying in England, but he would not believe you would use them against him. Odd, given how poorly he speaks of you.”
Elizabeth gave him a sharp look, quickly masked with a glance at Darcy.
Darcy did not seem to notice. “I have no doubt of it. One would think it might make him avoid me rather than seek out my family.”
Thomas cleared his throat. “He still seems to be of the opinion that he has an advocate in Miss Eliz…
begging your pardon, Mrs. Darcy.”
Elizabeth’s warm smile reassured him. “Since I have borne that appellation for less than two hours, it seems unfair to expect everyone to remember to use it.”
“Less than… You were married today?” Thomas looked from one to the other. They were not dressed in wedding finery, and there was no air of celebration in the house.
To his surprise, Darcy took Elizabeth’s hand. “Yes, it happened quite suddenly, which is why you received no notice. I hoped that if we were married, it would work to quell the recent gossip around me. We will no doubt arrange a celebration at some point in the future.”
Thomas was surprised by the extent of relief he felt at the news he had not been excluded. With a broad smile he said, “Then I must apologize abjectly for interrupting you on your wedding day! My congratulations to you, Darcy, on avoiding all the fuss of a large wedding. I will not take up another moment of your time. Shall I inform Lydia of your marriage, Mrs. Darcy, or would you prefer to do that yourself?”
“It is not a secret,” Elizabeth said briskly. “But we are brother and sister, sir, and you must call me Elizabeth, and stay long enough to drink a toast with us, as the first of my family to greet us as a married couple.”
Darcy smiled down at her. “Apart from the Gardiners, who were our witnesses.”
“I would be honoured,” said Thomas with a bow, secure in the knowledge that he had made the correct choice after all.
***
Bingley had ridden his fastest horse to reach Netherfield, but now that he was almost to Longbourn, he began to wish the trip had taken a little longer. He wanted to see Jane, but would she even agree to see him? Or did she hate him for leaving her so quickly for another woman? He could hardly blame her if she did. Looked at from her vantage point, it must seem beyond belief that he would engage himself elsewhere so soon after declaring his love for her. She must think him beyond fickle, and it would not help that he would now appear to be switching allegiances once more.
On reaching Longbourn, he dismounted distractedly and handed his reins to a groom. He took a deep breath. Darcy would not hesitate in this situation. Summoning all his courage, he mounted the steps and rapped on the door. A maid admitted him and showed him to the familiar sitting room, which was occupied by Mrs.
Bennet and her three remaining daughters. Bingley could not keep his gaze from Jane. She looked paler than was her wont, and she frowned at the sight of him.
Mrs. Bennet greeted him in her coldest voice. “Why, Mr. Bingley, this is indeed a surprise. No one expected to see you in Hertfordshire again.”
“I, umm, it is a pleasure to see you again, madam. I hope you are well.”
“As well as can be expected, I suppose,” she said with a sniff.
Bingley tore his eyes away from Jane, who was now staring at her slippers, her cheeks flushed. “Ah, I had not anticipated travelling here, but Darcy asked me to deliver a letter to Miss Darcy. Hearing of my plans, Miss Elizabeth gave me a letter for you as well.” He fished it out of his pocket and proffered it to Mrs. Bennet.
She took it without any sign of pleasure, then put it aside on a table. “I am sorry you have been taken out of your way for Lizzy’s sake. We know you are a very busy man with much to do in London.”
So they did know about his engagement. That was only to be expected, he supposed. He shuffled his feet uncomfortably. “Actually, I am, ah, planning to spend quite some time at Netherfield.” He cast a helpless look at Jane, but she was still looking away pointedly. “I believe Miss Elizabeth’s letter contains some important news, and I am available to answer any questions you might have about it.”
Mrs. Bennet sniffed again, then snatched up the letter and broke the seal. She read it slowly, tracing the lines with her finger. Suddenly her eyes opened wide and she gave a shrill cry, then collapsed into her seat and began fanning herself with the letter. “Oh, my good gracious, can it be?”
Jane turned to him with an accusing glance, then hurried to her mother’s side. “What is it? Has something happened to Lizzy?”
“She is… she is married! Without any wedding clothes or trousseau!”
Jane pried the letter from her mother’s fingers and perused it carefully, then said, “I do not understand.”
“Darcy and your sister took their vows early this morning.”
“But why? That was not the plan!”
His throat tightened and he felt his cheeks burning. He had to say it, and say it now. “It was apparently in response to some gossip that began after… was occasioned by the, um, unexpected termination of my engagement.”
Jane’s mouth opened, but no words came out.
Mrs. Bennet straightened in her chair. “You are no longer engaged to that woman?”
“No. I cried off after she made it clear that she preferred another gentleman.” That was close enough to the truth, he supposed.
Mrs. Bennet clasped her hands. “You did? Oh, how clever you are, Mr. Bingley! Do sit down, please, and I will ring for some refreshments. Hill!”
Bingley began to breathe a little easier. At least Mrs. Bennet seemed predisposed to forgive him.
Jane still looked stunned. She said slowly, “I fail to see what this has to do with my sister, or why she would marry sooner because of it.”
Bingley felt a little shaky on the rationale himself, but Darcy had told him it was the case, so it must be true. “I do not know how it happened, but there was some false information circulating that Darcy was the other man involved - naturally quite untrue, but it was repeated widely all the same. He felt their wedding would dispel the gossip before it went any further.”
Jane looked as puzzled by this explanation as he felt. “So you are not returning to London?”
“No, there is no reason for me to return to town, and I find Netherfield far more appealing.” He gave Jane a meaningful look. “There is nothing in town that could make me as happy as being here.” It sounded foolish when he said it. Darcy could have said such a thing and looked dignified, but it was beyond Bingley’s abilities.
Jane returned the letter to her mother, her eyes suspiciously bright. “Excuse me, I must go to share this news with my father.”
Before she could leave, Bingley stepped in front of her. “I hope I will see you again soon, Miss Bennet.” It was an incredibly rash thing to say, but he could not just let her go.
Jane’s eyes locked with his. Bingley could not have looked away had his life depended on it. Her lips curved slightly. “I will look forward to it, Mr. Bingley.” As a single tear began to flow down her cheek, she turned and left.
“Oh, do sit down, Mr. Bingley,” said Mrs. Bennet fretfully. “You must tell me everything that has happened. I wish to know every detail.”
Bingley sat. He could face Mrs. Bennet’s inquisition with impunity, now that he knew Jane still cared for him.
EPILOGUE
Elizabeth looked along the table at the assembled party, thinking back to the assembly in Meryton where she had met Darcy. Certainly it would never have crossed her mind then that she would ever be the hostess for a dinner party at Darcy House. Jane had just met Mr. Bingley. They had not even known of Thomas Wickham’s existence then, though Lydia’s predilection for red coats was already well established. But Elizabeth would never have thought the day would come when her youngest sister would be at peace and domesticated.
Thomas Wickham had been good for Lydia. He was always calm with her, but also completely immobile when he had made up his mind about something. The rules he established for his household were firm ones which could not be circumvented by cajoling, pouting, or downright disobedience. Like the soldier he had been for most of his adult life, he valued routine and expected his wife to conform to it.
Elizabeth had heard from Thomas how Lydia had revolted against his strictures in the early days of their marriage, thinking she could manage him just as she had her own parents, but that phase had not lasted long.
Lydia learned quickly that her pin money and attendance at assemblies was contingent on complying with her husband’s wishes, and to the astonishment of all, she had thrived under her husband’s firm rule. Apparently Lydia’s unmanageable behaviour had been less a matter of wildness and more that no one had ever made a serious attempt to manage her or given her any reason to learn to control herself.
Darcy was questioning Thomas about the house he had recently taken near Pemberley. Thomas waxed eloquent on the subject as only a man who never expected to have a house of his own could do, while Lydia looked on with a contented smile. A year earlier she would have been sulking because she had hoped to live in Meryton, but now, as she often said, anything that made her dearest Thomas happy would make her happy as well.
Bingley said, “An excellent decision. I could wish myself that we lived in Derbyshire. Sometimes Netherfield is a bit too close to Longbourn. You will at least be free of daily visits from your mother-in-law.”
Elizabeth said, “Would you like an escape? We were hoping you would come to Pemberley for Christmas – all four of you. The Gardiners will also be there.”
Jane’s eyes lit up and she glanced at her husband, who nodded. “I can think of nothing I would like better.”
“Nor I,” Thomas said.
Elizabeth looked down the long table to Darcy, and their eyes caught and held as she smiled her agreement to his unspoken question.
Darcy pushed his chair back and stood. “I can think of one thing I would like even better than your company at Christmas, God willing, and that would be the opportunity to introduce you to the heir of Pemberley.”
Jane gasped and covered her mouth with both hands. “Oh, Lizzy, how marvelous! I had wondered these last few weeks. I cannot tell you how excited I am to be an aunt!”
Lydia complained good humouredly, “Bah! I did so want to be first.”
Thomas reached out and took her hand. “This would perhaps be a good time to mention that although my own filly will not be first out of the starting
gate, I believe she will be running a close second, early in the New Year.”
Congratulations flowed around the table. Elizabeth glowed with happiness and Lydia beamed.
Bingley cleared his throat with a broad smile. “Just for the record, I do not have an announcement to make.
Not yet, at least.”
“I would hope not!” Elizabeth laughed. “I have barely recovered from your wedding breakfast.”
Jane protested, “That was a month ago, Lizzy.”
“It was a very hearty breakfast! Although truth to tell, I could not touch a bite of it.”
Bingley rose to his feet, lifting his wineglass. “I would like to propose a toast. To good friends and family, may they continue to increase in number!”
The toast was drunk. Darcy, rather than returning to his seat, crossed to stand behind Elizabeth’s chair, his hand lightly resting on her shoulder. He still had moments when he could barely believe she was his wife.
He bent over and whispered in her ear, “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
Mr. Darcy's Letter Page 29
