Other Mr. Darcy

by Monica Fairview

  “Did he say that?” said Darcy, again looking quite struck.

  “He led me to understand that he missed his family, and would have gone, were it not for the hostilities between our two countries.”

  Darcy paced up and down the room, with an air of agitation that bewildered her. It had never occurred to Caroline that he would receive the news with anything but relief. It struck her as she watched him, however, that she had blundered again. The excuse she had given, which they had agreed upon from the beginning, was unfortunate, considering that Robert was Mr Darcy’s heir. She cursed herself for not thinking ahead. Of course Mr Darcy would not want his heir to leave England.

  “I can understand your reasons,” said Mr Darcy, “if that is the case, although my cousin has never led me to expect such a thing. But I want you to assure me that my words—my initial reaction to your betrothal—have had absolutely no bearing on your decision.”

  Was he feeling guilty? Was he regretting his harsh judgement? She found it difficult to believe. After all, she had now discovered that he was not alone in condemning her background.

  “Your words had no bearing whatsoever on my decision, Mr Darcy. You must believe me when I tell you that, had I truly wished to marry your cousin, I would not have allowed anyone to influence my decision.”

  He inclined his head in acknowledgement. “In that case, I can only wish you luck, and hope you will not live to regret it,” he replied gravely.

  “I will not,” said Caroline. She held out her hand to him and marvelled that his brown eyes were just that. The brown eyes of Mr Darcy. They were fine-looking eyes, but they had no effect on her. He was a handsome man, she could not deny it, but he had long lost the power to move her.

  He bowed and she turned to leave.

  “We—Mrs Darcy and I—hope to see you in London in the near future. We will come down as soon as she is recovered enough. I am certain Mrs Darcy would like to resume your friendship.”

  “I will look forward to it with pleasure,” she said, meaning it.

  She could feel his gaze on her back as she walked to the door and wondered what he could be thinking.

  ***

  The news of her departure let loose a flurry of questions, requests, objections, and assumptions about the reason for her journey.

  “But why such a sudden departure, Miss Bingley?” said Mrs Bennet. “You said nothing about it before. I am sure Eliza will be quite disappointed. She has come to rely on you. And now that we are leaving…”

  “Jane will be remaining here as well as Louisa. They can care for her, Mrs Bennet. We are not all abandoning her at the same time.”

  Lydia’s objections took a different direction. “You cannot mean to go to London when I am going to Meryton! You must convince Mama and Papa to let me travel with you. I would be happy to come as your companion, and I can keep you entertained along the way.”

  Mr Bennet put down his novel and threw his daughter a dark look, but if she noticed, she gave no sign.

  “I was in London for a while, you know,” she continued, quite undaunted by her father. “That was when Wickham and I first married, and I liked it above all else. I would love to spend a longer time there, for I am sure it is the most exciting city in the world.”

  “Then you are doomed to be disappointed,” said Mr Bennet, deciding it was time to intervene. “You are prohibited from going to London, Lydia, unless I accompany you. And since I dislike London exceedingly, and have no intention of going if I can help it, it is very unlikely that you will go there in the near future. For I have learnt my lesson, you know. I will not let you out of my sight, not unless your foolish husband comes to take you off my hands.”

  Kitty clapped her hands gleefully and said it was just what she deserved for behaving so thoughtlessly, and very soon the two sisters were quarrelling.

  “I have no great love of London myself,” remarked Mrs Bennet. “But I understand that it is all the rage, and it is the place to go if you want to be dressed in the latest clothing. I myself have no such aspirations. We do very well in Meryton. I dare say my dressmaker can fashion a dress from the latest fashion plates as well as any London modiste, and at half the price, and without having to put up with their French airs. But I suppose you think only a London modiste would be good enough.”

  Louisa, who had just come in, wanted to know immediately why they were discussing London modistes.

  “Caroline is leaving for London.”

  Caroline, who still had to inform Charles, Jane, and Robert of her departure, came to her feet and excused herself, saying she had to oversee the packing. She did not doubt for a moment that Louisa would follow.

  “I cannot believe it!” hissed Louisa, as the door closed behind them. “What do you mean by taking up and leaving so suddenly? And without even mentioning it to me?”

  “The fact is I am planning to go alone to London.”

  “I, too, wish to go to London.”

  “I am going alone, Louisa. You may follow me later if you wish, but remember that you have not completed your full mourning period yet, so you cannot be out and about. And you would find nothing of interest there at this time of the year.”

  “You are being ridiculous, Caroline. If there is nothing of interest in London, why are you going? Besides, it would be far better for us to travel together than for me to follow later. And I am no longer in full mourning.”

  “I am going alone,” said Caroline, again, resolutely. “And you cannot come with me, because I intend to stay with Mrs Germain. She has invited me to visit.”

  “Are you mad, Caroline? Stay with Mrs Germain! Whatever for? She has nothing to recommend her. She does not even move in fashionable circles. You cannot mean to go all the way to her house to play a game of chess!”

  “She has invited me, and I have my reasons for accepting,” said Caroline.

  “Ah!” said Louisa, looking quite cunning “She has promised to introduce you to someone! That would account for it! But who could it be, I wonder?”

  Caroline shook her head at her sister. “You are quite the hopeless case, Louisa, if you but knew it. I have not even broken off my engagement with Mr Darcy, so I do not see how you can suggest such a thing.”

  “Does Charles know of your departure?” asked Louisa.

  “Not yet, but I do not see that he can object.”

  “No, that is true enough,” said Louisa. “Unfortunately my brother is too good-natured to take a firm stand on anything.” She examined Caroline at length as though willing her to reveal her reasons. Then, unable to make out anything, she shrugged. “These days I feel I do not know you any more. You have changed, Caroline; I cannot guess what you are about. But whatever it is, I hope you do not regret it.”

  Who would have thought Louisa and Mr Darcy had anything in common? What did they think she would regret?

  “I do not see what is so unusual about wanting to be in London,” remarked Caroline.

  “It is not that,” said Louisa. “It is the manner in which you go about things that has changed. But I will not stand in your way. You have always done what you wished, in any case.”

  Caroline shook her head. “I have never done what I wished,” she said. “But perhaps I am learning how to do so now,” she said with a half smile. “Come, Louisa, let us be friends.”

  “I have never been your enemy,” said Louisa, with a quick peck on the cheek. “I would be happier about it if you took me with you, but as you said, London at this time is quite drab, and most of our friends are away. I will follow later, with Charles and Jane. As for being friends, we are sisters, after all.” And she returned to the drawing room.

  ***

  Charles, as expected, raised no objection, saying only that she would be missed, and that he and Jane would join her in Town as soon as Eliza was well enough. Jane embraced her affectionately, saying she did not blame her for wishing to leave. “For we are very uninspiring company, I know, and you must be craving more excitement than yo
u can find in Pemberley. No doubt Mr Robert Darcy is planning to join you later?”

  The moment was upon her. This was the right time to announce that their betrothal was over. But she could not do it. For one thing, she could not tell her family anything before she spoke to Robert. True, she had informed Mr Darcy, but she did not expect that he would announce it to all and sundry. Besides, it was hardly fair of her to deliver the thunderbolt, then leave Robert behind to face a horde clamouring for answers.

  “No, not at the present time. I have some things I wish to do in London,” she replied, eventually.

  Jane laughed. “Now you are being mysterious. Perhaps you are going to have some new gowns made? A bridal gown, maybe?” she remarked, with a hint of mischief. “I do not blame you in that case for going alone. That is something gentlemen do not seem to like—shopping for new clothes.”

  “Yes, I dislike it above all else,” said Charles. “I do not understand how ladies can derive any enjoyment from it. I own I do not object to shopping for my own clothes, but to be constantly consulted about the colour of ribbons or the pattern of a piece of lace or which feathers would suit is far beyond any patience I might have.”

  “Oh, Caroline!” cried Jane, as a thought struck her. “I was not thinking! You should not have to put together your wedding clothes all by yourself. I have neglected you badly. I should be coming to your assistance, since you have no mama to do that for you.”

  Caroline assured her that she was quite happy buying clothes by herself, since that way she would not have to consult anyone but herself.

  “I suppose that is an advantage. Besides, your taste in clothing is far superior to mine, and I would have little enough to contribute. In any case, I cannot leave Eliza just yet.” She put her hand on Caroline’s arm. “I hope you will forgive me, but if you should need anything— ”

  Caroline, moved by Jane’s concern, was sorely tempted to tell her sister the truth, for she did not like continuing the deception. But she really ought to notify Robert first.

  Alarm shot through her. She had not alerted Robert that she had spoken with his cousin, nor was he aware she was leaving. She needed to find him immediately, before Mr Darcy pressed him for an explanation. She excused herself and left the room in a hurry.

  He narrowly missed colliding with her in the hall. “You could have warned me!” he said, the instant he set his eyes on her. “You placed me in a very awkward situation, Miss Bingley. I appeared positively cork-brained when my cousin began to question me about my future plans, since I had no idea what you had told him.”

  “I am really very sorry,” she said, contritely. “I informed your cousin that we were ending our engagement. I am leaving for London, and I felt in all fairness I could not go away without making matters clear to him. I stuck to what we agreed upon initially, and only realized too late that he would not welcome that news.”

  “Still, I would have preferred—” Her words sank in, and the angry spark in his eyes died down, to be replaced with a puzzled frown. “Leaving? For London? But you said nothing of that yesterday.”

  Caroline gave out an exaggerated sigh. “I do not know what is so strange about my going to London,” she said, in a bright, brisk tone, though she avoided looking at him. “Everyone is talking of leaving. Yet somehow everyone expects me to stay.”

  “Well, then,” he said, his face impassive.

  The events of the day before rose up between them like a ghost. They stood very still in the middle of the dark corridor. Then a door opened somewhere and they moved apart.

  “So do you wish to make a general announcement? About us? To everybody?” he asked blandly.

  “My courage fails me,” she said, smiling ruefully. “I cannot bear all the questions and remarks and remonstrations.” She paused and wrinkled her nose. “It is cowardly of me, I know, but I will write it in a letter,” she said. “I will say that I went to London to think things over and came to a decision there.”

  “Did you tell my cousin that the engagement was just a travesty?”

  “No. I simply said that I did not wish to go to Boston, and that we could not come to any agreement on that point.”

  “I see,” he said. “I will encounter you in Town then, no doubt, when I am there,” he said.

  “Yes.” She hesitated. “I am sorry I fled so suddenly last night. I was distraught. I—I did not mean to offend you.”

  He shrugged. “You need not worry,” he said, his smile lopsided. “I have alligator skin.” He pulled back his sleeve as though to display the texture underneath.

  She shook her head and smiled faintly.

  “Then I shall see you in London.”

  He nodded, and with a quick bow, turned to stride away.

  “Robert,” she said.

  “What is it?” He paused, but did not turn back towards her.

  “Thank you,” she said, to his back. “Thank you for everything.”

  He did not reply.

  ***

  Everything was in place for her departure the next morning. But she was not destined to go to London alone.

  Later that morning a rider arrived with a pressing letter for Mr Darcy. It was from Colonel Fitzwilliam, urging them to go to London immediately.

  George Wickham had been shot and was not expected to last the night.

  Chapter 20

  A meeting was called in Eliza’s private parlour, to the exclusion of the younger ladies, and of Mr Bennet, who had already been apprised of the situation, and had the unpleasant task of informing Lydia.

  “Oh, Mr Darcy!” said Mrs Bennet. “Tell me at once! I cannot wait a moment longer! Tell me what has happened? What have you learned? If he is a war hero, it will go very well, for then Lydia will have reason to be proud of him. But how could he be a war hero, when he was not even posted to France? Oh, you must tell me immediately.”

  Jane moved to her side. “Mama,” she said, leading her to a seat. “Mr Darcy cannot begin until you cease questioning him.”

  “But—”

  “Madam,” said Mr Darcy, coldly. “I insist on being allowed to inform everyone of the content of the letter.”

  Mrs Bennet threw him a wounded look, but was sufficiently impressed by his air of authority to keep quiet.

  “The news is of the gravest kind. It is doubtful that he will survive the wound.”

  “But what brought it about?” enquired Caroline. She dreaded the answer. He must have been involved in a brawl. It could be nothing else.

  “A duel,” replied Mr Darcy. He did not need to say more. They all knew what a duel signified. He had run away with the wife of another man, after all.

  Mrs Bennet collapsed backward on her chair. “Oh, the scandal! How will we survive the scandal?” she said, mopping her brow with a handkerchief.

  “I will leave for London immediately,” said Darcy. “I will endeavour to hush the scandal and to see what can be done for Wickham. I am sure Colonel Fitzwilliam has brought him the best of physicians, but I will call in a second opinion. He might perhaps still recover. My cousin Robert and I will set forth immediately—in fact, Robert is already waiting downstairs with the horses—while those of you who are planning to join us can follow behind. I need not say that speed is of the essence.”

  He paused and looked around the room at the grave faces assembled there.

  “Mrs Bennet, you would be very well advised to inform nobody of these circumstances. Indeed, I must require complete secrecy from everyone in the room.” Caroline thought he cast Louisa a severe glance. “We must all say that he met with a carriage accident. It will be believed, for he was known to seize the reins and to drive recklessly. Mrs Hurst, I will rely on your discretion. Charles, I hope you and Mr Bennet can accompany the ladies and see to their comfort along the way? And Miss Bingley, may I entrust you to make sure our baggage is sent after us? My man will know what to pack. And can I hope that you and Jane will remain here with Mrs Darcy? I know you were planning to leave, Miss Bingley,
but if it is not something urgent—”

  “I will be happy to help in any way I can. I do not have any fixed engagements.”

  “Good,” said Darcy.

  He cast an eye on Mrs Bennet, who was sniffling heavily into her kerchief. “I will leave it to you, Mrs Bennet, to ensure that everyone has the proper mourning clothes, in case the worst should happen.”

  At that Mrs Bennet gave a cry and burst into tears. Darcy, with no time to spare, left the room, and a short while later the sound of hoofs indicated that he had set off with Robert.

  There was no reason to remain in the parlour. The group dispersed, each trying to assess what the situation would mean to them.

  “Come. Let us leave Eliza to rest,” Caroline said as gently as she could to Mrs Bennet. “I will order you some tea in the drawing room. It will help you recover a little from the shock. Then we can sit and plan your journey.”

  But Eliza had other ideas entirely. “It is all very well for everyone to treat me like a helpless invalid, but I cannot simply lie here and rest,” she said, throwing off her covers, “I never agreed to stay behind. My sister’s husband lies dying. I must come too.”

  Mrs Bennet stopped crying to stare at her offspring. “You cannot be so silly as to think you will be needed,” said Mrs Bennet, quite firmly. “You had better stay here and recover from your illness. I will not answer to Mr Darcy if something were to happen to you. Instead of facing one funeral, we will likely be saddled with two.”

  Mrs Bennet’s extreme assessment had no effect at all on Eliza, who was used to her mother’s manner of speaking.

  Caroline was forced to add her entreaties to those of Mrs Bennet. “The consequences may not be so dire,” she said, “but your mother is right. If you were to fall ill as a result of the journey, you would hardly be helping anyone. Then we will have two invalids on our hands instead of one.”

  But a stubborn expression settled on Eliza’s face, and Caroline could see she would not be swayed by any argument. She had always been headstrong. And Caroline recalled that Eliza had liked Wickham at one time. She had even preferred him to Mr Darcy.