‘Have you anyone in mind?’ asked Colonel Fitzwilliam.
He leant back in his chair and looked at Mr Darcy with interest.
‘Yes, I have. Miss Bennet – Jane Bennet.’
‘Bennet,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam with a frown. ‘I don’t know the name. Are they an old family?’
‘No, they are no one of any consequence,’ said Mr Darcy.
‘Darcy!’ exclaimed Colonel Fitzwilliam with a laugh. ‘I am surprised! I never thought that you, of all people, would marry a woman of no consequence. Do not tell me you have fallen in love with her?’
‘Alas, no. But I like Miss Bennet. And, more importantly, I think she would make me a good wife. She is gentle and calm, and she manages her problems with great serenity. I think she will be a good friend to Georgiana, and I think she will be a good sister to her as well.’
‘Ah, yes, Georgiana.’ Colonel Fitzwilliam nodded to show he understood that Mr Darcy did not just have himself to think about. He had to consider his sister’s needs, too. ‘It is not easy for her to grow up without any young female influences in her life.’
‘I know,’ said Mr Darcy. ‘But when I marry Miss Bennet, Georgiana will have a friend and companion. And Miss Bennet will provide Georgiana with other sisters, too, for she has four of them.’
‘Four?’ asked Colonel Fitzwilliam, startled.
‘Yes, four. The youngest two are silly, but will no doubt improve when I engage a governess for them. The middle sister is serious, and perhaps something might be made of her. The fourth sister I have not yet met because she is on a tour with her aunt. Her uncle was with them but he had to return to London to deal with some urgent business. However, his return to London suits me. I have decided to go and see him tomorrow and ask him for Miss Bennet’s hand in marriage.’
‘Wouldn’t it be more usual to ask her father?’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam with a frown.
‘It would, but her father is dead and her uncle is now head of the family. If I want to propose to Miss Bennet, it is Mr Gardiner’s permission I must seek.’
‘Well, you seem to have it all planned, although I am surprised, I must confess,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam. He sank deeper into his chair, stretching out his long legs in front of him and crossing them at a booted ankle. He was relaxing with the warmth of the evening sun, which was sinking slowly in the sky, and the warmth of the brandy. His whole attitude was becoming less stiff and formal. ‘In fact, I don’t understand why you wanted to speak to me at all. I am sure you have decided to go ahead whatever I might say.’
Mr Darcy stood up, revealing his full height, and poured both men another drink. The light from the setting sun danced across his cheeks and splashed across his hands, turning the liquid in the glasses to gold.
He handed a glass to Colonel Fitzwilliam, then sat down again. He arranged the tails of his coat beneath him and looked at the floor.
‘What is bothering you?’ asked Colonel Fitzwilliam. When Mr Darcy did not reply he said, ‘I have known you a long time. Darcy – since we were both children, in fact – and there is something you are not telling me. What is it?’
‘A pair of fine eyes,’ said Mr Darcy.
Colonel Fitzwilliam looked at him curiously.
‘You are not usually so poetical,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam.
‘I know.’
There was a few minutes of brooding silence.
‘So, to whom do these fine eyes belong?’ prompted Colonel Fitzwilliam.
‘I don’t know,’ said Mr Darcy, looking at his cousin.’ And that is the problem. I have seen them only once, two years ago, but they have haunted me ever since.’ Mr Darcy took a drink and then went on. ‘I was travelling through the streets of London in my coach when I saw a carriage coming in the opposite direction. There was a young lady sitting inside, with a maid as her chaperone. She had dark hair and a pleasing countenance, but it was not those features that attracted my attention. It was her eyes. They were sparkling with humour, and they burned themselves on to my memory. I saw her only for a minute, but I have not been able to forget her.’
His handsome face became thoughtful and it was clear he was recalling the fine eyes he had just mentioned. There was a softness in his face that was not usually there, and a hint of a smile about his shapely mouth.
‘Have you not tried to find her?’ asked Colonel Fitzwilliam, sitting up more in his seat and leaning forward.
‘Of course.’ Mr Darcy’s eyes were brooding. ‘But my efforts have been unsuccessful.’
Colonel Fitzwilliam’s comment was typical of a man of action. ‘If she made such a profound impact on you, I am surprised you did not jump out of your carriage at once. You could probably have stopped her carriage,’ he said.
Mr Darcy looked at him, and it was clear from his expression that Mr Darcy of Pemberley would never behave in such a manner. He had too much pride. He did not say so, but he did not need to. Both men knew it.
Instead, Mr Darcy said, ‘At the time I did not know what a lasting impression she was going to make on me.’
Colonel Fitzwilliam set his drink down on the table.
‘It is an interesting story. But, even so, I don’t see what this has to do with your plan to propose to Miss Bennet,’ he said.
‘Only this: I am finding it hard to bring myself to the point of proposing. What if I meet the other young lady again?’
Colonel Fitzwilliam shook his head. ‘If you have not been able to find her in two years, it is very unlikely. Besides, you will have to marry sometime. You cannot wait for ever, on the slight chance you might find this mystery lady again.’
‘Then you think I should go ahead?’ asked Mr Darcy, looking at his cousin with interest.
‘It is not about what I think,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam. ‘It is about what you think.’
Mr Darcy nodded thoughtfully.
‘And what do you think?’ asked Colonel Fitzwilliam.
‘I think that, even if I found the young lady again, she would be married by now,’ said Mr Darcy. ‘She was of marriageable age when I saw her, and that is two years ago. It is only this thought that has made me decide to try and forget her.’
‘I agree,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam. ‘Besides, you cannot marry a young lady for her eyes. I can understand they have made a deep impression on you, but you know nothing about her. You might not like her if you ever met her again, despite her fine eyes. Or you might like her, but not enough to marry her.’
‘You are right, of course,’ said Mr Darcy with a sigh. ‘It is a dream and nothing more. But Miss Bennet is real, and she can give me the real marriage I need.’
‘But tell me,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam, settling back into his chair once more. ‘How did you meet her? If she is not from an old family then you cannot have met her in the usual way.’
‘No. I met her by chance.’ Mr Darcy steepled his hands in front of him. ‘In fact, I have Lady Catherine to thank.’
‘Lady Catherine!’ exclaimed Colonel Fitzwilliam.
‘Yes. Do you remember her clergyman, Mr Collins?’
‘The one who was killed in a carriage accident while visiting relatives?’
‘Yes, the same,’ said Mr Darcy. ‘Lady Catherine wanted me to find out if his affairs had been settled. As you know, she advised him against going to see his relatives in the winter, when there was ice on the roads, but by the time her letter arrived he had already set out. The relatives he went to visit were the Bennets because he was Mr Bennet’s heir. Mr and Mrs Bennet took him out in their carriage to show him the surrounding countryside and the brake failed as they were going down a hill. All three of them were killed.’
‘Yes, I remember now.’ Colonel Fitzwilliam’s voice was sombre. ‘It was a great tragedy.’
‘It was indeed. The five Miss Bennets were left orphans. Even worse, no one knew who should inherit the estate. Mr Collins had been due to inherit it from Mr Bennet, but as he was also dead, the next in line had to be sought. It turned out he
was in the navy. No one had heard of him for years, and no one knew if he were alive or dead. An investigation was set in motion but it was slow. And so, at Lady Catherine’s urging, I visited the Miss Bennets to see how matters were progressing.’
‘Surely it was none of Lady Catherine’s business?’ asked Colonel Fitzwilliam.
‘Not directly, no. But Mr Collins was some kind of distant relative – a great-nephew of a distant cousin, I believe - which is why she gave him the living in the first place. That gave her some kind of reason to find out more, although I suspect the real reason is that she was bored and needed something to do,’ said Mr Darcy. ‘And I must admit, I was bored too, and so I fell in with her wishes.’
‘And has the heir been found?’
‘No, not yet. The lawyers are trying to trace him. Meanwhile, the Miss Bennets are able to remain in their family home until the heir is found, but after that they will have to leave.’
‘And so you decided you would marry Miss Bennet?’ asked Colonel Fitzwilliam. ‘It does not seem a good enough reason for marriage to me. There are plenty of women in difficult circumstances, some of them from old and titled families. If you want to help Miss Bennet, would it not be easier to let her have one of your cottages when she is turned out of her home? And her sisters, too, of course.’
‘I do not intend to marry her for that reason,’ said Mr Darcy. ‘But the accident made me think about my own situation. If I die without a son, then a distant cousin will inherit and he will be within his rights to turn Georgiana out of Pemberley.’
Mr Darcy’s mind filled with an image of Georgiana in distress and he was determined that that should never happen. He loved his sister dearly and he wanted the best for her. He never wanted her to be unhappy or frightened, and he meant to make sure that it could never happen.
‘The family would not stand for it,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam promptly, jumping up and striding round the room.
‘Perhaps not,’ Mr Darcy conceded. ‘But the new owner could make her feel unwelcome and unwanted.’
‘True,’ admitted Colonel Fitzwilliam. ‘But these are very morbid thoughts,’ he went on, returning to his seat. ‘You are not likely to die, Darcy. You are still very young.’
‘Young men die every day. Mr Collins was young.’
Colonel Fitzwilliam had no answer for that.
‘If I have a son, however, he will inherit on my death and Georgiana’s home will be safe.’
‘Unlike Miss Bennet’s home,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam.
Mr Darcy nodded.
‘Miss Bennet does not know from one day to the next if the heir will turn up and put her out of the house. She lives with that fear every day. Meanwhile, she is having to act as a parent to her younger sisters, for she is over age, but she is still very young for such responsibility.’
‘About the same age you were when you lost your father,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam.
‘Yes. But I was a man and better able to cope with the situation. Besides, I had an army of servants and advisors to help me. Miss Bennet has nothing but a couple of aunts and uncles, with a few general servants. And yet I am not marrying her out of compassion. She is very beautiful and she has many other good qualities, so that any man might be glad to call her his wife. As soon as I was introduced to her I was struck by her beauty, her calm poise and gentle manner – very different to the demanding manner of heiresses, or ladies from good families. I was also struck by her kindness to her sisters. It occurred to me she would set a good example to Georgiana, and also be a kindly sister. And so I began to spend more time with her, getting to know her, and at last I was certain that I could think of her as my wife.’
Colonel Fitzwilliam nodded. ‘I see the appeal. If she is gentle, she will be undemanding, and she will be grateful to you for taking care of her and her sisters. She will be a good hostess for Pemberley and a friend to Georgiana.’
Mr Darcy nodded. He took another drink then set his glass down on the table.
‘The only thing she lacks is a dowry,’ he said. ‘But I have fortune enough for two.’
‘Then I wish you well,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam. ‘You will have to bear the disapproval of the rest of the family, but they will not be able to do anything about it. Eventually they will come round.’ He flicked a speck of fluff from his tailcoat. ‘When do you plan to ask her uncle for her hand?’
‘Tomorrow. After which, I will return to Longbourn and ask the lady herself.’
‘Then I wish you luck,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam. He lifted his glass. ‘A toast! To your successful proposal.’
‘Thank you,’ said Mr Darcy.
He, too, finished his drink.
Tomorrow he would speak to Jane’s uncle and ask for permission to propose to her. He was sure that permission would be granted, and then he could ask Jane to be his wife.
Chapter Two
Miss Elizabeth Bennet was pleased to be home. She had spent an enjoyable six weeks with her aunt and uncle on a pleasure tour but she had missed Longbourn and in particular she had missed her eldest sister, Jane. The two of them shared a strong bond of love and friendship. This bond had helped them to bear the loss of their parents the previous year, and it had helped them to cope with looking after their three younger sisters. To be sure, their aunt and uncle Philips lived close by, and their aunt and uncle Gardiner wrote and visited from London very frequently, but it was Jane and Elizabeth who bore the day to day cares of running the household.
Elizabeth had been unwilling to go on holiday for this very reason but Jane had insisted. And so at last Elizabeth had agreed, on the understanding that Jane would take a holiday later in the year.
There was no denying that Elizabeth had enjoyed it. She liked her aunt and uncle Gardiner very much, and spending several weeks in their company had been refreshing.
But now she was home, and something even more exciting had happened, for it seemed that Jane was on the verge of being engaged.
‘Your letters have been very encouraging,’ said Mrs Gardiner to Jane. The three ladies were sitting in the drawing-room that evening, once the younger girls had gone to bed. Mrs Gardiner was staying at Longbourn for a week before returning to her London home. ‘Elizabeth and I have both been intrigued by your accounts of Mr Darcy and his constant visits. Is there something between you?’
Jane replied with her usual calm serenity.
‘It is too soon to say anything definite, but he asked me which of my uncles was the head of the family, and he then left Meryton for a few days. I believe he has gone to London to ask my uncle for permission to pay his addresses.’
‘This is excellent news!’ said Mrs Gardiner. ‘The Darcys are an old and well respected family.’ She frowned. ‘In fact I am surprised . . .’ She looked at Jane, as if wondering why Mr Darcy would choose her as a wife. But then her face cleared. ‘No, I am not surprised,’ she corrected herself. ‘You are everything that is good, dear Jane, and it is no wonder he fell in love with you. Tell us all about it.’
With the reminder that nothing was settled, Jane told them that Mr Darcy had come in to the neighbourhood to ask after the affairs of Mr Collins and that he had stayed. She told them of the assemblies he had attended; the times he had asked her to dance; the calls he had made at Longbourn; the supper parties they had both attended; the times they had met when she was shopping in Meryton, in fact everything that had happened while Elizabeth had been away.
‘A man such as Mr Darcy would not pay you so much attention if he did not mean anything by it. I am sure a proposal will soon follow. You are fortunate to have caught his fancy,’ said Mrs Gardiner.
‘And Mr Darcy is fortunate to have caught yours,’ said Elizabeth stoutly to her sister. Adding, ‘If, indeed, he has caught your fancy? You have told us all about his courtship but you have not said anything about your feelings. Do you love him, Jane?’
‘I am not sure I know what love is,’ said Jane. ‘That is why I am so glad you are here, Lizzy. And you t
oo, dear aunt. I need your advice.’
Mrs Gardiner said, in a matter of fact manner, ‘It is certainly a good match. In fact, it is an excellent match. If you marry Mr Darcy you will never want for anything again, and neither will your family. But Elizabeth is right. Your feelings are important, too. As to love, I think it is different for each of us. Some people are madly in love at the beginning and then fall out of love. Others find love growing on them slowly. Some people marry in the white heat of passion and a few years, or even months, later, regret it. For others, love comes after marriage. What are your feelings for Mr Darcy?’
Jane spoke slowly and thoughtfully.
‘I esteem him and like him,’ she said.
‘That is a good start,’ said Mrs Gardiner.
‘I admire him.’
‘That is also good,’ said Mrs Gardiner.
‘But would your heart stop beating if you never saw him again?’ asked Elizabeth.
‘Really, Lizzy!’ said Mrs Gardiner. ‘That never happens, except in novels.’
Elizabeth smiled, but she would not let her point drop. ‘Very well, aunt,’ she said. ‘I will try to be more moderate in my speech.’ She turned to Jane. ‘But do you think you would be happy as his wife?’
Jane thought for some time, giving due weight to her answer, and said, ‘Yes, I believe I would.’
‘Then, in that case, Jane, my advice would be to accept him,’ said Mrs Gardiner.
‘I am not so sure,’ said Elizabeth. ‘Only love would tempt me into marriage. Nothing else would do for me.’
‘But I am not like you, Lizzy,’ said Jane with calmness. ‘I wish to love my husband but I do not think I would ever be swept away by my feelings. I think, for me, it would be more gradual. I do not feel things as strongly as you, although I think I feel them as deeply, if that makes sense. ’
‘Yes, it does, at least to me,’ said Elizabeth. ‘I know we are different, dear Jane, but I want to make sure that you are not accepting him because he will take care of the family. I do not think you should let that influence you. If you marry him, it must be because you want to. It should not be for the rest of us, it should be for yourself.’
Darcy and Elizabeth What If? Collection 1 Page 20
