by J Dawn King
Quickly glancing up, she found his eyes still rested upon her face. His was not a calm expression. Nor did he look self-satisfied, although it was the emotion she had expected. Instead, he was troubled.
“Elizabeth,” he spoke softly, as if he was afraid to frighten her away from him. “Your father had no means of knowing my heart, but I would have given him much, much more.”
She was unable to absorb his words, but she could no longer look away. “I do not understand.”
He shook his head and sat back. Immediately, she mourned the loss of his close comfort.
“Will, for my lifetime, my father has said we have none of us much to recommend us as we are all silly and ignorant like other girls. Yes, he welcomed me alone into his book room so long as I did not disturb him. We discussed the topics of the day, information we read in the newspapers or the latest book we shared. However, he never appeared to concern himself with any of our futures. While young, this did not bother any of us. Nevertheless, by the time of my come out, I had witnessed Jane go from enjoying the social activities with no underlying worries to being almost frantic as she searched for a man who would complement her character. In this way, her future could be secured. When I would ask Papa what would happen to us should no one offer for Jane or myself, he laughed and called me silly.”
“You were not and are not silly, Elizabeth,” Darcy reassured.
“My mother commented rather loudly while still in company after Mr. Bingley’s ball how satisfied she was that Mr. Collins would offer for me as I was the least dear to her of all her daughters. She considered my father’s cousin alone as being worthy of my attention.” Elizabeth accepted his proffered handkerchief and wiped the last of the dampness from her cheeks. This conversation stirred her ire, not sadness. “On our return to Longbourn, Mama added, ‘Lizzy is not a bit better than the others. I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, not half so good-humored as Lydia.”
“How could they?”
His anger at her parents soothed her. At the same time, her perverse nature resented him for being upset.
“Will, if asked, I have no doubt each of my parents would claim they loved me. And, I love them as well. Papa has never been a violent man as some females have had to live with. Did I wish him to take more of an interest in Longbourn and his daughters? Certainly. Nonetheless, I learned long ago not to expect perfection of anyone.”
“Yet, is that not what you expected from me?” Darcy asked. “You knew nothing of my circumstances prior to my arrival in Hertfordshire. You assumed and judged based upon observation only.”
“I did indeed,” she admitted, grateful his tone was not bitter. “With your words and actions at the assembly, my prejudice was set in stone. Your pride would have been much easier to overlook had you not damaged mine.”
“I apologize...” he began.
“No, no, no!” Elizabeth boldly reached for his hand. “Let us be done with our time in Hertfordshire. We are a long distance away in Derbyshire with concerns much more important than how we traveled from the evening of our first acquaintance to here.”
Giving his fingers a squeeze, she was pleased when he rested his free hand on top of hers.
“Elizabeth, I thank you for your consideration. We do have matters of serious concern to see to.”
“I do have one final question before we close this subject forever.” Nervously, she bit her lip, forcing herself to calm. “Did you offer the sum, or did he ask for that amount?”
The air rushed out of Darcy until Elizabeth fretted that he might need a hearty slap on the back to get his breathing started again.
“My dear, Elizabeth, can you not let this go?” His eyes pleaded with her to retract her inquiry.
“I cannot.”
Stiffening his spine, he replied, “The amount needed to settle Mr. Bennet’s debts was three thousand pounds. He requested an additional one thousand to expand his library. The remainder will be kept in the four percents until each daughter marries, whereupon each will receive four thousand as her portion. The interest earned from the annuities will be given over to Mrs. Bennet upon the death of your father. Thus, from the date of our marriage forward, it would behoove your mother to keep your sisters at home for as long as possible so she can earn the maximum amount for her care.”
“Can my parents access those funds should they find themselves in need?” Her head was spinning and beginning to pound ferociously. Shame flooded over her body from her hair to her toes. Her father had requested that amount.
“They cannot.” Darcy waited until she looked at him. “I quickly wrote out an agreement which your father signed before I filled in the bank draft. Only you, me, or my man of business can release the funds at the marriage of each of your sisters. Their portion will be in their name only, not that of their husband. Should any choose not to marry, they will have access to the funds at our discretion when they reach their majority.”
Elizabeth was speechless. Horror for being bartered at the expense of her father’s debts and desires along with her sisters’ futures caused her stomach to churn. She was going to embarrass herself.
Running from the room, she nearly ran into Abigail with a fussy Jem. Ignoring them both, Elizabeth barely made it to her chambers in time. As soon as the violent spasms ended, she sat on the floor next to the basin.
How had everything she had thought was right with her world have gone so completely wrong. Mr. Darcy, the man she despised, had shown himself to be more concerned for others than himself. Her father, the man she had long admired, had proven to be weak, greedy, and cowardly.
Closing her eyes against the complete upheaval of her life, Elizabeth refused to allow a tear to fall. If only her eyes had cooperated. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she buried her face in her skirt and wept.
Almost a week had passed before Lord Matlock heard from his nephew. Expecting Darcy’s instant return to London to do as he was bid, he ripped open the seal and read the letter. Within two sentences, he was livid. Before he finished the missive, his sister and her idiot parson burst into his study without being announced.
Ignoring the intruders, he finished reading the note. Lifting the oriental dog that Catherine had admired the last time she was in the room, he flung it at the stones surrounding the fireplace.
“Darcy! I will ruin you!” he howled into the room, temporarily silencing Lady Catherine.
“Hugh, what has happened, for it cannot be any worse than the news I am come to share.” Lady Catherine approached her brother cautiously.
He rejoiced at causing her apprehension.
“Darcy has wed some nobody from Hertfordshire. Blast that man! He has no idea what he has done.”
Mr. Collins apparently thought this was an invitation to speak as he bowed, then opened his mouth to talk.
Hugh Fitzwilliam had silenced much better men with a look. Mr. Collins snapped his mouth shut and sat in a chair away from Lord Matlock.
“Brother, Collins brought me the news only this morning. We set out immediately to see what we could do to unravel the mess our nephew has got himself into and extricate him. Then he is free to wed the woman we choose.”
Lifting the parchment so Lord Matlock could read the salutation, he noted the date. Six days had passed since the wedding. Six days!
“There will be no annulment now.” Throwing the paper towards his sister, he paced the length of the room. Calling for a footman to attend, he demanded the presence of his eldest son. Henry would need to investigate everything about this Miss Elizabeth Bennet to see how this had happened, how the woman could be worked on, and how the marriage could be ended.
Chapter 10
After composing herself, Elizabeth went to the nursery to check that Abigail and Jem were settled. She found them both sound asleep. Deciding to follow their course, she returned to her room, threw back the bedclothes and climbed in.
Hours later, Elizabeth found Darcy working in his study. Upon her entry, he handed her the le
tters that had been awaiting her at their arrival. In the turmoil of the day, she had forgotten them. Jane’s was at least several pages for the sealed missive was thick. The one from her uncle and aunt was considerably thinner. She chose to read it first.
Mrs. Madeline Gardiner
Gracechurch Street, London
Our Dearest Elizabeth,
Are you well, sweet Lizzy? Pray, reassure me at your convenience. No, do hurry, please.
Oh my! The news from Longbourn has astounded your uncle and me. Married to Mr. Darcy of Pemberley. The last we heard from you about the man was that you held him in disapprobation. Dear girl, how did this come to pass?
We are cognizant of the Darcy family’s reputation because of their proximity to Lambton. I was a great admirer of your husband’s parents, who were the best of people. Lady Anne had a quiet dignity and a ready smile for everyone she met. Because of her fair beauty and the elegance of her dress, young girls from the village would rush to her for a greeting. She never failed to extend kindness. Mr. Darcy kept a small bag of sweets to give the children. He was a tall man who never used his height to intimidate. Rather, he stooped down to give his salutations.
Is the son much like his parents? Is he the same sort of master as his father was?
We visited your new home during the summer months when the family opened Pemberley to the community. The house and grounds are the loveliest we have ever seen. To know you are the new mistress of such an estate is astounding. If any one of the Bennet daughters could manage the task, we are certain it would be you.
I will return to my question I began with, Lizzy. Are you well? Do not ply me with the gossip of the neighborhood for an answer. Your mother has already done so. What would ease our mind is to find you are pleased with your circumstances. Adjusting to a new marriage has its challenges. Adjusting to life at Pemberley after being raised on a much smaller estate could be daunting. However, your greatest task, since your opinion of Mr. Darcy had been less than favorable in the past, will be discovering the good in the man and finding happiness with him.
Please, please write soon, my niece. Your uncle, cousins, and I love you more than you can know.
Pray accept our congratulations, Elizabeth Darcy. A good marriage is a gift to treasure each minute of the day. A less than stellar marriage can change quickly into a blessing if both parties are determined to work at finding peace and joy. Love comes quickly after the discovery of those precious qualities. Work hard, Lizzy. The benefits are worth the effort.
With love and affection,
Aunt Maddie
Elizabeth sighed with the truth of the information contained within the page, catching the attention of her husband.
“Is all well, Elizabeth?” He glanced up from the stack of papers he had been addressing.
“Yes, sir.” Standing, she handed her aunt’s letter to him. At his hesitation, she said, “My aunt speaks of your mother and father. I would imagine you would enjoy hearing of them. Besides, you will get to know the type of woman my aunt is from how she wrote about marriage. She and my uncle, my mother’s only brother, have the sort of relationship I have always wanted. They are strongly bonded to each other. Yet, they are independent as well. To me, Aunt and Uncle Gardiner have found the perfect balance.”
Nodding, he riffled through the opened letters and found the one from his uncle, Lord Matlock. “Thank you for trusting me with your private letter. I believe you should read my uncle’s demands to know what we will be facing together. Needless to say, he will be angry when he hears of our wedding.” When she accepted the parchment, he continued, “Elizabeth, I believe you will be able to sketch my uncle’s character from the words he penned, just as I will do the same with your relatives.”
Nodding, she read each word. “Who is Miss Cecilia Bournemouth?”
Standing, he rounded his desk. Rather than offering her a seat on the sofa where they had shared their first kiss, he chose the two leather chairs in front of the fire.
She was grateful. Not only did the sofa represent the pleasure of her husband’s first embrace, it was the site of her deepest heartbreak, discovering her father’s greed.
“Sir Archibald Bournemouth left London almost two decades ago with his wife and young children for the West Indies. His estate had been impoverished due to poor management and uncontrolled gambling. According to rumors, he desperately needed ready funds. None of his friends saw fit to aid him.” Darcy lightly tapped his knuckles on the arm of the chair, then stood, evidence of his displeasure with the subject. “The family returned prior to the season two years ago as their eldest daughter was ready for her debut into society.” He stood to pour himself a glass of wine. Elizabeth refused the one he offered her. Standing by the mantel, he continued, “Miss Bournemouth, like her father, has an elevated opinion of her position. She could be considered a lovely young lady, I would imagine. Her coloring is the same as your eldest sister’s and her carriage is elegant. However, her ambition to attach herself to wealth is most unbecoming.”
“You were a target of her designs?” Elizabeth asked, already disliking Miss Bournemouth with vehemence.
“I was.” Darcy looked away from her before he added, “When I refused to be captivated by her wiles, she, claiming affection for my sister, invited herself to Darcy House repeatedly when I was away from home. Within a few short visits, my innocent young sister was almost completely under her control. Thus, at each meal I was barraged with hopes and dreams of a match by Georgiana. Pressure from Lord Matlock was brought to bear. Only my Aunt Catherine, who at the time was pushing me to marry Anne, stood by my side. The situation was unpalatable.”
“I can only imagine.”
“I would never attach myself to a female who would use a girl of fourteen to further her designs. Miss Bournemouth is determined, opinionated, and concerned more about the wealth of a man than his character. I shudder to think of how bitter my life would be if she were my bride.”
“Instead, you are married to me,” Elizabeth whispered to herself.
“Thank God in heaven that I am!”
She looked at him closely. There was no teasing, no hint that he meant anything other than what he said. This, added to every exchange since she had first read his cousin’s letter assigning him the task of caring for Jem, revealed more to admire about the man in standing in front of her.
He returned to the chair next to her.
Elizabeth noted, “Lord Matlock shows no sorrow over the loss of his daughter-in-law or the grief of his own son. I am afraid this paints a vivid picture of your uncle’s personality. Do you see him the same as I do?”
“Yes, I do.” Darcy crossed his legs as he sat back in the chair. “He was clearly upset when Richard proposed to Anne and was accepted. So was her mother. The brother and sister’s goal had been to attach Anne to me to keep her dowry in the family. In addition, my aunt’s further motive was to remove Anne to Pemberley. In that way, my aunt would remain undisturbed at Rosings. They wanted a healthy woman from the first circles as Richard’s wife so she could birth many sons. When this did not happen, Uncle Hugh was bitterly angry. He was mad at Richard and Anne for marrying. He was angry with Lady Catherine for not stopping the match despite Anne’s being old enough to decide her own course. For a certainty, my aunt attempted to make sure that the marriage did not happen. However, she failed to take into account how determined Richard could be. Additionally, my uncle was upset with me for not marrying Anne in the first place.”
Darcy’s foot started bouncing, displaying without words his discomfort. “One of his biggest frustrations has long been the Darcy men. You see, my father never jumped to obey the commands of Hugh Fitzwilliam. In the past five years, I have acted the same. Only if a direction is beneficial for Pemberley or my family will I consider what he has to say.”
As the tension leached out of her husband, she realized that with the conversation being about his personal responsibilities, they were now on common ground. When he spoke
of Miss Bournemouth and his uncle? Darcy’s discomfort came from his worry about his wife’s reaction.
Elizabeth saw this as more evidence of his care for her.
“He expects your immediate return to London after only two week’s mourning. Can he truly be this cold-hearted?”
“He is.” Unexpectedly, Darcy reached for her hand, which she offered willingly. “Uncle Hugh has always been ambitious. This greed for power motivates him in every aspect of his life. His eldest son, Henry, is much like him. Richard, I am pleased to say, takes after his mother. Aunt Helen was a force to be reckoned with on her own. She well knew her place in society as the Countess. Yet, she was kindness personified. When Richard and I were young, she would laugh at and even encourage our childish antics. She was quick to see humor but could be fierce when protecting her sons and me. Sadly, I recall Mother saying there was difficulty with the birth of both of her sons. I know nothing more about her circumstances other than she never had any other children after Richard. Aunt Helen was a small woman with the tiniest waist I have ever seen. Her death was a great loss to the whole family. She died two months before my father. The loss of her was devastating.”
Giving his hand a gentle squeeze, Elizabeth pondered the information before reaching a shocking conclusion. Her husband, Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stoic man she knew in Hertfordshire who distanced himself from strangers, knew the importance of loyal love to those he held in affection. He had claimed to feel an attachment to her. Therefore, she would be the recipient of his constant regard if she showed him kindness and loyalty. As her aunt claimed, a good marriage can be worked toward as an achievable goal if they did so together.
With that revelation at the front of her thinking, Elizabeth did not want him to go to London. She wanted him at Pemberley where they could continue to learn about each other. Distance and distraction could halt the relationship they were beginning to build. Surely, he could see that too.
