by P. O. Dixon
How could she possibly expect Mr. Bennet to be comfortable in the home of the man who had been the means of ruining the best part of his life by depriving him of the chance to see his daughter grow into the beautiful, accomplished woman she had become? He told her as much.
Not to be deterred, Elizabeth said, “Papa, if you will not be prevailed upon to accept Lady Sophia’s hospitality, then surely you will consider staying with the Gardiners in Cheapside. Our entire family will be in town. Pray you will oblige me in this one request.”
“My dearest Lizzy, I shall ponder the matter.”
Chapter 19 ~ At Your Service
Shunning a duke – even one whose family’s name was dragged through the mud – was not the thing to do, and thus the doors of the ton remained opened to the Montlakes, although the reception at times was not half so warm and inviting as it had been when the late Duke of Dunsmore was alive.
Mr. Bennet had indeed consented to join his family in town. What was more, a glimpse of the library at the Dunsmore Grosvenor Square home gave Mr. Bennet pause to consider that the duke was nothing like his grandfather, after all. If his daughter was determined to have these people be a part of her life, he would not waste another minute of his time on Earth denying her that pleasure purely for the sake of his own injured pride.
Elizabeth, feeling her situation to be fodder for much drawing room drama even still, was content to enjoy the theaters and the occasional ball with those who could be counted as the Montlake family’s staunchest advocates. Protecting her sisters’ sensibilities was part of it, to be sure. Even Jane, with all her beauty, was deemed merely tolerable among a sea of accomplished debutantes and heiresses awash in large dowries. If Jane garnered so little attention, what chance did Mary and Kitty have? Word that their father was a country gentleman with no wealth to speak of traveled fast.
Still, London could be quite diverting and, all in all, the Bennet sisters had no cause to repine, all except young Lydia who, despite being out in Hertfordshire’s rather limited society, was not afforded the same privilege in London, much to Mrs. Bennet’s chagrin. She was simply too young and too untamed, and Elizabeth decided, with Lady Sophia’s agreement, that if her parents would not take the trouble to protect young Lydia from embarrassing them all, then they would take it upon themselves to limit her ability to do so.
Bingley, being aware that Jane was in town, had indeed begun calling on the Montlakes regularly, which was a balm to Mrs. Bennet’s disappointed hopes. It was not long before she started once again speculating aloud of Jane’s being the next mistress of Netherfield.
Despite his being Mr. Darcy’s friend, Bingley made no mention of Mr. Darcy being in town. Neither did Avery, for that matter, and Elizabeth could only suppose he must still be in Derbyshire.
~*~
Egad! The last person in the world whom Elizabeth ever expected to see at the soirée that evening was her odious cousin Mr. Collins. Yet there he was, making a concerted effort navigating the crowded room and heading her way. He was not alone.
Bowing deeply before her, the ridiculous man said, “Cousin Elizabeth, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to my noble patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh.”
Elizabeth curtsied and expressed her appreciation for the honor her cousin had bestowed, for, indeed, she had been quite eager to make the proud woman’s acquaintance for some time. How she wanted to examine the Grande Dame for some resemblance of Mr. Darcy in her countenance and deportment. After her ladyship informed Mr. Collins that his presence was no longer necessary, he quickly ambled away, leaving Elizabeth with the privilege of her ladyship’s undivided attention.
Lady Catherine De Bourgh submitted Elizabeth to a thorough inspection before speaking. Her hands resting on her bejeweled walking stick, she said, “So you are Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
“I am, indeed, your ladyship.”
She shook her head. “It is a shame the scandal the late Duke of Dunsmore perpetrated against the Bennet family. No doubt it is a subject you would rather not speak on, but I am not in the habit of tempering my speech.”
If the grand lady meant to intimidate Elizabeth, she would have no luck. Her true bloodline aside, Elizabeth, too, had been reared steeped in aristocracy. “To know me is to know that I always speak my mind with equal frankness as well, your ladyship. I assure you, Lady Catherine, that my Bennet family is much relieved by the outcome. I am sure you know that we have your own nephew, Mr. Darcy, to thank for unraveling the mystery and leading me back to them.”
“I am indeed aware of the role Darcy played in all this, although you cannot be entirely pleased with the outcome of this turn of events.”
“I fail to take your meaning, your ladyship.”
“Why, you now find yourself being one of five daughters—all in need of husbands. I do not suppose your prospects for forming an advantageous match are nearly as favorable as when you were thought to be the granddaughter of a duke.”
Here, Elizabeth merely smiled. How she secretly congratulated herself in being able to boast of her promising prospects with her ladyship’s own nephew. Such knowledge would surely give the old dragon something to contemplate. “My prospects are as they ever were, I assure you.”
“If you insist, although it is a shame that you did not put yourself forward as a possible wife for my parson, Mr. Collins. You might have been the means of assuring your mother’s and your sisters’ places at the Longbourn estate should some ill fate befall your father.”
Elizabeth did not know if she was more aggrieved or relieved by the outcome of that event, but she did not intend to let on any of that to the proud lady. “I am confident my friend Mrs. Collins would argue otherwise.”
Her ladyship reared back her head. “I must say, you state your opinion rather decidedly, young woman. Such is a product of your regal upbringing, no doubt. In time, you shall adjust to your reduced circumstances and learn to regard your superiors with all due deference.”
“I do not know that I ever shall suppress my own opinions for such a reason as you expound, your ladyship, but I suppose it is generous of you to show such concern for my manner of comportment.”
“Pray you are not laughing at me, young woman, when you ought to be thanking me for telling you the things you ought to know if you plan to continue cavorting among Society now that the truth is out. Not everyone will be nearly as generous as I am.”
“In such a case as this, your ladyship, I say you must allow me to tend to what is mine while you tend to that which is your own.”
With a polite curtsey, Elizabeth walked away. Oh, the nerve of Lady Catherine de Bourgh—how dare she mention my prospects when she ought to be worrying about her own daughter’s? No doubt, she is suffering under the delusion that her daughter is to marry Mr. Darcy.
A knowing smile graced Elizabeth’s countenance over what it would be like to see in her ladyship’s face the indignation she would inevitably suffer when Elizabeth was presented to her as her future niece. She had not walked very far when a stranger approached her, although she was certain she saw in his face a resemblance of someone with whom she was particularly familiar.
“I see you have met my aunt.”
“Excuse me, sir, but do I know you?”
“No doubt, you know of me. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam at your service.” Bowing, he took her proffered hand in his and raised it to his lips.
Elizabeth soon found herself the happy woman seated next to one of the most amiable gentlemen she had met in a long while. Colonel Fitzwilliam entered into conversation directly with the readiness and ease of a well-bred man, and the two of them talked very pleasantly of a great many things. She quickly discerned that a gentleman with his charms rendered even the commonest, dullest, most threadbare topic interesting on those matters he was most eager to discuss. However, on others he had little to say. He did say that his cousin Miss Darcy was in town and residing in her own establishment under the sup
ervision of a Mrs. Annesley.
Elizabeth, having been privy to how all that came to be, gave no indication of how intimate she was with Miss Darcy’s story. Further discussion of the Darcys confirmed what she had suspected, that Mr. Darcy was not yet in town. The colonel would not say more, and Elizabeth did not press, supposing it was not her place to do so. If the gentleman had any notion of the nature of Elizabeth’s acquaintance with his cousin, he gave no clue.
She could not help but consider that the colonel was nothing at all like his sister, Lady Victoria, who had formed a very unfavorable impression on Elizabeth during all their meetings the Season before. All too soon, Elizabeth was subtly reminded by her companion, Miss Greene, to give some of the others at that evening’s gathering their due, and she quitted the colonel’s company with but one thought uppermost in her mind.
Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam is one of Mr. Darcy’s relations whom I shall enjoy knowing very much.
Chapter 20 ~ A Pleasant Trip
Less than a week later, Elizabeth espied Darcy at the theater. She did not know at first whether to be glad about his being in town or troubled that he was in London and had not made that fact known to her. There he sat in the Matlocks’ luxury box, dressed in stark black and white and looking incredibly handsome. Sitting in front of him was his cousin Lady Victoria.
Elizabeth arched her brow. It appears the young woman has undergone a complete recovery from whatever mysterious affliction ailed her.
She silently questioned what Mr. Darcy was about. How long had he been in town and why the secrecy, for had the colonel not informed her that he did not know when Darcy would arrive in town for the Season? She could hardly wait until the intermezzo so she might speak with him, and, rather than pay attention to the performance on stage, she soon began plotting the means for putting herself directly in his path.
When at last she and Darcy stood directly before each other, his face showed a mixture of disquiet and surprise, and his demeanor was rather unreadable. Is he glad to see me?
After a neat bow from him and a curtsey from her, Elizabeth said, “Mr. Darcy, I did not expect to see you of all people this evening. I thought you were in Derbyshire. When did you arrive in town?”
“No, I’m here. I arrived this morning. I did not expect to see you here either.”
“Oh? Is this not one of the most highly anticipated events of the Season? Where else would I be?”
“No—of course you are here. What I meant to say is I had planned to call on you tomorrow.”
“At least there is that.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Sir, if you only arrived this morning, as you say you did, and I have no reason to doubt your word, I am surprised at your even being here. One would have thought you would be weary from your travels.” A barely perceptible nod of his head was encouragement enough for Elizabeth to continue. “I trust you had a pleasant trip.”
“I did—thank you. Coming here tonight was not my idea. My cousin—”
Before Darcy could complete his sentence, he and Elizabeth were joined by a third party—his cousin Lady Victoria.
She laced her arm through his. “Here you are, my dearest cousin.” She looked at Elizabeth. Feigning surprise, she said, “Ah, I beg your pardon, but what shall I call you? Is it Lady Elizabeth? Miss Bennet, perhaps?”
Elizabeth noticed Darcy stiffen in the face of his cousin’s brashness. And how dare she assume such a cozy relationship with the gentleman, even if they are cousins. Unless—
“You may call me by my name—Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
“How very formal,” said the other woman. She pursed her lips. “And here I always supposed you and I were such intimate friends.” She made a show of clinging more tightly to Mr. Darcy’s arm. “You won’t mind if I steal my handsome cousin away, I’m sure. You must come with me, my dear, for one of my oldest friends is here, and she is impatient to wish us joy—”
Darcy interrupted, “Lady Victoria!”
“What did I say?” she cried, as she started walking away, forcefully pulling him along.
Darcy looked back at Elizabeth, his eyes filled with unspoken apology, leaving her to wonder what had just happened. An enormous lump formed in her throat. Her heart slammed against her chest. Why would anyone be wishing Mr. Darcy and his cousin joy?
~*~
Very early the following day, Lady Catherine stormed into Matlock House demanding to see her brother, the earl, at once. She insisted upon knowing the meaning of the rumors making their way through the ton that Darcy was to marry the earl’s daughter, Lady Victoria.
“Calm yourself, Catherine. You know as well as anyone how close those two have always been. It should not come as a surprise to you that their friendship has blossomed into something more meaningful and lasting.”
“This is not to be borne. Why, it was the favorite wish of our sister, Anne, as well as my own, that Darcy was destined to marry my daughter, our dear sister’s own namesake. I will not have my own hopes and dreams thwarted by the whims of your selfish daughter, who has always considered herself superior to my Anne.”
“I am afraid it is beyond your power to do anything to prevent this union.”
“Nonsense! I am not in the habit of brokering disappointment. I will do everything in my power to see an end to this madness.”
“And I will do everything in my power to see that the union takes place. My family’s honor is at stake.”
“Pray what is that supposed to mean?”
“What I am saying, Catherine”—here the earl arose from his chair—“and I trust you will keep this to yourself… Victoria is with child.”
Her ladyship’s amazement was evident. “There must be some mistake. I refuse to believe it. I will speak to my nephew at once to find out the truth.”
“You are free to speak with Darcy all you like, and, while you’re at it, pray prevail upon him to act swiftly before society becomes aware of Victoria’s situation. I swear if he were anyone else, I would be obliged to call him out. I am not at all certain it may not come to that.”
“So you mean to say that Darcy does not intend to marry her? If that is the case, he must doubt the truthfulness of her claim.”
“Sadly, the situation has proved to be the means of a great divide with Darcy, for he has assured me that he will require more than my daughter’s word on the matter. He requires proof that only the passage of time will afford.”
“That you would abide such a scheme is evidence enough that you, too, harbor doubts.”
“I know our nephew to be a decent, honorable man. He vows that nothing that might be considered untoward happened between him and Victoria. She insists otherwise. Indeed, it is a matter of his word against hers. Only time will tell.”
Chapter 21 ~ Not Wholly Unfounded
Darcy received an early morning summons from Avery to meet him at White’s. He hated it when his friend asserted his ducal airs, but the fact of the matter was that Avery was indeed a duke, and one did not deny a duke a command appearance.
To make matters worse, Avery was late. Sitting at the table, awaiting His Grace’s arrival, gave Darcy time to remember his having to wait for Avery another time. It was the first time he could ever recall having been alone with Elizabeth. Darcy recalled her teasing manner and how she would not be satisfied until she had captured his full attention. Even then he knew he was in danger of one day losing his heart to her—Lady Elizabeth Montlake, the younger sister of one of his closest friends.
Darcy wondered how close he and Avery would be after that morning. Can our friendship survive yet another test?
The initial test had been when Darcy brought the late Duke of Dunsmore’s crime to light. Family loyalty had insisted that Avery balk at the notion that his grandfather had committed such a heinous act as rob another family of their child and pass her off as his own son’s illegitimate daughter. Only the threat of blackmail from one of the late duke’s former associates had persuaded Avery
of the veracity of Darcy’s claims. Thus persuaded, Darcy and Avery joined forces in reuniting Elizabeth with the Bennets.
When, at last, Avery arrived, he came straight to the point of his being there. “You can have no doubt why I asked you to see me here this morning, Darcy, away from my home.”
“I would imagine it has to do with my presence at the theater last night.”
“Where you go matters not in the least to me. I am more concerned about who you were seen with at the theater.”
“Look, Avery, I won’t play games with you. No doubt you’ve heard about my situation with my cousin Lady Victoria by now. You ought to know that, despite what it looks like, this matter is riddled with complications.”
“The only thing I need to know is whether the rumor that you and Lady Victoria are to be married is true.”
“I am afraid that the rumor is not wholly unfounded.”
“Then you do not deny it?”
“As I said, it’s complicated.” Darcy then proceeded to discuss the intricacies of his situation with his cousin that he felt at liberty to share with Avery.
Little difference did any of what Darcy said make to the duke. “No one can be surprised by this development, Darcy. Look at how you and your cousin have comported yourselves over the years. Now you speak of loving her. If that is the case, then what does it matter if she is lying or not? There appears to be more than enough affection on her part for both of you.
“I do not need to tell you how disappointed I am, owing to what this means to my sister. I am not unaware that the two of you have an understanding, nor do I fault you. To do so would render me a hypocrite in light of my own behavior towards Miss Hamilton.”
