The Darcys of Pemberley

by Shannon Winslow

“The letter you wrote him years ago, pledging your … ‘eternal devotion,’” he explained, nearly choking on the words. “I imagine you asked him to destroy it – any man of honor would have done so – but he has kept it and now uses it against you. He threatened to publish it and expose you to scandal for writing something so improper. I could not allow that.”

  “So his game is blackmail; he has been extorting money from you, I suppose.”

  “Well, yes.”

  “Why did you not tell me? I could have assured you there was no foundation for his claims.”

  Darcy caressed her cheek, fixing doleful eyes upon her. “As your husband, Elizabeth, I shall always defend your honor without question,” he said softly. “In this case, I saw no reason to remind you of an episode from your past which must only bring you pain.”

  “Oh, my love!” She retrieved his hand and brought it to her lips. “I appreciate your gallantry, I really do. And I do not doubt for one minute that Wickham is capable of such a foul scheme, but I still cannot understand how he managed it. Darling, upon my honor, I wrote no such letter! You must believe me.”

  Darcy looked at her in confusion. “I wish to believe you, yet the evidence is against you. I have seen the letter with my own eyes. It was in your hand, Elizabeth. How can you continue denying it?”

  “I shall deny it … to my last breath, if necessary!” Elizabeth clutched her husband’s hand all the tighter, refusing to let him go. “I did not do it and I shall never say that I did. If the evidence testifies otherwise, then the evidence is false! Consider the source, Darcy. You know better than I do that Wickham is a consummate liar. Is it not to be expected that what issues forth from him will prove just as unreliable?”

  Blinking hard, Darcy weighed what she said and held out against her determination only a few moments longer. Then he fully embracing the sagacity of Elizabeth’s reasoning. Given the character of the two opposing witnesses, accepting his wife’s sworn testimony over Wickham’s was the only choice that made sense. As he banished his last doubt, a shroud of sorrow fell away from his soul; the pain, so long his constant companion, vanished now that he knew his Elizabeth had never belonged to another.

  “Of course; you must be right,” he said in relief, kissing her over and over again between the words that joyfully spilled out. “I have been such a fool. I should have had more faith in you. My dear, darling wife, can you ever forgive me for believing such a thing possible?”

  “I can and I do,” she sobbed.

  At once, the insidious barrier between them came tumbling down. The next several minutes Darcy and Elizabeth spent wrapped in each other’s arms in wordless gratitude. At length, however, Mr. Darcy raised the one remaining unanswered question.

  “So, Lizzy, my love …” he tentatively began, keeping her in his tight embrace.

  “Yes? What is it?” she murmured.

  “I say … if it was not Wickham’s secrets you were guarding, then whose?”

  Elizabeth could not help laughing aloud, which, after the tension and high emotion of the past two days, was a delicious release.

  “For the answer to that question, my dear husband, you must be patient a little longer. I hope to be at liberty to tell you very soon. In the meantime, I can promise you this: the truth about my conduct will not be nearly as shocking as the lie you have got used to believing.”

  Chapter 33

  Revelations

  With light hearts, Darcy and Elizabeth returned to the routine business of managing Pemberley, which had of necessity been set aside whilst they entertained guests. Now the air seemed fresher, the day’s work more cheerfully done, for the knowledge that all was right between them again. No more than a passing thought could be spared for the Wickhams. In accordance with the reconciled couple’s happy outlook, the anticipated birth of their first child was a much more suitable subject on which to dwell.

  Discovering his wife surveying her swollen form in the mirror, Darcy quipped, “Your figure is not quite what it used to be, Lizzy.”

  “Please remember, sir, that you have no one to blame for it but yourself.” Elizabeth shook her head in mirth and amazement. “Thanks to you, I now look as if I had swallowed an enormous melon. Yet I think a melon would be more comfortably carried – not all these awkward parts poking out and digging in at every angle.”

  Elizabeth was only a few weeks from her confinement now. In preparation, the Darcys had engaged the same monthly nurse who served the Bingleys so well. When the time came, Jane would be the only other attendant. According to Mr. Bennet, who had written to boast of his triumph on Elizabeth’s behalf, Mrs. Bennet would not be present after all. He claimed to have handled the situation so adroitly that, in the end, Mrs. Bennet believed it all her own idea to postpone her visit until the fall.

  Mr. Sanditon had taken to calling at Pemberley every week since Darcy and Elizabeth returned from London. His visits, often with his sister-in-law accompanying him, were valued as social high points, especially now when Elizabeth refrained from going out in public herself. The conversation on these occasions canvassed many topics but, at some point, Mr. Sanditon was sure to ask for news of the ladies in London. Elizabeth pitied him his disappointment, which seemed to be settling into resignation. It had no doubt occurred to him that the longer Georgiana tarried in London, the less likely that she was eager to accept his proposal.

  Georgiana’s most recent letter had conveyed her intention of arriving home by the time Elizabeth’s child was expected, if not before. The London social season was winding down, so there was little of interest to keep her in town any longer. Apparently, Colonel Fitzwilliam continued close at hand, although Georgiana made no mention of progress on the romantic front, with the colonel or anyone else for that matter. It looked as if she would soon have to make her decision about Mr. Sanditon’s offer according to its own merits, with no other prospects on the horizon to influence her.

  Mr. Sanditon happened to be at Pemberley the morning Elizabeth received Georgiana’s response to her own urgent communication. Coming as an express, the letter arrived earlier than anticipated and roused great curiosity – both because of the identity of the sender and the mode by which it had been sent. It was very particularly addressed to Elizabeth alone, however, so she took her letter aside and read it at once in case it was of a pressing nature, which the fact that it came express implied.

  Dear Elizabeth,

  I was quite distressed by your letter, as you might well imagine. How selfish I have been to impose so long upon your good nature and sisterly friendship! If I have caused any irreparable harm to you or my brother by insisting on your secrecy, I shall never forgive myself. By all means, you must explain whatever you feel necessary to make my brother understand that you have not been false to him in any way. If he is angry, let it be with me, for it was I who refused to tell him about my situation or allow you to do so. You always urged me to be open with him; I will gladly to testify to that at any time. I just pray it is not too late to undo what damage I may have done.

  Tell my brother what you will. I am beyond caring. My hopes for Colonel Fitzwilliam have all been in vain. Make no mistake; he is kind and attentive as always, so I can find no fault in his behavior. He watches over me just as my own brother would do, which is precisely the problem. Even after all the time we have spent together, with ample opportunity for him to see me in a different light, Fitzwilliam continues to treat me as if I were his sister. There is nothing more I can do to encourage him, at least not within the bounds of propriety. I can only conclude that he is incapable of caring for me as I had hoped.

  The fact that he cannot return my affection does not change what I now know with certainty; my attachment to him is just as strong as it ever was, perhaps stronger. I was only deceiving myself when I thought otherwise. Under the circumstances, it would be wrong of me to accept Mr. Sanditon’s generous proposal, and I shall have to tell him so when I return. Perhaps in time I will be able to love someone else. Until then,
I must be content to remain single. As you see, Elizabeth, I have taken to heart the wise counsel you gave me on that subject.

  Now that everything is settled and my decisions are made, I am desperate to be home again. I miss Pemberley and both of you excessively, and there is no reason to linger here a moment longer. Consequently, Mrs. Collins and I are leaving almost at once and should be back with you the day after you receive this letter. Give my brother my love and my apologies. For the trouble I have caused you both, please forgive me.

  Georgiana

  As she read, Elizabeth became conscious that the room had fallen silent. Darcy and Mr. Sanditon sat in rapt attention, waiting for her to finish and not even attempting to continue their conversation in the meantime. When Elizabeth read the part that most concerned Mr. Sanditon, she instinctively glanced in his direction and found him looking at her anxiously, probably hoping for some good news or fearing bad. In the end, however, all she could offer the gentlemen was the report that Georgiana and Mrs. Collins were already on their way home and could be expected to arrive the following day.

  “For such a long letter, that is very little information,” said Darcy.

  “The rest is more personal, between sisters,” she explained.

  “Why does she send such a routine correspondence by express, then?” Darcy asked.

  “She was leaving immediately and wished the letter to arrive in advance of her, I imagine,” said Elizabeth, “to acquaint us with her plans.”

  “I suppose that makes sense. Does she say that Fitzwilliam is accompanying them on the journey?” he further inquired.

  “She does not say. Although, since that was the prior arrangement and she reports no alteration, I would be inclined to think he is.”

  “You must both be very pleased to have your sister finally returning to you,” said Mr. Sanditon. “I hope that I may call again in a few days to have the pleasure of seeing her myself.”

  “Certainly, my good fellow,” said Darcy. “You are welcome here at any time.”

  The news of Georgiana’s imminent return sent Mr. Sanditon into a state of discomposure. He restlessly moved about the room, unable to resume the easy conversation the three had enjoyed before the arrival of the letter. The effort soon became too much for him; he made his excuses and departed.

  “What do you suppose came over the man,” asked Darcy, after their friend had gone. “He was behaving very oddly.”

  “I believe I can shed some light on that question, along with a few others. This letter from your sister is what I have been waiting for. Read it, my love, and you will understand.” Elizabeth handed it to him, thus allowing Georgiana to tell her own story.

  Darcy gave his wife a quizzical look, but did as she advised. As he scanned down through the letter, he uttered exclamations of surprise with each new revelation. Then, when he had finished, he read the whole thing through a second time, more slowly to better digest the contents.

  Elizabeth waited, a little anxious for her husband’s reaction, yet relieved that he would finally know the whole truth. When he was ready, she answered all his questions and soothed his wounded honor as best she could.

  “… My dear, be assured that, had anything come of either Georgiana’s attachment to Colonel Fitzwilliam or Mr. Sanditon’s proposal to her, you would have been consulted immediately. Now, however, it looks as if both possibilities have come to naught, and we shall soon have your sister back home with us just as before. I hope you will not be too harsh with her, Darcy. It has been a year of great turmoil for her; she needs our understanding more than anything else.”

  He stood and strode across the room, taking a minute before responding. “I cannot profess to be pleased that all this has been going on behind my back. Still, it seems no harm has been done, so I shan’t make too much of it. I suppose it would be best if I said nothing at all about the matter to Georgiana … and certainly not to the two gentlemen involved. I shall pretend to be just as ignorant as I was before. There. Will that suit everyone, do you think?” he asked dryly.

  “Considering your distaste for disguise, Darcy, perhaps you would have been happier not knowing after all,” she said lightly.

  “Very amusing, Lizzy.” After a thoughtful pause, Darcy continued, more seriously, “Since we are laying all our cards on the table now, there is one more thing you should know. The morning after you had your scare on the path by the brook, I rode over to confront Wickham about it, since, as you know, I immediately suspected he was behind the trouble.”

  “I did wonder where you had gone. What was his reaction?”

  “Just as I expected, he denied any involvement. Yet, in the hopes of discouraging any further mischief on his part, I wanted him to know that we were on alert.”

  “I hope you succeeded there, Darcy.”

  “I doubt that very much. He told me defiantly that your coming away unscathed proved he was not responsible, for, if he should ever intend to harm my family, he would not fail.”

  Elizabeth gasped. “That sounds like a threat!”

  “It may be only pride and bravado. Still, I think we must take it seriously – as a gauge of his attitude if nothing else.”

  Chapter 34

  Lydia’s Complaint

  Georgiana’s pending arrival became the chief focus of the household straight away. Mrs. Reynolds, who fairly doted on the young lady, personally undertook arrangements for the girl’s long-anticipated return to Pemberley. Her rooms were aired, the unused linens changed, and a vase of fresh flowers placed on her bedside table. Elizabeth spoke to Cook and ordered some of Georgiana’s favorites for the following day’s dinner to celebrate her homecoming.

  Whilst all these preparations were underway that afternoon, Elizabeth was informed that she had a visitor awaiting her in the drawing room.

  “Why, Lydia, what do you do here?” Elizabeth exclaimed in surprise upon seeing her.

  “Must I have a particular reason to visit my sister?”

  “Of course not. I am always glad to see you. How are you getting on at the cottage?”

  “Oh, I like the house well enough, and Sarah keeps everything in good order. But I am so bored, Lizzy,” Lydia repined. “All our neighbors are either tremendously old or exceedingly dull. There’s not a solitary young or lively person within miles as far as I can tell.”

  “You have only just arrived in the neighborhood. You are bound to find friends more to your liking before long. And you will discover that managing your own home can occupy a good deal of your time and interest.”

  “Lord, no. I am sure you are wrong on both counts. I have no patience for tedious household affairs, and the other tenants can have nothing to say that would interest me. All they know is working the ground, managing livestock, and tending their unwashed children. How can Wickham and I be expected to survive in such dreary society?”

  “I am sorry you are unhappy, Lydia,” said Elizabeth with growing impatience. “Mr. Darcy has gone to a good deal of trouble to provide you with an agreeable situation at his own expense. You have a comfortable home, a maid, and the prospect of a good income, which is far more than many of your neighbors do. Perhaps it is time you adopt a more realistic view of life, and accept the fact that the world does not exist solely for the purpose of entertaining you.”

  “There is no call for you to be so high and mighty, Lizzy. After all, it is easy enough for you to say such things when you can have as much company as you wish and go into town whenever you please.”

  “Mr. Darcy and I live very quietly for the most part. Our entertaining and our time in London are primarily for Georgiana’s benefit, not to please ourselves. As a single young lady, it is more important for her to circulate in society than it is for married women like you and me.”

  Lydia’s lament turned back to an old, but not forgotten, grievance. “If only Papa could have been prevailed upon to see things in that way. I think it very unfair that he denied us girls the advantage of a London season or two. Balls and pa
rties every night – just imagine what fun we could have had.”

  Elizabeth could more easily imagine how much mischief Lydia could have made in such a setting. “Georgiana will be home soon. If you wish to know what a London season is really like, perhaps you can persuade her to tell you about it sometime.”

  “When does she arrive?”

  “In point of fact, we expect her tomorrow, with Charlotte. You will like to see Charlotte again, Lydia, and I can introduce you to Mrs. Sanditon as well. That will expand your social circle, and you will meet others from the parish at church.”

  “That is all very well. But according to my husband, we will never be able to cultivate the right sort of friends here, because Mr. Darcy has poisoned the minds of everyone for miles round about against him. It was very impolitic for him to have done it too, my Wickham says.”

  “Mr. Darcy has done no such thing! I beg you would tell your husband so. If anything has sunk Mr. Wickham’s character, it is his own exploits.”

  “Well, I do not know who is to blame, but it is very vexing. My life is not turning out at all as I had imagined, Lizzy, and now there is a new problem.”

  “And what is that, pray?” asked Elizabeth, expecting some trivial complaint.

  “Do you remember when I last visited you here? We were talking about babies, and you said what a blessing it was that I had none, since I did not want them.”

  “…Yes.”

  “Well, it appears my good fortune has run out on that head.”

  “You are with child? Oh, Lydia, this is excellent news!” Elizabeth moved to embrace her sister, but Lydia drew back.

  “Excellent, do you say? It is hardly that. Wretched bad luck is what I call it.”

  “I know it must have come as a surprise, dear,” Elizabeth said, taking Lydia’s hand, “but cannot you see? This could be the very thing you and Wickham need to make a fresh start. Having a child to love and care for will give you something to think of beyond yourselves. You now have more reason than ever to build a good life here, and I daresay, once the baby arrives, you will never have time to be bored again.”