My wife! He talks as if I am not standing two feet away! Her ire rose along with his overbearing attitude and Elizabeth felt her face turn crimson. Unfortunately, William did notice that.
“Are you well, my dear?” Without waiting for an answer, he addressed Mrs. Barnes, “A headache powder for my wife, please. We are off to the mistress’ suite. You may bring it there, along with some strong tea. That should make her feel better. Are the baths ready?”
“They shall be shortly, Mr. Darcy. We have the water hot, but were waiting until you arrived to bring it up.”
William began leading Elizabeth up the stairs. “Come, I shall show you to your suite.” Remembering something else, he called over his shoulder, “Please inform me when the baths are ready. And we shall dine at eight.”
As they disappeared out of sight, the housekeeper heard a chuckle and turned to see Richard staring at the top of the stairs. She pressed her lips together to keep from smiling.
“Darcy seems eager to show his bride the bedroom.” Seeing Mrs. Barnes blush, he added, “Well, if my cousin should ask, though I imagine he will not, I am off to stay at Bingley’s house for a time. He was kind enough to offer his hospitality and I accepted. Tell my cousin he can find me there if he needs me.”
“Your room is ready, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Cook has prepared your favourite roasted lamb for dinner,” she offered. “Will you not at least wait until you have eaten to leave? After all, the master assumed you would be staying here.”
“You have talked me into staying for dinner, Mrs. Barnes. But only because I am famished and Mrs. Colton’s lamb is the best in England.” Richard started up the stairs and then stopped to ask, “Is there hot water enough for me?”
“Of course,” she replied. “We could never forget about you.”
With a big smile, Richard turned and practically ran up the stairs, disappearing as quickly as the Darcys had before him. Mrs. Barnes looked about to find she was all alone. Consequently, as she headed to the kitchen to inform Mrs. Colton when dinner was expected, she could not help but contemplate her new mistress.
Wait until I tell Mrs. Colton! Mrs. Darcy is nothing like we envisioned. Instead of being tall and willowy like Miss Darcy or Lady Susan, she is very shapely and petite. I imagined her hair to be the colour of corn silk and very straight, instead it is dark brown and curly. And it seems she uses none of the powders and rouges that are all the fashion, though her complexion looks flawless. If asked, I would not describe her as beautiful though she is certainly pretty. Perhaps the secret lies in those eyes—dark as coal, though they almost sparkle with fire at times.
She chuckled. If I am not careful, I shall be as bewitched by the mistress as Mr. Darcy seems to be. Then she smiled. At least she does not act pretentious.
Reaching the kitchen, she was disappointed to find it empty. Suddenly, her husband came down the servant’s stairs from the upper floors, busily brushing water from his coat. He stopped when he caught sight of her.
“All of the luggage is inside and unpacked.” Then out of the blue, he craned his neck to be sure that the room was clear of other servants and sidled up to her. “I will say this, Mrs. Barnes. The new Mrs. Darcy does not seem to have come from wealth. Everything she brought with her fit into one piece of luggage—other than the small satchel she carried herself. That was the extent of it.”
Mrs. Barnes’ brow knit. “She does not seem the type to marry a man for his fortune, nor does she seem to be with child. Nevertheless, I cannot form an opinion on why they married so abruptly with so little evidence. All we can do is act as though everything is well and pray that it truly is.”
“I agree. We must trust that Mr. Darcy knows what he is about. But I hope that she is good to him, for he has had more than his share of heartaches.”
A footman stuck his head in the door at that moment, informing them that the hot water was being carted upstairs. Sighing, Mrs. Barnes said, “I must supervise, or else they will soak all the floors with it.”
“And I need to get out of these wet clothes.”
Thus, each hurried in different directions, questions still swirling in their heads.
MATLOCK HOUSE
Georgiana’s bedroom
The scene that unfolded when Lady Matlock informed her niece of Collins’ news was nothing short of astonishing—though not in a good way. The countess was stunned to see her niece fly into a fit of rage and begin to pick up various items and throw them at the hearth. Costly vases and crystal met the same fate as less expensive figurines. Never had she witnessed someone of Georgiana’s age act so childish and it was worrisome. For the first time, Lady Matlock wondered if she and Edward had been responsible for spoiling their niece for she knew that Fitzwilliam had not.
Having tried to reason with her to no avail, she was relieved when a maid interrupted the melee to say that Lady Susan had arrived. Georgiana insisted that her friend come upstairs immediately and she rushed into her arms the minute she appeared in the doorway. Without delay, she blurted out all the particulars of William’s marriage, never considering how the news might affect her confidant. However, Lady Matlock noted that, oddly enough for someone who wished to be the next Mrs. Darcy, Susan took the news almost too well. And when she pulled Georgiana over to a settee to console her, the countess took the opportunity to leave them alone.
In the hallway outside, she leaned against the door, exhausted. Edward and I must do something about Georgiana’s temper. We must rein her in, or she will be out of control by the time she is twenty!
She then hurried in the direction of the grand staircase. I would give my favourite slippers for one of Mrs. Soames’ headache powders this very minute!
NOW THAT HER FRIEND was here, Georgiana’s anger escalated even more. “I will not have it!” she declared, standing and stomping her foot. “He cannot marry some nobody, ruin my chances for a good match and expect me to be happy for him. I hate him, and I shall hate her as well!”
Lady Susan reached out for her hand. “Oh, dearest, you are handsome, and there will be no dearth of wealthy, refined gentlemen offering for you. After all, you are Lord Matlock’s niece.”
Georgiana brightened, pulling her handkerchief out of her pocket to blot her eyes. “Do you truly believe that?”
“I do. However, you must be very careful what you say and do at this point. If you insult your new sister and anger your brother, there will be no way for you to assist me. And I shall need your help now more than ever.”
“How can I help you now? It is over and done with! Brother is married!”
“Yes, but it does not follow that he shall always be married. If I am ever to have him, I will need you to be my eyes and ears—to tell me what goes on between the two of them. And you must keep this a secret. ”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“Marriages do not always last, Georgiana. There are annulments and divorces—admittedly few and far between—but they do happen. If we can uncover some secret in her past that will make Fitzwilliam angry enough to divorce her—”
Georgiana’s face brightened. “I... I had not thought of that!” Then she became serious. “But why would you still want to marry him after he has treated you so cruelly?”
“I had hoped to be married to your brother before revealing my reasons, but I suppose it is best that you know now, especially if you are to help me.”
Reaching into her reticule, she brought out a small portrait. Regarding it, she smiled at the image before holding it out to Georgiana.
“I have never seen this likeness of Fitzwilliam before. How did you come by it?”
“That is not your brother.”
“But, who—”
“That is my son. His name is William.”
Georgiana gasped! “Brother is the father?” Lady Susan nodded. “But... but he would never... ” Georgiana’s voice trailed off as she studied the child’s image.
“Do not judge him harshly, dear. When he and I... well, when our so
n was conceived, he was not sensible. In fact, Fitzwilliam was very drunk.”
“And all these years he has berated Andrew for doing what he has done! He is nothing but a hypocrite!”
“I fear that Andrew’s problems were the catalyst for your brother’s state that night. You know in your heart that he would never have done such a thing had he been sober.”
“What happened?”
“We were both at Lady Montclair’s ball in London. I happened upon him in the garden and saw immediately that he was inebriated. I helped him back into the house by a side door, and we ended up in the library. One thing led to another. I recognised the very next day that he did not remember anything that had taken place. A week later he was off to Scotland.”
“I remember when he toured Scotland,” Georgiana murmured woodenly.
“Two months later I realised that I was pregnant. It would have been futile to try to locate your brother, as he planned to stay only one night at each location during his trip.” As Georgiana regarded her sceptically, Susan added, “And, to be truthful, I knew he would not welcome the news. He always swore he would not marry until he was thirty. So, when Lord Hartley offered for me, I accepted.”
“Let me tell Brother about his son! I am sure he will leave that woman at once to secure his heir.”
“NO!” The force of Lady Susan’s answer caused the younger woman to startle. “I mean, please do not. He could take my child away from me entirely. You know how the courts favour men.”
“I had not thought of that.”
“I shall keep our son hidden until his father is free again. Then I shall reveal the truth.”
Georgiana continued to glance at the replica. “Did your husband not see the resemblance?”
“Yes. As William got older it was very noticeable. However, we had a frank talk about the past, and Fletcher told me that he did not hold it against me. That was just before... ” Susan faked a small sniffle. “He was lost to me.”
“Would you mind telling me how he died? I have always wondered, but I was afraid that it might make you sad to speak of it.”
“Since we are friends, I will tell you. Once a year, we would travel to the coast. His family owns a home at Land’s End in Cornwall that sits atop a cliff and overlooks the sea. We would stay there while he conducted business with his contacts in nearby villages.” She stared into space as if reminiscing. “It is a beautiful place; we spent our honeymoon there.”
She gave her friend a wan smile. “Unfortunately, William was ill, and I did not go with Fletcher on his last trip. According to his valet, my husband went for a ride one afternoon and never returned. The valet did recall hearing a gunshot earlier, but thought nothing of it, as Fletcher often shot birds for sport. When evening came, the valet went looking for him and found only his horse standing near the edge of the cliff. There was no sign of Fletcher. The local constable ruled that he was likely shot and then fell into the ocean, since his body was never found.”
“How awful!”
“Yes, it was a most difficult time,” she said, her voice breaking at just the right point. Then, just as quickly her mood improved. “Nonetheless, that is behind me now and I must make the most of what life has for me in the future.”
“I agree. What role shall I play in order to be of service?” Georgiana made a face. “I do not think I can convince Brother, but she may be dull enough to believe I like her.”
“No. You are correct. If you act overly welcoming, Fitzwilliam will suspect your motives, even if his wife does not. It would be better if you act reserved but accepting of her—as though you have no choice. Then as time goes on, you can pretend to warm to her.”
“I shall give a performance worthy of the theatre!”
Lady Susan smiled. “I am sure you will. Just remember that no one can know of this. It is between the two of us.”
“I understand completely.”
“Good. Now what shall we do about your plans for the ball? Am I still to meet Fitzwilliam in the gazebo now that he is married?”
“Now more than ever!” Georgiana declared. “Only I shall make sure that his new bride, not my aunt, catches you kissing him. That should get their marriage off to a rocky start.”
“I never knew you could be so cunning,” Susan said teasingly.
“For some time, Fitzwilliam has forced me to rely on my own devices. It is time that he learned what has come of his cruelty.”
IT WAS NOT LONG AFTERWARD that Lady Susan left Georgiana, eager to be by herself. Shocked to hear of William’s marriage, it was all she could do not to scream and throw things, just as Georgiana had done earlier. Yet, she could never let anyone see her desperation, least of all Lady Matlock.
I shall make him regret his decision, if he does not already. After all , she mused, for Darcy to marry so quickly and to a woman of no consequence, it had to be coercion. She stopped suddenly to study that thought. Unquestionably, it was a compromise.
By then she had reached the landing of the grand staircase and Lady Matlock was on her way up. At the sight of her, the countess spoke. “I was just coming to find you. Please forgive me for leaving you to console my niece alone, but I was having no luck with her and I thought your counsel might be just what she needed. I do hope she listened to you.”
“No need to apologise, I assure you, my lady. I had a good talk with Georgiana and she agreed that she must accept her new sister for her brother’s sake, as well as her own. I told her that no good would come from despising the woman Fitzwilliam chose to wed.”
“I can hardly credit such wisdom in one so young!” The countess declared, her voice filled with admiration. “And to think that your heart was broken to hear the news, yet you consoled my niece and convinced her to be forgiving.”
“When one has lost a husband, one grows up quickly. I would not recommend it as a way to mature, but Fletcher’s death did make me a wiser person.”
“Well said, my dear,” Lady Matlock replied, reaching out to lay a comforting hand on Susan’s arm. “And I am sure that your reintroduction to society will be successful, despite my nephew’s newfound status. I shall have Edgar escort you to the ball instead, and I am confident that you shall charm the masses, just as you did in your first season.”
“You remember my first season?” Susan asked. “I hardly remember it myself.”
“Come, have a cup of tea before you leave, and I shall tell you all about it. Cook is preparing a new pot as we speak. Besides, if you are as weary as I from consoling Georgiana, you can use some strong tea.”
Arm-in-arm, they came down the stairs and walked across the foyer to the parlour, chatting animatedly, even laughing occasionally. Meanwhile, the Earl of Matlock had exited his study to find his wife, and when he saw her talking to Lady Susan, he stopped short. He was not anxious to interrupt, lest he be brought into their conversation, so he went in another direction.
That is odd. I assumed Lady Susan would be inconsolable at the news of Darcy’s marriage, as she seemed determined to have him this time around. But she seems completely unaffected. I shall never understand women!
With a huff of irritation, he walked towards the billiards room. It always helped to work out his frustrations with a cue stick.
LONGBOURN
The same day
Though the breakfast should have ended hours ago, Fanny Bennet was in her element and encouraged everyone to stay a while longer and have another bite to eat. Truth be known, there was an excess of food and drink still to be consumed, for she had spared no expense in an attempt to impress her new son and his cousin, not to mention the Bingleys. As a reward, she had the opportunity to brag to her heart’s content about her new son and his wealth, as well as of all the fine things that her second daughter would have at her disposal as Mrs. Darcy. In actuality, she was reluctant for the whole thing to end.
Seeing the Bingleys leaving for Netherfield reminded Aunt Gardiner that she had not seen her oldest niece in quite some time. Concerned th
at Jane would miss Lizzy the most, she hoped to comfort her if she were distressed. She could not find Jane among the crowd, so, at length, she walked to the bedroom that her two eldest nieces always shared. Arriving at the door, she found it ajar and pushed it open a bit to peer inside. Jane was sitting in the window seat that overlooked the garden, so occupied with her thoughts that she did not hear her aunt enter the room.
Her niece’s head swung around at the sound of her name, and Madeline Gardiner discovered that Jane was weeping. Closing the door securely, she rushed to the window seat, pulling her niece into her arms. “What is the matter?”
Jane began to weep in earnest then and could barely speak for several minutes. Then she stuttered, “I... I cannot say. It is not one thing but many. So much has happened in so short a time.”
“There, there,” Mrs. Gardiner said, patting her back before reaching into her pocket for a handkerchief. After dabbing Jane’s cheeks with it, she pressed it into her hand. “Calm down and begin with the first thing that is wrong.”
Taking a ragged breath, Jane said, “I am going to miss Lizzy so much!” Drying her eyes with the handkerchief, she sniffled. “It is hard to think that we shall never share a room again or... or lie in bed talking of our hopes and dreams. Everything has changed forever.”
Her aunt smiled knowingly. “Perhaps it will not be the same, but you and she are too close not to correspond regularly or to visit, so you may still share your hopes and dreams. Only now, they will include your husbands and, before long, babies.”
“Babies,” Jane repeated woodenly. “I still have not reconciled myself to Lizzy being married, so I cannot picture her as a mother. Not yet, anyway. And I hate to speak of it, but I worry for her happiness. That is another reason for my melancholy—she did not wish to marry Mr. Darcy.” Her eyes implored her aunt. “Do you truly think she will be content with him?”
“I do.” Madeline cupped Jane’s face, smiling in a motherly fashion. “Edward is convinced that Mr. Darcy is a good man, and I know that he has an excellent reputation among my family in Lambton—throughout the county, for that matter. In addition, Mr. Bingley speaks well of his character. Do you not have faith in your own suitor’s judgement?”
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