Deception

by Ola Wegner

  The carriage stopped and the/a servant opened the door. Darcy got out first and handed his wife down.

  “Lizzy!” She heard the high pitched voice, and before she knew it, she was in Jane’s arms.

  She returned the embrace, rather taken aback by her elder sister’s outburst. It was so unlike the usually poised and composed Jane to be so animated. She cried and laughed as they hugged.

  Soon Mary, Kitty and Lydia surrounded her too, and each of them embraced and kissed her. They all spoke all at once, which convinced her that she was really back at home.

  Her sisters were shoved away, and Elizabeth, for a change, was enveloped in her mother’s fierce embrace.

  “Lizzy, my child.” Mrs. Bennet cupped her cheek. “I am so happy to see you safe and sound.”

  Elizabeth blinked a few times as she stared at her mother. Mrs. Bennet acted so sincere, as if she had really cared about what had happened with her second daughter for the past weeks.

  “Thank you, Mama,” she whispered.

  Mrs. Bennet smiled at her and patted her cheek. Then she turned her gaze to Darcy, who stood together with Georgiana a few steps away from the Bennets who gathered around Elizabeth. The siblings stared with round eyes at the loudly laughing group consisting of the five Bennet sisters and their mother. Mr. Bingley, who was also present, stood firmly rooted by his friend.

  “Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Bennet announced when she walked up to the tall man.

  Darcy bowed in acknowledgment.

  The matron opened her arms widely in an almost theatrical gesture and spoke slowly and very loudly.

  “Welcome, my dearest son-in-law.” She stepped forward, lifted on her toes and placed affectionate kisses on both of the man’s cheeks.

  Darcy did not say anything, just stared at Mrs. Bennet, who now moved to his sister.

  “Miss Darcy!” she exclaimed. “We are so happy to welcome you into our home. My girls have desired to meet you for such a long time. What a fine young lady you are” she said in a still unnaturally raised voice.

  “Thank you, ma’am,” Georgiana whispered.

  Mrs. Bennet smiled at her and took Darcy’s arm. She looked into the direction of the road and spoke even louder.

  “Let us walk into the house. We are so happy that Lizzy caught such a match as you, Mr. Darcy.” She looked around. “She could not have done better for herself.” she added and dragged Darcy inside the house.

  Darcy stopped and bowed his head when they passed by Mr. Bennet, who barely acknowledged his son-in-law’s gesture.

  Very pale, Elizabeth touched Jane’s arm. “Jane…?” she whispered. “Why is Mama acting like this?”

  Jane leaned to her and whispered back quickly. “She had convinced herself that all the neighbourhood has been hidden in the bushes since the early morning, curious about you and Mr. Darcy. I think that she has decided to demonstrate in her own way that we support your marriage.”

  “Oh, no…”

  Jane squeezed her arm. “It is not that bad, sister. She put herself to bed when the news about your elopement and marriage reached us. However, now she seems to be more than content with the fact of your marriage. Aunt Phillips told her that she had heard that Mr. Darcy was in truth even wealthier than Mr. Brooke ever had been, and that his uncle was a duke.”

  “Oh, no…,” Elizabeth moaned again.

  Jane lowered her voice. “I would be more worried about Papa. I think he has not come to terms with your marriage yet.”

  Georgiana walked shyly to them, which put an end to their conversation.

  Elizabeth smiled at the girl. “Georgiana, I want you to meet my sisters.” She gestured to the row of ladies. “This is Jane, my elder sister, and these are Mary, Kitty and Lydia, who is the closest to your age.”

  Georgiana smiled the tiniest of smiles and curtseyed. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

  Bennet sisters curtseyed as well and smiled at her. There was a moment of silence, before Lydia stepped forward and impulsively reached for Georgiana’s hand.

  “We are so happy to meet you! Since last autumn, we have heard so much about you from Mr. Bingley’s sister. We will have such fun together.” Lydia chatted. “Do you like dancing? Do you want to sleep in our room, together with Kitty and me? You must go with us to Meryton to visit our Aunt Phillips tomorrow. She cannot wait to meet you.”

  “I…” Georgiana found it clearly hard to formulate the answer under Lydia’s verbal assault.

  But Lydia did not wait for the answer. “She is so curious about you. When we heard that Lizzy married your brother, we asked Maria Lucas to tell us something about you, but as always, she could not say anything truly interesting. She is our closest neighbour, and she says she met you.”

  “Yes, I was introduced to Miss Lucas in Kent, Miss Lydia,” Georgiana managed to cut into Lydia’s monologue.

  Lydia waved her hand. “Oh, nothing of that. We must address each other by first names as we all are sisters now. What a beautiful dress you have, and your bonnet! So elegant! Is it the latest fashion in London...?”

  Lydia pulled Georgiana towards the house, asking more questions. Mary and Kitty followed closely behind.

  Only then did Mr. Bennet walk to Elizabeth and Jane.

  “How is my girl?” Mr. Bennet smiled at his second daughter.

  “I am well, Papa.” Elizabeth beamed at him in obvious relief.

  Mr. Bennet offered his arm to Elizabeth, while Mr. Bingley offered his to Jane, and all of them walked into the house.

  ***

  Longbourn was a comfortable, modern house, with spacious and airy rooms both downstairs and upstairs, quite adequate for the family of seven people. However, there was only one official guest room, so it was always a problem to have a larger number of guests. Mrs. Bennet had initially planned to install Miss Darcy in the guest room. Then Jane would move to Mary’s room, so Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth could sleep in the room usually occupied by the two eldest Bennet girls.

  However, during dinner it was announced that Georgiana was invited by Lydia and Kitty to sleep with them. The girls thought it to be a great idea to move a spare bed from Mary’s room into theirs. Mrs. Bennet protested, arguing there would be no room for three beds in one room. Then Mary expressed in a slightly offended voice that she would have been very pleased to invite Miss Darcy to stay in her room, but of course, nobody had even considered that.

  Eventually it was agreed that Miss Darcy would sleep with Mary, while the Darcys would occupy the guest room.

  The evening ended early, as Jane suggested that their guests must be tired after the journey. Mrs Bennet supported her, and soon Elizabeth and Darcy found themselves alone in their bedroom.

  “At last,” Darcy breathed as he turned the key in the door.

  “Yes.” Elizabeth let out a relieved sigh. “It has not been that bad. I think that Mama is pleased.”

  “I was even surprised by your mother’s… enthusiasm,” Darcy noted dryly.

  Elizabeth glanced at him with frown. “I think that she meant well,” she said quietly.

  Darcy did not say anything to that, but Elizabeth noticed that he shrugged his shoulders.

  “I am worried about Papa, though,” she said, as she walked into a dressing room. “He barely spoke to any of us throughout the entire evening.”

  Darcy followed her. “I have agreed with him that we will speak about the settlement for you and our children tomorrow after breakfast.”

  She shook her head. “He is still displeased. I know that.”

  “I think that he accepted the facts.”

  Elizabeth took her nightgown out of her trunk. “Perhaps, but I would wish the he would be happy with our marriage the same as Mama and my sisters are.”

  Darcy stepped closer to her, “Do not think about this today,” he murmured into her ear. “Let us go to bed.”

  “It is still early.” She averted the kiss. “Besides, I promised Jane I would talk with her and give the younger girl
s the presents I bought for them in London.”

  Darcy pouted. “Can it not wait till tomorrow?”

  “I promised, William.” Elizabeth said as she reached to the back buttons of her dress and started unbuttoning it.

  Silently, Darcy turned her around and helped her first out of her dress and then the stays. When she was just in her petticoats, she hesitated.

  “Could you turn around, please?” she asked weakly.

  Darcy only smiled and shook his head. “I cannot understand how you can still be shy with me.”

  “It is different when we are in bed…,” she said as she slowly removed all her clothes in front of him, leaving just her chemise and stockings. “William, please, I need some privacy now,” she said, walking behind the partition. “I want to refresh myself.”

  Darcy sighed, but left the dressing room.

  He was lying on the bed when she entered the bedroom twenty minutes later, already dressed in her nightclothes, the heavy mess of her hair let free down her back. She had her arms full of numerous smaller and bigger parcels.

  Darcy only shook his head and opened the door for her. Soon he heard the loud squeaks at the other end of the hall. It was clear that the youngest Bennet girls enjoyed their presents.

  His valet came, asking whether Mistress would need her maid. Darcy said no, but asked him to prepare his own nightclothes and bring more hot water so he could wash himself.

  Over an hour later, he was in bed, already in his nightclothes, but there was no sign of Elizabeth returning. He waited another half an hour before he put on his breeches and walked into the hall. The house was silent.

  He could not remember which room belonged to Jane. He walked from door and door and listened under them. He felt stupid doing that, but it was better than storming into Mr. Bennet’s, or even worse, Mrs. Bennet’s room.

  At last he heard Elizabeth’s quiet voice. He knocked softly. The blush crept onto his face when Jane, dressed only in a gauzy nightgown opened the door.

  “I am looking for Elizabeth.” he murmured, averting his embarrassed eyes from Jane’s well developed bosom.

  “What are you doing here?” Elizabeth’s much smaller form appeared next to her sister’s.

  “I have waited and waited for you,” he whispered in exasperation, keeping his eyes stubbornly above Jane’s head.

  “I thought you had fallen asleep a long time ago,” Elizabeth whispered.

  “You know I cannot fall asleep without you by my…” he started, but stopped, remembering they had a witness.

  “Are you coming with me or not?” he whispered furiously, giving only a fleeting glance to both sisters. Jane looked as if she was on the verge of bursting out in laughter.

  He gritted his teeth and looked to the side.

  “Go, Lizzy,” Jane whispered. “We will talk tomorrow.”

  They were approaching their room, when they heard someone’s steps on the staircase.

  “It’s Papa,” Elizabeth whispered.

  Darcy grabbed her hand and pushed her into a dark corner, pinning her with his body to the wall.

  They held their breath till Mr. Bennet safely disappeared inside his bedroom.

  Back in the guest room, Darcy undressed quickly. He did not bother to put his nightgown and slipped under the covers.

  When Elizabeth crawled into the bed a moment later, she went into his arms willingly, but when his hand reached under her nightgown, she stopped his hand.

  “William, no,” she said in a clear voice.

  Darcy tried to roll on her. “Lizzy, I need you,” he murmured into her lips as his big hand curled around her hip.

  “William, not here.” she protested. “My mother’s bedroom is next to this room, and my father’s, opposite the hall.”

  He rubbed himself against her body. “The walls are thick.”

  She pushed at his chest. “William, no.”

  “What is wrong?” he mumbled.

  “This is my parents’ house, and I do not think we have enough privacy to do this here.”

  “You say I cannot touch my own wife for the next three weeks of our visit here?” he asked incredulously.

  “Well…, I do not know…, but certainly not tonight. Perhaps we will find some way later. Besides, we did it this morning.” she pointed out rationally.

  Darcy stared at her incomprehensibly. “Lizzy,…”

  She only huffed at him in frustration. “I am worried about my father and everything else, and you can think only about one thing,” she whispered furiously and turned onto her side with her back to him.

  That was the first night for Fitzwilliam Darcy under his in-laws' roof.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Mr. Bennet sat with his now even more extended family in the parlour, taking an early afternoon tea. The room was much too crowded for his taste, as not only his wife and all his daughters were present, but also their guests, Darcy and his sister, and Mr. Bingley, who, since his engagement to Jane, had seemed to occupy Longbourn daily.

  Mr. Bennet realized then that in the years to come, there would be even less peace and quiet in the household. With the older girls married, the grandchildren would unavoidably come, and likely sooner, rather than later. His eyes stopped on his son-in-law. Mr. Bennet sighed inwardly and frowned at the younger man. Darcy sat next to Elizabeth, who talked animatedly with Jane and the well behaved and polite Miss Darcy. Elizabeth did not pay much attention to her husband, very much engrossed in the conversation with the women. The older man observed as Darcy shifted a little closer to Elizabeth, his serious eyes focused on her profile. He looked hungry, as if he had wanted to touch her very badly.

  Mr. Bennet cast his eyes on his newspaper, a strange sadness enveloping him. Lizzy was gone from him. What was worse, as much as he was set to resent the man who had taken her away so abruptly and without his consent, he was forced to admit there was not much that he could hold against Darcy as a person.

  This serious, brooding, even unsocial young man was not only besotted with his favourite daughter, he also seemed to love her deeply and ardently. He was patient and understanding with her, even when Elizabeth tended to frequently forget about his presence, occupied with her sisters and friends. Elizabeth, though clearly infatuated with her husband, seemed not yet to fully match his devotion for her.

  Darcy bore all the silliness of Mrs. Bennet, who fawned over him constantly. He bore the impropriety of the youngest Bennets admirably too, although there were moments when a trace of disapproval crossed his face, especially at Lydia’s antics.

  Mr. Bennet felt that this young man stood above him in many ways, perhaps not intellectually, but certainly Darcy took his responsibilities towards his family far more seriously than he ever had. Darcy would have never allowed any of his children to grow wild and uninhibited as he had done.

  The older man tried to convince himself that he should be pleased for his daughter, that she was not married to an idiot like Collins or a creepy, suspicious man like Brooke. Still, he felt sad and defeated. Lizzy would not visit him any more in the library every day to talk with him and discuss the books they read. Derbyshire was so far away. They would see her no more than once a year.

  Mr. Bennet raised himself slowly from his chair. “Mr. Darcy,” he said in a quiet voice. “Perhaps you would like to join me in the library?”

  There was an immediate silence in the room, and all eyes focused on him for a moment.

  Darcy stood up. “Yes, sir,” he nodded seriously and kissed Elizabeth’s hand before turning to the door to follow him.

  In the library, Mr. Bennet gestured his guest to the armchair opposite the one he usually occupied himself and walked away to prepare drinks.

  “Here you are.” He walked back and handed the younger man the glass of port.

  “Thank you.” Darcy took the drink.

  “I invite you to come here whenever you wish.”

  The younger man stared at him, trying to read him.

  “It is the o
nly place in a house full of women where a man can keep his sanity,” he clarified. “I think we will not bother one another.”

  “Thank you, sir.” There was a trace of a smile on the young man’s serious face. “I do appreciate that.”

  “Well, well…,” Mr. Bennet murmured and returned his attention to his newspaper.

  Some time must have passed before there was a soft knock at the door.

  “Papa,….” Elizabeth’s curious eyes peered in.

  Mr. Bennet smiled. “Come in, Child.”

  “I have been worried…” Elizabeth looked hesitantly from her father to her husband. “I was concerned... You have been in here alone for quite a long time.”

  She stood uncertainly in the middle of the room. Darcy put aside the book which he had been reading and walked to her.

  “I see that you came to collect your husband.” Mr. Bennet looked up at them. “Well, off you go.” He waved at the couple.

  ***

  Darcy was surprised when his wife pulled him out of the library, and without a word of explanation tugged at his hand and led him to the back of the house. They went down the stairs to the cellars where the kitchens were located. She ushered him into a small room behind the pantry. Judging by its very modest furnishing, it had used to be a servant’s room.

  She turned the key in the door.

  “Elizabeth, why…?”

  She placed her finger on his lips and pulled him to the small bed, which took most of the space in the room.

  She pushed him onto the bed and stood in front of him. “I want to apologize to you,” she announced.

  He shook his head. “I am not angry at you.”

  She sighed and peered at him from behind her long eyelashes. “I neglected you, and I was unkind.”

  He pulled her to him on his lap and kissed her temple.

  Elizabeth nestled against his chest. “You have been so patient with me. I do not deserve you.”

  “Do not say such nonsense. Neither of us is perfect, but we are together, and there is no artifice between us. I detest pretence and deception. I much prefer your snarling at me and your moodiness to having a marriage like some of my acquaintances. At least you are honest. I would not survive with a wife who smiles compliantly to my face, but laughs at me behind my back, and who shares my bed only because she finds it to be her duty in exchange for the pin money and the position I can give her. ” His embrace around her tightened and he sighed. “I just wish we were already at Pemberley,” he murmured into her hair.