"Can we get someone to clean up the broken glass and the wine while everyone is eating? Clear the way and step carefully. We do not want anyone else to fall into this mess of glass," he said loudly. In a quieter voice he added. "Come along, Richard. We need to get the rest of the glass picked out of your clothing and tend to those cuts." He motioned towards the gentlemen's retiring room.
"Yes, some of it is still sticking into me, and it hurts like the devil," Richard grumbled. "I would appreciate the help. I hope Miss Lucas realizes I know none of this was her fault."
"She is an intelligent woman, Richard. I am certain she knows that, and if she does not, my Elizabeth will tell her."
As they entered the small room set aside for the gentlemen, Richard said, "I will need to speak with her tonight if I can. If she will marry me and we have the first of the banns called tomorrow, all three can be done in time for us to share a wedding day with you and Bingley. That is, if the ladies do not mind."
"A triple wedding. That will be a memorable event. Well, I have no objection. Once we get you picked clean, I will see what I can do to help arrange a meeting."
Darcy closed the door behind them and started to help his cousin remove the lingering bits of glass preparatory to cleaning him up and tending to the worst of the cuts. He was pleased it looked like Richard and Miss Lucas would marry. This was just not the way any of them hoped it would come about. He expected for years to come Richard would say, when anyone asked how he came to marry his wife, that he tripped right into it. And truly, he had.
Chapter 32: Recovering from the Indignities
Darcy was still picking splinters of glass from Richard's hands when Sir William entered the room. The normally jovial, ebullient man wore an uncharacteristically serious expression and he spoke with gravity unusual to him.
"I understand you have agreed to a marriage that will save Charlotte and my family from social ruin," he said. "I wanted to confirm that is so and thank you." He stepped aside as a servant came in, carrying a fresh bowl of warm water to replace the one Darcy had been using to wash away the glass fragments.
After a final swish of his cousin's hands in the used bowl, Darcy indicated he should raise them, so the bowl could be replaced. The servant quickly made the switch and left the fresh towels he had carried in with the bowl. As the door closed, Richard replied.
"What I told Lady Lucas is true; I am happy to marry your daughter. I was already considering asking her for a courtship as she has many qualities that make her an ideal wife for the owner of a small estate like the one to which I will shortly retire. Ultimately, however, the choice is hers. I would like to speak with her this evening if I may, to determine if she is willing both to marry me and to have the first of the banns called tomorrow so we have the option of joining my cousin and Bingley on their wedding day."
"Ah, good idea, it costs less if the day is shared and it gets the deed done quickly. She will not refuse you, I am certain. I will ask Mr. Colter to make the announcement tomorrow. I saw him here earlier."
"Not before I have spoken with Miss Lucas," Richard insisted. "I will not have her forced into anything she does not wish."
"She must marry you, Colonel, and she will. She has no choice."
"Then I will not take any other choices away from her. Please do not leave the assembly hall or speak to Mr. Colter until I have spoken with her about having the banns read."
"As you wish, Colonel. She is off being assisted and protected by the Bennet girls and that feisty cousin of yours. Do you know, Miss de Bourgh refused to even let me speak to my daughter?"
"Well, if Miss Maria is not with them, would you please send her in to ask Miss Lucas if I might have an interview with her as soon as I am finished here?" Richard asked.
"Very well. I will get out of your way for now. There is not much space in this room. You are not badly injured, are you?" he finally thought to ask.
"Not seriously, though more than I would like," Richard responded, wincing slightly as Darcy used the tip of a knife to dislodge another splinter. "I doubt I will suffer the death by a thousand cuts, but it is certainly not a pleasant experience."
"Would you like me to summon the apothecary? He is not here this evening, but I can send for him."
"No need. I think my cousin is almost done torturing me. You can help me best by passing on my request for an interview to your daughter."
"Ah, yes. I will do that at once. Capital." Even his favorite phrase was still subdued. With a solemn bow, Sir William left the room.
"At least your clothes protected the rest of you from these tiny splinters," Darcy said in what he hoped was an encouraging tone.
"Um hmm," Richard responded, apparently lost in thought. He barely noticed as his cousin rinsed his hands for him again and gently patted them dry before checking for any more stray bits of glass. Satisfied he had gotten them all, Darcy picked up a jar of salve Bingley had arranged to have sent in with some bandages and the water. He spread the salve over the injured areas of Richards hands and wrists before wrapping them carefully with the bandages.
"I think you will need to borrow my valet for a few days," he said as he tied off the last strip of cloth.
"I would appreciate that," came the absent reply.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Oh, I was thinking about Miss Lucas. I mean, aside from the glass, this really is not a big deal for me. I was already inclining towards wanting to marry her. After all, she does have all the qualities you told me of and more. I have been greatly enjoying her company. And she had already said she would marry any respectable man who asked, so I have no doubt she will agree under these circumstances."
"But?" Darcy asked.
"She deserves better than this rushed affair under a cloud of impending scandal. I could have handled this much more reasonably if her mother had just kept quiet and not made a fuss. That is what set off the gossips more than the any part of this silly accident."
"True, but there is nothing you can do about that now."
Richard sighed heavily. "I need to talk to her. I want to hear her opinion about whether we should marry, about calling the banns, about sharing a wedding date with her friends. I need to give her some choices to make up for the biggest choice having been torn away from her by her mother and a wine glass."
"Well, you are not exactly presentable unless dried blood has suddenly become the fashion. All the same, I think we have you cleaned up enough that you will not be shedding glass shards as you walk like you did coming in here. With the larger cuts and your hands bandaged, and the smaller cuts drying over, we have done the best we can with you here and you can go see her now."
"Thank you for your help, Cousin. Shall we go see if Sir William performed his errand?"
Apparently, he had, as Miss Maria was waiting for them by one of the columns in the arcade that separated the narrow walkway fronting the retiring rooms and storerooms from the main area of the dance floor and seating. Behind her and through the line of arches they could see the other attendees preparing to return to dancing on the newly cleaned dance floor. Mr. Archer walked by before they reached Miss Maria.
"Your response to Lady Lucas was well spoken, Colonel, and I congratulate you on your betrothal," he said approvingly. "I trust you have no serious injuries?"
Richard held up his bandaged hands and put on his jovial front. "These are a little battered, but not enough to kill me. Who knew I would make it through three years of fighting on the continent without injury only to be brought down by a wine glass on the dance floor. Worse yet, it was friendly fire, caused by fellow officers!" The three men laughed, and Mr. Archer moved on.
Miss Maria curtsied to Darcy and Richard as they came up to her. "Charlotte is willing to speak with you whenever you are ready, Colonel. She does not feel up to re-joining the general company, but asks if you are willing to talk in one of the side rooms with Jane and Elizabeth Bennet present as chaperones?"
"Of course, Miss Maria,"
Richard said, bowing slightly.
"They are waiting for you," she said, and turned to lead the way.
As Miss Maria opened the door to a small side room, Darcy caught a glimpse of Miss Lucas sitting on a fainting couch. They had managed to make some repairs to her gown, but she was still tightly wrapped in Anne's shawl, the color of which heightened the redness around her eyes that showed she had been crying. Elizabeth nodded to Darcy as Richard entered the room. He bowed slightly then closed the door behind his cousin, leaving him to his discussion.
Bingley loitered nearby, talking with Anne. Not certain what else he could do, Darcy went over to join them, with Miss Maria trailing along behind.
"So, did you get the Colonel free of all the glass?" Bingley asked him over the noise of the orchestra starting to play the first dance after supper.
Darcy nodded. "As near as I could. He may still be dropping bits here and there, but I dug what I could out of him and shook off his clothes after I tended the largest cuts. Thank you for fetching the salve and bandages and sending in the warm water. That was a big help."
"The servants did all the work, I just gave the instructions," Bingley demurred.
"Charlotte had a few cuts, but since she landed mostly on top of Richard it was not too bad. She was terribly embarrassed by the incident, especially when she learned her mother had made such a fuss," Anne told them. Miss Maria looked embarrassed by the comment
"Do not worry, Miss Maria," Darcy said. "Anne knows very well what it is like to have an embarrassing mother."
Anne looked surprised by the comment and then noticed the look on Miss Maria's face. "Oh, yes, Maria," she said. "I meant no disrespect. And Darcy is correct. My mother is probably the most embarrassing of them all. I was just stating a fact about how your sister feels."
"Colonel Fitzwilliam will be kind to Charlotte, will he not?" Miss Maria asked pleadingly. "I have heard of some men being very cruel to their wives when they have to marry due to a compromise."
Bingley and Anne looked at her in surprise, but Darcy understood. "Have no fear. My cousin knows very well that your sister bears no blame in this situation. He is more worried that Miss Lucas has lost the power to choose whether to marry him because of the circumstances and may not be happy as a result. Part of what he is talking to her about right now is how he can make this marriage something good for both of them. He will not hurt her or be deliberately cruel to her. I can assure you of that."
Miss Maria looked at him with gratitude. "I am so glad. I love Charlotte and I do not want her to be unhappy. She has not said so, but I think she really likes the Colonel." Her voice dropped confidentially on the last sentence, sounding almost like a whisper in the crowded room.
"All will be well, Miss Maria," he assured her. "Now, do you suppose there is any food left on the buffet? I could use a bite and I should get some plates for your sister and the other ladies."
"Oh, I already did that earlier," Bingley said. "I am sorry I forgot to bring something for you and the Colonel as well."
"No matter. I will go check the buffet table now and if there is anything left, I will get some for Richard too. Please let him know if he comes out before I have returned."
The food choices were limited, but there were still a few good things left. Darcy fixed plates for himself and his cousin, being careful to pick things Richard would have the least trouble eating with his bandaged hands. He settled down in a chair near the table and quickly ate his own selections. When he finished and returned to where Bingley, Anne and Miss Maria still waited, Richard had not yet emerged. The four talked until that set ended. Bingley asked Miss Maria to join him for the next dance, leaving Darcy standing with Anne.
"I am sorry your first real party has been filled with so much upset, Anne," he said.
"No need to be sorry for me. I have enjoyed my evening. It has been very exciting, even if the outcome is not exactly what Richard and Charlotte might have hoped for. In the end, though, I think they will be happy too."
"I strongly suspect they shall. We will probably be leaving as soon as Richard is done with his conversation. I do not know how much longer the Bennets will stay. You will continue to be cautious in the company?"
"I will," she agreed readily. "Having seen just how easy it is for a compromise to occur, I will take every precaution to protect myself."
The door to the small room opened as she was speaking. Richard came out, looking very tired.
"May we collect Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley and return to Netherfield, Darcy? If we send back the carriage for the Bennets, Bingley can ride with them before coming the rest of the way home."
"I will go get Georgiana," Anne volunteered, before slipping off into the crowd.
"Is everything well?" Darcy asked.
"As it can be. I just want to get back to Netherfield and lie down."
"Would you like to eat some of the food I picked out for you while we wait for Georgiana and I send a servant to have the carriage brought around?"
"Yes, please!" Richard said in relief. "I was getting very hungry. Thank you for thinking of it."
Richard sat in a nearby chair that had a small table next to it. Darcy put down the plate and left to find a servant as Richard did his best to eat the food neatly with two bandaged hands.
~*~
On the ride back to Netherfield, Darcy asked his cousin if he was comfortable sharing any of the conversation with Miss Lucas. Richard looked at the other occupants of the carriage and nodded slightly.
"She is willing to marry me and have the banns called starting tomorrow morning. I was glad Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth were in the room as they both were able to assure my betrothed that they would be delighted to have her share their wedding day. We agreed that the unusual event of a triple wedding might reduce some of the talk about why the third wedding would be taking place."
"That is excellent news, Richard," Georgiana said. "I did not see what happened, as I was in the other room with Mary. From the gossip, it sounded terrible. I am glad if it had to happen, you were with Miss Lucas at the time."
"Yes, Georgiana, I am glad of that as well. I will not tell you exactly what we said, but Miss Lucas and I discussed her fears and worries going into this marriage. We have a much better understanding of each other now and I know we will find a way to be happy together."
"Was she badly hurt by the glass or the fall, Richard?" Georgiana asked.
"No, I took the brunt of it. She may end up with some bruises from the force of the fabric being pulled down on her shoulders before the seams gave way, and she did get a few cuts from the glass as she tried to sit up after our fall. Other than that, it was largely her dignity that was injured. Had she not had the quick and capable care of Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth and our Anne, she might have become completely despondent over the situation. As it was, she was upset and had been crying. I hope I have eased her fears."
"Miss Maria was worried you might be cruel to her sister because of being forced into the marriage. I assured her you would treat Miss Lucas well and knew that none of it was her fault or of her making," Darcy told him.
"Thank you, Cousin. It pleases me that you know me so well and could reassure her."
They reached Netherfield soon after, and Darcy sent the carriage back to take the Bennets home whenever they were ready. He had spoken with Elizabeth before their departure and both were sorry to miss the chance to dance the last together. However, they agreed Richard needed to get away. Elizabeth planned to stay with Miss Lucas until her family was ready to leave as well. It was not likely the Bennets would stay long after that.
~*~
Darcy's dreams that night were filled with images of soldiers laughing, clapping and throwing glasses of wine to each other. Loud music played in the background, but the timing of it was always off. No one else seemed to notice. He left the room and wandered down hallway after hallway, but the soldiers were always there. The dream happened over and over, sending him down different co
rridors and through different rooms each time, but always there were soldiers clapping and wine glasses flying through the air spilling their contents all over the floor to land in sparkling shards. In his final dream, he walked along a ruined colonnade into a courtyard paved in gold-decorated marble like a fancy ballroom, where he finally escaped the soldiers. In the courtyard, a dozen women draped head to toe in dark pink shawls danced in a solemn circle. In its center, Richard lay on a huge pile of broken glass and an ever-expanding pool of blood. Miss Lucas stepped through the circle, reached down and took Richard's hand. "There will be three," she said quietly, and everything went dark.
After the nightmares, waking was a relief. He did not believe these dreams were so much a message as a way of expressing his stress and fears from the evening before. He knew they had been lucky in so many ways the previous night – and not just in the identity of Richard's dance partner during the accident.
While falling on a broken wineglass might not sound like much danger, it was different stepping on a glass deliberately, while standing still, from falling after stepping on one without warning while already off-balance spinning in the patterns of a dance. Either, or both, of them could have broken bones in the fall or hit their heads on the floor with enough force to seriously injure or kill them. Darcy knew Richard had landed hard and suspected he had done what he could to cushion the fall for Miss Lucas. Some of the cuts on his legs had been deep. Darcy had dug a few large shards out of Richard's calves and thighs before binding them and helping him dress again. Fortunately, the heavier fabric of his coat had protected him from cuts to his torso and arms, but Richard was likely to be well-bruised this morning from his impact with the floor and from Miss Lucas landing heavily atop him.
Of course, there was nothing Darcy could do about it now and worry about things that might have been was unproductive. He would leave that to his dreams. He just had to shake himself out of the grim mood the dreams of the past night had left on him. After all, it was Sunday and he had more than one reason to give thanks, both now and during the church service.
Smoky Dreams Page 30
