by Zoë Burton
“Will you share with me how you know him?”
“Yes, I will, but later. Right now, we need to get you home so Mr. Jones can examine you. You will do whatever he says so that you recover quickly, will you not?”
“I will, for you.” She realized with a start that he had returned early. “Fitzwilliam! You were not expected until tomorrow. I am delighted for your early return, but how did you manage it?”
He stood her up so he could rise himself, and as he picked her up to carry her to the house, explained that his solicitor had completed her settlement papers early. Since he had finished everything he came to town to do, he decided that returning a day early to surprise his beloved was an excellent choice to make.
Elizabeth hugged his neck, saying softly, “I am so glad you did.”
Following along behind them, Mr. Bennet had to agree. Elizabeth might not have been missed for hours had Mr. Darcy not returned early and asked to see her. The elder man shuddered to think of the condition his second daughter might be in right now were it not for this man.
Chapter 7
The sight of Elizabeth being carried into the house in Mr. Darcy’s arms was enough to alarm the entire household. Exclamations followed him as, without faltering, he headed straight to the staircase with his burden. Mr. Bennet could be heard behind him directing Jane to help Elizabeth and sending Mr. Hill for the apothecary.
Once the second floor was gained, Elizabeth directed him to her rooms, where he deposited her gently on the bed with a kiss to her forehead.
“I love you, Elizabeth. I am not leaving this room until I am certain you understand this. Nothing Wickham or anyone else could ever do will change that. Do you hear me?”
At his gentle reassurance, Elizabeth began once again to cry. “Yes, Fitzwilliam, I do, and I understand. I love you, as well.”
Darcy hugged her, intending for it to be brief, but when she clung to him, he had not the heart to let her go. His own emotions welling, they cried together for a few minutes as Jane wandered about the room, preparing for her sister’s bath and change of clothes.
Jane said a silent prayer as she worked, grateful for this man who loved Elizabeth so much, but also sad that she had someone else to turn to now. While she would miss the closeness they had shared all their lives, she could not be happier that her closest sister would be cared for so tenderly for the rest of her life.
When the tub and first buckets of water arrived, Darcy and Elizabeth separated and he returned downstairs, joining Mr. Bennet in the bookroom. The pair spoke with the magistrate and sat in on his interview with the coachman and groom. When the meeting was over and the men’s statements taken, they were dismissed. Turning to the magistrate, Darcy asked about Wickham and his whereabouts.
“The lieutenant is currently locked in the store room of the blacksmith shop. An express has been sent to the county magistrate, but it will be three or four days before he arrives to take custody. I will need to speak to Mr. Jones before I take my leave. You,” he looked at Mr. Darcy, “gave him quite the beating.”
“If you could see the bruises on Miss Elizabeth’s face, you would understand why he got what he did,” Darcy replied fiercely.
“Of that, I have no doubt. Thankfully, I have enough evidence against Mr. Wickham that I will not need to interview his victim, as well. And I am quite certain Mr. Jones will be able to give me an accurate description of her injuries. Ah, there he is now!”
Mr. Jones entered the room, having just finished his examination. His look was somber, and it was clear that he was unhappy that one of “his” girls was treated in such a harsh manner.
Bowing to the gentlemen gathered in the room, he asked for a spot of port before he started. They all settled in chairs and on the settee while Mr. Bennet poured libations for everyone. Once he was also seated, the apothecary began.
“I trust the blackguard who did this to Miss Elizabeth has been at the very least arrested?” Upon receiving the assurances of the magistrate that it was so, he continued his report. “Miss Elizabeth’s injuries are far better than they could be. She has scratches on her face, arms, and legs, and contusions on her face, and pain in her neck. It appears he struck her, more than once, and with enough force to snap her head back. I see no handprints; what I do see indicates he used a closed fist.
“The good news is, she was not violated. There is bruising around her mouth that indicates he forced her to kiss him. She has admitted as much to me. Likely that bruising will heal faster than the rest, as it was not as deep. It will take time, but she will heal, physically at least.
“Emotionally, she may be a bit shy of company for quite a while.” Turning to Mr. Darcy, he added, “She tells me you assured her of your devotion. I trust you meant that, and will stand by her.”
Darcy nodded in response, feeling too much at the description of his love’s injuries to speak.
“Excellent. That will go a long way toward helping her heal, I am sure. I am not one that holds with a notion a woman is responsible when a man treats her cavalierly. I have seen too much in my years as the only medical man in the area not to see the truth of things. Those ladies that recover well have a loving and supportive husband and family. Those that carry their devastation forever are those without.”
All the gentlemen present were silent as they contemplated Mr. Jones’ words. Elizabeth was too dear to most of them to contemplate leaving her to her own devices. They silently vowed to love her through it and make sure those around her loved and respected her, as well.
Soon, Mr. Jones and the magistrate took their leave. Mr. Darcy stayed to supper, though Elizabeth had to take a tray in her room. He went up, along with Mr. Bennet, to wish her a good night before heading back to Netherfield.
~~~***~~~
There were now just two weeks until the wedding. Due to Elizabeth’s injuries, she and Darcy were excused from most of the neighborhood celebrations. Not wanting her reputation damaged, the story was put out that she fell while in the stable, trying to reach the kittens, which she thought were in the loft.
“A gentlewoman climbing into a loft is scandalous enough, I should think,” Elizabeth stated dryly, causing her father and betrothed to laugh.
“I would have to agree, but given your history, Daughter, it would not be out of the realm of possibility in the minds of the neighborhood.”
Rolling her eyes, she agreed, then changed the subject. “No one has said why he did this to me. Has anyone asked him?”
The gentlemen grew quiet for a moment and then Darcy gently took her hand as he explained, “He admitted to the county magistrate that he hurt you to get revenge himself for the wrongs I supposedly did him. You remember the story of our interactions that I told you the day after the incident?” When Elizabeth nodded, he went on, “His desire was to ruin my happiness by harming you in such a way that you would end our engagement. He spared no thought for you or your future, nor did he take into consideration the depth of my love for you. There is nothing he could have done to you that would have caused me to walk away. In the end, he was thwarted completely.”
Elizabeth smiled, pulling one of her hands away to cup his cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you.”
He leaned in to steal a tender kiss as Mr. Bennet looked the other way, overcome with emotion at the gentle manner in which Mr. Darcy spoke to his favorite child. The glow on Elizabeth’s face assured her father of her happiness with the match. He was delighted; however, he felt it incumbent upon him to curb their display.
“Lizzy,” he asked, “have you thought to ask Mr. Darcy about Miss Bingley’s report to you?”
“No, I have not. I will do so now, though I know it must be a gross falsehood. Thank you, Papa.” Elizabeth turned to her betrothed. “Fitzwilliam, Miss Bingley was here the other day to visit us, and she advised me that you are already engaged to your cousin, Miss De Bourgh. She applied to Mr. Collins for confirmation, though he was unable to provide it. Mama assured her, as di
d I, that you were too honorable to offer for me if you were bound to her.”
“I would never have asked for your hand if I had not been free to do so. I am glad you understand that.” He smiled at her tenderly. “However, for years my aunt has been speaking of a verbal agreement between her and my mother for Anne and me to wed. My father assured me before his death that there was no agreement that he was aware of, and as he was my only remaining parent, his was the only opinion that mattered. I admit I have left my aunt to continue to push us at each other. It seemed far more respectful to remain quiet than to engage her in what would end up an argument.”
“And your cousin, Miss De Bourgh? Is she also expecting an offer from you?” Elizabeth was relieved to hear from the source that Miss Bingley’s words were wrong. Even though she had known all along they were, having confirmation from her beloved allowed her to set aside the small bit of anxiety she had carried over it.
“My cousin is in love with the heir to a local estate. For years now, they have carried on a quiet courtship under my aunt’s nose. Now that the gentleman’s father has passed away, Anne expects an offer any day. I have not received a reply to the letter I sent her informing her of our nuptials, but that tells me Lady Catherine may be dealing with a far greater shock than my marriage to someone who is not her daughter.”
Elizabeth and her father laughed, seeing the twinkle in Darcy’s eyes and hearing the humor in his words.
“Very good, Mr. Darcy!” exclaimed Mr. Bennet. “That certainly saves you a spot of trouble!”
“Thank you, sir,” he replied, then he paused. “If I may, I would ask…Mr. Collins is the gentleman I met at dinner the night of Miss Elizabeth’s attack?”
“He is.” Mr. Bennet rolled his eyes. “He is rector to your aunt, Lady Catherine De Bourgh, and heir to this estate, unfortunately. He was very eager to marry one of my girls when he first arrived, and was quite put out to find the two most eligible were either already engaged or ‘soon to be so’ as Mrs. Bennet puts it. He began arguing with me within a day or two that Lizzy must have no betrothed after all, since one had not come to visit.”
Elizabeth picked up the tale. “Oh, yes, and he was affronted by Papa’s vehement insistence that I am indeed engaged and that you were in London for a se’nnight to have the marriage articles drawn up and the license purchased. I thought perhaps he might try to court Mary, but he seems to have turned his attention elsewhere, as he has rarely been found at Longbourn since Miss Bingley was here.”
“If he is rector to my aunt as you say, I am not surprised to hear of his ridiculousness. My aunt prefers those who serve her to be obsequious sycophants. The atmosphere at her estate is far different than what my father established at Pemberley and that I have maintained since his death. At Rosings, there is always the sense that one is being watched, a feeling added to when Lady Catherine suddenly begins asking one questions about things she should not have known happened.
“She attempts to make everyone around her grovel. It is my belief that she enjoys wielding the power she has as one of the wealthiest ladies in her area, and the only female running her own estate in the county of Kent.”
Mr. Bennet nodded, “Yes, it is always unpleasant for others when a person lets power make him conceited.”
All three were silent as they contemplated his words. Their reflection was cut short when the bell rang to call them to dinner.
Chapter 8
Finally, the day of the wedding arrived. Mrs. Bennet was relieved to see that Elizabeth’s injuries were healed enough to be unnoticeable. She had spent a large portion of the previous two weeks bemoaning the condition of her least favorite daughter’s face and her tendency to wander the estate at will, getting into all manner of scrapes. Mrs. Bennet had not been given the true reason for the bruises. Out of fear that she or one of the youngest three girls would let slip the truth, they were only told the story the neighbors heard. Her exclamations about Elizabeth’s habits were a small price to pay for peace of mind.
The ceremony was everything the new Mr. and Mrs. Darcy could have wished for. The groom’s cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, was in attendance, having escorted his ward and Darcy’s sister, Georgiana, to Netherfield. The bride’s favorite aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, came from town to attend.
Darcy was astounded at the difference in comportment between Mr. Gardiner and his sisters, Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Phillips. He wondered how they could be from the same family. Then, he thought about his mother and Lady Catherine and realized that families are all the same. Each one has members to be proud of and members who made the rest cringe. He was taking away the best of the Bennet family. He hoped they felt they had gotten the best of his.
~~~***~~~
The wedding breakfast was in full swing when the ridiculousness of one member of the Longbourn contingent collided with that of a Meryton resident.
Mr. Collins had returned to the estate he was to inherit the day before the wedding, full of the news that his esteemed patroness’ daughter had defied her mother and gotten herself betrothed to a local man, and that when Lady Catherine received the additional intelligence that the nephew she had pinned her hopes on was engaged to wed a young woman no one had ever heard of, she was overset and refused to see anyone, including her rector. In fact, the great lady ordered him to return to Hertfordshire to inform her nephew of her displeasure. Darcy took this in stride, knowing his aunt’s tendency toward the dramatic. He assured Mr. Collins that once she was recovered from her shock, Lady Catherine would likely demand he return to his parish immediately and that in the unlikely event she did not, Darcy himself would assist him in locating a new one. The exceedingly grateful Collins spent the rest of the day in obeisance to him.
His obsequiousness did not stop until Darcy rather forcefully ordered him to cease his praises for the duration of the wedding celebration. Mr. Collins began to back away, bowing several times. Not having eyes in the back of his head, he was not able to watch where he was going, and unbeknownst to him, Miss Jennings was staggering in his direction. When he finally turned around, he ran into her, causing them both to fall to the floor. The instinctive response of each was to grab for something to hold on to, which in this case was the clothing of the other person. Mr. Collins’ height and weight caused him to fall rather heavily, pulling the inebriated Miss Jennings on top of him, but not before ripping the bodice of her dress in two, exposing parts of her that would normally remain covered. To add insult to injury, when the lady landed, her bosom and its exposed bits were in his face, causing in his person a rather ungentlemanly reaction. Miss Jennings was pulled off him so quickly, he was unable to hide the prominent evidence of that reaction. It quickly diminished, however, when he was pulled to his feet and the father of the lady presented himself before Mr. Collins, exclaiming the ruination of his daughter at the rector’s hand and demanding it be made right.
So it was that Miss Jennings became Mrs. Collins. Within a month’s time, she had gone from being firmly on the shelf to having her dearest wish fulfilled. She found it hard, after all this time, to quit the sherry, however. As a result, the memory of her wedding day was a bit hazy. When she got to Hunsford and was made acquainted with Lady Catherine, she found that a few daily nips were required to maintain her sanity.
For Mr. Collins, the horror of the accident and the resulting forced engagement caused several days’ worth of nightmares and headaches. However, the more he considered his betrothed and the assets so abruptly thrust into his face that day, the more he liked the idea of marriage to this woman he barely knew. By the time his own wedding day dawned, he was eager to get on with it. As he fell asleep that night, he was a happy man looking forward to an exciting future.
~~~***~~~
Darcy and Elizabeth escaped the wedding breakfast in the furor that followed Mr. Collins’ spectacle. After quietly taking their leave of the family, they boarded their coach, headed for London for a few days before taking a tour of the Lake District.
They awoke when the coach stopped to change horses halfway to town. After a quick meal in a private sitting room, they were on the road once more. Now they were wide awake, and spent their time snuggled together, reading and talking, often distracting each other with long, delicious kisses.
Their arrival at Darcy House was heralded with much fanfare by the staff, who had spent the previous month scrubbing every corner of the building to make it shine for the new Mistress. They were eager to meet her. They had seen the joy in the Master’s face when he was in London that week following the engagement, and knew they would like anyone who made him feel that way. Many had been with the Darcys since Fitzwilliam was a boy, and they had watched as events in his life had caused him to turn further and further into himself, robbing him of much of the happiness he had exuded in childhood.
Exiting the coach in front of the townhouse, Mr. Darcy held his hand out for his wife to place hers in. He helped her alight, then tucked her hand in his elbow, holding it tightly to himself. Grinning at her as she smiled up at him, he placed his free hand over hers and began the walk up the steps and into the foyer. There, his housekeeper, Mrs. Butler, had lined the staff up to greet the new Mrs. Darcy. As she greeted the couple and began the introductions, Darcy looked proudly on. Elizabeth had a warm smile and a kind word for each maid and footman, and they responded well to her efforts.
Once she reached the last person in the line, who was hired as her personal maid and was brand-new to the staff, Elizabeth addressed the group as a whole.
