by Abbey North
After the Collins couple and their guests had departed, Fitzwilliam lingered long enough to avail himself of the writing desk in a sitting room, sitting down to pen a note to Caroline Bingley, giving her a warning about Jane’s presence. He was sealing the wax when Richard came to join him.
“What are you up to, Darcy?”
“I am sending a message. There is an unsuitable woman who is trying to catch Mr. Bingley’s eye, and I feel it is incumbent upon me to issue a warning.”
Richard sighed. “As vexing as it is to have to find an heiress, there are times when I do not envy you or Mr. Bingley your positions. It must be trying to never know if a woman wants you for your money or yourself.”
“Indeed.” Darcy couldn’t help thinking of Lizzy at that moment, though it was wildly inappropriate. He supposed there was something refreshing about her. She didn’t want him under any circumstances, either for money or love. While he was relieved by the former, he was disconcerted to find himself not happily embracing the latter.
Of course, it would be an ego boost if she bore tender feelings for him, but there was nothing more to it than that, he assured himself. The same impediments existed that always had. Her family would be a burden, and she was not the sort of wife he would ever seek.
3
Lizzy was walking through Rosings Park the next morning, admiring the beauty of the grounds. Lady Catherine’s landscapers must be skilled, and she had no doubt they were numerous to keep the largest state looking so pristine.
She couldn’t help contrasting the size of Rosings Park with Longbourn Park, though the comparison was laughable. The entirety of Longbourn would likely fit in the field she was standing in now. It was a lovely place, though it would’ve been lovelier if it didn’t have Lady Catherine attached to it.
She looked up at a shrill sound, realizing there was someone approaching and whistling as he walked. She was certain it wasn’t Darcy, but she disapproved of the way her heart leapt at the idea even as she turned to identify the person approaching.
It was Richard Fitzwilliam, and the colonel paused as he neared, bending at the waist. “I did not expect to see anyone while out for my morning constitutional, Miss Bennet.”
She smiled. “I tend to be an early riser, and my day is better if I greet it with a walk.”
He nodded. “Very sensible of you. I share a similar approach.” He extended his arm. “Shall we walk together?”
She smiled. “Why not?” Threading her arm through his, she fell into step with the colonel, who proved to be an amusing man with a lighthearted sense of humor, and a sparkling wit. He was completely charming, and she wished she felt more inclined to be charmed. Perhaps it was simply after her experience with Wickham that she distrusted charming superficiality, though Colonel Fitzwilliam didn’t appear to be overly shallow.
“Are you betrothed, Miss Bennet?” asked the colonel as they walked.
Lizzy laughed. “No, fortunately I have avoided that fate thus far.”
His eyebrows drew together in feigned astonishment. “Could it be there is such a creature in the world?”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
He grinned. “A woman who is not interested in matrimony? I find it scarcely believable.”
Lizzy laughed. “I am that rare creature indeed. I would never marry for anything but love.”
The man beside her sighed. “Would that I had that luxury.”
She frowned. “Why would you not, Colonel? Your father is an Earl.”
“He is, but the difference is I am the second son of the earl. I will not be inheriting vast lands and a full coffer. Of course, my father will leave me an annuity, but it is generally expected I shall make my own way in the world. I do not mind being a soldier overly much, but I do not wish to maintain this as my career forever. That necessitates finding an heiress to marry if I wish to remain in a comfortable station in life. I will be unlikely to find an heiress that I love, so I must compromise my morals and marry for money instead of true affection.” He spoke as though it were a dire fate, but he was practically laughing.
Lizzy laughed along with him. “You poor dear. You must suffer ever so much to ensure you have the finer things in life.”
“I see you understand me. I do not suppose you are an heiress, Miss Bennet?” he asked with an exaggerated leer.
She giggled in spite of herself. “Hardly, much to your disappointment, I am certain, Colonel. I am positive my inadequate dowry is scarcely the amount required to keep you in luxury.”
“Pity,” he said, looking crestfallen, though it had to be exaggerated. After a moment, he sighed, looking unexpectedly serious. “I jest about my need for an heiress, but perhaps it is better to be the one seeking wealth than the one whose wealth is sought.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Take my cousin Darcy, and his friend Bingley. Both men of fine incomes, so they are naturally targets of women who want to elevate their station in life. Just last evening, Darcy had to pen a warning to his friend about a predatory female in London. I would rather be the hunter than the hunted.”
Lizzy gritted her teeth and managed a polite smile. “I am certain that would be the better position.” She said the words without enthusiasm, though she tried to sound neutral when she asked, “The friend was Mr. Bingley, I take it, since you mentioned him?”
He nodded. “I do not know the circumstances, but it must be dreadful to fear avid pursuit and never know if a woman wants you or your money.”
“I suspect if you are the one with the money, you would take that concern in stride, Colonel Fitzwilliam. It must be a small problem with which to deal when one has an excessive income.” She marveled at how carefree she sounded, but she was seething with anger inside.
After her walk with the colonel ended, Lizzy knew she should return to Hunsford, but her feet took her in the direction of Rosings Park instead. It was too early to be calling on anyone, but she was too angry to pay much attention to decorum at the moment. Once again, Darcy revealed his meddling. How could he continue to try to thwart Jane’s happiness because he was arrogant enough to believe he understood other people’s hearts?
Enraged, she knocked on the front door and didn’t wait for the butler to allow her in. She just walked past him and said, “I am here to see Fitzwilliam Darcy. Retrieve him please.”
The butler stiffened his posture and looked like he might argue, but when Lizzy glared at him, his courage failed, and he nodded. “Please wait in the first sitting room, Miss Bennet.”
That indicated he knew who she was, so perhaps that explained why he had given her a little leeway. She figured it was more likely because she was in a mood that suggested he not trifle with her, and she couldn’t hide that—though she’d made little effort to disguise it, truthfully.
She turned to the sitting room, pacing as she waited for Darcy to join her. He was surprisingly quick about it, and she was startled to see he hadn’t bothered with a jacket. His sleeves were rolled to the elbows as well, and she was unexpectedly flustered at the sight of his forearms for an instant before she recalled why she was there.
She waited until the butler closed the door after they declined tea before marching toward him. “Did you send Mr. Bingle a letter warning him to avoid Jane?”
He frowned. “How did you hear of that?”
“Your cousin revealed it this morning. I doubt he understood it was my sister you are warning Mr. Bingley against, for he seemed to think it was a burden you poor wealthy men must endure, to never know if a woman loved your money or you.”
He flinched for a moment, but then his shoulders stiffened. “I did send a missive to warn Miss Caroline. I know she will watch out for Charles’s interest.”
“No doubt, for she wishes to please you.” Lizzy was enraged, wishing she knew exactly what to say to make Darcy withdraw his interference. She had tried appealing to him before, asking him to reevaluate his opinion, but that was a lost cause. She realized s
he was here to vent her spleen, though nothing she said was likely to influence him. “I do loathe you, Mr. Darcy. You are so sanctimonious and certain of everyone and everything. You believe you can move people around like pieces on a chessboard to suit your stratagems. Your hubris is astounding.”
His expression tightened, and he glared down at her. “You are impertinent. I do not require your approval or your opinion, Miss Bennet. I have made clear my feelings on the matter. I will do my utmost to protect my friend from the grasp of your sister.”
“And I shall do everything in my power to stop your interference.” She glared up at him, chest heaving in her anger. “How dare you be so callous? You would break my sister’s heart without a thought.”
“I do not believe that for a moment. She would break my friend’s heart once he accepts she does not love him if he offers for her. I will not see him trapped in a marriage lacking love and passion.”
“You do not see anything you do not wish to see, Darcy.” She almost shouted the words at him, struggling to maintain control and keep her voice modulated. “You are determined to see her as a fortune seeker, so that is all you observe. You are so stubborn and intractable you can never contemplate the idea you might be wrong. I almost wish the branch I used had done you in.”
“Perhaps you are ready to concede it was not an accident? No doubt, you were helping Wickham escape.”
Lizzy’s mouth dropped open at the accusation, and though she realized he was probably using her own fears against her to get a rise out of her, she was incapable of speaking. Instead, she lifted her hand with every intention of slapping him, but his hand intercepted her wrist before she could.
She lifted her other hand to try again, and he held that wrist as well. “I have no affection for Wickham, and I did nothing to help him deliberately. I am just sorry I did not remove you, for it would allow my sister to be happy.” She struggled to escape his hands as she spoke.
“You are such a ferocious creature and nothing at all like a lady should be. Curse you, Elizabeth Bennet.” As he said the words, Darcy bent his head, and Lizzy gasped with rage when his mouth pressed against hers. She started to fight him, but a strange indolence took over her limbs, as though dragging them to the ground.
She slumped against him, and his arms wrapped around her after releasing her wrists. She clasped the lapels of his waistcoat, shocking herself by opening her mouth as his tongue darted inside. It was an explosive kiss, and she’d never been kissed at all, let alone like this.
After a moment, she couldn’t determine which one of them regained their senses, but they seemed to pull apart at roughly the same time.
“You cannot influence me in any fashion to believe Jane is sincere in her affections for Bingley. Do not try such a thing again, Miss Bennet.” He spoke coldly.
She was once more on the verge of slapping him. “You are the one who kissed me, Mr. Darcy. You need not imagine I was trying to manipulate you in some fashion. If you ever touch me again, I shall scream down the house.”
With those words, she turned on her heel and started to leave, pausing only long enough to say, “You might believe you know how others think and feel, but you are fooling yourself, Mr. Darcy. You are not the judge of character you imagine. You should be ashamed of yourself for trying to sew unhappiness and discontent everywhere you go. I should not be surprised though, for it seems to come naturally to you.”
With those words, she passed through the doorway, intent on a dignified departure. Her lips still burned where he’d touched them, and his taste lingered in her mouth. It was the most peculiar thing, and it should have been unpleasant, but she couldn’t force herself to regard the kiss in that light.
The aftermath and the emotions preceding it had been anything but pleasant, but the kiss itself had been astounding. She had not realized she could ever feel like that, and she wondered what other delights awaited. Perhaps she was too hasty in her decision not to marry unless it was for deep love. Of course, she could never love a man like Fitzwilliam Darcy, but perhaps there were compensations to marriage—to anyone but him—she had failed to contemplate until now.
4
Lizzy was leaving when she heard crying, and it arrested her intent to march out of Rosings Park with her head held high and her shoulders straight. She couldn’t ignore the sound of suffering, so she followed it and found herself in the chapel seconds later. There was a slight figure kneeling at the altar, and it was from her the tears were coming. Lizzy rushed forward, recognizing Anne when she knelt beside her. “Whatever is troubling you, Miss Anne?”
Anne turned to her, tears staining her cheeks. Her face was unusually flushed, and though it was becoming on her, that her misery had prompted the change in appearance made it undesirable. Lizzy grasped her shoulders, hugging her gently. “You may tell me whatever bothers you. I shall not reveal your secrets to anyone.”
“Oh, Miss Eliza, it is dreadful.”
Those were the only words Lizzy managed to get out of Anne for the next few minutes as the young woman continued to cry on her shoulder, tears gradually slowing as Lizzy rocked her back and forth while gently rubbing her back. “What troubles you, Anne?”
“This,” Anne finally said with a sniffle and a hiccup as she handed over a letter.
Lizzy opened it, finding it difficult to read a few parts because the ink was smeared from tears. From what she could piece together, someone was demanding a payment to keep Anne’s secret. She looked up at the young woman, frowning. “What secret?” It seemed to defy belief that Anne de Bourgh could be doing something that would open her to extortion.
Anne bit her lip. “I cannot say. I am not certain how I will pay this person. I managed the payment last time, and I have just enough this time, but after that, I do not know how I will manage to make another payment, and I am sure the demand will come again. The last letter assured me it was the only time the blackmailer would request payment for silence, yet here he has sent another one again this month.”
Lizzy read the letter once more, realizing it alluded to a designated drop point, directing her to leave it in the same place as last time. “You plan to pay the man then?”
She frowned. “Is it a man?”
Lizzy hesitated. “To be honest, I have no indication either way.” She looked down at the writing, which was thick and blocky, and certainly not feminine, but that didn’t mean the writer was a man. Her own mother had dreadful handwriting, while her father had pristine loops that could’ve been penned by the finest ladies in the land. She couldn’t tell for certain based on the shaping of the letters what the gender was of the person who’d written the letter. “Do you have an idea who might be blackmailing you?”
“Yes,” said Anne. She didn’t sound confident though. “Someone who knows my secret.”
That was hardly a promising start. Lizzy bit back a sigh of impatience. “What is your secret?”
“It is shameful. You shall think I am a terrible person.”
Lizzy frowned. “I cannot imagine that, Anne.” She’d fallen into using her first name with easy familiarity, hoping to soothe the girl and reinforce the bond of trust growing between them. “Likely, whatever you have done is little more than a youthful indiscretion. With your mother’s level of wealth and standing, silence is virtually guaranteed.”
Anne shook her head. “She cannot find out. If she does, she will destroy him.”
Lizzy froze. “Who?”
“Carlos,” said Anne softly. “He is the Spanish groom my mother hired last year because of his excellent references. She managed to entice him away from a duque in Spain, but she won’t hesitate to destroy him if she realizes…” She trailed off, closing her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks again.
“You and Carlos are…friends?” asked Lizzy delicately.
“So much more than friends, Lizzy.” She seemed pained as she made the admission. “I would marry him tomorrow if I could, but I know what my mother would do to him. She would destro
y Carlos, and she might banish me. I tried to convince Carlos to run away with me last month when I got the first demand for money, but he is too honorable. He refuses to confine me to a life of hiding.”
Lizzy wasn’t certain he was being entirely noble. Perhaps he simply didn’t want to live that kind of life either, but she didn’t point that out to Anne. “Do you have the request from last month?”
Anne nodded as she reached into her pocket, pulling out another letter. “I have been carrying it with me, for I cannot risk having someone find it, but I could not bear to throw it away either. I entertained the idea of perhaps hiring a Runner to find out who is trying to blackmail me, but I could not figure out how to do that.”
Lizzy folded the letters together. “May I keep these for a short time?”
Anne frowned. “Why?”
Lizzy straightened her shoulders. “I am not a Runner, but I do have some talent for putting together the pieces of a mystery. If you will entrust me with these letters, I will endeavor to find out who is blackmailing you so we can put a stop to it.”
She looked uncertain for a moment, but when Lizzy squeezed her hand in a reassuring fashion, she nodded as she hiccupped again. “I… I suppose. You will not tell anyone, will you?”
Lizzy shook her head vehemently. “Never. You have my utmost discretion, I assure you. I will not breathe a word of your relationship to anyone, and I most certainly will not mention your blackmailer. I will do my best to find him, and if I cannot, I will try to help you engage a Runner.”
Anne looked hopeful for the first time since Lizzy had found her crying in the chapel. “Bless you, Lizzy. I hope you can do what you say.”
