Raising Siblings

This is a Regency P&P 'What If' story.
The point of divergence occurs well befor

e the events in Pride and Prejudice, in that Darcy's mother dies when Georgiana
is about five while giving birth to a second son. The result is that, after his
father's death, Darcy is left to raise two siblings: a sister, ten years old and
a brother who is almost six. Accordingly, when Darcy accompanies Bingley to Net
herfield, he brings with him both Georgiana, fifteen, and David, eleven. Having
the responsibility of caring for a younger brother and sister has had even more
of an effect on him than in the original P&P, in that he becomes even more of a
father to his siblings than in the book. He keeps both Georgiana and David with
him at all times, even when he must travel, and he employs a married couple, Mr.
and Mrs. Richards, to fill the roles of tutor, governess, and companion. He is
thus able to maintain an establishment for his brother and sister as they travel
from Pemberley to London and even make visits to other houses, such as his visi
t to Netherfield with his friend, Charles Bingley. Thus, Darcy never formed an e
stablishment for Georgiana with Mrs. Younge, and Georgiana never went to Ramsgat
e to be pursued by George Wickham. Darcy still shuns Wickham, due to his proflig
ate ways, but he does not have the high level of animosity on his side due to th
e attempted elopement. Prologue Fitzwilliam Darcy felt the sting of tears in his eyes as he stood by the casket,
looking down at his father's body. He only appears to be asleep, he thought in
agony, but he knew that was only his own shock speaking. He could still see the horrifying events of the previous eve
ning like a walking nightmare that he could not dispel. He had just returned fro
m London in the afternoon and had been sitting with his father in the study afte
r supper, discussing recent events at Pemberley, when his father had suddenly st
opped talking and put his hand to his chest. Darcy had seen the look of surprise
on his father's face as he stiffened in his chair, and then he had simply colla
psed forward over his desk, spilling his glass of port. A doctor was immediately
summoned, though Darcy now realized that he should have known that the effort w
as useless. But he had been in a state of shock that was only now dissipating. B
y the time the doctor arrived, his father's body was already cooling, leaving Da
rcy with the thankless task of informing Georgiana and David of the tragedy. But the sobbing of his sister and his brother as he held them by his side was no
w forcing him to put aside his own shock, for he had just become the head of the
Darcy family and thus had the responsibility for both of his siblings. He had t
hought that nothing could hurt him as badly as when his mother had died five yea
rs earlier, while giving birth to David. But, at least at the time of that trage
dy, he had still possessed the consolation and guidance of his excellent father.
But now he was alone, as he had never been alone before, and the heavy weight o
f his sudden responsibility was almost a physical burden on his shoulders. Resol
utely, he forced himself to correct the slump of his shoulders, to stand uprig
ht and straight while he pulled his brother and sister closer to him. Georgiana
had her face turned into Darcy's side, and her heartbroken sobs shook her slende
r, ten year old frame. David's sobs had dwindled, though he still hiccupped from the effort of controlling them, and Darcy resolved, then and there, that he woul
d not shrink from these sudden responsibilities. He had been away much since h
is mother died, at Cambridge lately and at school before that, and he and his fa
ther had talked of sending Georgiana and David to school in their turn. But Darc
y had this moment decided against that course, deciding that he would provide fo
r their education and training at home. I shall have to engage both a tutor an
d a governess, he thought, one for teaching the usual subjects and the other for
teaching what society expects of a Darcy, for I will not entrust them to the ca
re of others in my place. He knew people to contact in town who could provide re
ferences for his special needs, and the backgrounds of any applicants would need
a close look, both to ensure their capability to teach what must be learned and
also to ensure that their characters were of the best. Darcy knew that he must
offer a premium to obtain the right kind of tutoring for Georgiana and David, bu
t he also knew that he was well able to afford the expense. He also knew that he
would need to carefully monitor their progress. That meant that he had to be pr
es- ent and could not be an absentee guardian, so he must keep his brother and s
ister with him when he traveled. The Darcy family will stay together, he resolve
d to himself. As he left the little chapel that he had attended for so long, he nodded politel
y to George Wickham, who was waiting to pay his last respects to his benefacto
r. Though the other man responded as politely, Darcy knew that he was also going
to have to do something about George. Though Wickham had benefited by a gentleman's education, he did not appear disposed to
understand that he did not have the fortune to go with his manners and would nee
d to find employment in the world. Certainly he should not be a clergyman, Dar
cy thought, and my father's legacy of a thousand pounds will not provide an inco
me to match his appetites. Yes, something will have to be done about George. Chapter 1 Elizabeth Bennet was talking to Charlotte at the Assembly in Meryton when her fr
iend said, "Look, there is Mr. Bingley, with his party from Netherfield." Elizabeth looked over to see the man who had been such a topic of conversation s
ince he had come to live at Netherfield so recently. Mr. Bingley was a good-look
ing man with a pleasant countenance, but Elizabeth saw that his party only consi
sted of four altogether, two ladies and another man. "Charlotte," she laughed, "we have been greatly deceived, for there are only fou
r in his party instead of the twelve ladies and seven gentlemen who were rumored
to be attending!" Charlotte smiled fondly at her friend's wit. "The two ladies are his sisters," s
he said, "and the other gentleman is, I believe, married to one of his sisters.
There are supposed to be several others, including a particular friend of Mr.
Bingley who is reputed to be in possession of a large fortune." "Ah, yes," Elizabeth smiled, "and as my mother always says, such a young man mus
t be in search of a wife!" Both girls laughed at Elizabeth's oft-repeated imitat
ion of her mother's main goal in life, which was securing the marriage of her th
ree daughters. Mrs. Bennet went to great lengths in pursuit of that goal, for he
r girls could have little other security in life otherwise. The reason for thi
s misfortune was that her husband's estate was entailed away by his grandfather'
s decree to the eldest male relative-in this case, the son of her husband's brot
her, a young man who was completely unknown to either of them. But Mrs. Bennet's
many machi- nations and schemes often provided Elizabeth with considerable di
version, for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything
ridiculous. Elizabeth was standing by her mother when Mr. Bingley came over with Sir William
Lucas to solicit an introduction to her sister Jane, and the young man immediat
ely sought the next two dances from her elder sister and was accepted. Elizabeth
was favorably impressed by his easy and unaffected manners, and she kept an eye
on Bingley and Jane while dancing with the elder Lucas son. She was pleased to
see that Jane seemed quite taken with Mr. Bingley, and later in the evening she
was even more pleased when he asked Jane for two more dances. Bingley then asked Elizabeth to dance the next-to-last dance, and he was as amia
ble and polite as a young man could be. When Elizabeth inquired whether he was e
njoying his first country dance, he was quite effusive in his praise. "It is mos
t delightful, Miss Elizabeth," he told her as they passed. "I am even thinking of having a ball at Netherfield, since this one is closing b
efore I would wish it." Elizabeth laughed. "What is needed, sir, is more gentlemen rather than more ti
me, since any number of ladies have been without partners." "It would have been better, perhaps, if Darcy could have accompanied us. He is q
uite skilled at dancing, though he little cares for the entertainment," Bingley
replied. "Mr. Darcy? He is your friend, I suppose, who did not attend?" "Yes, Miss Elizabeth. He had originally intended to accompany us tonight, but hi
s younger brother had a fever. Darcy told me that he felt obliged to attend hi
m at Netherfield rather than attend the Assembly." Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. "A most solicitous brother, then," she responded. "He is that, to both his brother and sister, and he has been a most excellent fr
iend to me." Elizabeth was somewhat puzzled by the reference to his responsibilities. "Was hi
s brother quite sick, then?" she asked. "Perhaps he might not have found the evening as pleasant as you, Mr. Bingley, fo
r a country dance might lack the style of a similar entertainment in town." "I will confess that Darcy is not particularly fond of most social situations, M
iss Elizabeth, but I must stand up for his character. His brother is but eleven
years old, and Darcy has the sole care of him and his sister, who is only fiftee
n. Both their parents have passed away, leaving Darcy to manage both the estate
and his siblings. He takes them everywhere he goes, and is quite solicitous of t
heir welfare and education." "I am sorry for my statement, Mr. Bingley," Elizabeth said contritely. "It sound
ed harsher than I meant it. Your friend is to be commended for his sense of obli
gation." "Darcy is ever conscious of his duties and responsibilities, Miss Elizabeth,"
Bingley replied, not at all affronted by what she had said. "But I would have hi
m allow himself at least an opportunity to enjoy himself more. He is, perhaps, o
verly serious and could do with the addition of some levity to his life." On that note, the dance ended, and Bingley escorted Elizabeth off the dance floo
r before attending to his next partner. Mrs. Bennet was quite pleased with the attention of Mr. Bingley toward her eldes
t daughter, and Elizabeth could almost hear the plotting in her mind as she list
ened to her mother's effusive comments on the return to Longbourn. She was quite
happy for her sister, because she could see that Jane was as pleased by the att
ention of Mr. Bingley and his sisters as her mother, though she was very quiet i
n her expression. The Bennet family was therefore in good spirits as they return
ed to Longbourn. 2Chapter 2 The ladies of Longbourn soon waited on those of Netherfield. On the morning of t
heir visit, as the butler was leading Mrs. Bennet and her daughters down the hal
l toward the parlor, Elizabeth heard the sounds of Mozart coming from a half-open door to her right. Curious, since she w
as somewhat familiar with the piece, she dropped behind and pushed open the door
slightly. A girl younger than herself was at the pianoforte in the room, while
an older lady sat to one side sewing. Elizabeth was mesmerized by the music, f
or the play of the girl was exquisite, both perfect in execution and with a true
insight and sensitivity to the feel of the music. She had not heard its equal e
xcept those few times in London when she had attended large performances. As she
stood there, eyes half-closed as she visualized the fingering in her own mind,
letting the passage sweep her along, the older lady looked up and noticed her. T
he lady instantly recognized the look of a fellow devotee who had just become ob
livious to the rest of the world, and she went back to her work. As the piece ended, Elizabeth was unwilling for the spell to end. But the spell
was broken nevertheless, as the girl at the pianoforte spoke. "Was that better, Mrs. Richards?" "Yes, dear, though your last rendition was, to my ears at least, equally perfect
. But your expression was slightly improved this time. But you also have an au
dience, my dear." The girl at the pianoforte turned around to see Elizabeth at the door. Elizabeth
felt her cheeks turn red in embarrassment at being caught unawares. "Please e
xcuse my intrusion," she said hastily. "I heard you playing and could not help l
istening. You play very well indeed. But I should not have intruded. Please forg
ive me, I must catch up to my sisters." Elizabeth turned hastily to leave but the girl at the pianoforte stopped her.
"Please do not go so quickly!" she said. "I should be glad of some company." She
rose from the instrument and came over to the door. "I am Georgiana Darcy, and this is my companion
and music tutor, Mrs. Richards." "And I am Elizabeth Bennet." The girls exchanged curt- seys, while Mrs. Richards
inclined her head in greeting. Elizabeth continued, still somewhat flustered at
having intruded. "My family live at Longbourn, which is close by to Netherfield
, and my mother brought my sisters and I to visit. But I heard the music, and I
could not help listening. I have not yet mastered it myself, but your playing wa
s exquisite. But I again apologize for intruding, it was most impolite." "Nonsense," laughed Georgiana. "I should be glad of some female companionship. M
y brothers are off riding, as is their usual wont, and it is mostly just myself
and dear Mrs. Richards. Please, come in and sit with us for a while." Elizabeth remembered her conversation with Mr. Bingley at the Assembly and reali
zed this must be the sister of Mr. Darcy, who presumably, according to Charlotte
, was possessed of a large fortune. "I would like to, but I really should find
my mother. She will be wondering where I have disappeared." "Let us inform your mother, so that she will not worry. Then you may stay with u
s for a while," offered Mrs. Richards, ringing for a servant. She liked what she
saw of the young lady's disposition and manners, and, in her opinion, it would be good for Georgi
ana to associate with ladies other than the Bingley sisters. Even if those two l
adies were reputed to be women of elegance and decided fashion, she would prefer
her charge to have better examples to emulate. Elizabeth was willing, so she sat down on the couch beside Mrs. Richards while t
hat lady instructed a servant to find Mrs. Bennet and inform her that her daught
er, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, was visiting with Miss Darcy in the music room. Finis
hed, she said to Elizabeth, "I assume from your comments that you play yourself,
Miss Bennet?" "A little," she agreed, "but not nearly as well as Miss Darcy. I have been worki
ng on that piece by Mozart, but have not yet managed to get through it without a
t least one error. Of course, I was not completely sure how it should sound unti
l I heard it today." "Do you not have a music instructor?" asked Georgiana. "Certainly when I was first learning to play, but not for some time nor for some
thing as difficult as Mozart. I have been working on it with my sister, Mary, us
ing the sheet music that my Aunt Gardiner brought us from London." "Mozart is a difficult study with no guide," responded Mrs. Richards. "Could we
hear you attempt it for us?" "I could not nearly equal what Miss Darcy exhibited," said Elizabeth, in some em
barrassment. "Miss Bennet, do not let that distress you. Miss Darcy has had my undivided atte
ntion for these last five years. It would be expected that she should play admir
ably. But I am interested that a young lady has been teaching herself to play su
ch a difficult piece-that is not an inconsequential task, you know, so you shoul
d not feel embarrassed by not yet mastering it." "Oh, please do let us hear you play, Miss Bennet," said Georgiana. "Sometimes I
do get fatigued at just listening to myself. I will volunteer to turn the pages
for you." "Oh, very well," laughed Elizabeth. "At least the door is closed now, so at leas
t my audience will be limited." Georgiana slid over on the bench and made room for Elizabeth, who sat down and r
emoved her gloves. The other girl had already ordered the sheets of music, so El
izabeth stretched her fingers out, then ran through some scales to limber up her
hands before starting. She deliberately tried to focus on the music and screen
out her audience as she played, and was successful in reaching that state in whi
ch she could let her fingers perform automatically while she con- 3centrated on feeling how the music should sound. Georgiana ably turned the pages
at exactly the right time, allowing her to maintain her play without a break in
concentration, to the point that she was actually surprised when she found hers
elf at the finish. "Very good, Miss Bennet," exclaimed Georgiana beside her. "Well said, dear," said Mrs. Richards. "A more lively rendition than yours, bu
t it showed the same insight into what the composer meant it to sound like. Quit
e well done, indeed, Miss Bennet." Elizabeth smiled, flushing a little under the praise, but also excited at her su
ccess in not making any glaring mistakes during her attempt. "I would have you k
now that is the first time that I did not make any major errors. But you must ha
ve heard the smaller mistakes, where I had to fudge some of the more difficult p
arts." "To be sure," said Mrs. Richards, "but do not be too critical. It is not an ea
sy piece, and you are to be complimented on how much you have managed to learn." "And I do need to practice more often," laughed Elizabeth. "My sister Mary remin
ds me of that quite often." "Come, let us sit down together and talk more," said Georgiana. "Mrs. Richards,
shall I ring for tea?" "Please do, dear. We have at least an hour until it is time for your lesson in L
atin, and I believe that you have practiced your music sufficiently to allow som
e time for visiting." "My mother had only planned to stay for a half-hour," said Elizabeth, "and it mu
st be getting close to that time now." "Please stay longer, Miss Bennet," said Georgiana. "I will ask William for the l
oan of the carriage to take you back home." "Very well," smiled Elizabeth, "but on condition that you stop calling me Miss B
ennet. My sister Jane is the eldest and bears that title, but my friends call me
Elizabeth or Lizzy." "Then you shall have to call me Georgiana, though I have no sisters to yield the
title to in the event that I someday marry. Though that day seems to be very fa
r off, for I am but fifteen and not yet out." "And though I am out, I am but five years your senior, Georgiana, and a mere c
ountry lass in addition," said Elizabeth. "But that reminds me, you do not need
to solicit your brother's carriage. I wore my boots and can walk the short dista
nce to Longbourn." "Short distance!" exclaimed Georgiana. "It is miles to the nearest house!" "It is only three miles," smiled Elizabeth, "and I am well used to it. I love to
walk in the morning, and I was unable to walk before breakfast because we were
coming to visit. So it will be no burden, believe me. I would like the exercise.
"Seeing the expression on Georgiana's face, Elizabeth said with a smile, "Remembe
r, Georgiana, I am a country girl,andIdonotride,soImustwalkifIwanttoseethe count
ryside." Georgiana was still somewhat dubious, but a 4servant was sent to inform Mrs. Bennet that her daughter Elizabeth would return
to Longbourn later. After the servant had been sent on his task, Georgiana returned to the subject o
f riding. "You should learn to ride, Elizabeth," she urged. "William taught me y
ears ago, and I even have my own horse here at Netherfield." "I am glad you did not go riding today, Georgiana, for I would not have met you
and would have been forced to sit with the ladies at tea. I have enjoyed our con
versation much more, I am sure." "For then you would have been entertained by Miss Bingley," giggled Georgiana. "Georgiana," cautioned Mrs. Richards. "Yes, Mrs. Richards," sighed Georgiana. Elizabeth noted the interchange with int
erest, for she had thought both the Bingley sisters considered themselves far ab
ove the country ladies, even if they did show a preference for Jane. But she agr
eed with Mrs. Richards that it was unseemly to mention such things in public, es
pecially with such a new acquaintance. "In any case," Georgiana continued, "today is David's riding lesson with William
, so I would not have ridden anyway." "I believe Mr. Bingley mentioned that your older brother did not attend the Asse
mbly because your younger brother was sick. It appears that the sickness was sli
ght, if he is out riding." Georgiana smiled mischievously. "David did have a slight cold, but I suspect Wil
liam used that as an excuse to avoid having to attend. He does not enjoy social
situations the way his friend does, and he would have likely been miserable if
he had gone." "Georgiana!" exclaimed Mrs. Richards.?But this time Georgiana only giggled inste
ad of giving way to the older woman. "You know it is so, Mrs. Richards," she teased. "William
is always so very serious and solemn." "That may be true, Georgiana," said Mrs. Richards, struggling to suppress her
matching smile, "but he is your older brother and responsible for both you and D
avid. He has very many responsibilities." "I would never disagree with that, Mrs. Richards. And he really is the dearest b
rother a girl could have, Elizabeth," admitted Georgiana. "He is very attentive
to both of us, in spite of the all the responsibilities of running Pemberley. Bu
t I would wish him to be a little less attentive and to take some time to enjoy
himself more than he does." "It sounds much different than my family, for I have four sisters and no brother
s. It is a sore trial for my father, for he is the only man among six women." "I would have liked a sister, Elizabeth, even though I am only outnumbered by tw
o to one." A knock sounded at the door, and a tall man and a boy entered. Both were dressed
in riding clothes, and Elizabeth could see the family relationship in the dark
hair, dark eyes, and handsome features. "William!" exclaimed Georgiana, rising to her feet, as did Elizabeth. "It is good to see you returned. I would l
ike to introduce Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth, these are my brothers, Fitzwi
lliam and David Alexander." "Miss Bennet," Fitzwilliam Darcy said gravely, giving a polite bow as she curtse
yed. She was amused to see the younger Darcy greet her in the same manner, bowin
g in exact imitation of his older brother, his boyish face struggling to assume
the same solemn mien. Darcy and his brother came over to sit on the couch by his sister. Both were dre
ssed in stylish and fashionable riding clothes that also showed the 'broken-in'
look that indicated constant usage. Darcy himself was quite tall and, Elizabeth
admitted, quite handsome, but he showed all the solemnity she had expected from
Georgiana's comments. As she resumed her conversations with Georgiana and Mrs.
Richards, she was interested to note that he appeared to enjoy his sister's con
versation without feeling required to offer much of his own. At Elizabeth's requ
est, Georgiana described her life at Pemberley and in town, talking of her journ
eys with her brothers, always accompanied by their tutors, Mr. and Mrs. Richards
."Mrs. Richards teaches us music, singing, dancing, and also instructs us in mann
ers and deportment, while Mr. Richards teaches Latin, Greek, history, mathematic
s, and the natural sciences." "How very busy you must be!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "Mr. Darcy, you set the bar hi
gh for your charges. I begin to believe myself quite uneducated." "It might appear so," he agreed, "but both Georgiana and David have proven thems
elves to be excellent students, and the lessons have been gauged to their capabi
lities. But these formal instructions are only the foundation for the most impor
tant facet of their education, and that is the improvement of their minds by e
xtensive reading." "In that, at least, I may at least be able to acquit myself," said Elizabeth lig
htly, "for my father always encouraged all of my sisters to read. Since he has o
ne of the better libraries in the neighborhood, with all the masters being avail
able, I was at least able to fill in some areas of learning that suffered due to
our lack of formal instruction. Though," she said impishly, "I must confess t
o having much neglected mathematics, preferring to read Shakespeare and history
instead." "I am not very fond of Euclid myself," said Georgiana, with a sideways look at h
er brother. "Nor of Greek." "But you learned enough, even so," said Darcy, with one of the slight smiles tha
t were all that seemed to touch his lips. Elizabeth had found herself regarding
his handsome features with some admiration, and while his reserved manner could
benefit from the addition of some liveliness, his occasional comments were intel
ligent and to the point. "I did not even attempt Greek, though I had to learn Latin in order to read Caes
ar and Virgil," said Elizabeth. "And did you learn Latin by yourself, as you did Mozart?" asked Mrs. Richards wi
th a smile. "Mostly, Mrs. Richards," replied Elizabeth, "though my father gave me several te
xts that helped. My sister Mary also learned with me, so we actually helped to t
each each other." Though he showed no sign of it, Darcy could not help but deplore the waste to ha
ve spent those years laboring to learn what a tutor or governess could have more
effectively taught her and her sisters. But evidently, her parents had either n
ot been able to afford such or had not cared to be bothered. He had informed him
self of the local landowners when Bingley asked his advice on leasing Netherfiel
d, and he had learned that Mr. Bennet's estate was not a large one. But it shoul
d have been possible to provide a better framework for learning, he thought, rat
her than allowing such an obviously intelligent daughter to learn or not at her
whim. "And my brother teaches us both to ride, and he has started to instruct Alex in
fencing. William, Elizabeth does not ride. Would you not advise her to learn?" "Georgiana!" laughed Elizabeth. "I do not ride for two reasons: I like very much
to walk, and, most importantly, I do not care for horses." "But if you learned, you could go riding with me when William does not take me.
William taught me easily-it should not be so difficult to teach you."?"Georgiana, see how much taller you ar
e than I am? I have been up on a horse exactly once, and I clearly remember how very far the gr
ound was from where I sat! I was never so relieved as when I got my feet back on
the ground!" "The object is to stay on the horse, Miss Elizabeth," offered David, with a sl
y look on his boyish face, "and not to find out how far away the ground is!" "Ah," she said archly, "but have you been successful in never having to make tha
t discovery, Master David?" "Well, not exactly," he said with a smile. "But I was just fine after the bones
knitted." "David Alexander!" exclaimed Georgiana in exasperation. "I have been trying to c
onvince Elizabeth to learn to ride with me, and here you are frightening her to death!"?"How large was the horse you sat
, Miss Elizabeth?" asked Darcy.?"I am not certain, sir. It was one of my father's horses that he uses on the farm. My father's groom helped me up, but he had to stand on
a box to put me astride her. I believe I was about eleven or twelve at the time
." "It sounds like it was a work horse, then. Georgiana's horse is a well-broken ma
re that is only 14 hands high. It is a mistake to ride a horse that is too tall
for the rider." "Much farther to the ground," smiled David, with all the clever wit so beloved o
f boys. "Alex! That is not funny!" exclaimed Georgiana again, but Elizabeth's laugh show
ed that she was not distressed by David's teasing. The sudden opening of the door to the music room caught the occupants by surpris
e, since it had not been pre- ceded by a knock. Elizabeth looked up to see one o
f Bingley's 5sisters sweep dramatically into the room. "Mr. Darcy!" she exclaimed in a overly
-loud voice. "So this is where you have been hiding yourself! We had been positi
vely overwhelmed by visitors this morning, and many were seeking to make your ac
quaintance. The country ladies were most disappointed, I assure you!" "I have been riding with my brother until just a few minutes ago, Miss Bingley
," Darcy said in his polite but grave tone, having risen to his feet along with
his brother on her entrance. "We only stopped to see our sister before we cleane
d up and changed." Elizabeth realized that this was Mr. Bingley's unmarried sister, the one that Ge
orgiana had made a satiric reference to, and she had to admit that she was not p
articularly impressed by either her tone of voice or her disparaging reference t
o'country ladies.' But now Miss Bingley realized that there was an addition to th
e Darcy family, and she was none too successful in hiding her displeasure. "Dear
Georgiana," she cooed in tones of false sincerity, "but I did not know that you
had a visitor. This must be the missing Bennet sister that we were informed of.
"Georgiana was rather flustered at Miss Bingley's tone but executed the introduct
ion despite that. "Yes, it is. Miss Bingley, I would like you to meet my friend,
Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Miss Bennet, Miss Bingley." Both ladies greeted each other with superficial politeness, but it did not take
great insight for Elizabeth to realize that Miss Bingley was not at all pleased
to find that Georgiana had a visitor. She rather wondered at the reason for her
antipathy. Was it because Georgiana had a visitor that Miss Bingley, as the Mi
stress of her brother's house, was not aware of? Or was it because Georgiana had
taken care to refer to Elizabeth as 'her friend?' Whatever the reason for Miss Bingley's reaction to Elizabeth, that elegant lady
lost no time in moving to sit as close to Darcy as she could and attempting to e
ngage him in conversation. Elizabeth found the manner in which Miss Bingley intr
uded into what had previously been a very agreeable conversation rather rude, an
d she had only to look at Georgiana to see that the other girl shared her opinio
n. It was not much longer before Elizabeth became convinced that Miss Bingley's
motive for her actions was to further the acquaintance between herself and Georg
iana's brother. But in this, her success was not very marked, and Elizabeth was
inwardly amused at Darcy's grave and solemn responses to Miss Bingley's attentiv
e and repeated attempts at conversation. He may have been relatively reticent
during the earlier conversation, but that was nothing to the way he reacted to M
iss Bingley. He seemed to put on a mask of remote indifference, answering her
questions in the fewest possible words, preferably with a monosyllabic response
or even a silent nod of his head if possible. Elizabeth noted that David exhibited much the same reaction as his sister to Mis
s Bingley, though she was amused at the way in which the lad attempted to emulat
e his brother's 6mask of indifference. For herself, as a student of character, she was finding Da
rcy's deft maneuvers and evasions of Miss Bingley's attention rather diverting,
when something happened that dampened her amusement. Miss Bingley had just mad
e a comment about the current fashion in London when Darcy happened to look away
from Miss Bingley and looked directly at Elizabeth. In that brief moment, befor
e Darcy glanced away, Elizabeth was startled to see a look of deep sadness refle
cted in those dark, expressive eyes. It was only a momentary glimpse and impress
ion, and then Darcy turned back to his friend's sister as she made another inane
comment, leaving Elizabeth to wonder if she had indeed seen truly and what migh
t be the reason for such sadness in a young man with so many advantages. As Miss Bingley continued to monopolize the conversation, Elizabeth could not
help thinking, Does Miss Bingley not realize that her excessive attentiveness is
not having the desired effect at all? Evidently not, for Miss Bingley continued
her efforts, to the extent that it was no longer possible to continue the enter
taining conversation she and Georgiana had previously shared. Since it was app
roaching time for Georgiana and David to have their mathematics lesson, Elizabet
h offered that she needed to depart. Georgiana again suggested asking for her br
other's coach to take her home, but Elizabeth assured her that she was rather
looking forward to the walk. "Besides," she said in a whisper, as she and Georgiana stood by the door, "it ap
pears that your brother is rather occupied at the moment." They were out of th
e hearing of Mrs. Richards, and both girls shared a secret smile at the sight of
Darcy deflecting Miss Bingley's attentions. "You must call on me again, Elizabeth," said Georgiana earnestly. "Or," she said
, at a sudden thought, "if Mr. Bingley's sisters return the call, perhaps Willia
m will allow me to accompany them." So both girls took their leave of each other
, warmed and heartened at having passed such an agreeable time together and anti
cipating more opportunities to come. Elizabeth was rather conscious, however, that Mr. Darcy had not risen to his sis
ter's broad hint that he teach her new friend to ride, and she was surprisingly
disappointed at the thought. 2AFTER MISS BINGLEY HAD at last given up her conversational attempts and as Georg
iana and David were departing for their mathematics session, Darcy asked Mrs. Ri
chards to stay behind. When the door was closed, he said, "Mrs. Richards, it app
ears that my sister is rather attracted to Miss Bennet. You spent more time with
her than I did, and I would like your thoughts on whether it would be a good id
ea to allow the acquaintance to develop further." Mrs. Richards was not surprise
d at the question, since she was well aware of Mr. Darcy's conscientious attentions in ensuring that his sister did not associa
te with those whose friendship might be detrimental to a girl so young. Except f
or Miss Bingley, she thought in amusement, but what could one do in that situati
on, with her being the mistress of his friend's house? "I rather liked Miss Bennet, Mr. Darcy," responded Mrs. Richards. "She has a ver
y lively disposition, appears very well mannered and well-informed, and is rathe
r accomplished on the pianoforte, considering that she has mostly taught herself
everything beyond the basics." "Yes, that was the part that I found rather...unsettling," said Darcy carefully.
"What she said indicated that she and her sisters were basically left to either
learn or not, as they cared to, and that sounds somewhat too chaotic for my tas
tes." "Mr. Darcy, the young lady cannot help the environment that she grew up in. What
is rather more to the point is what she has made of herself. She does not appea
r to be deficient in either manners or capabilities. Certainly, teaching one's s
elf Latin just to read Caesar is not the mark of a laggard." "That is certainly true," agreed Darcy, smiling at his own struggles with Latin.
"I grew to like Latin eventually, but I should not have cared to learn it witho
ut a teacher." "Nor would I, sir. Certainly she and Miss Georgiana rather quickly formed an att
achment. Miss Elizabeth heard your sister's rendition of the Mozart piece throug
h the open doorway and she stopped to listen, since she has been working on th
e same piece. She was caught by Miss Georgiana's play and was standing in the do
orway listening raptly when I noticed her." "So you would not oppose Georgiana if she desires, as I suspect she will, to fur
ther her acquaintance with Miss Bennet?" "No sir, I would not. I believe it would be more wholesome for your sister tha
n some other acquaintances I might name." Darcy understood her unstated implication, especially when he considered Miss Bi
ngley's inhospitable behavior just exhibited and compared it to the more genteel
manner of Miss Bennet. He could only agree with Mrs. Richards that Miss Elizabe
th Bennet would be a better choice as a companion to his sister than either Mi
ss Bingley or her sister. "I take your point, Mrs. Richards, and I concur," he smiled. "Miss Bennet does a
ppear both intelligent and polite, and Georgiana did appear to enjoy her company
. Thank you for your time and your opinions." "It was my pleasure, Mr. Darcy," Mrs. Richards responded politely. "Now, if yo
u will excuse me, I need to prepare for Master David's music lesson this afterno
on." Darcy stood up politely as the older woman left the room, then he went to stand
by the window, his thoughts pensive as he continued to think on the subject that
he had just discussed with Mrs. Richards. He remembered the moment when he ha
d felt overwhelmed by the obvious and rather embarrassing attentions of Caroline
Bingley. He had seen the merriment dancing in Miss Bennet's eyes as she observed the interchange
, and suddenly he had felt the cold hand of duty and responsibility pressing on
him like a heavy weight that could never be shed. He had suddenly wanted to do t
he same as Miss Bennet, to look on Miss Bingley's clumsy attempts to engage him
and insinuate herself into his attention with the same diversion that he had rea
d in her eyes. But he was not a simple country lass like Miss Bennet, accomplish
ed as she might be, and the responsibility that he owed to his dead parents and
to his two siblings could not be shed. It was with him his every waking moment,
and there was simply no time for casual amusements. Satisfied with the accuracy
of his calculations, if not with their cold logic, he nodded to the grim reflect
ion in the glass of the window and departed to look in on Mr. Richards and the m
athematics lessons. Today's lesson was right angles and quadratics, if he rememb
ered correctly... Fitzwilliam Darcy left the room, his mind already occupied with a letter from
his steward at Pemberley that had arrived the previous day. There was no room le
ft to consider the momentary admiration he had had felt for a pair of beautiful,
laughing eyes or for the graceful carriage of Miss Elizabeth Bennet as she left
the room. He had his duty to occupy his thoughts. 7Chapter 3 The ladies of Netherfield did indeed return the visit to the ladies of Longbourn
, and Georgiana was able to accompany them. She and Elizabeth were of one mind i
n escaping the stilted conversation in Mrs. Bennet's parlor and were able to escape outside without being noticed. They walk
ed in the garden, enjoying the warmth of the autumn sun, and Georgiana was very
interested in Elizabeth's life at Longbourn. Elizabeth had earlier taken Georgia
na into the library to introduce her friend to her father, and she talked much o
f the way she had grown up, spending hours in conversation with her father or si
mply sitting in companionable silence with him, both of them engrossed in their
own books. Georgiana was rather taken aback by her mother's silliness, and she b
egan to understand why Elizabeth and her sisters had not been formally schoole
d. Her mother had obviously not been equal to the task, and the income of her fa
ther would not have been up to sending the girls to school. Though a part-time t
utor ought to have been possible, she thought to herself and commented as much.
Elizabeth could not dispute this, for, as much as she loved her father, she was
all too conscious of his failings as a husband and parent. "Now you can see why all of my sisters are so very different," she told Georgi
ana. "Jane is certainly possessed of more goodness than anyone I have ever met.
She always thinks the best of everyone, while I am often more disposed to be mor
e skeptical. We are very close, and we often spend hours at night just talking.
I could not imagine a finer sister." "Mr. Bingley appears quite taken with her," said Georgiana teasingly. "He thinks
she is an angel, and the most beautiful girl he has ever beheld." "And, of course, Jane thinks he is the most amiable man she has ever known!" lau
ghed Elizabeth. "She described him as sensible, good-humored, and possessed of p
erfect manners!" Both girls laughed delightedly, since nothing provides quite
as much diversion as seeing the foibles of close friends and relations when in t
he throes of violent love. But then Elizabeth sobered. "The problem, Georgiana, is that my mother has had o
nly one goal in her life since Jane became marriageable, and that is to secure h
er daughters in marriage. Since I do not have a brother to inherit my father's e
state, and since none of us has any dowry to speak of, my mother sees no securit
y for any of us unless we are married. And despite Jane saying on more than one
occasion that she would marry for love or she would not marry, my mother refuses
to listen. She can be most dreadfully embarrassing at times, especially if she
ever began to fancy a match between your brother's friend and my sister." Georgiana took her friend's hand and squeezed it in sympathy. "I am sorry that y
ou should feel such distress, 8Elizabeth. I never have to worry about any form of improper behavior from Willia
m, of course, but often he is so fright- fully correct and proper that it makes
me wish for something that might shake him out of that shell of polite formality
that he assumes. He can be so dreadfully stuffy in social situations!" "Polar opposites, then," smiled Elizabeth. "My mother, without a sensible though
t in her head, and your brother with a surfeit of it. It is too bad that we cann
ot mix and combine the elements of nature like the ingredients in a recipe." "I would not know much of that," said Georgiana, "for I cannot cook." "Nor can I," laughed Elizabeth. "But it is an amusing thought!" At that moment, they saw the Bingley carriage being brought around to the front
of the house, indicating that the visit was coming to an end. She had to say goo
dbye to Georgiana, though she had mentioned a family party planned by their neig
hbor, Sir William Lucas, in the near future. Georgiana thought it sounded like a
wonderful idea and was planning to ask her older brother if he would be attendi
ng and if she might accompany him. "It is possible that he will agree, since it
is only a family party and not a public occasion," she told Elizabeth as they we
re standing by the carriage waiting for Bingley's sisters to exit the house. "William is very correct and protective of me, but he knows that I will be comin
g out in a few years, and he is gradually introducing me to a larger circle." Sh
e then departed with Miss Bingley and her sister, carrying Elizabeth's promise t
o see her soon, either at Sir William's party or at Netherfield. 2ELIZABETH WAS CONVERSING WITH her friend, Charlotte Lucas, when Georgiana and he
r two brothers were announced at Sir William Lucas' gathering. Georgiana saw Eli
zabeth almost immediately and made for her directly, followed by her two broth
ers. After the two friends greeted, Elizabeth introduced Charlotte to the othe
rs, and the three ladies sat down to conversation while the two brothers stood b
eside them, listening quietly while only rarely offering comments to the general
conversation. Elizabeth was again amused by the manner in which David imitated
his older brother, attempting to mold his face into the expression of quiet wa
tchfulness that appeared to be Darcy's standard. She was also aware that Darcy w
as quite attentive to his sister's conversation, despite his seeming air of unco
ncern, and, while she could not fault his concern for Georgiana, she was not com
pletely pleased at the manner in which she was being evaluated. On the other hand, Elizabeth was also evaluating Georgiana's older brother, and,
despite his quiet, unobtrusive presence, she had to admit to a certain intere
st on her side. His occasional comments were clever, though always brief, and he did not appear to be totally bereft of a sense of humor, for he wo
uld occasionally give one of his slight smiles when his sister and sometimes his
younger brother teased him gently. She had thought him handsome enough on their
first meeting, and her further observation only increased that assessment. Hi
s dark, intelligent eyes and his tall, robust figure particularly impressed her.
Though he was quiet, his manners were always perfect, and only the fact that he
refused to be drawn from the side of his sister prevented him from being an obj
ect of considerable interest by both the ladies and the gentlemen of the gatheri
ng. His fine, tall person, handsome features, and noble mien drew the eye, and i
nterest was further enhanced when it became generally known that he had ten th
ousand a year! The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, and th
e ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley. But though a number of
the guests approached and were politely introduced, he and his brother stayed b
y their sister's side, and their sister was determined to stay with Elizabeth
and Charlotte, for the three of them found their conversation most enjoyable. When Colonel Forster stopped by their group and was introduced, Elizabeth teas
ingly asked him whether the regiment would be hosting a ball in Meryton for the
amusement of the neighborhood. After the Colonel good-naturedly responded that h
e thought a ball a marvelous idea, Elizabeth saw that their exchange had drawn o
ne of Darcy's rare smiles. As Colonel Forster walked away, she was emboldened to tease Darcy. "Do not you t
hink the idea of a ball a marvelous idea, Mr. Darcy?" "You certainly made your case for it quite energetically, Miss Bennet," he respo
nded with that slight smile. "But that does not answer the question, sir," she challenged. "Come, come, you
must at least tell us yea or nay to the idea of a ball. I find the proposition
quite attractive." Again he smiled. "It is a subject which the ladies always seem to find attractiv
e." "But not the men? Surely, sir, you are too severe on us! I cannot recall a ball
that I have attended that did not draw its full share of gentlemen." "The last Assembly was rather short of gentlemen, Lizzy, for I remember that you
were forced to sit down for a set," teased Charlotte. "That was quite unusual, though, Charlotte," Elizabeth responded quickly, "and y
ou will admit that it is more usual for ladies to be scarce than for gentlemen." "Perhaps, Lizzy, but you will have to stop teasing Mr. Darcy, for it is now your
turn," responded Charlotte. "I am going to open the instrument, and you know wh
at fol- lows." "You are a very strange creature by way of a friend," coun- tered Elizabeth, "al
ways wanting me to play and sing before anybody and everybody! If my vanity had
taken a musical turn, you would have been invaluable; but as it is, I would real
ly rather not sit down before those who must be in the habit of hearing the very
best performers." "Oh, please do play, Elizabeth!" urged Georgiana. "I very much enjoyed your perf
ormance of the Mozart piece and would love to hear more." After Charlotte and even David adding their encouragement, Elizabeth at length
assented. "Very well; if it must be so, it must," she said wryly. She glanced a
t Darcy, who was still observing her in quiet amusement. "There is a fine old sa
ying, which everybody here is of course familiar with, Mr. Darcy," she told him
impudently. "'Keep your breath to cool your porridge'-and I shall keep mine to s
well my song." Elizabeth played and sang one song and was encouraged to continue for one more
. Georgiana was quite effusive with her praise, but Darcy's opinion was that, wh
ile her easy and unaffected performance was pleasing, her execution was wanting
in the area of technique. His sister was far her superior in her ability, and Mi
ss Elizabeth could do with more practice. His opinion was altered somewhat when
she was succeeded at the instrument by her sister, Mary, who was her superior in
the perfection of her playing but had not Elizabeth's insight into the feel of
the music. Mary exhibited neither genius nor taste; and Darcy admitted that, whi
le Mary surpassed her sister in application, Elizabeth's play was much more plea
surable to listen to, though she did not play half so well. Mary, after executing a long concerto, gave in to the request of her younger sis
ters and moved on to Scotch and Irish airs. The younger Bennet sisters joined ea
gerly with some of the Lucases and two or three officers in dancing at one end o
f the room. Darcy remained by his sister after Elizabeth rejoined Georgiana, and he looked o
n the dancing with some displeasure, for he would much prefer conversation to
dancing. At that moment, Miss Lucas broke into his thoughts, as he was unaware t
hat another gentleman was his neighbor. "Mr. Darcy," she said, "may I introduce
my father, Sir William Lucas? Father, this is Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley's guest at
Netherfield." Darcy bowed politely to the other gentleman, for he had not made his acquaintanc
e when the other gentleman had previously called at Netherfield. After they exch
anged pleasantries and Sir William was introduced to Georgiana and David, thei
r host continued, "What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy
! There is nothing like dancing after all. I consider it as one of the first ref
inements of polished societies." Darcy gave one of his spare smiles. "My opinion may be biased because I am not o
verly fond of the exercise," he replied, "but I will respond that it also has th
e advantage also of being in vogue amongst the less polished societies of the wo
rld." He took a measured drink of his tea. "After all," he continued blandly, "e
very savage can dance." Sir William smiled at his response, while Georgiana and David were hard pressed
to repress their smiles. Even Elizabeth found his droll comment amusing. Meanwhi
le, Sir William, ever seeking to be amiable to everyone, indicated 9 Bingley, who had now joined the group who were dancing. "Your friend performs de
lightfully, and I doubt not that you are an adept in the science yourself, Mr. Darcy."?"I have been trained, sir," Da
rcy responded dryly, "but I do prefer other pursuits in its stead. Still, dancin
g does seem to be greatly favored among most of society. I was just teased by Mi
ss Elizabeth on the same subject, so I must conclude that the defect is mine."?"William!" said Georgiana severely. "You have sometime
sdanced with me and told me that you enjoyed the experience!" "And so I did, Georgie! But that is only because your presence transformed an ex
ercise that is usually avoided into one to be treasured." "Very gallant of you, sir," said Elizabeth saucily, "and a very clever recovery,
also." Darcy gave her a quick bow acknowledging the accuracy of her dart and returned h
is attention to his host. "Do not take me too seriously, sir," he told Sir Willi
am. "I usually avoid balls and large social engagements to which I cannot take m
y brother and sister. Perhaps if I practiced more, I might learn to enjoy the ac
tivity more." Georgiana and David both broke into a fit of coughing at this statement, and Dar
cy suddenly gave a huge smile, the first that Elizabeth had yet seen. "Or perhap
s not, Sir William," he continued. "Certainly, to judge by the response of my siblings, the
re appears to be a certain amount of doubt." "To be sure," said Sir William rather uncertainly, which set Georgiana and David
tittering anew. Most of the others did not notice the effect of this interchange on Elizabeth,
who was sitting silent and almost transfixed by the stunning image of Darcy's f
ace transformed by his broad smile of merriment. In her mind, she could still se
e the way in which his grave, quiet face, with that underly- ing hint of sadness
, was suddenly transformed. It was almost as if he suddenly was a different pers
on under that carefully crafted shell that he usually exhibited, and Elizabeth f
elt her heart surge within her chest in a manner that she had never before exper
ienced. Her mouth was slightly open in reaction to what she had just seen, and,
though Darcy did not notice, Charlotte certainly did. She would have to talk to
Elizabeth later on this subject. "Then I would venture that you have likely not danced at St. James's?" "Never, sir," Darcy responded gravely.?Sir William was silent for a while, then
asked, "You have a house in town, I conclude?"?"I do, sir, but I am fortunate to also have a home
in the country, in Derbyshire. I spend some months in town for the benefit of my br
other and sister, but I much prefer Derbyshire." "I had once some thoughts of fixing in town myself-for I am fond of superior soc
iety; but I did not feel quite certain that the air of London would agree with L
ady Lucas." ?0 "There are times when it is much healthier to be gone from town, Sir William, fo
r at certain times of the year, it seems that sickness increases greatly in town
. As for superior society," Darcy smiled slightly, "I will admit there is certai
nly much society, but another will have to testify to it being superior. I am no
t the best witness, as you can probably understand." Sir William was not certain how to take this answer, and he paused in considerat
ion of further comment from Darcy. At that moment, he became aware that Elizabet
h was listening to their conversation, and he was struck with the notion of do
ing a very gallant thing. Turning to Elizabeth, he said, "My dear Miss Eliza, do you not desire to join the dancing? Mr. Darcy, you must
allow me to suggest this young lady to you as a very desirable partner. You cann
ot refuse to dance, I am sure, when so much beauty is before you." And, taking h
er hand, he would have given it to Mr. Darcy, who was extremely surprised. But, not desiring to offend his sister's friend, he asked, "Is it your desire to
dance, Miss Bennet? I am certainly not unwilling, though I have said enough for
you to understand that it is not my favorite pastime."?Elizabeth was not unwilling to dance with D
arcy, indeed, just at that moment she wanted nothing else, but her recent reaction to him made
her desire to disguise the attraction she felt. "I thank you for the offer, sir
," she replied, attempting to show a gaiety she did not possess, "but if it woul
d not offend you, I am perfectly comfortable here with your sister." But Georgiana was quick to join with Sir William in encouraging Elizabeth to dan
ce with her brother. "It would not hurt William to enjoy himself rather than rem
aining on guard at my side, Elizabeth," said Georgiana. "I shall be perfectly sa
fe with Charlotte for a brief period." "And I shall be here to mount guard while William is engaged," offered David wit
h a sly grin. "See, William?" laughed Georgiana. "David Alexander shall fill your shoes admira
bly until you return." Elizabeth quickly saw that further resistance would not be appropriate. "Then I
would be honored, sir," she dimpled, standing up as Darcy took her hand. Elizabeth soon found Darcy had indeed been correct in saying that he had been tr
ained, for he was a skillful dancer, moving fluidly and gracefully through the s
teps. "You do your dancing master credit, sir," she told him as they passed. "In the mechanics, at least," Darcy returned gravely. "But I do not believe I ha
ve the feel for it that I should have." "At least my toes have not suffered, as they so often do when attempting the ste
ps with those who are unsure of themselves," Elizabeth responded in return, to w
hich Darcy gave his slight smile. Elizabeth would have dearly liked to be able t
o again draw from Darcy that merry smile that had so transfixed her earlier, but
, though their conversation was amiable, she was disappointed in her wishes. Soon after the dance was completed and Darcy returned Elizabeth to his sister, h
e suggested that it was time to leave. He politely thanked Elizabeth again, and then, gathering up Georgiana and David,
he escorted them to Sir William and Lady Lucas to thank them for their hospital
ity. When Elizabeth and Charlotte were alone, Charlotte turned to her friend. "Miss D
arcy is certainly charming and polite, Eliza," she said, watching her friend clo
sely, "but I believe I detected a certain interest on your part in her older bro
ther." Elizabeth tried to respond gaily and negatively to this uncomfortable comment, b
ut Charlotte continued on. "I saw how you quickly moved to disguise your reactio
n, Lizzy," she said softly, "What I told you yesterday about Jane applies to you
also. You are quite accomplished at concealing your feelings, but if you are to
o successful at hiding them, you will not allow Mr. Darcy to change his opinion
of you as something other than the friend of his sister." "But that is all that I am," insisted Elizabeth, refusing to listen to the littl
e voice inside her that suggested otherwise. "And that is all that I wish to be.
Anything else is all in your imagination, Charlotte. And it is not my intention
to 'fix' Mr. Darcy, as you previously said."?Charlotte remained unconvinced, but she did not
importune her friend further, a fact for which Elizabeth was grateful, for she had
a number of disconcerting feelings to attempt to sort out. Chapter 4 ucas Lodge was crowded with more people than Elizabeth could remember ever seein
g there, but she had eyes only for the tall, immaculately dressed figure who was making his way toward her through the crowd. She clutched her dance card
in her hand, crumpling it, for it was already full and yet she knew that there
could only be one reason why Mr. Darcy was coming toward her. She did not know w
hat to do, and then she formed the idea of losing her dance card. She looked aro
und frantically, to see if anyone was watching, and she met the laughing eyes of
Georgiana, David, Charlotte, Jane, Mr. Bingley, her father, her mother, of ever
yone she knew. They all knew what she wanted to do, and were silently laughing a
s they saw her indecision. Suddenly, Mr. Darcy stood before her, and he asked, in his deep, grave voice, "M
ay I have the honor of the first set, Miss Elizabeth?" Helplessly, she held up her full dance card, and Darcy only smiled that brillian
t smile that transformed his face. Then he reached out, took her card, and tore
it instantly into a myriad of tiny pieces. As he dropped them to the floor, he h
eld out his hand and she could do nothing more than take it as he led her out to
the dance floor. Except they were no longer on the dance floor but were whirling about in the lib
rary at Netherfield, where she had seen Darcy when visiting with Georgiana. They
were dancing one of the new waltzes that certain segments of society regarded a
s rather scandalous. Elizabeth looked about her, and the staring eyes were gone.
She and Darcy were completely alone as he held her close, with his right hand o
n her back and his left hand clasping her right. They whirled about the room,
deftly avoiding the chairs and sofa in the delightful rhythms of the waltz. Suddenly, the music ended and Darcy released her, and they both clapped in appre
ciation. Except that no one was in the library, despite the sound of applause fr
om many other couples around them. Then the sound of clapping grew fainter and f
ainter until it was gone, and she was alone with Mr. Darcy while he looked at he
r intently. Elizabeth looked down and was shocked to see that she had been danci
ng in her nightgown. Mortified, she looked up at Darcy, but he was not laughing
at her. He seemed to find her nightgown quite attractive. Then her heart missed a beat as his hand reached out to her shoulder and slid th
e strap of her nightgown off her shoulder. She looked down to see that her gown
was drooping lower on that side and had revealed the upper slope of her breast.
She looked up to see Darcy's intent look grow even more vibrant. His hand went t
o the strap on her other shoulder. As he started to slide that strap also off he
r shoulder, Elizabeth knew that her nightgown was going to fall to the floor whe
n her shoulder no longer held it up. It was her favorite and most comfortable ni
ghtgown, but it was quite loose, and she many times had simply slid it off her L?? shoulders and stepped out of it as it fell to the floor. Now Darcy was about to
do the same thing, and she looked to her side as his fingers slid the strap of h
er gown over the point of her shoulder. It was starting to fall... Elizabeth sat bolt upright in bed, her heart pounding and her face so flushed th
at she could feel it burning in the cool darkness of her room. The bed curtains
were closed tight around her bed to keep out the November chill, and it was comp
letely dark inside. She clasped her arms around her, rocking back and forth as t
he shattering images of her dream re-ran themselves through her head. She shiver
ed as she remembered how Darcy had been about to remove her nightgown when she h
ad woken up, and she also remembered how her heart had sang at the thought. Sh
e was afraid to even attempt to consider what the dream meant, for the ultimate
meaning was one that she was most hesitant to examine. She had seen Darcy for brief periods twice during the past week when she visited
Georgiana or when Georgiana called on her. Both times, he had been completely p
olite and civil, for he obviously respected her as his sister's friend. Nothing
he had done had in any way intimated a feeling that might have been the genesis
for her interrupted dream. That left only herself as the initiator of the dream sequence, and Elizabeth roc
ked back and forth as she tried to avoid thinking even a single thought on that
subject. She rocked harder, her hands clasping her sides as she tried to force h
erself to avoid thinking about that desperate heat that had built inside her in
the dream as Darcy had reached for the strap of her nightgown... 2ELIZABETH WAS STILL AGITATED when she descended to breakfast. It was a week afte
r the gathering at Lucas Lodge, and she was in a considerable quandary as to jus
t what was happening to her. The way her feelings had been impacted that day, an
d the manner in which she could not stop thinking about Georgiana's older brot
her continued to plague her mind. Her confused dream of the night before was onl
y the latest manifestation of her unease. Breakfast was almost over when Jane received a message from her friend, Caroli
ne Bingley. At the urging of her mother, Jane read the message aloud: "My dear Friend, -If you are not so compassionate as to dine today with Louisa a
nd me, we shall be in danger of hating each other for the rest of our lives, for
a whole day's tte--tte between two women can never end without a quarrel. Come as
soon as you can on the receipt of this. My brother and the gentlemen are to dine
with the officers. -Yours ever, "Caroline Bingley" While Lydia was only interested in the mention of the officers, Mrs. Bennet wa
s more intent on scheming, for she had formed the design of throwing Jane into t
he company of Mr. Bingley. Upon Jane's request for the carriage, she answered, "No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems likely to rain; a
nd then you must stay all night." "That would be a good scheme," said Elizabeth, "if you were sure that they would
not offer to send her home." Mrs. Bennet replied airily, "Oh, but the gentlemen will have Mr. Bingley's chais
e to go to Meryton; and the Hursts have no horses to theirs." Jane repeated her desire to go in the carriage, but her mother carried her point
, obliging Jane to make the trip to Netherfield on horseback. After Mrs. Bennet
dispatched her eldest daughter on her way, she made many cheerful prognosticatio
ns of a bad day. To Elizabeth's dismay, her mother's hopes were answered, since
Jane had only been gone a brief time before it began to rain very hard. While Ja
ne's sisters were uneasy for her, her mother was delighted at the success of her
planning-the rain continued the whole evening without intermission, making it i
mpossible for Jane to return that evening. The morning brought news that Mrs. Bennet's plans had succeeded even better than
she had hoped. Breakfast was scarcely over when a servant from Netherfield brou
ght a note for Elizabeth from her sister, which she read aloud: "My dearest Lizzy, -I find myself very unwell this morning, which, I suppose, is
to be imputed to my getting wet through yesterday. My kind friends will not hea
r of my returning home till I am better. They insist also on my seeing Mr. Jones
-therefore do not be alarmed if you should hear of?his having been to me-and, ex
cepting a sore throat and headache, there is not much the matter with me. -ours,
etc." "Well, my dear," said Mr. Bennet, "if your daughter should have a dangerous fit
of illness-if she should die, it would be a comfort to know that it was all in p
ursuit of Mr. Bingley, and under your orders." "Oh! I am not at all afraid of her dying," replied Mrs. Bennet. "People do not d
ie of little trifling colds. She will be taken good care of. As long as she stay
s there, it is all very well. I would go and see her if I could have the carriag
e." Elizabeth was feeling really anxious about Jane and was intent on going to see h
er, but her pleas for the carriage were unsuccessful, for it was not to be had.
As she was no horsewoman, walking was her only alternative, and she was on the
point of declaring her intention to walk to Netherfield when she remembered the
disturbing dream of the previous night. The memory of how flushed she had been
when she awoke made her suddenly cautious about thrusting herself into the prese
nce of the man who had inspired that flush. She knew that Mr. Darcy was a rich a
nd important young man, and she also knew that he could have no attraction towar
d a young woman such as herself, with no fortune and no fam- ?2 ily connections. Accordingly, though she was still worried for her sister, Eliza
beth reluctantly said no more. She did, however, promise herself that she would
be more forceful in the morning, unless there was firm word of Jane's condition
being improved. When the next morning came, Elizabeth received another note from Netherfield b
efore breakfast, this time from Georgiana. "Dear friend, "Your dear sister is improved this morning from last night,?but she is far from
well. I sat with her for some hours during the day, and she felt tolerable. Howe
ver, she began feeling worse as night came on, and I suggested to Mr. Bingley th
at?a physician should be sent for. Jane would not hear of it, however, but Mr. B
ingley was able to persuade her to allow the apothecary, Mr. Jones, to visit thi
s morning. I believe that Jane's spirits would be much improved if you could vis
it her today also, and my brother has offered his coach if your own carriage is
otherwise employed. I hope that I might see you today, both for my pleasure and
for the sake of your dear sister. I remain, your devoted friend, "Georgiana Darcy" Elizabeth now was too concerned for her sister to worry any further about meetin
g Mr. Darcy, and she renewed her plea for the carriage with renewed force. Her p
etition met with more success this morning, and Mrs. Bennet decided to accompany
her, along with her other daughters, in order to see Jane's condition for herse
lf. They reached Netherfield soon after the family breakfast and were met at the doo
r by Mr. Bingley and Georgiana, who was pleased to see her friend. She led the w
ay to Jane's room, while Mr. Bingley returned to the parlor after securing Mrs
. Bennet's promise to join him there after she had seen her daughter. Georgiana led the way up the stairs to a well-appointed room where Jane lay on t
he bed with the covers pulled up high around her. A servant who had been sitting
with Jane excused herself and left the ladies alone. Elizabeth immediately we
nt to sit by Jane, who greeted her with a wan smile and held her hand out to her
. Elizabeth clasped Jane's hand and felt her forehead with the other. "She has a
fever, mama," she told her mother, "but it is not too bad." Jane professed that
she felt much better than she had the previous evening, but Elizabeth was not s
o sure. In any case, Mrs. Bennet was pleased to see that, while Jane had a fever
and a sore throat, she was not in any apparent danger. Mr. Jones, the apothecary, was shown into the room at about that time, and his e
xamination confirmed that of Elizabeth. Jane was still ill and should stay in be
d but was otherwise in no real danger. Mrs. Bennet was quick to agree to that re
commendation, since she had no wish of Jane recovering immediately, as her restoration to health would probably remove her fro
m Netherfield. So, despite Jane's pleas and Elizabeth's urgings, she would not h
ear of Jane being moved, and in this she had the support of Mr. Jones. With that
task accomplished, Mrs. Bennet called her other daughters to attend her back to
the parlor. Jane, however, was loath to allow her dearest sister to depart just yet, and s
o Elizabeth stayed behind while her mother and sisters departed downstairs. Geor
giana also elected to stay with her friend, and she came around to sit on the sa
me side of the bed. Elizabeth and Georgiana were more than able to maintain a ch
eerful conversation, though Jane offered little and was happy to simply lay back
and listen. At length, after about another half-hour, a servant came to Jane's room to infor
m Elizabeth that her mother was ready to leave. On hearing this news, Jane was a
gain unwilling to allow Elizabeth to depart and said as much. "Oh, I do wish y
ou did not have to leave, Lizzy," she said forlornly. She attempted a weak smile
at Georgiana. "Miss Darcy has been most kind to sit with me, but I shall still
miss you terribly." "Then why should she not stay, Miss Bennet?" asked Georgiana brightly. "I'm sure
Mr. Bingley could make up the room right next door for her, and then both of us
could keep you company." "Oh, that does sound marvelous, Miss Darcy," said Jane, with something approachi
ng enthusiasm. Indeed, if it had not been for her fear of alarming her mother, s
he would have asked for Elizabeth to visit the previous day when she wrote her n
ote. But Elizabeth was not so sure, for the same reasons that had kept her from walki
ng over the previous day. "I should hate to impose on Mr. Bingley and his guests
," said Elizabeth slowly. "But perhaps I might return in the afternoon or per- h
aps in the morning." "I am sure Mr. Bingley would not mind," said Georgiana. "My brothers and I are h
is guests, after all, and we would enjoy your company." She continued to press h
er case, along with Jane's support, and Elizabeth wavered and eventually agreed to stay at least a day or two.?"Excellent!" said Georgiana, springing to her fee
t. "I will speak to Mr. Bingley immediately and shall return in a few minutes," she sa
id over her shoulder as she scampered through the door. Jane smiled at her sister as she sank back into the pillows. "I will feel ever s
o much better with you here beside me," she said. "And your friend has been most excellent company, though I am afraid that
I did not feel able to venture much conversation. I was content simply to lay he
re, and Miss Darcy attended me as much as she was able." "Georgiana is a delightful girl," Elizabeth said with a smile, "and I very much
enjoy her company. But she is being tutored in music, languages, even the scienc
es and history. I am surprised that she was able to take time away from her stud
ies to sit with you." ?3 "I think Georgiana can be quite persuasive, Lizzy," smiled Jane. "She was able t
o talk one of her tutors, Mrs. Richards, into holding her Greek and Latin class
here in my room. Her brother, David, joined us, and made every endeavor to be as
polite as a boy of eleven could be expected to be." Elizabeth longed to ask of Georgiana's older brother, but she knew that she coul
d scarcely conceal her interest from Jane if she did so. Soon, Georgiana was bac
k, as exuberant as ever. "It is all settled, Elizabeth," she exclaimed merrily. "Mr. Bingley was instantly receptive to my request and has already ordered the s
ervants to ready your room. Your mother was equally agreeable, and she will arra
nge for a trunk to be sent over this afternoon." Elizabeth managed a smile, and she believed that she managed it quite well. But
her mind was rather skittering about at the thought of being under the same roof
as Mr. Darcy. She both dreaded and looked forward eagerly to seeing him again
, for she knew that she would at least see him at mealtimes. 2AFTER HER MOTHER AND sisters left, Elizabeth sat with her sister, holding her ha
nd and talking quietly with Georgiana while Jane was content to listen quietly.
After about an hour, Jane's breathing deepened and she slipped into sleep. Eliza
beth and Georgiana had been observing Jane as they talked, and when they saw her
eyes close and her breathing deepen, they ceased their conversation and waite
d until Jane was fully asleep. Then Elizabeth put Jane's hand back on the bed, a
nd, after watching to make sure that her sister was still asleep, she and Georgi
ana slipped quietly out into the hall. Once they were in the hall, Georgiana suggested that they go downstairs and orde
r tea. "I have a music lesson at eleven, but that leaves more than an hour." "I would also like to find something to read," Elizabeth said. "Since I had not
planned on staying, I did not bring any books with me, and I suspect that my mot
her will not remember to send any with my trunk. She does not believe that it is
very genteel for a young lady to read excessively, though my father is in disti
nct disagreement with her on this subject." Georgiana only smiled at this comment, for she was getting accustomed to the man
ner in which Elizabeth both recognized her mother's failings and still found a w
ay to accept them without letting them upset her unduly. "I will show you Mr. Bi
ngley's library, Elizabeth," she said, "though I believe that you will be sorely
disappointed at the meager selections available. Mr. Bingley's father was not m
uch of a reader and left his son only about a hundred volumes or so. I very much
doubt that his son has added more than a score to his collection." ?4 "My father would be desolated with so few volumes," Elizabeth smiled, "but then
he is not nearly as amiable as Mr. Bingley. So there are advantages and disadvan
tages to each. I suspect that your brother's library is quite ex- tensive." "Oh, it is!" enthused Georgiana. "Our family has been adding to it for years, an
d both the library at Pemberley and in town are full of books that I am sure you
would love to read. I would hope that you might be able to come visit me at som
e time, and I can show you," she finished shyly. "That sounds wonderful, Georgiana," Elizabeth responded. "I would like to do t
hat." "Then I shall consider it settled. I'll talk to William about arranging a visit.
Perhaps you might come to visit us at Pemberley after Christmas!" Suddenly, Elizabeth was stricken by the realization of what it would mean to vis
it with Georgiana in her brother's home. If being in Mr. Bingley's house with Mr
. Darcy had struck her as hazardous, how much more would it be to visit his sist
er in his own home? Fortunately, Georgiana did not notice Elizabeth's sudden sil
ence, since she was showing her friend into Bingley's library and pointing out w
here the sparse collection of books resided. After looking through the volumes for about five minutes, Elizabeth was able t
o regain her composure and remark, "I do see what you mean, Georgiana. Not only are the volumes few, but they do no
t appear to follow any consistent theme. Here is a volume of Caesar's Commentari
es on the Gallic Wars shoved indiscriminately between several moldy books of rather unknown poems
and essays, along with several recent popular novels which appear to have been
abandoned after about ten pages." She indicated several bookmarks of thin strips
of cloth or several strands of thread. "I believe those are Miss Bingley's bookmarks," Georgiana said blandly, and Eliz
abeth looked at her sharply to see her trying to suppress a sly smile. "Indeed," she said dryly, and both girls were unable to hold back a giggle as th
ey shared the unspoken thought that ten pages was about the extent of Miss Bingl
ey's powers of concentration. "Well," Elizabeth said, "I believe that I will sta
y with Caesar. It is familiar, at least, and I can look more at a later time. I
believe that I would like some of the tea that you mentioned." As the girls were walking down the hall toward the parlor, Elizabeth heard the r
aspy sound of metal clicking on metal coming from a closed door at the end of th
e hall. Georgiana saw her frown of confusion and told her, "That must be William
instructing Alex in fencing. They practice most mornings for at least an hour." "So that's what it is," said Elizabeth. "I had never heard the sound before." "Would you like to see?" asked Georgiana, immediately turning aside from the par
lor and walking toward the closed door. Elizabeth was indeed curious but she was
fearful of satisfying that curiosity when Georgiana's brother was concerned. But she had no choice but to follow, for Georgiana was already opening t
he door. The room that they entered was obviously the room used for entertaining large nu
mbers of people and for holding balls, for the walls were lined with many chairs
while the center of the room was open. The clicking and clatter of metal striki
ng metal was explained as Elizabeth watched the two figures engaged in a vigorou
s exchange. She was mesmerized by the speed of the two combatants, and, though D
arcy towered over his brother, both of them appeared well matched. Their swords
appeared to have thin, flexible blades, but Elizabeth could not be sure of their
exact natures, since both blades were only a blur and were never motionless. Da
vid was evidently attacking, for Darcy was retreating while his own sword bloc
ked every move that David made. In his turn, when they were close to the perimet
er of the room, Darcy ceased retreating and attacked on his own. Now David was d
efending, and his sword was a matching blur as he parried every move that his br
other made. He retreated backwards under the storm of Darcy's assault, but he ne
ver made a mistake, and, when he no longer had room to retreat, he launched a fu
rious counterattack of his own that forced his brother on the defensive. Back and forth the struggle went, attack, parry, advance, retreat, counterattack
. Elizabeth had never seen any kind of fencing exhibition and was amazed that it
was so fast moving and energetic. She was equally unable to believe that the
combatants had not paused for even a moment. Both of them were wearing padded co
stumes that protected their right arms and torsos, with other pads for their rig
ht legs, for their position was one in which they were turned completely sidew
ays against their opponent. They also wore padded masks with a mesh of wire or
cloth to protect their face. The swords had a basket guard to protect the sword
hand, and the thin metal blades were nothing at all like the swords that Elizab
eth had seen in illustrations-long, heavy swords with wide blades, such as the k
nights of old had worn. Georgiana had evidently summoned a servant while Elizabeth's attention was focus
ed on the fencers. Or rather, when her attention was focused on her elder brothe
r, for she could not take her eyes off him. His athletic grace and speed as he m
oved were striking, and she felt a version of that same heat she had earlier exp
erienced in her dream several nights earlier, and she forced herself to breath n
ormally as she watched the practice. When the servants came bearing a tray with the tea setting and another tray he
aped with small sweet-cakes, there must have been some signal that Elizabeth had
not seen, for the two opponents abruptly disengaged and stepped back from each
other, meanwhile snapping their swords up in front of their faces in what appear
ed to be a salute. Georgiana applauded as Darcy and David turned towards them, a
nd Elizabeth joined her, restraining herself to a polite clapping rather the mor
e exuberant applause that tried to well up from her subconscious. Darcy pulled o
ff his mask, revealing his face flushed with exercise and streaming with sweat. David was in a similar stat
e, and Darcy threw him a towel from one of the chairs before taking another and
mopping his face. "Bravo, Alex!" Georgiana enthused. "You are progress- ing well in your lessons."
She gestured to Elizabeth, saying, "Elizabeth did not know what the sound was, so I brought her here to show you an
d William at practice." Elizabeth smiled at David, believing it was safer to talk to Georgiana's younger
brother than her elder. "You appeared to be quite proficient to my untrained ey
es, Master David. But I confess I am surprised at how thin your sword is-I had e
xpected to see something with a large, wide blade." "These are called 'foils,' Miss Elizabeth," said David, raising it for her exami
nation. "It comes from the French word, refouler, which means 'to turn back.' Th
ey began to be used for practice more than a hundred years ago, when the edged s
words like you mentioned began to be replaced with swords designed for thrusting
," and he illustrated by suddenly lunging forward to his right while simultaneou
sly thrusting forward with his arm at full extension. "Goodness!" exclaimed Elizabeth, stepping backward at the sudden motion. David g
rinned at her discomposure, and she straightened up to focus a mock glare at him
. "David Alexander, you are teasing me again!" David did not deny it and only ad
mitted her charge with a polite bow. "Come, brothers," said Georgiana. "I know that you are almost finished with your
practice, and I have ordered tea and cakes for all of us." Darcy pulled a chair out from the wall to sit facing his sister and her friend a
s they sat down themselves behind the tray, and David did the same. After tea wa
s poured for all, Elizabeth commented to David, "I thought you did marvel- ously
well against your brother, David. I could not believe the manner in which you w
ere able to match his every move." David laughed suddenly, and Darcy smiled slightly. Elizabeth looked confused, an
d Georgiana put her hand on Elizabeth's arm. "They were only practicing, Elizabe
th," she told her friend. "I would last about five seconds with Will if it were a real contest," piped up
David, accepting a cup of tea from Georgiana. Darcy ruffled David's hair fondly, and Elizabeth's heart thudded in her chest as
she recognized the subdued emotion behind Darcy's brotherly gesture. From out o
f nowhere, she was suddenly struck by the desire to feel Darcy's fingers in her
own hair, and she looked away to hide the flush that instantly darkened her chee
ks. She shook herself mentally, forcing such thoughts out of her mind as she con
centrated on the conversation. "You have improved considerably in the last six months, Alex," his sister said,
giving Darcy a cup of tea. "I feel sure you would last longer than five seconds.
""Ten, then," suggested David. "Seven," offered Darcy blandly, taking one of the sweet- cakes. ?5 "We were doing one of our practice routines, Miss Elizabeth," said David, munchi
ng a cake of his own. "It is one of several traditional practice sequences that
Will has been teaching me. Each sequence, each attack and counter, is set, and i
ts purpose is to make the various moves completely automatic." He washed his cak
e down with the remainder of the tea in his cup. "But it makes me look better th
an I am, for Will is following the sequence rather than exploiting my weaknesses
. Thus, that is why I would last ten seconds against Will if it were for real." "Seven," repeated Darcy, calmly sipping his tea. Chapter 5 uring the day, Elizabeth sat mostly with Jane and read her book, struggling to r
emember some of the Latin, for it had been more than a year since she had last r
ead Caesar. But she managed tolerably well, cheered by the way that Jane slept comfortably. Georgian
a joined her when she could, as did her brother David, and the three had several
enjoyable conversations, speaking softly so as not to disturb Jane. Away from
his elder brother, Elizabeth found that David was still very much the young boy
in some aspects, but he still seemed considerably more mature than other boys s
he knew of similar age. She supposed that it came of spending most of his time w
ith adults and an older sister and brother. Yet, even though he might be mature
for his age, his essential character was more similar to Georgiana in his cheerf
ul and optimistic manner rather than to his grave and reserved brother. Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley stopped by several times, and Elizabeth believed tha
t she noted a degree of exasperation in Miss Bingley, for it appeared that she
would have much preferred to have monopolized the time of Darcy's sister and re
sented an intrusion by an outsider. But she gave no hint of it in her actual wor
ds; it was only in certain subtle aspects of her manner that Elizabeth believed
that she had detected the emotion. At five o'clock, Georgiana excused herself to dress for dinner, and Elizabeth to
ok the opportunity to visit the room next door, which had been set aside for her
own use. She unpacked her trunk and hung the dresses that her mother had packed
in the empty closet space before ringing for hot water for a bath. Once her toi
lette was completed, she was quick to change her dress for dinner and was theref
ore returned to Jane's side when the summons to dinner came at half-past six. At the dinner table, Elizabeth was able to make a favorable report on Jane's i
mprovement, which was of considerable cheer to Mr. Bingley, whose anxiety for Ja
ne was evident. Mr. Darcy remarked that he had previously heard the same from Ge
orgiana and David and was pleased at her recovery. Bingley's sisters were quic
k to say how much they were grieved at Jane's sickness and how relieved they wer
e at her improvement. But then, having made the appropriately civil comments, th
ey appeared to think no more of the matter. Miss Bingley became most engrossed b
y Mr. Darcy, and her sister was scarcely less so. Their indifference towards Jan
e when not immediately before them served to confirm Elizabeth in her original d
islike. Later, Bingley brought up again his idea of a ball at Netherfield. "I had mentio
ned it previously, you know, and Miss Elizabeth's sister Lydia spoke of it today
," he said. "I ?6 Dtold her that it must wait until her sister is well, but then it would be schedu
led immediately." Elizabeth was rather embarrassed at what she imagined had taken place while she
was upstairs with Jane. At no time did Lydia ever display even the slightest amo
unt of tact, and Elizabeth could imagine her simply blurting out her request in
the most undignified manner. She could also tell that Bingley's sisters did not
appear to share his enthusiasm for a ball. But, while Darcy himself gave no indi
cations as to whether the idea met with his approval or disapproval, it was fair
to say that both his younger brother and sister were rather excited by the pros
pect. Elizabeth could imagine that Georgiana would plead to be allowed to attend
, since it would be hosted in a house where she was a guest and could thus be co
nsidered like a family gathering. She did not know whether her friend would be s
uccessful in her endeavor, but she wished her luck. When dinner was over, Elizabeth returned directly to Jane, and Georgiana and Dav
id accompanied her. Miss Bingley started to abuse Elizabeth as soon as she was o
ut of the room, apparently motivated by a degree of jealousy at Elizabeth's obvi
ous closeness to Darcy's sister and even his brother, despite the short time of
their acquaintance. Her manners were pronounced to be very bad indeed, a mixture
of pride and impertinence; she had no conversation, no style, no taste, no beau
ty. But any further observations were cut short as Darcy rose to his feet. "I believ
e that I will look in on Miss Bennet, Charles, and I thought you might join me.
Afterwards, I thought you might be interested in billiards." "Capital idea!" cried Bingley, eager to see Jane and almost as eager to remove h
imself from Caroline's presence. He was most distressed whenever she and Louisa
joined together to undertake a hostile critique of another female, and none of h
is subtle hints and suggestions was ever enough to make them desist. Nothing les
s than an absolute order from him to cease would have any hope of working, and h
e was by no means sure he could deliver such or that it would be heeded if issue
d. Therefore, he was out of his seat and at the door to the dining parlor even b
efore his friend. Elizabeth was somewhat surprised when the soft knock at Jane's door was followed
by both Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. Mrs. Richards and her husband, who she had n
ot previously met, had already joined her. They had dined in their room rather t
han with the rest of the guests, they had told her, since they so often did not
see each other all day and desired to spend the dinner hour with each other. Jane was awake and professed to feeling improved enough that she was even thinki
ng of attempting to leave her bed the next day. Bingley was anxious to plead wit
h her that she must not rush herself but must take her time to fully recover bef
ore exerting herself. Elizabeth noted that Darcy stood beside his sister, his ha
nd on her shoulder, but he was looking intently at Bingley. She knew he had hear
d what she had also marked, that Bingley's concern evidenced somewhat more than the simple wish of a host that a guest might make a speedy re
covery. There was a personal anxiety and worry on Bingley's part that Elizabet
h found most promising for the sake of her sister. How Mr. Darcy might feel was
not as clear, and for the first time she wondered if he might be opposed to a po
ssible connection between her sister and his friend. When she remembered the conversation at dinner about a ball at Netherfield, she
did not know whether she looked on the affair with approval or not. She would li
ke again to dance with Mr. Darcy, but she had no idea if he would ask or would e
ven attend. He certainly professed himself to be un- moved by the activity, and
she could not decide whether she wished for his attention or not. She could not
avoid a pang of worry at the thought of attending while Darcy paid her no attent
ion. As she looked again at him, she knew that she could no longer conceal from
herself the effect that his near- ness was having on her. She only hoped that sh
e was more successful at concealing it from others. He was unfailingly courteous
to her, but he obviously paid her no special attention. She was simply the fr
iend to his sister, and it appeared that was all she would ever be. She berated
herself for even considering such a polite but quite reserved man, but she was b
ecoming aware that the intellect does not always have a say in the choosing of t
he heart. She had several times managed to entice a true smile out of Darcy, eve
n a laugh, and the effect of humor on his handsome features had made her heart
lurch in her chest. It pained her that he obviously joined her only to accompan
y his sister but did not have much to say to her when Georgiana was otherwise oc
cupied. After spending about a half hour, Mr. and Mrs. Richards departed, taking David w
ith them, for it was getting close to his scheduled time for bed. Darcy and Bing
ley, heading for the billiards room, followed them shortly afterwards. Georgiana
appeared willing to stay, but Elizabeth encouraged her to depart, indicating ho
w Jane appeared to be settling toward sleep. With a quick smile, Georgiana said
that she would wait on Elizabeth in the drawing room. 2IT WAS ONLY AN hour later that Elizabeth joined the party in the drawing room. M
r. Darcy was writing, and Miss Bingley, seated near him, was watching the progre
ss of his letter and repeatedly distracting him from his labor. Mr. Hurst and Mr
. Bingley were playing at piquet, and Mrs. Hurst was observing their game. Georg
iana was sitting on the sofa reading, and Elizabeth lost no time in taking a sea
t at her side. Elizabeth occupied herself with some needlework that she had fetched from her tr
unk, and she was considerably amused by her observation of what passed between D
arcy and Miss Bingley. The lady offered a series of perpetual commendations, e
ither on Darcy's handwriting, or on the even- ?7 ness of his lines, or on the length of his letter. For his part, her praises wer
e met with perfect unconcern by Darcy, and the whole interchange between the two
formed a curious dialogue and fit her opinion of that young woman. "I am sure your uncle and aunt will be delighted to receive such a letter," Mi
ss Bingley told Darcy, but he made no answer. "You write uncommonly fast."?"You are mistaken. I write rather slowly."?"How man
y letters you must have occasion to write in the course of the year! Letters of business, too! How odious I should think them
!" "It is fortunate, then, that they fall to my lot instead of to yours." "I am afraid you do not like your pen. Let me mend it for you. I mend pens remar
kably well." "Thank you-but I always mend my own." "How can you contrive to write so even?" she continued, but Darcy was silent. "Do you always write such charming long letters to your relations, Mr. Darcy?" "They are generally long; but whether always charming, it is not for me to deter
mine." "It is a rule with me that a person who can write a long letter with ease cannot
write ill." "That will not do for a compliment to Darcy, Caroline," cried her brother, "beca
use he does not write with ease. He studies too much for words of four syllables
. Do not you, Darcy?" "My style of writing is very different from yours." "Oh!" cried Miss Bingley, "Charles writes in the most careless way imaginable. H
e leaves out half his words, and blots the rest." "My ideas flow so rapidly that I have not time to express them-by which means my
letters sometimes convey no ideas at all to my correspondents." "Your humility, Mr. Bingley," said Elizabeth, "must dis- arm reproof." "I fear I must disagree with you, Miss Elizabeth," said Darcy gravely, "for my f
riend is likely engaging in a bit of deceit. He is putting on a guise of humilit
y that may disguise either carelessness of opinion or an indirect boast." "And which of the two do you call my little recent piece of modesty?" said Bingl
ey. "The indirect boast; I'm afraid, Charles, for you are explaining your defects
in writing as proceeding from a rapidity of thought and a carelessness of exec
ution. The power of doing anything with quickness is always much prized by the p
ossessor, and often without any attention to the imperfection of the performance
. No, I am sorry, Charles, it will not do. There is a much more probable cause t
hat you have totally ignored." "And what might that be?" said Bingley, with some asperity. "It is this, my friend," Darcy said, the corners of his mouth twitching up into
his Spartan smile as he leaned ?8 closer to his friend as if to impart a secret. "You are simply a sloppy writer," he said dryly, his smile growing a bit wider. "It is a grievou
s fault, to be sure,..." "...and grievously hath he answered it," responded Elizabeth. "Exactly," nodded Darcy, with another slight smile for Elizabeth. "Julius Caesar
. You mentioned that you read Shakespeare." "My preference is more for the comedies than the histo- ries, Mr. Darcy, but as
I was reading Caesar's Commentaries, it seemed appropriate to read the play." Bingley was a bit taken aback at the rapid interchange between Darcy and Elizabe
th, and Miss Bingley simply looked confused, for neither was well versed in the
available literature. "Have you had a chance to see any of the performances of Shakespeare in London?"
Georgiana asked, while her brother returned to his writing. "I have seen a few, when I visited my aunt and uncle, but my father does not lik
e London, so I have had only limited opportunities." "You must come visit me sometime when one of your favorites is scheduled. Willia
m, do we have a schedule with us?" "No," he responded, continuing his writing. "I will have my steward send one whe
n I next correspond with him." "Oh, good. That is settled, then," said Georgiana with satisfaction. But while
Georgiana returned to her book, Bingley to his piquet, and Darcy to his writing
, Elizabeth was unable to concentrate on her sewing. She could not believe the s
heer effrontery of Miss Bingley and the obviously intense attentions she was p
aying Darcy. Does she not realize how he was toying with her as he put her off?
she wondered. She is obviously seeking his attention and he is equally obviously
rebuffing her. I could never even imagine doing such, no matter what I feel. Bu
t, even though she could not imitate Miss Bingley and she equally well knew that
the attraction she was feeling for Darcy was hopeless, she still treasured the
small smile and the intelligent conversation she had drawn from him. 2JANE WAS MUCH IMPROVED on the following day and by evening was able to come down
stairs. Elizabeth accompanied her to the drawing room, where the women were gath
ered after dinner while the men attended their port in the dining parlor. Caroli
ne and Mrs. Hurst made a show of welcoming Jane with great pleasure, and Elizabe
th, sitting again with Georgiana, watched the two sisters with some amusement. S
he had never seen them so agreeable as they were during the next hour before the
gentlemen appeared. But when the gentlemen entered, Miss Bingley's attention instantly shifted fro
m Jane towards Darcy, and she had something to say to him before he had advanced many steps. Elizabeth chanced
to glance toward Georgiana, and she saw her friend trying to suppress a smile a
s her brother ignored Miss Bingley to offer polite congratulations to Jane on he
r recovery. Elizabeth had to stifle a giggle herself as she saw how Miss Bingley
's obsessive behavior appeared to Georgiana, and that amused Georgiana further.
Quickly, both ladies were forced to resort to a fit of coughing in order to disg
uise the mirth that threatened to make them laugh out loud. Meanwhile, Bingley applied himself wholeheartedly to the comfort of Jane. He bui
lt up the fire to prevent her from being chilled and guided her to sit by it so
that she might be farther from the door. He then sat down by her, and talked sca
rcely to any one else. Elizabeth, sitting by Georgiana on the opposite corner, s
aw it all with great delight. After Mr. Hurst was unsuccessful at forming a game of cards, he stretched out on
one of the sofas and went to sleep. Elizabeth and Georgiana were both reading,
and Darcy did the same. Miss Bingley held a book, but she scarce paid attentio
n to it, for she was much more engaged in watching Darcy's progress through his
own book. Her attempts to engage him in conversation were unsuccessful-he simply
answered her and read on. Her attempts at conversation with the party as a whol
e were equally unsuccessful. At length, she heard her brother mention a ball to
Miss Bennet, and that piqued her interest. "By the bye, Charles," she said sudde
nly, "are you really serious in meditating a dance at Netherfield? I would advise you
, before you determine on it, to consult the wishes of the present party; I am m
uch mistaken if there are not some among us to whom a ball would be rather a pun
ishment than a pleasure." "If you mean Darcy," cried her brother, "he may go to bed, if he chooses, before
it begins-but as for the ball, it is quite a settled thing; and as soon as Nich
olls has made white soup enough, I shall send round my cards." "William," said Georgiana suddenly, "if Mr. Bingley gives a ball, do you think I
might be allowed to attend?" Darcy looked up at his sister in consideration. "It would be almost like a famil
y party, would it not?" Georgiana continued. "Since the ball would be held in
the same house where we are residing." "Perhaps it might be appropriate," said Darcy slowly. He was not particularly op
posed, for her point was logical, and she would, in any case, be coming out in a
nother year or two. "But you would only be a spectator, and you could only dance with me and Charles
." "I quite understand, William," smiled Georgiana cheerfully, "and I thank you." "Then I shall take this opportunity to request the first set, madam," Darcy said
, standing up and giving his sister a graceful bow. She nodded her head in agreement. "It will be my honor, sir," she said, trying t
o be formal but unable to stop the giggle that bubbled up. "But you must then dance the second set with Elizabeth," Georgiana said cheerful
ly. "I have heard tales of how you withdraw into a corner at dances, and I would
not wish to be embarrassed by my own brother when I am in attendance!" Darcy cocked an eyebrow at his sister. "It appears that my habit of always keepi
ng my brother and sister at my side has resulted in the spreading of certain def
amatory stories about me, Miss Bennet," Darcy said. Then he looked over at Bingl
ey, trying to catch his eye. "Or have certain of my friends been speaking out of
turn?" He tried to fix his friend with a mock glare, but Bingley paid him no at
tention, and Georgiana giggled at her brother's discomfiture. "It was not only Mr. Bingley, William," she told him with a laugh. "I have also
heard the same from Richard and others." Darcy shrugged helplessly. "It appears my reputation is already in tatters, Miss
Elizabeth. Since you have already survived my feet once, might you be brave eno
ugh to once more chance an encounter on the dance floor?" Elizabeth, though severely taken aback by Georgiana's comments and Darcy's witty
rejoinder, was unable to do other than accept. "I do believe that I will chance
it, sir. I would be honored." And Georgiana giggled again as Darcy graced them
with another of his graceful bows before sitting down to his book. "But who is Richard?" Elizabeth asked, seeking conversation in order to disgui
se her own discomfiture, for her heart sang at the knowledge that she would at l
east dance again with Darcy. "He is our cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam," said Georgiana. "He is the othe
r guardian of both David and myself. He is often gone on some silly military b
usiness, though, so I am usually left to the tender mercies of William." "Richard commands His Majesty's Sixth Hussars Cavalry, Georgiana," Darcy said wi
thout looking up. "A most notable regiment, and a thorn in the side of Bonaparte
and the French for some years." Darcy's tone was stern and authoritative as he
continued, "The regiment and your cousin have been several times mentioned in Di
spatches and in the Gazette. His duties are many and onerous, and he is often ab
out the King's business." "Like I said, some silly military affairs," said Georgiana cheerfully, and not u
ntil Elizabeth saw Darcy's suppressed smile did she realize that he and Georgian
a had been teasing each other. But this cheerful conversation did little to amend the attitude of Miss Bingley,
who was feeling left out of the conversation between the two Darcys and Eliza
beth. Turning to her brother, she said, loud enough to be heard by all, "I shoul
d like balls infinitely better, Charles, if they were carried on in a different
manner; but there is something insufferably tedious in the usual process of such
a meeting. It would surely be much more rational if conversation instead of dan
cing made the order of the day." ?9 "Much more rational, my dear Caroline, I dare say, but it would not be near so m
uch like a ball," replied her brother. But Darcy, from whom her comment was mean
t to elicit a response, continued to read his book, so Miss Bingley made no answ
er to her brother. Soon afterwards, Miss Bingley got up and walked about the room. Her figure was e
legant, and she walked well; but she was no more successful at drawing Darcy's a
ttention than she had been with her previous comment. In the desperation of her
feelings, she resolved on one effort more, and turned to Elizabeth. "Miss Eliza
Bennet," she said, "let me persuade you to follow my example, and take a turn ab
out the room. I assure you it is very refreshing after sitting so long in one at
titude." Elizabeth was surprised, but was not disposed to refuse the civil request. "Very
well, Miss Bingley," she said, and joined the other woman. At last Miss Bingley
had succeeded in drawing Darcy's attention as the two women walked. He was no l
ess cognizant than Elizabeth to the novelty of Miss Bingley attending to Elizabe
th, and he unconsciously closed his book. "At last we have Mr. Darcy's attention, Miss Bennet!" cried Miss Bingley. "Perha
ps you would care to join us, sir?" Darcy's lips crooked slightly. "I believe that I will remain in my seat, for I c
ould only imagine two motives for two young ladies like yourselves choosing to w
alk up and down the room together, and I would only interfere with either of tho
se motives by jointing you." In truth, Darcy was pleased by the sight, for he wa
s finding that Miss Bennet was not only proving to be a witty and intelligent fr
iend to his sister but was also proving to be a good conversationalist in her ow
n right. Elizabeth detected again the dryness of his humor in the comment, but Miss Bingl
ey was less insightful. "What could you mean, sir? I confess I cannot understand
you. Can you understand him at all, Miss Bennet?" Elizabeth was rather enjoying the manner in which Miss Bingley did not seem to r
ealize that Darcy was deliberately provoking her. "Not at all," she replied as d
ryly as Darcy, "but depend upon it, he means to be severe on us, and our surest
way of disappointing him will be to ask nothing about it." She was rewarded by a
slight twitch of Darcy's lips, and she knew that he realized what she was doing
.Miss Bingley, however, was incapable of disappointing Mr. Darcy in anything, and
she therefore asked, "You must not leave us in suspense, Mr. Darcy. Pray give u
s an explanation of the two motives that you have attributed to us!" "I have not the smallest objection to explaining them," Darcy replied. Georgiana
and Bingley were also watching the conversation, though Mrs. Hurst paid little
attention. Making a steeple of his hands under his chin, he said blandly, "You either choose this method of passing the evening because you are in each ot
her's confidence, and have secret affairs to discuss, or because you are conscio
us that your figures appear to the greatest advantage in walking. If the first,
I should be completely in your way, and if the second, I can admire you much better as I sit
by the fire." "Oh, shocking!" cried Miss Bingley, while Georgiana covered her mouth to stifle
her giggle. "I never heard anything so abominable. How shall we punish him for
such a speech?" But Elizabeth could say nothing, for she was trying to keep fro
m blushing and having little success, for the thought of Darcy admiring her figu
re was extremely disquieting to her. Georgiana was quick to come to her rescue. "William, you must cease teasing Eliz
abeth. See, you have made her blush. If you do not stop, I am sure I shall be fo
rced to start teasing you, even if Elizabeth cannot!" Darcy held up his hand in mock surrender. "Then it shall be as you demand, deare
st sister. Come, Miss Bennet, please return to your book. You are safe for the r
emainder of the evening under the guardianship of my sister." He nodded gravely
to Elizabeth as she resumed her seat, still slightly flushed, and then he had a
sudden thought. He had danced once with Miss Elizabeth Bennet at Sir William's g
athering, and if he danced only with Georgiana and her at Bingley's ball, it mig
ht cause certain expectations to arise on her part at the singular attention. So Darcy immediately arose and approached her sister. "Miss Bennet, as I have al
ready spoken for the first two sets at Bingley's ball, perhaps you might do me t
he honor of reserving the third set for me?"?Jane was forced to refuse at first, for Bingley
had already reserved the first and third for himself, and Darcy settled for the fourth set.
He also sought reservations from Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst for other sets. He
would reserve the Supper dance with Georgiana, and that would fill his evening,
so that he would not be leaving Miss Elizabeth with any unwar- ranted assumption
s of any special regard on his part. To do so would be most unfair, and she was
too kind and true a friend to Georgiana to do that kind of disservice to. Well satisfied with a problem considered and a problem solved, Darcy resumed his
seat and his book. The remainder of the even passed quietly for all the obser
vers but one, and Miss Bingley was more determined than ever to rid Netherfield
of both Jane and Elizabeth Bennet. Since the most direct route to that end was t
o speed the recovery of Miss Bennet, she determined to do everything she could t
o achieve that goal. 2IF CAROLINE BINGLEY HAD only known, she had a ready ally in her intention to rem
ove the two Bennet sisters from Netherfield, for Elizabeth was eager to be gone
also. Though she quite enjoyed the companionship of Georgiana, she was finding D
arcy's presence increasingly painful. In addition, she was afraid that she might
make a mistake and allow her 20 attraction to Darcy to show, and her embarrassment of the previous night was an
indication of what might occur if she spent much more time in his presence. He w
as unfailingly polite but never attentive, and her desire for more was starting
to make her despondent. So far, she had been able to restrain any tendency to te
ars to the confines of her bedroom, but it was time to be back at Longbourn. However, neither her desires nor Miss Bingley's efforts were enough to bring abo
ut the end they desired on the next day. Elizabeth, for her part, wrote her moth
er to ask for the carriage during the course of the day, but this was not agree-
able to her mother's plans. Mrs. Bennet had calculated on her daughters remaini
ng at Netherfield until the following Tuesday, which would exactly finish Jane's
week. She was therefore determined to have her way, and she sent word that they
could not possibly have the carriage before Tuesday, and, if Mr. Bingley or his
sister pressed them to stay longer, it was perfectly agreeable with her. Miss Bingley, of course, had not the slightest wish of extending their stay, but
when Elizabeth induced Jane to request her brother's carriage to return today,
Mr. Bingley's professions of concern were such that she did not feel that she co
uld go against them and therefore added her voice in requesting Jane to stay unt
il the next day. But further requests from the master of the house that Miss Ben
net stay longer until it was more certain that it was safe for her to travel wer
e unsuccessful, for Jane now believed that it was time for her to return home. A
ccordingly, on Sunday, both Jane and Elizabeth were delivered back at Longbourn
by Mr. Bingley's carriage. Their mother did not welcome them home very cordially and was vociferous in her
concern that Jane might have caught cold again. But their father, though more re
strained in his emotions, was really glad to see them, for he had dearly missed
their presence in the family circle. The evening conversation, when they were al
l assembled, had lost much of its animation, and almost all its sense, by the ab
sence of Jane and Elizabeth. Chapter 6 Apaid little attention to the conversation at the table. She therefore was not li
stening as her father teased her mother, saying that a mysterious guest would be
present at dinner. But when Mr. Bennet went on to say that he had received a letter from a relative that he had never met, her attention wa
s caught. "It is from my cousin, Mr. Collins," Mr. Bennet said wry, both to his wife and t
o his daughters, "who, when I am dead, may turn you all out of this house as soo
n as he pleases." Mrs. Bennet was roused by her husband's teasing, and she was quite outspoken tha
t Mr. Bennet would even mention that "odious man." The matter of the entail th
at would pass Longbourn to the nearest male relative was one of her most common
complaints, and the mere mention of it was certain to excite Mrs. Bennet to ange
r. Jane and Elizabeth had tried to explain the nature of an entail to her severa
l times, but they had been uniformly unsuccessful. This was a subject on which M
rs. Bennet was beyond the reach of reason, and she could be depended on to rail
bitterly against the cruelty of settling an estate away from a family of five da
ughters, in favor of a man whom nobody cared anything about. Today was no differ
ent, and her temper was not improved when her husband started to read Mr. Coll
ins' letter aloud to his family. There was, however, a marked change in Mrs. Ben
net's attitude when Mr. Bennet read the part of the letter where Mr. Collins wro
te that he was concerned at being the means of injuring her daughters, and begge
d "leave to apologize for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make t
hem every possible amends." This statement by this unknown Mr. Collins improved her temper somewhat, for it
spoke to Mrs. Bennet's foremost goal in life-the securing of husbands for her da
ughters because of the entail of which Mr. Collins was the benefi- ciary. She mi
ght be a silly woman, but she was more than able to understand that Mr. Collins'
offer of 'amends' might provide a feasible way to both marry a daughter and to
keep Longbourn in the family. The result was that she was much more kindly dispo
sed to Mr. Collins' projected arrival at four o'clock that afternoon than she ha
d been when her husband first started reading his cousin's letter to her. Though the arrival of Mr. Collins was of interest to her mother, her daughters w
ere less interested. Mary was most impressed, for she thought his offer of an ol
ive branch was well expressed. Jane was genuinely puzzled by his meaning of 'ame
nds,' while Kitty and Lydia could not be concerned with any man who did not wear
a scarlet coat, much less their clergyman cousin, who probably dressed all in b
lack. t breakfast on the morning following Jane's return from Netherfield, Elizabeth was lost in her thoughts and 2? Elizabeth had at least been able to turn from her own thoughts to ponder the arr
ival of this strange man, for she did indeed find his manner of writing rather o
ut of the ordinary. His extraordinary deference for Lady Catherine was most stri
king to her, as well as his manner of speaking of his cleri- cal duties. "He mus
t be an oddity, I think," she said, "and I cannot make him out. There is somethi
ng very pompous in his style-and what can he mean by apologizing for being next
in the entail? We cannot suppose he would help it if he could. Can he be a sensi
ble man, sir?" she asked her father. "No, my dear; I think not. I have great hopes of finding him quite the reverse.
There is a mixture of servility and self- importance in his letter, which promis
es well. I am impatient to see him." Meanwhile, their mother set about preparing to see their visitor with a degree o
f composure that astonished her husband and daughters. Mr. Collins arrived most punctually and was received politely by the whole famil
y. He was a tall, heavy-looking young man of five-and-twenty, with very formal m
anners and a grave and stately air. Mr. Bennet, after greeting him, said little
more and was happy to simply observe. In being silent, he was joined by Elizabet
h, who was rather occupied by her own thoughts. Her father noted her uncharacter
istic quietness but attributed it to an inclination similar to his own, that of
watching the foibles of this most entertaining guest. The other ladies were read
y enough to talk, but Mr. Collins appeared to need little encouragement to speak
, for he was more than capable of holding up his share of the conversation. Inde
ed, his hosts had great difficulty in getting a word in edgewise. Mr. Collins lost little time in beginning what turned out to be an unending lita
ny of compliments interrupted by occasional apologies as his continuous stream o
f conversation occasionally fell short of its intended mark. An example was his
effusive opinion that Mrs. Bennet would undoubtedly be seeing her fine family of
daughters well-disposed in marriage in due time. This gallantry was not much
to the taste of some of his hearers; but Mrs. Bennet, who never shunned a compli
ment, received it readily enough, though she again took issue with the entail on
the estate. Mr. Collins was engaged to attempt to quiet her concerns, as he offered, "I am
very sensible, madam, of the hard- ship to my fair cousins, and could say much
on the subject, but that I am cautious of appearing forward and precipitate. But
I can assure the young ladies that I come prepared to admire them. At present I
will not say more, but perhaps when we are better acquainted..." This last comment drew a smile from Mr. Bennet, who was highly entertained, whil
e it drew a frown from Elizabeth at the lack of tact displayed. Mr. Collins was
saved from further damage to his reputation in the eyes of Mr. Bennet and his fa
vorite daughter by a summons to dinner. But his salvation was only momentary, fo
r his compliments of everything he saw, the hall, the dining room, and all its
furniture, 22 were taken by Mrs. Bennet as his viewing it all as his own future property. He f
ared little better with his compliments to her daughters, seeking to know which
one had done the cooking. Mrs. Bennet responded with some asperity that her fami
ly was well able to keep a good cook and that her daughters had nothing to do in
the kitchen. Mr. Collins' apologies for thus displeasing his hostess continued
for a quarter of an hour. During dinner, Elizabeth continued her silence, but her introspection was contin
ually broken by Mr. Collins' seemingly unending praise of his patroness, Lady
Catherine de Bourgh. He had been steered to the topic by her father, who anticip
ated from his previous assessment of his cousin that the subject would be one th
at was dear to his heart. So it proved, and, while Elizabeth was cognizant of wh
y her father had opened the subject, she was finding it hard to listen when what
she most wanted was to go sit in silence in her room to think or preferably to
take a long walk. The latter course was unlikely, considering that it was nearin
g seven o'clock. So, after a half-hour of Mr. Collins' soliloquy, she asked to b
e excused on occasion of a headache. 2ELIZABETH WAS UP AND dressed for walking shortly after dawn the next morning. Sh
e felt the need for the brisk exercise, and she hoped that the sharp chill of
the Hertfordshire countryside might bring some calmness to her inner turmoil. The house was still silent as she quietly descended the stairs and exited the ho
use, and she lost no time in striding off down the drive toward one of her favor
ite jaunts. The day was brisk, with the sun twinkling on the frost that covered
all the leaves and grasses, and her breath made a plume in the air as she set of
f. She was dressed warmly, but the chill air was slightly uncomfortable at first
. But as her blood pumped and her muscles warmed, she soon was perfectly comfort
able as she strode down the road and turned off into one of the lesser-used lane
s. Her spirits were lifted by the beauty and quiet, marked only by the soft trills
of the occasional bird and the distant barking of a dog at one of the cottages t
hat could occasionally be seen through the line of trees along the right side
of the road. Within a half-hour, she found herself walking along the boundary of
Netherfield, which was marked by a whitewashed fence made of wooden rails. The
line of trees still marched parallel to the line of the fence between fence and
road. It was a little more than ten minutes later that Elizabeth heard the pounding of
hooves coming up behind her on her right. Drawn by the vibrant sound, which con
trasted dramatically with the quiet of the morning, she left the road and steppe
d over to a break in the trees along the fence rails. As she looked to her right
, two horses were just coming into sight, running flat out and almost side-by-side. Her eyes opened wider as she in
stantly recognized Darcy on the horse nearest to her, a magnificent black animal
who stretched out his neck as he ran. She also realized that his companion was
his brother, David, riding a smaller steed but one almost matched to Darcy's in
speed because of the lighter burden he carried. Darcy and David were both grinning from ear to ear with the sheer exhilaration o
f their race, for it was clear that it was a race that they were engaged in. The
nostrils of both horses were wide, and the frost of their breath was ripped int
o tatters by the speed of their stride. In a moment they swept up to Elizabeth a
nd beyond, thundering out of sight around a slight bend of the fence line. Eliza
beth found that her hand had unknowingly come to her chest, seeking to still the
sudden pounding of her heart from the stirring sight that she had witnessed. Darcy had been well up in the stirrups, leaning far forward over his horse's n
eck, with his seat well clear of the saddle even as his knees effortlessly adjus
ted for the pounding motion of his horse. David had been in a similar stance,
straining forward and urging more speed from his horse in an attempt to forge ah
ead of his brother. But, after her first glance, Elizabeth's eyes had been fixed
on Darcy, to the ex- clusion of his brother. Her spirit thrilled at the magnifi
cent picture that Darcy made, matching his younger brother as he sought for more
speed from his horse. It appeared to her as if he was aglow from the excitement
of the ride, and both horses had made a similar impression, their coats shining
with moisture picked up from the dew thrown up by their hooves and also from th
eir maximum exertion. Elizabeth did not believe that she had ever seen anything as exciting in her who
le life, even the fencing practice that she had seen and had several times dream
ed about. Her excitement was reflected in an inward heat, much the same as she
had felt during her dream about dancing with Darcy in the Netherfield library.
She moaned slightly, partly due to the unknown and unexpected heat she felt in h
er chest and lower belly, but mostly due to the sudden knowledge that had just s
truck her with the impact that was almost physical-she was falling in love with
Georgiana's brother! Or have I already fallen in love with him? she wondered with a groan of dismay.
In the midst of these thoughts, she suddenly became aware that the pounding hoov
es had not dwindled completely out of sight but were returning, though at a much
more moderate pace. Suddenly aware that she might have been seen as the horses thundered past, Eliza
beth quickly looked about her. She absolutely did not want to be found standing
here, not at this time. The immensity of the feelings surging through her chest
could not be denied, and she knew herself completely incapable of disguising the
m. She had to get off the road, to hide, but there was only the road behind her,
the field on the other side, and the sprinkling of trees along the road. But th
ere, about fifteen yards to her right, was a possible place of concealment-several well-established trees with thick trunks were clustered t
ogether with bushes growing between them. Coupled with the depression on this si
de of the trees, she was certain that she could not be seen from the other side
of the fence. Her recognition of a hiding place and her installation in it took
mere seconds, and she was barely in time, for just then she heard the two horses
trotting up to the point where she had stood as they ran past. "This is the spot, Will," came David's voice. "I am certain that it was Miss Eli
zabeth." "I could not tell, David. All I recognized was that someone was standing there
as we raced past," said Darcy in his deep, serious voice. "Well, if it was her, she seems to be gone now. She may not be a horsewoman, but
she is quite the walker," said David, and Elizabeth could tell from the voices
and the dim outline through the trees that the two brothers were walking towards
her on their way back to Netherfield. In seconds, she realized, they would be
directly on the other side of the fence from her, and she crouched even closer
to the largest of the trees that hid her. Darcy said nothing to David's comment, which only led the younger brother to con
tinue. "And she is certainly lively enough to dispel some of your characteristic
gloom," he said cheerfully. This comment had an effect, and Elizabeth saw that Darcy had pulled up suddenly.
She could dimly make out his outline through the branches and leaves of the bus
hes that shielded her. "Do not start trying to match me with every amiable female that comes within our
circle," said Darcy tolerantly. "Miss Elizabeth is your sister's good friend and deserves the respect of both of
us." "I do not try to match you with every female, Will," said David teasingly. "Ther
e is Miss Bingley, for example." "Who is the sister of our host, and also therefore deserving of our respect,"
his brother replied with his usually seriousness. "That may be, but it has been rather amusing to Georgiana and me to watch you tr
y to evade her unending pursuit like a squirrel trying to evade a three-legged f
ox! There! You cannot hide that smile, Will! I can see it!" cried David gleefull
y. "Well," said Darcy grudgingly, "perhaps so. But still, it is our duty to treat M
iss Bingley with respect and politeness. Even if," and here Elizabeth could almo
st see the smile on his face, the smile that had first shaken her to her core, "
I can think of little worse than a lifetime of companionship with such a respect
ed lady!" "In that, my sister and I are in complete agreement with you, Will! Miss Elizabe
th would be infinitely more preferable! Race you back?" challenged David, as he
suddenly changed the subject. His older brother had no time to answer before E
lizabeth heard David's horse burst into motion. She saw the outline of Darcy fol
low almost immediately afterward, but David had already forged a clear 23 lead. Elizabeth heard the boyish laughter dimly as Darcy raced after him. When the beat of hooves was completely faded, Elizabeth slowly rose to her feet,
grateful that this road was so seldom traveled. She no longer had an urge to wa
lk further, and she turned back toward home. Her heart was so conflicted that it
was like a stone in her chest, as part of her sang with the recognition of how
she felt while the more sensible side of her felt the despair of hopelessness. H
er steps, formerly lively as she strode eagerly outbound from Longbourn, were mo
re like the trudging of a condemned woman as she turned back toward home. 2ELIZABETH WOULD HAVE BEEN more distressed if she had been aware of what had take
n place at Longbourn during her absence. For her mother had been engaged in a br
ief tte-- tte with her cousin, Mr. Collins, in which that foolish man had acquainte
d her with his intention to make amends for inheriting his father's estate by ch
oosing one of the daughters of Longbourn as a mistress for his parsonage house.
Mrs. Bennet was, of course, thrilled by the news, but Mr. Collins then went furt
her and mentioned that he had fixed on Miss Bennet as the logical choice, both f
rom her lovely face and seniority. Mrs. Bennet then had the challenge of dissuad
ing him from that choice, on account of her expectation that Jane would be short
ly engaged, without dissuading him from making a second choice. But Mrs. Bennet need not have worried. Mr. Collins was not a sensible man. Mrs.
Bennet had only to point out the impediment to his selection of her eldest daugh
ter and to mention that she had no such expectations for any of her younger daug
hters, and Mr. Collins obliged her by changing from Jane to Elizabeth while Mrs.
Bennet was stirring the fire. Elizabeth was next to Jane in birth and beauty, a
nd his choice was instantly fixed. Mrs. Bennet was quick to catch the hint that Mr. Collins dropped, and she truste
d that she might soon have two daughters married; as well as having the problem
of the entail put to rest. Mr. Collins, the man whom she could not bear to speak
of the day before, was now high in her good graces. 2THE PREVIOUS EVENING, AFTER Elizabeth departed to her room, Lydia had announced
her intention to go to Meryton to ask about the return of one of her favorite of
ficers, Captain Denny. She announced as much during breakfast, and all her siste
rs except Mary agreed to accompany her. In addition, 24 Mr. Bennet suggested that Mr. Collins accompany them, for Mr. Bennet was most an
xious to reclaim his library and his solitude. Mr. Collins had followed Mr. Benn
et into his library after breakfast that morning and had thenceforth interrupted
his cousin's well-loved solitude by speaking, with hardly a pause, of his house
and garden at Hunsford. In his library, Mr. Bennet was used to leisure and tran
quility, and his patience was sorely tried by Mr. Collins' incessant and uninv
ited conversation. Therefore, he was most prompt in inviting Mr. Collins to join
his daughters in their walk, and that gentleman, being in fact better fitted
for a walker than a reader, was extremely well-pleased to close his large book a
nd go. Elizabeth was quiet during the walk to Meryton, content to walk silently beside
Jane while Mr. Collins walked with her younger sisters and maintained a pompous
discourse during the entire walk. Once arrived, however, Lydia and Kitty quick
ly forgot their cousin as their eyes searched the street in search of officers.
Their efforts were quickly rewarded, for Lydia spied Captain Denny on the other
side of the street. Their attention was also drawn by his companion, a young man of most gentlemanli
ke appearance whom they had never seen before. Their curiosity aroused, Kitty an
d Lydia led their sisters across the street and were quickly able to gain the at
tention of Captain Denny. After greetings were exchanged, Captain Denny said, "Ladies, if you would do me
the kindness, I entreat you to allow me to introduce you to my friend, Mr. Wickh
am, who has returned with me from town. I am happy to say that he has just accepted a commission in our corps of militia. Mr. Wickham, I would lik
e to introduce you to Miss Bennet and her sisters, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Catherin
e, and Miss Lydia."?Mr. Wickham's bow and acceptance of the introduction were as gracious as his appearance, for he was quite handsome, with a good figur
e, and the most pleasing and easy manners. His conversation was of a piece with
his introductions, and Kitty and Lydia were almost bereft of their senses as the
y viewed him, for such a handsome young man needed only regimentals to make him
completely charming. Mr. Collins was introduced as their cousin to the other gen
tlemen, and the party was standing and talking together very agreeably, when the
sound of horses drew their attention. Elizabeth felt her heart leap in her chest as she turned and saw that Mr. Darcy
was riding up the street towards them with his friend, Mr. Bingley. She had to m
ake herself look away casually, for she wanted nothing more than to simply gaze
on Mr. Darcy as he rode so easily, the reins held casually in his left hand whil
e his right hand was on his hip. In her mind's eye, she could still see Darcy as
he had looked that morning, raised out of his saddle and leaning forward while
he held the reins with both hands with an intensity completely at odds with the
negligent manner in which he now held them. The approaching horsemen were as quick to recognize the ladies, and they rode di
rectly towards them. Bingley had recognized Jane instantly, and his eyes were on her as they exchanged the usual
civilities. "Darcy and I were just on our way to Longbourn to inquire of your he
alth, Miss Bennet," he said as he began to dismount. Darcy was quick to agree wi
th his friend's statement, and only then did he happen to notice the stranger. E
lizabeth saw the look of recognition in his eyes, and she also thought she saw a
look of distaste. She could not be certain, for the expression, if it was there
, was gone in an instant, and his face reflected only calm politeness "Wickham," said Darcy in greeting, giving the other man a bow from astride his h
orse, which Mr. Wickham returned with equal assurance. "Darcy," Wickham said politely, before continuing. "What draws you from Pemberle
y to Meryton, if I may be so bold as to ask?"?Darcy gestured to Bingley, who had now dismounted to talk to Jane. "My friend, Mr. Charles Bingley, has taken a lease on Netherfield
and is hosting us for the month." Wickham nodded politely. "Please send my greetings and my best wishes to your si
ster and brother when you next see them." "I shall certainly do so, Wickham. But your question has its converse. I thought
you settled in London in the study of law." "I had thought to be, but it has not turned out to my liking. I renewed my acq
uaintance with Denny in town, and he suggested that a commission in the militia
might be more to my taste." "Ah," was Darcy's reply. "Then I will offer my best wishes that you do indeed fi
nd it to your liking." He turned to Bingley, "I am loath to call you from the si
de of Miss Bennet, Charles, but we are expected back at Netherfield." "Yes, of course, Darcy," Bingley said, taking his leave from Jane and turning re
luctantly back to his horse. As he mounted, Darcy gave a polite nod to Wickham b
efore he and Bingley went on their way. Elizabeth had watched the exchange with the utmost interest. Of course, she ha
d been hard pressed to keep her eyes off Darcy, but she had not failed to notice
that, though the conversation and manners of both men had been impeccable, it w
as equally clear that neither cared for the other. She had also noted what all t
he others had missed, and that was that Darcy had made not the slightest move to
introduce Bingley to Wickham. Knowing what she did of Darcy's politeness, Eliza
beth was certain that the omission had not been an oversight, and she longed to
know what the real meaning of the encounter actually was. Mr. Denny and Mr. Wickham walked with the young ladies to the door of Mr. Philip
s's house, and then, despite Lydia's pleas that they come in, made their bows an
d departed. Mrs. Philips was always glad to see her nieces, and she was soon i
ntroduced to Mr. Collins, whom she observed to possess an excess of good breedin
g. But she was not allowed to be entertained for long by Mr. Collins' apologies,
for Lydia and Kitty were wild to know all about the new stranger. Their aunt could only tell them what they already knew, that Mr. Denny had brought him
from London, and that he was to have a lieutenant's commission in the -- shire. She did agree to have her husband call on Mr. Wickham and give him an invitation
to dinner the next day if the family from Longbourn would come in the evening.
Her promise of a game of lottery tickets with a hot supper to follow was very ch
eering to the sisters, and they were quite pleased to accept, both on their beha
lf and on the behalf of Mr. Collins. As they walked home, Elizabeth thought further on what had passed between the tw
o gentlemen. She did not seek Jane's thoughts, for she had to wonder if she was
only imagining that there was something disagreeable between Mr. Darcy and Mr. W
ickham. From the conversation of her sisters, it appeared that no one else had n
oticed anything at all. 25 Chapter 7 "A "You probably noticed the cool manner of our meeting yesterday, did you not?" he
inquired of her, and Elizabeth responded with a nod. "Are you much acquainted w
ith Mr. Darcy?" Wickham continued. "Not very much, Mr. Wickham," Elizabeth said cautiously. "We have been introdu
ced, of course, but he is not given to much socializing. I did, however, recentl
y spend several days at Netherfield when my sister was sick and had to stay ther
e until she was well enough to travel." She paused in thought, concluding that h
er best approach was to mini- mize her knowledge of Darcy. From the cautious man
ner of Wickham's conversation, she sensed that he would not be drawn out if she
expressed too much friendship for Mr. Darcy. "He is not an easy man to get to kn
ow, I have found," she said carefully, wishing to entice Mr. Wickham to talk fur
ther without an outright deceit. "Yes, he has always been such," Wickham mused, appearing to be thinking aloud.
Then, suddenly changing subjects, he said, "I wonder what the distance is from
Netherfield to Derbyshire. You do not happen to know, do you, Miss Elizabeth?" "Why, I am not certain," Elizabeth said, frowning slightly in concentration. "It
is well over a hundred miles north-certainly several days travel." "And has Mr. Darcy been staying there long?" Mr. Wickham said smoothly with the
most charming smile. "About a month," Elizabeth responded, feeling the attraction of that smile. Th
en, remembering her purpose and unwilling to let the subject drop, she added, "H
e is a man of very large property in Derbyshire, I understand." "Yes," replied Wickham; "he has a noble estate there- Pemberley, it is called. A
nd his income from the estate is equally noble-a clear ten thousand per annum."
Elizabeth managed to appear rather impressed by what Wickham told her, though th
e same figure had been repeated numerous times in the neighborhood. "You probabl
y do not know this, but you could not have met another person more capable of gi
ving you information on Pemberley and the Darcy family, for my family has been
connected with his since my infancy." Elizabeth did not have to manufacture a look of surprise at this statement. Wick
ham nodded at her expression and continued, "It is obvious that you are surprise
d, Miss Bennet, especially after seeing the manner of our meeting. I cannot hide
the fact that we do not have the close relations that we once had, but I shall
not express an opinion on that-I have known Mr. Darcy for too long and too well
to be able to render an impartial opinion-it would be impossible for me to be a
fair judge." Elizabeth kept her expression attentive as she considered what she should say ne
xt. It seems that Mr. Wickham has more to say but does not wish to say it outrig
ht, she thought. Very well, then-I shall have to entice him to continue, but how
shall I go about it? At length, she ventured, "It appears that you do not think
very highly of Mr. Darcy, Mr. Wickham. However, I nd you will be happy to know," Aunt Philips told the girls, as they entered the drawing room the following evening, "that Mr. Philips was successful in securing Mr. Wickham's company for the
evening, and he is even now in the house."?Lydia and Kitty were made ecstatic at hearing this news, and Elizabeth was at least interested. Neither Mary nor Jane shared even t
hat much interest, though their reasons were wildly divergent. Elizabeth went
to sit at the side of the room, separating herself as far as practicable from Mr
. Collins, who soon found an attentive listener in Mrs. Philips. At length, the
gentlemen finished their port and cigars and joined the ladies in the drawing ro
om. When Mr. Wickham entered the room, Elizabeth noted that he was a man who naturally drew a
considerable degree of admiration. The officers of the regiment were, in gene
ral, a very creditable, gentlemanlike set of men, and the best of them were in a
ttendance tonight. But Mr. Wickham exceeded them in all measures-in person, coun
tenance, air, and walk-and Elizabeth could not help but feel gratified as he sea
ted himself at her side. She was conscious that almost every female eye was turn
ed her way as Mr. Wickham immediately engaged her in agreeable conversation. E
ven the topic of the weather was rendered interesting by the skill of the speake
r. Soon the card tables were set up, and part of the room, including Mr. Collins, E
lizabeth was relieved to note, sat down to whist, while the other table was for
lottery tickets. Mr. Wickham was not a whist player, and he was received eager
ly when he sat down at the other table between Elizabeth and Lydia. At first, it
appeared that Lydia might monopolize his conversation, for she was a most deter
mined talker. But she was also extremely fond of lottery tickets, and she soon g
rew so interested in the game that she ceased to notice anything else. That left
Mr. Wickham at leisure to talk to Elizabeth, and she was very willing to listen
, though what she most wished to hear was the history of his acquaintance with M
r. Darcy. Though that was a subject that she dared not mention, she was unexpect
edly surprised to have Mr. Wickham raise the subject himself.?"I noticed when we met today, Miss Elizabeth,
" he began, "that you and Mr. Darcy appear to know each other." "Why, yes, we have been intr
oduced," replied Elizabeth. Now that Mr. Wickham had surprisingly introduced the subject that she was curiou
s about, she was uncertain how to proceed in order to get a full report. Best to
say as little as possible and remain non-committal, she decided. "He is staying
with his friend, Mr. Bingley, at Netherfield, which is close to my home at Long
bourn." 26 should tell you that the opinion of him in Hertfordshire is neither positive nor
negative. He is rather withdrawn and socializes little, as I said, which does n
ot redound to his credit, but his fortune is a counter to that." Wickham nodded. "Yes, the world is blinded by his fortune and consequence and fr
ightened by his high and imposing manners. It is not surprising that it then see
s him as he chooses to be seen." Elizabeth nodded, keeping her features calm and her attitude interested. "I take
it that there are aspects to his character which he does not wish the world to
know?" Again, Mr. Wickham abruptly changed the subject, avoiding her question. "I wonde
r if he is likely to be in this country much longer?" "I do not at all know;" she responded, "but I heard nothing of his going away
when I was at Netherfield. I hope your plans in favor of the --shire will not be
affected by his being in the neighborhood?" "No, not at all!" Wickham replied forcefully. "I shall not be driven away by Mr.
Darcy-it will be his part to go if he wishes to avoid seeing me. Yes, to answer
your previous question, Miss Bennet, Darcy and I are no longer on friendly term
s. But, while I cannot enjoy meeting him, it is not for me to avoid him, for I h
ave been the one to be ill-used in our relationship-a fact that I might proclaim
to all the world if I did not have a higher obligation." Elizabeth could not fa
il to note of the incongruity of his previous statement that he should offer no
ill opinion of Mr. Darcy, since it appeared that was Mr. Wickham's decided purpo
se, but yet his demeanor and expression was such that it made her want to believ
e him. But she had to concentrate, for Mr. Wickham was continuing. "His father, Miss
Bennet, the late Mr. Darcy, was one of the best men that ever breathed, and the
truest friend I ever had. I can never be in company with this Mr. Darcy without
being grieved to the soul by a thousand tender recol- lections of his father. Ho
wever, his son's behavior to myself has been scandalous; but I verily believe I
could forgive him anything and everything, rather than his disappointing the hop
es and disgracing the memory of his father." It now appeared that she was close to the primary griev- ance of Mr. Wickham, an
d, though Elizabeth was most interested in hearing a report from him, the deli
cacy of the subject prevented her from enquiring further. Mr. Wickham must have
found the subject equally sensitive, for he again changed subjects and began to
speak on more general topics, such as Meryton, the neighborhood, and the society
.He appeared highly pleased with all that he had yet seen, and he spoke of the so
ciety especially, with gentle but very in- telligible gallantry. "It was the pro
spect of good and constant society that was my chief inducement to enter the --s
hire. I knew it to be a most respectable, agreeable corps even before my friend
Denny tempted me further. His account of their present quarters, along with the
friendly reception from the local gentry toward our corps was a decisive argumen
t. The chance of society was one I could not pass by, for society is necessary to avoid
dwelling on my disappointments, as I would do if left in solitude. It is why I
abandoned my study of law in favor of a military life. But this choice is a comp
ro- mise, for I was really meant for the church-it was what I was brought up for
, and I fully expected to now be in possession of a most valuable living. But in
that I was disappointed, for the gentleman of whom we were speaking would not h
ave it so." "Indeed!" Elizabeth exclaimed, for Mr. Wickham had circled back to his main them
e. "Yes," he replied. "The late Mr. Darcy bequeathed me the next presentation of th
e best living in his gift. He was my godfather and was excessively attached to m
e. I cannot do justice to his kindness-he meant to provide for me amply, and tho
ught he had done so; but when the living fell vacant, it was given elsewhere." "Good heavens!" cried Elizabeth; her spirit outraged by the earnest story she ha
d heard. "But how could that be, Mr. Wickham? How could the will be disregarded?
Did you not have legal redress?"?Wickham exhibited such a look of patient acceptance that Elizabeth's heart went out to him. She could almost sense the hurt that he
had felt. "Alas," Wickham said lowly, "the terms of the bequest was couched in informal te
rms that left me no hope from law. A man of honor could not have doubted the int
ention expressed in the will, but Mr. Darcy chose to doubt it-or to treat it as
a conditional recommendation only. He asserted that I had forfeited all claim to
the bequest by extravagant and imprudent living. In short, when the living beca
me vacant two years ago, just when I was of an age to hold it, Mr. Darcy made a
gift of it to another man. Certain am I that I had done nothing to deserve to lo
se what was promised, except that I may have expressed myself too freely and som
etimes spoken my opinion of him too openly. I admit that I have a warm, unguarde
d temper, but I can recall nothing worse. But it is a sad fact that we are very
different sorts of men, and I am equally certain that he bears a grudge against
me." "This is quite shocking!" said Elizabeth, and she was truly shocked. She despera
tely did not want to believe what Mr. Wickham had told her, but his manner and s
incerity were obvious. Could Mr. Darcy have really been so cold- hearted? "He wo
uld be publicly disgraced if this became generally known," she said, seeking to
compose her features. Her emotions, her affections, were warring inside her agai
nst the most believable account Mr. Wickham had provided of his blasted hopes. "Some time or other he will be disgraced, Miss Bennet," Mr. Wickham said gently,
"but it shall not be by me. Until I can forget his father, I can never defame o
r expose him." Elizabeth was in true distress, wondering how a man who she had only the previou
s morning thought herself in love with could have acted so despicably. "But what
," she said, after a pause, "can have been his motive? What can have induced him
to behave so cruelly?" 27 "A thorough, determined dislike of me is my only answer, Miss Bennet-a dislike w
hich I cannot but attribute in some measure to jealousy. Had the late Mr. Darcy
liked me less, his son might have borne with me better; but his father's uncommo
n attachment to me irritated him, I believe, very early in life. He had not a te
mper to bear the sort of compe- tition in which we stood-the sort of preference
which was often given me." "I had not thought Mr. Darcy so bad as this," Elizabeth said in response. She wa
s really feeling quite dreadful. "I will not trust myself on the subject," replied Wickham, "I can hardly be just
to him." Elizabeth was again deep in rather agitated thought, and she listened without co
mment as Wickham talked of his youth, of being in the same house with Darcy, sha
ring the same amusements, while his father acted as steward to the late Mr. Darc
y, with the result that a voluntary promise was given to provide for Wickham aft
er Mr. Darcy's passing. She nodded in unwilling agreement as Wickham put down
pride as the motive for Darcy's actions, for he did appear to be quite proud of
his family and their position in the world. "Pride such as you describe is indeed an abominable emotion," she said. "It wa
s the original sin, after all, and I am surprised that it has not tarnished his
reputation." "His pride has not completely been to Mr. Darcy's dis- credit," Wickham replied.
"It has often led him to be liberal and generous-to give his money freely, to d
isplay hospitality, to assist his tenants, and relieve the poor. Family pride, a
nd filial pride-for he is very proud of what his father was-have done this. Not
to appear to disgrace his family, to degener- ate from the popular qualities, or
lose the influence of the Pemberley House, is a powerful motive. He has also br
otherly pride, which, with some brotherly affection, makes him a very kind and c
areful guardian of his sister and brother, and you will hear him generally cried
up as the most attentive and best of brothers." Elizabeth was truly feeling despondent now, but the mention of Darcy's brother a
nd sister caught her attention. "His brother and sister-do you know them?"?He shrugged. "I used to, but not for
some years. I knew his sister better-as a child she was affectionate and pleasin
g, and extremely fond of me. I have devoted hours and hours to her amusement, bu
t she is nothing to me now. She has become much like her brother-very, very prou
d. She is a handsome girl, I understand, about fifteen or sixteen, and, is reput
ed to be highly accomplished. I know much less about the younger brother. He was
only five or six when the late Mr. Darcy died, and I have heard little of him.
I imagine that Darcy has sent them off to school-such was being considered when I was last at Pemberley."?Elizabeth felt as if she had just been
dropped into a pond filled with ice. The sudden impact of these words acted as if she had suddenly b
een jerked bodily from a nightmare and dashed with ice water that brought her to
full alertness. 28 "I see," she said shortly, and she did see. She saw that she had been lulled int
o gullibility by a pleasing countenance and an amiable manner, and the carefully
crafted framework of lies that Wickham had spun so skillfully had just been rev
ealed for the shabby and tawdry slander that it was. "Then you have not had much contact with Miss Darcy and her younger brother for
some years, then, Mr. Wickham?" she said quietly. "No, not really," Wickham said with a frown. He had sensed Miss Bennet's change
of mood, but he was unaware of what could have caused it. "Then you are probably unaware that Mr. Darcy keeps his brother and sister in at
tendance wherever he goes and employs tutors that travel with the family to prov
ide education for Miss Darcy and her brother?" "No," Wickham replied cautiously, suddenly aware that he had said something wron
g. Miss Bennet was not reacting as he had expected after her earlier pleasing an
d gratifying reactions. "Then you are probably not aware that Georgiana Darcy and I have become the clos
est of friends, are you, Mr. Wickham?" she said sweetly but with more than a tou
ch of malice. Elizabeth Bennet did not like being made a fool of, and Mr. Wickha
m's face turned red, though he had nothing to say in response. "And since I have positive knowledge that Georgiana Darcy has one of the sweetes
t spirits that I know and bears no similarity to the cold and disagreeable creat
ure that you have described, you will well understand that I now see what you to
ld me in a completely different light. In fact, I am now convinced that everythi
ng else you have told me about the Darcy family is just as untrue as what you tr
ied to tell me about my friend." Elizabeth suddenly stood up, and her words were clipped and incisive, causing se
veral people to turn toward her and Wickham "You should have stopped your lies b
efore you tried to smear my friend, Mr. Wickham," she said coldly. "But I guess
it is the tendency of those who can lie with such an amiable face to always try
to tell one lie too many. You should have stopped when you were ahead, sir. In t
he meantime, I have much better things to do than sit here and listen to you def
ame my friend and her family. Good day, sir!" she said, and walked away from the table with her back straight. Behind her, Wickham
's face was a scarlet that matched his regimentals, and Lydia was looking at her
sister in confusion, wondering what could have brought that on? 2ELIZABETH WOULD HAVE DEPARTED immediately if she had been wearing her walking bo
ots. But since she was wearing evening slippers that were not up to the demands
of the road back to Longbourn, she contented herself with remaining on the opposite side of the room from Wickham. The whist party soon afterwards b
roke up, and the players gathered round the other table, where Wickham remained
seated by Lydia. Jane excused herself from the table and came over to Elizabeth,
who was standing by herself against the wall. "What was the cause of the dispute between you and Mr. Wickham," Jane asked quie
tly, looking across the room to where Mr. Collins had come to stand beside Mrs.
Philips. Elizabeth's lips were still compressed with anger, and she quickly recounted her
conversation with Mr. Wickham. Jane was both astounded and agitated that such a
handsome and amiable man might tell such hateful lies, and she made her usual a
ttempt to ascribe the motive to something other than evil intent. But Elizabeth
would not allow that, and interrupted, "No, no, Jane. It will not do to try to e
xcuse Mr. Wickham's falsehoods. There was no mistake, and I am mortified that it
took so long for me to see through his lies. If he had only maligned the brothe
r, who I do not know as well as the sister, he might have succeeded in convincin
g me, for he was most persuasive. But when he said what he did about Georgiana,
who has the sweetest and most gentle heart of anyone I know beyond yourself, the
n I knew him for what he was. He has a most pleasing exterior, but the interior
appears to have gone completely rotten." Jane was unable to move her sister from that point of view, and when Elizabeth e
xplained in greater detail, she even ceased to try. She was distressed at the th
ought, but she had to agree that no other interpretation was possible, and that
her sister had described Mr. Wickham's character accurately. Both Elizabeth and Jane were relieved when supper put an end to cards, and they
were very willing to allow the other ladies their share of Mr. Wickham's attenti
ons. There could be no private conversation in the noise of Mrs. Philips' supper
party, but Elizabeth could well see that Wickham's manners appeared to recommen
d him to everyone around him. She was none too pleased to see that Lydia especia
lly appeared to have fallen under his spell, and her opinion was confirmed on th
e way home. Mr. Wickham even seemed to have driven thoughts of lottery tickets a
nd fish, both won and lost, out of Lydia's head. She talked incessantly of nothi
ng but Mr. Wickham and what he had said and done, so much so that even Mr. Collins was unab
le to complete a sentence before the carriage stopped at Longbourn House. Chapter 8 lizabeth was walking with Jane in the garden the next day when they were summone
d into the house by the arrival of a carriage containing Mr. Bingley and his two
sisters, delivering their personal invitation for the long-expected ball at Netherfield, which was fixed for the following Tuesday
. Georgiana had accompanied them in order to see her friend, since they had not
met since they had left Netherfield the previous Sunday. Bingley's sisters gave evidence of great delight in again seeing their dear frie
nd, Jane, but they paid little attention to the rest of the family. They avoided
Mrs. Bennet as much as possible, said very little to Elizabeth, and nothing at
all to the others. Elizabeth was not disturbed in the slightest by their neglect
, because she was more than happy to sit at the other end of the room with Georg
iana. "It has been most lonely since you left, Elizabeth," said Georgiana. "It was so
nice to see you every day that I have been miserable with only William and David
as company." Elizabeth leaned closer, lowering her voice. "But what about Miss Bingley?" Eliz
abeth teased, and then she had to smile as Georgiana wrinkled her nose. "Mrs. Richards has instructed me that I must not be impertinent, so I had best s
ay nothing," she told Elizabeth. Elizabeth and Georgiana shared a small, secret
smile that symbolized their perfect understanding of what Georgiana meant without having to say anything aloud. Meanwhile, Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hur
st had quickly exhausted their conversation with Jane and evidenced no desire to
tolerate Mrs. Bennet's civilities any longer than necessary. They rose from the
ir seats in such a sudden manner that they surprised their brother, who would ha
ve much preferred to remain longer with Jane. As they swept out of the room an
d as Elizabeth was rising to escort her friend back to the carriage, Miss Bingle
y gave Elizabeth a look that could only be described as baleful. Elizabeth shrug
ged mentally, having further proof that Miss Bingley had little desire to see he
r friendship with Georgiana flourishing. The prospect of the Netherfield ball was extremely agreeable to every female o
f the family, excepting only Elizabeth. Her emotions were severely conflicted, s
ince she both anticipated dancing again with Darcy and dreaded the necessity o
f continuing to conceal her emotions from his sister and her own family. Mrs. Be
nnet chose to consider the event as a compliment to her eldest daughter and was
particularly flattered to have received a personal invitation from Mr. Bingley r
ather than a polite card. Jane anticipated a happy evening with her two friends
and their brother, while Kitty and Lydia were overwhelmed by the magnitude of th
e event. They meant to dance half the evening with Mr. Wickham, of course, but he was by
no means the only partner who could E29 satisfy them, for this promised to be a most enjoyable ball. Even Mary professed
herself willing to engage in an evening of recreation and amusement, for she di
d, after all, have the morning to herself. Elizabeth's spirits were so at odds within herself that she did not at first not
ice the attention being lavished on her by Mr. Collins. She had listened to him
with only half her attention as he rambled on as he usually did. She responded a
utomatically as he told her that he believed that it would be most proper for a
man of the cloth such as himself to attend such an event, given by a young man
of character and attended by most respectable people. But her attention was cau
ght as he stated that he hoped to be honored with the hands of all his fair cous
ins during the evening. Elizabeth suddenly knew what was coming as he continued,
"I would like to take the opportunity of soliciting your hand, Miss Elizabeth,
for the first two dances especially-a preference which I trust my cousin Jane wi
ll attribute to the right cause, and not to any disrespect for her." Elizabeth realized that there was no way of avoiding such an offer, for a young
lady could only reject such an offer by rejecting all others also, and she was
already engaged for the second two dances with Mr. Darcy. Thus, despite her mis
givings, she accepted Mr. Collins proposal with as good a grace as she should. M
ore worrisome was the intimation that she had just recognized, for she more than
suspected that Mr. Collins' gallantry suggested something more than just a part
ner for two dances. She was suddenly certain that she had been selected from amo
ng her sisters as worthy of being the mistress of Hunsford Parsonage and of thus
assisting to form a quadrille table at Rosings, in the absence of more eligible
visitors. The subsequent civilities of her cousin and the hints of her mother q
uickly removed any doubts that she might have had. However, since Elizabeth did
not want to be the originator of a serious dispute, she decided the best course
to take was to simply ignore her cousin's compliments and her mothers hints. Mr.
Collins might never make the offer, and she wished to delay any quarrel until i
f and when that event occurred. The time between the invitation and the ball at Netherfield was necessarily spen
t in preparation, since there was little else to do because of a constant succes
sion of rain. The inclement weather prevented the younger Miss Bennets from walking to Meryton
, both to see their aunt and to improve their acquaintance with Mr. Wickham, for
they completely rejected the warnings from Elizabeth and Jane on that subject.
Nothing less than a ball on Tuesday could have made such a Friday, Saturday, Sun
day, and Monday endurable to Kitty and Lydia. 2ELIZABETH FELT HER HEART hammering as the carriage pulled up in front of Netherf
ield. She had dressed with more than her usual care in the anticipation of danci
ng with Darcy, and she had even gotten angry with herself as she found herself
humming as she went about her toilette. She told herself that she was just goin
g to make it harder on herself, pining after such an unobtainable, and indeed co
mpletely oblivious, young man. But it did not matter, and she had completed her
preparations in the highest spirits. She was somewhat disappointed that the first two dances belonged to her cousin,
for she feared that she was going to have to deal with that man's intentions soo
ner or later. But now her high spirits about the possessor of the second set tur
ned rather anxious, for she could see him standing beside his sister just inside
the front door. Georgiana's cheeks were flushed as she came to meet Elizabeth,
and she was smiling broadly as she embraced her friend. She was obviously quite
excited about the prospect of the ball, even if her brother had put limitations
on her participation. "Georgiana, you are looking marvelous tonight!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "You have
outdone yourself! What a lovely gown!" Georgiana blushed even more, looking shyly over at her brother, who gave her a f
ond smile. Then Elizabeth caught sight of a smaller figure in black behind Darcy
's elbow. Leaning around, she smiled suddenly as she caught sight of David, dres
sed almost as an exact miniature of his brother. "David Alexander Darcy, let me have a look at you!" she cried. Looking over at D
arcy, she shook her head. "He is almost an exact replica of you, Mr. Darcy," she
said, and she smiled inwardly at the way David stood a little taller as his bro
ther bestowed his fond smile on him. "After giving permission for Georgiana to attend, even with restrictions, I foun
d myself unable to deny David the same privilege," Darcy said. "Especially after Alex pointed out that he was about to outgrow the formal cloth
es Aunt Matlock gave him for his birthday without ever having worn them!" giggle
d Georgiana. "It was a good argument," admitted Darcy. "But now that your friend is arrived,
perhaps we might join the others?" As Elizabeth entered the ballroom, she looked to see if Mr. Wickham was present
among the cluster of red coats assembled there, for she wondered if he would att
end. She had not had the opportunity to speak to Georgiana about him, and she di
d not know whether she ought to or not. She certainly did not look forward to me
eting him again, but she was equally determined that his presence would not cast
a shadow on tonight's event. She wondered if he might have been omitted from th
e list due to Darcy's influence with Bingley, but it was only about ten minutes
later that she found out otherwise. Darcy and his brother had escorted Georgiana
to one of the chairs at the side of the room, while Elizabeth stayed with her s
isters. Lydia eagerly sought out Mr. Denny and enquired about Wickham. 30 "I am sorry to disappoint you, Miss Lydia," the red-coated officer told her, "bu
t Mr. Wickham was obliged to go into town on business yesterday and has not yet
returned." He lowered his voice and continued, with a significant smile, "I do
not imagine his business would have called him away just now, if he had not wis
hed to avoid a certain gentleman here." Lydia missed this part of his answer, for she had flitted off after another offi
cer, but Elizabeth heard it. She was not sure if she preferred that Darcy had no
t interfered with the invitation of Wickham or if she would have wished otherwis
e. In any case, she was pleased that Wickham would not be here to put a taint on
the evening. She soon spied Charlotte Lucas, whom she had not seen for a week,
and she proceeded to recount to her what she had learned of Wickham. Charlotte h
ad no advice to give her, and indeed Elizabeth did not need any on that subject,
and the topic of conversation made a transition to the oddities of her cousin.
She pointed him out to Charlotte just as he spied her and began to approach to c
laim the first set, for the music was even then beginning. The two first dances went as badly as she had expected. Mr. Collins, awkward and
solemn, seemed to have no more idea of the dance steps than he had of whist, an
d the dances were dances of mortification. Her cousin spent so much time apologi
zing for his clumsiness that he did not pay attention, and he was usually moving
wrong without even being aware of it. He not only stepped on Elizabeth's toes m
ultiple times but also bumped into other people, disrupting the pattern. Elizabe
th could not remember having less pleasure from a dance, and she received all th
e shame and misery that a disagreeable partner can give. The moment of her relea
se from him was ecstasy. When the first two dances were over, she returned to Charlotte Lucas and was in
conversation with her when she noticed Darcy escort his sister back to her chair
on the far side of the room after the first set. Leaving her beside her brother
, he began to make his way slowly across the crowded room. Charlotte caught her
look, and immediately exclaimed, "Do I make the correct assumption that Mr. Darc
y is the possessor of the next dance? Oh, that is wonderful, Elizabeth!" Elizabeth's smile was rather weak, for she was not sure if she could stand on su
ch wobbly knees. Her stomach fluttered, and she tried to look away from Darcy'
s handsome figure. "Yes," she replied hurriedly, "he asked for the second set, b
ut I do not believe that wonderful is the correct word for how I feel." When Darcy finally emerged from the crowd and approached to claim her hand, Ch
arlotte could not help cau- tioning Elizabeth in a whisper not to be a simpleton
and to continue to disguise her regard for a man of Mr. Darcy's consequence. El
izabeth made no answer, and took her place in the set. Her hand tingled as Darcy
held it, and she saw in her neighbors' looks an amazement at beholding her stan
ding opposite Mr. Darcy. "I trust that Georgiana enjoyed her dances, Mr. Darcy," she ventured at last. Darcy nodded gravely. "She appeared to do so, Miss Elizabeth. She could not help
noting, however, how little you seemed to be enjoying your dances." Elizabeth flushed in embarrassment as the dance started. "That was my cousin, Mr
. Collins," she said as Darcy smoothly executed the steps of the dance. "He is staying with my family for the week,
and asked for the first two." She could not restrain the feeling of exhilaration
, both at dancing with Darcy and at dancing with a partner who was as graceful a
s he was. He might not have enjoyed the training by his dance master, but he had
certainly learned well. Darcy nodded in response to her comment. "So I was told. I was also informed by
your sister, Jane, that he is the parson at Hunsford, which adjoins my Aunt Cath
erine's estate of Rosings." "So he told us at great length," said Elizabeth, pleased that she could make at
least a small jest. "Have you ever met him before?" she asked. "No, I have not visited my aunt since last Easter. But the parson at that time w
as in very bad health and died not too long afterward. I had been informed that
my aunt had found a replacement, but I had not even heard the name until tonight
." Elizabeth seemed struck by silence then, and she went through the motions of the
dance, unable to find a single thing to say. Eventually, after they had gone do
wn the dance, Darcy asked, "Do you and your sisters walk to Meryton very often?" "Yes, we do," she said, and now she had a question she wanted to ask. Rather ten
tatively, she began, "I could not help but notice your response to a young man t
hat we met there last week." Darcy's face froze. He did not have an unpleasant expression, but it was as if
all expression had fled from it. "Mr. Wickham. Yes, I remember the meeting."?"I met him again the following night at m
y Aunt Philips. I should warn you, because of my affection for your sister, that he said some ve
ry uncomplimentary things about you, Mr. Darcy." This last was spoken softly, so
that only he could hear. "Indeed? George was always good at enticing others to believe his tales," he res
ponded, equally softly. "I can well believe that. He has an air that makes you want to believe what he t
ells you. I could not refute what he said of you, Mr. Darcy, for I do not know y
our history, but he then tried to push his luck. He told me of your sister's ove
rweening pride and coldness, and that lie broke the spell. I could then detect t
hat a man who would tell such a lie would not hesitate to tell others." Darcy looked at Elizabeth with real respect. "I must compliment you on your disc
ernment, Miss Bennet. I can see that Georgiana could not have picked a better fr
iend. George Wickham is most persuasive, and it is seldom that those who have a
trusting nature like yourself are equally able to see through his lies." 3? Elizabeth flush in embarrassment. "I wish I could say that I agree with you, Mr.
Darcy, but if Mr. Wickham had confined his lies to your own character only, I c
annot be certain that I would have been able to be as discerning." If Darcy had planned a response, he did not have time to make it, for at that mo
ment Sir William Lucas appeared close to them, meaning to pass through the set t
o the other side of the room. However, when he recognized Mr. Darcy, he stopped
with a bow of superior courtesy to compliment him on his dancing and his partner
."I have been most highly gratified indeed, my dear sir," he said. "Such very sup
erior dancing is not often seen. It is evident that you belong to the first circ
les. Allow me to say, however, that your fair partner does not disgrace you, and
that I must hope to have this pleasure often repeated, especially when a certai
n desirable event, my dear Miss Eliza (glancing at her sister and Bingley) shall
take place. What congratulations will then flow in! I appeal to Mr. Darcy-but l
et me not interrupt you, sir. You will not thank me for de- taining you from the
bewitching converse of that young lady, whose bright eyes are also upbraiding m
e." Elizabeth was rather embarrassed by the fawning nature of Sir William's commen
ts, and she had looked away when she felt her cheeks grow red. Thus, she did not
notice the way in which Sir William's innocent comments suddenly caught Darcy
's attention. He quickly looked around the room and found his friend dancing wit
h Jane, and his expression was intently serious as he looked at them. But then h
e remembered the dance and quickly recovered himself just as Elizabeth regained
her own composure. "Sir William's interruption has made me forget what we were t
alking of," he said as the dance resumed. "I believe that we had quite exhausted the topic of Mr. Wickham, and I would be
pleased to talk of something else," Elizabeth said, her cheeks still somewhat pi
nk. "I quite agree, Miss Bennet," he said seriously, "it is certainly not a suitab
le subject for the ballroom. But I do thank you for the warning, both for my sis
ter and myself." After that, the two of them had very little conversation as they went down the o
ther dance. Elizabeth was finding that all her ease and cheerfulness of conversa
tion had failed her, while Darcy appeared perfectly content with her silence. When he escorted her back to her seat by Charlotte, she desperately wished tha
t he might stay and talk with her, but he politely thanked her for the dance and
then excused himself to return to his sister. As Darcy crossed the room to rejoin his sister, he contemplated what Miss Eliz
abeth Bennet had told him about Wickham. It appears that my fears were accurate
and Wickham has wasted the money I provided him for the study of law, he thought
to himself. But what else did you expect? another part of him wanted to know. Y
ou know it was more your wish than your belief that Wickham would at last profit
by the advantages he had been given. He shook his head mournfully, remembering Wickham'
s father and the affection that his 32 own father had held for the young man. It is too bad how it turned out, but at l
east neither man lived to be disappointed by such a son. His thoughts were not nearly so mournful as he thought of his dances with Miss E
lizabeth. For someone who does not enjoy dancing, he reminisced, I certainly enj
oyed myself. Miss Bennet is as light and graceful on her feet as a butterfly, and he remembered ho
w alive her eyes had been as they started the dance. Lovely eyes and a light, gr
aceful figure, he thought. And to be able to deal with Wickham as she did! Darcy
remembered how successful Wickham had been with women, especially when he still
had an allowance from his father. His conquests had been numerous, and he had o
ften boasted of them, enjoying the look of revulsion that such talk had brough
t to Darcy's eyes. But such thoughts only reminded him of the difference between
himself and Wickham, and his impulsive desire to return and solicit another set
of dances from Miss Elizabeth Bennet was squelched before it became thought. Su
ch an impulsive move could only be misinterpreted, and such a worthwhile friend
of his sister did not deserve to have her hopes raised for what could never be.
Perhaps when Georgiana is married and David is at Cambridge, I might look for a
wife. I will be what, only thirty-five? Still young enough for a good, respectab
le marriage to a solid, dependable woman of quality. Still young enough for an h
eir to Pemberley. Fitzwilliam Darcy so firmly repressed the tiny voice of protest inside himself t
hat he was not even aware of what he did as he took his place beside his sister. Elizabeth was torn, as she tried to converse with Charlotte, for she desperately
wanted to go sit with Georgiana to be in Darcy's presence even as she knew that
she could not abandon her oldest friend. She was not aware of the fact that Dar
cy had abandoned his sister to David's care until she looked up to see both Davi
d and Georgiana approaching her. As Georgiana seated herself in the next chair and as her brother took station be
hind her shoulder, in an exact imitation of his older brother, Elizabeth had t
o smile. Georgiana took notice of the direction of Elizabeth's glance and looked
back quickly. She was trying to suppress a giggle as she turned back to Elizabe
th, but then her amusement was replaced by a decidedly serious expression. As El
izabeth saw that Georgiana obviously had something to say, she also realized tha
t the other girl was feeling rather uncomfortable. She raised an eyebrow in quer
y, and then, as Georgiana leaned over more closely to her, she unconsciously lea
ned closer herself. "Elizabeth, I hardly know how to say this, so the best thing is to just get it o
ver with." Elizabeth's heart seemed to turn over as she wondered what could be m
aking her friend so anxious, and the sudden thought that Darcy might have divine
d her affections for him made her feel faint. But Georgiana quickly continued, "
William might not like me telling you this, but I do not think that I agree with
his interpretation of the feelings of your sister." Elizabeth frowned suddenly, and her anxiety for one subject vanished only to be
replaced by anxiety for her sister's sake. Georgiana continued softly, "My brother just asked me if I had any idea of
the feeling of Jane for Mr. Bingley, and I told him that I believed that she li
ked him very much. But he heard something during your dance that has rather upse
t him, and he answered me by saying that he was concerned at whether it was Jane
or her mother that was more interested in his friend. Then he suddenly excused
himself and left me to the care of Alex, saying that he had something to attend
to. Since then, he has been observing Mr. Bingley and your sister most closely." Elizabeth looked across the ballroom and quickly spied Darcy. He was indeed focu
sed on the dance floor, and Elizabeth followed his gaze to see Bingley and Jane
engaged in quiet conversation, their heads bent toward each other. "I would guess that your brother is concerned that Jane is not falling all over
herself to oblige and flatter his friend," Elizabeth said, before she continued
with a touch of bitterness. "Jane is naturally reserved, an emotion your broth
er should be very familiar with. She does not display her emotions openly, but
that does not mean that she does not feel deeply." She indicated Charlotte, who
was listening to their conversation quietly. "Charlotte does not agree with my
sister's manner, and she advised that she ought to show more than she felt, if
she wanted Mr. Bingley to become aware of her feelings. But she cannot; she is
not Miss Bingley!" That comment at least broke the seriousness, and Elizabeth and Georgiana shared
a secret smile. Then Elizabeth sobered again. "In any event, Georgiana, I have t
o take the side of my sister in this matter, for Jane does not believe that she
should be showing a particular regard for Mr. Bingley when he has not declared h
imself in any way. To do so would be quite improper, in her opinion and my own,
since the convention is that the man be the one to make the first approach. And
she and I both share the same opinion, that we would rather die an old maid than
to enter into a loveless marriage." Georgiana leaned over and grasped Elizabeth's arm. "You are right, Elizabeth! I
could not think of the words to say it to my brother, but now that I have heard
you express it, I know that you have perfectly described the entire situation. Now, if you
will excuse me, I have to talk to my brother immediately." She rose and began t
o make her way across the room, followed closely by David, still maintaining wha
t he believed to be the same demeanor as his older brother. Despite her worry, E
lizabeth had to smile at the sight. Elizabeth watched Georgiana as she went up to her brother, who leaned down to he
ar what she whispered to him. She could see that what his sister told him surpri
sed him greatly, and she knew that she had just related what Elizabeth had told
her, because she saw Darcy give her a piercing glance. She nodded her head sligh
tly, and he talked with his sister for several minutes. At length, he was eviden
tly satisfied by what Georgiana told him, since he abandoned his observation poi
nt to return with his sister to her chair. Meanwhile, Elizabeth had been solicited for more dances, and Darcy had claimed h
is dance with Jane and then Miss Bingley. When she had a few minutes free, she sought her eldest sister, who met
her with a smile of such sweet complacency and happy expression that Elizabeth
was left in no doubt as to her satisfaction with the evening. After they spent
several minutes discussing the evening so far, Jane mentioned that she had spo
ken to Bingley about Mr. Wickham. "Mr. Bingley does not know the whole of his history with Mr. Darcy, and he is eq
ually ignorant of the circumstances which have principally offended Mr. Darcy;"
Jane said. "But he vouches for the good conduct, the probity, and the honor of h
is friend. He is perfectly convinced that Mr. Wickham has deserved much less att
ention from Mr. Darcy than he has received. Miss Bingley is in agreement with he
r brother, and they are together in their opinion that Mr. Wickham is by no mean
s a respectable young man." "That agrees perfectly with the reaction I observed from Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth r
esponded. "He is extremely reluctant to discuss any of the particulars, other th
an to say that Mr. Wickham can be extremely convincing." "He has certainly convinced Kitty and Lydia," Jane interjected. "So very true. But at least he is not here, and judging from the carefree behavi
or of our sisters, he is not mourned as much as he would prefer!" said Elizabeth
archly, and both sisters shared a painful laugh at the behavior of their younge
r sisters, Lydia especially. Carefree might be too gentle a term to describe the
ir younger sister, and Elizabeth was rather afraid that 'improper' and 'embarras
sing' might be more apt descriptions. Elizabeth then changed the subject to one
more pleasing to both of them, and she listened with delight to the happy, thoug
h modest hopes that Jane entertained of Bingley's regard. At that moment, Mr. Bingley himself joined them, and Elizabeth excused herself t
o return to Charlotte. She had scarcely had time to seat herself, however, befor
e Mr. Collins came up to them, exulting in his discovery that three close relati
ons of his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, were in attendance at the ball t
onight. Elizabeth was astonished when her cousin stated his intentions to immedi
ately pay his respects to these illustrious nephews and niece and to apologize f
or not having previously done so. "I believe that would be most improper, Mr. Collins," Elizabeth told him, unable
to believe that her cousin was so ignorant of the proprieties of this situation
. "Mr. Darcy is a man of considerable stature and importance, and he is most pro
tective of his sister. It would be his part to begin the acquaintance, if he so
chose, and he would regard such an introduction as you suggest as being the heig
ht of impertinence and an insult to his sister." But Mr. Collins was determined to follow his own inclination, trusting that a
clergyman would be judged differently than would the laity, and he quickly depar
ted on his mission. Elizabeth watched with a mixture of amusement and anxiety as
he went up to Darcy on the other side of the room. Her cousin prefaced his spee
ch with a solemn bow, and though 33 she could not hear a word, she was able to determine the course of the conversat
ion, seeing in the motion of his lips the words "apology," "Hunsford," and "Lady
Catherine de Bourgh." "I fear my cousin is not making the impact that he believed he would," said El
izabeth to Charlotte, as she viewed the astonishment of Darcy at being so addres
sed. But when Mr. Collins turned to Georgiana and began to address her, Darcy's
expression of distant civility changed to one of cold anger. He started to respo
nd to her cousin when Georgiana laid a hand on his arm. Darcy closed his mouth a
nd bent down to listen to Georgiana whisper into his ear while Mr. Collins conti
nued to speak in absolute disregard to the manner in which his addresses were
being received. After his sister finished, Darcy nodded and extended his arm for
Georgiana as she rose to her feet. Mr. Collins was still talking as Darcy escor
ted his sister away, and David quickly took station on her other side. As they d
eparted, Georgiana looked across the room to her friend and was unable to repres
s her smile. Elizabeth could only shrug her shoulders, indicating her total help
lessness to control her cousin, and Georgiana nodded back as she and her brother
s left the room. At that point, Mr. Collins finally appeared to understand that he had been summa
rily dismissed, and a confused expression came over his face. But by the time
he had rejoined Elizabeth and Charlotte, he had convinced himself that his dismi
ssal could not have occurred and professed his complete satisfaction with his re
ception by the two Darcy brothers and their sister. Elizabeth just looked at him
in wonder and rolled her eyes to Charlotte as Mr. Collins continued to blather
away, needing no conversation with her to continue his own. Since Darcy and Georgiana had left the room, Elizabeth was free to turn her atte
ntion to her sister and Bingley while ignoring Mr. Collins. Indeed, Charlotte be
gan to engage him in conversation, leaving her friend free to imagine Jane settl
ed here at Netherfield as its mistress, joined with Bingley with all the felicit
y that a marriage of true affection could bestow. She felt herself almost as hap
py as Jane, until a sudden thought occurred to her that such a connection woul
d ensure that she should often find herself in company with Bingley's friend. He
r reflections on that thought were in considerable conflict, but the feelings of
her heart swamped the cautions of her intellect, leaving her looking forward wi
th anticipation to being in company with Darcy even as a small voice tried to wh
isper warnings. When they sat down to supper, Elizabeth immediately became aware that her mother
's thoughts about Jane were bent in the same direction as her own. She had the m
isfor- tune to be seated close to her mother, with only Lady Lucas between them,
and Mrs. Bennet began and continued talking to Lady Lucas of nothing else but
her expectation that Jane would soon be married to Mr. Bingley and installed as
mistress of Netherfield. Her mother found the subject animating, enumerating al
l the wonderful advantages of the 34 match with a rapidity of words and a clearness of voice that provided Elizabeth
with a considerable degree of mortification. She would have been mortified in any case by her mother's thoughtlessness, but
her embarrassment was doubled or even trebled by the fact that Darcy was seated
across from them, with his sister on one side and David on the other. Her locat
ion at the table was an occurrence that would, in another setting, have set her
heart beating a little faster at the prox- imity of Darcy's handsome personage a
nd dark eyes. In the situation that held this night, his location was instead an
occasion for the deepest of blushes, for Elizabeth was unable to convince her
mother to either moderate her voice to a whisper or to change the subject. She
glanced often at Darcy, when she was not staring at her plate, and she was certa
in that his attention was fixed on her mother. Though his expression was distant
and unreadable, she was convinced that it concealed the indignant contempt he m
ust feel for her mother. And for my younger sisters also, Elizabeth thought, rem
embering the unseemly behavior of Lydia and Kitty during this ball and at other
events. While I knew that any relationship with Mr. Darcy was never possible, she thought, closing her eyes in pain as her stoma
ch almost twisted in nausea, tonight has demonstrated it is hopeless beyond comp
are. How could such an important young man, with his standing in society, ever c
onnect himself with a family such as ours? Georgiana watched her friend blush and blush, and she was mortified for Elizabet
h's sake. She had become somewhat used to Mrs. Bennet's improper behavior, but t
he way in which she was ignoring the embarrassment and the entreaties of her dau
ghter made her angry at the woman. Can she not see that such blatant disregard o
f the strictures of propriety in front of Mr. Bingley's friend might cause the c
omplete collapse of her hopes? Georgiana wondered. If an actress set out to port
ray a scheming mother, they could use Mrs. Bennet's utterances tonight without c
hange, and not a member of the audience could fail to attribute greed and avaric
e to her words. If I had not had my conversation with Elizabeth, who could tell
how the events of tonight would have been interpreted? Darcy felt much the same reaction to Mrs. Bennet as did his sister. Georgiana ha
d previously told him about Mrs. Bennet, and her description of the mistress of
Longbourn explained why the Bennet daughters had been allowed to grow up witho
ut firm direction. Indeed, it was hard to understand how Mrs. Bennet's two eldes
t daughters had become such well-mannered and polite young ladies. It did not ap
pear that even the father could claim much credit for that, for in the several t
imes that Darcy had met the man, he had scarcely spoken, being content to sit ba
ck and observe others with considerable diversion. He was evidently a spectator
and not a participant in most of the activities of life, both inside and outside
the home. But, as Darcy continued to spoon his soup, he was determined not to a
llow any of his disdain to show on his face. I will have to talk to Bingley befo
re he departs for London, Darcy thought, and I will determine the true depth of his affections. If he is serious about Miss Bennet, I will have to give him m
y opinion of Mrs. Bennet and her younger sisters, and, yes, even the father. But
if he is willing to connect himself with such a family, that will be the end of
it. Certainly, the two eldest daughters are most proper young ladies and do not
share in the total lack of propriety shown by their mother and younger sisters. Darcy had only to glance at the red-faced Elizabeth as she stared down at her la
p to see the effect on her, and he sympathized with her embarrassment. But, as M
rs. Bennet continued her description of anticipated delights, which had already
brought Lady Lucas to yawning, he could see no manner in which he might lighten
her mortification. The impulse that urged him to engage Elizabeth in conversatio
n, in order to distract her from her mother's behavior, was one that he instantl
y quelled, with the long habit of discipline. He had obligations and responsibil
ities that precluded any diversion for himself, no matter how fine Miss Elizabet
h Bennet's eyes might be. 2WHILE NOTHING THAT ELIZABETH had said to her mother had any influence, eventuall
y sheer lack of ability to continue repeating herself forced even Mrs. Bennet
to run out of conversation. Elizabeth sighed to herself, grateful for the much-n
eeded respite, but her relief was short. When supper was over, the possibility o
f singing was mentioned, and her sister Mary was quick to seize an opportunity t
o exhibit at the pianoforte. As had been the situation at Sir William Lucas' gat
hering, her ambition proved far greater than her talents, for her voice was weak
and her manner affected, and the gathering had little entertainment from her ef
forts. Elizabeth had been unable to dissuade Mary from her exhibitions, but now
she looked at her father and was at least able to prevail upon him to step in af
ter Mary had played and sang twice. But even this proved embarrassing, as Mr. Bennet said aloud, "That will do extre
mely well, child. You have delighted us long enough. Let the other young ladies
have time to exhibit." Elizabeth closed her eyes in pain, for her success in pro- curing her father's i
nterference had only made matters worse, since Mr. Bennet's ill-chosen words had
the effect of publicly humiliating his daughter. Now even papa seems to conspir
e against me! Elizabeth thought in agony. Except for Jane, do I have to be asham
ed for my whole family? The thought of Jane made Elizabeth suddenly fear how it might affect her dear si
ster, but Jane appeared to have taken no notice and was very composedly talking
to Bingley. She then looked at Bingley's sisters and was not surprised to see th
em making signs of derision at each other. Very hesitantly, she managed to catch
a glimpse of Darcy as he stood behind Georgiana, but he only looked impenetrabl
y grave. Georgiana gave her a sympathetic nod, but then David, standing slightly behind his brother
and noting Elizabeth's glance, raised his fingers up to clench his nose. The sh
eer impertinence of his gesture startled Elizabeth, but then she saw the smile h
e struggled to hide. She was unable to generate any real ire against David, sinc
e she liked him so much and because he was still only a boy of eleven. Such boys
were always indulging in practical jokes of questionable humor at the expense
of each other and of the girls, and she simply shook her finger in admonition a
t him. Both Georgiana and Darcy noticed that Elizabeth's gaze was focused beyond
them, and they both twisted around to look at David, who by that time had assum
ed a watchful stance with his face set into a passable imitation of his brother.
After several seconds of silent staring, both Darcy and Georgiana turned back t
o the pianoforte, and Elizabeth raised her gloved hand to her mouth to hide her
smile as David gave her a triumphant grin. Elizabeth had almost forgotten the continuing presence of Mr. Collins, who conti
nued most perseveringly by her side for some time, and she listened with less th
an half an ear to her cousin's continuing ramblings. He even went so far as to a
gain seek to show his respect to the relations of his patroness, speaking so lou
dly that as to be heard by half the room and concluding with a deep bow to the t
wo Darcy brothers and Georgiana. Many in the room stared at him in confusion, ma
ny more smiled, but no one looked more amused than her father. On the other hand
, her mother seriously commended Mr. Collins for having spoken so sensibly and o
bserved to Lady Lucas that he was a remarkably clever, good kind of young man. E
lizabeth's stomach knotted at further evidence that she was going to have to dea
l with that 'clever, good kind of young man' sooner rather than later. As she reflected on the night's events, it seemed to her that, had her family ma
de an agreement to expose themselves as much as they could during the evening,
it would have been impossible for them to play their parts with more spirit or
finer success. Only in the matter of Bingley and her sister was she able to cons
ole herself, for it appeared that much of the exhibition had escaped his notice.
In any case, Elizabeth believed that his feelings were not of a sort to be much
distressed by the portion of the folly that he must have witnessed. The rest of the evening brought Elizabeth little amusement. Mr. Collins tried
several times to prevail upon her to dance with him again, but she was firm in h
er refusal. That refusal, however, put it out of her power to dance with any oth
ers, though she was not sure what she might have done if Mr. Darcy had approache
d her. But she knew that hope was a vain one, and Mr. Collins presence prevented
her from even engaging with Georgiana, since she would absolutely not inflict M
r. Collins again on Darcy. She was rather alarmed by her cousin's statement that
he was not disturbed by her refusal to dance, since his chief object was, by hi
s delicate attentions, to recommend himself to her and that he should therefore
make a point of remaining close to her the whole 35 evening. The only relief she was able to procure was the intervention of Charlot
te, who often joined them and good- naturedly engaged Mr. Collins' conversation
to herself. The Longbourn party was the last of all the company to depart, and Mrs. Bennet h
ad slyly maneuvered to make them wait for their carriages a quarter of an hour a
fter everybody else was gone. Elizabeth scarcely believed that her mother could
not comprehend how heartily Bingley's sisters wished them gone, since they scarc
ely opened their mouths except to complain of fatigue and their desire to retire
. Darcy had already departed with David and Georgiana, so she was at least spa
red any further unpleasantness due to her cousin seeking again to exhibit his
subservience to Lady Catherine de Bourgh's relations. Mr. Collins continued his
long speeches, complimenting Mr. Bingley and his sisters on the elegance of thei
r entertainment. But Bingley took no notice of the man, standing apart from the
others with Jane, and they only talked to each other. Elizabeth preserved even m
ore of a silence than either Mrs. Hurst or Miss Bingley, as did her father, who
was quite enjoying the scene. At last their carriage was brought around, and her mother seized the opportunity
of inviting Bingley and his relations to eat a family dinner with them at any t
ime. Bingley was all gratitude as he handed Jane into the carriage. "I shall be
most pleased to avail myself of your invitation and shall wait upon your family
as soon as practicable after I return from town. I have to ride in tomorrow, but
my business should be concluded in a short time." On these words, the carriage jolted into motion, and Elizabeth sat back in grati
tude that an evening that had produced so little pleasure to her was at last ove
r. Her mother, however, lost no time in voicing her conviction that only the com
pletion of such mundane affairs as preparation of settlements, new carriages, an
d wedding clothes lay between her seeing her eldest daughter settled at Netherfi
eld in the course of several months. Her thoughts on having another daughter married to Mr. Collins were not vocalize
d, though she was as certain of that match as she was to the other. And while th
e match of Elizabeth with Mr. Collins was a good one, especially considering tha
t it would settle the matter of the entailment, it remained a fact that her matc
h was nothing compared to Jane, Bingley, and Netherfield. It was also a fact tha
t Elizabeth was the least favorite of her daughters, and it would be good to hav
e her out of the household, with her quick, sharp ways and her close relationshi
p with her father. Yes, life would be most pleasant once her two eldest daughter
s were well married. Chapter 9 he next day was mortifying in the extreme for Elizabeth, for, instead of receiving the attentions which she most desired, she instead received the declarations of her cousin, Mr. Collins. That young man had begun the day by add
ressing Mrs. Bennet and seeking her permission for some time alone with Elizabet
h. Mrs. Bennet had instantly agreed to his request, despite the protests from El
izabeth and her efforts to return to her room. Elizabeth had immediately divined
the purpose of Mr. Collins' request, and only her mother's direct command was s
ufficient to halt her firm intent to quit the room. What had followed had met every expectation that Elizabeth had entertained for m
ortification and dismay, for her cousin was as clumsy in his declarations as he
was in his dance. Still, by that time, she had decided that she ought to get the
business over with as soon as possible, and she settled in to get the dreary af
fair behind her. And, while some moments during her cousin's speech actually p
rovided some amusement, she was less amused as Mr. Collins persisted after her f
irst and even her second refusals. It took five full and increasingly vehement r
efusals before Mr. Collins even began to understand her seriousness. And it was
only when Elizabeth suddenly quit of the room after her final rejection that Mr.
Collins was at last able to understand that Elizabeth was not displaying what h
e termed the affectation and coquetry of an elegant female. The reaction of her mother to her refusal had been predictable, and Mrs. Bennet
had angrily and repeatedly demanded that Elizabeth obey her and agree to marry M
r. Collins. Elizabeth had resisted both blandishments and threats and remained s
teadfast in her refusal. Not even Mrs. Bennet's failure to enlist her husband in
her efforts had diminished her firm determination that Elizabeth MUST marry Mr.
Collins. She had talked to Elizabeth again and again, coaxing and threatening b
y turns. Elizabeth continued her resistance to all her mother's efforts, somet
imes with playful gaiety and other times with the utmost seriousness. However, t
hough her manner varied at times, her determination never did. Into this highly charged atmosphere stepped Charlotte Lucas and Georgiana Darcy.
Charlotte was just walking up to the front door when Darcy's carriage had come
up the drive, and she stopped by the drive until Georgiana stepped down. After g
reeting each other cordially, they had rang the bell. No sooner had they stepped
into the vestibule than they were met by Lydia, who immediately came up to both
of them and announced in a loud whisper, "You have both come in time for such w
onderful fun today. You will never guess what has happened this morning-Mr. Coll
ins has made an offer to Lizzy, and she will not have him!" 36 TNeither Charlotte nor Georgiana had time to answer this astonishing news before
they were joined by Kitty, who came to tell them the same news. And no sooner ha
d they entered the breakfast room, where Mrs. Bennet was alone, than she likewis
e began on the same subject, appealing to Miss Lucas for her compassion and entr
eating her to persuade her friend Lizzy to comply with the wishes of all her fam
ily. Georgiana was repulsed by both the impropriety of having such a sensitive fami
ly argument openly transacted before visitors and by the insensitivity of a moth
er who would try to force her daughter into such a mismatched marriage. She coul
d only feel thankful that she had a guardian who would never try to coerce her i
n the manner that Mrs. Bennet was doing to Elizabeth. The entrance of Jane and Elizabeth kept Charlotte from having to reply to Mrs. B
ennet's pleas. "Ay, there she comes," cried Mrs. Bennet, "looking as unconcerned
as may be, and caring no more for us than if we were at York, provided she can
have her own way. But I tell you what, Miss Lizzy-if you take it into your head
to go on refusing every offer of marriage in this way, you will never get a husb
and at all-and I am sure I do not know who is to maintain you when your father i
s dead. I shall not be able to keep you-and so I warn you. I have done with you
from this very day. I told you in the library, you know, that I should never spe
ak to you again, and you will find me as good as my word!" Her daughters and the visitors listened in silence to Mrs. Bennet's continuing e
ffusions on this theme, sensible that any attempt to reason with or sooth her wo
uld only increase the irritation. She talked on, therefore, without interruption
from any of them, till Mr. Collins joined them. When Mrs. Bennet saw him enter,
she dismissed the girls, demanding some private conversation with the gentleman
.Elizabeth was most anxious to leave, and she quietly took Georgiana's arm and le
ft the room. Jane and Kitty followed, but Lydia defiantly stood her ground, dete
rmined to hear all she could. Charlotte also remained, unnoticed by Elizabeth, b
oth on account of the civilities of Mr. Collins and out of curiosity. She walked
to the window and pretended not to hear. Elizabeth stopped only to get her shawl and bonnet before leading Georgiana ou
tside to the garden. They found a bench in the sunshine to sit on where they cou
ld be somewhat warmer, for the November weather was beginning to turn chill. "What an unbelievably hideous morning this has been, Georgiana," Elizabeth said
with a sigh. Georgiana could see that her friend was indeed in misery, though sh
e could not suspect that the misery was inspired less by the unsought attentio
ns of Elizabeth's cousin than by her friend's unspoken and hopeless wish that sh
e might have heard the same words from her brother. "I wondered at Mr. Collins attention to you last night," Georgiana said in commi
seration, "and I was somewhat fearful that this might be the result." "Indeed, I had anticipated that I might have to deal with my cousin's intentions
," said Elizabeth bitterly, "but I did not anticipate that he had already procur
ed my mother's agreement and blessing and had every expectation of success." She
sighed again, before turning to her friend. "But at least now it is done and ov
er with, though I must tell you that for some little time this morning, I did no
t believe that I would ever get Mr. Collins to take me seriously when I refused
him. The more I denied any intention of marrying him, the more fervently did he
believe that I was merely playing the coquette!" "Oh, my," said Georgiana in sympathy. "I do apologize for my mother," said Elizabeth, "since it was most improper for
her to say what she did in front of you and Charlotte. But I am afraid that she
loses all self-control when her blood is up, and she thought she had found the p
erfect solution to the problem of the entail. All it required was the sacrific
e of one of her daughters to a lifetime of boredom and embarrassment in company
with Mr. Collins!" The last sentences were spoken with bitterness, but then Georgiana and Elizabeth
looked at each other. Slowly, they both began to smile, as they thought on the
ludicrous idea that Elizabeth might have consented to such a marriage. "Then she really thought that you would accept his offer?" asked Georgiana in am
used amazement. "Oh, yes," replied Elizabeth. "She was most astounded when I refused her direct
command." "Oh, my," said Georgiana once more. "But then she thought that my father also shared her opinion," said Elizabeth, h
er smile growing larger in remembrance, "and she dragged me into the library s
o that my father could command me to marry Mr. Collins. She was most surprised w
hen, after listening to my mother relate what had occurred, my father looked at
me in the most solemn way and said, 'You are faced with an unhappy alternative,
Elizabeth, for you must be a stranger to one of your parents from this day forwa
rd. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins... and
I will never see you again if you do!'" Both girls laughed long and merrily at the wit of Mr. Bennet, and Elizabeth's sp
irits were lifted by the wry humor of her parent and the warmth of her friend. When they finally grew more or less serious again, Georgiana informed Elizabeth
of the purpose of her visit. "William has decided that it is almost time for us
to depart to Pemberley for Christmas," she said. "He received a letter from his steward ye
sterday, and he wishes to be there a week earlier than he had previously planned
." "That is too bad, Georgiana. But I knew that you would be departing soon in any
case. Has Mr. Darcy decided exactly when you will leave?" "We will leave early in the morning on Monday next. William considered leaving o
n Friday and trying to make the journey in two long days, but that would require
more bustle and hurry than he desired, so he decided on Monday. 37 And I wanted to remind you that I would still like you to visit me at Pemberley.
I asked William if you might come after Christmas, and he suggested that the su
mmer might be a better time, since the roads are often very difficult in the win
ter and spring." "From your descriptions, Pemberley sounds like a very lovely place to visit," sm
iled Elizabeth, firmly controlling those conflicting emotions of joy and despair
that seemed to afflict her every day since she had seen Darcy racing on horse-
back. Make no commitments now, she told herself. The summer is a long way away a
nd the invitation may never come. If such was her thought, it was blasted in the next moment as Georgiana smiled
happily. "Then it's all settled! William said that he could have his carriage i
n town pick you up on the fifteenth of June, since Mr. and Mrs. Richards will be
returning at that time from their son's wedding and can act as guardians. We wi
ll all of us be returning to town in the middle of August, and we can bring you
back to Longbourn then!"?Georgiana was so excited by her plans that she did not notice the weakness of her friend's smile. Elizabeth's heart sang at the thought o
f two months in the same house with Darcy, even as her stomach turned over at th
e thought of the despair that such daily contact might bring. But the past days
had taught Elizabeth that she was helpless to stop the yearning to at least be a
round Mr. Darcy, to engage him in conversation, and to be listened to in complet
e seriousness in that way that he had, where he fixed his eyes on her own in com
plete concentration. Just the thought sent a shiver down her spine. Later, after Georgiana departed, Elizabeth lost no time in returning to her room
. She ignored her mother's comments and threats as she ascended the stairs, an
d hardly was the door closed behind her before she burst into tears and threw he
rself on her bed. For more than an hour, she was unable to stop the tears from f
lowing, both at the thought of receiving a most unwelcome proposal and at her ho
peless yearning for a similar offer from Georgiana's brother. She could not beli
eve that she, who so prided herself on her spirit and independence, could be mad
e so weak by an emotion that seemed beyond her ability to control, and even this
thought was enough to make the tears flow more freely at the evidence of her fr
ailty. 2MEANWHILE, FITZWILLIAM DARCY WAS undergoing a confrontation of his own that sa
me eventful morning. He was in Bingley's rather sparse library after sending his
sister off to visit her friend when the door to the library was suddenly opened
by Miss Bingley. "Oh, THERE you are, Mr. Darcy!" she exclaimed, as she entered quickly, followed
by her sister. "Louisa and I have been searching for you simply everywhere!" 38 Darcy sighed and placed his bookmark in his book. He had been rather expecting a
visit from one or both of Bingley's sisters after what he had observed that mor
ning during breakfast. While Bingley was cheerful and joyful as he recounted the
events of the previous evening, his sisters had most obviously not shared in hi
s joy. While their brother could talk of nothing but the wonderful character and
ami- ability of Miss Jane Bennet, both of his sisters had directed sly looks to
ward his own person. Now the reason for those sly looks was undoubtedly going to
be made perfectly clear, even though he was privately certain of what would be
said. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst seated themselves on the couch across from him and l
ost no time in beginning. "I am sure that you have noticed, Mr. Darcy," said Mis
s Bingley, "that my brother has been paying the closest attention to Miss Bennet. I am equa
lly sure that you join us in knowing that something simply MUST BE DONE!" Darcy leaned back in his chair, putting his book on the table beside him before
steepling his hands under his chin. "And why is the fact that your brother appea
rs to be quite fond of Miss Bennet a signal that anything must be done? It would
rather appear that whatever is to be done must be done by your brother." He smi
led thinly. "I have never played matchmaker before, and it is probably much too
late to start." "We do not mean to play MATCHMAKER, Mr. Darcy!" exclaimed Mrs. Hurst in astonish
ment. "It is obvious that it is the REVERSE that must be accomplished, and it mu
st be accomplished IMMEDIATELY!" "The reverse?" asked Darcy, feigning confusion and beginning to enjoy sparring
with the two sisters. He wondered how long it would take them to come to the po
int, and he suddenly felt a slight tinge of understanding for the way in which t
he ever-watchful Mr. Bennet seemed to derive amusement from the foibles of his n
eighbors. "I must admit that I am not able to understand you, Mrs. Hurst," Darcy
continued, in the gravest of tones. "It is very simple!" burst out Miss Bingley. "Even though Jane Bennet is certain
ly the SWEETEST girl, it is simply UNSUPPORTABLE the way that everyone in the ne
igh- borhood is talking of how she will soon be Mistress of Netherfield! This mu
st be ENDED, and the SOONER the better!" "Again, I must state my confusion," said Mr. Darcy seriously. If Miss Bingley
had been able to interpret the dancing light in his dark eyes, she might have be
en highly offended at the way in which he was toying with her. But then, thought
Darcy sardonically, wit and intelligence were never Caroline Bingley's strong points. "I do not believe that Miss Bennet can replace you, Mis
s Bingley, without wedding your brother." "EXACTLY!" exclaimed both Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst in unison. "We are convinced that Charles has decided to propose MARRIAGE to Miss Jane Benn
et!" said Miss Bingley urgently. "And we are DETERMINED to prevent it," continued Mrs. Hurst. "And we KNOW that you are as opposed to such a connection as we are!" said Mis
s Bingley. "We think it would be a good idea to shut up Netherfield and immediat
ely join Charles in town to convince him not to follow through with this MISGUID
ED and IMPULSIVE idea!" Darcy crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the ladies. "I thought Miss
Bennet was your friend," he said softly. "AND SHE IS!" exclaimed Miss Bingley. "As we said before, Jane Bennet is simpl
y the SWEETEST girl in the country. But that is the point! This is the COUNTRY
, and she is not suited at all to be Charles' wife, especially in TOWN. Why, she has no money, no dowry at all, really, and her family is totally withou
t connections! How could such a girl ever hope to be Mrs. Charles Bingley? How c
ould she ever hope to manage a house like Netherfield, much less be a hostess at
Charles' house in town. Why, the idea is simply ABSURD!" "That is a subject that I have already discussed with your brother this very mor
ning, though I did not phrase it as you did," said Darcy softly. "I simply point
ed out the disadvan- tages of marrying a lady with little wealth or influence to
bring to the marriage." "YOU DID? Oh, that is so wonderful!" said Miss Bingley. "I KNEW that we could co
unt on you to aid us! Why, we simply MUST take good care of Charles!"?"I do not believe that you get my point,
Miss Bingley," said Darcy dismissively. "I simply pointed out the facts, and Charles responded
that he knew that and, as he phrased it, 'It does not make Miss Bennet a jot les
s agreeable.'" He picked up his book from the table, shaking his head. "I fear y
our mission is doomed to failure, ladies. Charles told me that he intended to ma
ke Miss Bennet an offer of marriage when he returned from town." Miss Bingley and her sister blanched in horror at these words. "Oh, no!" moaned
Mrs. Hurst. "I had NO idea it had gone so far!" commiserated her sister. Then she brightened
. "But perhaps all is not yet lost, Mr. Darcy! If we leave immediately, we may s
till be able to intercept Charles in town. He will listen to YOU, Mr. Darcy. He
trusts your judgment implicitly! But we must HURRY!" she exclaimed, as she jumpe
d to her feet. But Darcy made no move to join her, though he did regretfully put his book back
on the table. "I fear that you misunderstand me again, ladies. Please listen car
efully, for I must not have expressed myself clearly enough previously. I have n
o, and I repeat, no, desire to join you in separating your brother from Miss Ben
net. Indeed, after our discussion this morning, I wished Charles the best of luc
k in his quest." Miss Bingley sat down immediately in despair. "But WHAT do you mean, Mr. Darcy?
Do you not see how IMPERATIVE it is to keep this marriage from occurring? Why, i
n addition to the lack of money and connections, there is also the complete lack of propriety of her family! Did you not hear her mothe
r last evening? You could almost see her counting up the silver servings and the
tableware as she sat boasting of her daughter's success! Is SUCH a woman to be
our mother-in-law? Is Lydia Bennet to be our sister? Why, the very THOUGHT is en
ough to make me take to my bed!" "Then you will, at the least, be well rested," said Darcy dryly, "for I also poi
nted out these very facts to Charles this morning." "And?" said Mrs. Hurst breathlessly. "And nothing," shrugged Darcy. "He does not care. He intends to marry Miss Jane
Bennet as soon as he can secure her agreement and the affairs are settled." Both Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst sagged back on the couch in despair. "I cannot
believe it!" moaned Miss Bingley. "I shall NEVER be able to hold up my head in town once this is known!" Her siste
r Louisa could only join her in her misery. Eventually, the two sisters ceased to console each other and began to think desp
erately for a way of avoiding the hor- rendous fate that confronted them. At len
gth Miss Bingley determined that there was only one last hope. "Then our only hope is that you can convince him to change his mind, Mr. Darcy,"
said Miss Bingley in desperation. "It is not a great chance, but it is the la
st one that we have. You MUST go to town and see Charles immediately, Mr. Darcy.
You MUST convince Charles that Jane Bennet does not love him and is only being
pushed into marriage by her mother. Charles trusts you, Mr. Darcy. You can convi
nce him of THAT, surely!" This last was said more in hope than in assurance, and even this evaporated as M
r. Darcy shook his head. "That I shall not do, ladies. Perhaps if I believed it,
I might do as you suggest, but I am convinced that Miss Bennet does have deep a
nd true feeling for your brother. No," he said, picking up his book, "I am afrai
d that Charles has decided to follow his heart, and I would not be a true friend
if I tried to change that decision without reason." "But her MOTHER?" wailed Miss Bingley "Surely you heard how her mother plots and
schemes? How could you know what Jane Bennet feels for Charles? She is so compl
a- cent and serene that her thoughts cannot be divined." "My sister told me," said Darcy, as he attempted to continue reading his book. "Your sister? How could she know?" queried Miss Bingley in agitation. "Because her friend, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, told her so," replied Darcy calmly. "But...but that...you would listen to that...that impertinent CREATURE? She mi
ght say...she WOULD say anything...ANYTHING at all..." stuttered Miss Bingley
in growing anger. Darcy stared with icy coldness at Bingley's sister over the top of his book. "Ar
e you unsatisfied with the character of my sister's friend, madam? If so, please
be most cautious 39 of what you say, for you should know that I join my sister in possessing the dee
pest respect for the character and virtue of Miss Elizabeth. I would never have
allowed my sister to develop such a close friendship with her if I did not have
that respect." Miss Bingley could say nothing to answer that wintry look from Mr. Darcy, one th
at she had never seen before, and she and her sister sat in stunned silence whil
e Darcy returned to his book. Finally, since it appeared that there was absolute
ly nothing left to say, the two sisters silently rose and left the room. As she
departed, Miss Bingley's heart was turned to ice, for she suddenly had the most
frightening intuition that she had seen more than the collapse of her hopes to e
nlist Mr. Darcy's aid in separating Charles from the upstart Miss Jane Bennet. S
he was also afraid that she might have just seen the foundering of her own hopes
with respect to Mr. Darcy. Chapter 10 he morrow produced no abatement of Mrs. Bennet's ill-humor or Mr. Collins' state of angry pride. Her mother continued to express her displeasure with occasional peevish allusions, while the gentleman's feelings were chiefly expres
sed by a stiffness of manner and resentful silence. Elizabeth had hoped that his
resentment might shorten his visit, but his plan appeared to be unchange- able-
he had planned to leave on Saturday, and on Saturday he meant to leave. After breakfast, Lydia was quick to suggest a walk to Meryton to inquire if Mr.
Wickham had returned, but this suggestion met with no agreement from Elizabeth a
nd Jane, even though Elizabeth would have otherwise gone in order to escape the
silences of her cousin. So the two older sisters were up in Jane's room talking
when Hill knocked on the door. "Miss Jane, your mother sent me to tell you that Mr. Bingley has called to see y
ou, and he is waiting in the drawing room." Jane and Elizabeth exchanged glances before Jane answered. "Thank you, Hill. P
lease tell my mother that I will be down directly." "Yes, miss," said Hill with a curtsey as she backed out the door. As soon as the door was closed, Jane's composure crum- bled, and she immediately
sought the embrace of her sister. "Oh, Lizzy, please walk with me down the stai
rs," Jane cried, clutching at Elizabeth's arms. "I am suddenly all weakened with trembling." "Take a few deep breaths, Jane," cautioned Elizabeth, though her heart too was b
eating faster at what this unannounced visit might mean. "Mr. Bingley may only
be calling on his way back from town to let you know that he is returned." "Yes, that might be so," said Jane. "You are right, I must not let my hopes get
up too high. He is so amiable that it would be just like him to show such consid
eration." Then she turned suddenly to look in the mirror. "How do I look, Lizzy?
Should I change my dress? Or maybe Sarah could tidy up my hair, or..." "Jane, Jane, you look beautiful as always!" laughed Elizabeth. "Now come, let us
go downstairs immediately." "Yes, you are right," agreed her sister. "Let us go. It must just be a courtesy
visit, but still...after Tuesday's ball, I had such reason to believe...well, in
any case..." "Come, Jane! Let us go downstairs now!" said Elizabeth, trying to repress her sm
ile at the discomposure of her normally serene sister, and she took Jane's arm
to guide her out of her room and down the stairs. As soon as they entered the drawing room, Jane's eyes caught those of Bingley, w
ho was standing by the fireplace 40 Tand was evidently as nervous as Jane, for he was playing with his watch, clickin
g the cover open and shut repeatedly. But when Bingley saw Jane, he stood up str
aight and put his watch away, while Jane's hand on Elizabeth's arm suddenly beca
me light as she no longer depended on her sister. It was as if the sight of the
other instantly dispelled the air of anxiety that both had felt. "Mrs. Bennet," Bingley said firmly, "I wonder if I might beg the indulgence of a
few minutes alone with Miss Bennet?" He had turned toward Mrs. Bennet, but his
eyes had never left those of Jane. Mrs. Bennet was quick to agree, and Elizabeth was more than willing to accompany
her as she left the room. In the hallway, her mother immediately departed upsta
irs to her room, saying that she felt the urgent need for her smelling salts. Wa
tching her depart, Elizabeth could only shrug in resigned acceptance before she
knocked on the door to the library and joined her father. Mr. Bennet raised an eyebrow when Elizabeth entered. "And what do I owe the hono
r of this morning's visit, Lizzy? Usually you would be out tramping over the cou
ntryside on such a fine morning.?Elizabeth hoped her smile was not as weak as it felt, for she had curtailed her morning walks after the encounter with Darcy and David as
they raced through the field. "Mr. Bingley has called on Jane and has requested
some time alone with her, Papa," she said, seating herself in her favorite chair
and curling her legs under her as she usually did when she joined her father. "Oho!" Mr. Bennet chortled. "Has he come to make her an offer, do you think, Liz
zy? That would make two offers in two days for my two oldest daughters. Mrs. Ben
net will be beside herself...and she might even lighten up on you, child," he sa
id slyly. "Perhaps," was all that Elizabeth said, as she pulled a book that she was readin
g from the bookshelf. "I wonder how long it will take young Bingley to get to the point," said Mr. Ben
net. "I should hate to start a new chapter if I am to be interrupted by another
knock on my door." "That I cannot tell you, Papa," said Elizabeth. "I have no experience with how l
ong it might take to accept an offer-my only experience is in refusing one!" Father and daughter shared a laugh at this quip, and then settled down to read i
n companionable silence. It was only a half-hour later when a knock at the door to the library was heard.
Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth both looked up at the same time, and her father's expr
ession was wry as he called, "Enter!" When the door opened, Elizabeth's heart jumped as she saw it was indeed Bingley. "Mr. Bennet," said Bingley haltingly, "I wonder if...ah... if I might have...ah.
..a few minutes of your time?" "Certainly, sir, certainly. Please come in," he said as he put a bookmark in his
book and laid it aside. "Now, would you like a few minutes with me in private, or do you mind a spectator?" He nodde
d towards Elizabeth, who was just now standing up from her chair. Bingley did not have a chance to answer this question before Elizabeth interject
ed, "Do not tease Mr. Bingley, papa." She smiled brightly at Bingley, who was at
tempting to remain calm, but she only received a rather weak, tentative smile
in return. "I shall just be with my sister across the hall," she said, leaving t
he library and closing the door carefully behind her. Elizabeth lost no time in going to the drawing room, and she was rewarded by fin
ding her sister standing by the fireplace, her arms clasped about herself and a
smile of the most serene contentment on her features. As soon as Jane recognized
her sister, she flew across the room to embrace her and, with the liveliest emo
tion, instantly acquainted her with the most marvelous good news. "Oh, Lizzy, it is too, too much! Bingley has made his proposal and has gone to s
ee papa! We are to be married as soon as may be!" Elizabeth's delighted congratulations were given with a warmth and sincerity tha
t could only be poorly expressed by word, but Jane's knowledge of her sister mad
e her completely aware of her feelings. And Elizabeth's expressions only in- cre
ased Jane's happiness. "I do not deserve to be so happy, Lizzy, but I cannot help it! It is too much, b
y far too much! Oh, if everybody could just be as happy as I!" But Jane could not stay too long with her sister. "I must go instantly to my mot
her!" she cried. "She must hear the happy news from my lips-I could on no accoun
t allow her to hear it from anyone else. Oh, Lizzy, I am overwhelmed by the thou
ght that my news will bring so much pleasure to all my dear family! How shall I
bear so much happiness?" Jane then hastened away to her mother, who had by now availed herself of her sme
lling salt and sat upstairs with one of the maids to attend her. Elizabeth was now left by herself, and she had to smile as she remembered the di
sdain of Bingley's sisters during the ball. "They will have to learn to hold the
ir tongue now," she said aloud, "for they will have a new sister to preside over
Bingley's house." In a few minutes, she was joined by the subject of her thoughts, whose conferenc
e with her father had been short and succinct. "Where is your sister?" he said,
as he opened the door and found Jane gone. "With my mother upstairs," said Elizabeth with a smile. "She will be down in a m
oment, I daresay." Bingley then came into the room and received Elizabeth's heartfelt congratulatio
ns and wishes for a happy future. In his turn, he claimed the good wishes and af
fection of a new sister and then proceeded to inform her of his sublime hap- pin
ess and of Jane's perfections and of all his expectations of future felicity. El
izabeth was disposed to believe all he said, based both on the general similarit
y of feeling between the 4? two lovers as well as the excellent understanding and super- excellent dispositi
on of Jane. The next hour was one of common delight as Mrs. Bennet came downstairs with Jane
. She could not give her consent or speak her approbation in terms warm enough t
o satisfy her feeling, though she talked to Bingley of nothing else for half an
hour. Mr. Bennet also joined them, and though he did not come near to matching h
is wife, his voice and manner plainly showed how really happy he was. Jane her
self displayed an expression of such sweet animation that she looked more lovely
than ever, and Bingley would not stray from her side for even a minute. In contrast to the Bennet family, however, was the stiff attitude of Mr. Collins
. It must be supposed that the mortification on his part was extreme at seeing
another receive the congratulations and notice which he had believed just the p
revi- ous morning was his due. The younger Bennet sisters returned about this ti
me from their walk to Meryton, and Elizabeth was not pleased to see that they ha
d brought Mr. Wickham and another officer with them. Hardly had they had the cha
nce to introduce Mr. Wickham to their parents than the joyful news of Jane's eng
agement was made known to them. Their reaction to the news was in keeping with t
he difference of their characters-Mary was much interested in obtaining the use
of the library at Netherfield (though little did she realize its deficiencies co
mpared to that of her father!), while Lydia and Kitty were most hopeful of a few
balls there every winter. After another hour, however, Bingley begged leave to depart, since he needed to
make his engagement known to his sisters. It was only after he had departed that
Mr. Bennet turned to his daughter and said, "Jane, I congratulate you. You will be a very happy woman."?Jane went to him instantly, kissed him, and tha
nked him for his goodness.?Elizabeth alone of her sisters noted the gleam in her father's eye as he continued, "Yes, Jane, I have not a doubt that you will be ve
ry happily settled indeed. Your future husband so well matches your own temper t
hat I have not a doubt that you will both do very excellently together. Of cours
e, you are both so complying that you both will never be able to make up your mi
nds, so easy of manner that every servant and merchant will cheat you, and so ge
nerous that you will always exceed your income!" At last Jane realized that her father was teasing her, and she went to kiss him
again while her mother exclaimed, "Exceed their income! My dear Mr. Bennet, what can you be talking of? Why, he ha
s five thousand a year at least, and very likely more!" Then addressing her daughter, Mrs. Bennet truly was able to express herself. "Oh
, my dearest, dearest Jane! I am so happy that I am sure I shall not shut my eye
s all night! As I was telling Lady Lucas, I just knew that I would soon see you settled at Ne
therfield. And now it has all happened just as I thought it would-oh, he the han
dsomest young man that ever was seen!" 42 Her anger at Elizabeth and her worry over Mr. Collins and the entail were both f
orgotten, and Jane and her good fortune filled her mind. At that moment, she car
ed for no other. But then she realized that it was barely noon, and she immediat
ely petitioned Mr. Bennet for the carriage, since she had to acquaint her sister
, Mrs. Philips, with the good news. "And also Lady Lucas," she said as she began to climb the stairs. "And I must no
t forget Mrs. Long," she said over her shoulder. "Oh, Mr. Bennet, I am so excite
d that I am sure I shall go distracted!" Mr. Bennet watched her go with some humor. Turning to Jane and Elizabeth, he sai
d, "In her last comment, I am sure that I am in complete agreement with your mot
her. It appears that she has completely forgotten dinner, which will be served a
t one. Until then," he said with a wink, "I shall be in my library!" In their excitement, most of the participants failed to note that Mr. Collins ha
d simply faded out of sight at some point during the past half-hour. Only Elizab
eth noted the way in which he surreptitiously moved to the outside of the crowd
in the drawing room and then out the door. But she dismissed her cousin's curiou
s behavior as she turned happily back to her sister. 2GEORGIANA LOOKED UP AS her older brother came into the room. She spared him only
a glance, as Mr. Richards was working a problem in algebra that she had been un
able to work since their last lesson. As he went through the steps of solving it
, her brows knit, since she had done every step exactly as he had done. Then sud
denly, as Mr. Richards collected his terms, Georgiana burst out, "There it is!
"Mr. Richards stopped and looked at her in his mild way, waiting as Georgiana qui
ckly added the term that she had omitted. "I take it that we forgot one of the t
erms when we were collecting them, did we not, Miss Georgiana?" he said dryly. Her cheeks were red as she acknowledged his comment. "Yes, Mr. Richards. I shoul
d have known something was wrong-the answer was too easy to find after I made my mistake."?"Ah yes, that often happens," her tutor said kindly. "Except when it m
akes it too hard, Mr. Richards!" added David gleefully. "Remember last week when she forgot a term and did three pages
of calculations without ever getting the answer?" "Yes, indeed, Master David, I do remember that, as well as I remember the day tw
o weeks ago when you did the same thing and proudly handed me a five-page soluti
on." David had no comment to this, but his cheeks flamed, and he made a face at his s
ister, who forgot that her brother was standing behind her and thus made one rig
ht back. Both David and Georgiana sat up straight as their older brother cleared his thro
at in an unmistakable warning, and both of them instantly settled back in their
chair. "If I might interrupt just a moment, Mr. Richards," said Darcy, "I would like to
pass on a bit of good news that has just come my way. Georgiana, David, Mr. Bin
gley has just informed me that he has become engaged to Miss Jane Bennet." Georgiana was thrilled at the news and immediately began to seek more details. T
hus, Mr. Richards was the only one who heard David mutter softly under his breat
h, "Now there is a surprise!" The boy had the grace to look crestfallen when Mr.
Richards gave him a hard look. "Yes, I anticipated that you would desire to visit, and I sent word for the carr
iage to be prepared for us at three o'clock," Darcy was saying to Georgiana as D
avid turned away from his tutor's corrective gaze. "But in the meantime, I would
suggest that you return to your lessons so that you do not have to stay behind
working five page proofs while the rest of us visit to congratulate Miss Bennet.
"2LONGBOURN SAW THE VISITS of two parties from Netherfield that afternoon. Bingley
returned first at half past two o'clock, while the three Darcy siblings arrived
at three. Both Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst were most effusive as they congratu-
lated Jane and expressed their great anticipation of being soon able to call he
r sister. Elizabeth, at least, was well able to see their insincerity, though sh
e could also see that Jane appeared not to notice. But, while Elizabeth would ha
ve wished for her sister to be able to see past the cloak of deception, she cons
oled herself that it little mattered, now that affairs were settled. Jane would
soon be Mistress of Netherfield, and Caroline would probably be off to town to s
tay with her sister and husband. Elizabeth did not believe that haughty woman co
uld tolerate seeing an upstart country lass sitting in the position she had prev
iously held. She took more notice of the arrival of the Darcy coach, and she greeted Georgian
a at the front door with a quick embrace. "Oh, Elizabeth, how happy your sister must be!" enthused Georgiana as they separ
ated. "Not that the news comes as a particular surprise, of course. Anyone who s
aw them dancing at Tuesday's ball could not help but conclude that they were two
kindred spirits who belonged together." She gave her brother a sideways glance
on this last statement, but it did not appear to affect him, and he greeted Eliz
abeth cordially before she escorted them to the drawing room. That room was growing rather crowded again, even though Mr. Collins was still no
t present. Elizabeth presumed that he had retired to his room, which was most un
like him, but she was not going to let her curiosity take away from her enjoyment of this moment. Also missing was Mr. Wickham and his companio
n, who had taken their leave earlier, soon after Bingley had arrived and informe
d them that Darcy would be paying a visit at three. From the haste and timing of
Wickham's withdrawal, Elizabeth concluded that he must be endeavoring to avoid Darcy. As well he might, thought Elizabeth
sarcastically. But the arrival of Bingley and his sisters, along with the return
of Mrs. Bennet with her sister, Mrs. Philips, had more than compensated for the
numbers lost. Georgiana congratulated Jane warmly, as did her two brothers, and Darcy clapped
a beaming Bingley on the back, ignoring the irritated look on Bingley's two sist
ers. "William tells me that the wedding is planned for January," Georgiana comme
nted to Elizabeth, "and we will all be returning then for the ceremony." "Bingley has asked me to stand up for him," commented Darcy. "And Jane has asked me to do the same for her," Elizabeth said. But Georgiana no
ticed that her smile was somewhat weak. She had already detected that Elizabeth
was in low spirits, though she strove to conceal that from the others. But her b
ond to her friend was such that she knew that Elizabeth's joy for Jane was not a
s sublime as she would have otherwise expected, and mistakenly attributed it to
lingering effects of the ill-omened marriage proposal of the day before. She had
told her brother of the affair, and he had expressed himself that Elizabeth mig
ht have been more prudent to have accepted, for she then would have become the m
istress of her father's estate when he died, thus assuring the security of her m
other and remaining sisters. But Georgiana did not relate this to Elizabeth, kno
wing that such an ill-thought observation could not please her. 43 Chapter 11 Elizabeth was rather surprised to receive a visit from Charlotte soon after brea
kfast the next morning. At Charlotte's suggestion, Elizabeth dressed for walking
and soon both ladies were away from Longbourn and the ecstatic vociferations of Mrs. Bennet. They walked quietly for a while, but
then Charlotte enquired of Elizabeth: "Lizzy, did you know that Mr. Collins came to visit yesterday afternoon?" Elizabeth looked sharply at her friend. "So that is where he disappeared to!" sh
e exclaimed. "I could see that he was rather out of sorts during the festivities
over Jane's engagement, and I noticed him as he quietly and unobtrusively qui
t the room. I did not see him again until breakfast this morning." Charlotte nodded. "This may come as a considerable surprise to you, especially a
fter he made an offer to you on Wednesday, but he specifically came to Lucas Lod
ge to see me yesterday. I was rather surprised when he then made an offer to me!"?"He did!" Elizabeth exclaimed, coming to a sudden stop. She shook her head in amusement. "My cousin is a man of many surprises, Charlott
e. If I may, I would like to relate this fact to my father; I am sure that he wi
ll be highly diverted by this new evidence of Mr. Collins lack of sensibility!" Charlotte gave her friend a rather funny look, and Elizabeth felt a sudden shock
of apprehension. "Charlotte," she said intently, putting her hand on her friend
's arm, "are you saying that you accepted Mr. Collins?" Charlotte nodded gravely. "Yes, Elizabeth, that is what I did." Elizabeth looked closely at Charlotte, but her friend appeared completely untr
oubled by what she had just recounted. "You know he is not sensible, Charlotte," she said slowly. "Are you sure that th
is is best for you?" "Yes, Lizzy, I am sure. I have had time to consider it, and I am satisfied that
my reflections are in general satisfactory." Elizabeth clasped her friend's hand. She knew that she ought to be shocked, but
because of the turmoil of her own emotions, she simply did not have the capacity
for either excessive surprise or outrage. But she was still worried about her f
riend... "You know that I want only what is best for you, Charlotte, but I do worry that
you will be unhappy in this marriage. I cannot believe that this is a suitable m
arriage for you," she said seriously. "I know you do, Lizzy, and the least agreeable part of this business was the pos
sibility of causing hurt to you, for you know that I value your friendship above
any other person. I do hope that this will not put a fracture into that friend-
ship." 44 Elizabeth was quick to reassure her on that point, but she remained worried abou
t her friend married to such a man as Mr. Collins. "Lizzy, I know you are only w
orried for me," Charlotte said, "but I beg you to consider my options. I am twen
ty-seven and have never been handsome. Yes, I agree with you that Mr. Collins is
neither sensible nor agreeable, that his society is irksome, and that the love
he professed to me must be imaginary. But you also know that I have never been r
omantic, and my opinion of either men or of matrimony is not high. Yet, for a
well-educated young woman of small fortune like myself, marriage is the only hon
orable path that is open to me. I do not seek much from matrimony, you know - I
ask only a comfortable home and preservation from want. And when you consider Mr
. Collins' character and situation in life, I believe that I have as much chance
for happiness with him as most people can boast upon entering the marriage stat
e." The two ladies had started walking again once the surprise was accommodated, and
Elizabeth looked over at Charlotte at the end of this discourse. "Perhaps you a
re right," she sighed, "but I cannot help worrying about you." "Then you must come and see me often," Charlotte said warmly, for she was greatl
y relieved that Elizabeth had not been distressed at the news that she brought.
She would have been extremely sorry if this affair had ended or marred their fri
endship. The two girls continued their walk, moving on to other topics, but Eliz
abeth remained inwardly worried for her friend. The strangeness of Mr. Collins m
aking two offers of marriage in as many days was nothing in comparison to his no
w being accepted by Charlotte. She could only hope that her friend would be tole
rably happy in the lot she had chosen, but she was most unsure that such would o
ccur. 2ELIZABETH AND CHARLOTTE PARTED at the door to Longbourn, and she had only been s
itting with her mother, sisters, and Mr. Bingley a half-hour before Sir Willia
m Lucas appeared to make his own announcement. When Mrs. Bennet heard that Miss
Lucas was engaged to Mr. Collins, she at first refused to believe it and protest
ed that Sir William must be mistaken. But Elizabeth then intervened, desiring to
relieve Sir William from so unpleasant a situation, and she told her mother and
sisters that she had received the same information from Charlotte that very mor
ning. Looking at Sir William, Elizabeth continued, "I note that my cousin is missing,
sir. Am I correct in my assumption that he is attending his betrothed at this mo
ment." Sir William acknowledged the accuracy of her statement with a bow, and Mrs. Benn
et was forced to accede to the accuracy of the statement when Elizabeth offered
her congratulations to Sir William in the warmest way. Jane quickly joined her
, as did Bingley. Mrs. Bennet was rather silent while Sir William was present, and, after he had departed, the presence of Mr. Bingl
ey restricted what she might say, since she in no way wished to make her complai
nts in front of him. Since Bingley did not leave for some hours. Mrs. Bennet had
enough time to get over her amazement and to return to her former level of exub
erance at Jane's good fortune. Bingley was, from this time, a daily visitor at Longbourn, arriving frequently b
efore breakfast and always staying until after supper. He, naturally, spent all
the time he could with Jane, but Elizabeth was able to be of service to both. If
Jane was occasionally otherwise occupied, Bingley would seek her out in order t
o talk of Jane, and if Bingley were occasionally absent, due to a dinner invitat
ion he could not bring himself to refuse, Jane sought her sister to then talk of
nothing but Bingley. The Bennets were speedily pronounced to be the luckiest family in the world as t
he preparations for Christmas and Jane's wedding began quickly to dominate life
at Longbourn. Mr. Collins departed on Saturday, as had been his plan, and he app
eared quite insensitive to the extremely frosty response he received from Mrs. B
ennet. He also appeared somewhat confused when he attempted to entice an invitat
ion to again stay at their house when he would return to attend Charlotte in mid
-December. His clumsy attempt to secure an invitation met only a blank stare fro
m Mrs. Bennet, but his confusion soon passed when he considered that his new sta
tus as a future son made it quite proper for him to reside at Lucas Lodge when h
e returned. Georgiana and David called on Sunday to say goodbye to Elizabeth until they re
turned for Jane's wedding in January. Elizabeth was quite disappointed that Darc
y did not accompany his sister and brother, instead sending his best wishes for
a happy Christmas season. Both brother and sister thus drew the wrong conclusion
that their impending departure was the sole reason for Elizabeth's tears as the
y said their farewells. Georgiana and Elizabeth embraced warmly at the door to t
he Darcy coach, and Elizabeth did the same for her brother. Even though he blush
ed when Elizabeth also embraced him, David also looked pleased. He liked Miss El
izabeth very much, and, especially when compared to Miss Bingley, he did not und
erstand why his brother never seemed to feel any attraction to her. As the month continued, Mr. Wickham was much in favor among the community and wi
th the younger of the Bennet sisters. Jane joined with Elizabeth in telling the
rest of the family of Wickham's attempted disparagement of the Darcy family and
of their belief that he was not to be trusted. Mary did not even notice the man,
and even Mr. Bennet received him coolly when he came to call, despite the obvio
us favorable impression he made on Mrs. Bennet. Mr. Bennet treated the subject of Wickham and the turmoil associated with the pr
eparations for Jane's wedding in his usual wry fashion. "So, Lizzy," said he one
day, while his wife had taken Jane into Meryton to have another fitting for her
wedding dress, "now that your sister is to be married and the entire household is in disorder, I venture to hope that you will not soo
n emulate her example. I would much prefer the opposite, to have you crossed in
love rather than married too soon. It will be bad enough when Jane is gone to Ne
therfield, for then my only opportunity for sensible conversation will have been
cut in half. But if I should lose you also, then I do not know how I should be
able to endure the evenings." The more Mr. Bennet thought on it, the more convinced he became that he could no
t spare his favorite daughter. "In fact, Lizzy," he continued energetically, "I
hope that I may be forgiven for wishing that you will in fact be unsuccessful in
love, so that you will remain at home forever. In fact, I believe that it would
do you good to be crossed in love, and the sooner the better. It would give you
a sort of distinction among your companions, so to speak. There are certainly o
fficers enough at Meryton to disappoint all the young ladies in the country, and
why should you not be one of them? Here, let Wickham be your man! Lydia continu
es to bring him to call every time she walks into town. Let Wickham be your man!
He is an engaging enough fellow, at least on the surface, and but I am certain
that he would know how to jilt you most creditably." "Thank you, sir," Elizabeth replied, struggling for equanimity at her father's
unwitting blow to her composure, "but I should be happy to be spared the pain,
if you do not mind. We must not all expect Jane's good fortune. In any event, I should prefer to avo
id either situation with Mr. Wickham." "True," said Mr. Bennet, knowing of his d
aughter's dislike for the man, "but it is a comfort to think that whatever of
that kind may befall you, you have an affectionate mother who will always make the most of it."?By this time, Mr. Wickham was relating all
that he had related to Elizabeth about the neighborhood, and Lydia and Kitty were convinced
that he had been greatly wronged by Mr. Darcy. They told Wickham's tale over the
dinner table, of his claims on Mr. Darcy and all that he had suffered from hi
m, all of which Elizabeth had already heard. Elizabeth's response was to relate
how he had tried to malign her friend, Georgiana, which cast the most profound d
oubt on everything else he said. She especially emphasized the fact that Wickham
had only started telling his tale of woe publicly when Mr. Darcy had left Hertf
ordshire to return to Pemberley and thus could not defend himself. Jane joined h
er side, and they also opposed Wickham's attempts to make known and advance his
opinion to all the neighborhood. The result was that the general estimation of b
oth Darcy and Wickham remained mixed. Darcy was reputed to have the social stand
ing and wealth, while Wickham had the most pleasing manners and a most amiable c
haracter. 245 MR. COLLINS RETURNED TO Hertfordshire on Monday the sixteenth, and he was most p
unctual on calling at Longbourn to pay his respects. His reception there was not
quite as gracious as it had been on his first introduction, especially from Mrs
. Bennet, but he was too happy to even notice the difference. Within a half-hour
, he had been returned to Lucas Lodge and the business of love-making, not to be
seen again until Friday, when he returned to again pay his respects before depa
rting back to Hunsford Parsonage on the following day. Mrs. Bennet was much too busy to devote much time to any complaints about her il
l-treatment by both Mr. Collins and Elizabeth, though a casual mention of his fu
ture marriage or the occasional sight of Miss Lucas might entice her into as m
uch as a quarter hour of lamentations. But such diversions never lasted any long
er, for Mrs. Bennet was well and truly into her element - preparing for the most
advantageous marriage of her eldest daughter. The list of guests had to be pr
epared, the wedding clothes had to be ordered and carefully packed away in a new
trunk when they arrived, the menu and seating for the wedding breakfast had be
planned, the decorations for the chapel had to be ordered and made. All these and a score more activities kept Mrs. Bennet in a flurry from morning
until evening, which necessarily meant that her daughters, and even on one memor
able occasion, her husband, were pulled into the vortex of Mrs. Bennet's cyclone
.Into this vortex stepped Mrs. Bennet's brother and his wife on the Monday follow
ing Mr. Collins' departure, coming, as they usually did, to spend the Christma
s at Longbourn. Mr. Gardiner was a sensible gentleman, greatly superior to his s
ister in both manner and education, and both he and his wife were greatly excite
d at Jane's engagement. Elizabeth derived a secret pleasure at the looks of asto
nishment on the faces of the Netherfield ladies when they first met Mr. Gardiner
, for they had been visiting along with their brother when the Gardiners arrived
. They could not believe that a brother of Mrs. Bennet and a man who lived by tr
ade, and within view of his own warehouses, could be so well bred and agreeable.
Their shock was no less when they met his wife, who was several years younger t
han Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Philips, and was a most amiable, intelligent, and elega
nt woman. The sisters' every attempt to exhibit superior knowledge of fashion,
news, and society was met by a most civil and sophisticated response from eithe
r Mr. Gardiner or his wife that indicated that their own awareness matched and o
ften exceeded that of Miss Bingley and her sister. As might be expected, Mr. Bingley appeared to notice no disjunction between the
Bennet and Gardiner relations, for his interactions with both were both amiable
and quite short in duration. He never lingered long in socializing, and the chai
r by Miss Bennet was seldom empty before he returned to her side. After Bingley and his sisters departed, Mrs. Gardiner was able to attend to her
first priority, which was to distribute her 46 presents and to describe the newest fashions. When this was accomplished, she ha
d a less active part to play, which was to listen, for Mrs. Bennet had much to r
elate of the details of Jane's courtship and engagement. She also had some griev
- ances to relate and complain of, for if one of her girls was on the verge of a
most advantageous marriage, another girl had been, at least in her opinion, on
the point of marriage and had allowed it to come to nothing. "It is very hard to think of Lizzy because of all the bustle surrounding Jane's
wedding, but it is most vexing, even so, sister! It is very hard for me to think
that she might have been Mr. Collins's wife by this time, had not it been for h
er own perverseness. He made her an offer in this very room, and she refused him
. The consequence of it is, that Charlotte Collins will one day turn me and my d
aughters out of this house and become Mistress of it in my place. The Lucases ar
e very artful people indeed, sister. Not even Jane's marriage can completely com
pensate me for my suffering on account of the entail and Elizabeth's missed oppo
rtunity. However, your coming just at this time is the greatest of comforts, and
I am very glad to hear what you tell us of long sleeves." Mrs. Gardiner, who knew of both events through her correspondence with Jane and
Elizabeth, made a vague answer to her sister and turned the conversation to ot
her subjects. When she was alone with Elizabeth afterwards, she spoke more on
the subject. "It seems a most desirable match for Jane," she said, "and it appea
rs that both she and Mr. Bingley are very attached to each other." "Oh, yes!" laughed Elizabeth. "Their attachment had been growing as they knew ea
ch other longer, to the point where Mr. Bingley was growing quite inattentive to
other people and wholly engrossed by her. Jane was little better. Every time th
ey met, it was more decided and remarkable. At his own ball, Mr. Bingley offende
d two or three young ladies by not asking them to dance, and Jane twice did not
even respond when I spoke to her. Could there be finer symptoms? Is not general
incivility the very essence of love?" "I believe it is so described in the romantic novels," responded Mrs. Gardiner
with equal amusement. "I readily see that you have accurately described the vio
lence of their love. And they both appear well matched in temperament. I have ev
ery reason to believe that they will be most happy together." Then Mrs. Gardiner became more serious. She had noticed a change in Elizabeth'
s correspondence over the last weeks. It had become somewhat less regular, and t
he general tone of her letters, while superficially cheerful, seemed to lack the
spark of liveliness that had previously been their wont. In the two hours since
she and her husband had arrived at Longbourn, her observation of her favorite n
iece had not disabused her of her opinion. She leaned forward to look her niece
in the eye, because Elizabeth was avoiding looking directly at her in a very unc
haracteristic manner. "But what about you, Lizzy?" Mrs. Gardiner asked softly. "
I can see that you are not cheerful - it has been obvious from your letters for weeks. I have difficulty attributing it to Mr. Collins failed proposal, sinc
e I would have believed that you would have laughed yourself out of it before no
w.' Elizabeth looked at her aunt in considerable surprise and apprehension that she
had been able to detect so much. She also instantly saw that her aunt had read h
er unguarded expression of surprise just now, and she knew that she would not be
able to convince her that nothing was wrong. After several moments, she sighed
in resignation. She would not lie to her aunt, yet she did not feel in any way u
p to the task of discussing her inner emotions out loud. Not here, not now, when
even thinking of her inner turmoil was almost enough to start her tears again. "Aunt, I do not believe that I can speak of what is bother- ing me at this time,
" Elizabeth said softly, her head down as she struggled to maintain her composur
e. "I do not doubt your ability to engage me and question me and thus discern wh
at I would prefer to keep hidden, so I can only beg you not to importune me on t
his subject." "Very well, Elizabeth," her aunt said in equal quietness. "And I will not try to
question the rest of the family, since I can see that you are desperate to keep
your secrets. But it has been my experience that emotional turmoil like you are
undergoing will, in the end, find its way out and will exact a larger toll the
longer it is avoided. So I would like you to remember that you have my promise o
f a willing ear and a closed mouth if ever you need a confidant."?"I will remember, Aunt Gardiner, but
I do not know if that day will ever come. I do thank you for keeping this to yourself." With this, Mrs. Gardiner had to be content. She was still convinced that Elizabe
th was troubled by a matter of the heart, but what she had heard convinced her t
hat it could not be the absurd Mr. Collins who had touched her heart. She would
keep her promise and would not ask about the family, but she would still listen. 2THE GARDINERS STAYED A week at Longbourn; and, even though the wedding preparati
ons continued apace, not a day passed without an engagement, whether it be with
the Philipses, the Lucases, or the officers. Mrs. Bennet had so carefully provid
ed for the entertainment of her brother and sister that they did not once sit do
wn to a family dinner. When the engagement was for home, some of the officers we
re always made part of the party, and that party usually included Mr. Wickham,
at the especial behest of Kitty and Lydia. On those occasions, Mrs. Gardiner ob
served the hostility she detected in Elizabeth toward him, and it was certain th
at he took great care to stay as far away from her as possible. At first, she th
ought that Wickham might be the cause of Elizabeth's low spirits, due perhaps to
having been jilted by him, but further observation convinced her otherwise. The anger s
he detected in Elizabeth was spirited and liable to open expression if he made a
ny steps out of the bounds of prudence. She was less favorably disposed to what she saw of the favor shown Mr. Wickham b
y her two youngest nieces. They lost no time in introducing Mr. Wickham to their
aunt, and she could not fail to be impressed by his easy and engaging manners.
Even so, Mrs. Gardiner remained suspicious that Mr. Wickham was somehow involved
in the low spirits of Elizabeth, and she narrowly watched him as he conversed w
ith Lydia and Kitty and sometimes Mrs. Bennet. It did not take her long to recog
nize the split in the Bennet family with respect to Wickham, with Kitty, Lydia a
nd Mrs. Bennet being supporters of varying degree, and Elizabeth, Jane, and Mr.
Bennet being opponents, also of varying degree. When she asked Lydia about it, s
he first heard of Wickham's tale of his dealings with the Darcy family and his i
ll-usage by the present Mr. Darcy. And when she questioned Jane, she heard of Wi
ckham's lies about Elizabeth's friend, Georgiana Darcy, and her conviction that
the rest of Wickham's tale was equally false. To Mrs. Gardiner, Wickham did have one means of affording pleasure, and that was
in being a source of news regarding Derbyshire and the small village of Lambton
. She had resided there for a considerable time about a dozen years previously,
before her marriage, and thus she and Wickham had many acquaintances in common.
Since he had lived there up until the death of the elder Mr. Darcy about five ye
ars previously, he was able to give her fresher news of her former friends than
she would have otherwise been able to obtain. She also had known the character o
f the late Mr. Darcy perfectly well, and her praise of the character of Mr. Wickham's godfather was a source of pleasure to both him and herself. It was when Wickham made known his tale of the present Mr. Darcy's treatment o
f him that Mrs. Gardiner was roused to suspicion that she might have discovered
the connection between Wickham and Elizabeth's depressed spirits. She connecte
d what Wickham was saying with what Jane had told her about Elizabeth's friend G
eorgiana Darcy, and she suddenly had the thought that the elder brother of Eliza
beth's friend might be the common element in all these disjointed facts. She tri
ed to remember something of the present Mr. Darcy's reputed disposition when he
was a lad, but she could not be sure of anything. She still remained displeased with what she saw of the attachment with Mr. Wickh
am held by Lydia and Kitty, and she considered whether she ought to talk to them
on the imprudence of encouraging such an attachment. But she had to consider th
at she was not particularly close to either girl, nor was Mrs. Bennet likely to
listen to her. So she decided to talk to her husband and encourage him to pass a
long a warning regarding Wickham and the two younger Bennet daughters. 47 2ON THE FIRST FAVORABLE opportunity, Mrs. Gardiner suggested to Elizabeth that
they might take a tour around the garden. Elizabeth knew that her aunt was not a
great walker and had suggested this in order to have a chance for a private tal
k. She was somewhat nervous, since her aunt's powers of observation were superio
r to the rest of the family, especially as the frenetic plans for Jane's wedding
made such insights difficult. But Mrs. Gardiner's initial caution was with respect to her younger sisters. "Yo
ur two sisters are not sensible enough to listen to me, and would probably take
any warning against falling in love as a chance to do the opposite. And Mr. Ga
rdiner's talk with your father did not satisfy my uneasiness. Your father listen
ed but he was not at all alarmed and saw no reason to be on his guard. So I beli
eve that it might be worthwhile if you also talked to him. He values your insigh
ts, and your cautions coming behind those of his brother might bring a more favo
rable watchfulness to his nature." Elizabeth assured her aunt that she would do so at the earliest opportunity, for
she was of one mind with her aunt in regard to her sisters and Mr. Wickham. Mrs. Gardiner then moved to her second topic. "I know that you asked me not to i
nquire into your low spirits, Lizzy, and I have tried to keep to my promise. But
I also have eyes and ears and have not been able to prevent myself from form- i
ng certain suspicions, none of which I have any intention of discussing unless a
nd until you should wish my opinions. However, I would like to suggest that you
might go back with us to town when we return for Jane's wedding. A change of sce
ne might be of service, and a little relief from home, especially after Jane is
gone." Elizabeth looked closely at her aunt. She could not understand how her aunt ha
d managed to puzzle it out, but she was certain that the older woman had reasone
d out at least the outlines of her one-sided affection for Darcy and was wishing
to give her something new to occupy her mind after Jane was gone. She voiced he
r agreement with this proposal, and quickly sought the approval of her father. Mr. Bennet was loath to give his permission, as he lamented that, with Jane go
ne, he might be denied the opportunity for any sensible conversation for many
weeks. But, upon Elizabeth repeating her plea, he grudgingly gave his approval.
"I shall have to go into hibernation in my library and have my meals delivered o
n a tray in order to save my sanity," he grumbled as Elizabeth gave him a quick
kiss on the cheek. Her conversation with him regarding Mr. Wickham and his daughters did not result
in a comparable success, for Mr. Bennet simply could not believe there was anyt
hing to fear. "They are both completely unsuitable to such a one as Mr. Wickham!" he exclaimed
. "As you know, my opinion of the man is not high, but I am convinced that the lack of fortune of both Kitty and L
ydia renders them safe from the charms of Wickham. And he would never dare anyth
ing improper, not with both girls still living at home, and with Colonel Forster
and many of the officers being family friends. No, I do thank you for the warni
ng, but I believe that something would have to change to make such fears reality
." Elizabeth was not so sure, but she had to be satisfied with the fact that she ha
d done her best. But she intended to also offer a word of caution to her mother.
Any warning would have to be phrased in a manner that would excite her interest
, Elizabeth thought. Perhaps I could mention that Mr. Wickham's lack of fortune means that he could have no intentions for either Ly
dia or Kitty but that his continued presence in our home due to invitations from
Lydia and Kitty makes it near impossible for any other young man to visit who m
ight be more acceptable. She nodded to herself as she left the library and went
in search of her mother. 48 Chapter 12 Mr. Collins returned into Hertfordshire soon after the Gardiners had departed,
but, since he was again staying with the Lucases, his arrival was no great inconvenience to either Mrs. Bennet or the rest of the family at Longbourn
. Since both his marriage and Jane's were fast approaching, Mrs. Bennet was comp
letely occupied in making the final arrangements and had little time to spend on
thinking of the future heir of Longbourn. She was so far resigned to that futur
e evil as to think it inevitable and even once or twice mentioned that she hoped
that he and Charlotte might be happy. Thursday was to be his wedding day and Sa
turday was to be Jane's, so Elizabeth received a farewell visit from Charlotte i
n the morning. At the conclusion of Charlotte's visit, Elizabeth had reason to be ashamed of
her mother's ungracious and reluctant good wishes. Accordingly, she rose when Ch
arlotte did and accompanied her out of the room and downstairs. "I shall depend on hearing from you very often, Eliza," said Charlotte. "That you certainly shall," responded Elizabeth, sincerely affected by the time
of parting. "And I have another favor to ask. Will you come and see me?" "We shall often meet, I hope, in Hertfordshire." "I am not likely to leave Kent for some time. Promise me, therefore, to come to
Hunsford." Elizabeth could not refuse, though she foresaw little pleasure in the visit. "My father and Maria are to come to me in March," added Charlotte, "and I hope y
ou will consent to be of the party. Indeed, Eliza, you will be as welcome to me
as either of them." "I will be leaving with my Aunt and Uncle Gardiner after Jane's wedding, to spen
d some weeks with them in town. My plans are not fixed, so I may still be there
in March. I am sure they will be most welcome to break their journey there befor
e continuing." At three o'clock, the Darcy coach arrived at Longbourn, bringing Georgiana and h
er brothers to pay an arrival visit to Longbourn and also to Bingley, who these
days was seldom found at Netherfield until after dusk. Elizabeth greeted Georg
iana at the entry to the drawing room after she and her brothers were announced,
and she was as firm in her embrace of Georgiana as the younger girl was of her.
She had missed Georgiana even more than she had expected, since she had not ant
icipated being so often without companionship. With both Jane and Charlotte enga
ged in preparations for their wedding, she had most often been driven to either
walk out from Longbourn on solitary rambles or had sought sanctuary in her father's library from her mother, who could always be depended on to find
a dozen tasks for her to do, many of which had already been accomplished or wer
e completely unnecessary. The older Darcy brother towered over his sister as the two girls finished their
greetings, and he was most cordial and polite in greeting her, bending low over
her hand and giving every evidence of genuine pleasure in renewing the acquain-
tance. Elizabeth almost felt faint, as she thought for a minute that Darcy might
kiss her fingers, but he only bowed in the cordial greeting given to a close fa
mily friend. She could only hope that her features were more controlled than the
y had been with her aunt, who had all too quickly been able to observe and deduc
e enough to make some uncomfortably accurate deductions. As Darcy moved off to greet Bingley and Jane as well as Mrs. Bennet, David stepp
ed up and gave Elizabeth as graceful a bow as his brother had done, bending over
her hand in exact imitation of his brother. Elizabeth smiled in genuine pleasur
e at his actions, and she shared an amused glance with Georgiana at the elegance
of David's greetings. As David started to rise, Elizabeth stepped forward. "Such a polite greeting sim
ply will not do, David Alexander Darcy," she said firmly as she pulled him into
a sisterly embrace. "At least you are one member of the Darcy family who is not taller than I am," s
he continued, and Georgiana had to giggle as David received Elizabeth's greeting
with resigned acceptance. She looked him up and down intently after she release
d him and she cocked her head thoughtfully. "Though I now begin to wonder just h
ow long I will be able to make that statement, Master David, for you seem to be
about an inch taller than you were in November." David grinned as he glanced at his sister. "I have been attempting to say the
same to my sister, Miss Elizabeth, but she persists in insisting that it is wish
ful thinking on my part!" Georgiana only gave her brother the refined 'sniff' that older sisters save for
their upstart younger brothers as they begin to get too audacious. "You shall al
ways be my very much younger brother, Alex," she said haughtily. David smiled and leaned closer to Elizabeth. "I fear that my dear sister will fi
nd it much harder to order me about when I tower over her like Will, Miss Elizab
eth. And I would wager that I will soon be taller than her, perhaps within the y
ear!" "It will make no difference, David," said Georgiana firmly, "for you still have
very many things to learn!" Elizabeth laughed gaily at the interplay between the two younger Darcys, and she
fondly took both their arms as she led them to sit with her next to the window.
For almost an hour the three enjoyed the most agreeable conversation as they br
ought each other up to date on the happenings in their respective neighborhoods.
Elizabeth was as close to happy as she had been for some time, and she was almo
st able to avoid thinking about the older Darcy brother as he sat talking with B
ingley and Jane. 49 2ON THURSDAY, ELIZABETH STOOD up for Charlotte as she wed Mr. Collins on a dreary
, rainy day. She had difficulty keeping her spirits up, both on account of the b
leak weather and because she was unable to find any joy in Charlotte's marriage
to her foolish cousin. She was also not in good humor because of her inability t
o stop thinking about Darcy. It had been easier when he was gone from the county
, but since he had returned the previous day, she had hardly had five minutes go
by without being plagued by some memory or some foolish daydream. She had had occasion to share conversation with Darcy the previous day, for he h
ad rejoined his brother and sister after he had spent almost a half hour with Bi
ngley, Jane, and Mrs. Bennet. His congratulations on the forthcoming wedding of
his friend and her daughter had reduced Mrs. Bennet to simpering incoherence, as
she suddenly had the vision of just such men as Fitzwilliam Darcy becoming ac-
quainted with her four unmarried daughters. After Darcy left Mrs. Bennet to her
most pleasant daydreams, he had crossed the room to sit with his sister and brot
her, where he played the part of an older guardian to perfection. He had listene
d quietly for the most part, had occasionally interjected an intelligent comment
, and had even taken part in the humorous jesting between David and Georgiana. S
everal times, when Elizabeth was talking, she had to concentrate quite hard to k
eep her eyes on Georgiana or David, for Darcy maintained his usual habit of focu
sing entirely on the person talking. Elizabeth knew that he was not doing it bec
ause he was enthralled by the sound of her voice, because he did the same with e
veryone he talked to, but she could never see him looking straight into her eyes
without imagining that he must surely be able to read her thoughts. When the somber service for Mr. and Mrs. Collins was complete, the bride and bri
degroom left for Kent from the chapel directly after signing the parish registry
. After Elizabeth returned home with her family, Mrs. Bennet opined, with a snif
f of disdain, that it was not much of a ceremony, without even a wedding breakfa
st before the newlyweds departed. Elizabeth tried to explain to her that Mr. Col
lins' patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, had been quite forceful that she expe
cted to meet his new wife as soon as may be, and therefore they had to leave imm
ediately in order to be back in Kent by nightfall. Mrs. Bennet showed no sign th
at she heard Elizabeth's comment, but she soon forgot the subject and moved to t
he more pleasant topic of how much better would be her daughter's wedding ceremo
ny in two days. Elizabeth simply looked out the window and ignored her as the ra
in continued to beat on the window panes of the parlor. Elizabeth had imagined that Charlotte's wedding would be an occasion of pain, bu
t she had expected Jane's wedding to be as joyful as the Collins' wedding had be
en cheerless. 50 She was not prepared to find it even more of an ordeal for her, for she was stan
ding up for her sister while Darcy stood up for his friend. As a result, he was
placed only feet away from her during the ceremony, and Elizabeth could not list
en to the meaningful and poignant words of the ceremony without visualizing the
same ceremony with herself and Darcy taking the places of Jane and Bingley. Se
veral times, she could not stop a tear from trickling from her eyes, and she alm
ost broke into tears at the conclusion when she embraced her sister. No one put
the correct supposition on the source of her tears, however, for she was not the
only female to have trouble holding back tears of high emotion. After all congratulations were made and the crowd thinned out slightly, Bingley
and Jane walked to the registry with the reverend to sign their names in the reg
istry. Darcy politely offered his arm to Elizabeth as they started to follow the
m, for he could see that Miss Elizabeth was so overcome with tears of joy for he
r sister that she might appreciate the steady support. Today's marriage was, in
his opinion, one of the most justified unions he had witnessed, a joining of two
kindred souls. He winced internally as he remembered his ill-conceived intentio
n on the night of the Netherfield ball to closely examine whether Miss Jane Benn
et truly was attracted to his friend or whether she was doing the bidding of h
er mother. Any doubts he had previously held were long put to rest, and he was g
reatly relieved that he had not acted on his first impulse. No one who observed
the new Mrs. Bingley on the arm of her husband could doubt that they were meant
for each other, and Darcy shuddered at the thought of the possible repercussions
that might have followed if he had thoughtlessly interfered to separate the two
.Elizabeth felt the intensity of Darcy's feeling only as a slight spasming of the
muscles of his arm, and she looked questioningly up at him as she felt his fore
arm clench under her hand. Though his features superficially appeared as contr
olled as ever, there was a pinched tightness around his eyes that testified that
some profound thought or memory was affecting his vaunted self-control. Relucta
ntly, she tore her eyes away from his handsome features, even though she was sor
ely tempted to pull Darcy off to one side in a secluded nook of the chapel and d
etermine the reason for the passion that she believed he was feeling. She wished
she could delude herself to imagine herself the cause of his reaction, but ho
nesty compelled her to admit that it must be something else. But, right now, she
wished for nothing more in the world than to be able to share her innermost tho
ughts and feelings with Fitzwilliam Darcy and for him to do the same with her. 2ELIZABETH MANAGED TO REGAIN her composure before the wedding breakfast, and her
self-control was then needed, for she was seated beside Georgiana, with both the Darcy brothers directly across
from her. Whatever had been the cause of Mr. Darcy's distress at the chapel was
vanished by the time he reached Longbourn, and he was a model of a polite young
man of society. He listened closely to Mrs. Lucas and Sir William soon after he
arrived, proposed a toast to the future health and good fortune of the newly mar
ried couple, and even was able to maintain a civil conversation with Mrs. Bennet
. He also met Elizabeth's aunt and uncle from town, and spent a quarter hour wit
h them in pleasant conversation before the table was laid. During the meal, Darcy primarily attended to his brother and sister, but she cou
ld not help but be gratified as he included her in the conversation with his s
iblings as if it was just the four of them at table. For the moment, at least, E
lizabeth was quite happy and was more her witty, outgoing self than she had been
at some times during the past month. But the illusion had to end at last, as th
e last toasts were made and the newly married couple made ready to depart. Jane's belongings had already been dispatched to Netherfield that morning, so sh
e and Bingley were ready to depart when their coach was brought around to the fr
ont of Longbourn. Jane tearfully kissed her mother, father, and sisters goodbye,
but her most heartfelt farewell was made to Elizabeth, and both ladies had tear
s of bittersweet joy running down their cheeks as Bingley helped Jane into his
coach. Elizabeth now felt all the sadness of parting, for Jane's life hereafter
would center about Bingley and the family they would have together. As Darcy sh
ook Bingley's hand before he boarded the coach with his bride, Elizabeth wanted
desperately to find some hope that she might someday experience such a day as
her sister. But she was helpless-she could not even make the man she loved aware
of her feelings. Perhaps if she was someone other than who she was, a Miss Bing
ley perhaps, she might have made her affections known, but her pride would not a
llow her to stoop to such demeaning behavior. Once the newlyweds were dispatched to Netherfield, the Darcy coach was readied f
or that family to return to Pemberley for the rest of the winter, and Elizabeth
made her farewells to Georgiana and her brothers. If her manner was rather stiff
and brittle, she believed that it would be ascribed to the high emotions of the
day and would not be attributed to the heartbroken yearnings of a foolish girl
silly enough to yearn after a man who valued her existence only in terms of her
friendship with his beloved sister. Chapter 13 ow that both Charlotte and Jane were safely married and Georgiana was departed w
ith her brothers back to Pemberley, Elizabeth was full ready to leave with her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. While she knew that she would m
iss Jane terribly, she also knew that, for the immediate future and some months to come, Jane
would be fully occupied in the new life she would be making with Bingley. Until
those months were past, Jane would have more than enough difficulties in deal- i
ng with their mother being located so close to Netherfield. She and Jane could k
eep each other fully informed by their correspondence, and that could be handled
as easily from London as from Longbourn. Thus, the only real pain she had in go
ing was in leaving her father, who would certainly miss her. In fact, he was now
sorely regretting giving his permission for her to go, and, when it came time
for her to board the carriage, he so little liked her going that he told her to
write to him and almost promised to answer her letter. Soon the servants had brought down all their trunks and packed them on top of th
e coach, the blankets and coverings had been placed inside, and the foot warmers
installed on the floor. Elizabeth kissed her mother and father goodbye, embrace
d her sisters, and then her father handed her into the coach. As the vehicle sta
rted down the drive with a lurch, the three travelers settled into their seats a
nd distributed the blankets as protection from the cold January air. The convers
ation was lively as the journey started, but shortly the demands of the day bega
n to tell, as each of the travelers settled back in the cushions, lulled into dr
owsiness by the motion of the horses. Mrs. Gardiner watched her niece closely as
Elizabeth stared out the side window, obviously deep in thought. She had become
aware of just how depressed her favorite niece was, but, though she had much to
think of, there was as yet nothing to speak of with Elizabeth unless she first
opened the subject. After their arrival at the Gardiner home in Gracechurch Street, Elizabeth was ab
le to sleep restfully for the first time in weeks, and she awoke feeling much be
tter. As soon as she was settled in, she immediately took up her correspondence,
writing to Jane, Charlotte, and Georgiana in addition to her father and the res
t of her family. Very soon she received a response from Charlotte, and their cor
respondence, once begun, was quickly as regular and frequent as it had ever been
. Elizabeth was conscious that it could never again be as equally unreserved as
it had been previously, and she could never really address a letter to Charlotte
without feeling that the comfort of their former intimacy was departed. She w
as determined, however, not to slacken as a correspondent, but it was for the sa
ke of what had been rather than what was. N5? Charlotte's first letters were received with a good deal of eagerness; since Eli
zabeth was greatly curious to see what her friend thought of her new home, how s
he would like Lady Catherine, and how happy she would dare pronounce herself to
be. When Charlotte's letters were received, however, Elizabeth felt that Charlot
te had expressed herself on every point exactly as she might have foreseen. Her
letters were cheerful, she wrote as if she was surrounded with comforts, and she
mentioned nothing that she could not praise. The house, the furniture, the neig
hborhood, and the roads were all to her taste, and Lady Catherine's behavior was
most friendly and obliging. The picture she painted of Hunsford matched that of
Mr. Collins, though softened by Charlotte's rational account, and Elizabeth sti
ll believed that she must wait for her own visit there to know the rest. Her correspondence with Georgiana was also prolific, with at least two letters e
very week. Georgiana's letters were as lengthy as always, often covering both si
des of two or three pages with her neat script, and Elizabeth could not read any
of them without being conscious of how well-crafted the letters were. Georgiana
could converse intelligently on many subjects that many an adult would be hard-
pressed to match, and Elizabeth at times struggled to match the cheery optimism
of the younger girl. Georgiana had been surprised to find that her friend was sp
ending so much time in London, and she lamented that her brother did not plan to
leave Pemberley for several months. "I know that an excellent performance of 'M
uch Ado About Nothing' is planned for February, and I would dearly love to atten
d a performance with you, dear friend," she wrote. "But William does not plan to
return to town until March, at the earliest. I do so hope you will still be wit
h your aunt and uncle, then, for I dearly long to see you once more." Elizabeth smiled as she could almost see the younger girl's enthusiasm in her wr
iting, but she was noncommittal about her plans when she next responded, thoug
h she did lament missing the visit to the theatre that Georgiana wrote of. 2GRADUALLY, ELIZABETH'S TIME WITH her aunt and uncle did much to restore her fres
h and lively spirits, and she began to feel much more like her old self as the w
eeks went by. January and February passed away, sometimes dirty and sometimes co
ld. She found a number of interesting new books in her uncle's library, which co
ntained a goodly collection of books that he had collected during his travels, t
hough it was not nearly as well stocked as her father's library. She also de- ri
ved great enjoyment from the time spent with the Gardiner children, for she grea
tly enjoyed their company, though she was not pleased when she found it necessar
y to scold them. Luckily, because of Mrs. Gardiner's wise and firm hand, those 52 distasteful occasions were few, and she often took them on long walks through a
nearby park. At first, she avoided thinking of Darcy altogether, but gradually she was able t
o come to grips with her emotions. Certainly, she had no reason to be angry with
him, though in the first few weeks in town she several times succumbed to that
emotion. It may not have been fair, for he could have no way of knowing of her a
ttraction to him, but in those moments of intense anguish, she often was driven
to tears as she thought, Why is he so blind? Cannot he see what he is doing to m
e? Rejection would actually be preferable to simply being ignored! Could anythin
g be more ignominious than the object of my desires being completely unaware of
my presence on earth except as a suitable acquaintance for his sister? But Elizabeth was too rational a person to long hold on to these irrational emot
ions, and she gradually was able to bring her logic to bear. The basic problem,
she thought, is that Mr. Darcy is completely unaware of my affections. Therefore
, there are two possibilities to consider-either Mr. Darcy becomes acquainted wi
th my feelings, or Mr. Darcy is left in ignorance. Considering the first possibi
lity, she saw that there were two or perhaps three possible outcomes-either Mr.
Darcy would return her affections or else he would reject them. Or possibly just
ignore the situation, which would be similar to simply rejecting her. The quest
ion is, she thought, if I do something similar to what Miss Bingley has done and
make him aware of my feelings, could I stand it if his reaction was rejection,
possibly even revulsion that I would delude myself as being worthy for such a we
althy and important man? It took only a few moments of thought to realize the
cost of being rejected was far too high-there would be the pain of being publicl
y rejected and humiliated, and there would be the consequent cost of having to g
ive up Georgiana's friendship. No, Elizabeth decided, I could not stand that-the costs are more than I could en
dure-and thus the problem solves itself easily. I will have to give up this irra
tional attraction that I feel, for, whatever the emotion be named, it cannot be
true love. That would be based on a similarity of manner and spirit and intellec
t similar to that between Bingley and Jane. And Mr. Darcy and myself are as unli
ke as two people can be. I can imagine that it might only have taken a small dif
ference in the beginning of our acquaintance to have instilled in me a diametric
ally opposite emotion to the one that I feel. Thus, whatever this emotion is, it
could never be enough to sustain a lifetime together. I must reject it, totally
and completely. And so Elizabeth set out to do exactly that. She forced herself, when she corres
ponded with Georgiana, to not allow herself to think on Darcy. When Georgiana
wrote of Elizabeth spending the summer at Pemberley, she was vague, replying tha
t she might not be able to come, since her father was already writing that he mi
ssed her dreadfully, and, in any case, her aunt and uncle had planned to ask her
to accompany them on a tour of the Lakes. She also mentioned that she was planning to visit her friend, Mrs. Collins, in M
arch, thus extending her time away from her father. She had not at first thought seriously of accepting Charlotte
's invitation, given the day before her wedding, but she had soon found that C
harlotte was depending on the plan. She had gradually learned to consider it her
self with greater pleasure until it had now become a certainty. Absence had increased her desire of seeing Charlotte again and weakened her disg
ust of Mr. Collins. There was novelty in the scheme, especially when compared to
returning to the company of such a mother as she had and such un-compan- ionabl
e sisters. As the time drew near and as everything was settled according to Char
lotte's first sketch, she was indeed looking forward to the journey. Sir William
and his second daughter would journey from Hertfordshire to Gracechurch Street,
and the three of them would leave the following morning for Kent. 2GEORGIANA KNOCKED ON HER brother's study and opened the door after he called, "E
nter!" He looked up and smiled as she entered, then he returned to the letter he
was writing while Georgiana sat down beside his desk. It was only a few minutes
before he completed the letter, then sanded and sealed it, putting it on a stac
k of about a dozen that he had already completed this morning. "I just received a letter form Elizabeth," Georgiana said, "and she says that sh
e is planning to visit her friend, Mrs. Collins, in March and April."?Darcy smiled at his sister, already certain of the
direction that this conversation was going to take. "Indeed?" he said, his expression calm
and placid. "Collins, Collins...I believe that I have heard that name somewhere
..." "William!" said Georgiana in exasperation. "You know that I am talking of the wi
fe of the ludicrous Mr. Collins who you met at the Netherfield ball. The one who
is Aunt Catherine's new parson." "Ah, now I remember!" said Darcy, with the glow of remembrance lighting his face
. "Such a humble man, as I remember. I believe one might almost describe one o
f his bows as genuflecting before Pharaoh, and I was decidedly worried that he w
as going to either fall flat on his face or else get a catch in his back and be
unable to stand up." He shook his head mournfully. "What a perfect choice by my
aunt. Now, what was it you were saying about Mr. Collins?" Georgiana only snorted in amusement at her brother's teasing. "It was Mrs. Colli
ns of whom I was speaking, and I was saying that Elizabeth is going to be visiti
ng during March. Were you not planning on visiting Aunt Catherine at about the s
ame time?" "You are indeed correct in your memory, Georgie. Your cousin Richard and I have
planned to visit Aunt Catherine at Easter, as we usually do. Perhaps you were th
inking I might pass on your greetings to your friend?" "I was thinking that I might accompany you and pass on my own greetings, William
!" said Georgiana triumphantly at having finally forced the conversation into th
e path she desired. "But did you not just a fortnight ago express your relief and thankfulness tha
t I would leave you and David in London with Mr. and Mrs. Richards and thus spar
e you from having to deal with the many 'suggestions' from our aunt?" "That may be so, William," said Georgiana, "but now that I have turned sixteen,
I believe that I can well afford to listen to Aunt Catherine if the reward is to
see Elizabeth again." "But were you not planning to have her visit Pemberley in the summer?" asked Dar
cy, as he struggled to hide his smile. But Georgiana's response was serious. "William, I believe that Elizabeth may be
the first real friend I have made in my life, and I do desire to see her again a
fter these past months. Please be serious." "What's this about Miss Elizabeth?" piped up the voice of her younger brother fr
om the doorway. Georgiana twisted around in surprise, for she had neither heard a knock at the
door nor had she heard the door open. David just grinned at her. "You forgot to close the door again, sister," he said
with a mischievous grin. "Now, what did I hear about Miss Elizabeth and a visit
? Is she coming to visit earlier? That would be quite enjoyable. She is really t
he most sensible lady that I know, outside of Mrs. Richards, of course, but she
doesn't count, since she is much older. When will she arrive, William? You reall
y ought to do what Georgie suggested in the fall and teach her to ride when she
visits. She can stay long enough to allow any of the bones to heal, you know, be
fore she goes home, and her family would be scarcely the wiser..." "STOP!" commanded Darcy in exasperation. David had just started this non-stop ta
lking in the past month, with the express purpose of getting Darcy to talk more
instead of, as he phrased it, "doing a passable imitation of an Egyptian sphinx.
" Darcy had quickly learned that it was necessary to stop his brother before he
got well and truly up to speed, and David only grinned at him as he tried to put
on his stern- est look. But when Georgiana also started giggling, he had to giv
e it up and threw up his hands in despair. "Tell your brother, Georgiana, and be
quick about it, before he has a chance to draw another breath and start again." Still amused, Georgiana quickly told David what she had learned and suggested, a
nd he was quick to add his own approval to her request. "It would be quite pleas
ant to see Miss Elizabeth again, Will. Why cannot we all accompany you on the vi
sit? After all, as you always say, the Darcy family will stay together!" The las
t words were delivered in David's best attempt at a sonorous tone to mimic his b
rother's deep voice. Darcy had to smile at being reminded of what he so often voiced. "Very well, the
n, if it is your desire to accompany 53 Richard and myself, then I will change my plans. I will have to send another let
ter to Mrs. Taylor to inform her that she will not have to have the townhouse pr
epared for our arrival until May. And you may inform your friend of the change i
n plans, Georgiana." Georgiana smiled. "I thought it would make a nice surprise for Elizabeth, espe
cially since I do not know if my letter will reach her before she leaves for Ken
t." "This is going to be quite enjoyable," offered David. "Would you not agree, Will
, that Miss Elizabeth is much more charming than Miss Bingley? Especially these days, when Miss Bingley is apt
to be sunk in lamentations at her brother having married a simple girl from the
country. Miss Elizabeth's lively sense of humor is so refreshing in contrast, w
ould you not agree, Georgie?" Georgiana looked at David in surprise, then she looked at her older brother in t
houghtful consideration, and Darcy sat up in sudden alarm. "None of that, you tw
o! You have done this matchmaking act before, and it was not funny then and less
so now." Neither David nor Georgiana said anything, only nodding their heads in agreeme
nt with their brother. But, after they left, Fitzwilliam Darcy remained staring
at the door that Georgiana had carefully closed after her. Was that a conspirato
rial look that I saw on both their faces? he wondered. I shall have to be doubly on my guard during this visit to Aunt Catherine! Chapter 14 lizabeth struggled to hide her smile as she walked across Rosings park with her
companions. The occasion of her humor was her cousin, Mr. Collins, for he was
engaged in a continuous litany of pointing out and complimenting every feature of the park and the house that was their des
tination. His speech was couched in the most awed tones, and everything he saw w
as worthy of admiration beyond his capacity. Today was to be their first introduction to her cousin's illustrious patroness,
Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and Mr. Collins was awed by Lady Catherine's condescen
sion in inviting the whole party at the Parsonage to dine at Rosings only two
days after their arrival. He had not anticipated his visitors even being noticed
by Lady Catherine until Sunday at the earliest, and he had scarcely been able t
o talk of anything else all day. Elizabeth's ability to laugh at foolishness and
foibles had stood her in good stead as Mr. Collins carefully instructed his vis
itors in what to expect during their visit, fearful that the sight of such rooms
, of so many servants, and of so splendid a dinner might completely overpower th
em. He had not desisted even as they were dressing, since he had come to each do
or two or three times to encourage them to hurry, saying that Lady Catherine was
not inclined to be kept waiting for her dinner. By the time the party left the
Parsonage for the half-mile walk to Rosings, he had reduced poor Maria Lucas to
an exceedingly frightened condition and Elizabeth to a state of hilarity that sh
e had to struggle to conceal. The situation did not improve when they reached Rosings, since Maria's alarm app
eared to increase with every passing minute and even Sir William seemed affected
. Elizabeth admitted that there were many things in the house and in the park to
be pleased with, but she felt no inclination to be awed or overwhelmed by the o
rnate surroundings. Such was not the state with Maria or her father, though Char
lotte was able to bear the honor with appropriate detachment, having seen it man
y times before. For herself, she believed her courage was sufficient to the task
, since she did not believe that the mere possession of money and rank were enou
gh to disturb her ability to witness them without nervousness. When at last they were admitted to the great lady's presence, they were introduc
ed to her and to her daughter, Anne de Bourgh, along with her companion, Mrs. Je
nkinson. Elizabeth's amusement continued as Sir William was so completely awed b
y her grandeur that he had only courage enough to make a very low bow, while Mar
ia was frightened almost out of her senses and could only sit on the edge of her
chair in complete silence. Elizabeth alone was equal to the challenge and was able to observe the three lad
ies before her with composure. Lady 54 ECatherine was a tall, large woman, well used to speaking in commanding tones and
of being obeyed and was, in sum, exactly what she had expected from her cousin'
s descriptions. But Elizabeth was rather shocked when she turned her eyes toward
her daughter, for she had to join in Maria's astonishment that she was so thi
n and so small. She looked most unlike her mother, being quite pale and sickly
. Elizabeth could see that Miss de Bourgh might have been rather pretty, ex- cep
t for her general unhealthy appearance, and the other girl spoke very little, ex
cept in a low voice to Mrs. Jenkinson. At dinner, Mr. Collins was more lavish in his compliments than ever, as he sat
at the bottom of the table, and he was assisted by Sir William in this endeavor
. Every dish was commended, first by him and then by Sir William, and Lady Cathe
rine seemed quite gratified by their excessive admiration, especially when one
of the dishes appeared to be a novelty to them. Elizabeth had not known what to
expect at Lady Catherine's table, and she was prepared to make conversation a
s the opportunity presented itself. However, she had no opportunity for conversa
tion at first, since she was seated between Charlotte and Miss de Bourgh. The fo
rmer was engaged in listening to Lady Catherine, and the latter initially had
not a word to say. But after some minutes listening to Mr. Collins and Sir Willi
am fawn over Lady Catherine, her spirits led her to make an extra effort with th
e sickly Miss de Bourgh, even though her initial civilities upon sitting down at
the table had drawn little response from the frail girl. Accordingly, she turne
d to Miss de Bourgh and made a more complete introduction of herself, telling th
e other girl where she was from, of her acquaintance with Miss Darcy, and why sh
e was visiting Hunsford. Her efforts initially earned her a glance of considerab
le surprise, and she was struck by the way in which Miss de Bourgh's pale face m
ade her eyes look unnaturally large. As she continued to ask questions of the ot
her girl, Miss de Bourgh began to feel more comfortable, and her single word res
ponses became longer and also came more easily. In this way, Elizabeth was able
to learn that the other girl was four and twenty, enjoyed reading when she was f
eeling strong enough, and had never learned any of the skills which an 'accompli
shed' lady was supposed to learn, such as sewing, playing, singing, or drawing. "I once tried to learn to draw," Miss de Bourgh said in her small voice, "but th
en I became too sick to leave my bed for weeks. When I was able to finally leave
my room, I found that my mother had dismissed the instructor. The opportunity w
as never repeated." "I am quite sorry to hear that, Miss de Bourgh," commiserated Elizabeth, "thou
gh I do not draw myself, nor do any of my sisters." "Four sisters, you said?" wondered Miss de Bourgh with a sigh. "I hardly know ho
w it would feel to have either a sister or a brother. There has just been myself
and my mother, along with dear Mrs. Jenkinson, for my entire life. I cannot eve
n remember my father. If it were not for my books, I sometimes think I would die
of loneliness." "My father might agree with you on books being a refuge, since he is afflicted w
ith a house full of females-six of us and only the one of him!" laughed Elizabet
h. "There are times when he flees into his library like a rabbit escaping from t
he fox!" Miss de Bourgh smiled slightly at the picture thus por- trayed, the first that E
lizabeth had seen, and this appeared to draw Lady Catherine's attention. "Of wha
t are you speaking, Anne?" she asked abruptly. "What are you and Miss Bennet dis
cussing? Let me hear what subject has been the cause of such amusement!" "We were discussing books, your ladyship," responded Elizabeth smoothly, turning
around toward Lady Catherine. "We find that we both enjoy reading, and I told h
er of my father often seeking refuge in his library, for he dearly loves to read." "Of books! Then you must share your conversation, Miss Bennet, for books and the
theatre are subjects in which I have the greatest delight. I do believe that th
ere could be few in all the country who have as much enjoyment of books as mysel
f, and my late husband, Sir Lewis De Bourgh, left a library that is matched only
by the excellent library at my nephew's estate of Pemberley. Anne also delights
in books and has perused many of the classics in her father's library. I am cer
tain that she would have read them all, if her health had allowed it." Elizabeth nodded her head but made no other comment, and Lady Catherine was so
on discussing another topic. Elizabeth resumed her conversation with Miss de Bou
rgh but with greater caution, keeping her tones low to avoid arousing her ladysh
ip's attention again. When the ladies returned to the drawing room, Lady Catherine continued to delive
r her opinions on a variety of subjects in an authoritative manner that brooked
no disagreement. Elizabeth took a seat by Miss de Bourgh, which surprised the ot
her girl, and they attempted to continue their conversation as much as they co
uld, since Lady Catherine addressed a variety of questions both to Maria and to
Elizabeth. She especially asked a number of questions of Elizabeth, of whose con
nections she knew the least and who impressed her, as she told Charlotte, appear
ed to be a very genteel, pretty kind of girl. Elizabeth was somewhat irritated b
y the impertinence of such questioning, but she answered them very composedly. S
he did not hesitate, however, to deliver her opinions forthrightly, which asto
nished Lady Catherine. "Upon my word," said her ladyship, "you give your opinion very decidedly for s
o young a person. Pray, what is your age?" "With three younger sisters grown up," replied Elizabeth smiling, "your ladyship
can hardly expect me to own it." Lady Catherine seemed quite astonished at not receiving a direct answer; and E
lizabeth suspected herself to be the first creature who had ever dared to trifle
with so much dignified impertinence. 55 "You cannot be more than twenty, I am sure, therefore you need not conceal your
age." "I am not one-and-twenty," replied Elizabeth with an enigmatic smile. During one period in which her ladyship was talking to Mrs. Collins and instruct
ing her in the care of her cows and her poultry, Miss de Bourgh leaned over and
said quietly, "I am sorry for the hard questioning you have had from my mother,
Miss Bennet. She has had her way in everything all her life, and no one ever sta
nds up to her. I cannot, and even my cousin Darcy refrains from direct oppositio
n, contenting himself with an occasional comment which commits him to neither on
e side nor the other." Elizabeth somewhat startled at the mention of Darcy's name, and she immediately
chastised herself for her loss of composure. You knew that he was her ladyship's
nephew and Miss de Bourgh's cousin, after all, she thought in exasperation. Did you think to spend five weeks here with Charlotte without ever hearing his n
ame mentioned? Anne de Bourgh could not miss Elizabeth's reaction, and Elizabeth felt called on
to explain. "I had momentarily forgotten the relationship between the de Bour
gh and the Darcy families," she explained. "I met Georgiana Darcy when she and h
er two brothers were staying in Hertfordshire in the fall, and we became fast fr
iends. We exchange several letters a week, though I have not seen her since Janu
ary." "I remember now," Miss de Bourgh said, furrowing her brows in concentration. "Da
rcy's good friend married a young lady from Hertfordshire, and my mother was rat
her put out that he would marry so much lower than his station." Elizabeth smiled and leaned closer to the other girl. "Yes, I know. That was my
elder sister, Jane, and a more genuine and sweeter heart would be impossible to
find." Anne smiled with real delight at this tidbit of information. "Truly? Do you th
ink my mother knows? But of course she does not-she would have remarked on it be
fore now." Elizabeth nodded. "Both Charlotte and Mr. Collins know, of course, since Bingley
married Jane only two days after their own wedding, but I can well understand n
ot desiring to inform her ladyship of an unwelcome bit of news." Both girls smiled in a conspiratorial manner and neither one felt the necessit
y of commenting on their unspoken agreement that this particular piece of news w
ould not be mentioned in her ladyship's hearing. When the gentlemen joined them, the card tables were set up. Lady Catherine, Sir
William, and Mr. and Mrs. Collins sat down to quadrille; while Miss De Bourgh,
Elizabeth, Maria, and Mrs. Jenkinson made up a party to play at casino. Lady Cat
herine's table was by far the greater in volume, as she often spoke of the mista
kes of the other three or related some anecdote about herself. But Elizabeth fou
nd the other table more restful, since she and Miss de Bourgh continued their qu
iet conversation. Mrs. Jenkinson was initially inclined to express her fears tha
t Miss de Bourgh might be too hot or too cold or might have too much or too litt
le light. But after 56 only about ten minutes, she desisted, since she could see that her charge was qu
ite enjoying the quiet exchange that she had with Miss Bennet. When the games ended, Lady Catherine offered her carriage to Mrs. Collins who
gratefully accepted the offer. While waiting for the carriage to be brought arou
nd, the party gathered around the fire to hear Lady Catherine determine what wea
ther they were to have on the morrow. Anne de Bourgh observed that Elizabeth was
having to subdue the amusement she felt at the absurdity of her mother, and she
leaned over to clasp the arm of the younger girl. "Miss Bennet, I would be very happy if you could find the time to come see me of
ten while you are staying." "It would be my pleasure," replied Elizabeth, "but I must ask that you call me E
lizabeth or Lizzy, for I am far too impertinent to feel comfortable being call
ed 'Miss Bennet.'" "And please call me Anne," the other girl said quietly, conscious of the fact th
at Elizabeth was the first person in her life, outside of her relatives, who wou
ld ever call her anything other than the name that she so hated, 'Miss de Bourgh
.' The coach was quickly made ready, and Mr. Collins was as effusive with his grati
tude as might be expected, and his spoken gratitude was matched with many bows f
rom Sir William. As soon as they had boarded the coach and departed, Mr. Collins calle
d on his cousin to give her opinion of all she had seen at Rosings. Since the on
ly real enjoyment that she had felt was her meeting with Anne de Bourgh, Elizabe
th had to make her account more favorable than it was. But her commendations wer
e by no means sufficient to satisfy Mr. Collins, and he was very soon obliged to
take her ladyship's praise into his own hands. 2SIR WILLIAM WAS SOON satisfied that his daughter was most comfortably settled, w
ith a husband and a neighbor such as were not often met with, and he returned to
Hertfordshire in a week. While Sir William was at Hunsford, Mr. Collins devoted
his mornings to showing his father-in-law around the country in his gig. Elizab
eth thus saw little of her cousin during this week, spending pleasant hours with
Charlotte undiminished by the presence of her husband and often walking out int
o Rosings park. She also accepted Anne de Bourgh's invitation to come see her, a
nd usually stopped by Rosings most days. When Sir William departed, Elizabeth was thankful to find that she saw little mo
re of her cousin, for he spent most of his time between breakfast and dinner eit
her working in his garden, in reading and writing, or in looking out the window
of his own book-room toward the door. Elizabeth was at first surprised that the
room in which the ladies sat was toward the back of the house, but she quickly s
aw that her friend had an excellent reason for having made this arrangement. If Charlotte had selected the dining parlor for common use, Mr. Collins would ha
ve undoubtedly spent less time in his own room and more time in the better-sized
room, and she gave Charlotte credit for a clever arrangement. Mr. Collins was thus able to inform them every time Miss de Bourgh drove by in h
er phaeton, which happened almost every day, and usually both Elizabeth and Char
lotte went out to meet her. They would spend several minutes in conversation bef
ore Anne drove on, and Elizabeth could well understand why she seldom could be p
revailed on to get out. Obviously, Anne suffered from some unknown malady, and h
er own conversations with the girl made her aware that the fashionable society d
octor who looked in on her monthly had no idea what afflicted her. "At least he no longer tries to bleed me or to affix leeches," Anne told Elizabe
th during one conversation in her room. "That treatment has been discredited for years!" Elizabeth said, with a shudder
at the mere thought. "Which was probably the last time Dr. Edmond had an original thought," responded
Anne bitterly. It was during the same conversation that Anne informed Elizabeth that Lady Cathe
rine was expecting her nephews, Darcy and his cousin Fitzwilliam, to visit her.
Elizabeth was able to hear this news with composure, for she had earlier been in
formed of it by Charlotte. In any case, she believed that her efforts over the p
ast months in London had given her the capacity to think of Darcy with considera
bly more equanimity than she had possessed in Hertfordshire. She initially had c
onsidered writing her Uncle Gardiner to ask him to send his coach for her earlie
r than planned, but then she dismissed the notion. She knew that she must learn
to be in Darcy's presence in the future without undue distress, for her friendsh
ip with Georgiana and Jane's marriage to his good friend would make such occasio
ns occur with at least some frequency. The entertainment of dining at Rosings was repeated about twice a week, though E
lizabeth had several times been invited by Anne to share luncheon with her. It d
istressed her that her friend was unable to eat very much, which was un- doubted
ly partially responsible for her ill-health. "Very often the mere sight of food
is enough to make me ill," Anne told her one day when they were sharing a tray i
n Anne's room. "My appetite seems to come and go, but I have learned that often when I have reg
ained a good appetite, I will wake up in the middle of the night with the most a
trocious stomach pains." She grimaced as she continued in a subdued voice, "That is when it gets really bad, Elizabeth. I cannot stop disgorging what I had
earlier eaten, and then I get so very ill that sometimes I do not know if I wil
l live or die or even if I care which chance occurs." On those occasions, Elizabeth would go sit by the older but smaller girl and put
her arms around her to comfort her while sobs shook her slight figure. She felt
completely helpless to do anything material to help, and she also felt guilty f
or her robust health while her friend was so frail. Other than dining at Rosings, their other engagements were few, as the style of
living of the neighborhood in general was beyond the Collins' reach. This, how
ever, was no evil to Elizabeth, and upon the whole she spent her time comfortabl
y enough. She often had pleasant half-hours of conversation with Charlotte, and
her developing friendship with Anne gave her pleasure also. She often played f
or the other girl, who enjoyed music but had never been able to learn, and Lady
Catherine often paused to listen while Elizabeth played for her daughter. On sev
eral of those occasions, Elizabeth had caught an unguarded expression of conce
rn on her ladyship's face, and these occasional moments of uncharacteristic moth
erly worry were in stark contrast to her usual confident and arrogant demeanor.
Elizabeth had not anticipated ever feeling any sympathy for Lady Catherine, but
she found that she could not harden her heart to the older woman on those occasi
ons. In this quiet way the first fortnight of her visit soon passed away, and the app
roaching Easter and the week preceding it meant that Darcy and his cousin would
soon be arriving. Lady Catherine had spoken of him in terms of the highest admir
a- tion, and it was Maria Lucas who first informed her ladyship that she and Mis
s Bennet had already made his acquaintance when he stayed in Hertfordshire. From
this piece of information, which was received by Lady Catherine almost with a
nger that she would not be able to make the introduction, Maria then went on to
mention that his good friend Bingley was married to Miss Bennet's elder sister
. This latter news was received with even less cheer than had been the previous
information, though Maria Lucas did not have the insight to realize either that
Lady Catherine was upset nor the reason for it. Darcy's arrival was soon known at the Parsonage; for Mr. Collins spent the whole
morning anxiously waiting with his eye on Hunsford Lane in order to be assured
of sighting the carriage arriving. He was successful in his endeavor, and, after
making his bow as the carriage turned into the Park, hurried home with the news
. He informed the ladies of the arrival of the cousins and said that he would ma
ke haste to Rosings early in the morning to pay his respects. In this endeavor, Mr. Collins was not successful, for later in the afternoon one
of the servants came to the back room where Elizabeth was sitting with Charlott
e and Maria to give them information that a party was approaching the Parsonage
from Rosings. Charlotte and Elizabeth looked at each other in surprise, but at h
er suggestion they immediately repaired downstairs to the dining parlor. When th
e bell rang shortly afterward, the ladies were consumed with curiosity at what c
ould have prompted the cousins to so soon make a call at the Parsonage. The need for an explanation was made unnecessary when the door to the dining par
lor opened and one of the servants announced, "Miss Darcy, Mr. Darcy, Colonel Fi
tzwilliam, and Master David Darcy!" Elizabeth had looked up in astonishment at hearing the servant's announcement, a
nd she now sprang to her feet as 57 she saw Georgiana enter the room before her brothers, a wide smile on her face a
t having surprised her friend so successfully. They met in the center of the r
oom in a sisterly embrace, laughing at the surprise and both of them trying to t
alk at the same time to express their mutual pleasure at the meeting. After the two friends separated, Georgiana took Elizabeth's arm and introduced h
er cousin, who had been the last to enter the room. "Elizabeth, I would like you
to meet my cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam. Richard is the younger son of m
y uncle, Lord Matlock and also one of William's oldest friends." Colonel Fitzwilliam bowed low as Elizabeth gave a graceful curtsey. "I have be
en looking forward to making your acquaintance since London, Miss Elizabeth, sin
ce Georgiana has done nothing but sing your praises during the entire journey. A
ccording to her, you are the most beautiful, most accomplished, and the most che
erful lady in all of England, and the evidence of my own senses allows me to ver
ify that she has not exaggerated the first of these descriptions." So saying, th
e Colonel bowed again over Elizabeth's hand and lightly kissed her fingers. Elizabeth blushed at the laudatory compliments and flat- tery of the Colonel and
could only say to Georgiana, "Oh, my." Georgiana grinned in delight, her amusement spread equally between her cousin an
d her friend. "Does not Richard have the most delightful manners, Elizabeth? But
I must warn you-he is a great favorite among the ladies in town, and any number
of them hang on his every word at the society gatherings." "A younger son must develop fine manners, Georgie," said the Colonel cheerfully.
"Thomas-my older brother, Miss Bennet!-can afford bad manners, since he will be
Lord Matlock one day. But a poor younger son like myself must be more careful a
nd cannot afford to make enemies. Thus, I have endeavored to make myself pleasan
t and to be on the most friendly terms with everybody." "Perhaps true," commented Darcy, stepping forward to greet Elizabeth, "but it re
mains true your best manners are reserved for those 'everybodies' who are both f
emale and attractive." Colonel Fitzwilliam only laughed tolerantly at his cousin's jibe, and Elizabet
h took the opportunity to introduce Charlotte and Maria to him. His greeting of
them was just as civil as before, if perhaps not quite as flattering, and he qui
ckly sat beside Charlotte and easily engaged the two sisters in conversation. Meanwhile, her introductions completed, Elizabeth turned back to greet David. Th
e younger boy was beaming with delight at having so successfully surprised Eliza
beth, almost dancing from foot to foot in his exuberance, and Elizabeth could no
t keep from smiling at his good cheer. She invited him to sit with Georgiana and
herself, and soon the three friends were talking and laughing in the best of hu
mor. 58 Darcy stood silently with them for a while, a slight smile on his face at seeing
his brother and sister so happy, and he was greatly cheered at his sister havin
g chosen her friend so wisely. Miss Bennet is a much better influence on both of
them than Miss Bingley, he thought, and even if Charles is such a good friend,
I must think of what is best for Georgiana-and also David. Darcy had considered
inviting Bingley and his wife to visit Pemberley in the summer when Miss Bennet
was scheduled to visit Georgiana, but he decided against it, at least until he c
ould determine whether Bingley might bring one or both of his sisters. For her part, Elizabeth was quite pleased by the visit, both because she was abl
e to renew her friendship with Georgiana and also because she had felt that she
had handled the meeting with her brother in a disinterested manner. Yes, she h
ad felt the tug at her emotions, but she had demonstrated that she could meet Da
rcy without experiencing the surge of emotions which had previously marked the
ir meetings. Yes, she thought to herself, I shall be quite able to withstand his
near- ness and the way he affected me in Hertfordshire. I believe that everyone
will see that we meet only as casual and disinterested acquaintances! However, Elizabeth, as she glanced over admiringly at Darcy's tall figure as he
crossed the room to stare out the window, was not even aware that she had alre
ady done the same for at least two score times. If she had been questioned at wh
y she was unable to keep her eyes off Darcy, she would not even have known what
the questioner was talking about. Elizabeth's actions, even though she was not consciously aware of them, had not
passed unwitnessed by other observ- ers. Georgiana and David had observed her fr
equent glances toward their brother with growing wonder, and they both shared a
glance that said they would have much to discuss when they returned to Rosings.
But if the two younger siblings were unaware of the reason behind Elizabeth's be
- havior, the same could not be said about two other observ- ers. Based on her o
bservations in Hertfordshire, Charlotte was now convinced of Elizabeth's attract
ion. And Colonel Fitzwilliam, because of his many and varied experiences with la
dies from many walks of life, almost instantly recognized what Elizabeth so blit
hely thought was completely hidden. Does Darcy not even have the slightest clue what is going on? thought Fitzwilliam wonderingly as he watched Darcy unconsciously flex his leg
s, rising up on his toes as he stood by the window, stretching out muscles cramp
ed by their journey from London, while Miss Bennet was literally unable to stop
glancing over at him. Chapter 15 After the party from Rosings departed, Charlotte turned to Elizabeth. "I believe
that we must thank you, Eliza, for this piece of civility. I am sure that Mr. D
arcy would not have brought his brother and sister and would never have come so soon
to wait upon me if you were not here." Elizabeth did not attempt to disclaim this compliment. She only smiled as she sa
id, "I believe that Georgiana quite enjoyed her surprise. Until I happened to me
ntion that I was visiting in one of my letters, she had requested her brother to
leave her and David in London while he visited Lady Catherine. I believe," she
added dryly, "that Georgiana may not find her aunt's many suggestions nearly as
amusing as I do, seeing that her ladyship has no means of asserting her influenc
e on me." Charlotte only smiled at her friend's comment and returned to her sewing, whil
e Elizabeth announced her plans to walk through the park before supper. On the following morning, Elizabeth followed her usual custom of walking out in
the morning and then stopping by Rosings to ask if Anne was feeling well enough
for a visit. This morning, Anne was not only available and feeling tolerably well, but she
was already sitting with Georgiana in her room when Elizabeth was shown in. "Good morning, Lizzy," said Anne with a smile as she held out her hand to her fr
iend, who squeezed it gently before seating herself in a chair by Anne's small d
esk. "I was just speaking to Georgiana about you, and she was saying that she wa
s doubly glad that she found out you were here. She evidently was planning to li
nger in London in order to avoid the ordeal of dealing with my mother's attempt
to manage all the fine details of her life." Georgiana colored and tried to stammer an excuse, but Anne only laughed delighte
dly. "Come, come, Georgiana. Elizabeth and I have no secrets about my mother. Sh
e has described her own mother to me, and we have decided that her mother has too litt
le sense and my mother has too much-and is too willing to share it!-and that her
mother allowed her daughters to grow up without guidance, while my mother excel
s in providing guidance-to me and to everyone else! We have even amused oursel
ves by considering what each of them might be like if we could just mix their te
mperaments together!" The three girls shared a private laugh, then Anne cocked her head as she looked
at Georgiana. "You shall be ready for a season in town, cousin, and sooner than
you think. Your figure is already better developed than many ladies can ever hop
e for." This brought on another blush from Georgiana, which made both Elizabeth and Anne
laugh softly. "Certainly better than Miss Bingley, I believe," said Elizabeth in sly consideration. "And better than mine, for I am too sickly," added Anne. "And I am too thin," said Elizabeth. "Though I much prefer the word 'slender'-it
sounds so much better than 'thin' or, even worse, 'skinny!'" "And Lizzy also tells me that you are so accomplished you make her feel uneducat
ed! Come, cousin, we must find you a husband while we less accomplished girls ha
ve a shred of self respect left!" Georgiana was now bright red, but she was having trouble demanding that the othe
r two girls stop teasing her because she was also seized by a fit of giggling. A
t last, she interrupted Elizabeth to say sternly, "Stop, stop now, I beg you-you
must allow me to catch my breath!" "I wonder," said Elizabeth in consideration, looking at Anne thoughtfully. "Has
anyone ever died from embarrassment?" Georgiana was seized by another fit of giggling and laughing, and when she fin
ally caught her breath, she said to Anne, "It has been at least two years since
I last saw you, cousin, but I definitely do not remember you being so lively."?"I caught it from Lizzy," smi
led Anne. "She calls herself 'impertinent,' but I call it a breath of clean air.
I had not realized just how much I had retreated into my shell until she came t
o visit a fortnight ago." Her smile faded into a sad look as she continued, "I h
ad almost given up trying to deal with my mother, and I seem to just get a littl
e weaker and more sickly every year."?"But does your mother not consult a doctor?" asked Georgiana.?Anne shook her head sadly. "The only doctor I see is old Dr. Edmond, and he does not have any idea what ails me. He keeps telling my moth
er that I am improving, but it is a lie-he tells her what she wants to hear, and
she ignores the evidence of her own eyes." "You do not have consumption," said Elizabeth firmly. "Whatever ails you is asso
ciated with how your body handles food."?"Perhaps," said Anne uncertainly, "though Dr. Edmond did not deny that I had consumption when I asked him." "You do not have it," rep
eated Elizabeth. "You told me that you do not have fevers and your lungs sounded
clear when I listened to them. One of the ladies in Hertfordshire died from it,
and she had fevers often, and her lungs got worse and worse until she was cough
ing up blood. You could hear her fight to breathe from across the room." She shuddered. "It was awful. But you do not have
consumption, Anne. That I am sure of." "My brother knows of several young docto
rs who are very skilled and knowledgeable, Anne. I shall ask him if one of them might visit you."?Anne shook her head. "I do not believe that my mother would allow any doctor other than Dr. Edmonds to see me." 59 "Then you should visit Georgiana in London when she returns and the doctor can v
isit you there," suggested Elizabeth. Anne smiled. "And deceive my mother? What a wonderful idea!" And all three gir
ls laughed in good humor and spent the morning in quite agreeable conversation. 2COLONEL FITZWILLIAM CALLED AT the Parsonage shortly after noon to deliver a mess
age from Lady Catherine that the whole party was invited to supper at Rosings. T
he Colonel was about thirty, Elizabeth estimated, and while he was not really ha
ndsome, he was, in his person and his address most truly the gentleman. The ladi
es had admired his manners very much during his visit the previous days, and the
y all felt that he must add considerably to the pleasure of their engagements at
Rosings. Elizabeth quite enjoyed his conversation, and, when he mentioned some of the new
s from the continent and the war with Bonaparte, she questioned him about milita
ry life. Colonel Fitzwilliam was rather dismissive of the subject, as he said, "
As a younger son, I had to find some occupation. My brother Thomas is the eldest
and will be Lord Matlock when my good father passes. George is the next eldest,
and he went to sea as a midshipman when he was thirteen and I was just ten. Tha
t left the army for me, and my younger brother Stephen has gone into the church.
""I have heard that your brother in the navy has done quite well," said Charlotte
. "Her ladyship was talking of it one evening, and she showed us a story in the
Naval Gazette which said that he had captured several rich prizes and was being
given command of a brand new frigate as a reward." Colonel Fitzwilliam nodded. "Quite true, Mrs. Collins. George has actually becom
e rather wealthy from prize money and will be able to purchase a fine estate-i
f he ever lives to retire from the sea, that is." He shook his head. "George is
as brave as a lion, and he doesn't know how to back away from a fight that he ca
nnot win. I do have my fears on his behalf." He smiled at the ladies. "Luckily,
in my case, there is precious little danger in mounting parades in London. The m
ajor hazard is from pickpockets and sneak thieves. And the press gangs, of cours
e-I had to go to Portsmouth to retrieve two ordinary soldiers who had been press
ed aboard one of His Majesty's ships of the line. The First Lieutenant got downr
ight belligerent before he let me have my men back." Elizabeth smiled to herself as the Colonel talked. Georgiana had told her a some
what different story about her cousin, for she admired him greatly. Certainly, h
is opportunity to see employment on the continent was less than that of his br
other, since Britain was a maritime power and ruled the seas, while Bonaparte wa
s a military power and 60 ruled much of the continent. But perhaps she might discon- cert the good Colonel
just a bit... "Georgiana mentioned that you were with General Wellesley in Spain, Colonel," sh
e smiled innocently. "Were you employed in 'mounting parades' there also?" Colonel Fitzwilliam looked at her sharply and then threw back his head in laught
er. "Who has been telling tales, I wonder? Probably young David, I would wager.
He is quite apt to indulge in a little undeserved hero-worship." Elizabeth smiled a bit more as she let the trap close gently on the good Colonel
. "Actually, it was Georgiana, and she was only quoting her older brother, who s
aid that you were often employed on the King's business and that you have been
several times mentioned in Dispatches and in the Gazette." She beamed cheerfull
y at the Colonel. "Undoubtedly for your fine form on parade, would you not guess
, Charlotte?" Fitzwilliam looked at Elizabeth intently for a few moments and smiled. "Remind
me not to play at hazard with you, Miss Elizabeth. You do have a most innocent
look about you that can be very deceptive." "Why, thank you, Colonel," Elizabeth said dryly. "It helps when one has such use
ful sources of information." "No doubt, no doubt," agreed the Colonel, before standing. "We shall see you a
ll then for supper, Mrs. Collins. And now, I had best return to my aunt's side w
hile I still have a few military secrets unrevealed. Until this evening, ladies,
" he said with a quick bow. 2THE HUNSFORD PARTY WALKED to Rosings at the proper hour, and supper was served s
oon afterwards. It was soon plain that the invitation must have been issued at t
he urging of the new arrivals rather than as the desire of their aunt. Lady Cath
erine received them civilly enough, but she was almost completely engrossed by h
er nephews and niece, speaking to them, especially to Darcy, much more than to a
ny other person in attendance. In addition to Georgiana and David, Colonel Fitzwilliam was also pleased to see
the visitors, since anything was a welcome relief to him when at Rosings. Fitzwi
lliam was also most interested in Mrs. Collins' pretty friend and in confirming
his suspicion of the meaning of her reaction to his cousin Darcy the previous da
y. Thus, while he conversed in his pleasant, easy manner with the others in the
Hunsford party, he was also surreptitiously watching Elizabeth. In a half-hour,
his suspicions were confirmed on two particulars: Miss Elizabeth Bennet was mo
st definitely hopelessly smitten with his cousin Darcy, and his cousin Darcy had
not a single clue of her feelings. Fitzwilliam was almost completely certain of
the second point before supper was over, and he was able to confirm his convict
ion over port and cigars by judging Darcy's reaction to several questions he asked about when Darcy planned to settle down himself and produce a Darcy heir.
His cousin's responses showed only amusement at how so many people seemed to be
playing matchmaker lately. Fitzwilliam also found that as regarded Miss Bennet,
Darcy was quite impressed with her sense and character, but only as it made her
a fitting friend for Georgiana. Fitzwilliam mentally shook his head in resigned
amusement at his cousin's thickness. Then he looked over at Mr. Collins, who was
blathering on about some anecdote concerning his aunt, and he had to improve hi
s opinion of his cousin. Perhaps Darcy is not so much thick as just...single- mi
nded, he thought, taking another sip of his port. Perhaps, but at this rate ther
e will never be a Darcy heir for Pemberley unless David produces one! After supper was completed and the gentlemen joined the ladies, Fitzwilliam made
haste to seat himself beside Miss Bennet where she sat with Georgiana and David
. The two girls were already talking of music, and Colonel Fitzwilliam joined th
e conversation easily and had much to contribute. David mostly observed, for he
was taking pains to make himself unobtrusive. It was already past the usual ho
ur at which he retired to his bedchamber, and he was hoping to escape his brothe
r's attention for as long as he could. His aunt was his unwitting ally in this e
ndeavor, since she was clearly bent on maintaining her hold on his brother's att
ention. David felt rather sorry for his brother, for his aunt had again circled around t
o the topic of Anne and her much improved health and how soon she would be able
to take her proper place in society. David knew that these were his aunt's unwri
tten code words for arranging a match between William and Anne. He also knew from what his brother had told him that this had
been his aunt's firm desire for many years. He was not exactly sure what his bro
ther's opinion of his aunt's desire was, for William was very careful to be comp
letely noncommittal, but he could also see from the expression of embarrassment
and faint distaste on Anne's thin face that she found no delight in her mother's
conversation. And the very thinness of his cousin's face belied the words of
her mother, for Anne was obviously far from being in good health. In her single-minded goal of matching Anne with his brother, David could not hel
p but be reminded of another lady of his acquaintance. He was certain that his a
unt would be outraged if she knew that she reminded him greatly of Mrs. Bennet i
n their shared obsession to marry off their daughters. Outraged she might be, Da
vid thought gleefully, but the similarities are all too clear! The thought was a
musing, and he could not wait to share it with Georgiana. He was certain that on
e or the other of them could find an opportunity to drop this observation into
casual conversation with his brother. It would fit in quite well with the plan
that he and Georgiana had formed to recommend their friend, Miss Elizabeth, to t
heir brother whenever possible. Why cannot William see how well they are matched? David thought. He is such a wonderful bro
ther and guardian in so many ways, but he does lack somewhat in liveliness and humor, and I believe Miss Elizabeth would b
e the perfect lady to teach him that! In the meantime, David was perfectly comfortable where he was, partially shelter
ed from his brother's sight behind his sister. And while he did not want to brin
g attention to himself by actually entering the conversation of the three others
, he still found enjoyment listening to their conversation as they talked of Ken
t and of Hertfordshire, of traveling and staying at home, of new books and music
.Elizabeth was quite enjoying the conversation with Colonel Fitzwilliam. His mann
ers were so engaging and his conversation so intelligent that she imagined that
she was interested enough to completely forget about Darcy at the other end of t
he room near his aunt. The conversation of the three grew so spirited and flowed
so easily that it finally drew the attention of Lady Catherine, who did not scr
uple to call out down the length of the room in her penetrating voice, "What is
that you are saying, Fitzwilliam? What is it you are talking of? What are you te
lling my niece and Miss Bennet? Let me hear what it is!" "We are speaking of music, madam," Fitzwilliam said, when he was no longer able
to avoid a reply. "Of music! Then pray speak aloud! It is of all subjects my delight! I must have
my share in the conversation if you are speaking of music! There are few people
in England, I suppose, who have more true enjoyment of music than myself, or a
better natural taste. If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficie
nt. And so would Anne, if her health had allowed her to apply. I am confident th
at she would have performed delightfully." Anne herself was by no means so certain, and she greatly wished she could escape
her mother's notice. She would have much preferred to be seated with her friend
and her cousin, but she had been compelled by her mother's desire to sit beside
her. Lady Catherine's chair was a massive, throne-like affair, and she commande
d Anne to sit in the smaller chair to one side. Only long practice kept Anne fro
m showing the whole of her embarrassment at her mother's rude behavior, but even
practice did not allow her to stop the small circles of red that marked her pal
e cheeks. Now that the subject of music had been raised, Lady Catherine turned back to Dar
cy. "And how do Georgiana's music lessons get on, Darcy?" Mr. Darcy was pleased to comment on his sister's proficiency, but he had no in
clination to slight the efforts of his brother when he commented, "Mrs. Richards
is quite pleased with the progress of both Georgiana and David, Aunt." Lady Catherine sniffed audibly at the last remark, for she did not think it appr
opriate either for David to be instructed in music or for Georgiana to be inst
ructed in mathematics and history. Darcy already knew as much, and he half-exp
ected her to voice her displeasure, even in front of guests. But his aunt surpri
sed him by showing rare restraint. Instead, she simply ignored what she did not
favor when she responded, "I am very glad to hear such a good account of 6? her, Darcy. But you must be firm with her and make sure that she practices const
antly, for she cannot expect to excel if she does not practice a great deal." Darcy was none too pleased at his aunt commenting on his sister as if she was no
t there or with her omission of David, but he mentally shrugged. His usual manne
r of dealing with his aunt was to avoid offending or confronting her, and her
opinion did not really signify, for the raising of his siblings was his responsi
bility and not hers. So he contented himself with a milder response than he migh
t otherwise have offered when he replied, "I assure you, madam, that neither Geo
rgiana nor David require such advice, for they both practice very constantly." "So much the better. It cannot be done too much; and she must not neglect it on
any account. I often tell young ladies that no excellence in music is to be acqu
ired without constant practice. I have told Miss Bennet several times that she w
ill never play really well unless she practices more; and though Mrs. Collins ha
s no instrument, she is very welcome, as I have often told her, to come to Rosin
gs every day, and play on the piano forte in Mrs. Jenkinson's room. She would be
in nobody's way, you know, in that part of the house." Mr. Darcy looked rather ashamed of his aunt's ill-breeding, and made no answer
. Anne's cheeks turned bright red, but she also made no response. But Georgiana
stiffened in outrage and had started to lean forward to make an angry response t
o her aunt when she felt Elizabeth's hand lightly touch her arm. She looked over
quickly at her friend, and Elizabeth only shook her head very slightly as she s
truggled to hide her amusement. Georgiana's lips were still compressed in anger
as she sat back, but she realized her friend was right-Lady Catherine's criticis
ms could not really matter, so Elizabeth was simply ignoring them. Colonel Fitzwilliam saw the unspoken interplay between the two girls and was imp
ressed by Miss Bennet's intelligence and tact. Nothing would ever change the b
ehavior of his aunt-she had been too long accustomed to having her own way with
none to gainsay her, and Miss Elizabeth was entirely correct in deciding that no
good result was likely to come from an open confrontation. When coffee was over, Colonel Fitzwilliam urged both Elizabeth and Georgiana to
play for the party, reminding Elizabeth that she had earlier promised to play fo
r him. Georgiana was still rather irritated with her aunt and declined the invit
ation. However, David had noticed that during the past several minutes he had dr
awn a number of glances from his brother, which probably meant that he was on th
e verge of being ordered to bed. Hence, David was struck by the thought that if
he joined Miss Elizabeth at the instrument, he might secure an additional delay
before he had to retire. Thus, he quickly offered to play a duet with Elizabeth
and to turn the pages while she played. Elizabeth instantly guessed the object of David's plan, and she quite willingly
agreed to his offer. However, after they made a selection of several pieces of s
heet music from 62 those stacked on the top of the instrument and started to play, Lady Catherine o
nly listened to half a song before turning away to talk as before to Darcy. But her intention to monopolize her nephew's attentions did not achieve the succ
ess that she hoped for, since Darcy would rather hear his brother play than to s
tand in unrespon- sive silence while her ladyship held the stage. He did not say
a word, nor did he ostentatiously walk away from his aunt. He simply began to g
radually move away from his aunt toward the other side of the room. But, in addi
tion to desiring to hear his brother play, he had only now checked his watch and
realized that the hour was later than he had belived, and that David should hav
e already been in bed. Elizabeth was directly aware that Darcy had begun moving deliberately toward h
er end of the room, and it suddenly seemed as if it had gotten much harder for h
er to breathe. From the look in Darcy's eyes as he approached, she judged that D
avid's success in eluding his bedtime was about to come to an end. Still, despit
e her estimation of Darcy's purpose, it looked as if he was coming closer to h
ear her play, and the thought was almost enough to make her lose her place. She
forced herself to concentrate on the music and ignore Darcy until she and David
completed their duet. Then, sitting back, she then made herself look up at Dar
cy's towering figure as she attempted an arch smile. "What can be the object of this calm and stealthy approach, Mr. Darcy? Surely
you cannot intend to turn the pages for me, for your brother is already performi
ng that duty quite well. Indeed, I should quickly lose my place if he were not s
o employed!" "Indeed, Miss Bennet, you cannot believe that to be my primary intention," Darcy
replied with a smile. "And I have had the pleasure of your acquaintance long en
ough to believe that you have probably divined my purpose-which is to note tha
t it is more than an hour past the time when my brother usually retires. So, Dav
id, since you have now finished your piece with Miss Bennet, I believe that you
must relinquish your duties to another. Richard, perhaps you would be willing to
assist Miss Bennet?" "Alas, Darcy, I fear that I am far too comfortable digesting the roast pheasan
t to stir from this chair," responded Colonel Fitzwilliam with a lazy wave of hi
s hand, indeed looking the part as he sprawled in boneless lassitude in a stuffe
d chair. "If David must leave us to seek the healing balm of sleep, I fear you w
ill have to take his part yourself." Darcy looked enquiringly at Georgiana, who declined with a small shake of her he
ad. "Then it appears that I must be a poor substitute for my brother, Miss Benne
t, though I cannot read music and will not know when to turn the page." "That should not be a problem, Will," said David, rising to do his brother's bid
ding. "Miss Elizabeth will let you know the same way she does for me-when she ki
cks you in the shin, turn the page." Colonel Fitzwilliam laughed aloud, and even Darcy smiled as David said his good
nights to his aunt and sister before departing for his room. No one else in the room saw the wink he shared wi
th his sister as he passed by her chair, nor did they see the smile that Georgia
na stifled before it ever reached her serene face. As Darcy sat down beside her in preparation for his duties, Elizabeth made herse
lf concentrate on selecting the next piece and tried to ignore Darcy's disturbin
g presence beside her. She was not sure how successful she was, but she managed
to begin to play. Her fingers, at least, did not be- tray her, and she progresse
d down the first page. When she was coming to the end of the page, she managed t
o whisper, "Now," and Darcy obediently turned to the next page. Colonel Fitzwilliam observe
d all this with amusement but it did not affect his composure, for he had alread
y seen all that he needed to see to determine the situation between the couple a
t the pianoforte. His problem was in determining what to do and how to do it.?But Anne, sitting at the other end of the room, had
only now put an interpretation on what she had seen. Her life as a spectator, coupled
with her natural talent, had given her much more insight into the character of
others than her mother possessed. She had observed the way Elizabeth's color ros
e when Darcy neared her. Surprising as that had been, the slight confusion that
had shown on Elizabeth's normally confident face when Darcy sat down beside her
was even more so. Anne then watched in disbelief as her friend desperately tried
to concentrate on the music and to ignore Darcy as he hovered beside her, ready
to turn the page. The combination of events had struck her with the stunning re
alization that Darcy was affecting Elizabeth in a manner that left only one expl
anation. The mere thought of that astonishing circumstance was almost too surpri
sing to contain, and Anne glanced around the room to see if anyone else had noti
ced what she had seen. Anne quickly dismissed her mother and Mr. Collins. They had noticed nothing what
soever and were talking-or rather her mother was talking and Mr. Collins was fawning-and ignoring the mus
ic. She looked at Georgiana, and she believed that neither she nor David had not
iced the significance of what they had seen. They simply were not experienced en
ough in the ways of the world. Anne looked at Mrs. Collins, who certainly knew t
hat something had occurred. Her brow was furrowed and she was looking intently
at Elizabeth and Darcy, but Anne could not tell just what Mrs. Collins had dedu
ced. Then she glanced at Colonel Fitzwilliam, and there she met a shock that almost m
ade her swoon. Not only had he noticed everything, he obviously had already work
ed out what had just occurred to Anne. In addition, he appeared to have deduced
that Anne had just solved the puzzle, for he gave her a very slight smile, incli
ned his head ever so slightly toward her, and winked! Anne leaned back in the chair, ignoring her mother's conversation. Elizabeth i
s absolutely swooning over cousin Darcy! she thought in amazement. I would never
have believed it, but there it is! And I would bet that my dour and dutiful cousin has not even the sl
ightest idea! She looked down the room at Colonel Fitzwilliam, frowning slightly
in thought. She absolutely had no idea what to do. Perhaps a talk with her cous
in Richard might help, but Anne was by now getting worried. She did not want Eli
zabeth to get hurt, but she could envision too many possibilities in which that
would be the result. Elizabeth tried to maintain her concentration on her playing, but she was having
difficulty determining how successful she was. Darcy was seemingly content to
turn the page of the music when commanded, and Colonel Fitzwilliam was sitting
back in the chair, his eyes closed in concentration. He was lavish in his praise
for each selection, but Elizabeth did not feel her attempts were up to the prai
se they received. Finally, Lady Catherine left her chair and approached the instrument. After list
ening for a few minutes, she said to Darcy, "Miss Bennet would not play at all a
miss if she practiced more and could have the advantage of a London master. She
has a very good notion of fingering, though her taste is not equal to Anne's. An
ne would have been a delightful performer, had her health allowed her to learn
." Darcy flushed at the rudeness of his aunt's comments and commented acidly, "Mrs.
Richards has had the pleasure of hearing Miss Bennet play, and she was quite la
vish with her praise, aunt." Lady Catherine only waved this rebuke aside carelessly and continued her remarks
on Elizabeth's performance, mix- ing with them many instructions on execution a
nd taste. Elizabeth did not respond, and she concentrated on her music until h
er ladyship's carriage was ready to take them all home. 63 Chapter 16 From that time, the cousins walked the distance from Rosings to the Parsonage al
most every day. They called at various times of the morning, sometimes separat
ely, sometimes together, and now and then accompanied by their aunt. Georgiana and David came as often as they could
be spared from their lessons, and twice they were able to entice Anne into desce
nding from her phaeton and joining them inside the house. In response, on most
afternoons Elizabeth called at Rosings, to spend time with either Anne or Georg
iana and sometimes both. It was plain that Colonel Fitzwilliam came visiting because he had pleasure in t
he society of the ladies at the Parsonage, an explanation that could not help bu
t please them. Elizabeth felt such satisfaction in being with him that she sever
al times wondered why her traitorous emotions had not fixed on him rather than o
n his cousin. It would have made many things much easier, she thought ironically
, her humor sustaining her even in her misery. And that misery was accentuated by the last of the visitors, for Darcy quite o
ften accompanied the visiting party. Elizabeth suspected that his attendance was
due to his approval of her friendship with his sister and his desire to en- c
ourage the acquaintance-she was unfortunately all too aware that he did not visi
t to see her. But though she had correctly deduced Darcy's reasons, she was too
well aware that his reasons were of little moment to her, for she found that she
was becoming more rather than less pained by his presence every day. Her previo
us satisfaction that she had mastered her emotions had vanished after that first
evening at Rosings. Because her head was so often lowered when Darcy visited at
the Parsonage, as she tried to concentrate on some sewing or on a book, she did
not see the sympathetic looks sometimes flashed her way by Colonel Fitzwilliam
or by Charlotte. But neither of them could see any way to alleviate Elizabeth's
condition, though they were both increasingly worried by it. Her customary attempt to seek the healing balm of nature in her early morning
walks had several times had the reverse effect when she happened upon Darcy taki
ng his morning ride with his brother and cousin. She could not see Darcy, or eve
n David, on a horse without being reminded of that eventful morning in Hertfords
hire when she was first forced to face her attachment to Darcy. Though the three
riders almost always stopped to politely pay their respects, Elizabeth was not
certain that she was able to respond in an appropriately civil manner. In fact,
she had a hard time maintaining any composure with respect to Fitzwilliam Darc
y. Elizabeth reached her breaking point at church on the Sunday following Easter, w
hen she sat with Charlotte in the pew behind Darcy and his sister and brother. S
he could not 64 take her eyes off his tall figure, and she noticed that his attendance at chur
ch was obviously more than a mere social obligation, for he appeared to know a
ll the hymns by heart and hardly had to consult his prayerbook. She felt the yea
rning in her heart to sit beside him, sharing his prayerbook on this most solemn
occasion, but every such though was instantly squelched by her consciousness of
the impossibility of such a daydream. It was at that point that Elizabeth knew
that she had to do something to stop this downward emotional spiral, that she ha
d to act now to save herself. She had always scoffed at the romantic novels whic
h had the hero or heroine driven to the point of taking their own life, and, tho
ugh she felt not the slightest temptation to do the same, she could for the firs
t time understand how some other person might come to that point. She felt the t
ears of helplessness flow down her cheeks, and in her misery she wanted nothing
more than to be back in her room at the Parsonage and away from the presence of
Fitzwilliam Darcy. At the end of the service, Elizabeth immediately was out of her seat and down th
e isle to the door of the chapel. She did not see the curious or sympathetic eye
s that watched her going-she concentrated only on seeking refuge. And as soon as
she safely reached that refuge in her room, Elizabeth sat down immediately at h
er writing desk and wrote an urgent missive to her uncle, asking him to arrange
an early return to his house as soon as may be. 2GEORGIANA HAD CALLED ON Elizabeth with her brothers on Monday and had been told
that her friend had taken ill the previous day and was staying in her room in or
der to rest. Elizabeth was indeed staying in her room, but the reason was that s
he was in such ill spirits that she simply was not up to facing anyone, especial
ly Georgiana, and most especially Georgiana accompanied by her older brother. On
Wednesday, Georgiana returned, this time alone, and Elizabeth decided to go dow
nstairs to see her. She had not yet received a reply to her letter, so she did
not want to tell her friend that she was leaving until she was certain of her d
eparture date. Georgiana suggested a walk, perhaps a short walk in light of Eliz
abeth's illness, and the thought was too attractive for Elizabeth to pass up. Sh
e quickly changed into her boots, put on her Spencer, and the two girls left the
house. To Elizabeth's distress, just as they passed through the garden gate, Darcy came
into view. Elizabeth thought for a moment that she might claim to have a sudden
dizzy spell and thus need to return to her room, but then she chided herself fo
r her lack of strength and willpower. "Miss Elizabeth, good morning," said Darcy politely as he came up to them. "Geor
giana tells me that you have not been feeling well. May I hope that finding you
dressed for one of your beloved walks is an indication that you are recovered?" "Good morning, Mr. Darcy," responded Elizabeth, forcing herself to calmness. "
Yes, I am feeling much better. Your sister suggested a walk on this delightful m
orning, and I could not resist." "That is excellent news indeed," said Darcy. "If you would not mind, perhaps I m
ight join you? David is having to make up a lesson with Mr. Richards, and thus o
ur riding this morning was cancelled." Elizabeth could only nod in acceptance, and the three soon were walking down one
of Elizabeth's favorite lanes. Georgiana felt all the good spirits of being ali
ve on such a wonderful morning, with Spring rapidly coming on, with greenery sho
wing everywhere, and with the songs of the birds being a constant background. Sh
e was stirred to tease her brother somewhat, even though she and David had aban-
doned their efforts to recommend Elizabeth to their brother because William sim
ply would not take them seriously. "Now that I am sixteen, William, that time that you have so often spoken of is c
lose upon us-soon I will be introduced at Court and will come out into society." "True enough," responded her brother, wondering what had inspired this comment. "That is supposed to be a rather difficult and challenging time in a young lad
y's life, is it not? There will be all the balls and parties of a Season in town
, and possibly also the attentions of the young men." Darcy was now growing disturbed. In fact, he had avoided thinking about these
very things because it did disturb him. "Yes, a young lady's Coming Out and her
first Season are reputed to be, as you phrased it, challenging," said Darcy afte
r several seconds of silence. "I have no personal knowledge of it, however, fo
r between Cambridge and the death of our father, there simply was no time for su
ch." Elizabeth looked over at Georgiana curiously. She did not know the purpose of th
ese questions, since Georgiana had told Elizabeth several times that she was rat
her looking forward to being presented at Court and all the balls and parties sh
e had mentioned. Now she was acting as if it were an ordeal to be dreaded... "Yes, I know, William. But I had thought that by this time I would have a sister
to assist me with these...well, challenges. A woman looks at such things diff
erently than a man, you know. Her assistance and advice, especially if she was a
sensible lady, would be ever so helpful. But here you are, eight and twenty and
not only unmarried but with no prospects of every being so. You keep saying tha
t you do not have time for such frivolities, but now I shall face my first Seaso
n with only you and Alex to advise me!" Elizabeth's cheeks flamed red as she realized what Georgiana was doing, and it w
as not being done in any subtle way! Georgiana was absolutely throwing it in her
brother's face that his being unmarried was going to be a burden to his sister,
and the way she stressed sensible was as much as saying, Here is Elizabeth, who
everyone acknowledges is most sensible! Elizabeth had a sudden horrifying thoug
ht, Does she know how I feel about her brother? I know that I have not been able to contr
ol my emotions very well these past days, could she have guessed it or seen me a
t an inopportune time? A quick glance at Georgiana was enough to relieve Elizabeth of that worry, howev
er, for Georgiana's face was quite innocent. She is only looking over at her bro
ther with a little smile on her face, Elizabeth thought. She would look differen
t if she really knew. Elizabeth was not so sanguine several minutes later when she again glanced over
at Georgiana. Her friend had taken her eyes off her brother to see how Elizabeth
had taken her suggestion, and she was greatly surprised at the heavy flush on E
lizabeth's cheeks. That was the moment when Elizabeth glanced toward Georgiana a
nd saw the surprise on her face. Elizabeth immediately looked away, focusing her
eyes on the ground and avoiding the eyes of both her friend and her brother. For the first time, Georgiana began to suspect the hidden feelings of her friend
. As they continued to walk, the silence grew heavy, or at least it seemed to be
so to Elizabeth and Georgiana. For Elizabeth's part, she could not meet anyone'
s eyes and just wanted to flee back to the Parsonage. And Georgiana could no lon
ger continue her cheerful teasing of her brother in the light of these new, more
astonishing but also rather upsetting thoughts about Elizabeth. As for Darcy, though he was made thoughtful by his sister's comment, he gave no
indication of catching his sister's hint regarding her friend. In fact, if Georg
iana had only been aware of the direction that his thoughts were taking, she wou
ld have been most distressed that she had ever broached the subject. 2LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, Elizabeth received a post from her Uncle Gardiner inform
ing her that he would send her coach for her in two days, which was Saturday. He
made no inquiries concerning the reason for her unexpected request, but Elizabe
th could see from the phrasing in his letter that her aunt and uncle would have
some questions for her when she arrived. She did not know what she would say to
them when she got to their house, but it did not matter to her now-she only knew
that she had to leave as soon as possible to try to bring an end to this abject
depression and find some way to settle her inner turmoil so that she could get
on with the rest of her life. Asthememoryoftheeventsofhermorningwalkonce more ran unbidden through her mind, E
lizabeth felt her cheeks flush from the mere memory of the mortification she had
felt as Georgiana had teased her brother on her behalf. Elizabeth also remember
ed the shocked expression on her friend's face when she glanced her way. If I in
terpret her look correctly, Elizabeth thought miserably, I can no longer 65 pretend that Georgiana is unaware of my feelings toward her brother. Elizabeth would not delude herself that her feelings for Darcy could remain hidd
en any longer. In fact, as she thought on it more carefully, it appeared obvious
that she must have given herself away to others, probably Charlotte and possibl
y even Anne. Of course, Elizabeth thought bitterly, from Mr. Darcy's reaction
to his sister's comment, he has not even a slight clue. Then an even more mortif
ying thought occurred to her, as she considered whether Darcy might have divined
her feelings and was only acting as if he were unaware of them! Could that be?
she asked herself wretch- edly. Could he only be acting, so that he would not be
forced to deal with the fact that the friend of his sister was smitten with him
? She tried to tell herself that such a possibility was unlikely, that it was mo
re likely that Darcy simply never looked for such an emotion from his sister's f
riend and thus, of course, could never see what he did not look for. But her eff
orts at convincing herself were of dubious success, since Elizabeth was fast los
ing her ability to set herself apart from her emotions and use logic as a tool.
It truly was time for her to be gone! Elizabeth sat down on her bed and put her face in her hands as the bleakest desp
air that she had ever imagined settled around her, threatening to choke her with
grief and remorse for being so foolish as to develop a love that was pre-ordain
ed for disappointment. She was suddenly so tired that she could hardly bear the
thought of ever again being in the presence of Darcy, and that thought led immed
i- ately to the immovable fact that if she spent more time with Georgiana, she c
ould not avoid that situation. A tiny voice cried bitterly deep inside her as El
izabeth decided that she must inform Georgiana that she will be returning early
to London and would then depart for Longbourn immediately. The tiny voice grie
ved that the separation must be permanent, that she must break her friendship wi
th Georgiana so that she would not have to face her brother. But Elizabeth was d
etermined-she could not live this way, with this black mood that was crushing he
r spirits. She resolved that she would not again return to London, and, while sh
e could not guarantee that she would never again see Darcy if he chanced to visi
t his friend, she at least would never again put herself in a position to be in
his company. She began to cry, distressed beyond measure at the logical extensio
n that she must separate herself from Georgiana. The wretched choices facing her and the hopelessness of her situation were such
that she did not leave her room for the rest of the day. She probably would have
stayed in her room and cried herself to sleep that night, except that a servant
knocked on the door. Elizabeth considered not answering, but finally she called out, "Yes?" "Beg pardon, Miss Elizabeth," said one of the maids, "but Miss Darcy is downstai
rs asking if you would like to take a walk before sunset." 66 2THE REACTION OF DARCY to his sister's comments during the morning walk took him
in a far different direction than Georgiana had intended. After he returned with
Georgiana to Rosings, he went to his aunt's library to think. The more that he
considered, the more he became convinced that his sister had indeed pointed out
a fallacy in his thinking. He had been so convinced that he must ensure that bot
h Georgiana and David were well settled before he could even think about taking
the time to attend to his own situation that he had not even considered whether
such selfless devotion to duty was actually in their best interests. Now, as he
thought on the morning, he was convinced that Georgiana was correct, and that he
ought to be about the business of providing a companion to his siblings and an
heir to the Darcy name sooner rather than later. Certainly before Georgiana made
her entrance into society in a year or two. Though he had managed the difficult
task of shepherding Georgiana and David through many of the challenges of growi
ng up, he now realized that he ought to have the aid and assistance of a wife in
that endeavor. It would also provide some stability, he thought. He thought back on just this p
ast year-he had spent several months at Bingley's estate, a month at Pemberley,
a quick return for Bingley's wedding, then another couple of months again at Pem
berley, and then a month here at his aunt's home. That will not do, he told himself firmly. And, while there are any number of you
ng ladies who would salivate at the thought of being Mistress of Pemberley, incl
uding one Caroline Bingley, duty and honor demand that I should start with the o
bvious choice and do what I should have done on first arrival, and that is to se
ek after the true state of Anne's health to see if she might, as her mother cont
inually suggests, be able to soon assume the task of wife and hopefully mother o
f my heir. Darcy ignored the small voice inside him that cried out at the cold logic of his
decision. He firmly repressed a memory of dark, dancing eyes and a light, grace
ful figure with the ease of iron discipline. His duty was clear, and the demands
of honor and family were foremost in his mind as he quickly penned a note to An
ne, asking if he might have some of her time before the evening meal. Darcy's fe
atures were calm, his inner self at peace, as he rang for a servant to deliver h
is note to Anne. Darcy was rewarded within a half-hour with an invitation to Anne's sitting roo
m. When he entered, Mrs. Jenkinson rose to leave, since Darcy had requested priv
acy for his conversation. As soon as he had made his greetings and taken his sea
t, Darcy immediately explained the reason for his request. "Anne, I must beg your pardon in advance for the direct- ness of my language, bu
t I see no better way than to frankly state my intent. I would like to know whet
her your health has improved enough to permit the long-planned union of the two branches of the Fitzwilliam family. Your mother has many times commented
on how much you were improved, but I needed to ask you myself to determine the
truth of her statements." Anne looked at Darcy most peculiarly as he finished. Notwithstanding that it was
the coldest proposal of marriage that she had ever heard of or even imagined, s
he could not understand why he should be making it. She had not imagined that
he had taken her mother's blatant suggestions and hints with any degree of serio
usness-she certainly had not. "I must admit to being completely surprised, cousin," she answered slowly. "I ha
d not taken this 'long-planned union' nonsense of my mother at all seriously, an
d I had not thought that you had either. Now I find that I was wrong. But I am s
till puzzled at just what you could be seeking by this rather emotionless propos
ition." "The reason is simple, Anne. It was sparked by a conversation that I had with
Georgiana today, which led me to conclude that I have been in error in concentra
ting so completely on their future that I have overlooked the benefits that a
wife could bring to our family. Accordingly, I have decided that it is time that
I should marry, both to provide a friend and companion for Georgiana and David
in the next stage of their life and to also provide a Darcy heir." "That does not seem unusual, even though this unexpect- edness and haste is most
unlike you. But it would seem that there are any number of young ladies who are
much healthier than I and would therefore meet your needs better." "I had thought of that possibility, but I dismissed it quickly because most of
them are similar to the sister of one of my close friends, in that they are cha
racterized by insincere and acquiescing behavior and are motivated by a grasping
greed because of the Darcy fortune. I could not be happy with a wife from that
set, and I desire a friend and companion that I would at least find bearable." "I believe I should be gratified that you at least consider my company bearable,
cousin," she said sarcastically, "but if bearable company is a requirement, why
do you not consider someone like Miss Bennet, who you at least seem to find bea
rable, and who is certainly much healthier than myself." Darcy was taken completely by surprise by this unexpected response, and he fro
wned in concentration, firmly ignoring the small voice within him that tried to
pierce his resolve. Darcy's determination was more than capable of dealing with
such inner temptations and he replied, "I had not even considered that possibili
ty, Anne. You should be as aware as I of Miss Bennet's complete unsuitability fo
r a man of consideration in the world, for her family has neither fortune nor in
fluence and even has relatives in trade and the law." "But she is gently born!" retorted Anne hotly, her emotion showing as red circle
s on her pale cheeks. Darcy reminded himself that his cousin seemed to have forged as close a friendsh
ip with Miss Bennet as his sister had done, and she appeared quite prepared to d
efend her friend. Thus, he was careful in his response. "You are correct, Anne, and Miss Bennet is
indeed a gentleman's daughter. And I do not mean her any disrespect-indeed, I r
espect and value her as a friend of my sister and my family. But I have the hono
r of the Darcy family to think of when choosing a suitable wife. In any event,"
he continued, thinking to somewhat divert the direction of the conversation, "Mi
ss Bennet used to be lively and witty when we were in Hertfordshire. But she has
changed here at Rosings, and she clearly no longer finds my company bearable. I
noticed it especially today when I walked with Georgiana and Miss Bennet in the
park. She looks away from me whenever I join my sister, and she refuses to conv
erse with anyone until I leave." Anne stared mutely at Darcy for several moments before she asked acerbically, "C
an you truly be so deficient in intelligence that you could make such a commen
t, Darcy? I had assumed until now that you were merely cold-hearted, but now I a
m wondering whether you are also witless!" Darcy was confused by this statement and was quick to ask angrily, "I cannot com
prehend what might have inspired such a comment, Anne!" Anne's retort was of equal anger. "I have always been assured of the superiori
ty of your intellect, Darcy, both by my mother and by your other relatives. But
now I have ample reason to believe you an absolute simpleton!" Stung, Darcy replied hotly, "I have not the wit to play your games, Anne! Pray s
peak clearly so that I may at least comprehend the meaning of what you say." Anne sat perfectly straight in her chair, her frail body almost quivering in the
intensity of her emotions. "Then I must make myself perfectly clear, cousin. Fi
rstly, in regard to my health, it should not take the brilliance of insight to d
etect that I am less well this year than the last, and I was less well last year
than I was the previous. Even Richard has detected it, and both Georgiana and E
lizabeth were quick to realize that a most serious malady is afflicting me!" She
had to pause then to catch her breath, for the intensity of her words and of he
r spirit was proving to be exhausting. After about half a minute of tense silence, she was able to continue, "So, cousi
n Darcy, not only is it impossible that I could bear a child, it is equally unli
kely that I will live to see two more Easters." Darcy was stricken by what she said, both at his ignorance of her condition an
d of the fact that she was facing such a grim fate. "I am sorry, Anne, I had no
idea..." Anne cut him off in mid-sentence, her voice low but clipped as she continued. "Y
our ignorance of my condition is merely the least evidence that you are an abj
ect dullard, cousin! Can you not even detect that, far from being disliked by Mi
ss Bennet, the actuality is that she is so hopelessly in love with you that she,
who is so voluble at other times, becomes quite stricken to silence when in you
r company?" To say that Darcy was stunned would be to immensely understate the degree of con
fusion that afflicted him in 67 that moment. He was barely able to hear Anne as her voice dropped even lower. "And now as I see you, I know that your behavior results from ignorance rather t
han cold-heartedness, and I suppose that I would rather have you be ignorant of
Elizabeth's feelings rather than aware of them and disdainful. But I am findin
g it hard to afford you much charity, Darcy, when I see you totally ignorant of
the kind of love that I will never be able to either give or receive from a suit
or. Meanwhile," she said, her bitterness returning, "you, simpleton that you are
, do not even appear to realize that Miss Bennet is alive, except when it comes
to your sister." Anne again had to pause to catch her breath, and Darcy was too shocked to say an
ything. Silence reigned in the room, broken only by Anne's raspy breathing as sh
e tried to catch her breath. After a couple of minutes, she continued, "But whet
her it be cruelty or ignorance on your part, now you are come to my room to prop
ose a cold-blooded, passionless marriage of convenience that would condemn Miss
Bennet, the most admirable and loyal friend to your sister, to the most abject m
isery?" Anne finally sagged back against the chair. Meanwhile, Darcy was stunned at her
comments, both at the venom and the bite of his cousin's voice and his disbelief
of her meaning. Finally he was stirred to protest, "You must be incorrect, An
ne, in your assertion of Miss Bennet's feelings. What I said previously of her c
hanged attitude whenever I am present could be more readily attributed to contem
pt and dislike than to love. She refuses to meet my eye, and she does that for n
o one else." "Her behavior is due to the fact that Elizabeth sees what she believes she will
never have and she cannot stand the pain!" Anne snapped. "She sees that you cons
ider yourself her immeasurable social superior, and yet she cannot still the yea
rning of her heart. As for whether I am correct or incorrect, you could ask ei
ther Richard or Mrs. Collins-they are certainly aware of her feelings." Anne loo
ked at Darcy long and hard before continuing. "You have caused Elizabeth im- mea
surable pain, cousin, with your cool, aloof behavior on one occasion and your sp
irited conversation on another." "I behaved as a gentleman who has no intentions ought to behave," Darcy replied
haughtily. "What you behaved like is a haughty member of that social set in town that simpl
y ignores those of lesser fortune and birth while shamelessly flattering those a
notch higher on the social scale," Anne replied coldly. "I thought better of th
e Darcy family. Your cousin Fitzwilliam at least knows the part of a gentleman.
He sees Miss Bennet both as a friend to his cousin and as a worthwhile and charm
ing lady in her own right." Darcy was stung by Anne's sharp comments, and his response was due more to despe
ration than to consideration. "Even if you were correct, there still remains the
matter of Miss Bennet's unsuitability," he commented at last. "I have already mentioned th
e most important consideration, which 68 is the significant difference in our station in life, with hers so far below my
own. In addition, there is the lack of propriety that is so clearly shown by h
er mother and her younger sisters. I hope that I know my duty to take the proper
care in the selection of a mother for my children and a sister for Georgiana an
d David." "I was not aware that the coffers of the Darcy family were so near empty that th
ey needed the dowry of a rich heiress to fill them," Anne commented acidly. "Nor
was I aware that the Darcy family name had been so besmirched by scandal that i
t was in need of rehabilitation. And as for her mother, I beg you to remember th
at my mother is almost your closest living relative, and that her behavior is sc
arcely a model for propriety! In fact, if Elizabeth did become your wife, I am n
ot sure that she might not be the loser when the relative merits of both relatio
ns were considered!" Darcy flushed angrily, both at the cold, contemptuous tone of her voice and at t
he truth of what she said. "I am not used to being talked to in such a manner,"
he said angrily. Anne looked at him carefully before replying, "I withdraw my opinion, cousin,"
she replied in a voice icy with contempt. "You are not just too simple to see w
hat is transpar- ently obvious. Instead, I can now see that you are completely u
ndeserving of the honorable gift of selfless love from a fine young lady like Mi
ss Bennet!" She drew her frail body up as she continued. "I will likely never live to experi
ence the emotion of love. And my life so far has been spent as the pawn of my mo
ther and as the object of indifference and pity to my relations. But I would nev
er wish for such a valued friend as Miss Bennet to be in any way connected to su
ch a cold, unfeeling, and undeserving creature as you, cousin! Better for her to
take her heartbreak to her grave than to actually achieve her heart's desire an
d realize on what a worthless husk of a man she had wasted her gift!" Darcy stood frozen in disbelief and shock. "You have always been arrogant and se
lf-centered, Darcy," Anne told him coldly, "but I now know that I had not fully
realized the depth of your selfish disdain for the feelings of others. Miss Benn
et is a most valued friend, to both me and to your sister, and if I could offer
her advice on this matter, I would counsel her that you are the last man in the
world whom she should consider marrying! " Anne stood up, her cheeks flushed and her legs unsteady, but her eyes were ablaz
e as she finished. "I beg your pardon, cousin, but I have no desire to spend any
more of what time remains to me on this earth in trying to search for a grain o
f worth in such a bloodless husk as you!" She whirled on her heel, ignoring the
flaming cheeks of her cousin, and departed the room. Chapter 17 After his disastrous meeting with Anne, Darcy was in a state of shock that he ha
d never before experienced. It was not like the shock he had felt when his father died, for grief had been the main component of his emotions at that time.
But now, Darcy had been sent reeling by a frail, unhealthy girl several years h
is junior, who had painted a picture of his character, his behavior, and, yes, h
is very honor, that was so divergent from his own image of himself that he was
sorely tempted to simply dismiss everything she had said as total nonsense. Now he sat in his room, more than an hour after being summarily dismissed by his
cousin as being so worthless that it was a waste of her time to even talk to hi
m, and he still struggled to understand what had happened. Darcy knew that he wo
uld have vastly preferred to summon up some kind of redemptive emotion-anger, ha
te, or contempt would do-anything that would allow him to reject the picture tha
tAnne had sketched. But, despite the sketch that she had made of his character, D
arcy was too honest to succumb to that temptation, and now he struggled to regai
n his composure so that he might analyze what Anne had told him. But it was hard, so very hard, because he did not believe that he had ever been
so humiliated and affronted in his entire life, and it was painful beyond measur
e. Finally, Darcy was able to at least ring for a servant to bring up a tray with h
is supper, and he sent a note to his aunt saying that he was indisposed and woul
d be eating in his room. As he chewed his food mechanically, he could not stop A
nne's words from sounding in his ears. Is she right? he asked himself. I cannot
believe what she says about Miss Bennet, but even if it were true, how can it af
fect me? I cannot be held responsible if some simple girl from the country fixes
her affection upon a person from a much higher social stratum! Even as Darcy pondered that thought, he could not help thinking that neither his
mother nor his father would be pleased at such a thought from their son. But I
have my duty! he told himself. Duty to my sister, my brother, to the Darcy famil
y name! Yet a small voice whispered inside him, the voice he had been so steadfastly ign
oring these past weeks, asking in what way a gentleman's daughter, even if the g
entleman had only a small estate-and that entailed away from his family-in what
way could she drag down the Darcy name? Darcy could not answer that voice, and he shortly was unable to consider the mat
ter further, because he was suddenly jerked from his reverie by a loud knockin
g on his door. Before he could even speak, either to grant or refuse entry, his
door was suddenly opened without waiting for an invitation. Darcy was highly s
urprised as his cousin Fitzwilliam abruptly entered the room, kicking the door closed behind him. This sudden and impolite intrusion was most surprising, because Richard was us
ually punctilious in his manners, though Darcy had noted Fitzwilliam's quietness
over the past few days. Several times he had come upon Fitzwilliam when he walk
ed with Miss Bennet or when he was visiting the ladies at the Parsonage. Each ti
me, his cousin had drawn quietly aside and allowed Darcy to greet the ladies and
to engage them in conversation, standing apart and watching quietly. It had bee
n rather peculiar, but Darcy had not been able to imagine any untoward reason fo
r Richard's behavior and had shrugged it off. Now, as Darcy saw the stormy expression of Fitzwilliam's face, his stomach began
to react in the same manner as it had when he was in Anne's chambers previously
.His cousin came to a halt about four feet away from Darcy's chair and simply sta
red at Darcy for several seconds until Darcy could no longer hold his eyes. When
Darcy glanced away, Fitzwilliam seemed to shake himself and find his voice. "Da
rcy," he said, his voice uncommonly clipped and controlled, "it might interest y
ou to know that I have just come from Georgiana, and she is in a state of comple
te emotional collapse." Colonel Fitzwilliam nodded jerkily as Darcy's head came up at this unexpected ne
ws. "That is correct, cousin. She was crying so hard that I could scarce compreh
end her, seized by an emotion so distressing that she simply cannot stop weeping
." Darcy immediately sprang to his feet, overcome with sudden fear for his sister,
but Fitzwilliam grabbed his arm when he would have immediately left his room in
search of his sister. "Do you not have any desire, cousin, to know what could ha
ve driven your sister to such a state?" Fitzwilliam asked, and Darcy could see t
hat Richard was barely able to suppress his anger. "I shall find out when I find Georgiana, Richard," said Darcy irritably. He did
not know what was upsetting his cousin, but he was not really interested, in lig
ht of what he told him about Georgiana. "I think that you had better sit back down and listen, Darcy," Fitzwilliam said
tightly, "before you charge in and make the situation worse." Darcy looked at his cousin closely and then jerkily nodded his head, resuming hi
s seat. "How could I make the situation worse, Richard? I have done nothing to c
ause Georgiana's distress." "Have you not? Your sister does not think so, and, if you are interested, neithe
r do I." Darcy frowned at this comment. "Pray enlighten me, then," said Darcy impatiently
. "In what way have I caused my sister's tears?" "Because your sister believes that you are the reason that her first real friend
, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, is departing Kent on Saturday. Georgiana believes that
she will never 69 see Miss Bennet again, and she believes that you are directly responsible." Darcy felt his stomach turn over at these words, which seemed connected to what
Anne had told him earlier. Attempting to gain some time, Darcy tried to temporiz
e. "I had no idea that Miss Bennet was leaving Hunsford, Richard. How could I be responsible for that? I have never opposed Georgiana's friendship
with Miss Bennet-I think she is a sensible and lively young lady who is a good
influence on my sister." "She is leaving because of the way you have toyed with her, Darcy! And that stat
ement is an example of exactly how you have done so-you have looked at Miss Benn
et enough to know that she is good for your sister, but you never looked one inc
h beyond that narrow viewpoint," snapped Fitzwilliam. Then, seeing the blank loo
k on Darcy's face, he continued harshly, "The girl is completely smitten with yo
u, Darcy-for some unfathomable reason-and you should have either engaged her hon
orably or else removed yourself to avoid distressing her." "I was not...that is, I had no inkling..." stammered Darcy, but Fitzwilliam inte
rrupted him. "Do you think me completely witless?" his cousin snarled. "The only persons not
aware of how Miss Bennet feels-though the poor girl tries to hide it-is our ines
ti- mable aunt and her lackey, Collins. Even Georgiana knows. The girl is completely unable to hide her feelings. It is clear to anyone who wa
tches-her eyes are drawn to you when you enter the room. She tries to control he
rself, but she cannot. And then you come over and sit beside Georgiana or else
you make a slight jest with her, she has to look down to avoid meeting your eye
s. As I said, Darcy-you should have either engaged her honorably, or else have w
ithdrawn completely." Darcy sat frozen as each of Fitzwilliam's words impacted on his awareness, and a
stricken expression came over his face. For the first time since entering Darcy
's room, Fitzwilliam felt his tightly controlled anger cool somewhat. "Anne said almost the same just an hour ago," said Darcy, struggling to talk. "I
did not believe her, but now you come telling me the same." He looked up at his
cousin. "As God is my witness, Richard, I did not know." Fitzwilliam felt himself relax further. He had not wanted to believe that Darcy
had been playing a game with Miss Bennet, yet, knowing of Darcy's shrewd evaluat
ion of character, he had not been able to believe that his cousin could have m
issed what had been crystal clear since that first night at Rosings. Yet it appe
ared that that was exactly what had happened... "You really had no idea?" Fitzwilliam asked intently, "How could you have not se
en the signs, Darcy? You are usually such a close and critical observer of chara
cter-note the way you have always been able to see through Wickham's pleasant faa
de when so many others are captivated by his pleasing manners." 70 Darcy shook his head. "I cannot explain it, and I am still struggling with it, b
ut I was caught completely off guard when Anne threw it in my face earlier." Fitzwilliam looked closely at Darcy and was sorely tempted to demand more info
rmation on how that had occurred, but he decided that this was not the appropria
te time. "Well, you have a real twisted Gordian knot to unravel here, Darcy. But
you had best be about it, and the quicker the better:" Darcy sprang to his feet. "Do you know if Georgiana is in her room, Richard?" Fitzwilliam shook his head. "Possibly, but I am not sure. I chanced to be in the
entry when Georgiana came rushing back from the Parsonage in tears, and I had t
o struggle to get out of her the fact that Miss Bennet had informed her that she
was departing on Saturday and that they must not see each other again. Georgian
a did say that she and David had been trying to get you to notice Miss Bennet as
something more than just her friend, though with complete lack of success. Sh
e only had a hint of the true state of Miss Bennet's affections before this afte
rnoon, but it seems that she got her to confirm the situation. And now Miss Benn
et appears to have told Georgiana that she can no longer stand the pain and must
go away." Darcy was silent, frozen, and his face had gone quite pale. This is even worse t
han what Anne had told me! he thought in agony. And now it even encompasses my s
ister! How shall I ever be able to make it up to her for driving off the first r
eal friend she has ever had? Fitzwilliam's voice had moderated to a normal tone by now. "Now Georgiana is dev
astated. She now knows the pain her friend suffers, and, quite frankly, cousin,
she puts the blame at your feet. She believes that, for all your good quali- tie
s, you will never see Miss Bennet as anything other than a simple girl from the
country, suitable perhaps to be a governess or companion to such as Georgiana bu
t certainly never, never, never to be acceptable to her proud and haughty brothe
r." Darcy winced in pain at his cousin's words. Drawing himself up by sheer force of
will, he prepared to go in search of his sister, but he halted when Fitzwilliam
put a hand on his arm. "Take care, cousin," he urged. "The emotions are running
deep, and the utmost care is needed." Darcy nodded jerkily, and they both left his room. Fitzwilliam turned toward the
stairs while Darcy turned toward Georgiana's room. Darcy's heart was troubled,
and he knew that his cousin had spoken the simple truth about the seriousness of
this situation. 2DARCY'S SOFT KNOCK AT Georgiana's door brought no response. He knocked again,
louder, but again got no answer. Descending the stairs, he did not find Georgian
a, but he did come upon David in the library. "David, have you seen Georgiana? I just knocked on her door, but she was not the
re." As David turned around to look at him, Darcy almost took a step back at the fixe
d, rigid expression on David's face. David did not answer immediately, looking c
oldly on his older brother, and Darcy felt a sinking sensation and groaned inwar
dly. Not you also, David! he thought in agitation. "My sister is in her room, William," said David after a few seconds, in a voice
that was controlled but not at all amiable. Darcy also noticed the formality of
his address, in the use of 'William' instead of his normal 'Will,' and he again
felt his insides twist. Summoning his self-control, Darcy stated, "I knocked, but there was no answer." "Nevertheless, she is in her room. I left her there not five minutes ago," said
David tonelessly. Darcy quickly thanked his brother and then returned upstairs, taking the stairs
two and three at a time. He again knocked gently on Georgiana's door and again r
eceived no answer. He knocked more loudly, and this time Darcy heard a muffled s
ound, so he knew that his sister was inside. Taking care to make sure that he di
d not catch his sister in an immodest situation, Darcy opened the door and said
softly, "Georgiana?" The only reply he received was the sound of weeping, and Darcy opened the door m
ore widely. Georgiana lay on her bed, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed despai
ringly into her pillow, trying to muffle the sound. Closing the door, Darcy went
to her and sat beside her on the bed, taking one of her hands in his. Georgiana
's other hand held a crumpled handkerchief that was obviously completely saturat
ed with his sister's tears. "Dearest, what is troubling you," Darcy asked in concern, even though he was unf
ortunately certain that he already knew the answer. Georgiana would not look at him as she sobbed, "William, how could you? How coul
d you?" She repeated it over and over, sobbing the whole time. Darcy raised Georgiana's shoulders and held her to him, embracing her, talking t
o her gently until her sobs slowly faded away, leaving her hiccupping in reactio
n to the overwhelming stress of her emotions. At last, when Georgiana appeared
as if she might be able to talk a little, Darcy asked, "Please tell me about it, Georgie."?Georgiana did not want to, but Darcy continu
ed to talk to her, and finally Georgiana was able to form words and sentences. "I visited t
he Parsonage earlier this afternoon to see Elizabeth, but Mrs. Collins told me t
hat she was not feeling well and had gone to her room," Georgiana managed to get
out, though with several stops and starts. "Because of Elizabeth's odd reaction
on our morning walk and then this, I was convinced that something was wrong. Kn
owing that Elizabeth is also close to Anne, I went to Anne's room shortly before
supper and asked her advice at what she thought might be troubling Elizabeth." Georgiana had to stop to wipe away the tears, and Darcy encouraged her to contin
ue, though his heart felt like lead within his chest. "But when I asked," Georgiana continued lowly, "Anne justlookedatmeandaskedmewha
tmademethinkElizabeth was troubled. I was not sure how to describe just what was
wrong, though my inner self was certain that something was troubling her. Final
ly I answered that, for one thing, Elizabeth's humor, which was always so depend
able, so bright and cheery, would now come and go most unexpectedly. "Anne then said, 'When does her humor disappear? When was the last time that she
seemed in good spirits and then changed.' I told her just this morning, when sh
e and I were walking. You happened to join us, and I was teasing you about needing a sister before I make my entrance to society, and Elizabeth
suddenly became quiet and out of spirits. Anne just looked at me intently, and
I said, 'Are you trying to tell me that William is somehow making her sad?' Anne just said, 'I could tel
l you, but it would only be me saying it. I suggest you ask your friend.' "So this evening, after supper, I did," said Georgiana, wiping her eyes free of
tears. "I visited the Parsonage to invite Elizabeth for a walk. It took her ages
to come down from her room, but she finally did, and we went out to sit in the
garden. And then I asked her what was making her unhappy. She did not want to sa
y at first, but she got very quiet and would not meet my eye, and I asked her ag
ain. She told me that I had become almost her very best friend in the world, but
she had come to a decision that she must leave and go back to her home, and she
thought that we should not see each other any more. I was stricken, I began to
cry, thinking that she did not want my acquaintance, but when she tried to comfo
rt me, she started crying herself and could not stop. I finally realized that sh
e was not angry with me or anything like that." Georgiana looked up, meeting her brother's eyes for the first time. "I begged he
r to please explain to me what was wrong, William, and she finally admitted that
she had to leave because it hurt her too much to be around you. I thought you h
ad been mean to her, but she denied that. When I asked again, finally she sobbed
that she could no longer endure the knowledge that you simply were not even tru
ly aware of her existence. That was when I realized that she loved you, and sudd
enly all the other strange things I had noticed made sense. And then I recalled
how you just simply ignored her much of the time, except when she was with me or
it pleased you to make conversation, and now Elizabeth was telling me that she
could no longer endure it. So now she plans to leave on Saturday to return to Lo
ndon, and she asked me to forgive her but she must sever our acquaintance. Oh, W
illiam, how can you be so cold and uncaring?" Georgiana wailed. Darcy continued to hold his dear sister, thinking of how he had gone to Anne ear
lier in the day, all cold calculation, simply desiring to know if she could with
stand the rigors of childbirth before offering a marriage to satisfy his aunt an
d7? society. I never even noticed her worsening condition. It must be consumption, h
e thought. Can Aunt Catherine know? Darcy could not guess, and he was suddenly terribly ashamed that he had not even
thought to ask. He remembered Anne's savage tongue-lashing-he had never been
talked to in that manner in his life. In fact, he had never even imagined that h
e might be talked to in such a manner. And now I realize that I can dispute very little of what Anne said of me! he tho
ught. I have been so concerned only with my cold, sterile duty and my oh-so-hono
rable family name, and now all around me have been thrown into turmoil because t
hey all love the young woman that I had simply taken as part of the background s
cenery! Darcy tried for some time to calm Georgiana, but he had little success, and fina
lly he had to leave her sniffling into his handkerchief, broken-hearted because
she was unable to see how her friend, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, might be prevented
from departing. 2AFTER MORE THAN AN hour, Darcy finally returned to his room, extremely troubled
by the experiences of the day. His pride still stung at the harsh words Anne had
flung at him, but he was deeply troubled by the distress shown by Colonel Fitzw
illiam and Georgiana. Am I really selfish? And arrogant? Darcy would have previo
usly answered angrily in the negative to both charges, but he was now so shaken
that he could see that his angry rejection would actually tend to substantiate t
he accusations. He was up late at night in considerable soul- searching, and his
last thought as he finally found the release of sleep, was, I must see Anne aga
in, if she is willing... Darcy sent a note to Anne the next morning, requesting another interview, and he
was almost prepared to be summarily refused. However, Anne finally sent him a
note after luncheon, asking him to come to her room in an hour. When Darcy was again admitted to Anne's sitting room, he thought that she appear
ed even smaller and more lifeless than usual. Darcy wasted no time on the usual
civilities and immediately plunged in. "Anne," he said hesitantly, "I have been up much of the night thinking of what y
ou told me yesterday, and what I later learned from Richard and from Georgiana."
Anne gave no hint that she heard him, her head lowered and her eyes directed to
ward her lap. The silence dragged on as Anne made no response, and finally Darcy blurted out,
his voice pained, "Anne, what should I do?" Surprised, Anne looked up at this most unexpected question. Her brows furrowed
as she asked, "What do you mean, Darcy? On what are you seeking my advice?" Darcy leaned forward intently. "Anne, you must believe this. I honestly was unaw
are of Miss Bennet's feelings and 72 especially of the manner in which I was causing her pain. But do you truly belie
ve that I am so heartless that I can be informed of the truth and not desire to
in some way relieve the pain that I have caused? I may be too logical sometimes,
and I certainly did not recognize what others with more insight did, but it was
done most unwittingly. I am not that heartless and indifferent!" Anne looked at him closely, and finally her face relaxed into a slight smile. "W
ell, perhaps you are not truly as bad as that, though yesterday I was not too su
re." "My cousin Fitzwilliam is upset with me, you are furious with me, Georgiana is h
eartbroken, Miss Bennet is desperately unhappy, and even David gives me a cold
, fish-like look," said Darcy spiritedly. "I must do something, but I have not t
he slightest idea either what to do, or how to do it!" After several seconds of
silence, he concluded, "So I came to you, Anne. I would like your advice." Anne looked at him silently and intently for a while, and then she said, "If you
truly want my advice, then marry that girl, Darcy. If you were able to consider
an arrangement with me, which I neither desire nor could carry out, you should
be at least equally amenable to an arrangement with a young lady who is healthy,
attractive, and intelligent, and who would devote herself to making you happy." Darcy was silent as he considered what she had said, for his own thoughts during
the long night had come to somewhat the same solution. Yet there were still o
bstacles... "You may be right," he said slowly. "And I have to admit that a night's consider
ation has removed any aversion that I might have had previously." He smiled wryl
y. "It was quite a stunning surprise to find that a young lady whom I had certai
nly esteemed for her sensibility would form such an intense emotional attachment
on myself as what you and Richard have described. And she is obviously not seek
ing my fortune, since she had intended to go back to her home without ever makin
g her attraction known." Now Darcy's expression grew grim and rather hesitant. "But I have a question tha
t I cannot answer, Anne-can I make her happy? After all I have done and said, an
d how much pain I have inadvertently caused, I fear I may blunder again and make the situation even worse."?Anne looked hard at her cousin, and fi
nally a look of grudging approval came over her face. "That is the first intelligent thing you
have said so far on this matter, cousin. That is more like the Darcy I thought
I knew." She thought quietly for about a minute before continuing. "If you would
treat her with consideration and respect, giving her all that is due as a wife, you would at least make such a woman as Miss Bennet content, a
t the very least." Darcy nodded. "That much I can promise-I would never do less and hopefully more.
""Then you would consider such a match with a woman so immeasurably below yoursel
f?" Anne asked wickedly. Darcy flushed and winced. "I cannot explain how I came to delude myself so. When
I thought of what you said and listened in memory to what I had said aloud, I could almost hear Father telling
me that a man is to be judged on how he conducts himself and not on his accident
of birth. I remembered him specifically saying that many a groom exhibits gre
ater refinement than do the sons of great Lords. I am ashamed of what I said, es
pecially as Miss Bennet is indeed the daughter of a gentleman, which even by my
expressed standards should have placed us on an equal level. But if I have corre
cted my opinions and admit the suitability of the match, I admit that I have not
a clue as to how to approach Miss Bennet. I cannot, at this date, suddenly beco
me a passionate suitor. Not only could I not be convincing in the role, I will
not attempt the deception." "Then I would suggest the simple truth," said Anne softly. "Tell her what you ca
n offer, and ask her if it would be enough. Her love is matched, I believe, by h
er compassion and her sensibility-she surely will be willing to grant you the op
-portunity, if you offer it honestly."?After several moments of thought, Darcy th
anked his cousin and took his leave, but not before bowing over her hand and bringing her
fingers to his lips. Chapter 18 lizabeth tried to concentrate on her sewing as she sat with Charlotte and Maria,
but it was difficult to keep from dwelling on the unhappiness of the past few d
ays. She had not yet been able to tell Charlotte that she would be leaving most unexpectedly on the morrow, since she simply did
not have the strength to face up to the questions that she knew Charlotte would
ask her. She would not lie to her friend, but she was so very tired. The previou
s day's talk with Georgiana in the Hunsford garden had left her mentally exhaust
ed, while her inability to sleep for the past several nights had done the same p
hysically. Though she knew that avoiding the subject was going to make the resul
ting interview even more difficult than it already was, still she could not make
that first step. When the bell rang indicating a visitor, all three girls looked up in surprise.
It was mid-afternoon, and no visitors were expected, since the cousins usually
called in the morning. Elizabeth was concerned that Georgiana might have return
ed, and she was fearful of having to face another highly emotional farewell. She
bitterly regretted having to be separated from such a sweet girl, but she was j
ust so very tired and simply no longer had the strength to endure Darcy's compan
y... When a servant opened the door to the room, and the subject of her thoughts was
announced, Elizabeth was so dull and despondent that she could do no more than n
od at his bow of greeting. Surprisingly, she was not fearful or even curious whe
n Darcy went to sit by Charlotte and talked quietly with her friend for severa
l minutes. For the same reason, she did not see Charlotte's sudden start of surp
rise. So, when Charlotte silently arose and left the room, taking her sister wit
h her, Elizabeth was caught completely unawares and stared at the door in silenc
e as it was pulled closed. When Elizabeth then looked around the room, she was utterly astonished to find t
hat Charlotte had left her alone with Darcy. It was most inappropriate and impro
per, and her amazement and confusion left her frozen as she looked toward him, u
nable to keep herself from staring. But the thoughtful look on his face as he re
garded her quickly made her lower her head again. Her heart began to pound as sh
e caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye as Darcy silently stood and move
d across the room towards her. She felt like her heart was in her throat, blocki
ng it so that she was unable to breathe as he got closer, and she felt like she
was on the verge of fainting as Darcy now seated himself beside her. What is he doing? Elizabeth thought in a manic daze. She felt both hot and cold
at the same time, and she froze completely, unable even to pretend to concentr
ate on her sewing. That hardly mattered in the next moment, as Darcy reached over and removed her s
ewing from her hands, putting it on E73 the chair on his other side. Elizabeth now managed to look up at him, and she fo
und him regarding her earnestly. It felt to her as if he had never looked at her
before. She felt a shiver run down her back, from her neck all the way down her
spine, as Darcy gently reached over and took her hand. He had removed his glove
s, and the touch of his skin on hers made her previous shiver seem a mere trifli
ng. Slowly, Darcy raised her hand to his lips and lightly brushed his lips over her
fingers, and Elizabeth almost felt faint. She was completely confused. What is h
appening? she thought frantically. Her inner thoughts and sensations were whirli
ng at dizzying speed, and she was so very, very confused... "Miss Bennet," Darcy said, as he broke the silence at last. "I have just learned
that you are planning to depart tomorrow morning."?Elizabeth could not say anything. Darcy still had her hand in his, and she wanted nothing more than that he might again brush his lips
ever so softly over her fingers. "I do not believe that you should go," he continued. "I have been unbelievably s
low in learning what others have comprehended for some time, but only yesterday
did I learn that you are running away from me." Elizabeth could not help the sudden tears that stung her eyes, and she angrily t
ried to pull her hand away to retrieve her handkerchief. Darcy would not let go,
and, pulling his own handkerchief from his pocket, reached over to softly blot
the tears that rolled down each of her cheeks. "I do not believe that you should shed any more tears, Miss Bennet," Darcy told
her. "Another item that I only yesterday became aware of is that I have been the
cause of your tears, and I believe they should stop." Elizabeth was still a fro
zen statue, locked on Darcy, unable to move. Darcy put his handkerchief back in his pocket as he continued. "I must tell you
that the way in which I learned of this is rather illustrative of just how thick
I have been. It was only yesterday that my sister's comment when we were walkin
g made me reconsider my previous inclinations, and I decided that I should no lo
nger avoid my duty to take a wife. My decision thus led me to consider how best
to accomplish this, and I rather unwisely came to the conclusion that I could
best fulfill my duty to my family and friends by arranging a marriage with my co
usin Anne." He chuckled wryly, though Elizabeth definitely did not see the humor
in what he said and was beginning to be more than a little irritated by his wor
ds. Darcy noted her rising annoyance and said, "Do not get angry just yet, Miss Benn
et. Hear me out, for I must be completely forthright in disclosing all the detai
ls of my actions. In any case, once I made my rather logical and reasoned pres
entation to Anne, she not only laughed at me but she also promptly took me to ta
sk as has never before occurred." Elizabeth was completely dazed and puzzled. She heard Darcy's words, but she had
no idea where they were leading or to what point. But she did not attempt to
withdraw 74 her hand as Darcy continued, "Anne was brutally direct as she pointed out that s
he was far too frail to entertain my reasoned proposition, and I am heartily ash
amed that I did not recognize the true extent of her illness. But Anne went on t
o say that she could never think of associating with a cretin who was both so si
mple that he could not recognize when he was truly loved by another and was, in
addition, so uncaring and cruel as to simply ignore the lady as if she were part
of the furniture." Darcy's words seemed to thunder in Elizabeth's mind as she realized that Darcy n
ow knew of how she felt. She again tried to jerk her hand away as irritation beg
an to catch up to her state of frozen silence, but again Darcy would not allow i
t. Instead, he covered her hand with his other so that he was holding her hand i
n both of his as he continued. "Miss Bennet, I am not seeking sympathy when I sa
y that my session with Anne was one of the most painful in my entire life. I s
tate that only to make the point that such a shocking event caused a considerabl
e degree of soul-searching and re-evaluation during the night to follow. My cous
in did not spare my feelings, for she was outraged that I could be so dense as t
o not realize how such an action on my part could hurt her dear friend." He noted Elizabeth's sudden start and nodded. "Yes,, Miss Bennet, Anne does inde
ed consider you a close and dear friend, as does my sister Georgiana. In additio
n, my cousin Fitzwilliam and my brother David are also firmly in your corner, an
d each did their part yesterday to make clear their displeasure and remorse at t
he pain you are suffering." Darcy was silent for a few moments, staring off into the distance as he thought
again on the events of the previous day. Finally, he looked back at Elizabeth, w
hose anger had diminished, though her confusion was still high. The events that
Darcy related were singular, but she had no idea what he intended. But he simply
would not let go of her hand... Darcy cleared his throat before starting again, and Elizabeth was stunned to see
that his normally imperturbable demeanor had been penetrated. Darcy was showing
definite signs of high emotions, and it took him several tries before he could
make his voice function again. "You are loved by many people, Miss Bennet, and t
hey are people who are very important to me. Accordingly, once I had been appris
ed of the true state of affairs by several emotional and stressful conversations
with my family, I sat down to think. The results of my deliberations were not
completely conclusive-I believed that I needed to do something in order to reli
eve the stress and unhappiness that was going to cause you to depart and break y
our friendship with both my sister and my cousin. But I did not know what to do-
and I am not entirely sure that I even now possess that knowledge. But I knew th
at I could not wait, since I learned that you were departing tomorrow...and I do
not think I want that to occur." Elizabeth was both confused and frightened by what he said, frightened at the po
ssibilities he hinted at and confused at how it had occurred so suddenly. "So what I have done, Miss Bennet," continued Darcy, "is to again consult my cou
sin Anne. But this time I asked her advice-I asked her what I should do. And do
you know what she advised me, Miss Bennet?"?Elizabeth could not answer Darcy's question.
A shake of her head was her only response.?Darcy's smile was wry, but there was genuine
humor in it. "My cousin counseled me that I should marry you, Miss Bennet." Elizabeth felt her heart almost stop at what Darcy had said, but she had to keep
listening, as Darcy continued. "Anne said that if I could consider an arranged marriage with her simply to prod
uce an heir and provide a friend and companion to my sister and brother, that I
should not have any problem doing the same with an intelligent and lively girl w
ho also, as my cousin Fitzwilliam put it, 'has for some unfathomable reason beco
me smitten with me.'" Darcy looked intently at Elizabeth as he continued, and she knew that what he wa
s about to say was most important-to him certainly, and possibly even for her.
"I will not attempt to deceive you that I have suddenly and instantly fallen in
love," Darcy said. "I know you would not believe it, and I would not attempt th
e deception even if you did. I told Anne the same, and I also said to her that I had not even the slightest idea of
how to proceed. She advised that I should tell you the truth, and then ask you i
f it would be enough." Elizabeth felt the blood pounding in her ears, and the warmth of her face inform
ed her that her cheeks were flushed from the height of her emotions. But any typ
e of calm and deliberate thinking was beyond her at this moment, because she was
in a state of almost delirious and desperate hope. And Darcy was even now conti
nuing... "What I can promise is that, if you do consent to marry me, that I will certainl
y show you every civility and respect due you as the mother of my children and t
he Mistress of my household. I hope you know that I have always had the high- es
t respect for your character-I was pleased that Georgiana had made such a friend
, and further acquaintance confirmed that belief. And I certainly like you and a
dmire you, and I hope and believe that I can love you." Elizabeth could see just how hard it was for Darcy to expose himself as he was d
oing, and yet still she could not say anything. The feeling in her chest had lig
htened but now it was increasing again, because she was thinking of other aspect
s that Darcy had not yet mentioned. She had to force herself to wait patiently u
ntil Darcy was finished lest she blurt out her concerns... "In my shock of last night," said Darcy seriously, "I also realized that I had o
n many occasions noticed some aspects of you that I found attractive. But I have
been so used to suppressing such emotions that I did the same in your case. My
rigid discipline would not allow me to recognize that my approval of you was not
simply because you were a worthy friend to my sister-it was also because I was
finding you admirable in your own right. That is the point at which I came to believe that I could be happy and content with you as my wife. I also be
lieve, or I might say Anne believes-and her thinking in this regard is more trus
tworthy than my own-that I can make you happy. Which would be most pleasing to m
e, since I have so far made you quite unhappy. It may have been unwittingly done
, but it was done most carelessly." Darcy's dark eyes held Elizabeth's now with an intentness that she had never b
efore seen, and the thought of pulling her gaze away from his never even cross
ed her mind. "I hope that I can make it up to you in the days and years to come,
" he said softly, "and I hope that you will accept this perhaps not especially r
omantic but quite logical and reasoned proposal of marriage." Elizabeth was by now feeling a definite chill, which was cooling her previous st
ate of advanced giddiness, even though the conclusion to Darcy's proposal was, a
t first, like the sudden light piercing through thick storm clouds. But then s
he remembered all the objections that had made her love so hopeless-the differen
ce in their situations in life, her lack of a fortune, the lack of sense and pro
priety of her mother and sisters. The thought of inflicting those degrading situ
ations on Darcy and also on Georgiana and even David filled her with depression
even worse than the thought that he did not love her as she did him. After all,
most marriages among the gentry and the upper classes were arrangements in respe
ct of fortune and social position, perhaps not as cold-blooded as had been Charl
otte's decision to wed Mr. Collins, but yet with certain similarities. It was no
t as if she had not been aware of Darcy's character when she fell in love with h
im, and she was reminded of her previous surprise that the head is not always a
good predictor of where the heart would go. But when she remembered her mother's mortifying behavior at the Netherfield Ba
ll, as well as the wild behavior of Lydia and Kitty, Elizabeth shriveled inside
at the thought of how they would act if she were to marry Darcy. The thought of
inflicting such utterly improper behavior on Darcy or Georgiana was more than sh
e could bear. She could not do it, not to him and not to Georgiana, and finally
she found her voice. "Sir," she began, "I must thank you for the honor you do me and the kindness you
show, but the difference in our situation is such that..." Elizabeth stopped suddenly, shocked by Darcy's fingers over her lips. He had a s
light smile on his face as he spoke. "Would I be far wrong if I guessed that you were about to mention that you are n
ot in possession of a substantial fortune?" Elizabeth nodded mutely. "And that your family is not socially prominent?" Again Elizabeth nodded. "And that some members of your family are not, shall we say, renowned for their
sensibility?" Elizabeth nodded again, though her cheeks flamed red. "Then I must tell you that I also made these same arguments last night in my t
alk with Anne, and she was com- 75 pletely merciless as she tore these arguments to ribbons," said Darcy. Elizabeth
could see a hint of a sparkle in his eyes, and she could not look away as he co
ntinued. "First, Anne said that she was not aware that the Darcy fortune had fal
len to such a point that a rich dowry was needed to save the family estate, an
d then she said that she had not heard that the Darcy family had become so embro
iled in scandal as to need rescue by a socially advantageous marriage." Elizabeth had to smile slightly at this statement, as she visualized Anne making
those comments to Darcy's imposing figure. "But her best argument was when she pointed out that I might be gaining a mother
-in-law who can often be rather...thoughtless...about what she says, but that
you might be gaining the worst of the bargain, for then you should have Lady Cat
herine as an aunt!" Elizabeth was at first shocked by the thought, for it had indeed not occurred to
her yet. But then she had to giggle as she considered the thought further, and
she tried to cover her giggle with her free hand. But the sparkle in Darcy's eye
s had moved to his lips, and when he smiled that devastating smile that she had
first seen at Sir William's gathering, she was lost. Her giggle became a laugh,
and soon tears were running from her eyes. Darcy's amusement was not as great, f
or he was not feeling the giddiness that Elizabeth was feeling. It was several minutes before Elizabeth was able to regain her composure, and Da
rcy was greatly pleased at hearing her laugh again. When she had her spirits und
er control, she fixed Darcy with what attempted to be an accusatory stare. "I am
certain that Anne did not say that, Mr. Darcy," she said firmly. "But she did," said Darcy with a smile. "You can ask her when you next see her,
which should be tonight, since my cousin Fitzwilliam has enticed another invitat
ion for your party to dine at Rosings this evening." Elizabeth looked hard at Darcy, but he appeared to be serious. "Oh, my," she sai
d. "It seems that Anne has depths that I had not known." "She was quite valiant in your defense, Miss Bennet," Darcy said seriously, "and
I am going to try to convince her to accompany us to town when we take our leav
e. I know of a doctor that might be able to do more than her mother's doctor. He
is young but quite knowledgeable." Elizabeth nodded in agreement. Whoever the physician was, he could not be less u
seless than Anne's present doctor.?However, Darcy's relapse into seriousness reminded him of the unanswered question that lay between them. "Am I correct that you were ab
out to refuse my offer, Miss Bennet? And my guess is that it was for my own good
, am I not correct?" he asked her.?Elizabeth squirmed in uneasiness but nodded. "I thought as much," he said. "Perhaps I might make a suggestion that you not give me an an
swer at this moment but instead, consider it after you have a chance to think
more clearly?" 76 Elizabeth thought about it for several moments before speaking. "Perhaps that wo
uld be best," she finally said. She smiled as she said it, but her smile was ver
y tentative. She did indeed need some time to herself to think on what Darcy had
said. The mere fact that she no longer had to conceal her emotions was a change
so drastic that she needed time to consider everything. Indeed, Mr. Darcy has i
n fact made an offer of marriage! she thought to herself in amazement. I would n
ever have dared dream as much, and now I want some time to think! Why do I not s
imply accept it at once? She did not have an answer to that, especially when she looked down to see Darcy
with her hand firmly enclosed in his. "I am quite amazed at what has taken plac
e this afternoon, Mr. Darcy," she said softly. "I should not be allowing you t
o hold my hand, for example." "Ah!" he said. "Then would you prefer that I stopped holding it, Miss Bennet?" h
e asked mischievously. "I ought to," she said. "It is decidedly improper." "Of course," he said, inwardly noting that she had not actually asked him to rel
ease her. And when Elizabeth gave a tentative tug at her hand, she found that sh
e was as firmly held as ever. Darcy gave her a teasing smile, quite enjoying him
self. Most of that, he realized, was seeing how the brow of Miss Bennet was ligh
tened, and he was greatly relieved that she was again able to display those high
spirits. She arched an eyebrow at him, and his smile grew greater. "Of course, I might be able to accomplish my task by compromising you," Darcy sa
id, feigning thoughtfulness. He looked at her, and Elizabeth had to smile at the
innocence of his gaze. "Would holding your hand be enough, do you think?" he as
ked with the utmost seriousness. Elizabeth shook her head at his question. Teasing, teasing man! she said to he
rself, but there was no anger in her thoughts-she was inwardly delighted to play
this innocent game with him after all these months of suppressing and hiding he
r emotions. "I do not think that would be sufficient, Mr. Darcy," she said after some though
t. "It would be somewhat embarrassing, to be sure, and a close watch would then
be kept on us when we were together to prevent a recurrence. But holding hands w
ould not, I believe, be sufficient." She tried to match the seriousness of Darcy
's expression, but he could see the manner in which her dark eyes sparkled. He l
ooked deeply into them, wondering why they had never before looked so lovely. He
remembered all the times in which something in him had tried to appreciate her
eyes, but he had always dutifully suppressed those thoughts. Fool! he thought, b
ut he made himself put the remorse aside and looked again at the woman beside hi
m. "Then what would be sufficient, do you think, Miss Bennet?" he said. "Would a si
mple embrace suffice, do you think?" "Perhaps, Mr. Darcy," she said in consideration, "but only if we were discovered
by someone who might make a scandal of it. Perhaps one or more of the servants
or maybe even my cousin, Mr. Collins," she said with perfect seriousness. "Then perhaps I should ring for a servant?" said Darcy, taking one hand off of h
ers and reaching for the pull rope in the corner. "No, wait!" said Elizabeth in alarm, though inwardly she wondered if she would r
eally prefer to allow Darcy to pull the rope. "No?" he said with his hand on the pull. "No!" said Elizabeth firmly, and Darcy relented, though he put his hand back on
top of hers. She shivered at the touch of his warm skin on hers. "This is most inappropriate, Mr. Darcy," she said, trying to be firm. "Yes, it is, and I should feel thoroughly ashamed of myself," he retorted calm
ly. "You should!" she agreed.?"But..." he said with his slight smile.?"But?"?"I must
confess that I feel no such remorse, Miss Bennet." he replied blandly. "Now, we were discussing what might compromise you, were we
not? But I do not believe that we had thoroughly examined the topic of a mere em
brace. I believe we agreed that it might be sufficient, but it would take the ri
ght observer. My aunt, for example, would not do." "And why not, Mr. Darcy?" Elizabeth asked. "Because she wants me to marry Anne," he replied simply. "Ah. That is correct. And from what we talked about, Anne does not agree." "Anne would like to regain her health before she could entertain any other desir
es," he said firmly. "And I believe that she expressed her preferences quite fir
mly yesterday." Elizabeth nodded in agreement, but her cheeks reddened as she vi
sualized the way in which Anne must have taken her side. "Then might you reconsider your intention to leave Hunsford on the morrow, Miss
Bennet?" Darcy asked softly. Elizabeth colored again at his reference, but she w
as warmed when Darcy squeezed her hand in sympathy for her remembered pain. "Perhaps I might stay somewhat longer, Mr. Darcy," she said, barely above a whis
per. Oh, how much I do so want to do just that! she thought to herself. She foug
ht for control, because her heart wanted her to immediately and energetically
agree to Darcy's proposal, even if it was motivated more by good sense than pass
ion on his part. But I do not want him to marry me out of remorse at causing me
pain! the cooler side of her nature thought. So agreeing to stay is a path betwe
en the two extremes of leaving Hunsford tomorrow or agreeing to his offer right
now. As Elizabeth looked up and met Darcy's eyes, she could not stifle the sense of j
oy and lightness that swept through her. At least I can now look at him with sim
ple honesty, she thought. I no longer have to conceal my thoughts from him-he kn
ows how I feel and is not repulsed! And that thought instantly made her aware of a hidden fear that she had not da
red to face or even to think of before-that Darcy might have reacted to a discov
ery of her affections by a disdainful and laughing rejection. She could now see
that she might have told herself that she must conceal her feelings due to a rat
ional belief that the difference in their situations made a marriage impossibl
e. But that rational thought had been a deceit-she had been deceiving herself, f
or she had subconsciously feared such a rejection more than anything else. And now she did not have to fear that any longer! She looked back at Darcy and s
miled a smile of pure, simple happiness. The effect of that smile on Darcy was almost as if he had been suddenly and unex
pectedly struck by a stunning blow to both chest and head. He actually almost re
eled in his chair at the thought that he could produce such an effect in another
person, a young lady of both sense and beauty, who had been made so dreadfully
unhappy by his unwitting actions and who now was made so very happy just by his
attentions to her. Suddenly, he had an insight into just how George Wickham had
been so successful in his attentions to so many young women, and the thought tha
t he possessed the same type of power over Miss Elizabeth Bennet was both distur
bing and humbling. Such power is a gift, he thought, and one that must be carefu
lly guarded and used wisely, for the power to bring happiness is also the power
to bring abject misery. And for the first time, he began to think that this simple girl from Hertfordshi
re might be gaining the same type of power over him. Neither Darcy nor Elizabeth was aware that several minutes had gone by in comp
lete silence while they simply stared at each other. Elizabeth was the first to
become aware of the extended silence, and she also became aware of the most unus
ual expression on Darcy's face. He normally maintained a look of reserved calmne
ss, and she was at this moment unsure just what emotion was being felt behind
those dark eyes which still looked at her so intently. But she did know that the
expression he wore was decidedly unusual for him. "Mr. Darcy," she said, unconsciously placing her free hand on top of his. "Are y
ou feeling well?" Darcy seemed to shake himself free of whatever thoughts or feelings had so gripp
ed him, and Elizabeth saw the awareness of his surroundings come back into his
eyes. He looked quickly down to see her hand over his, and then he looked up at
her again. "I do not believe that I have ever truly looked at you before this moment, Eliza
beth," he said softly, and his eyes were completely guileless as they looked int
o hers. Elizabeth caught her breath, both at the emotion he was expressing and b
y his unconscious use of her Christian name. Her composure was even more shaken by Darcy's next words. "I am not in the habit
of exaggeration," he said softly, "and I only just now realized it, but I must
tell you that I consider you one of the most beautiful women of my acquaintance." 77 Elizabeth's free hand flew to her mouth as her breath caught at the sentiment so
expressed. She and Darcy continued to look at each other for some further mom
ents, and she grew aware that Darcy's hand on top of hers was now moving. His fi
ngertips moved over the back of her hand, tracing the slender bones under the sk
in, and she closed her eyes with a gasp at the sensations. His cool fingertips s
eemed to impart a sensation of heat where they caressed her skin, and Darcy seem
ed completely unconscious of what he was doing. What can he mean? she thought. Did he not say that he would not try to convince
me that he had miraculously fallen in love with me? "I do not know what it means, Elizabeth," Darcy said in wonderment, and only the
n did Elizabeth realize that she must have whispered the words aloud. After another minute, he continued in a more conversational tone, "Is your unc
le going to send his coach for you, Miss Bennet?" When she silently nodded, he s
aid, "Should you not write to him to tell him that it will not be necessary to s
end his coach?" Elizabeth nodded again, than she became somewhat anxious. "What shall I tell him
, after I was so beseeching in my previous post?" "You could tell him that a Mr. Darcy had made you an offer of marriage and that
you had accepted," Darcy said with a teasing grin. Elizabeth smiled back in a similar fashion. "Except that I have not accepted you
r proposal, sir," she said lightly. "Yet," Darcy said playfully. "Then you could tell him that Mr. Darcy had made yo
u an offer of marriage and that you were thinking about it!" "That statement would at least have the virtue of being true, Mr. Darcy, but it
would raise as much excitement as your previous statement, though in a somewhat
different manner. There would be astonishment at your offer and disbelief at m
y prevarication!" "That you would hesitate at marrying a man of such consequence as myself?" he as
ked impishly, and Elizabeth nodded. His cheerful smile took any sting out of his
words that might imply resentment, and he resumed his caresses of her hand agai
n. "But you must write him, and we must send it by an express rider." "Yes, I must, but what shall I say?" "Simply tell him that the situation has changed but the resolution is still uncl
ear, and that you will advise him of the particulars when you return to his hous
e." "Those indeed are skillfully chosen words, Mr. Darcy," she said, "but I find tha
t I cannot write when my writing hand is trapped within yours." Darcy looked down at where he held her hand in one of his and caressed the top o
f it with his other. "That does seem to be the situation," he said, "and I have
previously declaimed any intention of feeling remorse, you know. You 78 should also know that I am a man of decided firmness once I have made a decision
." "I was somewhat aware of that, sir," Elizabeth said dryly, and Darcy laughed sof
tly. "Yes, you would be," he said. Then, looking around the room, he spied a writing
desk in one corner. "There is pen and paper, Miss Bennet. Perhaps you should wri
te your letter now." "That I should, Mr. Darcy, when I am allowed," she told him teasingly. She could
not believe how free and easy it now was to talk to him when just an hour ago s
he would have been unable to utter a sentence. Then, seeing the angle of the sun
coming in the window, she was unsure of just what time it was. How long have we
been alone in this room? she thought in puzzlement. But Darcy now stood and pulled her to her feet by her hand. "Then I must allow y
ou to write your letter instantly," he said with a smile, looking down at her. B
ut the look of her eyes as she looked up at him through her eyelashes was someth
ing he had never before experienced, and he felt suddenly warm underneath his
tight shirt and cravat. It seemed as if some other person were in control of his
body as he released her hand... Elizabeth felt his hand go around her back and pull her to him, and the thought
of resistance never crossed her mind. She then felt his other hand tip her chin
up so that she stared directly up at his face. Her heart was pounding as she tri
ed to consider what she had been on the verge of saying, but she only knew that
his face was getting closer... Elizabeth closed her eyes at the last minute in the unbelievably delightful kn
owledge that Darcy was about to kiss her, and the very thought of that was overw
helming. Even then that knowledge did not prepare her for the touch of his lips
on hers. The sensation was like the sudden touch of a cold object on bare skin,
though not at all disagreeable, and she shuddered at the thrill that went throug
h her. His lips bore down on hers, and she moaned as the sudden pleasure of his
deepening kiss awoke the passions she had so much tried to suppress. She suddenl
y stood up on her toes, kissing him back with the fervor that she knew was most
highly inappropriate, but she could not help herself. Her arms went to his chest
, gripping his lapels as both of his arms pulled her closer. Her lips opened, an
d she suddenly felt his tongue touch her just between her opened lips. The sudden thrill of pleasure that went all the way down her spine made her arch
her body against his, pressing against him in an unconsciously shameless mann
er. She had never even imagined the tongue being part of the kiss that she and C
harlotte had giggled of when wondering what was truly involved between husband a
nd wife, and the mere touch of it was delight beyond her imagining. One of Darcy
's hands dropped from her shoulders to the small of her back and pulled her agai
nst his lean, muscular body, and she moaned again as his tongue probed further i
nto her mouth. She did not reject him, and then, not even believing her own daring, she reached out her own tongue to touch his. This time Darcy shuddered, and Elizabeth was filled with joy that he might be fe
eling at least some of the almost unbearably delicious delight she herself fel
t. She dropped her arms from his chest to put them around his waist, pulling him
even more firmly against herself, trying to force herself inside his very skin
as he now began to kiss her nose, her cheeks, her forehead. She felt the tip of
his tongue lick the salt trails of tears from her cheeks, and she shuddered agai
n, hearing Darcy laugh softly. Then she felt his warm breath on her ear, and the
touch of his tongue on her ear sent thrills throughout her torso. She thrust he
r hips against him, pulling him fiercely to her, and she did not know what was s
o suddenly hard against her belly. But she knew that she must be having an effec
t on him similar to what he was having on her, and the thought was delightful be
yond anything she had ever known. Perhaps he did not love her as she loved him, but he was definitely not disinter
ested. He had affirmed his belief that he could make her happy, and she did not
believe that her period of thinking about it would last too long. Darcy held her
tightly to him as he kissed her neck, and Elizabeth moved her head to one side
to make the slim line of her neck available. She could not stop the wicked laugh
that tumbled from her lips at her certainty of the future. She might not be mar
ried yet, but she suddenly knew that she was no longer a girl. She did not know
truly what men and women did in the marriage bed, but she was most anxious to fi
nd out... Darcy finally stopped his teasing kisses, and she more than a little wished he h
ad not. But she knew that they had already passed the bounds of proper propriety
, and, though the singing in her heart did not care, they must stop now. Darcy c
huckled softly as he stroked her hair, holding her quietly in his embrace. Suddenly, Elizabeth heard the sound of the door to the room opening, and she ins
tinctively tried to thrust Darcy away. But Darcy would not allow it, holding her
firmly in his embrace, and she might as well have been pushing against a tree f
or all the effect she had. Elizabeth peeked around Darcy's shoulder to behold Co
lonel Fitzwilliam standing in the doorway with Charlotte just behind him, and, t
o her surprise, neither wore the expression of shock and outrage that she had ex
pected. Darcy had also glanced around to behold Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mrs. Collins, an
d now he returned his gaze to Elizabeth. "I believe that we are discovered, Eliz
abeth," he told her softly, "and now I shall have no choice but to marry you." H
e heard her soft laugh, and his heart almost broke as he thought of the long per
iod in which that laugh had not sounded. "Indeed, sir," Elizabeth said softly, "I do believe you have stated the situatio
n correctly, and I also have no choice other than to agree." Fitzwilliam's slow smile grew as he beheld Darcy staring at him in challenge, an
d his red-coated cousin threw back his head with a delighted roar of laughter. Charlotte, on the other hand, made n
o attempt to hide her elation, and she displayed the satisfied smile of a friend
who has just seen a loved one take the first tentative steps from a sickbed. 2A LITTLE LATER, DARCY and Elizabeth sat in a corner of the room talking, now dis
creetly chaperoned by Charlotte and a most affable Colonel Fitzwilliam. There we
re many questions that both of them needed answered, and Darcy was surprised to
find out that Elizabeth had first formed an attachment toward him from almost th
e very beginning of their acquaintance. "So soon!" he said, vastly amazed, and Elizabeth could only nod shyly. He shook
his head in astonishment. "I have been so single-minded in my concern for my bro
ther and sister that I saw nothing of it in all this time." "Well, I was trying rather desperately to hide my feelings, you know," commented
Elizabeth shyly. "Indeed you were, but others around you noticed-Anne, Mrs. Collins, my cousin Fi
tzwilliam-but I did not. I begin to feel that I have been exceedingly thick, and
I wonder if you know just what you are getting yourself into!" Elizabeth only laughed lightly, feeling more than slightly giddy at the relief f
rom the overwhelming weight of despair that had burdened her over the past weeks
. "I believe that I will chance the hazard, sir, especially now that I have been
so thoroughly compromised!" They both laughed at this, and Charlotte and Colonel Fitzwilliam both smiled ind
ulgently in their direction. But Elizabeth had a question to ask, and she leaned toward Darcy so that they
could not be overheard. "One item is still puzzling to me, Mr. Darcy," she said
softly. "Just what did you tell Charlotte to get her to leave us alone?" Darcy smiled cheerfully. "That was no great problem, Elizabeth. I simply told he
r that I had decided that it was time for everyone to stop pretending that they
were not aware of what was going on between the two of us, and that you and I ne
eded to work it out together. Mrs. Collins was most emphatic when she told me th
at she agreed completely. She also said, since you had ignored every bit of advi
ce she had given you, that she was going to leave the two of us alone in such a
way that you would be taken by complete surprise." "That was certainly true!" Elizabeth exclaimed, drawing the curious glance of bo
th Charlotte and Colonel Fitzwilliam. She lowered her voice and leaned even clos
er. "When I looked up and found that everyone had departed except you, I was gre
atly surprised and flustered." "And Mrs. Collins was even more helpful," Darcy continued, keeping his voice s
oft. "She mentioned that it might be best to take your hand and not release it u
ntil I had said 79 everything that needed to be said. She said that you otherwise might attempt to
flee the room." Elizabeth did not respond directly to this comment, but the deep flush that dark
ened her cheeks was indicative of her feelings. Darcy resumed his normal tone as he said slyly, "Well, at least your letter to y
our uncle will not be as ambiguous as it would have been an hour ago," "You are correct, sir," Elizabeth said gaily, "but I believe that I will gloss o
ver a few of the details." "Wise thought," Darcy agreed with a smile.?The note to Mr. Gardiner was quickly
written, informing him that his coach would not be needed tomorrow, that she had
accepted an offer of marriage from Mr. Darcy, and that she would be returning t
o London at a future date with his sister and brother in the Darcy coach instead
. Darcy quickly arranged with Mrs. Collins to send the note with a servant who would then engage an express rider to deliver it to Mr. Gardiner before midn
ight. "And now I must return to my aunt's house," Darcy said, raising Elizabeth's fing
ers to his lips as he stood. "I must tell my sister and brother of what has tran
spired..." "Shall you tell them everything, Darcy, or just the sweet- ened version?" said F
itzwilliam, who had come over to join them in the corner of the room. "That depends on whether my friends and relations will allow me the opportunity
to be more discreet," said Darcy intently, staring hard at his cousin. "Darcy," said Fitzwilliam lightly, "you can be assured that I will not disclose
the more...interesting...details of your proposal and the beginning of your enga
gement to your brother and sister until they are old enough to handle the shock.
" Fitzwilliam held his hands out, palm up, as an indication of his good intentio
ns, and his jovial face bore a look of the utmost innocence. Darcy, however, was all too familiar with his cousin's playful and teasing natur
e, and his suspicions were aroused. "And when will that be, cousin?" Darcy asked distrustfully. "Oh, I believe that
I will have to be the judge of that," replied Fitzwilliam innocently, "but you can rest assured that I will give the m
atter careful thought before sharing such... illuminating...information with Geo
rgiana and David." "I believe that you had best tell them yourself, William," Elizabeth said dryly,
"and quickly, before your cousin has a chance to relate his version. I do belie
ve that I am only now beginning to understand the teasing nature of my future co
usin." Fitzwilliam's only response was a broad smile and an inclining of his head. Eliz
abeth returned the acknowledg- ment, while taking note of the fact that the good
Colonel did not attempt to deny the charge. Chapter 19 arcy found David being instructed in Greek by Mr. Richards, but he was not reall
y surprised to find that Georgiana was not there. Now that he thought about it,
and taking into account his sister's state of mind the previous night, Darcy realized that it would have
been more surprising to have found her present rather than absent. That thought
led to another realization that, in the intensity of his own emotions this da
y, he had not seen Georgiana since the previous evening. At first, he wondered w
hy he had not seen her at breakfast or luncheon, and then he was rather stunned,
as he comprehended that he had completely forgotten about eating and had miss
ed both meals. Darcy stood silently, smiling inwardly at the awareness that he had been acting
most peculiarly all day, a fact that he was sure that either his cousin or his s
iblings were certain to raise, once all these singular episodes were past. When
Mr. Richards reached a breaking point in his instruction, he looked up at his em
ployer inquiringly. "I would like to borrow my brother for a brief time, Mr. Richards," said Darcy.
"He can return later if the lesson needs to be continued." "That will not be necessary, Mr. Darcy," responded the tutor. "We were only revi
ewing old material today since Miss Georgiana was feeling rather ill and asked t
o be excused from today's lessons. This would be a good time to quit for the day
, since it will soon be time for supper." "Will you be joining us tonight?" asked Darcy, as usual, and Mr. Richards gave h
is accustomed answer that he and his wife would prefer to eat their evening meal
in their rooms. Darcy nodded, and continued, "If it would be convenient, I woul
d like to call on you and your wife at eight o'clock to discuss some upcoming ch
anges in my household that may have an effect on your employment." Seeing the su
dden look of concern on Mr. Richards face, Darcy smiled. "No, no, Mr. Richards,
your employment is not threatened, but it will be...altered. It is nothing to be
concerned about, please believe me." Mr. Richards was mollified but was still curious as his master left the room wit
h his brother. David was also curious as he looked up at his brother. The jauntiness of Will'
s step and the expression on his face are rather unfamiliar, David thought to hi
mself. He almost looks...happy! As much as David loved and respected his older b
rother, he was quite familiar with Will's determination and self-discipline. "Have you seen your sister today, David?" asked Darcy, as they neared Georgiana'
s door. "No, Will. Both you and Georgiana were absent for both meals today, though I do
know that Georgie had a tray sent up at noon." 80 DDarcy only grunted in answer, his lightheartedness somewhat lessening at the t
hought of having to console Georgiana. He believed that she would be both reliev
ed and pleased at his rather unexpected news, but he was afraid that she would,
at least initially, be in a state of mind that she would listen to him. Remember
ing her remorse the previous evening, he anticipated some rather uncomfortable m
inutes before Georgiana could comprehend what he wanted to say. Georgiana did not answer his knock at first, just as on the previous day, and Da
rcy knocked again. This time he heard Georgiana's footsteps approaching the door
, and her voice called though the door, "Who is it?" "William and David, Georgiana. Please let us in. I would like to talk to you." A
t first, Darcy was not sure that Georgiana was going to agree to see them, but e
ventually the latch clicked and the door swung open slightly. As Darcy entered, he saw that Georgiana had not dressed today. She was wearing a
floor-length robe, and her hair was still put up for sleep. Her walk was listle
ss as she went over to the disarrayed bed and sat on the edge. Darcy silently wa
lked over to the chair and motioned to David to sit on the couch. Georgiana did not look at him after he seated himself, and suddenly Darcy did no
t know how to begin. All the openings he had considered as he walked back to Ros
ings now seemed to have either disappeared from his memory or appeared as too la
me to be appropriate. How do I start? he thought desperately, and then he heard
Anne's thin, soft voice advising him to tell Elizabeth the truth. If it was righ
t for her, it will be right for the two people I love the most in the world. Darcy took a deep breath and began. "David and Georgiana, I do not have to tell
you that the past several days have been most upsetting and irregular. I have al
ways tried to maintain a predictable household, and now events of the most highl
y unexpected nature have upset our normal affairs. You both know the source of t
hese events, and that is our friend, Miss Elizabeth Bennet." David looked sharply at his brother, wondering if he was jesting, but he settled
back in the couch as he saw the serious look on Will's face. He is simply stati
ng the clear and simple truth, he thought. Miss Elizabeth is our friend, a frien
d of the Darcy family, but now how is that easy and comfortable friendship ever
to be repaired? Georgiana, for her part, did not even glance up but seemed to slump down even lo
wer. What did shock her, however, was the completely unexpected laughter from
William! Her head came up in affronted astonishment, as she at first imagined th
at William was laughing at either her misery or Elizabeth's. But one look at her
brother's smile of good cheer and humor convinced her that she was in error. Th
ere is no deceit or cruelty in that smile, she thought in confusion. What is happening? "You two look as glum as a child being told that Christmas will not be held this
year," chuckled Darcy, "but I wonder if I should not be offended that you thoug
ht so badly of me? But I assure you, everything is going to be quite agreeable." "Of what are you talking, William?" burst out Georgiana angrily, her eyes starti
ng to tear up in the intensity of her emotion. "How is this revolting situation
to be rescued?" Her question was echoed by David, though with more interest and
less anger. Darcy only smiled again. "Quite simply, Georgie, but first you must answer this
question. Would you believe me if I told you that I was completely unaware of an
y interest held by Miss Bennet toward myself? Would you believe me, David?" David required only a moment's consideration. "Yes, Will, you have always been c
ompletely honest and straight- forward with both of us. So yes, I would believe you." "And you, Georgie, would
you believe me?" asked Darcy. Georgiana was somewhat reluctant but she also nodd
ed in agreement with David.?"And would you not equally agree that, if I was unaware of any interest by Miss Bennet, then I could not have been aware that I was caus
ing her pain?" Both Georgiana and David reluctantly agreed to this question also
."And, once I knew of the real situation, do you believe that I would simply stan
d aside and let all parties be thrown into the deepest unhappiness? That is what
I meant when I referred to you thinking badly of me. Do you think I would simpl
y ignore the situation and do nothing?" Georgiana was suddenly ashamed of her previous out- burst, for she had a complet
e lifetime of vindication of her brother's kindness and generosity. "No, William
," she said lowly, "I cannot believe that of you." "Nor I," offered David, who, if he had less to be embarrassed of, still was ra
ther uncomfortable with his anger of the previous day. "Good, good," said Darcy cheerfully. "So now we have established that I was comp
letely unaware of the situation until yesterday, when my cousin Fitzwilliam, my
sister, and most especially my cousin Anne all combined to make sure that I was
completely acquainted with all the true facts in all their great and glorious de
tail. It was a most humbling day for me yesterday; and I could wish for many yea
rs to pass before I had another such, I can assure you!" Darcy was able to chuckle in true humor as he thought of the previous day. Shaki
ng his head in amusement, he continued cheerfully, "So, there was, of course,
only one thing to do. I will admit that I did not see it at first and Anne had t
o advise me, but there was only one possible way to handle this situation." Both Georgiana and David were staring intently at their brother with the kind of
intent gaze more commonly reserved for an accused criminal awaiting judgment at
trial. Finally, David was able to venture, "And that was, Will?" "Why, I went to see Miss Bennet and talked over the situation with her, of cou
rse," responded Darcy calmly. Georgiana was completely bewildered by her brother
's answers, though she was suddenly struck by what seemed to be a twinkle in his
eyes. It is almost like Elizabeth when she inspired to some witty 8? comment, Georgiana thought. It is impossible, of course, but he almost looks as
if he is hiding something...and enjoying it! "You will pardon me, Will," said David eventually, "but I am unable to see how t
hat improves the situation." "But did you not, the both of you, make any number of veiled hints during recent
days that it was time-and past time!-that I stopped being so short-sighted and
took myself a wife? Did you not make that very comment during our walk yesterday
, Georgie? And you also, David, at other times?" Georgiana and David both allowed as to the truth of his statement. "Then you will be pleased to know that I have taken your advice," said Darcy, wi
th a look of the utmost seriousness, though his sister was now certain that sh
e recognized a twinkle in his eyes. "In fact, it was that very topic that was th
e center of my conversation with Miss Bennet, and we are the both of us convince
d that she will do quite nicely." For a moment the sheer casualness with which these words were spoken confused bo
th Georgiana and David. Then, as it slowly dawned on them that their so-very-sob
er brother had just dropped the most momentous announcement into their midst as
if making a comment on the weather, they finally realized the manner in which he
had been teasing them. Georgiana looked at David, and a wordless question passed between them. David no
dded back to Georgiana, who smoothly leaned aside to take one of her pillows and
toss it to him. She seized her other pillow and suddenly both of them immediate
ly attacked their brother, flailing at him about the head and shoulders with the
ir pillows while shouting impre- cations at him for his teasing, teasing nature.
Darcy could not stop his laughter, as both brother and sister used the pillows
without mercy, for they both were grinning broadly as they called down all natur
e of calamity and doom on his shoulders for the manner in which he had deceived
them. All three were still laughing as Darcy went over backward in his chair even as
one of the pillows burst about his head. The air was filled with feathers and m
any dire and laughing threats of future vengeance among the three joyful sibli
ngs. 2"YOU DO NOT MEAN it!" exclaimed Georgiana as she descended the stairs on the a
rm of her brother. He had just completed his story of the manner in which their
cousin Anne had taken him to task the previous day. "But I do, dearest," said Darcy, with a rueful grin. "It was possibly the most u
npleasant conversation of my life, and also the most surprising. I had thought I
had everything planned to perfection, and suddenly nothing was as I believed it
." "And yet you went back to her today and asked her advice!" marveled Georgiana.
"That must have been very hard to do." 82 "Yes, it was," agreed her brother. "But what else could I do, with Anne furious
at me, Richard disgusted with me, you refusing to see me, and even David looking
at me as if he had just discovered that I had gambled away the family fortune." "That was not the look I gave you, Will!" piped up David from behind them. "I ju
st could not believe that you could be so very thick!" The three Darcys had just entered the parlor from one door when the party from H
unsford was announced at the door at the other end of the room. Darcy and Elizab
eth had decided previously that it would be more prudent not to announce their
engagement to Lady Catherine at this time but to inform her later by mail, but
that decision was overturned as soon as Anne saw Elizabeth. She saw the happy li
ght in Elizabeth's face as she now looked at Darcy openly, she saw her cousin's
open smile in return, she beheld Georgiana's relief and glee, and she also saw D
avid and Fitzwilliam's smug satisfaction. Mrs. Collins looked at Anne across the
room and smiled quietly, though her husband was so busy greeting her ladyship t
hat he noted nothing amiss. Anne could not hold back her laughter as it became clear that everyone in the ro
om knew exactly what had happened except her mother and her parson. Her laught
er was contagious, and both David and Fitzwilliam quickly joined. Georgiana join
ed not long afterward, and Elizabeth and Darcy only looked at each other and shr
ugged helplessly as they tried to keep their own composure. At last, Lady Catherine could stand no more. "What is the meaning of all this fr
ivolous giggling? I demand to know what could be the excuse for such rude behavi
or?" Faced with such an open and direct question, Darcy would not lie to his aunt. Cr
ossing to Elizabeth, he held out his arm to her. Elizabeth felt flushed but exub
erant as she took the offered arm. It was not the first time that she had held h
is arm, but as she placed her arm in his and laid her hand on his forearm, it wa
s yet different that it had ever been before. "Madame," said Darcy, escorting Elizabeth over to his aunt, who was wide-eyed in
shocked surprise, "my sister and cousins are indulging in some laughter at my e
xpense. Please forgive them, for they are merely rejoicing in my happiness. Aunt, it is my pleasure to announce that Miss Bennet has consented to my proposa
l of marriage, and we are engaged to be married." A silence followed this announcement, as the expression on Lady Catherine's face
was one of shocked disbelief. But her disbelief did not last long, and the look
of shock was replaced by an expression that showed that she was beside herself
with fury. "What ever can you mean, nephew? You cannot be engaged to this...this
...person! You are engaged to my daughter! Have you lost your senses..." "Mother, be silent!" snapped Anne harshly, her usual thin voice firmed by intens
e emotion. Lady Catherine was indeed shocked to silence, and she looked at her d
aughter in shocked surprise, for she had never imagined that she might hear such a harsh and comman
ding tone from her daughter. "You have had your way without opposition for too long, mother," Anne continued,
her voice calmer but still firm. "I will not have you insult or mar the happine
ss of my dear friend at such a time." Anne stepped over to Elizabeth and gave her not only a warm embrace but followed
it with a kiss on the cheek. "I offer my warmest congratulations, Elizabeth," s
he said earnestly. "I hope you will be very happy with my well-meaning but som
ewhat slow cousin." "Thank you, Anne," said Elizabeth with answering warmth. She glanced at Darcy be
side her, warmed by the calm smile on his face. "I am lucky to have such a frien
d as you, and I hope you will visit us often in the future." Anne likewise congratulated her cousin Darcy, embracing him warmly. "When I se
e the happiness of Elizabeth, Darcy," she said wryly, "I must admit that perhaps
I may have been mistaken in some of what I accused you of yesterday. But," sh
e said darkly, "I still attest that you have been as slow to catch on as the mos
t dullard character in any of Shakespeare's plays." Darcy bowed to her. "I shall indeed try to work on it, cousin. Despite the pain
that was occasioned, all does seem to have turned out happily after all." "Darcy..." began Lady Catherine, who appeared to be ready to again resume her co
mplaints to Darcy, but hardly had the first word left her mouth before Anne whir
led on her. "Mother, stop it!" said Anne. "Give up this delusion that Darcy and I were engag
ed! That was a frivolous and unre- alistic dream between you and your sister. Ca
nnot you see what is so clear to everyone else? Darcy and I would never have mar
ried. Even if I were strong enough, I would have refused, because I do not belie
ve that he could have made me happy and I most assuredly would have made him mos
t unhappy." Anne paused to catch her breath, and Elizabeth gasped at the sudden paleness of
Anne's face even as she continued. "I am not only in favor of this match with Mi
ss Bennet, mother, but I would have you know that I advised him to secure it. I
only hope that I may live long enough to see them married and a Darcy heir born.
"This speech was too much for Anne, and she had to sit down as her legs suddenly
were unable to support her. She gasped for breath, her chest heaving, and a shee
n of perspiration made her forehead shine. Immediately, both Georgiana and Eli
zabeth were at her side, their arms supporting her while they used their fans to
cool her. Darcy stepped to the door and called down the hall for brandy to be b
rought to the parlor. As he stepped back into the room, Darcy saw the expression on his aunt's face,
and it was not the shock and worry that he saw on everyone else's face, even th
e dullard Collins. He realized with sudden insight that Lady Catherine had not been ignorant of the extent of her daughter's condition even as she was tryi
ng to push the long-held delusion of a marriage between the two of them, and he
rounded on her furiously "How long have you known, Madam?" he challenged her harshly, commandingly. "Were
you so intent on securing this marriage between Rosings and Pemberley that yo
u would sacrifice your only daughter to accomplish it?" Lady Catherine would not
answer his question, which was an answer in itself. Darcy went over to his co
usin Anne, who was looking better but still weak, and he knelt before her. "Anne, do you feel well enough to eat?" he asked gently. Anne's response was a s
ilent shake of her head. "Would you like to return to your room?" he responded.?Anne nodded and tried to stand, only to sink back down. "I cannot," she said weakly.?"Would you care to come to London to stay with us a
nd consult an excellent doctor that I know there?" Anne was feeling so weak and let
hargic that the challenge of making a decision was beyond her capability. She
looked over at Elizabeth in desperation, and, after receiving a nod of encourage
ment and agreement from her friend, she tiredly agreed to her cousin's suggestio
n. By this time, a servant had appeared with the brandy and glasses, and Darcy pour
ed a small amount in a glass, handing it to Elizabeth. "Just a sip or two, Elizabeth. It ought to bring her color back, but it is fiery
stuff. Do not let her gulp too much." Elizabeth nodded in agreement before turning to Anne, and Darcy called back the
servant, who had started to leave the room. "Summon Miss de Bourgh's maid immedi
ately to her room," he commanded. "Have her help you pack the necessary clothing
for a few days for departure early in the morning. Pack the remainder of her be
longings for shipment to my house in London. Do you have all that? Good then. Take care of it immediately."?Turning back to the party in the parlor, he contin
ued. "We will leave by eight in the morning. Georgiana, Elizabeth, Anne, and Anne's m
aid will ride in the coach. The rest of us will accompany on horseback. Richard,
if you will be taking your pair of pistols and will loan me your spares, I beli
eve we can dispense with the armed coachmen and leave them to accompany the serv
ant's coach with the rest of Anne's belongings. I do not know how long she will
stay with us, but I plan to have Dr. Douglas look at her tomorrow afternoon an
d to consult with others that he may recommend." He looked down compassionately
at his cousin, who looked exceedingly frail as she was being held by Elizabeth.
Raising his eyes, Darcy fixed his eyes on his Aunt Catherine. "My cousin Anne wi
ll stay with us for as long as needed to receive all the help that the doctors can give. For the rest of her life, if necessary." So saying, Darcy bent down and lifted Anne in his arms, carrying her toward the
door of the parlor even as he ordered 83 a servant to prepare a simple meal of meat broth and fruit and bring it to her r
oom. Elizabeth, Georgiana, and Charlotte accompanied him as he left the room, an
d he had not another glance to spare for Lady Catherine, who was both shrunken i
n appearance and appeared to have aged almost a decade in a matter of minutes. EChapter 20 lizabeth sat up straighter as the Darcy coach clattered to a halt in front of th
e house of her uncle. Taking care not to wake Anne, she slowly disengaged her ar
m from behind the sleeping girl, who had finally fallen 84 into a fitful sleep about an hour outside of London. Georgiana assisted her, sup
porting Anne's head while Elizabeth stood up, and the younger girl then sat down
in Elizabeth's place and allowed Anne's head to come to rest on her shoulder. The two girls exchanged quick smiles as the door was opened and the step swung d
own, then Elizabeth descended from the coach, moving slowly as her stiffened mus
cles protested. She was again surprised and gratified as Darcy helped her desc
end, still unable to believe the tumultuous change in her life in just the past
day. As Darcy gave her a simple smile of greeting and offered her his arm, she c
ould not believe that she had been sunk into hopeless dejection just twenty- fou
r hours earlier. We have to find time to talk, she thought to herself, even as s
he could not suppress her own smile of sublime happiness. I had never thought or
even dreamed to be in this position, and I have so many questions to ask, so mu
ch that I want to know about this tall, dark-haired man who has suddenly become
the center of my life. Shaking her head in bemused wonder at the twists and turns on which her own inne
r nature took her, she accompanied her future husband toward the front door, w
hich even then flew open as her cousins rushed out of the house. Mrs. Gardiner a
ppeared behind them, obviously too late to prevent the four children from rushin
g towards their favorite cousin. "Oh, Lizzy, Lizzy, Mother told us the news just this morning!" cried the oldes
t of the three girls, Felicia, as she seized Elizabeth's hand. "Is this Mr. Darcy, Lizzy? Is it really?" cried the next youngest girl, Miriam,
who was dancing around Darcy and Elizabeth in her excitement. "He is very tall," said the youngest girl, Jenny, standing and looking up at Mr.
Darcy. "And handsome," agreed Miriam. "That is a very pretty coach," offered Felicia. "Mother did not know that you wo
uld arrive today. Darcy looked at Elizabeth helplessly, completely discomfited and yet moved by
the simple enthusiasm of Elizabeth's cousins, which reminded him somewhat of his
sister when she was young and yet was different, since they were so much more e
xuberant than Georgiana had been. The oldest of the children was a boy, who looked about eight, and he caught Darc
y's eye. "I am Elizabeth's cousin, Benjamin," he said as he bowed politely. "And I am Fitzwilliam Darcy, Benjamin," Darcy responded as he returned the you
ng boy's bow. The boy especially reminded him of David, who had also tried so very hard at that age to be older t
han he was. "I am engaged to be married to your cousin Elizabeth," he continue
d. By this time, Mrs. Gardiner had joined them, and Darcy could see that her childr
en would be increased in not too many months. She was panting somewhat from havi
ng hurried after the children as they burst down the stairs and out of the hou
se after the first announcement of their cousin Elizabeth's arrival. She quickly
gathered up the children and sent them back inside the house with one of the se
rvants. Elizabeth was quick to make the introduction as soon as she turned back to them.
"Mr. Darcy, may I present my aunt, Mrs. Edward Gardiner?" Darcy bowed to the ot
her lady, who appeared to be not too many years older than he was, and was dress
ed in fashionable but simple attire. "Please excuse my children, Mr. Darcy, but we had not expected Elizabeth so soon
after receiving her express yesterday. Jenny saw her step out of the coach, a
nd the four children were down the stairs before I had even gotten out of my cha
ir." "No excuses are required, madam. I have had the care of my brother and sister fo
r five years now, and I am somewhat acquainted with how they can disappear in th
e twinkling of an eye. In fact, may I present my brother, David Alexander, and m
y cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam?" Both Richard and David had dismounted and joined
Darcy and Elizabeth, and they both bowed to the other lady, who curtseyed grace
fully despite her pregnancy. "Also, my sister Georgiana is in the coach, and I hope you will excuse her not d
escending to meet you. She is aiding my cousin, Miss de Bourgh, who has been ill
for some time and has accompanied us to town to see my doctor." Georgiana nodde
d her head to the other woman through the coach window, turning quickly back to
Anne, who was starting to wake up and was whimpering in distress as she did so. Mrs. Gardiner instantly was concerned for the other girl and asked if she might
be of assistance. "Thank you, Mrs. Gardiner, but I would like to get her to my house as soon as po
ssible so that my doctor can look in on her. I sent him a note telling him of ou
r arrival and the sickness of Anne, and I am sure that he will come as soon as p
ossible. After he has seen her, however, I would like to return so that we may t
alk further. I am sure that the news Elizabeth sent came as rather a surprise to
all of you." "A most pleasant one, I assure you," answered Mrs. Gardiner, who had noticed the
happiness of Elizabeth and the way she was completely unable to take her eyes o
ff Darcy. "And please come whenever you are able, Mr. Darcy. We have been worried about Li
zzy for some time, but I think everything is going to be all right now," and she
gave Darcy a smile of complete approval. In her opinion, anyone who could rever
se the spirits of her favorite niece in the manner she had observed stood very h
igh in her opinion. "Thank you, I shall," he answered, giving her another bow. He was also rather im
pressed with Mrs. Gardiner. He had been none too certain of what to expect of the brother of Mrs. Bennet, but h
is apprehensions had been largely put to rest by the charm and manners of his wi
fe. He wondered if he would feel similarly when he met Elizabeth's uncle, but th
ere was nothing for it but to wait for that event to occur. He reminded himself
that assumptions made in haste had led to considerable embarrassment in the past
several days. Darcy took his leave of Elizabeth at the doorway to her uncle's house, and she h
oped that her aunt had not noted her shiver when Darcy raised her fingers to his
lips to kiss them gently. It was an unmistakable gesture of affection made in p
ublic, and Elizabeth was warmed by the open and unaffected way in which he made
it. She stayed in the doorway as he mounted his tall horse, and she once again f
elt a shiver of excitement down her spine as she regarded his graceful carriage
and his tall, athletic figure. She had seen him fencing and seen him riding, and
she longed to have the privacy and the opportunity to tell him just how attract
ive she found him. I hope he does not desire a long engagement, she thought. I would depart to Scot
land this night if he suggested it, and I especially have no desire to suffer th
rough an ordeal of wedding preparation similar to what Jane endured before her
own wedding. Considering the uproar and chaos that my mother generated on that
occasion, it does not bear thinking of what she would do in preparing for my mar
riage to a man like Mr. Darcy! 2IT WAS ALMOST FIVE o'clock before Darcy was able to return to the Gardiner house
. Elizabeth had found herself growing more and more anxious as the afternoon w
ore on, even though she told herself that there was no reason for her to be conc
erned. Despite her assurance, however, her imagination kept throwing up horrible
and worrying thoughts that she was only partially able to keep at bay. For exam
ple, at one point the dreadful thought occurred to her that Darcy might come to
regret what he had done by proposing to such an unworthy creature as herself, so
much that he might suddenly depart for his estate in Derbyshire, so that she wo
uld never again set eyes on him. Or that he might have been injured in a collisi
on on the street and be badly hurt or even dying even as she sat waiting with in
creasing agitation in her uncle's parlor. She was not sure which of the possibil
ities thrown up by her agitated mind caused her more horror, and her equa- nimit
y had been strained to the utmost as she attempted to answer her aunt's many que
stions. Under Mrs. Gardiner's skillful and tender questioning, Elizabeth had finally rev
ealed most of the details of her long and secret attraction to Mr. Darcy and of
the most singular manner in which they had become engaged. When her uncle had
returned from his warehouse, she had repeated a 85 much abbreviated version for him. Mrs. Gardiner had shaken her head and clucked
sympathetically at various points in Elizabeth's first and longer recitation, co
mmenting, "Leave it to you, Lizzy, to never do things the simple and ordinary wa
y! I knew that you were in distress, and I had even guessed the reason, but I co
uld offer little advice, since my advice would have been to avoid the attraction
. That would have been useless in your case, since I could see that your heart w
as already engaged." "That was so very true, aunt," responded Elizabeth, in a mixture of both embarra
ssment and wry amusement at herself. "I had always prided myself on my sensibili
ty, and I was quite shocked to find myself attracted to someone like Mr. Darcy s
o quickly and so completely and to the utter rejection of my better judgment.
I found myself as completely addled as the most senseless heroine in a romantic
novel, and it was rather embarrassing that my judgment had so very little effect
on my heart." "I had an idea that such was your state of mind, Elizabeth," Mrs. Gardiner nodde
d. "But it was obvious that you did not want to talk of it, so I let the subject
alone. In truth, any advice I might have offered could not have helped your sta
te of mind. It has been my experience that, in those cases where one party loves
without that love being returned, the usual result is most unhappy for the part
y that loves. I was afraid that you were going to have to deal with a broken hea
rt." "As did I, aunt," said Elizabeth rather bleakly, remembering those desolate da
ys when she had faced the total hopelessness of her position. "Yet now the opposite seems to have occurred!" said Mrs. Gardiner cheerfully, re
aching over and squeezing Elizabeth's hand, attempting to dispel the sudden gloo
m on her niece's face. "Despite what I had thought-what we both had thought!-you
have now achieved your heart's desire. Moreover, you have done so in a much mor
e adventurous manner than we would have otherwise expected from our most sensibl
e niece! There will be tales told of your courtship at family gatherings for man
y, many years!" Elizabeth smiled in return, but her face also flushed the brightest red in embar
rassment. She was cheered by her aunt's merry comments, even as she knew that th
ere was no way to deal with future discomfiture than to simply face it when it a
rose with as much equanimity as she could summon. She shook her head with renewe
d amusement at her present situation. "It seems to me that you have stated it qu
ite accurately, aunt," she responded in quiet contentment. "But I must confess
that everything has happened so fast that I am still attempting to come to grip
s with what has occurred." "To be sure, Lizzy, to be sure. But I do wish, niece, that you will be able to p
ut all this chaos and tumult behind you," her aunt continued with a teasing smil
e. "Your letters last fall gave me the first warning," she said, as she began to
count off her conversational points by holding up one finger. "Then there was our visit at Christmas, when I guessed the cause," and she held
up a second finger. "Then you came to stay with us until March, when I observed the extreme agitation of your feelin
gs. Then you go to Kent, only to cut short your visit by sending us a letter ask
ing for an early departure. Hardly had we dealt with that before an express arri
ved late yesterday evening announcing your engagement and saying that you would
be returning with Mr. Darcy. And then today we have your sudden and unannounced
arrival, along with your future husband and several members of his family. I do
hope that you will put all this excitement behind you and just get on with a rat
her dull but contented married life!" Both women laughed at Mrs. Gardiner's recitation of Elizabeth's last few months,
and Elizabeth herself felt her mood lightened by her aunt's teasing. But her au
nt was only able to relieve her niece's mind of her worries for a little bit, an
d soon Elizabeth was again fretful as she waited for Darcy to arrive. And now the anticipated event had finally occurred as Darcy, along with his brot
her and sister, were shown into her uncle's parlor. Elizabeth had trouble dealin
g with the surge of emotion that threatened to choke her and made her eyes suspi
ciously sting with withheld tears. She did not even realize that, to her, ever
yone else in the room had disappeared. Her eyes were on Darcy, and she was not a
ware of anyone else in the room, not her beloved aunt and uncle and not even her
dear friend, Georgiana. Mrs. Gardiner smoothly introduced the new arrivals to her husband, who did not b
at an eyelash as he recognized how proficiently his wife had covered up for the
failings of his paralyzed niece. He shook Darcy's hand and welcomed him to his h
ome before Darcy went over to greet Elizabeth by raising her hand to his lips. Elizabeth was finally shaken out of her daze by the shudder that went down her
spine at the touch of Darcy's lips on the back of her fingers. She was not wear
ing gloves, which was a minor omission of protocol when formally receiving a gue
st, but at least she was able to respond to Darcy's greeting in kind. Witnessing the discomfiture of the normally calm and collected Elizabeth, David
could not resist nudging his sister with an elbow and leaning close to her. "I
t appears that Elizabeth cannot stop staring at our brother and is even having d
ifficulty making conversation, Georgie," he whispered softly. "It seems that s
he has it even worse than we thought." Georgiana glanced at her brother in annoyance. "I think it's romantic, Alex," sh
e whispered fiercely. David's response was not at all affected by her displeasure. "You would!" he w
hispered merrily. 2THE GARDINER'S WERE IMPRESSED by Mr. Darcy's politeness and friendly conversat
ion, but they had little chance for 86 further conversation, as Elizabeth, despite her bemusement, was able to skillful
ly make use of the arrival of tea to maneuver Darcy to a spot in the far corne
r of the room where they could sit together on chairs turned mostly toward each
other. Somehow, as they took their seats, she found her hand again held by Darcy
, and she welcomed the attention that he gave her as her previous worries vanish
ed as if they had never occurred to her. Elizabeth gloried in the fact that she was now able to sit with Darcy, to allow
him to hold her hand and even to squeeze it back in response. Since they were no
w openly engaged, such attentions were completely proper, but Elizabeth still
had difficulty in believing that Darcy did not regret connecting himself with he
r. But such was obviously the case, since Darcy gave every evidence of complete
contentment and happiness with his selection and with her company. But, beyond every other happy feeling that she felt at this time, Elizabeth most
treasured the simple joy of at last being able to gaze openly and unabashedly
at her beloved. His handsomeness had always been a part of him, but she seemed
to see qualities in his manner and character that would have made him as equally
perfect if he had been as ugly as her father's stable hand, Jarvis. And now she
was able to indulge in her desires to just look upon his features in contentmen
t as he told her of the condition of his cousin, Anne. "Richard stayed behind to attend Anne after Dr. Douglas called," he told her. "D
ouglas was quite thorough in eliciting all the particulars of her affliction, bu
t he was quite forthright that he could not put a name to what ails her, especia
lly after only one visit. He prescribed rest and a simple diet, since he is most
concerned about Anne's thinness and her lack of appetite. He said it gives her
no reserves of energy, and he wished to confer with several other doctors before
he returns tomorrow. For now, at least, Anne is able to simply rest and relax w
ithout the worry that her mother might suddenly intrude with some new demand on
her." Elizabeth nodded in concern. "It must have been very uncomfortable at Rosings wi
th just Anne and Lady Catherine all these years," she said thoughtfully. "I wond
er if such extreme emotions might not be at least partly responsible for Anne'
s condition?" Suddenly, she colored at the realization that she was criticizing
Darcy's family, but Darcy squeezed her hand gently as she started to stammer an
apology. "No apology is necessary, Elizabeth," he said. "I know you are only thinking of
Anne's welfare, and I would rather have your honest opinion than to have you pic
k your words to tell me what I want to hear. In any case, my aunt has named her
lack of concern for the feelings of others as 'forthright- ness of character' fo
r many years and has made of it a virtue. Apologizing for what Lady Catherine ha
s made no secret of these many years is not required." Elizabeth nodded her head in acquiescence, but Darcy changed the subject to anot
her topic. "I talked to Mr. and Mrs. Richards last evening, telling them of our
forthcoming marriage and stressing that it should make no difference in their employment, since my sister and brother will still need instruction. They
thanked me for my kindness, but I was rather surprised to find that they had alr
eady been considering leaving my employ. They both thought that their instructio
n of Georgiana and David was coming to an end, rather sooner than I had really c
ontemplated. Mrs. Richards made the point that Georgiana is ready to come out in
a year or so in any case, and both of them agreed that she has already surpasse
d almost any other girl of her situation in her learning in both knowledge and c
onduct. And Mr. Richards said that David, despite his youth, is well prepared to
enter Cambridge at this time in every particular except his youthful years." Elizabeth glanced over at the couch where Georgiana and David were conversing ea
sily with her aunt and uncle in time to see David nudge his sister with his elbo
w. Both of them looked over at where she sat with Darcy, and to call their smile
s 'smug' would be an understatement of considerable degree. Elizabeth felt her
ears turn red, and Darcy laughed easily as he noted the interchange. "Whether the Richards gave adequate thought to reduc- ing their charges' penchan
t for mischief is another story," he chuckled. "In any case, they told me that t
hey had been considering the prospect of opening a school of their own when th
e time came to leave my employ, and, since they had grown to love my estate at P
emberley over the years, they proposed to open their school in the nearby villag
e of Lambton. Mr. Richards noted the number of estates in the surrounding area t
hat might make use of their school, and they believed that the knowledge of thei
r years in my employ would be an excellent recommendation. And, since the nearne
ss of the school would allow David to ride over from Pemberley in order to take
what instruction might be needed in the three or four years before it is time to
send him to Cambridge, they thought that the occasion of our marriage might be
a propitious time to make their start." Elizabeth nodded gravely. "They seem well suited to such an endeavor, both in th
e breadth of subjects they might instruct and on the genteelness of their mann
ers. I like them both very much." "As do I," said Darcy. "They have become firm friends in their years in my emplo
y, and their location and connection with my-rather our family," and he smiled a
t Elizabeth's sudden start at yet another reminder of the way in which her life
would soon change. "Anyway, that connection will allow us to include them in our
circle at Pemberley on many occasions. So, since their proposal made eminent se
nse to me, I ventured to suggest that I knew of several properties near Lambton
that might be purchased with their final wages plus a bonus, which I planned to
settle on them for their years of faultless service." Elizabeth was again amazed at the varied mixture of this future husband of hers,
as he was at one time conscious of his position in society while able to speak
of including a family like the Richards, wealthy in intellect and knowledge but
relatively impoverished in both money and significance. 87 "That is a most freethinking attitude, William," she said softly. Darcy took a sip of tea from his cup, and his expression was completely guileles
s as he replied, "Nonsense, Elizabeth, I am only protecting my position, seeing
that I will soon be marrying a young country lass with an uncle in Trade in the
City." Elizabeth, unfortunately, was just swallowing a sip of tea when Darcy made this
most unexpected jibe, and the resulting furor as the liquid went down her wind
pipe instead of her throat took several minutes to die down. When Elizabeth was
finally able to breathe, with the assistance of everyone in the room and after a
spell of most unladylike coughing, she attempted to affix a most determined gla
re at her future and suddenly contrite husband. "You, sir," she charged, trying to suppress the smile quivering around the edg
e of her lips, "are not supposed to have a sense of humor! Choosing the moment w
hen I was swallowing to demonstrate my error was most decidedly unfair!" "You were correct the first time, Elizabeth," sniffed Georgiana, holding Elizabe
th's arm and adding her own glare at her brother. "He will need considerable ins
truction when you are married, and you may be assured of my assistance wheneve
r you may need it!" Mr. Gardiner chuckled at this comment and endeavored to rescue his future nephew
. "Perhaps it might be best to make a tactical retreat, young man. Perhaps you m
ight care to join me in my study, where I believe that a glass of port might be
called for at this time." Darcy was quick to accept, but only after he had again kissed Elizabeth's finger
s and been granted a smile of forgiveness. It was only when the door closed behind Mr. Gardiner and his brother that David
suddenly realized that he had been left alone in a room full of women. He looked
desperately at the now closed door, alarmed at the prospect of making small t
alk about subjects most dear to the heart of females, but he knew that he was fa
r too young to be granted entrance to that sanctum enjoyed by grown men. "Oh, rats!" he mumbled under his breath as his sister smiled at him with more th
an a hint of malicious triumph. But, since he had no option, he sat down on the
couch beside his sister and began to calculate how many more years must pass bef
ore he might be invited to join his brother. 2DAVID'S FEARS PROVED TO be groundless, as Mrs. Gardiner took pity on him and adr
oitly steered the conversation to one she judged might be more to his liking. "T
he Times had another story this morning about the worsening diplomatic relations
with the United States, David. Do you think it might come to another war as so
many people are saying?" 88 David's chest swelled at being asked an opinion on such an adult topic, and he w
as quick to aver that the Americans would not dare challenge the naval and milit
ary might of Britain. But if he had thought that he might be better informed than the other females in
the room, he was soon disabused of that notion. "I am not nearly so sure, David," responded his sister. "The Americans might thi
nk this a good time to force the issues that worry them, since Britain is so ful
ly involved in the war with Bonaparte."?"That's true," agreed Elizabeth. "And they have been casting greedy eyes on Canada, since they consider that the whole of the North A
merican continent ought to be in their domain rather than ours. Remember that ma
ny Loyalists fled to Canada at the end of the Colonial Insurrection." "David is right about the comparative strength of naval forces, since they liter
ally do not have a Navy beyond a number of customs cutters," offered Mrs. Gard
iner. "But he is not nearly so correct when it comes to land forces. Remember, t
he Americans were able to defeat the British Army during the rebellion." "With the help of the French!" retorted David. "To some extent, to be sure," answered Mrs. Gardiner. "But we would have great d
ifficulty gathering and transport- ing a similar army to a hostile shore now, especially since almost all available
forces are involved in Spain at the present time." And so it went, with David continually required to defend his thesis while the
three females dispassionately picked it to pieces. It was with no little relief
that he welcomed an interruption by Mr. Gardiner to summon Elizabeth into his s
tudy, undoubtedly to discuss the upcoming wedding. But no sooner was the door cl
osed than Mrs. Gardiner turned to him with a bland smile. "Now, David, about you
r statement that it should take no more than two or three regiments of British t
roops to defeat the Americans and restore the Colonies to British control, allow
me to point out..." 2AS ELIZABETH ENTERED HER uncle's study, Darcy rose immediately to greet her an
d to seat her on a chair at his side in front of her uncle's desk. Both men stil
l had a quantity of port remaining in their glasses, and a faint aroma of cigar
smoke lingered in the room despite the open window that was rapidly clearing the
air. Her heart thrilled at the ready smile of welcome on Darcy's face, and she
again felt like pinching herself at the tumultuous change that had occurred in l
ittle more than a day. Mr. Gardiner chuckled at the look of unreserved adoration on the face of his u
sually reserved niece, and his short conversation with Darcy had left him in no
doubt that he was a man of honor and trustworthiness. Any fears at the difference in station b
etween the engaged couple had been firmly put to rest, and he had already develo
ped a great liking for the serious young man who would soon be his nephew. "Now, Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy and I were discussing some of the aspects of your wed
ding, and it turns out that you have discussed almost none of the arrangements.
For such a normally sensible pair, it seems that you have both arrived at this s
tate in considerable haste. My only question is whether the rest of the engageme
nt will be conducted in similar haste or whether there shall be time to plan a w
edding more to your mother's liking." Elizabeth smiled at her uncle's dry tone, and a quick glance at Darcy's face ind
icated that he was as well aware of the teasing nature of her uncle's statement
as she was. "I agree that Mr. Darcy and I have not discussed the arrangements to
any great extent, uncle, but we have had many distractions that had to be dealt
with first." "To be sure," answered her uncle dryly.?Elizabeth turned more toward Darcy, addr
essing him more than her uncle as she continued. "William, for a number of reasons, I am
not overly interested in many of the amenities, such as wedding clothes, posting
the Banns, and announcements in the paper. I am especially," she said wryly, "not interested in an extended time of preparation such as Jane had to endure. S
he is a much better woman than I could ever be faced with such an ordeal." Both her uncle and Darcy seemed to have suddenly been overtaken by a fit of coug
hing, which surprised Elizabeth at first. Then she caught the glance that passed
between Darcy and her uncle, and she smiled inwardly. It was obvious that these
two men had already formed a perfect understanding of each other. "It will still be necessary to get your father's consent, Elizabeth," her uncle
continued. "Mr. Darcy has indicated that he will ride to see your father in the
morning." "And the marriage agreements must be agreed to and a license procured," said Dar
cy. "If you wished to spend the twenty guineas, Mr. Darcy, you could marry wherever
you might choose," said Mr. Gardiner. "If necessary, sir, we shall do just that. But I must know Elizabeth's mind on t
his," he said, turning toward Elizabeth. "Do you have any objections to being ma
rried in the Longbourn chapel other than desiring to avoid an extended time of p
lanning and preparation?" he asked her. "That would be most agreeable, William," she said softly. "I do not wish to go t
hrough the ordeal that Jane endured, with my mother, dear though she is to me, indulging in a regime of planning and
preparation, hauling me around to the neighborhood and gloating over my having p
rocured such a rich husband. Since you have graced me with your proposal of marr
iage, I have wanted nothing other than to make my home with you and the sooner t
he better." Both her uncle and Darcy were left in no doubt as to Elizabeth's desires, and Mr
. Gardiner continued, "Then, if it would please you, Mr. Darcy, allow me to pen
a communication to my brother Bennet that you may take with you on the morrow.
Also, if it meets with your agreement, I will offer to review the marriage agre
ements on his behalf so that the papers do not have to be shuttled between Londo
n and Longbourn before they are finalized. I know my brother well enough to know
that he might find favor in my offer." Darcy was agreeable to this suggestion, and Mr. Gardiner continued. "You may sta
y here in the meantime, Elizabeth, and Mrs. Gardiner will be more than willing t
o help you with any perusal of the shops while you are waiting. It will still ta
ke several days to make arrangements, and if Mr. Darcy procures the license from
Meryton after his visit with your father, you might be married at Longbourn aft
er that." "I am sure that my sister, Georgiana, would also be delighted to accompany you
, Elizabeth," interjected Darcy. As he again saw that look of adoration on Eliza
beth's face as she looked at him, he was more than ever conscious of the honor o
f being the recipient of such unreserved love. I must never, never, never prove
unworthy of such a love so freely granted, he told himself fervently. He felt th
at he would rather die than to so dishonor such a commitment on Elizabeth's part
."Thank you, William," she said softly. Then, her voice firming, she continued, "
We must remember that we have an obligation to Anne also during this time. I wou
ld suggest that we return to your home immediately after the wedding rather than
to be absent or to seek the privacy of the house." Darcy was agreeable to this, sobered as he remembered the thin, wasted face of h
is cousin as he left her that afternoon. He counted himself most fortunate in
the forthcoming marriage, since his future wife had already become friends with
all of his family save only Lady Catherine. All other affairs being settled, and
the day being Tuesday, the party agreed to a tentative wedding date of Friday n
ext, a little more than a week away. With all necessary affairs being settled, M
r. Gardiner tendered and Darcy accepted an invitation to dine that evening at Gr
acechurch Street. 89 Chapter 21 Fitzwilliam Darcy was whistling a merry tune as he rode into the drive in front
of Longbourn. It was not until he was dismounting and handing the reins to a sta
blehand who had come scurrying around the side of the house that he stopped to consider how really...well,
happy, he felt. Darcy knew himself fairly well, and, while he didn't consider hi
mself a despondent or gloomy person, he also knew that he was more serious of na
ture than many of his friends and acquaintances. Take Bingley, for example, he t
hought. Bingley exhibits more merriment in an evening than I probably do in a
week, and now I find myself whistling like a carefree gypsy! Even the thought that he really ought to try to regain his normally serious and
earnest expression only made him smile openly, and the young stablehand grinned
back in reaction before he remembered that he had no business grinning at his ma
ster's visitors. As the lad suddenly scurried off with a somewhat anxious look o
n his face, Darcy had a hard time suppressing his chuckle. He simply could not h
elp himself. He had stopped by Gracechurch Street this morning to pick up a lett
er from Mr. Gardiner, and Elizabeth had been there to greet him and to hand him
her uncle's letter. Despite her obvious pleasure to see him, she had still been
unable to resist teasing him about his mission. "My father might not give his approval, you know," she had said thoughtfully, on
e slender finger tapping her chin in reflection. "With my sister Jane so well ma
rried, my father might not be inclined to have another rich son-in-law. He might
well desire a more humble young man, one who he could bully and overawe." Darcy's only response had been to smile and then to pull her close for a quick k
iss, since a quick glance had indicated that the two of them were alone as they
stood just inside the Gardiner front door. Hardly had his lips touched hers than
her arms had gone around his waist under his greatcoat, pulling him closer to h
er as she rose up on tip-toe to kiss him back fiercely. He was startled again by
the intensity of this slender young woman, and he was more than a little breath
- less as he finally made himself pull back from her. "I must go, Elizabeth," he said softly. "I know," she said with equal softness, laying her head against his chest. Darcy
's chin tucked on top of her brown curls as if she had been designed to fit into
his embrace, and he shivered at the surge of tenderness that swept through him
as he held her close. "Please hurry back," Elizabeth said as she looked up at him. "You already know m
e well enough to know that I feel incomplete when you are absent." "I know, dearest," Darcy said, surprised at the ease with which the endearment f
ell from his lips, and he knew how 90 right it had been to say it that way when he saw the smile on Elizabeth's face a
t his expression. Kissing her tenderly on her brow, Darcy forced himself to sepa
rate and walk through the doorway to his waiting horse. After he mounted, he loo
ked back to where Elizabeth still stood, and he lifted his hat as he urged his m
ount forward. 2DARCY'S THOUGHTS WERE INTERRUPTED by the opening of the door by the housekeeper.
He nodded to her as she curtseyed to him and handed her his card. "Fitzwillia
m Darcy to see Mr. Bennet," he told her, and she immediately curtseyed again.
He chuckled as she scurried down the hall and knocked on one of the doors, her c
uriosity so evident that it showed in every movement she made, especially as she
tried to keep herself from taking another look at his card. Within a few moments, she was back and conducted him immediately into the presen
ce of her Master. Mr. Bennet arose from behind a cluttered desk to greet Darcy p
olitely, though his curiosity was as great as that of his housekeeper. "Mr. Darcy," he said, extending his hand. "It is a renewed pleasure to see you a
gain." "And you, sir," answered Darcy, clasping his hand. "It's too early for either port or tea," Mr. Bennet said, seating himself and
waving Darcy to one of the chairs in front of the desk. "Could I offer you some
coffee? It must have been rather chilly riding over so early from Netherfield." "Coffee would be most appreciated, sir, but I actually rode from London. I have
not yet had a chance to call at Netherfield, though I plan to later today." Mr. Bennet could not keep his eyebrows from rising slightly in further surprise,
but he quickly dispatched Hill to bring a coffee service. After the door closed
, he considered what to say, whether to make small talk until coffee was served,
but he decided that his curiosity simply could not stand the wait. Shrugging hi
s shoulders, he smiled somewhat apologetically to the tall young man sitting pat
iently across from him. "I will be perfectly honest, Mr. Darcy, and confess that your visit has stimulat
ed an almost unquenchable curiosity in me which cannot be denied. Rather than wa
ste your time making idle conversation until our coffee is served, might I enqui
re how I might serve you?" Darcy chuckled at the forthright comment by the older man. He was definitely som
ewhat of an odd character, his assessment based partly on his own observations a
nd partly on what Elizabeth had told him of the rather unconventional family lif
e here at Longbourn. "Then I will be equally forthright, sir," he replied cheerfully. It was a wond
erful morning, and not even Elizabeth's teasing could make him worry. "I have th
e honor of having received an acceptance by your daughter Elizabeth to my proposal of marriage, and I have come this morning to seek your consent and your
blessing to our marriage." Having dropped his bombshell, Darcy leaned back to observe Elizabeth's father, w
ho was stunned into immobile silence by this most unlooked for announcement. But before even a single word could be spoken, a quick knock on the door announc
ed the arrival of their coffee. Both men remained silent, looking on each other
as Hill poured coffee for each of them, adding milk and sugar at their request.
Only after the door closed behind her could Mr. Bennet find his voice. "You have come seeking Lizzy's hand, Mr. Darcy?" After receiving Darcy's nod as
he took a careful sip of the steaming hot coffee, Mr. Bennet picked up his own
cup. Looking through the steam at Darcy, he could only manage, "And she has acc
epted, you say? Oh, my, oh, my, oh my," he continued as Darcy nodded. "I have a letter from your brother-in-law, Mr. Gardiner," Darcy said, taking the
letter from Elizabeth's uncle from a coat pocket and passing it over. "I unders
tand that this news is quite surprising, but perhaps you might like to read his
letter first." Mr. Bennet accepted the letter in silence, looking intently at Darcy before op
ening it. Spreading the letter on his desktop, Mr. Bennet read it while sipping
his coffee. As he read on, Darcy saw the stunned expression smooth out as he rea
d. Several times he looked up sharply at Darcy, and once he chuckled as he read.
When he was finally complete, he had a small, rather sad smile on his face. "My brother has quite a bit to say about both you and my daughter," he said. "I
had to chuckle as he repeated what his wife said, that Elizabeth could be depend
ed on to never do things the easy way." The sharp look returned, as he said, "Ev
idently Lizzy's feelings are no sudden thing, but are rather of long standing, t
hough I certainly had no inkling of it." Darcy shook his head wryly as he responded, "Nor did I, sir, nor did I. If I had
, perhaps any number of events might have gone smoother. But who is to say? At l
east the situation can now be resolved in a happy fashion. Assuming, that is, th
at we have your approval to our marriage. Elizabeth teased me before I left that
you might not approve, since you might prefer a son-in-law who was not rich and
independent." Mr. Bennet chuckled, recognizing his daughter's wit in the remark. "Oh, that. Ho
w could I refuse my dearest daughter, especially since she added a postscript to
her uncle's letter telling me that it was either my approval or else it would b
e Gretna Green, and she little cared which alternative transpired." Both men smiled at that, though Mr. Bennet's smile had more than a touch of the
bittersweet at the thought of losing the close companionship of Elizabeth. Before another word could be spoken, both men jumped as an unexpected and urgent
knocking came at the door to the room. Before Mr. Bennet could call out, either
to grant or deny admittance, the door flew open, and an older man hurried into the room. "Jarvis!" Mr. Bennet exclaimed, "what is the meaning..." By that time the older man was at Mr. Bennet's side, leaning down to whisper wit
h extreme urgency in his ear. Darcy watched a look of shock come over the face o
f the Master of Longbourn, shock mixed with a grayness as the blood drained from
his face. Mr. Bennet lurched to his feet unsteadily, holding on to the desk for support. "
Mr. Darcy," he stammered, "please excuse...sudden news...urgent need..." Leaving Darcy completely stunned, Mr. Bennet hurried out of the room after Jar
vis. Darcy had recognized the straw around the ankles of Jarvis as well as the h
ard-calloused hands that told of a life-time of managing horses and assumed th
at the man worked in Mr. Bennet's stables. As both men left the room, Darcy sat
for a moment, and then something in the urgency and alarm of Mr. Bennet made him
believe that he ought to follow. Gathering up his hat and his stick, he exited
into the hall just as he heard a door slam beyond a door at the end of the hall. Darcy walked swiftly down the hall and opened the door, finding himself in what
was obviously the kitchen of the household. The three women in the room were sta
nding together whispering, and Darcy nodded to them as he walked past to the d
oor leading to the outside of the house. As he passed through, he was just in time to see Mr. Bennet entering a door to t
he left side of the stables while Jarvis' form could be seen entering the main p
art of the stables to the right. As he came up to the door through which Mr. Bennet had passed, Darcy was able to
hear loud and angry voices coming through from inside the room. Turning the kno
b silently, Darcy quietly opened the door and stepped through it. His entrance had not been noticed by any of the three people who were inside the
room, which appeared to be used for storage and repair of leatherwork. Mr. Benn
et was the owner of one of the angry voices, whose words Darcy had not yet compr
ehended, though the rage of the older man was instantly obvious. But he was shoc
ked down the very core of his being to find that the owner of the other angry vo
ice was none other than George Wickham. The subject of the anger now became obvious as Darcy noticed and recognized that
the third inhabitant of the small room was one of Mr. Bennet's daughters. Darcy
could not identify her immediately, because she was crouched in the corner of t
he room in a paroxysm of both terror and mortification, with her clothing in c
onsiderable disarray and her face turned to the wall as she clutched her unbutto
ned clothing to herself. Coldly, Darcy noticed that the clothing of Wickham was
equally disturbed, and the other man was unhurriedly buttoning his red tunic eve
n as he responded angrily to Mr. Bennet. 9? "What do you mean, you refuse to acknowledge responsibility, Wickham?" Mr. Ben
net was saying in a raging fury. "The situation is obvious and impossible of any
other conclusion other than that you were in the process of ravishing my Lydia!" Wickham showed not the slightest regret at what he had been in the process of do
ing. He only smiled cruelly as he replied disdainfully, "I did nothing that your
daughter did not invite. I cannot be held responsible for the lack of restraint
of your family." "You are nothing but a base and common rake, Wickham, and not the fanciest of ma
nners can get you out of this. You have besmirched my daughter's reputation, and
there is only one recourse allowed by the requirements of propriety..." Wickham interrupted with a bark of laughter. "There is no recourse, old man," he
retorted roughly. "Do not even bother to suggest that I might marry your bit of
fluff. Nothing happened, and if you know what is best, you will not even mentio
n this ever again. Otherwise, I can produce testimony that your precious Lydia h
as been rather free in spreading her favors among the officers of the militia." The girl in the corner, who had been sobbing continually, wailed even louder at
the crude and dismissive statement from her erstwhile lover. The response by Mr.
Bennet was commensurate, as he went completely white in suppressed rage. "That is a base lie, Wickham," he said in fury. "Perhaps," responded Wickham pleasantly as he finished restoring his attire. "Ho
wever, Miss Lydia will not have a reputation left before you can prove it, nor w
ill any of her sisters. Not even Mrs. Bingley will escape the whispers and rumor
s." "You...you..." sputtered Mr. Bennet, so enraged that he was unable to complete h
is sentence. As Wickham stared mockingly at him, Mr. Bennet finally managed to s
ay between gritted teeth, "You'll meet me for this, Wickham!" Wickham threw back his head and guffawed in amusement, joined by an increase i
n the volume of wails by the girl in the corner, who was obviously Lydia, though
Darcy had still not seen enough to identify her. Suddenly, holding her dress up
, the girl bolted from the storeroom, leaving Darcy even more shocked than befor
e, since her dress was not only open from throat to waist but it also appeared t
o have been ripped as well as unbuttoned. As Lydia swept by in tears, followed b
y the cruel laughter of Wickham, she did not appear to see Darcy, since he stood
in a pool of near darkness and was partially hidden behind a wickerwork which w
as almost covered in bridles and miscellaneous leatherwork. "Have a care before you think to challenge me, old man," said Wickham, stepping
forward and placing his hand on the grip of his cavalry saber. "It would be more
prudent to cover up this indiscretion, since it has not yet been consummated. Think before you talk, or you may not leave this room alive," he said in a voice
full of menace. "I think not, Wickham," came a harsh voice from the shadows, and both Wickham an
d Mr. Bennet jerked and whirled to face Darcy as he stepped forward to be seen b
y both men. "Darcy!" exclaimed Wickham, infuriated by the sudden appearance of the man he ha
d tried his best to defame since he had been in Hertfordshire. "Stay out of this
! I will brook no interference from you in this affair. It is none of your busin
ess, so stand aside!" Wickham started to pull his saber, only to be stopped by the sudden bark of Darc
y's humorless laughter. "It appears, Wickham," Darcy commented derisively, "that our discussion has draw
n witnesses." Wickham looked over his shoulder at Darcy's gesture. The doorway to the interior
of the stable had been opened soundlessly behind him, and standing in the doorw
ay were Mr. Bennet's two stablehands. The older man, Jarvis, held a pitchfork po
inted toward Wickham and appeared rather anxious to use it. The husky young lad
beside him was only holding a thick ax handle, but he smiled unpleasantly at Wic
kham as he swished the thick wooden club through the air.?Darcy's mocking laughter brought Wickham back around to face his old nemesis, or so he considered him. "Thank your men for me,
Mr. Bennet," said Darcy, "but I should require little help with my 'old friend'
." Wickham had frozen with his saber half-way out of its scabbard, and Darcy res
ponded by twisting and pulling the grip of his walking stick, revealing a hidden foil inside.?Wickham bared his teeth in fury, stung bi
tterly by Darcy's scornful laughter. It was clear that the infuriated Wickham wanted despe
rately to pull his sword and launch himself at Darcy, but Darcy only laughed eas
ily. "Best not, old man. Remember, you were never my match at swordplay, and I have kept my skil
ls well-honed with daily practice. Pardon me if I doubt that you have been as en
ergetic." Darcy could almost see Wickham grinding his teeth in fury, caught between a desi
re to strike back at both Darcy and Mr. Bennet and the knowledge that Darcy spok
e no more than the truth when he compared their skills, even if he had a heavy s
aber and Darcy had only a springy foil. He could almost feel the point of the fo
il penetrating his chest as he looked at Darcy in hatred. Finally, he slammed hi
s saber back into his scabbard and managed to calm his breathing. "Then I will be going," he said harshly, starting to step forward. But this time
he was barred by Mr. Bennet, who stepped into his path. "There is still the matter of my daughter, you scoundrel," Mr. Bennet said in lo
w, intense tones. "Will you fulfill the obligation of a gentleman?" Wickham was mocking in his refusal. "You would have to stand in line behind a go
odly number of outraged fathers, sir," he said with a contemptuous little half-b
ow. "They were not able to carry their case, and you shall not have better luck.
"92 "Then I have no recourse except to demand satisfaction," grated Mr. Bennet. "You
will meet me, or I shall openly name you a seducer and a coward." "To do so would destroy whatever reputation your darling daughter has left," Wic
kham said with a cruel smile. "Then so be it," responded Mr. Bennet grimly, "for the regiment will be leaving
Meryton soon, leaving you free to continue your depredations in another venue, a
nd that I will not permit." "Then the scandal and your death will be at your desire, old man!" snarled Wic
kham, but then he had to retreat slightly as Jarvis advanced towards him with th
e pitchfork at the threat made toward his Master. "That shall be as Providence wills it," answered Mr. Bennet. Wickham paused in his retreat and looked over at Mr. Bennet. "Do not make me lau
gh, old man," he said cruelly, trying to hurt the other man to assuage his own r
aging anger. "You would not last five minutes against me with a sword, and I have my choice o
f weapons as the challenged party." "It matters not, you young whelp, and I will have your ears for this," responded
Mr. Bennet angrily, only to be interrupted by Darcy. "Mr. Bennet, this is no longer a question for you. The challenge has been given
and accepted, even if the manner of acceptance is in no way that of an honorab
le man." Wickham flushed dark red at the calculated sting of the insult as Darcy continue
d. "It is a matter for your second, sir, and, if you would permit me, I would be
honored to act for you in this matter." Despite his anger, Mr. Bennet was conscious of a cold feeling in the pit of his
stomach that told him of his mortal danger in this affair. He well knew how many
times pride led men to disaster, but he had been so outraged by what he had see
n this morning, both the supercilious behavior of the cocksure Wickham as well a
s the mortifying behavior of Lydia, that he had been unable to restrain himself.
Well, now it is done, he told himself. There is nothing left but to at least ac
t the part of a gentleman, come what will. Taking a deep breath, he forced himse
lf to look over at Darcy's calm and composed figure and jerkily nod his agreemen
t. "Very well, then. I would suggest, sir," Darcy said evenly, "that you return to
your house while I arrange a meeting with this man's friend. Assuming, that is,"
he said, eyeing Wickham carefully, "that he has one that he has not had to purchase."?Wickham sputtered angrily as Mr. Bennet turned to go. "I would advise you to make sure that your will is written and all necessary arr
angements are made before we meet!" he shouted at Mr. Bennet's back as he depart
ed the stables. "I shall choose swords, old man, and you will not last five minutes with me!" "You will do nothing of the kind," said Darcy coldly, catching Wickham's eye and
holding it. "Dueling has been illegal since Elizabeth's reign, even if rarely p
rosecuted. Choosing a weapon when your opponent is unskilled in its use, however, would be
regarded as murder and would undoubtedly be prosecuted as such. But I will dis
cuss this no further. Any communications made in this affair will be with your s
econds." "Then so be it!" Wickham spat. Then, realizing the in- congruous nature of Darcy
's presence at Longbourn at such a time, he asked, with more confusion than ange
r, "Just what are you doing here, anyway?" "Because the man whose daughter you have disgraced and impugned will be my fathe
r-in-law in little more than a week," Darcy said expressionlessly, "and I have n
o intention of allowing you to take advantage of him in any way. I will be at th
e Red Lion at two o'clock to meet your seconds. And now, since there can be no p
ossible reason for your continued presence on Mr. Bennet's land, I must demand t
hat you depart immediately." He nodded toward the pitchfork-wield- ing stablehan
d, and Wickham resumed his crabbed retreat toward the door as Darcy stepped out
of his way. Darcy smiled grimly as he saw Wickham swing his head back and forth between Darc
y and the advancing stablehands as he got to the door. His face wore an expres
sion of mingled shock and hatred as the other man realized the complete failure
of his efforts to impugn Darcy's character, coupled with his ever-present dislik
e of being ordered about. For a minute, Wickham hesitated, but Darcy kept his ha
nd on the handle of his sword-cane while the stable-hands advanced to his side
. Finally, the other man pulled his eyes away and hurried out the door. Then, dr
awing a deep breath and nodding gratefully at Mr. Bennet's two loyal retainers,
Darcy left the stables to return to the house and try to sort out the muddled di
saster of this morning. 93 Chapter 22 When Darcy re-entered Longbourn through the back door, the servants were no long
er clustered together whispering. Instead, all of them were busily engaged in ta
sks that allowed them to keep their faces carefully averted from his. He was silent as he
passed through the kitchen and down the hall to Mr. Bennet's library. Quietly,
he knocked and heard the older man bid him enter. Mr. Bennet was standing before the window, looking out over his garden in silenc
e. In equal silence, Darcy came over to stand beside him. After several minutes, Mr. Bennet said absently, "At such a time, I suppose I ou
ght to be thinking of many things, but all I can think of right now is my comple
te abdication of responsibility for ensuring that my children learned what was
needed to make themselves useful in our society. This whole sordid affair would
not have happened if Lydia were not so thoughtless and wild, and her sister Cat
herine is scarcely better." "Your older two daughters are certainly most respectable young ladies," Darcy an
swered quietly. Privately, he agreed with Mr. Bennet's assessment, but he also h
ad enough experience of his own to know that apportioning blame was not nearly
as simple as he had thought when he was eighteen. "Due to no actions of mine," said Mr. Bennet tonelessly. "It really comes down t
o my inability to handle their mother, for it seemed easier to stand aside rathe
r than to confront her when it came time to determine how the girls were raised. I had counted so much
on having a son and was always preparing myself to make sure that he was raise
d to be a credit to the family, with the result that I simply left the girls to
their mother's care. You've seen her, and you know how completely incapable she
is of teaching or instructing the girls. Jane and Elizabeth grew up to be a cred
it to the Bennet name through no action of mine, and the other three girls went
the other direction, for the same reason." Darcy could not help but agree with Mr. Bennet's assessment, but he said nothi
ng directly. Instead, he asked the question that had been plaguing him as he had
walked back to the house from the stables. "I knew Wickham was disso- lute and
a spendthrift," he said, picking his words carefully, "as well as being far too charming for the virtue of an unwary girl, but it appe
ars that he had gone farther to the bad than even I knew." He considered a few m
oments before continuing. "But your daughter, Elizabeth, detected Wickham's fa
lsehoods, and she and I talked of this in November, sir. Did she not inform you
of it?" "She did, Mr. Darcy," said Mr. Bennet, who had by now sat down at his desk with
his head in his hands. "But like a fool, I did not listen. I thought that the la
ck of fortune of my daughters would not make them a target." 94 "And you would have been correct, sir, if the other man were a gentleman and not
a rake and a scoundrel," said Darcy. "You should have listened, I agree, but do
not be overly severe on yourself. It would have been difficult even for me to anticipate this tu
rn of events, and I have known George Wickham for most of my life."?Darcy drew himself up and looked down at the other man with sympathy. His future father-in-law had his failings, to be sure, but
he had at least reared two inestimable daughters and was prepared to die to defe
nd the honor of his youngest, little though she deserved such dedication. As par
t of his obligation to ensure that Mr. Bennet did not have to pay that dire pena
lty, Darcy asked, "Am I correct in assuming that you have little experience with
either duels or with swordplay?" Mr. Bennet shook his head negatively. "None at all with either choice, Mr. Darcy
." "I know you hunt, so I expect you have at least some familiarity with fowling pi
eces and a musket. How is your skill with a pistol?" he asked, indicating the wo
od case sitting on a sideboard. Such a case usually contained a matched pair o
f dueling pistols, an almost obligatory possession of a gentleman a half century
previously. "Only tolerable, I'm afraid," said Mr. Bennet. "Those pistols belonged to my fat
her, and I'm afraid that I was never able to hit much with them the few times th
at I have fired them." "Your father, you say. Then they will probably be smoothbores." "I believe so," said Mr. Bennet, his brow furrowed. "Are not all pistols smoothb
ores?" "Not quite all," replied Darcy. "My cousin has several pairs of rifled pistols,
one of them a matched pair of dueling pistols that he received as a gift from hi
s brother, a post- captain in the navy. He has another pair that he always carri
es when on active service. I believe they were purchased in America some years a
go, and he is able to hit a target accurately at up to thirty-five paces with th
em. Speaking of my cousin, might I borrow pen and stationary? I would like to se
nd a couple of expresses to London before I go into Meryton. I am scheduled to m
eet with Wickham's second at two, and I would like to make some enquiries of the
local tradesmen about Wickham's debts." "His debts?" said Mr. Bennet in surprise. "I have heard several casual comments
in the past month about Wickham owing several sums, but I confess that I am unab
le to see how that may help this situation." "I mentioned that I had a few ideas that might prevent this duel," Darcy said, "
and one of them is to assess how great Wickham's debts are. If they are large en
ough that he might face debtor's prison, then I will purchase them as a lever to
at least force an apology and a public admission that he forced his attentions on your daughter unwillingly."?"Knowing Lydia," said Mr. Bennet b
itterly, "it is unlikely that she was totally unwilling. In any case, Wickham is unlikely to make that kind of apology, since it carries with it his complete ruin
and possible trouble with the constable." "Friend Wickham's legal problems are none of our concern," said Darcy coldly.
"But if he is faced with a certain term in debtor's prison versus a public apolo
gy and a chance to disappear, he may take the latter option as the best of a bad
deal." Darcy kept silent on several other ways in which he might use such a lev
er on Wickham. There was no need to trouble Mr. Bennet with those methods. "But I cannot let you lay out that kind of expenditure," Mr. Darcy. "There is no
telling just what sum might be required." "Please, sir, do not trouble yourself in that regard. I am feeling more than a l
ittle guilty that I did not confront Wickham's allegations publicly and thus hav
e avoided this situation. It was much easier to simply ignore them and allow any
who might believe his aspersions to believe what they would. But now, if you wo
uld point me toward pen and stationery while you have one of your servants send
for an express rider, we both can do our part to get this problem behind us." 2DARCY SAT IN THE dim confines of the Red Lion nursing a mug of passable ale at h
alf past two o'clock. He was wondering for about the tenth time if Wickham had
simply decided to disappear so that none of this sordid act would have to be pl
ayed out. But no sooner had the thought occurred to him than an officer of the m
ilitia, clad in regimental dress, stepped into the interior of the common room a
nd looked around the dim room. As soon as he spotted Darcy, he immediately beg
an to work his way over to his table. Darcy considered remaining seated as a calculated snub, since he considered it u
nlikely that any friend of Wickham's could possibly be a person of any real wort
h, but he quickly decided that would be premature until he was able to form a ju
dgment of the man. Accordingly, he rose to his feet as the officer came to a hal
t and gave him a quick bow. The officer was somewhat familiar, but Darcy was una
ble to put a name to the face. "Captain Denny, at your service," the other man said. "I am acting for Lieutenan
t Wickham in this affair of honor." "Fitzwilliam Darcy. I am acting for Mr. Benn
et," Darcy said coldly, "though it remains to be seen whether there is any honor involved in this affair."?Captain Denny stiffened at these words, but
he only nodded silently and seated himself at Darcy's gesture. As Darcy sat down, Denny
opened his mouth to speak, only to be stopped by Darcy's peremptory gesture. "Ca
ptain Denny, I know little of what Wickham has told you of this affair, but ther
e are a number of things that you ought to know so that we can converse intellig
ently. The first item is that I was a witness to the actions that led to this challenge. I know that he forced himse
lf on Mr. Bennet's daughter. No matter what coquetry she may have indulged in, s
he did not rip her own clothing." Denny received this information in open-mouthed wonder. Finally, as Darcy pull
ed a sheaf of papers from his inside coat pocket, Denny collected himself enough
to close his mouth. Darcy laid the papers on the table in front of him, placing
his hands on top of them as he continued, "The second item that you should know
is that these are the debts that WickhamhasrunupwiththeMerytontradesmen.Theytotal slightly more than one thousand
, two hundred pounds. They do not include whatever debts he may have with the ot
her officers of the regiment." He smiled derisively at the shocked expression on
Captain Denny's face. "Yes, I can see that you are surprised. More than twelve
hundred pounds. Half that would land him in debtor's prison for years. And this
was only with a couple of hours investigation around the village." "I...I do not know what to say," said a shaken Denny. "Now," continued Darcy remorselessly, "the third item that you should know is th
at I have known Wickham for virtually my whole life. I know how his mind works,
and I think it is likely that you have come here today with certain instructions
from Wickham regarding the choice of weapons. I believe that he is probably goi
ng to attempt to exercise his option to choose the weapon by choosing the sword,
when he knows that Mr. Bennet is completely unfamiliar with the weapon. I warne
d against such an attempt earlier today, but I believe he is intent on ignoring
my warning." Darcy knew that he was right from the surprised look on Denny's fac
e. He smiled grimly as he continued, "We both know that dueling is illegal but t
hat it is seldom prosecuted. But there are exceptions, and one of them is when t
he duel is not considered evenly matched. In such a case, prosecutors and jurors
have tended to take the position that the duel is a faade to attempt to commit m
urder under the guise of an affair of honor. What you probably do not know is th
at not only has the offending principal been successfully prosecuted, the same
has occurred to the seconds." The stricken expression on Denny's face indicated
that the other man now realized the position in which he had been placed by his
erstwhile friend. Darcy paused to take a drink of his ale and signaled the barmaid to bring a simi
lar drink for Captain Denny. He sat silently while the mug was placed in front o
f the other man, allowing what he had said to be sink in before he continued. "Very well, then. I believe that we now have an understanding of the salient fea
tures of this affair. One thing of which you must now be aware is that your so-c
alled friend is wagering not only his own future but your own. Surely you must u
n- derstand that this is not how friends treat each other." Captain Denny nodded his head jerkily in agreement before draining half of his m
ug in one draught. "I do not know what to say," Denny said at length. "I was aware that Wickham had
some debts, but I never thought 95 it was...so much. And you are right about the choice of weapons also. I...well,
I did not know what the exact law on dueling was, though I knew it was technical
ly illegal." "Then listen to me carefully, Captain Denny," said Darcy, having taken the measu
re of the other man and assessed him as a basically honest man who was not gifte
d with undue intelligence or suspicion. Easy prey for a man like Wickham. "First, has Wickham kept the knowledge of this duel private?" Denny nodded. "No, I am afraid that he has been boasting of it to the other of
ficers, Mr. Darcy, saying that Mr. Bennet would learn a badly needed lesson at h
is hands." Darcy shook his head in mingled dismay and contempt. "Wickham never could contro
l his pride. So there it is. There is no way to keep this quiet now. After I pur
chased Wickham's debts, I had entertained the thought that I might be able to force him to make a public apology and leave Hertfordshire. But that is now out
of the question, which means that the duel will have to be held. But this point
you must understand, Captain Denny-the duel must be held, but it will not be f
ought." Denny looked both shocked and puzzled, but Darcy soon enlightened him. "Here is
what you must do, both to protect your own future, protect that of Mr. Bennet, w
ho is blameless in this affair, and also to allow Wickham a way out of the trap
in which he has caught himself. Return to him immediately and explain that I kno
w about his debts and have purchased them. I now own his debts, and whether he g
oes to debtors prison thus rests in my hands. If he does not abide by my instruc
tions, that is where he will certainly wind up. So here is what he must do. Firs
t, pistols will be the weapon of choice, not the sword. Second, in the actual du
el, Wickham is not going to raise his pistol. As soon as the command 'aim' is gi
ven, he is going to delope*-to discharge his pistol into the ground. Third, wh
en that happens, I will ensure that Mr. Bennet will do the same. This will be th
e same as a public apology without Wickham being put in legal liability for taki
ng advantage of Mr. Bennet's daughter. Fourth, after the duel is complete, Wickh
am will resign his commission and depart Hertfordshire. When and only when that
is done, I will destroy his debts. Do you understand all that?" Denny nodded jerkily. "Yes, Mr. Darcy, I understand completely." He looked Darcy
in the eye as he continued, "I will make Wickham understand that he has no choi
ce but to follow your suggestions." He shook his head mournfully. "This is a bad business, a very bad business, and I wish I had no part in it." "In that, we can agree. But we have to deal with the situation as it is. I wil
l expect a note from you with Wickham's response within the hour, Captain Denny.
" Denny nodded agreement and stood up suddenly. Darcy waited, thinking the other
man had a further statement to make, but Denny evidently reconsidered and decid
ed against it. He nodded to Darcy and quickly left the establishment. 96 Darcy could not help but agree that this was indeed a bad business. Finishing hi
s mug of ale, he followed Denny out the door. 2AS SOON AS DARCY returned to Longbourn, he was immediately aware that the news
of the duel had spread to the household. As he entered the hall and handed his
hat and stick to the butler, the most awful wailing and complaining issued from
the front parlor and filled the hallway. Darcy clearly discerned that the origin
of the raucous discord could be none other than Mrs. Bennet, and he was at firs
t inclined to ignore it and knock on the door of Mr. Bennet's library in order t
o inform him of the results of his afternoon's business. But then he thought bet
ter of it, because such caterwauling by his wife could not have any possible ben
eficial impact on Mr. Bennet's own concentration and focus. Darcy's eyes rolled
as he gathered himself and entered the parlor. Inside, he was unsurprised to find Mrs. Bennet slumped into a chair, calling for
her smelling salts and attended by three of her daughters plus the housekeeper
and one of the maids. All of the attending females, save only the oldest, Mrs. B
ingley, fluttered about Mrs. Bennet helplessly, unsure what to do to calm the la
mentations of the Mistress of Longbourn. Only Jane had the personal resolve to r
emain sitting by Mrs. Bennet, endeavoring to calm her, though her ministrations
appeared to be having little effect. "Whatever shall we do?" said Mrs. Bennet, in a loud, ir- ritating voice while sh
e fanned herself desperately. "My poor, dear Lydia will not talk to me, nor will
she leave her room, poor dear child! And now here's Mr. Bennet challenging dear Wickham to a duel for reasons he will not disclose? Oh, I know he will fight Wic
kham and then he will be killed, and what shall become of us all? The Collinses
will turn us out before he is cold in his grave, and if you do not take pity on
us, Jane, I do not know what we shall do!" Whatever Jane attempted to tell her mother was lost in another wailing flutter
ing, as the housekeeper tried to press close with her smelling salts, the maid t
ried to hand her Mistress a clean handkerchief to wipe the tears from her face,
while Kitty and Mary argued back and forth about what should be done. The uproar
was suddenly too much for Darcy, who was by nature a reserved, thoughtful perso
n and could find no reason at any time for such useless emotional displays. "SILENCE!" roared Darcy, whose entrance into the room had been noticed by none o
f the participants. The result was a stricken silence in which all the females,
save only Mrs. Bingley again, stared at him in shocked silence, their voices sti
lled in mid-sentence as they gaped at him with their mouths open. "That is better," Darcy said in a commanding voice. "Now, you two," and he indic
ated Mary and Kitty, "your mother will have no further need for you. Return to your rooms immediately." Suc
h was the impact of Darcy's voice that neither girl gave the slightest thought t
o disobeying his imperious will. Both of them bolted for the door to the parlor
and could be heard scurrying up the stairs. Darcy now pointed at the housekeeper, Hill, and the maid. "Your Mistress will ha
ve no further need of you. Please be about your duties." Darcy's tone this time
did not have the same impact that it had earlier, for the servants had been tryi
ng to perform the impossible task of calming their Mistress, but the logic in it
could not be denied. Both women curtseyed to Darcy and briskly left the room. That only left Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Bingley. Darcy bowed politely to Jane as he
told her, "It is good to meet you again, Mrs. Bingley, but I would wish that the
situation were different. I had planned to call on you and Charles earlier with
a note from Elizabeth, but this problem with Wickham struck from nowhere." Jane nodded politely and gratefully at Darcy, glad that he had been able to brin
g order to a situation that she had not been equipped to handle. "It is good to
see you again, Mr. Darcy, and the express that I received this morning from Eliz
abeth bore such tidings that would have been a great cause for celebration had n
ot more worrisome events loomed." Darcy acknowledged the truth of her statement with a nod, then he turned to Mrs.
Bennet. "Madam," he said coldly, "normally I would not insert myself into the private affairs of another family,
but events have transpired that make such an intervention necessary." Mrs. Benne
t still looked at him with a shocked expression on her face, though there was al
so an element of confusion, since Jane's comment made clear that they both knew
of facts that she was unaware of. "First, there is the item that I am going to marry your daughter, Elizabeth. I e
arlier talked to your husband and had obtained his agreement when we were interr
upted due to the transgressions of Wickham that led to your husband's challenge,
since Wickham would in no way own up to the duties of a gentleman. That led to
the second item, which was my duty to act as your husband's second in the duel t
o be fought on the morrow." Seeing Mrs. Bennet start to cloud up again, Darcy fore- stalled her with a simpl
e command: "Stop it, madam! This is no time for fashionable hysterics-it is inst
ead the time for cool resolve and concentration. And your husband cannot achie
ve either of these states while you indulge in your shameful wailing and lamenta
tions! Do you desire your husband to die on the morrow?" Mrs. Bennet could not believe that she was being talked to in such a manner, and
she at first did not reply, so Darcy leaned forward until his nose was almost t
ouching hers. "I said, madam, is it your desire that your husband be killed by Wickham on the morrow? For if it is not your desire, then you could not have pic
ked a mode of behavior more suited to achieve that dire result if you had planne
d it." This stinging charge finally filtered through Mrs. Bennet's consciousness, and s
he shook her head energetically, since the power of speech seemed to have been
struck from her. "That is better, madam," Darcy said, standing up. "Now, realize this-with one da
ughter married to Mr. Bingley and another daughter soon to be married to me, the
re is adequate provision for your future needs regardless of the outcome of the
duel. So, assuming that you desire to see your husband survive the morrow becaus
e of the fact that you have been married these twenty-plus years, your duty is t
o provide your husband the moral support that he needs for the rest of the day a
nd the morrow. And that means that you must put your energies toward maintaining
an orderly and restrained household. For make no mistake, madam-the wild and un
restrained behavior of your younger daughter played no small part in the encount
er between your husband and Wickham. Despite his mistakes, for he is not a perfect man, he is prepared to sa
crifice his life, if need be, to maintain the respectability of his family and o
f a daughter who does not deserve it. So are you prepared, madam, to do what is
necessary to provide your husband the support he needs at such a time? Are you,
madam?" Mrs. Bennet could not nod her acceptance of Darcy's charge fast enough, and he s
tood back. "Very good, madam. Then, might I suggest a return to your room to res
tore your dress and demeanor before you return downstairs to manage your household?" Almost before he finished speaking, Mrs. Bennet was out of her chair, curtseying
several times to Darcy as she scurried for the stairs before ascending them in
great haste to her room. Jane could only regard Darcy with open-mouthed astonishment and approval. "I d
o not believe, sir, that I have ever seen my mother react in such a manner. On b
ehalf of my father and my family, I do not know how we can repay you for what yo
u have just accomplished." Darcy nodded as he took a seat across from Jane. "Thank you, Mrs. Bingley. As I
said, your father has his failing in managing his family, but he was quite forth
right with me in confessing those failings and may yet pay the ultimate penalty
for his neglect of his daughters." A sudden thought occurred to him, and a slow smile came over his face as he envi
sioned a suggestion that he intended to make to Mr. Bennet. Jane cocked her he
ad at him in enquiry, and Darcy chuckled out loud as he said, "Please pardon me,
Mrs. Bingley, but I just had a thought regarding your three younger sisters. Ho
w do you think your father would react to the suggestion that he..." The sound of Jane's tinkling laughter joined with Darcy's full-throated expressi
on of satisfied amusement so that Hill, who was passing the door to the parlor,
was tempted to look in to satisfy her curiosity. But Darcy's commands had made s
uch an impact on her that she suppressed the temptation and scurried on about he
r duties. 97 2DARCY WAS IN MR. Bennet's library bringing him up to date on his meeting with De
nny and his discussion with his daughter Jane when the housekeeper knocked at th
e door. After Mr. Bennet bade her enter, she announced, "There is a Colonel Fitz
william here to see Mr. Darcy." "That's my cousin that I told you about," said Darcy. "He was the recipient of o
ne of the expresses that I sent to town. He has more experience than I with duel
ing, and I intend to suggest that he act as Master of the Field tomorrow morn- i
ng." Mr. Bennet nodded and asked Hill to show him in. When he entered, Darcy introduc
ed him to Mr. Bennet and then Darcy brought him up to date on the events of the day.?"Curse that ne'er-do-well Wickham, anyway!" said Fitzwilliam, shaking his head in disgust. "Darcy, you know how I loved your fath
er, but in the area of George Wickham, he always was as blind as a bat!" Darcy nodded his head in agreement. "I would agree with you, Fitz, but you have
to remember that we were able to see through George's pretenses because we spent
so much more time with him. He could not hide his vices and his weakness from u
s the way he did on his occasional visits to Pemberley. But now we need to deal
with the problems of today. I have no wish to darken the occasion of my wedding
by first burying my future father-in-law!" Both Mr. Bennet and Colonel Fitzwilliam chuckled at Darcy's droll remark, thus o
nce again proving the truth that the male of the species so often finds humor in
the oddest situations. "Did you bring the pistols I asked about?" said Darcy when the levity subsided,
for there were serious questions to be solved this day. "I did," replied Fitzwilliam. "I brought them plus the brace of rifled pistols t
hat I always carry when I travel." "Good. Now, I believe that I have maneuvered Wickham into choosing pistols as th
e weapon by pointing out the legal implications of trying to force the sword ont
o an opponent who is unskilled in its use. Pistols will place both of them on an
equal footing, since both of them have a passing familiarity with the use of
pistols without being particularly skilled in their use. If I receive the messag
e which I expect from Wickham's second, it will confirm that choice, which will
then require that Mr. Bennet bring a suitable pair of pistols to the field. I mu
ch prefer that the pistol that Mr. Bennet uses be one that will hit what it is a
imed at rather than the matched pair of smoothbores that he inherited from his f
ather," and Darcy pointed toward the wooden case on Mr. Bennet's sideboard. "I confess that I am not at all familiar with pistols, either rifled or smoothbo
res," replied Mr. Bennet. "I know that rifling is supposed to make a musket more
accurate, but 98 reloading them is supposed to be difficult and lengthy. I suppose that is why Hi
s Majesty's troops are armed with Brown Bess smoothbores." "That is the official reason, to be sure," replied Colonel Fitzwilliam sardonica
lly. "But the Americans appear to have made them work when they threw us out of
the Americas, so one suspects that His Majesty's Ministers may be influenced les
s by logic and more by illusion when they make such arguments. In any case, my
brother commands a King's frigate, and he gave me a beautiful matched pair of r
ifled dueling pistols that he had purchased in America for my twentieth birthday
. Beautiful pieces-I will bring them in directly. Those Colonials are mad over r
ifled muskets, rifled pistols, andtheyhaveevenexperimentedwithrifledcannon.Thefa
ct that their arms may be part of the reason that they were able to stand off a
British Army armed with Brown Bess muskets seems not to have occurred to His Maj
esty's Ministers." "I would like to ride over to Netherfield and see Charles, Richard. In the meant
ime, might I suggest that you give Mr. Bennet a quick introductory lesson on the
accuracy of your matched pair? Since I have purchased Wickham's debts, I hope t
hat I have managed to convince him to discharge his pistol without aiming it and
then to disappear from our lives. But if that effort is unsuccessful and Mr. Be
nnet is forced to fight Wickham, I would like to ensure that he will at least be
able to make his shot count." He turned to Mr. Bennet with an apologetic smile. "I cannot offer an alternative
that guarantees your complete safety, sir. If it comes to that, I can only prov
ide you an even or possibly slightly favorable chance to hit Wickham if you have
to shoot." "I understand completely," said Mr. Bennet, standing up and thrusting out his ha
nd. "I could not ask for more, and I could not ask for a better husband for my L
izzy." "I...that is...well, I thank you, sir," said Darcy, as he took Mr. Bennet's offe
red hand and shook it firmly. 2A BRIEF MESSAGE WAS delivered to Longbourn at about half- past four. It was from
Captain Denny, and in it he informed Darcy that his conditions had been accepte
d in full by his principal. Denny had underlined 'in full' so that Darcy would k
now that he had convinced Wickham to abide by Darcy's stratagem to 'delope' in e
xchange for Darcy assuming Wickham's debts. Darcy breathed a sigh of relief an
d was quick to inform Mr. Bennet and his cousin Fitzwilliam. Darcy then called for his horse to be brought out front, for he desired to ride
over to see Bingley. Mrs. Bennet had made herself inconspicuous in the household
since Darcy's lecture earlier that afternoon. She had returned downstairs sever
al times, but she had restricted her activities to visiting the kitchen to organ
ize the evening meal and had talked quietly with Hill, arranging to have rooms prepared for Darcy and Fitzwilliam. Darc
y had talked to her at one point and had informed her that he had also summoned
his family doctor from London to preside over the duel in the morning. He had
seen the fear flare in her eyes at his comment, but from some inner (and seldom
tapped!) resource she had managed only to nod and give arrangements to have a ro
om prepared for him also. Whether her efforts were stimulated by fear or another
source, Darcy was not prepared to speculate, but he was gratified to see it, fo
r her husband's sake. His horse had just been brought around and Darcy was preparing to mount when a c
oach swept into the drive and clattered to a halt before the door. Darcy immedia
tely recognized his own coach, and he stepped back down from his horse in orde
r to receive Dr. Douglas and thank him for coming so promptly. He knew that Doug
las had served several years abroad with Wellington's army, gaining experience
with the kind of wounds that might result from a duel, so he had sent an expres
s to him, asking him to preside at the field the next morning. Even though it ap
peared that his services would not be needed, Darcy believed in being fully prep
ared. He escorted him inside and introduced him to the household before going ba
ck out front to continue his aborted trip to Netherfield. Again, Darcy had no sooner mounted than another coach made its presence known as
it arrived at Longbourn. Darcy immediately stepped down upon seeing that this c
oach bore Elizabeth. He had informed Mr. Gardiner of the events of the morning i
n his express, explaining that he would not be returning to London that evening
and to make his apologies to Elizabeth. But obviously, his future bride had no
t been satisfied to remain in London with this sudden threat to her father's lif
e. As the coachman opened the door and swung down the step, Darcy stepped forward t
o hand down Elizabeth. Her mingled joy and concern were easily readable on her f
ace, and somehow their greeting was quickly transformed into an embrace. Elizabe
th clung to Darcy fiercely, her slim body trembling in his arms, and she wordles
sly lifted her face to his. Ignoring the amused looks from the driver and coachm
an, both of whom were long-term employees of Mr. Gardiner and had known Elizabet
h all their lives, Darcy answered her unspoken plea for reassurance by lowering
his lips to hers. Despite her inner need, Elizabeth forced herself to be satisfi
ed with a brief kiss from Darcy, but as they drew back, she knew from the gentle
amusement in his eyes that Darcy was aware that she actually desired a more pas
sionate greeting. She smiled tremulously as Darcy tucked her arm in his and esco
rted her to the door. "I must admit that I should not be surprised to see you, Elizabeth," Darcy told
her. "But I have been so occupied with events here, I had not taken the time to
consider whether you could remain in London after the news I sent your uncle. No
w that I see you here, I realize that you could never have stood aside in such a
manner." "Yes, you know me that well," she told him. "Your message was such a shock. Th
e express reached my uncle at his warehouse, and he rushed home immediately to i
nform my aunt and me. He made an effort to resist when I implored him for the us
e of his coach, but my aunt took my side and he quickly agreed. But, William, ho
w did all this happen?" Darcy shook his head dolefully as they entered the house. "It came from nowhere.
I was with your father no more than fifteen minutes, and he was rather teasingl
y asking for more details of our engagement when your father's groom burst into the room. He whispered something in your father's ear, and both of them imm
ediately left the room with only the most feeble excuses. I knew that something
untoward had taken place, and I cannot explain what made me intrude on his priva
cy in such a way as to follow him out of the house and into the stables. But it
was just as well that I did, for I found him confronting Wickham in a room in th
e stables while your sister Lydia cowered in the corner with her clothing appear
ing to be unbuttoned. Wickham was totally unrepentant and even went so far as to
threaten your father's life by half-pulling his sword. But I then made myself k
nown, and your father's stablehands stood ready to assist, and we forced him to
back down. That was when your father challenged him." "Challenged him!" said Elizabeth in concern. Darcy had escorted her in to the de
serted parlor and they were sitting in two of the chairs while he held her hand
in his. "Father has never fought a duel in his life!" "Elizabeth," said Darcy firmly, "your father had no other choice. Wickham had op
enly and before witnesses compromised your sister and belligerently had no int
ention of acting as a gentleman. In addition, though I had first not seen it, it
turned out that only some of the buttons on your sisters dress were unbuttoned.
Others were ripped off and the material was torn. My suspicion is that your s
ister was indulging in some teasing of Wickham, but she tried to change her mind
as his intentions became clear, whereupon he then forced himself on her. It may
actually prove a blessing that Wickham refused to marry her, for I cannot imagine your sister, silly and flirta
tious as she may be, married to such a man." "B-but what about my father," Elizabeth asked in dread. Darcy smiled encouragingly and put an arm around her, pulling her to him. "I am
not without resources, dear heart. I made some enquiries in town and discovered
that Wickham was up to his usual activities, leaving a trail of unpaid debts and
irate fathers throughout the neighborhood. I could do nothing about the irate f
athers, but I purchased all his debts. With that lever, I instructed his second, Captain Denny, that if Wickham knew wh
at was good for him, he would refuse to fire at your father in the morning and w
ould then resign from the militia and leave the county. I received a message fro
m Denny earlier that he had convinced Wickham to abide by my plans." 99 Elizabeth looked up at Darcy in sudden hope. "Do you really think that Mr. Wickh
am will agree to this?" she asked. "He will if he hopes to remain a free man," Darcy responded grimly. "I own his
debts now, more than a thousand pounds, and one word from me will see him packe
d off to debtor's prison." Elizabeth jumped at the sudden sound of a firearm being fired outside the house,
but Darcy only smiled at her. "And that sound is another step of preparation I have taken," Darcy told her. "I
asked Colonel Fitzwilliam to come down and bring his dueling pieces with him. Y
our father has little experience with pistolry, but my cousin is in the process
of imparting at least the basics to him. My hope is that it will not come to tha
t, but, if by some chance it does, I intend that your father will at least be pr
epared to shoot with a degree of accuracy." Encouraged but not yet without fear, Elizabeth said, "But still, William, a duel
! Who knows what may happen?" "I know, Elizabeth, and I would have preferred to have avoided the sordid busine
ss altogether. But the news of your father's challenge and what had inspired it
had become so widely known so quickly that such a plan was simply not possible.
But I do believe that this is the best that may be hoped. I know that Wickham ha
d hoped to demand that swords be used, which would have given him an unbeatable
advantage, but he was dissuaded from that, once I explained to Captain Denny tha
t such an unfair advantage would almost certainly result in a charge of murder
against both Wickham and against Denny himself. So we have already avoided the worst." Elizabeth jumped again at another pistol shot from outside and allowed herself
to be enfolded in Darcy's comforting embrace. * A form of apology by a duelist in which he deliberately shot his pistol into t
he air or ground so as to miss. Chapter 23 t was still dark as Mr. Bennet and Darcy boarded the coach that would take them
to the meadow that had been agreed on as the site. After the coach jerked into m
otion, Darcy began to speak, since he did not want Mr. Bennet to sink into a despondent mood.?"Mr. Bennet," said Darcy carefully, "
I am not experienced in the matter of duels, but my cousin is a soldier with considerable exper
ience in the field. He has told me many times how some soldiers will turn inward
before battle and thus will lay the groundwork for their failure and even death
when the time came that they needed to focus only on their duty. I believe the
same is true now. I know that you have expressed doubts about your actions that
you believe might have prevented this moment, but I must urge you to put them be
hind you." There was very little light inside the coach, but Darcy could see that he had th
e other man's attention as he continued, "Lamentations about the past can only
sap your focus and concentration, Mr. Bennet, and you must be prepared to conce
ntrate only on winning and surviving this duel. And survival means that you have
to be prepared to confront and face Wickham over the barrel of a pistol. The qu
estion that you need to answer for me is-are you prepared for that? Are you prep
ared to kill Wickham if you have to?" Mr. Bennet was silent for a minute, running his hand through his hair in thought
. Finally, he turned to face Darcy. "I am not sure," he said slowly. "I believe so, for I now see the disaster that
might befall my whole family if I die, but I cannot be completely certain." Darcy nodded quickly. "That is understandable, but hear me clearly, sir. If you
walk on the field with Wickham, you must be prepared to shoot and shoot to kill.
I hope it may not come to that-I have taken what steps I could to avoid that ev
ent. But make no mistake-Wickham can sense weakness in an almost supernatural wa
y. If he decides to first delope, without leveling his pistol, then you may safe
ly fire into the air or the ground in response. But if his pistol starts to come
level, you will have no other choice but to shoot first and shoot accurately. W
ickham used to be only an average pistol shot, and I somewhat doubt that he has
maintained his skills, but you must not depend on that. I hope you understand wh
at I am trying to say-that Wickham is not to be trusted, for he is not a man of
honor." Mr. Bennet nodded his agreement, and Darcy left him to his own thoughts for the
remainder of the drive. 2?00 IAS THEY ARRIVED AT the meadow, Darcy saw that his own coach had already arrived
with Colonel Fitzwilliam and Dr. Douglas aboard. As Mr. Bennet's coach came to a
halt, the other two men exited the coach and waited for the other two men to jo
in them. Soon, three other men, all dressed in red coats, could be seen approaching on ho
rseback. The first dim light of dawn could be seen as they swung down. While Wic
kham and his second, Captain Denny, stayed behind, the third man, who was seen t
o be Colonel Forster, strode over to join them. Colonel Forster nodded to Darcy and Mr. Bennet as he arrived, and Darcy could se
e that his face was set in a grim look. Quickly, he introduced his cousin Fitzwi
lliam and Dr. Douglas to Colonel Forster. "I was only informed of this infernal duel late in the evening, Mr. Bennet, and
I have already made my displeasure known to Lieutenant Wickham and Captain Den
ny. I wish that I could find a way to avoid the affair after the county has been
so hospitable, but I am cursed if I can find any other way." "Only Wickham can resolve the problem, Colonel," said Darcy. "I witnessed much o
f the event which led to the duel, and Wickham's conduct was dishonorable in eve
ry particular. Only a public apology and assumption of responsibility by him wil
l repair the damage to Mr. Bennet's honor and the respectability of his family.
And I am informed that Mr. Wickham is unwilling to agree to this." "Your understanding is correct, sir," agreed Colonel Forster unhappily. "I made
the same point to him earlier this morning, and he would not agree to it." "Then I see no other way to resolve the matter, sir," said Darcy. "If we might b
e joined by Captain Denny, we must select the Master of the Field from among us.
I had intended to offer my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, for the position since
he has a passing acquaintance with duels." "Never fought one myself," said Colonel Fitzwilliam, "but I twice acted as secon
d for fellow officers." "But," continued Darcy, "if you would be willing to act in the role, Colonel, my
principal and I would be agreeable." Colonel Forster shook his head. "I have no experience in this type of affair, Mr
. Darcy. I think your suggestion of Colonel Fitzwilliam would be best. I have he
ard of his meritorious service on the continent, and he is known as an honorable
man." "I thank you, sir," said Colonel Fitzwilliam with a bow. Quickly, Darcy and Fitzwilliam moved out into the meadow, motioning Denny to joi
n them while Colonel Forster went over to Wickham. But he only stood silently by
Wickham, giving no evidence of desiring conversation. "Gentlemen," said Colonel Fitzwilliam, when Captain Denny joined him and Darcy,
"Darcy has suggested that I act as Master of the Field. While Colonel Forster ha
s agreed, I must know if you also agree, Captain Denny?" Denny gave a brusque nod, and Colonel Fitzwilliam continued, "I am informed that
Lieutenant Wickham has chosen pistols. Is that correct, Captain Denny?" "It is, sir," responded Denny. "Then does your principal, Mr. Darcy, have a suitable pair of pistols available?
""He does, sir," said Darcy, offering the wooden box containing Fitzwilliam's b
race of dueling pistols. Colonel Fitzwilliam took the case and opened it. Showing it to Captain Denny, he
asked, "Please inspect the offered pistols and indicate if they will be suitabl
e." Denny made only the merest inspection, taking each pistol out and hefting each b
riefly before replacing them in the box and indicating his agreement. "Then, gentlemen," said Colonel Fitzwilliam, "before I load both pistols, I must
ask if either of your principals will agree to a resolution of this dispute wit
hout resort to arms?" Captain Denny looked over at Wickham searchingly, but the other man ignored him.
Turning back to Fitzwilliam, Denny responded, "No, sir, my principal will not a
gree." "Nor will mine," responded Darcy. "Very well, then," said Fitzwilliam. "If you will hold the box, Mr. Darcy, and i
f you will hold the powder and shot, Captain Denny, I will now load both pistols
in your presence." Watched by both men, Colonel Fitzwilliam deftly went through the steps to load a
nd prime each pistol, calling out the name of each step with military precision.
When he was finished, both Wickham and Mr. Bennet were called over to join them
."Gentlemen, I have loaded both pistols in the presence of your seconds. It falls
to you, Lieutenant Wickham to choose one of the pistols." Wickham looked sharply at Captain Denny, who returned his gaze with an express
ion that gave nothing away. Finally, Wickham reached out and picked one of the p
is- tols. "Mr. Bennet, your opponent has chosen his pistol. Please take the other one. Ver
y good." Colonel Fitzwilliam closed the wooden box and handed it to Darcy. "Gentlemen, this is an affair of honor, and it is expected that both of you will
conduct yourselves accordingly. I will presently instruct you on the rules of t
he engagement, but I will be acting as the Master of the Field." He opened his c
oat to disclose a heavy military pistol in a holster at his side. "As Master," Fitzwilliam said firmly, "it is my duty to ensure that the rules ar
e followed to the letter, and that the honor of all parties is not violated. Do
all parties understand my position?" Only upon receiving an affirmation by both Wickham and Mr. Bennet, as well as fr
om their seconds, did Colonel Fitzwilliam continue. "Very well. At my command, both parties will place themselves back-to-back with
their pistol held at their side ?0? andpointingtowardtheground.Pistolswillbeheldinthat position until I give the com
mand to aim. Any violation of that sequence will be a violation of the rules of
engagement and will either require the sequence to start over or such other acti
on as I deem fit. Is this understood clearly?" Colonel Fitzwilliam again waited for assent by both Wickham and Mr. Bennet befor
e continuing. "Very good. Now, from the starting position, I will slowly count t
o ten. At each count, each opponent will take one pace forward. At the count of ten, both opponents will halt but will not turn until I give the co
mmand. When I command 'Turn,' both opponents will turn to face each other but th
eir pistols will remain at their side. Only when I give the command 'Cock and Ai
m' may the pistol be raised. And only on the command 'Fire' will the opponents discharge their pistols."?As he listened to Colonel Fi
tzwilliam's careful and solemn explanation of the rules to be followed, Wickham's sense of gloom deepened a
nd began to change into a growing panic. The genesis of this transformation was
the cold, controlled look on Darcy's face as his dark eyes bored into Wickham's. It seemed to Wickham as if Darcy's control concealed a growing sense of triumph
as the two opponents stood together with their seconds standing to either side
of Colonel Fitzwilliam. The undisguised look of contempt on the face of Wickham
's own second, Captain Denny, did nothing to help his spirits and indeed contrib
uted to his panic. Ever since DennyhadreturnedfromhismeetingwithDarcyyesterday a
fternoon with a completely different set of agreements than he had been charged
with, Wickham had known that events had passed completely out of his control. Da
rcy had bought up his debts and had demanded that he either apologize publicly a
nd resign his commission or else make an implicit apology by deloping and then d
eparting from the county. Worse, Denny had agreed with Darcy and told Wickham flatly that he must either a
gree to Darcy's proposal or else find another second. Wickham had had no other c
hoice than to agree, since he knew that no other officer would stand up with him
if Denny withdrew. He owed too much to too many to hope to find another ally at
such short notice. But now Wickham was beginning to suspect that Darcy was playing an even deeper g
ame than he had previously suspected. To his suspicion-crazed mind, it appeare
d that Darcy was attempting to maneuver him into making himself helpless befor
e Mr. Bennet by getting him to discharge the one charge in his pistol without ev
en taking aim at his opponent. The older man would then be free to cut him down without Wickham being able to d
o anything at all about it. Or, at least he would have been unable to do anythin
g, except that Wickham had carefully loaded and primed a backup pistol in the ut
most secrecy, not even informing Denny of what he had done. Wickham felt the comforting bulge of that pistol, resting against his
side under his tunic. The hidden weapon was smaller in size and caliber than the
heavy dueling pistol, but it was still capable of evening the odds if Bennet wa
s playing the game that Wickham suspected. ?02 "If these instructions are perfectly clear," concluded Colonel Fitzwilliam, "ple
ase make your acknowledgement known. Mr. Bennet? Very good. Mr. Wickham?" Wickham was in such a frenzy of emotion and lightning thoughts that he did not a
t first respond. Only at Colonel Fitzwilliam's sharp repetition of his name did
Wickham finally give a jerky nod." "Very good," Fitzwilliam continued. "Please take your places back to back. Very
good. Now, before I start to count the paces, I am charged to make one last appe
al that this dispute be resolved without resort to arms. Mr. Bennet?" "Only if Mr. Wickham will publicly apologize and acknowledge that he forced hi
mself on my daughter without her agreement," said Mr. Bennet. "Mr. Wickham?" Fitzwilliam asked, and Wickham gave a sharp shake of his head. "Very well. Then I will begin the count of paces up to ten. One." Both Wickham and Mr. Bennet stepped simultaneously one pace forward. "Two."?Mr. Bennet paced, his concentration sharp and focused, while his opponent, unbeknownst to him, was becoming more and more panicked. Ben
net is going to shoot me down like a dog if I delope! Wickham thought hysterical
ly. "Three..."?By the time the count reached 'Nine,' Wickham's thoughts were scarcely rational, as a raging fear of death suffused his entire b
eing to the point that he scarcely heard the count of 'Ten.' Though Wickham scarcely heard the count of 'Ten,' his body somehow came to halt.
Then he heard the command, "Turn!" And any self-control vanished as Wickham's whole being could comprehend
only one thought, and that was that he had only one chance to survive, and that
was to make sure that Bennet was not able to shoot him down as he stood with a d
ischarged pistol. His body twirled, under the control of the animal part of him,
and he felt his arm coming up... 2NONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS was ever able afterwards to explain the workings of W
ickham's mind and why he did what he did. Darcy started forward in alarm as he s
aw Wickham's swift turn and then saw Wickham's arm begin to raise his heavy pist
ol. Colonel Fitzwilliam also recognized the menace even as his mouth was forming
the command to "Cock and Aim," and he immediately began to raise his own pistol
. But sudden despair filled him, as he was conscious that it was too late and th
at he could not prevent Wickham from firing. To his mind, it seemed that his pis
tol was weighted down with lead even as he saw that Wickham's pistol had come le
vel and the other man's eye was sighting along the top. Mr. Bennet was turning, completely unconscious of the turmoil taking place behin
d him. His mind was focused, waiting to hear the command to 'Cock and Aim,' and
remembering Darcy's instructions that, while he must not shoot Wickham if the
other man discharged his pistol into the ground, he still had to be prepared for
the worst and be ready to shoot if the other man did not delope. "CRAAAAAACK!"?Mr. Bennet heard the detonation even as something slugged him in the back as he was in the process of turning. He staggered at the
blow, and it seemed as if a white-hot iron had penetrated him from one shoulder
to the other. His whole back seemed both afire and also subject to a frozen num
bness. The shock was such that he could not determine how badly he was hurt. In
the confused state of his mind, he could not at all explain what could have happ
ened, but he still managed to regain a firmer footing and completed his turn. "HALT, WICKHAM!" bellowed Colonel Fitzwilliam, who had drawn his own pistol and
leveled it at a frozen George Wickham, who stood like a statue with his arm rais
ed. The cloud of powder smoke from Wickham's pistol was just beginning to dissip
ate. He has shot me in the back! Mr. Bennet realized in a haze. He saw Dr. Douglas ha
stening in his direction, and, while he could not determine how badly he was hur
t, suddenly cold rage replaced the nausea that had initially gripped him after h
e was shot. The thought that filled his mind was that such dishonorable and cowa
rdly conduct by this blackguard could not be allowed! And Mr. Bennet motioned Dr
. Douglas to stand clear as he stood up completely to his full height. "Sir!" asked Colonel Fitzwilliam, his pistol leveled and his eyes never leaving
Wickham. "Are you able to continue? Do you need medical assistance?" "I am able to continue, sir," said Mr. Bennet in a clear, penetrating voice. Ind
eed, everything seemed crystal clear to him at the moment. "Then, sir," said Colonel Fitzwilliam, lowering his pistol, "it is now your sh
ot. You may aim and fire at your dis- cretion, since Mr. Wickham has treacherous
ly violated the Instructions." Mr. Bennet nodded his understanding, but he had not yet decided how he would pla
ce his shot as his pistol began to raise. While he would like nothing better t
han to see Wickham shot down like a treacherous dog, he already knew that the ot
her man's dishonorable conduct had already forfeited any claim to respect and co
nsideration. He could now be charged with criminal conduct with respect to Lydia
, and the verdict was a foregone conclusion, with the whole county knowing that
any testimony Wickham might give to the contrary was worthless. Perhaps a bullet
into the grass at Wickham's feet might make the villain soil his under- wear... Wickham, of course, knew nothing of Mr. Bennet's thoughts. He only saw Mr. Benne
t start to raise his pistol even as the other man's lips drew back in a savage grin that had absolutely no h
umor in it. His hands went under his tunic without conscious volition, and his p
ocket pistol was in his hand even as his thumb began to cock the hammer... "CRRAAAAAAACCCKKKK!"?The simultaneous detonation of two pistols was an assault on the ears of the whole party as both Mr. Bennet and Colonel Fitzwilliam
fired without any conscious volition on their part. It was all reaction speed as
they both saw the threat in Wickham's hand. Wickham himself seemed to take a step backward as he felt the vicious blow of a
blacksmith's hammer strike his chest. Somehow, though it had just a moment befor
e been so important, he now could not remember just why he had to raise his pist
ol. Now, it no longer seemed to matter, and his pistol fell from his nerveless f
ingers, the hammer not yet cocked. He was not aware that he had come up on tipto
e even as his head extended forward, but he felt himself falling, falling, fal
ling even as he could not understand why he could not step forward to stop the f
all. It seemed so dark and so very cold... Lieutenant George Wickham, late of His Majesty's forces, was dead before he hit
the ground. The tableau was silent for several seconds, the two clouds of acrid powder-smoke
dissipating slowly as the onlookers were mesmerized by what had happened. It was Dr. Douglas who broke the frozen moment, as his training took over and he
moved to render medical assistance. But it was toward Mr. Bennet that he moved,
as he gave no thought to the red-coated figure who lay in the wet grass. He may
have served two years with the British Army, but he had no time for a man who h
ad disgraced the uniform he wore to the extent that George Wickham had done. Plu
s, he had noted the way Wickham had fallen, like a puppet with all the strings c
ut, and he did not believe that any help in this mortal world would suffice for
Wickham. As Dr. Douglas assisted Mr. Bennet over to a seat on a stump so that he could ex
amine him, the others walked over to the body of Wickham. Colonel Fitzwilliam kn
elt beside him and put his fingers to his neck, feeling for a pulse that he was
unsurprised to find was absent. Shaking his head, he turned the other man over o
n his back. Wickham's eyes were open in blank surprise, and Fitzwilliam pointed
silently to two holes in his red tunic, directly over his heart and within an in
ch of each other. Darcy was the first to speak. "I've known George Wickham my whole life, and I al
ways wondered if he would come to such an end. But my father loved him, and I fe
el remorse for the way in which he would have been disappointed." But Colonel Forster and Captain Denny had little compassion left, for they kne
w that Wickham's conduct, both with respect to Mr. Bennet's daughter and in this
dishonorable conclusiontoanaffairofhonor,wouldtarnishthereputation of the regim
ent. Nevertheless, Lieutenant George Wickham ?03 was one of theirs, and the regiment would take care of its own. Accordingly, Col
onel Forster walked over and bowed to Mr. Bennet, who was being attended by Dr.
Douglas. "Mr. Bennet, the regiment is most sorry to have been associated with this most d
ishonorable repayment of the hospitality shown us by you and all the neighborh
ood. I will have Wickham's body removed and a service conducted by the regiment.
He will be buried in an unmarked grave, but the stain of his dishonor remains w
ith the regiment." Mr. Bennet grimaced as Dr. Douglas sliced open his shirt from shoulder to should
er, baring his upper back, but his wit was already coming back, proving the trut
h of a future British statesman who would remark, "There's nothing quite as exhi
larating as being shot at and missed!" Accordingly, he was brusque as he remarked exuberantly, "Nonsense, Colonel! You
were not responsible for anything except being fooled by a master at it. That is
what made it so shocking when I found him with my daughter. I would not have im
agined that he would do any of what he has done in the past day. I am only thank
ful that it is over and that I appear to have sustained only a minor wound. It i
s only a minor wound, is it not, Dr. Douglas?"?"Well, sir," said Dr. Douglas, "the bullet
evidently struck you at the point of your shoulder, leaving a bloody groove from the point of you
r right shoulder to just past your spine, where it then penetrated the skin, ski
mming along over your shoulder blade where it came to rest just behind your left
shoulder joint. I can feel it just under the skin. The bullet must come out imm
ediately, since the main danger in flesh wounds such as these is an infection ca
used by cloth being carried by the bullet into the body where it can fester." "The bullet must come out immediately, you say?" asked Mr. Bennet. "Yes, immediately," responded Dr. Douglas. "Here, bite on this and hold still,"
he commanded, placing a leather bound stick between Mr. Bennet's jaws. "This wil
l hurt somewhat," he continued, "but it will hurt less now, while you are stil
l somewhat in shock. Gentlemen, if you would assist Mr. Bennet in holding as sti
ll as possible?" Before Mr. Bennet could do much more that bite down on the stick, he felt the ic
y pain of a knife blade slicing through his skin from his spine to his shoulder. "Ah, very good," said Dr. Douglas behind him, "here is the ball." Mr. Bennet fel
t a fiery prying motion along the line of the incision in his back. "And even be
tter!" exclaimed Dr. Douglas. "The wound is quite clean, no cloth in evidence an
ywhere. Now, it only needs a clean dressing to staunch the flow of blood, and we
will get you home where I can apply another dressing once the bleeding stops." By this time, Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam had rejoined Mr. Bennet, and Colon
el Forster and Captain Denny were just making their departure. There were handsh
akes all around as Dr. Douglas bound up the dressing on Mr. Bennet's back and th
e parties made their separate depar- tures. ?04 Only the forlorn body of George Wickham remained in the meadow, awaiting a detai
l from the regiment to take his mortal remains away to the unmarked grave that w
ould be his final and soon forgotten resting place. Chapter 24 Elizabeth stood silently at one of the windows in the front parlor at Longbourn
while fear and dread clutched at her heart. Her mother was seated beside her, an
d, for once, she was as silent as both of her older daughters, since Jane sat beside her mother, holding one of her hands while Eliz
abeth held the other. While similar feelings of anxiety kept all three women s
ilent, Elizabeth had the additional burden of being afflicted by fear not only f
or her father but also for Darcy. She tried to tell herself that her fears were
baseless, since Darcy was only acting as second to her father and was not person
ally involved. But such reasonable assurances could not still the whispers in he
r mind, and she felt guilty that she was so fearful for Darcy's safety and well-
being, while her father was actually the man in harm's way. Had Elizabeth been capable of more introspective thoughts at such a time, she mi
ght have wondered at the quite unnatural silence of her mother. For Mrs. Bennet
was in a situation that was completely foreign to her-she was face to face with
a reality that she was not able to ignore. Ever since the fierce tongue-lashing
that she had experienced the previous day from Darcy, she had not been able to i
ndulge herself in any of the silly and artificial pursuits that were her usual p
astimes. Every time she had been tempted by such, she visualized Darcy with his
nose almost touching hers as he demanded, "I said, madam, is it your desire that
your husband be killed by Wickham on the morrow?" She shivered in horrified emb
arrassment as she remembered the contempt in Darcy's voice, and the thought of h
ow she must appear to such a rich and important man only increased her mortifica
tion. And the thought that Darcy wanted to marry Elizabeth only increased her co
nfusion, for she had never understood Elizabeth and could not see why such a man
would want to marry her. Mrs. Bennet glanced around in irritation when she heard the sound of whispering
and giggling behind her. Lydia had come downstairs this morning, seemingly unaff
ected by what had happened the previous day with Wickham. On being informed th
at her father was gone to fight the man who had the previous day attempted to ra
vish and ruin her, her response had been blithe unconcern. Now she and Kitty sat
against the far wall and whispered together in amusement over some item of goss
ip, and Mrs. Bennet was suddenly seized by rage as she recognized her own behavi
or exhibited in her favorite daughter. First Bingley had taken a fancy to Jane
, and now Darcy had fixed on Elizabeth, and Mrs. Bennet, for all her silliness,
suddenly understood that Lydia, and yes, even Kitty, could never engender a simi
lar response in a man of true consequence. This thought and her remembrance of t
he previous night, when she had knocked on her husband's door, suddenly seemed t
o turn her world upside down. The thought that her husband, who had been so surp
rised and so gratified by her concern, might never return to her in this life because of L
ydia's foolishness, was overwhelming, and her mouth opened to command Lydia to c
ease such foolish and unseemly behavior... "Mother!" Elizabeth whispered as she saw her father's coach turn into the drive.
A nameless dread seized her, and she unconsciously squeezed her mother's hand.
Then, her voice raised in excitement as the turning coach allowed her a glimpse
of the interior. "Father's coach!" she exclaimed. "And I can see him inside!" Mrs. Bennet turned back from Lydia to see the coach
indeed coming down the drive to Longbourn, followed closely by Mr. Darcy's large
r vehicle. She jumped to her feet and moved briskly to the door. Jane followed q
uickly behind her, but Elizabeth lingered at the window until she glimpsed the t
all figure of Darcy before she moved to follow her mother and sister. Mrs. Benne
t had time only for a single sharp glance toward Lydia and Kitty, irritated that
they only now appeared to notice their father's arrival, and then she turned aw
ay in dismissal. She would have to speak to Mr. Bennet about Lydia. Something wo
uld have to be done, but it would have to wait until later... Darcy and Dr. Douglas were already helping Mr. Bennet to the ground when the fro
nt door to Longbourn opened suddenly. Darcy was unsurprised to see that Mrs. Ben
net was first through the door, but he also saw that Elizabeth was only a step b
ehind her. And while Mrs. Bennet's destination was clearly the side of her wound
ed husband, Elizabeth's objective was equally clear. Darcy barely had time to
release Mr. Bennet's arm to that of his wife before Elizabeth flew into his arms
. Darcy smiled as he enfolded her in his embrace, but then he felt her trembling
against him. Alarmed at first, for he did not understand Elizabeth's reaction,
he quickly realized that she had been worried about him as well as her father, a
nd he felt a sudden and unexpected surge of emotion that threatened to choke h
im. As he felt Elizabeth's trembling die away, Darcy was moved and humbled by th
is renewed evidence of just how important he was to her, even to the point of re
placing her beloved father in her affections. Darcy glanced over at the other ma
n, whose two arms had been firmly taken by his wife and oldest daughter, and Mr.
Bennet's eyes were amused but also saddened, as he also recognized that his bel
oved Lizzy had unhesitatingly flown to the most important man in her life. He si
ghed at the realization, knowing that it would hurt to have his spiritual compan
ion depart his household, even if she had selected a most suitable young man. At that moment, Mr. Bennet winced as his wife pulled too energetically on his ar
m in her urge to guide him inside, and her quick glance discerned the blood-stai
ned bandages that lay under her husband's torn and rent clothing. "Mr. Bennet!" she exclaimed, her eyes going wide in sudden anxiety and alarm.
"You have been wounded!" "It is but a superficial wound, my dear," said Mr. Bennet, "and I have been assu
red by the good doctor that I will survive this morning's excitement." ?05 Dr. Douglas was quick to accede. "It is a flesh wound, Mrs. Bennet. The pistol b
all struck your husband just as he was turning, and it ripped a shallow wound al
ong the line of his back. But it is a clean wound, and it bled freely, which is
always an aid in healing. The free flow of blood washes out any foreign material
that might stay in the wound and cause putrefaction." By this time, Kitty and Lydia had finally exited the house and joined them, whil
e Mary only now made her appearance at the doorway. Almost as shocking as the fa
ct that their father was wounded was the sight of their sister enfolded in Darcy
's embrace, her head against his chest, while their father and mother appeared n
ot to notice anything out of the ordinary. They had only learned of the engageme
nt the previous evening, but seeing their sister in the arms of a man other than
their father was quite disconcerting. Mrs. Bennet frowned as she examined the blood-stained bandages. "But how did you
come to be shot in the back, husband?" she asked fretfully. "I do not know much
about duels, but I do not believe that is supposed to happen." "You are correct, madam," exclaimed Colonel Fitzwilliam in a booming voice. "You
r husband suffered his wound because that treacherous Wickham turned and fired
at him before the command was given!" He had joined the party after alighting f
rom Darcy's coach, but he had been almost unnoticed as he did so. "Your husband
was obeying my command, just turning toward Wickham, his pistol still pointed
at the ground, when that black-hearted scoundrel suddenly fired early. But your
husband was fortunate also, since the ball struck him a glancing blow instead of
the mortal wound that was intended!" The Longbourn women gasped as they realized the slimness of Mr. Bennet's escape.
"But...but...why would Mr. Wickham do such a thing?" asked Lydia in a small and
trembling voice. It was only now that she suddenly saw the bleak disaster for h
er family that had been so narrowly averted. Yet, even now, when she saw what co
uld have happened, her mind darted away from the thought that she might be to
blame for it. That admission was too much to be considered by her immature mind. But Colonel Fitzwilliam was brutally blunt in his assessment. "Because Wickham
is-or rather was-a coward of the first stripe!" growled Fitzwilliam. "I cannot
know what was in his mind, but he evidently could not face your father over the
barrel of a pistol, so he tried to shoot him in the back." "But what happened then, Colonel Fitzwilliam?" asked Jane calmly. She had been i
ntroduced to the Colonel when she came over to Longbourn early that morning, bef
ore the gentlemen left for the meadow. "Then I commanded him to stand fast, for it was now Mr. Bennet's shot," said the
Colonel grimly. "I do not believe that I could have shot him, not like that, in cold blood," off
ered Mr. Bennet. "I do not doubt it, sir," said Colonel Fitzwilliam, "and I only met you yesterda
y afternoon. If Wickham had ever ?06 bothered to use the wits that his father gifted him with, he would have known it
as well." "Was that the end, then," asked Mrs. Bennet. She was looking at the familiar fea
tures of her husband with more than a little consternation, for she suddenly had
a vision of her husband standing in the meadow, blood beginning to run down his
back, while he stood and looked at Mr. Wickham, a pistol at his side. "Why, then, madam, Wickham demonstrated that there were even further depths to h
is black and dishonorable character. He had a hide-out pistol under his tunic,
and he now tried to draw and fire at your husband." Colonel Fitzwilliam's lips
skinned back, exposing his teeth, but the women shrank back slightly as they rec
ognized how little humor was in his ferocious grin. "It was the last mistake he
made in his life, and both Mr. Bennet and I fired at the same time. Our balls hi
t Wickham over the heart and not an inch separated them. Wickham was dead before
he hit the ground." Lydia gave a low cry and crumpled to the ground in a faint. Mr. Bennet looked at
her dispassionately, then looked over at his wife. Both of them seemed to under
stand each other perfectly, since Mrs. Bennet said loudly, "Come, husband! The
doctor will want to look at you inside and out of this weather. I'll send one o
f the servants out for Lydia." So saying, she quickly guided her husband inside,
briskly order- ing the servants to bring a comfortable chair to the parlor and
to place it before the windows so that the doctor would have enough light to exa
mine Mr. Bennet. After she had made sure that her husband was comfortably seated
, she then instructed other servants to prepare his bedroom. Mr. Bennet looked at his wife rather curiously, since he had more than half-expe
cted her to fly into one of her frenzies or to sink into a swoon, but the succes
sion of shocks she had experienced in the past day had provoked a different resp
onse altogether. Now that she was assured by Dr. Douglas that her husband's woun
d, while needing care, was not overly dangerous and should respond favorably to
good care, she seemed to have forgotten her usual behavior these past twenty yea
rs and was reacting more as the young woman he had originally married. I am sure
that she will soon revert to her usual silliness, Mr. Bennet thought wryly, as
he carefully sat down in the chair that was placed before the window, but it is
pleasant not to have to deal with her normal inanity when my back is now startin
g to really hurt! 2BY THE TIME TWO servants scurried out the front door to arouse Lydia, Elizabeth
and Darcy had broken their embrace and were in a more proper stance, with Elizab
eth holding Darcy's arm and Colonel Fitzwilliam standing companionably with them
. He looked on with interest as one of the servants uncapped a small bottle and
waved it under Lydia's nose. AsLydiacamebacktosuddenconsciousness,coughing and crying out at the harsh smell
that had invaded her na- sal passages and wrenched her forcibly back into the wo
rld, Elizabeth commented dryly, "It appears that my mother's smelling salts have
finally found a proper use." Inwardly, she was feeling rather mortified, distre
ssed that her family's lack of propriety was being put on such vibrant display i
n front of Darcy and his cousin. She looked up at him rather anxiously, more tha
n half expecting to see a look of disapproval there as Lydia was escorted back i
nto the house, snuffling and sobbing at the emotional jolt of hearing that Mr. W
ickham was dead. But Darcy only smiled down at her in good cheer, apparently amused rather than
offended. "Shall we go in, Elizabeth?" he asked her. "It is rather cool still,
and you are without either shawl or bonnet." "I would prefer not, William," she said with a shudder, imagining the tumult t
hat must be occurring inside Longbourn. "There has been quite enough emotional u
p- heaval this morning, and I would rather avoid it as long as possible." Colonel Fitzwilliam chuckled in amusement. "It is not quite the same as Rosings,
Miss Bennet, but, over the years, Darcy and I have more than once been driven t
o strong drink by our stays with our good aunt. But, as a student of the human c
ondition, I believe that I will brave the emotional whirlpool and go in to ask o
ne of the servants to bring you a shawl and bonnet. Besides, I have taken quite
a fancy to your father. He certainly kept his head when Wickham pulled out his p
ocket pistol, and I could not say who fired faster, him or me." He gave Elizabet
h a quick bow, then strode for the door, whistling as he passed inside the house
."Poor Mr. Wickham," said Elizabeth sadly. "I never liked him, but it is still mo
urnful to see a life so wasted." "I can agree in part," said Darcy softly, "but it is many years since I gave up
all hope that Wickham could ever amount to anything. I am just grateful that the
cost was so small to your father-a flesh wound instead of a mortal one." He paused a moment in consideration, then looked down at Elizabeth. "I join with
my cousin in his admiration of your father, but it is not only for his unsuspec
ted skill with a pistol. You could not see his face when you ran past him to me, but we looked at each ot
her and both of us understood what the other was thinking. He knew that you were
running to me and not to him, though he was wounded and I was not. He knew and
realized truly then that you would be leaving him, that you had made your choice
, and he was saddened but accepting." Darcy squeezed Elizabeth's arm comfortingl
y, for she suddenly looked distressed as she realized what her father must be fe
eling. "You are saddened, I see, but not all sadness is bad, for life is full of
changes. Your father and I understand each other, and this moment had to come a
t some point. If not me, then with some other young man, since I could never ima
gine you without suitors." One of the servants came out of the house with Elizabeth's bonnet and a warm sha
wl, and Darcy was quick to lend what assistance was needed. By unspoken agree- m
ent, they both turned towards the garden, walking by the window to the parlor, w
here Dr. Douglas could be seen applying a fresh bandage to Mr. Bennet's back. He
r father nodded to both of them as they walked by, his lips compressed as he b
ore the pain manfully. Mrs. Bennet stood at Dr. Douglas' elbow, watching careful
ly, and Elizabeth was amused to see that it was Dr. Douglas who did the talking
and her mother who listened quietly. Elizabeth also noted that her mother seemed
rather anxious as she glanced over at them, and her glance appeared to be direc
ted more at Darcy than her. "Mother seems rather quiet this morning," Elizabeth said with amusement. "I wond
er if she might not be coming down with some illness." She was rather surprised at Darcy's sudden cough, and she was astonished to see
that his ears and cheeks had reddened. In fact, he looks positively embarrasse
d! Elizabeth thought to herself in surprise. Darcy cleared his throat, bringing another perplexed glance from Elizabeth. "I..
.that is...well, your mother and I had a rather fierce confrontation yesterday,
Elizabeth. It was before you arrived, and she was wailing and carrying on, and I
..." Elizabeth listened in growing amazement to Darcy's recitation of his angry alt
ercation with her mother, interspersing his dialogue with an occasional "You did
not!" and "She did?" Her tinkling laugh as she visualized Darcy lecturing her m
other and Jane's reaction to it helped break the strain that had gripped her all
through the night and morning. Soon, she was almost skipping as she walked alon
g, and she looked up at the tall man walking beside her, feeling the dwindling d
eparture of that forlorn sadness that had been her constant companion for so man
y months. Darcy saw the brightening of her demeanor and the twinkle in her eyes, and he sm
iled back at the warmth she directed his way. "It is good to see you smile and l
augh, Elizabeth," he said cheerfully. "I confess that I have a tendency toward
the somber, and you seem to make the clouds depart. It makes the future so attr
active and desirable, especially when I consider whom I might have chosen if l
eft to my own devices. It will be good to be married to you." He was rather surprised at the sudden look of intentness that came over her fa
ce and the sudden pressure on his arm. "What is it?" he said in sudden concern.
"Did I say something wrong?" Elizabeth's only response was a sudden pulling on his arm as she directed him ar
ound a corner of the hedge that surrounded the garden. Turning a further corne
r at her insistent pull, he found himself drawn into a nook that hid them from v
iew. Turning toward him, Elizabeth lifted her face to his with a beseeching look
. "You said nothing wrong, William, but...I am finding that I need...I want...th
at is..." ?07 Darcy saw her sudden yearning, and he also recognized her matching vulnerability
. His reaction was instant and instinctive as his arms swept her close, pulling
her into a fierce embrace. Her small fists grasped his lapels as she gasped with
the sudden, comforting pressure of his strong arms, and she sighed in contentme
nt as she nuzzled her face into his chest. "Better?" he asked softly, holding her close as he inhaled the wonderful fragran
ce of her hair, and he felt her wordless nod against his chest. "At times like t
hese, all of us need reassurance," he continued softly, "especially after such a
n unusual courtship as ours." He heard her soft laugh, and he reached down to ti
lt her head up toward him. "But know this,mypreciousElizabeth-Iwillnotattempttom
atchmy emotions against your own, which are of such long standing and intensity.
Nevertheless, I want you to know that I want nothing more than to be married to
you, soon and forever." Darcy felt Elizabeth almost slump in his arms at this declaration, and he could
see the glint of unshed tears in the corners of her eyes. She reached up with on
e hand to lay her hand on his cheek, feeling the slight stubble from an early sh
ave in dim light with an unfamiliar razor. "Please, William," she whispered, "please kiss me. Kiss me like you did at Hunsford." Darcy's face was already descending before she finished her sentence, and Elizab
eth made a sound deep in her throat as their lips met. Her tongue danced out to
meet his as her lips flattened under the pressure, and Darcy's hand on the small
of her back pressed her hips firmly against his. In an instinctive reaction, sh
e thrust her own hips hard against his, grinding slightly as she felt a deliciou
s rush of pleasure deep in her belly. Her arms went around his waist, adding to
her leverage as she moved her hips against his, and she kissed him back fiercely
. Their tongues darted and stroked in a dance of exploration and discovery. Eliz
abeth was completely in the dark regarding the physical mysteries of marriage, a
nd Darcy, despite being the elder, was scarcely more educated. He had inherited
the responsibility for his siblings early, and his schoolboy adventures, few as
they were, were more than half a decade in the past. Greatly daring, Elizabeth tentatively let one small hand slide down from his wai
st over his hard buttocks. She gave a soft, muffled chuckle as she drew a throat
y exclamation of surprise from Darcy, and she squeezed her hand, marveling at th
e hard muscle so different from her own. But she gave a sudden gasp of her own a
s she felt Darcy's large hand slide down to her own bottom as he matched her dar
ing. Drawing back from their kiss, she saw that his eyes were open and rather an
xious, expecting to be rebuked for his daring, even though she had been the firs
t to explore. She smiled at him, her eyes dancing with delight. "We shall be married in little
more than a week, William," she said softly. "If you had your way with me on th
e grass, it should matter little." His own eyes softened at her statement, and s
he kept one hand kneading his buttocks while the other ?08 reached up so that her fingers were entangled in his hair. Still smiling, she pu
lled his head back down to her mouth. She shivered in delight as both of his han
ds dropped to her bottom, cupping each soft buttock as he pulled her firmly to h
im as their kiss deepened. Both of them were breathless by the time they finally drew apart. Reluctantly, t
hey both knew that they had to go inside. Not only would the family miss them if
they tarried much longer, both were conscious that they were approaching the
point at which neither of them would be able to stop. And, despite her previous bold statement, neither Elizabeth nor Darcy wanted the
ir first intimate encounter to occur in her father's garden on the wet grass. "We should go inside," said Darcy slowly, holding Elizabeth against him while hi
s hand moved up her spine and down again until his fingers stroked the cleft of
her buttocks. She shivered in delight and wriggled against him, moving her chest
from side to side. Even through his waistcoat, Darcy could feel the hard nubs o
f her nipples moving against his chest, and his mouth was suddenly dry. "I know," Elizabeth agreed softly after a few more moments of mutual stroking.
She had managed to pull his shirt out of his trousers, and her hand ran over hi
s warm skin between his waist and his shoulder blades while his own hands expl
ored the curve of her hips and bottom. She smiled lazily up at him. "I find that
I feel no shame at all at my highly improper conduct." "I too have a lifetime of conditioning in proper decorum, all of which tells m
e that I ought to feel most heartily ashamed of myself," he agreed, his voice ra
ther husky. "But somehow none of that is nearly as important to me as your smile
." Elizabeth grew intent as she stared at the features she had previously only been
able to inspect furtively. "I love you so much, Fitzwilliam Darcy," she said in
tensely. "And I am loving you more each day, Elizabeth Bennet," he replied quietly. Then
he smiled mischievously, "Though, as I said before, I would not dare to match my
emotions against yours." "No? Then when do you plan to catch up, Mr. Darcy?" Elizabeth said teasingly. "I
t is not meet that I should love my husband more than he does me!" "But it does offer so many opportunities for you to convince me to love you mo
re, Miss Bennet," Darcy said, squeezing her buttocks suggestively. "Starting i
n a little over a week, perhaps?" Elizabeth's eyes grew wide, though Darcy had to laugh at the mischief that twink
led in their depths. "But I am just an innocent young girl from the country, Mr.
Darcy," she said with the most childlike of expressions. "How should I know how
to please a husband?" "You might ask your mother," Darcy said blandly, and Elizabeth was unable to sti
fle her sudden shriek of laughter. Darcy's grin of satisfaction only made her la
ugh harder, and her peals of delight were quickly matched by his own. When their laughter finally ceased, they helped each other restore the disarray that
their clothing had suffered, and Elizabeth clasped Darcy's arm warmly as they re
turned to the house. 2DR. DOUGLAS HAD COMPLETED his duties to his patient and was putting away his ins
truments by the time the couple returned to the house. Elizabeth ducked her head
slightly as they entered the parlor and she felt her cheeks suddenly flush scar
let. Her vivid imagination was such that she at first imagined that everyone in
her family must have been able to instantly divine what she and Darcy had been d
oing in the garden. But Darcy's soothing hand over her own calmed her, and she s
oon recognized that she and Darcy had drawn scarcely a glance as they entered, s
ince the attention of everyone in the parlor was directed toward her father. T
wo servants as well as Mary and Kitty were fussing around him under the instruct
ion of Mrs. Bennet, and he was comfortably situ- ated on one of the couches, wit
h pillows behind his back and a blanket over his legs. Of Lydia there was no sig
n, and Elizabeth supposed that one of the servants had assisted her to her bedro
om after she collapsed outside. At that thought, she had to suppress a cold flas
h of anger over the wild and thoughtless behavior of her younger sister. Somethi
ng has to be done about that girl! Elizabeth told herself angrily. Meanwhile, Darcy watched the furor around his future father-in-law with consider
able amusement, and he raised an eyebrow quizzically as the older man noticed hi
s expression. Obviously, Mr. Bennet was more than a little flustered by all th
e feminine attention directed his way, and Darcy grinned widely as Mr. Bennet sh
rugged helplessly. Seeing the inner working of the Bennet household, he could mo
re easily understand and sympathize with Mr. Bennet. Had he been in the other ma
n's position, he imagined that he also might conclude that it was by far the sim
plest course to allow Mrs. Bennet to have her way, especially as she seemed dete
rmined to ensure that no single detail of her husband's comfort was overlooked. Dr. Douglas had finished putting away his instruments and now returned to his pa
tient. "I am finished here, Mr. Bennet," he said, "and I will now leave you to t
he care of your wife and your staff. Here are the instructions we talked of earl
ier, madam," and he handed Mrs. Bennet a folded sheet of paper. "It is imperativ
e that your husband's bandage be changed daily for the next week, and I must aga
in stress that the old bandages not be reused. Burn them, and replace them with
clean, freshly washed cloths." "I understand, Dr. Douglas," said Mrs. Bennet firmly, "and it will be done as yo
u say." Dr. Douglas looked closely at her and then nodded his satisfaction. The woman ap
peared much more competent than she had appeared the previous day and this morni
ng, and he was pleased to find her in control of her senses. He nodded to her husban
d and bowed to her. "I will be off then, sir," he said to Mr. Bennet and then tu
rned to Darcy. "If I may trouble you for the continued loan of your coach, Darcy
, I would like to get back to London as soon as may be so that I can look in on
Miss Anne before I return to my practice." "Thank you for coming, Douglas," said Darcy, gripping the other man's hand firml
y. "This was a bad business all around, and my family is indebted to you for you
r skill and your willing cooperation in a most disquieting affair." He shook his
head grimly. "Had Wickham spent more time practicing his trade instead of chasi
ng the local females, the result might have been very much the worse. I still ca
nnot believe that even he could be so base as to shoot his opponent in the back!
""I have seen his kind before, when I was on active service with Wellesley," Dr.
Douglas responded. "Young, untested officers were always being thrust into battl
e. Most of them conducted themselves splendidly, of course, but some few were ju
st bad eggs, unfit to wear the scarlet. They would freeze up when they were need
ed, which was bad enough, but some of them would turn coward and run. Then it wa
s the ordinary soldier who had to pay the butcher's bill, because their officer
left them leaderless in the carnage of battle." He shook his head sharply, his e
xpression dark at some unpleasant remembrance, but then his expression cleared
as he firmly put the distasteful memories behind him. "But it turned out rightl
y this time," he said forcefully, "and for that we may give proper thanks to the
Lord. And with that and the loan of your coach, I will be on the road." "And I will accompany him," said Colonel Fitzwilliam. "I have been absent too lo
ng already, and the Major General will undoubtedly be having a talk with me, see
ing that the Regiment will be off to Spain in a fortnight."?He stepped over to Mr. Bennet and
extended his hand. "It has been a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir. You conducted yourself a
dmirably in a most dangerous situation, and I can only compliment your shot. Wel
l done, sir, well done indeed." Mr. Bennet smiled slightly with a trace of his usual wry- ness. "I had a quite e
xcellent instructor, sir, because I cannot remember even pausing to aim. I was f
ortunate to hit my target, but your own shot would have saved my life if my own
had gone awry." "Nonsense, sir!" exclaimed Colonel Fitzwilliam. "You are a natural marksman. It
was obvious from the first moment I took you in hand. Shooting a pistol is best
done by simply pointing the pistol as if pointing your finger and squeezing the
trigger, and you had that capability even before you fired your first practice r
ound." "You are too kind, sir," said Mr. Bennet. His cheeks were somewhat red with emba
rrassment from the fulsome praise, but Darcy was more struck by the expression o
f his wife and daughters. With the exception of Elizabeth, who was beaming at he
aring her father praised in such a manner by ?09 a professional soldier, Mrs. Bennet and her daughters were looking at Mr. Bennet
as if they had never seen him before. The idea that their rather mild-mannered,
detached father could be regarded with esteem by Colonel Fitzwilliam for his ma
rtial capabilities was completely foreign to their experience, and none of them knew how to react to such.?But Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr
. Bennet simply nodded to each other as they shook hands, and then the scarlet-c
oated officer followed Dr. Douglas out the door. 2HARDLY HAD THE DOOR closed behind Colonel Fitzwilliam and Dr. Douglas before the
clatter of feet on the stairs gave warning that the last of the Bennet sisters
had finally come downstairs. Lydia burst into the room, her earlier distress in
front of the house gone as if had never existed. "Kitty!" she exclaimed, picking
out her sister from the rest of the room, "get your shawl and bonnet and come walk with me into Meryton! I have an idea to
decorate this bonnet, and a little snip of blue ribbon will do nicely!" Even Kitty recognized the impropriety of Lydia's impulsive behavior, and she l
ooked around sheepishly as she opened her mouth to answer. Whatever Kitty was about to say will remain forever unknown, for a stern, imperi
ous, and commanding voice froze her immediately in her tracks. "NO!" thundered Mr. Bennet, and all in his family looked around at him in shock.
Even Darcy was surprised to see him lying back on his cushions, his arms and ha
nds relaxed. From the force in the voice, Darcy had expected to see him half up
from the sofa with clenched fists and a red, angry face. "No," repeated Mr. Bennet calmly, every eye in the room fixed on him. He glanced
sternly at both servants, who immediately remembered that there were a myriad
of tasks awaiting them in other parts of the house. When the door closed behi
nd the servants, Mr. Bennet continued. "No, Lydia, you will not be walking to Me
ryton with your sister, and you will not be shopping for a 'snip of ribbon.' " Mr. Bennet had regained the appearance of his usual philosophic composure as he
talked, almost seeming to talk to himself while his stunned family gaped at him.
"It is my own fault, as I told Mr. Darcy yesterday. I was so prepared to raise
a son that I neglected to raise my daughters properly." Glancing at his wife, he
said softly, "Nor did I manage my household as I should have." Mrs. Bennet was
suddenly unable to meet his eyes and glanced downward. "But that is past," Mr. Bennet said firmly. "Jane here is married to a most prop
er young man, and Elizabeth will soon join her in that happy estate." Elizabeth'
s sisters, excepting Jane, could not help but look at her in wonder, unable to c
om- prehend how such a match had come about. None of them ??0 had noticed any of Elizabeth's yearnings the previous year, while Jane was unsur
prised because she was so convinced of Elizabeth's goodness that seeing her achi
eve her heart's desire seemed only proper, not at all unexpected. "But what of you three?" asked Mr. Bennet rhetorically. "Lydia, you have been ou
t in society for much of a year, and all it has accomplished is that you were al
most ravished by a bounder, and I was almost killed by that same man. I have at
last learned caution, girl, and you will feel the effects of it! You are no long
er permitted out of doors unless the whole family accompanies you! I would be te
mpted to forbid any officer to ever enter my house, had I not the example of Col
onels Fitzwilliam and Forster to stay my hand. But balls will be absolutely forb
idden, unless you stand up with one of your sisters."?He ignored Lydia's wail of dismay and turned to his other two daughters. "Catherine, you have nearly as little sense as Lydia, though you
are old enough to know better. You also will not leave the house unless you can
prove that you have spent at least ten minutes of the day in a rational manner!"
Kitty, who took this threat in a serious light, began to cry. "And you, Mary," Mr. Bennet said, turning to his remaining daughter, who shran
k back from his fierce glare. "You have not the foolish nature of your sisters,
but you do not understand the world as do your two older sisters. There is more
to the world than solemn sermons and studious pursuits. You will never meet a
husband if you continue as you are, and you will be reduced to dependency on you
r older sisters when I die. I do not wish for you to miss out on life through my
neglect." Turning back to all of his daughters, Mr. Bennet continued through the snuffli
ng and wailing. "I do not wish for any of my daughters to be so unprepared. Yet
here you are, from sixteen to nineteen, and none of you have ever been to school
. Well, it may be late, but that condition is about to change!" This unexpected pronouncement brought an end to the discord from his daughters a
s Kitty, Lydia, and Mary looked at each other in confusion. Elizabeth was almost
as confused, but Jane simply wore an expression of serene contentment. "Mr. Darcy and I had a long talk yesterday afternoon, and he has most generously
offered to sponsor you three girls as the first students in a new school that w
ill be established near his estate in Derbyshire. It is a most highly recommende
d establishment which I have good reason to believe will offer you the chance to
repair at least some of the neglect that may be laid at my feet." "But father, Derbyshire is so far!" sniffled Kitty. "How should we go to such a
school?" "You will pack your trunks and depart in what, Mr. Darcy? About a month?" "Yes, Mr. Bennet," said Darcy, working hard to suppress a smile at the stricken
expression on the three girls' faces. "My solicitor will be arranging for proper
lodgings, and I believe that it should take no more than that." His expression gave no hint that his solicitor had no inkling of Darcy's idea, since it had spr
ung from his mind during his conversation the previous afternoon with Mrs. Bingl
ey, and he reminded himself to send an express to both him and to the Richards,
informing them of these events. "In a month, then, girls, you will all leave by coach. You will stay at the scho
ol under the instruction of Mr. and Mrs. Richards, who previously were employed
by Mr. Darcy and who now desire to start their own establishment. As I said, you
three will be the first three students, and Mr. Darcy has most generously offer
ed to sponsor you as part of the Marriage Agreements for your sister." "But...but Derbyshire is so...so cold!" wailed Mary. "And it is even more remote than Hertfordshire!" cried Lydia. "Which should not incommode you, Lydia, since, as I said previously, you will no
t notice the lack of society since you will not be part of it. You will not re-e
nter it until I can see a change for the better in your character!" said Mr. Ben
net firmly. He looked over at his wife, for he had expected to find her as opp
osed to Darcy's suggestion as were his daughters. But Mrs. Bennet was still disc
oncerted by the mental image of her husband as he swiftly turned and fired at Mr
. Wickham while that man tried to complete the murder that he had so closely mis
sed just seconds earlier. She was not in a mood at this time to oppose this most
forcefully presented idea, since she had not yet come to terms with the man who
had offered it. Mr. Bennet's firm voice rode over the continuing lamentations of his daughters
. "Well, well, do not be so unhappy, girls. If you are good girls while you are
at school, you will be able to return home for a visit at Christmas!" At this statement, the girls' wails grew even louder. But Elizabeth could only s
mile widely at Jane, whose expression of contentment was suddenly explained. She
was joined by her father and Darcy, and even her mother ventured a small, tremu
lous smile, since she suddenly realized that, while she had not found a match fo
r her three younger daughters, she would not now have that burden. She suddenly
felt a load leave her shoulders as she had an internal vision of how it would be
whenever she should be in company in the future. She would have the pride of tw
o daughters married to most excellent husbands while her other daughters would b
e gone from the household, receiving an education at a most worthwhile establi
shment. Her smile grew firmer as she realized the degree to which her position i
n the neighborhood was about to increase. Chapter 25 harles Bingley lounged easily in his comfortable chair, the very picture of an e
legant gentleman at his ease as he took another healthy sip of his excellent p
ort. He examined his closest friend sitting in a similar pose in another comfortable chair, and an impartial observer might have
observed that his friend's posture was the natural habit of a lifetime while Bin
gley's relaxed air was a carefully crafted imitation. But it was an imitation ba
sed on admiration, for such was Bingley's usual regard for Darcy. But Bingley's
present scrutiny of his friend was composed of a mixture of unfeigned amazement
and barely suppressed delight. "I still cannot believe it all, Darcy!" Bingley exclaimed for the fifth time, bu
t such was Darcy's complacency that his only response was a tolerant smile. "Dash it, man!" Bingley cried, waving his glass of port for emphasis. "When I le
ft for town yesterday, I expected to return in the afternoon, as I thought my bu
siness only a trifle and there was little reason to stay in town, since all the
Darcys were absent visiting their aunt. But my business was somewhat more compli
cated than I had thought, and the papers could not be completed before this morn
ing. So I reluctantly stayed in town, little knowing of the stormy events tran
spiring in my own neighborhood! Of course, I had no idea of any attraction betwe
en yourself and Miss Bennet on either side, and so, when I returned this morning
, my first surprise was that my wife was not here. That was quite unlike Jane, y
ou know, but then the servants told me that she had left for Longbourn before da
wn, and they were all atwitter about the Master of Longbourn fighting a duel wit
h one of the officers of the Regiment. I was completely shocked! Mr. Bennet! Jan
e's father and my father-in-law! A duel!" Bingley paused to empty his glass and refill it from the glass decanter by his s
ide before continuing. "Of course, you can imagine my discomfiture and worry, an
d my first thought was to get myself over to Longbourn immediately. But then, be
fore my horse could be saddled anew, Jane arrived home looking both excited and
grieving. When I asked her-with no small trepidation, I can tell you!-anyway, wh
en I asked what had happened, Jane burst into tears and laughed at the same time
. Everything she told me was completely astound- ing! She said first that her fa
ther was wounded but safe, that the officer he fought was dead, and that you and
Elizabeth were to be married in little more than a week! My mouth was so wide o
pen I am amazed that a bird did not take up residence and build a nest in it!" D
arcy laughed easily at his friend's excited recitation and took another sip of h
is port. "So there I was, Darcy, standing at the top of my stairs, trying to come to grip
s with the happy fact that we were going to be brothers, married to two sister
s who love each other C??? dearly, and then you show up in Mr. Bennet's carriage with Miss Bennet at your s
ide! I say, Darcy, this day has held more surprises than I thought to see in a y
ear! And only last night, I retired to my empty bed in my townhouse lamenting th
at nothing exciting ever seemed to happen any more!" Darcy had smiled often as his friend had expressed himself in his usual exuber
ant manner, but he actually laughed aloud at Bingley's final statement. "I hardl
y know how to respond to such a disconnected monologue, Charles," he said, hoist
ing his own glass of port in toast to his friend's loquaciousness. "As for the f
irst of your statements, regarding an attraction between Miss Bennet and myself,
I can only say that just last week I was as ignorant as you. While I esteemed a
nd valued Miss Bennet as a friend of my sister and of our family, I had no suspi
cion that she held any other feelings. As I told you, the way in which I was inf
ormed of my error was quite literally a unique and singular experience for me." Bingley could not restrain a smile as he remembered what Darcy had told him earl
ier. "Yes, that must have been an interesting conversation. But I must say that
I am somewhat surprised at the easy way in which you relate it. I would have tho
ught that such an embarrassing encounter would have called for a measure of circ
umspection." Darcy's face was rather long as he shook his head. "If it were only me, I believ
e that I would be somewhat hesitant in telling the story in just that way. I eve
n think Elizabeth would keep the knowledge private. But both my sister and broth
er informed me in no uncertain terms that they had not the least intention of ke
eping that piece of...embarrassment...within the family. Plus, my cousins, Ann
e de Bourgh and Colonel Fitzwilliam, are completely informed of all the lurid de
tails and are equally unlikely to keep the details private. I am afraid that i
t is much too late to salvage my pride, so I decided that the best course is to
relate it to everyone first, before others get a chance to spin a more interesti
ng tale." "It is interesting enough as you told it," murmured Bingley as he sipped his por
t. "I daresay," said Darcy dryly, taking another drink of his port. "But now it is
settled," he continued in a firm voice, "and I hope you will join me in a toast
to the Bennet sisters-or at least-to the eldest Bennet sisters!"?Both men raised their glasses to
this, and Bingley repeated his plea for more details about the duel. "Jane has been bubbling over wi
th happiness for her sister and was more than happy to provide comment in that a
rea. But she knows nothing about this duel. All I know is that Mr. Bennet left h
is house before dawn and returned victorious but wounded at half past nine. Ever
ything in between is blank!" Darcy was unable to withstand the importuning of his friend and finally provided
the details that Bingley desired, starting from his return to Longbourn and inv
olvement in the duel and culminating in the death of George Wickham. Bingley had sat open-mouthed as Darcy told his story, but he only shrugged his s
houlders at the fate of Wickham. "I hardly knew the man, Darcy, so it is difficult to feel much ??2 sorrow at his passing, especially when I think of what he almost did. But Mr. Be
nnet! I would have never considered him a man to fight a duel under any circumst
ances, what with it being illegal and all. But then to hear of the way in which
he was so treacherously shot in the back! It is hard to believe such perfidy exi
sts!" "Oh, it exists all right, or did so in the person of Wickham. My father would ha
ve been mortified with embarrassment and chagrin if he knew how his protg had turn
ed out. But even I had not anticipated that he would be so cowardly as to shoot
Mr. Bennet without warning and from behind." "And then for the scoundrel to pull another gun!" exclaimed Bingley. "What was
it you called it? A 'pocket rocket?' " Darcy smiled at the reference. "That was my cousin Fitzwilliam's name for it. He
said that the pistol was obviously well and expensively made, not at all the so
rt of pistol that a person such as George Wickham could afford. Evidently, such
pistols have found favor among certain gentlemen, who take them along when they
have to venture into more disrep- utable sections of town for purposes less than
wholesome." "Such as visiting a mistress," offered Bingley quietly, who knew how Darcy felt
about such men. "Quite so," answered Darcy with a grimace. "Well, I am glad it turned out as it did, Darcy. I have always liked Mr. Bennet,
you know, though I never really understood him. He always seemed to just step b
ack and observe everyone, an endeavor that seemed to fascinate him. But he had n
ever seemed at all aggressive or combative! If I thought I did not understand hi
m before, I am now completely mystified by the man!" "Mr. Bennet is a man of considerable depth, Charles, as I have had occasion to d
iscern over the past two days," responded Darcy earnestly. "When I left my hou
se in town yesterday morning, my opinions would have matched yours exactly. But
the events of the past two days have proven that neither of us understood his me
ttle at all." Now Darcy's solemn features were lightened by a smile as he looked outside the w
indows of Bingley's rather sparsely stocked library to see Elizabeth and Mrs. Bi
ngley walking in the garden, arm and arm. Their conversation was obviously a p
leasant one, for both women smiled as they talked energetically. "Now that is a
conversation I would like to overhear," Darcy said with a sardonic smile. "I hav
e no doubt that Elizabeth is informing your wife at this very moment of all of t
he details I previously related. Soon, very soon, I am sure, I shall have no sec
rets left at all. Not a one." If the prospect caused Darcy any gloom, it was difficult to see. As he leaned fo
rward to allow Bingley to refill his glass, his gaze remained on the shorter of
the two sisters as they continued their cheerful conversation. His eyes continue
d to track her as both women now turned toward the house, obviously having fin
ished their walk. Bingley was rather touched by the unconscious smile that Darcy
wore, since it was quite unlike his friend to show his emotions in such an obvi
ous manner. But Darcy's evident fondness for the object of his gaze could not be den
ied, and Bingley breathed an inner sigh of relief. He had been rather afraid tha
t this suddenly announced marriage might have some base cause, but he felt much
better after having seen the regard in Darcy's eyes. Based on that look, Bingley
believed that he could put to rest any small suspicions on his part that his fr
iend was being unwittingly or unwillingly led to the altar. "She is quite a lovely lass, Darcy," said Bingley quietly. Darcy nodded and turn
ed back to his friend as Elizabeth and Jane passed out of view. "Aye, she is tha
t. I do believe that she is quite the handsomest woman of my acquaintance...though I will admi
t that my assessment may not be quite as dispassionate as it was in former days!
""To be sure," responded Bingley with dryness equal to his friend, and they both
leaned forward to cheerfully touch glasses. 2"AND MY HUSBAND'S BLESSED return from mortal danger this morning is not the only
excitement, parson," said Mrs. Bennet. "Mr. Darcy has made Lizzy an offer, and
she has accepted it. They are to be married!" "Married!" The Right Reverend Isaiah Palmer sat bolt upright in his chair, almos
t spilling the tea that Mrs. Bennet had just poured into his cup. He looked back
and forth between the tall young man who he vaguely remembered from the previ
ous Fall and the slim young woman whom he had known all her life. "Married, you
say!" he exclaimed. "Yes, married!" exclaimed Mrs. Bennet gleefully, beaming in approval on the da
ughter who before this day had been much lower in her regard than now. "Oh, I am
so dizzy with happiness!" Her glee suddenly seemed to be somewhat tempered as s
he shot a quick glance at her husband, and she seemed to adopt a calmer aspect a
s she settled herself more firmly on her chair. "Then I would like to offer my congratulations, Miss Elizabeth, and also to you,
sir, Mr. Darcy." He sipped his tea and nodded in satisfaction that it had been
prepared exactly like he preferred it. Mrs. Bennet may be one of the silliest wo
men in my congregation, he thought to himself, but she has perfected the art of
being a hostess. He cocked a clever eye at Elizabeth, who seemed to be unable to drag her eyes fr
om Darcy to meet his own. He did not fail to note the way in which the couple sa
t next to each other on the sofa, not touching exactly, except when they chanced
to move, but yet closer together than was warranted by the design of the sofa.
There was enough space between them and the arms of the sofa that they could hav
e sat easily with a full twelve inches between them. He nodded to himself in s
atisfaction. Marriage was a business affair in so many cases, with more attentio
n being paid to social connections and financial security, but there appeared to be more than a little real attachm
ent between these two. "Yes, this is a surprise, Miss Elizabeth! I had no idea, none at all." He leaned closer to Elizabeth and lowered his voice in a conspiratorial air. "Or
perhaps I should say, Mrs. Palmer had no idea! Heaven knows, this may be the fi
rst time I've ever learned of something before she did!" Both he and Elizabeth shared a laugh. The interest of the reverend's wife in the
marriage prospects of all the neighborhood girls was both well known and of l
ong standing. Perhaps it was because she and her husband had no children that sh
e was so intently interested in the prospects of all the young ladies of her hus
band's flock. Her reputation was such that only Mrs. Bennet had been acknowledge
d as her equal, and then only with regard to her own daughters. Mrs. Palmer's in
terest, however, was in the entire neighborhood, and warmth of spirit and her ob
vious good intentions kept her avocation from becoming tiresome to the neighborh
ood society. "Since your note seemed to be written in a tone of some urgency, Mrs. Bennet," R
everend Palmer continued, "do I presume too much in guessing that my services ar
e desired for the marriage ceremony?" "As long as you are free on Friday next, sir," said Mr. Darcy cheerfully. Mrs. Bennet gave a slight gasp, and Reverend Palmer guessed that the date had co
me as a surprise to her. Despite himself, he could not stop the sudden suspicion
that there might be an unsavory reason for such haste, and he thought for sever
al seconds before addressing Elizabeth. "I assume that you have your father's ap
proval in this match, Elizabeth?" "Certainly, certainly!" exclaimed Mr. Bennet from his couch over by the window.
He had contented himself with watching up until now, amused at the interactions
of all the players, but now he could no longer restrain a comment on the hastine
ss of youth. "Not that it would matter to my Elizabeth, Reverend, since she appe
ars to be totally smitten with this young man. In fact, she informed me that it
was either my approval or Gretna Greene, and she little cared which!" "Father!" said Elizabeth in discomfiture, but both her father and Darcy shared a
chuckle, even though her cheeks flamed bright red in embarrassment. Darcy looke
d down at Elizabeth, who was looking down at her lap. He reached over and took h
er hand in his, giving it a slight squeeze. He also noted that the Reverend's ey
ebrows had climbed slightly higher at this comment, and he acted immediately to
intercept any possible misconceptions. "Sir," said Darcy, leaning forward and fixing the parson with his dark eyes. "Th
ere is a possibility that this conversation may have led you to a false assump
tion, and I must dissuade you of it immediately. There is nothing untoward in
the desire of both Elizabeth and myself to be married soon and without undue fan
fare. I have never been comfortable with ??3 many social situations, and Elizabeth is taking my wishes into account in this r
egard. In any case, as would be the wish of any young man honored with Miss Benn
et's agreement to marriage, I do not wish to wait overlong to take my new bride
back to my home in London. Accordingly, we are firmly fixed on the date of Frida
y next for the ceremony." Elizabeth flushed even deeper at this subtle but quite clear statement of Darcy'
s desire to take her to his home-and to his bed!-in the shortest time possible.
She was warmed by the way his hand held hers, firmly, the skin of his hand on he
rs warm but not moist, and the flutterings of butterflies in her stomach contras
ted with the thrill of excitement that went up her back from her tailbone to the
back of her neck. She shivered despite herself, and any hope that she had of it
s being unnoticed were immediately ended by her mother's indrawn breath and her
father's muffled cough. But Reverend Palmer had seen too many young couples with similar wishes, and, si
nce he had been assured that nothing improper had occurred, he quickly agreed
to Darcy's suggestion, especially when the young man produced a license, prope
rly filled out and stamped appropriately. Mr. Bennet, feeling somewhat guilty of the way his in- cautious comment had caus
ed the Reverend to jump to an incorrect conclusion, was hasty in amending his pr
evious statement. "You know you have both my approval and blessing, child," sa
id Mr. Bennet warmly. "Not only am I considering your own happiness, I must al
so consider the gratitude of myself and my family. If it had not been for your f
uture husband, I should not be breathing tonight. I would be laid out in a pine
box waiting for the good parson to compose a suitable sermon for my funeral." Now it was Reverend Palmer's turn to be discomfited. "The duel," he said morosel
y, wondering how he should express his dismay at a member of his congregation, his patron actually taking ano
ther life, but he had little time to dwell on this quandary. "Reverend Palmer," said Darcy, leaning forward again. "Please believe me. George
Wickham brought on his own death as surely as if he had pointed the pistol to h
is heart and pulled the trigger. Not only did he try to shoot Mr. Bennet down from behind
, he also tried to pull a hideout gun. In pure self-defense, both he and my cous
in, Colonel Fitzwilliam, had no choice but to defend themselves." Reverend Palmer's eyes had widened during this short explanation, but they widen
ed even more as Darcy continued. "And what choice did Mr. Bennet have but to m
ake this an affair of honor? I myself saw the ripped condition of his daughter's
clothing, but any legal steps would only have resulted in the total ruination o
f Miss Lydia's reputation such that she would never have had the possibility of
marriage to a decent man. No, sir, please believe me; Mr. Bennet has acted both
honorably and ethically in this whole affair." "And Lydia shall be leaving the county in less than a month!" offered Mrs. Benne
t cheerfully. "Mr. Darcy has most generously sponsored her and her sisters at a
fine school ??4 for young ladies in Derbyshire. I am sure that they will have any number of suit
ors when they get the education that we could not have afforded." Mr. Bennet tried to keep from wincing at this statement, since he knew that he s
hould have stepped in and made sure that the family finances could at least have
afforded a governess for the girls. But, he cheered himself, Darcy had been cor
rect that he must not dwell on past mistakes but must think of the future. A fut
ure that would see his favorite daughter happily settled with a most worthy youn
g man, and her sisters given the opportunity to rectify his mistakes. He caught
Darcy glancing his way, and he silently inclined his head to the young man. Darc
y returned the nod in equal silence, then both men turned their attention to the
Reverend Palmer as he and Mrs. Bennet began to spar about what preparations cou
ld be made at the chapel in the small time remaining. Both men were content that
they had a perfect understanding of the other. Chapter 26 Darcy tried to still the flutterings of his stomach as the front door of Matlo
ck House was opened as he approached. "Good morning, Mr. Darcy," said the middle-aged man with a bow as he motioned Da
rcy inside. "Lord and Lady Matlock are expecting you, sir."?"Thank you, Davis," said Darcy,
handing his hat, gloves, and stick to a waiting servant. "How is your family? My cousin informed me that you have a new daughter."?"They are doing very well, Mr.
Darcy," said Davis as he led the way down the rather dark hallway. Even the windows on one side seemed
to let in very little light due to the overcast sky and the trees which pushed u
p to the very walls of the ancient estate. "And little Jessica is a joy to an ol
d man's heart." "Posh!" said Darcy. "You're not an old man, Davis. You have a dad, a mum, and a
grandmum still living, do you not?" "Well, that is true, Mr. Darcy," said Davis, letting a smile crack his professio
nal visage at last. "And I believe congratulations are in order for you also,
or at least so your cousin says. The staff all send their best wishes on a happy marriage." Darcy returned the sm
ile. "Thank you, Davis. But you are as well aware of why I am here as I, so I ha
d best get it over." By now, they had paused before a tall, carved wooden door. Darcy knew the room beyond was the formal parlor, and he wondered if any i
nferences were to be drawn to the room selected for an audience with his uncle a
nd aunt. "As you say, sir," said Davis, professional expression back in place. He knocked
loudly on the door and then opened it. "Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy," he announced.?Darcy advanced through the doorway, his b
ack straight, and walked over to the couch where his uncle and aunt sat before the remains of
a tea service. "Uncle Matlock," he said with a bow to his uncle, receiving a metered nod of t
he head in return. "Aunt Matlock," he addressed his aunt, and this time Darcy was more cheered. His
aunt had always been the more spirited of the couple, and he was certain that s
he was trying unsuccessfully to restrain her excitement. Well, it is always good
to have one friend at court, he thought, especially when I have no better idea
what my uncle is thinking than I have ever had. "Sit, Darcy, sit," said his uncle. "Shall I send for more tea?" "Not unless you desire more yourself, uncle. I am fine as it is," said Darcy, si
tting on the edge of the couch. His nervous posture must have amused his imposing uncle, for Darcy was sure he s
aw a momentary flash of amusement on those solemn features. Or is it just wish
ful thinking? he thought. His uncle fixed him with a stern glance. "We understand that you have an announc
ement for us, Darcy," his uncle stated emotionlessly. Darcy nodded. "I do, sir. I have the honor to announce that I am engaged to be m
arried to Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn." "I see," said Lord Matlock. "Richard has told us of her." After several moments
of silence, Lord Matlock continued, "I will not dissemble, Darcy. I am troubled
by this match, both from what Richard has told us of the extreme rapidity of the courtship-if s
uch a rapid whirlwind could be called a courtship!-and of what I hear of the gir
l's family." "Miss Elizabeth Bennet is a most proper and worthwhile young lady, your Lordship
, and I will tolerate no disparagement of her character," Darcy snapped. His w
ords were measured, yet they were spoken in the steely tones of a man who will n
ot brook disagreement on the subject. Lord Matlock was rather taken aback by the manner of Darcy's response, and he ha
stened to try to make amends. "I meant no disrespect to the young lady herself,
Darcy. Richard has spoken of her in the most flattering manner, and she seems to
be a most worthwhile young lady." Lord Matlock gathered his thoughts before con
tinuing, "But even the most worthwhile young lady may not be a suitable match fo
r a young man like yourself, due to matters completely beyond her control." "A possible meaning of such a 'short courtship' is the possibility that the youn
g lady is more concerned with my fortune than myself. This is absolutely not tru
e. I not only believe it, I have objective proof of it. In addition, Miss Elizab
eth is my sister's dearest friend, a relationship continued and cemented by ma
ny months of association and correspondence," continued Darcy, unmollified by
his uncle's response. "I hope that you would not suspect me of allowing my siste
r to form a friendship detrimental to herself and to the name of her family?" "No, no," said Lord Matlock. "But please, Darcy. Let me state my concerns before
you assume that I imply something that is not my intent at all." "Very well, your Lordship," responded Darcy shortly, trying to settle back on
the sofa. "Pray continue." At that moment, there was a quick knock on the door, followed by the entrance of
Colonel Fitzwilliam. "Ah, there you are, Darcy!" exclaimed Fitzwilliam. "I do apologize for being lat
e, but I was at my regiment when I learned of your visit to my parents. Since I
knew you were planning to seek their blessings to your forthcoming marriage, I
thought I might be able to play the part of the disinterested observer. I kne
w that my father especially is inclined to oppose the match, you see." The truth of the Colonel's statement was apparent by the state of his attire, si
nce his uniform, though not tattered, was well-worn and showed both dust and swe
at-stains from his horse. But he was beaming in delight as he came to sit beside
Darcy, ignoring the baleful glare of his father. ??5 "Somehow I do not remember inviting you to this meeting," stated Lord Matlock ic
ily, though his wife was showing signs of mirth that she was only partially succ
essful in suppressing. Noting her efforts, the smile on Colonel Fitzwilliam's face grew. "But I knew yo
u needed me, father," he said cheerfully. "With both my dour father and my dou
r cousin at odds, I knew the chances of one of you saying something that the oth
er could not forgive was almost certain." "You are correct, Richard," stated his mother with a smile. "Just before you cam
e, your father started to state his objections-"?"Concerns, my dear, concerns!" grumbled Lord Matlock. "I never said they were objections!"?"His concerns, then," Lady Matlock continue
d. "In any case, Darcy thought he was criticizing Miss Bennet just before you arrived, an
d he was quick to fly to her defense." "Then I am just in time," said Colonel Fitzwilliam firmly, turning a glare on hi
s father. "I join with my cousin in stating that I will brook no criticism of Mi
ss Elizabeth Bennet, sir, especially when you have not even met her." His son's determined support of Darcy and his future wife rocked his father visi
bly, and he looked back and forth between them. Finally he ventured, "I had not
intended to attack Miss Bennet, son, especially since you correctly state that I
do not know her. But I have concerns that must be addressed. Might we at least
agree to address these concerns, some of which I will freely admit might not be
especially complimentary to Miss Bennet, without being drawn into a full-fledged
defense of Miss Bennet?" After receiving the agreement of both Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam, Lord Matloc
k turned abruptly to his son, "I do have one question, Richard. What are you doi
ng here? Your commander would not release you for dinner last night due to the p
ress of your duties, with the Regiment to leave so soon, and now you arrive unin
vited and unannounced when Darcy only sent his card over this morning." "Richard has always known what was going on," said Lady Matlock cheerfully. "I w
ill warrant that he probably has spies in both households who keep him apprised
of all the details of our lives." Lord Matlock turned his glare on his son, who only returned a look of the most s
tudied innocence. Finally, the older man sat back in his chair with a chuckle. "
Oh, very well. I will admit that it must be a good match for Darcy to have inspi
red my son to reveal the existence of his intelligence network. But," he said,
waving a letter, "I have this most angry letter from my sister to deal with, as
well as this report which I received just this morning about a duel in which bo
th you and Darcy were involved." "You heard about that already?" responded Colonel Fitzwilliam. "That was certain
ly quick work! I assume it was one of the scandal sheets?" "The Morning Chronicle," responded Lord Matlock, handing over a torn piece of
paper. Colonel Fitzwilliam quickly scanned the brief story, then handed it to Da
rcy. ??6 "I note that no names were mentioned in the story, which is only usual for the C
hronicle," stated Fitzwilliam. "So somebody must have filled in the holes. The
y named only Mr. Bennet, and left out the name of his opponent, only referring t
o him as 'a promising young officer.'" He snorted. "George Wickham, promising? "?Both Lord and Lady Matlock were shocked. "George Wickham? The son of your father's steward?" asked Lady Matlock. Darcy nodded gri
mly. "But why? How would he come to be engaged in a duel with a country gentleman?" w
ondered Lord Matlock. "Because he tried to force his attentions on Mr. Bennet's youngest daughter and
then refused Mr. Bennet's demand that he meet the obligations of a gentleman. I
know-I was there." And Darcy proceeded to detail the manner in which his innocen
t errand to seek the consent of Mr. Bennet had escalated into a duel. Colonel Fi
tzwilliam offered an occasional comment to the story as both Lord and Lady Mat
lock sat mesmerized. Finally, at the end, Lord Matlock could only shake his head in wonder. "I knew W
ickham's father. A fine man, and a capable steward. He had such hopes for the la
d." Then another thought occurred to him, and he added, "But I cannot say I li
ke this publicity. Our family has always sought to stay out of the public eye." "And Mr. Bennet no less than you, father," said Colonel Fitzwilliam gently. "But
imagine what you would have done if it had been one of my sisters?" Lord Matloc
k could only nod his head in agreement to that statement. "Well," Lord Matlock continued after a moment, "that leaves only this letter fro
m my sister. No," he said to his son, who held out a hand for the letter, "I wil
l not let you read it, since I do not want to make it impossible to someday in t
he future mend this rift between Lady Catherine and you two young men. No, my si
ster is most unrestrained in her accusations against you, Darcy, against Miss
Bennet, against you, Richard, and even against Georgiana and her own daughter, A
nne." Lord Matlock paused a moment and cleared his throat in evident embarrassme
nt before continuing. "She even levels a few charges against David." Darcy gave a snort of amused disgust at this last comment, leaving Colonel Fit
zwilliam to ask of what exactly all of them were being accused. "Well, to summarize briefly, she accuses Darcy of abrogat- ing his engagement to
her daughter, she accuses Miss Bennet of being a fortune hunter, she accuses yo
u, Richard, of aiding Darcy in this so that you could marry Anne yourself to ste
al Rosings, and she accuses Georgiana and Anne of conspiring with all of you in
aid of all of the above." "Very comprehensive," offered Fitzwilliam sarcastically. "And of what, pray tell
, is young David accused?" "Uh, well, she accused him mainly of being disloyal and agreeing with you and no
t her." When both Darcy and Fitzwilliam snorted, Lord Matlock sighed and folded
Lady Catherine's letter, putting it away in a coat pocket. "Somehow, I have the distinct feeling that events did not transpire as my sister writes. P
erhaps you had better tell me your side." Darcy looked quickly at his cousin before he began. Fitzwilliam only grinned at
him merrily. "Better make it the truth and all the truth, old man. With as many
people already in the know, you'll never keep it secret from your aunt and uncle
." Reluctantly, Darcy had to agree with him, and he proceeded to relate to his au
nt and uncle the whole story, of how Elizabeth and Georgiana became friends, of
how Elizabeth had developed an attraction to him about which he knew nothing, of
how she was about to quit Rosings in despair because she knew that a man such a
s he could never love a young lady like herself, and of the surprising part play
ed by Anne in the resolution of the multiple predicaments."?"So, you see," Darcy concl
uded, "any charges that Miss Bennet is a fortune-hunter are completely dispelled
by the fact that she was prepared to depart Kent without ever letting me know of her
attraction. Without ever again seeing me or even my sister." "And my aunt was so determined to form a match between Rosings and Pemberley t
hat she was willing to hazard the health of my cousin in her plans," said Fitzwi
lliam angrily. "That society doctor of hers? Faaagh!"?"How is Anne, Darcy?" asked Lady Matlock
in concern. "I do not know, aunt. The trip from Rosings was very hard on her, and she is so wasted and thin that she has few reserves of strength
upon which to draw. I have had my own doctor, Dr. Douglas, in to see her, and h
e confesses that he does not know the cause of her affliction. He is trying to,
as he says, treat the symptoms in the hope that she will build up strength. He h
as her on a very carefully controlled diet with constant attendance from her own
maid and the household staff." "Is it consumption?" asked Lord Matlock. "No, it is definitely not consumption. She just has difficulty in eating anyth
ing and keeping it down. She finally confessed to Dr. Douglas that she would oft
en regurgitate her meals back in the privacy of her own rooms. One good sign is
that she has had none of these episodes since I brought her to town, though it i
s still too early to see any change for good or ill." Lord and Lady Matlock sat digesting these facts for several minutes while thei
r son filled three glasses with brandy and one with wine from the sideboard. Aft
er he handed the brandy to the men and the wine to his mother, he ventured, "Based on what we have learned, might I propose a toast to the engagement of my
cousin, Darcy, and my good friend, Miss Elizabeth Bennet?" Lord Matlock nodded slowly after getting a nod from his wife. "There is certainl
y nothing objectionable in the young lady except her want of fortune," he said.
"Lady Catherine will be livid, to be sure, but she has been livid before and dou
btless will be livid in the future. Yes, Darcy, you have our approval and our bl
essing." "Moreover, dear," said Lady Matlock, "we will want to signify our approval of th
e match to society in order to short- cut any rumor-mongering." "Elizabeth will be coming to town later this week to do some shopping with my si
ster," said Darcy. "Perhaps you could come to dinner when she arrives." "I have a better idea," said Lady Matlock. "I will accompany your sister and y
our Miss Bennet to the shops. And then we will host a dinner the following night
to introduce her to some of our closest friends." She had to laugh at the expre
ssion on Darcy's face, "No, no, Darcy. It will be a small affair, perhaps three
or four other couples besides ourselves. That will send the message quite well, will it not?"?"Most excellently, aunt," s
aid Darcy with a bow. "I thank you."?"Then perhaps a toast?" said Colonel Fitzwilliam. "I give you Miss Elizabeth Bennet, the future Mrs. Darcy!" 2"ELIZABETH!" GEORGIANA EXCLAIMED AS the door to the music room was opened by a s
ervant and she spied the slender form of her friend in the hall. She stood up fr
om the pianoforte abruptly and ran across the room in her excitement Elizabeth had only barely entered the room and had only removed one of her glove
s before Georgiana flung her arms around her and embraced her fiercely. "I've mi
ssed you so much," she exclaimed, almost jumping up and down in her enthusiasm.
"The afternoon is all planned! I asked your Aunt Gardiner to join us, and my Aunt Matlock also asked to be included. We will
spend bags and bags of William's money!" "Should we be spending all that, Georgiana?" Elizabeth asked with a laugh. "Will
iam and I will need something to live on, you know." "Oh, piffle!" said Georgiana, leading her over to the sofa where Mrs. Richards w
as sitting. "Look who I have here, Mrs. Richards!" "It is indeed good to see you, Miss Bennet," said Mrs. Richards, pleasantly. "Ma
y I offer my congratulations on your engagement?" "Thank you, Mrs. Richards," Elizabeth smiled. "I hope that we are still on speak
ing terms after you have dealt with my sisters all winter." Mrs. Richards waved her hand in dismissal. "Mr. Darcy brought a letter from your
father introducing them to me. I do not anticipate any problems. Your sister, M
ary, appears to only need to have her horizons widened, and my husband and I hav
e seen many a young lady like your younger sisters. I doubt that we will have an
y problems, especially since we will be hosting a number of social events that w
ill only be available to those of our students who show they have learned their
lessons." ??7 "Oh, very good!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "I can see that you indeed understand all
my sisters." "AndnowwemustgoupandseeAnne,"saidGeorgiana. "She made me promise to bring you up
immediately upon your arrival."?"Yes, we must," said Elizabeth, a look of worry and concern replacing her look of amusement. She turned back to Mrs. Richards, "It was
nice to see you again, Mrs. Richards. I hope to see you further before you leave
for Derbyshire." "Then you must hurry, Miss Bennet," laughed Mrs. Richards, "since Mr. Darcy has
found an establishment for my husband and me, and we shall be leaving the day af
ter tomorrow. There are many preparations to make before the first of our young
ladies arrives." "Then it will be just a school for girls?" asked Elizabeth. "Primarily, at least for all the residents. However, we do plan on providing les
sons for David and any of the other local boys who might want to avail themselve
s of our services." "Good luck, then, on your journey," said Elizabeth as Georgiana began to pull on
her arm in her eagerness to be off.?"And to you, Miss Bennet, on your marriage," responded the older lady.?As Georgiana led Elizabeth out into the hall and up the stairs, she gave a running commentary on the various rooms and furnishings that
left Elizabeth awhirl in the wonder of it all. "It is all so grand," she said as
they reached the top of the stairs. "I cannot believe everything that has happe
ned in the past week! I feel almost guilty that I will soon be Mistress of this
wonderful house." "And of Pemberley, too, do not forget," said Georgiana cheerfully. "And if you w
ant to feel guilty, just imagine how guilty I feel that I will have my closest f
riend married to my brother instead of Caroline Bingley! " Both girls were still laughing as they entered Anne de Bourgh's room. "Elizabeth
!" cried Anne from the sofa where she sat. A stool had been placed under her fee
t, blankets over her legs and feet. She was dressed in a comfortable nightgown a
nd robe. "Anne, it is so good to see you!" said Elizabeth, going over to embrace her. She
could not help but be dismayed by the thinness of Anne's shoulders and the way
her bones almost seemed to poke through her skin. But she drew back and held Ann
e by the shoulders, looking her up and down critically. "Well, you are much too thin, but I have to say that your color is looking bette
r." Anne smiled. "Dr. Douglas is so much unlike that horrid Dr. Edmond who was my Mo
ther's choice. Dr. Douglas at least says that I am indeed sick and does not try
to insist that I will soon be well enough to take my place in society." "She's eating much better," offered Margaret, Anne's maid, from the open doorway
. She was carrying a tray, and she sat it beside her mistress on the sofa. "Here
you are, mistress. A hearty broth from beef with peas and carrots added, ??8 plus boiled potatoes and fresh fruit. And the cook said that I am to make sure t
hat you eat every bite." "Everyone here bullies me unmercifully, Elizabeth," smiled Anne. "I can hardly w
ait until you are firmly established and can take my side." "Then I must inform you now that I have always been a firm believer in following
the doctor's instructions, Anne," said Elizabeth as she sat down across from An
ne. "And as for bullying, I grew up with four sisters. I have learned the art of
bullyinginasternsetting,Iwillhaveyouknow.Youwill soon be lamenting these days as
the Golden Days." "But I am feeling so much better!" exclaimed Anne. "Why, I believe that I shall
even be strong enough to attend your wedding!"?Elizabeth kept the smile on her face, despite her own inner misgivings and the sight of Georgiana standing behind Anne and silently sh
aking her head in disagreement. She reached over and squeezed Anne's hand fondly
. "We shall see. Now, I want to see you eat your meal!"?"I am surrounded by bullies," remark
ed Anne as she took the first sip of her broth.?"Bullies who love you," said Elizabeth gently, causi
ng Anne to stop with the spoon partway to her mouth. She was surprised to see the sudd
en tears at the corners of Anne's eyes. "Yes, I know," she said softly. "And I d
o appreciate it." "Then eat, Mistress," said her maid cheerfully, "or else I shall have to inform
the cook of your disobedience!" "Bullies," Anne muttered under her breath, but she dutifully put the spoon to
her lips and sipped the savory broth. 2WHEN THEY LEFT ANNE'S room, an older woman was waiting for them in the hallway. "Oh, Elizabeth, this is Mrs. Taylor, the Housekeeper," said Georgiana by way of
introducing them. "Mrs. Taylor, this is Miss Bennet, William's intended and my g
ood friend." "Good morning, Miss Bennet," Mrs. Taylor said with a curtsey. "I was wondering i
f you might have time to talk with me during your visit. I would like to find ou
t your preferences so that I might instruct the staff on the changes you will wa
nt made." Elizabeth looked at the older woman for a moment, tapping her chin with her fo
refinger as she thought. All of the house that she had seen had looked to be fur
nished and designed with impeccable taste, and it was so much more pleasing than
was the much more ornate furnishings of Rosings that she could think of nothing
that might improve it. And the operation of the household was certainly quiet a
ndsmooth,withservantsmovingaboutwithquietefficiency that somehow seemed cheerful
rather than solemn. "Tell me, Mrs. Taylor, is the operation of the house the way Mr. Darcy likes it?
""Why, yes, Miss Bennet, at least to the degree that he expresses an opinion on i
t. He leaves most of that in my hands, only giving me general instructions regar
ding his schedule and special needs, such as when he is having a party for dinne
r." "And are the furnishing to his liking also?" continued Elizabeth. "I believe they are, Miss Bennet, though Mr. Darcy seems content to leave them t
he way they were when his mother was alive." "Then there you have it, Mrs. Taylor," said Elizabeth with a smile. "The only ch
ange that I can think of is that I shall take care of the schedule and the speci
al needs that you mention in Mr. Darcy's place. Otherwise, I see no reason not t
o leave the running of the household in the capable hands of the person who alre
ady meets the needs of my future husband, sister, and brother." "Very well, Miss Bennet," said the older woman, unable to keep the surprise and
the pleasure from her expression and her voice. "I come from a house with five daughters and a mother," said Elizabeth with a sm
ile, "and while the ensuing chaos has been charitably described as 'amiable,' it
is not an example that I wish to emulate in my new home. I am sure that some ch
anges will arise as Mr. Darcy and I adjust to married life, but we can make thos
e changes as needed." "Very good, Miss Bennet," said Mrs. Taylor with a curtsey. "I look forward to
your return soon as Mrs. Darcy." "As do I, Mrs. Taylor, as do I," responded Eliz
abeth. The housekeeper remained behind as Elizabeth and Georgiana walked away down the
hall, arm in arm and obviously the closest of friends. She was surprised but g
ratified that this very young girl did not see a need to make the wholesale chan
ges that she and all the staff had expected. It was the usual fashion for a new
bride to make wholesale changes to make her imprint on the household. And, given
the youth of the young lady her master had so suddenly and mysteriously chosen,
she had anticipated the worst. Though she had done her best to stifle similar a
pprehensions by the rest of the staff, she was pleased that she would be able to
set their fears to rest. Chapter 27 M'Miss' or 'Bennet,' and her eyes were wide open as she looked over at the window
and the darkness beyond the curtains. She presumed it must be the last hours be
fore dawn, but she could not be sure. She had dropped off to sleep the previou
s evening almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, and she could remember a fe
eling of surprised pleasure that the excitement of tomorrow's-no, today's!-weddi
ng was not keeping her awake. But something like an hour ago she had awakened fe
eling both rested and excited, and she had not been able to get back to sleep. T
he memory of the events of the past week kept running through her head in an une
nding saga of both anticipation and frustration. The anticipation came from thou
ghts of her wedding day, and frustration came from the slowness in which the hou
rs seemed to pass. And the past week had also been exciting! She remembered the excursion to the
finest shops in London with the two aunts, Georgiana's and her own. The two olde
r women had immediately formed a bond of common understanding despite the vast
difference in their social standing, and they had quickly joined to guide Eliza
beth in the selection and purchase of so many dresses and accoutrements that Eli
zabeth was left with her head spinning while protesting feebly that she should n
ever need so many dresses. Mrs. Gardiner and Lady Matlock had looked at each other with a smile and had the
n turned a look on Elizabeth that seemed to say, You just wait! Elizabeth had be
en completely surprised and gratified at the way Lady Matlock, who had only me
t her just a half-hour previously, had immediately treated her as already one
of the family. Darcy's aunt had also very explicitly made that fact known to the
staff and clientele of every shop they entered. Elizabeth had not anticipated b
eing the center of attention during their outing, but at every shop Lady Matlo
ck summoned the owner to attend her and then told him or her clearly that she wa
s looking for such and such items and only wanted to see the best the shop had t
o offer for her new niece. That pronouncement had the intended effect of both
securing the utmost in attention from the workers and also of making Elizabeth k
nown to the other ladies in the shop. By ones and twos, the fashionable ladies w
ho were known to Lady Matlock had come forward to secure an introduction to the
future Mrs. Darcy. Elizabeth had observed that more than one young lady had worn
a look of poorly disguised envy, and she could only suppose they were irked tha
t such a nondescript and unknown girl such as herself had secured the hand of th
e previously so very eligible Fitzwilliam Darcy. But Elizabeth iss Elizabeth Bennet lay curled up in her bed at Longbourn staring at the ceilin
g on the last evening in which she would bear the name of either ??9 quickly learned to ignore both such ill-concealed jealousy and the equally objec
tionable insincere compliments some of the ladies made. More important had been
those ladies Lady Matlock took care to introduce as close friends, and Elizabeth
had been warmed by the openness and apparent honesty of the congratulations off
ered by those ladies. Several of them were obviously the warmest of friends with
Lady Matlock, and one of them had made a teasing comment that she had begun to
despair of Darcy ever taking time away from his duties to his family to actually
do something for himself. Elizabeth had made the utmost effort to fix those acq
uaintances in her mind, since Lady Matlock was giving a none-too-subtle hint tha
t these were important ladies for her to know as the future Mrs. Darcy. At one point, Georgiana had leaned close to whisper in Elizabeth's ear, "Do not
worry, Elizabeth. Your aunt and I have been writing down the names of all those
whom Lady Matlock most especially wants to meet you." Elizabeth threw her friend
a look of the utmost relief, for her head was awhirl with all the names and fac
es. She also remembered the dinner at Matlock House. Amazingly, one of the new dress
es she had purchased had somehow shown up at Gracechurch Street at noon on the d
ay following their visit to the shop. A note had been enclosed by the owner of t
he establishment stating that Lady Matlock had been most insistent the dress be
sewn to Elizabeth's size overnight in order that she might have it to wear today
. Along with the slippers, stockings, and shawl, Elizabeth could not believe how
refined she looked in the dress. Obviously, Darcy had thought so too, since he
had been waiting for her in the entry of the imposing family home and had lost n
o time in complimenting her on how beautiful she looked that evening. Greatly daring, Elizabeth had remembered the way in which Darcy had caused her t
o flush that previous evening with Reverend Palmer, and she had leaned close to
whisper, "Based on your comment to Reverend Palmer, William, I should imagine that this d
ress would only look better to you if you were taking it off of me." She had only smiled benignly as Darcy broke into a fit of coughing that drew the
eyes of several onlookers. When he recovered, he whispered back, "Now stop that
, Elizabeth! And do not attempt that innocent look! I know you well enough to know that you k
new exactly what you were saying!" "Indeed?" Elizabeth had smiled demurely. "Of course you did," Darcy whispered back. Then he paused before leaning back to
her. "Of course, my imaginings also included the removal of your corset, your c
hemise, and your stockings." This time it was Elizabeth's turn to cough and try to hide the flush that pinked
her cheeks. She felt a thrill at the deviltry dancing in Darcy's eyes and could
not resist leaning back to whisper, "But my garters, Mr. Darcy? Have you forg
otten my garters?" ?20 "Of course not, Miss Bennet," he whispered. "You will keep your garters." "Oh, my," Elizabeth had whispered.?And then Darcy had leaned back toward her, an
d the intentness and excitement that danced in his dark eyes had mesmerized her, for s
he knew this look was for her and her alone. "On our wedding night, Miss Bennet.
You may depend upon it!" "Oh, I shall, Mr. Darcy, I shall," announced Elizabeth in a more normal tone, he
r eyes dancing in merriment to match that of Darcy. "Now, shall we go in?" The remainder of that evening had not matched those first moments, but only beca
use it was the only private in- terlude she and Darcy had. She had found that tw
o of the guests were ladies she had met the previous afternoon, and she could no
t fault the manner in which they greeted her. It contained little condescension
or aristocratic arrogance and much of ease and friendly discourse. Even the topi
c of her father's duel did not cause a stir, for the men had evidently already b
een informed of the particulars by Lord Matlock. Once returned to Longbourn, with Darcy, Georgiana and David installed at Netherf
ield, preparations for the wedding became more brisk. But between Darcy and he
r father, the worst excesses that her mother had inflicted on Jane had been avoi
ded. Though her mother had attempted to maneuver in order to escalate the scal
e of wedding preparations, she had shown a deference to Darcy that was unprecede
nted. Elizabeth remembered the way in which Darcy stated firmly that the flowe
rs and their arrangement seemed adequate, which was followed by her mother mak
ing absolutely no objection to his wishes, then or afterwards. In fact, the defe
rence she showed Darcy made Elizabeth wonder at just how different the lives of
herself and her sisters would have been if their father had confronted their mot
her in a similar manner early in their marriage. Obviously, the scolding she had
received from Darcy had made a definite-and at least a protracted-impact on her
. Elizabeth sighed, for she was well aware of that failing in her father, but th
en she forced herself to set this matter aside. Those deficiencies of her father
fell into the category of water well under the bridge. More pleasurable were the thoughts of all the time she had spent with Darcy in t
he past fortnight. In her secret heart, Elizabeth had been afraid from the very
first when she accepted Darcy's proposal that he might, later or sooner, grow
to feel he had been trapped or maneuvered into a marriage with her. But the even
ts of the past week had been such as to relieve her mind to a virtual certainty
on that score. His playful and ribald teasing of her at the dinner hosted by his
Aunt and Uncle Matlock was one of several examples of the fact that he anticipa
ted their wedding almost as much as she. The extremely generous marriage agreements Darcy and her father had agreed on we
re another example, for they not only provided generously for her own income but
also settled seven thousand pounds on each of her younger sisters as a dowry. A
dded to the thousand pounds that each of her sisters would receive from her mother's fortune, it made the girls considerably more mar
riageable. And that was in addition to his supporting them at school in Derbyshi
re. But most pleasing and promising was the gradual lowering of Darcy's reserve wi
th her, his growing ease in her company, and his oft-expressed statements of r
egard for her. She shivered as she remembered the culmination last night, when h
e had asked her father for some time alone with Elizabeth in his library... 2"VERY WELL, YOUNG MAN," Mr. Bennet said, then he leaned closer to Darcy and wink
ed broadly. "But you had best remember the seriousness with which I regard any
liberties taken with the reputation of my daughters!" The joke was perhaps feeble and perhaps not even especially funny, but it had
been the first open mention of the unfortunate affair of the duel in open compan
y. Darcy, her father, and Colonel Fitzwilliam were sitting together when Mr. Ben
net gave Darcy this warning, and it struck all three men as completely hilarious
. The rest of the company looked on in expressions ranging from shock and dismay
to resigned indulgence while the three men laughed until they could no longer s
tand. Finally, when Darcy was able to speak again, he said, "I will keep your co
mments in mind, sir!" He then took Elizabeth's arm and escaped into the library
before he could be drawn back into the hilarity as, behind them, they heard her
father and Fitzwilliam starting to chuckle again. After Darcy escorted her inside the library and closed the door firmly, Elizabet
h at first thought that he was going to violate his word to her father. Not that
she would mind, for they had on several occasions had at least a few minutes to
themselves for a stolen kiss and an exploratory caress. But it would have been
out of character for him to go against his word, and so she was not surprised wh
en Darcy seated her on the sofa and took the chair across from her. "Elizabeth, dearest Elizabeth," he said softly as he reached across and took her
hand. "I know that you have had some qualms in the past weeks at how we came to
this moment; at how, as your aunt put it, you could be depended on to never do
things the easy way." They both smiled at this remembrance, then Darcy grew se
rious again. "I also know that you worry about the disparity in our feelings, th
at you love fervently while I am merely accepting of the situation. No, no," he
said, putting a finger to her mouth, "I know that it is so. Your aunt had a word
with me earlier today and she is a most intelligent lady. She stated what I hav
e just said and then went on to say that her own observations indicated you were
feeling as I have just stated. Not entirely, no, not even mostly, but just a li
ttle, just enough to give rise to apprehension. But then your aunt showed true
insight when she said, 'I do not believe your own feelings are any longer as I have just described.' "I was startled, for I had indeed spent any number of hours looking inside mysel
f, and I have realized the way in which my feelings have changed. I want you to
know, dear Elizabeth, on this, the night before our wedding, that you should no
longer worry about the disparity of our feelings." Elizabeth had been somewhat nervous about what Darcy wanted to talk about, and s
he had been looking down in her lap. Now she looked up to see him smiling at her
as he continued, "In the two short weeks of our engagement, my darling Elizab
eth, you have bewitched me entire, and you must now allow me to tell you how m
uch I adore and love you." Elizabeth's grip on his hand had strengthened suddenl
y as she realized the import of his words, and now, as their meaning seemed to e
cho through her head, she suddenly felt her emotions overwhelm her. Darcy at fir
st was startled as Elizabeth began to quiver and then to shake as if she had the
palsy, but then he realized she was overcome by her feeling. Tears started from
her eyes, and Darcy now knew they were tears of joy and disbelief, for she was
trying to smile through them. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and reach
ed over to blot them away. "I cannot comprehend how I could have ever been in your presence and avoided thi
s bewitchment, and I can only conclude that I did not look. Perhaps if I had not
been ob- sessed with the care of David and Georgiana, I might have seen more cl
early and have thus avoided all the months of anguish you suffered without my kn
owledge." Darcy smiled gently. "Now here we are, and we shall be married tomorrow and for
the rest of our lives. You have said several times, dearest, how fortunate you f
elt yourself to have managed to achieve your heart's desire, but I submit that I
have been the truly fortunate one. For, you see, I both learned of my heart's d
esire and achieved it at one and the same time. And all without a fraction of yo
ur pain. It seems unfair somehow," Darcy said with a teasing smile, and Elizabet
h had to laugh with and at him, though now the tears of joy that coursed down he
r cheeks were beyond the ability of any handkerchief to quench. Her hands pulled
at him, and Darcy moved to the sofa and folded her in his embrace. After some time, her tears and her quivering dwindled away and she tucked her fe
et under her skirt in the way she had done so many times in her father's library
. She snuggled closer to Darcy until she was comfortable, and she sighed as she
allowed herself to be comforted by his embrace. Several minutes passed without c
onversation until she was able to talk again. "Thank you, William," she said softly, raising her eyes to his. "Today has been
a joyful day, and tomorrow would have been joyous also, even without your declar
ation tonight. But now my joy is complete indeed, and I am the luckiest girl ali
ve. Thank you for this gift. I shall treasure this memory until the day I die." After several more minutes of companionable silence on the sofa, Elizabeth reach
ed over and removed Darcy's ?2? hand from her left shoulder. He looked at her in surprise as she lifted her left
arm over his, pulling his arm around in front of her and twisting her torso so
that she could tuck his elbow under her arm. Taking his hand in both of hers, sh
e bent down to kiss his palm, and the touch was as soft as a butterfly. Then, to
Darcy's further surprise, she brought his hand to her chest and clasped it ther
e, holding it in place with both her hands while his palm closed over her breast
as if it been designed to fit there. She shivered as she felt her nipple grow hard and press against his palm through
the muslin of her dress, and she was warmed as she felt him stir beside her. "Elizabeth..." Darcy said with a catch in his throat. "I have wanted to do that for the longest time," she told him softly, and he fel
t a tear fall on his hand. Elizabeth was aware of where the tear had fallen, and
she laughed gently as she felt him twitch. "I am so very happy, William. That i
s a tear of sublime joy, not anguish of any kind, unless it is the anguish of fe
elings stronger than I could possibly stand." She leaned back so that she could raise her face to his, and Darcy never conside
red resisting her obvious desire to be kissed. As his lips explored her soft lip
s, she arched upward slightly while pulling his palm more tightly against her br
east. When, at length, the kiss ended, Elizabeth looked down at her chest. She was see
mingly mesmerized by the sight of his hand as he gently squeezed her breast, lux
uriating in its soft firmness. She knew from the way that Darcy was trying to ho
ld himself still that he was aroused but was trying as much as he could to contr
ol himself. "I do not want to frustrate you, William, not after the gift of love you have gi
ven me," she said softly, turning her face back up to his. "If I can relieve you
in any way, I will do it joyfully and full willing." She smiled up at him with
that smile of hers that seemed reserved for him alone. "Even if we consummate ou
r marriage in my father's library," she said impishly. "I promised," groaned Darcy. "But I did not," retorted Elizabeth lightly. She moved his hand back and forth s
lightly over her breast, her breath coming more rapidly as two of his fingers se
parated to grip her nipple between them. "Oh, that feels wonderful..." She kept one hand over his own while the other hand went to the buttons at her t
hroat. Darcy's mouth was suddenly dry as she unbuttoned her dress down the fro
nt to her waist. He watched mesmerized as she lifted his hand and moved it insid
e her dress, sliding his fingers under her chemise until he felt the unbelievabl
e softness of her bare breast under his palm. She shivered in delight herself, c
lasp- ing his hand against her while the most delicious feeling of stimulation f
luttered through her belly. She was panting as she raised her face to his again,
and this time her kiss was urgent and demanding. She moaned softly as his tongu
e slipped inside her mouth to slide over her tongue even as his hand was moving
on her breast, caressing it, cupping it, ?22 and moving down so that he could catch her hard nipple between his thumb and for
efinger. Elizabeth gasped into his open mouth as he rolled her nipple between his fingers
, and her hands on his forearms gripped him with surprising strength. But despit
e the sensations they both were feeling, the position was most uncomfortable
, at least for Darcy. Eventually, he withdrew his hand from within her dress and
put his hands under her arms to lift her onto his lap so that she was facing hi
m. Then Darcy lifted her right hand to his lips and softly kissed her palm as sh
e had done his. But his other hand was busy also, easing the loops from the butt
ons at her wrist that buttoned her sleeve, and she was surprised when he lifted
his lips from her hand and slid the sleeve down over her hand. As he then eased
the shoulder of her dress off her right shoulder, she suddenly realized what h
e was doing. Smiling her agreement, she pulled her arm completely out of her sle
eve. Now Elizabeth's mouth was dry as she watched Darcy's hand rise to the straps of
her chemise and slide it off her shoulder. She knew what was coming next as he e
ased the bodice of her chemise off her breast, revealing it to him for the first
time. "Beautiful," Darcy murmured, and, to Elizabeth's complete surprise, his head l
owered to her breast. As she felt his lips surround her nipple and felt his tong
ue lave it, she quivered as the most delightful feelings she had ever known puls
ed through her abdomen. Darcy put his arm behind her back and pulled her firmly
to him so that he could suck as much of her breast as possible into his mouth wh
ile his tongue continued to tease her turgid nipple. Elizabeth felt his free hand move down her side until it came to rest on her but
tock. She felt a temptation to giggle as she realized that both of them seemed t
o find the same part of the other's body so desirable, but she had to choke back
a cry with her hand as his teeth nibbled at and stroked the rough flesh of her
nipple. Darcy's lips finally left her breast so that he could claim her lips aga
in, and Elizabeth moaned softly as his hand left her buttock to move slowly down
her slim thigh. For his part, Darcy found the firmness of Elizabeth's thigh most arousing. He wa
s not completely inexperienced but nearly so, and what coarse commentary he had
overheard had led him to believe that most men preferred their women soft and yi
elding. But he was evidently not like those men, for he much preferred Elizabeth
as he found her, soft skin and firm limbs. Greatly daring, he moved down to her
calf, finding it as firm as her thigh. Elizabeth not only did not stop him, her
arms around his neck pulled him fiercely to her as his hands reached her trim a
nkles and slid under the hem of her skirt. As Darcy's hand slid up her ankle and onto her stocking- covered calf, Elizabeth
quivered as a growing heat began to fill her groin. She knew it was wanton, but
she so desperately wanted Darcy's hand to move toward the source of that grow-
ing warmth that she wriggled slightly, twisting her hips and opening her thighs
invitingly. Darcy could not miss the import of Elizabeth's motion, and he moved his hand ove
r her knee and onto her thigh, whichhadbeguntoquiverslightlyfromherexcitement.As
hishandcametohergarter,Darcypulledbackslightlyfrom his kiss to whisper, "Rememb
er what I told you about your garters, love." Elizabeth only laughed throatily a
nd pulled his head back to hers. Elizabeth thought Darcy's hand was on fire as it slid onto the bare flesh of her
thigh above her garter, and she shivered in delight as his head again lowered t
o her breast. "Oh, please, William," she whispered urgently as Darcy's hand moved to her hip and then to he
r lower belly just above her groin. "Please do not stop...touch me...closer...please..."?As Darcy's hand moved over
the curly hair of her pubis and slid between her legs, Elizabeth bit her lip to
hold back her cry of delight as the pressure that had been building inside sudde
nly overflowed. Her hands pulled Darcy's head against her breast with a grip so
hard that it forced his teeth together and nipped her nipple between them. It di
d not matter-the pain was submerged by the surge of pleasure that caused her to arch upward against his hand.?Elizabeth sagged loosely as the
pulsing pleasure spread outward from her groin and finally dissipated in a wave
of pulsations in her lower belly. She tangled her fingers in Darcy's dark hair
and pulled his lips against hers, but the fierceness had vanished, replaced by a
kiss of the utmost tenderness as she tried in some way to impart her gratitude for what she had just experienced.?"Thank you, William, thank you, thank you," s
he murmured as she drew back and then laid her head on his shoulder. Darcy had withd
rawn his hand from under her skirt and now held her closely to him. He was both
surprised and gratified by Elizabeth's response-what he did know about intimate
relations between men and women had never suggested that women could have a resp
onse similar to that which men had. But now that he did know and had heard Eliza
beth's heartfelt gratitude for what she believed he had given her, he could only
be pleased. If, that is, his own need had not made his trousers so very tight at his groin! Something in the way he moved had made Elizabeth aware of his distress, and she
pulled back to look at him quizzically. "What is the matter, William?" she said
softly. But her movement on his lap had stretched the material around Darcy's groin even
tighter, and his grimace made her aware of the source of the problem. Quickly,
she slid off his lap and for the first time saw the tightness of the material at
his groin. "Oho," she said cheerfully. "What do we have here?" Duplicating Darcy's move, El
izabeth laid her hand on Darcy's knee and then let it move higher. She felt the
hard muscle behind his knee clench as she squeezed gently, then her hand moved lightly up the inside of his thigh. Darcy stiffened even more a
s her hand moved higher, and he groaned as her hand slid over his groin, allowing Elizabeth to feel his erection for the
first time. "I believe these trousers have buttons, do they not, William?" Elizabeth said sw
eetly. "I do not really know how men's clothing is designed, so perhaps you coul
d help me?" The innocence of her voice and smile was belied by the sharp amuseme
nt in her eyes, and Darcy squirmed as her hand moved lightly up and then down, e
xploring him for the first time.?"We should not," he finally managed to get out between clenched teeth.?"You are probably right, William," she said softy, "but I also had a short but very informative talk with my Aunt Gardiner this afternoo
n. Not only was she able to inform me of what went where for the wedding night,
she also told me of some alternatives to consummation," Elizabeth said, and Darc
y had to chuckle at the dancing light in her eyes and her imitation of a lascivi
ous smile. "Now," she continued, "if you could help me with these trousers?" Darcy gave a resigned shrug and his hands moved to his waist. As soon as he move
d the flap aside to disclose the buttons under it, Elizabeth understood immediat
ely. "Let me, William," she said softly, changing to a kneeling position. Her deft hands made
swift work of the buttons, and she moved the panel aside to disclose Darcy's ere
ct member. "Oh, my," she said softly. "My Aunt Gardiner was right. Men and women are built
most differently!" Darcy gasped as he felt her small hands close around his manhood, and the feelin
g was both so completely new and unexpected-and so very wonderful!-that he felt
a pulsating feeling building inside him around the base of his backbone. Elizabe
th was completely untutored and had only her aunt's oblique comments to guide he
r, but she did know from their conversation that during consummation this organ
would move in and out of her, bringing the man to completion with a resulting di
scharge of fluid. Remembering her aunt's comments, Elizabeth smiled innocently at Darcy while he l
ooked down at her from under half-closed lids. While lightly caressing his ere
ction, she murmured, "My aunt told me that when a man reaches completion the w
ay I did, the results can be somewhat...messy. Might you have any suggestions, s
ir?" Darcy's response was somewhere between a groan and a chuckle as he mumbled, "Min
x. Any suggestions will have to wait until later. Try this," he finished, plucki
ng his handkerchief from his pocket and handing it to her. Elizabeth giggled and took the offered handkerchief and draped it over the tip o
f his erection. As her hands resumed their previous position, Darcy placed his h
and over one of hers and showed her how to move in an up and down motion. "Very helpful, sir," murmured Elizibeth naughtily as her hands grasped him more
tightly and increased the speed of her movements. "Am I doing it correctly?" Any response that Darcy might have made was lost as he began to gasp and to inst
inctively buck his hips upward while ?23 his hands kneaded the material of the sofa. In not too much longer, he felt his
passion crest, and he surged upward while Elizabeth's hands continued their ener
getic movements. While Darcy sagged back on the couch and closed his eyes in satiation, Elizabeth
used his handkerchief to clean him up, watching with interest as his manhood so
ftened and shrank. "It is difficult to believe I could have such an effect on you, Mr. Darcy," she
smiled in a teasing manner. "Not at all, Miss Bennet," Darcy said, keeping his eyes closed while Elizabeth r
e-buttoned his trousers. "It is because..." he said, and his arm pulled her in
to his embrace, "...you are so very delectable. Have I told you that? I told you I adored and lo
ved you, and I do, but you are also so very enticing..." He pulled her head down to his and kissed her, and this kiss was a kiss of affec
tion and joy rather than of passion and desire. When they finally ended the kiss
, Elizabeth tucked her head under his chin and murmured, "And I love you also, F
itzwilliam Darcy. More than I ever thought possible." After a few more moments, Darcy said hesitantly, "Much as I should rather stay h
ere with you, perhaps we ought to..." "Yes, we ought," replied Elizabeth reluctantly, and they separated and stood to
repair the disarray of their clothing. Darcy felt rather self-conscious as he wa
tched Elizabeth deftly put her arm back into her chemise and then into her dress
. Finally he ventured, "I keep wondering why I do not feel the dismay I ought to feel at this time."?Elizabeth finished her adjustment
s and put her palm to his cheek as she smiled encouragingly at him. "Dearest William, in my mind we
have been married in everything except the ceremony since that afternoon in the
Parsonage and certainly since that morning when you brought my father back to me. Had yo
u desired, you could have had your way with me at any time since then, and, had
we the privacy at any time since, I do not know if I could have restrained mysel
f from telling you that." "It is probably just as well that you did not," he said ruefully, "given my su
sceptibility to your charms." "Then I hope you will be equally unable to resist me after we are legally marrie
d," she said archly, completing the adjustments to her dress and hair. "Remember what I said earlier, madam," growled Darcy, reaching out to place one
hand on her backside. "I look forward to seeing you in your garters and nothin
g else." "Oh, I am depending on it, sir," Elizabeth said, her own hand covering his. "Of
that you may be sure. Now," she said briskly, patting his hand before removing i
t and putting her arm through his, "we should rejoin the others." If anyone noticed Elizabeth's slightly swollen lips, Darcy's missing handkerchie
f, or the rather flushed faces of the couple, they were very careful to give no
sign of their insight, though Colonel Fitzwilliam's eyebrows did rise mi- crosco
pically. Darcy and Elizabeth pretended to see nothing. ?24 2ELIZABETH SHIVERED AGAIN AS she remembered the feel of Darcy's hand on her skin.
But she also shivered in a different way as she recalled his words as he declar
ed his love. It had caught her completely by surprise, and she did not believe t
hat she had ever had a happier moment in her life. She turned on her side and cl
asped her knees to her chest under the covers. She dearly wished Jane were still
sleeping in her old room instead of in her own bedroom at Netherfield. Even if
her sister had been sleeping, she knew that Jane would have awakened to listen a
nd talk with her. At last, she sighed and gave up the struggle. There was only the slightest tinge
of red at the horizon, presaging the oncoming dawn. She threw back the warm cov
ers, shivering now from cold rather than excitement. She suddenly felt the need
for one last walk while she was still a Bennet girl. After today, her life would
change forever... Chapter 28 Fitzwilliam Darcy stood beside the window of his bedroom at Netherfield looking
out of the window on the moonlit fields that surrounded the manor. He smiled s
ardonically when he remembered how, when he was dressing for bed, his valet had carefully suggested tha
t a sleeping draught might be in order. But he had only smiled and declined, sin
ce he never had trouble sleeping. He was usually asleep within minutes of snuffi
ng out the candle and settling into the bedding. But, thought Darcy ruefully, I have never tried to go to sleep on the night befo
re my wedding! Especially not with memories as unsettling as those resulting f
rom the night's events at Longbourn. He could only be grateful for Elizabeth's c
ontrol, for if she had pulled him down to the floor of her father's library, Dar
cy knew that he could never have stopped himself from consummation right there,
despite the promise he had made to her father. It had proven quite impossible for him to stop thinking about Elizabeth, both in
a spiritual sense and in a more earthy sense. He kept remembering that special
smile that she seemed to reserve for him alone, a smile that comprised a mixture
of love, respect, and an absolute trust in him that was almost frightening. Dar
cy believed that he trusted her above any woman he had ever met, but he was asha
med to admit that it could not match hers. And along with these mental images, h
e also had memories that were more physical, such as the picture in his mind of
the perfect symmetry of her breast, of the look on her face as she took her plea
sure last night, of the warm, vibrant feeling of her moist femininity under his
fingers, and, contrariwise, of the feel of her fingers on his manhood. Just thin
king of tonight's events was enough to bring him to a state of arousal, and he w
ondered how he would manage to get through today's events without embarrassing h
imself. He knew that, according to the precepts of society, he should be feeling at leas
t some degree of shame and remorse about his behavior last night, but he was mor
e inclined to follow Elizabeth's lead in this. She might be the more mature of t
he two of us anyway, he thought dryly, and I am certain that she is not lying aw
ake worrying about her virtue! In any case, she had been right about her comment
that all was settled between them except the actual marriage ceremony itself, a
nd only lack of opportunity had prevented them from anticipating their wedding d
ay. Now, as he looked upon the moonlit fields of Netherfield, his eyes were drawn to
a hint of motion on the road leading up to the estate. He frowned slightly in c
oncentration as he was able to discern that what he saw was a human figure passi
ng in and out of the moonlight shining through the trees, and his heart leaped i
n sudden elation as he recognized that the figure was wearing a skirt. It must be Elizabeth, he thought, for who else would be walking about in the las
t hour of darkness before the rising of the sun? Quickly, he turned from the win
dow and struck a match to light a candle. Throwing open the wardrobe, he quickly
dressed himself in his hunting clothes. Within five minutes, he had pulled on h
is boots and snuffed out the light. Taking another quick look at the road, he at
first thought that he had been mistaken and that he had not actually seen anyth
ing at all. But then he spied a form striding out from the shadow of a tree and
closer to the house than he had calculated. This time, he was easily able to con
firm Elizabeth's distinctive stride, and he quickly turned away and left the roo
m. Darcy tried as best he could to muffle his footsteps as he walked down the carpe
ted halls of Netherfield, and he was congratulating himself on having accomplish
ed his goal when his composure was completely shattered. "And where might you be off to, Will?" said David from the doorway, and the comp
letely unexpected greeting caused Darcy to jump and whirl in complete surprise. "David!" he hissed, his heart pounding from the sudden fright. "What are you doi
ng up?" "Waiting for you, Will," said David in amusement, emerg- ing from the doorway. D
arcy now realized that David's door must have been standing open when he passed
it and he had not noticed because of the shadows. "I am...I was unable to sleep, and...well, I thought I would take a walk," Darcy
stammered. "Ah, I see," said David, closing his door quietly. "I think a walk sounds quite
refreshing. I believe I will join you." Darcy looked at his brother in dismay, but David was already at the stairs. Help
lessly, he shrugged and followed him, and they went down the stairs quietly. "I was thinking of walking alone, David," Darcy said, trying to be firm as they
reached the bottom of the stairs. "Alone?" asked David in amusement. "Then perhaps I will walk with Miss Elizabeth
!" Darcy stopped in blank surprise. "What...how..." "My room faces the front of the
house also, William," said David, as they left the house and walked down the st
airs to the drive, "and I could not sleep. I was sitting in the window seat when
I saw her coming down the road. Considering the events last evening at Longbour
n, I realized that you should not be left alone."?"Last night?" Darcy said in dismay. "What do you mean?"?"Oh, probably the rest of the room did not notice how long you and Miss Elizabeth were gone, Will, but I was standing behind Mr. Benne
t and cousin Richard," said David dryly. "I do not think they were aware that I
was there, for Mr. Bennet leaned over to cousin Richard and asked, 'Do you think
they are going against my warning and consum- mating?'" Darcy stopped dead in shock at what his brother had said. Were we so completely
transparent? he thought in alarm. David stopped also and gave his brother an irr
everent smile ?25 as he continued, "Richard leaned back and replied, 'I think not, sir, unless I m
isjudge Darce. I am certain that his staid upbringing will prevent that. But any
thing less I will not vouch for!' And both of them laughed raucously and toasted
each other." Darcy could only sputter, "But what then...that is, just how..." David smiled deeply. "I am a Darcy, and I will always do my duty. I will act as
chaperone." Darcy groaned aloud at this most completely unexpected pronouncement. David gave
him a deep bow and began walking down the drive toward the road, leaving his st
unned brother standing still at the foot of the stairs. Finally, shaking his hea
d in consternation, Darcy shook off his confusion and strode off after his broth
er, his long strides rapidly eating up the distance so that he soon joined his b
rother. As soon as both brothers turned from the drive onto the road, Darcy could see El
izabeth about a hundred yards away. Elizabeth was somewhat startled to see another pair step out onto the road, and
a thrill of fright ran through her until she recognized the tall figure as Darcy
. She was not able to realize that the shorter figure by him was his brother unt
il less than twenty yards separated them, and then only because the lightening e
ast sky was giving steadily increasing illumination. Elizabeth and Darcy stopped when only a yard separated them. "Miss Bennet," said
Darcy gravely, removing his hat and bowing to her, but Elizabeth was now able t
o read the merriment in his eyes. "Mr. Darcy," she said, returning his high spirits in equal measure by giving him
her most elaborate curtsy, which drew an amused chuckle from Darcy. "What brings you out at such an hour?" asked Darcy, trying to suppress his smile
."Why, I woke up and could not sleep, sir," responded Elizabeth gaily. "I am gett
ing married today, you see." "Why, what a strange coincidence," said Darcy, offering her his arm. "The very s
ame ceremony is on my schedule for the day, and I could not sleep at all." "Truly it is most coincidental," she agreed. She peered around Darcy to where Da
vid walked. "And your friend?" she asked. "Is he getting married also? Is that w
hy he cannot sleep?" "Scarcely my friend," replied Darcy gruffly. "This is only my most troublesome a
nd impudent younger brother who for some reason unfathomable was also awake. I s
aw you from my bedroom and was on my way down the hallway when David presented h
imself from the door to his room and an- nouncedthathewouldbewillingtoactaschape
roneforus," Darcy said dryly. "Not only did he nearly scare me to death, I canno
t believe the impertinence he is displaying." David's only response was a beaming smile as he puffed out his chest and 'harrum
ped' in imitation of his aunt, making both Darcy and Elizabeth laugh. ?26 "Chaperone, is it?" said Elizabeth in delight. "That is true impertinence, sir." "There is no other word for it, Miss Bennet. He has been most badly reared. I fe
ar I have been unforgivably negligent in my duties." "Why, perhaps you might then leave him to me to deal with, Mr. Darcy," dimpled E
lizabeth. "I have considerable experience in impertinence, you know. Your aunt c
ould give witness on that account, I daresay." "Our aunt, after today, you know," retorted Darcy. "Well, yes, there is that," s
miled Elizabeth in agreement. They walked on together for several minutes. The a
ir was cool and damp with the morning dew, and the birds were just beginning to
sing to the rising sun. "You are looking particularly beautiful this morning, Elizabeth," said Darcy, smiling down at her
in admiration. "Thank you, sir," she responded with a warm smile. "I am feeling particularly ha
ppy this morning, thanks to you." Both of them somewhat colored as they realized
the unmeant implication of what Elizabeth had said, and they were relieved th
at David did not seem to notice anything. Shortly afterward, Elizabeth stumbled on an unseen stone in the roadway and lean
ed heavily on Darcy's arm. He quickly balanced her and then easily swung her aro
und and into his embrace. "Now, now!" piped up David. "There will be none of that while I am acting as cha
perone!" "We could do away with him, you know," said Darcy. "We shall be well back to Lon
don before they find the body." "True, sir, but think of the opportunity we would miss to provide gentle comment
ary in the future when he is in the throes of violent love." Both of them laughe
d cheerfully and resumed walking. "Here now!" said David, suddenly alarmed and hurrying to catch up. "It is not fa
ir to gang up on me!" He had not, until this moment, considered the implicatio
ns of his brother's imposing character and Elizabeth's quick intelligence joined
together and used in concert-against him! "Gang up?" said Elizabeth. "Is that a London saying, Mr. Darcy? I do not believe
that I have heard that term out here in the country. But," she said, with a mal
icious smile, "I do have the sense of what he means, and it makes a pleasing pic
ture in my mind." "Now you start to see why I was so infernally dour, Miss Bennet. It took all my
energy to deal with this rascal, especially when he aligned himself with his s
ister." "It does explain any number of things, Mr. Darcy. I see you will need my assista
nce in planning his future. Picking out his bride, for instance." "Miss Elizabeth!" cried David. "I thought we were friends!" "And we are friends, David," Elizabeth smiled. "But I believe that a woman's t
ouch is needed in these things. Picking a suitable bride for you is only one exa
mple. Another is picking your mode of employment." "Employment!" "Of course, David! Surely you did not think you could idle about the house for t
he rest of your days?" Turning to Darcy, she asked innocently, "What kind of emp
loyment do you have planned for your brother, Mr. Darcy? It is well known that y
ounger sons cannot expect much from their family and must make their own way in
the world." "True, true," agreed Darcy. "My cousin Richard is a splendid example. According
to him, it should be either the church or the military." "Elizabeth! Will! Stop this," cried David, not at all liking the way that Eliz
abeth and Darcy were able to form a seamless union against this. "Probably the military, then, Mr. Darcy. I fear David is not meant for the churc
h." "You are probably correct, Miss Bennet. I have heard that His Majesty's Navy wil
l take midshipmen as young as twelve. The Army will not permit a commission to b
e purchased for him until he is much older." "And how old is Master David now, sir?" "He is just short of eleven, Miss Bennet," said Darcy gravely. "Then the Navy it will be, sir," said Elizabeth gleefully. "You would not want t
he expense of purchasing his commission, and he will be gone from the house in little more than a year." "IbelievethatIwillturnbacknow!"criedDavid,turning and starting back to Netherfie
ld. "But David!" cried Elizabeth. "Your duties!" "I yield the field, Miss Bennet," called David over his shoulder. "It is a wise
general who knows when he is over- matched!" David was not troubled by Elizabeth's tinkling laughter and Darcy's deep chuckle
. In truth, he much enjoyed seeing the warmth and affection between them, and
he looked forward to more cheerful days ahead. But, he thought, I will have to w
arn Georgiana about this unexpected develop- ment. Is there not an old parable a
bout being careful of what you wish for? 2LONGBOURN WAS NOT JUST stirring when Elizabeth returned from her walk-it bore a
striking resemblance to a beehive being raided for its honey. Most of the noise
seemed to be emanating from up the stairs, and Elizabeth was loath to go up ther
e before she had to. Turning aside, she knocked on the door to her father's libr
ary and was pleased to receive a quick invitation to enter. "Good morning, Papa," she said as she entered. "I am afraid that would not be judged a good description of how the morning ha
s gone, Lizzie," responded Mr. Bennet. "I heard the tumult from upstairs," confessed Elizabeth, "and I simply could not
face going to my room just now, especially without breakfast."?"I am afraid that cold biscuits and lukewarm tea
are the best you will see this morning," he said, waving to a tray on the sideboard. "Mr
s. Bennet has pressed everyone, including the kitchen staff, into helping the
girls get prepared. She has also been knocking on my door at least five times so
far looking for you." "I could not sleep, and I decided to take one last walk from Longbourn, Papa." "One last walk? How can that be, Lizzie? Will your Mr. Darcy forbid you from vis
iting us? Will you never enter the doorway of Longbourn again?" "You know what I mean, Papa," Elizabeth said, crossing to her father and giving
him a quick embrace in response to his teasing. "It will not be the same in the
future. I know that, and I wanted to take one last ramble." "And what direction did you walk, Lizzie?" asked her father. "Towards Netherfield, Papa," Elizabeth said, coloring slightly. "Then that would explain who the tall man was who walked with you," responded Mr
. Bennet, raising his eyebrows. "But who, I wonder, was the shorter version wh
o accompanied you and then departed so swiftly?" Elizabeth looked startled at her father's unexpected knowledge, but he only laug
hed and squeezed her hand. "I could not sleep either, child, and I was out ridin
g early when I spied you in the distance." "That was Mr. Darcy's brother, David, who was also awake so early. He felt we ne
eded a chaperone and appointed himself to that role." "Ah. I see. But his sudden flight? What caused that?" Elizabeth smiled at the re
membrance. "William and I proceeded to start planning his future life, including selecting a bride for h
im and providing for his employment. We had not yet moved on to other possibilit
ies when he found the combination of the both of us too intimidating and depar
ted most quickly." "I see," said Mr. Bennet. "I had not considered it, but the two of you would mak
e a formidable pair. But," he said, cocking his head as a most familiar voice co
uld be heard descending the stairs, "I fear that your refuge will soon be lost t
o you, Elizabeth." Rising, Mr. Bennet leaned over and kissed her on her forehead
. "You had best prepare yourself, child, for now you shall have no breakfast unt
il the Wedding Breakfast." "Mr. Bennet!" called his wife loudly, opening the door to the library without kn
ocking. "Where is Lizzie? Sarah is ready with her bath, and the water will get c
old! Where is that girl? Oh, there you are! Where have you been? Never mind! Com
e upstairs immediately! Everything is ready and the bride cannot be found! I nev
er heard of such goings-on! You cannot be rambling about the hills on your new e
state, ?27 Lizzie, you know that! What will the staff think? You must mark my example and k
eep the staff firmly in hand. What are you two smiling at? Stop that and come im
mediately, Lizzy, or your precious Mr. Darcy will find some fashionable society
lady to fill the role if you will not!" Mr. Bennet and his favorite daughter smiled resignedly at each other, and Elizab
eth allowed herself to be led out of the room and up the stairs. Obviously, her
mother's newfound reserve had yielded to more familiar impulses under the pres-
sure of her most perplexing daughter's wedding day. 2ELIZABETH BLINKED AS SHE passed out of the sunlight into the cool interior of th
e chapel where she had attended services all the days of her life. She and her f
ather slowed as they waited for their eyes to adjust, and then they started forw
ard again. Her heart thudded in her chest as she saw Darcy waiting for her at
the front of the church along with a large party of close friends and relatives.
The remainder of the church was filled with a mixture of lesser friends and rel
atives as well as the idle curious. The background of conversation slackened as
she made her appearance on the arm of her father. "Courage, child," her father whispered. "It will soon be over." "I do not want it to be over so quickly that I cannot remember anything!" she
whispered back. "Who are all these people? I still cannot see!" "It seems that half of Hertfordshire has turned out for you, Lizzy, including a
goodly contingent from the militia." "Probably come to see Kitty and Lydia before they leave for the north," she whis
pered, her spirits rising as she drew close enough to see Darcy smiling at her. On one side of the group at the front were her mother and her sister along with
her Aunt and Uncle Philips and her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. Jane also waited on
her side while her husband and his two sisters waited on Darcy's side. The other
s on Darcy's side were his sister and brother, his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam,
and his Aunt and Uncle Matlock. Elizabeth felt a pang of regret that Charlotte w
as not here, but she had to suppose that the Collinses had been forbidden to att
end by Lady Catherine. She also felt a pang that Anne was not here, but at least
she and Darcy would be able to attend her at Darcy House later in the afternoon
. Georgiana had proven correct in her assessment that Anne would not be permitte
d to travel by Dr. Douglas. As Elizabeth and her father passed through the party and they closed in behind h
er, she looked up at Darcy's dark eyes, and the intensity of his gaze almost mad
e her gasp. Both of them had attended numerous weddings, and the ceremony was so
familiar that both of them could have quoted large portions of it from memory.
But, as have so many other young lovers, it was turning out to be much ?28 different when one is a participant rather than a spectator, and Darcy's intensi
ty was witness that he also felt its import in full measure. That memory of the intensity that both Darcy and Elizabeth shared during their w
edding ceremony remained the principal memory that the both of them had in futur
e years. The actual words of the ceremony were so familiar that they could not b
e sure that they remembered them from their own ceremony or from a multitude of
friends and family marriages. But they remembered the eyes of the other always,
along with the special smiles and the touch of the other's flesh as Reverend Pal
mer laid Elizabeth's hand in Darcy's or as Darcy slipped the ring on her fourth
finger. Especially did Elizabeth remember the cool feeling of the ring on her fi
nger as Darcy's deep voice intoned, "With this ring, I thee wed, with my body I
thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the Name of the Fat
her, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." From that moment, it seemed that time stood still for the both of them until Rev
erend Palmer, his homely face beaming from ear to ear, sealed their union, sayin
g, "For as much as Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth have consented together in Holy wed
lock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have
given and pledged their troth either to the other, and have declared the same by
giving and receiving of a Ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they
be Man and Wife together, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost. Amen." The final blessing followed, and with the last "Amen," all in the wedding party
pressed upon them, eager to offer their sincere congratulations, in the case of
most of the assembly, or, in the case of Bingley's sisters, to at least make the
appropriate sounds so that they might in the future be invited to Pemberley o
r Darcy House. Some little time later, as Elizabeth and Darcy signed their names in the registr
y, they were almost the last remaining people in the chapel. Only Bingley and
Jane still stood beside them, having previously signed their own names, and Reve
rend Palmer quickly looked to the registry to see that all was in order. Satisfi
ed, he turned his cheerful attention to the newly married couple. "It seems only
yesterday that I was baptizing the second-borne daughter of Edward Bennet, and
now look at you! Mrs. Darcy and Mr. Darcy! It is truly a blessed day, is it not,
Mrs. Palmer?" "Indeed it is, sir, indeed it is!" agreed his plump wife, who embraced Elizabeth
and kissed her on both cheeks as tears ran down her own. "Now be off with you b
oth! The officers were planning some pretty little ceremony outside the chapel,
and you still have the Wedding Breakfast before you can be off to London. Rememb
er to write me when you get to Derbyshire, Lizzy! I have heard it is wild but be
autiful there, but I would like to see it through your eyes!" "Indeed I shall, Mrs. Palmer. And the best of fortune with Miss Price and young
Golding," Elizabeth said, referring to Mrs. Palmer's latest 'project.' "Why, thank you, Lizzy!" Mrs. Palmer beamed. "I believe that things are progress
ing nicely there. Though I wish I could have been of some help with you. But you
seemed to do quite well all on your own. Now, run along, both of you, before th
e officers grow faint from the sun!" Elizabeth thought it was unlikely that the morning sun could have really affecte
d the officers, but she could see that there was indeed a row of officers lined
up outside the parish door. There was a sudden clash of metal as she and Darcy s
tarted toward the doorway, and, as she exited the chapel on the arm of Darcy, sh
e found that there were indeed two lines of six officers, on either side of the
doorway. They had drawn their swords and crossed them overhead, forming an archw
ay for them to walk under, and Elizabeth thought it made a pretty little picture
, but she was somewhat confused by the meaning of it. Colonel Forster was waiting at the end, his sword drawn but down by his side. As
they came up to him, the Colonel went through some kind of fancy flourish and w
ound up with the sword pointed vertically skyward, the hilt in front of his chin
. Darcy was somewhat perplexed by the military ceremony, but Colonel Forster was
quick to explain. "Congratulations, Mrs. Darcy. Congratulations, Mr. Darcy. Sir," he said, looking
directly at Darcy, "the Regiment owes you a debt of honor, sir, for your cleari
ng up all of the sums owed by the late Lieutenant Wickham, both to the citizenry
of Meryton and to officers in other regiments. We would have been obliged, in h
onor, to repay his debts, but we had no idea of their magnitude, sir, no idea at
all. Several of my officers, who have no fortune and no income except their pay
, would have been completely bankrupted. Only your generosity, sir, has made it
possible for them to hold their heads up today, and this guard of honor is made
up of those officers who are most beholden to you." Colonel Forster made another elaborate flourish with his sword, returning it to
his scabbard, and his motion was followed by that of the other officers. All of
the red-coated officers then pressed forward to give their thanks to Darcy and t
heir congratulations to Elizabeth. She was touched by the almost pathetic gratit
ude of these men, most of whom she knew. She had never thought too much of any o
f them, for her head was not turned by a red coat as were those of Lydia and Kit
ty, but she was most grateful that the dishonorable conduct of Mr. Wickham had n
ot been able to reach beyond the grave to taint even more innocent lives. As the
last of the officers departed to join their fellows for the walk back to camp,
she turned to Darcy, who was waiting to escort her to the waiting carriage. The
Bingley carriage was just getting under way with Jane and Bingley inside, and
everyone else had departed for Longbourn before they left the chapel. As Darcy h
anded her up into the carriage, she said to him, "That was well-done, William. I had no idea of the amount of harm that Mr. Wickh
am had done." "Actually, neither did I," said Darcy, stepping into the carriage. Elizabeth had
expected that Darcy would sit across from her, for the carriage was her father's and was rather small, but Darcy easi
ly moved her to the side and sat down beside her. "I thought I had taken care of virtually all of his debts when I purchased them
the day before the duel. But Richard came to me several days ago and informed me
of the actual situation. It seemed little enough to do one last thing to remove
the stain of George Wickham from the world." Elizabeth nodded but she scarcely heard what Darcy said, for she was engaged in
snuggling closer to him until she was comfortable. "Now only one last challenge
remains, William," she said, and a small frown of worry was on her face. "I am r
ather afraid that my mother will embarrass you in front of your aunt and uncle,
for you are well aware of how lost she often is to propriety." Darcy smiled a small, secretive smile. "I would not worry overmuch, Elizabeth,"
he said, putting his arm around her and pulling her close. "I had a talk with yo
ur father last night, and he was quite surprised to find the reason for his wife
's rather reserved manner since the day before the duel was the...'lecture' that
I gave her on that day. He indicated that he had not bothered himself to rule h
is family before now, but that it was time that he took the trouble. I am hoping
for a marked improvement in your mother's manners today. Now, if we could just
figure out a way in which to induce a similar change in my Aunt Catherine!" And so Elizabeth found, for her father had his wife firmly installed by his side
, and Mrs. Bennet did not fail to look at her husband before she ventured to say
anything for the rest of the morning. She was even seated by her husband's side
during the meal, rather than at her usual place at the other end of the table.
It was with every feeling of satisfaction and good cheer that Elizabeth finall
y boarded Darcy's much larger coach for the return trip to London. Georgiana sat
with them, since Elizabeth and Darcy had previously decided that a simple retur
n to London was advisable in light of Anne's continuing frailty. David and Colon
el Fitzwilliam were already mounted and would ride outside the coach, and, once
Elizabeth's leave-taking from her family was finally completed, the driver whipp
ed up the horses for the trip to London. As Longbourn and her last sight of her family waving goodbye disappeared from vi
ew, Elizabeth turned to Darcy with a smile. "Hello, Mr. Darcy," she dimpled. "Hello, Mrs. Darcy," he beamed in return. Then a thoughtful look crossed his fac
e. "Something concerns you, Mr. Darcy," asked Elizabeth with a raised eyebrow. "I was just thinking, Mrs. Darcy, that what has worked so well for Mr. Bennet mi
ght prove equally effective with another Bennet wife," he said thoughtfully. "I
believe that I am going to be well satisfied with you as a most obedient wife, E
lizabeth, now that I know how best to deal with you." Her eyebrow raised even further. "Indeed, sir? And you believe that you can thus
cow me, Mr. Darcy?" ?29 "In a word, yes, Mrs. Darcy," he responded mildly. "I have been worried for some time that your influence on my most proper brother
might cause something like this to occur, Elizabeth," said Georgiana with a wry
smile. "I am afraid that William is learning to be...impertinent!" "Heavens forbid it be so, Georgiana!" cried Elizabeth. "Yes," rumbled Darcy, settling back against the cushions, and closing his eyes.
"I think you are correct, sister. I have heretofore eschewed impertinence becaus
e I had thought it unseemly, but that was before I was aware of its many pos- si
bilities." If there was any unexpected rocking of the Darcy coach, or any muffled peals of
laughter, or even muffled sounds that might have almost sounded like a plump coa
ch cushion making an impact on human flesh, the driver and footmen were too well
-trained and discreet to notice anything. Only Colonel Fitzwilliam, riding close
by the rear window, seemed aware of anything out of the normal taking place. An
d his only response was a cheerful smile at David as he whistled the mournful st
rains of "Greensleeves." Chapter 29 ?30 AShe had been rather expecting the arrival of Elizabeth and Darcy from Hertfordsh
ire about this time, and thus she was unsurprised to see Elizabeth enter the roo
m, her face bright and wreathed in smiles. Darcy came in behind her, looking sca
rcely less happy, though the contrast was greater on his normally solemn face. G
eorgiana and David crowded behind, and as Colonel Fitzwilliam completed the pa
rty, Anne marveled at how her sedate sitting room suddenly came to be filled wit
h a laughing, talking throng. Elizabeth greeted her with a warm embrace, and Anne could not get through her co
ngratulations without breaking into tears of joy. Elizabeth and Georgiana were s
imilarly affected as they sat down beside her on the sofa, and the ladies alte
rnated between laughter and tears, exchanging handker- chiefs while Anne pressed
her friends for all the details of the marriage ceremony. "I did so want to attend," Anne said in regret after her questions had been answ
ered, "but Dr. Douglas would not hear of it, even though he agrees that I have i
mproved somewhat." "And you shall improve more, now that we have all the excitement behind us and c
an settle down to take care of you," said Elizabeth cheerfully as a maid entered
with the tea service that Darcy had ordered. "You do remember what I told you e
arlier about following the doctor's instructions?" "I am surrounded by bullies," said Anne, accepting a cup of tea from Georgiana,
but she had a smile on her face as she said it. As she looked around at all the
cheerful people who surrounded her, all of whom were not only cheered by the eve
nts of the day but were also so obviously concerned with her health and well-bei
ng, she could not help thinking of how this moment contrasted so sharply with th
e cold, emotionless life she had known before. The bittersweet regret of the was
ted years compared to the warmth and happiness of the present brought a tear of
mingled sadness and joy to her eye. Georgiana squeezed her arm in comfort and handed her a fresh handkerchief. "Than
k you," said Anne softly, blot- ting the tears from her face. "I really feel che
erful, I cannot understand where these tears keep coming from." After a half-hour, Colonel Fitzwilliam stood up to leave. "I must take my leave
now, Anne," he said, bending over her hand. "The regiment embarks for Spain in j
ust a few days, and the Major General was explicit that I must be back at camp b
efore nightfall. I will leave you to the excellent care of my cousin and his new wife." nne de Bourgh looked up from her book as a soft knock sounded at her door. "Ente
r!" she called, as she marked her place in the book and set it aside. Anne thanked him for his help in bringing her to Darcy's home, but she was also
moved to sudden concern. "You must promise me that you will be careful, Richard,
" she urged. "Until this moment, I am sorry to say, I have been so concerned with my own il
lness that I did not comprehend that you were bound for war. I must apologize fo
r my neglect." A blush of embarrassment touched her cheeks at her lack of perception, but Fitzw
illiam would have none of it as he waved a hand in dismissal. "Nonsense, lass!"
he boomed cheerfully. "You have been closer to death's door your whole life than
I have ever come in service to my King. And remember that I am in the cavalry
," he said with a huge wink. "A horse has the wonderful distinction of being able to get you out of trouble f
aster than you can get into it." Darcy, who knew better, since the cavalry was used as the eyes of the army and t
hus often discovered the presence of enemy troops by becoming their targets, ros
e to his feet to accompany his cousin to the door. "We will remember you in our
prayers, cousin," he said quietly, clasping Fitzwilliam's hand in farewell. Lean
ing close so that he could not be overheard, he continued softly, "And you hav
e my thanks for taking me to task so deservedly at Rosings. Without you and Anne
, this day would not have taken place, and I would be much the loser for it." "Anytime, cuz, anytime," Richard responded in equal softness. Then, with one las
t bow to the ladies, he swept out of the room in a jingle of metal from sword an
d spur. After the sound of Colonel Fitzwilliam's passage faded as he departed, Anne lift
ed troubled eyes to Darcy. "Darcy, I am suddenly worried for our cousin. I know
that he has not spent all his time on the parade ground, but I have never before
felt any apprehension that he might be in real danger when he left England. I k
now nothing about what is going on in Spain. Am I worried unnecessarily, do you
think?" Darcy nodded gravely at her question. "I wish that I could simply laugh and say
that your worries are unfounded, Anne." His eyes swept the room, and he could se
e that everyone shared Anne's sudden concern, but he decided that all of them, even David, d
eserved to know the actual situation. "From what I know," he continued, "I believe that Richard's regiment will see ha
rd and arduous service in Spain. The country heaves in rebellion against Bonapar
te and the brother that he put on the Spanish throne, and now Wellesley, Viscoun
t Wellington, has been placed back in command there. The Viscount has already dr
iven the French completely out of Portugal and is, I believe, determined to do t
he same in Spain. That will not be easy, and it is unlikely to be accomplished
in a single campaign season." There was a somber silence following Darcy's statement, and finally David found
his voice. "But Richard is always so cheerful, Will. He does not seem to feel hi
mself in any danger." Darcy smiled gently and rumpled his brother's hair. "Our cousin is not one to be
depressed by the possibility of hard- ship and danger, David. His carefree air
is one that he has had much practice in cultivating, especially for his mother's sake. I do not thi
nk that she is really aware of just how much real soldiering her son has done, t
hough I know his father is quite well aware of it. We have often talked of it, a
nd he says that Richard is much respected among the command staff. He did not ga
in that reputation by smartness on parade." "I shall pray for him," offered Georgiana simply, and Elizabeth reached over to
squeeze her friend's hand, moved by the younger girl's simple and sincere faith. "And so shall we all, Georgiana," said Elizabeth softly. "So shall we all." 2DARCY AND ELIZABETH LEFT within minutes of Colonel Fitzwilliam's departure, havi
ng first arranged for supper at eight o'clock. Anne protested that she was more
than well enough to go downstairs for a family meal, and Darcy did not attempt t
o gainsay her. His mind was occupied by a single thought, and that was to separa
te Elizabeth from the rest of the family and get her to her chambers or his own.
In deference to Anne's condition, they had agreed to dispense with the traditio
n that the newly married couple would have the house completely to themselves ex
cept for a skeleton staff of servants, but Darcy still had every intention of ha
ving Elizabeth as much to himself as he could arrange. So, having informed the others that he intended to show Elizabeth to her bedroom
now and would give her a more thorough tour of the house at another time, Darcy
was able to exit Anne's room with Elizabeth on his arm. As they walked down the hall, he glanced over at her to see that her head was lo
wered as she tried to hide her smile, and Darcy grinned himself as he knew that
she well understood his intentions. But, as they walked down the silent hallway, Elizabeth was not prepared as Darcy
suddenly stopped her, twirled her slightly, and, placing one arm behind her bac
k and the other behind her knees, swung her easily off the floor. "Mr. Darcy!" Elizabeth whispered urgently as Darcy resumed walking down the ha
ll with her in his arms. A quick look reassured her that no servants were to be
seen, but she was none too sure that would have stopped her new husband. She had
seen his growing anticipation and impatience, and he was not the type of man to
wait longer than he deemed necessary. She assumed that he was walking toward either her bedroom or his own, but she ha
d to admit that she was not altogether sure where her bedroom was. Georgiana had
given her a brief tour when she had previously visited, but she had been so bus
y talking and laughing with her friend that she had not really watched where she
was going. Not that she was all that concerned now. She put her arms around his neck and sm
iled up at his handsome visage, ?3? amused by the manner in which he was trying to maintain a stoic expression on hi
s face. "And where might you be taking me, Mr. Darcy?" she whispered, arching on
e delicate eyebrow as she laid back in his arms. "To your bedroom, Mrs. Darcy," he responded, and a sudden smile escaped his lips
as he was unable to keep a stony expression on his face. He found the sight of
Elizabeth looking up at him with that enticing smile quite irresistible. "And we seem to have arrived," he said, stopping in front of her door. He bent d
own slightly to work the latch, then toed the door open so that he could pass th
rough. Elizabeth half-expected to be greeted by her maid as they entered her room, but
a quick glance assured her that the room was empty. She tried to get a look at t
he room, curious to inspect the spacious and well-appointed chamber, but her pos
ition was not conducive to that. "You could put me down so that I may inspect th
e room where you have brought me, Mr. Darcy," she said, as he bent to latch the
door closed. "I think not, Mrs. Darcy," he told her, rising to his feet. "I have a particular
destination in mind, and I see that it has already been prepared for us."?Elizabeth turned her head to see that he was taki
ng her toward the bed, which had already been turned down. She blushed slightly at her
recognition of his target, but she was not surprised. Her suspicions of his inte
ntions had become certainty when he had lifted her into his arms in the hallway.
But, even so, she was a virgin and un-tutored in the ways of husbands and wives
, so the clear goal of her new husband still brought a virginal blush to her fac
e. It had also brought a rising excitement that deepened her blush as he laid her g
ently on the bed, going to his knees beside it. They were finally completely a
lone in her own quarters, a condition that she had so often and so hopelessly lo
nged for, and the emotion that arose in her chest was so great that the only out
let for the sudden surge was in tears. The sudden tears that flowed from Elizabeth's eyes startled Darcy, and he star
ted to draw back, imagining that he had been too hasty and had frightened her by
his intentness. But Elizabeth laughed shakily and reached up to him, pulling hi
m back towards her. She reached up to lay a hand on his cheek and smiled more de
eply. "Do not worry, my love," she whispered. "It was just a sudden remembrance of how
often I longed for such a moment as this, even though I was certain that it c
ould never happen. And now that it has, the feeling was so sudden and so overwhe
lming that it could find expression only in tears, though sadness is the farthes
t thing from my mind." Darcy was still uncertain, but she pulled him down further, her face upturned
and waiting, and she sighed deeply as he lowered his lips to hers, meeting the i
ncredible sweetness of his kiss with the urgency of her own. She moaned slightly
as she pressed upward into his kiss and felt his eager tongue slide between her
lips. Her own tongue met his with equal vigor, dancing and probing as his lips
pressed against her with bruising force. But Elizabeth cared not that he might b
ruise her ?32 lips, as she was now his wife, and she wanted nothing as much as she wanted him
to possess her as a husband did his wife. Elizabeth opened her eyes as Darcy's lips finally left hers with a last soft car
ess. He straightened up, then changed position towards his feet. She felt his
gentle fingers on her feet as he removed first one slipper and then the other, d
ropping them on the floor. Her eyebrows raised inquisitively as he moved again a
nd rolled her slightly onto her side. Her questions were answered as she felt
his fingers on the button-loops at the back of her dress. "I remember that you once challenged me about wanting to remove your dress, El
izabeth," Darcy told her as he unfastened button after button, from her neck dow
n to the small of her back. Finally finished, he allowed her to roll onto her ba
ck. "I do seem to remember that, sir," she answered him saucily, her eyes bright wit
h excitement. He began to work one side of her dress outward until he could slid
e it over the curve of her shoulder. He carefully worked it down her arm and the
n slid her arm from the sleeve. Elizabeth closed her eyes as Darcy began to kiss the ala- baster skin of her arm
, working his way downwards. She felt a thrill run up her backbone as her whole
arm was suddenly broken out in goose bumps, drawing a low laugh from Darcy, who
now opened her hand and kissed her palm. Elizabeth shivered again as he now bega
n to work her dress over her left shoulder until he could slide it off her shoul
der and slide her left arm out of her sleeve. As Darcy now had Elizabeth's dress unfastened to her waist and was maneuvering i
t to slide it up and off of her, he ran into one of the unforeseen intricacies o
f women's dress- wear-he suddenly pricked his finger on a hidden pin. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, pulling his hand back and looking at the drop of blood on
his finger. "Oh, I am sorry, William!" Elizabeth said in sudden distress, starting to rise
to a sitting position. "I had forgotten that my mother used pins to try to get
a better fit. I am afraid that there are quite a few more-here, let me help..." With Elizabeth's help, Darcy was able to find pin after pin that lurked in folds
of cloth around her waist and hips, though she smiled in amusement as he compla
ined about the hidden hazards of women's clothes. "Now I understand what Richard
meant when he referred to a ball during the Season as having a higher chance of
collecting a wound than an actual battle," Darcy grumbled. "How many of these t
hings did your mother use? Here's another one! And one more!" Finally, the last of the pins was found, removed, and placed in a safe location.
"Now where was I," said Darcy, and Elizabeth giggled as his large hand pushed h
er back into a recumbent position as he resumed his work on her dress. He pulled
her skirt upward to her waist and then pulled her dress upward, rolling her fro
m side to side as he worked. "This would be much easier if I helped, you know," said Elizabeth with a smile a
s he pulled her dress from under her shoulders and began to pull it over her hea
d. "But not nearly as much fun, madam," responded Darcy, as he succeeded at last in
his efforts. "Nor as educational," he continued, "for I had no idea of the hidd
en traps waiting among the folds of your dress!" Looking down at Elizabeth, laying on the bed in her chemise, corset, and pettico
ats and smiling back at him, he commented, "Much better, I think. Now, I believe
that your petticoats should be next." "A wise choice, sir," said Elizabeth, as he began searching at her waist for the
ties or clasps that held her petticoats in place. After several seconds of look
ing, she obligingly rolled to her side, disclosing the ties at her back. "Aha!" exclaimed Darcy. "The very place where I intended to look next! Soon I
shall be quite experienced at undressing my wife!" "Then you plan on additional practice, sir?" said Elizabeth in amusement, as Dar
cy quickly found and unfastened the ties so that he was able to remove her petti
coats. "Very much so, madam. It shall be a regular occurrence, I assure you," he said a
s he again rolled her to her side and began to unlace her corset. "Oh, I believe you, sir," Elizabeth responded playfully, as he continued to work
at her corset. Looking at his dear features over her shoulder, she said softly,
"I do not believe I have told you about a very strange dream that I had very ea
rly in our acquaintance, when I was not aware that I was falling in love with yo
u, and when your own treatment of me was most correct and proper." Darcy paused in what he was doing to look closely at Elizabeth. She was partly t
urned away from him, but he could see that her face was flushed red. "No, you have told me some parts of what your feelings were during that time, bu
t I know that it was painful for you, so I did not want to inquire too closely,"
he said, reaching out and clasping her hand and squeezing it comfortingly. "Do
you want to tell me about it?" he said softly. Elizabeth nodded and gave him a tremulous smile as he settled her on her back. "
It was shortly after you danced with me at Sir William's gathering. I was in my
bed at Longbourn, but I dreamed that I was at Lucas Lodge for a ball. I had a fu
ll dance card when you came toward me, and I did not resist as you took the card
from me and tore it up. Then you took me out on the floor and put your hand on
my waist as you began to whirl me about in a lovely waltz. But then we were no l
onger dancing at Lucas Lodge but were dancing among the furniture in the library
at Netherfield, where I had often seen you when I visited Georgiana." Darcy held her hand and stroked it as she continued, looking up at the canopy of
the bed. "Then suddenly the music was over, and I found that I was not wearing
a dress but instead was only wearing my favorite nightgown. I looked up at you e
xpecting to see you laughing at me, but you just looked at me with the utmost in
tentness. I have seen that look since we have been engaged, but I had never seen
it then, at least not directed at me, but you had it on your face. Then you reached out and slid one of the straps of my nightgown off my shoulder." "Only one, Elizabeth?" Darcy teased, and Elizabeth laughed gently. "Only one then, William, for even in my dream you were very thorough. You reache
d out and slid the other one off my shoulder, and I knew how loose my nightgown
was, and I knew it was going to slide all the way to the floor, and I didn't car
e." Elizabeth was silent then, and Darcy prompted gently, "And then?" "And then I woke up, William," Elizabeth said, her cheeks red. "My heart was pou
nding and I was flushed and I was afraid to examine what the meaning of it might
be, for I had not yet come to a realization of what my true feelings were." Darcy raised her hand up and kissed it gently. "Did you bring that nightgown wit
h you, Elizabeth?" he asked softly. "I believe so, though my aunt gave me several that she assured me you would find
most attractive," she said with a shy smile. "Then one night we shall act out your dream, Elizabeth," Darcy smiled, "and we s
hall see how the rest of it should have continued." Elizabeth lowered her eyes in feigned modesty. "But I was a mere maid who knew n
othing of men at that time, Mr. Darcy," she murmured demurely, and Darcy chuckle
d. "You at least knew what I should have been thinking of, had I the wit to do so,"
he said cheerfully. "Your education must be continued to be sure, but I wonder
if you did not get the worse of this bargain by marrying the veriest simpleton.
But it is too late now, madam. You are well and truly stuck. Now, back to that c
orset!" Elizabeth laughed merrily at Darcy's jibe, but she was also trembling in anticip
ation. Already she was in a state of undress that would have been scandalous in
any other situation, and she was torn between her enjoyment of how Darcy was slo
wly undressing her and a competing urge that he would hurry up. Her skin burned
from her desire to feel Darcy's hand on her like the previous night in her fathe
r's library, except that this time there would be complete privacy and all the t
ime in the world. Darcy felt her tremble and accurately assessed the reasons for it, and the line
of her slim neck looked so inviting that he could not resist leaning forward to
kiss her just below her ear. Elizabeth shivered at how delectable his lips felt,
and she reached back with her right arm to tangle her fingers in his dark hair
and pull his head more firmly into her neck. "Oh, William," she breathed, "I love you so very much. But please darling, I do
not know how much longer I can wait. There is so much I do not know, but I am ex
ceedingly anxious for that education you promised me!" "And you shall have it, dearest, for I also love you. But I had always heard tha
t it was important for a new husband to be very tender and careful with his new
bride." ?33 "And I had always heard, sir," said Elizabeth, "that new husbands were like barb
arian Vikings, so anxious to ravish their new brides that they rent their very g
arments in the urgency of their desire!" Darcy smiled as he completed the unlacing of her corset and removed it. "Perhaps
next time, madam. But for this time, my self-esteem is gratified that I can mak
e you tremble so by proceeding slowly." "Beast," Elizabeth said with a smile, then she arched herself upward as he lai
d a hand on her slim waist. "In any case, Elizabeth," Darcy said with a smile, "rending your garments might
have left me bloodied like a Viking after battle due to all the sharp weapons lo
dged about your person!" Elizabeth giggled at his comment, but her voice stilled as Darcy turned now to h
er chemise and began to raise it up her legs until it was at her hips. "Ah," said Darcy, "the famous Bennet garters that we previously discussed." Eliz
abeth shivered at Darcy's hand on her thigh as he began to pull her stocking out
from under her garter while leaving the garter in place. She raised her knees s
lightly to make his task easier, since he so madden- ingly refused to be hurried
, and he began to slide the free stocking down her thigh. "Goose bumps again, Elizabeth?" Darcy said with a smile as her excitement caused
the sudden bumps along her ex- posed thigh. "Thoroughly charming, dearest." "Do you know what you are doing to me, William?" Elizabeth moaned under half-clo
sed eyelids. "Am I having any effect on you?" "Quite assuredly, madam, but you have been graced with a life partner of the mos
t profound self control," he responded in his most severe tone of social reserve
."Have I already said you are a beast?" she said accusingly, as his teasing finge
rs slowly rolled her stockings down her leg, past her knee and calf to her ankle
."Yes, you did mention it," he said, removing her stocking from her foot and drop
ping it on the floor. His fingers moved down the length of her bare leg, dancing
over her thigh and knee while she squirmed in frustration, excited by his touch
but wanting more. She hissed as his fingers moved over her small foot, tracing
the line of her supple toes, stroking the soft bottom from her toes to her heel. "Ticklish, Elizabeth?" Darcy said, with a malicious smile of mischief on his fac
e. "You would not dare," she breathed, for she was indeed ticklish, especially on t
he soles of her feet and along her sides, but her fears were assuaged for the mo
ment as he bent down to place a series of kisses from her thigh down her leg to
her foot. Then, after teasing her with a brief flutter of fingers on the sole of
her foot that made her toes curl, he busied himself with her other stocking. Darcy was as measured in his movements as he rolled this stocking down her leg a
s he had been with her other leg, and Elizabeth sighed as he stroked her slender
legs with both hands, feeling the firmness of her young muscles. ?34 "I love your touch, William," she said softly as she ran her fingers through his
hair while he bent to kiss her thighs. "And your kisses, though I have not had
as many of them as I hope to have in the future." She paused for a moment as sud
den emotion seemed to close her throat, and her voice was husky as she continued
, "I cannot believe that dreams which I did not even dare to dream have come tru
e, but your touch and your kisses on my bare skin are sweet beyond even my dream
s." Darcy's face was troubled as he raised his head to look at her lovely face, grac
ed with a smile of the utmost tenderness and love. "I do not feel comfortable th
at my actions were such as to make your dreams impossible even to dream. If Anne
had not confronted me as she did..." Darcy shook his head in discomfort. "Do not trouble yourself, my sweet darling," Elizabeth said, laying her palms on
both sides of his face. "It is our world, with both good and bad, and I did not
blame you for my situation. You did nothing wrong, yet you were able to receive
Anne's admonishments and triumph over them." Darcy felt himself being drawn int
o the depths of Elizabeth's warm, dark eyes as she continued softly, "I am the m
ost fortunate of women, William, in that the man I chose was able to master hi
mself in such a manner despite the mortification of your cousin's accusations. I
am so proud of you, for all that you are and all that you do for your friends a
nd your family. Remember, if not for you, my father would be dead at Wickham's h
and." Darcy felt his heart swell with these most earnest and heart-felt compliments, t
hough he could not believe that they were as deserved as she seemed to believe. "But now, sir," Elizabeth said, her look of earnestness disappearing as her eyes
began to dance with mischief. "Have you not forgotten the task at hand? I must
confess that I am desirous of seeing a bit more of the Viking and a little less
of the vaunted Darcy self-control!" Darcy threw back his head and laughed heartily at the many aspects to this most
marvelous woman he had married. "I do believe you are correct, madam," he said as he returned to his task. "But
since I promised that you would keep your garters, I believe that I have only on
e more item left to deal with before I have you right where I want you." Elizabeth matched his smile, but she could not keep her cheeks from assuming a s
light blush as he drew her chemise higher. Darcy had been correct about having o
nly one more item to deal with, since Elizabeth had not worn any additional un
derclothing, and now her bare hips and belly were seen for the first time by som
eone other than her sisters or her maid. Darcy smiled slightly at her blush and continued working her chemise upward ov
er her chest until Elizabeth was unclothed from her shoulders down. "You are bea
utiful beyond words, Mrs. Darcy," he smiled at her as he pulled her chemise over
her head and dropped it on the ground. Elizabeth's blush became deeper as Darcy
's eyes feasted on her unclothed body. "I thank you for the compliment, sir," she said, as her blush spread down her ne
ck to her shoulders, "but it is still most disconcerting to be completely bare i
n front of a man for the first time in my life." "Ah, but what if I had more of that Viking that you mentioned?" he teased, as hi
s hands went to his cravet and began to loosen it. "You should have been complet
ely unclothed for some time, and your ravishment would already be a completed
fact." "And should I respond in kind, sir?" Elizabeth said with a smile, starting to ra
ise to one elbow. "I must admit to at least as much ignorance of the details of
men's fashion as you have admitted about the female version." "Next time, madam," said Darcy, pushing her back down on her back. "I much prefe
r this view, and I also am forced to admit that the vaunted Darcy self-control t
hat you mention has just reached its limits..." Darcy dropped his cravet to the ground and quickly removed his frockcoat and wai
stcoat before beginning to unbutton his fine lawn shirt. Elizabeth wore a slight
smile as she watched him with obvious interest as his shirt was unbuttoned to t
he waist, and now it was Darcy's turn to blush slightly at her own open regard. "Nay, sir, do not hesitate on my account!" Elizabeth said with a mischievous smi
le as his fingers began to slow. "Come, have a seat so that you may remove your
shoes, since it is obvious that a man's shoes are much more sturdy than a woman'
s slippers." She rolled to her side and pulled him down to sit on the bed, risin
g to a kneeling position at his back. As he removed his shoes, she pulled his sh
irt over his shoulders and began to pull it down his arms, binding his arms as h
e pulled one shoe off. "Patience, madam!" he said over his shoulder. "I have to undo my cuffs, and I ca
nnot remove my shoes with my arms pinned!" "Then you must hurry, my love," Elizabeth said eagerly, as her small hands and n
imble fingers explored his bare shoulders, squeezing the muscles that ran from
his neck to the point of his shoulders. "I did not know that men of fashion had
such large muscles compared to women, and I have other explorations in mind." "Fencing and riding, the diversions of an idle gentleman," he said with a sardon
ic smile as he unfastened his cuffs and pulled his arms out of his sleeves. Eliz
abeth snorted in amusement as she pulled his shirt out of his trousers and thr
ew it into the middle of the room. She put her arms around his neck from behind,
arms clasped over his broad chest as she pressed her bare body against his for
the first time, gratified by his quick indrawn breath that showed that her husba
nd was as affected by the experience as she was. "I also did not know that men had so much hair," she said shakily, running her h
ands over the hair on his chest and rubbing her belly against his back, trying
to counter the delicious thrills that ran through her midriff. Her nipples were
stiff with desire, pressing into the tingling skin of his back, and Darcy shivered again as he completed removing his shoes and stockings. He placed his
hands over hers, pulling her arms around him more firmly as she began to kiss h
is neck from behind. He inclined his head to one side, pulling the skin tighter
as her feathery kisses stimulated him, increasing his arousal, which already mad
e it almost mandatory to stand up. Elizabeth gave a wordless sound of disagreement as Darcy stood up, but her disap
pointment was quickly relieved as he unfastened his trousers. Her hands were qui
ck to aid his in lowering them, leaving him wearing only a pair of cotton drawer
s. Quickly, he untied the drawstring, and Elizabeth gave a low sound of approval
as this last garment slid to the floor. She had a moment to appreciate another
difference between men and women as she appreciated the view of his narrow, hard
-muscled buttocks. She thought that this might be the most appealing part of his
body, at least from her point of view, but she was now so impatient to pull him
down beside her that she had to defer any aesthetic apprecia- tion for another
time. "Oh, William, my love," she whispered as he lay down beside her and gathered her
in, pulling her against him so that her flesh pressed against his from neck to
knee. It was so marvelous, so new, so very, very right. Instinctively, as one of
his hands cupped her buttock, she opened her legs to allow his own to slide bet
ween them, and she moaned as she felt the warm skin of his leg press against the
throbbing warmth of her sex. His hand felt gigantic, it seemed to encompass her
whole buttock, and she shoved her belly hard against his own, feeling the erect
rigidity of his manhood between them as her hungry lips sought his. "Elizabeth," Darcy groaned, his need for her so intense that he wanted so very b
adly to flip her onto her back and bury himself inside her immediately. But he r
estrained himself, chiding himself that he must go slowly with his new wife, l
ittle knowing that Elizabeth would not have been disappointed had he given in
to his desire, for her own matched his. Neither one of them was truly knowledgea
ble about the intimacies between a man and a woman, but their love made them wil
ling to restrain their impulses in deference to the supposed needs of the other. Elizabeth moaned again as Darcy's hand moved over the curve of her hip and the n
arrowness of her waist until it cupped her breast in the way that she already kn
ew that he loved. She shoved her breast hard into his hand, making her need clea
r, and Darcy responded by massaging and squeezing her sensitive orb. His mouth
pulled away from her own, and she stiffened and pushed her chest outward as his
kisses moved down her chest to her nipple. She hissed as his tongue flicked her
turgid bud, and both hands pulled his head hard against her breast as his mouth
surrounded her nipple. She wriggled in delight, moving her hips against his leg
as he suckled her nipple, laving it with his tongue and then nipping it gently
with his white teeth. Darcy's hand moved down her body, over her waist, feeling the fluttering of he
r belly as his fingers traced the sweet ?35 indentation of her navel. Elizabeth may have been inexperienced, but she knew
where his hand was headed, and she was eager as his fingers moved between her le
gs. The feel of his fingers as they moved over the soft folds of her sex was ind
escribable, and she felt the beginnings of that delicious feeling that she had f
elt last night. Her eyes were closed and she was whispering Darcy's name over an
d over again as a finger slid inside her. Elizabeth bucked against him as the most intense feeling of pleasure that she
had ever known radiated through her groin as his finger slid further inside her.
She shoved her breast hard against his mouth as the tip of his finger explored
the almost unbelievable softness of her sex until it slid over the throbbing nub
just between the folds of her sex. She bucked again at the intensity of the fee
ling, and her instincts prompted her to move her hands from Darcy's head down to
his buttocks. "William," she moaned, "please, my love. Please, do not wait." She did not know
truly what she wanted, but she knew that she was ready. As Darcy realized the sa
me, he raised his lips from her nipple and rolled her onto her back. Elizabeth s
ignified her readiness as her legs opened readily for him and her hands reached
down to eagerly caress the length and rigidity of his manhood and then to guide
it to the throbbing center of her femininity. Her hands went to his buttocks as she felt him slide inside her, into the warm a
nd moist recess that caused the most incredible feelings of pleasure. She had be
en warned by her aunt that her first experience with her husband would likely be
uncomfortable, but Elizabeth felt little discomfort as she urged him onward unt
il he was fully sheathed inside her. Only a brief twinge marked her passage from
a maiden to a wife, and that was soon overwhelmed by the pleasure that grew as
Darcy began to move inside her. She only felt a deep, fulfilling joy and delight
, both of the purely physical and also of the spiritual, as her husband both beg
an to learn and to teach her the age-old intimacies of husband and wife. Darcy had also heard that the first time was often painful for a new wife, and h
e was more than prepared to either slow down or withdraw if Elizabeth suffered d
iscomfort. But her kisses were warm and passionate as she began to move her hips
in response to his motions, and he gradually became more energetic. As his thru
sts deepened, her own motions matched his, and her arms clasped him tightly to h
er as she whispered words of endearment into his ear. The feel of her soft lips
on his ear lobes was thrilling, and the soft but urgent words of love were equal
ly so, and Elizabeth felt his pleasure as she held him close to her. Her small t
eeth nibbled gently at his ear, and she gloried in the shudder that swept throug
h him as her soft tongue probed into his ear. Both of them were beginning to per
spire slightly from the exertions, but it only made their skin slide more easily
as she arched upward to meet him. Elizabeth cried out as her pleasure crested, but hardly had the pleasure from th
at release swept quickly through her ?36 than she felt another crest beginning to build. She did not have names for these
pinnacles of pleasure, but, as the heated pressure in her belly began to build
again, she wanted nothing more than for Darcy to continue to love her. Indeed,
she almost feared she might die if he stopped. Darcy, for his part, hesitated s
lightly as she cried out, thinking that Elizabeth was experiencing pain or disco
mfort, but her hands on his side and her whispered words of urgency immediately
convinced him to resume his rhythm. Elizabeth was panting as Darcy continued to thrust into her, and she was certain
that he was nearing his own peak, since his motions were becoming more rapid an
d were also plunging deeper, down to her very depths. She held him close with al
l the strength in her arms and urged him on, whispering his name over and over w
hile encouraging his every action. With a final thrust that filled her completel
y, Darcy went rigid as he reached completion. As Elizabeth felt him throb inside
her as his seed filled her, her own passion crested one last and final time, mo
re complete and deeper than previously, and she arched upward, matching his own
straining rigidity. As Darcy opened his eyes after his peak, he saw Elizabeth's sweet face in the dw
indling throes of her own fulfillment, and a sudden surge of love and warmth swe
pt through him. "Elizabeth," he murmured softly, and her eyes opened sluggishly. "William," she responded, and her arms about his waist tightened. "I love you, Elizabeth Darcy," he said softly, and he saw the complete belief an
d trust in her eyes as she smiled back at him. He had always had a lingering wor
ry at the back of his mind that she might believe that his affirmations of love
might be based, in some small part, on sympathy and pity for her own suffering,
for she knew that he regretted her heartache. But now this lingering worry was at last expunged, and she smiled back gently, h
er eyelids half closed in a surfeit of passion and exertion. "I love you also, F
itzwilliam Darcy," she said with a sleepy smile. Darcy rolled to the side and leaned down to pull the blankets of the bed up over
them. "Then sleep, my love," he whispered, as he laid her head on the pillow an
d pulled her against him. Elizabeth murmured something unintelligible as she snu
ggled closer to him, and then she felt the welcome lassitude claim her. Chapter 30 The sun was slanting through her bedroom windows when Elizabeth opened a languid
eye. At first, she did not realize where she was, for the window in her room fa
ced north and never admitted the sunlight. Then she noticed the cheerful green wallpaper, which was certainly not the wallp
aper in her room. And last of all, she noticed the warmth of human skin pressing
against her own all down her back and legs. And Elizabeth Darcy smiled as she came fully awake, realizing that it was her ne
w husband who was pressed so closely against her, and that they both were in the
same state of undress, which was to say, total. Except that I still have my garters, just as he promised! Elizabeth thought in amusement, reaching down to confirm that they were still in
place. So that is the mysterious happening that takes place in the marriage bed, the on
e that my mother warned Jane about! was her second thought. About a week after her own wedding, Jane had told her of the long but rather inc
oherent ramblings that Mrs. Bennet had shared with her eldest daughter on the ni
ght before her own wedding. Jane had assured Elizabeth that the actual experienc
es were not at all what she had anticipated from her mother's talk and had actua
lly been rather enjoyable. But that was all that Elizabeth had been able to get
out of her, and Jane had blushed so red and become so tongue-tied that Elizabeth
had given up trying to elicit more details. I wonder why my mother did not have the same talk with me? Elizabeth wondered id
ly, reaching down to run her hand along Darcy's thigh where it lay against the c
urve of her own leg. I never imagined that a man would have so much hair, she th
ought, as she lightly ran her hand over the curly mat of black hair that covered
his legs. It is so different from my own legs. I have some hair, but it is so t
hin and so light that it might almost not be there. She wondered if she ought to be repulsed, since Jane had also told her that her
mother had several times admonished her that she must not give any sign that she
was offended or disgusted by the sight of her husband's body. But she already k
new that she was not repulsed at all. She rather liked the idea that there were
such striking differences from her own body, and she ran her hand up his leg unt
il it came to rest on his hard-muscled buttock. My husband may be a gentleman, Elizabeth thought, but he hardly seems 'idle,' de
spite what he said. Actually, he seems to be more like an athlete than anything
else. He certainly lifted me in his arms as if I was nothing but a feather! She looked down at his arm, which was thrown over her chest. His hand had fallen
away from her breast as she slept, but she remembered that his palm had cupped
her breast as she had drifted off to sleep. The remembered feeling of his palm on her soft ski
n made her shiver slightly, and she ran her fingers down the hair on his arm as
she felt Darcy's chest rising and falling against her back from his slow breathi
ng. The hair on his arm was curly and black also, though not as thick as that on
his legs, and she carefully reached down to turn his palm slightly so that she
could press his hand against her breast again. Closing her eyes, Elizabeth Darcy decided that, even though she had not been mar
ried a full day, she now had a considerable number of reasons to approve of her
husband. She found one more as, unknown to her, Darcy had awoken and had held himself sti
ll, mesmerized by his new wife, while she had carried on her explorations. Her f
irst hint that he was awake was a gentle kiss on her ear, and the very unexpecte
dness of it made her shiver violently. She shivered again as she felt his warm b
reath in her ear, a feeling that was partly a tickling sensation but was also qu
ite pleasurable. "Goose bumps again, Mrs. Darcy?" asked Darcy huskily, as his hand cupped her del
ightful breast more energetically. When his tongue reached inside her ear, her reaction was even more energetic. "Only for you, my love," Elizabeth said softly, almost crooning in delight as sh
e felt herself begin to awaken again to Darcy's soft caresses. She made inarticu
late sounds deep in her throat as Darcy reached his other hand under her to cup
her other breast, and she wriggled her bare bottom against his hips as his finge
rs squeezed and rolled the stiff nubs of her nipples. She could feel that he was
aroused anew, and she reached her hand behind her to stroke the rigid shaft of
his manhood. She gasped in surprise as Darcy suddenly rolled over on his back, taking her wit
h him and nudging her with his leg so that she lay fully on top of him. One hand
continued to knead a breast while the other began to move down over her belly,
flattened by her arched position on top of him. As his hand moved lower until it reached the mound of her pubis, Elizabeth opene
d her legs eagerly to allow his hand access to its destination, which was exactl
y where she most wanted his hand to be right now. She moaned as his fingers slid
over the soft brown curls of her pubis, and she felt both hot and wet inside he
r most private place as his hand slid between her legs. Darcy raised his head and kissed her neck while his fingers explored the velvet
softness of her recess. He had been surprised to find her so slippery and wet in
side when they initially made love, and he believed that it must be an indicator
of her arousal. And she was obviously in a similar state now, twisting slightly
and moving her hips on top of him while she stretched her neck to one side, all
owing him to tease and tickle her soft, sensitive skin from her ear to her shoul
der. He knew that they were both discovering the ways to please each other, whic
h was only to be expected, given his relative and her complete lack of experienc
e. He chuckled as it suddenly struck him how easy it would be to flatter him- ?37 self that he was some kind of masterful lover, when the real explanation for Eli
zabeth's reaction to his every touch was more likely to be the many months when
she had suffered with a love that she believed to be doomed. "And what has tickled your-oh, yes, touch me there again-oh my, oh my-tickled yo
ur fancy, sir?" Elizabeth managed to gasp out while Darcy continued his ministra
- tions. "I am just happy to be able to make you happy, Mrs. Darcy," he said before retur
ning to tickle her ear with his tongue again. "But," he said, raising his head,
"I was just realizing how new this is to me and how much I have to learn about m
y beautiful new wife, yet you seem to enjoy everything I do. It could make me mo
st unreasonably proud of myself if I do not watch myself carefully." Elizabeth laughed huskily, continuing to demonstrate by her movements and sounds
that she was enjoying his every touch, as he continued to stroke her breast and
nipple with one hand while he gently moved his finger back and forth inside of
her, teasing that nub of flesh that had elicited such a vibrant response earlier
. Her response this time was not as violent as she slowly rotated her hips in co
ncert with the gentle movements of his hand. "Feel as proud as...as you like...o
h, yes, yes...but I cannot wait any longer..." With a gentle, almost languid motion, Elizabeth twisted like an eel as she rotat
ed her body on top of Darcy so that she now lay on top of him, face-to-face, whi
le his hands held her sides. Her hands came up to his head so that she could bur
y her fingers in his hair as she bent to brush her lips across his. The gentle caress of her lips became firmer, their kiss deeper, and Darcy presse
d his hips upward as her gentle circular motion with her hips teased and tanta
lized his manhood. Darcy was becoming frantic with his need to embed himself inside her, and his mo
tions caused the tip of his erection to brush teasingly across her warm sex. T
he same thought seemed to occur to each of them, and Elizabeth raised her hips s
lightly to reach down with a hand and guide his shaft toward its goal. Darcy was
ready and sucked in a lungful of air as he slipped inside her again. The feeling was almost unbearably delightful for both of them as Elizabeth slid
herself down his body until she had swallowed him completely. "I think it is pas
t time for an end to...gentleness," Elizabeth gasped out as Darcy began to move
his hips so that he slid inward and outward inside her. "I agree," Darcy responded, increasing the tempo and energy of his motions. Eliz
abeth quickly found a correspond- ing motion and both of them were soon perspiri
ng from the warmth of the afternoon and their exertions. Her position caused Eli
zabeth to have to move more energetically this time, and she needed her breath,
which allowed Darcy to be able to whisper endearments in her ear. He told her he
loved her, he repeated her name again and again, he told her that if it were up
to him he would keep her in bed forever and never allow her to put clothes on a
gain. All of it was non- ?38 sense, much of it ridiculous, but Elizabeth loved it as much as Darcy had previo
usly, though she was gasping, partly in passion and partly to get her breath. Elizabeth felt her passion building more slowly this time, and she thrust downwa
rd hard, trying to get as much of Darcy's manhood inside her as possible with ea
ch stroke, trying to nurse and build the growing pressure until she felt it blos
som inside her as she arched backward. It lasted longer this time than previousl
y, and Darcy held her hips against him as he watched her pleasure crest. As it p
assed, Elizabeth collapsed until Darcy held her against his chest again while sh
e sucked in air, trying to catch her breath. When she finally raised her head, Darcy smiled at her. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Dar
cy," he said, lifting a finger to her soft lips.?"Good afternoon, Mr. Darcy," she responded, nibbling on his finger with her small, white teeth. "Do you happen to know the time?" she
asked. "The sun is not yet at the horizon, judging from what I see, but it is close. I
would estimate that it is perhaps close to six o'clock." "And we dine at eight." She smiled at him, her spirits inclining toward playfuln
ess. "For some reason, I seem to have worked up an appetite, Mr. Darcy. Shall we
dress for dinner?" "Soon, Elizabeth. But I have some unfinished business. To quote what you said ea
rlier, 'Do you have any idea what you are doing to me?'" Elizabeth became aware that he was still sheathed inside her. Blushing slightly,
she ventured, "So you did not...that is, I did but you...oh, my, I have no word
s!" "I daresay," said Darcy dryly. "I do not believe that either of us do. But I t
hought of it as...as a peak, a pinnacle, a crest." Elizabeth laughed softly, for Darcy had turned as red as she had. "So I peaked-o
r crested-and you did not?" "No, I was close, but now it seems to have gone away." "Yet you are still...still inside me." Elizabeth turned red again and looked at
Darcy with upraised eyes. "So it seems. I was thinking I might do...this!" Elizabeth shrieked as he sudden
ly rolled over in bed until he was on top and still inside her. Now he pulled out slightly, then shoved inwa
rd. "Ah, much better," he said. "You could have given me warning, sir!" Elizabeth said accusingly, as Darcy bega
n to thrust inside her, but he just smiled down at her, holding himself off of h
er with his arms. She lifted her hands and ran them over his arms as he moved, m
arveling at their hardness. His motions felt mildly pleasurable, but she did n
ot believe that she would...crest...again. But for her husband...perhaps she cou
ld help... Darcy hissed as Elizabeth placed her hands on his buttocks and pulled him forw
ard at the end of his stroke, digging her fingernails into his skin as she did
so. It was mostly accidental, and she started to apologize until she saw the lo
ok on Darcy's face. He thrust again, and again she pulled him forward, digging her fingernails in deliberately. This time she felt him throb i
nside her as his eyes almost seemed to cross as he looked down at her, his mouth
slightly open. Again and again he repeated, and now there could be no mistake-the sensation was
obviously heightening his arousal. "I do believe you are getting close to-how did you put it?-your peak, Mr. Darcy,
" Elizabeth said maliciously. "Ahhhh..." Darcy groaned as he felt his own passion building, starting almost at
his tailbone. "Minx," he mumbled, as Elizabeth continued to aid his thrusts. "My education is becoming quite interesting, sir," Elizabeth said with an evil g
rin, but then Darcy thrust into her as hard as he could. She clasped him to her,
her fingers digging into the skin of his bottom but not even denting his muscle
s. She felt him throbbing inside her, and a sudden wetness told her that his see
d had again filled her. Her arms moved up his back, and she pulled him down to h
er. He made a move to lift himself off of her, but she liked the way he felt as
his weight pressed her into the bed. "I am not a doll, William," she whispered i
nto his ear. "I will not break. Lay with me, my love, lay with me." Gradually, Darcy got his breath back and tilted his head back to look at Elizabe
th. "You are full of surprises, Elizabeth." "As are you, William," she smiled. Then her eyes brightened. "Is it time to dr
ess for dinner now?" Darcy laughed. "Yes, Elizabeth, now it is time to dress for dinner." "Now that you have 'peaked,' " Elizabeth teased. "Now that we both have peaked," he said with a teasing smile, and Elizabeth redd
ened slightly. Darcy rolled aside with a smile. "Then perhaps you would care to don a bathrobe
before you ring for your maid?" Elizabeth was still covered by the sheet around her legs, and now she pulled it
up to her shoulders. "Would you please get one for me, William?" she asked sweet
ly. He gave her a slow grin and leaned forward to kiss her on the tip of her nose. "
Despite how fetching I believe you would look in the late afternoon sun, Elizabe
th," he said, "I will defer that pleasure for now." Throwing back the sheet, he
left the bed and walked over to Elizabeth's closet. As he reached the closet and
opened the door, he looked back to see Elizabeth staring at his unclothed state
with rapt attention. Giving her a wry grin, he sketched a deep bow before dis
appearing into her closet. He emerged a moment later with a deep blue bathrobe which he then carried over t
o the bed. Stopping several feet away, he held it open, obviously intending to h
elp her slip it on. Elizabeth held her slim arm out. "Please," she said in her m
ost beseeching tone, fluttering her eyelashes at him. Darcy just laughed and shook his head, wiggling the robe in obvious pantomime of
helping slip it over her shoulders. Elizabeth giggled and gave up. Throwing the
sheet aside, she stood up, giggling again at the intent gaze she drew from Darcy. However, her cheeks were red as she allowed him to slip the robe over her
shoulders. "Now I will leave you to the care of your maid, Elizabeth. I shall see you when
you are dressed." "Are you not going to take your clothing with you, Mr. Darcy?" she asked. "We are not going to fool anyone, Elizabeth," he said, with another grin, but he
still bent to pick up his clothing before he departed to his own room through a
door beside her dressing room. He was whistling a cheerful air as he left. Elizabeth just shook her head with a
smile at the many surprising aspects of the man she had married. A most educati
onal day indeed, she thought in amusement. 2SARAH WAS ALMOST THROUGH setting Elizabeth's hair when a soft knock sounded on t
he door that connected her bedroom with that of her husband. Sarah had just star
ted towards the door to answer it when Elizabeth called, "Enter!"?Darcy entered and closed the door behind him while Sarah returned to complete her work on Elizabeth's hair. Elizabeth's warm smile
of welcome drew an answering smile from her husband, and Darcy leaned up against
the corner of Elizabeth's dressing room, watching Sarah complete her task. He r
emembered how he had often visited his mother as she was completing her toilette
, before she had become pregnant with David. As he watched Sarah's flying finger
s, he felt as if he were part of an ever-repeating cycle, vanish- ing back into
the depths of antiquity and stretching into the unforeseeable future. Elizabeth noticed the pensive look on her husband's face and wondered what he wa
s remembering. "A shilling for your thoughts, Mr. Darcy," she said with a smile. Darcy was silent for a few moments as he collected his thoughts, and Elizabeth t
hought that he seemed to have come back from far away to rejoin her in the here
and now. It took another brief moment as he realized that, at least with this wo
man, he did not have to dissemble and hide every thought away from the outside w
orld. He glanced once at Sarah, but Elizabeth had already told him how much she
trusted the girl, who was several years her senior. She had been keeping Elizabe
th's secrets for years. He knew that he could maintain a large part of his married life as a private p
erson and only share certain parts of it with his wife, which was the option cho
sen by most married couples with situations similar to his own. It had been the
example set, to a large degree, by his own parents. Not that they had not loved
each other, but both of them had their own interests and friends and lived much
of their lives in separate worlds. ?39 Or, he thought, I can put my trust in my new wife and share with her thoughts an
d feelings that I would have heretofore concealed almost without thought. His thoughts and analysis were complete almost as soon as he started them. What
suited my parents will not do for me, he thought, looking at the raised eyebrows
and open smile of his new wife. For one thing, Elizabeth is not my mother and c
ould not bear to be shut out of a goodly portion of my life. For another, I woul
d not like that either. And so the die was set, just that easily, and Fitzwilliam Darcy simply returned
his wife's smile and opened his heart to her. "I was remembering how I often vis
ited my mother as she had dressed and her maid was finishing with her hair," he
told her. "It was in this same room, and she sat in the same chair you are sitti
ng in. I often leaned up against this same wall, and my mother would tell me to
stand up straight and proud." His mouth twisted wryly. "Even then, you see, I wa
s being trained to be proud." Elizabeth gave him a sharp glance, and he smiled rather sheepishly. "Yes, I know
, we have already had that conversation. But, to return to my subject, as I sa
w you sitting there, it seemed as if suddenly I could almost see all the people
who have gone before and will come afterward." "Does it bother you to have me sitting here?" Elizabeth asked in sudden concern,
but Darcy smiled and shook his head. "On the contrary, it seemed to give a sort of permanence to our condition, as if
we will only be here briefly, but the rhythms of life were in place before this
moment and will continue when we are both gone." He shrugged and spread his han
ds. "A passing daydream." "Perhaps," said Elizabeth as she made a last inspection of Sarah's efforts and p
ronounced herself pleased with the results. She nodded and stood up while Sarah
began to busy herself tidying up the dressing area. Darcy put out his arm for he
r as he opened the door to the hall, but Elizabeth suddenly stood up on tiptoe t
o kiss him on the cheek. He looked at her in sudden surprise as she took his arm
."Thank you for sharing yourself with me, William," she said softly, and Darcy wa
s mesmerized by the bright light of love in her eyes as he escorted her to her f
irst supper as Mistress of Darcy House. 2THE EVENING MEAL WAS excellently cooked and Elizabeth ate with relish, for she c
ould not remember being this hungry before. They were eating with David, Georgia
na, and Anne in the small family dining room that also doubled, as Darcy had tol
d her, as a breakfast room. Everyone had been downstairs ready to eat when she a
nd Darcy had descended the stairs, and there was no excess formality involved. D
arcy had smiled at everyone and said simply, "Dinner, I believe, is served." ?40 Darcy had escorted her to her seat at the end of the table, which was actually s
maller than her family's table at Longbourn, and everyone else had found their o
wn seats. David had darted to the chair beside Elizabeth and smiled triumphantly
at Anne, as she was forced to sit by Darcy. Georgiana had been equally quick, a
nd she sat to Elizabeth's left. Anne appeared somewhat pale still, but it was ea
sy to see that she was much improved since she had left Rosings, and Elizabeth w
as quick to comment on it. "I do feel better, Elizabeth," Anne said as she spooned her soup. "I have felt n
o nausea for more than a week, and I still think I could have attended the weddi
ng." "Perhaps," answered Darcy, "but Douglas makes eminent sense. 'She has been sick
for years,' he told me, 'and she cannot be healed in days.' You do remember wh
en he told me that, do you not?" "Well, yes," Anne said reluctantly. "And then he reminded me in a note that he had already determined that you mig
ht not be the most compliant patient he has ever seen. He guessed that you might
do something like trying to wheedle the staff into sending you down to Longbo
urn in the second carriage, which is why I left the most explicit instructions w
ith Mrs. Taylor and all the stable-hands." Suddenly, all of Anne's attention was on her soup as she lowered her head, blush
ing furiously. Everyone broke into cheerful laughter, and finally Anne was able
to manage a sheepish smile as she raised her head. Darcy leaned over and patted her on the shoulder. "Tommy said you were very pers
uasive, Anne," and another laugh went around the table as Anne blushed again. Georgiana leaned over and whi
spered to Elizabeth, "Already you are working a miracle on my brother, Elizabeth
.I have never seen him so open and so easy. I do not believe that I have ever see
n him make a jest like that." Georgiana could see the pride and the love that shone openly in Elizabeth's eyes
as she looked down the table and smiled at Darcy, and she suddenly felt like sh
e was going to choke up as she saw her brother return a smile of equal intensi
ty. She had always loved and respected her older brother, but she had almost bel
ieved that he would attend to his duties as her and David's guardian for so long
that he would never have a chance for happiness himself. Elizabeth's motion in leaning over to talk to Georgiana had a most unexpected ef
fect on her new brother. David had been about to take a drink when Elizabeth tur
ned her head and leaned over, and it had disclosed the skin of her neck. She was
wearing one of her older gowns, one that had a high neck with lace trim around
the throat, and David could now see several round, darkened areas on her smooth
skin. He stiffened suddenly in alarm, because he could only think of one possibi
lity for what he saw... "Elizabeth!" he blurted suddenly. "Your neck! You are bruised!" The effect on Elizabeth was electric. She seemed to draw her head downward and h
unched her shoulders, trying to pull her neck back inside the concealing lace. She also turned bright red from h
er forehead down to her throat, and David was sickly certain that his suspicions
were correct. He rounded on his brother suddenly, leaping to his feet. "Will, what have you do
ne to Elizabeth? You've bruised her! How could you..."?David's words died away as he saw his brother flushed an even brighter red than Elizabeth, and he, too, suddenly could not look up. An
d David saw something he had not noticed before now-below his brother's ear was
a mark that looked like a bruise, almost exactly like the ones that he saw on El
izabeth's neck. Meanwhile, Georgiana was making strangling sounds as she tried to jam her napkin
into her mouth while her whole body shook. Anne was not even making an attempt,
and she was laughing so hard that tears were running down her cheeks. David rea
lized that his sister's shaking was also laughter, but he did not have the sligh
test idea what the laughter was about. And now he remembered how Anne and Georgi
ana had been whispering to each other and giggling behind their hands as they ha
d walked together down the hall to the dining room. David felt a tugging at his sleeve as Anne copied Georgiana's actions and was ja
mming her napkin into her mouth to choke off her peals of delighted laughter. He
looked down to see Elizabeth pulling on the sleeve of his coat, trying to pul
l him back down into his chair, and, while she was still as red as a beet, her s
houlders were also quaking with suppressed giggles. And when he looked down the
table at his brother, he saw him glance up at Elizabeth and give her a sheepish
smile. As he collapsed back into his chair, David felt his own cheeks flame, but he did
not have any idea why. Everyone was laughing, though some of it was due more to
extreme embarrassment than to humor. "I do not understand," he mumbled. Anne and Georgiana erupted again and jammed their napkins further into their mou
ths. Meanwhile, Elizabeth had picked up her fork and was trying to resume eating
. Darcy stared at his plate and snuck glances at Elizabeth. And David felt like
crawling under the table. "Your brother did not hurt me, David," Elizabeth said finally, reaching over to
pat him on the arm. "But the explanation will have to wait until you are a bit
older." "I simply do not understand at all," he blurted.?Anne and Georgiana again howled
with unrestrained glee. 2WHEN ELIZABETH OPENED HER eyes, the room was in total darkness. She lay in the
warm bed, gradually orienting herself. She could feel Darcy pressed up against
her back with one arm flung over her shoulders and the other under her head. Then she hea
rd a soft knock at her door, and she realized that must be what had awoken her.
She also heard a soft voice call, "Elizabeth?" The voice was Georgiana's voice, and Elizabeth was immediately fully awake. It
was most singular that someone would come knocking on her door in the middle of
the night, especially after the embarrassing episode during dinner. She threw b
ack the covers and found her robe, which she had carefully placed on one of the
posts in the bed in case she might need it. Since Darcy had again removed all he
r clothing except for her garters, the robe was very necessary, and she quickl
y pulled it on and tied the belt tightly. The knock came again, a little louder, just before she got to the door, and Eliz
abeth opened it to find Georgiana in the hall, holding a candle with her hand ra
ised for another knock. "Oh, thank goodness, Elizabeth," Georgiana said urgently, and Elizabeth was al
armed at the distress that she heard in the younger girl's voice. "I am very sor
ry to awaken you, but Mrs. Taylor just woke me up. Anne is very sick, and my bro
ther was not in his room." "He is in my room, Georgiana. Do we need to awaken him? Or should we allow him t
o continue sleeping?" "I have no idea, Elizabeth," responded Georgiana. "But please, come see Anne rig
ht away. I do not know what is wrong, but she is so deathly ill. I am afraid tha
t she might be dying!" As they immediately set out for Anne's suite of rooms, Georgiana told her that A
nne had been discovered by one of the maids who responded to a bell pull to find
Anne helplessly throwing up the undigested remains of her supper. Elizabeth fel
t a sudden flash of even greater alarm at hearing this, for it appeared that Ann
e must have had a relapse. When they got to Anne's room, they found several servants already busy there u
nder the direction of the housekeeper. The bed had been stripped of the fouled
bed-linens, the windows had been opened to relieve the rancid smell of vomit, a
nd the bed was being re-made. Anne had been wrapped in blankets and was lying on
the sofa while Mrs. Taylor knelt beside her, attempting to comfort her. Her com
- plexion was pale and pasty, and it was obvious that the improvement in her h
ealth had disappeared. Mrs. Taylor looked up in relief as Elizabeth appeared with Georgiana. Elizabeth
went to her knees beside the housekeeper and took one of Anne's hands. It was co
ol and dry, and the other girl was obviously not feverish. It was equally obviou
s that whatever had happened to her was beyond their ability to minister. "Mrs. Taylor, is there another room where we might move Anne for the moment? It
is drafty in the room, and it would be good to get her in a room with a fire. An
d would you send one of the servants with a carriage to fetch Dr. Douglas?" "I will see to it imm
ediately, Mrs. Darcy," said the housekeeper, rising to her feet, grateful that the new Mistress of ?4? the house was both decisive and sensible. She quickly and quietly gave orders, a
nd two of the male servants arrived quickly to carry Anne in her blankets to ano
ther room down the hall. Elizabeth also heard the clatter of hooves from the rea
r courtyard and knew that the carriage was on its way to fetch the doctor. When the fire was well ablaze and Anne settled as much as possible, Elizabeth tu
rned around to find Darcy standing behind her in a robe. He had a worried look o
n his face, and Elizabeth quickly brought him current on what had happened. An
ne was hardly conscious, and they were afraid to give her either food or drink u
ntil Dr. Douglas arrived. Within another half-hour, the carriage returned with Dr. Douglas. He was hastily
dressed in trousers and a shirt that was not even tucked in, but he had eyes on
ly for Anne as he entered the room. Any thought that he had been summoned withou
t need disappeared as soon as he got his first glimpse of her. Quickly, he order
ed everyone out of the room except Darcy and Elizabeth and then he began a quick
examination. "She is gravely ill, gravely," he muttered. "Her life forces have dwindled very
low...her heartbeat is rapid and shallow...she has no fever...she suffers from
lack of water..." "Mrs. Taylor said that she tried to give her a little when she was first summone
d, but Anne could not keep it down," said Elizabeth. "I am not surprised. Here...I have something that might help that..." He had his
medicine bag beside him and he located a small lozenge wrapped in paper that he
carefully placed under Anne's tongue. "Miss de Bourgh," he said to her, and gra
dually her eyes began to focus on him. "You must suck on the lozenge and let it
dissolve, but you must not swallow it. Do you understand?" Anne was able to give a small nod of her head before she closed her eyes again.
Dr. Douglas watched carefully and saw how her sunken cheeks would move as she we
akly sucked on the lozenge. "Very good," he said, standing up and addressing Darcy and Elizabeth. "If she ca
n stay awake enough to dissolve the lozenge, it should reduce her nausea enough
so that we can give her some water mixed with a little wine. If we can get her t
o drink and keep down some liquids, she has at least a chance. But if she slips
into a coma without drinking liquids, I fear that she will never awaken." The three sat down in the chair and on the sofa to keep vigil over Anne, and fin
ally Dr. Douglas confirmed that the lozenge had been dissolved. After that, he w
as able to get her to take a little water and wine mixture, and gradually she se
emed to relax into the bed and slipped into a troubled sleep. After he had exami
ned her again, he asked Darcy to ring for the housekeeper. "Ah, Mrs. Taylor," he greeted her when she arrived. "I believe that we have been
in time. I would like for you to get one or two of your maids to stay with her
at all times. When she wakens, she can have some water mixed with wine-four ?42 parts water to one part wine. Also, please have the curtains drawn so that the r
oom can be completely darkened." Mrs. Taylor immediately set out to accomplish these tasks, and Dr. Douglas asked
if Darcy and the rest of his family could join him in one of the other rooms. "
I would like to have everyone tell me what Miss de Bourgh might have eaten tonig
ht. From the suddenness of her illness when contrasted on how well she looked wh
en I saw her two days ago, I have to suspect that the problem is something she a
te. At this point, it could very well be food poisoning, but the symptoms are ra
ther severe." After Darcy led the way to his library, he ordered tea and also asked for his si
ster and brother, along with his housekeeper and Anne's maid, to join them. It
was just past five o'clock, but, because of the emergency, the house was alread
y fully awake, with servants bustling up and down the hall outside the library.
It was less than five minutes before all the parties had appeared in the library
.Dr. Douglas opened the conversation as soon as Darcy gave him a nod. "All of you
know how Miss de Bourgh has been slowly but steadily improving over the past tw
o weeks. But tonight she has suffered a relapse that put her life in danger. For
tunately, I believe the worst is over, but the problem remains that something
caused this sudden relapse. She does not have a fever, so I do not believe that
she contracted a sudden illness, but to be safe, has there been any sickness in
the house?" All answered in the negative, and Dr. Douglas continued, "That is what I expecte
d. I really suspect that this illness is due to something she ate, possibly food
poisoning. Did anyone have any adverse reactions to the morning or noon meal?" Again, the response was
negative. "And Anne has been following the diet I gave her?"?"Yes, Dr. Douglas," answered Mrs. Taylor. "I ret
rieved my records on the way here, and everything that Miss de Bourgh ate is recorded h
ere. As you can see, I followed your instructions to the letter. Warm broth of e
ither chicken or beef, simply seasoned, well cooked, and brought to a boil. Fres
h vegetables prepared the same way, boiled and seasoned with the broth, plain fr
uit, and water cut with wine." Dr. Douglas ran down the list of meals with his fingers. "Yes...yes...excellen
t...very complete. Thank you, Mrs. Taylor," he said, rising from his stooped pos
ition and beginning to pace. "During my military service, I have seen the way ill-prepared food
, especially food that was uncooked or partially cooked, would inevitably cause
a variety of sicknesses among the troops. I have had good results from this si
mple diet that I prescribed for Anne." He suddenly stopped pacing and stared at
Mrs. Taylor, "Do you think she followed the diet without cheating, Mrs. Taylor?" "Yes, doctor, I do. And I believe that her maid will confirm that." "Mrs. Taylor is right, doctor," said Margaret, Anne's maid. "We usually bring he
r a tray, so there would have been no other way for Miss Anne to be tempted. And
when she has hadvisitorsforhermeals,suchasMissGeorgianaorMaster David, we always brought them
the same food that Miss Anne ate. The only meal she has had downstairs was last
night's dinner." "Yet what has afflicted her this morning resembles nothing so much as food poi
soning," he said. "I know the evening meal must have been somewhat festive last
night, and there were likely some rich dishes served. Could Miss Anne have someh
ow consumed one of those dishes?" Darcy shook his head in the negative. "Anne was sitting by me, and she appeared
to be in excellent spirits all evening. I know that she ate only from her own pl
ate." Then, a sudden thought occurred to him, and he said slowly, "However, El
izabeth and I did leave the table somewhat earlier than the rest of the family." Both Darcy and Elizabeth blushed at this comment, for both of them had been rath
er eager to return to her bedroom-and her bed. Georgiana had to look down and pu
t her fist into her mouth to keep from giggling out loud, while David continued
to look somewhat perplexed. But Dr. Douglas noticed none of this as he continued
to pace. "And you are certain that none of the food Anne ate was spoiled?" he asked Mrs.
Taylor. Mrs. Taylor was momentarily angered by his comment, but she calmed herself. The
doctor was a plain-spoken man- he was only thinking out loud and had no intent t
o condemn or accuse. She consulted her books. "This is what was prepared for h
er last night, Doctor. She had a soup of beef and vegetables, prepared according
to your instructions. Along with that she had peas and a fruit dish with apple
and pear slices, and she had a glass of well-watered wine. I believe that severa
l of the kitchen staff had the soup with no ill effects as well as the peas." Dr. Douglas raised his eyebrows when he heard that the servants ate the same dis
hes as the family, but Mrs. Taylor was quick to inform him that this was not at
all unusual at Darcy House. "Mr. Darcy keeps a good table for the staff, and las
t night was no exception. He does not approve of throwing out what the family do
es not eat just so the staff does not share it. And last night, in addition to a
splendid meal, Mr. Darcy ordered a bowl of punch for all of the household staff
in celebration of his wedding." Dr. Douglas nodded and wrinkled his brow. "Nothing appears at all out of sorts t
here. This is most perplexing." He shook his head in frustration. David had been trying to gather his courage to speak for several minutes. Now, h
e decided he could no longer maintain silence, though he surprised the group whe
n he spoke up. "Dr. Douglas, I am afraid that I must contradict Mrs. Taylor and
Margaret. As Will was escorting Elizabeth from the dining room, I saw cousin Ann
e sneak a couple of the small bread loaves from the tray and hide them in her na
pkin," he said diffidently. Almost instantly, every eye in the room was on him,
and David took a step backward at the intentness of their gaze. "Indeed?" asked Darcy in icy quietness, and David flushed at the unspoken accusa
tion. "I challenged her about it after the meal, Will," David said apologetically, "bu
t cousin Anne begged me not to tell. 'Your brother and his new wife only have ey
es for each other,' she told me, 'and the bread smelled heavenly. I just could not help myself.'" He
paused for a moment. "I did not think it would matter, and she was so very exci
ted and happy." Darcy opened his mouth angrily, but Elizabeth laid a hand on his arm. She didn't
say anything, she just looked at him, and Darcy finally took a deep breath and
turned back to David. "Yes, you are correct, dearest. I do apologize, David," he
said. "I spoke in anger because of my worry about Anne." "But it is truly an ill wind that blows no good," said Elizabeth. "And David may
just have given us a clue to what brought on this sudden sickness." She turned
to Dr. Douglas. "Is it possible that bread is like a poison to Anne? If so, could that make the
resemblance of her illness to food poison understandable?" Dr. Douglas spread his hands helplessly. "Possibly, Mrs. Darcy. Probable, even,
given what the boy has told us. I know that sometimes women give birth to babies
who cannot seem to digest their mother's milk. They sicken quickly and die. So
what you suggest could well be true, though I have read of nothing similar in th
e medical journals." Again he shrugged helplessly. "So many times a person will
sicken of some unknown malady and be dead within days. We have opinions of a m
ultitude for such illnesses but precious few answers." He pondered for several minutes, pacing again, then stopped. "Mrs. Taylor, it ap
pears that most of the household staff is awake, so could you enquire for the in
gredients that were used in making the rolls last night? I would like to compare
those ingredients to the ingredients that were used in the usual dishes that Mi
ss de Bourgh consumed before she became ill. Mrs. Darcy may well be correct, but
even if she is, we have to find out just what might be causing her problem. I w
ould prefer not to have a repetition of this night's crisis." Mrs. Taylor was gone about a quarter hour before returning with several well-w
orn journals as well as the cook. "Dr. Douglas, this is Henry Jackson, our cook. I brought his cooking journals as
well as the man himself so that he can answer your questions." "Excellent! Come, let us peruse them and see if we come upon any salient points.
"While Dr. Douglas huddled at a table in the corner with the other two, Darcy sug
gested to Georgiana and David that they might wish to return to their beds for t
he moment. Neither of them wanted to leave, however, and Elizabeth hid a smile a
t the expression on Darcy's face. If his brother and sister had departed, he mig
ht have been able to invent a reason why he ought to take her back up to her bed
room. Darcy saw her expression and smiled sheepishly, finally seating himself
on one of the sofas and inviting Elizabeth to sit at his side. ?43 It was almost an hour before Dr. Douglas was through with his examination, and t
he morning sun was peeking through the curtains. He had a triumphant look on his
face as he came over to Darcy, followed by Mrs. Taylor and Henry Jackson. "We have it, Darcy!" he exclaimed. "We examined every item in the rolls cooked l
ast evening and compared it to the ingredients in every meal she has eaten. Mrs.
Taylor's records proved invaluable, and Mr. Jackson was able to quickly con- fi
rm the presence or absence of each ingredient we found." His smile widened. "Flo
ur!" he exclaimed. Darcy looked at him blankly for a minute, then repeated doubtfully. "Flour?" "Yes! It is most extraordinary, but Miss de Bourgh has not consumed a single oun
ce of flour since she came to your house. At least she had not until last night.
And every other ingredient in the bread was also used at one time or another in
one of her meals with no ill effects. It is most definitely flour!" "But is not flour used in almost all dishes?" asked Georgiana. "Like in meat pie
s and pastries and such?" "Of course, Miss Darcy," agreed Dr. Douglas. "But almost by accident, the simp
le fare that made up Miss de Bourgh's diet contained no dishes that used flour i
n any form. And, while we must proceed carefully, I believe that we can graduall
y expand her diet, making sure that any new foods are first eaten in very small
quantities so that we may discover any adverse reactions without a repetition of
tonight's illness." "Then you think she will get better if she avoids breads and other foods with fl
our?" asked Elizabeth. "It is my hope, Mrs. Darcy. She was definitely showing improvement in just a few
weeks but we now have to start over. However, we must remember that she has bee
n ill for some time, and I cannot guarantee that she will completely heal intern
ally. Only time and the benevolence of Providence will answer that question." He turned to Darcy. "You have obviously known your cousin for some years. Has sh
e always been this sickly?" Darcy thought for a moment before responding. "I have grown so used to my cousin
's ill health that I had not considered it, but I believe she once was much he
althier than she is now. I know she was a more active child when she was about t
en or eleven. It was somewhere between the death of my mother and the passing of
my father that she first began showing symptoms. And," said Darcy in sudden rem
em- brance, "her father, who I did not know well at all, since he died shortly a
fter Anne was born, was always reputed to be in ill health. It sapped him until
he finally passed in his sleep." "As Miss de Bourgh very likely would have done had she stayed with her mother,"
said Dr. Douglas flatly. Darcy was rather surprised at his tone, for he knew the
man to be very conscious of not intruding into a family's private affairs, but
he supposed that, since Anne was now his patient, the good man could not help ta
king her part. ?44 Darcy extended his hand. "Again, my family has reason to owe you thanks, doctor.
Will you stay to have an early breakfast with us before you return to your hous
e." "I would be delighted, Mr. Darcy," Dr. Douglas said, shaking Darcy's hand firmly
. "I often get called for an un- timely illness or a mother whose babe is coming
, but it never fails to leave me famished!" "You shall not be famished when you leave Darcy house, doctor," said Elizabeth w
ith a smile. She included her husband in that smile as she continued, "My husb
and keeps a very fine table, and Henry has already convinced me of his skills on
the basis of a single dinner!" Henry Jackson beamed at his Mistress, then hurriedly excused himself to prepare
the promised breakfast. Note: Modern medicine has identified Anne's illness as Celiac disease, which is
a disorder in which a person's digestive system is damaged by the response of th
e immune system to?a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, and ba
rley and in a wide range of foods from breakfast cereal to pizza crust. People w
ith celiac disease have difficulty digesting the nutrients from their food and m
ay experience diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, exhaustion, and depression when they consume foods with gluten. The symptoms can?be managed by following a
gluten-free diet. Celiac disease runs in families and can become active after so
me sort of stress, such as surgery or a viral infection. It appears probable tha
t Anne inherited the disorder from her father, Sir Lewis de Bourgh, who suffered
from it for most of his adult life?and eventually died of it. It is also probab
le that Anne's affliction was triggered by the intense social and psychological
pressure occasioned by her mother's determination to foster a marriage between R
osings and Pemberley. A modern doctor can diagnose celiac disease with a blood t
est and by taking a complete medical history, but in Regency England, the affliction could only be
discovered by the happenstance of a doctor with an open mind and a fortunate di
sclosure linking the affliction to a specific food. Chapter 31 With her sharp cry of fear still ringing in her ears, Anne de Bourgh opened her
eyes to find herself sitting bolt upright in bed. Her heart was pounding in her
chest, and she felt the dampness of perspiration on her face and chest. The sun filtering throu
gh the curtains at first confused her, and then she felt hands on her shoulders
easing her back into bedandmurmuringwordsofcomfort.Stillonlyhalf-awake, Anne tur
ned her head to see Elizabeth Bennet-no, Elizabeth Darcy!-bending over her, a lo
ok of concern on her face as she helped her settle back onto the bed. Anne reali
zed she had been awakened by the nightmare that was her constant nemesis, where
she got weaker and weaker until she finally could not even summon the energy to
breathe. It was always at that point that she awoke in terror, and it was the same now. S
he felt Elizabeth wipe her face and forehead with a cool, wet cloth, and she clo
sed her eyes as she felt the fear dissipate. She remembered where she was now, i
n Darcy's London house, and yesterday had been his wedding day. "Are you feeling better now?" Elizabeth asked softly, and Anne nodded silently,
though she really was not feeling well at all. A sour taste was in her mouth, an
d her stomach and sides ached in the way they always did after one of her bouts
of illness. But she did not expect to feel any different, not any more, though t
he past several weeks had almost led her to believe she might somehow get better. Suddenly, the old, familiar anguish of
always feeling ill, of having one bout of illness after another, of knowing she
was going to die of this unexplained illness overwhelmed her. First tears began
to roll down her cheeks as she tried to stifle her sobs, and then the bleak desp
air submerged everything else, and she began to sob helplessly and uncontrollabl
y. At first, Anne did not realize what was happening as Elizabeth pulled Anne to he
r chest, holding her frail body easily, tucking her head into her chest, strokin
g her hair, and murmuring words of encouragement into her ear. But Elizabeth did
not try to make her stop crying-she did not demand that she cease these shamefu
l tears immediately and act like a de Bourgh, the way her mother always did if s
he found her weeping. Instead, Elizabeth encouraged her to let her emotions out,
and Anne did so, crying and sobbing like a child as she clung frantically to El
izabeth. It seemed her new-found friend was the only lifeline that existed-had e
ver existed-in her whole, wasted life, and Elizabeth comforted her and held her
for upwards of a half-hour. During that whole time, Anne was unaware of anything
else except the misery that was her life and the comfort she absorbed from the
young woman who held her so tenderly, when she had never been held and comforted
in her entire life. Her mother had certainly never done so, as far as she was aware, and had never allowed any
of the nursemaids or servants, not even her own maid, Margaret, to do so. She wa
s adamant that a de Bourgh did not cry. When her sobs finally subsided, she let Elizabeth hold her for several more minu
tes before she felt strong enough to lay back in her bed. Elizabeth continued to
sit beside her on the bed, holding her hand in silent comfort until Anne felt l
ike talking. When Anne finally felt she could speak, she at first tried to apologize for her
tears, but Elizabeth would not hear of it.?"Hush!" she said quietly, a serene smile on her face. "Everyone needs a good cry every so often. I certainly did, many times, until yo
u told off Darcy that day at Rosings and changed my life forever." Anne blushed at the gratitude that she heard in Elizabeth's voice, though she he
rself felt that her irritation with her cousin had been as much to blame for her
anger with Darcy that day. But she took Elizabeth's advice and did not try furt
her to apologize, content for the moment to just lie still and watch the summer
light flooding through the window curtains. "Now," Elizabeth said finally, "let us talk about last evening. How much of it
do you remember?" Anne shook her head. "Not very much. When I awoke, I already knew that one of th
e horrible episodes of illness was upon me, and I only managed to pull the cord
before I felt the nausea overpower me. After that, I remember little except the
terrible, racking nausea that caused me to lose everything that I had eaten." "Then you do not remember Dr. Douglas examining you?" "No, not at all. I was hardly aware of anything, not even being moved to this ro
om, since I can see that it is not mine." "And was your illness the reason for your tears?" asked Elizabeth gently. Anne turned away, unable to confront the gentle sympathy she saw in her friend
's eyes, but also because she wanted to hide the sudden anger that Elizabeth sho
uld be so strong and healthy while she was so ill and weak. Finally, she was abl
e to say, "Partly. But more because, after the past weeks, I had actually let my
self hope that I might get better, might... might..." Her lip was trembling as she felt the despair reaching out for her again, but th
en Elizabeth put her hand on Anne's cheek and turned her face to her. "I believe that, despite your illness last night, that you will get better, Anne
," she said forcefully, making Anne look her in the eye. "I believe Dr. Douglas
managed to determine what has been causing your illness these past years." Anne felt a sudden surge of hope, but she throttled it mer- cilessly. She could
not stand to have her hopes dashed again, not so soon, and she tried to turn her
face away. Elizabeth ?45 easily overcame her efforts, and turned Anne's face back toward her own. "I know what you are feeling," she told her, for she had easily read the express
ions that had flashed across Anne's face. Anne might have been capable of concealing her emotions when in her mother's hou
se, but much of that success had been because her mother could not be bothered t
o determine what her daughter really thought. Instead, Lady Catherine had simply
informed all in attendance of what she wanted Anne to think and then simply dro
pped the subject. Anne thus had no experience in trying to conceal feelings from
her friends, for she had had none. "I know you are afraid to let yourself hope, Anne, but now there is reason-real
reason!-to do so. You were very sick last night, and for a time Dr. Douglas was
afraid that you might not live the night, for you had completely drained the moi
sture from your body in your nausea. But the event, harsh as it was, allowed him
to isolate the source-what we all believe to be the source-of your illness." Anne looked at Elizabeth, and this time she did not try to conceal the desperate
hope that filled her. "Truly?" she whispered. "Dr. Douglas truly thinks he ha
s found something?" "Yes, he does, and not only he believes it," Elizabeth assured her. "All of us
do, for it explains so many things. Why your father was always so sickly, why y
ou were healthier when you were a child, and why your illness began as you got o
lder. It is a serious affliction, and it likely killed your father, and it could
have done the same to you, if not for last night." Anne licked her lips, almost afraid to ask what Dr. Douglas had found, but Eliza
beth smiled down at her as she read that expression also. "Dr. Douglas was certa
in, based on your improvement over the past weeks and your sudden relapse last n
ight, that your illness was brought on by something you ate at the evening mea
l. Once he was certain that it was not food poisoning, since other people ate wh
at you ate without problem, he and Mrs. Taylor got together with the cook and ex
amined what was in everything you ate. They were then able to determine there wa
s one single ingredient present in what you ate last night that was not present
in any meal you have eaten since coming to this house." Elizabeth smiled down at Anne, and her smile widened as Anne began to become agi
tated. Finally, Anne could stand it no longer, and burst out, "Elizabeth! Do not
tease me! Tell me!"?Elizabeth laughed at Anne's response, and gave the same one word response that Dr. Douglas had given: "Flour." Anne stared at Elizabeth
in confusion for some seconds, and Elizabeth explained further. "Flour, Anne. Yo
ur body cannot tolerate foods made with flour. It happened that Dr. Douglas' diet that he prescribed for you contained no foods with flour...until l
ast night!" Anne suddenly turned bright red and lowered her eyes. "Oh," she whispered. "The
rolls." "Yes, the rolls, you scamp!" Elizabeth said firmly, poking Anne in the side for
emphasis. Anne squeaked and moved ?46 away, and then she smiled sheepishly as she saw that Elizabeth was not angry. "I had no idea of the harm my one little transgression would do," she said meekl
y, and Elizabeth took her hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "I know," she said seriously, "none of us did, not even Dr. Douglas. And some go
od did come from it, since we were able to determine for sure what your problem
is. But make no mistake, Anne-I can be a most fearsome bully if you even think a
bout cheating again! All the cooks and the staff have been instructed not to mak
e things that would tempt you, and you can still eat most anything you want, as
long as flour is eliminated. I trust we have a right understanding, do we not, c
ousin?" "Yes, Elizabeth," Anne said meekly.?Elizabeth leaned over to pull the cord by An
ne's bed. "And now, Henry has prepared a special meal for you, a savory beef stew with pot
atoes, onions, carrots, and peas. He has looked over all his recipes and has det
ermined that you have eaten all of these with no ill effects, and I have enliste
d his aid. We are going to fatten you up over the next few weeks, cousin!" Anne brightened as she thought about eating, and then she smiled at what Elizabe
th had said. "That is right, we are indeed cousins, Elizabeth." "Quite right, cousin Anne, and I hope you have seen how fiercely protective I am
towards those I love. Even if I have to summon the aid of my tall husband to ad
minister a spanking to a disobedient patient!" Anne giggled as she thought of her very proper cousin bending her over his knee
so that his wife could administer the promised spanking, but then her giggle die
d as she looked Elizabeth in the eye. Elizabeth is teasing me, certainly, she th
ought rather uncertainly. But perhaps it would be better to take no chances... "I shall not disobey the doctor again," she told Elizabeth earnestly, and Elizab
eth gave her a smile. "Much better, Anne," she told her. "Now, I have talked to William, and we are bo
th in agreement that you shall stay with us-you will be part of our family-for a
s long as you wish. You are of age and thus cannot be made to bend to your mothe
r's will any longer." "Mother will not like that at all, Elizabeth," said Anne worriedly, for she had
a lifetime's experience to make her fearful of her mother. "It is your wishes that concern us, Anne," reassured Elizabeth. "And I repeat-yo
u will be a welcome addition to our family for as long as you wish." "That could be a lifetime, Elizabeth," said Anne softly. "Mother will likely dis
own me as her heir when she learns of this. The only thing that has concerned he
r for as long as I can remember is that I would wed Darcy and unite Pemberley and Rosings."?"Well, it shall not be a lifetime, Anne, for I shall hav
e to find a husband for you once we have you properly fattened up," said Elizabeth teasingly. "But he will have to be amiable, or I shall not a
llow him to marry you, and then you might really have to stay with us for a life
time." Anne giggled at the picture presented of this younger girl finding her a husband
, but then she reconsidered. Elizabeth may have not seen as many years as she ha
d, but she had lived out in society and was comfortable as well as accomplished
in several skills. As for herself, she had no skills-she could not dance, sew, p
lay an instrument, sing, draw, or even design a table. But Elizabeth's good hu
mor was infectious, and she would not let herself be depressed. She had much to
be thankful for. And to hope for! Anne brought Elizabeth's hand up and held it to her cheek as su
dden tears of hope and gratitude stung her eyes. "Thank you, Elizabeth, thank yo
u all," she whispered earnestly, her heart swelling with hope that she could fin
ally dare to believe in. "Nonsense!" said Elizabeth briskly as the door opened to reveal Margaret and ano
ther servant bringing Anne's meal. Elizabeth moved out of the way so that Margar
et could set the large bowl of stew on a small table, then they both carried t
he table over to the bed. Anne sniffed the aroma from the steaming dish, while t
he other servant quickly set a bowl and silverware on the table along with a gla
ss of wine. "Now, eat, cousin," she commanded. "Yes, Elizabeth," replied Anne softly but she had a smile on her face. 2ELIZABETH CAME AWAKE AS she felt herself lifted into the air. Her room was almos
t completely dark, with only a single candle burning in her dressing room to pro
vide any light at all. She still could not believe how easily Darcy was able to
lift her and carry her about, and she usually found it delightful. Tonight, ho
wever, she was so sleepy that she could only murmur some unintelligible words as
Darcy cradled her in his arms and carried her into his room. After carefully pl
acing her in his bed, arranging her head on the pillow, and pulling the covers o
ver her, he left her to recover his candle from her room. He was back in a few m
oments, blowing out the candle and sliding into bed beside her, but even those f
ew moments were sufficient for her to be almost asleep before he returned. Sleep
ily, she snuggled close to Darcy as he slid his arm under her head and pulled he
r close to him, and then she was fast asleep again. When she awoke again, some indeterminate time later, she came awake from the mos
t delightful dream in which it was her wedding night again and she was experienc
ing the thrill of having Darcy's lips softly kissing her all over her body. She
could remember arching upward as his kisses sent thrills through her, and she re
membered that her moans were getting louder as he brought her to a peak of sensu
al arousal. When Elizabeth opened her eyes to the complete darkness inside Darcy's
bed with the curtains drawn tight against the morning chill, she realized that h
er dream had involved equal mixtures of dream and reality. She was perfectly c
lear-headed now, refreshed from her sleep, and she knew instantly what her husba
nd was about. Somehow, he had managed-again!-to remove her nightgown without wak
ing her. And, also without waking her, he had managed, using his lips and fing
ers with the increasing skill and familiarity that the past few weeks had taught
him, to bring her to the state of arousal that had been the reason for her wake
ning dream. Elizabeth gasped in fully conscious delight as she felt Darcy's mouth close on h
er left nipple. She arched upward against him, just as in her dream, as his tong
ue flicked and his teeth nibbled at her turgid bud. His hands were also busy, as
one hand cupped her other breast while the fingers of his other hand dipped bet
ween the folds of her sex to stroke that little nub that brought such exquisite
sensations. She made a sound in her throat that was half moan and half growl as
Darcy now slid his fingers as far inside her as they could delve and stroked the
silky lining of her inner tissues. Darcy knew that Elizabeth was now fully awake as her arms clasped his head and p
ulled it against her breast. He drew his teeth down the length of her nipple, an
d she gave a soft cry as the most lovely thrills shot through her breast and abd
omen. Her grip on his head tightened, and he knew from what they had learned fro
m each other that she wanted him to be more forceful. He nibbled just a bit hard
er on her nipple and used his tongue to push her nipple harder against his teeth
, and Elizabeth responded with a louder cry as she felt herself approach the pea
k of her passion. He felt her begin to move her hips, thrusting them against his
hand, wordlessly wanting his fingers to slide even further inside her. But he h
ad other plans, and he knew by her movements and her cries that she was almost a
t her peak. He rolled quickly to his back, and his hands on her waist lifted her
atop him, while his legs spread her legs apart. He moved her downward until the
tip of his manhood was at her moist sex, and a smooth movement of his hips caus
ed him to slide easily inside her. As Elizabeth felt the completely unexpected thrill of Darcy entering her, of fil
ling her in that wonderful way, her passion crested and she thrust herself downw
ard, trying to impale herself on him to the fullest extent possible as the plea-
sure at her core seemed to explode throughout her belly. The very air inside Da
rcy's bed seemed to be filled with stars for a moment as her pleasure peaked and
then began to recede. She was gasping in reaction as she collapsed on Darcy's chest, breathing heavily
in reaction to the pleasure she had just experienced. As she caught her breath
while he still remained coupled to her, the sensitivity of her nipples as they
mashed into his chest told her that she might have another 'peak' inside her this night. She suddenly wrapped her arms around his head, kis
sing him hungrily and thrusting her tongue far into his mouth, licking his tongu
e and stroking ?47 the inside of his lips. She also surprised him with the intensity of the movemen
ts of her hips, which began to join his own upward thrusts, and Darcy realized s
he was feeling more than usually enthusiastic tonight. Elizabeth lifted her chest slightly so that only the tips of her breasts were st
ill touching Darcy's chest, and she moved her chest back and forth, glorying in
the exquisite thrills from her nipples rubbing through the hair on his chest. Da
rcy's hands roamed over the smooth expanse of her back, sliding down to the narr
owness of her waist and the fullness of her bottom, wondering dreamily how he ha
d ever thought her figure might not be perfect. As his motions began to tell her that Darcy was getting closer to his own peak,
Elizabeth sat upright atop him and pulled his hands to her breasts, holding them
there as the movementsofherhipsbegantoaccelerate.Shewasclose,she could feel it,
but she also could feel that Darcy was closer... Darcy suddenly pulled his hands away from her breasts, and Elizabeth could feel
him clenching his arm muscles. She knew that he was balling his fists, digging h
is fingernails into his palms as he tried to retard his own peak so that she cou
ld also take her pleasure before he was spent. The warmth that filled her chest
at yet another evidence of his love and care for her made her eyes sting with te
ars. But she drew her mind back from that thought and concentrated on the task a
t hand. She placed her hands on his chest to steady her motions and moved her
hips in concert with his thrusts until she could feel that he could hold back no
longer. As she felt him start to thrust upward, she suddenly pulled her fingers
down, letting her fingernails scrape gently but quickly over his nipples. To Darcy, the completely unexpected combination of tickling and slight pain from
her fingernails had an effect on him out of all proportion to the stimulation.
What was the familiar fulfillment of his desire became something much greater, a
nd he suddenly lunged upward with a hoarse bellow, as he seemed to almost explod
e inside her. He maintained that arch while thrusting again and again into her,
feeling his seed fill her with a pumping sensation that made him feel drained. E
lizabeth's own cry and sudden internal con- vulsing told him she had indeed had
a second peak, and he sagged back into the damp bed sheets as she collapsed atop
him. Both of them were gasping with the effort and the unexpected intensity of
the sensations that had just flooded them. After some minutes, while they both were content to simply lay back in silence
, Elizabeth was roused to playfulness. "Mr. Darcy," she said, trying to sound st
ern, "I believe that I have mentioned this before, but your ability to somehow undress me without eve
n awaking me is fast approaching the unearthly. How, sir, if I may be so bold, d
o you manage it?" "You appear to be a very deep sleeper, Mrs. Darcy," he replied in an offhand man
ner. "No special talent is required, for I believe that a thunderstorm inside ou
r chambers would not awaken you." ?48 "I know better than that, Mr. Darcy. I have always been a light sleeper." "Perhaps it is because something-or somebody-is making you especially tired thes
e days." Elizabeth had to giggle at this, for not a night had gone by since their marriag
e three weeks earlier without Darcy having his way with her at least once and us
ually more. "So you admit that you are the villain, sir!" she cried triumphant
ly, digging her fingers into his side. She laughed again as she felt Darcy jump
under her. "I believe that you received your last and final warning on this subject last we
ek, did you not, Mrs. Darcy?" he intoned in sepulcher tones, his hands closing o
n her ribs. "You would not dare," she said in her stern voice, but then Darcy's fingers made
a gentle flutter along her sides. "No, I forgot-William, no!-oh, oh!-no, not th
ere! Williiiaaaaammmm!"?Darcy did not make her pay too badly for her indiscretion, and soon he had her tucked comfortably back by his side. He reached behind
one of the pillows and pulled out two towels, handing one to Elizabeth and keep
ing one for himself. They had found out early that lovemaking involved a certain
degree of messiness, involving perspiration and other bodily fluids, and they q
uickly repaired the damage before moving to an area of his bed that was dry and
comfortable. Darcy pulled the sheets and bedding over them before they settled d
own to sleep through what was left of the night. 2ELIZABETH LAY ON HER back, her head propped up on a pillow, with her arms crad
ling Darcy's head on her chest. He slept quietly, his breath washing warmly over
her breast, his body angled off from hers. She had only slept a short time befo
re waking up, and she knew from the dim glow at the window that the day was dawn
ing and she would not sleep any longer tonight. She could see a little bit insid
e Darcy's bed, which was a truly huge, massive creation that she delighted in
teasing him about. But she had to admit that the Master's bed was uncommonly spa
cious. Which we certainly needed tonight, she thought with a smile, for William was cer
tainly in an adventurous mood tonight! As were you! an inner voice told her, and her smile deepened as she remembered
the intensity of their lovemaking. She had gone to bed early while Darcy worked on some accounts from Pemberley, gr
umbling that he had been gone too long, that it was time and past time to travel
to his estate in Derbyshire. He had told her several times that, if it were pos
sible, he would prefer to spend almost all year at Pemberley and only a few mont
hs in London, but with Georgiana, David, and now Anne also in their care, it was
better to stay here for the meantime. But the summer in London was not as pleasant as in Hertfordshire or Derbyshire, and Darcy was plai
nly anxious to return to the Peak country. His enthusiasm and desire to show off
his estate to her was contagious, and he had described the beauty of the lands
and gardens in such terms that she was most anxious to see if he was guilty of e
xaggeration. But it had been necessary to stay in London and close to Dr. Douglas due to Anne
's health, and the past three weeks had seen obvious improvements. Initially, af
ter that anxious night when she had been so ill, Dr. Douglas had stopped by dail
y, and he now felt so satisfied with her progress that he could reduce his visit
s to once or twice a week. Her color was better, and, while she was still very t
hin, she no longer looked frail and on the verge of starvation. She had obviousl
y put on a few pounds, for she had mentioned that her dresses were starting to f
eel tight. Elizabeth had considered shopping for new clothing for her now, but A
nne had thought that wasteful. Georgiana thought it was a fine idea to spend som
e of her brother's money, but Anne would not be moved, and eventually they had c
onsulted Mrs. Taylor. The older woman was kindly but she was firm that Anne was
still too thin and she much desired to 'fatten her up' a bit more before replen-
ishing her wardrobe. Anne rolled her eyes at hearing the term 'fatten her up' for the hundredth time, but Mrs. Taylor was adamant that she was
still recovering from her illness and was not yet well. In any case, there was
a seamstress on the staff who could let out her dresses slightly in the meantime
, a solution that satisfied everyone except Georgiana. The Richards had departed to Lambton and the small estate that Darcy had arrange
d for them to rent. The grounds were hardly an acre in size, with a low wall aro
und the property, but the house was in good repair and capable of being modifi
ed to handle at least two score boarders. Already, due to Darcy's reputation and
his recommendations, they had enlistments for at least half of their beds, both
from the surrounding country and from areas farther away. Such as Hertfordshire! she thought in amusement. She really wondered whether it
would be possible to change the character of her three younger sisters, but, in
any event, they would be leaving for Derbyshire in just two days, so she would j
ust have to hope for the best. She also wondered how her mother and father were
going to adjust to having a house that was empty of daughters. Jane had written
that her father talked of at last being able to find relaxation without the inte
rruption of three of the silliest girls in England, but she had also said that h
e did not look like he even believed his own words. But they must go! she thought sternly. It may be a slim reed, especially for Lyd
ia, but it is the only chance they have of becoming young ladies with any pros
pect for marriage to a respectable man. She held to her opinion even though her
mother had written several times asking her to intervene with her father. "He is becoming quite inflexible these days," Mrs. Bennet had written mournfully
, "and he will not change his mind that your three sisters must leave home for t
his school in Derbyshire. I shall be all alone when they are gone, and Derbyshire sounds so very far away.
" Her mother had evidently pondered long over what she had to say next, for the
ink had almost dried in the pen, and the first line had had to be re-written. "Y
our father is not the same since his duel, you know. He never raises his voice,
but he now gives orders in such a decisive tone that the staff and I cannot diso
bey. It is most strange." I imagine it is, Mother, though I do wish it had occurred sooner! Elizabeth thou
ght rather sadly. It appeared that her father's close brush with death, which ha
d resulted from his own failings as a father, had brought a newfound determina-
tion to avoid past mistakes. But, she brightened, better late than never, as we
say in the country! And my own life could not be more complete or happier, she t
hought, as the brightening light allowed her to see Darcy's beloved features.
She closed her own eyes in contentment, but Darcy made a slight movement that ca
used his whiskers to scrape slightly over her skin. She opened her eyes to see t
hat Darcy's eyes were also open, staring back at her, and she frowned in sudden
concentration as she saw an expression in his eyes that looked positively mischi
evous. Impossible! she thought. My husband is always solemn and serious, never mischiev
ous! But the past is not always an accurate predictor of the future, as Darcy's eyes
had suddenly changed their focus to her breast, and his head moved smoothly to a
llow him to capture her nipple with his mouth. Her nipples actually had somewhat
ached after their treatment last night, and she hissed slightly as he suckled i
t gently. But the ache faded and was gone as his tongue teased her nipple into r
igidity, allowing her to feel the first twinges of pleasure from his ministratio
ns. "Mr. Darcy!" she said, as his other hand moved to her lower belly, "Are you neve
r satisfied?" As his hand moved to the juncture of her legs, and as she willingly-nay, eagerly
!-opened her thighs to allow his fingers access to the core of her femininity, s
he soon found that coherent talk, even teasing, was quite beyond her capabilitie
s. ?49 Chapter 32 Late July, 1812 Elizabeth looked up from her book as she heard the false note and the muttered i
mprecation from the pianoforte. As she had expected, she saw Anne again glaring
balefully at the instrument as she flexed her fingers, trying to loosen them up.?"Anne," said Elizabeth mildly, "such unladyli
ke tones are quite improper, you know."?"I did not say anything actually bad," retorted Anne uneasily.?"Yes, but it was the way you said it. If that pianoforte could talk, you would have definitely hurt its feelings," said Elizabeth with a
smile, and Anne returned it rather sheepishly. "Very well, you are right as usual. It is simply so madden- ing that trying hard
cannot make me learn any faster." "Anne, we have told you again and again that you are making splendid progress,
" said Georgiana, who was sitting on the bench before the pianoforte overseeing
Anne's practice. "And sometimes, trying harder does not lead to enjoyable music, either for the p
layer or for the playees," said Elizabeth. "My sister Mary is an example of that. She has practiced quite desperately for y
ears and yearns to exhibit at every opportunity, but her playing is not nearly
as enjoyable as it should be. You must step back and try to listen to what you
play as if you were one of the audience." "And you will perform better if you do not practice until your fingers cramp up,
" said Georgiana playfully, and Anne had the grace to blush as she suddenly stop
ped trying to work the stiffness out of her fingers. "You are both right, and I will readily admit that I am not displaying a lot of
patience," Anne said, as she forced herself to clasp her hands in her lap. "But
I am so conscious of what I have missed these past years that sometimes I am jus
t beside myself with the desire to catch up." "A month ago you could not sit at the pianoforte for more than ten minutes at a
stretch," offered Georgiana. "Two months ago we were afraid for your life, Anne," said Elizabeth quietly, and
Anne blushed again. "Now, listen to me, cousin," said Georgiana. "You must give yourself time. It is
necessary, when starting any challenging study like the pianoforte, to allow
yourself to be bad for a while. You will start to see progress soon, but it is s
erious work to learn to read the notes and to master the scales." "Yes, you are right, I know it and I will try to be..." The rest of Anne's comme
nt was lost as there was a knock on the door. The three women rose to their feet
as the butler ?50 opened the door and announced, "Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Dr. Edmond." Elizabeth was astonished as Lady Catherine swept into the room with an elderly,
portly gentleman in her wake. She knew that this man must be the ill-renowned Dr
. Edmond, who had treated Anne so unsuccessfully for years, and her first glimps
e of him did not belie the reports she had heard. She noted a disturbing quiveri
ng of his fingers, and the tell-tale redness of his nose made her suspect a fond
ness for the bottle. But she was most of all surprised by Lady Catherine's presence, since she had no
t responded to any of Darcy's many letters. Despite her silence, Darcy had conti
nued to send her weekly reports of Anne's condition, noting the identification o
f her affliction and the gradual but steady improvement in her health. But obvio
usly Darcy had not acquainted the household staff of the rift between him and hi
s aunt, for otherwise she should have been detained at the door while a servant
sought either Darcy or Elizabeth to determine if they wished to see her. And sin
ce she was known to be a close relation of Darcy, the staff had acted on prece
dent and ushered her into the presence of the three young ladies. "Lady Catherine," murmured Elizabeth and Georgiana, as they gave her ladyship a
polite curtsey. Out of the corner of her eye, Elizabeth realized that Anne had n
ot made any motion to greet her mother, though she had risen to her feet and ste
pped away from the pianoforte. Spots of color marked Anne's cheeks, and she stood silent while her mother coldly acknowledged the civ
il greeting of Anne and Georgiana with only a slight nod of her head. Lady Catherine was ornately dressed, as always, and Elizabeth could not help but
wonder if she had any idea of how unflattering her choice of dress was. She and
Georgiana had been acquainting Anne gradually with the essentials of fashionabl
e dress, and it was good that her growing health had caused her to outgrow her w
ardrobe, for otherwise not a single item would have been retained. "Would you like to take a seat, Lady Catherine?" asked Elizabeth politely. And t
hen, since her ladyship had not deigned to introduce her companion, instead indu
lging herself in a baleful glare at her daughter, she continued archly, "And perhaps your unknown companion would care to take a seat also? Might I orde
r tea?" "That will not be necessary, Miss Bennet," said Lady Catherine coldly. "We shall
not be staying long. And this is Dr. Edmond. We will only be here long enough t
o take my daughter back to Rosings, and I brought Dr. Edmond to attend her durin
g the journey." "It is Mrs. Darcy, as your ladyship well knows," said Elizabeth icily. "And, whi
le I am inclined to maintain courtesy befitting an aunt of my husband and sist
er to his mother, I will remind you that I am Mistress of this house. Miss de Bo
urgh is a guest in our house and a de facto member of our family for as long as
she wishes to stay." "This is not to be borne!" cried Lady Catherine harshly. "I will not be talked t
o in such a manner by a country upstart of no standing and no breeding! Anne! Come with me immediately! We return to R
osings at once!" "And I will not be addressed in such a manner in my own house, your ladyship," s
aid Elizabeth, biting off each of her words. "Anne, do you wish to stay with us?
""Of course, Elizabeth," said Anne coldly. "This is my home now. I do not wish to
leave it, especially since the Darcy family and Dr. Douglas have been so instru
mental in improving my health." "Anne! What are you saying! You are obviously not well!" She turned to Dr. Edmon
d. "Do you agree that she is not well, doctor?" "Yes, madam, of course. It is as you say. Miss de Bourgh is obviously quite ill
and knows not what she is saying." He peered at her closely. "She obviously need
s to be bled, your ladyship." "Try to bleed my cousin, Mr. Edmond," retorted Elizabeth furiously, "and you wil
l pull back a bloody stump for a hand! No one but butchers still believe in that
discredited treatment! Georgiana! Please ring for a servant and instruct them
to fetch Tommy and two of his stoutest lads from the stables. I believe they ma
y be needed to eject two uninvited visitors from our house." "Yes, Elizabeth," said Georgiana stoutly as she crossed to the bell pull and gav
e it three short pulls, the signal to come immediately. She was trying to be bra
ve and to emulate Elizabeth's manner, but her aunt had always been fearsome when
she was enraged, and Georgiana had never seen her in such a state as she was no
w. Her face was flushed bright red, and her hands gripped her parasol so tightly
that they trembled. Dr. Edmond was still spluttering at the insult and in- dignity of being called '
Mr.' by a young lady so obviously disfavored by his patron, but Elizabeth gave h
im a cold, defiant glance that quelled any desire to intervene in the battle of
wills between this formidable young lady and Lady Catherine. "Miss Bennet," said Lady Catherine dangerously, leaning forward and down toward
the shorter young lady, "if you did not know it before now, you had best learn t
hat I am not a person to be trifled with. I have come to collect my daughter and
return her to her home, and I shall not be swayed from my object." Choosing to address her ladyship's continued insult in refusing to recognize her
as Darcy's wife in a less direct manner, Elizabeth retorted, "It is your good
fortune indeed, your ladyship, that your nephews are gone to practice their fen
c- ing at the gymnasium, for I have a definite belief that my husband would not
be impressed by your continued refusal to acknowledge his choice of wife. But if
you think that I am to be awed by such other arguments as you have made, then y
ou have widely mistaken my character." "And not only his wife, Mother," said Anne hotly, "but the mother of his unborn
child!" Elizabeth started at Anne's comment, since she had been restraining hers
elf from hoping, since it was still so early. But Dr. Douglas was sure of her condition, sin
ce she had missed her time of month twice in succession, and Anne believed so im
plicitly in the good doctor's competence that she had taken his opinion as estab
lished fact. Elizabeth shook herself mentally to concentrate, since Anne was continuing. "I w
ill readily acknowledge that she is my cousin, Mother, even if you will not," An
ne was saying. "But, more than that, she is also my friend, and, along with Georgiana, the dear
est person to me in the world." "Remember your duty to your family, Anne!" snapped Lady Catherine. "And what was that duty, Mother?" asked Anne derisively. "To somehow marry Darcy
and join Rosings and Pemberley, and then to die soon after as my father did? Did Doctor Edmond treat father also
, Mother? Did he never wonder why father was so often taken ill after eating cer
tain dinners, Mother? Or has Doctor Edmond ever had a thought in his life that y
ou did not put into his head?" "This is all nonsense, child! 'An inability to eat flour prod- ucts,' indeed! Wh
o ever heard of such nonsense? Now stop this and come with me this instant!" "Anne has already given her decision on whether to go or stay, your ladyship," a
nswered Elizabeth steadily. She had used the diversion of Anne's confrontation w
ith her mother to regain control of her temper. "This conversation can have no f
urther purpose. It only remains to see whether you will depart Darcy House under
your own power or whether you will be ejected by the servants." Elizabeth had s
een Georgiana exchange a few words with the servant who had answered her call, a
nd she knew that Tommy would soon be arriving to provide whatever physical force
was necessary to escort Lady Catherine back to the street. "Anne," Lady Catherine said threateningly, "if you do not come with me instantly
, I will have you disowned. You will not inherit Rosings upon my death. You will
be penniless and destitute. Penniless, do you hear me?" "Anne will never be penniless as long as she remains with our family, Lady Cathe
rine," said Elizabeth. "My husband has made provisions for her to have the same
allowance as Georgiana, and she may stay with us all her days if she so desires.
And he is also making arrangements to settle a dowry of fifteen thousand pounds
on her if she ever finds a young man whom I think worthy of her. So, you see, y
our ladyship, she shall never be 'penniless'." Anne looked over at Elizabeth in surprise. "I had no idea, Elizabeth," she said
softly. Elizabeth shrugged. "We had other things that were higher in priority, Anne, but
William told me last month that we needed to make some legal provisions for you
and David. Georgiana is already provided for in her father's will, but his own
will was made before our marriage, with the provision that David would inherit t
he estate if something had happened to him. Now that we are married, a new will
is being written to take account of our family and to also make ?5? provisions for you and David in the event that something happened to him or to b
oth of us." "Oh, that is very generous!" sneered Lady Catherine. "But what is a modest allow
ance and fifteen thousand compared to Rosings? For that is what you shall give u
p if you do not come to your senses immediately!" "What is Rosings to me, Mother?" shrugged Anne. "The last two months here in Lon
don have been the most enjoyable months of my life. I am obviously getting stron
ger..." "YOU ARE NOT!" screeched Lady Catherine. "It is abominable to suggest that you d
o not belong under the care of your own mother! How could you say such a thing,
you ungrateful child?" "Perfectly easy, madam," said Elizabeth coldly, "since Anne and the rest of us k
now that you were well aware of Anne's failing health and only desired to attach
her to your nephew before she died. What, I might ask, could possibly induce a
child to put herself back in the hands of such a mother?" Lady Catherine took a step back at the calculated cruelty of Elizabeth's state
ment, her mouth gaping like a fish. But Elizabeth's charge had its intended effe
ct, which was to deflect Lady Catherine's attention from Anne to herself. It was
not that she did not believe Anne capable of standing up to her mother, but she
was unsure of her reserves of strength. She was much improved, but she still ha
d much improvement left to do before she could be called 'healthy.' As Elizabeth had expected, the discomfiture of Lady Catherine was momentary, and
she did indeed turn the full glare of her anger on her primary adversary. "It is you who are responsible for this, you presumptuous fortune hunter!" she c
harged angrily. "If I am truly responsible for assisting in saving the life of my cousin, then I
will cheerfully accede to your charges, your ladyship," said Elizabeth with goo
d humor. "As for being a fortune hunter, I will leave that to others to judge." But the sight of Elizabeth's cheerfulness only heightened Lady Catherine's ire.
"You may jest if you please, but you will not find me laughing. My character has
always been one of sincerity and frankness, and I shall not change now. I know
not what means you have used to ensnare my nephew into such a disadvantageous ma
rriage, but I am sure he will come to rue the day he allowed himself to fall und
er your allurements." "That is doubtful!" Georgiana muttered under her breath. "What did you say, child?" Lady Catherine said, rounding on her niece. Georgiana flinched under her aunt's glare, but Elizabeth's example was not one t
hat could allow her to quail before her aunt. Forcing herself to stare back at L
ady Catherine, she said clearly, "I said 'That is doubtful,' Aunt. As anyone wou
ld say who had seen William and Elizabeth together. They not only make each othe
r happy, they are made for each other in temperamentandcapabilities,aswellasinch
aracter.Asforal- ?52 lurements, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact..." Georgiana stoppe
d suddenly, for she realized that to continue further would be to reveal Anne's
part in Darcy's proposal, and she was afraid that would only enrage her aunt mor
e. But Anne was not inclined to be any more fearful of her mother on this day than
her cousin, and she bravely stood taller. "What my cousin did not say is the par
t that I played in bringing Darcy and Elizabeth together," she said proudly. "Elizabeth would have left Kent if I had not told Darcy what a fool he was not t
o recognize that she loved him and would make a far better wife for him than I w
ould, even if I had been able physically to marry him and give him an heir." "You didn't!" Lady Catherine whispered in horror at how near her plans had come
to fruition only to be thwarted by her own daughter. "Oh, but I did, Mother!" Anne said cheerfully. "And not only did it match Darcy
with a much more deserving wife, it also was the instrument for saving my own li
fe. For if I should have stayed at Rosings, I should have surely been dead withi
n a year or two." To this, Lady Catherine had no response, but again she returned her glare to Eli
zabeth. "Mrs. Darcy..." Lady Catherine almost spat out the final words, at last giving up her attempt to
intimidate Elizabeth, who only smiled thinly at recognizing this small victory.
Lady Catherine rallied her spirits and continued, "You must have a right unders
tanding on this point, Mrs. Darcy. I came here with the absolute determination o
f not returning until I had retrieved my daughter and returned her to her proper
home, and I shall not be dissuaded from my purpose. I am not used to having to
submit to any person's whims, nor am I in the habit of brooking disappointment." "Then I can only rejoice in providing your ladyship a new experience, that of di
sappointment," responded Elizabeth dispassionately, "for your feelings will make
your situation more pitiable but will have no effect on me." "Be silent! I will not be interrupted!" "It will be a cold day in the nether regions before I will allow myself to be in
timidated in my own home, madam!" snapped Elizabeth. "Finish what you have to sa
y, for it is time and past time for you to depart!" "It is obvious that no remonstrations will convince you of the unsuitability of
your marriage to my nephew, so I will attempt no further efforts on that subject
. But I will leave with my daughter!" "Miss de Bourgh," snapped Elizabeth. "Are you of age?" Anne answered almost with
out thought, responding to the preemptive tone of command in Elizabeth's voice, "Yes, I am, Elizabeth." "This then is my final word, madam," Elizabeth snapped. "How does your ladyship
propose to force a young lady who is of age to do something she does not wish to do? It is impossible, and I will h
ear nothing further on the subject." Lady Catherine was taken aback by the fierceness in Elizabeth's voice and appear
ed to finally realize that she would not be able to carry her point. But she was not inclined to admit total defeat, and she tried to change the subject. "I will not go befor
e our family doctor has examined my daughter," said Lady Catherine firmly. "Doct
or, would you please examine my daughter immediately? And administer whatever treatment you deem best. If she needs to be bled, you have my permissio
n to do so." "Yes, your ladyship," said Dr. Edmond, who had opened his bag and removed his pr
obe. Elizabeth stepped over between Dr. Edmond and Anne. "You heard what I said earli
er about trying to bleed my cousin, did you not, sir? You will perform no such b
arbarities in my home, and if you try them on an unwilling patient, I will see you charged and ar
rested." "Ignore her!" cried Lady Catherine. "You have my permission, and no judge will
listen to the wild ravings of such an uncultured creature from the country!" "Tommy!" cried Elizabeth in relief, for the sturdy stable master and two of his
assistants had just entered the room behind Lady Catherine and Dr. Edmond. "Yes, Mrs. Darcy?" Tommy responded. "You called for us?" "Yes, Tommy, I did," Elizabeth said, smiling triumphantly at Lady Catherine. S
he continued in a calm but firm voice, "Would you be so good as to have this man
escorted to Lady Catherine's coach? I am sure it is standing outside the front door." "Yes, Mrs. Darcy. Robert, you heard the Mistress." "And he need not be gentle about it," Elizabeth continued, "for this fraud of a
doctor is no gentleman. And do be careful of the instrument in his hand. He ment
ioned some intention to bleed Miss de Bourgh against her wishes."?The faces of all three men turned t
o stone as they looked at Dr. Edmond. One of the men moved toward Dr. Edmond, and his voice was husky s
oft, as if he had been hit many times in the throat and had never recovered full
use of his voice. "Drop the knife now, my good man, afore ye' gets hurt with it," he rasped, pulli
ng a rag from his pocket and wrapping it around his left hand. He was a rangy, w
hipcord-lean man, but he moved with a confidence that said that the probe in the
doctor's hand was not the first weapon he had dealt with. Evidently Dr. Edmond could not believe that he was actually being threatened wit
h physical force, for he made no move to drop the probe. Accordingly, three step
s brought Robert within arms length, and his left hand whipped out and smashed t
he doctor's right hand. The probe went flying across the room, clattering on t
he wooden floor, while Robert's right hand twisted in the doctor's cravat. "Now just come along with me and stop botherin' me Mistress. She has far more im
portant things to deal with than the likes of you," Robert told Dr. Edmonds as h
e easily dragged the other man from the room. "And now it is your turn, Lady Catherine," Elizabeth said easily, turning back t
o Darcy's aunt. "How will you choose to leave my house? Under your own power or
carried out like a common intruder?" She knew that she should not be enjoying this, but she could
not quell the feeling of exhilaration at having faced down such an adversary. S
he had seen the admiration that shone in the eyes of Georgiana and Anne, and she
could not imagine how difficult it must have been for Anne over the years to en
dure such intimidation without even having an idea that resistance was possible.
My father has many faults, to be sure, she thought gaily, but raising me as a c
owardly daughter was not one of them! "Unfeeling, selfish girl!" thundered Lady Catherine. "I knew all along that you
were unworthy of my nephew! Lost to all sense of honor and decorum, you would op
pose a mother claiming her due from her daughter! I have never in my life seen s
uch a breach of propriety!" "I rather doubt that you know the meaning of propriety, Lady Catherine," said
Elizabeth sternly. "You have used your position and your inheritance to bluster
and intimidate everyone you came in contact with. And I never knew that the duty
of a mother was to sacrifice her own daughter to her own selfish desire to enha
nce the fortune of her family. Now begone from our presence before my husband co
mes home and finds out how you have tried to intervene in the affairs of his hou
sehold." "It is actually quite a bit too late for that, Elizabeth," came Darcy's voice fr
om a side door to the music room that attached to the library. Pushing the door
fully open, he came into the room, followed by David. He crossed over to Elizabe
th's side and put his arm around her waist. "You will pardon me, my dear, for no
t intervening sooner, but it was all David's fault. He told me that you needed n
o help from me." "And I was right, too, Will!" exclaimed David. "She would have had Tommy throw h
er out into the street! And good riddance, too, calling Elizabeth selfish and tr
ying to bleed cousin Anne!" "Hush, David," said Darcy mildly. "Just because we have one relation who has not
proved worthy of the respect due to our elders is no excuse to make it a habit.
""Yes, sir," responded David, but his boyish features were still cast in a look o
f cold disdain. "Now, Aunt, perhaps you would like to answer my wife's question: Do you intend t
o leave by your own power, or shall I have you physically carried out?" "Nephew..." said Lady Catherine pleadingly, stepping toward Darcy. "Nephew I am, Aunt, but it is by accident of birth rather than by shared affecti
on and memories," Darcy told her, and his voice was cold and unyielding. "But an
y remaining gratitude owed you due to the memory of my mother has been completel
y used up, both by your actions at Rosings the night before we left and by your
actions this day. You are not welcome in our house, madam, until such time as yo
u come to your senses and repent of this disgraceful treatment of my family." "William, she threatened to disown Anne and cut her out of her will," said Georg
iana. ?53 Darcy looked at his sister and then turned back to his aunt. "So you were willin
g to disown your only child in order to have your way, Aunt? Look at her! Cannot
you see that she is now growing into the young woman she was supposed to be? We
ll, no matter. I shall talk to my Uncle Matlock and acquaint him of this affair.
I know that he has long worried about Anne, and he and Lady Matlock were cheere
d greatly when they visited last week. They told me the improvement is nothing s
hort of miraculous, and they have offered to make Dr. Douglas the Matlock family
physician. I truly doubt that your brother will lend much credence to your dema
nd to have Anne bled by that charlatan of a doctor you have had looking after he
r." Lady Catherine had drawn back in outrage at being so talked to by her nephew. Ye
ars of visiting in which Darcy had avoided confrontations with his aunt had made
her believe him incapable of opposing her, and she had heavily counted on that
when she had come to Darcy House to retrieve her daughter. To find that her erra
nd had never had a chance made her more angry than she could bear; and, with a h
arsh cry of outrage, she stepped toward Darcy, raising her parasol to strike him
across the face. Darcy never made a move to defend himself, and Lady Catherine's cry turned to on
e of triumph as she slashed downward. Except that she no longer had her parasol in her hand, and she stumbled and woul
d have fallen except that strong arms grasped her and held her back upright. "Thank you, Tommy," said Darcy. "Please escort my Aunt to her carriage. You can
give her parasol to the driver." "Very good, sir," said Tommy, as he and his assistant turned toward the door, ea
ch of them grasping Lady Catherine by an elbow. She squawked in outrage, but her
attempts to jerk her elbow free were completely unsuccessful. She was still squ
awking and blustering as she was forced out of the door and down the hall. Darcy sighed in relief as the door was closed and he turned back to his family. "And how was your day at the gymnasium, my dear?" asked Elizabeth sweetly as he
bent to kiss her cheek. Darcy chuckled as he drew Elizabeth over to a sofa and sat down beside her. "You
are absolutely a marvel, my dear," he said with a smile. "David and I thought t
hat we would have a surprise for you, since he was matched up against an opponen
t four years older than himself and was able to out- point him. But all the exci
tement seems to have occurred at home. Would you please acquaint David and me wi
th what we missed while we have some tea like a civilized family?" "Well, William, it was like this..." started Georgiana eagerly as David rang f
or tea. Darcy sat with Elizabeth's arm in his on the sofa as both Georgiana and
Anne were absolutely bubbling over with enthusiasm to relate the events of the a
f- ternoon in full. What they could not see, with his legs under the table in fr
ont of the couch, was that Elizabeth had run her slipper-clad foot up underneath
the hem of his trousers ?54 and was stroking her toes up and down his ankle under his trousers. He gave her
a quick look, but her look of total innocence was such that he gave a sharp ba
rk of laughter. Georgiana stopped suddenly at Darcy's laugh, examining what she had been saying.
"I say, William, I do not think that Aunt Catherine calling Elizabeth selfish w
as that funny!" she said in bewilderment. "No, no, do go on, dear sister. It was a stray and completely unrelated though
t that caused my laugh. Please pardon me and continue." As Georgiana continued the story, Darcy tried to control the effect that his w
ife was having on him as her toes returned to teasingly run up and down his ankl
e. Just you wait, Mrs. Darcy, he thought in exasperation, glancing again at Eliz
abeth, until I get you up to our bedroom! Elizabeth's only response to his look was to raise her eyebrows archly in what h
e recognized as a clear challenge, and he forced himself back to his sister's st
ory while his wife's toes continued to dance teasingly under his trouser leg. As usual, the household staff was fully and completely acquainted with the event
s of that afternoon before dinner was completed. The general emotion was amuseme
nt and approval since most of them had been in the employ of the Darcy family fo
r the whole of their lives and approved of their new Mistress whole-heartedly. A
nd, if some among them happened to hear the sound of feminine shrieking coming f
rom Mrs. Darcy's bedroom that evening as her husband used the fingers of one han
d to flutter along her ribs while he simultaneously pleasured her in equally sen
sitive but less ticklish places, none said anything, not even to each other. Chapter 33 Pemberley, Early December, 1812 Elizabeth Darcy carefully lowered herself into her chair at the breakfast table.
Darcy watched her with one eye as he sipped his coffee. He was not exactly sick
with worry for her, but he did admit to a certain degree of watchfulness. At almost seven months into her pregnancy, Elizabeth was only star
ting to slow down from her usual energetic activities. She had been forced to cu
rtail her walks somewhat at Dr. Douglas' orders, since he did not want her too f
ar from the house in the event that a medical problem might arise. Also at his o
rders, she always had a companion with her-Darcy, Georgiana, David, and even Ann
e on occasion, for her recovery was almost complete. Anne did not yet have eno
ugh stamina to accompany Elizabeth on her longer rambles, but that was not reall
y surprising-only Darcy was truly comfortable matching Elizabeth's ground coveri
ng gait, and that was partly due to his long legs, which covered as much ground
in two strides as Elizabeth did in three. Elizabeth lost no time in filling her plate with eggs, ham, fried potatoes, and
biscuits with butter. Her appetite was also no longer an object of amazement to
her husband or the other family members-Georgiana, David, and Anne. However, eve
n though she had always had a healthy appetite, her eating pattern had surpris
ed their guests for the Christmas season-her sisters Mary, Catherine, and Lydia-
who had been granted a probationary leave from the Richards' school in Lambton.
To their amazed questions, she had told them that she was now eating for not onl
y herself but her unborn child and that she expected her appetite to return to n
ormal after the child was born. As for her sisters, it was a mark of the improvements that had been wrought in t
heir character-or at least in the outward facets of that character-that their
question had been phrased in a suitably decorous manner. So far in their visit,
the conversation of the three girls had been improved by the absence of those bl
atantly improper statements that would have previously typified their conversati
on. They appeared to have learned to give some thought to what they had to say b
efore the statement fell from their lips. The conversion was not quite complete-
occasionally an improper or vulgar comment still popped out of their mouths. But
the difference now was that the girls immediately recognized their error and
the need to either rectify their fault or to make an apology. Elizabeth was fran
kly amazed at the dramatic improvement she had witnessed in just two days. She h
ad rather expected her sisters would be mostly unchanged, and she had been glad
that only her family would be guests this year at Pemberley, since it would save her from considerable mortification. In addition, her sisters appeared to have gained a modicum of judgment of proper
attire and style. Certainly, Lydia-and usually Kitty-had never been willing to
listen to advice from either Jane or Elizabeth as to what type of dress and styl
e of hair was appropriate and complimentary to their figures and coloring. And M
ary had frankly cared next to nothing of what she wore. Now all three girls dres
sed in simple but stylish apparel, and the improvement was most dramatic in Mary
. She had always been the least beautiful of the sisters, but now she was able t
o display a pleasing figure and a complimentary hairstyle that made the most of
what nature had granted her. While Lydia and Kitty would, in Elizabeth's opinion
, immediately draw the eye of any young man, Mary would be worth at least a glan
ce. It appeared that Kitty and even Lydia had, in the course of their schooling, rea
d much more extensively than she would have ever believed possible. And Mary's r
eading had shifted to include topics other than religious sermons and treatises
on morality, which had been her typical fare in Hertfordshire. As a result, thou
gh all three appeared unchar- acteristically to do more listening than talking,
they had several times surprised Elizabeth greatly by offering an opinion or s
tating a fact that was actually sensible. If such improvement continues-and this
is the work of only six months!-Elizabeth thought in amusement, my sisters, who
I would have previously considered permanently lost to all sense of propriety a
nd good sense, might someday be a credit to themselves and their family. And Father might even let Lydia someday re-enter society! These thoughts passed through Elizabeth's mind while she spread strawberry jam t
hickly over a biscuit and surreptitiously kept an eye on Lydia, who was eating
-with perfect manners!-while conversing softly with Kitty and even oc- casionall
y with Mary. The idea that Lydia might sit at table without trying to make her c
oncerns the dominant concerns of everyone else was almost incomprehensible to El
izabeth. And that Lydia might actually talk to Mary other than to laugh at her was absolu
tely unique in her experience. After finishing her breakfast, Elizabeth poured herself a cup of tea and sat bac
k to simply enjoy the conversation around the table. Georgiana and Anne were tal
king about whether there might be another several inches of snow during the day,
Darcy and David were discussing the war news from the continent, and her sister
s appeared to be talking about some shared experiences at school. The conversati
on of her sisters was totally civilized and to her liking, so much more pleasant
than she would have expected when Darcy suggested inviting her sisters and the
rest of her family to Pemberley for Christmas. She was not afraid of the presenc
e of the Gardiners, for Darcy enjoyed their company as much as she did, and they
both appreciated the intelligent conversation of both her aunt and uncle. But E
lizabeth had expressed some trepidation and more than a little fear at the idea
of including her sisters as well as her parents. Of course, Jane and Bingley ?55 would be arriving in just two days and her parents the week after that, but the
thought of spending most of a month with Mary, Kitty, and Lydia had been unpalat
able in the extreme. Only after Darcy managed to convince her, and after her sis
- ters had arrived, did she witness their changed behavior and realize Darcy mus
t have known something she had not. By design, she and Darcy had not invited the
girls to Pemberley since arriving in September, both because she had much to le
arn about the new household and because they did not want to interfere in whatev
er progress the Richards had made with her sisters. Darcy had told her later in
their bedroom that Mr. Richards had indeed sent him a note explaining that he th
ought the girls deserving of a break from their schooling. He wrote Darcy that h
e had told the three girls their permission to spend Christmas at Pemberley wa
s probationary only, and they might at any moment be returned to the school if t
hey misbehaved. Since most of the girls had departed back to their homes in the
neighborhood for the Christmas season, the society at the estate would be necess
arily dull. Properly terrorized, her sisters had been models of decorum so far a
nd gave every evidence of continuing that behavior. While she was enjoying her tea and also enjoying the warmth of the room with the
snow-covered landscape outside providing a proper contrast between the warmth i
nside and the cold outside, one of the maids came in with a letter for Elizabeth
. Recognizing the handwriting, she exclaimed, "A letter from Jane. I do hope she
is not writing to say that she and Bingley have been delayed." Darcy looked over from where he was talking with David to comment, "The weather
and the state of the roads should be no impediment to their trip, I would think.
I talked to Henderson yesterday afternoon, and he told me the main roads were w
ell cleared and passable, barring a really heavy storm. And he was going to sadd
le up a team this afternoon to pull the snow plow from the front drive to the ma
in road to clear off any new snow." Elizabeth hurriedly broke the seal and started to read the letter. "My fears wer
e groundless, it appears, darling," she told him. "She says that their packing i
s almost complete... The coach is being prepared for the journey... She is feeling better now, and th
e morning nausea appears to be over... Dr. Douglas looked in on her last week an
d says that she is perfectly healthy and able to make the trip..." She finished the first page and started the next, which had been written the day
after the first page was completed. "Oh, no!" she exclaimed. "My mother and my father shall not be coming after all!
But why is she telling me, I wonder? I have not had a letter from my mother in
two months..." At this point, Elizabeth's voice suddenly ceased. Looking up, Darcy saw a look o
f stunned incomprehension on her face. Concerned, he said, "What is the matter,
dearest? It is not bad news, I hope?" Elizabeth tried to talk, but her mouth did not seem able to form any words. Afte
r several seconds, in which her strange and incomprehensible behavior attracted
the atten- ?56 tion of everyone else, Elizabeth colored and made herself take a drink of her te
a. "I am not sure if it is bad news, William," she said haltingly. "My mother...m
y mother has been forbidden to travel...by Dr. Douglas, who looked in on her at
Jane's request." "Whatever for, Lizzy?" asked Kitty. "Is she ill? And I remember Dr. Douglas from
the day of my father's duel. He is a London doctor. Why should he be seeing my
mother?" "Because Jane asked him to also see our mother when he traveled to Netherfield t
o examine her. And he forbade our mother to travel," said Elizabeth, taking a de
ep breath, "because our mother's child will be born in about a month, and he d
id not want the rigors of travel to bring on an early birth." There were at least five seconds of complete and total silence, with a variety o
f emotions displayed around the table. Darcy looked surprised and, Elizabeth was
shocked to see, rather amused. Georgiana and Anne simply looked surprised and r
ather uncomprehending, while David just looked uncomprehending. But Lydia, Mar
y, and Kitty sat with their mouths open in the same type of stunned amazement th
at had marked Elizabeth's reaction to the news. "Child?" said Mary finally.?"Our mother?" said Kitty.?"Mother? A child?" echoed
Lydia. "It cannot be! You must have misread Jane's letter, Lizzy! You must have!" Elizabeth offered her th
e letter, but Lydia was too shocked to take it up. Elizabeth turned to her husba
nd with a demanding gaze. "Why do I detect a certain amusement in your look, William?" she demanded. "Do you have knowledge that I do not?" "No, my dear," said Darcy imperturbably, pouring himself another cup of coffee
. "But I just made some quick calculations, and it does hang together." "What hangs together?" said Elizabeth crossly. "I cannot see how anything 'hangs
together'!" Darcy chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. "When I went to Longbourn to ask fo
r you hand, it was a Monday, the second week in April. It is now the middle of t
he second week in December. A month from now will be exactly nine months since y
our father challenged Wickham." "Nine months?" stammered Mary. "The duel? What does my father's duel have to do with my mother having a child?"
asked Kitty. Lydia said nothing, though the color rose in her cheeks, for she w
as remembering with no pleasure the part that she had played in that day's eve
nts. "Your sister knows that I had a confrontation with your mother that day," said D
arcy cheerfully. "She was about ready to have one of what Elizabeth has describe
d as an attack of her nerves, and I impertinently interfered in your family's af
fairs by putting my nose about one inch from her and demanding whether she wan
ted so see her husband die on the next day. I challenged her that she needed to
regain control of her household and provide her husband the moral support he nee
ded in order to be at his best the next morning" Darcy leaned back in his chair, his long legs stretched under the table as he lo
oked around at all the eyes that were upon him. "It appears," he said blandly, "
that your mother took my advice to heart and to greater lengths than I in- tende
d." He looked cheerfully around the table at the growing comprehension. "And n
ow, nine months later, we see the result." "But that means that my mother..." stammered Kitty. "You do not mean..." said Ma
ry in a sort of horror. "But how...at their age...it is simply impossible!" burs
tout Lydia.?"I think not," said Darcy. "How old is your mother exactly?"?"How old?" said Kitty in confusion. "Why she is...that is, she must be too old for...well...I do not believe that I even know her age." "She was seventeen when she married my father," said Lydia. "I know, she told me
so." "And Jane is twenty-three," said Mary. "And my mother gave birth to Jane in the first year of her marriage," said Eliza
beth, quickly scanning the rest of Jane's letter. "So that would make her forty
or forty one, though my father is at least fifteen years her senior." "Is it possible?" asked Mary dazedly. "Oh, yes," said Georgiana. "Betty Smith, one of the downstairs maids, had eight
children, and the last one was born when she was forty-two. So I know it is poss
ible. Elizabeth," she said, turning to her friend and sister, "though it is very
surprising, this is really marvelous news! You will have another sister!" "Perhaps not," said Darcy complacently. "I was just thinking on that matter...
""Dr. Douglas evidently considers my mother's health excellent, and he was well a
ble to hear the baby's heartbeat," said Elizabeth, rapidly continuing her readin
g. "He gives every chance for a healthy birth." "But why did we not know previously?" asked Mary. "And you might have a brother rather than a sister..." Darcy continued. "Jane writes that she did not know until the day she wrote," said Elizabeth, con
sulting another part of the letter. "She had noticed that my mother's visits were not occurring as frequently in the
past months, and she had taken to staying home at Longbourn and not going out a
t all." "Which would mean that a certain parson in Kent..." said Darcy. "Jane now realizes that it is because of the child," Elizabeth went on. "My fath
er knew about it, but my mother swore him to secrecy lest the baby not come to f
ull term." "...might come to be most exceedingly disappointed..." said Darcy, sipping his c
offee. "Was that not taking a chance?" asked Anne. "My mother evidently consulted Mr. Jones, the apothecary," said Elizabeth. "Bu
t he knows less about childbirth than he does about fevers." "Which is little enough!" offered Mary. She had never liked the man, deeming him
ill-learned based on his total ignorance of Fordyce's Sermons. "...since the entail would then be invalid..." continued Darcy. "But Jane and Bingley will come for Christmas, will they not?" asked Georgiana. "Yes," answered Elizabeth, "but they will not stay until after the New Year as t
hey had planned. Jane wants to be back at Netherfield so that she may look in on
our mother during the last weeks before the baby is due." "...and your new brother would thus inherit Longbourn..." said Darcy. "Elizabeth!" exclaimed Kitty. "What if our mother has a boy instead of a girl?' "...and be able to provide for his mother and all his sisters," completed Darc
y. "Yes!" exclaimed Lydia. "That would mean that the entail..." "...would no longer be in effect..." said Kitty. "...and he would inherit Father
's estate!" said Mary. Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Darcy and both of them shared a secret smile. Yes,
her sisters still needed more instruction from the Richards! "That would be too bad for Mrs. Collins," said Georgiana sympathetically. "I do
like her so very much." "Charlotte would not mind so much," said Elizabeth. "She wanted desperately to m
anage her own home, but she never wanted to be Mistress of Longbourn."?"But with five sisters," piped up Dav
id, who had been rather bewildered by much of the conversation, "is it not probable that another
child will also be a girl?" "Possibly," said Darcy. "But you remember Winifred Cooper, one of the cooks in t
own? She had six girls before finally having two boys. Who can tell? But it cert
ainly makes for interesting conversation. And, though I do not want to wish ill
fortune on others, I cannot admit to feeling any particular pain if my Aunt's pa
rson happened to be the disappointed party." To this, the four sisters, as well as the rest of the party, could whole-hearted
ly agree. ?57 Chapter 34 September, 1813 With the morning sun shining in through the tall windows, Anne de Bourgh was con
cen- trating on her music and did not hear the door to the hall open. It was onl
y when she finished and looked up triumphantly at her cousin Georgiana that she heard two p
airs of hands in applause behind her. Startled, she looked over her shoulder to
see Elizabeth and Darcy standing behind her clapping their hands. The unlooked
for approbation caught her so completely by surprise that she blushed deeply at
the compliment. "Well done, Anne!" said Georgiana enthusiastically. "She completed the piece per
fectly, Elizabeth! Has she not made great strides? She shall soon be beyond my a
bility to teach, and we shall have to spend some of my brother's money to hire a
music tutor for her." "Georgiana!" cried Anne, blushing more deeply. "You know that this is the first
time I have managed to play that music all the way through after trying and fail
ing for weeks!" "That may be, Anne, but Georgiana is right. You have indeed been a good student,
" said Elizabeth with a smile, "and you must start learning to take a compliment
gracefully, for you shall soon be receiving more. But we must interrupt your practice, since
we need to leave soon to keep your appointment with Dr. Douglas." Georgiana looked up in surprise. "Is Dr. Douglas not coming here, Elizabeth? He
has always done so before." "That is because he wants to do a very thorough examination of Anne, and that
will be much more convenient at his establishment than here," said Darcy. "If ev
erything turns out as expected, he should be releasing Anne from his constant su
pervision." "Then he will not be coming any more?" said Georgiana. Anne did not notice anyth
ing untoward in her statement, but Elizabeth shared a look with her husband in w
hich she raised an eyebrow and received the most miniscule of nods in return. "Not unless we are sick and need his care," Elizabeth answered. "He will still b
e our family physician, but Anne's health has improved to the point that she wil
l no longer need regular visits. Now, let us get your shawl and bonnet, Anne. William has already ordered the carriage."?"Can I come also?" Georgiana said sud
denly.?"Why, I guess you could, Georgiana," said Elizabeth with a look of surprise, though her inner thoughts were not surprised at all. "B
ut there is really no reason to interrupt ?58 your own practice. I can provide Anne all the assistance she needs." "I would like to get out of the house," Georgiana said. "I would rather accompan
y you than stay here by myself. I shall get my own shawl and bonnet and meet you
in the courtyard."?She and Anne rapidly left the room, and the sound of their feet ascending the stairs was heard seconds later. "Now, do you see what I
mean?" said Elizabeth to Darcy, once she was sure the girls were out of hearing.?"I did not say that you were no
t correct, love," said Darcy mildly. "I just said that I had not noted what you
had. Now that I know what to look for, I believe you have the truth of it." He ran his fingers
through his hair, his usual gesture when he was deep in thought. "I shall have
to talk with Douglas like you suggested, and today is none too soon. Shall I stay afterwards while you bring the girls home?"?"I think that will do nicely,
dear," said Elizabeth. "I can send the carriage back for you. Now, we had best
make haste for the courtyard before the girls leave without us."?As they were leaving, Eliz
abeth suddenly gave a soft laugh. Darcy raised his eyebrows enquiringly, and Elizabeth took his arm, smiling up at
her tall husband. "See how much you need me, William?" she said cheerfully as t
hey walked toward the courtyard. "How should you ever have sorted this out witho
ut me to point out all the little signs that you missed?" "Truly, I could not have done so," Darcy said equably, but then he smiled slight
ly as a mischievous thought occurred to him. Leaning closer to his wife, he said
softly, "But I need you for other reasons as well, my dear, so I must warn you
not to savor your victory too much, for you well know that you are ticklish and
I am not. As has been demonstrated to you on numerous occasions." "Only a cad would make a statement like that!" Elizabeth cried in mock dismay, d
rawing only a smile of smug satisfaction from her husband. "Especially," she s
aid, lowering her voice to an intimate whisper, "when there is no opportunity fo
r you to back up your boast." "The opportunity shall be seized at the earliest moment, madam, of that you may
be sure," said Darcy, straightening up and maintaining an admirably straight fac
e, marred only by the slightest twitch at the corner of his mouth. "Then I shall depend upon it, Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth said softly, with the specia
l smile that Darcy loved so much, for it was meant for him and him alone in the
entire world. Seeing her smile and noting the merriment in her eyes, Darcy sud-
denly wanted nothing more than to lift his lovely wife off her feet and carry he
r immediately to his bedroom. And his lovely wife saw the sudden desire in his eyes and felt her own heart ski
p a beat in response. She gave his arm a firm squeeze and a loving smile. "Soon,
my darling," she whispered, her eyes bright. "Soon." "Give me strength!" Darcy groaned, raising his eyes heav- enward, and Elizabeth
laughed delightedly as she squeezed his arm again. 2DR. IAN DOUGLAS LISTENED carefully to the sound of his patient's breathing, hold
ing the small end of an instrument shaped like a horn to his ear while the other
end rested against his patient's back. "Breath deeply again, Miss de Bourgh," he told his patient, listening carefull
y. After about a minute, he moved to the other side of her back and again listen
ed carefully as Anne breathed slowly and deeply at his command. Finally, he put
the horn aside and made a notation in his notebook. Picking up a small instrumen
t that looked like a hammer carved in ivory, he again placed the horn in positio
n and tapped the hammer softly against her back, right beside the mouth of the i
nstrument. Moving from place to place, he repeated the procedure several more ti
mes, moving from place to place, before he again made a series of notes in his n
otebook. Carefully, he reviewed his notes, checking everything he had written
before finally nodding in satisfaction and closing the notebook. "That completes my examination, Miss de Bourgh," he told Anne, who was sitting o
n a stool dressed in an examination gown that she had put on almost an hour ea
rlier. "Thank you for your patience and cooperation. Everything looks quite in order, a
nd I will go over everything in detail in my office after you are dressed. I wil
l send in one of my staff to help you." "That will not be necessary, doctor," said Elizabeth from her seat at the side o
f the room. "Georgiana and I can assist her." "Very well, Mrs. Darcy," Dr. Douglas said briskly. "Mr. Darcy and I will await a
ll of you in my office." He gave both Elizabeth and Georgiana a quick nod and st
arted to leave the room. "Dr. Douglas?" Georgiana said softly. "Yes, Miss Darcy?" he said, turning back to the two ladies. "If it is not an imposition, I was curious about that horn you were using. What
is it?" "This?" said Dr. Douglas, pointing toward up the trumpet. "It looks like an ea
r trumpet, Miss Darcy, and that is exactly what it is, though I am not using it
for its intended purpose. In the same way that it helps the deaf to hear at leas
t a little better, it allows me to listen to a patient's heartbeat and to their
breathing. There are many sicknesses that have effects on the lungs and the hear
t, and listening is one of a doctor's best tools." "Dr. Edmond certainly never used anything like it," said Anne acidly. "He always
wanted to put his ear to my chest to listen to my heart. And he must have been
hard of hearing, because he always listened for a long, long time." Dr. Douglas colored slightly as he put the trumpet down. "Well, the trumpet is n
ot only an improvement on the ear alone, but it is also a bit more discreet with
female patients. But you are quite correct, Miss de Bourgh, most surgeons put their ear to their
patient's chest." "How many other doctors use the trumpet as you do?" asked Elizabeth shrewdly. "That question rather depends on what is meant by the name 'doctor,' Mrs. Darcy,
" replied Dr. Douglas. "You are undoubtedly aware that there are physicians and
then there are surgeons, and that the general populace often refers to both of t
hem by the term doctor?" Elizabeth and Georgiana nodded, and Douglas continued. "As you are probably al
so aware, physicians are considered-and consider themselves!-as almost aristoc
ratic in nature and thus are anxious to avoid any activity that might have the t
aint of manual labor. Thus, almost all of the physicians that I know, except f
or the very youngest, avoid the use of any tools, confining themselves to a visu
al examination and the prescribing of medications. Among the surgeons, there are
more who use similar improvised tools, but there are not many." "But you are a physician, are you not, Dr. Douglas?" asked Georgiana. "I saw it
on a plaque beside your front door." "I am indeed, Miss Darcy, and I both read medicine at Cambridge and have the cer
tification from the Royal College of Physicians to prove it. However, my plaque
also says, 'Physician and Surgeon,' because I also trained as a surgeon and then
sharpened my skills as a military surgeon. So, you see, I am a bit out of place
in either group. My fellow physicians look on me with a jaundiced eye because I
get my hands dirty, and my fellow surgeons look on me with a jaundiced view bec
ause they think that I am either aspiring to be considered an aristocrat or have
been rejected by my fellow physicians as unworthy. Both groups look on me as if
a leper has somehow gained entrance into their sacred order, but neither of the
m knows of any way to get rid of me. The apothecaries are the only ones who do n
ot seem to mind my company." Since Dr. Douglas had worn a wry smile as he recounted his history, Georgiana fe
lt emboldened to offer an opinion. "It does not seem that you are bothered overmuch by the opinions of either group
, Dr. Douglas," she said. Her statement was made rather tentatively, but she w
as rewarded by a quick bow of agreement from Dr. Douglas. "Indeed, their opinions do not bother me in the slightest, Miss Darcy, for I am
interested in what works to help my patients. Luckily, I have won the patronage
of your brother and your uncle, and that has provided me a considerable amount o
f immunity from what either group would like to do to me. But I have strayed fro
m what you originally asked, which was about the horn that I use. I actually sta
rted using it when I was in Spain. We captured a French Army surgeon, and they b
rought him and his medical bag to me. I found a rolled paper tube in his bag and
asked what it was used for, and he told me that he used it to listen to the pat
ient's heart. I tried it, and it worked splendidly. After that, I tried to im- p
rove on his idea by using one of the horns that some of the ?59 officers used to give their orders, which worked even better. Later on, when I r
eturned to England, I came upon the idea of the ear trumpet, which works best of
all. But your question, Mrs. Darcy, was also well put-virtually all establish
ed physicians and even most surgeons are very conservative and do not welcome ch
ange." "What about the little hammer you used to tap on her back?" Georgiana asked. Eli
zabeth had to lower her head to hide her smile, for Georgiana's eyes were almost
literally shining with admiration. "That was so that I could listen to the echoes resounding in her lungs from diff
erent points, Miss Darcy. The French call it percussion, and it is somewhat like
the way a brewer will tap on a keg in order to determine the level of the liqui
d in the keg. I read of it from a publication by Corvisart, who is Bonaparte's o
wn physician, and the French do not seem to have the social stratification betwe
en physician and surgeon that we have here in England. A number of the younger p
hy- sicians on the continent use it as a valuable diagnostic tool." Georgiana would have asked another question, but Elizabeth intervened firmly. "W
e must allow Dr. Douglas to leave before we can help Anne dress, Georgiana. And
I am certain that he has other patients. But we shall have him for dinner soon,
and I will give you leave at that time to ask all the questions you like. If he
is not frightened away by the prospect, that is." Dr. Douglas gave Elizabeth a slight bow. "It is really no trouble, Mrs. Darcy. W
e practitioners usually have the opposite problem, which is a general disinter
est in the details of our profession. Faced with the prospect of interested ques
tions, I am more afraid of falling prey to the opposite temptation, that of bori
ng my audience to distraction." "We shall have to take that chance soon in order to satisfy my sister's curiosit
y, doctor," Elizabeth said. "Then I will leave you to assist your cousin, Mrs. Darcy. Miss Darcy. Miss de Bo
urgh." Giving a quick bow to each of the ladies, he left them to assist Anne. It was only about fifteen minutes before the three ladies were able to join Da
rcy and Dr. Douglas in his office. Darcy and Douglas were having coffee, and a t
ea service had been prepared for the ladies. Once they were all settled, Dr. Dou
glas opened his notebook. "I am glad to be able to tell you that Miss de Bourgh appears to have complete
ly recovered from all ill effects from her illness," he began, reading from his
notebook. "Her heart appears strong, her lungs are clear and her breathing is
easy and unstrained. Her reflexes are perfectly correct, her muscle tone is exce
llent, and there were no abnormalities in her ears, throat, nostrils, or eyes. H
er appetite is healthy, and her digestion is perfectly normal, as long as she av
oids those foods that we have determined to be the cause of her problem. She app
ears, in short, to be as hearty and healthy as a young lady of her age ought to
be. Assuming that she faithfully maintains a proper diet, I see no reason why sh
e should not expect to live a full and happy life, including marriage and child-
bearing." ?60 Despite the improvement in her health, Anne was still strongly moved at hearing
Dr. Douglas give this final pronouncement. It was as if a weight that she had
carried around all these months and years had gotten lighter and lighter until i
t had just been lifted off her shoulders completely. "Thank you, doctor," Anne s
aid softly and feelingly, and she was unashamed of the tears that suddenly brimm
ed in her eyes. "That is wonderful to hear at last."?"No, thank you, Miss de Bourgh, for giving
me permission to write of your case in my paper," said Dr. Douglas with a smile. "It crea
ted a considerable stir among my peers, both physicians and surgeons, and you mi
ght be interested in an unexpected side issue that has now been resolved. It see
ms that a certain Dr. Edmond, who has been screaming for my head to the other ph
ysicians in town, was confronted with my paper by some of my younger peers. Not
only was he unable to refute what I had written, but it turned out that he had b
een presenting himself as a physician for many years when he never seems to have
studied the subject at university, nor had he ever applied to, much less been a
dmitted by, the Royal Academy of Physicians. He was thus not entitled to call hi
mself a doctor and has been totally discredited and made a complete laughingstoc
k. I understand that, following this confrontation and the resulting precipito
us drop in his practice, he has evidently disappeared from his establishment a
nd made an unceremonious departure from London." "Good!" said Georgiana firmly, her eyes bright and ap- proving, and Elizabeth an
d Darcy shared another quick glance. Anne's agreement with her cousin was a little slower. "I had not heard that Dr.
Edmond-or I guess it should be Mr. Edmond, should it not?-had left London, and I
cannot say I am sorry," she said after a moment. "I also cannot believe that
I allowed my mother to bully me into following his advice for so many years. I a
m certain that I would have died if he had continued to treat me." Dr. Douglas nodded in agreement. "I am afraid you are again correct, Miss de Bou
rgh. I do not like to speak ill of fellow practitioners of the healing arts, but
I shall not miss him either. And as for his departure, that must have occurred
quite recently, for I was told only yesterday that he has evidently left no note
s as to where he had gone, and his establishment was found to be deserted when h
is patients came to call." "That is good news about Anne, doctor," said Darcy, "as is your news about the u
nlamented departure of Edmond. But I was wondering if you might spare me a few m
inutes of your time while the ladies depart? I have some business I would like t
o discuss with you." "Certainly, Mr. Darcy," said Dr. Douglas, though he was somewhat surprised. He s
upposed that Darcy wanted to discuss a financial arrangement similar to the one
that he and Lord Matlock had agreed to, where he would provide medical services
as necessary in return for a generous retainer. Darcy turned to Elizabeth. "Dear, would you be so good as to take Georgiana and
Anne back to the house and then send the carriage back for me? Our business shou
ld take no more than a half-hour." "Certainly, William," said Elizabeth. "I will see you when you return." After the three ladies departed, Dr. Douglas turned to his visitor with a questi
oning glance, but Darcy engaged in general pleasantries until he heard the sound
of his carriage departing. By that time, Douglas was full of curiosity, since i
t was obvious that his earlier supposition about Darcy's intent was unlikely to
be true. "Now, doctor, since the ladies have departed, we can talk in confidence, for the
subject that I want to discuss is one of some sensitivity," Darcy said, fixing
his gaze firmly on the other man. "Tell me, have you noticed the particular inte
r- est that my sister, Georgiana, has been taking in you during your visits to A
nne these past months?" Darcy was able to read the answer to his question in the look of complete confus
ion and surprise on Douglas' face. His mouth had dropped open as he heard Darcy'
s revelation, and it was some moments before he could control his voice. "Miss Darcy?" he said in distress. "No, I had not noticed anything, Mr. Darcy!
Oh, she has been curious and full of questions, but I took that for a general i
nterest in medicine..." Douglas' voice trailed off as he realized that any mis- understanding could be d
isastrous to his growing practice. "Sir," he said firmly, "let me assure you tha
t I had no idea of any interest by your sister, and I truly did nothing at all to influence her." Darcy held up his hand. "Do not distress yourself, Douglas. I was certain that y
ou had not done anything improper from the moment that my wife raised the subj
ect. My sister is open and friendly, and the signs of her interest are really qu
ite subtle. They would be scarcely noticeable to anyone who did not know Georgia
na intimately. In fact, I would have thought that I knew her better than anyone
else, and yet I noticed nothing until my wife pointed out what she had observed.
""That is a relief, at least. I value my professional relationship with your fa
mily highly, and I would not do anything to damage it." Darcy cocked an eyebrow at him with a small smile. "Yet there remains the fact t
hat my sister seems to be interested in another man for the first time in her li
fe. And, as one of her two guardians-my cousin Fitzwilliam is joined with me in
that responsibility-I have to wonder, what shall I do about it?" "Mr. Darcy," said Douglas earnestly, "I will do whatever is necessary in order t
o put your concerns at rest. Your sister is a charming girl, to be sure, but she
is still quite young and confined to the privacy of her family circle. My sugge
stion is that I might treat the other members of your family here at my office,
while Miss Darcy could be treated by her own physician. I would be happy to recommend several qualified men." "Oh, I do not believe that it will be necessary to do anything quite that dras
tic," said Darcy obliquely. Seeing the confused look on the other man's face, he
decided to take pity on the poor man. Leaning forward, he said seriously, "See here, Douglas-I do not believe there is another man in London who is as cap
able and qualified as you, and I want all my family to be treated by the best ph
ysician I know, including my sister. Let us put that subject to rest. In fact, t
he reason that I wanted to talk to you today has nothing to do with your qualifi
cations as a physician." Douglas leaned back in his chair in complete mystifi- cation while Darcy poured
himself more coffee and took a reflective sip before continuing. "It is true tha
t my sister is young, Douglas," said Darcy, "but she is not that young. She is s
eventeen now and will be eighteen in November. If it were not for the illness of
my cousin Anne, Georgiana would probably have come out this past summer and mig
ht already be engaged. So, when I observe an interest in a gentleman on her part
, I will not dismiss that interest as being that of a girl too young to know her
own mind. Especially when I have no objections to the gentleman in question." That certainly made Douglas sit back in his chair and stare blankly at his visit
or. Eventually, he said, with a confused note to his voice, "That is most surp
rising, Mr. Darcy. After the shock of your first revelation, I would not have been surprised to hav
e you discharge me as your family's physician." "Hardly that, doctor. You not only saved my cousin's life but you gave her a lif
e with possibilities she never dared dream of before. In addition, I have witnes
sed how you com- port yourself with the utmost civility and propriety in both so
cial and professional situations. I might have taken the course you recommended,
of having Georgiana see another physician, but I would have never discharged yo
u." "But I am a surgeon as well as a physician, Darcy. Some others of my peers do no
t like that in the least and prefer to consider me as almost a tradesman. Miss
Darcy will be a grand lady one day, and she could make a splendid match." "And she may yet, Douglas," Darcy said calmly. "Whatever transpires in the futur
e will be her decision and your own. This may be a passing fancy or it may not,
and I know not how your own opinion is or might be in the future. But I want my sister to have
the best possible chance for happiness. I have had events occur in my own life t
hat have taught me the fallacy of too much regard for the strictures of society
and rank. I am most happy in my own marriage, but I almost bungled it. If not
for the intervention of my cousin, I might well have thrown away my one and only
chance for contentment and joy. I am not trying to arrange a marriage for my si
ster-rather, I am informing you that I will not stand in the way if an attractio
n does develop between the two of you." ?6? There was a quiet silence for some moments as both men simply looked at each oth
er. Finally, Douglas stirred himself. "You have given me much to think on, Mr. D
arcy. More than I ever dreamed possible when you asked for a few minutes of my t
ime." "Of that, I am sure," said Darcy. "Some time, I will relate to you the manner in
which my cousin Anne was responsible for much of my present happiness. The acco
unt, I am afraid, is not one that treats my pride tenderly." Douglas smiled at Darcy's resigned shrug of his shoulders. Then, after gathering
his thoughts, he said carefully, "If it is any comfort to you, Mr. Darcy, I wan
t to inform you that my own means are such that I have no need to consider money
in my choice of wife. So if the events ever do turn out as you have mentioned,
it will not be because I am drawn by your sister's fortune." He cocked an eye at Darcy before he continued. "Are you aware that my
family is quite wealthy?" Darcy nodded in agreement. "Yes, I believe you mentioned it previously. You sa
id they were engaged in shipbuild- ing, I believe." "That is correct, and I am afraid that I am considered the black sheep of the fa
mily for refusing to enter the family business. Instead, I sold my share of th
e business to my brothers and used the funds to finance my medical studies." "At both Cambridge and later on the continent," said Darcy. "You are well informed, it seems, Mr. Darcy," said Douglas. Darcy shrugged. "With my responsibilities, you would do the same. And yet, after
completing your medical studies, you then joined the Army as a surgeon for tw
o years in Spain and Portugal." It was Douglas' turn to shrug. "It was beneficial to my medical education, and i
t was also my way of supporting my country. In any event, between several inheri
tances, the remains of my share of the family business, some bonuses that were g
iven after important victories and the seizure of French treasure, as well as my
own earnings since returning to England, I have more than two hundred thousand
pounds on account and invested in property." Darcy raised his eyebrows at this. "That is indeed a tidy sum, Douglas. I knew t
hat you had purchased this establishment rather than renting it and then had i
t rebuilt to your specifications for your practice, so I knew that you had at le
ast a little money," said Darcy. "But that much! Many a landowner has a far smal
ler fortune." "I could have bought a small estate and confined myself to the running of it, bu
t what I wanted to be was a doctor," said Douglas. "A complete doctor-not just a
physician who would never dirty his hands and not just a surgeon, who only lear
ned from experience and a mentor. I cannot say when it first became my ambition,
for I have had that goal for as long as I can remember. And the wealth I accumu
lated was only a means to that end. Faults I have aplenty, but I daresay one of
them is not the desire to marry for money." ?62 "Better and better," said Darcy with a smile. "And I am already acquainted with
one of your main vices, which is a dedication to the game of whist, for that is
how we met." "Yes, I remember," said Douglas with a sheepish smile. "I only belong to White's
because I do love the game so. I remember how intensely the last hand of the ni
ght was played. A small slam in spades, if I remember correctly."?"Which I doubled, and which yo
u then redoubled," said Darcy ruefully. "I thought that I would surely get two t
ricks out of the queen-jack doubleton of trumps and the Ace-King of diamonds. Th
en you played to drop my queen-jack of trumps and then ruffed my King of diamond
s. A well-played hand."?"Thank you. I had to play it that way-it was the only way I could win. You certainly took the loss well, and it was during our talk af
terwards that you learned of my rather unique medical background. And instead of
being skeptical, you were interested enough to recommend me to your friends."
Douglas laughed ruefully. "I am still probably the only surgeon to be admitted
to White's." "Well, my best friend, Charles Bingley, comes from a family who made their fortu
ne in trade," said Darcy. "But they had the good taste to make their money in th
e previous generation, so he is now a gentleman landowner. But back to the subje
ct at hand. I am not asking for any kind of commitment, Douglas, but are you a
t least interested enough to hear me out on our plans for Georgiana's coming out
?" Douglas looked at Darcy intently, for he was quite dis- concerted by this whole
conversation, but he could discern nothing other than honest concern in Darcy's
face. Finally, he nodded his assent. "Again, Darcy, I am quite at sea with what
you have told me, but I will admit to being somewhat intrigued. Except for my si
sters, I have very little experience with the fair sex, other than polite or pro
fessional conversation." "That is quite understandable. I was in much the same condition until I met Eliz
abeth-I was so busy with being a guardian and older brother to both Georgiana an
d David that I had taken no time to seriously interact with the ladies. Anyway
, to begin with, our Aunt Matlock will present Georgiana at court sometime befor
e Easter. The Season 'offi- cially' begins in May with the exhibition at the Roy
al Academy of Arts, but Georgiana has told me that she has no interest in attend
ing. The first-and, so far, the only-event that she has agreed to attend is the
private ball that Aunt Matlock will be hosting a fortnight later. As for what co
mes afterward, I am more than happy to leave all of that in Elizabeth's hands. S
he told me that a young lady might possibly attend fifty balls, sixty parties, t
hirty dinners and twenty-five breakfasts in just a single Season! The prospect i
s enough to make a grown man cower in abject horror, Douglas!" "It does sound rather fatiguing just to consider it," agreed Douglas. "I had kno
wn that London becomes a virtual marriage market during that time, but I had n
ever known the details." "In addition," Darcy continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "if a young lad
y does not marry within two or at most three seasons, she is considered an abjec
t failure. I do not anticipate that for Georgiana, due to her accomplishments
and her fortune. No, my fear is the opposite-I anticipate that she will provok
e a very high degree of interest in all too many young men." Douglas nodded sympathetically. "Yes, the fortune hunt- ers will be out in full
force for Miss Darcy. Not an easy situation to handle." "I have an advantage that I did not anticipate several years ago, since Elizabet
h will be able to provide some much-needed sensibility. Between my suspicious
nature and her good sense, I hope that we may be able to unmask that particular
breed of London cave-dweller in short order." This last comment seemed to prov
ide Darcy with considerable comfort. After some moments of silence, Douglas stirred himself. "I find myself of a simi
lar mind to your own, Darcy, even though I did not know the details. For these r
easons and others, I have never been very interested in the activities of London
society. First my studies claimed all my time, and then military service took me out of the country. Since returning to England,
the demands of establishing my practice have precluded any participation, even
if I had been interested. And, though my father ensured that I had the requisit
e instruction in dancing, dress, and social protocols, I have had little experie
nce in practicing what I was taught. To be succinct, Mr. Darcy, I am not likely
to be on anyone's invitation list for this coming Season or any other." "You may leave that in my hands, Douglas, since it is essentially what I had exp
ected from what I know of your character. The answer is quite simple: As I menti
oned, my Aunt Matlock will be hosting the first event that Georgiana will be attending, w
ith the express purpose of introducing her to her friends and the rest of societ
y. When I acquaint her with what I already knew and with what I have learned tod
ay, I am sure that she will have no objection to sending you an invitation to he
r ball. With that evidence of her favor, you will probably receive as many other
invitations as you may care to accept. And then I will have done all I intend t
o do. I will have provided the opportunity for my sister to meet a man who I bel
ieve has sparked at least some interest on her part, and I will have provided th
e opportunity for that man to meet my sister in something other than a professio
nal setting. The rest may be left to time and the inclinations of those involved
." Douglas folded his hands and looked at Darcy intently. "This is really quite inc
redible, you know," he said quietly. "Most men in your position would have warne
d me away from their sister and decried the impertinence that I might even aspire to be somethi
ng more than a servant. And here you basically give me carte blanche to court yo
ur sister." "The status of physicians is quite high," said Darcy. "Along with barristers, th
ey are allowed to present their daughters at court." "But surgeons are not," replied Douglas, "and I am no more ashamed of being a su
rgeon than I am of being a physician." "Even the status of surgeons is getting better." "Perhaps it is moving in that direction," agreed Douglas dryly, "but it is movin
g rather slowly. Not too many years ago, a surgeon and a barber were rather inte
rchangeable, since both involved the use of sharp metal instruments. But general
practitioners and solicitors are still considered akin to tradesmen." Darcy waved his hand dismissively. "I might once have cared, but I hope I am wis
er now. Like you, I avoided all the social situations that we have just discusse
d, which did not prevent many a London mother from contriving to push their daug
hters at me at every possible opportunity. From what you have told me of you fin
ancial situation, they would be doing the same to you, if they only knew. But no
w," he said, rising to his feet, "I believe that my carriage has returned, so I
will take my leave of you." "I will say, Darcy," said Douglas, rising to his feet with Darcy, "that this has
been a most astonishing and instruc- tive conversation. Quite the most astonish
ing that I can remember." "I am sure it was, Douglas," said Darcy, with a wry grin of understanding. "And
there is one other thing-my wife asked me to tender you an invitation to dine wi
th us. Are you free this Saturday?" Douglas did not have to think long, since his social life was, by his own choice
, quite limited. "Yes, I am quite free on Saturday." "Then shall we see you at six o'clock?"?"Six o'clock it is. Please express my th
anks to your wife." "We shall see if you are still of the same mind after my sister finishes interrogating you," said Darcy blandly. "Lately, she seems to ha
ve developed a most singular interest in medical matters." "I shall attempt to bear up under the challenge, Darcy," said Douglas, a slight
smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I shall see you Saturday." ?63 Chapter 35 Christmas, 1813 Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam gave a muffled grunt of pain as the lurching of the
heavy coach on the snow-covered roads awakened him from his slight doze, but not
before he was thrown against the side of the coach. His mother looked at him anxiously as he straightened himself in t
he seat and eased his left arm into a less painful position. "Does it hurt much, Richard?" she asked worriedly. "Not if I stay awake, Mother. But I must have dozed off for a few minutes there,
and I didn't wake up in time." He tried to put on a cheerful smile for his moth
er, but his father had only to look at the sudden beads of sweat which dotted hi
s forehead in the chilly coach to see through that faade. He raised his eyes a fr
actional inch in enquiry, and Richard gave a barely perceptible shake of his hea
d to his father. Their long and close relationship had given them enough non-ver
- bal communication to allow Richard to know that his father was asking if he ne
eded assistance and his response indicated that he did not. But the arm did hurt, which Richard at least now knew was a good sign. He had ta
ken the opportunity during his two days in London to call on Darcy's physician,
Dr. Douglas, to seek another opinion on the severity of the wound he had suffere
d two months earlier in a night cavalry skirmish. His regiment had held the fiel
d and driven off the French heavy cavalry unit that had no business being where
they were, but a lucky shot from one of the retreating French caval- rymen had t
orn into his left arm several inches above the elbow. Quick work by one of his a
ide's had kept him from bleeding to death on the spot, but the first surgeon who
had looked him over had only shaken his head and told him the arm had to come o
ff. Luckily, the same aide who had applied the tourniquet also knew that Sir A
rthur Wellesley, the Earl of Wellington, had come up to inspect the site of the
encounter and had brought his personal surgeon with him. Upon being informed of
the wound to Colonel Fitzwilliam, Earl Wellington had immediately offered the lo
an of his skilled surgeon, who had succeeded in cleaning the wound and stitching
the pieces of muscle and tendon back together, thus saving the arm. But he coul
d not give assurances of a complete recovery. "These heavy balls really tear up the tissue and bone, which is why the first su
rgeon wanted to take your arm off, Colonel," he had told Fitzwilliam. "They just
do not have the time to spend on each individual patient, else many others wo
uld die in the meantime. I think I managed to save ?64 the arm, if we can just avoid infection, but there are several nerves passing th
rough the area of the wound that had to have been damaged. If they heal, you may
get some or even most of the use of the arm back. If they do not...?" The docto
r's shrug told Fitzwilliam all he needed to know. He had thanked the doctor fuls
omely and he knew that he owed him the arm, but dashed if he could remember the
man's name! I have to find out sometime and send him some token of my thanks, Fi
tzwilliam thought. Healing had been slow, however, in the dirt and mud and unsanitary conditions, a
nd eventually he had been sent back to England to recuperate. His leave-taking f
rom the Regiment had been quite emotional, as he stood at attention with his use
less left arm in a sling while the Regiment passed in a farewell parade. But, wh
ile the arm was still useless, it had begun to throb and ache terribly, and Fitz
william had lost no time in seeking Dr. Douglas' opinion as soon as he got to Lo
ndon. The examination had been prolonged, and Douglas' manipulation of the almost usel
ess but still throbbing limb had brought a familiar sheen of perspiration to Fit
zwilliam's forehead. "Definite nerve damage, Colonel," Dr. Douglas had said when
he was through. "It is, of course, impossible to say just how bad, but I believ
e that it is definitely beginning to repair itself. For example, you told me tha
t you had little feeling in your forearm area immediately after the surgeon stit
ched you up. Good work, that, by the way. Anyway, now it is causing you pain, an
d it is not the sympathetic pain of an amputee. I probed several places in your
forearm that caused you to give a definite reaction, and I was able to detect se
veral reflexes that are now functional. So, as long as you do not find any sign
of swelling or infection, I can only tell you to get through the pain as best yo
u can, for that pain is a sign of nerves repairing themselves." Richard's father had accompanied him on the visit, for he had indeed made Dr. Do
uglas the Matlock family physician as well as the Darcy family physician, and he
and Richard had agreed on the ride back to Matlock that there was no need to be
completely candid with Lady Matlock. Only time would tell how well he would rec
over, and now Richard concentrated on trying to move his fingers, one of the e
xercises recommended by Dr. Douglas for his convalescence. Richard looked over to see his father's eyes intent on him, having noticed the s
light wiggling of his son's fingers. Richard repeated the exercise, concentratin
g on moving each of his fingers separately, and his efforts provided considerabl
e satisfaction to his father, who had been afraid that his son might never use t
he arm again. He gave Richard a very slight nod of satisfaction, then leaned bac
k against the cushions to get what rest was possible as the driver concentrated
on making what time he could while making sure that the coach did not slide off
the road into the ditch on either side. Despite her husband and son's best efforts, little of this interplay escaped Lad
y Matlock, but she turned her face towards the snow-covered fields passing by on
either side of the coach. She was content to let these two men in her life have their unspoken
communication with each other, though she did have to duck her head slightly to
hide a smile as she considered how surprised each of them would be that she had
been fully aware of all their little signals and expressions for many years now.
And, while she was not privy to what Richard had told his father in privacy or
what Dr. Douglas had really said versus what she had been told, she also knew th
at Richard's wound was more serious than he let on. By long practice, she contro
lled her urge to interfere, for wounds, death, and danger were the stock in trad
e for the two of her sons in the service of the King. Lady Matlock did not turn back to her son until she had her expression firmly co
ntrol. "I believe that we are very close to the turnoff that leads to Pemberley,
Richard," she told her son. "We should be there in less than twenty minutes." Richard turned his head to look over his right shoulder. "I believe that you are
correct, Mother, though everything looks different with the snow." 2GEORGIANA DARCY SMILED TO herself as she looked around at the amiable chaos of t
he music room, which had heretofore been largely the domain of herself and Anne,
with the occasional presence of Elizabeth. But today, a week before the Bless
ed Day of Christmas, the room was filled to overflow- ing with lively, young fem
ales ranging in age from fifteen to Anne's elevated age of twenty-six. Elizabeth
's sisters, Mary, Catherine, and Lydia, were present, of course, since Mr. and M
rs. Bennet were visiting Pemberley for Christmas this year. In addition, her sis
ters had been allowed to invite a friend to be their guest at Pemberley, and Dar
cy had encouraged Mr. and Mrs. Richards to bring any girls remaining at school o
ver the Christmas season with them when they visited. Thus, with Elizabeth's sis
ters, three guests, and five other young ladies spending the day, the music room
was filled with the sound of feminine voices talking, laughing, and raised in s
ong to accompany the carols of the season played by Mary Bennet on the pianofort
e. While Georgiana listened to Mary play, she was reminded of what Elizabeth had
once confided to her, that Mary was always eager to exhibit the results of long
hours of practice without being aware that her technical skill did not produce e
njoyable music. But Georgiana could bear witness that this fault had been addres
sed by Mrs. Richards, and Mary had now added a genuine feel for the music to her
previous me- chanical proficiency at the keys. Her friends had encouraged her t
o play today and had kept Mary happily busy at the pianoforte with suggested car
ols and other favorites. Mary also must have become aware of the limits of her o
wn voice and only sang when the other girls lifted their own voices for one of t
he familiar carols. Elizabeth had stopped by earlier and had listened to her sister play with genuine pleasure, and she had been quic
k to confess cheerfully that Mary had now far exceeded her own talents. Georgiana was quite gratified at the quick success of Mr. and Mrs. Richards with
their school, which had begun to acquire a most sterling reputation in only its
second year. She had liked both of them when they were her instructors, and she
knew that they had been able to not only pay what William had loaned them to refurbish the estate's buildings but were in the proc
ess of adding additional rooms and hiring more staff. Requests to enroll new gir
ls in the school were being sent from as far away as Kent, some from genteel f
amilies and many more from families who had earned their money in trade and desi
red their daughters to be both educated and molded into young ladies of characte
r and ability. She also knew that the association of that school with the Darcy
family and Pemberley had been a not inconsiderable factor in the success so far
attained. The very success of the enterprise had prevented the Richards from enr
olling any except female students, and the only exception that had been made was
for her brother, David. Three times a week, David rode into Lambton to be instr
ucted privately by Mr. Richards, mostly in mathematics and the modern languages. As for her own education, her brother had talked with her the previous year abou
t the schedule for her to be presented at court and to come out in society, ques
tioning whether she needed a companion/teacher to provide any additional instr
uction. But Georgiana had argued that Anne was in need of their primary attentio
n while she continued her recovery and thus had succeeded in deferring the event
for at least one more year. Now that Anne appeared to be completely recovered,
he had again raised the question, and Georgiana had reluctantly decided that the
event could no longer be postponed. Though, truth be told, she did not look for
ward to either coming out or the consequent Season in town. She may not have bee
n as reserved and taciturn as her brother, but neither did she feel the attracti
on of society so far outside her own circle. Nor did she desire the inevitable a
ttentions of young men who might be attracted more by her social standing or her
fortune than to her own person. Only the encouragement of Elizabeth gave her an
y degree of comfort with respect to the upcoming events after the Christmas seas
on. She felt sure that any insincerity on the part of any young men who might pu
rsue her could not fail to be detected by Elizabeth, even if she herself were
unable to identify them. As for Anne, she looked upon the whole enterprise of a
Season in Town with open amusement, and she had only laughed when William had su
ggested that she might be a participant rather than a spectator. Georgiana looked up as the door to the music room opened. There might have been
a knock, but she did not think she would have heard it through the noise in the
room. She saw her brother, David, walk part way into the room and stop dead as t
he conversation lessened and most of the heads turned his way. He looked careful
ly from left to right, assessing the many ?65 females engaged in looking back at him, and then he carefully backed back out of
the room. When the door closed, Georgiana looked over at Anne and both of them
laughed at seeing how much David had resembled William in that moment. His face
had gone completely still, so that no sense of the emotion inside had penetrated
, then he had skillfully extricated himself from the situation he had almost wal
ked into. Anne pointed to the door as she announced, "Congratulations, ladies. Did you not
see the way our mere presence caused my cousin to beat a hasty retreat? But you
must admit that his retirement was skillfully done, which means that he should achieve great success in his chosen ca- reer!" Giggles and
laughter swept the room as the various conversations and activities interrupted
by David's abortive entrance were resumed. "Your brother is going to be a very handsome young man soon," said Victoria Simp
son quietly, and Georgiana nodded in agreement. Victoria was a very quiet youn
g lady who had gravitated toward Georgiana since being introduced that morning.
She had told Georgiana that she was staying in the school through Christmas, not
so much because of the expense as because of the absence of her family. Her f
ather was the Owner/Master of an East Indies packet who routinely took his wife
on his voyages, and they were both away on a voyage to India at this time. Georg
iana had already formed the opinion that Victoria had found more companionship a
t school than she did at home and was only too glad to stay there. Her father's
fortune was so excellent that he did not need to go to sea any longer, but he ap
peared unable to give up the profession, and Victoria had been raised by a succe
s- sion of governesses. "Yes, I daresay he is," agreed Georgiana rather sadly, "but he will be leaving h
ome soon. For some reason, he has decided to follow in the footsteps of two of
his uncles and go to sea in a King's ship as a midshipman." "Truly?" asked Victoria. "I have a brother who did the same. He was an acting Li
eutenant on Royal Sovereign and was killed at Trafalgar." "I am sorry," said Georgiana, and her sympathy was truly sincere. But the sudden
chill that sent prickles down her spine was due as much to the recurring fear f
or her brother than to sympathy for her new friend. "I do not remember him clearly," said Victoria. "He was four years older than me
, and he left home when I was only eight. I do not believe that I saw him a half
-dozen times before he was killed. He had just turned seventeen when we received
word of his death." "Do you have any other brothers and sisters?" asked Georgiana, trying to change
a subject that was obviously painful to both herself and Victoria. "No, my brother and I were the only children. Mother had a very hard time with m
y delivery, and both of us nearly died. The doctor recommended no more children.
"This subject was proving as painful a topic as the previous one, and Georgiana t
ried to think of some other subject on ?66 which to converse. Victoria smiled gently and touched her on the arm. "Do not be
distressed," she said. "I am not unduly saddened, especially at Christmas. I am
really much happier here in Derbyshire than I have been anywhere else, since I
have made more friends than I have ever had before." Georgiana did not have to make a response to this statement, for the door was
again opened. The visitor this time was Reynolds, and he came over to tell her t
hat the Matlock coach was expected imminently. "Thank you, Reynolds," Georgiana said, and Reynolds gave her a bow as he departe
d. Then, standing up, she said, "Come, Victoria. We shall not sadden each other
any longer. Come and meet my Aunt and Uncle Matlock." Raising her voice, she called, "Anne!
It is time. Uncle and Aunt Matlock are about to arrive. Come, everyone, we must
greet my Aunt and Uncle!" The already amiable chaos descended into utter chaos as the young ladies rushed
into the hall on their way to retrieve their coats and other winter wear before
going outside. 2FITZWILLIAM DARCY LOOKED UP as his butler entered his study after giving his usu
al double-knock. "The Matlock coach should be arriving within the quarter hour, sir," said Reynol
ds. "I sent one of the lads to inform Mrs. Darcy." Darcy put the quill back in the ink well and stood up from his desk, straighteni
ng his waistcoat. "They seem to have made good time, Reynolds. Please inform the
rest of the guests, or at least those who are downstairs." "Very good, sir," "You are sure it is the Matlock coach, are you not, Reynolds?" Darcy said straig
ht-faced. "I would hate to roust all the guests out in the snow and then find ou
t that your sorcery has let you down." "Mr. Darcy!" Reynolds said, feigning shock. "How could you think such a thing?" "Because I have never figured out in all these years how you do it, you scoundre
l," teased Darcy. "Clean living and a pure heart, sir," said Reynolds mildly, as he gave his young
master a bow before departing. Darcy was still chuckling as he stepped out in the hallway while Reynolds was
heading toward the music room, where he would undoubtedly find several of the la
dies and their many guests taking tea. Pemberley was not really full this Christ
mas season, but it was certainly less empty than it usually was, and the sound o
f voices could be heard from several of the open doors. He paused as he came to
the bottom of the stairway, since Elizabeth was just descending, having already
put on her snow boots and the fur-lined cape with hood. Her eyes had more than t
heir usual sparkle, for she was completely in her element acting as Hostess for
the throng that had descended on Pemberley. With the exception of his Aunt Catherine
and the Matlock's youngest son, who could not leave his parish, all of his and
Elizabeth's immediate family would be present for the celebrations. His Aunt a
nd Uncle Matlock, along with Richard, would be the last of the guests to arrive,
and they had delayed their departure from town until they could bring their son
with them. A cloud passed over Darcy's brow at the thought of his cousin, for he had read b
etween the lines of his Uncle's letters. This wound that Richard had suffered
was not one of his usual nicks and cuts, and he was not sure how hale and hearty
his cousin would be. At least Richard will be able to meet all of his brothers
and sisters save one, Darcy thought. Richard was the last of his siblings to arr
ive, for all who were coming had already arrived-two of his brothers, Thomas and
George, along with his sisters, Susan Mattingly, married to a Commander in the
Navy, and Jessica, who was only just out in society. In fact, listening to the h
igh-pitched boyish voices rapidly approaching from the rear hall, it appeared th
at the three Mattingly boys were about to make their appearance. The three boys turned the corner into the entry area at a full run just as Eliza
beth reached the bottom of the stairs. "Hello, Aunt Elizabeth!" they chorused as they skidded to a stop, their hands fu
ll of gloves, scarves, and coats. "Have you heard? Grandmother and Grandfather's
coach is almost here!" exclaimed the oldest of the boys. "Hello yourselves!" Elizabeth laughed. "And yes, I know the coach is quite near.
Now, does everyone have their boots on?" "Yes,ma'am!"theysaidinunison,showinghertheirsnow boots. "And gloves, hats, and c
oats, too!" said the oldest, as all three began rapidly donning their cold weath
er gear. "You are looking especially lovely today, Mrs. Darcy," said her husband, kissing
her cheek as he finally managed to get a word in edgewise. "You seem to have th
e three scamps under better control than their governess." "They are such dear boys, William," said Elizabeth with a laugh. "I cannot fatho
m why they seem to have the reputation of being 'scamps.' They have been perfe
ctly well-behaved since they arrived at Pemberley." "Susan talked to me about that last night, and we think that another governess i
s needed," said Darcy as he shrugged on his own greatcoat and began to fasten th
e button-loops. "Mrs. Hampstead would be better suited to girls, we think. A younger, more activ
e lady who grew up with brothers ought to be able to handle their day-to-day act
ivities while Mrs. Hampstead could concentrate on their education." "You are probably right, William. Mrs. Hampstead is a dear, but she does not und
erstand the boys and her nimble days are certainly in the past," agreed Elizabet
h. "That would appear to be a good solution, for I should hate to see Mrs. Hamps
tead discharged at her age." "The Matlocks are not in the habit of putting loyal employees out the door whe
n there has been a mismatch of duties," agreed Darcy. "It is one of my uncle's many good points. I only wish mo
re members of the nobility would show as much sense." Elizabeth made no comment to this, for her experience with the nobility was limi
ted to Darcy's relations, and that was a topic best left alone. She turned as a
number of feminine voices approached from another hallway, and the entry seeme
d to suddenly fill with many young ladies, all of whom were putting on their coa
ts and chattering non-stop as they did so. She smiled at her husband and motione
d to the door, which Reynolds was ready to open. One did not leave the doors sta
nding open during Winter in Derbyshire, not if one wished to keep all the warm a
ir from rushing outside. Darcy and Elizabeth barely managed to get out of the front door before all the o
ther guests completed their preparations, and the Matlock coach was just pulli
ng to a stop as they began to descend the steps. They took some care on their de
scent, for even though the steps had been brushed clean only minutes earlier, th
ere was still the possibility of a slick spot. But, from the sounds of the young
ladies and boys behind them, it appeared that they had not exercised the same d
egree of care, and the gale of laughter that erupted indicated that at least one
of them had fallen. Looking back, Elizabeth saw that it was her sister Lydia wh
o had taken a sudden seat on the steps and was being helped to her feet. As Eliz
abeth heard her sister modestly declaiming that her fall was due to her own hast
e and the only injury was to her pride, she nodded to herself in approval in the
continued improvement in all of her sisters' decorum. Lord Matlock was the first to exit the coach, and he turned to hand down his wif
e. Last to exit was Colonel Fitzwilliam, and both Darcy and Elizabeth saw how ca
re- fully he moved and how he turned his body to make sure that his left arm did
not come in contact with the doorway of the coach. "Welcome to Pemberley, Aunt," said Darcy, stepping forward to give his Aunt a ki
ss on the cheek. "And you also, Uncle," he said, offering his hand for the Earl'
s firm handshake while Elizabeth and Lady Matlock exchanged greetings. "And
you, too, Richard, though it appears that you forgot my advice to 'duck,' " Da
rcy said, examining his cousin closely. In truth, Colonel Fitzwilliam appeared e
ven more shaken than when he had first descended from the coach. He seemed to be
staring in such fixation over Darcy's shoulder that Darcy turned to look, wonde
ring if his cousin had seen something particularly startling. The only thing evi
dent was Anne being enveloped in Lady Matlock's arms as his Aunt was declaiming
in obvious delight how well she looked. Turning back to his cousin, Darcy saw Fitzwilliam struggling to assume his norma
l pleasant countenance as Elizabeth turned to him after greeting his Uncle. "Wel
come to Pemberley, Colonel Fitzwilliam," she said, stepping inside his attempt t
o bow to pull his head down and give him a kiss on both cheeks. "There!" she sai
d firmly. "Though the French are our enemy, one still has to prefer their form o
f greeting ?67 old friends and family than our conventional English custom. Come, Colonel, le
t us get you in front of a fire with a cup of coffee and brandy in your hand. I
can see you have survived your wound, but do not waste your breath trying to tel
l me it is only a scratch when it is obvious how much it pains you." "Yes, do come inside, Richard," Anne said, having escaped her Uncle's embrace
to greet her cousin. Tucking her arm through his good arm, she turned him toward
the house. "He looks very tan, Elizabeth," she said, "but he does look rather pale under hi
s tan, does he not? Perhaps we should talk to the cook about 'fattening him up!'
" Elizabeth and Anne chortled merrily at Anne's reference to what she had heard so
many times during her own convalescence. And, while Fitzwilliam did not have
the starved look that had marked Anne's previous appearance, he did have the har
d and stringy look of a wolf who has been pared down to bare essence by long hun
ts and little game. Darcy had noted that Fitzwilliam was again exhibiting the same dazed look as whe
n he first stepped down from the coach, and, as his cousin was escorted inside t
he house, he made a mental note to think more on this and to discuss it with Eli
zabeth. But meanwhile, he had duties as a host to attend to, and he turned to in
troduce the Earl and Lady Matlock to the throng of young ladies who were trying
so diligently to stand by politely rather than dancing from foot to foot as they
would have done before being instructed in proper decorum by Mr. and Mrs. Richa
rds. "Uncle and Aunt Matlock, please allow me to introduce some of our guests at Pemb
erley this Christmas. Ladies, if I mistake any of your names, it is because I fo
rgot to bring my programme with me, and I would charge you to remember that it i
s the Christmas season and the time for forgiveness." As the girls giggled politely behind their gloved hands, Darcy said, "This is my
wife's youngest sister, Miss Lydia Bennet. Miss Lydia, my aunt and uncle, Lady
and Lord Matlock. And this is her next oldest sister, Catherine Bennet. Miss Catherine, my aunt an
d uncle, Lady and Lord Matlock. And this is..." 2THE FIRST THING THAT Fitzwilliam noticed when he had stepped down from the coach
without banging his left arm against anything solid was a throng of young ladie
s exiting the house and descending the steps. He had frowned somewhat in surpr
ise, wondering where all of them could have come from. There, that is one of Eli
zabeth's sisters, he thought. I am sure of her, at least, from Hertfordshire-she
was the one who practiced incessantly at the pianoforte and read sermons what t
ime was left. But who are these others? And who is that lovely girl skipping dow
n the steps? Does she not realize that they are icy? And that delightful laugh! ?68 Reluctantly, Fitzwilliam tore his eyes away from the unknown girl, who had rea
ched the foot of the steps without mishap. He scanned the rest of the greeters,
anxious to find his cousin Anne. He knew from Darcy's letters that she was much
improved, but he wanted very much to see for himself. But where is she? he thoug
ht worriedly. Is she still so ill that she cannot come outside in the winter air
? Very likely. Undoing the neglect of years cannot be done in just a matter of m
onths... In that moment, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam's world turned upside down as the gi
rl he had noticed descending the steps suddenly gave a glad cry and darted throu
gh the other girls toward his parents. His mother gave an answering cry as the
girl ran into her outstretched arms. "Anne! Anne!" his mother cried as she embr
aced her niece. "Oh, my darling child, let me look at you! Oh, Frederick, does s
he not look well? Has she not turned into the most beautiful young lady?" "Indeed she does look well, Elinor!" boomed Lord Matlock. "And she has, without
a doubt, made the transition into a lovely swan! Here, Anne, spare a kiss for
your old uncle! Excellent, excellent! Darcy's cook in town swore that he would f
atten you up, child, and he has certainly succeeded admirably!" "Oh, hush, Frederick," said Lady Matlock. "Young ladies are very conscious of th
eir figures, you know, and you will have her thinking that she must slim down wh
en she looks so very good!" But Anne only laughed and kissed her uncle on the cheek again. "I am not worried
, Aunt," she said gaily. "I walk with Elizabeth when the weather permits, and on
e cannot stay with her on her long rambles if they spend too much time at the ta
ble!" Anne! Cousin Anne! thought Richard in shock as his inability to spot his cousin
was explained. Everyone else has seen her change gradually, while I remember tha
t wasted young thing that we delivered to Darcy House. In truth, I never really
expected her to leave Darcy House except to be laid to rest. And now she is...we
ll, what exactly? Fitzwilliam struggled to bring his raging thoughts under some form of control an
d to compose his outward expression. He did not know how he looked, but if he lo
oked on the outside anything like he felt internally, then his family would quic
kly notice that something was affecting him. In fact, Darcy was looking at him w
ith a speculative look in his eye, and Fitzwilliam hastened to make some form of
greeting. Hardly had he finished with Darcy before Elizabeth was pulling his head down to
give him a kiss on both cheeks, and he tried to greet her with composure. But wh
atever composure he retained was shaken as Anne suddenly slipped her arm throu
gh his and began to guide him toward the house. She was laughing and chattering
with Elizabeth, who also accompanied them inside, and Fitzwilliam could not take
his eyes off the angelic young woman with her arm in his. Richard Fitzwilliam had always enjoyed and been comfortable in the company of
young women, and he would have readily agreed with the assessment that he was a 'man of the world.' But Richard
Fitzwilliam, despite his admiration of and affection for any number of women, h
ad never known what it was to be in love. And he most certainly would have never
envisioned it occurring in such a sudden and completely unexpected way. Am I
in love? he thought shakily. How? I have known Anne all her life without ever fe
eling more that a vague family affection and a sympathetic concern for her healt
h. How could this happen? He was only vaguely beginning to realize that there was no other explanation for
this emotional seizure that seemed to have happened to him. Luckily, his muscle
s obeyed the guidance of Elizabeth and Anne as they escorted him into the Librar
y, seated him in the most comfortable chair, which was normally reserved for Dar
cy, and ordered the promised coffee and brandy. Desperately, he tried to tear hi
s eyes away from the lovely vision that sat by his side in apparent ignorance of
his condition, enquiring about his wound and asking him about his service in Sp
ain. Again, a part of him was able to converse with Anne with some semblance at
rationality, though his thoughts were in a whirl and a cold hand seemed to be cl
utching his heart. He wanted nothing more than to take Anne's hand, to hold it t
o his cheek, to find some place where he could be alone with her and try to talk
to her of what had happened to him. As the minutes went by, he realized that An
ne must not have noticed anything out of the ordinary, but he knew that he had
to try to look somewhere else other than on her lovely features, her flawless c
omplexion, her exquisite green eyes... Stop it! he chastised himself angrily. You are acting like a dewy-wet adolescent
mooncalf struck full by the curse of puppy- love! But his belated success at forcing his eyes elsewhere only met the calm face of
Elizabeth Darcy as she eyed him with a most calculating gleam in her eye. 2IT WAS NOT MANY minutes later that Elizabeth decided that she could safely leave
Colonel Fitzwilliam and attend to the rest of her guests. After all, she though
t in amusement, in his present dazed condition he is unlikely to stray very far
from Anne's vicinity! As she left the library, Mrs. Reynolds was just coming out of the music room, an
d she was the very person that Elizabeth had intended to seek out first. The sou
nd of feminine voices was suddenly diminished as the music room door closed. "My sisters and her friends are not causing you trouble, are they?" Elizabeth as
ked with a smile as the older lady came up to her. "It sounds very busy in there
." "Oh, no, Mrs. Darcy," the older lady told her. "It is what you would expect for
that many young ladies together. They are not quiet, you understand, for they ar
e singing and talking and laughing, just like you would expect, but they are really perfectly well
behaved." "Then we must thank Mr. and Mrs. Richards for that," said Elizabeth wryly, "for
our home at Longbourn was always marked by complete chaos and considerable noise
. Speaking of which, do you know where my parents are?" "They were downstairs earlier, ma'am, but I believe they have now returned to th
eir rooms." "Would you please have them informed that Colonel Fitzwilliam and his parents ha
ve arrived? Richard is in the library, and the Matlocks are..." "In Mr. Darcy's study, ma'am. And I will see that your parents are informed imme
diately." "Excellent, Mrs. Reynolds. And, despite your kind words, I believe that I should
inspect the music room just to make sure that the Richards' lessons are not beg
inning to slip," Elizabeth said with a smile. "Very good, Mrs. Darcy," said Mrs. Reynolds. She and Elizabeth had quickly forme
d a complete understanding of each other, and she was quite pleased that the Dar
cy family was spending the great majority of time at Pemberley rather than in to
wn. And she was most pleased that the sound of children had now returned to thes
e quiet halls. 2RICHARD FITZWILLIAM REALIZED THAT someone had spoken but he did not at first com
prehend the words. It was only when his mother repeated, in a louder voice, "Ric
hard, dear," that he turned his attention reluctantly from Anne to his mother. "Yes, mother," he responded, getting to his feet and facing his mother at the do
or to the library. "You are wanted in Darcy's study, dear. And bring Anne with you-this is family b
usiness." "Yes, mother," he agreed, hoping that he was able to keep the reluctance out of
his voice. He did not know if he was completely successful, for his mother gave
him the oddest smile before turning away and departing. "We are summoned, I believe," he said to Anne, who had also stood up. "But I do
want to hear the remainder of your story at another time. When I left, I was qui
te worried-we all were-and reading about your recovery is much different than se
eing the results." "That other period is becoming more and more remote, at least for me," Anne told
him, almost seeming to skip along beside him in exuberance as they left the lib
rary. "I can hardly remember that time any more-it seems as if I was just born a
year and a half ago." "But it seems like only yesterday to me," he told her, firmly repressing his des
ire to simply stand aside and watch her walk. She almost seems to bounce along,
he thought in continuing amazement. No wonder she is able to keep up with Elizab
eth on their walks! ?69 Darcy's study was crowded when he and Anne entered. His parents were there, of
course, as were Darcy and Elizabeth, but Elizabeth's parents were also present,
along with Georgiana and David. His brothers stood with his sisters in the fa
r corner of the room, and two women, evidently nannies, stood slightly aside hol
ding very young children. One of them must be Darcy's daughter, Richard thought,
but the other? Putting the unknown child aside for a minute, Richard immediately greeted Elizab
eth's parents. "Mrs. Bennet," he said, bowing deeply. "I hope I find you in good
health?" "Quite well, Colonel, thank you for asking," she responded as she curtseyed. R
ichard thought that she might have wanted to say more, but he thought he saw a f
lexing of her husband's arm where she held it. In any case, her mouth had hardly
started to open before she closed it, with the quickest of glances at her husba
nd. Turning to that gentleman, Richard said, "And you, sir? It is very good to see y
ou again. I hope you are well also?" "Passable, young man, passable," Mr. Bennet responding, returning Richard's hand
shake with a firm clasp of his own. "I am told that your broken wing there is st
arting to heal. Slowly, but still healing."?"That is true, sir," Richard said in surprise. He kn
ew that his parents had not met Elizabeth's parents before today, and was rather surpris
ed that they had already passed on such newly-acquired knowledge. His father recognized his surprise and quickly answered, casting a sharp look
at his wife, who only looked back calmly. "Dr. Douglas is Darcy's guest, Richard
, and Mr. Bennet was present a few minutes ago when your mother confronted him
and demanded a complete opinion on your arm. She evidently was aware that we ha
d not been completely candid with her, and she absolutely would not desist until
I gave my permission for him to relate all the details for her." Richard looked around and saw that the doctor was indeed present, having stood u
p from a chair to the side where he had been talking to Darcy and had thus been
hidden. Turning back to Mr. Bennet, he noted that Anne had a worried look on h
er face, evidently having assumed that his wound was relatively minor. "That is true, sir," he answered. "But see-I can move my fingers, and I could no
t do that a week ago." Richard managed to wiggle his fingers slightly in demonst
ration, but his pride in his achievement did not dispel the worried look on seve
ral faces, including that of his brothers. Darcy prevented the situation from becoming an uncomfortable silence by coming
over to Richard and putting his arm on his shoulder. Richard almost jumped, for
he knew that Darcy did not have the habit, unlike some others in what passed fo
r 'Polite Society,' of casually touching other people. But Darcy guided him over
to the two nannies, who turned toward Richard and gave him a curtsey, proudly h
olding their burdens for his inspection. ?70 "Richard," said Darcy, with quiet pride, gesturing to the little girl held by th
e nanny, "I would like to present my daughter, Marissa Anne Darcy." Richard felt a constriction in his throat as the little girl suddenly smiled at
him. "She has Elizabeth's smile, Darcy, but she has your eyes," he finally manag
ed to croak. He reached out a finger toward her, watching her dark eyes cross as
she focused on it. The girl gave a squeak of pleasure as she captured it with h
er tiny hand. Richard felt the constriction again as he marveled at the tiny fin
gers closed about the horny ridges of his well-calloused finger. But Darcy did not seem to notice his cousin's problem in speaking, smiling happi
ly at his daughter. "Yes, she is beautiful, is she not?" he declaimed proudly. "Aye, that she is," agreed his cousin huskily.?But then Darcy's arm guided him o
ver to the other nanny, who held a boy who looked to be about the same age as the girl. He was as bl
onde as the girl was dark, with eyes that were as blue as the sky. "Richard," sa
id Darcy quietly, "I would like to present Marissa's uncle and your godson, Rich
ard Fitzwilliam Bennet." Richard started at Darcy's statement and controlled the impulse to look around i
n shock at the Bennets, for there could be no other explanation than that the ch
ild was their offspring. Darcy's comment "Marissa's uncle" was carefully phrased
to tell him that. After taking a close look at the child, who was looking rathe
r sleepy as he tugged at the dress of the nanny, Richard then turned toward Mr.
and Mrs. Bennet. Mr. Bennet wore a beatific smile of pride, while his wife looke
d on with a rather worried look on her face. "Godson?" he said quietly, turning toward Darcy, for what his cousin had said to
ok him completely by surprise and required confirmation. "You did not respond to my letters, so I gave permission on your behalf," said D
arcy equally quietly. "Oh, I am not complaining, old man, not at all. It was just that I was struck by
two surprises-the identity of the boy and then his being my godson-well, it was
just surprising, that is all," he finished rather lamely. "I was as surprised as you, Colonel," Mr. Bennet chuckled, "when Mrs. Bennet tol
d me that she was with child. I was struck dumb for several minutes. And then, w
hen the child came and the midwife came out to tell me that Mrs. Bennet and the
babe were doing well, I automatically asked if I could see 'her'." He chuckled a
gain in remembrance. "When the midwife told me that the 'her' was a 'him'-I tell you, sir, after five daughters
, I simply sat down and stared for almost ten minutes straight." "The christening was done 'in absentia', for both you and his godmother," said D
arcy quietly. "A more formal ceremony will be held now that you are returned and
the lad is at Pemberley." Richard felt that Darcy was trying to tell him someth
ing, but he could not think what it might be at the moment. "It was about a year ago that we went for months without being able to either po
st or receive mail," said Richard, thinking back furiously. "We were cut off f
rom our base and living off the countryside while we tried to scout out the Fren
ch forces. If you wrote in that time, I never received it. Godson, is it?" he sa
id abruptly, for he had suddenly realized what Darcy had hinted at. Turning to t
he Bennets, he bowed to Mrs. Bennet. "My congratulations, Mrs. Bennet. You have
a beautiful son. And also you, sir," he said, turning to Mr. Bennet and extendin
g his hand. "I believe I said this before, but you are indeed a man of many surp
rises." "Thank you, Colonel," said Mr. Bennet, taking Richard's hand as the broad smile
of pride appeared again on his face. "And as for surprises, I must confess that
I ought to be thoroughly ashamed at the degree of satisfaction that I feel every time I remember t
hat young Richard will now inherit my estate and my foolish cousin will not." Richard was struck silent for several seconds as he suddenly put two and two t
ogether, and then a slow smile spread across his face also. He remembered the co
mment that his aunt had made about the entail and the fact that her pastor shoul
d benefit from it, and he suddenly had a picture of that most foolish man lookin
g even more foolish... "Then I believe additional congratulations are in order, sir," he said with a ch
uckle, which was matched by Mr. Bennet's broad grin. Turning serious, Richard co
ntinued, "I am honored, sir, that you thought well enough of me to ask me to be godfather
to young Richard. I accept, of course, and I pledge to always be a presence in
his life for all my days." "It seemed only fitting, young man," responded Mr. Bennet with equal seriousness
. "I owe my life and the salvation of my family to you and your cousin. Though
my son-in- law tries to make light of it, we all three know that I would not ha
ve survived the duel with Wickham without the help of both of you. Since Darcy i
s already the boy's brother and absolutely refused to allow him to be named 'Fit
zwilliam,' he was only too happy to suggest you as godfather." Richard grinned as he looked over at Darcy, who had always detested his first na
me. Then he faced Mrs. Bennet, whose look of worry had disappeared once she saw
that Richard would not reject the obligation. He bowed again to her, and she bea
med in delight as she curtseyed to him. "And they asked me to be godmother, Richard!" said Anne, who had appeared at his
side again. She was almost chortling with glee as she looked at the children, w
ho were looking around at the adults with wide eyes. "The formal christening wil
l be held this evening at the chapel, now that you have arrived. Is it not wonde
rful? I had never thought such a simple thing would thrill me so!"?Richard Fitzwilliam was again lost in a
dmiration of his cousin. And though he agreed with her that the ceremony might be a source of joy
, he thought that other things, like her simple, unassuming smile and the curve
of her cheek, were even more wonderful. He also did not think of the fact that his marked attention toward his cousin
could scarcely go overlooked in the presence of so many of his family, and sever
al heads turned toward each other in consternation and growing comprehension. ?7? Chapter 36 "S "She has been so used to getting her own way that she cannot have it any other w
ay," said Susan. "Who is she leaving the estate to, then?" "Some cousin that even Father had barely heard of. He lives in Ireland, and has
not set foot in England in a decade," answered Thomas with a grimace. "Well, Darcy did settle fifteen thousand pounds on Anne," said George. "And Rich
ard has his army pay." "Which will only be half-pay since he is not fit for active service any more," s
aid Thomas glumly. "The arm does seem to be improving," said George mildly. "But not well enough to lead cavalry in the field," said Thomas. "I wish it were
not so, but I am afraid that it will be half-pay."?"As you say," said George. "But even that might not be as bad as Richard thinks."?Thomas looked at his younger brother closely, but he
had evidently said as much as he intended to say. He shrugged and dismissed the subj
ect from his mind. George was incred- ibly closed-mouthed about official matters
, and he would tell what he could, when he could, and that was an end to it. "And perhaps Father might have a talk with Aunt Catherine," he said finally. "Be
tter Rosings goes to Richard than to some unknown Irishman." "Amen to that," said George. "Does Darcy know?" asked Jessica, nodding toward Richard and Anne. "Oh, yes," said Georgiana. "Hardly had we come back in the house after meeting A
unt and Uncle on the drive than he pulled me aside and asked if I had seen the w
ay Richard had been looking at Anne. He was rather upset by it, and walked off m
uttering about talking to Elizabeth." "She certainly knows!" said Susan in amusement. "Look at the way she keeps glanc
ing over at the two of them with that look in her eye! She is already planning t
he wedding!" Elizabeth and Darcy were standing in the corner of the room talking to Dr. Dougl
as, who had just come downstairs, and she was indeed casting glances at the re
d-coated Fitzwilliam. Georgiana looked over at them and then excused herself to
walk over and join them. Her cousins watched her join her brother and his wife, and Susan turned back to
her siblings. "I believe our fair cousin has a liking for the good doctor." "I believe you are correct, sister," agreed Thomas. "I was rather surprised that
Darcy invited him to Pemberley. Especially when I saw the way Georgiana warmed
to him when he arrived." "I think it is that duel with Wickham," said George. "It is a bond between Richa
rd, Darcy, Douglas, and Mr. Bennet."?"Possibly that might explain part of why he was invited," said Jessica. "But it doesn't explain why she reacts as she does. Of course, she
is convinced that he is the greatest doctor that has ever lived. And look at th
e way Darcy watches Georgiana hould we say something?" said Susan Mattingly to her brother, Thomas, who was lo
oking across the room at his brother sitting by Anne, listening with apparently
rapt attention as she gestured and talked in great animation. The party was gathered in one of the parlors after th
e christening that had taken place at the Pemberley chapel earlier. The guests f
rom the school had returned with the Richards, and the three Bennet sisters were
still upstairs dressing for dinner, so it was only immediate family that were p
resent. "What would we say?" said Thomas. "Should we say to him, 'Do not talk to your co
usin, Richard, even though she was close to death when you last saw her and has
now been resurrected'? I will not be the person to try to tell him that!" "Nor I," said his brother, George, who wore the uniform of His Majesty's Navy
with the single epaulette of a post-captain. "I have seen Richard on leave with
a different young lady on his arm every night, and I never thought to see him li
ke this!" "Do you think Anne has any idea of the effect she is having on him?" asked Georg
iana in concern. "Who can tell?" replied her cousin Jessica. "She has had so little knowledge of
the world that she may well not have the slightest idea. In fact, I think it lik
ely that is the case, for I am convinced that she would not be acting this way d
eliberately in order to tease Richard." "True, true," agreed Susan.?"Have Aunt and Uncle noticed?" asked Georgiana. "Oh,
yes!" snorted George. "Father is rather horrified, but Mother is simply crooning to herself in contentment."?"I thought Father might ha
ve a seizure when Mother said that they would be able to sort it all out once th
ey were married!" said Thomas.?"I daresay!" said Susan with a smile. "That, I would like to have seen!"?"Well, I know that Richard has not given a moment's thought to the fact that she is not the best match for him, from a strictly fina
ncial point of view, for she has as little as he, now that Aunt Catherine has di
sowned her," said Thomas.?George looked at him rather curiously. "Did she actually do it, then? I remember hearing that she was threatening it, but I put it all do
wn to bluster and thunder." "Oh, yes, she certainly did it," said Susan. "You were at sea, but she called in
a solicitor and had it written up and published in the 'Times.' She is truly a
vengeful old lady." "And a very lonely one," said Georgiana sadly. "William still writes to her, but
he has stopped writing weekly or even monthly. Once she sent him back a letter,
but when he opened it, it only contained his own letter torn into a hundred pie
ces." ?72 when she is not aware of it. He can detect the attraction, and I have to wonder
if Darcy is not putting Douglas on display as an alternative to the painted peac
ocks that she will meet after she comes out." She shuddered in distaste, having
experienced the same during the previous year. "You could be correct, sister dear," agreed her elder brother. "But do you thi
nk he considers Douglas as a possible match for her? When she could have any num
ber of admirers of considerably higher station and fortune?" "Darcy has not been the same since he married," said Susan. "I think he came far
too close to losing his wife because of just such sentiments, and that experi
ence has led him to change his mind about the validity of what he had previously
taken for granted. Plus, Douglas does come of a good family, one that has made
a fortune in shipping, much like Bingley. But, since he is a younger son, he mus
t make his own way in the world." "But I have to wonder what Douglas' feelings are?" wondered Thomas crossly. "H
e is giving no indication of special regard." "What else could he do, with Georgiana not yet out? And he came, did he not?" an
swered Susan. "He must know that he is under examination." Thomas frowned in confusion. "How would you know that, sister? And do not give m
e any fog about 'women's intuition'!" "Well," said Jessica demurely, "there is the hour and a half that he spent with
Darcy when he first arrived. And the handshake they shared when they finished th
eir conversation. And a very serious one it was, too." Her two brothers looked at her blankly, and she could not help smiling. "Susan a
nd I were watching the boys play in the snow. We had a perfect view in the windo
ws." "Ah," said Thomas with a nod. "Perhaps they came to some agreement. Well, he wil
l certainly not want for cus- tomers with the reputation he is garnering. Father
swears by him after what he did for Anne. And Richard feels much the same." He
looked around. "Where is Bingley, bye the bye?" "He has not come downstairs all day," said Susan dryly. "He is attending his wif
e, who has been feeling rather ill since they arrived."?"Ah!" said her elder brother, realizing her meaning. "Another young Bingley, then, eh?" he commented, receiving a nod from his sist
er. "Well, well, well," Thomas said, smiling at his siblings. "It appears that the c
oming months may contain any number of amusements, eh? Possibly we shall next fi
nd a wife for my brothers or a husband for my young sister, for it does appear t
hat romance is in the air!" The laugh they shared indicated their agreement and amusement.?"And perhaps a wife for the Matlock heir also, eh
?" boomed their father suddenly, having approached them from behind. "Your mother has just
the lady picked out for you, lad! Good family, good fortune, with the build of
a blacksmith and about as meek and docile as a lioness! Brilliant match, eh?" The laugh this time was considerably weaker, for none of them knew whether their
father was jesting with them or not. 2AT THE END OF dinner, instead of the gentlemen remaining in the dining room whil
e the ladies retired, Darcy stood up and announced a change. "Ladies and gentlem
en, I have been asked to make a small change in our usual custom at dinner. Woul
d the gentlemen join me in my study for port and cigars, while we allow the ladi
es to linger over their coffee?" Amid the bustle of chairs being shoved back fro
m the table, Darcy leaned over to address his brother, who was sitting beside hi
s sister. "If you would be so good, David," he said quietly, though not without
some qualms, "I believe the time has come for you to join us." Georgiana lowered her eyes in distress as her brother rose. Both she and David k
new that this surprise invitation had something to do with his expressed desire
to go to sea, and she deplored the separation that would be the result. She was
also worried for David's safety, since England and her allies had been at war wi
th France for almost all of her life and no end appeared in sight. Their cousin,
George Fitzwilliam, had made the same decision, leaving home and going to sea a
s a midshipman when he was David's age, and, though he had survived and thrived
in the King's Navy, she had only seen him a handful of times during her life. Al
l the rest of the time, her cousin had been at sea. And now it appeared that Dav
id's own time had come. When the gentlemen entered Darcy's study, they found that the household staff ha
d already prepared the room for the additional people. A number of extra chairs
had been set out, the port had been set out with an adequate number of glasses,
and a humidor containing excellent cigars had been opened. While Darcy poured the glasses and handed them out, the men clustered around the
humidor and puffed their cigars alight before settling down into one of the com
fortable chairs. When all the glasses were filled and Darcy had puffed his cigar to life, he sat
down behind his desk and opened the bottom drawer, pulling out his heavy lock-bo
x. Using a key from his vest pocket, he opened the box and removed several thick
envelopes before re-locking the box and returning it to the drawer. "Here are the letters you asked me to secure, Captain," he said, handing the let
ters to his cousin, George Fitzwilliam. "Thank you, Darcy," said George, putting
down his port and looking quickly through the letters, sorting them into the or
der he desired. Finished, he settled back into his chair. "As most of you gentlemen know," he began, "my ship has been in Plymouth for repairs
for the past month and will not be ready for another fortnight. As a result, wh
en I informed the Admiralty that I would be spending Christmas at Pemberley ?73 in Derbyshire, the Secretary sent me a message asking me to stop by and see him
when I passed through London. He had a letter that he thought I might deliver fo
r him, since it concerned a matter that he and I had discussed months ago. In ad
dition, I was rather surprised to find that he had two other letters from the Wa
r Ministry for me to deliver. Two of them are official, and one is not, and the
Secretary said that the officer who delivered them to him had specified that the
official communication should be read first. So here, brother, is the first of
your letters. I must admit to considerable curiosity at being pressed into ser
vice as a courier, so I hope that you will at least be able to satisfy my curios
ity." Colonel Fitzwilliam was greatly surprised to be receiving an official communicat
ion from the War Ministry. He had received a letter upon first returning to Engl
and informing him that, since he was no longer on active service, he was being p
ut back on half-pay. He had not expected to receive any future communications ex
cept in the unlikely event of a future posting, and he was honest enough to hims
elf to realize that such an appointment would be extremely unlikely for a one-ar
med cavalry officer. He turned the letter over and broke the official War Minist
ry seal and pulled out a single sheet of thick parchment. He was unsurprised to
see that it was an official communication, but he was literally stricken dumb by
its contents: "George, by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith, King of Great Britain and I
reland, and Ruler of the British Dominions beyond the Seas. "To our Trusty and well beloved officer, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, Greetings.
We, reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage, and Good C
onduct, upon the warmest recommendations by your Superior Officers, do hereby Co
nstitute and Appoint you to the rank of Brigadier General in Our Mounted Forces,
to be effective from this date forward. You are therefore carefully and dili- g
ently required to discharge your duty at your appointed rank, of which a notific
ation will be made in the London Gazette. You are at all times required to exerc
ise and well discipline in Arms both the Inferior Officers and Men serving under
you and to use your best endeavours to keep them in good Order and Discipline.
And We do hereby Command them to Obey you as their superior and you to Observe a
nd follow such Orders and Directions as from time to time you shall receive from
Us or any of your superior Officers according to the Rules and Discipline of War, in pursuance of the Trust hereby reposed in you. "Given at Our Court at Saint James's this thirty-first day of November in the Ye
ar of Our Lord, 1813. "By His Majesty's Command, "GR" "Well?" asked Lord Matlock suddenly. He had seen the succession of emotions pass
ing across his son's face, and he could contain himself no longer. Richard passed him the sheet of parchment. "It seems that I have been promoted t
o Brigadier, Father," he said quietly, still rather stunned by what he had read. "Well done, old boy!" said his brother George, leaning over to squeeze his broth
er's shoulder. The other men were also quick to offer their congratulations, but
Richard was still puzzled. "I cannot understand how this happened," he said slowly. "I had not expected to
be elevated for years and years, until those ahead of me on the list retired or died."?"Then perhaps this may explain s
omewhat," George said, passing him the next letter.?Richard turned this letter over and over in his han
ds as his puzzlement gave way to astonishment. "It is from the Earl of Wellington,
but it also has the War Ministry address and seal," he said at last. "Well, open it, Richard!" urged his older brother. In bemusement, Richard brok
e the seal and unfolded the letter, revealing a single sheet of what appeared to
be quite expensive paper covered with an almost indecipherable scrawl. Losing n
o time, he began to puzzle out the handwriting: My dear Fitzwilliam, It was with the greatest dismay that I learned of your wound and the resulting l
oss of your services to my army. I can only rejoice that my surgeon told me of h
is certainty that the wound was not mortal, though he remained pessimistic that
the arm would be useful in the future. I knew that, as a man of action, you would chafe at inactivity and would be desp
ondent at the thought of no longer being able to ride into battle with a saber i
n one hand, pistol in the other, and the reins between your teeth, for I am info
rmed that was your situation when you received your wound. But even if the worst
happens and the arm is useless, the country cannot spare your services. I happe
n to know that Bg. Carlson will be returning home after the first of the year, l
eaving me with a hole in my staff for my Mounted Forces. I wish to take this opp
ortunity to offer you that position, in which you may not only continue your hea
ling but may serve your country and King while you do so. Please inform the Ministry by return post of your decision, as I believe that th
ere is a real chance to drive the Tyrant from Spain during the next campaign. I remain, yr obd't servant, Wellesley P/S I also wrote to Sir Horatio about the other matter that we discussed, and I
have just received a return communication that he had set the wheels in motion. ?74 "Well!" said his brother Thomas emphatically, after Richard had read the letter
aloud to the other men, all of whom had leaned forward expectantly as he slowly
deci- phered the Earl's careless penmanship. "That probably explains the 'warm
est recommendations by your superior officers', Richard." "I daresay you are correct, George," Lord Matlock said. "But, Richard, what is t
his 'riding into battle with saber in one hand, pistol in the other, and reins b
etween the teeth'? How do you plan to survive after your mother hears of it?" Richard's face was al
most as red as his tunic as all the men shared in the laughter.?"Not that any of us would ever so much as whisper su
ch a rumor in her ears, Richard, but you know how mothers always seem to find out a
bout these things," Lord Matlock opined, clapping his son on his good shoulder a
nd getting a sheepish grin in return. Raising his glass to his son, he continued
, "Congratulations, son. I do not need to tell you how proud I am of you." "I do not understand the postscript, Richard," said Darcy. "And who is 'Sir Hora
tio'?" "I think I know, Darcy," said George, handing David the remaining letter. "But p
erhaps your brother will be able to confirm my suspicion." The missive that David held was much more inconsequential and ordinary than ei
ther of the ones that his cousin received, and he hoped that his fingers did not
tremble in anticipation (or fear?) as he broke the official seal and read: To: David Alexander Darcy, Esq., Pemberley, Derbyshire, 27 November, 1813 Sir, I am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to offer you a post a
s Midshipman aboard His Majesty's Ship Nonsuch, 74 guns, Captain William Bush, commanding. You are charged to reply forthwith to this missive, and, if acceptin
g, to report on board the aforesaid vessel at Plymouth no later than the 27th da
y of January, the year of our Lord 1814, to there be read into the King's servic
e and to take up the assigned duties of Midshipman. Yours most sincerely, etc.,?Wm. Anderson, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners "It is from the Admiralty, Will," David said quietly, handing his brother the
letter and grateful that his voice had not chosen that moment to break, as it so
often did. "It is my appointment as a midshipman." Darcy quickly read through the letter and then handed it to George. "Midshipman...yes... Nonsuch...Captain Bush...ah, that is it!" George exclaimed. "What is it?" asked Lord Matlock in puzzlement. "The connection to the Earl's letter," replied his son. "Nonsuch is the flagship
of the Baltic Squadron, and Bush is the Flag Captain of Commodore Sir Horatio H
ornblower." George's comments, which he had believed ought to have cleared up all questions, had instead perplexed everyone even more. Sighi
ng, George continued. "Sir Horatio's wife is the Lady Barbara Wellesley Hornblow
er. Sister to Sir Arthur Wellesley, the Earl of Wellington. The Earl obviously p
ut a bug in the ear of his brother-in-law to arrange David's appointment." "Ah!" said Darcy, not entirely sure that he liked a system which was so heavily
dependent on patronage, and he said as much. "But remember the difference, Darcy," George said earnestly, coming to the def
ense of his service. "All that Richard and the Earl of Wellington could do is to
secure the appointment. Every other promotion after that, until he reaches Ca
ptain of the List, will be by performance alone. There is no buying of commissio
ns such as occurs in the Army. I have seen a thirty-five year old midshipman, so
n of a Duke but never able to pass the Lieutenant's test, thus being eternally c
ondemned to remain a midshipman. Furthermore, he was unable even to leave the se
rvice until the war is won." "Captain of the List?" queried Darcy. "What does that mean?" "Full captain, Darcy. I am a post-captain, but I can never make Admiral unless I
am promoted to be Captain of the List, which means my name is on a list to even
tually be promoted to Admiral. Also, I can never command a ship-of- the-line unl
ess I make full captain." "Gentlemen, it is time to rejoin the ladies," said Lord Matlock. "Their curiosit
y should no longer be put off. Now, may I propose a toast to our two promotions,
Richard's and David's." "Everyone raised their glasses and drank, but George Fitzwilliam stopped everyon
e before they left. "Gentlemen, please charge your glasses. There is another toa
st to be made." When everyone had refilled their glasses, George turned to David
. "Lad, as the most junior midshipman, you will always have to give the King's t
oast, so you might as well practice." David swallowed as all eyes turned to him. Clearing his throat and feeling rathe
r light-headed, for he had never tasted port before tonight, he raised his glass
. "Gentleman," he squeaked, for his voice did break this time, "God save the Kin
g!" "God save the King!" everyone chorused.?After they drank, George again put up hi
s hand. "And one more toast, gentlemen, but this one is only for those in the King's service,
if you please." Raising his glass to Richard and David, George said clearly, "G
entlemen-fellow officers-Confusion to the French!" "Confusion to the French!" David said along with his cousins, quietly proud that
his voice did not break this time. ?75 Chapter 37 Among the very few people at Pemberley who did not realize the befuddled state o
f Richard Fitzwilliam was, in addition to Anne herself, Elizabeth's three sister
s. On the morning after the arrival of Lord and Lady Matlock, Elizabeth was sitting
with her father in the library when Lydia came into the room looking for her. Leaning over to whisper into her sister's ear, Lydia said, "Could I talk to you
in private, Lizzy?" Elizabeth nodded and closed her book. She looked over at her father, but he was
completely engrossed in the book he was reading. He had reacted to his first gli
mpse of Darcy's library with the same reaction as a boy locked into a candy fact
ory. Leaving him to his devices, she left the library and, with her sister follo
wing her, went in search of an empty room. It was a mark of the number of people
staying at Pemberley that she had to settle for the small family breakfast room
, which was currently not being used in favor of the larger dining room. Leading her sister into the room, she closed the door behind her and invited Lyd
ia to sit. "What did you want to discuss with me, Lydia?" Lydia was initially reluctant to say anything, but Elizabeth simply sat and wait
ed until Lydia could formulate her thoughts. She thought she knew what was causi
ng her sister's difficulty in talking. She probably wanted to ask a somewhat imp
roper or sensitive question and thus her present training in decorum and manne
rs was at war with her previous wild and unrestrained demeanor. "Lizzy," she finally said, "I would like your advice about something that happen
ed this morning at breakfast. I was sitting at the table when Colonel Fitzwillia
m came down to breakfast and happened to sit next to me. I was enjoying a most p
leasant conversation with him when he suddenly excused himself and rushed out
of the room and did not return. I believe that I must have done something to off
end him, but I cannot even think of what it might have been." Elizabeth sighed to herself as she realized that Lydia was feeling a version of
her former attraction to officers, except that this time she had actually fixed
on a more deserving officer than had been her habit in Hertfordshire. But it was
obvious that her sister still had much to learn. "Did you look to see where Colonel Fitzwilliam was gone, Lydia?" Elizabeth asked
.Lydia blushed slightly and looked down at her hands. "I went to the door to see
what might have made him rush out, but he was just standing in the hall talking
to cousin Anne." "Lydia," said Elizabeth firmly, "you know what our father would say if he thou
ght you were chasing after officers again." ?76 "Yes, I know," her sister said with downcast eyes, "but I did not run after him,
Lizzy. Really I did not. I just wanted to see if something had made him rush of
f or if I had said something that offended him. And I know that Father is dead s
et against officers, but Colonel Fitzwilliam seems so very different than the of
ficers at Meryton, and..." "Lydia," Elizabeth interrupted, "I do not believe that you did anything to offen
d Colonel Fitzwilliam. He is different from the officers you knew at Longbourn
and is a most honorable and amiable man. I liked him enormously when I first me
t him in Kent. But there is a reason for his rushing off that does not concern y
ou, and it might be better illustrated if you just came with me..." Leaving the room, Elizabeth started down the rooms in that branch of the hall an
d was lucky enough to find what she was looking for in the music room, which was
only the third door she tried. Pulling Lydia into the room with her, she went o
ver to the windows which faced the garden behind the house. "Now, Lydia, as we w
alked by, you saw Colonel Fitzwilliam sitting with Anne at the pianoforte, turni
ng the music for her as she is playing?" "Yes, Lizzy," said Lydia in confusion. "Now, turn toward me slightly so that you can look over my shoulder without appe
aring to stare. Now, what do you see?" Lydia looked at her sister in as much confusion as ever. "Colonel Fitzwilliam is
just turning the pages for her, Lizzy. Is there something else I am supposed to see?"?"Yes, Lydia, but you do not yet h
ave the experience in the world to interpret what you see like those who are old
er. Now, where is Colonel Fitzwilliam looking?"?"Why, at cousin Anne, Lizzy," she sa
id tentatively.?"Is he still turning the pages?"?"Yes, he is."?"Then how does he
know to turn the page if he is not looking at the music?"?Lydia was quiet for a minute, studying Richard and Anne until Richard reached over and turned the page for her, getting a quick smi
le in return. "I cannot tell, Lizzy. He just reached over and turned the page...
""Did Anne's gaze not get down to the bottom of the right hand page? Look closely
, now." Elizabeth was looking at the reflection of Colonel Fitzwilliam in the gl
ass, and she saw him reach over and turn the page. "Why, you are right, Lizzy," said Lydia. "Colonel Fitzwilliam saw her eyes drift
down and then reached over to turn the page." "Without looking anywhere else?" "No," Lydia said slowly, thinking that she was missing something. "Nowhere else but at Anne, right, Lydia?" "Yes, Lizzy, nowhere else but at Anne," she said, and then she suddenly looked c
loser at Colonel Fitzwilliam and then looked back to her sister. "You do not mea
n..." she started. "Ah, but I do, sister dear," laughed Elizabeth quietly. "Colonel Fitzwilliam is
exhibiting all the signs of being totally, completely, and irretrievably smitt
en with our cousin. Everyone-well, almost everyone!-has recognized it, and we have been having consi
derable fun discussing it behind his back." Lydia continued to look at Colonel Fitzwilliam and Anne, and now she realized wh
at she had previously seen but not recognized-how his eyes never left her face,
how he seemed to grow taller when she smiled at him. "Oh, it now seems so clear!" Lydia said softly. "I cannot fathom why none of us
saw it!" "Who is 'us'," Elizabeth asked. "Mary and Kitty and Marilyn and Josephine and Amy," she replied sheepishly. "Not
one of us saw it." She looked back at Colonel Fitzwilliam wistfully. "Do you th
ink that I will ever have someone look at me like that?" "If you listen to Mr. and Mrs. Richards, perhaps," smiled Elizabeth. "If you rem
ember when we were all at Longbourn, you would never listen to either Jane or me
." Lydia looked at her sister, who she had never before understood, and she final
ly had the insight to realize that they had talked with more real understanding
in these last minutes than in all the years they had spent at Longbourn. It wa
s a sobering thought for her, especially when she remembered some of the things
that she had done when she was living at home and was being indulged by her moth
er. "Did Mr. Darcy look like that at you, Lizzy?" Lydia asked softly. Elizabeth smiled in wry amusement. "Actually, Lydia, it was the other way around
. It was I who wanted to look at Darcy like that, though I believe I did a bette
r job of concealing my staring than the Colonel is doing." "You did?" asked Lydia in bewilderment. "Yes, Lydia," Elizabeth said, tucking her sister's arm in her own and leading he
r out of the music room. "What with everything else that happened, the duel and
then you, Mary, and Kitty being shipped off to Derbyshire, you probably never he
ard the real story. It was like this, you see..." 2THERE WERE STILL THREE days until Christmas, but Richard Fitzwilliam had already
determined that he wanted only one gift, and that was the hand of his cousin in
marriage. It was something that he could never have predicted, but there it was
. Nor was he any better prepared to explain just what had happened to him at tha
t moment when he first saw her here at Pemberley, in the full flush of her youth
and health. But if he could not explain it, he could at least assess the manner
in which he had been affected, and he was reminded of nothing so much as the so
rry state of Elizabeth Bennet in Kent over a year and a half ago. At least she m
anaged to dissemble better than I have done! he thought in embarrassment. But no matter how unprepared I
was for what happened or how ineptly I have concealed my feelings, the fact rema
ins that I have found the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. During the many hours of sleeplessness that he had suffered since coming to Pe
mberley, Fitzwilliam had taken pen and paper to calculate if he could afford to
take a wife on his own income alone. The unexpected promotion was suddenly much
more important than it had been, since a half-pay Brigadier was paid almost as m
uch as a full-pay Colonel. In addition, there was the invitation to join the sta
ff of the Earl of Wellington, which meant a return to active service and full pa
y. That would prove very helpful in setting up a new household, and Richard had
already written to accept the offer, though six inches of new snow was preventin
g the delivery or pick-up of any mail at the moment. With the addition of Anne's
own dowry settled on her by Darcy, he calculated that they should be able to pu
rchase a small establishment for themselves and pay the bills with his salary,
even at half pay. But once the financial analysis was completed, Richard was completely at a loss
on how to proceed. His primary need was to determine what Anne's feelings toward
him were and whether his suit stood any chance of success. She was certainly ve
ry warm and charming toward him, but she was now warm and charming toward everyo
ne, with no trace of the haughtiness and condescension of his aunt. Welcome as w
as this facet of her character, it made it impossible to determine her inner fee
lings. He had made several attempts to maneuver Anne into a room or outside, where he m
ight have a chance to talk to her in some semblance of privacy. But the public r
ooms at Pemberley were in constant use, and the weather had been too inclement t
o make an outside walk at all appealing. It was with some trepidation that Richa
rd decided that he must seek the help of his cousin Darcy, for not only was he t
he host for the season's celebrations but he was also Anne's protector, which me
ant that Richard must talk with him at some point. So it was that the next morning, Darcy came downstairs at his normal time of s
even o'clock and found Colonel Fitzwilliam already drinking coffee in the breakf
ast room. Darcy nodded agreeably as he entered but was somewhat surprised as Ric
hard came to his feet immediately and joined him at the serving table. "Darcy, old man, I am in need of a favor from you," said Fitzwilliam in a low vo
ice, and Darcy looked at him sharply, noting the obvious agitation and anxiety
of his cousin. Fitzwilliam was impeccably attired as usual, despite the earline
ss of the hour, though the sling with the arm in it somewhat diminished the mart
ial effect of his scarlet-coated uniform. "Certainly, Richard," said Darcy. "Let
me serve myself and we can talk over breakfast." Fitzwilliam's anxiety grew visibly greater at this remark. "Actually, Darcy," he
said shortly, "I need a word with you in ?77 private. And it is important that I talk to you before everyone else comes down
for breakfast." Darcy had to hide a smile as the motivation of his cousin became clearer. "Ah, I
see," he said carefully, setting his plate back on the stack. He and Elizabeth
had decided to make breakfast during the Christmas season an informal meal, sinc
e the staff was fully occupied taking care of so many guests. "Very well, then,
Richard, let us go to my study. But I must insist on at least taking a cup of co
ffee with me." "Oh, certainly, certainly," Richard agreed. "Let me just get a refill myself." As the two men walked down the hallway, Darcy said with calculated seriousness,
"You know, cousin, I get the distinct impression that you were lying in wait for
me in the breakfast room. Am I correct in my belief?" "Your impression is, as usual, correct," answered his cousin. "I need to discuss
several matters with you, and I need to do it in private. In addition, I did no
t want to make the fact that I did so universally known." Darcy perked up his ears at this comment, which repeated what Fitzwilliam had
mentioned in the breakfast room. It was tempting to comment on the implication o
f that remark in light of Fitzwilliam's behavior of the past two days, but his o
nly response was to nod gravely as he opened the door to his study. Once they were safely ensconced in his office with the doors closed, Darcy invit
ed Fitzwilliam to sit. Richard still looked like he was sitting on hot coals as
he balanced on the front of one of Darcy's comfortable chairs. And now, in the s
ecurity of his own office, Darcy could no longer repress the desire to have some
fun at Richard's expense. Leaning forward on his elbows, Darcy asked, with admi
rable bland- ness, "Now, Richard, what did you want to talk about, other than th
e obvious fact that you appear to be most thoroughly besotted over cousin Anne?" Fitzwilliam was taking a drink of his coffee when Darcy made this jest, and the
result was predictable: part of the coffee wound up going down his windpipe, w
hich sent him into a coughing and choking fit, while the rest of it was sprayed
equally over the knees of his uniform, the carpet, and the front surface of Darc
y's desk. Darcy immediately got up from his chair and helped his cousin by pounding him be
tween the shoulders until more or less normal breathing resumed. Looking at the
mess that Fitzwilliam had made, Darcy said mildly, "I was rather afraid that mig
ht happen, but I could not pass up the chance. It is partial payment for all the
times you had the advantage of me in Hertfordshire." Fitzwilliam looked up reproachfully at his cousin while he dabbed at the coffee
stains on his knees. "So you knew?" "Richard, everyone here knows," Darcy said, "with the possible exception of Anne
, and I am not completely certain about her. Even Elizabeth's sisters and her mo
ther know of it, though Elizabeth did have to rather draw an entire picture for
her youngest sister. Even Charles and ?78 Mrs. Bingley noticed it, and they were only down for dinner last night." Fitzwilliam closed his eyes with a groan and sat back in his chair. "How truly w
onderful. What am I going to do now, Darcy?" "That depends, Richard, on what it is that you want to do now," said Darcy serio
usly. "I want to ask her to marry me, Darce, but I have not the slightest idea how she
might receive the suggestion. Most importantly, I have not been able to find ev
en ten minutes alone with her to attempt to ascertain her feelings. And that is
what I wanted to talk to you about. First, since Anne is technically under your
protection, I wanted to inform you that my intentions are honorable and I am det
ermined to tender a proposal of marriage to her at the earliest possible moment.
""I cannot grant you permission, much less a blessing, you know," Darcy said symp
athetically. "Anne is of age and can make her own decision." He took a meditativ
e sip of his coffee before saying, "And also, do you not think that you may be
moving rather precipitously?" Richard leaned back in his chair with a sly smile as he said, "More precipitous
than you moved in Kent, Darce?" Darcy had to laugh. "Touch, Richard, touch. Very well, I withdraw that last remark
." "But you are correct, Darce. I am moving fast. I will probably be on a ship back
to Spain before January is out, so I do not have a surplus of time. And, on my
part at least, there does not appear to be any great need to wait. I am almost t
hirty-one, and I have never come close to considering marriage. I kept saying
that I had to pay attention to money, and here I find that it makes little diffe
rence. I am fortunate that, in this case, I believe that there will be sufficien
t money to allow us to live comfortably. And part of the calculations that I hav
e done takes into consideration Anne's dowry of fifteen thousand pounds, which
came from you. I believe that I owed you an explanation of my intentions." "You would think that," said Darcy with a smile, "though there are many others w
ho would not. I take it, then, that you are not counting on Anne to ever inherit
Rosings?" "No, I completely threw that possibility out of my calculations, since none of
us, I believe, have any idea what our aunt will do. So I considered that possib
ility was zero and considered only Anne's dowry and my income, though it may onl
y be half-pay. I calculate that we could purchase a small establishment for ours
elves, close to town but not in it, using only a portion of her fortune. My inco
me, even at half-pay, would pay the ongoing expenses. We would live comfortably
but not lavishly-a cook, a few servants, a carriage. But I know that it would ce
rtainly not be what she is used to." "Somehow, I do not think it will make much difference to Anne, Richard. Now, you
said that there were two things that you wanted to talk to me about?" Fitzwilliam turned rather red and had difficulty framing his words before he fin
ally simply took the plunge as he said, "Darce, I need your advice and possibly
your assistance also. I want some time alone with Anne that is not a few minutes stolen in the library
or a conversation in your study while our entire family waits out in the hall t
o see what the conversation was about and what the results would be." "Hmmmm," said Darcy thoughtfully. "Tall order that, with Pemberley so crowded. I
suppose that I could simply give you the key to one of the unused bedrooms so t
hat you could compromise her and she would have to marry you. In fact, as her 'p
rotector', I would make sure that she would have to." "Darcy!" said Fitzwilliam in shock, only to see the smile that Darcy strove to s
uppress. "I think you were safer to be around before you developed whatever it i
s you think is a sense of humor, Darce," Fitzwilliam muttered darkly. "You will have to give me a little time to think of something, Richard," Darcy
said. "In the meantime, try to observe the proprieties, will you? There is a
certain contingent among the guests that believes that you may try to solve your
problems by enticing Anne under some mistletoe and thereby proceed to demonstra
te the violence of your love. Since I have been adamant that you would never act
in such a manner, I would appreciate it if you avoid embarrassing me." "To tell you the truth, I had not even thought of it," Richard admitted. "But it
is good to know that at least you have some confidence in me." "I am not sure that I would exactly term it confidence, Richard," said Darcy wit
h a smile that was positively mischievous. "Elizabeth and I have been discussi
ng several alternatives to resolve this matter in a manner agreeable to all. M
y own personal favorite resolution would be to have Anne in here and give her a
version of the tongue-lashing that she gave me in Kent, after which I am fairly
confident that she would make you an offer of marriage at the dinner table tonig
ht. But, delightful as that solution would be, Elizabeth has made me promise not
to do it or anything like it, at least until after Christmas. She did say that
if neither of you resolved it by that time, we would hold a family council and o
rder you both to marry." Richard winced as he contemplated the mortification attendant on either of Darcy
's schemes, but fortunately he knew his cousin well enough to know that he was s
peaking completely in jest. He hoped. The Darcy he thought he knew was the Darcy before he married Elizabeth
, and the slight smile that Darcy wore as he sipped his coffee was enough to sha
ke his confidence. After a minute or so of companionable silence, Fitzwilliam had another thought.
"Darcy," he asked seriously, "are you happy being married?" "Very much so," Darcy replied. "Despite having to be kicked in the teeth before
I ever looked at Elizabeth as a woman, I do not think that I could be happier. I
think," he said thoughtfully, "it was the fact that I had categorized her so thoroughly as Georgiana's friend that prevented me from ever looking at her s
imply for herself." "And I had so thoroughly categorized Anne as our sickly cousin who would probabl
y die young that I never saw her as herself, even though we visited yearly," sai
d Fitzwilliam quietly. That insight startled Darcy a bit. "That is likely true for me also," he said, s
tanding up. "Now, we have discussed serious affairs long enough, cousin. Let u
s have our breakfast before the rest of the household awakes." 2IT WAS SHORTLY AFTER breakfast when Darcy announced that the snow appeared to be
over for the moment and suggested hitching up several sleighs for a ride after
lunch. There was general agreement that this sounded like a wonderful idea, and
Darcy left to give orders to prepare the horses and sleighs along with a quantit
y of fur-lined blankets which would allow the drivers and passengers protectio
n against the cold. When Colonel Fitzwilliam came down at the appointed hour, carrying his heavy coa
t, gloves, scarf, and fur-lined hat, he found Anne talking to Darcy at the rear
entrance facing toward the stables. Several sleighs of various sizes were visibl
e through the glass with several of the stable hands completing the hitching of
the horses. "Ah, here is Richard, all ready for an outing!" said Darcy jovially as Fitzwilli
am walked up. "Cousin Anne was just taking me to task for giving her the wrong t
ime, and I need you to come to my rescue. What time did I tell you that preparat
ions would be complete?" "Why, you said two o'clock, Darcy," said Fitzwilliam. "See, Anne? At least I gave Richard the same time as you," said Darcy plaintivel
y. "Then where is everyone else?" asked Anne reasonably. Turning to Richard, she sa
id, "Did you see a crowd of people descending to ride, Colonel? I did not! As I
came down the stairs, dressed warmly, everyone else was just going up. I believe that my cousin Darcy will have to admit to misman- aging the afternoon s
leigh ride!" "Perhaps mercy would be called for, Anne?" smiled Richard. "Remember the season.
""Oh, very well," laughed Anne. "Though it is far too seldom that I get a chance
to dress down the unflappable Mr. Darcy." Darcy was looking out the door and turned back. "It appears that the men have th
e small sleigh ready, Richard. If you had the use of your other arm, I would sug
gest that you take our cousin first, just to get her out of my hair. But as it i
s..." Darcy said, shrugging helplessly Anne sniffed disdainfully. "I will take the reins, Darcy, since I was riding you
r phaeton around the park well before I could walk it. Richard will be perfectly
safe in my care." ?79 Darcy was somewhat apprehensive. "Are you sure, Anne? I should not like to see y
ou attempt something beyond your capabilities while you are still recovering." "Hmmmmph!" was Anne's only comment to Darcy. Turning to Fitzwilliam, she said ch
allengingly, "Well, what about it, Colonel Fitzwilliam? Do you have enough starc
hto trust a woman with the reins?"?"I shall not shrink from such a dare, madam,"
said Fitzwilliam, giving Anne a deep bow. "I know that you would not allow a promisin
g young cavalry officer to come to harm in the snows of Derbyshire! Lead on, and
I shall follow!" "That will be enough of that garbage, Brigadier!" Anne said over her shoulder as
she opened the door. Fitzwilliam smiled at Darcy, who gave him a wink and mouthed the words, Good luc
k! 2DARCY AND ELIZABETH STOOD on the landing at the top of the stairs where they cou
ld watch out the rear window overlooking the stables. The overcast sky was begin
ning to darken as the sun, hidden behind the clouds, began to dip toward the hor
izon. The landing was rather dimly lit, since the servant who came to light the
candles had been waved away by Darcy, who was taking advantage of the low light
to hold Elizabeth's slender body close to him with his hand around her trim wais
t. "Should we be worried, Elizabeth?" he asked her finally. "I do not know," she replied, "but if we have to send out searchers, we need to
do so while there is still some light." "I thought certain that she could handle the pony and sleigh," he said. "But we
followed their tracks and never saw a sign of them. And, since the tracks led ba
ck to Pemberley, they must have gone on through the stable area and out again, e
ven though no one seems to have seen them." At that moment, one of the doors to the stables opened and several of the stable
hands came running out to swing open the large entrance doors to the stables. "Ah," said Darcy in relief, "they must see them coming. All of the other sleighs
have been put away." Sure enough, within five minutes the small sleigh came into the yard, and Anne d
rove it expertly through the open door and into the stables. After it disappeare
d, Darcy turned to Elizabeth. "Well?" said Darcy fretfully. "I did not notice an
ything out of the ordinary. I would hate for all of my maneuvering to go to wast
e." On seeing the superior smile that Elizabeth wore, Darcy stopped short. "What? Di
d I miss something?" Elizabeth rose up on her toes to give him a quick kiss. "No, my dear, you saw no
thing out of the ordinary because there was nothing to see. What you missed was
that there was something that you did not see." ?80 "And what was that, my dear?" said Darcy, taking the opportunity to pull her to
him. He wondered if he could ever tire of the feeling of Elizabeth melting into
his embrace, her slender body molding itself to him. He felt his instant arousal
, and from the way she moved herself against him, he knew that she was as aware
of his state as he was. "What was it that I did not see, my love?" said Darcy huskily. "You did not see Richard's right arm, William," she said warmly. "His left arm i
n the sling held the blanket around his shoulders, while his right arm, the one
closest to her, could not be seen, for the very good reason that it was around h
er waist." "Ah!" said Darcy. "In addition, when they left, I distinctly saw that Richard sat on Anne's right,
with his left arm toward her. At some point, they changed places, undoubtedly s
o that Richard could put his arm around her. I think all your maneuvering has pr
oduced the desired result." "Not all my maneuvering," said Darcy. "I have one more maneuver that I would lik
e to demonstrate." Suddenly, Elizabeth felt herself lifted off the floor and cra
dled in his arms. "William!" she said breathlessly. "Our guests..." "Will have much to entertain them for an hour or two before dinner. Meanwhile, y
our bed awaits," Darcy promised her as he carried her toward their suites. "William!" Elizabeth said in a horrified whisper as she saw Lord and Lady Matloc
k turn the corner, leaving their own room and going downstairs. "Good evening, Aunt. Good evening, Uncle," said Darcy cheerfully. Elizabeth buri
ed her face into his shoulder in mortification. "If you would be so good as to
proceed downstairs, I believe that my cousins have an announcement to make." "Thank you, dear," said Lady Matlock mildly as they passed in the hall. "I had h
oped they would. And I will tell cook to delay dinner until you and Elizabeth ca
n join us." Elizabeth heard Darcy's aunt and uncle share a subdued but still merry laugh as
they started down the stairs. "Just you wait, Mister Darcy," she hissed in a combination of mortification an
d anger as Darcy opened the door to her bedroom. "Elizabeth, did you know how beautiful you are when you are angry?" Darcy said e
quably. "Just you wait...mmmmmmppphh!"?The closing door and Darcy's lips cut off the res
t of her comment. 2ELIZABETH TRIED TO REMAIN calm as she descended the stairs on the arm of her hus
band, who appeared inordinately proud of himself. "Just you wait, Mr. Darcy," she whispered to him as the sound of hearty laughter
sounded from the parlor. "That is what you said when I carried you into your bedroom, Elizabeth," he sa
id blandly, "and yet I believe that you enjoyed what followed." "You took advantage of me, you heartless bounder!" she hissed, but Darcy could s
ee the mischief that danced in her eyes. Doubtless, she would wait until his gua
rd was down and then attempt again to find some area of his body that was as tic
klish as she seemed to be in so many areas. But the prospect did not frighten hi
m, for not only did he not appear to be ticklish at all, but the inevitable resu
lt of her explorations and his discovery of her efforts always ended the same wa
y, with blankets, bedclothes, and pillows thrown in all directions while he clas
ped her delightfully unclothed body against his own. "How will I ever face your uncle and aunt?" she said morbidly, and he did have t
o admit that her cheeks suddenly assumed a becoming flush at the very thought. "I would not worry about it, dear," he told her. "You heard my aunt's comment, w
hich is as close as she will come to mentioning what she knows took place in the
privacy of your chamber. In addition, Richard tells me that his parents evident
ly enjoyed some rather 'frisky' moments when he was just a young boy, and he and
his brothers and sisters occasionally interrupted my aunt and uncle in rather p
assionate moments. I doubt that either of them were either surprised or shocked
by seeing me carry you into your bedroom." "Hmmmmpphhh!" was Elizabeth's only comment as they entered the party just as ano
ther gale of laughter swept the room. Anne stood beside Richard in the middle of both their families, her cheeks flush
ed red and her eyes shining as she held Richard's good right arm as if her hold
on it was the only thing that kept her from sliding under water. Richard wore a
look that Elizabeth decided looked very much like the look of pride that her hus
band had worn just a minute earlier. "Honestly," Anne said pleadingly, "I had no idea of the state that you tell me C
olonel Fitzwilliam-I mean, Richard-was in. Really!" "Oh, come, Anne," boomed Earl Matlock. "It will not do! No halfway observant per
son could have failed to discern that my son was following you around like a moo
nstruck youth! Name me one time since we arrived in which he was absent from you
r side for more than five minutes." "And that was only to fetch Anne a cup of tea or a glass of wine, I will wager!"
said Richard's brother, Thomas, which drew another general wave of laughter. "Elizabeth!" said Anne, seeing her friend and cousin enter the room. "Richard ha
s given me the surprise of my life by making me an offer of marriage, and..." "Of course, he did, dear Anne," said Elizabeth brightly. "We all knew that it wa
s only a matter of time, and not much time at that." "You cannot mean that!" said Anne incredulously. "Why, I had not a single clue!" "Nonsense, cousin," said her cousin, Susan Mattingly. "You had every possible cl
ue, and you simply did not see a single one of them."?Anne looked at her in shock, and then turned back to Elizabeth, who only shook her head in amusement. "Anne, it was so bad that I had
to restrain William from inviting you into his study for a little talk about to
ying with the affections of another, just as a family duty and to return the f
avor you once did for him." Since all present were by this time quite familiar with the unusual course of El
izabeth and Darcy's 'courtship,' the laughter this time was tumultuous, so much
so that Anne finally had to admit defeat and smile sheepishly with a most attrac
tive blush on her cheeks. When the laughter at last died down, Elizabeth said, "I trust that you did accep
t his offer, Anne? I should hate to have to contend any longer with Richard bein
g so very inattentive to everyone else in the house except you." By this time, Anne had accepted her fate, and she only nodded in response. "I already told this story to everyone else during your prolonged absence, Dar
ce," said Richard blandly, drawing a fierce red blush form Elizabeth and even ca
using Darcy's cheeks to color slightly. "As it turned out, my proposal really ca
me aboutquiteeasily.AsAnnewasguidingthesleigharoundthe grounds, I made a comment
about how pleased everyone was that she had completely recovered and could look
forward to a normal life, including marriage. But Anne only laughed at my comme
nt and told me how little I knew about it. She said that she was now a young wom
an in her twenties who had almost no accomplishments, and that single exception
was that she had lately learned to play the pianoforte. Since she had never lear
ned to sew, draw, or any of the other accomplishments expected of a young lady
, how could she ever attract a husband? She seemed quite merry about it, but I r
ecognized an opportunity when I saw one. I gathered my courageandsimplysaidthata
llsheneededtodowastofinda manwhohadsofewabilitiesonhispartthathewouldnever recog
nize the lack of hers. Such a man as myself, I suggested, whose only trade was t
hat of soldiering. I will never forget the look on her face as she looked over a
t me as if she had never seen me before. Almost ran the sleigh off the road, she
did," he said slyly, drawing a laugh all around. "Then I gave her the convincing argument. I told her that I had nothing to offer
her except the life of a military wife, since she had been disinherited by her
mother, and she would even have to stay on here at Pemberley or else return to M
atlock while I returned to Spain. But if she could bear up under these burdens,
I would be honored if she would consent to marry me. She was silent for about ha
lf a minute-which seemed like half a lifetime, I can tell you-then she whisper
ed something that I could not make out. I leaned closer and told her that I had
not been able to hear what ?8? she had said, and then she screamed into my ear, 'I said yes, you fool!' " The audience laughed delightedly, while Anne shyly held tightly to Richard's arm
, looking up at him attentively while he took a drink from the glass of wine tha
t he held. "Then she did run us off the road," he said dryly.?The room again erupted into m
erry laughter before everyone crowded around with congratulations. 2BRIGADIER GENERAL RICHARD FITZWILLIAM wed Lady Anne de Bourgh in the small chape
l at Pemberley on January 3, 1814. Darcy's parson performed the ceremony, waivin
g the requirement for a marriage license due both to the deep snow, which made a
journey to Kympton to procure the license rather hazardous, and also due to Fit
zwilliam's need to depart for the continent within a very few weeks. Fitzwilli
am's brothers stood up for him, and Elizabeth's three unmarried sisters acted as bridesmaids for Anne. The groom was resplen- dent in his dress
uniform, which still bore the rank tabs of a Colonel, while his bride wore a new
dress that had been made for her by several of the Pemberley seamstresses. While the ladies of the attending party remarked on the elegance and style of An
ne's dress, the groom was more cognizant of the daring low cut of Anne's bodice.
The swell of her bosom as she drew a breath seemed to draw his eyes at every op
portunity, regardless of what the parson was saying, and his wandering eyes seem
ed to give Anne considerable amusement-and gratification. If the pastor noticed
that Brigadier Fitzwilliam seemed to have a certain difficulty in catching his b
reath at several points during the ceremony, that good man gave no sign and cont
inued to perform the ceremony flawlessly. If nothing else, Anne's choice of gown
demonstrated to her new husband, in the most direct manner possible, that she w
as no longer the emaciated waif of Rosings. And the laughing sparkle in her eyes
as he slid the ring on her finger promised other things-once they were alone. Following the wedding, the bridal party returned to Pemberley, a journey of less
than a hundred feet , which was complicated by the several inches of snow that
had fallen during the ceremony. Several people saw Darcy whisper something into
his cousin Fitzwilliam's ear, and Elizabeth just rolled her eyes when Fitzwillia
m bent down in order to grasp Anne just behind her knees and lift her into the a
ir with his good arm only, carrying her into the house with dry slippers. After the Wedding Breakfast, the newly married couple retired to a suite of room
s that Darcy had made available to them. The rooms were located at the very end
of the least- used wing of the house, which afforded at least a certain degree o
f privacy. Their absence from the rest of the party was complete for some days a
fter the wedding, and even ?82 after that they were wont to disappear during the day and to retire exceedingly
early. But their period of newly wedded bliss was marred when Fitzwilliam depart
ed from Pemberley a fortnight later, leaving his new wife to the protection of h
is cousin while he joined Wellington in Spain. Chapter 38 Saturday, May 14, 1814 Georgiana Darcy sat silently in her brother's coach as it clattered through the
streets on the outskirts of London and took no part in the rambling conversati
on of her brother, Elizabeth, and Anne Fitzwilliam. She spent her time staring out the coach window at the deep shado
ws of the evening, and the darkness was a fitting companion to her spirits. In f
act, she was sorely tempted to ask her brother to take her home, but she knew th
at such a surprising request would bring on a barrage of concerned questions, an
d she did not have any answers for her depressed mood. Despite the time that she had spent preparing for her aunt's ball tonight, she h
ad no feeling of expectancy. She knew that the occasion ought to be one that ins
pired feelings of excitement and anticipation, but she was finding that her ac
tual emotions were rather the opposite. She would have preferred to be at home w
ith a book or with her music instead of riding this coach toward a festive ball
at which she was expected to be her Aunt Matlock's principal guest. Not even the
fact that tonight's event would be almost the first time that she had actually
been out in society at large was enough to lift her spirits. Instead, she was fi
nding that the actuality was quite often not nearly as enjoyable as had been ant
icipated. She had been able to disguise her feelings well enough as she shopped
with Elizabeth and Anne for the gown she wore tonight, and she had even maintain
ed a pretense of good cheer and anticipation as her maid had proudly completed h
er wardrobe and makeup for tonight. But now she was finding that any eagerness f
or the night's event was completely missing. Her disenchantment with the whole idea of 'coming out' had been growing on her f
or some months, but she had not realized the full effect it was having until her
Aunt Matlock had presented her at the Court of St. James, almost a month ago. H
er reaction to the event had somewhat surprised her. She had not been frightened
of the august personages who stood about and politely clapped as she was introd
uced as "Miss Georgiana Darcy of Pemberley and London." Rather, she had found th
e whole atmosphere highly artificial and more than a little boring. She had also
been more than a little repulsed by the overdressed women at Court, along with
their sycophantic companions. The ladies at Court had stood and talked and strut
ted about, peering down their noses as each young lady was introduced before gat
hering into small knots to exchange whispered comments. At times, their laughter
was barely disguised behind gloved hands, and Georgiana could only feel a common embarrassment with whichever young lady was the subject of their jestin
g. She all too quickly tired of their pretentious attitudes and their studied ai
r of being 'above it all,' and she contrasted their fashionable air of uselessne
ss with the useful life that her brothers lived. At least, William and those he
associated with were involved with real tasks to be accomplished-managing their
estates and their homes for the benefit of both their families as well as the te
nants and employees who depended on them. Meanwhile, Alex was at sea with his sq
uadron in the Baltic Sea, and his letters had gotten much more infrequent as his
duties consumed almost every waking hour. Meanwhile, the august grandees at cou
rt didlittlebutstandaroundandchattermindlesslyoftrivialities. 'Painted peacocks,' her cousin Jessica had termed them last Christmas, and Georg
iana found the term quite accurate. She might have drawn an even more striking contrast between at least one of her
brother's associates, but she firmly repressed any consideration of that topic.
Her mood was already foul enough without deliberately making it worse. Another fact that did nothing to cheer her was that she knew that a goodly numbe
r of the sons and daughters of those personages she had seen at court would doub
tless be among the attendees at tonight's ball. Her Aunt Matlock's yearly ball c
losely followed the beginning of the Season and was one of the most popular and
desirable of the many such events that were held. It would doubtless draw many y
oung men of varying degrees of worth. Including, she thought dryly, that fashion
able but so often destitute species that were given the name of ' fortune hunter
s.' All in all, I would rather have stayed home with Elizabeth and William and A
nne. She also found herself missing the company of Alex, who had been gone since mid-
January. They had only received a few letters from him, and one of those had bee
n sent before his ship sailed, informing them only of his safe arrival and that
the Nonsuch would be sailing the next day. The second letter had been longer tha
n the first, detailing the fact that Alex had quickly got over his sea-sickness
and was rapidly learning his duties. Evidently, his preparation in mathematics h
ad been sufficient to make the rigors of navigation relatively easy for him, tho
ugh he was finding the memorization of every part of the ship much more daunting
. Not only were there seemingly hundreds or even thousands of items, but they al
l bore names that were often quite bewildering, such as spar, sheet, marlin-spik
e, quarterdeck, forecastle, and hundreds of others. Georgiana did not know wha
t a 'cutting-out expedition' was, but Alex had evidently already participated in
one. His letter said that it had been monstrously successful and exciting, but
the frown on William's face as he read that part aloud indicated that the activi
ty might not have been quite the lark that Alex's words had described. Eventually, despite her effort to disguise her gloom, her mood must have manifes
ted itself in her expression, for her reverie was broken by the voice of her bro
ther. "Is something the matter, dearest," Darcy said, leaning forward to take he
r hands. ?83 Turning her attention aside from the window, Georgiana shrugged. "It's only the
famous Darcy antipathy to social gatherings, William. I find that I am not looki
ng forward to tonight with any anticipation of pleasure." Darcy looked concerned. "You never seemed to be afflicted with that particular
malady before, Georgie. Aunt Matlock said that your presentation at court was a
complete success and that you appeared completely untroubled by the experience.
"Georgiana smiled wanly. "At court, I was only one of several dozen young ladies
being presented. All of us were announced, there was a polite round of applause,
and then we were conducted to meet the Queen. I was scarcely noticed. But Aun
t Matlock is making me the centerpiece of tonight's ball, and I am finding that
I do not particularly care for the honor." Georgiana was looking down, so she did not see the glance that her three compani
ons shared. Anne, who was sitting beside her, reached over and took her hand. "S
ince I was never an 'accomplished' young lady," she said with a smile, "I never
had to go through a London Season. I am sure that I would have been frightened i
f my mother had ever forced it upon me. As it is, I am obviously anticipating th
e event much more than you, since your sister and I plan on scandalizing society
by appearing at Aunt Matlock's ball when we are so obviously in the family way!
"Georgiana had to laugh at that comment, for both Elizabeth and Anne were wearing
dresses especially made for the swelling of their abdomens resulting from the c
hild that both of them carried. The fashion among the society ladies was to take
to their chambers when their pregnancy started showing and not to leave again u
ntil they were able to fit into their dresses. But Elizabeth had refused to foll
ow the dictates of fashion, stating that she had lived too long in the country t
o miss out on the enjoyment of parties and social gatherings just because she wa
s with child. And Anne had refused because...well, because she was Anne! "Dr. Douglas is certain that both children will be born within weeks of each oth
er, which means we must have become pregnant at almost the same time. I know whe
n that was for me, since Richard hardly let me leave our chambers at Pemberley a
nd departed for Spain immediately afterwards!" Anne said with relish. "But I am
not as well informed in Elizabeth's case, though it must have occurred at about
the same time." Georgiana had gradually gotten accustomed to the frank and sometimes improper ma
nner in which her exuberant cousin often expressed her delight with marriage and
approaching motherhood, but she still colored slightly at such forthright lan
guage. But neither Elizabeth nor Darcy seemed to be troubled, though Darcy did b
lush at least a little when Elizabeth made a pointed comment about the distressi
ng lack of self-control occasionally exhibited by certain tallish members of the
Darcy household. Now, having jollied Georgiana out of whatever doldrums her introspection had tak
en her, Anne kept the conversation ?84 going in a light and boisterous manner which included her cousin. Thus, the time
passed quickly before the carriage pulled under the imposing portico of Matlock
House. And, though Georgiana again experienced a return of her former disconten
t, it was much muted by the bustle of exiting the coach. Darcy would normally have entered Matlock House with Elizabeth on his arm, but f
or this one night Georgiana took her place, since she was the only true invitee.
As they entered the open doors, Darcy handed the butler the ornate invitation
for his sister, despite the fact that he and the butler had known each other fo
r Darcy's whole life. But the amenities had to be observed, even for family memb
ers. "Good evening, Miss Darcy, Mr. Darcy," the white-haired man said. "Welcome to Ma
tlock House." A broad smile was on his face, more directed at Georgiana than at
her escort. "Lady Matlock has been informed of your arrival and awaits you inside the door." "Thank you, James," said Georgiana softly, smiling back at the older man, infect
ed by his obvious pleasure in seeing her.?As Georgiana and Darcy passed on through the hall toward the large ballroom, Georgiana felt her heartbeat quicken for the first time
tonight. The sounds of many young men and women filled the hallway with a miasm
a of sound, though no single voice could be extracted from the overall noise. Georgianaalmoststumbledassheenteredtheroom.Her Aunt Matlock was waiting for her,
a huge smile of welcome on her face. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement, f
or she was completely in her element in these social settings that so discomfite
d Darcy and, to a lesser extent, Georgiana. But that was not the reason for Geor
giana's missed step. That was occasioned by the fact that her Uncle Matlock was
standing beside his wife, turned partly away from her and engaged in an animated conversation with Dr. Ian Douglas. Georgiana hardly heard her aunt g
reet her and was even less aware of her embrace and her kiss on her cheek. Her expectations had been
that she would see a room of strangers, and she had been prepared for any numbe
r of young men to start moving toward her when she was announced, bent on solici
ting an introduction to so eligible a young lady. But she had never even conside
red that the first man she would see besides her uncle would be the tall figure
of Dr. Douglas, perfectly outfitted in the latest gentleman's fashion, looking a
s if he belonged in this room even more than the many elegantly dressed young me
n who were even now moving toward her. After her uncle embraced her and welcomed her to Matlock House, he turned toward
Dr. Douglas. "I am sure you remember our physician, Dr. Ian Douglas, Georgiana.
He and I were just discussing Richard's latest letter from the continent. It ap
pears that we have finally put paid to that fellow Napoleon, and Richard writes
that Sir Arthur has been made Duke of Wellington. And..." Lord Matlock finally r
ealized that his niece's eyes were not on him but on his companions, and he quickly changed the subject. "...but that is all a matter
for later, for tonight is my wife's ball. Please enjoy yourself, niece." "Good evening, Miss Darcy," said Douglas with a bow. "It is a good evening, Dr. Douglas," said Georgiana, responding with her most
graceful curtsey. Now, she wondered breathlessly, is he here attending to my unc
le? Or were there other reasons for his most surprising appearance . . . "Miss Darcy, would you grant me the boon of an entry on your dance card? The ope
ning set, perhaps, though any opening would be gratefully accepted." Georgiana flushed in pleased surprise and excitement, and she lost little time i
n retrieving her dance card. "Why, sir," she said, dimpling prettily, "it appears that my card is completely
blank. If you desire the first set, then it most certainly is yours." "Splendid," responded Douglas, with a pleased smile and another bow as Georgiana
wrote his name on her card. But Georgiana was not finished. Greatly daring, she continued, "In fact, even th
e single name leaves my card distressingly unfilled. I should be most afraid of
having to sit down for much of the night." Douglas did not need prompting to recognize the opportunity. "That seems rathe
r unlikely, Miss Darcy," he said dryly, "since the combined youthful manhood of
London appears to be thundering this way as I speak. But perhaps you might grant
me the last set also?" "Certainly, sir," she beamed. "It is done!" "Many thanks, Miss Darcy," Douglas responded with another quick bow. "No, thank you, sir," Georgiana replied seriously. Her simple statement took Dou
glas somewhat aback, since he had expected the usual, "You are welcome" or some
similar variation. But he recognized that her statement was simple and from the
heart, and he knew that Darcy had indeed been correct when he had first mentione
d Miss Darcy's inclination toward him the previous fall. It was not that he ha
d doubted what Darcy had said, exactly, but he now had the most direct confirmat
ion of that fact from the most reliable source possible, the young lady herself. Their eyes met just as the first of the young gentlemen arrived to surround Geor
giana, and only Douglas understood the significance to the way Miss Georgiana Da
rcy rolled her eyes in resignation. He could not resist a chuckle as he backed o
ut of the sudden crowd, but he was able to hear her soft voice say to the first
young man, "I am sorry, sir, but I am already engaged for that set." As he walked away to await the first dance, Douglas found a considerable degree
of satisfaction from hearing Georgiana's comment. 2THOUGH GEORGIANA WAS AS quiet during the ride back to Darcy House as she had bee
n during the earlier journey, it was a much different quietness. She smiled to h
erself at memories only she knew, she hummed sometimes under her breath, and it
was obvious to all the members in the coach that her whole demeanor was as diffe
rent now as it was possible to be. In fact, Darcy, Elizabeth, and Anne were sh
aring glances in which they were all congratulating themselves on the series of
skillful maneuvers which had led up to tonight, when the subject of their though
ts suddenly burst the bubble of their self-satisfaction. "William," Georgiana said suddenly, "could you explain why you invited Dr. Dougl
as to Pemberley last Christmas?" The conversation in the coach came to a sudden stop as a result of Georgiana's c
omment. Though it was quite dark inside the coach, Georgiana felt certain that a
ll eyes were on her, and her face wore an unseen smile of pleasure at the manner
in which she had discomfited them. "Well," Darcy said after several seconds, "it just seemed fitting. Douglas is a
friend and not just our family physician. I knew he had no family in London and
thus no one to share the season with, so I asked him to share it with us." "I see," said Georgiana, and the other three in the coach strained to glean what
ever information they could from that simply statement. "Ahh," started Darcy, "was there some reason why you asked, dearest?" "Oh," said Georgiana, "I just wondered if you would tell me the real reason, Wil
liam." There was silence for several seconds as Darcy, Elizabeth, and Anne digested thi
s last rather challenging statement. Finally, Darcy said tentatively, "Georgiana
, what I just said was true." "I have no doubt of it, William," said Georgiana blandly, "because I know that y
ou virtually never tell an untruth. But I did notice that you did not really ans
wer my question...at least not completely. We must have had other friends who ha
d to spend Christmas alone, and yet I cannot remember ever inviting them to take Christmas at Pemberley."?After several more seconds,
Elizabeth spoke up. "I believe that you had better tell her, William. She seems to have figured it out fo
r herself." She seemed amused rather than worried. "Perhaps," said Darcy grudgingly, "but first I would like to know exactly what s
he thinks she has figured out. Well, Georgiana?" Georgiana laughed lightly, her mouth curved in a smile of wry triumph that her b
rother was able to see by the dim lights from a street lamp. "I am not sure in w
hat manner I gave myself away, but somehow you must have divined my interest in-
my attraction to-Dr. Douglas. And, though I was mightily surprised-and pleased!-
to find him in attendance tonight, I had already come to the conclusion after Pe
mberley that the two of you-rather, the three of you!-were going to find some wa
y to put Dr. Douglas and ?85 me together. After all, since your last attempt with Richard and Anne turned out
so well, I could see no reason why you would not be tempted to try the same thi
ng with me. My error was in believing that you would wait until after the Season
to make your move-this unexpected gambit in the matchmaking game caught me rath
er off-guard." "You seemed to recover yourself quite nicely!" chortled Anne, delighted at Georg
iana's insight and quick wits. "I thought the smile on your face when Dr. Dougla
s first greeted you was going to stretch from ear to ear!"?"There is one problem with your ch
ain of events, Georgiana dear," said Elizabeth, "and that is that Dr. Douglas was invited to Pemberley
in the fall, well before the events involving Richard and Anne." "But I was not yet marriageable in December, so I believe that the invitation wa
s just to give the rest of the family a chance to look him over. And the fact th
at he was at my aunt's ball tonight must indicate that a favorable response was
received from the family." "Well, William?" asked Elizabeth. "What shall we say to my insightful sister? Sh
all we attempt to spin more stories without stepping over the line into falsehoo
ds, or shall we retreat into the famous Darcy mood of stony reserve?" "I have not been able to make use of that particular method since we were marrie
d," grumbled Darcy, "and, after what you have said, the alternative of trying
to convince my sister that up is down is no longer an option. Very well, then, G
eorgiana. Yes, you are correct-we did, or rather Elizabeth did, detect your attr
action to Dr. Douglas, and I met with him privately in order to inform him of th
e situation. I further assured him that we knew that he had not made any imprope
r advances, that we considered him a proper suitor, if that was his desire, and
that we would make sure that he had an invitation to my Aunt Matlock's ball to o
pen the Season. After that, we would play no part. Everything else would be left
to time and the persons involved." "What I wonder," said Anne, "is what the good doctor thought of tonight? The fac
t that he accepted the invitation indicates at least an interest on his part, an
d you certainly seemed to get on well with him, Georgiana. But what of the other
party?" Georgiana was glad of the darkness, for she knew that she was blushing. But she
continued on in the same light- hearted manner as her sister, "I believe that he
must have enjoyed himself, for I mentioned during our last dance that the next
event I planned to attend was Lady Medwyn's dinner on Thursday next. He responde
d that, coincidentally enough, he had received an invitation to the same event t
hat very same evening, delivered by Lady Medwyn herself." "Aha!" said Anne. "I saw Aunt Matlock take Lady Medwyn over to meet Dr. Douglas.
"Elizabeth laughed lightly. "As you can see, Georgiana, all your family is conspi
ring to have you married off before the season is over!" ?86 "Oh, I do not believe that will happen," said Georgiana airily. "I do not believ
e that Dr. Douglas will make his proposal until after the Season is over. Sept
ember is my best guess. That would allow us to be married at Pemberley during Ch
ristmas, just like Anne and Richard." This remark certainly brought silence in the coach. Finally, Darcy cleared his t
hroat. "Uh, do you have any particular reasoning behind that statement, Georgi
ana? Has Douglas made a declaration so soon?" His tone was rather stiff, as if h
e had been offended. "No, William," Georgiana said, understanding her brother's concern. "It was qu
ite the opposite, so do not worry. He was a perfect gentleman, but as he escorte
d me back to you after the last dance, he wished me to have a most enjoyable Sea
son. He said that a young lady making her first entrance into society should alw
ays be able to remember that Season in future years, from beginning to end. I in
terpret that as he will continue to be at events on an occasional basis and will
let me sample the experiences available-and the available young men-before he m
akes any declaration." After some consideration, Darcy nodded to himself. "I daresay you may well turn
out to be correct, Georgiana. It would accord well with what I know of Douglas'
character." "I wonder if the good doctor has any conception of what he may be getting himsel
f into?" asked Anne gleefully. "And I also wonder if any member of our family wi
ll ever have what society regards as a 'normal' courtship? Certainly none in thi
s coach would meet that description!" "Well, there's always David," said Elizabeth.?Georgiana leaned forward to grasp
Elizabeth's hand. "I have been playful as I related what I deduced, Elizabeth, b
ut I want you to know that I hold no ill feelings for what you and William did.
I know why you did it too-I remember your pain when you loved him, and he was not aware of it. I know you tried to sp
are me that." Elizabeth felt the prickle of tears at her eyes as she squeezed Georgiana's hand
. "We were friends before we were sisters, Georgiana. And friends, dearest siste
r, watch out for each other." 2IT WAS QUITE DARK when the Darcy coach arrived back at Darcy House, almost four
o'clock in the morning. That was not at all unexpected, since balls during the S
eason started at ten o'clock and often lasted until three. And the Darcy coach h
ad been the last to go, for Lady Matlock was thrilled at the success of the ball
and Georgiana's introduction, and she had wanted to talk. So it was no surprise
that Dr. Ian Douglas had been at home for most of an hour by that time and was
just finishing a glass of fine brandy before the fire in his bedroom. He knew he was a lost man. Douglas had always considered himself a rational man, and he had planned, once h
e was fully established, to find a rational woman to take to wife. Certainly, th
e woman he had envisioned would be well past girlhood, steady, reliable, passabl
y handsome if possible, but that was not an inflex- iblemeasure.Whilehehadbeenso
mewhatinterestedwhen Darcy told him of his sister's interest, he had not really
believed that the venture would bear fruit. He had fully anticipated that Georgiana Darcy would be highly excited by the att
entions of all the younger men and might well make room for him on her dance car
d for a single dance-half of a set-out of regard for his friendship with her bro
ther. He had not expected to see her with a rather cheerless expression as she entered
the room, and he certainly had not expected her face to light up with a boundin
g delight when he greeted her. Dr. Ian Douglas had just found that ones regard f
or another could be markedly affected by the other's regard for him. It was a st
andard element of human behavior, but he had been so involved in his studies and
his work that he had never had occasion to discover that before tonight. It was a most disconcerting discovery. So, he knew, he was lost. He knew that he could hardly hope to find a lady more
rational than Georgiana Darcy. Steady, reliable, et cetera, et cetera. He knew t
hat she met all of his rational requirements, except that she was much more attr
active than his envisioned future wife-and she was but eighteen years of age. Ha
rdly out of girlhood. And he knew that it did not matter-he was lost. Having been smiled on in such a
way, to know that his mere presence had brought cheer and happiness where it had
been missing before, was an experience that he knew must be repeated. He knew t
hat he could not resist seeking a repetition of that smile. It was not rational. It was not restrained. It was most unlike Dr. Ian Douglas,
physician and surgeon. And none of it mattered. He had to see Georgiana Darcy ag
ain. On Thursday. An eternity away. How could this have happened to him? It is not love, he told himself. It cannot be. I know that love is the emotion t
hat results from years of shared experience and trust. It was the emotion that h
is mother and father had only come to share after most of a decade together. So
his mother had told him, when she warned him against becoming infatuated with
someone who was not rational, steady, and reliable. I hope that they like her, Douglas thought to himself. Then he caught himself. S
top that! he ordered himself harshly. You are not infatuated! Thursday. How will I last until Thursday? Epilogue Aal to Georgiana Darcy, after her one and only Season. They were indeed married s
hortly after Christmas, in the Pemberley chapel, just as Georgiana had planned.
The rest of the family heartily approved of the young doctor, and his mother did indeed like his new wife. Even his brothers adm
itted that they might have to remove the title of 'Black Sheep' from his shoulde
rs. Opposition to the young physician by older members of the profession continu
ed at first, but soon his connection with the Darcy and Matlock family effective
ly brought to an end any open criticism of the unorthodox physician and his cont
inued innovations. One innovation especially bears on our story, since he was on
e of the first physicians to adopt the stetho- scope following its invention, th
ough he always kept his old ear trumpet on his desk to remind him of the first q
uestion asked of him by his future wife. Brigadier General Richard Fitzwilliam had returned to Spain in January of 1814 a
nd rejoined Wellesley, now promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. Wellesley was
now encamped in winter quarters inside France itself, having driven the French c
ompletely out of Spain the previous year following the Battle of Vitoria, during
which Fitzwilliam had received his wound. He remained on staff through Wellesle
y's victory at the Battle of Toulouse and the exile of Napoleon on the island of
Elbe in April, after which he was released from active service. Upon his return to England, he and Anne purchased a townhouse in London, and it
was there that their first child was born in early October. Fitzwilliam briefly
returned to active service in the following year when Napoleon left Elba and r
eturned to France after less than eleven months. Again, a co- alition of nations
opposed the French tyrant, and Fitzwilliam remained with Wellesley, now the Duk
e of Wellington, until Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo. Fitzwilliam was pres
ent when Uxbridge led the British heavy cavalry against the French center in the
famous charge of the Scots Greys, and he ever afterwards lamented the continuin
g weakness of his left arm, which prevented him from accompanying the Greys. By
the end of the day, the Duke of Wellington had broken the power of Napoleon fore
ver, and Fitzwilliam's consequent return to inactive status was permanent, much
to the relief of his young wife. The Earl of Matlock visited Rosings late in 1815 and had a long discussion with
his sister. The exact content of their conversation was never disclosed by eithe
r party, but, shortly afterwards, Lady Catherine quietly had her change of will
reversed and returned the inheritance of her estate to her s Georgiana had predicted, Dr. Ian Douglas did manage to wait until September before he made his propos- ?87 daughter. However, the Earl's attempts to craft a reconcilia- tion of mother and
daughter foundered on the stiff neck of his sister, and Darcy's attempts were s
imilarly unsuccessful. It was not until Lady Catherine was on her deathbed ten y
ears later that she ever again saw her daughter or laid eyes on her grandchildre
n. By that time, her vision had dimmed to the point that she could not truly dis
cern the features of either, and the bitter old lady died quietly the following
night in her sleep. While Anne did indeed inherit Rosings, she had no desire to reside there, and sh
e and Richard remained at their house in town for several years before selling R
osings and buying an estate in Derbyshire, where they remained for the rest of t
heir lives. They were graced with four children, two boys and two girls, and gra
ndchildren and great-grandchildren enough to make the accounting difficult. To t
heir pleased surprise, none of the children or other subsequent offspring inheri
ted Anne's dietary problem, and that malady, in time, became only a footnote in
the family history. David Darcy remained in the Royal Navy after the defeat of Bonaparte, eventually
rising to the rank of captain. In 1821, while on leave from his last command, h
e had courted and married one of his sister's friends, Victoria Simpson, who had
remained as a tutor in the school establish by Mr. and Mrs. Richards. To the su
rprise of his family, their courtship bore little outward sign of the irregulari
ties that had been exhibited by his relations during their own courtships. But, having lost a broth
er in naval service, Victoria did not face his absences with equanimity, and Dav
id did not find the separation any easier. Accordingly, he did not attempt to ch
ange the minds of the Lords of the Admiralty when he was put on half-pay in 1830
following the decommissioning of his last command, the frigate Undefeated. Ther
e were far too many Captains for too few ships, and David had already missed yea
rs with his wife and two children. He retired to Lambton, where Victoria now ran
the school established by Mr. and Mrs. Richards, and he set out to restore the
rest of the estate to profitability. The farmlands had lain fallow for more than
a decade, and it was three years before he was able to repair the damage done b
y neglect and mismanagement by the previous owner. In the coming years, the Fitzwilliams were especially fond of the company of the
Darcys, who were equally fond of the Fitzwilliams, for both couples were always
sensible that each pair had each been the means of uniting the other. But the relationship between Elizabeth Darcy and Georgiana Douglas was so deep t
hat only their physical dis- similarities could convince others that they were n
ot true sisters. Each seemed almost to know what the other was thinking, and
many of their shared thoughts never had to be put into words. As Elizabeth had
once stated, they had indeed been friends, close friends, before they had been s
isters. ?88 2

Raising Siblings

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Judul Asli

Hak Cipta

Format Tersedia

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

Raising Siblings

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

This is a Regency P&P 'What If' story.

The point of divergence occurs well befor

Anda mungkin juga menyukai