Darcy in Want of a Wife

Chapter 33

Drawing Room

Half Moon Street

Later

“Mr. Darcy,” the butler announced, and Darcy was hard pressed not to rush past the man in order to reach the woman he adored.

“Miss Bennet,” he said eagerly. “I hope you are well?”

“I am entirely well,” Elizabeth replied, rising to her feet and smiling at him. He searched her face carefully and relaxed at her cheerful expression and calm demeanor.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Bingley said, and Darcy turned to observe his friend’s wife, who was seated on a chair by the window with a book in her hands.

“Mrs. Bingley, my apologies. I did not see you there.”

“That is quite all right,” Mrs. Bingley replied. “I will not disturb you if you care to speak privately with Elizabeth, though I will stay here for propriety’s sake.”

“Thank you,” Darcy said, and turned back to Elizabeth, who gestured to a seat across from hers before taking her own chair again.

“I feel that I must apologize for my aunt,” he said anxiously. “I know that she called here earlier, and while she would not admit in full as to what she said, I am certain it was insulting.”

“She was certainly insulting,” Elizabeth agreed cheerfully, “but also entirely absurd. I was more amused than anything else. She has a peculiar view of life, and apparently believes that her desires are more important than everyone else in England, possibly including the Prince Regent himself. I do not imagine that I fully disabused her of that notion, but perhaps with the combined might of your words and mine, she will understand that she is not, in fact, mistress of other people’s choices and fates.”

He smiled and heaved a sigh of relief.

“I will not pretend that I was successful either,” he confessed, “but I am thankful you are not distressed. I sent her on her way to my aunt and uncle Matlock, though I had a servant boy rush over to warn them of her impending arrival. Most of the family will not be intimidated by Lady Catherine, but Anne might well be.”

“I rather pity Miss de Bourgh,” Elizabeth remarked. “I am certain that Lady Catherine has not permitted her much in the way of autonomy.”

“You are correct, of course. I feel guilty that I did not realize how much my aunt dominated my cousin, but then again, I was struggling between duty and desire. Even before I had the honor of meeting you, I realized that Anne and I were not well matched, but duty can be a cruel master.”

“Unless you are me,” Elizabeth said, “and absolutely refuse to wed based on duty alone. I will never wed except for true admiration and respect, regardless of my mother’s firm views.”

Darcy swallowed and said, “You refer to our courtship, perhaps?”

She looked startled, and then shook her head. “No, no, my apologies. I do not know if we will marry or not, but I was thinking of Mr. Collins, your aunt’s parson and heir to Longbourn. He offered for me after an acquaintance of a mere nine days and was shocked and aggrieved when I refused him.”

Darcy felt himself grow pale, and he sagged against the chair. “Mr. Collins?” he asked faintly.

“Yes,” Elizabeth replied and laughed at the expression on Darcy’s face. “He is an estimable man in his own way, not vicious in the least, but we are not remotely suited. He was shocked when I rejected his offer of marriage, and he was more than a trifle angry. Fortunately, my friend Charlotte accepted his offer three days later, and they seem happy enough together.”

Darcy merely stared at her. To think of bright, vibrant, beautiful Elizabeth Bennet married to that stupid parson? It was horrifying.

“I suppose,” he finally said, “that the entail on Longbourn made your refusal an unpopular one.”

“For my mother, yes. She was outraged and angry. My father was not, as he dislikes Mr. Collins profoundly.”

She sighed and continued, “Of course, my father, as much as I esteem and love him, is not entirely free of blame. With Longbourn entailed away, he should have saved diligently for the provision of my mother and sisters and me. Instead, he has managed to stay out of debt but has laid nothing aside for us. Until Jane and Charles wed, our future was very uncertain, and my mother’s nerves were reasonable enough.”

This was, he knew, an expression of trust on the lady’s part; Elizabeth had always been intensely loyal to her family, and Darcy knew that sharing such criticisms did not come easily.

“It is difficult for families in your situation,” Darcy said, gazing into her enchanting brown eyes. “I do not at all approve of estates entailed away from the female line; it is unfair when fortunes are directed away from daughters. I suppose, too, that your parents assumed for many years that they would eventually have a son.”

“They did, yes,” Elizabeth agreed with a sigh. She brightened a moment later and said, “But as I said, I presently have a wealthy, kind brother by marriage, and our fears of living amongst the hedgerows are entirely at an end. Now, Mr. Darcy, after the exhaustion of speaking with Lady Catherine, I daresay you are in need of some tea and scones. Would you care to join us?”

“I would enjoy that very much. Is Bingley around?”

“He is visiting his sisters,” Mrs. Bingley said placidly, rising to her feet and walking to the door to ask a servant for tea, “and will not be back for some time.”

/

Drawing Room

Hurst House

The atmosphere in the drawing room was somber and solemn. Mr. Hurst was seated by the window, his face drawn with displeasure, and Mr. Bingley stood beside him with a look of righteous fury in his eyes.

Miss Bingley rested in an armchair beside the fireplace, her shoulders hunched in an offended manner and her hands clenched into fists in her lap. On her right sat her sister, Mrs. Hurst, who was poring over a creased letter with her eyes widened in shock.

“I did not write that letter!” Caroline exclaimed.

“Do not be a fool, Caroline,” her brother said irritably. “Do you truly imagine I cannot recognize your handwriting? Besides, who else would be so eager to cause trouble for Elizabeth and Darcy?”

“I recognize your handwriting as well,” Louisa said, glaring at her sister. “How could you do such a thing, Sister? Anonymous letters are so ... so ... vulgar !”

Caroline flushed at these words and tossed her head defiantly. “Very well, I did write it, but only for the purest of reasons. It is horrible that Eliza Bennet is sinking her claws into poor Mr. Darcy. After all, the only reason he met her in the first place is due to his friendship with Charles. We are to blame for exposing Mr. Darcy to that woman!”

“That woman,” Charles repeated, so dangerously that Caroline actually quailed, “is my wife’s sister. How dare you denigrate her so?”

“She dares because she is a fool,” Mr. Hurst remarked, rolling to his feet and glowering at his sister by marriage. “Caroline, I warned you not to cause problems with Bingley, and instead of heeding my words, you went out of your way to create trouble. You are no longer welcome in my home.”

Caroline gazed at him in horrified disbelief. “What?”

“You may not stay here any longer,” Hurst stated.

The younger woman turned pale and looked to her sister. “Louisa! I was merely trying to assist Mr. Darcy. You know that! Speak to your husband!”

Louisa winced and made pleading eyes at her husband. “Stephen, surely...”

“No, Louisa,” Hurst interrupted sternly. “Caroline has made her bed and now must lie in it. I warned her not to harass Miss Bennet. She may stay the night, but tomorrow she leaves.”

“But where will I go?” Caroline gasped, her brown eyes piteous.

“I care not, but I recommend far away,” Hurst replied, turning toward Bingley. “Given that Caroline seems determined to cause trouble here in London, I would prefer if she were in Yorkshire, perhaps with Mrs. Donovan?”

“With Aunt Amelia?” Caroline cried out. “I refuse! She is the widow of a tradesman!”

“And we are the children of a man of trade,” Bingley said in a tone of disgust and turned toward his brother-in-law. “I will arrange to have a couple of my manservants escort her to Scarborough, along with her maid, of course.”

“No!” Caroline squealed. “No!”

/

Lord Matlock’s Study

Matlock House

“But Darcy is engaged to Anne!” Lady Catherine howled.

Lord Matlock groaned and massaged the bridge of his nose with unquiet fingers. He had been enjoying a quiet few hours working through business papers, only to have his only living sister descend on him with fury in her eyes.

“Catherine, Darcy is his own man,” he said patiently. “Moreover, Anne is not interested in wedding Darcy either. You simply must give up this idea that Rosings and Pemberley will be united by marriage, in this generation, at least.”

Lady Catherine had had a difficult day, and this statement did not reduce her outrage in the slightest. “What are you speaking of? From their infancy, they have been meant for one another! Anne will do as she is told! Where is she?”

“She does not wish to see you,” Matlock said baldly.

“What do you mean, she does not want to see me? I am her mother!”

“Yes, and Anne is my guest and under my protection, and there is no purpose in you screaming at her for something which is neither her desire nor under her control. Darcy has chosen to pursue a young lady who is not Anne. I confess I am not pleased with the potential match, but our nephew is free to do as he pleases. Berating him is useless, which you ought to know since you gained nothing by harassing him at his home before coming here.”

Lady Catherine could no longer stand still and began pacing, her skirts lashing her heels as she spun around at the end of each march across the room. “I cannot believe, I truly cannot, that you would permit Darcy of Pemberley to wed such a woman! Her maternal grandfather was a solicitor. ”

Matlock raised his eyes skyward. “Catherine, as I said moments ago, I do not approve, but nor can I stop the boy. Moreover, arguing with him will only stiffen his back. Trust me; I will do what I can to subtly discourage the marriage, but a blunt attack will be entirely counterproductive! If anything, it will drive Darcy to rush out and offer for her immediately.”

Lady Catherine stopped her frantic pacing, turned toward her brother, and demanded, “Why must Darcy be so stubborn?”

This was very much a case of the pot calling the kettle black, and Matlock sighed and said, “Darcy is wealthy and has been master of his estate and his own life for five years. It is not surprising that he is not inclined to take our advice when he is so attracted to Miss Bennet. Now I am of the view that he may well decide against the young woman – passion often fades away – and I will warn him that such a marriage would have a negative effect on Georgiana’s introduction into the ton.”

Lady Catherine nodded approvingly and even permitted herself a smile. “That is an excellent point, Brother. Darcy cares deeply for his sister, and Miss Bennet would have no idea how to launch Georgiana. Her manners are doubtless gauche and vulgar, and she is entirely unknown among the ton.”

“Precisely,” Matlock agreed, eager to rid himself of his unwelcome guest. “Now, I will not invite you to dine as we have a dinner engagement. I suggest that you spend the night at the Clarendon and return to Kent on the morrow.”

“Return to Kent? I will not! I must ensure that Darcy is separated from that ... that strumpet!”

Matlock winced. “Sister, that is exactly the sort of language which will drive our nephew into the girl’s arms. If you wish to be useful, speak to your parson and learn more about the Bennets. If there is something truly scandalous about the family, that could prove most helpful.”

Lady Catherine glowered, her nostrils flaring like an enraged bull, and he watched with trepidation. He was not afraid of his sister, nor was he accustomed to giving in to her whims, but that did not mean he enjoyed her screaming and whining.

To his surprise and relief, Lady Catherine suddenly relaxed, and her expression calmed.

“A scandal,” she mused. “Yes, I daresay there must be something about the family which is most regrettable, and Darcy is straight laced. Yes, I will look into that. Indeed, it is not particularly late, and the moon is full; I will return to Kent tonight and ask Mr. Collins about the Bennets.”

“Thank you,” Lord Matlock said with a sigh of relief.