Darcy, Knight Errant (Elizabeth and Darcy True Love Multiverse)

22. Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

Elizabeth listened as Mr. Darcy explained his plan. Frankly, she was glad someone had a plan that might work. The only plans she had come up with were fleeing or returning to sacrifice herself for her sisters’ safety. So she paid close attention to Mr. Darcy as he explained, “My godfather is the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was actually good friends with my father back when they went to Cambridge.”

Holding up her hand to ask him to pause, she asked, “Truly, the Archbishop of Canterbury?”

Looking at her askance, Mr. Darcy replied, “Yes. Though I have not been able to spend much time with him since my father’s funeral, I have always been fond of him.”

Elizabeth couldn’t resist a chuckle as she clarified things for Mr. Darcy, who was clearly puzzled. “My father told me that I did not have any friends among the great and good, and implied that any attempt to flee his plans for me could not possibly succeed. Yet you speak of being the godson of the Archbishop of Canterbury. My father doesn’t know how wrong he is.”

Mr. Darcy chuckled with her for a moment, and Elizabeth was grateful. She reveled in the joy of rediscovering her authentic self, casting aside the shackles of sorrow, if only for a moment. Smiling, she asked, “So how does your godfather come into play?”

“I understand your concern about the potential of either you or one of your sisters being coerced into marrying Mr. Collins. I think getting him out of the picture will be a simple matter, though it might take some time.” Pausing, Mr. Darcy settled more comfortably into his chair before continuing, “We both know that Mr. Collins has no business being a man of God, almost anything he does could get him removed from his position at the very least or even excommunicated. I plan on writing to my godfather and telling him of what is going on at Rosings. Most likely he will remove any control my aunt has over picking her the vicar and put a much better person in place to truly help the people.”

It was a wonderful idea. Mr. Collins should not be allowed to hurt the people of Kent, and neither should Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Elizabeth couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt for neglecting to think of notifying Mr. Collins’s superiors earlier. Though she reasoned that Mr. Darcy’s extensive network would undoubtedly grant him a more receptive audience than she ever could. Curious, she asked, “How would acting so affect Mr. Collins’s removal? Do you think he would be punished or sent elsewhere?”

Tapping one of his fingers on his armrest, Mr. Darcy continued explaining, “I am uncertain of what exactly might happen, but I thought of possibly asking that he be sent off as a missionary or be forced to serve under someone who would keep him in line and on a short leash.” Grinning once more, he added, “I personally like the idea of sending him off to live among the natives in Africa.”

“That again?” Elizabeth looked at Mr. Darcy with an eyebrow quirked. Giggling slightly, she asked, “Didn’t you say that you wanted him far away in a place full of bugs?”

Shrugging, he said, “What can I say? I can only assume that he would do well to learn some humility and diligence, as my impression of him has been less than favorable.”

“I am starting to believe that you might not like insects. Why else would you want Mr. Collins to have to deal with them?”

Grimacing, Mr. Darcy rubbed at his eyebrow before saying, “I will admit to a certain amount of distaste when it comes to insects. My cousin Richard has long known that he can unnerve me with tales of the insects that afflict foreign lands. I think it started when I was a child hearing of the ten plagues. The thought of a multitude of gadflies and locusts invading, to the point where they obscured the sun’s rays, was nothing short of horrifying.”

Elizabeth’s fascination with such stories caused her imagination to run riot. However, she could empathize with how a child of a different temperament might have been negatively impacted, especially if he had cousins who took pleasure in teasing him about it. Sensing Mr. Darcy’s unease, she steered the conversation away from insects, opting for a different subject.

“So we are removing Mr. Collins from the equation, at least for now,” mused Elizabeth. “His absence doesn’t change the fact that I can’t imagine going back to Longbourn. My parents would make it unlivable for me there.”

There was a flash of something in Mr. Darcy’s face that he quickly hid from her and though Elizabeth wanted to ask, she did not want to push. So instead, she said nothing and waited for him to speak his mind. “I have an idea about that as well.” After only a brief hesitation, Darcy continued, “My sister once had her own establishment in London. After the earlier issues with Mr. Wickham, she moved back to Darcy House, but I believe it might be feasible for you and Georgianna to move there with Mrs. Annesley. In such a way, you could avoid the detection of your family and remain out of their power until you reach your majority.”

His willingness to go so far to help her astounded Elizabeth, causing her to sit up straight and carefully study his expression. From what she could tell, he was in earnest. Still, Elizabeth said, “I would not want to put yourself and Georgianna out in such a way.”

Chuckling, Mr. Darcy answered, “Do not be ridiculous, Georgianna would be upset if she found out that I could have procured your company for her but failed. So great is her attachment to you.”

Elizabeth smiled at the thought of how Georgianna would react if she knew they might get the chance to live together for months. Could she take advantage of his generosity in such a way? Did she have any options even half as palatable? Biting her lip, Elizabeth summoned her inner resolve and made the bold decision to place her trust in Mr. Darcy’s offer, believing it held the promise of deliverance. Her only genuine worry was that his act of generosity would somehow sour the friendship that she had come to rely on so much. “If you are certain about offering your assistance in such a manner, I would be immensely grateful.”

As he stood up, Mr. Darcy’s smile radiated with genuine warmth, reassuring Elizabeth that he made his offer wholeheartedly. “I will begin sending letters immediately then, to alert my godfather and open Primrose Place. I am uncertain when we will have everything in place so that we may move you and my sister to London.” With a nod towards Mrs. Annesley, he mentioned, “In the meantime, Mrs. Annesley will be there to support you in any way you need during your recovery.”

Elizabeth watched him go, feeling a sense of loss that she did not understand. Though granted, he was quite the most handsome man she had spent any time with, but she did not think that she was becoming distracted by his looks. Was it possible because he was so chivalric coming to her aid the way he was? Surprisingly, she recalled their conversation, where he mentioned being captivated by tales of knights. Had the idea of chivalry become ingrained in him as a boy? Was that why he was helping her? Elizabeth simply did not know.

Elizabeth’s sisters arrived at Netherfield shortly after Georgianna had finished her piano practice. She was excited to see them both despite the situation that brought them to there. She quickly showed them both into her sitting room, where she watched them rush to Elizabeth’s side and kneel next to her on the settee. Miss Bennet wept while Miss Mary’s face turned hard. Georgianna stood back and let them console each other however they could.

After many tears, Elizabeth’s sisters had gotten up off the floor. Jane settled into a chair, pulling it as close as possible to Elizabeth. Taking a seat on the settee, Mary lifted and cradled Elizabeth’s legs, resting her feet on her lap. Georgianna settled into her seat near the group, but soon rose to her feet as the tea service arrived. Smiling at the maid, Georgianna thanked her before setting about to get everyone a cup of tea.

Georgianna noticed the look of concern on the maid’s face as she watched Elizabeth, so she offered her a reassuring smile. Nodding, the maid left, returning to her other tasks. It had been interesting to learn that Mrs. Nichols had suspected something was going on and after approaching Mr. Bingley. She assured him that there were several staff members who would take Miss Elizabeth’s secret to the grave, there would be no whispers of Elizabeth’s presence there. It was those staff members that would see to the various needs of Miss Elizabeth and Georgianna during their stay. Georgianna was not at all surprised to learn that Miss Elizabeth’s reputation in Meryton was exceptional, and there were those that wanted only the best for her.

The first person to talk was Miss Mary, who said, “Mother and father both acted as if nothing was amiss, that you had merely gone on a walk. I had no notion that I should be worried about you until Mr. Bingley showed up. What could mother and father be thinking of treating you so?”

Miss Bennet’s lips pursed, her eyes blinking away tears repeatedly before she spoke. “When Mr. Bingley came and said that you had taken refuge at Netherfield, I did not know what to think. I wanted to believe it was just a misunderstanding,” she confessed, her voice heavy with realization, “but seeing you confirms otherwise. Can you ever forgive me?”

Sighing, Elizabeth said, “Of course! You wanted to believe the best of Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Bennet, Jane. Even I was not expecting them to behave so badly, and I am much more skeptical than you.”

Turning to Georgianna, Miss Mary said, “Thank you for providing a refuge for our sister, and for all the care you are providing for her, Miss Darcy.”

Fighting a blush, Georgianna said, “She is my dearest friend in the world. I could do nothing else, Miss Mary.”

Wrinkling her nose slightly, Miss Mary said, “There is no need for such formality, Miss Darcy. I would be pleased if you would call me Mary.”

Miss Bennet added her own request, saying, “Yes, and I would be happy if you were to call me Jane.”

With a wide grin, Georgianna said, “I will, but only if you promise to stop referring to me as Miss Darcy and start calling me Georgianna.”

After taking a delicate bite of a scone and taking a sip of tea, Elizabeth asked, “How has the family reacted to my absence?”

Jane and Mary glanced at one another for a moment before Jane said, “We sisters had been concerned about your absence until Mr. Bingley visited and let us know you were safe, discreetly, of course.”

Mary took up the story as her sister stopped, saying, “At first, mother and father acted as if all was well, but then as it grew later, they both seemed agitated, but still said nothing about your being gone. Mr. Collins was quite upset and muttered about the lack of respect shown him.” Taking a sip of her tea, Mary seemed to ponder something before adding, “This morning father announced you had gone to London to help our aunt with her lying in. He went so far as to say that they needed you urgently, which is why you left so early in the morning.”

Grimacing, Jane confessed, “Mama even said that once you returned, we could announce your engagement to Mr. Collins.”

Making a face, Mary said with disgust, “Mr. Collins seemed thrilled about that. Though I will tell you that there was just something about his expression that sent a shiver down my spine.” As Mary’s eyes remained fixed on Elizabeth, she confessed, “In the beginning, I entertained the thought of subtly persuading Mr. Collins to develop feelings for me. My spiritual inclination had always led me to believe I would enjoy being a vicar’s wife. However, it is my firm belief that he is not suitable to be a vicar, and marrying him would pose a potential danger to any woman.”

Reaching out, Elizabeth pat Mary’s hand and said, “I do not know if this is something I should share, but Mr. Darcy will soon put an end to Mr. Collins’s position of power in Kent by removing him from the role of vicar.”

Eyes widening, Mary asked, “How is he going to manage that?”

“He must be reaching out to his godfather, the archbishop,” guessed Georgianna.

Smiling, Elizabeth agreed with Georgianna, saying, “Yes, he said he was going to contact his godfather and let him know of the heretical beliefs and behavior Mr. Collins is guilty of. He suspects that Mr. Collins will either have to work under someone who could control him or be assigned to minister alongside one of the missionaries in a foreign country. That is, if he is not excommunicated.”

Nodding with a smile that spoke of relief, Mary pronounced, “I am happy that I no longer have to worry about his poor flock in Kent any longer. I can only imagine what they have endured with that man as their spiritual leader.”

Setting her teacup down on the end table beside her, Jane said, “Though I am glad that Mr. Collins will not be a problem for much longer, I am still concerned about your welfare, Elizabeth. You cannot just hide here at Netherfield. Are you coming back home to Longbourn once Mr. Collins leaves?”

The hopeful look on Jane’s face saddened Georgianna. It was obvious to Georgianna that Jane wanted her sister back with her and for things to return to normal. However, given the circumstances of Elizabeth’s shattered relationship with her parents, it was highly unlikely that such a thing could occur.

Frowning, Elizabeth looked at her older sister and gently murmured, “I doubt I will ever return to Longbourn, Jane. Not after what happened and how I learned how little they respect and care for me.” The sisters locked eyes for a moment and though a few tears ran down Jane’s cheek, eventually she nodded, and Elizabeth added, “I know I cannot stay here indefinitely; I cannot even go to our aunt and uncle in London because Father would just demand I return home. I am fairly certain that is where they think I am, but Mr. Darcy and Georgianna are putting things in place to provide me with a safe place out of his reach,” explained Elizabeth.

Understanding the sister’s disappointment Georgianna clasped her hands together to contain her excitement, Georgianna exclaimed, “I am going to take Elizabeth back to London with me and we are going to stay together until she reaches her majority at Primrose Place.”

“Primrose Place?” questioned Mary.

Leaning forward in her chair, Georgianna explained, “Primrose Place is my own establishment in London. I have been staying at Darcy House of late, but Primrose Place is a townhouse that was left to me by my father. Though I am sorry you will have to do without your sister, I am glad for my sake because we are going to have so much fun together.”

In the end, Darcy was able to do much in a brief period of time. He had already heard from his godfather, who had been outraged by all Darcy had conveyed. There would be an investigation taking place soon after Mr. Collins arrived back in Kent. Despite knowing it was wrong, Darcy couldn’t help but feel a slight satisfaction at the thought of Mr. Collins finally facing the consequences, not the least for his treatment of Elizabeth.

Mrs. Chambers, the housekeeper in charge of Primrose Place, said that everything would be in order for Georgianna to resume living there by the end of the week. The woman’s letter implied her excitement about catering to the young miss and her friend for the foreseeable future, even though she didn’t explicitly state it. Darcy knew that Georgianna and Elizabeth would be well taken care of, but he would add several burly footmen to the staff. He wanted to ensure that they were both completely protected from any threats. Darcy did not trust Mr. Bennet, and should he learn of Elizabeth’s location, he wanted to make sure that he could not just come and take her without some sort of resistance.

Not that Darcy planned on being taken by surprise by Mr. Bennet. He already had two of his men in London looking into Mr. Bennet and his finances. Darcy did not know if he was anything but a horrible father and a negligent landlord, but he would appreciate finding some leverage with which to protect Elizabeth.

Darcy had not stopped to ponder the depths of his loyalty, even to someone he considered a friend. He was kept busy with letters and pretending that Elizabeth was not hiding at Netherfield. He still had to go out and socialize at gatherings, and if it was a suitable setting, even Georgianna attended. It was the reason he was at the Lucas’ home that evening.

Georgianna had stayed home pleading a headache, but he knew she preferred Elizabeth’s company to that of a bunch of strangers. Scanning the room, he easily spotted Bingley in quiet conversation with Miss Bennet. It seemed even from this distance that she was not doing well. According to Bingley, the oldest Bennet daughter was finding it difficult to cope with the current situation in the Bennet home.

Closer to him, Mrs. Bennet was talking with Lady Lucas. “Had it not been for the need to assist my sister-in-law during her lying in,” she mused, “I’m quite certain Mr. Collins would have proposed, and my Lizzie would have been thrilled by it. As it is, she will not be back home before he has to leave.”

Lowering her voice, she added, “Still, there is a certain understanding between them before she had to leave.”

“I wouldn’t have thought that Miss Eliza would have taken to such a man as your husband’s heir,” commented Lady Lucas.

“Well, Lizzie knows she is not even my second most beautiful daughter. Really, what options are available for her here in Meryton? Besides, she knows it is her duty to protect her family by marrying Mr. Collins,” Mrs. Bennet finished with a huff.

It was difficult for Darcy to restrain himself from going over to Mrs. Bennet and denouncing her cruelty and lies. The ease with which Mrs. Bennet publicly disparaged her own daughter disgusted him. All the Bennet ladies were beautiful in their own way, and, to Darcy, Elizabeth was the most beautiful of them all.

Some might say that Miss Bennet was the most beautiful of the sisters, but Darcy did not agree. His lack of attraction to blondes meant he didn’t find the oldest Miss Bennet’s angelic looks particularly appealing. Still, he would never say she was not comparable to any of her sisters, especially in public. Darcy walked across the room, knowing that he would not be liable for what he said if he heard Mrs. Bennet say anything else derogatory about Elizabeth.

Not knowing many of the men present, it satisfied Darcy to skirt the edges of the conversing groups. He ended up near Elizabeth’s youngest sisters, who were chatting with Miss Maria Lucas. It was fascinating how similar and yet different their conversation was I comparison to the conversation between their mother’s conversation.

“No, Maria, Lizzie would never agree to marry that man. She declared more than once that she would leave home and take up employment rather that bind herself to such an oaf,” declared Miss Lydia.

Her brows drawn quizzically, Miss Maria questioned in a whisper, “But your mother is telling everyone that they have an understanding and will get engaged once she returns from helping your aunt.”

Glancing around, Miss Kitty explained, “I am afraid my mother is trying to force Lizzie’s hand. Even if Lizzie had to leave in a rush to help our Aunt Madeline, she would have said goodbye to at least one of us, if only by leaving a note. Lydia and I are afraid that Lizzie had to leave to avoid being forced to marry Mr. Collins.”

Mouth dropping open, it took a moment for Miss Maria to respond. “But why would your sister go against your parents’ wishes and run away like that?”

Sighing, Miss Lydia looked at Miss Maria askance. Reaching out and laying her hand on Miss Maria’s arm, Miss Lydia said, “Maria, marriage is forever and refusing a gentleman is one of the few rights we ladies have. Any man you marry will have the right to treat you however they wish to, so it behooves us to choose wisely. Mr. Collins has proven himself foolish, heretical, and worst of all, cruel to those under his power. He is the sort of man that no woman should consider marrying.”

Miss Maria’s eye grew ever wider in her face, and she became slightly pale as Miss Lydia spoke. She stammered, “But the bible says we must obey our parents.”

Miss Lydia’s response surprised Darcy in its reasoning when she said, “The bible also says fathers should not provoke their children. I hold the belief that there is a line that parents should not cross in what they ask of their children, a line in which obedience is not required by God. This implies that parents should be mindful of their requests, ensuring that they do not infringe upon their child’s rights or compromise their well-being.”

After that, the conversation turned to fashion and fripperies, but Darcy had a lot to consider about what he had thought about Elizabeth’s sisters. There was more to them than he had originally supposed. He found he wanted to talk with Elizabeth to understand more about her sisters.