His Good Opinion: A Mr. Darcy Novel (36 page)

"Very well," he agreed. "I will give you the complete list of his debts, both in Brighton and in Meryton, and allow you to divide the responsibility with Mr. Bennet as you see fit."

"Thank you, Mr. Darcy. When my brother hears how generous--"

"No!" Darcy exclaimed, then drew in his breath. "I apologize, Mr. Gardiner. However, I must insist you do not tell the Bennets of my involvement on any account."

Mr. Gardiner gaped at him. "Then what am I to say? They will never believe Wickham to be so easily tempted into matrimony."

"I leave that to you, sir, but I must remain anonymous." The thought of Elizabeth receiving him simply out of gratitude made Darcy ill.
I will have her love, or not at all.
"I go back to Pemberley on Monday. Perhaps we may visit my solicitor together that morning before I leave to finalize the arrangements."

"Yes, I believe that would be satisfactory. May Mrs. Gardiner and I have the pleasure of your company tomorrow afternoon for dinner?"

Darcy hesitated, and understanding his concern, Mr. Gardiner added, "You may be assured, Wickham will not be present. As to Lydia, I cannot promise..."

"Have Mrs. Gardiner send an invitation in the morning. If I have discharged all my responsibilities, I will gladly accept."

"I hope you may. Again, I thank you, Mr. Darcy, on behalf of our family. This is a debt we can never repay."

Darcy shook his head. "The debt was mine. Were it not for my... want of consideration, Wickham would never have been received by the neighborhood as he was. Though I cannot undo the wrong my reserve has caused, I can at least seek to temper it by whatever means in my power. I am only glad I was able to discover them."

"As am I. Until tomorrow I hope, Mr. Darcy," Mr. Gardiner said, and Darcy bowed and left.

A letter arrived for Darcy the next day, addressed in a fine, feminine hand.

Mr. Darcy,

Mr. Gardiner tells me we owe the restoration of our niece to your efforts. Please allow us to show our gratitude by way of dinner this evening.

M. Gardiner

Beneath it was a postscript, clearly added by Mr. Gardiner:

We retrieved Lydia last night. She is presently confined to her room until she learns to express some remorse over the upset she caused the family; this may last until the wedding.

The note from Mr. Gardiner ended Darcy's only concern with accepting the invitation, as was no doubt the intent. Though he enjoyed the company of Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, he had no wish to spend any more time with Lydia Bennet. He quickly penned an acceptance and sent it back with the waiting porter, and then called for both Remington and Vincent.

The butler and the valet were before him in only a few short minutes. "Remington," he said, addressing the senior servant first, "I will be returning to Pemberley on the morrow. However, I will be back in town on Tuesday fortnight following."

"Very good; how long will your stay be, Mr. Darcy?"

"Quite brief: only a matter of days."

"Very well, sir."

Darcy nodded, and Remington bowed and left.

Darcy took a breath and turned to his valet. His business with this man was far less ordinary. "Vincent, you more than proved your worth on this trip. I wondered if there was any way I might compensate you for your help." Vincent's eyes widened, and Darcy smiled. "I do like to acknowledge extraordinary service, Vincent."

"Yes, Mr. Darcy."

The valet didn't say anything else, and finally Darcy prodded a bit. "Have you no aspirations, Vincent? Is there anything you have ever wished for?"

Vincent opened and shut his mouth a few times. "Ah, out with it, Vincent."

"If it would not inconvenience you in any way, sir, might I stay in London these two weeks?"

"A holiday of sorts? But your mother lives in Dorset, does she not? That is where the letters I frank for you are sent."

"Yes, sir, and I visit her every spring in the week you give me. But I have never been able to..." He shrugged.

"A holiday," Darcy repeated. "Very well. Your last task shall be dressing me tomorrow morn, and then I shall expect you to be waiting when I return to town in a fortnight."

"Thank you, Mr. Darcy."

"You are quite welcome, Vincent. As I said, the service you rendered was invaluable. Now, I expect you will want to begin packing for my return home."

Vincent bowed and left the room, and Darcy mused over what he had said. The thought of rewarding Vincent for his help had only occurred to him when he had read Mr. Gardiner's postscript. It bothered him greatly that for her bad behavior, Miss Lydia was to be rewarded with the fulfillment of her dearest wish. Had it not been for Elizabeth...

And he had suddenly realized exactly how important it had been to his own future that Lydia and Wickham marry. A scandal involving the Bennet family would have been a very difficult obstacle to overcome. He would have married Elizabeth regardless, but the censure from his family would have been great, and the possible ramifications, even on their children, hard to accept.

Therefore, when Mr. Gardiner greeted him that evening with, "You must allow me to thank you once again, Mr. Darcy, for all you are doing for my niece," Darcy's answer was instantaneous and heartfelt.

"You must concern yourself over it no more, sir. I assure you, I could do no less."

Mr. Gardiner exchanged a look with his wife, and Darcy knew they both understood what he did not say. To her he said, "Mrs. Gardiner, I trust Mr. Gardiner has told you my one condition?"

"Indeed, Mr. Darcy, though I cannot imagine why you wish for such secrecy."

"I assure you, I have my reasons," he said. "May I trust that you will not divulge to your nieces the part I played in bringing this event to pass?"

She inclined her head in an elegant nod. "You may."

Dinner was a pleasant affair. As promised, Lydia was not seen at all. The Gardiners once again proved themselves to be more truly genteel than some of the members of the Ton, and when Darcy left their house, he satisfied himself that if he were to marry Elizabeth, not all of his new relations would be a burden.

The trip back to Pemberley was uneventful, and Thursday evening Darcy was able to share his after-dinner port with Bingley and Mr. Hurst. Hurst soon nodded off in the corner, and Darcy was able to turn the conversation toward more personal matters.

"I hope your sisters were not upset by my sudden departure?"

"Not at all!" Bingley assured him. "They understand that a gentleman occasionally has estate issues he must attend to." His face clouded. "In truth, your departure left them another opening to tease me about purchasing a home myself."

Darcy took a slow sip of port while he considered his next statement. "Bingley, would you like to return to Netherfield Park for the hunting season?"

Bingley nearly choked on his own wine. "Darcy, I thought you would be glad never to see Hertfordshire again."

Darcy winced. "I have lately learned that my own judgments of people are often hastily formed. Perhaps it is time I revisit the neighborhood."

Bingley raised an eyebrow. "You have lately learned?" he repeated. "I have tried to tell you that many times. May I ask whose advice you were more willing to listen to?"

Darcy waved him off. "That is no matter. Do you wish to return to Netherfield?"
For I will only know Miss Bennet's feelings for sure once I have observed her--without my own prejudices blinding me.

Bingley hesitated. "If I return, there may be... That is..."

Darcy could easily read what he did not say--Bingley was yet uncertain of his own ability to act uninterested around Miss Bennet. The memory of Darcy's own recent encounter with Elizabeth flashed through his mind. He knew his feelings had been transparent enough for those who wished to see them.

"Your sisters are to go to Scarborough to visit your aunts, are they not?" Bingley nodded. "As a small hunting party, with no hostess, we would not be expected to entertain."

Bingley brightened. "Why, I had not thought of that! Darcy, you are a genius. Yes, let us go to Netherfield."

Darcy hid a smile. Bingley had forgotten one little fact, just as Darcy had hoped. As they were already acquainted with the neighborhood families, they could not escape the necessity of social calls.
You will have to see Jane Bennet at least once,
Darcy mused,
and if I know her mother, she will not let that call be our only visit.

Bingley's announcement the following morning brought Darcy's party to an official end. Despite the fact that she had planned a holiday of her own, Miss Bingley complained that she should not be allowed to join them. "For you know you need a hostess, Charles."

But he was firm with her for once. "No, Caroline, I do not. It is to be a hunting party, with gentlemen only. There is no need for you to be there, as we will not be required to invite guests over."

Miss Bingley looked to Darcy for support, but he remained silent. She left the breakfast room in a huff, but some time later found him alone in the park. "Mr. Darcy, I confess I am rather confused as to your acquiescence regarding this hunting party. Did you not agree it was best Charles remains removed from... such society?"

"Your brother is his own man, Miss Bingley. He is able to make his own decisions. If he wishes to return to a property he has legally let, I cannot stop him. As to your other concern, I hope my presence will keep him from making further mistakes."

This half-truth pacified the lady, who smiled coyly at him. "You do look after Charles, rather as though you thought him to be your own brother." She placed a hand on his arm.

Her meaning could not have been clearer, and Darcy took a step away from her. "Friends are as important as family," he said. "As Bingley will never be my brother, the best I can do is treat him with the kindness of a friend." This subtle emphasis on
never
was not missed by the lady, and Darcy bowed and retreated before she could comment further.

The next day saw the departure of the Hursts' carriage for the North, and Darcy had never been so glad to get rid of any guest. "I suspect your sister will be unhappy with me for a time," he told Bingley that evening.

"I cannot imagine that."

"Yes, well, I found it necessary to disabuse her notion that I would one day propose."

Bingley stared at Darcy for a full minute, and then started laughing. "So that is what she meant!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"When she returned to the house yesterday afternoon, she muttered to herself about greener pastures and cutting her losses."

Darcy rolled his eyes. "I pity the northern men."

Bingley shrugged. "Oh, I would not say that. Perhaps their lack of patience for the subtle cat and mouse of relationships will free Caroline to find her honest streak. She may deal famously with them!"

"Enough of your sister, if you please," Darcy said, and Bingley laughed at his discomfort. "When do you return to London?" He had now been at Pemberley for a week, and the date of Wickham's wedding fast approached.

"I thought I might leave tomorrow, after a late breakfast."

"Excellent. I will only be a day behind you then."

"Does Georgiana not join you?" Bingley asked.

"No, she expressed a desire to stay at Pemberley."

In truth, Darcy had flatly refused to bring his sister into such proximity with Wickham, and when he had informed her of his reasons for keeping her at Pemberley, she had been most agreeable.

"Make him do the right thing, Fitzwilliam. Make sure Elizabeth's sister is the last young lady he ensnares with false promises."

Those words, fiercely spoken, still echoed in Darcy's head four days later when he stood up beside Wickham at his wedding. Though he knew these vows would not keep Wickham from dallying with other females, at least he would not be able to promise marriage to innocents.

After the ceremony, Mr. and Mrs. Wickham set off immediately for Hertfordshire, where her family expected them for a wedding visit. As Darcy watched them drive off in the carriage he had purchased for them, he could not help but feel that each had gotten exactly what they deserved: Lydia, an officer who would treat their vows just as flippantly as she treated every other decorous mode of behavior, and Wickham, a wife so thoroughly ridiculous that she could not be ignored.

Mr. Gardiner turned to Darcy when they were out of sight. "Well, that is over at any rate. I daresay they will be as happy as they deserve."

"I quite agree, sir."

"Were it not for Jane and Elizabeth, I would not have cared as much for Lydia, for she brought this all on her own head."

Darcy nodded. "Yes, but we could not let the more worthy Miss Bennets suffer the consequences of such a scandal, could we, sir?"

Mr. Gardiner shook his head. "Indeed we could not. Mr. Darcy, you have been kind throughout this entire fiasco. Would you allow Mrs. Gardiner and myself the chance to thank you once more over dinner this afternoon?"