Memory: Volume 1, Lasting Impressions, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (37 page)

“Mr. Darcy and I are visiting my family on Friday.”  Elizabeth cast her eyes down but Lady Matlock saw the fear there. 

“Miss Elizabeth.”  She looked back up.  “My nephew will not run away from you.  Not now.  He has been a lost soul since his mother died, and his father’s passing devastated him.  I have not seen him smile so easily since he was a child.  This, above everything, is why I am accepting you.”

“Then I will endeavour to impress you with my other abilities.”  Lady Matlock’s brows rose.  “I hope that one day your acceptance will be based on my merits as Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy.”

“I hope so as well.”  She cleared her throat and smiled.  “Perhaps my daughters will accompany you to the modiste.”  She tilted her head, considering the idea.  “Hmm, well we shall definitely meet Saturday, and now, let us join the gentlemen.”  She stood and led the way to her husband’s study.  “This is my husband’s private room.  I generally leave him alone in here, after all the rest of the home is mine, but I like to drop in from time to time.”

Elizabeth smiled to hear this little story of their domestic life, and considered what she might do with Fitzwilliam someday.  The men stood with their entrance and Darcy was immediately at her side.  “Are you well?”

“I survived.”  She smiled and he relaxed.  “And you?”

“We have yet to begin.”  He nodded to Harwick.  “Your sister has a suitor, and he would like to meet you.  Miss Elizabeth Bennet, this is Mr. Jeffrey Harwick.”

She contained her surprise and turned to the man who came up to bow over her hand.  “Miss Elizabeth, it is a pleasure to meet you.  I hope that we will become better acquainted during the remainder of the Season.”

“I do as well, Mr. Harwick.”  Darcy took her to a chair and the rest of the Fitzwilliam family exited.  Lady Matlock was giving her husband the eye and he smiled and ushered her along.  “I understand that you are interested in my sister Jane?”

“Yes.  I . . .” He looked at Mr. Gardiner for help.

“Lizzy, Mr. Harwick is a widower with an estate near Leicester.”

“Which is about thirty miles from Pemberley.”  Darcy interjected. 

“He has two daughters, ages three and two.  He is hoping to find a lady to become his wife and their mother, and hopefully bear him a son.”  Elizabeth’s face clouded.  “He is interested in Jane.”

“A marriage of convenience.”  Elizabeth said softly. 

“It would be very advantageous.  She would receive a settlement of fifteen thousand pounds; she would want for nothing, my income is seven thousand a year, and the estate is profitable.  Viscount Layton attended school with me, I assure you, I am . . . I would treat her well.”

“But you will not love her.”

“I hope to grow fond of her.”  He said honestly.

“And if she does not produce this son that you desire?  Will she be forgotten?”  Elizabeth looked up to him.  “Will she be made to feel the guilt for her failure daily?  Will she have to fear for her future when the estate is given away to some distant male heir?  Will she become a silly, thoughtless wreck as a result of your disdain?”  Elizabeth stood and walked away to stand by a window.  The men all stared at each other.  Darcy was up on his feet, and stood by her side, wishing to reassure her with his touch.  “Jane told me today that she does not expect to marry for love anymore, that the best she hopes for is security and some happiness.  She may have given up, sir, but I have not.  You may not ever fall in love with my sister, but I hope that if this marriage takes place, that you treat her with the respect you gave to the wife you did love.  She deserves it for giving up her dreams.”  Elizabeth looked up to Darcy and caught her breath.  “Excuse me.”  She hurried from the room and Darcy paused for a moment and looked to Harwick.

“She is speaking from the heart, sir.  I hope that you listened.”  He turned and went after her.

Mr. Gardiner closed his eyes as he listened to the description of his sister, then moved on with his job as guardian.  “Mr. Harwick, it seems that my niece Jane will be receptive to your advances.  Do you wish to continue?”

Harwick sat back and stared out the open door.  “Is Miss Bennet like her sister?”

“No sir, not at all.”

He nodded and continued to look out at the empty hallway, then recalling himself, he nodded. “Yes, I would like to continue.  When shall I call?”

“ELIZABETH?”  Darcy found her back in the blue sitting room and standing alone by the window.   He closed the door part way and advanced to her side. “Dearest, are you well?”

“Forgive me Fitzwilliam.”  She swallowed and wiped her eyes with his purloined handkerchief.  “I should not have spoken so frankly to him.  He has probably left by now.”

“No, he truly is interested in her.  He knows how cold it sounds.”  Darcy stood behind her and embraced her waist, then kissed her hair.  “My uncle said that he reminded him of my father after Mother died.  Sometimes I wished that he had remarried.  A mother for both me and Georgiana would have been good for us, and a wife, even one that he did not love deeply, would have been good for him.”

“Do you know him?”

“Not well, he is about eight years older than I, but he has a good reputation.  Jane could do so much worse, I am sorry to say.  Layton vouches for him.”

“Forgive me, Fitzwilliam, but that does not reassure me.”  Darcy laughed softly and she turned her head to look at him.  “What is amusing?”

“Layton.”  He turned her around to face him and loosely held her in his arms.  “He began the day bound and determined to fight our engagement, and this afternoon he was our cheerleader.”

“Why?”

“Because he had no love match and was jealous, and after seeing Harwick’s misery over his ending, Layton feels very good about his marriage of convenience.”

“So he hopes that your love match ends in tragedy?”  Elizabeth stared as he chuckled.  “Forgive me Fitzwilliam, but that hardly recommends him to me!”

“No, he is an odd duck, my cousin.”  He looked down to her mouth and gently brushed his lips over hers and sighed.  “Whatever his reasoning for support, I will accept.  My uncle is very fit.  I am afraid my cousin will have a very long wait before his ascension.  In the meantime he has nothing else to do but meddle in others’ affairs.”

“He is a gossip.”

“He is.” 

“What else is he?”

Darcy shrugged.  “He is typical of his class, Elizabeth.  He does what is normal for his circle.  His wife understands that.  As long as he treats you civilly, I will have no quarrel with him.”

Elizabeth looked down to his waistcoat and back up to his eyes.  “Are you typical of your class, Fitzwilliam?”

He smiled a little and caressed her cheek.  “No, I am not.”

Elizabeth sighed then looked back up to him.  “Your aunt is lending me some of her gowns so that we may begin appearing in public.”

“Really?”  He stared in disbelief.  “She likes you!”

“So she says.”  Elizabeth bit her lip and smiled.  “I did well, I think.”

“I am so proud of you!”  He kissed her soundly and she laughed.  “Where shall we go first?”

“Surprise me.” 

Fitzwilliam left the room where he and his family had retreated to give the others some privacy.  The thoughts that had filled his mind while listening to Harwick’s description of his lost wife and his reluctant realization that he must remarry continued to confuse him.  His parents had an arranged marriage, as did his brother and sister.  There was no doubt that his parents did care deeply for each other now, but he knew that the marriage had not begun that way.  It had grown from friendship to some semblance of love over the years and shared life.  He expected that someday he would find the same.  A girl that he liked, enjoyed her company, desired, and that they would marry and at least be comfortable friends.  His brother had a wonderful wife, but they had not advanced much beyond the fondness that they had when they began, perhaps with children . . . And then his sister, she was much like himself, and hoped that someday the man that her parents had chosen for her would come home from his clubs, and focus on her.  There was certainly a wide variety of marriages to observe around him.

Making his way down the hallway Fitzwilliam heard Elizabeth’s laugh, and like a magnet he was drawn to the doorway where he watched as Darcy cupped her upturned face and kissed her.  He leaned in the doorway, smiling to see his cousin so relaxed and happy.  He was unconcerned with propriety, not when the couple was engaged and so clearly in love.  Elizabeth’s hands rested on Darcy’s shoulders while he kissed her gently; then drew her to his chest for a warm embrace.  Fitzwilliam chuckled to himself, knowing the condition his cousin was likely in, and how that embrace was satisfying a physical need just as much as it was comforting the woman in his arms. 
Poor fool, you will be in a bad way until you are married
.

Seeing that they were relaxing he cleared his throat, and laughed when they jumped apart.  “Richard!”  Darcy growled.

“You really should have closed the door, you know.”  He walked in and smiled at Elizabeth, who was burning with embarrassment.  “I am not shocked or offended, Miss Elizabeth.  If anything I am deeply envious.”

“I . . . I . . . I should go apologize to Mr. Harwick.  Excuse me.”  Elizabeth slipped through door and returned to the study.  Fitzwilliam stopped Darcy before he could follow.

“You must be careful, Cousin.  My catching you is not a problem, Father would probably give you a stern look, but Mother would not mince words.  From the look of Miss Elizabeth’s response, this was not the first time this has happened.”

Darcy coloured and looked away.  “No, it is not.”

“Have you considered all of the risks you take with her reputation?  Your behaviour at the ball was selfish.  Miss Elizabeth was following your lead.”

“I know that.  Mr. Gardiner has spoken to me about it many times today.”

“And yet you continue to kiss her so openly?”

“Could you resist, Richard?”  He noticed Fitzwilliam regarding him thoughtfully.

“I doubt it.  This is more than a physical need, I suspect.”  Fitzwilliam clapped his back and they walked from the room.  “I have been given a great deal to contemplate about marriage today.”

“And I have been given even more to anticipate.”  Darcy smiled to see his cousin’s cocked brow.  “Miss Elizabeth is a passionate woman, and that goes far beyond her embrace.”

“I look forward to seeing what she makes of you.”  

Chapter 15

E
lizabeth held Jane’s hand; she had joined her in the sitting room after Mr. Gardiner explained Mr. Harwick’s proposition and left the women alone. “What are you thinking?”“I am not quite certain.”   She looked up and then over to her aunt.  “I have been wishing for so long to be courted and . . . Now that it is about to happen, I am not sure how to feel.  When Uncle told me of Mr. Harwick’s interest in securing me as his wife, I was overwhelmed, especially with the detached nature of his presentation.  Somehow I thought that marriage would not be quite so dispassionate.”

“I believe that you should feel flattered.”  Mrs. Gardiner said with an encouraging smile.  “Mr. Harwick is hardly a minor suitor, and I am sure that he is sought by many women.  He has a significant estate, and is clearly not at all put off by your circumstances.”

“Yes.”  She turned to Elizabeth.  “I am so sorry my thoughtless prattling about our home and family caused so much trouble for you at the ball, Lizzy.  Aunt talked to me a great deal while you were gone.  It just never occurred to me that I could damage your chances by speaking the truth.  I know that I have been jealous of you and Mr. Darcy, but I truly did not mean to hurt you.  I was trying to make conversation while dancing.  Mama always told me that it was rude to remain silent during a set.”

Elizabeth held back her opinion of her mother’s ideas on what was rude.  “I think that we both have suffered from loose tongues.  Our mother was not raised a gentlewoman, she did not learn to restrain herself, and she did not teach us to do so either.  I am afraid that I was rather angry with Mr. Harwick when he spoke to me today, and I had to return to him and apologize for my behaviour.  It was embarrassing, but he seemed to understand.  That was more likely due to Uncle’s work than my apology.”

Jane began to feel uneasy.  Could her only suitor be lost to her sister’s interference? Elizabeth had her father’s sharp expression when riled. “Lizzy!  How could you speak against our mother!  Why our parents have always done their best for us!  What did you say to him?” 

Surprised by Jane’s reaction, Elizabeth rapidly explained, “He spoke of his desire to marry to give his girls a mother and to produce his heir.  He spoke of hoping for fondness for you.  I could not help but think of our parents’ marriage, and told him that I hoped he would treat you well even if you did not bear him a son.”

“Lizzy!”  Mrs. Gardiner admonished as Jane’s hand flew up to her mouth, then she sighed, and nodded her head.  “I suspect that you did not express it quite so calmly at the time?”

“No.”  She noted Jane’s horrified expression.  “Uncle said that Mr. Harwick asked if you were like me, and he assured him that you were not.  Mr. Harwick seemed to take a great deal of comfort in that.”  Jane smiled a little and met Elizabeth’s eye. 

“Well, it seems that Mama was correct then, a worthy gentleman prefers girls who smile and do not challenge.  That is good to know.”  Elizabeth caught her aunt’s warning look and held back her response to her sister’s insult upon Mr. Darcy and herself, deciding that she deserved the jab.  Jane missed the exchange and sighed.  “I enjoyed dancing with him.  He was very kind and we seemed to get along nicely.  It is gratifying to know that he spent the night thinking of me.”

“He will call tomorrow afternoon.  Lizzy, you will be at the modiste then?”

“Yes, Mrs. Singleton will come here to collect me and help with Madame Dupree.”

“Good, and Jane and I will meet Mr. Harwick.”  She smiled and held her hand.  “It would be a wonderful match, dear, an excellent opportunity.  Your uncle was impressed with him.”