Memory: Volume 1, Lasting Impressions, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (89 page)

“I think that I can ride in a carriage alone, Fitzwilliam.”  She smiled and laughed at his slowly shaking head.  “No?”

“No.”  He leaned forward and kissed her lips.  “No.”  Caressing a tendril of hair from her cheek he smiled and kissed her again.  “I will see you later.”

“Very well.”  She watched him depart and sighed.  “Good luck.”  He smiled back at her and disappeared.  Almost immediately Mrs. Mercer and Millie reentered the room and resumed their work; leaving Elizabeth to marvel in wonder at the household she had been given.

Darcy returned to the study and closed the door.  “Thank you for your patience; now then, what can I do for you?”

“Caroline is, what is that term they use in America?  The one for the tribes?  Oh, the warpath!”  Bingley exclaimed.  “She is furious with Wickham’s deceit!”

“I should think that she would be grateful to find it out in time.” 

“Oh she is, believe me, the praise she heaps on you is frightening in its volume.”  Hurst said wearily.  “And I do not mean in pitch.  She was interested in you before Darcy, but I would say she is quite fixated now.  You should have heard her after everyone left. 
Mr. Darcy was so kind, so admirable, so intelligent, so
. . .
well, it was nauseating.”

“I presume that you have reminded her of my marriage?”  He said coldly and began to twist the ring on his finger. 

“Of course.”  Hurst smiled.  “I believe that Bingley made that point very clear to her; did you not?”

Bingley shrugged.  “I told her that if she causes you any trouble, including implying some nonexistent fond connection with you or your family, I would send her back north to live with our maiden aunt so she would have a good taste of her future.”

“Well done.”  Darcy said with admiration.  “What moved you to be so clear with her?”

“I remembered your tale of telling your aunt to leave you alone regarding your cousin.”

“A lot of good that did.”  Darcy rubbed his hand over his face. 

“Louisa gave her a tongue-lashing that I think frightened Hurst, here.”  Bingley smiled when his brother rolled his eyes.  “You did not know she had it in her, did you?”

“What was said?” 

“Caroline was praising you and Louisa told her to stop it immediately.  She told her that there were countless men who would accept her if she would accept that she was not a peeress.  Wickham exposed her motivation as much as she did.  My sister is not delusional, she knows that you would never marry her, but that surely did not stop her wishing for the association.”

“Has she failed to realize that with you being part of my world she could simply graft onto your success in a few years?” 

“I suppose that was not fast enough for her satisfaction.”  Bingley said softly.  “I know I am barely accepted now.”

Darcy studied him for a moment.  “But the point is, Bingley, that you are being accepted.”  Bingley smiled gratefully and Darcy nodded.  “Well, in any case, you seem to have her handled as far as her . . .whatever her thoughts are towards me.  What is your trouble now?  I saw the notice in the paper; it seemed unnecessary but relatively harmless.  I suppose it confused more people than anything since the engagement had not been announced.  I can only presume that she has done more.  She is the one who placed it?”

“She did.  But now she is determined to go around town describing what a scoundrel Wickham is.”  Bingley sat forward and glanced at Hurst then at Darcy.  “Although he undoubtedly is, I think, well Louisa warned me, that it would not do our family any favours to hear how we were hoodwinked, new money and naiveté, and all that.  We would be seen as, what word did she use?”

Hurst snorted.  “Simpletons, country bumpkins, fools with money and no sense, taken in by . . .”

Darcy held up his hand.  “I understand the gist of her feelings.  You are just making headway in the
ton
and this could set you back some, at least you Bingley, not so much Hurst, your place is assured.”

“Well, I suppose, but then I never aimed to be more than I already am.  I have no grand illusions.”  He smiled.  “Besides, I think that my friends have heard my desires to have a Caroline-free home enough to understand my desire to accept any likely suitor.”

Darcy said nothing and looked down to his hands, feeling the intense gaze of the two men upon him as he thought.  “Are there, were there, any men interested in her before Wickham appeared?”

“Yes, one.”

“Is he still available?”

“I believe so.”  Bingley saw Hurst nodding. 

“Honestly Bingley, as long as you still have my support, you will be fine.  I have it on good authority that the rumours and innuendo that followed me have been very well quashed by our marriage, our friends and relatives, the news of the fire, and by the exceptional performance of my wife in every public situation this week.  Your association with me is your safety.  I will gladly ask my family to inform any who care to hear of our friendship, as well as telling of your invitation to Pemberley.  Your sister, however, needs to control herself; I have never known Wickham to purposely hurt someone.  His method has always been to charm and cheat his way to profit, and he has always chosen his marks carefully, but ruining his name in your circle may make him vengeful.  It would be wise to calm Miss Bingley from her humiliation and redirect her attention to another, more permanent solution.”

“Marry this former suitor?”

“If he can be persuaded.  He might want you to sweeten the dowry a bit.  Her unseemly behaviour would be seen as a liability.”

“More than the twenty thousand?”  Bingley gaped.  “How much?”

“No more than three, I would say.”  Darcy said softly.  “I talked Wickham down to three.”

“IT IS VERY GOOD OF MR. DARCY to stay behind with Mr. Bingley.”  Jane said quietly.  “I can only imagine the horror they feel with being so taken in by Mr. Wickham.  Do you truly believe that he meant to do wrong by Miss Bingley?”

“Jane, I assure you, Fitzwilliam has told me enough of his dealings with Mr. Wickham that I cannot see this man ever doing anything that would not derive a benefit solely to himself.  No, he was not deeply in love with Miss Bingley, and her love, if it existed, was not going to turn his life around.”  Elizabeth patted Jane’s hand.  “We have been introduced to some very good men, but I am afraid that Mr. Wickham is not amongst them.”

“And he is not alone.”  Mrs. Gardiner added.  “One must be very careful who you accept as your friend.”

“A wolf in sheep’s clothes.”  Jane murmured.  “How do you know who is good, and how do you know when to let a man know what you are feeling?”  Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner exchanged glances.  Jane did not notice but spoke on.  “Charlotte always said to help him along, but then she has never been attached to a man.  How would she know?  Perhaps her philosophy has scared them away?”

“I let Fitzwilliam know, the best way I could whenever we met, even if it was just a look.”  Elizabeth smiled.  “Is there someone you like?”

Jane startled and looked up to her sister.  “Oh, oh no, I was just . . . thinking.  I remember that Mr. Darcy did say something about a gentleman wishing to know the lady’s feelings.”  She rose to her feet.  “I am sure that you would like to say goodbye to Aunt privately, so I will just go upstairs for a while.” 

They watched her go and Elizabeth moved to sit next to Mrs. Gardiner.  “Is she well?  Is she regretting Mr. Harwick?”

“She is regretting her behaviour and wondering over her tendency to be complacent at all times.” 

“I am surprised that she wants to return to Longbourn with us.  She knows what I experienced after Mr. Stewart’s rejection, of course I am married, and Mama likes her.”  Elizabeth looked at her ring and turned it on her finger.  “Perhaps she will like me now.”

“Whatever the reasons behind her approval, will it not be better than never having received it at all?”  Mrs. Gardiner took her hand and looked at the ring.  “It is beautiful.”

“It is.”  Elizabeth blinked back her emotion then threw her arms around her aunt.  “How can I ever thank you for all you have done for me?  How can I ever repay you?  You taught me how to be a lady; and what marriage should and could be.  You rescued me.  Without you and Uncle, I never would have met Fitzwilliam; I would probably not even have been attractive to Mr. Stewart.  Thank you so much!  I love you.”

The two women hugged tightly.  “Your uncle and I love you and did nothing that you did not want.  You always had the ability to become such a lovely woman.  Bringing you to town would have made no difference if you were not determined to make something of yourself.”  She drew away and smiled.  “And look at what all of your hard work has given you!  Fitzwilliam is a wonderful man.  I wish I could be with you when you at last see Pemberley.  It is the perfect place for you.  I look forward to the news of your first pregnancy, and can already imagine the joy Fitzwilliam will feel to fill that empty house with children.”

“Thank you Aunt.”  Elizabeth hugged her again.  “For everything.”

“WELL THEN, I HAVE RECEIVED a message from de Bourgh.”  Lord Matlock picked up the letter from his desk as the men gathered in his study after dinner the following day.  “He asks for remedies for a tired posterior.”

All four of the men laughed.  “That is the navy for you, all walking and rope climbing, no practical experience on the land.”  Fitzwilliam raised his glass.  “To the cavalry!”  They drank and he grinned.  “Any other news?”

“He reports that Collins appeared at the house to visit Anne and lick his boots.”  A collective groan filled the room.  “Of course de Bourgh has no power to send him off now, but when he is master and Mousely is retired, Collins will go with him.  Until then he will continue to shake him off his leg.  He described the encounter as uncomfortably similar to being humped by a mongrel.” 

Again they laughed, and Fitzwilliam cheered.  “I think that I am going to like this cousin of ours!”

“You may have your opinions of Collins, but he is a tenacious little beast.”  Layton smiled.

“Perhaps you could offer him Kympton when it comes up, Darcy.”  Lord Matlock’s lips twitched.

“I have enough problems, thank you.  Collins inherits Longbourn when Elizabeth’s father dies.”  All eyes turned to him and he shrugged.  “Well, his father has to die first.”

“And which lucky Bennet daughter will win his hand?”  Fitzwilliam asked.  “And further, can you not anticipate the joy of their visits to Pemberley?”

“Do not even attempt to entertain such a possibility.”  Darcy threatened him, then looked back at his uncle.  “Is there more news?”

“He asks about Catherine’s methods.  It seems that she would squeeze the tenants for increasingly ridiculous rents and larger portions of their yields.  She even limited their cider supply.”  He looked at Darcy and raised his brow.  “I had no idea, did you?”

“I know that she was hard on them, but it seemed that she did these things at harvest time, and of course I did not see the books until the past two springs, Father handled it before then.  Her steward did as she bid to keep his position.”

“De Bourgh disapproves.”  Lord Matlock consulted the letter.  “He said that he may have spent the past fourteen years on the sea, but his experience leading men tells him enough to know how to care for these tenants.   He begs for advice on a number of subjects.  Of course I will be happy to help him.  Perhaps we might pay a visit there before returning to Matlock.”  He looked at Layton who nodded his head.

“Yes, we should at least look in on Anne.  Aunt Catherine is established in the dowager’s house?”

“Yes, she is out of Rosings.”  Lord Matlock smiled.  “Helen heard from the ladies selected for Elizabeth’s calls.  Catherine’s friend Mrs. Kendall came by yesterday, complimenting her for sending Elizabeth to visit.  She knew the reason was the hope that she would be persuaded to give her public approval.  Helen knew that she was inclined to support Catherine, and winning her opinion was important.”  He laughed.  “Of course she was correct.  She called Helen a brilliant strategist, and noted that when Elizabeth at last realizes her power as Mrs. Darcy, she wanted to be on her good side.  She suggested that Catherine attempt to reconcile with you Darcy, if she ever wishes to leave the dowager’s house again.” 

Darcy stared down into his glass.  He was, after two years, finally becoming fully aware, but not at all confident with the power he held, and was not entirely sure how he felt with the acknowledgement of Elizabeth’s potential to be a force in society.  “I am glad to hear of her support.”  He said finally.

“Catherine lost the townhouse did she not?”

“Yes, it is de Bourgh’s now, well Anne’s.”  Lord Matlock was watching Darcy, and trying to puzzle out his silence.  “Son.”  Darcy looked up.  “I doubt that Elizabeth could ever become like the ladies of society.”  He smiled at the astonishment on his nephew’s face. “I cannot read most of your expressions Darcy, but when it comes to your wife, no mask can cover your feelings.”

Layton looked at Singleton and asked for a refill of his port.  Fitzwilliam busied himself with the snuff box.  Darcy nodded to his uncle and looked back into his glass.  Lord Matlock cleared his throat.  “I also heard from Mrs. Jenkinson on Anne’s welfare.”

“She is well?”  Darcy asked.

“She is very weak; however she is seemingly thriving under the care of our physician.”

Fitzwilliam looked over to his cousin then asked his father, “Does Anne still believe herself to be wed to Darcy?” 

“Yes, she lives under the impression that she is preparing Rosings for him.  I understand that when she speaks of him she is immediately corrected and is assured that his feelings for her are familial only.”  Noticing Darcy’s stony expression he added, “However, she does not listen and it has been determined that if she were to actually see him, she would likely become physical.”

“So Darcy, you will never visit Rosings again.”

“Not as long as she lives.”  He said softly.  “I am sorry that it must be this way.”

“I certainly hope that you are not regretting marrying Elizabeth instead of Anne.”  Layton smiled and nudged him, offering a refill of his port.