Chapter Seventeen #3
Howard did not flinch. “It will take time to prepare the papers,” he said.
“If you can bear my presence in London, Mr. Darcy, I would have it all completed before we depart. I shall not enter society at all, not that I would be welcomed—you shall only see me by appointment, in order to conclude our business.”
“Hardly enough,” Fitz said. “You will still be a rich man.”
Howard grimaced. “I will need money to begin again abroad,” he said quietly. “But I shall never again be a truly wealthy man.”
Fitz scoffed, but Darcy understood. It would take a great deal for Howard to restore his own self-worth—he had gone against every principle by which he had previously governed his life.
He would have to find his way again, something which might take the rest of his life, and with no guarantee of success.
Still, it was right that Howard, having transgressed every proper feeling and behavior, now cede the field.
Fitz and Henry had made certain the men who had harmed Elizabeth were in prison and would be tried on other charges, relieving her from the necessity of appearing in court.
This terrible Gordian knot had at last been severed.
Darcy and Howard had both lost their parents young, inherited early, and had younger sisters in their charge. But Darcy had used the precepts of honor to guide his behavior when things went awry. Howard had twisted honor until it was unrecognizable, using it to excuse each reprehensible action.
If Howard removed himself and his sister from England, Elizabeth would have nothing to fear.
That had been his purpose in this, after all.
As he pondered the matter, Darcy realized that Elizabeth’s good opinion was now more important to him than any code of behavior.
She believed in forgiveness. Once he was assured that she was safe, it was right to offer it. But it was difficult.
“That will do for now,” Darcy said firmly.
He was weary to the bone. He needed to go home to his wife.
“Mr. Howard, you might have responded to your sister’s plight in a dozen ways that would not have harmed anyone else.
You chose to make yourself a criminal, to introduce violence into our lives.
” He stared at Howard as though he could bore a hole through him.
“Were it not for our sisters and my wife, I would see you tried and hanged for it.”
“You are fortunate to be dealing with Darcy in this,” Fitz growled. “Your sister is responsible for her own part here. I would not take her sensibilities into account.”
His cousins were still staring at Howard with their arms folded across their chests. Darcy thought he had never seen them looking so alike.
“We will finish here and see you back at home, Darcy,” Henry said quietly.
“Tomorrow, Henry.” He nodded at Fitz. “Elizabeth and I will call tomorrow.” He turned his back and walked away.
Elizabeth felt something tickling her nose and swatted at it. She curled up on her side, but the sensation returned. Slowly, she opened her eyes.
William was touching her nose with the ends of her own hair.
“I had visions of my wife awaiting my return, ready to throw herself in my arms,” he teased. “Alas, she had slept the day away, not at all concerned for my welfare.”
Before he could finish, Elizabeth threw her arms around him and nearly knocked him off the bed. “Are you well?”
Her husband smiled smugly, quite satisfied with himself. “Ah, this is the welcome I was hoping to receive.” He bent forward to brush his lips over hers. “I am well. Howard did not follow the rules, but I won the day.”
Elizabeth was so relieved she nearly wept. “Well done, Mr. Darcy.”
“Now,” he said firmly, pulling away, “I hear that you had a rather busy morning.”
She gasped. “Did Henry find Harriet? Was she able to tell him anything? He was supposed to send word!”
Darcy held out a folded message. “I believe the maid was waiting for you to wake.”
Elizabeth sighed. “What a time to fall asleep!”
“In response to your questions,” Darcy said fondly, “Henry did find Harriet and she was able to tell him a good deal. He arrived at Angelo’s fashionably late and as dramatically as usual.”
Elizabeth laughed softly. She was pleased Henry had arrived before the match had concluded.
“How did you even think of it?” he asked, stroking her cheek with a thumb.
“I was up until all hours turning it over in my mind,” Elizabeth told him.
“Mr. Howard could not be the man you claimed him to be and yet act the way he had. Not without a reason. His sister had been disgraced. I thought that his actions must have to do with that, and I considered what my youngest sister might do in such a situation. When I woke, it occurred to me that Miss Howard might have boasted of her tryst, and if so, her friend could be worked on.” She embraced her husband again. “I am so happy you are home!”
“I have married a very clever woman,” he mused, staring deeply into her eyes. “It speaks well of me.”
Elizabeth beamed at him as he took her in his arms. “I agree on both counts.”
“I missed you,” he murmured in her ear.
“Then you must stay here with me the rest of the day,” she proclaimed. Elizabeth was almost afraid to ask, but she did. “What will happen with Mr. Howard? Will he keep his distance?”
William reached out to stroke her cheek. “Indeed, he will. Henry was quite convincing. Howard has admitted to being in the wrong. His sister claimed that I was her seducer.”
Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak but was so angry she merely shut it again.
William smiled a little at her. “He will settle his affairs and leave England permanently. I believe Fitz is greatly anticipating escorting him to the docks.”
She frowned. “What of Miss Howard?”
He shrugged. “She will accompany him to their properties in Upper Canada.”
“And . . .” she peered up at him. “The babe is safe?”
William nodded. “The boy will be raised by distant relations, and Howard is leaving the family estate to him.”
Elizabeth sighed. “That is good. I must say that I shall be greatly pleased to see them go.” She placed her hand on William’s chest. “It was very wrong of Miss Howard to lie, particularly about you. But she is so young. Perhaps in a new place, she can begin again.”
Her husband pulled her close. “You are quite possibly the most generous-hearted person I have ever met, Elizabeth.”
“No,” she told him quite sternly. “Forgive me, but had Mr. Howard harmed you . . .” She shook her head. It made her ill to think of it. “And Henry and Colonel Fitzwilliam would help me accomplish it.” She did not know what “it” might be, but it would be terrible. She was sure of it.
William gazed at her with something like adoration. He kissed her forehead. “Thank you, my dear.”
Elizabeth bustled about the sitting room, picking up their books, her shawl, and a ledger William had sent Mr. Slipworth to find.
Her husband had not escaped his confrontation unscathed after all. His knee had swollen overnight—she could not persuade him to explain how he had been injured—and she was fussing over him every bit as much as he had over her.
She had been anxious for Jane’s health at Netherfield, of course, but seeing her strong, active husband hobbling about their chambers in pain was almost more than Elizabeth could bear.
She had taken command immediately, ordering willow bark tea and steeping it over the fire in their room, arranging for ice to be brought up every few hours to prevent the swelling from growing worse, and above all, trying to force him to remain in bed or on the chaise to elevate his leg.
She had asked Slipworth for William’s walking stick.
Thus far her husband had refused to use it.
He grumbled, but Elizabeth suspected that he rather enjoyed being coddled.
She was clearing away their mess in the sitting room because Henry and the colonel were coming to call, and Elizabeth was adamant that her husband would not be using the stairs.
Not today, and likely not tomorrow, either.
She had Mr. Slipworth assist William to the chaise in their sitting room, where she placed a pillow under his leg and made certain he was comfortable while he observed her fussing with an affectionate smile.
He drew the line when she approached him with a blanket for his legs.
“Take that away. I am not an invalid,” he said stoutly.
“Very well,” Elizabeth said with authority. “We shall save it for after your cousins depart.” She folded it and put it back in their bedchamber. “There,” she said as she returned, finally content with their arrangements. “Are you certain your cousins wish me to attend?”
“Henry insisted,” her husband told her. “He has something to tell us, his note said, but it also said that you are cleverer than I and that if I wished to skip the gathering, I might.”
She laughed. “He is an odd one, our Henry.”
“But clever,” Henry remarked as he and the colonel entered the room without announcing themselves.
“Very clever,” Elizabeth agreed, approaching to kiss him on the cheek. She could not be certain, but she thought his expression warmed a bit.
“Colonel, please come in,” she said kindly.
“No kiss for me?” the colonel teased.
“If you wish one, of course,” she replied and proceeded to place one on his cheek as well.
“That is enough kissing,” William called from the chaise. “She is only supposed to kiss me.”
“Yes, dear,” Elizabeth replied while rolling her eyes so his cousins could see. “He has become quite a bear with his bad leg.”
“Not too bad, I hope, Darce?” the colonel asked as he took a chair across from William.
“Nothing a few days will not mend,” William replied.
Tea and cakes were brought up as the Darcys had not yet broken their fast. Elizabeth poured while the Fitzwilliam men eyed the cakes.
“Honey cakes!” exclaimed the colonel. He grinned. “These are my favorites.”