A Man Worthy of Admiration (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

Chapter 1

The express had arrived only an hour before, and Darcy had already read it three times.

“Darcy, there you are,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said as he entered the library. His smile disappeared as he saw the expression on his cousin’s face.

“Is something the matter?” the Colonel asked with a frown.

They had arrived at Rosings Park a couple of weeks ago for their annual visit to Lady Catherine and her daughter Anne. Darcy had been surprisingly cheerful of late given the tediousness of household.

“Do you remember Frederick Hardwicke?” Darcy asked, as he turned from the window and walked to join his cousin on the sofa.

“Your second cousin? I do recall him. Jovial fellow, my brother used to enjoy his company till he married and settled down in the country. I do not think I have seen him recently.”

“Yes, he was coming to town less and less after his marriage. During my father’s lifetime he would stay with us at Darcy House but after that I only met him occasionally at the club.”

“What about him?”

“I received an express from his solicitor. There was an unfortunate riding accident, and Hardwicke did not survive,” Darcy answered as he ran his hand through his hair.

Seeing the Colonel’s shocked expression, he continued, “The letter further mentions that his estate, Willowmere in Hampshire, was entailed on heirs male and as Hardwicke only had one daughter, I am the next heir. I have been requested to travel to Willowmere and meet with the solicitor regarding the will.”

“My condolences, Darcy. I know you were not very close to the man, but he was a decent sort. What about the widow and the daughter?”

“All I remember is the lady had earlier been married to some acquaintance of his and was widowed young. They had married soon after her mourning was over. Hardwicke was some twelve years my senior and had married when I was in school. Georgiana had just been born and with my mother confined, my father had been unable to attend the ceremony.”

“Darcy, if I know you at all, I know that you will persist in taking undeserved blame upon yourself. Frederick Hardwicke was a decent man and though his death is unfortunate, it is due to no fault of yours. Just because you are next in line to inherit does not make you responsible,” the Colonel said firmly.

“The man was a Darcy, Richard, if not in name, then in blood. His grandfather and mine were brothers. I should have maintained the connection. His widow must be devastated, expecting to be turned out of her home by some unknown relation. I was not even aware of the entail and have no insight into any provision Hardwicke may have made for his family.”

“I would suggest that you wait until you meet the solicitor and then check on the estate accounts and funds and set something up for the widow and her daughter,”

“You are right, I will have to travel anyway, may as well stay for some time and settle all affairs. Will you be able to accompany me? I am planning to start the day after tomorrow.”

“Until I receive word from the War Office, I am at your disposal.”

Darcy then decided to inform his aunt of his imminent departure.

Lady Catherine was wont to give advice on anything and everything, and Darcy was in no mood to listen to his aunt’s diatribe.

He informed her of the death of his relation and his obligation to settle matters at Willowmere, giving little detail.

That did not stop her from lecturing them about the perils of irresponsible riding and Mr. Hardwicke’s inconsideration in dying so suddenly and how it inconvenienced everyone.

“It could all have been avoided had he taken a carriage instead of a horse,” she lamented without any concern for his destination or if taking a carriage would at all be possible.

Darcy thought better than to argue with his aunt and excused himself to prepare for his journey.

He did not sleep much that night thinking about Frederick Hardwicke and his family.

Pemberley was not entailed and hence he had never given much thought to them, but now he could not help but feel a little guilty for this turn of fate.

He finally decided to set the matter firmly aside till he was at Willowmere.

There was nothing much he could do until he learnt all the facts.

There was another important matter that he needed to conclude before quitting Kent: the one pertaining to Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

The lady had occupied his thoughts from the time he had met her last October and no amount of distance had dulled his feelings.

Elizabeth Bennet had bewitched him entirely, and no effort of reason had loosened her hold.

He would have departed from Rosings after a fortnight if it had not been for her; his feelings were in continual conflict with what he had always considered his duty towards the Darcy name.

He thought about the walks they had shared and the hopes he had built upon their conversations.

He had once hinted that she would be staying at Rosings instead of the parsonage on her next visit.

He recalled with a faint smile how she had immediately fallen quiet after his remark, too shy to respond.

No, he thought, his honour was engaged. He could not leave Kent before proposing to Elizabeth.

They would have to wait till the matter in Hampshire was settled before getting married, but there would at least be a formal understanding.

His plans finalised, he finally fell asleep dreaming of Elizabeth and her smiles.

The next morning he was up and out for his customary walk with Elizabeth, hoping to finally offer for her.

Luck was not on his side for when he reached her preferred haunt, he could see she was already walking away in the company of his cousin.

Deciding that joining them would serve no purpose, he came back to Rosings, the party from the parsonage were engaged to dine at Rosings in the evening and he planned to request a private conversation with her for tomorrow morning.

As he walked towards the parsonage later that evening, he thanked Providence for this bit of luck.

Elizabeth had stayed away from Rosings that evening on account of a headache, providing him the perfect opportunity to call.

He thought that she must have heard the news of his departure and was deeply dejected.

She had remained at the parsonage, he decided, to avoid showing her disappointment.

He smiled as he thought of the immense joy he would bring her in a matter of moments.