Chapter 42
Elizabeth immersed herself in Margaret’s care the moment she stepped inside the house.
The young girl was burning with fever and barely conscious.
Elizabeth, along with Mrs. Hardwicke, spent every moment nursing the poor girl and trying to bring down her fever.
Mrs. Ashcombe could see that she was still agitated by her aunt’s decision which had forced her to return to Longbourn and was avoiding her as much as possible; she felt that aunt and niece needed to have a conversation but did not feel it was her place to interfere.
Darcy had been a permanent fixture in the front parlour and Mrs. Hardwicke seemed resigned to it.
Darcy had become attached to the young girl and her deteriorating health had made it impossible for him to even think.
He had spent the last twenty-four hours pacing the front parlour with a sense of helplessness.
Neither of them had any care about what was unfolding in London as a result of Darcy’s actions at the inn.
“Darcy, accompany me on a walk,” Mrs. Ashcombe said on the third evening of his vigil in the front parlour.
Margaret’s fever had finally broken and the apothecary was with her.
Darcy would have preferred to wait in the house and speak to the man once he was done examining Margaret but he knew that any argument would be futile.
Very early in his life, Mr. Darcy had resigned himself to his odd assortment of aunts.
None of them cared to be countered or corrected and they were all formidable with a will of iron.
He could stand up to them if so required but he had learnt to pick his battles.
His engagement with Elizabeth was sure to raise the hackles of all of them and he had no wish to antagonise the one who seemed the most supportive.
Thus he did not question, but rose and offered his arm to his aunt with the air of a man resigned to his fate.
It was only after they were some distance from prying ears that Mrs. Ashcombe spoke.
“Fitzwilliam, I know Mrs. Hardwicke has been unusually judgemental when it comes to your interest in Elizabeth but I would advise you to speak to her. Her experiences have hardened her against men but she is a sensible person underneath all.”
“Do you mean to tell me that Hardwicke was not a good husband,” Darcy questioned with a frown.
“No, Hardwicke was a perfect husband, but her first marriage was a disaster which even her own family is unaware of.”
“Whatever happened?”
“It is not my story to tell, Fitzwilliam. Encourage Elizabeth to speak to her; she may be more inclined to listen to you.”
“I doubt there is any woman who listens to me,” Darcy muttered.
“Do not be insolent or you will not get this,” Mrs. Ashcombe said as she waved a letter at him.
“Whatever is that?” Darcy squinted and then immediately gasped. “Elizabeth’s letter!”
“Yes, Elizabeth’s letter which she wrote when she had to depart unexpectedly and which you have no use for since she has already returned.”
Darcy closed his eyes in exasperation before gathering his patience. He spoke again,”I would be obliged if you would hand me the letter.”
“Well, will you tell Lady Matlock that I am the sole reason for the two of you being united,” Mrs. Ashcombe pushed.
“No, because it is untrue, but I will tell Elizabeth that you are withholding her letter. I have recently understood that I have gained a fierce defender in her,” Darcy said with a satisfied smile.
Mrs. Ashcombe finally handed him the letter which he immediately opened and it was as he was reading it that he realised that in their worry about Margaret they had quite forgotten about his actions at the inn.
Darcy folded the letter with a deliberate motion and kept it inside his coat pocket as he gathered the courage to shatter the serene tranquility of Willowmere one person at a time.
“Aunt Agatha, I need to tell you about the scandal that is currently unfolding in London about how I compromised Elizabeth.”
“What scandal?” Mrs. Ashcombe questioned.
He shortly told her what had happened at the inn. His aunt could hardly speak as the shock of his actions registered. She just stared at him with wide eyes as he completed the story.
“Fitzwilliam, I think I need to sit down, walk with me to the bench.”
Darcy dutifully escorted his aunt to the nearby bench and helped her sit, and stood next to her.
“You mean to tell me that when I was sitting in the parlour convincing Mrs. Hardwicke that my nephew is the most honourable and upright gentleman to have ever graced this planet, you were out there exhibiting your newfound rakish skills on her niece.”
“To be fair, one can hardly be called a rake for kissing his betrothed,” Darcy answered.
“To hell with fairness, I am sure my brother and the Matlocks have hidden themselves in a cellar somewhere to avoid society. I am surprised an express has not come yet from either. Have you at least written to Mr. Bennet?”
“Not after I sent the letter asking his consent on our engagement. That was before I heard about Margaret’s disappearance.”
“Fitzwilliam, the man is stuck in his house with a broken leg, The least you may do is apologise for compromising his daughter.”
“I… I will talk to Elizabeth. She will know the correct way forward. She has always been her father’s favourite,” Darcy stammered, he and Elizabeth had discussed writing to their family when they had been returning to Willowmere from the inn but Margaret’s illness had completely absorbed them.
He had been hoping to speak to Elizabeth today but had not yet seen her.
Darcy could not understand the lack of letters from London.
Richard and his older brother were both in town and Darcy was surprised that neither of them had sent an express nor had any of his other family members.
The Matlocks may decide to distance themselves from him, for he knew the Earl was very much concerned about his public image but Richard had always been his staunch supporter.
Then again, Darcy thought that Richard was very much dependent on his father’s goodwill for he needed the allowance that the Earl provided.
Judge Darcy was a lenient man, but was married to one of the most prominent ladies of the ton.
Lady Margaret, his wife, was sister to a Duke and would absolutely consider distancing herself from such a scandal.
He was disappointed that none of his family seemed to consider him more important than a social scandal.
He knew that they would soften eventually especially once he and Elizabeth were married, but he would have appreciated some support.
He was not sure how he would have reacted had any of his cousins embroiled himself in such a scandal.
He had always been fastidious of the Darcy name but he thought that he would have at least asked for an explanation before passing judgment.
Elizabeth’s words from Hunsford echoed in his mind, ‘Selfish disdain for the feelings of others.’ Had he really been this selfish to pronounce judgment before even ascertaining the crime.
“Poor Georgiana, she is too timid to deal with the result of your behaviour,” Mrs. Ashcombe commented from where she was sitting, bringing Darcy back to the present.
It struck him that Georgiana had also not written to him which was odd, and come to think of neither had Bingley. For a moment, Darcy thought that somehow the scandal had not made it to town but that hopeful thought was soon put to rest. Elizabeth was walking towards them with purposeful steps.
“Mr. Darcy, I have received multiple letters from your family this morning. I was too busy looking after Margaret and had not seen my post till now.”
“You have received letters from my family?” Darcy repeated, trying to understand the situation.
“Yes, from Miss Darcy, Lady Matlock and Lady Margaret. Actually I have also received a letter from Caroline Bingley and one from my aunt Gardiner and another from Jane. I imagine this surfeit of letters from London can only be due to one reason.”
“Miss Bennet, would you do me the favour of reading these letters and then informing me of all that has occurred? I would like to understand just how far my family name has fallen,” Mrs. Ashcombe finally got up from the bench and gave a withering look to her nephew.
“I am going inside, for the first time since my husband’s death I am feeling faint.”
Elizabeth quickly opened the letters from Lady Matlock and Lady Margaret and realised that both the letters were nothing but apologies and an entreaty that she accept Mr. Darcy.
She frowned, thinking that even if they were unaware of the engagement, the compromise should have convinced them that her choice was fixed.
Deciding to finish all the letters first before speculating, she opened Miss Darcy’s letter which was full of all her brother’s virtues and qualities.
“I am not sure if Georgiana is trying to convince you of my merits or herself,” Darcy commented as he read the letter with Elizabeth.
“Maybe Jane and Aunt Gardiner’s letters have more details,” Elizabeth opened her aunt’s letter.
It took her a while to completely understand all the details.
Mrs. Gardiner had written in detail about what was being said in London while Jane’s letter was more sympathetic than having any actual information.
Once Elizabeth had completed reading the letter twice, she turned to Darcy and softly said.
“Mr. Darcy, even when I had the lowest opinion of you, I had never considered you a rake. London society must be truly absurd for anyone to believe such nonsense,” Elizabeth said with obvious irritation as she finally finished reading the letters.
She was troubled by how readily people blamed Darcy without knowing the truth.
“It seems Miss Bennet, that I must beg you to marry me at the earliest and save my reputation,” Darcy answered with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.
“I think I would like to know what Miss Bingley has to say before I take such an important decision. She is after all an intimate friend of yours,” Elizabeth teased Darcy as she opened the letter from Miss Bingley.
The lady had finally realised that all her hopes of becoming Mrs. Darcy of Pemberley were for naught and had written a commiserating note stating her shock at Mr. Darcy’s scandalous behaviour and apologising profusely for ever having him as a guest at Netherfield.
“How the mighty have fallen,” Elizabeth commented as she folded the letter and turned to go back to the house.
Darcy was left standing in the garden thinking of all that had transpired.
That Caroline Bingley had decided to break away from him was testament to how low his name had sunk in the ton.
The problem was that Darcy could not bring himself to feel any guilt when Elizabeth stood with him defending his actions.