Chapter 18
Darcy kept vacillating between yes and no with respect to joining his family in London for Christmastide.
He had been doing anything and everything he could to keep busy because whenever he was unoccupied, his thoughts were of Elizabeth Bennet, or as he believed her to be now, Elizabeth Collins.
At night when he slept fitfully, she invaded his dreams.
Darcy was never one to over-imbibe under normal circumstances, but he tried to drink to excess a few times—it had not helped; she still haunted his dreams. How he wished he could have it all to do again!
While at his estate in Scotland, he learnt to play golf at St. Andrews. The man who taught him and his other students routinely allowed them to take a shot over—he called it a ‘do again.’ How Darcy wished he had a ‘do again’ with Elizabeth!
Riding Zeus across a snow-covered field one day, he reached a decision.
He could not hide from the world any longer.
He had lost Elizabeth due to his own poor choices and behaviour.
He needed to take up his life again and that meant being there for Giana, even if it seemed he might be superfluous to his sister, as the wonderous Miss Gardiner was helping her grow by leaps and bounds.
Of one thing Darcy was certain—as long as he still drew breath, he would love no other, and would never marry.
Pemberley would be inherited by one of Giana’s future children.
He could not marry when his heart was irrevocably lost to another.
He hoped, at the very least, they could be friends when he saw her at Rosings Park during his upcoming Easter visit.
A letter had arrived from his sister earlier that day and Darcy sat to read it. With his resolve firmed he would reply to her letter and let her know he would join her and the family in Town. He broke the seal.
10 December 1810
You know where I am.
This Miss Gardiner was working miracles; his baby sister was teasing him! Mayhap some of her magic would rub off on him.
William,
How I miss you. Please, PLEASE come to London soon.
As you may have been able to tell, I am having a wonderful time with Lizzy, Charlotte, Tiffany, and Maria. But that does not fill the void in my life left by you, Brother dearest.
A girl needs her brother, so please come William. Maria leaves for Meryton in two days to be with her family for the festive season, but Charlotte is to remain with Lizzy. It is so funny to see Richard in love, and William, he is as much in love, as she is with him.
She fell in love with him when she thought him a poor second son and she was willing to follow the drum as long as she could be near Richard. He took so much pleasure informing Charlotte he is soon to be the Master of Rosings Park and he is to resign from the army after Twelfth Night.
Oh, Brother! It was so romantic! On Saturday past, Richard asked Charlotte for a courtship and she agreed, of course.
He was ready to ride to Lucas Lodge. Do you remember that is the name of her father’s estate?
Of course you do, as you were there. Charlotte suggested he accompany her to return Maria on Wednesday so she would be there to answer any questions her parents might have.
By the time you receive this Richard and Charlotte will have returned from Hertfordshire.
Before I go, Richard told me to tell you if you were not pining for someone else, he is sure you would fall in love with Miss Gardiner, and I agree with him.
With much love, Giana.
Darcy was sure he would never love another, but he did desire to meet Miss Gardiner.
He had so many positive reports about her, from everyone in the Fitzwilliam family as well as his sister.
As they say ‘men plan and God laughs’ because as he put pen to paper, Douglas, his butler, knocked and told the master word had just been received that there was a fire in the north tenant village.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As the carriage with the two Lucas sisters, a maid, and Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam approached Lucas Lodge, Charlotte pointed out the turnoff to Longbourn.
For his part, Richard was so disgusted with the way the Bennets had treated Lizzy, he would not have been unwilling to thrash the weak-willed Mr. Bennet.
On meeting Elizabeth after he returned home from his fortnight of duty, Richard had been told all regarding her and how she became a Gardiner. He was only sorry he did not know the information when he had gone to take care of Wickham, as he would have called on Mr. Bennet then.
The coach came to a halt at Lucas Lodge, where they were met by Sir William, Lady Lucas, Frank, and Johnny. Lady Lucas hugged her youngest while she looked slyly at her eldest daughter and the Colonel standing next to her, not missing their comfort with each other.
“Sir William, before I speak to you, may I have a private interview with Charlotte—Miss Lucas?” Richard requested before the group entered the house.
“You may, as long as Charlotte is agreeable,” Sir William responded. A confused Charlotte simply nodded.
She had already agreed to a courtship, so why did Richard want to talk to her? She panicked internally, although she tried not to show it, as she imagined that once seeing Lucas Lodge again and being reminded of how little wealth her family had, he was about to beg off.
The couple entered the study and left the door partially open. “Charlotte, you know I love you, do you not?” Richard asked increasing her concern. She nodded. “And I do not believe I am being presumptuous to believe you are in love with me as well.”
“It is not a presumption when it is the truth,” Charlotte replied softly.
“In that case, we do not need a courtship.” Just when Charlotte’s confusion and worry had increased tenfold, Richard sank to one knee while holding her hands in his own.
“Charlotte Sarah Lucas, there is none but you with whom I wish to spend the rest of my life. I love you with my whole being and beg you to be my wife.”
Tears of joy and relief fell as at first Charlotte only nodded; she had been robbed of the power of speech, while her heart was racing. “Yes, Richard, I will be your wife. I always told Lizzy I was not a romantic, but I love you more than I could ever imagine loving anyone.”
Richard stood and their lips met for the first time. It was like heaven for Charlotte, who had been wondering what it would be like to be kissed by Richard for some time now. The reality was much better than what she had imagined.
Not wanting to push their luck with Sir William, each took a step back. “I will ask my father to join you. I believe you have a question for him, even though I am a year or two past my majority,” Charlotte jested.
It was mere moments before Sir William entered his study to find the Colonel pacing back and forth on the carpet in front of his desk.
“Charlotte said you wanted to speak to me and I was to say yes to whatever you ask,” Sir William stated jovially as he sat behind his desk while indicating a chair for the younger man to sit.
“Charlotte accepted my proposal of marriage, so I request your consent and blessing,” Richard asked nervously.
He had ridden into battle multiple times and commanded hundreds of men but had never fought this type of battle before.
Before Sir William answered, Richard informed him of his impending resignation from the army and about his upcoming stewardship of Rosings Park until it became his after his cousin’s passing or when she reached her eight and twentieth year.
“You are a man I would not dare refuse anything you deigned to ask. As I know my Charlotte heartily approves of you, I would never deny her anything I was able to give her. You have my consent and my blessing to marry my daughter. As you are now betrothed, she will return to reside with the Gardiners while in London, will she not?” Sir William asked, but it was not a question so much as a statement.
Sir William proudly made the announcement in the sitting room. It was met with universal approval. In discussion between the newly betrothed couple and her parents, it was decided the wedding would be from Lucas Lodge on the final Friday of February 1811.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Caroline, are you sure this is what you want to do?” Bingley asked his sister. Along with his older sister and her husband, Harold Hurst, he had travelled to Scarborough to make sure his sister was sure she wanted to leave the shores of England forever.
“Yes, I do. I am ruined in society here, and I cannot abide spending the rest of my days with our aunt under her rule. No one knows me there and with my wealth, I will be able to establish myself in Boston,” Miss Bingley stated. “It will give me a fresh start.”
“You do know this means we will more than likely never see one another again,” Louisa Hurst stated.
“That is part of the price I must pay. I blamed Jane Bennet, but she did not force me to take the actions I did. You tried to tell me I was wasting my time with Mr. Darcy and I refused to listen to you,” Miss Bingley owned.
“She is not Jane Bennet any longer,” Mrs. Hurst informed her sister. “The fate she wished on her sister is hers; she was required to marry that stinking man so her mother and unmarried sisters would have a place to live when their father passes away.”
“It seems anyone who tries to harm Eliza Bennet receives the pain they tried to visit on her, but in larger measure. I tried to ruin her in Mr. Darcy’s eyes and in society, and I am the one who is cast out,” Miss Bingley stated introspectively. “Do you know what happened to her?”
“I have not heard her name spoken in London, although this Miss Elizabeth Gardiner is becoming a darling of the Ton. Evidently, she is also from the Meryton area, but we never met her when we were in the neighbourhood,” Bingley related.
“Are your arrangements made?” Mrs. Hurst asked.
“Yes, I have passage from Liverpool on a Dennington Lines ship in three days,” Miss Bingley confirmed.