Chapter 5 #2
Caroline Bingley stood up and said, “I am certain that Charles would be pleased to offer his study. I suspect no fire has been lit, but I will send a servant to do so. Would you like some tea as well, Lady Matlock?”
“Or,” Lady Bingley said, speaking for the first time, “you could conduct your business and then return here and enjoy tea with the rest of us? It is entirely up to you, of course.”
“That I may,” Lady Matlock replied and turned to her son. “Lead the way, Richard.”
***
Study
Ten Minutes Later
A maid applied a lit taper to the wood in the fireplace, blew it until the kindling caught fire, and then retreated with a bob of her capped head.
Richard pushed the only wingbacked chair closer to the fire and, with a grand wave of his hand, gestured for his mother to take it.
She did so, and Darcy and Richard pulled simple wooden chairs up near her.
“Well, Mother, what is it?” Richard demanded. “Is something wrong with Father?”
“Your father is in good health,” Lady Matlock said, running a gloved hand over her skirt. “He is thoroughly annoyed, though. I assume you have not heard from Zachary of late?”
Darcy felt his entire body relax at these words. Zachary, Viscount Stanton, heir to the Earl of Matlock, had been rather wild for many years and was always getting into scrapes.
Given his cousin’s expression, it was obvious that Richard was equally relieved to learn his older brother’s behavior was the reason for this unexpected visit from the countess.
“What has he done now?” Richard asked with a sigh.
Lady Matlock clenched her jaw, blew out a breath, and then said, “He married the former Miss Lucy Burns, now Viscountess Stanton, a week ago.”
Darcy choked in surprise, and Richard leaped to his feet as if stung by a bee. “What?!”
“Yes, my dear Richard, your boneheaded brother, whom I have and always will love regardless of how idiotic he is, fell in love with the girl while at Matlock House this summer. A little more than a week ago, he commandeered a carriage and rode off to Gretna Green with her for a marriage over the anvil.”
“Who is this woman?” Darcy demanded, having recovered enough to speak.
The countess turned a long-suffering face on her nephew and said, “She is the third daughter of Mr. Alexander Burns, whose small estate marches along the north line of Snowden.”
“So she is a lady?” Darcy asked.
“She is,” Richard said with a sigh, “but the Burns are not members of the haut ton, and Lucy is hardly the expected bride for the heir of an earldom. Moreover, my new sister-in-law must be quite young?”
“She is not yet eighteen,” Lady Matlock replied with a grimace, “which is, of course, why your brother thought it necessary to rush off to Scotland as he was convinced that neither Lucy’s parents nor your father and I would be pleased with the marriage.
Given that Mr. Bingley married Georgiana under similar circumstances, I rather think you share some blame for this situation, both of you, for giving Zachary the idea that an elopement was an appropriate way to go about the business. ”
Richard and Darcy exchanged glances, and the former said quietly, “Mother, I know it seems like a similar situation, but it is not. Georgiana…”
“Was drugged and abducted by George Wickham, necessitating a quick marriage to Mr. Bingley. I know.”
This provoked the gentlemen to goggle in astonishment, and Richard, after he had recovered, demanded, “Father told you?”
“Of course he did!” Lady Matlock said irritably.
“We are man and wife, after all, and I am entirely capable of holding my tongue. Moreover, it will be my responsibility to introduce not only Georgiana, but the Bingley ladies, to the Upper Ten Thousand next Season. And that will not necessarily be easy. Miss Bingley seems a charming young woman, but her mother is obviously a tedious social climber.”
“She is,” Darcy said absently and then shook his head and said diffidently, “Does it make you, that is, I hope you do not find my actions horrifying regarding Wickham?”
The countess straightened, and her brow lowered.
“For shooting the rogue? Of course not! It is beyond comprehension that Wickham could do such a thing to any young woman, and Georgiana is the daughter of his own godfather! I admired George Darcy a great deal, Nephew, but he had a blind spot about Wickham.”
“He did,” Darcy agreed solemnly. George Wickham, godson to Darcy’s father, playmate to Darcy himself in his youth, had walked off the path of honor many years ago, but while Darcy had thought poorly of the man for a decade now, he had been entirely shocked when an urgent message had arrived informing him that Mrs. Younge, Georgiana’s governess, and George Wickham had managed to carry Georgiana off toward Scotland for a forced marriage over the anvil.
He still had nightmares some nights, that he had failed to rescue his sister, or that Richard had been killed.
Sometimes his mind called back the actual memories of that fateful day, when Georgiana had succeeded in twisting free and leaping out of the carriage, and Wickham had jumped out after her and shot Richard in the arm as Richard pulled Georgiana behind him, and Darcy had responded by shooting Wickham in the chest.
There had been so much blood. So much blood.
“But I am a second son!” Richard exclaimed, and Darcy blinked and turned toward his relations. What had he missed?
“I know,” the countess replied, “but Lady Catherine may well decide that if the first son is not available, the second son is better than nothing.”
Darcy tilted his head slightly to the side and made a frowning look at Richard, who frowned back.
“But I do not want to marry Anne,” the colonel said in a whiny tone, and Lady Matlock chuckled and said, “You need not, of course. Indeed, I think it quite likely that Zachary’s flight to Scotland with Lucy was partially spurred by your aunt and father’s determination that Snowden and Rosings be united in a marriage between the two heirs.
I cannot entirely blame Zachary either; Anne is so quiet and sickly as to be almost a nonentity, and while she may be wealthy, she cannot be compared to Lucy, who is both lively and beautiful. ”
Richard grimaced and said, “I cannot blame Zachary either, but I assure you that I have no intention of marrying Anne. Moreover, you said it yourself, Mother, Lady Catherine wishes for the estates to be joined, and I am not the heir. Indeed, now that Zachary is married, there is every reason to believe you will soon have a grandchild to carry on the family line.”
The countess’s grim expression gave way to a smile, and she said, “That will be wonderful, as I adore babies. Now, I intend to return to London today, but I thought it vital to speak to you both in person on this matter of Zachary. It would be best for the family if you do not display any surprise at his hasty marriage. Indeed, since the Fitzwilliams have been on good terms with the Burns for many years, it would be appropriate for you to suggest to anyone who asks that the friendship between Zachary and Lucy has been a long-standing one.”
The cousins exchanged glances, and Richard said, “That will be quite an easy thing, as it is actually true, but in any case, we understand entirely, Mamma. The last thing we want is scandal.”
“Good. Now before I go, perhaps we could enjoy a small repast together?”
“I would like that, Mother,” Richard said, “and I am certain that Georgiana would be happy to oblige.”