Chapter Seventeen #3
As a pair of soldiers dragged Sir Walter from the room, another escorted Miss Denham before the princess, who reviewed her dossier before passing judgement. “You have committed no crime here, Miss Denham, and the evidence is not as compelling as your willingness to purchase the general’s silence.”
Miss Denham hung her head low, her hauteur already defeated by two days of captivity. “I did not wish to be the subject of a scandal, Your Royal Highness.”
“I am curious, how much did Lady Denham leave you?”
“Fifty thousand pounds.”
“As I see it, there is half a chance you are guilty, and half a chance you are not. You shall have half your inheritance, and the other half forfeited to the crown. You will leave the castle at once; my attorneys will be in touch.” The princess waved her hand dismissively.
Sidney Parker also received clemency, for Princess Elizabeth took a fancy to the notion of Sanditon.
“It says in your documents that you embezzled a substantial sum of funds raised by the late Lady Denham and your own elder brother, funds that were allocated to some ambitious improvements intended to establish the village as a premier seaside destination. What a pity, I do enjoy the seaside.”
“I had fallen into some bad debts, Your Royal Highness, with dangerous people. I might have asked my brother for the money, but I knew I was being watched and I kept my distance from him. He had a family, children.”
The princess smirked. “If your debts have been paid, you are no longer a danger to your brother. You will confess what you have done and beg his mercy; I defer to his decision in the question of having you transported. It may soften him to know that you have found a potential investor in me, though I keep a sharp eye in matters of finance, or rather my secretary does. We will arrange a meeting in London next month. You may leave the castle.”
Mr. Parker thanked her profusely as he hastily backed out of the room. Cathy grabbed Elizabeth’s hand across the table. “We shall have our seabathing holiday, after all!”
It was perhaps by design that the princess saved Mr. Bertram for last, for he was the most animated of the prisoners.
Mrs. Rushworth could not resist quarreling with him when he was brought before the dais, and Mr. Crawford soon entered the fray.
The princess sat back and observed the fracas with delight for several minutes before allowing the colonel to subdue them.
The magistrate presented the poison discovered in Mr. Crawford’s room, which Mr. Bertram had been seen sneaking out of, just after a search of guest chambers was agreed upon. The princess appeared convinced, and Mr. Bertram exploded.
“I did it for you, Maria! It was my fault you had to marry that coddled imbecile. I sought to make amends, to grant you your freedom. When I saw the chance to have Crawford take the fall, if the other killer was not blamed, I took it. I refuse to apologize! He deserved it, after all he had done; he is not worthy of you! He will take mistresses as his uncle the admiral does, and his indiscretions will bring you shame and misery!”
The great hall hummed with chatter as Mr. Crawford lunged at Mr. Bertram, who was still bound at the wrists.
Mrs. Rushworth collapsed onto the floor, weeping.
The three dozen onlookers were on the verge of becoming a mob when Colonel Fitzwilliam signaled his men to remove Mr. Bertram and subdue Mr. Crawford.
The colonel went around the side of the table and helped Mrs. Rushworth to her feet, offering her a handkerchief as she stood before the dais, awaiting her brother’s judgement.
The princess tipped her head from one side to the other in a look of consideration. “Your brother will be taken to the assizes, unless you wish to argue for his transportation.”
Weeping inelegantly, Mrs. Rushworth nodded her head. “My father… my brother and sister….”
The princess nodded. “You would not have them taunted by scandal. Very well.”
Mrs. Rushworth nearly fell to her knees again in gratitude, but the colonel supported her as she wept and thanked the princess.
“And Mrs. Rushworth… I expect you to observe a year of mourning for your husband.” Princess Elizabeth motioned for the colonel to carry on attending to the widow, and Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy exchanged a look of mirth.
“I believe you may have to tease him a little,” she whispered.
When the princess had her fill of the entertaining proceedings, she dismissed them all to divert themselves as they chose.
She sought Elizabeth out privately, in the suite the sisters had first shared together.
The parlor was more spacious, and all of their usual companions were present, feeling rather idle after how they had occupied their days together.
Though the events of the last week weighed heavy on all their minds, the princess was resolved to make merry.
Lady Abernathy and the colonel accompanied her, and Elizabeth did her best to become better acquainted with Mr. Darcy’s favorite cousin while also enjoying the budding camaraderie she enjoyed with the princess.
They played parlor games as they had done on the first day, though they were louder and rowdier, at times nearly scandalous. The princess remained close to Elizabeth all afternoon, seeming pleased to look upon her daughter making merry, and she watched Mr. Darcy with a curious eye.
When it was time for them all to dress for dinner, and the many festivities the princess commanded, she remained in the parlor to speak privately with Elizabeth once more.
“I understand you mean to depart tomorrow.”
“Yes, ma’am. I was only meant to spend a week, and my family must be worried that they have not had word from me.”
The princess arched an eyebrow. “You must be looking forward to Mrs. Bennet’s effusive wedding planning.”
At the back of the room, Sir Edward coughed and resumed his conversation with Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth shook her head. “It cannot be helped.”
“And I cannot prevail upon you to remain another week?
“You know you can, I daresay,” Elizabeth quipped. “Perhaps a couple more days will allow the roads to dry fully from all the rain, but I am eager to be home.”
The princess nodded. “I cannot openly acknowledge you, as I might do if I were a man. However, I hope you will allow me to do what I can for you, and to see you sometimes. I have just acquired twenty-five thousand pounds, and Miss Woodhouse told me Miss Denham was unkind to you.”
“Oh! If you are saying… I do not….” Elizabeth stammered and blinked at the princess.
“I am hinting that you have five unwed sisters,” the princess said with a wink. “Take it, for them. Mr. Darcy – Lord Darcy if I carry my point – would take you if you were a milkmaid. I have never seen a man so in love, even now he hovers protectively. I see you smile, sir!”
Mr. Darcy stalked over, looking rather sheepish. “I could not face our children if I declined your offer, ma’am. Elizabeth, you could not face your sisters, either, if you refused the sum.”
She raised her hands in a pose of defeat. “Oh, very well, though I shall dig in my heels at every indulgence.”
“That will make for excellent sport, my dear.” The princess nodded and took her leave.
***
The festivities in the great hall that evening were just what Mr. Tilney imagined his peculiar house party would lead to.
The room had been transformed, though the princess thought it perfectly natural that her staff should make such swift work of arranging elegant drapery, flowers, and decor bearing the royal emblem.
The long banquet tables had been moved to three sides of the room, with the dais on the fourth side; the center of the room was open for performers, and later, dancing.
The three engagements were celebrated and toasted, and after the meal, Sir Edward was obliged to warn Mr. Tilney of his intentions to persuade Mr. Morland to allow Cathy a season in London, during which time she would form no lasting attachments but to her family.
Mr. Tilney was dejected, but he agreed. “I have no wish for her to admire me only due to her own inexperience. I will wait.”
Elizabeth smiled to herself as she overheard this, for she had drunk enough wine to be shamelessly eavesdropping. She moved away before she could be discovered, and she encountered Mrs. Rushworth watching the tumblers perform, a sullen, unseeing expression on her face.
“You were brave, this morning,” Elizabeth said with an encouraging smile.
Mrs. Rushworth looked over, her face expressionless and her voice numb. “I do not have many friends, Miss Bennet. I have not always been kind; I wonder that Tom thinks I deserved any better than the life I had. It was good enough.”
“I am your friend, I think,” Elizabeth murmured.
Mrs. Rushworth finally betrayed a trace of emotion. “Would you be my friend, truly? I know I am to keep to my mourning and I shall. But I mean to bring my sister with me to Rushworth’s house in London. You might call on her… and me. The princess would not mind it; she seems to favor you.”
Elizabeth could not suppose that was why she was asking, for there was a look of sincerity about Mrs. Rushworth, and Elizabeth had rather come to esteem her, despite her morals.
“Would you not prefer to weather the scandal at home with your family?”
“They sold me to Rushworth, so no, I would not like that at all. I do not wish my sister to be tainted by Tom’s crimes, but there is sure to be something more interesting to talk about in London. A remote backwater in Northamptonshire is the last place I should wish to be.”
“As a widow, you may do as you please,” Elizabeth said. “Perhaps your year of mourning shall be a blessing, for you will not simply be some gentleman’s wife.”
Mrs. Rushworth nodded thoughtfully. “I quarreled with Mr. Crawford this afternoon.”
“I have just heard Sir Edward saying that Cathy is still young yet, and he will not permit her to take the first agreeable man she meets. She will spend a great deal of time in London, at first with her family, and then she will broaden her social circle. She will meet many new people, perhaps some more agreeable than the first few friends she has made.”
“Sound advice,” Mrs. Rushworth agreed. She seemed to understand Elizabeth’s analogy and gave her a placid smile. “Thank you, Miss Bennet.”
Elizabeth briefly pressed Mrs. Rushworth’s hand in her own, content that they should be friends. She had liked many a stupider person. She looked around and saw Mr. Darcy and his cousin approaching, and Mrs. Rushworth began to think of her appearance.
The tumblers had finished their performance and Princess Elizabeth called for dancing.
Musicians took their places and began to warm up, while the lively guests all sought out their desired partners.
Mr. Darcy began to extend his hand to Elizabeth, but Colonel Fitzwilliam blocked him and made a sweeping bow.
“Miss Bennet, I am so delighted to make your radiant acquaintance; you must do me the honor of a dance.”
“You said you would not flirt with her,” Mr. Darcy grumbled.
“If you think dancing is flirting, it is no wonder you have little experience with either,” the colonel quipped.
“I am afraid I do not wish to abandon my friend Mrs. Rushworth,” Elizabeth said with a look of mischief for the colonel.
“The bereaved but beautiful Mrs. Rushworth,” the colonel said smoothly. “I am sure the princess would not blame you for dancing, Madam, for she knows me to be determined to have my own way. But first, there is something of mine that must be returned.”
Mrs. Rushworth appeared confused for but a moment and then recalled the handkerchief he had given her that morning; she retrieved it from her pocket and offered it back to him.
The colonel looked pointedly at his cousin, then winked at Elizabeth before returning his gaze to Mrs. Rushworth.
He raised the handkerchief to his lips before tucking it into his coat.
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy exchanged a look of high humor as the colonel praised and cajoled Mrs. Rushworth into dancing with him. They followed the other couple to join the set, and all their friends soon followed suit.
She was scarcely aware of anybody but Mr. Darcy in their dance together, for all she could think of was their interlude in the billiard room.
She remembered his promise, that they should never be parted, even for a day, and she knew not how many days of such delights she could endure before becoming his wife.
“We ought to marry soon,” she told him when they broke for refreshments. “I do not want too much fanfare.”
He drew her close enough to whisper in her ear. “I do not know how I shall bear the delay, either, Elizabeth.”
“It would feel so strange to go back to ordinary life at Longbourn.”
Mr. Darcy smiled warmly at her. “Oh, yes, who needs that, when there is a world of possibilities? We might obtain a special license in London.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Shall we always remain in such perfect accord, do you think?”
“I know it,” he replied, taking her by the hand to rejoin the dance. “Our lives are full of wondrous possibilities, but we shall always remain one another’s greatest certainty.”