Chapter Six #2
He watched in morbid fascination as she fluttered her eyelashes in an open show of coquetry.
A ploy he found more offensive than appealing.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Darcy made his way upstairs and knocked on Georgiana’s door.
Mrs. Annesley, after some length of time, opened it slightly and informed him that his sister had retired and had no wish to speak with him.
Her grave countenance hinted broadly of her disenchantment with her employer.
He stepped away with the sense he had been silently chastened for behaving badly.
Something which had not happened since he was in short pants.
The feeling was decidedly uncomfortable.
The next morning, his valet handed him a note from Georgiana.
His sister had removed herself to his uncle’s house.
Her anger grieved him and he decided to pen a note telling his sister he would explain everything when next he saw her, which wouldn’t be for at least a week as he had business to take care of, and left it at that.
She did not need to know the week would be spent establishing his new wife at Pemberley.
The earl begged to differ and a summons to dine at Matlock House arrived before he finished breaking his fast.
***
“Lord and Lady Matlock await you in the green drawing room, Mr. Darcy,” Matlock’s butler informed him as a footman divested him of his outerwear.
In an unconscious effort to steel his nerves for what he suspected, Darcy squared his shoulders and tugged down his waistcoat.
Upon entering the drawing room, he was greeted with a bevy of unhappy faces, the most distraught being his sister, who would not even raise her gaze at him.
He had disappointed her deeply, he knew.
By the end of the evening, he hoped he would begin to salvage their relationship.
“Uncle Robert, Aunt Lucinda,” he said by way of greeting. “Georgiana, I am glad you made it safe to our uncle’s house.”
“Before we go to dinner,” the earl began, “I will have a word with you.”
Darcy gave a curt nod of agreement and followed his uncle down the hall to his study. As soon as the door closed, his uncle turned and said, “What in god’s teeth is going on?”
The earl stomped to the far side of the room and brought out two cut glass tumblers.
“Georgiana arrived here this morning in tears, blubbering about a compromise. Lucinda and I thought she was talking about that reprobate Wickham and began to console her, only to find out she was not aware we knew about Ramsgate, which caused her to cry even harder. Between the hiccups and the wailing, we finally discovered that you – you, Darcy! – have compromised a gentleman’s daughter and refuse to marry her! ”
“I am marrying her,” he managed to say once his uncle had calmed down. Uncle Robert handed him a full glass of brandy and sat down heavily behind his desk. Darcy took the chair opposite. “I am surprised Richard did not tell you; I saw him at White’s the day after the compromise.”
“We have not seen Richard for weeks. They captured some high-ranking spies and have had their hands full with interrogations. If you are marrying the chit, then why is Georgiana so upset?”
“I had the Bingleys over for dinner last night and the topic of the compromise came up.”
“They are aware of the compromise?”
“It happened at a ball Bingley hosted.”
“I assume there were plenty of witnesses?”
“Yes.”
Lord Matlock took a sip of his drink.
“Explain why Georgiana thinks you will not marry this lady.”
“I cannot say she is a lady,” Darcy muttered bitterly.
“Is she a gentleman’s daughter?”
“Barely.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Her mother has connections to trade and a more uncouth woman I have never met.”
“You mean, other than Catherine?”
Almost against his will, the corner of Darcy’s mouth tugged upward.
“On par with Aunt Catherine.”
“The father is a gentleman? Does he have an estate?”
“His estate is called Longbourn. Of decent size and entailed.”
“No sons I take it.”
“Mr. Bennet is saddled with five daughters and never have I witnessed so much ill-bred behavior in one family. The two youngest are ripe for the picking and it would be a safe bet that one, or both of them, will be high in the belly before the beginning of summer.”
“That is a harsh statement, Darcy. But for the grace of God, that could have been Georgiana’s fate. Poor choices are made not only by the ill-bred daughters.”
“Do not bring Georgiana’s folly into this conversation. She was led astray by that wastrel Wickham.”
“I never understood what your father saw in him. Let us not get side-tracked. This is about your future wife. How did you meet her? What led to the compromise?”
“My very first night in Hertfordshire I discovered Bingley had accepted an invitation to the local quarterly assembly. As he was anxious to meet his new neighbors, I agreed.”
“Knowing your friend, he would also have been on the lookout for his next angel. Am I wrong in that assessment?”
“No, you are not. Unfortunately, his attention settled on the eldest Miss Bennet.”
“Really? They have a beautiful daughter?”
“What makes you say that?”
“Bingley only chases beautiful blonde angels. He settles for nothing else.” His uncle took a sip of his drink.
“And if I am not mistaken in my understanding of how new gossip is feasted upon, Bingley’s wealth would have been common knowledge before he had even moved in, whetting the appetite of desperate mothers and fathers. ”
“I heard titters of ten thousand a year as soon as we entered the room.”
“Nothing you have not heard before and we all know a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”
“I was most definitely not looking for a wife. It was the furthest thing from my mind.”
“Then, I can only imagine how trapped you felt when these Bennets pushed their daughter beneath your nose every chance they got. You are far wealthier than Bingley and already have an impressive estate. No parent worth their salt would let you escape their notice.”
An uneasy realization settled in his chest. During his time in Meryton, no mother – or father, for that matter – had ever directed his attention to their daughters.
And there were plenty of single young ladies, what with most men fighting in France.
In fact, the ill-mannered Mrs. Bennet had looked upon him with derision.
“I will admit, they did not focus their attention on me.”
“How singular. A mother of five unwed daughters with an entailed estate, and she did not extol upon their virtues and accomplishments?” The earl carefully placed his drink in front of him and leaned forward on his elbows.
“Surely, as it was the first time you were acquainted, she wished for you to dance with one of her daughters.”
“After Bingley requested a set from Miss Bennet, her mother asked if I enjoyed dancing.”
“That is all? She made a polite inquiry of whether you liked dancing?”
“I knew it was a blatant attempt to force me to partner with one of her uncouth daughters. I quit their company and moved to the other side of the room.”
“Where, I am sure, with your cherubic-like demeanor, you conversed with any or all who stood by you.”
“You know I did not. I was quite satisfied with my own company until Bingley intruded and demanded I dance. He attempted to turn my attention to Miss Elizabeth. She is the second eldest Miss Bennet. I stopped him cold by saying she was not handsome enough to tempt me and he would be better served paying compliments to his own partner.”
“I am no longer surprised no one sought your attention for their daughters.”
“During our six weeks there, Mrs. Bennet focused all her energies on Bingley. She was quite vociferous in her hope of my friend offering for her eldest daughter. I am positive her joy was compounded by the compromise Miss Elizabeth successfully executed at Bingley’s ball.”
“A compromise witnessed by many and you still have not answered why Georgiana believes you did not offer marriage to a gentleman’s daughter.”
“I may have allowed the Bingleys to believe I left Hertfordshire without speaking to Miss Elizabeth’s father.”
“Why would you do that? The minute your wife arrives on your arm in town… ah, I see… you intend to squirrel her away at Pemberley.” Darcy shifted uncomfortably in his chair and nodded. “You mentioned the mother thought Bingley would marry her eldest.”
“I am positive if this incident had not occurred, Bingley would have offered for Miss Bennet.”
“And with you making them believe the family’s reputation was ruined he did not stick around in case the stain spread to his family.”
“Correct.”
“And what of the elder Miss Bennet? Were her feelings engaged?”
“I do not believe they were.”
“But you are not one hundred percent guaranteed of that, are you?”
“I am not.”
“You said Miss Elizabeth compromised you.”
“An opportune stumble on the terrace and she fell into my arms. The lace on her gown conveniently caught my button and tore.”
His uncle stared at the ceiling, seemingly deep in thought.
“Were you not leery something like this might happen when she asked you to join her outside?”
“She did not request my presence, I followed,” he explained. “I thought she would catch a chill.”
Uncle Robert snapped his attention to him.
“You followed her.”
It was a statement, not a question.
“Yes.”
His uncle began to laugh. Brow furrowed, Darcy could only watch and wonder what was going on in his uncle’s mind. Finally, the earl stood and held out his hand. Surprised, Darcy put down his drink and accepted the handshake.
“I wish you well in your marriage, Darcy,” he said before exiting the room. “You are going to need it.”
He followed his uncle to the drawing room to discover Georgiana had excused herself from dining with family and had taken a tray in her room. His conversation and apologies would have to wait until he returned from Derbyshire.
***