Chapter Fifteen
“No need to worry about changing for dinner, my dear. It will be an informal family one, and what you have on is lovely.”
Afternoon tea had stretched into an invitation to dine at Matlock House and his wife had hesitated, stating she and her husband were not properly attired for dinner.
“I must get the name of the modiste Mrs. Gardiner recommended to you. Indeed, she is quite talented.”
Darcy took a closer look at his wife and noted that Elizabeth did look lovely, and the dress she wore suited her to perfection.
“Mrs. Gardiner did not recommend this modiste, Lady…” she stumbled at the stern look from his aunt, then recovered nicely with, “Aunt Lucinda. Mrs. Henshaw is one of Meryton’s own. She does a brisk business, a fair amount coming from the Bennet family, what with five girls to outfit each season.”
“Five girls, out at once! Mr. Bennet must have been driven to distraction.”
“My uncle is intimately acquainted with his library.”
“Oh ho! – he hides, does he?” chortled his uncle, Lord Matlock.
“In all fairness, he cannot abide discussion of lace and fripperies, so no one chastises him when he removes himself to his study. As a landowner of some distinction in our little corner of the world, he is quite busy looking after the estate of Longbourn.”
Lord Matlock leaned forward.
“I hear your family seat is entailed from the female line.”
“Yes, sir, it is.” Elizabeth turned her attention to her uncle by marriage.
Darcy noted she did not extend to him the same familiarity she had with his aunt.
“However, my uncle Bennet has been diligent in making sure his wife and daughters are well taken care of in the event of his passing before all his daughters are wed.”
“That is good. Yes, very good. Damned nuisance, those entailments. I can see it for a titled family ensuring the family seat is not lost to fools who gamble or drink their lives away, but why a small estate in the country?”
“I know not all the particulars and most of what has been said in polite company is that Grandfather Bennet was extremely angry with his daughter, my aunt Sarah, who married Mr. Samuel Collins. He wished to ensure Longbourn did not get into the hands of his son-in-law. At the time he had two sons, my father, and Uncle Thomas, and of course, everyone expects a new bride to bring forth a son…” Elizabeth gave an elegant shrug of her shoulders.
“Aunt Frances had only girls. The rest is sad history.”
“Elizabeth,” Darcy brought her attention to him and his heart stopped beating for two seconds when her gaze lit upon him.
She was so beautiful. When her expression turned quizzical, he realized he had forgotten his question, content to sit and stare at her like a love-sick dolt. Which he was, to be completely honest. Her one brow arched and she waited. Grab hold of yourself, man!
“Elizabeth,” he repeated, knowing he sounded like some fool a comedic troupe had misplaced. “You must have been pleased to see a familiar face during your visit today with Aunt Lucinda.”
Darcy alluded to the Spanish ambassador and his wife.
“I was pleasantly surprised. I had not intended to visit Hertford House until next week to inform them I would not travel to Spain this summer.”
He felt a moment of disquiet at the thought of how Elizabeth could have, quite literally, sailed out of his life if the compromise had not occurred. He might never have seen her again. Some lusty Spaniard would have snatched her up faster than a child braving the flames of Snapdragon at Christmas.
“I, for one, was glad their visit coincided with Elizabeth’s,” Aunt Lucinda said. “Robert has had many conversations with the ambassador about that French upstart on the Spanish throne.”
“The ambassador came to discuss not only the ongoing conflict in Spain but also to congratulate us on having Elizabeth join the family,” Lord Matlock said.
“How in the world would he know you are Mr. Darcy’s relations?” Elizabeth asked the earl.
“Upon receipt of your letter, he looked to see who Darcy was and discovered he is our nephew. Because we are friends with him and his wife, he sought to welcome us to the family. Do not be surprised if Prinny also sends a letter of congratulations. Regardless, your cousin is a warm and engaging young man. It is too bad his health continues to decline.”
“He has always had a weak heart. I have also seen a marked change in his features and worry about him and Sophia.”
“Sophia?” Darcy asked.
“His wife.”
“Ah…”
Yet another reminder of how intimately acquainted she was with the nobility of Spain.
“His grace also expressed regret of your not joining them as planned when they return to Spain in June.”
“Things change,” Elizabeth said. “My cousin, Mary, would be quick to quote from the Bible how a man’s heart may devise his way but the Lord directs his steps. It seems He had other plans for my life, which brings me here,” she finished with a small smile directed at her new family members.
“I, for one, am glad those plans changed,” Lady Matlock said, her warm gaze falling on her newest niece. “You may have been unexpected, but are no less welcomed.”
Loud voices were heard in the foyer.
“She is here? Has my whole family gone mad? This is not to be borne!”
The door to the dining room flew open, crashing into the wall and Lady Catherine stormed into the room.
“I demand you make this harlot leave your house immediately!”
By this time Lord Matlock had risen to his feet and never, in his entire life, had Darcy ever seen him so angry.
“Carlisle, remove this woman from my sight,” he bellowed to the beleaguered butler who trailed in the wake of Aunt Catherine’s fury. “Take her to her room and lock the door.”
“You will not send me to my rooms like a recalcitrant child!”
“When you behave like one, Cathy, you will be treated like one. Leave.”
She did not move.
“Now!” he practically yelled and made to come around the table toward her.
“I am seriously displeased. You have not heard the last from me.” She turned her venomous gaze toward Elizabeth. “I will see you removed from this family if it is the last thing I do. My Anne will not be set aside by a country upstart.”
“Enough,” Darcy said, rising to his feet.
“I have had enough of your histrionics to last a lifetime, Aunt Catherine. I am married to Elizabeth. I love Elizabeth.” He heard a small gasp from his wife.
“I will grow old and have children with Elizabeth, there is nothing you can do about it. I will never marry Anne. She knows this and would tell you if you asked.”
“You are a fool, Fitzwilliam Darcy, much like your father,” she hissed. “What connections does this tart have? Anne would be the making of you.”
“I advise you to stop declaring my wife as a woman of loose morals. Mrs. Whittaker has the bedsheets that defy your claim.”
Aunt Catherine turned an interesting shade of puce and, once again, his wife caught her breath. He dared not turn his attention toward her. He abhorred deceit of every kind, but for Elizabeth, he’d walk the path to hell and back to defend her honor.
“I am so glad you mentioned family relations, Catherine,” Aunt Lucinda spoke into the pall of silence. “Did you know our Elizabeth is a cousin to the King of Spain, and the Duke of Alburquerque?”
“The Duke of where?”
“The Spanish ambassador to St James’s court. Elizabeth is their cousin. Is that not a lovely family connection to have?”
“She has bamboozled you. This Jezebel is nothing but the niece of a country squire whose estate is entailed away to my parson. She is not even a gentleman’s daughter; her father was in the Navy! She has no money and connections, and is dependent on her poor uncle for the very clothes on her back.”
“Her uncle, Thomas Bennet, is a country squire, but her father, Admiral James Bennet, married a woman of Spanish nobility. You have no footing here, Catherine. Go to your room and leave for Kent at first light.”
“Very well,” Lady Catherine said as she pivoted to leave. “I know what needs to be done.”
Her walking stick banged on the marble floor, receding in volume as she made her way up the main staircase to the family wing. Uncle Robert and Darcy resumed their seats and silence gathered around them like an oppressive fog.
“I learned a new piece of music today,” Georgiana offered, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“Bless you, Georgiana,” Aunt Lucinda said with a tender smile of relief. “I would love to hear you play after supper if you are willing.”
“I am not proficient enough with this song for company, but I would gladly play something else when we repair to the drawing room.”
“On that note, shall we end the meal and let the gentlemen enjoy their port?”
***
As soon as the gentlemen were alone, Uncle Robert informed his butler that no express letter, note, or scrap of paper was to leave his house if it had been touched by his sister. Carlisle murmured his approval and bowed out of the room.
Richard poured each man a generous portion of port and handed them around, leaving Darcy to the last.
“What part of wooing your wife did you not understand?”
Darcy brought the glass to his lips but did not take a drink.
“You always did cut to the chase.”
“Given the stunned look on your wife’s face, I think it is safe to assume you have never told her that you loved her.”
“No.” He raised his gaze to see his cousin grinning at him and almost groaned with mortification. “I knew I admired her but was unaware that it had morphed into love until I stood up to Aunt Catherine.”
Now Richard laughed outright, joined by Uncle Robert.
“You are lost, my boy. This reminds me of your father when he first met Anne. Oh, how the sparks flew between them. She was determined not to marry him, which made Cathy ecstatic. She always had her eye on the prize of Pemberley, but George was determined. If he did not marry Anne, then he would marry no one. Drove Cathy wild and infuriated Anne.”
“Mother did not want to marry father?”