Chapter 23
At first light two days later, Mr. Darcy and the Colonel left for their investigation in Kent and arrived at the Westerham estate at the beginning of calling hours.
“Fitzwilliam! And Darcy! Welcome to my humble abode! Or rather, it is my father’s humble abode. Let us meet in his study.”
When the door closed, Colonel Lord John Weston sighed and said, “Humbug! Everything here is my father’s, and will be my eldest brother’s. I envy you, Darcy, that you do not share the subsistent living that Fitzwilliam and I are fated to endure.”
“Stop there, Weston. Your generous allowance can afford you a mistress, whereas I depend not only on my father’s but also my cousin’s largess, and they will never agree to supplement my income for this particular… diversion.” The Colonel and Mr. Darcy exchanged glances.
“Ah, the mistress. I wager she is the reason you are visiting me on your way to… Darcy’s additional estate.
Pardon me, Darcy, for neglecting to wish you felicity on your recent marriage.
Everyone in our circle had expected this merger of your estates for ages.
Do not tell me you are already looking for a mistress, even though you would not help Fitzwilliam get one.
If you were, I would not blame you. Putting up with your mother-in-law could drive a man to throw himself into the Thames, let alone into the arms of a luscious woman.
Oh, Fitzwilliam, said mother-in-law is your father’s sister. My apologies.”
Colonel Weston said all this in one breath. He had been living in this cold, drafty house by himself, with no visitors. He was relishing every bit of his own wit.
“Darcy and I are here to ask you about your former mistress, Miss Evelyn Webb.”
“See here, I was correct. I am not the Army’s best intelligence officer for nothing.” Colonel Weston put on a scornful smile. “But she—the ungrateful fortune hunter! What do you want from me? My advice is: stay away from her! She is a viper!”
“I see,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam. “That was not your opinion when you dragged me to her residence to show her off all those months ago. When was that exactly? My memory is hazy about that meeting. You know I do not covet my friends’ paramours and try not to pay too much attention to these tempting damsels. ”
“You are a good man, Fitzwilliam. I guarantee that if you were not so righteous, you would have tried to take her from under me—literally. Apparently, another man did just that.”
“When did that happen, and who was the man? Did you truly catch them in the act?”
“I did indeed. Remember—I told you about trying to delay my deployment by a few months to enjoy a truly delectable woman? I had a contract already prepared for her to sign when her contract with the Duke had ended the previous month. That vile woman, however, gave me all kinds of excuses for holding off signing it. It turned out that she was trying to get a better offer from someone else. I saw with my own eyes how she betrayed me. I rescinded my petition to remain in England and boarded the frigate to Portugal within the week.”
“And that was…” asked the Colonel.
“The sixteenth of July last year.”
“And the man who stole your love?”
“Dunham. He is at least twice her age, although he is an earl and not the second son of a marquess.”
“Is he not the nephew of her former patron, the late fourth Duke of Northampton?” Mr. Darcy interjected.
“I believe he is. I heard he might have inherited all of his uncle’s unentailed properties. It turned out he inherited his uncle’s mistress. To be frank, I do not blame her for choosing someone with so much more to give.”
“Weston, Miss Webb just gave birth to a boy, and she claims the boy is heir to the Dukedom because she had been married secretly to the Duke.”
“Does it not take nine months for a bun to bake? It is now the end of March—not quite nine months since I was last intimate with Evie. Hmm… this boy is, as likely as not, mine, or Dunham’s.
I was with Evie many, many times during those few weeks.
Until the week she told me she was indisposed because of her monthlies, I could not tear myself away.
I took the opportunity to go up to Whitehall to hurry things along with my petition.
When I returned three days later, that was when I found the shameless wench with her other lover. ”
“Do you believe Miss Webb was secretly married to the Duke while… entertaining you in her townhouse? There are plenty of married women in the peerage with lovers.”
“You are correct in this regard, but these women never conceal their high rank. Evie said nothing about being a duchess and, at the end, gave every indication that she needed a new patron to pay for a place to live, since the Duke had given her a month to move out of the townhouse. Having been mistress to the richest duke, she hoped for someone as high and well-off. Despite my decent allowance, I could scarcely afford a prima donna like her. However, I am young and handsome, and she chose me. Once I got to know her, I found her to be the epitome of loveliness. What can I say? One loves when one can.”
“Will you pursue her again now that she is truly free and claims to be a dowager duchess?”
“Nah, that was an infatuation. My ardor cooled quickly after what I had seen in her bedroom. More importantly, I hear Wellington has had a series of successes against Boney’s minions in Portugal. I am focusing on getting well and not missing the opportunity of a lifetime to send Boney packing.”
“Would you be willing to testify against Miss Webb in court? All you need to do is tell the court what you just told us,” inquired Mr. Darcy.
Colonel Weston looked hesitant. Mr. Darcy interjected.
“If you sign an affidavit under oath, it will stand up in court, especially if you have a copy of the contract Miss Webb declined. Things in the court system take a lengthy course. By the time the case appears in public, you may be well on your way to battlefield glory on the Continent.”
“Darcy, you missed your vocation. You could be the best barrister on the King’s Bench.
One fact was misstated, however—she did not decline my offer; she just did not sign before I withdrew it.
My solicitor should still have a copy. I hope the new duke appreciates my contribution in securing his inheritance. ”
Colonel Weston paused for a moment before he continued. “Just think, my own flesh and blood could claim a dukedom if I maintain my silence. But I could not make myself do that even if I tried. Being a gentleman has its price.”
Darcy keenly felt Colonel Weston’s last comment.
Paying a price for being a gentleman had been, to him, a foreign concept.
Before his marriage, he would not have thought twice about always following the gentleman’s honor code.
There was no conceivable alternative. Now, he sometimes wished—albeit ashamedly—that he did not have to.
Darcy said, “The babe apparently has a distinct physical resemblance to the fourth Duke. Since Dunham is the son of that Duke’s sister, it would be much more likely that Dunham is the father.”
“Just as well,” declared Colonel Weston, “I am careful not to spill my seed lest I acquire another mouth to feed. Now I can sign the affidavit with impunity!”
After promising to return with the affidavit and stay a few days with the injured colonel, Mr. Darcy and his cousin left for Rosings before dark.
The two cousins were in a celebratory mood.
What they had learned from Colonel Weston could very well settle the case in His Grace’s favor.
It had become clear that the fourth duke’s nephew was responsible for the machinations to unseat Thomas Bennet-Fitzstuart.
Dunham was using a two-pronged attack to increase his chances of inheriting his uncle’s great wealth.
They arrived at Rosings just before dinner.
Both cousins were surprised to see Anne Darcy in the drawing room, propped up by a few pillows on a chaise, and her mother present, as well.
Lady Catherine had made one concession: she had her throne chair moved to one side of the parlor to show deference.
Mr. Darcy had been away for only four days—why had the doctors not followed his instructions?
“Darcy! See how well your wife fares! She insisted on leaving her room to sit with me and await your return, and the doctors allowed it,” Lady Catherine said enthusiastically. She turned to her other nephew and greeted him as an afterthought. “Richard.”
“Aunt Catherine, good evening,” answered the Colonel politely. Mr. Darcy nodded and walked over to Anne to ask after her. The Colonel joined him and took Anne’s hand for a feather-light kiss on the knuckles.
“Anne, cousin, I am gratified to see you well. Congratulations on your marriage to Darcy!”
Anne pulled on the corners of her mouth as if trying to smile, but it came out more like a grimace.
“You two took your time arriving. Darcy, this is your home. Perhaps you might consider staying here more to keep your wife company.”
Well, her good nature is certainly fleeting.
“Aunt, my apologies if my being away from Rosings displeases you. Perhaps you prefer to return to the dower house so you will not be disturbed by my comings and goings,” answered Mr. Darcy cordially.
This not-so-subtle reminder that he was now master of Rosings found its mark.
“Humph” was the only audible response from the august lady.
“Anne, please excuse Richard and me for being late for dinner. I had not expected you to dine with us. We shall join you and your mother in the dining room shortly.” Mr. Darcy was gentle with his wife.
Anne then whispered something into Mr. Darcy’s ear. Mr. Darcy nodded and asked a footman and Mrs. Jenkinson, Anne’s long-time companion, to take the mistress back to her chambers.
Mr. Darcy turned to his mother-in-law and explained, “Madam, the mistress of Rosings will return to her chambers to rest. Richard and I will join you for dinner in half an hour.”
After a rather subdued meal, during which Lady Catherine was uncharacteristically taciturn, the cousins retired to the study for cigars and port. They had no wish to stay in the dining room with their aunt’s spies listening to their conversation.
“Darcy, Anne looks worse than last year, but not necessarily at death’s door. She has also adopted some wifely manners—speaking into your ear! Do you think this has been a scheme all along? Judging from our aunt’s performance this evening, I would not be surprised if it were.”
Mr. Darcy contemplated the idea for a long moment and then said, “I trust my doctor. He assured me that Anne was close to death. I have read on the topic of consumption since marriage. In some rare cases, one inflicted may appear to rally for a time—from a few months to as long as one to two years—before finally succumbing to the disease. Anne may be one of the fortunate ones. Since I am married to her, I must do my best to ensure her remaining days are comfortable. Being so frail cannot be pleasant, but I shall shield her from her mother’s unreasonable demands.
As for speaking into my ear, she is simply too weak to speak above a whisper.
But to be frank, I have also detected her…
beginning to act… as a wife. It is her right to do so, but to me, she has been and always will be a cousin and nothing more. ”
“You are a good man. I wish the two of you well. If I had been able, I would have made sure you avoided being put into such a lamentable situation.”
“What’s done is done. Let us worry about the problem at hand instead. We must prepare the affidavit and other necessary documents to send to His Grace and his team of legal advisors tomorrow. Perhaps we can get your friend’s signature on the affidavit within the week.”
The cousins worked on their correspondence for the express rider leaving at first light.
Before separating for bed, Mr. Darcy said gravely and hesitantly to his cousin, “Richard, earlier you said you might resume pursuing Lady Elizabeth. Did you mean it?”
The Colonel could not hide his glee when he answered, “Darcy, that was said three days ago! Has that one conditional statement been weighing on you since? With the fresh evidence supporting the Duke’s claim to the inheritance, Lady Elizabeth being a grand heiress is almost a certainty. Hmm… should I…”
The Colonel watched his cousin’s face turning more and more pained and barked out a laugh. “I think I should help you achieve your goal instead.”
Mr. Darcy hurriedly said, “I have no goal as it concerns Lady Elizabeth.”
“Haha. Deceit of any sort is your abhorrence! Take care, cousin.”