Chapter 41 Matlock House
Elizabeth surveyed the dining room. It was nearly empty now, save for a small group of young people gathered at the far end.
She turned fully toward Lady Helen.
“Aunt Helen, about Lord Dunwich. He is not respectable, am I correct?”
“No, Elizabeth, he is not. He is a notorious rake who has left ruin in his wake. Debutantes and ladies of quality alike. Once he fixes his attention upon a woman, he pursues her relentlessly until she succumbs to his allure. Some he has left with child and then turned his back upon them without the slightest remorse.”
Lady Helen’s voice sharpened.
“You must keep well away from him, for if you permit it, he will ruin you.”
Mr. Darcy took her hand.
“Elizabeth, are you unwell? You have lost your color.”
Darcy offered a glass of punch.
“Drink a little, darling. It shall help calm your nerves.”
She took a small sip.
“Lizzy, drink it all, for you look exceedingly unwell,” Jane insisted. Then she reached into her reticule and withdrew a small vial of smelling salts.
She handed it to Mr. Darcy.
Elizabeth took up the cup once more and drained its contents.
All of them watched her now, waiting.
“I do not know what to think. Lord Dunwich said he means to call upon me tomorrow and promised to become my most ardent cicisbeo. He said that once he had sufficient time to court me, his addresses could not fail of gaining my acceptance.”
She hesitated, then added, “And he said that when he marries, it shall be to an innocent and respectable woman possessed of spirit. He said that with me, he would proceed with the strictest propriety.”
She turned to Lady Helen.
“I believe he intends to court me with marriage in mind.”
Darcy swore softly. “The devil he does.”
Lady Helen said, “I watched him. He has been struck. Dunwich loves no one but himself, yet now he is utterly captivated. I do not say it is love, but it bodes ill, for his pursuit is always relentless.”
Elizabeth looked from one face to another.
“What am I to do?”
Darcy asked, “Aunt, will you take Elizabeth under your protection? I would also ask that Georgiana and I may reside with you until we are married.”
“Yes, that will answer. Richard and Anne came to me earlier today to wait out the refurbishments at the de Bourgh townhouse. Elizabeth, Dunwich will not dare offer insult to a guest of a peer, and with two gentlemen in residence, your honor will be secure.”
Her expression hardened.
Beaumont said, “Elizabeth, if you prefer to remain with us, I will invite your father to town. Perhaps his presence would discourage the man’s raffish behavior.”
“Thank you, Beaumont, but Dunwich would never dare call upon Elizabeth while she is sheltered at Matlock House.”
He turned to Elizabeth. “Darling, will you agree to this?”
“Yes, sir. I have no wish to ever see that man again. No matter how coldly I answered him, he merely laughed and declared it amusing and insisted it rendered me uniformly charming. There was nothing I could say to depress his pretensions, and I knew not how to express my disgust strongly enough to convince him that I found him abhorrent.”
Jane patted her sister’s hand. “I shall have Sally pack your trunk as soon as we return home. Lizzy, you have only to wait out four weeks more, and then you shall be married and settled in Derbyshire. Everything will come right in the end, you shall see.”
The two families slipped away unnoticed when the dancing recommenced.
Together with his valet, Georgiana’s maid, and one of the Miller brothers, they traveled to Matlock House, which stood only a block farther up the street.
Elizabeth was in her chamber unpacking when Georgiana tapped upon the door and then bounded in the moment she was invited to enter.
“Lizzy, Fitzwilliam told me everything about Lord Dunwich and his appalling behavior. Shall your name appear in all the society columns tomorrow?”
Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed. “Society columns?”
“Why, yes. Every ball is written up for public consumption the following morning.”
Elizabeth said wryly, “I believe my name may indeed appear in the papers. They shall likely report that society’s darling bachelor is now betrothed to a milkmaid and that the wildest rake in town has been smitten by an unsophisticated provincial.”
The two young women talked late into the night. At last, when Elizabeth could scarcely keep her eyes open, she said, “I must go to bed, Georgiana, or I shall fall asleep sitting in this chair.”
“Lizzy, may I sleep in your room? I know Lord Dunwich shall not break into the house; nevertheless, I am afraid.”
“Of course you may, provided your brother approves.”
“Thank you, Lizzy.”
Georgiana embraced her tightly before hurrying away in search of her brother.
Meanwhile, Darcy was closeted with Richard over a game of billiards, having already recounted everything that had transpired at the ball.
Richard said, “I am sorry to have missed it, but under no circumstances can I show myself at a society function.”
“No, you cannot. You have, in effect, lost your mother.”
“I have stationed a second footman at the door. Between the butler and two footmen, no one shall gain entrance, though I doubt Dunwich would dare show his face here.”
“Beaumont assured me they would not disclose Elizabeth’s residence. Dunwich is clever enough that it will not take him long to conclude she is residing with her sponsor, but he knows you are in town. Your mother made certain that everyone understood I am betrothed while you are married and bereft.”
Richard chuckled. “Cousin, something of this nature could only happen to you. How is it that you attract such chaos? I am remembering that disaster mother hosted. And your public humiliation at Miss Honeyfield’s hand, and now Lady Sophia’s ball.
If I understand correctly, while betrothed to Elizabeth, you also managed to secure an understanding with Annie and another with Lady Isabella. You do get about, Darcy.”
“Go on, laugh. There is no need to spare my feelings.”
Richard sobered. “By the by, the free traders were caught in Lewisham. The customs officers secured the crates of lace and the brandy hidden in the old tower. They also raided three barns filled with cognac. Dragoons have been called in. All this activity in the south county is driving the gangs back northward. Going forward, we need only make timely reports, and the excise officers shall prevent them from entrenching themselves again.”
“So, the district has been cleared?”
“Not entirely. It shall require another three or four months, for they are still tracing additional storage sites. We mean to return at Easter. By then, most of it should be concluded.”
“And are you free from suspicion in the eyes of the gang?”
“I believe so. Acting upon the information we provided, the authorities established surveillance and tracked a wagon traveling southward from London. The smugglers were intercepted in Lewisham while attempting to collect a shipment. They made it appear the fault lay with the gang itself for failing to discover they were being watched.”
“I am relieved to hear it, Richard. You deserve to raise your family in peace. You have had more than enough of battles, weapons, and danger.”
Richard took a long drink.
“I am officially no longer Colonel Fitzwilliam, Darcy. My release papers arrived three days ago. I have been in the military since I was seventeen. I am thirty now. I scarcely know what to do with myself.”
Darcy chuckled. “Wait until it is time to prepare the fields for planting, and then the tenants begin quarreling amongst themselves. You shall have more than enough to occupy your attention. If you wish, I can provide you with a list of improvements Aunt Catherine refused to undertake upon the estate.”
Richard laughed. “Not tonight. Tomorrow shall arrive soon enough.”
Just then, there was a tap on the door.
“Enter.”
Georgiana peeked timidly around the edge of the door.
Darcy’s eyes softened. “Come in, my dear. I expected you would be asleep by now.” He glanced at his watch. “It is one o’clock in the morning.”
“Fitzwilliam, Elizabeth says I may sleep in her room if you approve.”
“Is she unwell, sweetling?”
“No, brother, but I am afraid. I understand that Lord Dunwich cannot possibly break into this house, yet still I am frightened, and I fear I may suffer night terrors. I am certain that if I sleep with Elizabeth, they shall not trouble me.”
Darcy draped an arm about her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her curls.
“Very well, dear. You may spend the night with Elizabeth. But take care not to keep her awake. She endured a long and exhausting evening at the ball and requires her rest.”
“Yes, brother. She declared herself so tired she was likely to fall asleep in the chair should she remain awake much longer.”
Georgiana kissed the two most important men in her life and then hurried away to prepare for bed.
Richard rose. “I am to bed, Darcy. Who knows what tomorrow may bring?”