Chapter 14 Darcy Travels to London
Darcy dismounted before Darcy House and handed the reins to his footman. “Rub Ares down well. He worked up a sweat on these London streets. He cannot accustom himself to the noise and traffic.” He patted his mount’s neck and then ran up the steps.
The butler opened the door. “Sir, welcome home.”
“Thank you, Higgins. It is good to be home. And Georgiana?”
“Miss Georgiana is in the music room, sir. Her music master is with her, but she will be free in half an hour.”
Darcy drew out his pocket watch. “Very well, Higgins. I shall be in my study. Send Robert to me. I must deliver a note to Richard at the barracks. I should have it ready in fifteen minutes.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And Higgins,” Darcy continued, drawing a sealed paper from his coat, “send Peter to my solicitor with this. Tell him to wait for a reply.”
“Yes, Mr. Darcy.”
“I also need to speak with Mrs. Nichols. Higgins, I am to be married on Friday, and the mistress’s chambers must be cleaned and made ready for Mrs. Darcy.”
The butler started at the announcement. “Right away, sir.”
“Only you and Mrs. Nichols are to know until I bring Mrs. Darcy home. I do not wish for a stream of visitors calling to offer congratulations. I have very little time to prepare. Which reminds me, I am not at home. Take the knocker off the door. Reeves is about an hour behind me, and he is flustered, as you can imagine. Assist him in every way you can.”
“Yes, sir.”
Darcy paused in thought. “One more thing. I expect to be in London for one night only. Saturday morning, we travel to Pemberley. That will be all.”
The butler bowed and withdrew.
Darcy sat at his desk and wrote a short note to his cousin.
Richard, do not mention this to your parents. I am to be married on Friday. Come to Darcy House as soon as you are able.
The following note was to his stable master, instructing him to prepare two carriages and two horses for travel on Thursday. He would travel back to Hertfordshire after luncheon.
A few minutes later, Robert Miller appeared at the door.
“Miller, deliver this to Richard. Place it in his hands. If you cannot find him, bring it back, and we will try again tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir.”
The young man took the letter and left. Darcy then wrote his marriage announcement for the newspapers, though he would wait for publication until he was on his way to Pemberley.
He intended to leave it with Kendall, his solicitor.
He had begun a list of all that required his attention when Georgiana bounced into the room.
“Brother!” She ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. “Fitzwilliam, you are back! I have missed you.”
He returned her embrace. “Georgie, I have missed you too, my dear. You look taller. How can that be? I have only been gone two months.”
She laughed. “I know you are teasing, but I truly have grown. Jenny had to let down my hems.”
He placed his arm about her shoulders. “Come sit with me, sweetling. I have some news, and you may not like all that you hear.”
Her expression turned grave. “Are you well, Brother?”
“I am very well, my dear, but I have a story to tell you, and it may make you uncomfortable.”
“Oh, Fitzwilliam, tell me quickly. I might imagine worse than it is.”
He smiled faintly. “Very well. Mr. Bingley threw a lovely ball at his estate.”
“Yes, at Netherfield Park! You wrote that he was planning a lavish ball in his grand house.”
“Yes, it is a fine house. The ball was beautiful. Caroline and Louisa did a fine job organizing the food and floral arrangements, and all went well, until Miss Bingley said something cruel in the hearing of Miss Elizabeth.”
Georgiana’s face crumpled. “She hurt Miss Elizabeth? How could she? From your letters, I had supposed Miss Elizabeth to be a sweet and kind woman.”
“Yes, she is. And I am ashamed to admit it, Georgie, but Miss Bingley was repeating a dreadful jest that first came from my own lips. Only Charles, the Hursts, and Caroline were present when I said it. I never imagined she would repeat it publicly, but that is precisely what she did, at the ball, in front of Bingley’s friends, and within the hearing of both Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth. ”
Georgiana covered her mouth. “I expect she hates Miss Elizabeth.”
Darcy looked at her in surprise. How could the child know such a thing?
“Yes,” she continued softly, “I knew she would hate Miss Elizabeth the moment I finished reading the letter in which you described her as lovely, amiable, and clever. I knew then that you had developed a tendre for her, and just as surely that Miss Bingley would hate her, as she wants you for herself.”
Darcy was astonished.
“But Fitzwilliam,” she went on, “surely you know what Miss Bingley is. She detests any woman who dares to look at you too long.”
He smiled despite himself. “And how do you know this, Georgie?”
“Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst visit me once a week when they are in town. Miss Bingley cannot restrain her tongue; any thought that forms in her mind escapes her lips a moment later. I have heard her belittle every woman who so much as glances at you at a ball. Heaven help the one who dares to speak to you! And if you actually ask a woman to dance with you, she’s bound to have an apoplexy.
I have been fearful that she would one day compromise you. ”
She stopped speaking abruptly; the color drained from her face, and tears welled in her eyes. “Fitzwilliam, never tell me she has entrapped you!” she gasped, pressing her hands to her middle as though she might be ill.
Darcy hastened to reassure her. “No, my dear girl. No, Caroline has not compromised me. I am quite safe from her.”
Georgiana’s eyes filled with relief, and she took his handkerchief when offered. She was drying her eyes, and he was trying to calm her when Richard burst in through the study door.
“Close the door, Richard,” Darcy said.
His cousin glanced at Georgiana and quickly obeyed, then sat beside her. She threw her arms around his neck. “Richard, I have suffered such a fright. I thought Fitzwilliam was going to tell me that Miss Bingley had compromised him.”
Richard turned sharply to look at Darcy, who raised a hand. “It is nothing of that kind. Well, perhaps something related. I have been compromised, and I am to be married on Friday. But not to Caroline Bingley. I am to marry a Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
The room fell silent. Georgiana and Richard stared at him.
At last, Richard spoke. “And?”
Darcy exhaled and, lifting both hands with palms up, began to explain.
“I made a foolish jest about Miss Bennet and her mother in private. Caroline repeated it at a ball, in front of Bingley’s university friends, and in the hearing of the woman I insulted.
Miss Elizabeth bore it well and was quick to respond with a clever quip that turned the laughter back on me.
But she was wounded. She withdrew to her father’s side but eventually lost her struggle to remain composed, and she sought refuge in the empty library.
Her cousin, her father’s heir, followed her.
The heir had his hands on her arms, trying to comfort her as she wept, when a neighbor came upon them and cried ‘Compromise.’ Her father had also stepped away to search for her.
By the time I found them, the nosy neighbor was insisting she must marry her cousin at once. ”
Richard’s brows rose. “And you?”
“I told them that she and I were already betrothed and therefore she was not free to marry her cousin.”
There was another long silence. Then Richard said quietly, “It seems to me you wanted her for yourself.”
Darcy took a deep breath. “Yes. I did. I do. I could not bear to see her fall into that man’s hands. He is not respectable. When he looks at her, she shivers. When she was told she must marry him, she fainted.”
“Poor Miss Elizabeth,” Georgiana murmured. “But surely she is comforted now, knowing you will marry her instead?”
Darcy chuckled. “Not exactly. When she heard me announce our betrothal, she fainted again. Fortunately, she was seated at the time.”
Richard broke into laughter. “So, she is not one of those who throws herself at you and hopes to stick.”
Darcy grinned. “No indeed. I have insulted her twice in public. She wants nothing to do with me, but given the choice between her cousin and me, she chose me, because, in her own words, I am respectable and not a scoundrel.”
Richard indulged in a loud guffaw. Georgiana did not understand what was so amusing but decided that, if they were laughing, all must be well.
When Richard sobered, he said, “So the great Fitzwilliam Darcy has fallen for a woman, and she is not certain she wants him. Do you want my father to release you from this?”
Darcy shook his head. “No, Richard. I wish to marry Miss Elizabeth. I shall not find another like her if I searched the world over. I count myself fortunate that Caroline opened her mouth, for after the insults I gave her, Miss Elizabeth would never have accepted me voluntarily.”
Richard began to laugh again. Darcy poured two glasses of brandy. “Georgie, shall I order lemonade for you?”
“Yes, Brother, and cakes. This sounds like an occasion to celebrate.”
Richard grinned at his little cousin. “That’s right, my girl. This calls for celebration. You will soon have a sister.”
Darcy's brows lifted comically almost to his hairline as he confessed.
“Actually, Georgiana will have three sisters. Miss Elizabeth would not accept me unless I allowed her to bring along her two sisters while we deepen our acquaintance. She is feeling cautious about men, after enduring insults from the both of us.”
Richard grinned. “A clever girl, Darcy. The more you divulge, the better I like her.”
Darcy smiled wryly. “You needn’t crow over my delicate situation, Richard.”
Georgiana did not know there were undercurrents to the conversation, but she did believe her new sister-in-law had made a wise request. “Indeed, very clever. If I had sisters, I would want them with me if I were leaving home with a stranger.”
Darcy tugged at his neckcloth, which suddenly felt tight. “I am not exactly a stranger, my dear.”
“No, but you did insult her twice, and I imagine you were not overly warm in your other dealings with her. I think she is wise to bring her sisters. You will be less likely to treat her in that cold, impenetrable way you reserve for Miss Bingley.”
Darcy protested, “I act that way only to keep Miss Bingley at a distance.”
Georgiana studied him. “I know you believe that, Brother. But what of the way you treated Miss Lilia Baldwin and Miss Albina Barnet? It is true that they only befriended me to reach you, but they were polite, not vulgar. Your eyes turned to ice, and your jaw set like stone. They never tried again. Are you certain you did not give Miss Elizabeth the same treatment?”
Darcy tilted his head. “Who are you, and what have you done with my little sister?”
Richard snorted. “It was bound to happen one day. Children do not stay young forever, and this one is as clever as they come. She sees everything and adds it together just as her brother does.”
The child beamed. “Richard, I love you! When I grow up, I shall marry a man just like you. You see people as they really are.” She hugged him tightly.
He returned the embrace. “Thank you, Georgie. I am glad you think well of me, which is more than I can say for your brother just now. Let us do what we can to help this great Oaf through his marriage.”
She laughed. “I am so happy! I shall have three sisters!”
Darcy took another cake; Richard finished his brandy; and the three spent the rest of the evening discussing Elizabeth Bennet, her sisters, and the plans for Friday’s wedding.