Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
F or a moment, the two couples merely stood and looked at each other. Finally, Anne broke the silence between them by requesting an introduction to his wife. After introductions were complete, the four took seats on a pair of settees that faced each other. “Fitzwilliam, thank you for agreeing to meet with us; I know our arrival this evening was unexpected. However, I have been hoping that you would come to town soon and have kept a man stationed nearby to watch for you.”
Darcy narrowed his eyes. “Why did you not merely write to me, Anne? Then you could have known when I was coming to town, and someone in the family would have known where you were and that you were well. I cannot speak for your mother, but Georgiana and I have been very concerned about you, as has Richard. In fact, I need to write to Richard immediately, for he has been trying to obtain leave to search for you himself.”
Standing as though he would do just that, Anne held out her hand to stop him. “I would have written to both of you, but we have been quite busy. As you know, Rosings was always supposed to be mine, but Mother has done all she could to prevent me from claiming it. However, Mrs. Jenkinson has been discreetly posting letters from Rosings without knowing their contents and delivering the replies to me when they arrived. All I needed was to get Mother away from Rosings for at least a se’nnight. I am eternally grateful to you for eloping; that bold move forced her to leave Rosings and allowed me to put my own plans into action,” Anne stated confidently.
Darcy almost laughed as he acknowledged the truth of her statement. “You know that Richard and I would have helped you with your own secret marriage. I have never met you, Mr. Hargrove, and am uncertain how you and Anne managed to meet, but I am a little concerned about you marrying my cousin without the knowledge of anyone in my family.” He held up his hand when his cousin opened her mouth to protest. “You have had nearly everyone in the family worried about you for nearly a month, Anne. This is a serious matter.”
Anne sighed heavily at this. “I know you are correct, cousin. However, I hope you would have known that I would ensure that Rosings was protected at the very least. I used a solicitor, one recommended to me by Mrs. Jenkinson’s nephew, to write the marriage contract. My husband would not allow us to marry without one, for he was also concerned about making sure I was protected. We did not ‘elope’ per se, for Percival obtained a licence to allow us to marry in his own parish.
“However, I should have contacted those in my family who would have been concerned for my safety. I told Mrs. Jenkinson I was going to London, but I met Percival in Tunbridge Wells instead, and we married there. After we married, we travelled to London to sign the necessary documents making Rosings mine before returning to arrange for the house to be closed long enough for my mother to discover that she is no longer in control of the estate. It was a rather exhausting week since we travelled between London and Kent twice before everything was arranged properly. My husband and I had been exchanging letters for the better part of the last year; we ‘met’ when he was recommended by my doctor as an expert on herbs and tonics that might benefit me. Mother was unaware of these, and he was able to suggest several teas and other treatments that have helped.”
Darcy narrowed his eyes at that and looked at the man accompanying his cousin. “Are you a physician, Mr. Hargrove?” he asked.
“I am not a physician,” Mr. Hargrove confirmed. “My father is a baron, and I will one day inherit his estate. However, he is very healthy and is… uninterested in my help. I needed something to occupy my time and became interested in learning about herbs and other natural remedies. When I attended university, one of my professors spoke to me about these matters, and since they piqued my interest, I began to experiment on my own. My father disapproves of my interested in these matters and our relationship is strained. This is one of the reasons Anne and I thought a marriage between us could be mutually beneficial. I can help her improve her health while getting out from under my father’s control.”
Darcy leant back in his chair, considering them both for several moments. “Anne, forgive me for broaching such a delicate subject in company, but one of the reasons you were so against marriage to me, beyond the simple fact that neither of us wished for it, was related to your concerns about bearing children and my need of an heir. You have always insisted you were not healthy enough for children. Is this no longer a concern?”
“Yes, it remains a concern, which is why we have decided not to consummate the marriage. My mother must not know this, nor should our uncle, but Percival does not need an heir. His nephew, his sister’s son, can inherit. I have already written my will, naming Richard as the heir to Rosings. I ask that you keep this to yourself, for I know he would never accept it.
“While I am not as ill as my mother claims, I am not fully well either. The doctor we consulted during our wedding trip confirmed my condition, stating it is a miracle I have survived this long. He determined that I have what he called ‘green sickness,’? * a common ailment among young women, characterised by weakness, dark circles under the eyes, and shortness of breath. We spent time in Tunbridge Wells, taking the waters there, and after almost two weeks, we decided it was time to return here. I must admit, I felt some improvement after drinking the waters, and perhaps we will visit once or twice a month to see if I can achieve any long-term benefits. Percival even bought extra bottles of water for me to drink while we travel, and I do believe it has helped.”
“So you will leave this marriage unconsummated, but you each have an heir already selected,” Darcy clarified. “How will you ensure your will is followed? By rights, Mr. Hargrove is entitled to your estate upon your death. Legally, it already is, since married women cannot own property.”
Mr. Hargrove nodded at Darcy. “I know what my wife’s intentions are. Rosings will be Colonel Fitzwilliam’s upon Anne’s death. It is in the marriage contract along with the stipulation that she is in control of the estate and its income. You have no reason to trust me, Mr. Darcy, except for the fact that your cousin does. Neither of us has any qualms about you reviewing the documents if you wish.”
Darcy looked over at his wife, who nodded. “I would appreciate that,” he replied. “Now, are you needing rooms to stay in while you are here, or do you have plans to go somewhere else for now? We are happy to host you, but we do not intend to remain in London for longer than a fortnight.”
“That is one of the reasons why we are here, Mr. Darcy,” Mr. Hargrove said. “My wife is stubborn, but I convinced her you would be our ally in this matter. My solicitor has already begun transferring the estate into Anne’s name, for per our marriage contract, she will remain in control of her estate. For now, the marriage will give me the freedom to pursue my own interests. Anne’s dowry will also remain hers. Lady Catherine has been banned from the estate indefinitely. We will examine her marriage contract to determine her entitlements, but because she withheld Anne’s rightful inheritance for over three years, we intend to hold her accountable.”
Darcy turned to face his cousin, his voice tight with restrained anger. “Anne,” he said, his frustration clearly visible, “there is much we need to discuss about your mother’s recent behaviour. How much do you know about her efforts to force a marriage between us?”
Anne interrupted him. “I am sure you have much to say about my mother’s erratic behaviour but allow me to tell you my story first. You need to know what has happened and the plans I have put into place.
“We only just returned to London this afternoon when we learned of your arrival in town,” Anne replied. “Our plan was to stay at a hotel, as we did not wish to open the de Bourgh townhouse for such a brief visit. It has not been in use for some time, and frankly, I did not want to alert Mother to my presence. I am not yet prepared to face her. I know I will have to soon, but for now, I wish to delay the confrontation until things are settled. Many of the servants at Rosings had to be let go, for they would not obey my command and refused to acknowledge me as its mistress.
“Those who are loyal to me informed me of Mother’s behaviour upon her return from her unfruitful journey to see you. From what they said, she was rather unpleasant when she learned that the house was closed and she was not permitted to enter. The magistrate and constable had to be called to assist with the removal, but they had been alerted by my husband that she was not to be permitted on the grounds. I gather that both gentlemen were rather pleased to see her deposed, as were many of the tenants.”
“We had a rather unreliable report of something along those lines,” Elizabeth interjected, speaking for the first time and with her eyes flashing in mirth. “It seems that a distant cousin of my father’s is the rector of Hunsford. Without my knowledge, my father engaged me to the man, but circumstances prevented him from coming to Longbourn until after I had left my home.”
Anne snorted. “Be grateful for that, Mrs. Darcy, for I have rarely encountered a bigger fool. I have already requested that the bishop consider removing him from his position since he was appointed by my mother who was not the rightful granter of the living. The bishop has received several complaints about him and agreed with my request to investigate the matter.”
“Ah, so that is why he is unwilling to leave Longbourn,” Elizabeth chuckled. “My sisters tell me he is quite upset by your mother’s removal from her position as mistress and hopes to speak with you soon to convince you how mistaken you are in claiming your inheritance. According to him, Lady Catherine is the best person to manage Rosings, as she has ‘so much experience’ in matters of estate management.”
Darcy groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Yes, she has considerable experience in trying to run the estate into the ground. Each year, when I visited Rosings, I had to remind her yet again that she could not spend more than she earned, nor did she have the right to meddle in her tenants’ personal affairs. But did she listen? Of course not. Inevitably, I am summoned back, time and time again, to untangle the same messes. The worst part is that a single letter—to the steward or the tenant—could resolve most of these issues; yet, she wanted me to travel halfway across England to repeat advice she has ignored countless times before.” His tone was tight, his frustration clear, as he leaned back in his chair and exhaled sharply.
“I know, Fitzwilliam,” Anne replied, a hint of weariness in her voice. “While I did my best to manage Mother’s excesses and ridiculous demands, there was only so much I could accomplish. At least you had the authority to prevent her from dismissing the steward, and she rarely concerned herself with anything outside the house long enough to ensure that it met her specifications.”
“Anne, that leads to her actions over the last several years,” Darcy began. “You know as well as I do that there was no ‘cradle betrothal’ between the two of us no matter what she claimed. However, I have only recently learned how far she has gone to force the issue.” Darcy explained to his cousin and her husband how Lady Catherine had bribed Mr. Bennet to reject his suit and then later her schemes with Wickham.
“Wickham—somewhat willingly—gave us letters your mother had written to him and explained how he came to be involved in several other matters as a messenger. We have kept the attempted elopement secret, so when your mother mentioned it, we knew she must have played a part. Wickham confirmed much of what we already knew, although he attempted to embellish his unwillingness in the matter. For his compliance, my men placed him on a ship bound for Van Diemen's Land; however, with his injuries, I sincerely doubt he will survive the voyage.”
“His injuries?” Anne cried. “How was he injured?”
Darcy hesitated only a moment. “I shot him after he escaped from gaol and attempted once again to kidnap Elizabeth. The bullet went through his shoulder, and while we allowed a doctor to examine him, he was rather insensible from laudanum when we placed him on the ship. The men consulted with Richard before taking this action, and neither of us wanted to see Wickham tried publicly for fear of what he might say. Of course, he might not have survived long enough to be tried, but we did not want to take any chances.”
Mr. Hargrove patted his wife’s hand before speaking. “I do not know this Wickham chap, but it seems you have dealt with him far more fairly than he deserves. With what he holds over your families, it was probably best to get him as far from England as possible.”
“I do not know why I was so surprised,” Anne said after a moment. “I vaguely recall Mr. Wickham visiting Rosings a time or two but thought he was just one of Mother’s servants or something of the like. I did not know what she hired him to do, and I knew nothing of the connection to the Darcy family.”
“The matter with him is settled as well as it can possibly be. However, we must decide what to do about your mother next, Anne. Do you know where she is staying?” Darcy asked.
“My best guess is that she is at Lord Matlock’s. The house in town has not been opened. Since we do not know where she is, my solicitor has yet to inform her about the funds she will have available to her. It is a reasonable amount for most people, but perhaps less than she will believe she is owed. Regardless, she will have exactly what her marriage contract stated, but that does not include access to any of the de Bourgh properties,” Anne replied.
“Since I am waiting for Richard to arrive before I speak to his father, I will have to delay any further confrontations with your mother. I am expecting him to arrive early next week,” Darcy replied.
“We have all journeyed today, so let us seek our rest. Tomorrow we can meet again and determine what will need to be done,” Elizabeth suggested. “Allow me to have the housekeeper show you to a suite of rooms for your use. If Darcy House is anything like Pemberley, I feel certain they will already have been prepared for you.”
“Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs. Darcy,” Anne replied as the foursome stood to move into the hallway.
“Oh, please, call me Elizabeth. Or Lizzy, if you prefer. We are cousins by marriage now,” she offered.
“Then thank you, Elizabeth. You must call me Anne in return. I look forward to getting to know you better, for despite our conversation tonight, my cousin has smiled more than I have ever seen him do before,” that lady replied.
* ? Green Sickness was likely a form of anemia, with symptoms that included general fatigue, a lack of menstruation, paleness (sometimes with a slight greenish tint), difficulty breathing, and more. There may have been other contributing factors as well, but it is reasonable to assume that poor understanding of nutrition and a general dismissive attitude towards women’s health at the time played a significant role. While we often attribute Anne’s condition to various causes, in this story, it is linked to a mineral deficiency in the body.
If you want to learn more, try this resource: https://juliamartins.co.uk/green-sickness-a-historical-look-at-the-disease-of-virgins