Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
T he Bennet sisters waited in the drawing room, having been awoken earlier than usual. Upon Elizabeth and Darcy’s entry, they stood, not having known she was already in the house.
“Lizzy,” Jane greeted her. “Is all well? I thought I heard shouting from Papa’s study.”
While Jane had known the gist of the discussion that was to take place, Elizabeth shook her head as though the whole matter was of little concern. “I was merely telling him good-bye,” she said for the others. “Fitzwilliam and I depart for Derbyshire tomorrow morning, and since he had not bothered to come to see me or even to show his face when I was at Longbourn before, I wanted to make sure I was able to speak to him on this final visit. It was an… emotional meeting.”
Jane nodded, understanding that the interaction had been precisely what Elizabeth expected, and it was not a good one. Choosing instead to drop the matter, she searched for something else to say. “We will miss you, Lizzy,” she settled on after a moment.
“I, for one, will not,” Lydia said petulantly. “I do not know what you and that meddling Mrs. Hargrove said to Mama at Lucas Lodge, but she informed me last night that I am no longer to be considered out and that I am to be made to attend school.”
Elizabeth resisted the urge to groan. “Lydia, you are barely fifteen. If we were in Town, you would still be preparing for your debut in society, which would not happen for another two or three years. If you focus on improving yourself and developing your skills, you will have a much better chance of attracting a suitor who can offer you a secure and comfortable future, rather than one who can only provide a tent or a rented cottage.”
“But the officers are so very handsome,” Lydia protested, her voice a whine.
“And so very poor,” Darcy said drily. “The officer you were conversing with at Lucas Lodge—Captain Carter, I believe—earns a modest income of approximately two hundred pounds per annum. At present, he resides in a single room within the house commandeered for the militia’s use. His clothing is laundered by the militia, but should he marry, his wife would be expected to manage such tasks herself.
“As for her meals, while he might dine at the officers’ mess, she would have to prepare her own unless she were invited elsewhere or could afford to purchase a meal at the inn. Naturally, on such a limited income, she would rarely be able to hire a maid, and social invitations for her would be scarce. Tell me, have you noticed any of the officers’ wives attending the gatherings held since their arrival?”
“I did not know any of the officers were married,” Lydia replied, losing a bit of her petulance.
Mrs. Bennet entered the room then. “Lydia, I told you last night that you would no longer be permitted to run wild as you have been. I watched you Saturday evening, and while Captain Carter might have appreciated your flirting with him, he thought of you only as a diversion, not as someone to marry. None of the officers can afford to marry unless they choose someone who has a dowry, which you do not.”
Darcy cleared his throat, his gaze settling on Lydia with a firm yet composed intensity that quieted the room. “Miss Lydia, I do not believe Captain Carter will trouble you again. After the ladies departed, he made some rather unflattering remarks—about you and several other young ladies. My cousin and I addressed the matter.” His tone was measured, devoid of unnecessary detail, yet it carried an unmistakable weight.
“What did he say?” came the immediate chorus from the Bennet sisters, their curiosity igniting like dry tinder catching a spark. Darcy blinked, momentarily caught off guard by their collective urgency. Their faces reflected a mix of emotions: concern, unease, and, on Lydia’s part, an unsettling glimmer of fascination.
Lydia leant forward, her eyes alight with interest, entirely missing the gravity of the situation. Jane, on the other hand, straightened in her chair, her expression tightening with worry as she cast a warning glance at her youngest sister.
He hesitated, choosing his words carefully, his expression hardening as he remembered the encounter. “Nothing that I can repeat in present company,” he replied firmly. “I did not care to hear such remarks regarding any of my sisters.” He paused, the intensity of his resolve filling the room. “The colonel and I set him straight. If he approaches you again, let Fitzwilliam know immediately. He will remain in Hertfordshire for several more weeks and can intervene if necessary.”
The Bennet sisters, unaccustomed to a man so earnestly defending their honour, blushed deeply at his protective words. Jane, always gentle and quiet, looked down shyly, visibly moved, while Kitty and Lydia exchanged quick glances, their eyes wide. Even Mary, usually silent and pensive, appeared a little taken aback by the depth of his chivalry.
Elizabeth noticed that Jane’s reaction was especially obvious, the delicate pink creeping over her cheeks as she absorbed Darcy’s words. Elizabeth mentally resolved to ask her husband later about what the colonel might have said to him, particularly regarding Jane. Darcy’s quiet but powerful defence had clearly made an impact, and Elizabeth could not help but wonder if the colonel’s intervention had more to do with an interest in protecting Lydia’s eldest sister rather than an affection for his cousin.
After the tense discussion regarding Captain Carter, the remainder of their visit with the Bennet ladies went smoothly. Darcy and Elizabeth joined her family for breakfast, and though Mr. Bennet remained absent, none seemed to mind. Several times, Elizabeth gently urged her husband to return to Netherfield to visit his friend and relations, but Darcy steadfastly refused to leave his wife’s side. He had no intention of giving Mr. Bennet the chance to speak to her again, unwilling to risk even the slightest discomfort in a household full of women.
While Elizabeth shared his sentiments, feeling no desire to engage with her father any further, she could not help but smile indulgently at his protective resolve. Despite her own strength of will, she enjoyed his attentive presence—still feeling a thrill in their closeness. In truth, he did not want him to leave her side, even if she had unselfishly tried to convince him to depart. They were still so newly wed that his constant devotion and desire to be near her warmed her heart. She relished that idea of being so dear to someone that he sought to protect her, even from the possibility of an unkind word from her father.
Such marked devotion did not go unnoticed by Mrs. Bennet, or by her sister, Mrs. Philips, who paid a brief call later that morning while the Darcys were still at Longbourn. The two sisters exchanged knowing glances and hushed whispers as they observed the way Darcy seemed unwilling to stray far from Elizabeth’s side. His quiet attentiveness, so at odds with Mrs. Bennet’s memories of the rather abrupt and aloof man from the night of the assembly, fascinated them both.
Mrs. Bennet clucked approvingly as she watched Darcy pull out Elizabeth’s chair and linger as she sat, his hand resting on the back of her chair for just a moment longer than strictly necessary. Mrs. Philips leant in to murmur, “Why, sister, I believe Mr. Darcy is quite besotted with our Lizzy. How did that come to be? I thought he spoke to no one at that first assembly.”
Mrs. Bennet gave a pleased hum, smoothing the folds of her dress with satisfaction. “Indeed, I was only saying to Lady Lucas just yesterday how fortunate we are to have such a man in the family! Lizzy seems quite taken with him in return. Of course, they must be besotted to have eloped as they did. It seems to have worked out so well between them. In truth, I have yet to hear the complete story. As I told you after they eloped, the pair met several years ago when Lizzy visited Derbyshire with our sister. Such devotion; to have loved each other from afar for so long.”
Turning to Mrs. Philips, Mrs. Bennet’s expression brightened further. “You know, I have been thinking—how wonderful it would be to visit Darcy House and Pemberley! I do not know much about either place, except that they have not had a mistress in the house since Mr. Darcy’s mother passed away many years ago. I am sure that will make Lizzy’s arrival all the more important, don’t you think? The house must be rather... cold without a woman’s touch. It could probably use a bit of redecorating. Lizzy will want to make some improvements once she is properly settled in. After all, a grand house like Pemberley should be as lovely as possible—do you not agree? Imagine how well we could make it look with the funds that Mr. Darcy possesses.”
Their observations grew bolder as the morning wore on. Mrs. Bennet noted how Elizabeth glanced up at her husband every so often, an unconscious smile softening her face. It was clear to both women that this marriage was not simply one of convenience or duty. They exchanged looks of approval, and Mrs. Bennet was already imagining future grandchildren, her delight growing with every small gesture she observed between the couple.
When it was finally time for the couple to depart—after multiple attempts delayed by Mrs. Bennet’s sudden fits of “the vapours”—Darcy briefly wondered if he might be obliged to carry her to her bed. In the end, Mrs. Bennet clung to Elizabeth, lamenting her departure with such fervour that Darcy struggled to suppress a bemused smile, while his wife attempted to restrain her frustration.
Meanwhile, the younger Bennet sisters crowded around Elizabeth, enveloping her in hugs and extracting promises for letters and gifts from Derbyshire. Lydia, in particular, begged for lace and ribbons, her eyes bright with anticipation. Elizabeth pressed her lips together, glancing at her husband as he coughed into his hand to hide his amusement at Lydia’s exuberance. Lydia appeared to have, at least temporarily, got over her pique at being made to attend school, prompting Elizabeth to sigh and shake her head with a faint smile.
At last, after many farewells and assurances, Darcy and Elizabeth made their way to the waiting carriage. Once they reached Netherfield, they rested briefly in their chambers before rejoining Bingley and the others for the evening meal. Elizabeth felt a little torn at leaving her family, knowing this time that their separation would likely be long. She took a little comfort in the idea that Jane would soon visit her at Pemberley, and while she would miss her other sisters, she was not as close to them as she was to Jane. The break with her father she had already mourned, having expected little else since she had learned of his treachery.