Chapter 12 #2
“Very well, I will attempt it while he is at Netherfield.”
Elizabeth beamed at him. “Thank you, my love.”
“Where is this cousin of yours? Everyone will be here soon.”
They were waiting for her cousin Claude who had been expected several hours ago, but had likely been delayed by rain. Darcy’s family had gone back to Netherfield to rest and dress for dinner, and they were expected back at Longbourn within the hour.
“Claude is almost always late. He thinks it is fashionable.”
Darcy frowned. Elizabeth laughed at him, as was her usual response when he was being dour.
“There he is!” cried Kitty.
They all gathered in the hall, prepared to welcome their cousin.
Darcy was expecting a man a little older than Elizabeth, but he had not given him much thought beyond that.
The man who entered Longbourn was tall and athletically built, with golden hair a little longer than was fashionable.
His eyes were a startling shade of blue and his features were strong.
“Lizzy!” he cried. He rushed towards Elizabeth and embraced her, twirling her in a circle before setting her back on her feet. Elizabeth laughed in delight and Darcy fought back the jealous urge to yank her from the other man’s arms.
“Come meet Fitzwilliam.”
Claude greeted Darcy exuberantly. “If Lizzy likes you, I know we shall be great friends.”
“I hope we shall,” Darcy said solemnly. Elizabeth smiled happily up at him as Claude turned away to greet the rest of the family.
“Where is my sweet Kitty?” said Claude playfully.
“Over here, you ridiculous man.”
Kitty was treated to the same treatment as her sister, then Claude turned to Mrs. Bennet with a charming smile.
“Fanny, you get lovelier every time I see you. How do you do it?”
“Oh, you!” She swatted his arm.
“Is your cousin always so familiar?” Darcy whispered into Elizabeth’s ear.
“Yes. He means nothing by it, it is just his way. You’ll become accustomed to it soon enough.”
Claude was speaking rapidly in French with Mr. Bennet. Darcy spoke the language well enough, but he could not keep up with their pace. “How exactly is he related to your family?” asked Darcy.
Before Elizabeth could answer, Lydia thundered down the stairs.
“Lyddie!”
She leapt off the last two steps directly into her cousin’s arms. Mrs. Bennet scolded her not to behave so in the house, but no one paid any mind.
“Remember the French grandmother I told you about?” Elizabeth said quietly.
“Yes, I remember,” replied Darcy. Everyone was chattering around them so he leaned down to hear her better.
“Her sister married an Englishman as well. Claude is her grandson.”
“So he is your second cousin?”
“Yes.”
Darcy was grateful that Elizabeth had chosen to be marked. If she had not, she might have married this dashing man who already seemed to care a great deal for her.
Once Claude was shown to his room, the party calmed down to await Darcy’s family’s return. Darcy sat with Elizabeth on a settee by the window, enjoying what little alone time he got with her.
“I meant to ask you earlier. Is your cousin marked?” he asked.
“He was not originally. He meant to join the army and he thought it was no life for a wife. Then his uncle died and left him an estate, but by then it was too late to be marked. Fortunately though, a mark recently appeared on his left arm.”
“Oh? Is there a name?” It was common practice to share the name on one’s mark with family so they might be of assistance in finding one’s soulmate.
“It is still coming in. He thinks the first letter is a C, or perhaps a G. It is still faint.” She smiled at Darcy mischievously. “Maybe we will get lucky and he will match to one of your cousins.”
“My closest friend is already married to your sister. That is coincidence enough.”
Elizabeth looked thoughtful for a moment. “Do you really think it a coincidence?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you not think it possible that you were drawn to Bingley because your soulmates were sisters?”
He furrowed his brow. “I do not know, I’ve never thought about it like that before.”
“It would not be the strangest thing to happen to a Bennet’s mark.”
Two days later, Elizabeth signed the name Bennet for the last time. Kitty stood up with her at the church, and everything went according to plan, which of course meant some disaster must befall the breakfast at Netherfield.
The ballroom was packed to the brim. Darcy’s family had come from all over the country.
He was the only marked member of his generation—well, except for Georgiana, but that was not public knowledge yet—and the only male member on the Darcy side.
Cousins he had not seen in years came out to see the mysterious woman Fate had marked for him.
Elizabeth’s family traveled from London, both the Gardiners and the remainder of Claude’s family. And of course the entire town of Meryton came to celebrate with the Bennets. Three daughters married! One to the heir of Longbourn and two to their soulmates. This was something worth seeing.
“How soon can we leave?” asked Darcy.
Elizabeth could not contain her laughter. “I shall take that as a compliment that you wish to be alone with me and not as an insult to my family.”
Darcy huffed. “Of course I wish to be alone with you! There are entirely too many people in this room.”
“Another half an hour and we may go,” said Elizabeth. She had a feeling she would say this to him at many balls and parties in the future.
“Lizzy, may I speak with you,” asked Claude.
She nodded and let him lead her off to a small sitting room at the back of the house.
“What is it?”
He paced across the room, his hand running through his hair in agitation. Claude was never agitated.
“What is going on?”
“Look,” he said, rolling up the sleeve on his left arm. His soul mark had been coming in more fully lately, and the image of two birds flying was almost perfectly clear. One of the birds had a ribbon in its mouth, and on that ribbon were the initials GAD.
“I see the initials more clearly. Is that what has upset you?”
He looked at her expectantly. “Can you not think of anyone with the initials GD? Someone in the family you have just married into, perhaps?”
Elizabeth paled. “Georgiana.”
Claude nodded. “Her mark has just come in! I cannot believe I have been matched with a thirteen-year-old girl.” He ran his hand through his hair again.
“But she is not thirteen.”
“What?”
“She wished to receive a mark but did not, so she only recently had the ceremony. She will be sixteen next month.”
“Sixteen.”
Elizabeth nodded.
“Well, that is certainly better than thirteen.”
“Claude,” Elizabeth asked carefully, “are you certain it is Georgiana? The letters are not particularly rare.”
“I know it is her. Kitty told me.”
“Kitty?”
“Yes. Miss Darcy showed Kitty her mark, and when she saw mine this morning, she told me they were a match.”
Elizabeth sank onto a chair. “Oh, dear.” She was thrilled Claude would be in her close family. He was great fun, and probably just the sort to coax Georgiana out of her shell. But Fitzwilliam would be horrid to him, as he would be to anyone who wished to court his sister.
“What do you think I should do?” he asked.
“There is nothing you can do. She is not yet out. You only just returned from your tour. Neither of you are particularly ready for marriage.”
Claude laughed ruefully. “No, not particularly. I never thought to marry at three and twenty.”
“Just because you have met your soulmate does not mean you must wed immediately.”
“Does anyone ever wait longer than six months?”
“I have never heard of it, but I am sure it happens sometimes.”
Claude scoffed.
“Let us do this,” she suggested. “You go on to your estate as planned and settle in there. I will invite you to Pemberley this summer for our house party. You will be able to get to know Georgiana then and hopefully win over Fitzwilliam.”
“He will be awful, won’t he?”
“Yes.”
Claude groaned.
“I’m certain we can find a way.”
Claude sank into a chair and dropped his head into his hands.
Elizabeth rubbed his back and said, “This is a good thing, cousin. Just think! You do not have to search for your soulmate like your father and grandfather did. You know exactly where she is. You need only wait a little while.”
He took a deep breath. “I will try to see it your way, Lizzy.”
“All will be well. You’ll see.”
Darcy appeared in the doorway. “Elizabeth, everyone has gathered to see us off. Are you ready to go?”
“Yes, I am ready.”
She kissed Claude on the cheek and squeezed his hand, then went to join her husband. They walked out to the front of Netherfield where their families had gathered to wish them well.
She kissed her parents and her sisters, said goodbye to her neighbors, and let Darcy hand her into the carriage. As they rolled away from Netherfield, she could not help but think that she had almost missed this.
“What are you thinking?” asked Darcy.
“That I am glad I decided to get a soul mark. I would not have found you otherwise.”
He took up her hand and kissed it. “I would have found you regardless. I have to believe that.”
“Yes, but would you have been happy to fall in love with the daughter of a small country estate? Would you have accepted me so freely if it were not for the mark?”
Darcy could only stare at her, for she was right. He would have struggled and fought the connection. “I have to believe my heart would have prevailed in the end.” He kissed her hand again. “I could not live without you, Elizabeth. Mark or no mark.”
She smiled softly at him and leaned into his chest. “Nor I you, Fitzwilliam.”