Chapter 6 Darcy
Darcy
Before he left Matlock House, Darcy spoke to his aunt. “Thank you again for the wonderful evening, Aunt Helen. But…might I have a small private word with you, before I leave?”
She smiled in quite a knowing way, and Darcy felt himself blush.
He supposed he had been entirely transparent in his sudden, shocking feelings towards Miss Bennet.
But…that was why he must consult with his aunt, who led the way to the small sitting room she used as an office of sorts. “What is it, William?”
“Richard. He seemed upset. I need to check…I might have seen….” He paused, not certain what he wished to ask. He gathered his wayward thoughts and asked, plainly, simply, “Did I do aught that upset my cousin?”
“No. I noticed that he looked quite spent, Nephew, but I am certain that he will wake up tomorrow morning wishing to celebrate his great success.”
“His success?”
“Well, forgive me for my assumption to speak of emotions, but it looked to me as if you took a special interest in Miss Bennet, and she certainly did in you. Of course, it is up to the two of you to determine how your nascent interest will develop, but Richard had hoped that he could help Miss Bennet find someone she could respect and like, and perhaps one day love—a man of good character who has the means to care for a wife.”
“I am not certain I understand. What is Richard’s interest in finding a match for Miss Bennet?”
“He likes her very well, but I imagine he sees her as the sister he never had. When he first met her, and I learnt of her circumstances on his behalf, he immediately saw that they could not be a match. She is a gentleman’s daughter, but she has several sisters and no brothers.
Her father’s estate is entailed away from the female line, and her father has not been able to augment the almost insignificant portion she inherits from her mother.
Richard, of course, needs to marry an heiress.
He told me in no uncertain terms that, though he likes the lady very well, they could not be together. ”
Darcy still did not understand how Richard went from analysing a new acquaintance as a potential partner and finding her wanting, to attempting to find a man she could marry. But his aunt seemed inclined to explain further, so he remained silent and listened.
“Now that I have met and spoken with Miss Bennet, I have seen that Richard and Miss Bennet would not have been good together, anyway, which I imagine he has discovered as well. They are much too similar in their manners—which is not necessarily a beneficial thing for a couple—and they do not have many shared interests—which, again, is not for the best.”
Darcy felt a little zing of confirmation to what he had instinctively felt about him and Miss Bennet.
After all, they were quite the opposite in manners, her being easygoing in groups and with strangers, and him being quite reticent, but they were very alike in their interests.
They had found many things to speak of that evening.
Upon further thought, Darcy also agreed with his aunt that Richard and Miss Bennet did not share many interests. He was relieved.
Although Darcy had paid little attention to anyone at all, other than Miss Bennet, from the moment she walked through the parlour door, he had seen an expression on Richard’s face, near the end of the evening, that had drawn his notice.
And a study of his cousin made him wonder if he was experiencing jealousy, possessiveness, and anger.
If so, the inevitable theory was that Richard wished to court Miss Bennet himself.
Which would be distinctly less than ideal.
But apparently it was also not the case.
Aunt Helen was still explaining, “At any rate, Richard likes Miss Bennet well enough that he wished to help her find someone who would be a perfect match for her.”
“So Richard brought Miss Bennet here to meet me?”
“Well, no; he invited her here to meet me, with the idea that I could introduce her to men who are good prospects.”
Darcy felt nothing but joy at her statement.
He would never have supposed that the entire rationale for Miss Bennet’s attendance at a family dinner was his cousin’s desire to help her make an advantageous match…
. Obviously, Richard’s frowns at the end of the evening indicated some physical ailment—perhaps an unsettled stomach or a headache.
His cousin did have a rather unhealthy lifestyle, what with the extent of his alcohol consumption and his frequent visits to brothels.
Darcy tried not to judge such excesses; he knew that Richard had a great many nightmares to exorcise—nightmares foisted upon him and other soldiers by the awful sights and sounds and even smells of warfare.
“Thank you for explaining this, Aunt. Now, will you allow me the privilege of calling on Miss Bennet without your attempting to introduce her to other men?”
“Yes, dear. I saw you and Miss Bennet draw together as if you were kindred spirits. I discussed with Miss Bennet many topics quite extensively over tea, and she is well educated, she reads widely and loves literature, and her opinions show a surprising greatness of mind.”
Darcy smiled. The never-before-experienced feeling that his internal organs had been replaced somehow by a furnace became even stronger. “You must know where the Gardiners reside, then? I wish to call on Miss Bennet tomorrow.”
“I think that you are wise, William, to move swiftly and to be open about your hopes. Miss Bennet is simply marvellous, and Richard mentioned that there are other men already calling on her. You must stake your claim.”
“You sound as if one could claim a woman, as one might claim mineral rights.” Darcy shuddered at the dehumanising thought.
“Forgive me, dear. But do hurry to pay her a call. Here is the Gardiner’s card. I hope you will keep Richard and I informed of your progress.”
Darcy held the calling card in his hand as if it were a treasure. He read the direction, 10 Gracechurch Street, and then he carefully put the card into an inner pocket of his frock coat.
Tomorrow, he promised himself.