Chapter 6
Darcy
Visits with Richard followed a pattern for two days: Darcy handled the early-morning post, then went for a mid-morning visit to his cousin.
Returning to have luncheon with Georgiana and hear her report of her morning’s lessons and pianoforte practice, he then returned to the hospital in the afternoon, with Georgiana, for a longer visit.
The fourth day he was in London, Darcy sent a private messenger to Longbourn in the early morning.
He had sent a letter to Elizabeth every day, by post, but so far he had only received a single letter in return.
That letter included the surprising and somewhat uncomfortable news that Bingley had invited his particular friends to Netherfield, supposedly to support and honour him and Richard.
Elizabeth had also written quite explicitly about how strongly she missed him. He had read the second half of her letter so often, he had learnt it by heart.
Of course he longed for another letter from Elizabeth, but his reason to use a private messenger instead of the post had nothing to do with his need to hear from her.
Instead, he wished to send a gift: a fancy box of comfits and candied fruits.
He wrote a newsy letter about Richard’s recovery, which she could share with her family, and a private letter in which he told her how pleased he was that Richard was in love—with someone other than her—and that Richard had shared that he was determined to make Miss Garrett his wife.
A part of the private letter was very, very private, and it did not concern the love Richard had for Miss Garrett, but instead the boundless love Darcy had for Elizabeth.
“Give the gift and letter directly to Miss Elizabeth Bennet, no other,” he instructed his messenger. “Even if you have to wait all day. Also, please ask Miss Elizabeth if she wishes to send a reply.”
Having sent the messenger on his way, Darcy dealt with letters of business and then rode to the hospital. He planned to inform Richard that he must soon return to Hertfordshire and his bride.
But that is not what occurred.
As soon as Darcy reached the infirmary, he realised that something was wrong. Miss Garrett was in attendance of his cousin, as was often the case, but the two seemed to be engaged in a quiet argument—they looked upset, but whatever they were saying to one another was whispered.
Darcy approached slowly, feeling awkward. Finally he stopped, not certain that either had noticed him.
After several moments of lurking, Miss Garrett said in a flat voice, “Mr Darcy.” Then she got up and bustled away as if she had been called away to another patient.
Richard looked up at Darcy, his face carefully blanked but his eyes displaying pain.
Darcy hurried closer to Richard and asked, “What has occurred?”
Richard sneered and said, “You may have noticed that second sons are essentially homeless, destined to go from brother’s home to friend’s estate, to parents’ home, to cousin’s positively palatial manor house on extensive grounds.”
“I have offered….”
Richard sent him a look that pierced him through with its venom. “I do not wish to take charity from a friend or relation.”
“But, Richard, if you think about it, inheritance is just like what you are speaking of, is it not? I did not earn Pemberley or the other estates and properties; instead I received them as a sort of gift—one could say, even, a charitable gift, from my relations.”
That stopped Richard. He looked so thoughtful and remained so silent, Darcy was positive he was thinking his statement over to see if he could poke holes in the proposition—or if, indeed, he should accept it.
He eventually seemed to come to the conclusion that Darcy was correct and gave him a genuine smile.
Darcy asked, “Why are you thinking about such things right now? Should you not be putting all of your energy towards healing?”
“My parents,” Richard bit off, immediately reverting to a condition of towering rage.
“They came in this morning trying to shoo away Miss Garrett, saying that I cannot possibly marry her. She is the daughter of a gentleman, and she has been better educated than any woman I know—better, by far, than myself!—but because she has no prospects of inheritance and no dowry, she is worthless in their eyes.” His nostrils flared as he recalled what his parents had said.
Darcy was stunned. Would his Uncle Henry and Aunt Helen really behave this way? He protested, “Aunt Helen is very supportive of my upcoming marriage to Elizabeth Bennet, and she has nothing of property or dowry, either.”
“You do not need fortune nor an estate; you already have both. That was their point, which they made over and over again, in front of Miss Garrett. I—I need not tell you how awful it was for me—but who cares about my feelings? I tell you, Miss Garrett was quite humiliated and angry.”
“I am sorry they did that to you both, Richard.”
“And, honestly, some of her anger at my parents and at society in general spilled over to anger at me, which is quite unfair—and so now we are at sixes and sevens.”
Darcy said, carefully, “Do I have your permission to try to bring peace amongst the parties? I could speak to Miss Garrett, and your parents, and once we decide on an estate where you can raise horses, as your passion dictates—once that is done, I will organise paperwork that proves you have a home and an income that could support a wife. Naturally, I would check everything with you before I would do any or all of that.”
Richard gave a huge sigh. He said, “Locate Miss Garrett, if you please. You are far quicker on your feet just now than I, and she said she will quit her work here and run off somewhere, and it will be harder to speak with her if we allow her to go very far.”
“I will do my very best. Any specific words I should relay from you to her?”
“Tell her that I love her so very dearly.”
Darcy nodded. “I will return as soon as I am able.”
It was not at all difficult to find the lady, it turned out.
After he crossed the infirmary and looked into the corridor, he asked another nurse where he could find Miss Garrett.
She directed him to a particular wing of the next building over, and when he hurried to the location, he almost walked into her as they both sharply turned a corner, moving in opposite directions.
“I am so terribly sorry for almost running into you,” Darcy said.
She laughed and replied, “You are no more guilty than I am.”
“May I speak with you, somewhere we can be seen but not overheard?”
Miss Garrett immediately nodded and led him to an elevated platform overlooking the several buildings of the hospital. Darcy saw for the first time that there was construction going on, and his eyes widened as he grasped the size of the project.
The lady laughed again and said, “Well, what did you wish to say?”
“Obviously, Richard sent me. He wished to chase you down himself, but he was certain that he had not yet mastered the hobbling speed necessary. At any rate, he said that he loves you ‘so very dearly,’ and he does not wish to have you quit the hospital, leaving him to heal without you, because then he would have to chase all over the country and perhaps the world to find you.”
Her face softened. “Did he not know that I would not actually run away from my duties?”
“I am not certain how serious his fear was, madam, but I see every evidence of his determination to court and marry you. But I have to admit that I have another reason to chase you, Miss Garrett. You see, I have long wished to offer a property to Richard, but he has always claimed it as charity, and he will not take charity. However, now that he is compelled to sell his commission with the army, due to his injuries, and now that he has a woman he wishes to marry, he is seeing the wisdom of accepting help. If you will agree to speak with him and me, we can make arrangements that disregard the disapprobation of his parents.”
Miss Garrett shook her head, but she still wore an amused smile. “Charity, eh? Well, of course I will speak with you. Could I do so tomorrow afternoon? I truly do have duties to which I must attend.”
Darcy felt a pang. He had hoped to leave for Hertfordshire the next morning, but…. There was still a week and a half before the wedding. He supposed he should write to Elizabeth and put off his leave-taking by a day or two so that he could help his cousin.
That afternoon’s visit, Richard and Darcy poured over maps and survey reports, tenancy agreements and written descriptions of various properties that Darcy could sell or lease to Richard.
Both men had interrupted their work only briefly to greet the countess, when she arrived; Darcy had tried hard to be as warm as usual to his aunt to offset Richard’s distinct coolness towards his mother.
Georgiana took one look at her Aunt Helen’s confused and hurt expression, and she apparently adopted a mission that Darcy would never have dreamt of assigning to her: she sat near her aunt and began murmuring something with her most earnest expression.
He did not feel he should intrude on whatever was happening, but he had a hunch that his sister was explaining how very hurtful it was for a lady brought up by gentlefolk to be treated as someone to be spurned or avoided, not because of her character or manners, but because of her family’s circumstances.
The results confirmed his supposition. The countess, with tears in her eyes, approached Richard and apologised for what she and the earl had said and how they had behaved that morning.
She begged his forgiveness, which he said he gave—but as he did not even kiss her cheek, Darcy could not be positive how sincere that “forgiveness” was.
When Aunt Helen walked away, determined to track down Miss Garrett in order to apologise to her, too, Darcy could only marvel at Georgiana’s new boldness.
On the carriage ride home, Darcy expressed to Georgiana how proud he was of her.
When he arrived back at home, Darcy expected a letter from Elizabeth, because the personal messenger he had sent that morning ought to have returned. But he discovered that he had three letters from Elizabeth, two of which had come by post.
Darcy eagerly read his letters in order, from oldest to most recent.
Dinner had to be delayed because Darcy lost track of time while he revelled in Elizabeth’s witty narration of her days and savoured her words of love.
He was exceptionally glad that he had read the letters in the privacy of his own bed chamber because of his response to Elizabeth’s… expressiveness.
Although dinner began a bit late, Darcy finished the meal more quickly than usual. He made his excuses to Georgiana and hurried back to his bed chamber to write a long, emotional letter to his intended.
After informing Elizabeth how Richard’s parents had angered Miss Garrett and Richard, Darcy went on to proudly describe how Georgiana had stepped up in their defence.
He summarised the many arguments Richard and he had waged in the past regarding the possibility of Darcy helping his cousin—and how Richard’s pride dictated that he not accept even the smallest gesture of aid.
Of course Darcy then related how he had finally managed to convince Richard that help was not charity and that accepting help—or even charity!
—was not a degradation. Bemoaning the fact that he could not consult with her regarding the plans they were making, Darcy wrote, “the properties Richard and I are discussing belong to you as well as me, after all, and if it were possible, I would have you be a part of the conversation.”
Darcy apologised for delaying his return and renewed his promise to be back at least a few days before the wedding.
Then, of course, Darcy could not help himself responding to the more tender portions of Elizabeth’s letters.
When he was done with his letter, it was so many pages long, he decided that it must be sent by private messenger, as well.
He would, of course, use a different young man and a different mount to make the journey that he so dearly wished to make himself.
Although Darcy was convinced it would be difficult to achieve sleep that night, all the emotions of the day had been quite exhausting, and he almost instantly found himself peacefully asleep, dreaming of Elizabeth and him enacting some of the activities hinted at in their letters.