Chapter 17
Though his cousin Richard was usually a most welcome guest at Pemberley, Darcy found himself looking forward to the colonel’s Christmas visit with mixed emotions.
They were due several conversations, each of which Darcy suspected would prove equally a hardship and a considerable relief.
There was the prospect of introducing Fitzwilliam to Elizabeth, which inspired a mix of pride in his wife and distress at the circumstances of their wedding.
There was the uncertain state of the marriage, in which his regard for his wife seemed to grow apace with his doubts of whether it was returned.
Most of all, there was the unsettling question she had posed to him, the question of whether the Wickhams ought to be welcomed back to Pemberley. Darcy could not yet say whether the idea inspired more disgust at the idea of receiving Wickham, or longing at the thought of seeing Georgiana again.
Then, of course, there was Elizabeth’s fear-induced swoon and its aftermath — one topic he did not intend to canvas with his cousin.
“You are sure you feel well enough to receive our guest?” Darcy asked as they retired to the drawing room after their supper. Having arrived at Pemberley as supper was already underway, Fitzwilliam had elected not to join them.
To his relief, Elizabeth flashed him a smile that seemed wholly effortless. “Yes, I am quite recovered, I assure you. You need have no concern for me.”
“Very well. If you are sure,” he replied. They did not have long to wait in the drawing room, for Fitzwilliam made his appearance.
“Cousin, at last,” he said, reaching out to shake his hand. It had been far too long, and the relief of seeing a trusted and well-loved old friend came crashing in on him all at once. Fitzwilliam beamed at him and shook his hand warmly in return.
“Good to see you, Darcy. Very good indeed.”
“So it is,” Darcy replied. “Elizabeth, allow me to present my cousin and one of my dearest friends, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam.” He turned to his cousin. “Fitzwilliam, this is my wife, Mrs Elizabeth Darcy.”
To his surprise, the colonel did not react with his usual bluff, hearty good cheer. His “How do you do, Mrs Darcy?” was perfectly proper, yet strangely flat and even cold. Odder still, the look he gave Elizabeth was cautious, even wary.
If Elizabeth noticed, it was not evident in her reply.
“Very well, thank you, Colonel Fitzwilliam. How pleased I am to meet you! I shall be very glad to know more of my husband’s family.
” Her manner was all ease and friendliness, full of the warmth his cousin was unaccountably lacking.
Watching her, Darcy found himself smiling with pride.
Now, if only Cousin Richard would unbend a little. “Well, then,” Darcy said with slightly forced heartiness. “It is a cold night, and you must be frozen through with travelling. Let us all get warm by the fire.”
Elizabeth seconded the suggestion at once. His cousin followed them over to the hearth, somewhat hesitantly, and they all settled there.
“How was your journey, Colonel?” Elizabeth began.
“Well enough, considering the state of the roads at this time of year.”
“It was a shame you could not join us for supper. Shall I call for a tray for you?”
“No, please do not trouble yourself, Mrs Darcy. I stopped before sunset and had something at a very fine public house.” Fitzwilliam shifted, glancing at Darcy. “How have you found Pemberley since coming to be its mistress?”
Darcy’s brow furrowed again. That was hardly a fitting way to express his congratulations and his welcome to the family. What was wrong with his cousin? He was normally all ease and charm.
“It was quite an adjustment, I must admit,” Elizabeth said with a good-natured smile. “However, Mr Darcy has been very patient with me, and Reynolds has shown me everything I need to know about how this grand house is to be run.”
After several more exchanges, all equally strained, Elizabeth excused herself in favour of an early night.
“I am sure there is much you two need to catch up on,” she said.
“I am very glad you are here to spend the holidays with us, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Please do not hesitate to let Reynolds or me know if there is anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable.”
Fitzwilliam bowed as Elizabeth turned to go. Darcy could not help but watch her as she walked gracefully from the room. Once she had gone, he turned to Fitzwilliam. “Well, shall we go to the study where it is more comfortable?”
His cousin heartily agreed. Once there, Darcy poured two glasses of brandy, handing one to Fitzwilliam, and they settled in near the crackling fire in the hearth. “Well?” Darcy asked.
“Well, what?” Fitzwilliam asked.
“I have known you all your life, Fitzwilliam. Are you going to pretend I do not know when something is not right with you?” Darcy persisted. “You do not care for my bride. Why?”
Fitzwilliam shifted uncomfortably. “The problem is not that I do not care for her, but rather that I do not know her.” He pinned Darcy with a severe stare. “Neither do you, if we are being honest. You’ve been married to her for little more than a month, after no courtship at all.”
“One cannot truly know another person after so little time, it is true. And I confess I was deeply apprehensive when we first wed. I had intended to be very careful in my selection of a partner in life. But the accident that led to my compromising Elizabeth was far more my fault than hers. I could not do otherwise than to marry her.”
“Precisely,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said, his voice hard. “You felt you could not do otherwise than to marry her, whatever your own plans and inclinations may have been.”
“What on earth do you mean?”
“If I understand correctly, you were walking in a wood, in a place new to you, but which your present wife knew well. Perfectly innocently, you came out of the woods together and were seen by a neighbour, thus leading to the potential ruin of her reputation. And, one must say, you are a man with ten thousand a year, Darcy.”
“That is all perfectly true,” Darcy said warily. “What is your point?”
His cousin expelled a breath. “Is it so certain that this was entirely an accident? I wonder if she may have had designs on your fortune,” he said, flat and brutal. “Much as Wickham had designs on Georgiana’s dowry.”
Darcy felt as though the air had been driven from his lungs, fully unprepared for this affront. Anger welled up in his chest, but he took a steadying breath before he spoke. “I disagree. The circumstances of our compromise and Georgiana’s elopement could not be more different.”
“I do not mean to bring your judgment into question, Darcy. But it is an inescapable thought that she may have heard of your wealth and orchestrated your accidental meeting.” He laughed bitterly, with such evident pain that it brought back all the sleepless nights and hopeless anguish after they had learned that Georgiana was irrevocably in Wickham’s power.
“Though I suppose there is not much that could be done about it now, short of divorce.”
Darcy leaned forward in his chair. “I want you to listen to me carefully. Fitzwilliam,” he began, his voice coldly controlled.
“We will hear no more of this. I know that you have only just met Elizabeth. But she is my wife, and you will afford her the respect she deserves. You may not trust her yet, but trust me when I say she had no hand in our compromise. It was an accident, and that is the end of it.”
“Very well. I will trust you. Had I not been concerned for your well-being, I would never have said a word.”
Darcy sat back. “I assure you, I am well.” Even after so heated a conversation, thinking of his wife brought a smile to his face. “Perhaps even more than well.”
Fitzwilliam’s face lightened into something closer to the cheerful expression it customarily wore.
“I am sorry to have cast doubt, and sorrier still that you have been forced to bear up under our aunt’s visit as you’ve been trying to settle in with your bride.
I assume it has put considerable pressure on Mrs Darcy? ”
“On the contrary. Elizabeth is managing excellently. She has even willingly subjected herself to lessons with Lady Catherine.”
Fitzwilliam gave a surprised laugh. “Lessons? Whatever would our aunt have to teach her? How to be cantankerous? Or condescending?” He took a sip of brandy.
“Do you think it wise to allow our aunt to teach her? Your wife may have started as a sweet girl, but she could end up just as hard and unforgiving as our aunt.”
“I have no fear of that. Elizabeth is unlike anyone I have ever known. She is sweet, but she is also clever and strong-willed. You will soon see that she holds her own with Aunt Catherine. It is extraordinary to watch. She is so kind, while still refusing to be cowed by our obstreperous aunt.”
Fitzwilliam searched his face in silence for a long moment. At last, he spoke. “If I did not know you better, I would say you are falling in love with your accidental wife.”
Darcy tried to keep his emotions from showing on his face. “I cannot deny that I have come to admire her. She is quite extraordinary.”
“Yes, you said that,” he replied dryly. His cousin steepled his fingers under his chin and watched him. Darcy squirmed under his scrutiny. “And you defend her quite passionately. Would it really be so bad to admit that you have fallen in love with her?”