Chapter Twenty-Six
Darcy knew his cousin disapproved of his choice, and he was not willing to hear him. He had been avoiding being alone with Richard since his announcement on Friday, and Richard had ignored him, in his way, but Darcy knew that his cousin would eventually have his say.
He sat at his desk, writing a letter to his solicitor about the marriage settlement. They would settle upon a date soon, but there was much to be done first.
Georgiana and Priscilla were overjoyed when Darcy returned from Hawthorne Vale with his news.
Richard, wishing to expel his disapproval but unwilling to upset their ward, had stalked from the room and left for a long ride when Darcy told his sister of his engagement, then that night Richard rang for a tray in his room.
Darcy knew his cousin’s ways well, and was aware that Richard was chewing over every argument he wished to make, and when he finally spoke, he would be forceful and critical.
Richard had practically quivered in rage through the reading of the banns, and Darcy was half surprised that Richard did not lodge an objection in the middle of church, though on what merit, he could not imagine.
Darcy sanded the letter and set it aside to begin one to his uncle as Richard finally entered his study. “Close the door, cousin. If you are finally prepared to voice your complaints, let us do it in private.”
Richard obeyed with a grim expression as Darcy set aside his pen and gave his cousin his full attention.
“Let me hear your objection to my choice of a bride this time. You really are too forward with your opinions and too picky about what I ought to do, Richard. I do not know what you mean by such interest. It seems you do not wish for me to marry anybody.”
“You might have thought to inform your own cousin you were even thinking of taking such a step,” Richard challenged him. “Your wife will be an influence upon our ward.”
“That does not give you the right to select my bride or for me to choose yours.” Darcy raised a brow. “You are not entitled to prior notice of my private decisions. You barely speak to me. Why would I confide in you?”
“I am entitled to concern for my family, Darcy!” Richard objected.
“I have no idea what you are concerned about, but it is not your family.” Darcy shook his head and sat back in his chair, folding his hands.
“I am concerned for your duty,” said Richard “You are the widower of Anne de Bourgh. Her betrothed of long expectation. Her husband, and the incumbent of her estate. When Anne died–”
“You will not speak of Anne as though she were a ledger of obligation!” Darcy barked sharply.
“She was our cousin, Richard. Not a legacy. Anne was a person, which was why I married her when you refused. To give her the freedom of being a person without fear before she died. I have not a single regret.”
“I am certain you do not,” Richard said smugly.
“Not now that your holdings have increased by nearly half. The woman you marry will bear and mother the child who will inherit not only Pemberley and the name of Darcy and the connection to the Fitzwilliams, but the fortune and lands you received from Anne. Rosings Park. All of it. You owe it to Anne, to your family, to your position, to your sister, to marry accordingly.”
“I have chosen accordingly, and allow me to inform you that I will marry Elizabeth or no one.” Darcy glared at Richard. “If she does not bear my heirs, then I will have none.”
“Family in trade…related by marriage to Wickham of all people, and the damned parson…connections that border on scandal…what can you be thinking, Darcy!”
“Richard, you will speak of her with respect, or you will leave Pemberley entirely.” Darcy’s tone was forbidding. “If you were going to worship Anne from the grave, you ought to have just married her when she asked you,”
“I am not so easily persuaded by fortune as some,” Richard retorted. “It would have been a mockery of her feelings.”
“If Anne’s fortune were important to me, I would have married her years earlier, the match would have been celebrated by everyone except my parents, and my parents are dead, so their opinions hardly matter.
” Darcy refused to be tarnished as a fortune hunter.
“My happiness is not a trifle to be weighed against your expectations.”
“You are a terrible guardian, Darcy, and I will not allow you to influence Georgiana any further. I will take her to Matlock, and she will live under the protection of my parents.”
“Now see here!” Georgiana and Priscilla spilled through the door in outrage. “Cousin, how dare you!”
“Georgiana, how dare you eavesdrop?” Fitzwilliam chided before his sister interrupted him.
“No one needs to eavesdrop, when they are passing in the hall and a young lady can hear her own future being used in an argument.” Priscilla smoothed her gown.
“It is no surprise that your ear-splitting threats made her forget herself. Be quiet if you like privacy. This is not the battlefield, Richard, you have returned to us a barbarian.”
“You should not hear this, Prissy.” Darcy was chagrined as he appraised his sister and cousin.
“But we have, and I feel obliged to speak,” replied Priscilla.
“Of course you do.” Fitzwilliam crossed the room, opened a cabinet, and proceeded to pour himself a brandy.
“Brother, everyone in the family likes Elizabeth very well.” Priscilla lifted her chin. “Mama and Papa admire her. Even Ashley enjoys her company. She suits Darcy well, and brings him out of himself.”
“Not everyone,” Richard cackled, turning around as he swirled his brandy in the bottom of his glass.
“There is one member of our family who will positively detest Miss Bennet. And she is on her way north as we speak. An express arrived yesterday, stating her intention to arrive at Matlock tomorrow.”
“You cannot mean…” Priscilla trailed off in disbelief. “Even you would not stoop so low!”
“Whatever do you mean, Richard?” Georgiana gazed at her guardian in perplexity.
Richard did not hesitate. “You confided in me, Cousin. You confessed to me their illicit courtship, and your brother’s disgusting use of you as a messenger. How your attachment to this woman was encouraged without propriety, without reserve, because it served your brother’s purposes.”
“Richard!” Priscilla was scandalised.
“Cousin,” Darcy warned in rising anger.
“And I wrote to Lady Catherine to warn her of what is quite obviously a dangerous attachment.” Richard finished.
“I did not say any of it that way, Brother! I swear I did not!” Georgiana burst into tears. “I would never imply–”
“Of course you would not, Sister. Richard has taken your confidence and twisted it against you, and against me.” Darcy growled.
“To make it sound vulgar and improper, but no one who is truly acquainted with Miss Bennet or with me could ever believe his vile lies. You had better not speak such slander in front of your mother, Richard. Aunt Eleanor will wash your mouth out with soap as she did when we were boys.”
“There has been nothing improper about Darcy and Elizabeth’s courtship, for I have observed it,” Priscilla informed her brother.
“What would you know about propriety?” Richard turned on his sister.
The sharp crack that sounded through the room was shockingly loud as Priscilla slapped her brother soundly across the face. Georgiana gasped, quite obviously terrified.
“And I believe that is why Priscilla and Georgie ought not have heard this.” Darcy stepped in between his two cousins and began to herd Priscilla and Georgiana to the door.
“This is not a conversation for ladies, because men have dreadful tempers and say the most abominable things. Sister, Cousin, please return upstairs for the evening. I cannot stand between everyone all night. I must go to the parsonage and speak with Elizabeth. We must leave in the morning and journey to Matlock.”
When the ladies were gone, Darcy turned on his cousin in frustration. “You had no right. No right to interfere in my affairs, and no right to insult your sister. I would like to hit you myself.”
“It is your own fault for keeping secrets,” Richard admonished. “Secrets always sound scandalous. It is all of your own making, Darcy.”
“She has four sisters, Richard, all of whom were marrying one after the other, the last two on the very same day. Her father prevented us from seeing one another in town. You have met Mrs Bingley. Elizabeth wanted to be away from that woman’s interference, and not to cause more stir in the midst of the weddings of her sisters.
We were hardly exchanging love letters, just happy regards to one another through my sister while Elizabeth was waiting to return to London.
You have implicated my sister in scandal, which you manufactured out of nothing, over innocent greetings that Lady Jersey would not raise an eyebrow at. ”
“Where are you going?” Richard asked as Darcy started to leave the room.
“Have you heard nothing I said?” Darcy stopped and regarded his cousin in astonishment.
“We must go to Matlock tomorrow. Elizabeth and I were attempting to plan a short journey to Kent with Mr and Mrs Collins to meet with Lady Catherine and to ask for her blessing, and now you have made it all appear sordid! Damn you!”
“I did not realise you were planning to visit Rosings.” Richard suddenly looked uncertain of his deeds.
“Why do you think we have not chosen a date?” Darcy asked in disgust. “If I had my way, we would marry the day after the last banns are read, but Elizabeth and I both wished to give my mother-in-law the respect that is her due, and invite her to the wedding before anyone else.”
“Lady Catherine will still be furious, no matter how it was presented to her.” Richard sounded very uncertain now. “She will never be pleased unless she chose your bride herself.”