Chapter 30 Enlightenment
Darcy looked up from his book in surprise on hearing the light tap at the study door.
He was not expecting visitors that afternoon, and it was unlikely Bingley had just dropped by for a chat.
Darcy knew his friend was scheduled to have dinner with Miss Mary and her family and was probably already with them.
Although he and Bingley did not discuss any specifics, Darcy knew he had visited with Miss Mary several times in the last three weeks and was even talking about leasing an estate near her home so he could continue to visit after she left London to attend her oldest sister's wedding in a few weeks.
Putting down the book, Darcy indicated that the servant should enter. One of the footmen opened the door.
"Colonel Fitzwilliam is here to see you, sir. He has brought his bags and hopes to stay," the man said.
"Truly?" Darcy asked brightly. "Show him in right away!" he added excitedly, without waiting for the man to answer. "Oh, and have a room made ready for him."
"Yes, sir," said the footman before swiftly disappearing to do his master's bidding. A few minutes later, Darcy was up out of his seat and enthusiastically greeted his cousin almost before he entered the room.
"Richard!" he exclaimed. "It has been so long. I can hardly believe you are here!" What began as a handshake turned into an embrace as he welcomed the man who he considered to be almost a brother.
Grinning, Richard returned the embrace, giving his cousin a hearty thump on the back before stepping apart so they could get a look at each other. Despite the grin, Darcy thought his cousin looked worn and weary, although he appeared uninjured.
"How are you, Will?" Richard asked, his voice seeming to fill the tiny study.
"I was amazed when Father wrote that you were in London and said you had been since January.
I thought you would be back at Pemberley, seeing to the planting.
After all, you had declared you would have nothing to do with the London Season until Georgiana comes out next year or the year after. "
"It is not at all like me, I know," Darcy admitted, "but I have a good reason. I will explain shortly. For now, sit down and tell me, is it true? Do you really plan to leave the military and take up the far safer life of a landowner?"
Richard's expression grew serious as he took the seat his cousin indicated. The weariness Darcy noted earlier was much more visible now. Darcy quickly poured a drink, and Richard solemnly nodded as he accepted the glass.
"Yes, it is true," he confirmed. He took a sip of the drink before he continued. Although he smiled slightly at the intense relief that showed on Darcy's face, Richard was clearly ready for a serious talk.
"It was time, Will," he added. "Past time, really.
I have had one too many close calls and lost one too many close friends to that interminable war.
You have no idea what it is like out there, and I cannot even begin to describe it.
I know it was what I wanted to do, and I have served to the best of my ability, yet one can only continue under such conditions for so long. "
"You have not been injured, have you?" Darcy asked.
"Not seriously enough to matter, not physically, anyway.
It is just...well, I had an experience, a very close call, just before I left Portugal that taught me how important it is to let those you love know about it before it is too late.
There is someone I care for deeply and who has, I think, been waiting years for me to acknowledge the connection between us.
It is long past time to tell her how I feel and part of that is leaving the military behind me so it can no longer divide us. "
"I suspected you might be thinking of marriage. Who is she?" Will asked as he settled back into his chair.
Shaking his head, Richard responded, "No, I will not name her yet. It is only right that I speak with her first. Even if she decides against me, it is time for me to move on to other things, other challenges. I have already submitted the paperwork. I am now on leave until it is fully processed."
"That is wonderful news, and I hope the lady in question will give you the answer you wish. I expect your father will be over the moon with delight when you tell him you are retiring. Do you think it will finally heal things between you?"
At that, Richard chuckled although his voice was serious when he asked, "Can I trust you, Will?"
"What do you mean?" Darcy asked uncertainly. "You can trust me with your life. You should know that."
"Ah, but it is not only my life that would be affected should you fail to keep what I am about to tell you secret. Can I trust you to keep silent? Even if you disagree with my reasoning?" There was no hint of humor in Richard's voice now. He pinned Darcy with his gaze.
After a thoughtful pause, Darcy said, "You can.
I will respect your confidences whatever they may be.
I have recently learned that much I thought was true is not and I suspect you have the answers to many of my questions.
I will try to keep an open mind as I listen.
Whether I agree or not, I will not betray your trust."
Richard continued to look searchingly at his cousin. Darcy returned his gaze steadily. Finally, Richard looked away as he took a sip of his drink.
"Very well," he said a moment later. "I will trust you with it all." He swirled the remainder of his drink in the glass, watching the light from the window and the nearby table lamp play in the moving liquid.
Darcy remained silent as he waited for his cousin to continue. He had a strange feeling that all of life's secrets were somehow about to be revealed to him. He did not wish to miss a word.
"We never were at odds, Father and I," Richard said at last, "although we worked hard to make sure James, Grandfather and especially Aunt Catherine thought we were."
Darcy stared at him. The news was surprising, but he did not feel as surprised as he thought he ought to be. Then a question hit him.
"Why Grandfather?" he asked.
Richard chuckled, and this time his expression brightened into a real smile.
"You cannot imagine how glad I am to hear that is your first question instead of many others you could have asked.
There is hope for you, Will. So, Grandfather had to be convinced because he is in too tightly with James, and he has never been as good as he thinks he is about keeping secrets. "
"Why was it so important for Aunt Catherine to think that you and your father had disagreed?" Darcy asked after he had digested the first answer.
The serious look returned to Richard's face.
"I know you may not agree with me, and with Father, for that matter, since he is the one who taught me.
Family ties and all that implies cannot change the fact that Aunt Catherine is a scheming old witch.
She has plans...for you, for me, for Georgiana, for Anne, for the Bennet family and for many others.
She is easily offended and when she takes offense, she plots revenge without any possibility of forgiveness, no matter what good sense might say of the matter. "
"Or she makes decisions regardless of the wishes of the other parties involved, like her insistence that Anne and I should marry?" Darcy asked.
"Exactly. Of course, you know that is all about gaining power over Pemberley and circumventing Uncle George's dictate that she is allowed no control over Georgiana's future."
Darcy nodded. "Yes, she has already hinted that she would be a frequent visitor once I come to my senses and marry her daughter."
Laughing, Richard said, "Visitor? I imagine she would be firmly in residence before you and Anne returned from the wedding tour."
"I will not marry Anne," Darcy said quietly. His thoughts were on Miss Elizabeth.
Richard raised his glass in salute. "Anne will not marry you," he said before taking another sip.
A sudden realization hit Darcy. "Is there someone else she hopes to marry?" he asked.
Richard nodded. "I believe there is. I will not say who for now, but there is much Aunt Catherine does not even suspect about her own daughter."
"I have known that much for a while," Darcy said. "Why did you and Uncle Peter pretend to be at odds? What purpose could that serve? And Uncle and Mr. Bennet were only pretending to be at odds as well, were they not?"
"Ah, so you figured that out, did you?" Richard grinned. "Well, the simple answer is that we gave Aunt Catherine what appeared to be a victory over us and in doing so, we prevented her from taking more harmful or even permanent means to gain her ends."
Will shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "Wait, you have been pretending to have broken with your father for over ten years to prevent our aunt from...what, exactly?"
Looking down at his nearly empty glass, Richard replied, "I told you, she has plans.
Ten, well, eleven years ago I was interfering with those plans, as was my father.
When we told your father about George Wickham and Uncle George acted, she was furious at being thwarted in her plans for you.
When she offered to buy my commission, Father and I both knew she was really attempting to drive a wedge between us and to purchase my affection, or my cooperation, much the same way as she had bribed James years before. "
"She bribed James? How?" Even as he asked, Darcy offered to refill Richard's glass, but his cousin declined with a wave of his hand.
"She sent him gifts regularly, especially gifts of money, on the understanding he would spy for her.
He does not really care for her, but he likes the extra funds.
She still has him on an allowance and encourages him to report on Father's actions and anything he hears about me.
So, we make sure he hears what we want her to hear. "
"She never offered me any kind of bribe," Darcy objected.