Chapter 43 Changes
Darcy found Richard and his newly betrothed sitting on the same garden bench he and Lizzy had occupied earlier that morning. It seemed the perfect place for an unchaperoned couple to have a private talk while remaining in view of the household.
"I hate to interrupt," he said as he came within earshot of them. The two on the bench jumped slightly in surprise. Richard quickly turned to face Darcy. The slight expression of annoyance on his face quickly turned to worry when he saw his cousin's serious look.
"What has happened?" Richard asked.
"An express has arrived from your father. Mr. Bennet asked me to find you and bring you back to his study, so he only has to go over the information once. From something he said, I would think Miss Lucas should come along. As your betrothed, what affects you will also affect her."
Richard looked at Darcy sharply. "I agree with the sentiment, but what makes you think this will be of that kind of impact?" Miss Lucas also looked at Darcy with concern.
"As I was leaving the study, Mr. Bennet was speaking to himself and said something about even more change being in the air.
We had just been discussing your betrothal along with an implied reference to your necessary transition from military to civilian life.
Given the express is from your father, it is not much of a jump to infer the content will have some important effect on you. "
Richard huffed out a breath of air in frustration. "As if we do not have enough going on between Wickham, Collins and Aunt Catherine, now I have a sneaking suspicion my brother has been up to something unsavory."
"Well, let us go and find out," Darcy suggested. As they began to make their way slowly back to the house, with Richard providing his betrothed with steady support, Darcy asked, "Miss Lucas, are your parents still here?"
"No," she replied. "Mother wanted to spread news of my betrothal far and wide. Father had to leave with her or face having to walk home, something he prefers not to do."
Nodding acknowledgment of her response, Darcy asked, "Are you an only child?" He wanted to know a little more about this woman who would soon be his cousin by marriage. If he knew Richard, the wedding would probably take place within the month.
"I have a younger sister, Maria, who is the same age as Lydia," she told him. "They will come out together next year. I also have a brother, William, who is just ten years of age. Father has him preparing to go off to school soon."
"I hope he enjoys the experience more than I did," Darcy said. "Thankfully, Richard was there, so I did not feel entirely alone. Of course, much of that was my own fault. I have never felt comfortable meeting new people, so I did not put myself out but rather waited for others to come to me."
"You have not seemed too shy to me," she said. "Perhaps you just need to rescue a member of the company from danger to feel more relaxed and open. You were talkative enough in the breakfast room this morning."
"I did not realize you two were aware of anything beyond each other," he teased just as they reached the door to the study. Miss Lucas blushed, but Richard winked and smirked.
"Ah, good, you brought Charlotte," Bennet said as they entered the room.
In the time Darcy had been gone someone, probably Lizzy, had brought the chair around from behind the desk and arranged it with the others in a comfortable grouping, moving the table with the chessboard and its uncompleted game off to the side.
On seeing her friend enter as well, Lizzy retrieved a tall footstool from a corner, placing it with the group of chairs and sitting down on it with an expression that said she was firmly settled and would brook no argument.
As Richard helped Miss Lucas to sit, Darcy claimed the chair nearest to Lizzy.
When they were all settled, Bennet said, "Richard, as Mr. Darcy knows, your father originally planned to visit London for at least part of the Season.
He never made it, however, as he was detained at Randbrook looking after repairs necessitated by winter storm damage.
It was nothing terribly serious, just a project that ended up taking longer than expected.
He was just finishing up when he learned that his father and James had left London suddenly, headed for Scotland. "
Richard interrupted, exclaiming, "But Grandfather never leaves London while parliament is still in session!"
"Exactly," said Bennet. "That was what had your father so concerned.
He sent some men to town and to the Earl's estate to see if he could find out more.
The early reports he received indicated that there was a problem at the small Scottish estate the Earl purchased a few years back as an investment and to give James some responsibility and property to manage. "
"My father wrote to me about that," Richard said, and Darcy nodded. His uncle had told him as well. "He thought it was a good idea to pull James back from all the idle time he was spending with his high-flying cronies."
"It apparently helped. Your brother settled down a bit and took an interest in the estate when your grandfather tied the amount of income James would receive from it to the improvements in profit that came from how actively he managed it."
"That sounds like the best way to appeal to James," Darcy observed. "What went wrong?"
There was no hint of humor in Bennet's face or voice as he replied. "The first reports and the information that prompted their northward trip suggested some kind of severe flood damage at the estate."
"Spring flooding, you mean?" Richard asked.
"That was your father's thought at first, but the express that arrived today says that was only part of the picture.
Oh, Richard, you should also know that your father sent word to Darcy House, but since he did not know exactly when you were due to return, he said he would rely on your cousin or me, whichever of us saw you first, to pass on the news. "
"It is unfortunate the estate is having trouble, but you make it sound like the news my father sent is far more serious," Richard said.
Bennet nodded. "It is. I will not keep you in suspense. The most important information in today's express is that your grandfather and brother are dead. Your father is now the Earl, and you, Richard, are now Viscount Rand"
"What?" all four of those listening said in unison, along with scattered expressions of "How?" and "Why?" immediately following.
"From what Richard's father says, the estate is in a valley under a steep hillside.
Their water needs are served by a lake in a deep depression near the top of the hill.
To help regulate the flow of water, the lake is dammed at a height to contain the normal spring overflow and reduce any flooding even if the water is higher.
The initial damage which prompted the visit from the Earl and James was caused by an unexpected break in the dam that allowed a large volume of melt water to suddenly escape.
When they arrived, in addition to starting repairs on the estate, they set a team of men to work repairing the dam.
It was not clear if the workmen triggered a deeper problem or if it would have happened anyway, but two nights after the work began, there was a great shaking of the earth and half the lake bed, along with all the remaining water, slid down atop what was left of the estate buildings.
The house in which Richard's grandfather and brother slept toppled.
They were later found in the ruins. The men sent to investigate made arrangements to bring them back to Matlock for burial, sending word on ahead. "
Richard looked stunned. "I thought Grandfather would live forever," he said, "although I sometimes wondered about James, given his reckless habits. I certainly never expected this, though."
"Nor I," Darcy agreed.
"Viscount Rand?" Richard said softly after a moment of silence. "No matter what I thought of James, that was never a part of my plan." Miss Lucas reached over and took his hand.
"No one here doubts that, Richard," Bennet said, "just as I am sure none of us doubts you will do the title proud. Will you hear a suggestion from your godfather?"
"Of course, sir," Richard replied.
"Your father has not yet announced the deaths, and no one here will know unless you tell them.
My suggestion is that you marry Charlotte without delay, even as early as tomorrow if Mr. Timmons will issue you a common license.
You are well enough known here that he probably will, since Charlotte is a lifetime resident.
It may cause a slight scandal to marry so quickly after your betrothal, but you can claim you are needed back in town to resolve a matter surrounding your commission and could not bear to wait until your return after having waited for each other so long.
Most will believe it. I think it best, and I am certain your father will agree, that you face the challenges ahead as a united couple. "
Richard looked to Miss Lucas, who said. "Mother will be disappointed not to have a wedding big enough to top Jane's but having me safely married will probably make up for that. What will we do after that to make the story look true?
"You are welcome to stay at Darcy House," Darcy offered.
"It will place you in London for a time and then, when the deaths are announced, Richard can claim to have quickly resolved the issue with his commission, leaving you free to rejoin us here in time for Miss Bennet's wedding.
" He turned to Bennet. "There is no reason the wedding would be delayed for mourning, is there?
You are my uncle's friend but not a relative. "
"Correct. That is a good resolution, and it would also place Richard a little closer to Rosings Park in order to keep an eye on your aunt."
"I will hire some men when I get into town to observe her movements even more closely than we have been," Richard said.
"I still worry about the timing," Miss Lucas said. "People will figure out that we learned about the deaths and will say I acted as a fortune-hunter."
"Do not worry about that. Truly, Charlotte, it would be best for you to be Mrs. Fitzwilliam before anyone realizes you are Lady Rand," Lizzy told her friend.
"Those who count will know you are not marrying him for the title either way but being married before the news breaks will prevent most of that kind of gossip. "
"Do you think your parents will agree?" Richard asked Miss Lucas.
"We should tell my father the truth, at least," she said.
Richard nodded. It was clear to Darcy that his cousin was still shocked by his sudden acquisition of a title, not to mention the unexpected loss of his grandfather and brother but had put some of that aside as he donned his military strategist’s persona.
"So," Richard said, "I think I shall use Wickham's horse and go track down Sir William. Charlotte, did he mention whether he would have your mother drop him back at the house or if he was going with her?"
"My father loves to gossip and is very pleased with the news, but that kind of errand is more than he can stand. I am fairly certain he is back at our house."
"Good. I will be able to have a private discussion with him and get his written permission for our marriage to take with me to Mr. Timmons.
If the vicar is available tomorrow, we will marry then.
If not, we will marry as soon as is possible.
Mr. Bennet, would you write in response to my father and send it express? "
"The messenger is waiting to carry a reply," Bennet answered. "Mr. Darcy and I will take care of communication with your father."
"Charlotte and I will make plans for the wedding," Lizzy volunteered. "Quiet ones that do not involve my mother." The others laughed.
"But can you do it without talking?" Darcy asked her and then winked.
She rolled her eyes at him but answered, "We can do it without talking in Mama's presence, at least until Mr. Jones arrives."
Mr. Bennet waved his daughter off saying, "Very good then. Lizzy, you take Charlotte upstairs and make your plans. Mr. Darcy, if you will arrange the chairs we can each use a side of the desk for writing to your uncle. Richard, is there anything more you wish me to add?"
Richard helped Miss Lucas stand, kissed her cheek and then passed her off to Lizzy to be helped from the room. He moved the chair in which he had been sitting back behind the desk for Bennet to use as he thought about what to say to his father.
"I know you will convey my reaction better than I can describe it, and between you all the recent events will be covered.
Of course, he will be overwhelmed with work and worry, so please assure him I will help shoulder those burdens as soon as I may.
This change also gives us a new weapon against Aunt Catherine of which I would like you to remind him.
Of course, he has probably already thought of it.
While he will still have no direct control over her or her finances, as the Earl and head of the family he can bring social pressures to bear on her that were not available to him when he was just her brother, the Viscount.
He may be able to curb some of her activities. "
"Good point," agreed Bennet. "Anything else?"
"Just…" Richard stopped, looked at the two men and then glanced towards the door of the study through which Lizzy and Miss Lucas had already disappeared. He shook his head. "No. You know what to say," he finished.
Bennet nodded. "Good luck with your tasks."
"And try not to overtire that poor horse as you gallop out your emotions," Darcy warned with a smirk. "After all, he is Wickham's horse and just might balk at a jump or toss you in the river."
"Hmm, I will keep that in mind," Richard said. He gave Bennet and Darcy a long, searching look, and then, without another word, he turned and headed out to see to his errands.