Chapter 39
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
“ I hope you do not mind my family treating Netherfield as an inn,” Fitzwilliam said to Bingley. “Were I not so tired, I might make a joke about enquiring what the rates were.”
They and Darcy were having a drink together in the drawing room, discussing the probability of the earl and countess soon being there. Taking Elizabeth’s advice, he had insisted his cousin accompany him on a long ride; Bingley had joined them. The fresh air had made a little difference, if only by reviving him. Presently, the ladies were ensconced in Georgiana’s chamber.
Bingley laughed awkwardly, his cheeks colouring. “I am glad I have been able to assist in a small way. Please do not concern yourself with your relations visiting. Treat Netherfield as you would your own home. I have been wanting to go to town for a few days. Business, you know, and I need to speak to my sisters. Now that Wickham is gone, I think I shall. Soon. ”
“I do not anticipate my uncle and aunt will remain more than a night, perhaps two.” Darcy looked to Fitzwilliam to see if he agreed. The colonel nodded and guessed that the same would be true of his brother, if he and Rebecca came.
“Oh?” Bingley seemed disappointed; in his position, Darcy would be anxious to be rid of all his guests. “I had hoped to have company for Christmas and the wedding. I would like it to be a jolly affair, lots of friends and family celebrating with us. After these last weeks, that is what we all need. Jane would agree.” His gaze shifted between them, lips parted. “But of course, you might not exactly feel like celebrating…”
“I do,” Fitzwilliam said. “I mean to say, we should rejoice, both at the holiday and your wedding. Georgiana might not be capable of enjoying it, but the rest of us should. First, because he is gone, and second—and more importantly—for the ladies’ sakes. Yours, too, Bingley.”
“Darcy would do the same for me?—”
“We would all do the same for you,” Fitzwilliam insisted. “And not just because you will soon be Darcy’s brother.”
Bingley grinned at Darcy. “Do you know, I have not really considered that. I mean, I knew it, of course, but—well, that is another reason to celebrate!”
Darcy smiled in return. “It is.”
Lord and Lady Romsley arrived at Netherfield several days later. Having been informed they were expected, Elizabeth was downstairs, waiting with Darcy and the colonel. Mr Bingley had taken Jane to Longbourn, where she would remain. Elizabeth stayed at Netherfield to greet the Romsleys and speak to the countess, but she would return home that afternoon, ideally in time for dinner.
The couple were shown into the drawing room, their demeanour reserved until the butler closed the door behind them. As soon as he had, Lady Romsley’s expression became anxious.
“Where is she? How is she?”
The earl added his questions to hers, wanting more detail on what had transpired than Colonel Fitzwilliam had included in his letter. Elizabeth glanced at Darcy, subtly gestured towards his uncle, then stepped in the countess’s direction.
“If you would care to sit, your ladyship, I shall tell you everything,” she said.
“Oh, Elizabeth, my dear.” She patted Elizabeth’s cheek. “I am glad you are here. Will you take me to my niece?”
Elizabeth nodded. “Let us speak for a few minutes first so that I can acquaint you with how she does.”
They sat together on a settee, leaving the three gentlemen to their own conversation.
“Have you been with Georgiana this entire time?” Lady Romsley asked.
“I have. My elder sister was here until this morning. She, like Mr Bingley, has known everything from the beginning, which made her the best person to assist me in caring for Georgiana.” Elizabeth proceeded to provide the countess with an account of Georgiana’s present state. Unfortunately, there had been little change; while she was somewhat less prone to fits of inconsolable sobbing, she slept and ate little, and she was convinced her family hated her, especially her brother. “I am afraid she has refused to see either Darcy or the colonel.” Elizabeth shrugged. “I have not wanted to insist. I do not know that I have that sort of power over her, in any case.”
“But I do. You were right to wait.” The countess asked to be taken to Georgiana’s apartment. “I shall speak to her for a while before changing. I believe—I hope—she will take comfort in my being here. Lady Anne and I were dear friends, and I have been the closest thing to a mother she has known since she was a small child.”
As Elizabeth showed her the way, Lady Romsley explained what she and the earl had decided to do. “Provided my son and nephew agree, that is.” In a day or two, they would take Georgiana to London. When anyone asked where she and Mr Wickham were, Elizabeth and the gentlemen would inform them that he had returned to his work, and Georgiana, still ill but recovering, was being cared for by family in town where she could be closer to him. “I shall try to ensure she is strong enough to be at your wedding. Supposing I succeed, the earl and I shall attend as well, then travel to Romsley Hall with her afterwards. You and Darcy should have time alone. Do not think that just because I have only asked about Georgiana, I fail to understand how much this…business has affected him. You and I shall speak of it before I leave.”
“Of course,” Elizabeth said. “I shall be returning to Longbourn today. My mother will expect it, now that you are here.”
“It was very good of her to let you stay. I am not sure I would have, even with your sister here. It is a trifle…irregular.”
Elizabeth sensed she did not approve. “I do not disagree, but I imagine my mother considered how soon Darcy and I will be wed, combined with his sister being a married lady”— Lady Romsley’s brow arched, and there was a hint of humour in her eyes—“and, most importantly, she trusts that I would not behave improperly. She also knew I would insist on remaining with Georgiana.”
“If I can leave my niece long enough, I shall have Darcy bring me to Longbourn to meet her. But I insist you return here tomorrow, at whatever time suits you, so that we may speak further.”
Elizabeth agreed.
They stopped outside the door to Georgiana’s chamber. The countess faced Elizabeth, grasped her by the arms, and kissed her cheek. “My niece and nephew are very fortunate to have you. It is no surprise, I am sure, that my husband and I were a little concerned when Darcy told us he intended to marry you, but I am not afraid to admit we were wrong. You are exactly who he needs, a lady capable of standing firmly by his side, whatever life brings—the good and the bad.” She took a deep breath. “Let us see to that girl of ours.”
Elizabeth smiled, feeling a rush of affection for the woman, and opened the door.
Darcy and Fitzwilliam answered the earl’s many questions about Wickham, and the trio discussed the notion of Georgiana leaving Hertfordshire with the Romsleys.
“Wickham claimed to be studying the law, so let us use it to our advantage,” the earl said. “Currently, he is much occupied with that, which is why he is no longer here and why he will not attend the wedding. I would like to ask one of my agents to be at the meeting with Wickham.”
“May I ask why?” Darcy said, understanding that his uncle was referring to the day Wickham was to be presented with the five thousand Darcy had promised him and sign an agreement not to contact Georgiana or her family again.
“I would like to impress on him that he must leave the country, never to return. A veiled threat or two would not be amiss. If he thought I had sufficient power to obtain an annulment or divorce for Georgiana without destroying her reputation or that of our family, he will surely believe I can have him ruined if I ever see or hear of him again.”
Fitzwilliam chuckled menacingly. “I would dearly love to ruin him—his face and other body parts.”
While Darcy understood the sentiment, he found he was beginning to simply want the entire affair over. He was exhausted, weighed down by what had happened, his sister’s distress, and seeing how spent Elizabeth appeared. She claimed to be well, but she had taken on the burden of caring for Georgiana, which could not be easy, and—like him—he supposed she was feeling the effects of weeks of anxiety and uncertainty.
To his uncle, Darcy said, “I have no objections. My only concern with the arrangement has been to ensure that I do not have to see him again. I look forward to the day I no longer need to think of him either.”
The earl lay a hand on his shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. “He has caused you nothing but frustration for years. This last plot of his was…there is no adequate description. Let your aunt and I worry about Georgiana. In a new setting, with her aunt’s loving attention, she will soon be herself again.”
A stab of irritation almost made Darcy retort; Lady Romsley doubtless would help Georgiana a great deal, but so had Elizabeth. He hated to think what would have become of his sister had Elizabeth not been there to tend to her these last days, to say nothing of her efforts since October. Fortunately, Fitzwilliam spoke before he did.
“No one could do more than Elizabeth has. Even before Georgiana’s recent illness, she has been essential to supporting Darcy in dealing with Wickham.”
Lord Romsley looked between them and nodded. “I did not mean to make light of her role. My wife greatly appreciated the letter she wrote. Elizabeth has certainly demonstrated her love for both Georgiana and you, Darcy. Still, I believe it will benefit my niece to be away from here. Mr Bingley must be desirous of enjoying his home again without our family’s problems intruding on his peace, and Elizabeth and Darcy should be thinking of their wedding.”
“I shall have to depart soon too,” the colonel said. “As little as I have been able to do for Georgiana, I shall feel better about being separated from her if she is with you and my mother.” Darcy scowled at him, and Fitzwilliam quickly added, “Because I know she will have a number of people and distractions to help her and I shall not be leaving you and Elizabeth, who are about to be married, to tend to her. Bramwell and Rebecca will likely be at Romsley Hall before long, and Georgiana loves the estate almost as much as she does Pemberley.”
Darcy gave a curt nod. “Elizabeth and I plan to go to Pemberley by the middle of January. Not very long ago, I had believed Wickham would be travelling with us.”
“Thank God you do not have to tolerate that,” Fitzwilliam muttered.
“Indeed,” Darcy agreed. “Once we are in Derbyshire, we shall not be far from Georgiana and can visit, as long as the weather permits. I suppose we shall leave it to her to decide when she would like to come home. ”
“That will be most sensible.” Lord Romsley stood and stretched his back. “I am too old to spend so many hours a day in a carriage, but we wished to make the journey as quickly as possible. I could do with a walk to ease my muscles.”
Fitzwilliam said that he would accompany his father, but Darcy elected to remain where he was; he wanted to be where Elizabeth could find him.
Alone, Darcy sat low in a chair, his head resting against the back, legs outstretched, and closed his eyes. The house was quiet, and he sought to bring a similar stillness to his mind, but anxieties would intrude. Was it right to send Georgiana away from him? How long would it take for her to recover? What might he do to help her? Would he be able to experience the joy he should in the weeks leading up to the wedding? Similarly, would he be able to ensure Elizabeth did? There was no question of delaying it. He wanted to be married, to finally be her husband, and—as grateful as he was to Bingley—he wanted to leave Hertfordshire, which he would not do without Elizabeth. His memories of the neighbourhood would always be a mix of good and bad, good because it was where they had met, and bad because of Wickham.
“In time, recent events will influence my feelings less,” he murmured to himself. “I shall recall the pleasant memories more. The first time I saw her sitting at Longbourn surrounded by her family who, whatever else one might say of them, are warm and caring people. Asking her to marry me and hearing her say that she loved me.” Eventually, they would bring their children to Longbourn, and there would be even more wonderful moments to help dampen the sour ones created by Wickham.
He must have drifted off to sleep, because the next thing he felt was the gentle press of lips on his forehead, and Elizabeth’s voice whispering his name. Startled, he sat up.
“Lady Romsley is with Georgiana. I would have let you sleep, but I should depart before the afternoon grows any later.”
Pulling his watch from his pocket, Darcy took in the time. “I shall have my carriage prepared, and we can leave as soon as it is.”
Elizabeth sat beside him and, her hand in his, said, “I will gladly accept the use of your carriage, but not your company. You ought to remain here, with your family. Mr Bingley is to dine at Longbourn, which means you and the colonel have the opportunity to speak to the earl and countess with no one else about.” He opened his mouth to say that she was his family, but she forestalled him by placing a finger against his lips. “It will be easier for Lord and Lady Romsley. They hardly know me, and despite being aware of the part I have played since your sister and that man —whose name I hope to not hear or say again ever—came to Netherfield, I am sure they would prefer to discuss the situation with you and Colonel Fitzwilliam alone. I do not begrudge them, nor am I offended by it. Your aunt was very kind to me. Call for the carriage, and I shall tell you what happened when we were with Georgiana.”
He did as she requested, after which she recounted Georgiana seeing the countess, the fresh onslaught of tears it brought, and how impressed she was by Lady Romsley’s calm, firm response. “She predicted Georgiana would listen to her more than she would me or anyone else, and I believe she is correct. They do not anticipate remaining more than a night or two.”
“My uncle informed Fitzwilliam and me of their plans. If I were being generous, I suppose I could say he was seeking our approval, but…”
She chuckled. “I happen to think the idea is a good one, including how we should explain his absence. Lady Romsley told your sister that they would go to London soon. Your aunt insists she speak to you and the colonel beforehand. It will be difficult for your sister, but it is necessary. She needs to see that you are not angry or disappointed in her.”
Darcy sighed. “Would you think I am horrible if a small part of me—a very small one— is disappointed? I accept that Wickham excels at making people believe him and do as he wishes, but she knew eloping was wrong.”
“I do not blame you. At times, hearing her explanations for why she agreed to it have made me want to shake her. It would be easier for you, save you the bother of another wedding with ours approaching? What nonsense! But her youth must be her excuse. She is but fifteen. Many of us behave foolishly when we are in love, and she believed she was. I suspect she will realise what she felt for him was nothing but infatuation brought on by flattery.” The expression in Elizabeth’s eyes became stern. “But you are not to say any of that to her. For now, she needs you and your cousin to tell her that none of this was her fault, that you love her and always will, and all that matters is that she recovers. There will be time for more honest discussions once the worst of this is over. Can you do that and convince Colonel Fitzwilliam to do the same?”
“I know you are right. Yes, we both shall do whatever is in her best interest. I suspect Fitzwilliam will leave when they do, and once they are gone, I promise, we shall think only of ourselves.”
She sighed and smiled. “How many days until our wedding? ”
“I am not sure I recall what today’s date is.” He chuckled. “But it is in four weeks, meaning Christmas is in just three.”
“I am tempted to ask you if you feel you ought to go to London. Even with Georgiana staying with your aunt, you would be close by.”
“No!” he said, shaking his head and pointing a finger at her.
She laughed. “But I am not going to. Instead, I shall be selfish and keep you to myself, safe in the knowledge that, should she need you, we are not far away.”
“How very sensible of you, Miss Bennet,” he said as he leant towards her for a kiss.