Chapter Ten #2
“No, but I did ask my attorney to make inquiries. It is not known that Mr. Darcy has debts or spends profligately. My servants report that his servants think very highly of him.” Her ladyship took a deep breath.
“However, to my eyes, he seems cold. Exceedingly dignified and proper.” She cleared her throat.
“He can kiss, I will give him that, but is he capable of love that will last a lifetime?”
Oh, heavens! How could Elizabeth respond to that? His capacity for love hardly signified as she did not intend to marry him. “He has been quite good to me,” she said. That much was true.
“I daresay. He is known as a model of propriety. But he is so solemn.”
“I made him laugh once.” Oh, that was damning with faint praise.
“I would think you would want a husband who has laughed at least twice. Perhaps even three times.” The other woman’s eyes sparkled with mirth.
“I expect I will be good influence. Once we are married, I might induce him to laugh as much as once a day.”
Lady Sterling’s face turned serious. “Men are not a project to be improved.”
“No. But I like him as he is.” Elizabeth hated talking to her godmother as if she would actually marry Mr. Darcy.
“Are you marrying him because he compromised you?” Lady Sterling asked suddenly.
“No!” Elizabeth’s denial was immediate. “We were alone together under…awkward circumstances,” she allowed. “But he was a gentleman.”
Her ladyship’s eyes narrowed. “He does not kiss like a gentleman.”
“We both got carried away,” Elizabeth said firmly.
Lady Sterling regarded her steadily. Elizabeth knew she did not believe her denial about the compromise. Who could blame her? While Jane and Mr. Bingley were enamored by the idea of love at first sight, Lady Sterling knew that Elizabeth was not prone to romantic fancies.
“Do you know why he desires to marry you?” Lady Sterling asked.
Elizabeth hesitated. “He admires me. He has affection for me.”
“But he does not love you?”
“We have not discussed it.” That was probably not a reassuring response from a newly betrothed woman.
Her godmother waited, but Elizabeth said nothing more.
In truth, she had wondered if Mr. Darcy was capable of great passion. Did he believe in love? Really, these questions were irrelevant, yet they kept recurring.
“Hmph. As I thought,” Lady Sterling said. “The man is made of ice. It strikes me as odd that he has chosen to attach himself to you. He could marry an heiress, the daughter of an earl or duke. Are you certain he intends to fulfill his promises?”
“Yes.” But Elizabeth could hear the doubt in her voice.
“He could easily jilt you,” her godmother warned. “He has not negotiated a settlement with your father, and there has been no announcement in the paper. Many rich men have promised marriage to women of little fortune so they might seduce them.”
This was so far from the truth that Elizabeth was amused. “He has not done anything inappropriate, I assure you.”
“I am glad to hear it.” Lady Sterling pushed herself to a standing position with the help of her cane. “But, Lizzy, I beg you not to be blinded by his fortune. You deserve love. Do not give yourself to a man who is incapable of it.”
After her godmother limped from the room, Elizabeth lingered. Was a man who kissed so ardently incapable of love? Or was his kiss merely an indication of physical desire?
However, the answer to that question was of no importance to Elizabeth. Why do I keep forgetting that?
***
The day following his visit to Sterling House, Darcy was summoned to Matlock House. He had expected it. Given the public spectacle of his betrothal, it was undoubtedly widely discussed throughout Town. The Earl of Matlock could not ignore it.
Darcy could have scripted his uncle’s rant himself. The earl was disappointed. He did not understand why Darcy had chosen such a woman. She would pollute the family’s bloodlines. If Darcy had compromised the chit, why not just buy her off?
Darcy spoke little. Why should he bother to defend a false engagement? He could hardly admit to his true motivation in choosing Elizabeth; his uncle supported Darcy’s union with Anne.
None of this was a surprise. Darcy was most amazed by how objectionable he found some of his uncle’s assertions.
Now that Darcy was better acquainted with Elizabeth, he recognized how extraordinary she was.
Assumptions that Darcy himself had made about her breeding and education had proven to be completely wrong.
In fact, she would make an excellent wife.
Not for Darcy, of course, but for someone. Some lucky man.
Attempting to strike a conciliatory note, Darcy promised to consider his uncle’s advice and soon quitted Matlock House.
He would need to avoid most of his family until the end of the Season; truthfully, it was not a heavy burden.
The only person Darcy really wanted to see was his cousin, Richard Fitzwilliam, who was currently posted in Brighton.
And Richard had written to express his support for Darcy’s engagement.
The following day, Aunt Catherine appeared with the intention of “having her quarrel with him.” Darcy would rather have her irritating him than irritating Elizabeth, so he gave her an hour of his time.
But she had nothing new to say and merely renewed the same objections he always heard.
He ordered her to leave and not return unless she contrived some new arguments.
***
Having weathered that unpleasantness, Darcy discovered that being betrothed brought many benefits.
Women ceased lavishing him with endless compliments on the knots in his cravats or embroidery on his waistcoats.
His betrothal even had a salubrious effect on the constitutions of the young ladies of the ton; they ceased dropping their fans or falling into swoons in his presence.
He should have acquired a false fiancée years ago.
Even Miss Bingley refrained from praising his dancing and handwriting, although she did not cease making sardonic observations about Elizabeth.
He escorted Elizabeth to concerts and partnered her at balls without being apprehensive that she, or others, would form expectations of him. Social events also became more tolerable for Darcy when Elizabeth helped carry the burden of conversation.
Rumors persisted that Elizabeth had entrapped Darcy into proposing or that he had compromised her. Darcy could only hope that such gossip did not reach Elizabeth’s ears. He took care to appear enchanted with her company; it was not difficult to do so.
Elizabeth did experience initial coolness from some in the ton, but inevitably her warm and lively discourse endeared her to almost everyone.
Even those who had been initially skeptical were drawn by her wit and vivacity.
Naturally, Lady Sterling’s endorsement helped as well.
Within a few weeks, rumors about irregularities in their engagement dissipated.
Darcy even acquired a tolerance for Elizabeth’s family.
Miss Jane Bennet always displayed genteel manners and common sense; for once, Bingley had chosen wisely.
Mrs. Bennet was more difficult to endure, in part because her silly behavior obviously distressed Elizabeth.
But Darcy learned to ignore much of what she said.
When Darcy discussed the marriage settlement with Mr. Bennet, he found the man well-read and possessed of a ready wit.
However, he never missed an opportunity for a sardonic remark—often at his wife’s expense.
When Mr. Bennet’s barbs were aimed at Elizabeth, Darcy glowered at the other man, making him so uncomfortable that he stopped.
Elizabeth assured her father that he no longer needed to be concerned about his debts to the viscount, but she had not given him the particulars.
Mr. Bennet proceeded to assume that Darcy had paid off his debts—with the result that he treated Darcy excessive deference while continuing to discount his daughter’s worth.
Elizabeth behaved as if it did not matter, but Darcy noticed the frequent sorrow in her eyes.
Darcy did not regret when Mr. and Mrs. Bennet returned to Hertfordshire after a fortnight in London.
He discovered that he enjoyed bringing Elizabeth small gifts of flowers or sweets.
Her pleasure was his reward. Once, he astonished her with a diamond bracelet.
It was an extravagant gift for a false fiancée, but he reasoned she could sell it to her advantage when their acquaintance ended.
(It helped to ease some of his concerns about her future financial situation.)
She expressed warm appreciation but was not effusive in her praise.
Darcy considered her character meticulously, reminding himself that she was unlike the women of the ton.
When he presented her with a book of poetry, the gift elicited the delight he had hoped for.
They spent hours discussing their favorite poets.
During one visit, he was able to give her the happy news that Viscount Harwood had been caught cheating at cards when playing at his club.
The accompanying disgrace had forced the man to go out of society.
Elizabeth was extremely relieved to hear it.
Darcy assured her that Harwood would not attempt to call in his debts, which would only draw more attention.
Upon reflection, Elizabeth observed that the timing of the story was rather convenient.
Darcy admitted he had written to his cousin Richard about Mr. Bennet’s suspicion that the viscount cheated at cards.
Richard and his friends had their own reasons to dislike Harwood.
Although his cousin could not visit London himself, one of his friends had challenged the viscount to a high-stakes game at their club and revealed his cheating in the presence of many witnesses.