Chapter 46
Chapter Forty-Six
His hand throbbed, and he hoped it was not broken.
Elizabeth’s hip against his was reassuring, and if he had not been in so much pain, it would have compounded the lust he felt for her.
It was a miracle he had not taken her right there in the woods.
How he had found the strength to resist her offer was beyond his imagining.
She brushed his hair off of his forehead, and kissed his temple, and it was a relief that a bowl of ice rested on his lap so she might not see the effect her touch had on him.
To his disappointment and relief, Mr Bennet came to sit with them, followed moments later by Georgiana.
Even before she sat, Darcy said, “I must tell you that Mr Wickham was here.”
She froze. “Truly?” Her bottom lip began to quiver and her face reddened.
Darcy set aside the bowl and rose to embrace her. “Fear not,” he said. “He will not trouble you.”
“What if he tells?”
Catching Mr Bennet’s curious gaze, he whispered, “Remember, we are not alone.”
Elizabeth rose to offer her father tea and asked how he might like it prepared, though Darcy suspected she knew perfectly well but was creating a distraction.
Keeping his voice low, Darcy said, “He wants money. If he shares his story, he knows I would not pay. I still shall not, but it will take him time to believe it.”
He released her and helped her to a chair, hoping he was correct.
He had foolishly thought Wickham would leave them be for good, yet now it made sense.
The Darcy fortune was too alluring, too bountiful for a man like Wickham to abandon.
Darcy felt trapped. There was no escaping Wickham. Not while he lived.
Elizabeth offered his sister a cup of tea, and she took it with thanks. But before Georgiana was entirely restored, Mrs Bennet, Lydia, and Kitty returned.
“Now that we are all assembled,” declared Mr Bennet, as the girls flurried into seats, “there is news.”
When Mr Bennet looked to Elizabeth, she leaned against Darcy, and said, “We are engaged!”
Georgiana beamed, though she said nothing.
She had told him the evening before that she was pleased he had asked for Elizabeth’s hand, but had not known that Mr Bennet had given his consent to the marriage.
Georgiana said she enjoyed the company of the Bennet girls and approved of anything that brought him happiness.
Mrs Bennet sat quite still, and, much to Darcy’s relief, was unable to utter a syllable.
She stood, sat, and stood again. Began to cross the room, but stopped, then started across again, all the while uttering every thought that seemed to come into her head.
“Heavens! Another daughter married! And to Mr Darcy! Who would believe it? We thought him disinterested and haughty. Oh, my sweet Lizzy, you shall be so rich! Jane married well, but nothing compares with this. The greatness of the Darcy name. Lord bless me!”
At the start of her speech, Darcy had taken hold of Elizabeth’s hand, and as her mother continued, Elizabeth squeezed his and murmured, “Lord help us.” Then she turned to his ear and whispered, “I am so sorry.”
Pemberley was far off, and he felt certain he could keep family visits to a minimum.
They could meet in town where the Bennets had relations with whom they could stay.
He could send Elizabeth to visit her family without him, making excuses about estate matters to attend to.
That would be logical. And when in the area, he could visit with Bingley.
They could hunt and fish and drink and pass the time in all manner of activities that could keep him at Netherfield for hours, most of the day, in fact.
He and Elizabeth could even stay at Netherfield, which would be better.
Her mother continued, gesturing towards him, “Mr Darcy, you are charming! So handsome! So tall! Oh, apologies for having disliked you so much before.”
Elizabeth gasped, and Kitty and Lydia giggled. Georgiana looked at him with questions etched across her face, but all he could do was shrug.
“Can you forgive me?” she asked.
He could do nothing but nod, caught between laughter and horror. She had disliked him. Did such a thing matter? He did not enjoy her company at all. Would this impinge on his marriage to Elizabeth? He and her mother could be civil and that would be that.
But no. This woman continued, and with each word, he was filled with more doubt. “Dear Lizzy, you shall have a house in town and estates dotting the countryside! You shall have everything—nay, more than you could dream of! And we—”
“Mama!” Elizabeth interrupted at last, but before she could say more, a shattering cup caught everyone’s attention.
It was Mrs Collins in the doorway, dumbstruck. As everyone turned to her, she grasped her swollen belly and doubled over.
“Mary?” Mrs Bennet cried out, and ran to her daughter.
Mrs Collins held onto her mother’s arm, breathed heavily once, then twice, then straightened up slowly. “You…you are engaged?” she asked, as if waking from a dream.
Elizabeth nodded, and Mrs Collins doubled over again.
“Another pain so soon?” asked Mrs Bennet. “Mary, what on Earth? How long have you been feeling twinges?”
Darcy could not hear what her reply was, but Mrs Bennet began shouting for Mrs Hill and all of the servants to make preparation, and for Mr Bennet to send for help.