Vol 1, Chapter 12 #3
The conversation with the Earl had accentuated the fact that it was time to reevaluate his life and the way he interacted with others, and after a night of reviewing years of interactions, Darcy reached a decision.
The first step would be making a full disclosure to his sister.
She had worked hard to recover after Ramsgate, and that hard work was yielding tangible results.
Now it was his turn, he would have to improve himself and failure was not an option!
At the first stop of the morning, Darcy requested that Mrs. Annesley ride in the second coach, disclosing to both that he wanted to discuss something particular with his sister.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Mark!” Tom exclaimed as his little brother ran towards him and was enfolded in his older brother’s welcoming arms as soon as he scampered out of the coach, ruffling his hair affectionately. “Father, Mother, Lizzy, Esther,” Tom greeted each family member as they alighted from the conveyance.
“Mark, my dear, do you think I can have a turn to hug Tom now?” Their mother asked laughingly as she watched her youngest cling to his brother.
With Mark’s desire to be in his brother’s company barely assuaged, he was reluctant to do so, but he stepped aside so that Priscilla could hug her oldest son, followed by Elizabeth and Esther.
Bennet brought up the rear and clapped his heir on the back.
Jane was waiting on the steps patiently to greet everyone understanding that after not seeing Tom for some months, the family would want to greet him first.
“You have been very coy, Jane,” Elizabeth accused her smiling sister. “I understand that you met your Viscount many months ago, and in all that time you never mentioned a word to me!” Elizabeth linked her arm with her sister’s as the family proceeded indoors.
“Andrew is not my Viscount, Lizzy. It has only been a few days that we have been courting,” Jane explained. “When we first met, I was impressed by him. He is not one of the dandies or popinjays that populate the Ton. And he is the farthest thing from a rake that you will ever meet.”
“Oh Jane, I am so happy for you. Never have I seen you so animated about a man before. If you like him, that is enough for me. How did he take it when you revealed our true situation to him?” Elizabeth asked hopefully.
“It changed nothing for him! He had been adamant about wanting to court me when he knew only the reported information, and when he learned the truth, he agreed that it did not change anything in his eyes.” Jane teased her sister into a laugh.
“He is such a good man Lizzy,” Jane smiled one of her ethereal smiles that showed her pleasure.
The Gardiners were inside and welcomed the arriving Bennets to Gardiner House.
Robert Jamison, who had been given leave not to return home yet, was waiting in the drawing room and was warmly greeted by the rest of the Bennets.
“You will meet Jane’s young man and his family on the morrow.
We are having a family dinner, and yes, Priscilla, your parents as well as Wes and Isabelle will be here.
” Seeing Priscilla’s look of concern, Maddie Gardiner added, “Marie and Stan have a previous engagement. I did not have much time to organise the dinner as it was.”
Jane and Elizabeth met in their shared sitting room after the latter had washed and changed. “Please tell me that the Fitzwilliams have not told Mr. Darcy the truth of our connections and wealth,” Elizabeth asked.
“Not a word, Lizzy, I promise you,” Jane consoled her sister. “Andrew called his cousin a horse’s arse,” Jane chortled into her hand.
“I do not disagree, but why call his cousin that?” Elizabeth’s inquisitiveness demanding that she know all.
“Mr. Darcy advised his cousin that I was a fortune hunter who was not interested in his friend Bingley because I had my eye on the bigger prize with a title thrown in. Andrew told him that should he ever call my honour into question again, he would call Mr. Darcy out!” Jane related, seeing Elizabeth was immediately spitting mad.
“Who the hell, sorry Jane,” Elizabeth was chagrined that in her pique she had used unladylike language. “Mama has been telling me I should not be so harsh in my judgements of that proud, disagreeable, and arrogant man, but then he attempts this! It just reinforces my opinion of him!”
“What has Mr. Darcy done now?” Their mother asked, sighing, as she joined her daughters. Jane calmly related all to her mother, including that Mr. Darcy had been called on the carpet by the Earl before he and his younger sister departed for Pemberley.
“You see, Mama, this only proves what I think about the man is correct!” Elizabeth insisted.
“Elizabeth, what religion do we claim?” her mother asked.
“Christianity, of course.” Elizabeth frowned, able to see the path her mother was taking, but unwilling to walk it.
“And is not forgiveness one of the central tenets of our faith?” Priscilla asked.
“It is, Mama, but he has not apologised for any of the offences he has perpetrated against one of us, either in Hertfordshire or here in London.” Elizabeth countered the insinuation that she should grant forgiveness when it was not asked for.
“How many times have you been in company with him for more than a minute or two other than during your dance, when, by your own admission, you were doing whatever you were able to in order to discompose the man? You were the only lady he danced with at our former tenant’s ball.
Are those the actions of a man who does not find you tolerable enough to tempt him?
” Priscilla challenged her daughter to consider the facts, not just her emotions with regards to Mr. Darcy.
“I suppose I will have to reserve judgement until I see him again. Mama, I have a question,” Elizabeth waited for her mother to grant permission before asking.
“When Jane becomes betrothed and the veil is lifted on our true position, how will I know if Mr. Darcy is truly contrite or is only apologising because of our wealth and connections?”
“That, my daughter, will require your vaunted intelligence to help you make a judgement. Personally, I do not think him that kind of man, but you will have to decide for yourself, when and if he makes his apologies,” Priscilla kissed her middle daughter on the cheek.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Sed, I do not like the look of your pallor!” Lady Rose observed with concern.
“Rose, if I am to meet the heir, I must go to London earlier than we planned. I think that I will not be the one who makes the tour to the rest of our properties and businesses. As much as I want more time with you, my love, this is something that is beyond my control,” the Duke wheezed as he spoke quietly to her.
“Will you be able to travel in the winter?” Lady Rose worried.
“There is little choice in the matter. I am determined to meet my heir, so it must be this way. A Bennet will hear an apology from a Rhys-Davies for the injustices of the third duke. Let us see if we can wait until late February before we have to depart. As long as there is no significant worsening, we should be able to enjoy a little more time together at Longfield Meadows,” the Duke managed a thin, wan smile, secretly believing it was no more than a wish, but he did not want to disabuse her of it before the holidays.
“Is that why you agreed to return home, Sed? You could feel your symptoms progressing?” the Duchess asked softly.
“After all of these years together you know me too well, my dear wife. I will wait patiently at heaven’s gate until you join me one day so we may be reunited.
However, I hope it is not for many years in the future.
How many who have had arranged marriages can boast a love like we found, Rose? ” the Duke asked tenderly.
“Very few, I dare say,” the Duchess agreed. “Sed, have you informed your friend Jersey that you have an heir?”
“I will write anon, my love. He was extremely helpful in the fruitless search before I turned to the letter. I hope to see him when we are in town, I will reveal the identity of the heir when we are sitting face to face.”
“And it will be good for me to see Sarah again, for it has been far too long. She has been a good friend over the years. I regret that we have not seen them for many years,” the Duchess lamented.
With his plans set, the Duke wrote a missive to Sir Randolph Norman to apprise him of the accelerated timetable for his visit to London.