Vol 2, Chapter 5 #3
As part of his amends, Darcy covered any debts and debts of honour Wickham had owed to his fellow officers.
Darcy was wholly forgiven for things, which any man had done on occasion, when they too are having a rough week.
By the time he left, the officers, who thought they would never see their funds again, were singing Darcy’s praises at a dinner he had left funds to pay for at the inn.
He appreciated their reaction, even if it was not the reason he had helped.
His last stop was Mr. and Mrs. Phillips, who he found preparing to depart for Gardiner House. Darcy rode alongside their carriage until they reached the house on Portman Square, then took his leave with a tip of his hat and rode on to Darcy House.
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Lady Rose hosted the dinner, but the Duke was conspicuous by his absence. His illness was in its end stage, so he was bedridden. Bennet took Tom in to meet Uncle Sed. Tom felt ashamed that he had ever thought to blame the sick man he found before him for the actions of an evil ancestor.
Lord Sed beckoned Tom over so he could see the next Marquess. “Fine looking lad,” the Duke managed with difficulty.
“Thank you, your Grace,” Tom responded.
“Uncle Sed,” the Duke countered in a wheeze that somehow still was an order, which made Tom grin down at his new-found uncle.
After Tom left, Bennet introduced his three daughters and youngest son to the Duke.
Other than give them a smile and a nod, Lord Sed said nothing as it was too much of an effort to speak.
Seeing the Duke was starting to fall asleep; Bennet and his children departed the bedchamber to join the rest of the family.
The Fitzwilliams and Darcys had arrived while he was with the ailing Duke, so it was then Tom finally met Miss Georgiana Darcy who his siblings had long been sending him updates about.
He was fascinated by the shy young lady who sat between Elizabeth and Esther.
Richard took pity on Tom and introduced him to the Darcy siblings who were to be his cousins when Jane and Andrew wed in a little more than a month. Tom took an immediate liking to Darcy, who asked to be called William, a feeling that was reciprocated by Tom as he requested the same of Darcy.
Before Tom could enter the discussion between his sisters and Miss Darcy, the De Melvilles and Carringtons arrived, and he watched Ally join the group with Miss Darcy.
Much to Tom’s consternation, with so many present he never found an opportunity to talk to Miss Darcy while they were at Bedford House that evening.
Georgiana had heard about the three Bennet daughters’ proficiency with their instruments and of their singing, but she was not prepared for the effect caused when their three voices rose in unison.
It felt as if she were glimpsing what heaven would sound like.
But when Elizabeth played and sang in solo, Georgiana was certain she was hearing an angel perform.
As she had promised William she would, Elizabeth included Gigi in any plans being made for the younger ladies. Darcy could not have been happier at the pleasure that suffused his sister’s face each time she was included. Georgiana made her pleasure known to her brother when they returned home.
Not long after the final performance, the guests took their leave, all of them reaffirming they would see one another on Tuesday at St. James Palace.
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It was somewhere between two and three Monday morning when there was an insistent knocking on the front door of Gardiner House.
When Gardiner opened the door, accompanied both by his butler and Bennet, there was a footman in the livery of the Duke of Bedford standing with a black edged letter in his hand.
He bowed to Bennet, “Your Grace,” he intoned, then handed the notice to the eighth Duke of Bedford, the first in the line to bear the name Bennet, as Lord Sed had gone to his final reward.
Bennet thanked the man who was now his footman, asking him to convey the family’s condolences to the Dowager Duchess.
“I knew it was coming, Thomas, but my goodness, you are a duke!” Gardiner stated, nodding at Phillips when he joined his brother and Bennet to be of assistance were he needed.
They had previously determined not to inform the Phillipses for, as harmless as his wife was, they knew the instant she was privy to the information all of Meryton would have been as well.
“You are a WHAT, Bennet?” Phillips asked stupefied.
“Come sit, Frank, we have a lot to tell you,” Bennet pointed at a chair in Gardiner’s study. The more he heard, the quieter Phillips was.
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The news that the Duke of Bedford was deceased was abroad first thing Monday morning.
It was known there was an heir of the same bloodline, but none outside of their small circle knew who it was.
Members of the Ton who were clamouring for intelligence were disappointed, for they too would have to wait like everyone else for the royal decree on the morrow and the reported investiture of the new duke and his family.