Chapter 13
Chapter 13
The following morning, Elizabeth woke up later than usual; perhaps it was because of Mrs Higgins’ pain relieving tisane that she had taken once again after dinner. She immediately rang the bell for Sarah, keen on going downstairs and finding out what Mr Darcy had in store for them today. As she waited for her maid to come to her, she could not resist trying to discover how her foot was faring this morning. She stood up, gingerly putting weight on the injured foot, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that it appeared to have healed almost completely. Fortunately, before she could try anything foolish in her excitement, Sarah entered the room and came hurrying to assist her. In about a quarter of an hour, Elizabeth was washed and dressed.
“Miss Lizzy, please wait! Let me call Mr Darcy as he had asked me to…” Sarah cried unhappily when she saw her young mistress opening the door of her chamber.
“Oh, do not be concerned, Sarah. I am fully recovered; there is…. Oof!” Elizabeth cried out as she cannoned into someone waiting right outside her door.
“I am sorry, Mr Darcy, I was not looking where I was going,” she muttered apologetically.
“There is no need to apologise, Mrs Darcy,” Darcy murmured as he swung her up in his arms.
“Oh… but I am no longer in pain; you do not have to carry me downstairs.”
“Be that as it may, we are not going to take any risk with your health.”
“We?” Elizabeth asked sotto voce, her eyebrows raised in faux surprise.
His lips turning up in a reluctant smile indicated that he had heard her, but Darcy continued as if he had not. “We will be travelling to London the day after tomorrow, Elizabeth. Aunt Susan then intends to keep you very busy with shopping, introductions, and so forth. If you suffer a relapse for not taking the necessary precautions now, I will never hear the end of it.”
Put like that, there was nothing much to argue about, and Elizabeth acquiesced with good grace. “Very well, sir, we will do as you say.” Darcy gave an amused chuckle at the great emphasis she put on the ‘we’ and started on his way downstairs.
Elizabeth listened to the pleasant sound of his laughter and breathed in the scent that she had unconsciously started associating as uniquely his—a delicious mix of sandalwood and citrus. As her heartbeat accelerated, she realised that her heart had acquired an annoying habit of picking up tempo at any arbitrary thing related to her husband. Whether it was his proximity, his alluring smile, the golden flecks in his dark eyes, or… even the charming manner in which he wrote letters!
The alacrity with which she was developing an affinity for all things Fitzwilliam Darcy left her feeling disconcerted, and for a while, anxiety had her in its grips. He seems to have changed almost overnight from the dour man staying at Netherfield into the epitome of charm and care, who is now my husband. But will this change last? she wondered.
Only time will tell.
The answer came almost immediately and with it came the realisation of the futile nature of her worries. He promised to court me, and for all intents and purposes, he is doing an excellent job of it! It then behoves me to keep an open mind and an open heart, as he requested.
∞∞∞
Once the breakfast had been partaken, Elizabeth said, “I understand that I am to give rest to my injured limb, but I do hope we have not decided that I need to return to my chamber to do that.”
“Of course not, unless you would like to do so,” Darcy replied with a wry look. “It is only your injured foot that needs rest, not your mind. In fact, I was rather hoping that you would honour me with a game or two of chess. Your father had once let it be known that you are a worthy opponent.” He looked at her questioningly.
“I will be delighted,” Elizabeth replied, although she could not prevent herself from glancing wistfully at the French windows. The weather gods had been unusually kind since they came here, and today also the sun showed no intention of playing hide and seek.
Darcy cleared his throat and when she turned to look at him enquiringly, he came forward to pick her up once more.
“I think it will be quite safe for me to walk to the parlour if you would just lend me your arm for support.”
“Why take the risk?” came the unconcerned response.
Elizabeth gave up protesting; instead, she tried to puzzle out why she was not feeling resentful at his highhanded attitude. Usually, she did not take too kindly to her agency to choose being taken away from her, but the truth be told, she was enjoying his care of her rather than resenting his overbearing manner. She tried hard but could not come up with any reasonable explanation—at least not one that she was willing to accept presently—for her own uncharacteristic behaviour.
She gave up on it altogether, when instead of the drawing room, Mr Darcy carried her into a small, pretty parlour that was warm both in tone and temperature. Elizabeth looked around with interest. The French windows were overlooking a small garden that was somehow lovely even at this time of the year. The crackling fire and the sunlight pouring in from the windows brightened the cream and red shades of the chamber.
“Oh! What a pretty room!”
“I thought you might like it enough to overcome your disappointment at not getting to explore the village today,” Darcy said with a faint smile.
All of a sudden, Elizabeth felt overwhelmed with his care and consideration for her comfort. Her father, aunt, and uncle Gardiner all loved her in their own ways, but it was only Jane who had ever shown such concern for her in the twenty years she had spent on this planet. Now to see him so attuned to her every mood, her likes and dislikes, made her feel nervous and exhilarated at the same time.
To overcome her nervousness, she jested, “Mr Darcy, I heartily thank you for introducing me to this charming room, but let me warn you, sir, my gratitude would in no way lower my desire to best you in our game of chess.”
“I would be very disappointed if that happened, madam. Any game I win, it is only by fair means,” Darcy claimed airily, not knowing how challenging he would find it to win against Elizabeth, whom he mistook for a novice, although a talented one.
As the first game progressed, he found, to his surprise, that Elizabeth was an intuitive and competitive player. In ordinary circumstances, he would have been delighted to find such a worthy opponent in his wife. These, unfortunately, were not ordinary circumstances. He was far more affected by Elizabeth’s beauty and the distracting mannerisms she employed while playing than he had anticipated.
She looked exceptionally beautiful today in a green gown that she had topped up with the shawl he had presented her for Christmas. He might have somehow ignored her beauty if she did not have the disconcerting habit of playing with a tendril of hair and worrying her lips with her teeth while contemplating her moves. Her unconsciously provocative actions caused his mind to stray far away from chess, into realms currently forbidden to him.
Somehow, he managed to win the first game, but by the time the second one was midway, Darcy was not sure if he could continue bearing the exquisite torture without revealing his true feelings to Elizabeth. The solution that came to his mind was to finish the game as quickly as possible and then look for some other avenues of entertainment. Unfortunately, as she had promised, Elizabeth was not allowing him an easy win. The only option, then, was to lose quickly without raising her suspicions. But it was not for nothing that he was the college champion of his time. It was only the third move after he came to his decision that Elizabeth suddenly went still.
‘Arrgh…’ he groaned inwardly as he saw her nervously lick her lips, then steal a quick puzzled glance at him.
“Checkmate, Mr Darcy,” she whispered as she leaned in to make her final move.
Darcy had never thought that there would come a day when he would actually feel glad to hear these words from an opponent!
There was an absolute silence in the room for a brief moment, then Elizabeth glanced up at Mr Darcy. And… she could only stare into his eyes, which glowed like molten gold. She had seen the amber flecks in his eyes often enough, but she had never seen them completely change colour in this manner.
Losing the game seems to have affected him very much, she surmised, reluctantly giving up the idea to tease him as she wanted. It is odd though; until now, I have always associated the gold in his eyes with happy emotions, amusement, and… mischief. Then why are they glowing like this now?
Even as she pondered this oddity, a maid and a footman came into the parlour with their lunch and distracted her thoughts.
∞∞∞
“Another game of chess, Mr Darcy?” Elizabeth asked when they had eaten, and the room had been cleared of all the debris.
“Uh… how about finishing our story from last night?”
Elizabeth gave him an amused glance. “Someone really does not like losing, does he?”
Darcy was glad that she believed his dislike of losing was the reason behind him refusing to play chess anymore.
“If you can show me even one person who enjoys losing, Elizabeth, I promise to dance every set in the very next ball that we attend,” he said, his brows raised challengingly.
Elizabeth chuckled in response. “Perhaps, one day I will. Just do not forget your promise.”
“Hmm. So, are you ready for another round of The Blackhearted Count?”
“N… no, the Count has disappointed me very much with his inconstancy. Why do we not partake in some of the Bard’s wit from your original choice last night?”
“Of course. Shakespeare is always welcome. Let me go and get the book,” he said as he got up from his chair.
“Elizabeth?” he called out to her from the door of the parlour.
“Yes?”
“I would like to make a request.”
“What is it, Mr Darcy?”
“This time I want you to help me a little and read along with me.”
“How about you read all the male portions, while I take up the female ones?”
“We have a bargain, Mrs Darcy!”
∞∞∞
Mrs Higgins frowned worriedly as she and a footman made their way to the red parlour with tea. Less than half an hour ago she had caught a couple of downstairs maids gossiping about Mr Darcy and his new bride. The subject of their gossip—the lack of any evidence to prove Mrs Darcy’s maidenhood and what it could mean—had disturbed her a plenty. The girls had been giggling about the couple having anticipated their vows and the loose morals of the gentry. Although she could not really do much as the maids were in the employ of Lord Seymour, she had sent them about their way with a scold and a warning about the dire consequences of gossiping about their betters.
Truth be told, there had also been some speculation amongst the staff at Darcy House about Mr Darcy’s sudden decision to marry, but it had all been good-natured. They had mostly speculated on the merits of the future Mrs Darcy which could have made their taciturn master throw caution to the wind in this unprecedented manner. Not one member of the staff had, however, been disrespectful, at least not in her hearing. And it was mainly because they all loved and respected Mr Darcy.
The insolent attitude of the maids here had, therefore, disturbed Mrs Higgins. However, it had also brought to the fore her own worries about her employer’s hasty wedding. Her husband of two decades and her cousin, Martha Reynolds, the housekeeper at Pemberley, had found nothing extraordinary in the sudden marriage; in their eyes, Mr Darcy could do no wrong. While she respected and loved her employer no less, she had to confess that the suddenness of the marriage had raised doubts in her mind. It had also raised all her protective instincts for the shy and compassionate boy of eight she had watched grow over the years into a generous but extremely reticent man. She had been worried if the young lady had employed some trickery to force his hands.
However, from what she had observed in the last couple of days, the relations between Mr and Mrs Darcy appeared to be quite amicable. He had been quite beside himself when his bride was hurt during the outing the day before. And Mrs Higgins had not found it surprising. Why would the master not admire the young Mrs Darcy when she was everything beautiful, refined, and polite? Thankfully, she was very different from the likes of that supercilious Miss Bingley, who had been a source of much unease among the Darcy servants for quite some time.
Some might say that Mrs Darcy was much given to levity, but that was not something to be looked down upon in Carla Higgins’ book. She had seen Mr Darcy smile more in the last three days than she had sometimes seen him do in three months! So, for her it was all for the good that Mrs Darcy made her husband laugh. He had been especially morose ever since he brought back Miss Georgie from Ramsgate without that snooty companion of hers. I never did like that Mrs Younge!
But now the ill-natured gossip she had just heard and the fact that there was some substance to it, had once again brought back her worries that had begun to subside with the arrival of the newly married couple.
I do hope everything is well between them, she thought as she neared the door of the parlour and heard the laughter emanating from the chamber. An inadvertent smile came to her lips at the evident enjoyment of the couple inside. When she entered the parlour, she observed that Mrs Darcy, having overcome her laughter, was reading out from the book in her hands. The housekeeper turned her head to glance at her employer, and stifled a gasp when she observed his expression as he stared at his wife.
She blushed and coughed hurriedly to disguise the giggle that almost escaped her lips.
Oh my… that expression could scorch a body! As she put down the tray of delicacies in her hands, Mrs Higgins wished she could fan herself. Why…the dear boy adores his wife! And here I had been worrying myself that Mrs Darcy might have tricked Master Fitzwilliam into marrying her. She shook her head at her foolishness. It would appear Martha and my dear Higgins know him far better than I, Mrs Higgins thought as she began to pour out the tea.
“Let me do that, Mrs Higgins,” Elizabeth Darcy added after thanking her. Mrs Higgins nodded and left the couple with a quick curtsey.
A thought struck her as she reached the door. If that… burning look is anything to go by, mayhap those vulgar maids were right after all? And that is why the hasty marriage? She looked back at the couple. Although Mr Darcy’s expression had gentled, there was no mistaking the emotion on his face.
I am so very pleased that Master Fitzwilliam has married for love, just like his parents. And I for one do not care a jot if he has been a bit hasty and anticipated his vows. He is human after all and allowed a mistake or two! She nodded to herself and went away with a spring in her step to tell all to her husband of her discovery. Later in the day, she would also write to her cousin Martha and concede her mistake. She was so pleased with her discovery that she did not mind that her husband would give her a condescending smile, and that she would have to share the recipe for her favourite roasted duck with her cousin!
∞∞∞
Mrs Higgins was obviously correct that her dear boy had married for love, as was Mr Bennet who was certain that his Lizzy was already in love with her husband, even if she did not know it yet. It was quite ironic that something which was so obvious to the father of the bride and the housekeeper of the groom now, would require quite some time for them to comprehend for themselves.
∞∞∞
December 30, 1811, Darcy House
Darcy got down from the carriage and turned to assist Elizabeth. Elizabeth—Mrs Elizabeth Darcy—was finally going to take her first step into his home, their home. The thought brought a smile to his lips, and he swiftly climbed up the steps leading to the front door. However, in his eagerness to welcome Elizabeth to her new home, he did not notice the uneasy expressions on the faces of Mr and Mrs Higgins—who had arrived earlier than them—waiting at the top of the steps.
At the front door, Darcy turned and held out his hand to Elizabeth. “Welcome to Darcy House, Elizabeth.” He smiled and led her inside the house.
“Mr Darcy, sir, you must…”
“Thank you, Mr Darcy…”
Both Higgins and Elizabeth began speaking at the same time, but before either of them could complete their thoughts, another loud voice boomed in the hallway.
“Darcy! How could you be so foolish? How could you let some countrified hussy from back of the beyond force your hand like this?”
“What the…. Lady Catherine!”
Even as she heard her husband mutter angrily to himself, Elizabeth stared curiously at the tall, stout woman who had emerged from one of the doors opening into the hallway and was now thumping her cane on the floor for emphasis. Elizabeth’s first reaction to learning the identity of the woman was to feel pity for her poor husband, who had tried so diligently and ingeniously to save her from the wrath of a discontented Lady Catherine but had failed because he had misjudged that lady’s tenacity.
“I do not have the pleasure of understanding you, madam.”
The coldness in Mr Darcy’s voice made Elizabeth shiver slightly. She tried to gauge her own reaction to Lady Catherine’s appearance in their home. To her surprise, she discovered that, apart from a disappointment at the curtailment of the idyllic time she had been having with her husband and a vague uneasiness at the imminent confrontation with the interloper, she was not really worried for herself. It was because she knew that… Fitzwilliam… umm… Mr Darcy would not let any harm come to her. Even as she marvelled at her own certainty about the matter, she saw Lady Catherine point her cane towards Mr Darcy.
By now Georgiana, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and another young woman whom Elizabeth did not recognise, had also come out into the hallway. Elizabeth was much struck by the identically unhappy expressions on the faces of all three newcomers.
“I am talking about your marriage!” Lady Catherine was nearly shouting by now. “The travesty that you have allowed to happen without even the courtesy of informing me, the lady who has been like a mother to you ever since your own passed on! Had you seen it fit to inform me before the event, I would never have allowed it to happen…”
“And why do you think I did not inform you,” Darcy muttered under his breath, but Elizabeth was near enough to him to be able to hear. Even under such a tense situation, she felt a giggle building inside her that she desperately tried to suppress.
“But all is not lost as yet, we can still get an annulment. I am sure Matlock would be willing to help us.”
Darcy closed his eyes and prayed for patience. The way he was feeling at the moment, it would not take much for him to personally push his aunt out of the front door. Despite his best efforts, she had managed to completely ruin Elizabeth’s homecoming, and now she was blathering on about annulments!
I have to nip her dangerous intentions in the bud, he thought grimly. Darcy then turned to his wife, caught hold of her hand, and pulled her to his side. “Even if I had wanted an annulment—which I absolutely do not—it is no longer legally tenable to do so,” he said, then raised Elizabeth’s hand to his lips to place a scorching kiss on it. The adoring look he gave his wife left no one in the hallway in any doubt of his meaning, and Elizabeth blushed a brilliant red.
There was a knock at the front door at that very moment. As Higgins announced the arrival of Lord and Lady Matlock, frustrated anger made Lady Catherine lose what little control she had over her astringent and unruly tongue.
“Did you listen to that, Matlock? Darcy has ensured that we do not have any recourse!”
“I Do Not Want A Recourse!” Darcy said through gritted teeth.
Unfortunately, his aunt was not listening. “You lecherous fool, Darcy! You let this scheming harlot fool you with her arts and allurements. But then I should have known that, like others of your species, you would be too stupid not to let your base instincts rule over your head!”
There were shocked gasps at the extremely vulgar and unwarranted utterances. These were then followed by a stunned silence from all present. It was difficult to tell who of the newly married couple was more offended by Lady Catherine’s crass words. Darcy, at the disgusting abuse heaped on his wife, or Elizabeth, at what was a crude and groundless attack on the man whose honour she had seen for herself.
Lord Matlock was the first to come out of his stupor. “Catherine! How dare you, madam? Do not forget that you are speaking about our nephew and his bride! And if you cannot speak any better than a drunken fishwife, you may leave this house at once!”
When Lady Catherine only snorted in response, Lord Matlock became angrier still. “If you have no consideration for anyone else, then at least have some for the sensibilities of your daughter and your young niece whom you are subjecting to such vulgarities without compunction!”
Lady Catherine glanced in the direction of the young women mentioned, and as she observed their shocked eyes and heightened colours, she had the grace to appear shamefaced. Lord Matlock noticed the change in her expression and tried a gentler approach. “Catherine, come, let us go back to Matlock House. Ever since you came to us three days ago, we have all been telling you that there has been no mistake. Darcy has married this young lady of his own free will. Georgiana and Richard even told you about the wedding festivities, for heaven’s sake!”
“A hole in the corner wedding about which Darcy did not even inform his own aunt! And pray, what about my daughter, whose hopes have now been blighted forever?” Lady Catherine asked angrily.
At that, Elizabeth glanced uneasily at the dark haired, pale young woman standing next to Georgiana. She could not be anyone else but Miss de Bourgh. However, Elizabeth could not read much from that young woman’s impassive expression.
Prudently ignoring the sally about Anne, Lord Matlock answered his sister’s first complaint, “But, Cathy, can you really blame Darcy? Just see how you have been behaving ever since our poor nephew came back to his home!”
“How else am I supposed to behave? He jilted my daughter and for whom? A poorly dowered daughter of a country squire with no connections to speak of. And if I am to believe my parson, she and her sisters are quite wild with little or no accomplishments to their credit. Can you believe none of them have ever had a governess! In fact, Mr Collins was so appalled with the behaviour of these chits, that instead of offering for any of them as he had intended, he proposed marriage to the more suitable daughter of their neighbour!”
“That lying toad!” Her husband’s angry whisper soothed Elizabeth’s temper and prevented her from calling out Mr Collin’s vicious lies.
“I will have you know…” Darcy said more loudly, but his aunt ignored him.
“Matlock and you seem to have decided to give Darcy and his bride your blessings. But if you are thinking of introducing the girl under your aegis, Susan, then let me warn you; you would need to get her trained in the social niceties before you can even think of exposing her to the ton.”
“Catherine, really! There is no need to be …” Lady Matlock began protesting but even she was ruthlessly interrupted.
“There is every need, Susan! And while you can hardly make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, I would advise you that you hire someone like Mrs Bracken who could use the iron rod that I understand this young woman would require.”
By the time Lady Catherine finished her insulting harangue, Elizabeth was tired of listening to her continual ill-bred carping. Moreover, the farcical levels to which the lady had brought down the discourse, tickled her sense of ridiculous. “Ah… who is Mrs Bracken?”
Had she not noticed the curiosity in her husband’s eyes she might have been unnerved by the fact that everyone present in the hallway turned to stare at her with various levels of astonishment.
Lady Catherine looked down her nose at Elizabeth and replied testily, “Mrs Bracken was my governess. But even if she was not too old to take up a new responsibility, she would never agree to take someone like you under her wing. After I outgrew the need for a governess, my father had to give her a pension, because for some reason she was not interested in taking any other charges …”
“Perhaps her only failure disheartened her too much to take another risk.” Elizabeth suggested sweetly.
The ensuing silence was broken by a loud guffaw from Colonel Fitzwilliam and a hastily smothered chuckle from Lord Matlock.
“Why, you insolent girl! Darcy, the chit insulted your aunt! Are you going to stand there stupidly, or are you going to say something to her?”
Elizabeth watched nervously as Mr Darcy turned to look at her. The golden flecks glinting merrily in his eyes immediately soothed her. His lips quirked as he glanced back at Lady Catherine. “Umm… yes… I suppose, good guess, Elizabeth, would suffice?” he asked, his brows raised enquiringly.
As Richard Fitzwilliam laughed harder, Lady Catherine purpled alarmingly. “Do you see, Matlock? This is what happens when one marries out of one’s sphere. It is not even a se’nnight since his marriage, and Darcy has already grown as insolent and disrespectful as the chit.”
She then turned to glower at Darcy. I take no leave of you, Nephew. I am most seriously displeased. Come, Anne, we would not stay here a moment longer,” she said before stalking off.
Before following her mother, Anne deBourgh came and stood next to Elizabeth. “I suppose you would have guessed who I am, Mrs Darcy. I hoped we had met under happier circumstances, but.… Please accept my best wishes for your future felicity. I would also like to ask you not to pay any heed to my mother’s assertions about Darcy and me. He and I had mutually decided, long ago, that we would not suit.” She smiled and pressed Elizabeth’s hand, who returned the pressure with a smile of her own.
Miss de Bourgh then turned to her cousin with a faint smile. “You have chosen well, Cousin, my felicitations.”
Darcy nodded. “Thank you, Anne. I….”
“Anne, why are you still dawdling there? Come here at once! Had you not been so slow in all manners of things, it would have been you who would be standing here as Mrs Darcy not that insolent chit!”
Anne de Bourgh winced at the querulous words, then with an apologetic look at them, she hurried after her mother.
∞∞∞
In the silence that followed, Elizabeth watched Miss de Bourgh almost scurry behind Lady Catherine, and a strange mixture of anger and pity welled up inside her. Mr Darcy’s cousin had been kind to her when she had no need to be so. She had also reassured Elizabeth about her relationship with Mr Darcy, and she had been humiliated for her pains in front of a stranger!
That woman is hateful and overbearing! The small measure of guilt that Elizabeth had been feeling for being rude to Mr Darcy’s aunt melted away.
All of a sudden, it felt unacceptable to her that not one person from Anne de Bourgh’s family had done anything to support her. Impulsively, she turned to her husband and placed a hand on his arm. “Mr Darcy, can you not do something for Miss de Bourgh? She is your cousin, after all!”
Darcy looked into her troubled eyes and placed his hand on hers comfortingly, but before he could say anything, his cousin jumped in to reassure Elizabeth.
“You are getting unnecessarily anxious, Mrs Darcy. In her own way, Lady Catherine cares very much for Anne. While I cannot help but agree that my aunt can be very acerbic, her bark is usually worse than her bite.”
“I am sorry to have to disagree with you, Colonel, but sometimes harsh words can cause more damage than even physical aggression,” Elizabeth insisted.
Colonel Fitzwilliam appeared a little nonplussed at her persistence. “Uh… I suppose I cannot deny the truth of that statement.”
Elizabeth turned back to Darcy once more. “Fitzwilliam?” she asked softly and did not even notice how she had addressed her husband. But he did; and his heart rejoiced at the growing ease between them.
It pained him then to deny her request. “I am sorry, my dear, but you accord me much more influence than I actually possess. I really cannot do much. Anne is of age and is therefore her own person. And after today, I have lost whatever little leverage I had with my aunt.”
“Oh!”
The disappointment in that single word smote at Darcy’s heart and he found himself confessing. “But there is one person who can make a difference if he so desires.”
“Who?”
“Uncle Harry.” Darcy nodded towards his uncle.
Lord Matlock smothered an exclamation at that, but Darcy ignored the interruption to explain further. “My uncle is the trustee of Rosings—Anne’s estate—until March of next year, when Anne turns twenty-seven and assumes its ownership. He has in his power to decide where my aunt gets to stay when that happens,” Darcy paused delicately, and Elizabeth nodded as she finally understood.
She turned to face the earl. “Sir?”
Harry Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Matlock, was surprised by Elizabeth’s boldness, but as he stared into those pleading green eyes, he was further astonished to hear himself agree, “Oh, very well, I will see what I can do.” He could only blink at the brilliant smile that was suddenly directed at him in response.
Lord Matlock would have been seriously annoyed if he had seen the amused look being exchanged between his wife and his son behind his back. It was therefore good for his temper, and everyone present, that he could not see it. “Mind, I cannot promise anything.” He thought he should warn Mrs Darcy.
“Of course, my lord, but I know that since you have given your word, you will try your best.”
“Hmm.” The earl mumbled and then addressed his nephew. “I now understand why you were so adamant to marry her! I have to second Anne, you have chosen well, Darcy.”
“Thank you, sir.” Darcy smiled and added, “This was not how I wanted to introduce Elizabeth to you, but now that Lady Catherine has ensured that it is so, let me at least do so formally.” And promptly proceeded to do so.
Lady Matlock then took the opportunity to invite all the Darcys for dinner the next evening, asking them to usher in the new year with her family. She was much intrigued by the subtle manner in which her nephew raised his brow at his bride to ascertain her opinion, and her equally imperceptible nod of agreement.
“We will be happy to join you tomorrow, Aunt Susan,” Darcy confirmed.
The silent communication between Darcy and Elizabeth pleased Lady Matlock. Fitzwilliam seems to be doing well in fostering amity between him and Elizabeth. If he had not informed me of the truth earlier, I would not have known that theirs is not a love match!
“Well, now that everything is settled, let us take our leave, Mother.”
“Oh!”
“What is it, Elizabeth?” Darcy asked as he saw his wife staring at his cousin, who was standing with his arm around his mother’s shoulders.
“It is nothing, really. It is just that this is the first time I have seen the colonel in his uniform. He reminded me very much of another soldier I saw in my uncle’s warehouse when last I was in London. That soldier was standing exactly in like manner—with his arm around a woman.” Elizabeth then turned to face Georgiana. “Do you remember, Georgie?”
Even as Georgiana nodded, Darcy noticed the guilty look being exchanged between Richard and his mother.
“We will take your leave then.” Lord Matlock walked towards the door and his wife and son hurriedly followed him.
“Richard, can you stay behind for a moment, I would like a word with you,” Darcy requested gently.
“I thought you might,” Richard Fitzwilliam said with a resigned sigh.