Chapter 65
Chapter Sixty-Five
The Darcys had to stay in London for a week and a half after the ball, as they did not wish to miss Elizabeth’s family dinner for her birthday on the twenty-seventh of February, but they kept the knocker off their door and savored lazy mornings.
Elizabeth had been excited by the view from their bedchamber. “Berkeley Square is lovely with all the trees. No wonder you do not mind being in London for so long.”
Darcy approached and slid his arms around his wife from behind her, where she stood at their window. “You are the reason I do not mind being in London for so long, my love. I do not think I have ever been in town as long as I have been this past year.” He bent to press a kiss to her temple.
“Less than half a year? That is the longest you have ever been in town?” She turned in his arms, so he could see her nose scrunched in question.
“I believe so. But you are correct that we are blessed with a fine view out this window. Shall we walk in the square after breakfast?”
Elizabeth grinned. “I would like that. I am not yet used to being able to walk out the front door, cross a street, and be in nature. And look.” She turned to point at the park before them, a soft breeze evident in the swaying of the branches.
“Those are plane trees, are they not? I have never seen so many in one place. I was overjoyed to find one in Cheapside years ago. It was completely out of place in the city, but it made me happy. I was able to grow and flourish in a strange place, too.”
Darcy held her tighter. “I am quite delighted by your progress.”
“As am I.” She turned back into his arms, and nothing more was said about breakfast for some time.
After leaving Darcy House when the newly married couple returned from the Cotswolds, the duke had decided to stay at Gracechurch Street until Elizabeth’s birthday, after which he would return to the north.
He insisted on getting to know the people Elizabeth had lived with for five years.
They told him all about his granddaughter, and he adored having small children to entertain him.
During their last week in London, Elizabeth visited her family and friends most days.
She and Darcy went together to visit the Bingleys and Hursts.
Miss Bingley’s false friendship had turned somewhat desperate, but Elizabeth was kindness itself, as usual.
They had agreed not to invite anyone to Pemberley this year, but Darcy was not sure Sir Abraham would have accepted in any case.
He was determined to get his bride out of London in a few weeks and may never let her out of the country again.
When Miss Bingley had learned that Rowe Manor was in Yorkshire, she tried to gain an invitation there, stating how close it was to Sir Abraham’s estate in Durham. Darcy gently informed her that His Grace lived in the southern part of Yorkshire, not far from Pemberley.
Darcy had learned that Mr. Holman still resided in Cardiff and was most likely there now, so he and Elizabeth would travel to Wales at the beginning of March.
On the Tuesday after the ball, Darcy and Elizabeth returned to the Foundling Hospital. She had been there less since returning from Hertfordshire the month before, but she had still been volunteering there once or twice each week when she was in town.
“Miss Bennet! It is good to see you. I did not know whether you would have a chance to come back after your wedding. Oh, forgive me. You are Mrs. Darcy now. Congratulations! Welcome to you, too, Mr. Darcy.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Legg. We would like to help with the children today, but I will not be able to come regularly anymore. We are leaving London on Monday. I will, of course, stop in to help when we come to town, but I will not live in the city anymore.”
Mrs. Legg embraced her. “That is understandable, my girl. You have been such a support to us all these years, but I do understand. You will always be welcome even for brief visits.”
“Thank you. You are doing such wonderful work here. My husband wished to give you a gift before we go.”
Darcy corrected her. “My wife and I decided together to give this gift. It is a long story, but we found ourselves with some spare funds and have set up an investment for the hospital. We will add our regular donation to it each year, unless you have an immediate need for the larger sums, so the interest will provide for the children for years to come.”
They left Mrs. Legg with tears in her eyes as they went to teach the children and bid them farewell. Many in this group would have moved on to apprenticeships and paid positions by the time they returned the following year.
The next afternoon, while Elizabeth went to visit Mrs. Kirkpatrick and Mrs. Hopper, Darcy had one more task of his own to complete.
As soon as he entered White’s, he wished he had not agreed to meet Richard here.
He was immediately greeted by old friends and men he would be content never to see again.
“It seems the boot is quite on the other leg, eh, Darcy? You sly devil, making us believe such Canterbury tales.”
“We all thought you were dangling after naught but a bit of muslin when really you had a scheme toward being even more flush in the pockets than you already were. You should have spread some of that blunt around, Darcy.”
Darcy attempted a smile that was more of a grimace and continued moving through the group of men to seek his cousin.
“You must think us a bunch of flats for you to pitch the gammon like this. This is a havey-cavey business, Darcy.”
“Oh, you know Darcy is too strait-laced to ever make such a cake of himself as to fall for some lady-bird. This is quite a plumper, though. You had all the time in the world to set your cap at her without interference, not letting us in on your lark.”
“Indeed, Darcy. You went on as though she was nothing but a tempting armful, so we could have no chance to throw a rub in your way. We should have seen it was too smoky by half and that you would only go for the Top-of-the-Trees.”
Darcy’s restraint was thinning. “As my wife is of the highest quality, I will thank you all to cease speaking of her in such terms.” Thankfully, he saw Richard peeking his head out of a private room.
“Excuse me, I have business to attend to.” He hastily made his way past the rest of the men and slipped into the room, securing the door behind him and leaning against it with a sigh.
“You look as though you have not been in society since the ball. Had you not heard all the talk before today?”
Darcy moved to sit in the chair beside his cousin’s. “Not as such. A few whispers at the ball, but I was rather distracted that night.”
Richard laughed. “I could tell.”
“Elizabeth and I cannot get out of London fast enough.”
“And here I thought your quick escape was the plan for marriage to a tenant farmer’s daughter.”
Darcy chuckled. “I suppose I should accept the ribbing more graciously.”
“Yes, well, we shall go out smiling to show them you are unaffected. Now, you must have ventured into White’s for something more than the stimulating on-dits about yourself.”
“Right. Elizabeth and I have decided you should take some of the diamonds—”
“No, Darcy. The diamonds are yours. We have discussed this. Your father purchased them.”
“Yes, but Richard, listen. My father paid eight thousand pounds for his share. They have grown in value in this time. We are keeping a bag of diamonds presently valued at eight thousand pounds. We have no wish to keep the remainder.”
Richard stared at the wall before him, but Darcy noted his fingers drumming against his thigh.
“Yesterday, Elizabeth and I made a donation to the Foundling Hospital.”
Richard’s eyes shot to him, and Darcy thought he saw some anxiety there. He did hope for a boon, even if he sought to deny it.
“Why the Foundling Hospital? I would have thought she would wish to give money to her cousins if she did not want it.”
“Er, yes. I never told you what I learned…that is, who we thought Elizabeth’s father was before we discovered he was Lord Rowe.”
Richard watched him.
“Since she was fifteen and overheard only part of a conversation, she has thought she was not the daughter of a tenant farmer but an illegitimate child of some unscrupulous gentleman.”
“Oh, poor Mrs. Darcy.”
“Yes. It was difficult for her for many years, but she handled it with grace, as everything else she has faced in her life. She told no other person besides myself, and I charge you to keep it to yourself, though it is untrue.”
“Of course. So, the donation to the Foundling Hospital…”
“She has helped out there for years, thinking she was one of them who had been offered a better life merely by chance. Even after we discovered her true background, she has continued to help there, but we both wished to do more, especially as she will not be able to visit the children for a while. I sold some of the diamonds, and we donated twelve thousand pounds to the hospital.”
Richard’s eyes widened and then closed. “A veritable fortune. That was very good of you.” Darcy could tell his cousin was disappointed, even though he had never sought handouts. He had always been determined to make his own way on his army pay and a small allowance from his father.
“That left us with our eight thousand pounds of diamonds and another twelve thousand pounds’ worth. I wonder, would you prefer I deliver your share in the black bag or in the red silk reticule?”
Richard gaped at him.
“If you choose, I could sell your twelve thousand and invest it for you, but—”
“Darcy! It is too much. I had hoped for a few token gems as spoils or a reminder of our adventure.”
“Hmm. You must learn to brook disappointment. If you had not given me the benefit of the doubt when I had little to go on, we never would have uncovered the truth…about Mrs. Jeune, the diamonds, Lord and Lady Rowe, or Elizabeth.”
His cousin waved off his words.