A Convenient Darcy Marriage

by Rebecca Preston

  “How can you say that? He is Lizzie’s friend, too. She will vouch for his character.”

  “I do not know that she will.” It was the first time Mary’s voice joined the other two. Lydia and Kitty must have stared at Mary, because when she spoke again it was somewhat defensively. Darcy had never heard her speak defensively or in a harsh way, whatsoever. “Why do you look at me that way? I am observant. I have noticed that she is not as warm toward Mr. Wickham as she used to be.”

  “It is probably because of Mr. Darcy,” Kitty said. “He has known Mr. Wickham for a long time. Perhaps he has expressed his dislike of Lizzie and Mr. Wickham speaking. He could possibly be jealous.”

  Darcy smirked. He wondered if he should make his presence known so that the girls would stop speaking about him. They had no idea he was there and listening to them. He didn’t feel guilty about it, even though he was in their home and they had a right to the privacy that entailed. But they were merely standing in the foyer, talking without having looked to see if anyone was in the house.

  Things got more interesting for him when he heard Elizabeth’s voice join them.

  “What are you doing?” were the first words out of her mouth. Darcy grinned wide at that.

  “Hello, Lizzie. We have just returned from a visit to Meryton.”

  “I heard my name,” Elizabeth said. “What are you talking about?”

  “We are talking about Mr. Wickham,” Kitty said. “Why are you holding that tray? Is… is someone here?”

  Darcy could tell she was realizing that he must be in the house, and that their conversation had most likely been overheard. He looked around quickly, snatching a book from a corner table and opening it to a middle page. In the next moment the door to the parlor opened and Elizabeth came through, holding a tray with small ham squares, crackers, tea for two, and several delicious-looking pastries.

  He thoroughly enjoyed the looks on the faces of the Bennet sisters as they followed Elizabeth into the room. They each stammered out a “hello”, though Mary seemed quite confident and even a little amused by the whole situation. She gave him a look he hadn’t seen on her face before. It looked as though she might not be able to stop from bursting out laughing. She sat comfortably in a chair near him.

  “Hello, ladies,” he said, standing up, closing the book but holding his “place” with his fingers. When he sat back down, he caught a look in Mary’s eyes that made him look down at the book he was holding in his hands. It was upside down. He casually set it to the side and folded his hands in his lap. “How are you all on this fine day?”

  “We are well, thank you,” Kitty responded. “And you?”

  “I have been doing well myself. Elizabeth and I were having a chat, and we will go for a carriage ride after having tea if she does not mind.” He moved his eyes to Elizabeth, who had seated herself next to him where she had been before. She gave him a knowing look and nodded.

  “Yes, I would like that very much. We have much to discuss.”

  “Are you making final arrangements for your wedding?” Kitty asked, becoming excited.

  Elizabeth gave her a smile. “Yes, we are.”

  Kitty clapped her hands together. “Oh, that is so wonderful. Is that not wonderful, Lydia? You are going to let us help you, are you not, Lizzie? Why, we can make it the most spectacular event Hertfordshire has ever seen!”

  “I do not want something extravagant,” Elizabeth objected. “I want something pretty and simple and delicate.”

  “Oh, that would not be how I have my wedding,” Kitty said. She looked at Lydia. “How about yours?”

  Lydia looked slightly uncomfortable. Darcy didn’t know if it was because she knew he had overheard what she was saying, or if she felt put on the spot by her sister. He doubted it was the latter. Lydia never felt put on the spot by anyone. She was a stubborn, head-strong girl just like Elizabeth, except with less common sense. Her courtship with Wickham, if that’s what it was, proved that point to Darcy more than anything else.

  “I do not know how my wedding will be,” Lydia finally said. “I want flowers and presents and music. I have not thought much further than that.” She looked at Elizabeth. “Do you know what you want, Lizzie? Or are you going to leave it up to Mr. Darcy?”

  Darcy snorted. “She is not leaving it up to me. There is very little about a wedding that I must plan. I think I will not go further than settling on a date. Everything else will be up to her and whomever she chooses to enlist in helping with arrangements.”

  “Have you spoken to Father about it yet?” Kitty asked.

  “Kitty, you are being rude. Why are you asking so many questions?”

  Kitty looked at Lydia with narrow eyes. “I am not being rude, Lydia. I am curious.”

  “She is not being rude, Lydia,” Darcy confirmed. “And, no, I have not. But I plan to this evening, when Elizabeth and I return from our ride.”

  Chapter 29

  “What did you hear of my sisters’ conversation earlier, Darcy?” Elizabeth asked. She was riding next to him in the carriage, jostling from side to side as the wheels went over small rocks in the road. He looked down at her, admiring the way her smooth skin shone in the sunlight.

  He smiled. “You had to hear the same conversation I did. They were talking about Lydia and Wickham, and our opinions of him.”

  “Why would they want to know what you think of Wickham?”

  “It influences you, and you begin to treat Wickham differently. Do you see him often?”

  “He comes to see Lydia every so often. I see him when he is here. I have not seen him on the street very often.”

  “Has he questioned you?”

  Elizabeth gave him a quizzical look. “Questioned me? About what?”

  “About your feelings regarding him courting your sister.”

  “Why should he care about that?”

  “Your sisters say that your behavior toward him is different. That you are not as warm in your conversation as you used to be. I do believe that Lydia thinks you were attracted to Wickham before you and I made our… arrangement.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “You might as well say that we started courting, Darcy. It was only an arrangement for a short time.”

  He laughed with her. “I suppose you are correct. But you are dodging my question quite effectively.”

  She shook her head. “Whether I was attracted to Mr. Wickham when we first met or not, is irrelevant. We are here now, together, and there is no reason not to let the past stay where it is.”

  “We cannot ignore the past.”

  “No, of course not. But we learn from it and we move on. It is the present, and my feelings about Mr. Wickham are what they are. Perhaps I have been a bit indifferent when he is in the room. But I know now what kind of man he is, and I cannot hide that fact. He is still my friend, I suppose. But I am not going to be as warm with him as I used to be. I simply cannot bring myself to feel that way again.”

  “As well you should not. You are going to be a married woman soon. It is only proper that you cease any friendships you have with other men.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “I do not have many male friends to speak of, Darcy. You needn’t worry.”

  “I have many female friends,” Darcy admitted.

  “And will you be cutting off all contact with those women?”

  Darcy grinned at her. “It seems I already have instinctively. When you and I began our… courtship, I found I did not have the time or inclination to visit any of them.”

  Elizabeth was filled with satisfaction. She had managed to take up more of Darcy’s mind than she thought she did. “I do not feel I have to worry about your relationships with other women, Darcy. I know what kind of man you are. What other woman would want to put up with that?”

  She laughed at the look of utter shock on Darcy’s face. It quickly turned to amusement and he laughed with her. “Am I truly that difficult, my dear?”

  “No, Darcy. I find your company satisfying, and it mak
es me happy. I am comfortable with you.”

  “That is a very unique way of putting it, Lizzie. I am comfortable with you, too.”

  “We are quite compatible after all.”

  “When would you like to make it official? There is much to do and plan beforehand.”

  Elizabeth thought about it for a moment. The prospect of being married and leaving her family had never been more fearful. It was really going to happen, and she suddenly felt overwhelmed.

  “Are you all right?” Darcy noticed when Elizabeth’s face went white. She closed her eyes and he reached out to her.

  Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked up at him. She could feel his arm around her back, holding her in a warm embrace. She leaned her head against his shoulder and breathed in his musky scent.

  “I am sorry, Darcy. I suddenly thought about how I will be moving away from my mother and father’s. How I will not be able to see my sisters on a regular basis. I will have new duties and responsibilities as the mistress of Pemberley House. I… I just need to catch my breath for a moment.”

  “You will be free to do what you want as my wife, Elizabeth.” Darcy’s tone was very serious. She lifted her head and looked up at him as he continued. “I want you to know that you will be free to move about, see your parents and sisters, go to Meryton. You can do anything you want to make yourself happy. I will not be changing my lifestyle. I will often be gone. But you will have one promise. You will have me by your side at the end of the day. That I can guarantee you. I may be gone from dawn till nighttime. But every night I will come home, and I will be with you. We will have many late-night talks, I am sure.”

  “I do not want you to think badly of me, Darcy.”

  He pulled his eyebrows together. “Why would I think badly of you? Have you something to confess?”

  She felt his hand tighten on her shoulder. “No, of course not. I do not want you to think I do not want to marry you because I am too frightened. I am frightened. This is going to be a big change for me. But I am willing to take this step forward. I think it is best. I think we should have the ceremony as soon as you feel comfortable having it.”

  “How long do you think you will need to prepare?”

  “I have no idea,” Elizabeth responded. “I have never done this before.”

  Darcy laughed. “You have me there, my dear. All right, let us set it for two months out. The weather will still be somewhat warm, the autumn rains will not yet be upon us, and our family and friends will have time to process the fact that I am getting married.”

  It was Elizabeth’s turn to laugh. “Do you think they will be that surprised?”

  “Yes. I think they will be surprised to the point that there will be much talk all through the ton. And you may find yourself the target of many questions.”

  “Such as?”

  “Such as, ‘Have you lost your mind?’ or “Don’t you think you can do better?’ Those kinds of questions.”

  Elizabeth laughed again. “Do not be silly. I cannot imagine anyone thinking I can do better. You have been one of the most sought-after bachelors in all of England for some time now. It seems to me if I get any reaction to the news, it will be that they are jealous of me.”

  Darcy snorted. “I must say I doubt that. I am not known as a ladies’ man. They might seek me, but they are not doing it for love.”

  “I must admit, Darcy, I did not have you as a man who cared whether there was love in the relationship or not. I truly thought you just did not like other human beings, whether they be male or female, especially if they were not as wealthy or in a place in society that equaled yours.”

  He chuckled. “It was a façade I used because I have always been used to having others try to manipulate me out of some of my money. It is not easy to know who can be trusted.”

  “Yes,” Elizabeth agreed. “That is true.”

  They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Elizabeth thought about leaving Longbourn for the first time in her life to live somewhere else. She had been to Pemberley House, and it was a magnificent home. Darcy’s housekeeper was kind and friendly. Elizabeth got the impression she was happy to see the change in Darcy, and that she liked this new woman in his life. She was glad to think that she would get along with the servants at Pemberley House. She didn’t want them to think she was obnoxious in any way. She treated everyone with respect, no matter their station in life.

  “So, it will be in two months’ time,” Darcy said quietly. Elizabeth looked up at him.

  “Do I detect doubt?” she asked. “Do you want to wait longer?”

  He looked back at her and smiled. “Of course not, my dear. I was thinking about how things will change at Pemberley House with you there. It has been just me for some time now. I will… have to adjust somewhat to having someone else there all the time.”

  “Do you think we will be able to live together comfortably? My mother has said before that you never really know someone until you live with them.”

  “I think we will get along just fine. You are a kind, if not a bit stubborn, woman. And I do not want a weak woman who will follow me around and quiz me on everything I do.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “Quiz you?”

  “I have spent time with some women before who were constantly asking where I was and what I was going to do. If we are to be married, there must be a level of trust between us.”

  “Of course, Darcy. I agree.”

  He nodded. “Good. Then I think we will get along quite well.”

  Chapter 30

  “He said that he did not want a woman who would follow him around?”

  Charlotte laughed, adjusting the back of Elizabeth’s dress.

  “Does that surprise you?” Elizabeth smiled. “Would you want a husband who followed you everywhere you went?”

  Charlotte came around to the front to look Elizabeth up and down. “I do not know. Do you think Mr. Collins is that type of man?”

  It was Elizabeth’s turn to laugh. “I do not know. He might be. He is certainly not cut from the same cloth as Darcy, is he?”

  Charlotte narrowed her eyes. “Not even a smidgen.”

  She smiled as she assessed Elizabeth. “You look beautiful, my dear. I think we must have started early because we still have a half hour before the ceremony is to start. We can take a walk around the courtyard if you like.”

  “Yes, let’s. I do not think I will get the dress dirty, do you?”

  “No, I think it will be fine. Are you nervous?”

  Elizabeth couldn’t help blushing. “I think I am quite nervous, Charlotte. I truly did not expect this day to happen. May I tell you something in confidence? You must swear not to tell anyone, especially Mr. Collins.”

  Charlotte raised her eyebrows. “Yes, you can trust me to keep a secret.”

  Elizabeth stood up. Her heart was pounding as she headed toward the door. Charlotte was behind her as she passed through the door and went out the side door that would lead to the courtyard of the parsonage.

  “I did not expect that I would ever marry Darcy,” Elizabeth said quietly as they stepped out onto the walkway.

  “Of course, you did not. I recall you did not speak of him fondly when you first met him.”

  Elizabeth nodded. “I did not have a good opinion of him, it is true. But then I found out that Mama and Papa were making an arrangement for me to marry Mr. Collins, so that the house would stay in the family after Papa passes away. I… I did not want to marry him. I thought to myself, though, what if I refuse and he takes the hand of one of my sisters? I did not want them to have to go through that.”

  “Oh, Liz, you make him sound like a monster.” Charlotte’s voice reflected her injured feelings.

  Elizabeth looked at her. “Please do not think that. I am simply not in love with him, and I never was. I was not in the least attracted to him. You need not worry. We are different women, and you see something in him that I do not. Would you marry Mr. Darcy?”

  Charlotte giggled.
“Oh, Liz, that is an unfair comparison. Mr. Darcy is a man any woman would want to marry. A woman only has to see him to think about something like that.”

  “Oh, dear.” Elizabeth had to smile. “Should I be worried?”

  “Not about Darcy,” Charlotte responded. “Perhaps about the jealous women he meets along the way, though. He will stand his ground, I am sure of it.”

  “I am glad to hear that. What I wanted to tell you, Charlotte, is something else. We… that is, Mr. Darcy and I, met again at another ball. After I found out that there was an arrangement in the works between my parents and Mr. Collins. For some odd reason, he decided to come and sit with me. He noticed that I was unhappy and asked me about it. I told him and he… he asked if I would like to make an arrangement with him where we would pretend to court with the intent to marry, so that my parents would realize there could be no arrangement with Mr. Collins for me.”

  “Oh, my!” Charlotte covered her mouth with her hand. “You objected very much to marrying Mr. Collins, did you not?”

  Elizabeth felt bad for a moment. They were, after all, talking about the man Charlotte intended to marry. “I am sorry, Charlotte. I was simply not attracted to him, and did not want to spend the rest of my life with him. I did not want to have his children or his last name.”

  Charlotte looked puzzled, but it was obvious she was trying to understand. “It is difficult for me, because I see him as a kind and loving man. He is ever the gentleman to me.”

  “He was a gentleman to me, as well, Charlotte,” Elizabeth replied. “But there was no spark of magic between us. That is what I want. That is… that is what grew between Darcy and me. I learned to respect him for who he is. He is not what I expected, and I have no intention of trying to change him.”

  “He changed anyway. On his own. Because of you.” Charlotte’s short sentences indicated she was just coming to this realization herself.

  “Yes, that is what I thought, as well,” Elizabeth said, softly. “He seemed to change simply because he wanted to. He felt it was necessary.”