Elizabeth gasped, and Darcy groaned. Mrs. Gardiner nodded, then continued. “They were obviously affronted, but I think Kitty’s words upset them the most.”
“Good heavens. What did she say?”
“Kitty reminded him that he had recently wanted to marry you and supposed he only went after Miss King when he heard she inherited ten thousand pounds upon her sickly grandfather’s death.”
“Is that when he threatened to throw them out?” Darcy asked.
“He said that his young cousins should watch their tongues, or they would find themselves without a home. He intimated that he would be taking over as master right after Mr. Bennet’s funeral. My husband suggested he wait until the family was moved out and settled as arranged by Mr. Darcy, but Lydia declared she would leave that very moment. She dashed upstairs to pack her trunks.”
Darcy had watched as Elizabeth grew paler with each word. “And Mrs. Bennet? Jones said she was unwell.”
“That—that woman led her niece, bold as brass, up the stairs, and they checked the chambers until they found Mrs. Bennet’s. I had gone after Lydia but ran to your mother’s room, Lizzy, when I heard a thud, and then the ladies began screaming.”
“My poor mother!” Elizabeth exclaimed.
“As far as we can tell, she was startled by their entrance.”
“I am sorry I did not speak with Mr. Collins when I returned from London,” Darcy said. “I might have been able to prevent this entire scene. However, it does not sound hopeless.”
“I am less sure,” Mrs. Gardiner said. “My husband has been speaking with him, but Mr. Collins and Miss King are demanding apologies. Kitty and Lydia refuse to give them.”
Darcy looked at Elizabeth. “What do you wish to do, Mrs. Darcy?”
While he enjoyed using the formal title, his wife started. “I—I suppose we ought to see him together. A round of reinforcements may be necessary for everyone. Aunt, you could relieve Mary in the drawing room, and my uncle could speak with my sisters. When we finish speaking with Mr. Collins, I will see my mother.”
“I do not know how well Mr. Collins will respond to your presence,” Darcy cautioned.
“That is true. However, it is my family, and they are my responsibility more than yours. I will not speak out of turn.”
Darcy gave Mrs. Gardiner a questioning look, and the woman slowly nodded in agreement with her niece. He relented. “Very well.”
Together, Darcy and Elizabeth approached the library. For a moment, she stilled in the doorway. He imagined a hundred memories of her father had assaulted her. Darcy squeezed her hand, and she squeezed his back in reply, then she followed him within. Darcy greeted the gentlemen and then sent Mr. Gardiner upstairs.
“Now, Mr. Collins, I am done with all the pleasantries.” Darcy stood in front of the man who had returned to his seat, towering over him. “I was shocked to hear of your coming to Longbourn in this way. I had thought you a respectable gentleman.”
Mr. Collins stiffened. “You ought to be more shocked at your wife’s family. Or perhaps you have had an earful from your own little baggage, and that is why you are here. Hen-pecked already?”
Darcy’s jaw tensed. He had not expected Mr. Collins to have the gumption for insults. “Sir, I will thank you not to speak so about my wife. Must I remind you that she is now a relation to your patroness, Lady Catherine? I hardly think she would condone your behaviour today.” While Darcy did not expect Collins to return to Hunsford to live and his appointment was for life unless he resigned, it would still be in his best interest not to anger his patroness. She might have additional ways to supplement his income.
Collins sniggered. “You would be wrong! When I wrote to her of your impending nuptials, she replied with her intention to cut you off entirely from her notice. She also agreed with me that the Bennets deserved no special consideration from me. I have every legal right to be here and view any room I choose. I can expel them whenever I like, which, if apologies are not made, will be this very day.”
Darcy glanced at Elizabeth, who had paled at Collins’s words. Darcy made his face look indifferent when in reality he wanted to scream at the man who made his Elizabeth fearful. “If you cannot be moved by compassion, then perhaps you will be interested in money. I could easily make it worth your while to go elsewhere. Perhaps there would even be enough to take your wife on a scenic holiday after the wedding.”
Collins leaned back, an eager look gleaming in his eye. Then it disappeared. “Save your money, Mr. Darcy. I will be rich enough upon marrying Miss King—she is an heiress, you know. It is you who gains nothing from his marriage.” He looked excessively pleased to be in what he viewed as the superior position.
Darcy would not beg a man, and his mind had been working on alternatives since he had first heard the news of the situation from his valet. He spun on his heel and, taking Elizabeth by the hand, left the library without another word.
“What are you doing? Go back in there and do something!” Elizabeth pulled her hand from his as he led her through the hallway.
Stopping, Darcy turned to look Elizabeth in the eye. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes, but—”
“I vowed to take care of your family in my proposal. You are my wife, and they are mine to care for. Do you trust me?” He held out his hand, hoping she would take it.
Elizabeth tilted her chin up to meet his gaze square on. They locked eyes for a long minute, and Darcy hoped she could see the sincerity in them. If she argued, he would explain his plans, and he had little doubt she would agree to them. However, it would be far simpler and faster—and would be a personal victory—if she would only give him her trust. Finally, Elizabeth nodded and wrapped her hand around his.
Triumph beating in his chest, he allowed Elizabeth to lead him upstairs. “Your mother first,” he said when they reached the landing. Quickly, they made their way to Mrs. Bennet’s chamber.
Elizabeth knocked on the door. “Mama, it is Lizzy.”
There were quiet sounds on the other side of the door—hushed murmurings and then the scraping of a chair. A moment later, Jane opened the door. The sisters hugged each other tightly, and then Jane moved aside for Elizabeth and Darcy to enter. As Elizabeth walked to her mother’s bed, Darcy could sense her hesitation. He approached as well. When they drew closer, they could hear Mrs. Bennet mumbling to herself.
“The hedgerows, Thomas. The hedgerows.” She repeated iterations of it over and over, not even ceasing when Elizabeth spoke to her or held her hand. “My poor daughters. Not even cold in his grave. The hedgerows.”
Darcy’s heart cracked for the matron who was reduced from vibrancy and energy to this broken shell of a woman. He felt a physical ache at seeing Elizabeth in tears again. He knelt at Mrs. Bennet’s side and placed his hand over hers.
“Mrs. Bennet,” he said in a gentle voice. “Please do not worry. You will not be in the hedgerows. I am taking you all to Netherfield. Then Elizabeth and I will find a house for you near Meryton.”
Mrs. Bennet said nothing but turned her face to him and then back to Elizabeth.
“Did you hear that, Mama?” Elizabeth raised Mrs. Bennet’s hand to her lips and then pressed it against her cheek. “Mr. Darcy says you are to stay at Netherfield until we find a new home for you. It will have better attics than Longbourn, and we will be sure your sitting room does not face west in the evening.”
Mrs. Bennet merely nodded, and while she did not utter a thank you, let alone shout in joy at being a guest at Netherfield, she visibly calmed and quieted. A few minutes later, Jane was returned to the post at Mrs. Bennet’s side while Darcy and Elizabeth chatted in the hall.
“Thank you,” Elizabeth said, wiping a tear from her eye. “You do not know what a relief it must be to my mother. Her worst fear has come true. How we used to tease her over what we thought was a ridiculous fear of being turned out of Longbourn! She had always said Mr. Collins’s father was the most dreadful man on the planet, and seeing how his s
on conducts himself, I suppose she was correct. My family can never repay you for your kindness.”
“Thank me for them if you must,” Darcy said, “but I believe I thought only of you. I hate to see you so sad, dearest Elizabeth.” He cupped her face in his hands and leaned down for a kiss just as a door opened. Jolting away from her, they turned their heads in the direction of the noise in time to see the door slam shut and giggles break out.
“Kitty and Lydia.” Elizabeth sighed. “Well, Mr. Darcy, shall we go forth and conquer my sisters now?”
Darcy stuttered in alarm at the thought.
“Very well. I will go into battle on my own. I will send my uncle out, and you two can talk over the details in the sitting room. I suppose you must write to Mr. Bingley. You do not think Miss Bingley will fight it, do you?”
“No. She is still in awe of me, even if certain clergymen and aunts are not.” Elizabeth’s smile faltered, and she turned to her sisters’ bedroom. Darcy stepped towards her. “Elizabeth?”
She looked over her shoulder at him. “Yes?”
Grabbing her hand, he pulled her to him before kissing her deeply. They parted on a sigh, and he touched their foreheads together. “Thank you for trusting me.”
His body yearned to continue what they had begun that morning, but he held little hope they would be in the mood for romance that evening. Against all his physical instincts, he left Elizabeth and returned to the sitting room.
Chapter Thirteen
Mr. Darcy sent his valet to Netherfield with a note for Bingley and a request for carriages and wagons. Immediate effects were packed as quickly as possible, and in a few hours, the Bennet family’s invasion of Netherfield was complete. Elizabeth avoided meeting the eyes of Bingley’s sisters. She was certain they held condemnation, or worse—pity.
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were invited for dinner, but they would be staying with Mr. and Mrs. Phillips in Meryton. Mrs. Bennet remained in her chamber for the meal, and while Elizabeth offered to sit with her mother, Mrs. Gardiner insisted that the new bride eat with her husband. Returning to the chamber after the meal, Mrs. Gardiner drew her niece aside before her departure.
“Lizzy, I wanted to speak with you. I have held my tongue about it for several days now as there has been so much going on. However, I still do not understand how Mr. Darcy came to offer for you.”
Elizabeth sighed and told her aunt the story. Anger rose in her as she recalled Mr. Collins’s insensitive proposal and his actions of the day. It cast Mr. Darcy’s offer in an even more charitable light.
“But I thought you hated him? In your letters to me, you did not appear to think well of him.”
“Indeed, I did not. I wanted to refuse him but felt I could not. I had prepared myself to accept Mr. Collins—”
“Oh! How glad I am that you were saved from marriage to him!”
Elizabeth nodded. “Yes, I am as well.”
“And do you think better of Mr. Darcy now? I know it has only been a few days, but he has been extraordinarily thoughtful and kind.”
“He has.” Elizabeth blushed and smiled at the memory of his tenderness with her mother. “I was prepared to make life as happy as possible with him. Now I think it will not be the trial I once feared. I was not prepared to esteem him so.”
“He is quite smitten with you.”
Elizabeth felt the heat on her face grow. Too flustered for words, she remained silent.
“You do not have to say anything in return, my dear. I only wanted to caution you on the danger of unequal affections in a marriage. Typically, it is the woman who is in love, and the man has married her for other reasons. That is a sure recipe for heartbreak as we both know the standard for fidelity in marriage is different for men than women.”
“Not in my marriage,” Elizabeth declared.
“You have discussed this with Mr. Darcy?” At Elizabeth’s nod, she smiled. “That is very good.” She placed a hand on Elizabeth’s. “I only suggest that you be considerate of his feelings. Do not dismiss them so freely in the assumption they match your own.”
Shame filled Elizabeth. Yesterday, she had done precisely that. Could her aunt be speaking the truth? Did Darcy care for her more than she did for him? Well, he had admitted to admiring her character and finding her attractive. He had been most eloquent in that area. Whereas Elizabeth had not thought highly of him at all. They had even discussed it. However, was he enamoured of her? Elizabeth had only supposed he was being very civil and kind. The actions he took to alleviate their suffering today were no more than she expected an affable young man such as Mr. Bingley would take. Indeed, although it was Darcy’s idea, it was Bingley’s home.
“You would take care not to guard your heart too much as well, Elizabeth.” Her aunt squeezed her arm. “Now, I must go. Your uncle and I will visit tomorrow, although I am uncertain how long we can remain in the area after the funeral.”
“I am very relieved that you came at all. I do not know how I would have handled today if not for you and my uncle.”
Mrs. Gardiner smiled. “I have no fear at all that your Mr. Darcy would have handled everything magnificently.” She placed a kiss on Elizabeth’s cheek and departed.
Elizabeth sat with her mother and read aloud, willing her mind not to think too much about all her aunt had said. She had a lifetime with Darcy to consider it all. Additionally, she tried not to ruminate on the events of the morrow, the drama of the day, or even the task of finding her family a new home. Instead, she attempted to focus entirely on the words before her. Eventually, she heard the sounds of the others retiring for the evening.
After a gentle knock, she opened the door to find Jane. “Are you certain you wish to sit with Mama tonight? I could ask a maid or remain with her myself”
“There is no reason for you to shoulder all the burden,” Jane said. “Allow yourself rest. If I tire too much, I will wake Mary. We can all take turns.”
“Very well,” Elizabeth said. She nodded to the book. “I will leave that for you. I do not know if it is because I have already read this volume or for other reasons, but I found it impossible to focus on. I hope you will have better luck with it.”
Once seated in her chamber and after dismissing the maid who helped her undress, Elizabeth nervously glanced at the door which adjoined her room to a sitting room. On the other side of the room was Darcy’s chamber. Netherfield was more substantial and newer than Longbourn, with several state apartments that allowed options for married visitors. Would Darcy come to her room this night? They had not discussed it. In fact, she had not seen or spoken to him privately since arriving at Netherfield. Surely if he were as infatuated with her as Mrs. Gardiner thought, he would have found some excuse to see her!
Despite such thoughts, her eyes were drawn once more to the door. At just that moment, a gentle but firm knock made her jump, and a small squeal came from her throat. The door flung open, and Darcy rushed into the room.
“Are you well?” He reached her side in quick strides, and his eyes roved down her body before searching the room. His large hands ran over her arms and clutched her hands. Finally, his gaze returned to her. “What frightened you?”
Elizabeth laughed. “Only you! I was distracted, and your knock startled me. That is all.”
The tension in Darcy’s frame eased. “I am relieved. I did not mean to surprise you, though. Were you not expecting me? Would you rather I leave?”
Elizabeth gulped. “No.”
“Are you asking me to stay or telling me to leave?” He looked as confused and nervous as Elizabeth felt.
Deciding words were useless, Elizabeth stood and kissed Darcy. She could feel him holding back, but she was persistent. Finally, he wrapped his arms around her, and they lost themselves in the kiss. Unfortunately, he pulled away a few minutes later.
“You must be exhausted after today.” Darcy’s eyes searched hers. “I am not given to fisticuffs, but I do not know when I last desired to thrash a man as much as I wished to do s
o to Collins today—”
“William,” Elizabeth interrupted, “you are talking too much.” She punctuated her words with a kiss. “Can you make me forget everything? I am so tired of thinking—”
Elizabeth did not need to say more. Darcy swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed. When they kissed again, it caught fire.
*****
Elizabeth awoke some hours later and rolled over in Darcy’s arms. The night had been blissful, and Darcy had done a magnificent job of making her lose all thought. He really was a stunning man. She had always found him handsome, but then he opened his mouth at the assembly, and her prejudice took over from there. Now that she had seen him in intimate moments and with the night casting shadows over his face, he looked more beautiful than any man had a right to be. How had she caught him? Surely there were prettier ladies than she in the ton. Why had he passed over all of them? Pushing a lock of hair from his brow, she sighed. Unexpectedly, Darcy reached for her hand and kissed it.
“Why are you awake?” he murmured, sleep making his voice huskier than usual.
“I cannot say, but now that you are, should you not leave?”
“No. Go back to sleep.”
Elizabeth waited for him to explain himself, but instead she heard his breathing slow.
“William.” Elizabeth nudged him awake. “Are you returning to your chamber?”
Darcy opened one sleepy eye. “Are you asking me to go?”
She blushed. “Is that not what husbands and wives do? I had thought a man of your position would keep to the traditional way of doing things.”
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