Mr Darcy- My Hero

by Zoë Burton

  Straightening, Darcy put away his thoughts for the time being, vowing to discuss his findings with his cousin and friends. After he saw Elizabeth and assured her of his fidelity.

  Within an hour, Darcy was dressed and ready to leave. He had debated holding off his visit to Longbourn, so that he could talk to Richard, Bingley, and Hurst. However, he sensed that Elizabeth needed him more than he required answers, and so chose his betrothed. He walked to the stables, ordered his stallion saddled, and paced impatiently while he waited for the boy to bring Romeo around. Soon, though, he was mounted and riding away, towards Longbourn and his love.

  ~~~***~~~

  After a long, sleepless night spent crying into her pillow, Elizabeth rose from her bed with the sun. She did not walk out; had she thought it a good idea, she had no desire for the activity. Walking slowly down the stairs, she made her way to the dining room and poured herself a cup of coffee. She sat in her accustomed seat at the table, to the right of her father’s customary place. There, she remained, elbows on the table and cup in her hand, sipping the bitter brew and staring out the window. Her thoughts wandered to her betrothed and wondered if she would see him this day. A small hope within her refused to die out, but a louder voice cried that she had been forsaken. Elizabeth sniffed, struggling to hold in her tears. She sipped her coffee, paying no attention to the time, until she heard her father come down the stairs and enter his book room. With a sigh, she set aside her now-cold cup and wandered into the drawing-room, taking up the same position she had the day before—at the small table in front of the window.

  She had just settled herself onto the hard chair when there came a knock on the door. Listlessly, Elizabeth wondered who it could be at such an early hour. She opened her book. Suddenly, the door opened, and Hill entered.

  “Mr. Darcy to see you, ma’am.” The housekeeper curtseyed and backed out of the room, closing the door behind her.

  With a gasp, Elizabeth stood. She could feel her mouth moving and wanted to say something, but no words would come. She saw him begin to move toward her with his hand outstretched, and heard his deep voice.

  “My love.”

  Before she knew what she was about, she reached for that hand and was swept into Darcy’s arms. As he held her closely, she sobbed into his coat.

  “Shhh, my love, shhh,” Darcy whispered into her hair. “I am so sorry I was not here sooner.” He squeezed her tighter, one arm around her shoulders, the other around her waist, so that her entire body was pressed against his. He kissed the top of her head then rested his cheek on her hair and swayed with her, the action soothing them both.

  Elizabeth was aware of nothing but the fact that Darcy had returned to her, called her his love, and was now holding her as she had been wishing for the entirety of the last two days. Though she had thought she had no more tears inside, a river of them now soaked his coat, and she could not bring herself to care. She allowed him to comfort her, and after a while, the crying slowed. Elizabeth became more aware of her surroundings, and concerned that her mother or one of her sisters might come upon them unexpectedly. She lifted her head to look at her betrothed and was met with a tender kiss.

  “I love you, Elizabeth. I am so sorry that you have had to face these ugly rumors alone.” Darcy kissed her again, not allowing her to speak just yet. “I know you were here with your family, but you needed me, I know you did.”

  “I did,” Elizabeth whispered. “I was so frightened that you would leave me.”

  “Never.” Darcy kissed her again, this time more deeply.

  When he pulled back, Elizabeth spoke softly once more. “They are saying that I-, that I-.” She sobbed. “That I gave away my virtue out in the woods, and to everyone I came upon. I would never …”

  “Shh.” Darcy laid his finger over her lips. “I know that you would not. It is all scurrilous lies, told in an attempt to ruin your reputation and prevent us from marrying.”

  “How do you know this?” Elizabeth’s eyes were large in her blotchy face, her brows raised well above her bloodshot eyes.

  “I do not, yet. I mean, I do have evidence that causes me to suspect such a thing, but I have no proof. That is what I need.” Darcy looked intently into Elizabeth’s eyes. “That is what I will get. You are already my wife in my heart, and I do not allow disparagement of Mrs. Darcy. I will protect you at all costs.”

  Elizabeth’s lips tilted up a tiny bit at the corners. “Thank you. I love you.” She stretched up to kiss him.

  A clearing throat alerted the pair that they were no longer alone. Though they broke the kiss, Darcy would not let go of Elizabeth.

  “Well, Mr. Darcy, it is good of you to finally make an appearance. As you can clearly see from my daughter’s appearance, she has had a difficult few days while you were doing whatever it is that rich young men do.”

  “Papa-.”

  “No, Elizabeth, I will take care of this.” Darcy spoke softly to her, squeezing her once more. Looking to his future father-in-law, Darcy continued. “I spent the last two days dealing with Mr. Wickham. He has been sent to a unit in the north of England, a permanent transfer, and with incentives in place to make him stay there.”

  Elizabeth sagged in relief. “Thank you.”

  Darcy smiled down at his betrothed before looking back up at Bennet. “I did not know of the rumours when I called upon Wickham. Well,” he amended, “I had heard something of them but dismissed them as the rantings of a disappointed woman. It was not until last night that I learned the true extent of them.”

  Bennet moved further into the drawing-room, giving Darcy a pointed look and seating himself in a chair. Darcy took the hint and loosened his hold upon Elizabeth, but drew her to a settee where they could sit together. Once seated, he wrapped one of her hands in both of his. Elizabeth gripped his hands tightly, feeling as though he were her lifeline.

  “Now that you are comfortable, perhaps you care to enlighten me further.” Bennet’s sardonic prompt made his daughter frown, but she said nothing. Instead, she looked up at Darcy as he related the events of the previous day, and the gossip he had heard at the Long’s.

  Elizabeth gasped when she heard about Robert Goulding’s red face and his father’s comments. “I turned down a marriage proposal from Robert Goulding. He was very angry when he went away.” She looked at her father.

  Bennet nodded. “That he was. Elizabeth and I have already spoken of this. I would venture to say that someone got young Goulding drunk and fed his anger with her refusal. Then, that person sent Goulding around to spout off nonsense about Lizzy.”

  “You think that person is Wickham?” Darcy thought he knew the answer to that question but asked anyway.

  “I do.”

  Darcy’s shoulders sagged a little. “I am relieved that you have drawn the same conclusion that I have.”

  “There is no proof, and Wickham is gone, if what you have told me us correct.”

  “It is correct, sir, and he is gone, I promise you. We no longer have access to Wickham, but I fully intend to interrogate this Goulding fellow. I will also ask around at the tavern. If the two were drinking together there, surely someone will remember it.”

  “Will the villagers speak to you about it? You are an outsider here.” A crease appeared between Elizabeth’s brows and the corners of her lips, so recently turned up by Darcy’s arrival and his words of love, were now turned down into a concerned frown.

  “They may or they may not,” Darcy replied with a shrug. “I plan to ask my cousin to join me. Often, his air of authority and his uniform will induce people to speak when nothing else will. The tradesmen were willing to speak with me about Wickham, so perhaps the men in the tavern will be, as well.”

  “I hope so,” Elizabeth’s soft voice conveyed her desire for it to be so. She looked down. “What will we do about my reputation?”

  Darcy glanced at Bennet. “What have you and your father discussed?”

  “Very little, even after I told him what happened
to us in Meryton the other day.”

  Darcy’s gaze honed in on Elizabeth’s face. “What happened in Meryton?” He listened intently as she shared every detail. Elizabeth knew his ire had been raised once more by the way he so tightly gripped her hand. The longer she spoke, the tighter his grip and the grimmer his expression. When she finished speaking, she watched with bated breath as her betrothed breathed deeply and let it out slowly, clearly fighting for control of his anger. Finally, after a few tense minutes, Darcy’s head turned toward Elizabeth’s father.

  “Have you looked into this at all, sir?”

  Chapter 10

  “No, I have not. I had hoped it would all blow over if we did not respond to it.” Bennet shifted in his seat as he spoke and Elizabeth wondered if he was feeling discomfort at his inaction.

  “Your favorite daughter was accosted by a farmer on the high street of Meryton, and you hoped it would blow over? Are you out of your mind?” Darcy’s incredulous exclamation caused Elizabeth’s father to flush and then stiffen.

  Defensively, Bennet replied, “What would you have me do? Track down the stranger and call him out? It is gossip, with no basis in fact. In a week, some other scandal will have caught everyone’s attention, and this one will be forgot.”

  “And in the meantime, all of your daughters are spoken of in the meanest of terms, restricted to Longbourn because no one wants them in their homes, and invitations to the residences of your neighbors are rescinded; all of this, based on an untruth, and all because you do not wish to stir from the comfort of your book room. You, sir, are a poor excuse for a father if you would not do anything to protect the ladies who should be the most precious things in the world to you.” Darcy paused long enough to take a deep breath and blow it out his nose. His voice shook with the force of his feelings as he continued. “I have half a mind to remove Elizabeth from this home right now. We could go to London and be married in a few days. I am quite certain the bishop, who is my godfather, would expedite a special license upon hearing the circumstances.”

  Darcy looked at Elizabeth, raising the hand he held to his lips and bestowing a tender kiss to the fingers. He looked deeply into the fine eyes of his betrothed as he spoke again, this time more softly. “The only thing stopping me is the knowledge that the rumours will follow us to London, if they have not already made it there. Do you understand, my love? Can you bear to wait to marry?” When Elizabeth quietly replied in the affirmative, caressing his face with her free hand, he turned back to Mr. Bennet, once again speaking with conviction. “So, instead of doing as I dearly wish to do, we will stay here and fight this, Elizabeth and I. My cousin and friends will help, I am certain.” He glared at Bennet. “I will not stand for attacks against my wife, and as I have previously stated to your daughter, in my mind and heart, we are already married.”

  “There has been no settlement signed, sir.”

  Elizabeth turned her own thunderous frown on her father. “You cannot mean to make it difficult for us to marry now? What could be your reason?” She refrained, barely, from commenting on his parenting. She knew she could get away with much, but she was still a minor under the law, and there was no point in aggravating her father beyond what was necessary.

  “The gentleman has been off gallivanting who knows where, with not a word to either you or me. Perhaps he was not serious in marrying you in the first place. I have no way of knowing.” Bennet gestured toward Darcy as he spoke, staring red-faced at Elizabeth.

  “I sent letters to inform you of what I was doing. Are you saying they did not arrive?” Darcy’s features darkened even more.

  “We received no letters. Well, I did not.” Elizabeth turned to her father. “Did you, Papa?”

  Shaking his head, Bennet answered. “Not one. I specifically asked Hill about it. No letters in the post the last two days and no messages from Netherfield.”

  “That explains why you looked so drawn and haggard, my love.” Darcy kissed Elizabeth’s hand once more. “I am so sorry; I seem to have let you down in more than one way. I believe I know what happened to those letters, and I will deal with that when I see Bingley, I promise you.”

  Elizabeth did not understand his meaning, but sensed that he would tell her about it after he had sorted it out. She decided not to press him at the present time. “It is not your fault. You did your part; it was left to others to complete the task, and they failed. I trust you; I know you will find out what happened to your missives and make certain it does not happen again.”

  Darcy’s lips lifted slightly. “Thank you, Elizabeth. I value your trust in me.”

  Elizabeth smiled back at him, feeling much better now than she had when she arose. “I value your respect for me, which you have shown by allowing me to remain for this discussion instead of demanding that you speak to my father alone.”

  Before Darcy could respond, the other ladies of the house could be heard moving around upstairs. Bennet noted, “My wife and the rest of my daughters will be down here soon, sir. We should wrap this up or move to my book room.”

  “I have talked about it all that is necessary. My solicitor should be here tomorrow with a draft of Elizabeth’s settlement. I will bring him over here, and we can review it. I am certain he will bring a clerk to rewrite and copy it; we can have that signed before tea tomorrow unless it needs major changes.”

  Lydia and Kitty could be heard chattering loudly as they descended the stairs and entered the dining room to break their fast. The attention of the occupants of the drawing-room was focused on the girls for a moment. Elizabeth was the first to break the silence. “Will you stay and eat with us?”

  “I will,” was Darcy’s soft reply. Looking to Bennet once more, he addressed one more thing. “We need to set a date for the wedding. As far as I am concerned, it cannot come soon enough. A marriage is the surest way to quell the rumours and restore your family to respectability.”

  Bennet sighed. “You are correct. Again.” He rose from his chair. “Whatever the two of you decide is acceptable to me.”

  “Thank you, Papa.”

  Elizabeth and Darcy, who had stood when Bennet did, watched her father leave the room. “He is anxious to escape to his sanctuary,” Elizabeth explained sadly. Looking at her betrothed, she added, “At least we have permission to marry when we wish.”

  Darcy drew her once more into his arms, and Elizabeth decided that this was her favorite place to be. “How soon can we marry?” she asked.

  “I sent an express this morning to my godfather. Obviously, I do not know what his reaction will be, but I cannot imagine him denying my request. I offered to reimburse him if he purchased the license for me and sent it express to Netherfield. I hope to receive it in no less than a week. We can marry the following day, if it pleases you.” Darcy kissed her nose.

  Elizabeth nodded. “Yes, please. I will pack my belongings tonight, so I am ready at a moment’s notice.”

  Darcy chuckled. “There is no hurry, my love. I will let you know as soon as a response arrives, even if I must deliver it myself.” Suddenly, Darcy remembered about wedding clothes. “Are you sure you wish to marry so quickly? Would you not like to buy some new gowns?”

  Elizabeth’s smile disappeared. “No. I need nothing, and if I did, I would rather not purchase anything in Meryton ever again.” She hesitated, and when she looked back up at him, the same haunted expression was in her eyes that had been there when he had arrived a couple hours earlier. “Are you certain you still wish to marry me? Will your family not object, especially given my ruin?” Her eyes filled with tears as her heart filled once more with fear.

  Darcy pulled her closer, lifting her chin with his hand and holding it there so he could look into her eyes. “I love you above anyone I have ever known. The only family member I am concerned about is my Aunt Catherine. The rest will be easily swayed once they see how happy you make me. Except for Catherine, they have long wished for me to marry someone who fills me with joy. I promise you, if any of them object
to you, I will cut them out of our lives.”

  Still worried, Elizabeth chewed her lip. She could see Darcy’s sincerity in his expression, but she hated to be the cause of a rift in his family. Still, without him she would be lost—and ruined. “Very well, then. I cannot live without you, and you are determined to have me, so we will just have to make the happiest couple in all England.” She smiled up at him.

  Darcy smiled back before he kissed her again, not letting her go until they were gasping for breath. “I love you, Elizabeth.”

  “And I love you.”

  Darcy remained close to Elizabeth’s side during breakfast, making it clear to her mother and sisters, as well as to Elizabeth herself, that he had no intentions of jilting her. He struggled to maintain his composure in the face of their unruly and often rude behavior, but he soldiered on. It meant too much to him that Elizabeth remained certain of their upcoming marriage and the extent of his affections to allow himself to display his affront with some of the antics he witnessed.

  By the time everyone was done eating, Bingley was at the door, come to visit Jane and check on Darcy. The four of them took a walk in the back gardens so they could discuss recent events in peace. They paused under a large elm, standing in a circle as Darcy shared his plans for discovering a connection between Wickham and Goulding. Eventually, the couples split up, with Bingley and Jane wandering one direction and Darcy and Elizabeth heading for the fountain.

  Darcy could see that Elizabeth was exhausted. Her eyes, while less puffy than they had been early in the morning, still were circled in black, and she retained the unhealthy and uncharacteristic pallor he had noticed when he entered Longbourn’s drawing-room. Her usual wit had begun to assert itself while she ate, but remained a little dim. Darcy insisted, once inside the hermitage where the fountain was located, that they sit on one of the nearby benches. Once settled beside each other, he put his arm around her shoulders and urged her to lean against him and rest. As they sat in the quiet peacefulness, Elizabeth leaned harder against him and soon began to softly snore. Darcy grinned at the sound and kissed her head.