All the same, every time she tried to imagine Caroline marrying Mr. Darcy, she stopped herself. It was a loathsome idea even though she did not know why she found it so distasteful.
“I imagine he has. He shall be even fonder of you if he sees you are doing your duty and caring for your sister-in-law while she is bed-bound. Now, please fetch that water for me. I expect Jane shall wake soon.”
Miss Bingley gave her a filthy look and hurried down the stairs. Elizabeth continued on to her sister’s room. She was under no illusions—she knew Miss Bingley would foist the task off on the first maid she encountered. And if she did not encounter a maid, she would summon one.
It did not matter. It was not about hot water. Elizabeth would summon a maid herself just as soon as Jane stirred. It was about irritating Miss Bingley so much that she did not have time to start wondering about what was afoot.
She bowed her head as she pushed open the door. Distracting Miss Bingley was Elizabeth’s sole task at that moment—so why was she reflecting instead on what the woman had said about marrying Darcy? Now was no time to be distracted by trivialities and yet she found she could think of little else!
Chapter Eight
Jane was in good spirits that morning. She had not been at all happy about taking bedrest, but the benefits of resting were beginning to show themselves on her face. Much to Elizabeth’s relief, she was more interested in talking about the children than she was in asking about what had gone on the night before.
Elizabeth went downstairs as soon as Jane drifted off to sleep again. By now her stomach was grumbling. She made straight for the breakfast-parlour, but stopped and stared when she saw Darcy entering the library.
Suddenly her curiosity overtook her hunger. She recalled his strange statement the night before. Perhaps now he might tell her what had gone on between the gentlemen and James Hardy.
She hurried forward, glancing around her as she went. She did not want to catch Miss Bingley’s attention. It was clear now that that young lady had set her sights on Darcy, and she would no doubt do everything in her power to keep him away from other unmarried ladies. Not that Miss Bingley would ever even contemplate the idea of Darcy being interesting in a Bennet.
She smiled as she pushed open the library door. Perhaps Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy had more in common than she had first thought. After all, Darcy would never contemplate the idea of marrying her either.
She was relieved to find him alone in the library.
“You rise early, Miss Bennet.”
“Do I? I am usually awake at this time.”
“I see. Perhaps it is the household. Miss Bingley is an early riser too.”
Elizabeth smiled as she realised something. It had not been a happy coincidence that Miss Bingley happened to be awake early on the one day Elizabeth desperately wished to see her. No, she realised now that Miss Bingley had probably been rising early in the mornings for quite some time—and that her new enthusiasm for the mornings coincided exactly with Darcy’s arrival at Radcliffe House. If she had been less preoccupied, she might have checked this with Jane for her own amusement.
“I have always favoured the mornings to the evenings. I abhor this custom of taking breakfast at eleven. Half the day has passed.”
She nodded, relaxing a little. “I agree. Mr. Darcy. I imagine you have become used to rising with the dawn. Did you find Bengal’s climate agreeable?”
“On the contrary, Miss Bennet. I had not expected to encounter such indolence. It seemed to me that half the men were made idle and listless by the heat, which oftentimes was close to unbearable. It seemed to me that they were more inclined to idle away their days in their clubs than to do anything purposeful. I cannot say I often encountered other Englishmen on my walks.”
“Dear me, Mr. Darcy, that is surprising. And may I ask what caused you to remain there so long if you found it so unfavourable?”
“I am not entirely sure,” he murmured. “My cousin Richard embarked on a scheme over there. That was why I journeyed there. I suppose once my sister married, there was less of a draw to return to England. Richard is a dear fellow, but he does seem to get himself into the most frightfully worrying situations.”
She smiled. “So you remained there to watch over him.”
“Yes… I… well, I suppose I did. Yes.”
Elizabeth reminded herself that this was no time to hear stories of his time in Bengal. Not only that, but this was the man who had disclosed more about her to James Hardy than she had wished to share. She sighed and took a seat in the armchair opposite his. Both faced vast windows that overlooked the park beyond the modest gardens of Radcliffe House.
She smiled at the sight. She must have explored every trail in those parklands and the place never failed to delight her. Of course, the estate was more modest than Bingley might otherwise have been able to afford, but it was splendid nonetheless.
“I got the impression, Mr. Darcy, that your conversation with Mr. Hardy was more significant than you would tell us in the carriage.”
“Did you, Miss Bennet?”
“I did. I have no need to tell you how vitally important this matter is. It impacts my family in ways you cannot imagine.”
“As I said, we discussed nothing of note. You heard Hardy yourself—no agreement was reached.”
“Yes, you did say that. But you also said you agreed with Mr. Collins that such things should not be discussed in front of ladies. That suggests something significant was in fact discussed.”
“Miss Bennet,” he said with a heavy sigh. “I did not expect you to analyse my every word.”
“I have not analysed. The contradiction struck me immediately.”
“In that case you are rather quick-witted.”
“Do you seek to flatter me, Mr. Darcy, in the hope that you shall distract me from pursuing the truth? Because I must assure you it shall not work.”
“The truth? I did not realise you were so bent on having it revealed to all.”
“Well, I am. It is only right.”
He smiled thoughtfully. “Only when you are the one who is ignorant of it. Do tell me, Miss Bennet, what was it that Mrs. Hardy said that was so disagreeable to your sister that it caused her to faint? I do not believe it was something as mundane as needlepoint.”
Elizabeth flushed. “Perhaps not. But that does not matter. The circumstances are different.”
“Are they? Neither of us wishes to reveal what was said when the ladies retired to the drawing-room.”
Elizabeth jumped to her feet and paced to the fireplace. The fire had died down since it had been lit first thing that morning. She turned back to him.
“We have not seen you in so many years, Mr. Darcy. And then you return and seek to tell me what I should know about a matter that gravely affects my family.”
He shook his head. “It is not for me to tell you.”
“I must know!” she cried, her emotions pouring forth in a way that was most uncharacteristic of her. She could not bear it any longer. Perhaps it was his air of cool indifference that pushed her into such a state. “That loathsome man spoke at length of his desire to become acquainted with the unmarried Bennet sister. And as we both know, he was speaking of me—only he did not know that. You must understand why I am desperate to know what went on. If it is a delicate matter then I beg you—send for Bingley, who is my brother by law and who will surely see it in his heart to tell me if you cannot.”
Darcy looked away. “Believe me, Miss Bennet; you must not worry about that man.”
A maid entered and bustled over to the fireplace. Elizabeth returned to her chair.
“May I remind you, Mr. Darcy, that it was you who told that man I am unmarried! You have placed me in an impossible situation. Surely you can see that!”
“It shall be awkward, of course, but there are ways around it. Perhaps if you changed your hair or wore a distinctive bonnet he might be led to believe that you simply bear an uncanny resemblance to your sister.”
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She gripped the arms of the chair and stared at the trees outside. “No,” she whispered. “Do you not see? A man like that… His interest in an unmarried woman…” she bowed her head, irritated that she had been forced to even allude to such unpleasantries. “Oh, Mr. Darcy! Why did you tell him that I was unmarried? What possible reason could you have had for doing so?”
Darcy stared back at her, seemingly dumbfounded. “What else could I have done? I had never met that man before last night, but I have heard of him. He is as clever as he is dishonourable. I have no doubt at all that he was already aware that Mrs. Bingley had an unmarried sister. He may not have known what Mrs. Bingley looked like, but we can be quite sure he knows all there is to know about your family.”
“But…”
“Even if he did not know, there was a risk he would find out. It was better that I told him.”
Her body shook with anger. “Do you not see what you have done? I can guess at what you discussed after we left.”
Darcy blanched. “Please do not. Take my word for it that nothing of significance was discussed. Now, what do you mean what I have done? What does it matter if he knows you are unmarried?”
She stared down at her hands, which had begun to shake. She did not even want to voice her deepest fears. “He could ask for my hand.”
“He is married. He cannot…” Darcy cleared his throat and looked around the room. “Do not think… He is an impertinent man; a cheat and a bully, but he… Even James Hardy realises there are certain customs that cannot be overlooked especially where gentlemen’s daughters are concerned. You must not worry.”
She shook her head weakly. She understood why he had told the man now, but it made no difference at all. Darcy’s demeanour all but confirmed it to her—there had been some discussion about Miss Bennet after the ladies had left the dining room. “No, he is not. That is why my sister Mary was so outraged in the carriage last night. He may have introduced that young woman as his wife, but she is not. She described it as a joke, but perhaps it was all part of some wider scheme.”
His face fell. “Are you sure?”
She thought back to that night in the drawing-room; to the young woman’s triumphant laughter as she recounted Hardy’s spiteful plans for them all. She had no doubt in her mind. “I believe her.”
“Good heavens,” Darcy muttered. “This changes everything.”
Chapter Nine
Neither of them spoke for what felt like hours but must only have been minutes. Elizabeth’s anger had dissipated. She believed Darcy when he said he had felt there was no choice but to tell Hardy the truth.
It was not Darcy she ought to be angry at, she knew, but James Hardy.
“How is your father?” Darcy asked haltingly.
She smiled. “Very well, thank you.” In truth, Thomas Bennet had been greatly affected by his youngest daughter’s elopement and the ensuing settlement, which was far beyond his means. That he had had no choice but to allow his son-in-law to meet the man’s demand had taken a great toll on him. “And your sister?”
“Very well. She is married with children.”
“How delightful.” She smiled and nodded again. “Wonderful.” She looked at her hands. She had not eaten yet, but it seemed her hunger had been entirely replaced by dread. “That is not true, Mr. Darcy. My father is well now, but I fear if he was to learn of these new circumstances he would never recover from the shock and the shame.”
He was silent, leaving her to wonder what had compelled her to share such an uncomfortable truth with a man who was only one step up from being a perfect stranger.
“I am sorry to hear it.”
“Not as sorry as I am, believe me. Mr. Darcy, I fear I have been too candid. I beg you not to disclose what I have said to anyone.”
He stared at her. “Of course I will not tell a soul. You have my word. Do you truly think so ill of me?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I cannot make you out at all but I would not say my opinion of you is as poor as it once was.”
“As it once was? Good heavens! Why would you have had a poor opinion of me?”
She could not help but laugh. “Do you not remember? Mr. Darcy! You insulted me personally and you insulted every person in my town. It was plain to see that you despised us all and thought we were inferior to you.”
“I…”
“It does not matter now,” she whispered. “That time seems like a lifetime ago now. So much has happened in the meantime. Oh, Mr. Darcy, why have you remained here? I can understand Charles’s involvement. And Mr. Collins’s. But yours? Surely you must know that it is unwise to cross a man like Hardy.”
He shook his head. “Suffice it to say that I have my reasons. I suppose you will not accept that for an answer.”
She laughed despite the tumult in her heart. “Of course I will not. What sort of an answer is that? It is vague in the extreme.”
“Necessarily so.”
“Well,” she said, eyes widening as something dawned on her. “You have told me more than you think. You have reasons for staying here. What could they possibly be?”
“Bingley is my dear friend. I am here to help him.”
“That cannot be the only reason. You would have declared it immediately if that was the case—and I have heard you say it before.” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, you must forgive me, Mr. Darcy. I was curious because it involves my family, but you must think I am prying. Forget I said anything.”
He got up and walked to the window. Elizabeth found herself walking with him. It was clear that something grave was occupying his thoughts.
“Mr. Darcy?”
“Miss Bennet, what I am about to tell you is something I have never disclosed to anyone. I wish that was different—I wish I had confided in Bingley. Perhaps then… well, who knows what might have been the outcome.” He sighed and stared out at the trees and hills beyond. “I only learnt of Wickham’s involvement when it was already too late. I would have tried to intervene if I had known.”
Her ears tingled. “You know Wickham?” It seemed so unlikely. Wickham had long since been uncovered as the liar and cheat he really was—he was so different to Darcy that seemed incredible that the two men might be acquaintances. Her eyes widened. “Ah. You are from Derbyshire. Do you know him from there?”
“Do you mean to tell me you were not aware we were acquainted? Has he never spoken to you about Pemberley?”
She shook her head. She knew from speaking to Bingley that Pemberley was Darcy’s estate in Derbyshire but she had never heard Wickham mention it. Not that she had heard Wickham say much of anything in the past several years. “The truth is Wickham was never interested in being embraced by my family—even if we could have brought ourselves to fully embrace him. He and my sister visit Jane and Charles on occasion, but that has always been to ask for money and they have never gone to great lengths to disguise that fact. We have not spoken in a very long time. Charles finally saw sense last year and told Wickham he would not give him another penny.”
“If only I had known the extent of it,” Darcy said in a strangled voice.
“It is not your responsibility. If old acquaintances were responsible for each other’s actions, then the whole country would be awash with recriminations.”
“We are not just old acquaintances,” he said, rubbing his temples. “We were like brothers as children. But that is not why I… Miss Bennet, the summer before my brief visit to Meryton was a rather trying time for my family. I can speak of it with some detachment now owing to the time that has passed, but at the time…” He sighed and shook his head. “I was very fortunate indeed to stop my own sister from eloping with Wickham.”
“Your sister? Surely not.” Elizabeth blinked. She had never met the girl, but Miss Bingley had often talked about her in the months before the Bingleys’ marriage. “I was told she was a pleasant, well-mannered girl.”
He smiled hesitantly. “She is a woman now, of one and t
wenty. But she was a girl then. And her goodness was no protection from him. If anything, it prevented her from seeing the truth—that he was only interested in marrying her to access her fortune.”
“Oh my.” Elizabeth gasped and groped at the wall. She found her bearings and leant her weight against it, worried for a moment that she might pass out.
“So you see,” he said soberly after he had dispatched a maid to fetch her a strong cup of tea. “I have a very good reason for being here and wishing to help.”
* * *
He frowned when the girl placed the tea things on the table. “Perhaps I ought to have sent for some food. Have you eaten?”
She laughed and shook her head. “I have no appetite.”
“And you find that amusing?”
“No,” she said, laughing again. “What I found amusing was your chiding me for not eating. I would never have expected you to chastise me like my mother used to.”
“I am not the one who almost fainted.”
“No,” she said, taking a sip of her tea. It was stronger than she would have liked, but it was having the desired effect and restoring her energy. “I was rather surprised. I had no inkling that you knew Wickham. Your desire to be involved makes sense now.”
He nodded. “If I had only mentioned something to Bingley. At the time, of course, I could not bear to share the terrible tale. It is different now, of course. Georgiana is married and it can no longer hurt her.”
Elizabeth’s heart began to race. She was not sure if it was the result of the tea or the horrible thoughts that had risen up in her when she heard the word marriage. What had once seemed to her a pleasant prospect now filled her with horror.
“Do you think he shall ask for my hand?”
“You must not worry.”
“That is easy for you to say,” she said. “It is not like he shall try to marry you.”
Darcy’s Second Chance Page 4