by Leenie Brown
“I did not say that.” A slight blush graced her cheeks. “It would just have to be a cousin other than Darcy.” She peered up at Thaddeus’ handsome face through her lashes.
“Really? Perhaps I could help you find one?”
“If you wish,” said Anne coyly.
“I do,” said Thaddeus. “Helping you find a cousin to marry would be a pleasure.” He took a step closer to her, but any further conversation was interrupted by the entrance of Richard.
“Well, it is done. I will be a free man shortly after Twelfth Night,” he announced.
“So, you have sold out?” asked Thaddeus.
“I have indeed,” said Richard. “Anne, it is good to see you.” Richard moved across the room to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Thaddeus’ eyes narrowed.
“Another who is like a brother,” Anne reassured him softly. Richard looked at her quizzically.
“Anne was explaining to me how she could never marry Darcy since he was like a brother to her,” explained Thaddeus as he poured a drink for his brother. “Richard, Anne would like to accompany you to Hertfordshire.”
“What of your mother, Anne?” Richard took a seat across from her.
“What of her, cousin? I have had enough of her ranting to last me a lifetime. I wish to meet the subject of her rant, and Thaddeus has expressed a wish to join me on this adventure.”
Richard blinked in surprise. “Thad, you want to leave town when there are so many social events happening?” Thaddeus had always enjoyed the crush of people and numerous young ladies who flocked to him at these events.
“I find I grow tired of my life as much as you grow tired of yours, brother,” said Thaddeus with a raised eyebrow and a barely visible nod of his head in Anne’s direction.
Richard’s eyes narrowed questioningly, “Truly?”
“Yes, truly,” said Thaddeus.
“Then I see no reason to not travel to Hertfordshire together. I planned to leave tomorrow morning. Will you be ready by then?”
“I am ready now,” said Anne. “But morning does sound more sensible.”
Richard laughed. “She is that bad, is she?”
“Worse,” said Anne. “She can be so vindictive.”
“You know, if you do not want to marry Darcy, you could marry someone else,” said Richard.
Thaddeus glared at his brother before turning to refill his glass.
“If only I could get the right person to ask me,” said Anne with a little laugh and a small motion of her head towards Thaddeus.
A knowing smile suffused Richard’s face. “Well, I shall have to see what I can do about that,” he whispered. Standing, he placed his empty glass on a table. “I think an express or two are in order. One to Bingley and one to Darcy. I shall rejoin you before dinner. You are staying for dinner, are you not, Anne?”
“I would very much like to stay. I do not relish returning to my mother even for the night.”
Richard looked to Mrs. Jenkins, who sat quietly in the corner stitching. “Mrs. Jenkins, are all of Anne’s and your bags packed for the journey to Netherfield?”
“Yes, Colonel Fitzwilliam, they are.” She looked up from her stitching, holding his gaze with her intelligent eyes. “They could be sent for if that is what you were thinking?” Her voice was soft but direct. “It would be easier to make our escape now than in the morning.”
Richard chuckled. “That is exactly what I was thinking, Mrs. Jenkins, but you always have been able to assist me with my schemes without much prompting on my part. How do you do it?”
“You remind me of my younger brother, sir. I had to continually think three steps ahead to keep Thomas from trouble, but that is his wife’s job now. God bless her.” She chuckled softly. “Would you be so kind as to send a request for the delivery of our trunks, Colonel─since you will already be writing two other missives? Then, I can continue with this particularly trying bit of work.” Her eyes darted toward her mistress and then Thad before she gave him a small wink and a smile. “I think I shall be able to accomplish much more here without Lady Catherine’s interference,” she added softly.
“Then it is settled. I will request your things be brought here so we might get an early start for Hertfordshire.” He paused before he left to write his letters. “I think, madam, that one must stay more than three steps ahead of your scheming.”
She simply raised an eyebrow while her lips curved slightly upward.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Darcy took a seat next to Elizabeth in Longbourn’s sitting room. “Richard will arrive today, and he is bringing guests with him.” He leaned a bit closer. “Thaddeus and Anne may be the answer to our problems.”
“Thaddeus?” questioned Elizabeth.
“Thaddeus Herbert Oliver Fitzwilliam, Viscount Bladen is Richard’s older brother,” explained Darcy. He leaned just a little closer and whispered, “Richard seems to think there is a mutual interest between Thad and Anne.”
“Truly?” Elizabeth’s brows rose in surprise. “Mary had hinted we should find a suitor for Miss de Bourgh.”
Darcy cocked his head to the side and drew his brows together. “Mary?”
“I believe her words were she cannot marry Mr. Darcy if she is already married to someone else, now can she?” Elizabeth laughed at the shocked look on Darcy’s face. “No, she is not the same Mary we left a month ago. She has found her voice, and it is a rather take-charge voice, I am afraid. I was told in no uncertain terms that I am to leave the dealings with your aunt to my father, my uncle, your uncle and her.”
“Did you have plans to deal with my aunt?”
Elizabeth bit her lip and studied her hands. “I spoke to your uncle about my plans before we left London.”
“And were you ever going to inform me of these plans?” Darcy’s voice was pained.
Elizabeth placed a hand on his arm. “I did not wish to tell you unless it became necessary, and your uncle assured me it would not as he was already working on a scheme.” She withdrew her hand. “However, Mary has commandeered his plan and seems to be in charge. She will not even consider mine. In fact, she refuses to ask me what it is. She is under the impression that my idea would be too painful for the participants, and I would agree.”
“So, you intended to break off your arrangement with me?” There was a hint of anger in his voice.
She nodded and her voice trembled just a bit. “I suggested I break off our courtship for the length of time necessary to get my sister married and a new living for her husband. Then, we would renew it.” Elizabeth bit her lip and looked at Darcy with some trepidation in her eyes. “I love you. I could not…I would not give you up for good.”
His voice softened. “But you also love your sister and could not be the cause of her disappointment?”
“Yes.”
“I remember you saying something like that to me after my aunt’s visit. I guess I should have been prepared for such a plan. You are not one to avoid injury to your person to secure the wellbeing of another.”
“I am also not a person who will allow another to injure me without a fight, and I would fight for you with my last breath.”
“I wish this room were not so full of people,” whispered Darcy in a strained voice.
“It is rather crowded, is it not?” Elizabeth looked up at him through her lashes.
“Missa Dawcy, Missa Dawcy.” Michael pulled on Darcy’s coat.
Reluctantly, Darcy turned his eyes away from Elizabeth. “Yes, Master Michael?”
Michael’s hands were filled with strings and blocks and sticks and cloth. “Boat, please?”
Darcy held out his hands, and Michael plopped his treasure into them before climbing into Darcy’s lap. “I help,” he stated.
Miss Lucy, the children’s nursemaid, came rushing into the room. “Oh, thank heaven,” she sighed when she saw Michael. “I am so sorry, sir. He said something about a boat and then escaped from the nursery at a fast pace.”
“It is quite all rig
ht, Miss Lucy. We shall make a boat, and then I will deliver Master Michael back to your care.” Miss Lucy curtseyed and returned to the nursery. “I imagine the children are getting as restless in the nursery as we are in the parlour,” Darcy said to Elizabeth. “An outing might be a pleasant change. Hold this, Michael.”
“And what do you have in mind?”
“I thought perhaps a walk around the garden or a carriage ride for a change of scene,” said Darcy. “I even thought of asking Bingley if he would mind if we took them over to Netherfield and let them play in the nursery there.—May I have the sail, Michael?—It is opened up in anticipation of dinners and gatherings over the next few weeks.”
As he talked, Darcy had been busy attaching sticks to blocks to fashion a crude boat, and with a final knot the sail stood in place. “There we are, Captain Michael. Now back to the nursery to defend your soldiers with such a nice ship.” Michael smiled up at Darcy and slid to the floor taking Darcy by the hand. “Do you wish to accompany us into battle, Miss Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth laughed. “It would be my honour.”
Chapter 12
“Mr. Darcy, do you know what you are taking upon yourself, sir?” Amusement tinged Mrs. Gardiner’s her voice. “They can be a handful to maneuver even within the confines of a carriage.”
“I believe I do.”
“And I shall help him.” Elizabeth leaned close to her aunt and whispered, “I also heard mention of a possible stop for some sweets in Meryton. It seems Mr. Darcy knows the value of a well-placed reward.”
“Do not allow him to spoil them too much,” said her aunt with a laugh as she turned to her children. “Michael, where are your gloves?” Michael spun on his heels and raced back to the nursery to retrieve the missing item. A few moments later, all the Gardiner children were waiting to climb into Mr. Darcy’s carriage.
“Ladies,” said Mr. Darcy with a bow, “may I hand you into the carriage?” The two young girls giggled and nodded. He extended his hand to each in turn calling them by name.
“Masters Michael and Andrew,” Darcy motioned for the boys to enter the carriage. Michael required assistance, but Andrew refused, insisting he could do it himself.
“Miss Elizabeth?” said Darcy extending his hand to her.
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy.” Elizabeth took his offered hand.
“Richard, would you care to join us?” asked Darcy.
“You said there would be sweets, right?”
“Only if you behave.”
“Very well, I shall join you,” said Richard, “but I am not promising to behave.”
The three adults and four children squeezed onto the benches of the carriage.
“It is a very fine carriage,” said Margaret. “The seats are so very comfortable.”
“Thank you,” said Darcy.
“We are very pleased to be joining you today, sir,” said Amelia.
“I am very pleased you could join me.”
“Sit down, Michael,” scolded Elizabeth. Michael was standing on the seat between Richard and Darcy.
“I see?” he said with a pout as he slid down on the bench next to the gentlemen.
“Here,” said Darcy picking him up and placing him on the side near the window while he slid over next to his cousin. “Now you can see, and you can sit so you will not get scolded.”
“Thank you,” said Michael.
“Darcy, I must say you have a way with children that completely baffles me,” said Richard.
“I have been caring for my sister for some time,” said Darcy. “These are not the first children with whom I have dealt; although, I am finding boys to be rather more fun than my sister.”
“But she was twelve when we gained guardianship.”
“But, she was only five when Mother died,” said Darcy quietly. “Father was not himself after that, you know.”
“Quite right,” said Richard.
“I should not like to lose my mother or my father,” said Andrew. His sisters bobbed their heads in agreement.
“No one ever likes to lose someone they love,” said Elizabeth. “Thankfully, it is not a path we walk down very often.” Margaret grabbed Elizabeth’s hand and gave it a squeeze. Darcy looked at her, his eyes filled with question. “I once had a brother, Mr. Darcy. His name was John.”
“I am sorry. I had no idea.”
“We do not speak of him often. Mama cannot bear it.” She sighed. “It was an accident. A foolish accident.” Margaret still held her hand, and Elizabeth placed her other hand over it welcoming the small bit of comfort it gave her. “Mama developed a dangerous fever near the time of her confinement ─ we thought we would lose her.” She shook her head as if clearing away some of the memories. “As a result, John was born small and had a limping gait. The other boys made fun of him. I tried to always accompany him out, but on the day of the accident, Mama had some work for me to do, so I was unable to go with him. There is a wall on the eastern side of our estate that stands as tall as I am now. They dared him to walk along the top of it. His weak leg gave out, and he fell. He was six. I was twelve at the time.”
“So your protective nature was developed early,” stated Richard. “Out of necessity to fend off your brother’s tormentors.”
“I believe my nature was there all along, but watching out for John strengthened it,” agreed Elizabeth.
“And your competitive nature? Were you beating the boys before the accident?” asked Richard.
Elizabeth nodded. “I was, but not on such a consistent basis. I was quite determined to make them pay afterwards. And then, I discovered I was good at it, and I enjoyed it.” Elizabeth laughed. “Now, I believe we were in the carriage to have a good time. Shall we play I spy?” Andrew clapped his hands, and Michael bounced on the seat. Elizabeth smiled at their exuberance. “Mr. Darcy, it is your carriage, so you must go first. What do you spy, sir?”
There were buttons and bows and trees that were spied as the carriage rolled along filled with giggling children and adults. Soon, they were in Meryton and a walk about the main street was proposed.
“Michael and Andrew, remember to hold a hand,” cautioned Elizabeth. “Margaret and Amelia, stay close.”
“Yes, Lizzy,” sang out four young voices.
“I must say, Miss Elizabeth, you are a very capable commander,” said Richard.
“Thank you, Colonel,” said Elizabeth. “Now, take a hand.” She pointed to Andrew, who was standing next to him.
“Yes, Miss Elizabeth,” he said.
“And, Mr. Darcy, no carrying Michael for now. Those little legs need exercise before we make them sit still again.”
“Yes, Miss Elizabeth.” Darcy smiled. “Is she always so demanding?”
“Always,” said Margaret. “But it is only to our benefit, Mr. Darcy.”
“You are a wise young lady,” complimented Darcy. “Shall we start at this shop and stop at all the windows? I think that shop across the street with the sweets shall be our last.”
The group strolled down the street, peeping into windows to see what was being offered for sale. Richard would stop and squat down to see the items at a child-eye level and occasionally lift Andrew to see something not visible from the child’s vantage point. Of course, this meant Michael would also have to be lifted for he was not to be left out. Darcy listened carefully as the children expressed their admiration of various goods and made note of the preferred selection.
At last they came to the final store. It was a store which carried a variety of goods from food and sweets to tools and lace. It was a friendly store that welcomed a shopper upon entry.
“Good day, Miss Elizabeth,” said the young gentleman behind the counter. “I see you have brought along several friends.”
“Good day to you, Mr. Lucas. May I present Mr. Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam. Gentlemen, this is Mr. Matthew Lucas, second son of Sir William and Charlotte’s younger brother. The children, Mr. Lucas, are my cousins Margaret, Amelia, Andrew and Mi
chael Gardiner. They have been promised sweets for good behaviour, and so far they have been golden.”
“Ah, sweets are wonderful,” said Matthew with a friendly smile. “When you have finished browsing through the store, we have a selection in this case over here.” He motioned to a long glass enclosed case filled with a variety of candies. “Charlotte is just in the back helping me with an order of lace. I cannot say I have fully learned how to organize them yet. I will let her know you are here, Miss Elizabeth.” He bowed and stepped through a curtain to the back office of the store.
“Matthew will inherit the store,” said Elizabeth in explanation to her companions. “He is learning to run it and does an admirable job. You will not find a more welcoming establishment in all of Meryton—of course, I am a bit partial.”
“He seems like a fine young gentleman,” said Darcy. “The sort that will be successful.”
“Oh, he is determined, I will give you that,” said Elizabeth. “He nearly took away my tree climbing and rock throwing titles a few years back.”
“And he is the only one of my brothers who does not bear a scar from Elizabeth,” said Charlotte approaching the group.
“Impressive,” said Darcy.
Elizabeth blushed profusely.
“He is smarter than Jacob and Elijah,” said Charlotte. “From an early age, he has always thought things through and weighed the consequences. If only the other two had done so, the surgeon would not have had to stitch them up so often.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
The party from Longbourn took their time making the rounds of the store. The little boys found a section of toys to entertain them while the girls looked over the lace that Charlotte brought out from the store room. Darcy quietly slipped to the counter and struck up a hushed conversation with Matthew. “So, you can send all of these items to Netherfield by Christmas Eve?”
“Certainly, sir.” Matthew noted the instructions on the receipt. “May I help you with anything else, Mr. Darcy?”
“Yes, when the children select their candies, could you put an extra aside to accompany this order?”
“It would be my pleasure.”