Fitzwilliam Darcy Elopes

by Beth Wood

  “Oui, ma chère, though a dressing gown made entirely of lace is another matter, entirely. I do not think Mr. Darcy would be offended by such a garment,” Madame Beauvant interjected, causing Elizabeth to blush exceedingly. “Now, we really must choose the patterns for the rest of these gowns.”

  As the ladies continued their lighthearted selection of Mrs. Darcy's trousseau (with slightly more serious suggestions from Miss Lydia), Lady Hastings came to regret her decision to remain out of the conversation. Her pride would not allow her to take part in a discussion that she had sworn to remain apart from. She petulantly concentrated on the La Belle Assemblée she held in her hands. It did not seem fair that in the course of a few days, Lady Matlock was already treating Mrs. Darcy in a much more familiar manner than she had come to expect from her mother-in-law after fifteen years of marriage.

  * * *

  While Elizabeth was being pricked and prodded for her trousseau, Darcy decided to escape the house for a short time. Although he did not want to spend any time away from his wife, he knew he would not have her to himself for many hours.

  Darcy had initially agreed with his cousin that it would be best to let George Wickham disappear from his life with no further contact. When he realized that the ship that Wickham was departing on would be boarding during his wife's visit with the modiste, he decided that he would at least give himself the closure of seeing him depart.

  When Darcy arrived at the docks, he was only mildly surprised to discern his cousin attending personally to the transfer of the prisoner to the ship. He momentarily considered joining the men on the docks, but thought better of it. In the end, Wickham didn't even see him, as he walked, head bowed, toward his destiny. Darcy stood there for over an hour, watching the comings and goings of the crew. It was only as the ship set off with the high tide that he realized his cousin had come to stand next to him.

  “It is done,” Colonel Fitzwilliam stated when he knew he had his cousin's attention. With a nod of acknowledgement, the two men boarded Darcy's carriage in order to return to Darcy House. Each breathed a sigh of relief that one more obstacle had been hurdled. They were one step closer to being able to claim victory in their scheme to keep Miss Lydia's reputation clean (and by extension, the rest of her family).

  * * *

  When Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived at Darcy House, the ladies were still ensconced with Madam Beauvant. Not wanting to interrupt the ladies, nor be drawn into a discussion concerning lace or any other fashionable accoutrements, they made their way to Darcy's study. Just before closing the door, they heard the ring of laughter coming from the parlour. Both men paused a moment, with smiles on their faces.

  “I do not think I appreciated the value of laughter before I met Elizabeth,” Darcy admitted.

  “I have only recently come to realize why so many officers are drawn to women that love to laugh,” Richard replied. “We have seen too much war. It must be refreshing to go home to a wife that is free from the cares of the world.”

  * * *

  On Mr. Bennet's final day at the Gardiner residence, he was surprised at the sudden appearance of Mr. Bingley. At first, he was concerned that something had happened at Longbourn that he should be concerned about. As Bingley stuttered through his reason for travelling, though, Mr. Bennet came to realize that there was nothing to be concerned about. He was about to lose his eldest daughter to marriage. Although he was a little surprised that he would be losing more than one child within such a short amount of time, he reasoned it was better to have several changes happen at the same time. This way, when everything settled down, they would be able to settle in to their new routine with a longer stretch before new changes were to occur.

  With permission granted, Bingley spent less than a day in London, returning to Netherfield Park (and Longbourn) as fast as humanly possible.

  * * *

  The move of the Bennets to Darcy House was accomplished with very little ceremony. Neither Mr. Bennet nor Lydia had much in the way of luggage. It was fairly easy to have their belongings transferred before they even sat down to breakfast. The most excitement they saw in the day was when Mr. Bennet informed Elizabeth of Jane’s engagement to Mr. Bingley. Her joy was so great, that she immediately sat down to write a letter to her sister.

  As Darcy and Elizabeth were often late to rise, it became common for Mr. Bennet and Lydia to take breakfast with Colonel Fitzwilliam before he was required to report for duty for the day. Mr. Bennet was happy with the arrangement, as it gave him some intelligent conversation before disappearing into the library for the day. During that time, Lydia's mood was entirely unpredictable. Some days she would be morose, but others she would be happy, engaging in all sorts of silly discussions. Two days before the Berwick Ball, she arrived positively giddy. That evening, Darcy confided in his cousin that there was now evidence that Lydia had not fallen with child during her time with Mr. Wickham. Colonel Fitzwilliam found he could suddenly breathe easier, though he did not care to examine exactly why.

  Chapter 11

  The morning of the Berwick Ball dawned clear and bright. Elizabeth could only hope it was a good omen for the day. Their entrance into society that evening would either bring more anxiety, or put their minds at ease.

  It was decided that Mr. Bennet and Lydia would join them at the ball. After ensuring that London was aware of Lydia's presence in town with her relations, they did not want to do anything that would make it appear as if they were hiding her.

  Although Elizabeth and Darcy had remained as secluded as possible with guests in their house, there had been many opportunities to observe her little sister. In many ways, Lydia appeared to be much as she ever was. Elizabeth was not ignorant, though, of the many times her sister would be caught up in a memory and a melancholy look would shadow her eyes. The look was always gone within moments, but it was clear Lydia had finally started to use her head for more than a location to place her bonnet.

  * * *

  As Elizabeth's maid prepared her for the evening, she was surprised by the appearance of Lydia in her dressing room. Lydia was already dressed in a gown that was much finer than any she had owned previously. The girls made small talk while Sally finished Elizabeth's hair. After Elizabeth dismissed Sally for the evening, Lydia finally felt free to speak openly.

  “I've realized this week just how much I almost lost when I eloped with Mr. Wickham,” Lydia admitted. “I do not know how to thank you for saving me.”

  “The best way to thank me is to promise never to elope again,” Elizabeth replied, smiling.

  “I think that is a promise that I can easily make,” Lydia replied. “I have learned my lesson. It will not happen again.”

  “That is all I ask,” Elizabeth replied, bringing Lydia in for a hug. Before the hug could be complete, though, Lydia jumped away.

  “Don't muss my hair!” she exclaimed. “The maid has done it up so nicely, and I won't have a bit of sentimentality ruin it before the evening has even begun.”

  * * *

  Being only the first week of September, it was still early for the Little Season. Yet, there seemed to be an inordinate number of people attending the Berwick Ball. The ball did not begin until after dusk, letting the heat of the season cool slightly before introducing the heat from the hordes of people attending the ball. Even with all the windows thrown wide open, Darcy was certain the heat would become unbearable much earlier than it would be acceptable to leave. Glancing at his wife, he realized that even with the heat, he was likely to enjoy this ball more than any other he had ever attended.

  As they made their way through the receiving line, Darcy was impressed with Elizabeth's grace. She did not bat an eye as she was introduced to the very young Lady Berwick, and the fairly old Lord Berwick. She only blushed slightly when they both overheard Lydia whispering that Lord Berwick must be very rich, indeed.

  There were only a few paces away from the line, when there was a small commotion behind them. Turning around, they saw a
female being escorted off the property. Lord Berwick appeared quite upset. It was only as they walked away that they learned that Lady Berwick's sister, Harriette Wilson, had tried to gain admittance to the ball. Since it was a well-known fact that Miss Wilson was still very active as a courtesan, Lord Berwick had insisted his wife cut ties with her sister. Although it may have seemed hypocritical, considering the fact that Lady Berwick was a courtesan before her marriage, she had agreed to the break. It appeared as if her sister was not so resigned to the action.

  The receiving line broke up almost immediately, and Lord Berwick led his wife in to start the ball. Darcy led his wife to the forming set. It was only as they claimed their place in line that he realized they had been followed to the dance floor by his cousin and Elizabeth's sister.

  * * *

  After the first pair of dances, the foursome found Mr. Bennet speaking quietly with Lord and Lady Matlock, as well as Lord Hastings. As Lord Hastings was ten years Darcy's senior, and Darcy was eight years older than Elizabeth, there were fewer than a dozen years which separated Lord Hastings and Mr. Bennet. As such, especially considering the time they spent travelling with the Darcys on the road to London, Mr. Bennet found it much easier to converse with Lord Hastings than with his father, the Earl of Matlock.

  After a short change of pleasantries, Lady Matlock questioned Elizabeth about the scene they witnessed after arriving at the ball. Darcy was not only surprised that his aunt would be interested in the latest gossip concerning Lady Berwick and her sister, but also that she would ask about it so loudly in a public place. While Elizabeth was in the midst of explaining the scene, in a much quieter tone, they were approached by Mrs. Davenport and her daughter, who were seeking an introduction.

  Although Lady Matlock and Mrs. Davenport were not close confidants, they were friendly. Due to Mrs. Davenport's love of gossip and matchmaking, Darcy had avoided her whenever possible in the past. After the introductions to his wife were completed, Mrs. Davenport casually questioned Elizabeth concerning the scene with Lady Berwick's sister. Only then did Darcy understand why his aunt had asked the question so loudly. When Mrs. Davenport's curiosity was sated, she politely excused herself, then could be seen relating the contents of their conversation to another acquaintance.

  “As I predicted,” Lady Matlock began. “There is much more interesting gossip to attend to at this assembly. There will be very few who bother to censure you this evening for an elopement between two perfectly respectable individuals, even if your fortunes are not equal.”

  As the evening progressed, Lady Matlock was proven correct. There were still a handful of women who turned up their noses in Elizabeth's direction, though the cynical might be inclined to mention that those who still spurned Elizabeth's acquaintance all had daughters of marriageable age.

  To Darcy's vexation, the young gentlemen seemed the most ready to welcome Elizabeth into their circle. As Darcy stood at the edge of the room, watching Elizabeth being led through one dance after another, he could not help but wish propriety would allow him to dance every dance with his own wife, as he had no desire to dance with another. He did take some comfort from the fact that it did not appear as if any of Elizabeth's dancing partners were behaving in a way that would set her ill at ease.

  As the supper dance commenced, and Darcy was once again able to claim his wife as his partner, Elizabeth did what she could to allay his agitation.

  “William, I must admit that I am surprised at the attention a married lady can receive at a ball in London,” she said, accurately predicting that just mentioning his given name would do much to alleviate the tension in his shoulders. “In Meryton, the married ladies are largely ignored to allow the single ladies a greater opportunity to dance.”

  “At this moment, I cannot but think I would much prefer to be at a country dance,” was Darcy's reply.

  “I have learned something fascinating from my many dance partners, though.” When Darcy did not reply, she continued, “Do you not wish to know what that may be?”

  “You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.”

  “Well then, it would appear as if all the young men who have asked me to dance have sisters who have married within the last few years. Apparently, you did not ask any of their sisters to partner you in a dance until after they were safely married and could not raise any matrimonial expectations. They have asked me to give you their thanks for the wonderful idea, and to expect they will ask for a dance at every ball we attend together this season.”

  * * *

  From the side of the ball, Lord Hastings and Mr. Bennet took great delight in trying to guess at the content of Darcy and Elizabeth's conversation. It was clear she was taking delight in teasing him in some way. By the very slight smile and blush that adorned Darcy's face, it was clear he enjoyed being the object of her wit.

  “She will be the making of him, I think,” Lord Hastings said with a smile. “Darcy has been entirely too dour these last several years since his father's passing.”

  “I will admit that I was not pleased to see them coming out of the church in Gretna Green,” Mr. Bennet replied. “But, Mr. Darcy improves upon acquaintance. I am now inclined to think Elizabeth will do very well with him.”

  It was not long before Lord Hastings excused himself to the card room, where he jovially played his part of witlessness. By the end of the night, some attendees left the ball feeling as if they had been able to trick Lord Hastings into admitting the true reason the Bennets had originally opposed the match to Mr. Darcy.

  As the evening was drawing to a close, Colonel Fitzwilliam was canvased for his knowledge concerning the rumor. Hiding his mirth as best as he could, he said that he could neither confirm nor deny the assertion that the Bennet family had been concerned that Mr. Darcy was too much of a stick in the mud to make their daughter happy.

  Although most of the gentlemen thought it was ridiculous that any family would disapprove of a man of fortune based on his personality, many of the women found it romantic. Some of those in arranged marriages even went so far as to sigh over the advantage of having a father concerned about his daughter’s future felicity in marriage.

  * * *

  It was not until the last dance of the evening that Mr. Darcy realized that every dance that he partnered his wife, his cousin partnered her sister. He was surprised that Richard would show such preference to anyone, especially a young lady half his age that he knew had been less than chaste. Knowing that the ball was not the best place to share those concerns, he filed the information away for later, determined to enjoy the dance with Elizabeth.

  As they waited for their carriage at the conclusion of the ball, Lady Matlock assured both Darcy and Elizabeth that the night turned out even better than she expected. It was not until Elizabeth was safely in the carriage with her family that she expressed her hope that things would go half as well when they arrived in Hertfordshire.

  * * *

  After arriving at Darcy House for the night, Darcy invited his cousin to share a nightcap with him before retiring. Although the invitation was also given to Mr. Bennet, Darcy was relieved it was declined. The sooner he could have this discussion with Richard, the sooner he would be able to join his wife in bed. After pouring the port, Darcy decided there was no need to beat around the bush.

  “Are you out of your senses, to be considering Lydia? You do realize she is less than half your age. She can only be a year or two older than Anthony's eldest daughter.”

  “I would have thought you would be happy to know your new sister had an admirer,” Richard replied.

  “I thought you needed to marry with some consideration to money.”

  “I must, that is true,” Richard replied.

  “Then, why show Lydia such preference this evening?”

  “Do you know she would not believe Wickham guilty of being a reprobate until she heard it from his own mouth? She is fiercely loyal. Do you have any concept of how attractive of a prospect that is
when you are required to be gone for months at a time in battle?”

  “If you were to marry a lady of fortune you could resign from the army and not have that concern.”

  “There is more than one way to consider money when entering matrimony. It is certainly true that I could not marry a society lady without an impressive dowry, as I do not have the ability to support that lifestyle on my own. I have recently come to accept that the cynical nature of the ladies of the ton do not attract me. I would rather support a joyful wife on a colonel's pay, then live shackled to a harridan. It is clear that Miss Lydia does not find the life of a soldier's wife to be unappealing, or she would not have eloped with a soldier in the first place.”

  “Are you determined to have her, then?” Darcy asked.

  “I have not yet decided,” Richard admitted. “It is clear that her joyful nature has begun to be restored over the last week, but I do not know if she has come to care for me. When she looks at me, I am afraid that I am seeing what I hope to see instead of what is actually there.”

  “Give it time, she is still very young,” Darcy suggested. Then, hiding a smirk, he added, “You could always ask Anthony to invite her for a visit. I am sure she and your niece, Rosemary, could become great friends.”

  “However much you may joke about that possibility, it really is not such a bad idea,” Richard replied with a laugh.

  * * *

  Elizabeth had no idea that attending one ball would bring so many callers to her door. For the rest of the week, she was inundated with several callers a day. There were times she counted the minutes until the acceptable calling hours were over. She was almost nostalgic for the fortnight before the ball, when they were in relative seclusion with their families, even if it did not feel like seclusion at the time.