by Jennifer Joy
"Why did you not appeal to your other relations?" She nodded her head in Darcy's direction.
Darcy could not help but notice that she had not offered to be a source of help.
Richard answered, "My pride prevented me from doing so."
"Pride? Or foolishness? Darcy would have given you the money," she insisted.
How easily she spent others' fortunes!
"I did not want to trouble him, though I know he would have given me the funds without any questions or rebukes," said the colonel, kindly leaving out any mention as to why he felt it would be a trouble. The truth was, Darcy had had his hands full with Georgiana. Helping a girl of fifteen pick up the pieces of a broken heart while dealing with that scoundrel Wickham had been almost more than he could handle. Though he had chastised Richard for not asking for a loan sooner, he understood his reasons and he was thankful.
"Who is this Mr. Badger, and why is he coming to my home?" asked Aunt Catherine.
"He is the collector for Mr. Volante." That was all he needed to say. Aunt Catherine clutched the arms of her chair and stiffened her spine. She knew very well who Mr. Volante was. Most people did.
"You put yourself under the thumb of a man such as he?" she asked in shock.
Richard's hands clenched behind him, but it was the only display of faulty confidence he outwardly showed. "It was not the wisest decision, but I had no other alternatives at the time."
"Do you not realize that he will take it upon himself to find any bit of gossip he could use against our family and use it to exploit us for fear of exposure?" The color drained from her face, and her fingers looked like icicles stabbing the padding on the arm of her chair.
Richard kept his silence, there not being anything to say. Aunt Catherine despised gossip when she was the object of it. She feared what people would think of her, knowing that there were those who would mock her.
Darcy stepped forward to stand next to Richard. The thickness in the room was so dense, he felt like a dull knife trying to cut through it.
"Richard, understanding the implications of doing business with Mr. Volante, appealed to me. We covered his debt with Mr. Badger. It is only through the interference of Mr. Collins that he wants to speak with you today. I strongly advise you not to see Mr. Badger. If you accept an audience with him, it will only fuel the fire. As you have said, he will seek out anything that could be used against us. Converse with Mr. Collins, if you must, but do not allow Mr. Badger to cross the threshold." He prayed that Aunt Catherine would see reason.
When she inclined her head back so that she might look down at him despite his looming height, his hope shattered. "You dare tell me what to do in my own home when only yesterday you defied me in this very room? I am shocked at you, Darcy, and will see that you are put in your proper place."
Darcy grit his teeth. She was the worst fool if she thought any good would come of listening to the poison Mr. Badger and Mr. Collins would administer to her. He looked at Anne, who sat quietly on the settee beside her mother’s seat of command. Mrs. Jenkinson pulled out the smelling salts and hovered them below Anne's nose. She did look shockingly pale, and Darcy hoped that the conversation to come would not overwhelm her.
The door opened and Simmons announced their visitors. "Mr. Collins is here to see you, your ladyship. He has a Mr. Badger with him." He stood waiting for a response hoping, no doubt, that he would be told to inform them that she was not in or accepting callers.
"See them in," she ordered between pinched lips.
As Darcy and Richard sat, Mr. Collins waltzed into the room with an air of importance to which he had no right. Behind him, taking in every detail of the grand room, was Mr. Badger. Darcy heard him whistle as he stepped over the threshold and saw the murals and gilded furniture.
"Stand before me, Mr. Collins, and be quick about stating your business," Aunt Catherine demanded.
Mr. Badger hesitated to join Mr. Collins in the center of the circle on the rug covering the floor. Darcy had always thought it looked like an archery target, so he understood the man's hesitation. Mr. Collins waved him over from his half-bent position, making sure to only look at Aunt Catherine from the corner of his eyes as he cocked his head up to see from his bow.
"Lady Catherine, I want to thank you for your kind condescension in permitting Mr. Badger to see you this morning. As I mentioned in my message, he is in possession of information which, if known by the public, would set the tongues wagging against your esteemed person. As the leader of the parish of Hunsford, and one who enjoys your patronage, I could not in good conscience allow your name to be slandered when it is in my power to assist you."
Aunt Catherine waved at him to hurry up, bunching up her cheeks in impatience.
Addressing Mr. Badger, Mr. Collins said, "Be so good as to inform her ladyship of your reason for coming to Hunsford."
Only then did Mr. Badger think to remove his hat. The butler must not have been able to pry it away from him. He ought to have left it on, but he managed to smooth over a few strands of hair with his fingers. The rest stuck to his head, matted down.
Standing up to his full height, shuffling his hat between his hands, he began. "Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam borrowed a tidy sum of money from my employer, Mr. Volante. The agreement was for him to pay in full in a month's time, along with a small amount of interest."
Darcy knew the interest to be anything but small. These men took advantage of those who needed a sum in a hurry.
"After three weeks had passed, Colonel Fitzwilliam requested that he be given two more weeks to acquire the necessary amount. Now, Mr. Volante does not normally make exceptions, but with the colonel being the son of an earl, and it being known that he is kin to other wealthy relatives, he went along with the request. However, when he found out that Colonel Fitzwilliam had quit London for Kent, he sent me to follow until he was able to pay."
Aunt Catherine leaned back in her chair, a disgusted look on her face that made Darcy's knee bob up and down so that he had to force his heels to stick to the ground.
After a long pause, she said, "That is all?"
Mr. Collins jumped in, "All, your ladyship?" His complexion deepened against his somber black coat.
Mr. Badger shrunk in stature, the haughtiness he had displayed earlier deflating like a hot air balloon. He must have figured out that Aunt Catherine was not one to be intimidated by the likes of him.
"I do not see why you have desecrated my home by bringing this... man... here to tell me something that families with good names do all the time. So my nephew needed a little money. What of it? He could not pay in a month, so he asked for another week? Let me ask you, Mr. Badger: Is my nephew still within his allotted time to pay off his debt?"
Nodding more vigorously than necessary, Mr. Badger said, "Yes, your ladyship."
She pinched her lips together and gave them a stare as sharp as an arrow. "Then I fail to see what you are doing here, Mr. Badger. You have no business in my home. You have no business in Hunsford. My nephew has paid his debt within the time agreed upon. Now, I must ask you to leave."
Mr. Badger did not move quickly enough for Aunt Catherine’s taste. He plastered a smile over his face and opened his hands out to speak.
“Mr. Badger, did I not speak plainly enough? I have asked you to leave, yet you still stand before me. Must I inform Mr. Volante of your visit? I suspect he would not take kindly to the news of his man taking advantage of a highly regarded family for his own benefit.”
Aunt Catherine’s words had a blanching effect on Mr. Badger, verifying what Darcy had been inclined to think earlier. Mr. Badger’s threats at the tavern were of his own making and independent of his employer. Aunt Catherine had called his bluff.
"No, please, there is no need to inform Mr. Volante. He need not know of this. I will leave and I beg your pardon." He backed toward the door.
"I certainly hope so, not that I am under obligation to extend my pardon unless I wish it." Clutching the arms of her
chair, she raised her head and said, "And know this, Mr. Badger. If I hear of your continued presence in Hunsford or if it comes to my attention that you persist in persecuting my nephew, you will regret it." She paused long enough for all present to appreciate the absolute silence in the room. "Do you understand my meaning, Mr. Badger?"
"Yes, your ladyship," he said to the hat he still held in his hands. He was afraid to look at her.
Thankfully for him, the door opened, and he rushed through it like a dog skulking off with its tail between his legs.
Darcy would have laughed in triumph, but such expressions went unappreciated at Rosings. He would have hugged his dear aunt and felt generous enough to forgive her snobbery and unbending ways, but she would have been appalled at the affectionate gesture.
The door closed behind Mr. Badger, and everyone turned their attention to Mr. Collins, who still stood in the center of the rug in front of Aunt Catherine.
"How dare you bring that filthy man here! You implied in your note that you had found Anne's diamonds and that it was in my interest to see that man or else suffer gossip. The only gossip I will suffer is when it is known that a lowly collector was received here. Pray that nobody associates his visit with my name." The veins in her neck popped out against her flushed skin. The only other time Darcy could recall seeing her so irate was when he refused to marry Anne yesterday.
Mr. Collins wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. Darcy felt little pity for Mr. Collins. His own presumption had put him in the position he undoubtedly wished he was not in.
Stuttering, Mr. Collins said, "I... you see, your ladyship... it is that...”
“Stop your mumbling and speak clearly,” said Aunt Catherine impatiently.
Surely, Mr. Collins would not lay bare the connection between the theft of the jewelry and Richard’s need for money. He would not dare! Darcy sat on the edge of his seat.
Fortunately for Mr. Collins, he spoke no more of Mr. Badger and his connection with Richard.
Like Mr. Badger had done moments ago, he seemed to shrivel in place, his posture ever more humble and subservient. “I do apologize, Lady Catherine. I had thought that I was doing you a service, as I am always looking for opportunity to do. I assure you that I will never again bring up this subject, if you will be so gracious as to forget my grave error.”
Aunt Catherine let him sweat for a moment. “I trust your discretion, Mr. Collins, as, outside of this unfortunate incident, I have no other complaint against you. Need I remind you that your living depends on me as your patroness?”
He energetically denied the need for any such reminder. “Nay, your ladyship. I am grateful for your patronage and only aim to please you.”
There was no doubt about his sincerity. Darcy, who tended not to like the gentleman at all, was convinced of it.
Evidently, Aunt was too, for she dismissed him. “Very well, Mr. Collins. You may leave now.”
So practiced was Mr. Collins in backing out of the room at half-mast, he wove through the chairs toward the door and only brushed the tall vase near the doorway. All the time, he thanked Aunt for her generosity and praised her name to the high heavens for her forbearance and forgiveness.
Chapter 19
With a click, the door shut behind Mr. Collins.
Darcy sat back in his seat and took the first full breath he had taken since he had entered the drawing room. His aunt had effectively dismissed Mr. Badger in such a way that he was unlikely to return. She had put Mr. Collins in his place, allaying his interference and dismissing his implication that Richard was behind the theft of the diamonds. He would try harder to think more kindly toward Aunt Catherine. She had done them a wonderful turn. Perhaps, after the reasonableness she had displayed that morning, he could convince her of the folly of her wish that he marry Anne. It was worth a try.
Feeling cautiously hopeful, Darcy made to rise out of his chair.
"Darcy, sit. You too, Fitzwilliam," Aunt demanded, her voice toward them just as frigid as it had been toward Mr. Badger.
It had been too much to hope for. He ought to have known.
"Imagine my disappointment when I hear from my rector about your doings. Why did you not come to me sooner?" she asked.
Richard, who sat next to Darcy, said, "I did not think it necessary. Had Mr. Volante honored our agreement, Mr. Badger would not have set foot in Hunsford."
Aunt Catherine's eyes snapped at him. "But you know very well that money lenders, especially one such as Mr. Volante, are not honorable. Why would you trust him with your problem over me?"
Darcy had assumed that Richard had hoped to appeal to their aunt for a loan. Knowing what he knew now, he wondered what other business he had with her. Richard would never say what Darcy thought at that moment: that it was because he knew she would only refuse him, just as his own father had done. Nor did he have the confidence that she had the sum available. Aunt Catherine had grown accustomed to using her name as credit once she had overspent her income.
Richard said, "I did not want to burden you. I know how much you despise vulgarities, such as speaking of money."
Aunt Catherine raised her eyebrows at him. "True. We are of noble birth, and the mention of common worries is beneath us."
Thus placated in that area, she turned to another. "You do realize what the implication against you was? You ought to take better care of your finances. You are not in a position to spend wantonly and must take care that every coin is accounted for. Your irresponsibility makes you look guilty of stealing from your own cousin."
Richard bobbed his head. Everyone in the room understood the implication. Darcy had thought that Aunt Catherine had glossed over it masterfully. For a moment, he had even thought that she would make no mention of it.
"I understand fully. Mr. Collins would not dare accuse your own nephew of committing a crime in the home of his dear patroness, but he had no qualms about letting Mr. Badger suggest a motive." He held her gaze steadily.
"I am ashamed to think that a member of my family could act deceitfully in my home. I do not think you are responsible for the theft of her jewelry, Fitzwilliam, but you have to realize how guilty you look to others. How will I manage the gossip and idle talk you have caused if it becomes known?" Her face, which until now had been stone cold, deepened in color.
"I doubt much will be heard outside of the village. Richard is a favorite there, and as he is your nephew, few would dare speak against him lest it became known to you," suggested Darcy.
Aunt Catherine slapped a hand against the arm of her chair. "That is where you are wrong. People love nothing more than to speak against their superiors. They feel that it elevates them somehow and puts them on a level plane with our social class. They will revel in the opportunity to slander me, and it will not take long at all for word to spread as far as town— if it has not already." Silence ruled in the room while everyone waited for her to swing down with her ax. "You know how I detest being the subject of others' idle talk, yet your irresponsibility has made me the brunt of their criticism."
Darcy wondered how she could twist everything so that it was about her. Was she not concerned with Richard's welfare at all? Or only so much as it affected people's opinion of her? Darcy took back all his earlier kind thoughts toward her. She was just as selfish now as she always had been and always would be. More than before, he believed her capable of staging the robbery to suit her wants.
"I apologize for causing you any disturbance, Aunt Catherine, but it is done now, and I do not foresee it happening again. I thank you for ensuring that Mr. Badger leaves me and our family alone, but I do not know by what power I can prevent people from talking if it is their wish to do so." Richard spoke in a clipped voice, but he remained civil. Darcy bit his tongue, not trusting himself. He did not have the smoothness of speech that Richard possessed. He could insult in such a way that the offended would thank him for the compliment. Darcy, on the other hand, offended without intending to.
"You owe me, Fitzwilli
am. Do not forget it." She raised her chin and looked between her nephews with a scary sense of satisfaction that set Darcy even more on edge.
"How may I repay you, Aunt? I do not like to be beholden to anybody and would just as soon repay my debt to you as soon as possible."
A sly smile twisted the corners of her mouth up.
Past Richard, Darcy watched as Anne stood shakily on her feet. Her pale face had red splotches covering her cheeks. The sight of his sickly cousin in a state of high tumult made him want to rush to her side before she fell over. Fortunately, Mrs. Jenkinson stood beside her, grasping onto her arm before she swayed too much.
"Mother, this must come to an end. You ought to be happy to have helped Fitzwilliam rid himself of that horrible man. You advise him to take better care of his spending so as not to fall into the same situation, yet you would have him indebted to you? Do you not see the contradiction?”
“Sit down, Anne, before you topple over. You have nothing of value to add to this conversation, as one who does everything in her power to prevent Darcy from proposing, and I thank you to remain silent.”
Anne plopped her free arm on her hip, her fist clenched. “And I thank you to stop forcing both me and Darcy into something that neither of us is agreeable to. I do not want to marry him, and he does not want to marry me."
Darcy felt like applauding Anne’s boldness. Never before had he seen her speak against her mother’s wishes.
Waving her off, Aunt Catherine said, "Stay out of this Anne. I know what is best, and I will see it done. You will thank me later."
"No, Mother. And what is more, my diamonds never were stolen! It was all a giant misunderstanding."
Anne's words caused a hush in the room. Hope flashed before Darcy. If there had been no robbery, Richard and Miss Elizabeth were safe from accusations. He could join Bingley at Netherfield Park, for surely he would return there so that he might be closer to Miss Jane Bennet. In time and with the opportunity to know him better in friendlier surroundings, perhaps Miss Elizabeth might think more kindly toward him. He would win Miss Elizabeth’s favor and convince her that his love was true. He would give her the proposal she deserved, and she would accept it.