Mr Darcy's Mistress

by Francine Howarth

  As Belle had suggested, distractions aplenty for Elizabeth would be wholly advisable. Perhaps thoughts of refurbishment of several rooms would serve purpose. Aside from which several invitations to old friends had been duly dispatched in hope several would call by the house: if nothing else but to reassure self he still indeed had friends.

  There was the sad fact he had wed a young woman from afar, and not one of his friends had heard tell of Elizabeth prior to his return to Derbyshire. It was now a thorny issue in the county. Merely abiding to formal etiquette by informing friends of upcoming marital nuptials had fallen to the wayside for events had unfolded with rapidity at Longbourn. Regrettable though it was in hindsight, his friends had latterly learned of the marriage from Belle. Therefore, in consideration of no congratulatory missives since his return with a bride at his side, it was plain to the dumbest of fellows; Fitzwillam Darcy’s friends were markedly peeved.

  Belle had rightly and justly chastised him for the exclusion of mutual friends in matters of the secret marriage, and he was indeed entirely at fault. Georgiana, likewise had declared the expediency of the wedding had set peoples’ minds to speculative discourse, thereby somewhat shameful implications of his having fallen foul to temptations of the flesh were rife in the district.

  Damn his thoughtless hide, for his once impeccable reputation was now somewhat tattered around the edges. How he was to redeem himself, he knew not. Belle, and Georgiana, claimed they knew not how to present his case, nor were they inclined to intercede on his behalf. Each had voiced their standpoint and it was as clear to him as crystal water, he would have to make amends to old friends as best he could, and that required humility of apology, which was not a pleasing prospect at all. Nevertheless, he had settled to dutiful correspondence for Elizabeth’s sake, and now must await the outcome.

  “Darcy, Darcy, I am so happy, so very happy,” declared Elizabeth, rushing into the study with mail to hand, the majority of which she placed to the desk. “I have here a letter from Jane. Oh, and isn’t it wonderful news, for she and Bingley are en route, and expect to arrive here on the morrow.”

  Her expression of delight and eyes sparkling warmed his heart, his mind seeing the benefit of sisterly distractions.

  “Their coming is acceptable, is it not?”

  The news delivered was indeed an excellent outcome, for it eased his conscience in matters of Belle and his riding to Farthingly. “A fatted goose, no less, shall be called for.”

  “I sense you disapprove. Consider it an imposition.”

  “On the contrary, I think it an admirable circumstance, though it does beg consideration as to why they are taking flight north and so soon after settling to Netherfield.”

  Her shoulders sagged, eyes lowered to the letter. “We do miss one another, terribly.”

  “I doubt not your word on that, albeit the parting of the ways troubled you not at all at the outset.”

  “The concept of vast distance between Jane and I never entered our minds, the reality quite another matter. Besides, Bingley, it seems, is keen to re-engage with acquaintances hereabouts.”

  The arrival of the Bingley newlyweds was far from a spur of the moment fanciful notion to pay visit at Pemberley, of that he was sure. “Was there no hint in Jane’s last letter of impending travel?”

  She looked up and held his questing gaze. “None at all, though mention of constant requests to attend at Longbourn may have contributed to thoughts of journey abroad. Added to which, mother has taken to calling at Netherfield rather more than suits Bingley. Whilst Jane’s forbearance is suffered in silence, he vacates the house in haste.”

  “Is it not understandable for your mother to call by, given Jane’s fortunate circumstance?”

  “Yes, but as I understand the situation mother arrives at most inconvenient times of day, and worse, Kitty and Mary are reluctant companions to her schemes.” Elizabeth immediately unfolded the letter, and aloud proclaimed:

  “Jane says, here: ...both Mary and Kitty voiced concern on their last visitation to Netherfield, to the effect mother has been far from herself. It was quite worrisome to hear she had become more irascible than usual over what is to become of her when all her daughters have flown the nest. Of course father endeavoured to ease her mind to no avail with talk of travel to each of us, in moderation, which she ignores and calls rather more often at Netherfield than Bingley is wont to oblige. You see, she is convinced you and Darcy will rarely pay visit to Longbourn, Lydia and Wickham, likewise, and therefore bemoans her loss. Of course father rather thoughtless in manner made mention tranquillity would at last prevail at Longbourn when the last daughter had wed, and mother fell to wailing in despair of the dreadful loneliness as would then befall them. Ever thus, father’s attempt to exert a modicum of sanity, he declared it was most unlikely Mary would ever abandon her books for a young gentleman. Needless to say this drew forth a tirade of recriminations as to what did he know of a young lady’s mind, and mother declared poor, poor Mary slighted by her own father was too much to bear, and would crush her tender heart. I tell you Lizzy, mother turned her back, sobbed, and declared she would not speak with father until he recanted his hurtful words. And Mary, having overheard their exchange, declared he was as near the mark as ever a father could be in understanding the plight of a daughter who was not in the least enamoured with the prospect of marriage, ever, if the present climate could be judged a bad tenet for happiness within wedlock. Thus mother fell inconsolable and father retreated to his study. Mother then referred to Mary as a pretentious young madam, ungrateful wretch, and declared our dear younger sister would rue the day she had placed books ahead of begetting a husband come the cold nights of spinsterhood. I shall say no more of what transpired, for I fear it will upset you as it upset me. But Lizzy, dearest, Mary wears mother’s scorn with sense of pride, and will not, I believe in all sincerity, allow Kitty to fall foul to silly notions of love and romance as did Lydia. Kitty, herself, is adamant she will abide to sage countenance when in company with young gentlemen, and will flirt with sense of reserved dignity. Furthermore, she will not be so foolish as to fall in love without first gaining knowledge of...So on and so forth,” said Elizabeth, a light shade of pink blushing to her cheeks. “Do you not agree; Bingley and Jane are deserving of time away from the trials and tribulations besetting all at Longbourn at present?”

  In seeking to justify Jane and Bingley’s imminent arrival, he determined his wife had almost let slip a factual element best not voiced to a husband of substantial wealth. “Indeed, by all accounts, they are in need of respite. And may I say Kitty has learned well from Lydia’s error and the good fortune of yourself and Jane.”

  Given her lips were trembling and not a sound uttered and shock horror etched on her face, the unfinished sentence within the letter was no doubt as potent as a poisoned chalice, and hold his piece he would not: “I admire Kitty’s forethought in seeking finite knowledge of a would-be suitor’s finances, as did you?”

  Oh how those dark eyes flashed with disdain. “I never once looked upon your wealth as advantages to me or to mine,” said she, curt in tone. “I had no prior knowledge of your income, in fact knew very little of your affairs until the dreadful circumstance of Lydia’s elopement.”

  “Come now, Elizabeth,” said he, deceit on the air if ever a man could smell it. “Is not a man’s income the topic of discourse amidst young ladies seeking advancement from marriage? Aside from which, merely strolling about this house in company with Mrs. Gardiner, did you not determine the mark of all that I possess, therefore you were immediately cognisant to all that you had prior rejected. But no matter, for here we are as man and wife.”

  “That is a scandalous slight, Darcy. I beg you reconsider precisely the connotation of your accusation, and with common decency apologise immediately.”

  “Deny the truth? Nay, I will not apologise when it is matter of factual evidence of your eyes having witnessed the error of your prior obdurate self. Indeed, you recove
red from the initial shock with notable sweetness and shy reserve, thus more than I had dared to envisage you could ever be given personal experience of your cold demeanour beforehand.”

  “How dare you,” said she, with distinct ire in voice. “How dare you accuse me of icy countenance when you were the epitome of discourteous and blatant rudeness toward me?”

  “As you of me, and I deemed a dastardly overbearing—Ha; name it, I was it.”

  “At that time you were deserving of every criticism directed at your person.”

  “Enough,” boomed forth, and damn near as startling to self as to Elizabeth. “We cannot be other than we are, deep down, but we can indeed choose to accommodate our differences and live the life you aspired to, dreamed of perhaps in childhood imaginings. I am accustomed to orderly existence, boring routine as Georgiana has voiced on more than one occasion of boldness within Belle’s company. It has become a chastising characteristic she has lately adopted with maturity and no doubt due to Belle’s influence. As stated before, I am far from blind to my failings as expressed in your company a while back. Thus, albeit I am endeavouring to be the husband expected of me, it is imperative I remain a good friend to Belle, more especially in light of a near death situation at Farthingly. Aside from which, at last, I truly believe Georgiana has settled to reasoned belief I indeed acted in her best interests in the Wickham affair.”

  Something in his wife’s eyes had momentarily sparked again: no doubt unspoken accusations about to trip from her tongue, and yet she held herself in restraint; and with cool aplomb raised her chin in dignified manner. “Georgiana must know you did right by her, and is it not conceivable she simply could not bear owning to sense of foolish naivety: to you, of all people, you.”

  “I am her brother, joint guardian of her welfare as is Colonel Fitzwilliam. And do not for one moment assume we will allow Georgiana to wed below her station. I thwarted Wickham’s wicked intent and financial ambitions, and I will do so again with any young gentleman who deems to take advantage of her tender heart. As a father I will also protect daughters from rogue bucks, presupposing we are blessed with that outcome.”

  Elizabeth laughed, her hands alighting to his upper arms. “You see, you are a man of goodly intention beneath the arrogant and detached countenance you wear with extreme sense of superiority. But you did and do attempt to disarm perceived opponents, simply because conscious awareness to their failings and imperfections remind you of yours; and that stings your sense of pride. No matter the amount of your wealth you married me, a woman of no consequence.” A finger to his lips stalled reply. “Do not speak, Darcy, until I have finished. “And is it not true to say you had prior determined a marriage of convenience would serve you well, a marriage in which a wife is expected to perform her marital duty and little else besides, thus not impeding or intruding on your business affairs, nor that of your coming and going at will. What is more, you have determined I shall have no import on the why or the where of any of it. And did you not in all conscience perceive me as a rather outspoken young woman with little prospect of securing a marriage? Thus you sought to rein in my spirited nature, albeit a misguided notion; and dared to presume I would be grateful you had determined to save me from myself; for who else would marry an upstart madam such as you had presumed I was.”

  “You were and are an engaging and impassioned creature given to candid wit and barbed tongue, and with every breath drawn your bosom rises in glorious splendour. As a result fevered desire overwhelmed me back then as it does now, and clumsiness befalls me when thoughts of passionate asides plague my mind. Would you have me own to the like Wickham indulged from a young age as common occurrence, or would you rather my principled moral standing kept me sane when temptations were in abundance?”

  Expression of incredulity matched her faltering voice. “You are a remarkably fervent and imaginative lover is all I can say on the matter, and to pursue the why of it would be utter folly.”

  Sensing a barb in her remark, he sought to improve his worth, but the sudden appearance of a small carriage on approach to the house he stepped across to the window. “Who in the deuce is that coming to call and riding in a post-chaise?”

  “We shall know directly, I shouldn’t wonder,” said she, dashing to the window better to see who would alight from the chaise.

  Having near snorted at her wit; she was indeed a delectable creature all told, decidedly contrary, not to mention maddeningly capricious. What was he to do with her?

  In leaning forward better to see below he too keened sight of the occupant; a woman, a young woman gesticulating with her hands and in seeming distress.

  Heavens to mercy—what had brought her of all people to his door?

  Six

  ~

  “I knew not what to do, where to go, and I had but enough coin for travel atop a mail coach. Oh Lizzy, as you were the nearest of family, I sought to get here come what may. I had intended walking from the coaching inn but a lady of whom I asked the way to Pemberley, said it was too far for a woman in my condition to walk. So kind was she, she took pity on me. It is remarkable how kind strangers can be, and I don’t recall her name, but she sent word directly to the farrier at the smithy and ordered his chaise to the door. I protested and she asked me did I have no coin and I lied. I told her I was robbed at coaching inn en route. I think she believed me. I hope she did, for I would not wish the slur of a poor young penniless woman seeking sanctuary at Pemberley to fall on Darcy’s good name. The postilion said there was nowt to worry over for knew he would be paid on arrival at the house.”

  “Fret not, Lydia, for the head footman is tending to payment of the chaise, and Darcy will not bear a grudge at your distressing circumstance in venturing here. It grieves me dear sister to see you so wan, and in such despair whilst in your condition, and Darcy is not immune to your plight.”

  As she hastened her distraught and travel weary sister to the upper floor, Lydia burst forth near to tears. “Say it, for I am with child, and I don’t want it. It’s all too soon and so unflattering. It is all so unfair, and Wicky’s officer friends laugh and say I am more desirable than ever if I did but know it. Look at me; am I not gross in the belly. How is it they seek to escort me here, and escort me there, and pay visit often when Whicky is absent?”

  “Your condition is barely noticeable, though you have blossomed markedly and appear more woman than girl.”

  “You see, you are as bad as they. Oh, and I know exactly what it is that pleases them so, for one whispered as much in my ear. Soldiers are the very devils, don’t you know.”

  “We did learn that, did we not, from your elopement?”

  “Oh why must you harp back to that, when it is past and I am faced with far worse? I have no home, Lizzy, no monies, no husband this last month. And of all the shame, I was to be cast to the street with but the items I could carry had not a goodly lieutenant put me on the mail coach. He is the dearest of fellows, though I could not ask him to afford the journey all the way to Hertfordshire, and could not bear to think of the alternative. It was quite a dangerous proposition all told, for I would have had to hide in Lieutenant Neale’s quarters and all the while fearing discovery by fellow officers. Can you imagine how they would have seized upon that, had they found me there, and I then rendered a laughing stock and Neale a cad of the worst order. It was not at all a practical solution, and one we dared not entertain with Wickham’s quick fire temper.”

  “Indeed not, for far worse may have befallen you and the kindly young officer.”

  “There is that, because I had become fond of Lieutenant Neale. You see, so upset was I by Wickham’s long absence, though it was not his fault at all. And of course, Neale called by daily and brought needy supplies as often as he could afford.”

  In rounding the upper newel post they strolled along the corridor. “Did Wickham leave you with no allowance?”

  “We had to share it in a hurry when he was seconded south to London for a month, and he did leave
me the greater share. Near the end of the month a letter arrived to say he was in Bath and there to remain for another two weeks. Oh what am I to do, Elizabeth? For he will return to Newcastle eight days hence and find me gone.”

  “You will write a letter on the morrow and tell him all that has befallen you,” said she, sure in mind Lydia’s problems were accountable to her reckless spendthrift nature. “For now you will take rest in one of the guest chambers, I shall order a light repast brought to your room, and a bath will be made ready for you as soon as can be arranged.”

  “Will Darcy bear ill-will toward Wicky? I do hope not, for he has been so good to me, perhaps more than I deserve and more than I have conveyed in letters. He is no longer the carefree Wickham of old. He is in constant worry over what is to become of us for his army pay is meagre in comparison to Darcy’s wealth, and I sincerely believe he has ceased gambling if Neale’s observations are a mark of Wicky’s pledge to better provide for me and a baby. Oh Lizzy, I am so very hopeless in keeping house, hopeless in keeping stock of what I have and what I can afford. I see pretty items and such wont befalls me, I simply have to have whatever takes my fancy. Then I realise I cannot afford it and Lieutenant Neale buys it for me. Worse, I cannot pay the rent and pay accounts at the butcher and baker and, oh dear, I am perhaps as Neale has said, a wilful spendthrift if a most loveable creature.”