by Massey, Beth
Elizabeth stiffened at the use of her Christian name. She had given her permission, but was amazed she assumed she was still allowed despite her treachery.
Anne saw her reaction and started again. “Miss Elizabeth, I want to apologize. I did not know what my cousin intended. He said he wanted a private audience to inform you of his admiration. While there could never be anything between you, he believed your knowing of a viscount’s high regard would give you confidence.”
A twinge of guilt flitted across Lizzy’s countenance. Could her pride have contributed to Mrs Darcy’s unbelievable naiveté? No, absolutely not! She forced her face into a look of utter contempt, as she shook her head in disbelief at Mrs Darcy’s words.
Anne saw both the fleeting doubt and the hardening of resolve in her listener’s face and adjusted her tone to pleading. “Miss Elizabeth, I know I should have been more discerning in acquiescing to my cousin’s request. Please forgive me; I am not experienced in the ways of the world. As you know, my mother never permitted me to have friends or come out in society. For a second, Anne’s animosity toward her mother took precedence over her mission to gain the baby. “I believe Her Ladyship feared I might excel at things she had never bothered to learn. My cousins and Mrs Jenkinson—a much older woman hired by my mother to watch me—were my only companions when I was growing up. Spending time with Fitzwilliam, Edmund and his brother Richard and their parents was the highlight of my sheltered life. The two summers I spent at Pemberley were a most magical time.”
Lizzy stared intently at Anne as she continued her pitiful explanation, but refused to allow her face to betray her again.
Anne hoped her tale was having an effect, but she was not yet certain. “I went from my mother’s home to my husband’s. This winter, Mr Darcy agreed to come to town with me, but he rarely has time for visiting acquaintances. He says he is busy, but I believe he feels ill at ease in London society. Lord Wolfbridge volunteered to help me become more comfortable and take my rightful place within the ton. I have no experience with precisely how rakes behave, though Fitzwilliam did confide some rumours he had heard about our cousin—as well as a number of other well placed members of the highest circles. Mr Darcy disparaged such behaviour, but I never knew exactly what to make of his disclosures. My husband seemed to be saying that most men at the top of our society felt they were entitled to break the rules. All I knew for certain was that Fitzwilliam disapproved, but since Lord Wolfbridge was always charming toward me… I preferred to enjoy his company without censure.”
When Anne’s justification for her ignorance came to an end, Lizzy looked her straight in the eye and said, “Mrs Darcy, I find your account oddly touching, but I think it a lie.”
Anne looked at the ground while she struggled to figure out how to persuade this young woman she was not totally dishonourable and could be trusted with her baby. Convincing Miss Elizabeth to relinquish this child was proving difficult. That was still her main objective, and she must remain calm and keep her eyes on that prize. As the mother of the heir of Pemberley, Anne Darcy would gain status and prestige. She would cease being the mousy wife of an indifferent husband who rarely had time for her. The key to unlocking Miss Elizabeth’s heart must begin by proving to her Fitzwilliam was a good man—and very different from so many others of his class.
Elizabeth looked stern as she began making her speech. “Mrs Darcy, I say you did not tell the truth because even if you believed your cousin, you cannot expect me to accept that you do not know the rules of propriety with regard men and women. Men at the top may have liberty to act as wanton as they desire, but the same is not true of women… particularly young ladies of my station. It was totally improper to allow me to be alone with Lord Wolfbridge… even if all he had done was talk to me and tell me of his admiration.” Lizzy rolled her eyes and sneered at the absurdity of Mrs Darcy’s contention. “Being alone in his presence was enough to compromise me. If a servant had come in while we were alone together, we would have been gossiped about, and my reputation would have been in tatters. I have four sisters, and my father’s estate is entailed. Unlike you, we are not wealthy. Scandal would severely diminish my sisters’ chances of marrying; and without secure marriages, they would face reduced circumstances, possibly even poverty, when my father dies.”
Elizabeth noticed that Anne had looked back up, and thought she might have been crying, but she was unmoved. She had shed enough tears to float one of Lord Nelson’s frigates in the past three months. She continued berating her, “Mrs Darcy, my uncle had some investigations done; and he tells me you brought a great deal of wealth to your marriage, and I know you must have a very generous allowance. You have opportunities I will never have. Once you were out of your mother’s house, you could have hired your own masters, made as many friends as you desired, and if nothing else… you could have read books about proper behaviour as my sister Mary has done. Your husband is guardian to his sister. Surely he must know about propriety and could have answered your questions. Did you ask him if I should be left alone with Lord Wolfbridge?”
Anne was momentarily frightened at the mention of her husband, but then realized it was the direction their conversation must take. “No, I did not ask him. He did not know much about our friendship, and did not know you were visiting that day. I once told him I hoped you and I could become friends; but he knew none of the particulars. My impression was that he preferred not to talk of you. He would be very angry with me if he knew what I had done. I do not want to lose his favourable, albeit, indifferent opinion. He is the opposite of Lord Wolfbridge. He takes honour and obligations very seriously and is much like his father was—a good man.”
Anne sat down and put her head in her hands. For several minutes there was silence. Finally, she spoke again. “I know you think I would not be a fit mother; and you would possibly be correct if I were to raise the child by myself. I am not alone though, and Mr Darcy would be an excellent father, just as he is a loving and caring guardian to his sister. May I tell you about Mr Darcy?”
Lizzy nodded and sat down in anticipation of Mrs Darcy’s tale. Her anger toward Mr Darcy had subsided. She still thought his arrogant manner as he proposed buying her child unforgiveable; but for some reason, she had a desire to know about him. From the moment they had conversed at the theatre, she had felt some unknown emotion for him. It was more than thinking him handsome, but she could not discern what it was. Mrs Darcy had said he preferred not to know of her. She knew not what to make of that and felt strangely bothered by the statement. Perhaps, Anne’s tale would help her sketch his character.
12 A TALE OF TWO FAMILIES
“My mother’s sister, Lady Anne, was my husband’s mother, and Lord Elderton was their brother. The Fitzwilliams are an arrogant group, with a few exceptions. Lady Anne was an exception, as is Lord Wolfbridge’s brother, Richard. Lady Anne was always publicly loyal toward her siblings; but I overheard my mother say that in private her sister voiced her disapproval quite often. She spent her youth reading, becoming proficient on the pianoforte, learning to sing and diligently applying herself to becoming an accomplished young lady.”
Anne could not keep her face from becoming distorted by contempt. “My mother thought those things unimportant. She decided she did not have to apply herself because she would be desirable as a marriage partner because of her appearance, her dowry and her position. She now loves to tell everyone how she could have been supremely accomplished, but circumstances did not allow for that. What she should say is she was arrogant and indolent.”
Anne schooled her face back from scorn to vague misgivings as she continued. “I do not want to give you the impression that Lady Anne was not proud of her family. She was, and she had been my mother’s constant companion when they were young. As they grew older, they drifted apart because they wanted different things. Lady Anne wanted a loving faithful husband and children, my mother wanted prestige and wealth, and their brother felt he was entitled to just about anything he desir
ed. My mother says that she and her sister had heard stories about my uncle that suggested he was not always honourable when it came to the ladies. Lady Anne disapproved of her brother’s behaviour toward women, but it was not the way in their family to talk about his actions outside.”
Anne pointed to a painting of a beautiful young woman dressed in the style of thirty years before that hung facing her husband’s desk. “That is she. My grandfather had this portrait and one of my mother painted just before they were presented at court. The artist was George Romney, and it certainly captures her beauty. I prefer the painting of Mr and Mrs Darcy and a five year-old Fitzwilliam by Gainsborough that hangs in the portrait gallery at Pemberley. The three of them look so happy, and Gainsborough even included their dog, a beautiful spaniel that Fitzwilliam named Puck because he was so mischievous.”
Anne smiled at the painting for a few seconds and then turned to Elizabeth. “Mr Darcy asked Lady Anne four times before she agreed to marry him. She was set against him because her brother wanted them to wed. Lord Elderton desired to marry Mr Darcy’s sister, Cassandra—primarily because she had a dowry of thirty thousand pounds. In order to accomplish his goal, he promoted a marriage between his sister and Mr Darcy. The Darcy family, though untitled, were quite wealthy. The Fitzwilliams’ wealth had been diminishing with each generation; unlike my husband’s family whose fortunes had been increasing.”
Anne chuckled at a memory from her youth. “According to my mother, Lady Anne enjoyed being in company with Mr Darcy because they shared similar interests. They were both great readers, they were passionate about the theatre and they loved to ride. But, that did not stop her from refusing him. She was prejudiced and believed no friend of her brother could be honourable. Lady Anne never disclosed to Mr Darcy the source of her reluctance, so he just kept proposing. Each attempt was different.”
Anne got a sort of a dreamy look as she told the tale of her father-in-law’s success. “Finally Uncle George won her over with his fourth proposal. He recited a detailed list of everything he loved about her. I think there were at least twenty points mentioned. I do not remember all of them, but I remember several that she particularly liked. She loved to tell the story, and her eyes would twinkle as though there was something naughty about it. He told her he loved that she never came late to the theatre, and when there, she paid attention to the players and was not afraid to laugh out loud. He told her he loved the way she sipped her tea and he loved that she refused to bother with people of her sphere she did not find worthy. Her favourite one was, and she really twinkled when she related it, that he loved her excellent seat. He won her because not once on the list did he mention how beautiful she was. He had waxed poetic on her beauty numerous times in the other three proposals. It all seemed very romantic to me.”
Elizabeth thought the tale of Mr Darcy’s parents interesting; but she was anxious to hear about Anne’s husband, so she decided to try humour to hurry her along. “Mrs Darcy, this is all very interesting, but you told me you were going to tell me why Mr Darcy is a good man, and why he would be an excellent parent. So far all you have told me about are his parents, your mother and the Earl.” With a quirk of her eyebrow and a hint of a grin she added, “Are you hoping my desire to silence you will force me to accede to your demands?”
Anne could not help herself and laughed at Elizabeth. “I apologize for the delay, but Mr Darcy’s parents influenced his character just as my mother bears responsibility for many of my failings.”
Clearing her throat, she began her tale again. “I told you earlier that I spent two magical summers at Pemberley. It was glorious because my mother was not there either summer, nor was the Earl; but my Aunt Cassandra, the Countess, came with Edmund and Richard. Those summers I got a glimpse at what family life could be like. The Darcy family was truly like the Gainsborough painting. They were happy. They rode together every morning and they took long walks together with their dogs. Lady Anne played every evening, and we all sang. My aunt and uncle would read to us, and they made the stories come to life by portraying the different characters. Fitzwilliam started reading with them when he was very young; and he would sometimes be a part of the story. Both summers we had a Midsummer picnic. My aunt and uncle would be Titania and Oberon and the rest of us would be their fairy subjects. Friends and neighbours from all over Derbyshire came to the celebration. My husband let Edmund be Puck to get him to participate, but even with that plum role as an inducement, by the second summer he thought it unseemly for him to be a fairy. My cousin Richard and I thought it glorious; especially since my Aunt Cassandra made sparkly wings for us to wear.”
Anne noticed that Elizabeth was enjoying the depiction of the scene she had painted of their idyllic summer. She smiled at Elizabeth as she continued. “Mr Darcy still grieves for his parents. I barely remember my father, so I have no idea what he feels. I do know if my mother died tomorrow, I would probably feel some sadness because she was my mother, but it would not last long. Mr Darcy’s sadness is magnified by the extent of his loss. His longing to get back the joy he once felt consumes him at times.”
Anne made very certain she kept Elizabeth’s eyes focused on her as she continued. “He has tried to recreate that kind of life for Georgiana, but he has not been altogether successful. His wounds have not healed, so he walks around with a face of stone. Others often mistake that look for arrogance. Both Georgiana and Fitzwilliam need someone who could join them in their Darcy rituals of playing chess, reading Shakespeare, telling stories, enjoying music, walking and riding. A baby would be both an obligation and a source of contentment for Fitzwilliam. He is a man who rigidly honours his obligations; and I have seen him when he is joyful. I know he wants to be that way again. Remember back to the night he met you. That was the Fitzwilliam Darcy I knew before his mother died. He so dearly loved to laugh.”
Elizabeth prayed she was making the right decision. Her head told her she was, even though her heart rebelled against the thought that the child would not be in her life as it would have been had the Gardiners raised it. All she had heard told her, Mr Darcy was a good man. He would both provide for her baby; and more important—he would love it. Still, the pang of regret was distressing, but she assumed her anguish would decrease… out of sight, out of mind… or at least she hoped that would be the case. Her family needed this money. It was an enormous sum and would solve all their financial dilemmas. She had to be practical. Twenty three thousand pounds would allow her to both take care of her mother and increase her sister’s dowries… and their chances of marrying well.
Fitzwilliam Darcy left Mr Gardiner in the solarium to await the result of the conference between Anne and his niece. He had pressing business to attend to with Lord Wolfbridge.
His cousin had obviously been expecting his demand to vacate Darcy House. He found him in his sitting room giving instructions to his valet to prepare his things for a move to Elderton House across the square.
Once his cousin’s man had left the room, Darcy began berating Edmund for his despicable behaviour. “You dared to compromise a young woman in my home!” Despite his vehemence, his cousin had greeted the censure with complete disinterest. Instead Lord Wolfbridge sat as his character was being impugned, and with a smile on his face, he casually took a sip of port and proceeded to light his pipe. His scornful action reminded Darcy of their argument in February regarding tobacco. Immediately upon joining them at the townhouse, Edmund had presumed the right to smoke his foul smelling cigars. As master of Darcy House, he had denied his older, titled cousin the privilege. Anne had intervened between the two—arguing like little boys the weighty concepts of social precedence versus property rights—and a pipe had been the compromise. As smoke swirled about Lord Wolfbridge’s smirking countenance, the hated image of that haunted Little Red Riding Hood came to him with a whimper that he must keep his distance because she reeked.
With a supercilious sneer, His Lordship informed Darcy that their disagreement came at a most fortuitous
juncture. He had heard from his father that his parents were due to arrive in London within the week, and he had been asked to oversee the opening of their town house in preparation. The Earl and Countess would be holding a ball in a month’s time to announce his engagement to Miss Eleanor Harding.
Darcy could not believe the Viscount’s callous lack of concern that his actions had left a fifteen-year-old with child. He composed himself and spoke forcefully. “Anne is attempting to persuade Miss Elizabeth to allow us to raise the baby as our own. Regardless of the outcome of their conference, you will be expected to pay three thousand pounds as part of this bargain.”
Lord Wolfbridge chuckled at Darcy’s words but said nothing in reply.
Darcy waited for his cousin to express his agreement to his demand, or at the very least his reaction to his cousins’ bold plan. When he realized Edmund’s ploy was to refuse comment, he upped the ante in their contest of wills. He took his next gambit from Miss Elizabeth’s arsenal. “Edmund, you will come up with the funds! You will soon have Miss Harding’s fifty thousand in your possession. I will remember to remind you that you can afford this pittance to keep her, her father and your parents from finding out the content of your character.”
Lord Wolfbridge seemed slightly discomforted by his cousin’s subtle threat, but not enough to concede. He just stared defiantly and took another sip of port. Finally, Darcy decided to put forward his most important demand. “You seem very adept at silence, Your Lordship. I expect you to employ that skill in the future. You will never speak of the negotiations that have taken place today. If you are the cause of anyone finding out the true parentage of this baby, I will make certain the particulars of your foul deed become known to those parties that would be most interested.”
Their audience had resulted in a stalemate. Darcy was left to hope he could count on his cousin’s discretion, but an actual agreement had not been reached. Both he and Lord Wolfbridge would appear very foolish, for materially different reasons, if their actions became known to family and the ton.