“Aye, but ye are making remarkable progress,” agreed Mrs. Graham.
“’Tis true,” said MacLaren. “And I do not say that only because it warms my heart to hear an English lass playing, ‘My Heart’s in the Highlands.’”
“Even if it was written by a Lowlander,” Mrs. Graham said with a sniff.
“Och, at least Robert Burns had the decency to fall in love with a Highland lass,” said MacLaren. “Miss Darcy, I made that list I promised you of local sights to visit. A few of them will not be accessible until spring, but you should still find plenty to interest you.” He handed a folded sheet of paper to Darcy. Another mark in his favor; he knew enough not to give it directly to Georgiana.
Georgiana’s eyes lit up. “I thank you. I hope we will still have the opportunity to visit Loch Katrine. I long to see it.”
“I would be happy to accompany a party there,” said MacLaren. “’Tis a lovely sight, Loch Katrine, even in winter. Perhaps we could go on the next fine day.”
The butler entered and offered Darcy a silver salver. “A gentleman to see you, sir.” His manner had become noticeably more formal since Darcy’s engagement to Elizabeth.
Surely Hollings could not have returned this quickly. Darcy took the card and read it, his eyebrows shooting up. “Are you certain he is here to see me?”
“He asked for you, sir.”
“Well, bring him in, and ask Miss Elizabeth to join us immediately. Pray tell her nothing is wrong, but that I must speak to her instantly.”
“Yes, sir.” The butler bowed and left, returning a moment later to announce Mr. Gardiner.
“Mr. Gardiner! This is indeed a pleasure.” Darcy held out his hand. “Forgive me for failing to rise. An injured leg, I fear.”
“I am glad to find you here. Your friend Ramsay was afraid he was sending me on a wild goose chase, and that you had mysteriously disappeared into the Highlands.”
“I must write him a letter.” Darcy had started one days ago, but had been too out of spirits to finish it. “I cannot imagine what on earth brings you here, but there is someone who will be very happy to see you.”
“Uncle!” shrieked Elizabeth from the doorway. She cast herself into Mr. Gardiner’s arms and burst into tears.
Mr. Gardiner held her and patted her back. “Lizzy, my girl! I hoped you would be here.”
Elizabeth finally pulled back and wiped the tears from her eyes. “I am so happy to see you! I cannot believe you came all this way!”
“I am a bit shocked myself,” Mr. Gardiner said. “But it is worth it all to see you again. I have missed you.”
“Do not say that or I will start to cry again! Mr. Darcy told me he wrote to you, but did not mention you might be coming.”
“He did not know. I only decided it after his last letter where he said you would not talk to him. My wife suggested you might be more willing to speak to me, now that Darcy had done all the hard work of finding you. But it appears that Darcy managed to catch up with you.”
“You might say so! But come, there is someone you must meet.” She took his hand and led him to Mrs. MacLean. “Aunt, may I introduce you to Mr. Gardiner, my mother’s brother, who has traveled here from London? Uncle, Mrs. MacLean is my father’s theoretically late sister.”
Mr. Gardiner bowed over Mrs. MacLean’s hand. “It is an honor, madam, and I owe you a debt of gratitude for taking such good care of Lizzy.”
“I am glad to make your acquaintance. It has been my pleasure to have her companionship,” said Mrs. MacLean. “I hope you will stay with us here. We have a very special event happening in a few days which we would be delighted to have you attend.” She cast a significant look at Darcy.
“Yes, yes!” cried Elizabeth. “Mr. Darcy and I are to be married, and I dearly hope you can remain here long enough to give me to him. Oh, I cannot tell you what that would mean to me!” Tears started to flow down Elizabeth’s cheeks again, but her eyes were bright.
“Wait, what is this?” Mr. Gardiner looked from Elizabeth to Darcy and back in confusion.
“Yes,” Darcy said proudly. “We just decided it yesterday, and with typical Scottish haste, intend to be wed as soon as the settlement papers are signed.”
“Well, my congratulations! That is marvelous news. Let me tell you, Lizzy, that in the little time my wife and I had to get to know your young man here, we were quite taken with him, not least because of his devotion to you. And I would be honored to give you away at your wedding. I cannot wait to tell your aunt with the news.”
“We may need to ask you to wait on that,” said Darcy. “We do not wish for it to be public knowledge yet.”
Mr. Gardiner straightened, a line forming between his eyebrows. “A secret marriage? I hope you have a good reason for it, for I do not like the sound of that.”
“We do have a good reason.” The joy had drained from Elizabeth’s face. “And you may not wish to participate in our wedding once you know the full story.”
Darcy said quickly, “My family opposes the marriage. They told Elizabeth that if she did not stay away from me, they would have her father arrested for sedition. That is why she disappeared.”
Mr. Gardiner’s jaw dropped, his expression thunderous. “That was why you left? That fool! I told him time and again not to take such stupid risks, and that he should keep his mouth shut or it would get him in trouble someday. No wonder he did not want me to know what happened to you!”
“You tried to stop him?” Elizabeth looked stunned.
“Of course! I even told him I was tired of him endangering me for his own amusement, and he stopped doing it in front of me. Foolish, foolish man!” He stopped and gave Darcy a serious look. “This does not make me think any too well of your family, either.”
“Neither do I,” said Darcy wearily. “But it is only two of them who object. My cousins and my sister approve of the match, and theirs are the opinions that matter to me.”
“But it is still true I am endangering my father by marrying Mr. Darcy,” said Elizabeth. “We have a solicitor working to protect him, but there is no guarantee. I will not blame you if you disapprove of my decision.” She bit her lip.
Mr. Gardiner furrowed his brow. “I do not know enough yet to judge, but I trust your judgment and good sense, Lizzy. I daresay Mr. Darcy has considered this carefully as well. But before all that, I want more than anything to hear what has been happening to you all this time.”
With some help from her aunt, Elizabeth related the story of her life in Edinburgh and her stay in the Highlands. When she finished, Mr. Gardiner said, “There is one thing I still do not understand. I see why you felt you had to go away, but why did you cut off all contact? You could have simply told us not to give your address to anyone under any circumstances.”
Elizabeth looked away. “That was my father’s decision,” she said quietly. “When I first heard the terms of the contract, I was furious, but it never occurred to me I would have to cut off everyone. I thought it would be enough to live in Scotland with my aunt for a few years, at least until Darcy married someone else, and that I could write letters to all of you, and perhaps my sisters might even visit. I thought my father might not take the threat seriously, and was prepared to insist I had to leave. But I was wrong. I have never seen him so shaken. It was as if I had handed him his death warrant. He said I could not return while he was alive, even if Darcy married, and that all contact must be severed. He would take no chances. I thought he would soften with time, and that he would write to me himself, but he never responded to the letters I sent him.” Her voice shook. “He made me vanish without a trace.”
“Not without a trace,” said Mr. Gardiner somberly. “Your disappearance changed everything. Not immediately, because at first we thought it was one of his games, but once it was clear he was serious, the family has never been the same. Even your sister Jane has been angry at him. We were not invited for Christmas or even for Jane’s wedding. Your father has become a virtual recluse. Than
k God for Darcy! I cannot tell you how relieved we were to hear he had found you.”
Elizabeth gave Darcy an expressive look. “You were right to tell them,” she said softly.
THE NEXT DAY PROVED to be sunny and remarkably spring-like. Duncan MacLaren appeared at Kinloch House an hour after first light, proposing a trip to Loch Katrine. The words had barely left his mouth when Georgiana announced her willingness, with Jasper and Richard not far behind her. Mr. Gardiner, despite his recent travels, said he could not miss this opportunity.
Darcy’s happy vision of a quiet day alone with Elizabeth evaporated, though, when no sooner had the Loch Katrine party left than the solicitor arrived. After several hours of close work on the marriage settlements, the mortgage, and the details of approaching Lord Matlock, his head was pounding again. The concussion might be rearing its ugly head less often, but it was still there.
An hour’s rest settled his head enough that he could join Elizabeth and her aunt, but then the Loch Katrine travelers returned, full of excitement and stories. When the chatter began to make Darcy’s head throb, he retreated to the blessed peace of the study. He would hear their tales when they could tell them one at a time. Quietly.
Georgiana stuck her head in the door. “Oh, there you are. May I speak to you?”
“Of course.” Darcy set aside the book he had been contemplating reading. This would be a good opportunity to tell Georgiana a few things that had been on his mind. “I have been hoping for the chance to tell you how pleased I am with the changes I have seen in you. You are speaking more freely, and I have been glad to see you interacting with strangers. It will make your Season much more pleasant.”
Georgiana chewed her lip. “Actually, that is what I wanted to talk to you about.” She averted her face and said in a rush, “I do not want to have a Season.”
Not want to have a Season? He blinked at her in shock. It did not matter if she wanted it. He had not wanted to go to Eton. He did not want to go to any of the formal dinners he was invited to. He hated balls, but he went anyway. These things were duties, not pleasures, and she needed to understand that. But he could not say so.
He pressed the side of his fist against his mouth before the sharp retort could escape. All it would accomplish would be to send Georgiana scurrying off to hide and not say a word for days. But what could he say when the answer was so obvious? A Darcy was expected to go through these rites of passage.
Outside, above the frost in the windows, he could see Elizabeth and MacLaren walking together, clearly in some sort of conference. He felt a burst of jealousy, and then reminded himself he had no cause. Elizabeth was engaged to him now. What would she think he should tell Georgiana?
Elizabeth had not seemed to suffer for never having a Season, but then again, her absence from the London world did not excite any rumors. If Georgiana were not presented to society, questions would be asked and the ton would be abuzz with rumors about what was wrong with the Darcy chit that she had to be kept in hiding. The very thought made his teeth clench.
He still needed to say something. After carefully composing the sentence in his head, he said, “I would like to hear your reasons and what you think should happen instead.” That had sounded calm, had it not?
Georgiana burst into tears.
Devil take it! What had he done wrong? He would never understand her, no matter how hard he tried.
His sister mopped her face with her handkerchief. “I am sorry. I was so certain you would scold me.”
But why had that made her cry? Should she not be happy to avoid a scolding? Perhaps he would do better to say nothing at all.
She dragged a stool in front of him and perched on it. “I hate everything about the idea of the Season. I hate parties and balls, anywhere there are so many people, and all of them watching me to see if I do anything wrong. I hate the idea of dressing in finery to put myself on display like a doll for a potential husband who will not have the least notion of who I truly am. Any man I met there would expect me to go to more balls and soirées after we were married, because that is the only kind of man there. I would be miserable as a society hostess.”
“I see,” he said cautiously. “You hate balls and do not want to meet the sort of gentleman who attends them.” Ignoring, of course, that he attended some of the same balls, even though they were a sore trial to him.
“Exactly! That is not the life I want.” Her eyes pleaded with him.
This was easier. “What, then, is the life you want?”
She held her hands out in front of her. “Something like this, I suppose. To live in the countryside on an estate, to help people, like Duncan is always doing. To stay far away from cities and balls.”
“Duncan?”
She blushed. “Mr. MacLaren, I mean. It is so confusing when everyone has the same last name. I wish I had a clan, though. People who would accept me as I am and not try to find fault.”
Darcy suspected that was a strongly romanticized notion of clan life. “I have no objection to you choosing a life in the country, but I worry about the gossip if you are not presented, especially since my marriage will already have caused some scandal, as will my rift with Lord Matlock.”
Her shoulders slumped. “I know,” she said hopelessly.
Surely there must be some way to satisfy everyone. “I would like to propose a compromise. If you will agree to have a come-out ball and to make your curtsey to the Queen, then you need not attend any other social events and may return to Pemberley if you choose. I know you would hate the ball, but do you think you could tolerate one in exchange for freedom from the marriage mart?”
“Oh, yes! If it is only one ball and the Queen’s Drawing Room, not year after year of soirées and balls, that would...” She gulped hard, as if trying to keep back tears. “That would be such a relief. Thank you. I cannot thank you enough.”
“Do not thank me too soon! We still have to convince Richard, since he is also your guardian.”
“I know he will listen to you.” She stood up and twirled around. “This is so marvelous!” Then her face turned grave. “That is why I agreed to elope with George Wickham, you know – so I would not have to have a Season.”
That was why? Good Lord. “Perhaps next time you could just talk to me rather than taking such drastic action.”
She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I will, I promise. I am so glad we talked today.”
He caught her hand. “I am glad you are brave enough.”
She blushed. “That was because of Duncan – Mr. MacLaren, that is. I was telling him all about it, and he said I had to talk to you instead, and when I said I was too afraid, he said he was of the impression that you were a reasonable man and not a tyrant, even after you had a knock on the head. I realized he was right.”
Why did everyone confide in MacLaren? First Elizabeth, and now Georgiana. At least he had merited some praise from Saint Duncan MacLaren. To lighten the moment, he teased, “Well, do not set your heart on him. You are too young to be thinking about marriage.”
She giggled. “He said that, too.”
Startled, Darcy exclaimed, “You were speaking to him of marriage?”
“Oh, no, of course not! It was only a joke. When I said I wished I could live in a castle.”
More likely MacLaren had noticed her attachment to him and was making certain that it went no further. But did the damned man have to be so noble all the time?
THE NEXT MORNING THEY were all settled in the drawing room when Mr. Gardiner said to Aunt Emmeline, “I asked MacLaren the Younger if he would call here today to discuss a business proposition. I hope you do not mind.”
“Of course not,” said Aunt Emmeline. “What sort of business proposition, if I may ask?”
“I want to publish a guidebook for travelers who wish to visit this area,” he said. “My excuse to come to Scotland was to find a writer for such a book in Edinburgh, but instead I find myself in the heart of The Lady of the Lake country. When Mrs. Graham
told me her husband was an innkeeper, we put our heads together and came up with some ideas that could benefit the entire area. I mentioned it to MacLaren yesterday, and he was quite interested.”
Mrs. Graham nodded enthusiastically. “We have already taken a few tourists to the castle and to Loch Katrine. If more visitors come, we could hire clansmen to be tour guides, since nae one knows the area better.
“Travelers would pay a pretty penny to be rowed over to a castle on an island,” agreed Mr. Gardiner. “It could provide employment and help the estate financially.”
The butler threw open the doors to the drawing room. “The MacLaren and Young MacLaren.”
The laird wore formal Highland dress, kilt and all. His grey hair was tied back in a neat queue, and he leaned heavily on a carved cane. This time Duncan MacLaren was similarly attired. Elizabeth half-expected them to be followed by a bagpiper, but she could not deny they had a certain presence.
Beside her Georgiana drew in a long breath, her eyes shining.
Mrs. Graham rubbed her hands together. “Och, so it is a formal visit, is it? Good to see ye are improved, brother.”
He glared at her. “’Tis a fine day, and this is clan business.”
She laughed. “Och, then, fetch the whisky and let us get started.”
Elizabeth watched with bemusement as the Scotswoman organized the discussion. Mr. Gardiner showed a guide to the Lake District his company had published and offered it to the chieftain. “It would be similar in nature to this.”
The laird paged through the book. “What would this guide do, apart from make money for you?”
Mr. Gardiner seemed completely untroubled by his reaction. “It would direct travelers to sites of interest, particular inns, and services such as tour guides, bringing business to the area and providing employment for your clansmen, and it would tell the story of this region.”
Mrs. Graham added, “You could charge the English to tour the castle, and use the fees to rebuild the wing that was destroyed.”
“Och, ’tis a long journey from London,” said Duncan MacLaren dubiously. “Would they truly come just because of Scott’s book?”
A Matter of Honor Page 33