Chance Encounters

by Linda Wells

  Darcy tried to keep Bingley occupied, but eventually, he found that giving him wine; and encouraging sleep was the best solution. He was left to his own dark thoughts. Memories of his mother wasting away after Georgiana’s birth crossed his mind. Despite the distance from the birthing room, he could still discern Jane’s cries, and they chilled him. She was not his wife, but he still worried for her. He could not imagine how he would feel when it was Elizabeth’s voice. He was frightened to be in the birthing room, to see her pain, to hear her cries, and God forbid, witness her or their baby’s death. But he realized after sitting and helplessly listening to Jane, and remembering the hellish day a year ago when Elizabeth was missing after Wickham’s attack, he would far rather be present, knowing for certain what was happening, than to sit and torture himself wondering how she fared. His understanding for Charles wanting them present, regardless of Caroline’s residence and their objections, became clearer.

  Hours later, an exhausted Jane finally pushed out her daughter and collapsed crying into her sister’s arms. Elizabeth left the room and wearily went in search of the men. She found them, Bingley a blithering fool barely holding his glass, and William, the picture of tension, staring at the floor. He spotted Elizabeth’s gown and looked up. “Is it over?”

  “Yes. Jane is well, and so is the baby.” She smiled and looked to Bingley, who awakened from his stupor.

  “Jane?”

  “Go to her Charles, she and your daughter would like to see you.”

  “A daughter?” Bingley’s smile lit up the room, and he leapt to his feet, wrung Darcy’s outstretched hand, kissed Elizabeth full on the lips and ran out the door.

  Elizabeth and Darcy looked at each other and laughed. Tears of relief and exhaustion fell from their eyes, and they held each other tightly. “I know that you were frightened William, but I do hope that you will stay with me when my time comes.”

  He kissed her gently. “There is nowhere else in the world I should be.”

  ALEX AND GEORGIANA took a walk together after dinner at his parents’ home. He was delighted that Lord Matlock allowed the evening. He was proving to be a very considerate guardian, in fact, he felt as if Georgiana’s uncle was pushing him to get on with it.

  Georgiana held Alex’s arm, enjoying the feel of his muscle under her hand. He brought his free hand up to cover hers and she did not pull away. He then entwined their fingers, and noted her blush with happiness.

  “Did you enjoy dinner, Miss Darcy?”

  “Oh yes, I especially enjoyed meeting your parents. Your father reminds me of mine, and you look so much like your mother.” She smiled up at him.

  Alex smiled back, considering. After two months of courtship, and three months of the Season, he was sure that he would soon propose to her. There was no better woman to ask to be his wife. He loved her dearly. She had only the week before trusted him with her greatest secret and it only made him grateful she had been saved from a life of misery to keep her free to find him. It was time to trust her with his own secret. “It is odd that you should think that.”

  She tilted her head. “Why?”

  He moved to a bench and they sat, and he took her hands in his. “Miss Darcy, I was . . . taken in . . . I am not Philip and Amanda Carrington’s son.”

  She looked at him with great surprise. “You are not?”

  “Yes, my parents could not have children of their own and when they learned of a gentleman’s child being abandoned, they adopted me as their own. But it is assumed that I am their child in truth so that I may be my father’s heir. It is a very great secret.”

  She smiled at him broadly, “How wonderful! How fortunate you were! Why would the gentleman not want you?”

  It was Alex’s turn to be surprised, he expected her to be shocked, disappointed, but happy, no; that was a surprise. “Surely you know that it is not uncommon, Miss Darcy.”

  She smiled ruefully and shook her head. “I am sheltered, am I not? But Elizabeth has told me of such things.”

  He thought that she did this to prepare Georgiana for his truth, and silently thanked her for it. “What did you think of what she told you?”

  “I thought it horrible to knowingly abandon your child, without at least ever providing for it, even if it was illegitimate. Do you know your birth parents?”

  “My natural mother died having me, but yes, I do know my blood father. I have met him twice, but have not revealed my identity to him.”

  “Why not?” She could not imagine not wanting to know her father.

  “Many reasons, I do not wish to dishonour the parents who saved my life and love me as their own, and we must maintain the illusion that I am their legitimate child so that I may inherit the estate, and . . . my blood father has done things which disappoint me greatly. I have seen behaviours in him that I share and have endeavoured to change.”

  “Does my brother know of this?”

  Alex nodded. “Yes, as does Elizabeth.”

  Georgiana looked at him, then down at the ground. “You have always called my sister by her Christian name.”

  He furrowed his brow and tried to see under her bonnet. “Yes, she asked me to do so.”

  “From the beginning?” Georgiana said softly.

  “Almost.”

  She closed her eyes and asked the question that had been nagging at her. “Were you ever interested in courting her?”

  He smiled, realizing the problem. “No, fortunately. You see Georgiana, Elizabeth is my sister.”

  She stared, not understanding. “Elizabeth is your sister? But . . . Does that not mean . . . Is Mr. Bennet . . .?”

  “Mr. Thomas Bennet is my father. Elizabeth is my half-sister.”

  Georgiana gasped. “Why did she not tell me?”

  “She said it was my story to tell. Does this change anything between us, Georgiana?” He looked at her, trying to read her emotions.

  She said sharply, “Why should it?”

  He smiled, relieved. “No reason, I just wanted to be sure, you see, this was my greatest secret, and if you can bear it, then maybe you can be willing to listen to what I have to say now.”

  Alex knelt down before Georgiana and held her trembling hands in his. He looked into her wide, beautiful blue eyes, and spoke his heart, “Georgiana, I have been struck by you since the morning we met in the millinery shop, and I spoke to your brother a year ago, telling him of my hopes for us. He told me he had only one objection, the difference in our ages, and said I must wait for you to come out and experience your Season. I now wish to tell you, Georgiana, that I love you very dearly. I have known that you would be the partner in life that I have dreamed about and I wish for you to be at my side in everything, everyday, forever. Will you accept this old man, Georgiana? Will you please marry me?”

  Georgiana smiled at him ecstatically. “Oh yes! Yes! I dreamed of and hoped for you ever since the day we met, every time I saw you standing, staring up at the windows of Matlock House, and all those long months I had to wait to see you again. And now that I truly know you, and you know and accept my foolish behaviour of the past, I can say without a doubt that I love you, and I wish to be your wife!” He rose and pulled her up into his embrace. “And it will be good for such an old man to have a young wife to care for him!”

  Alex laughed. “Indeed it shall my love!” He smiled into her eyes and finally kissed her waiting lips. “Thank you.” He breathed a sigh of relief. “I have worked on that speech for days!”

  She laughed, and brushed the dirt from his trousers. “Your valet will thank you for choosing a dry patch in which to kneel.”

  He hugged her and offered his arm. They began to walk back to the house. “Do you have any suggestions for approaching your brother?”

  She smiled. “He looks fierce, but he is really very sweet.”

  Chapter 43

  Darcy sat back in his chair and regarded his friend’s nervous countenance. Alex cleared his throat and wiped his sweating palms on his breeches, waiting for
his response. “I do not suppose it will be necessary to ask of your income or prospects. What do you plan to provide for her in the settlement?”

  “I will provide whatever you feel is appropriate. I thought we could work out the details together.” He began twisting the ring on his finger.

  “Georgiana is a sweet and loving woman, Alex.”

  “I will treasure her.”

  “You will do more than that. You once told me that you wanted a wife who would keep you on your toes. She has learned much from Elizabeth, and she has grown greatly in confidence this past year.” He paused. “I have learned a great deal since marrying. You must do more than treasure your wife. You must respect her and talk to her. Never let a misunderstanding or fear sit without discussion. It will grow in proportion and push you apart. Include her in decisions that affect her, and ask for her opinions in things that are important to you. Value more than her beauty. Value her mind and heart. If you do this, you will be happy, as I am with your sister.”

  Alex nodded. “You are describing my parents’ marriage. They were an excellent example. I will be thrilled to have a marriage with Georgiana that equals or hopefully exceeds theirs.”

  Darcy watched him, letting him suffer a little longer. He rose, and Alex was instantly on his feet. Darcy held out his hand and Alex took it. “You have my consent and blessing, Alex. Once again, we are brothers.”

  Letting out a great breath he finally smiled. “Thank you Darcy, I love her dearly.”

  “If I did not think so, I would never have given my consent.” He smiled sadly. He had given his sister away. He fulfilled his father’s charge; she would marry for love and be safe. He could not ask for a better husband for her. “Well, let us go tell the ladies.”

  The men left the room and walked out to a porch shaded by an ancient wisteria vine. It was cool and inviting. Elizabeth sat amongst cushions, holding Georgiana’s hand. They looked up expectantly, and Alex could not contain his joy. He rushed over and taking her hands, pulled her up and grinned.

  Georgiana looked to Darcy who smiled slightly, “I have given my consent Georgie, congratulations.”

  “Oh William, thank you!” She hugged him and kissed his cheek. She turned and hugged Elizabeth, who remained seated and beamed up at her. She spun around to face Alex and blushed. He took her hand and kissed it.

  “Miss Darcy, Georgiana, would you do me the honour of showing me the gardens of Pemberley?”

  Georgiana forced herself to look up from her slippers and met his loving gaze. “Yes Alex, I would enjoy that.”

  They excused themselves and left. Darcy heavily lowered himself onto the chaise next to Elizabeth. “That was such a difficult experience, Lizzy.” He wrapped his arm around her. “I think Uncle Henry was correct. We should hope for boys to spare my heart from enduring this again.”

  Elizabeth laughed, running her fingers through his hair then entwining them with his. “I can bear that darling, if this child would make a decision to be born.”

  Darcy chuckled and caressed her growing belly. “Soon.”

  THE DARCYS SPENT many evenings talking about what had happened at Lyndon Hall, not Caroline’s actual assault upon the sleeping Darcy, but her intentions behind it. Her claimed desire to live at Pemberley and become his mistress was frightening. No woman in her right mind would offer to be kept in that way, certainly not one as socially ambitious as Caroline Bingley once was. Elizabeth suggested that after spending so many years connecting herself with William, the shock of his marriage left her unable to contemplate starting over again to search for a suitable husband. Darcy swore that he had never done anything to encourage her attentions, and did not understand why she did not simply work her wiles on some man who needed her dowry. She likely could have been settled years ago with a man of Hurst’s status. Elizabeth pointed out that she thought of herself as one of the first circles, and refused to face the fact that she was nothing more than a well-dowered tradesman’s daughter. She saw her brother’s friendship with Darcy and was dazzled by all that he had.

  “I suppose it makes sense that she would be angry with me for being your wife, and I imagine that kissing you was acting out some sort of fantasy, but to think that you would offer her a place in our home?” Elizabeth was still amazed.

  “Lizzy, I believe completely that her wish to enter Pemberley was to do you some harm.” Darcy said seriously. “Remember last year she spoke to her sister about my divorcing you, and Mrs. Hurst telling her that I would never do such a thing.” He took her hand.

  “But you seem to think that she would . . . oh William, not . . . not . . .” She stared at him and could read the fear in his eyes. “I heard what sounded like the knob on the chamber door turn during the night.” She whispered.

  He stared at her. “So did I.”

  The grip of their hands tightened. There was no doubt that the hand turning the knob was Caroline’s, whether her intentions were to look, or to act in some way, and upon whom, was open for frightening conjecture. “Jane and Charles could not have known of the extent of her madness.” She said in a numb tone.

  “No, but were they turning a blind eye or merely naive? They always wish for peace above everything. They hide from conflict. They are selfish in their behaviour. Bingley has always been a good friend, and when I met him, he was the balm I needed. He provided the spark of optimism and happiness in my life that was missing. I think, I know, that you have entirely replaced him, except in the obvious matters of gentlemanly pursuits and concerns.” He laughed slightly. “I think you know more of estate affairs than he does.”

  “Thank you. That is a great compliment.” She tilted her head. “Have you outgrown your need for him?”

  Darcy studied her for a few moments, thinking over his answer. “Have you outgrown your need for Jane?”

  She smiled. “You are avoiding your answer, sir, but I will accept your parry. Yes, I have outgrown her. I do not rely on her for advice, as she is too far away. I do not rely on her for a woman’s company, I have Georgiana for a while longer, and I have Mrs. Hill and the other various ladies I have befriended nearby. I think that perhaps we could invite Mary or Kitty to come stay with us in the future; I have neglected those sisters long enough. So to answer your question, yes, I find Jane slipping backwards in her growth, frustrating in her avoidance of any difficulty, and confusing in her behaviour, but I love her because for all of my life until I met you, she was all I had. She was my only source of comfort in a very difficult household. That is why after what happened at Lyndon Hall, I could not reject her. She will always be my sister, and my friend, but the days of absolute trust and unquestioned loyalty are over. She damaged that relationship by showing several times that her concerns were far greater than relieving even a small amount of mine.”

  He leaned over and kissed the tears off of her cheek. It was a hard realization to voice. “I think that I feel similarly about Bingley. My trust has been shaken, but he is still my friend. It will never be as close as it once was, but I think that is probably wise. He will never be his own man unless he is forced to be on his own. I will not do what he did to me. I will remain available should he need help or advice, and I will accept him as my brother and friend, but no, I believe that my respect for him is irreparably damaged.”

  “So inviting them here for our child’s birth. . .” She stopped, unsure what to say.

  He kissed her hand. “Is acceptable. If they are willing to come, I am willing to accept whatever support they are capable of giving. Is that what you needed to hear?”

  Their eyes met. “Yes. I just wanted to be sure that you would not be . . . hidden behind your mask when they come.”

  He laughed. “I promise; you will only see that mask again when you force me to attend a large gathering.”

  She laughed with him. “I will remember that!”

  JANE AND BINGLEY ARRIVED with their two-month-old daughter Angela. They would stay at Pemberley until the birth, which was expected within two weeks
. The Darcys had left Lyndon Hall the day after her birth, and due to the conditions of both mother and mother-to-be, no visits were planned. They remained cordial, and with the two months apart, many letters were exchanged so that when they met again at Pemberley, they were able to do so as family and friends, just as the Darcys intended.

  Bingley was amazed to find Darcy so calm. He was forever hovering near Elizabeth, but he was not pacing or tearing his hair out. He was pleased and relieved by Darcy’s offer to spend some time alone. They were standing at the edge of the lake, enjoying a morning of fishing. Darcy refused to be any farther from the house than that. The harvest would have to come in without him this year.

  “I was a bundle of nerves at this point Darcy, and I expected to find you in the same state. Explain yourself!” He smiled, seeing Darcy affect a look of superiority, and glad to see that his friend was accepting of his tease.

  “It is simple Bingley. I have had the doctor in residence here for the last two days, the local midwife has no other babies expected within the next month, and she lives in Lambton. When Elizabeth’s time comes, I know that she will have the best of care.” He smiled; proud of his planning.

  Bingley grinned. “I want to see how smug you look when you hear Elizabeth’s cry.” He looked at him closely. “Are you sure that you wish to be present? It was all I could do to stay with Jane as long as I did, and I am grateful that you kept me sedated through the worst of it.” He cast his line out, and watched it sink.

  Darcy watched as well, and said thoughtfully, “Almost exactly a year ago I stood in this spot, fishing with Mr. Gardiner. We were discussing Elizabeth’s miscarriage. He assured me that even though we lost our first, we would someday be successful.” He closed his eyes, remembering that sad time. He looked into his friend’s face. “I vowed then that if we were so blessed as to have another child, I would not miss a moment of it. I want to support Elizabeth, and see the wonder of my child enter the world.” He smiled. “I may be calm now, but I expect to be panicking then. I imagine it will be Elizabeth who reassures me, as she always does at the worst of times.”