Implacable Resentment

by Jann Rowland

“Elizabeth, you are everything I could ever want in a wife,” said Mr. Darcy as he stepped close and grasped her hand. “I care not for wealth and connections, and I have always sought something more than this in a marriage partner. These are things you will supply in abundance.”

  “And yet there will be many who will condemn your choice.”

  “Let them,” said Mr. Darcy with a shrug. “I know my true friends. They will understand the jewel I have unearthed and will love you for what you bring to my life. The rest of society is of no concern to me.”

  “Then you must allow me to prove myself to your closest relations.” Elizabeth smiled at him but held firm in her intention to visit his cousin. “Even if they do disapprove, I am certain they will be circumspect about that fact. They would not wish to offend you.”

  Mr. Darcy reluctantly agreed, and a short time later, she was on her way to his aunt and uncle’s residence with Georgiana in tow. Jane had felt herself unequal to meeting such formidable personages, and Elizabeth did not argue with her, knowing she would be much more comfortable staying behind in Mr. Darcy’s townhouse.

  While Darcy admired Elizabeth’s fortitude and confidence, he was not looking forward to introducing her to his relations. He had no way of determining how his uncle would react. The earl was not precisely a snob, but he also believed in the necessity of keeping to one’s own sphere when considering marriage. Lady Matlock was the easier of the two to predict; as she had a longstanding feud with Lady Catherine, she would likely approve simply on the basis that his chosen was not deformed, not insipid, and, most importantly, not Anne.

  The Fitzwilliam residence was close enough to Darcy house that they simply donned their outer wear and walked the short distance, and it was not long before they were announced into the earl’s presence. He was accompanied in the sitting room by Colonel Fitzwilliam, Lady Matlock, and Anne.

  As soon as they had entered the room, Anne rose to greet them, and though she appeared to be pale, she was also much better than she had been when Darcy had left Rosings only two days earlier. Even the mark of Lady Catherine’s assault on her was largely faded.

  “Darcy, Georgiana,” greeted she before turning and almost throwing herself into Elizabeth’s arms. “I am so glad you have come.” This last, she almost whispered to Elizabeth.

  “Miss de Bourgh?” said Elizabeth quietly, clearly uncertain how to take this enthusiastic greeting.

  “Call me Anne, please. I hope you will give me leave to call you Elizabeth.” At Elizabeth’s hesitant nod, Anne smiled brightly. “Surely you must know it is because of you that I am here. It is your fine example and refusal to be intimidated by my mother which has allowed me to stand up to her. I am very grateful, I assure you.”

  “I am sure I did nothing,” denied Elizabeth.

  “So this is the young woman who, it seems, has captured our Darcy,” boomed the voice of the earl, interrupting any further conversation. “You must bring her here and introduce her to us, Anne. I would make her acquaintance.”

  Though Elizabeth seemed to convey a sense of trepidation at the prospect, Anne guided her to her uncle and made the introductions. Darcy thought his uncle’s expression unreadable as he studied Elizabeth. He did not seem to disapprove, although the exact extent of his approbation was still to be determined.

  “I can see that you have chosen a rather pretty sort of girl, Darcy,” pronounced the earl after a moment’s inspection. “She appears also to be somewhat unintimidated by meeting us, which is also well.”

  “Henry,” chided the countess, “do not speak of the young lady as though she was not even here.” And with that, the countess turned to Elizabeth and said, “We are very happy to make your acquaintance, my dear. We had begun to despair of Darcy ever marrying, so news of your betrothal was welcome, I assure you.”

  “Have I ever told you that you gossip like a society wife, Fitzwilliam?” said Darcy. Truly, he was not angry at his cousins for betraying the fact of his engagement, though he had not actually been engaged at the time!

  “Just making a flanking maneuver, old boy,” said Fitzwilliam with a grin. “We have been singing your Miss Elizabeth’s praises since my father arrived at Rosings. We had to give my parents a good impression and all that.”

  Elizabeth laughed with delight. “Though I am not certain I deserve such unreserved praise, I thank you, Colonel Fitzwilliam.”

  “For making Darcy happy, you deserve all our praise and more,” said the countess. And she took Elizabeth’s arm and guided her to a couch where they could sit and talk with one another.

  The conversation flowed fluidly for some time, and though the countess was all that was friendly, the earl was much more reserved. He was not unkind, but he appeared to be studying Elizabeth, likely in an attempt to divine whether she would enter their sphere and acquit herself or whether she would need to be distanced from them as an unfortunate and unsuitable connection. Darcy found himself feeling a little annoyed, but he had been aware of his uncle’s character, so he said nothing.

  At one point, Darcy approached his uncle and his cousin to inquire as to what had happened after the earl had arrived at Rosings.

  “I have always known that Catherine was a hard and unfeeling woman, but her behavior has astonished me,” growled Lord Matlock. “She would not acknowledge anything, of course, but your description, as well as the testimony of the apothecary, convicted her quite neatly. I will not countenance Anne ever returning to that house as long as her mother is in residence.”

  “And the state of Anne’s inheritance?”

  “She is Sir Lewis’s heir,” replied Lord Matlock. “Her mother has no say in the matter.”

  Darcy turned and looked significantly at Fitzwilliam, and the look was returned with a certain level of impatience.

  “Give Anne some time, Darcy. She has experienced such a shock, and being free of her mother’s influence has changed her life significantly. I am open to the thought of marriage with Anne, but we will not rush into it.”

  It was nearing the end of their visit when the subject of Anne’s health arose, and she assured them that she was very well indeed.

  “My uncle has arranged for me to be seen by his doctor,” said Anne. “I am happy that I will finally be examined by someone who is not beholden to my mother for his livelihood.”

  “Anne, that is unkind,” said the earl with a stern glare. “Your mother is misguided and certainly bereft of patience, but I would not have you spreading such stories. In her own singular way, I do believe that she wishes for what is best for you.”

  Anne rolled her eyes. “And what is best for me is whatever she decrees. She also decrees my thoughts and actions as well, so as to save me the trouble of thinking and acting for myself.”

  “I find that I must agree with Anne on this occasion,” interjected Colonel Fitzwilliam. “When the doctor whom Lady Catherine employs was sent for, he was found to be insensible due to excessive drink. And this was in the middle of the day!”

  The earl scowled. “So you informed me. Well, we shall ensure that you are given the best care now that you are with us.”

  The rest of the visit passed by smoothly, and when they were ready to depart, Darcy guided Elizabeth and Georgiana to the door. He was thus surprised when his uncle stepped forward and bowed to Elizabeth.

  “I was concerned, I own, when I was told that Darcy was expected to offer for you.” His lips lifted in the slightest of wry smiles. “Though I know Darcy to be a discerning sort of man, I wondered if you had managed to trap him. You should not be concerned that my son and niece have informed me of your trials the past few months. Though an annulment is an unfortunate thing, I think that it can be kept from general knowledge.

  “Having met you, however, I am pleased. I believe that you will do well in our family and out among society in general. And if your connections are not what we would wish, Darcy here so obviously dotes on you that I believe that we can overlook them.”

  It was so lik
e his uncle—genuine and respectful in general, but displaying that haughtiness which was so a part of his character. Elizabeth evidently decided to take the gesture in the manner it was intended, as she curtseyed and said:

  “Thank you, Your Grace. I will do my best to be a credit to the Darcy and Fitzwilliam families.”

  “None of that, now,” said the earl. “You must call me ‘Uncle Henry,’ as you will very soon be my niece in fact.”

  Elizabeth agreed to do so, and within moments, they had taken their leave. As they strolled back to his townhouse, Darcy walked behind his sister and his betrothed, watching as they spoke animatedly with one another. He had known that Elizabeth would charm his relations. He simply had not known how quickly it would happen.

  Two days after their arrival in town, however, an event happened which astonished Elizabeth exceedingly. They were in the sitting room, both couples speaking with one another while Georgiana played the pianoforte, when the door opened and a footman entered the room, beckoning to Mr. Darcy. The master of the house rose and approached the footman, engaging in a brief conversation with him before turning to Elizabeth. She had been wondering if something was amiss, but his wide smile told a different story.

  “It seems, Miss Elizabeth, that we have a surprise for you.”

  Before Elizabeth could respond, the footman returned, and following in his footsteps were her aunt and uncle.

  Elizabeth fairly flew into the arms of her aunt, crying and laughing all at once. At the same time, her aunt’s tears mingled with hers, and Mrs. Gardiner kissed her tenderly, as a mother might kiss a young child, while Uncle Gardiner engulfed them both within the comfort of his encircling arms. How much she had wanted them! Throughout the whole ordeal with her father and Mr. Collins, she had wished for their presence, knowing that her uncle would be able to make it all well again.

  Elizabeth, who was trembling with emotion, found it took several moments before she was able to speak coherently, and even then, she dissolved into tears of happiness over and over again.

  The sound of her uncle’s voice finally penetrated through the tears and laughter when he said, “Thank you, Mr. Darcy, for caring for our dearest girl.”

  Mr. Darcy extended his hand, which Mr. Gardiner shook heartily, and said, “I assure you that it was my pleasure, Mr. Gardiner.” He glanced at Elizabeth, and she could see his heart in his eyes as he continued. “I would do anything for Miss Elizabeth.”

  “You received my letter then?” asked Elizabeth as she pulled away from her aunt.

  “We did,” affirmed Mrs. Gardiner. “Along with a missive from Mr. Darcy promising that he would do whatever he could to ensure your safety.”

  “And he has,” said Elizabeth, smiling at the gentleman while wiping the tears from her eyes. “I am indebted to Mr. Darcy for his kindness.”

  “Not at all,” said Mr. Darcy. He then turned to the other members of the group, who were all standing and watching the scene with tears in their eyes. “I beg your pardon, but might I introduce the rest of the party?”

  The Gardiners, of course, agreed, and soon the introductions had been completed, and the party sat down together.

  “I see there have been many changes since we were last together,” observed Mr. Gardiner.

  Elizabeth blushed and darted a happy smile at Mr. Darcy, who returned it without reservation. “Yes, indeed, uncle. When you left me, I was a naïve young girl. Now, I am happy to say that I am free from a marriage which, according to church law, never took place, and I have been the recipient of a proper proposal. You will be happy to know that I accepted it.”

  The Gardiners looked at each other with knowing smiles and expressed warm and hearty congratulations. Then Mrs. Gardiner looked at Elizabeth and told her, “These tidings are not precisely shocking, Lizzy. Your uncle and I suspected that such would be the result if you could be freed from Mr. Collins.”

  “A young man would never do so much for a young lady unconnected to him unless he had a powerful motivation,” added Mr. Gardiner. He turned to Mr. Darcy. “You were quite transparent, sir.”

  “Yes, I was,” said Mr. Darcy. Those in the room were amused at what he did not say, but no one felt it necessary to bring up the matter any further.

  “What we do not know,” continued Mrs. Gardiner, “is what has happened in the interim. It sounds like quite a tale, and I would appreciate it if you would oblige us with an explanation.”

  And so the explanation commenced, and the entirety of the past months was disclosed to the Gardiners and to Georgiana, Jane, and Mr. Bingley, who were only aware of parts of the story. The tale was primarily told by Elizabeth, with occasional assistance from Jane and Mr. Darcy, though after the telling shifted to what happened in Kent, Jane fell silent, and Mr. Darcy’s involvement grew.

  Through it all, Elizabeth noticed that the others were watching her with interest, and at times, they responded verbally with sighs or exclamations. Before long, she began to feel a little self-conscious. But it was not until she fell silent that the comments began to flow in, and surprisingly, perhaps, it was Mr. Bingley who spoke first and loudest.

  “I must commend you, Miss Elizabeth,” said he with respect and admiration, “I do not know of many ladies who could persevere through such trials and emerge the better for them.”

  Elizabeth blushed and turned a further shade of red when she heard Mr. Darcy say, “And now you understand why I consider her to be a jewel I am fortunate to have found.”

  Looking up, Elizabeth saw Mr. Darcy regarding her with an expression of such tenderness that it almost took her breath away. He meant what he said about her, not that she had doubted him for a moment. But in that moment, it all became more real, more tangible, and she truly understood what it was to love and to be loved in turn.

  “Yes, our Elizabeth does possess a resiliency that is far from the common way,” said Mrs. Gardiner. She stood and approached Elizabeth, sitting beside her and engulfing her in the circle of her arms. Elizabeth felt at once safe and warm all over, though strangely enough, it did not speak to her of home as it once had. She supposed that was because of her own growth and, perhaps more importantly, because of her burgeoning feelings for Mr. Darcy. Home would now be wherever he was.

  “The fact that you are safe and experienced no permanent harm from this fiasco was the only thing which kept me from striking Bennet.” Elizabeth looked up from her aunt’s shoulder to see the anger displayed by her uncle.

  “You visited Longbourn?” asked Elizabeth.

  “We did,” said Mr. Gardiner. “I had thought to give Bennet a piece of my mind in addition to finding out where you were.”

  “But Longbourn was in an uproar,” said Mrs. Gardiner, “due as much to Jane’s departure as to Elizabeth’s return. Mrs. Bennet was beside herself at her daughters’ betrayal, as she called it, and she was incensed by your refusal to sacrifice yourself in marriage to Mr. Collins.”

  All Elizabeth could do was to shake her head. “It seems she has already forgotten our talk the morning that my father forced me to the altar.” At the questioning looks Elizabeth received, she explained, “I warned her that she would not like it if I became the mistress of Longbourn, and I explained to her in great detail exactly what she would have to look forward to if I were to return as mistress after my father’s death.”

  “She has indeed forgotten, Lizzy,” said Mr. Gardiner. “She was ever thus, unfortunately. She tends to remember the things she wants to believe and discards the rest as unimportant.”

  Mr. Gardiner approached Elizabeth with gravity. “I spoke with your father, Elizabeth, and told him that I would brook no further interference in your life. He declared that he wanted nothing further to do with you and that he no longer considers you his daughter. I was quite emphatic that I am now responsible for you.”

  At one time in her life, hearing such a thing would have filled Elizabeth with sorrow. Two months in her father’s house and all that had followed had cured her of that particula
r affliction, and now all she could feel was relief that Mr. Bennet could no longer interfere in her life.

  “We could initiate legal action to make this an actuality, but given the situation, I think that the question has become moot.”

  “I would agree, Mr. Gardiner,” said Mr. Darcy, “but I would like to be married as soon as may be, so that I may extend my protection in a firmly legal sense. Mr. Bennet does not seem like one who would give himself the trouble of exerting himself, but I would prefer that he does not get any other ideas concerning how to ‘save his family.’”

  “I agree, though we should talk further on the matter in a few moments.” He turned to both Jane and Elizabeth and said, “For the nonce, I believe that it would be best for you both to return to Gracechurch Street. The arrangement as it is now strains propriety a little too much for my liking.”

  Elizabeth and Jane readily agreed, though Mr. Bingley did not appear to be pleased with this turn of events. Mr. Gardiner, however, noticed this, and he slapped the young man gently on the shoulder. “I will not attempt to delay your nuptials, young man. Not only has her father already given you his permission, but I also agree that both of my nieces should be removed from their father’s dubious protection as soon as may be.”

  The expression of relief which appeared on Mr. Bingley’s face brought laughter to the whole group, and even more so when he thanked Mr. Gardiner profusely.

  “There is one thing I would like your opinion concerning,” said Mr. Darcy when the mirth had died down. “Miss Elizabeth and I have spoken of removing the younger sisters from the care of their mother and father, as Mr. Bennet seems to be less able a protector than ever. I would like your insight on how to go about doing this.”

  Mr. Gardiner nodded his head with approval. “An interesting thought, Mr. Darcy, and one of which I approve most heartily.”

  “Then may I have a moment of your time, sir?” Mr. Darcy turned his soft smile on Elizabeth again. “As you are now Miss Elizabeth’s protector, I have a particular request to make of you.”