Perilous Siege

by C. P. Odom

  “Once the groomsman informed everyone you were alive, I suspect she decided to make sure as many people as possible knew of our grievous indiscretions. Now, she can be certain your father will demand we marry, especially with everyone thinking some variation of, ‘Here comes the rake with the innocent young lady he spent the night ravishing!’”

  Elizabeth had to turn her face into Darcy’s chest to hide her laughter, and then she looked up at him reproachfully. “Are you going to make a practice of being right all the time?”

  Darcy whispered out of the side of his mouth. “I had best control my words. Your father is coming to meet us, and he does not look nearly as complacent as your mother.”

  Darcy was unsurprised to see McDunn lounging against the wall of Longbourn wearing a broad grin, clearly enjoying the morning’s events. Mr. Bennet approached as Darcy dismounted, balancing Elizabeth on the saddle until he could take her back in his arms. Her father looked closely at his daughter and then at Darcy, his relief clear though he still looked displeased.

  “As you see,” Darcy said, forcing his voice to be mild, “I found your daughter.”

  “I do see. And I am thankful to the Almighty to see her alive, but are you aware of the dilemma in which you have placed me?”

  “I had intended to bring Miss Bennet back to Longbourn when I found her, but a bolt of lightning struck so close it left us unconscious and afoot when my horse bolted. Not being certain of the way in the dark and with your daughter still too weak to assist me, I had to seek shelter from the storm. I was able to get her wrapped in your blankets and get her warm. She has no fever this morning, which is the important thing.”

  Mr. Bennet waved about the drive at all the eyes on them. “I do not dispute your words, Mr. Darcy, but—”

  “Papa, you owe Mr. Darcy a debt of gratitude for saving my life!” Elizabeth said forcefully and sternly, knowing for now and always where her loyalties lay. “If you want to be angry at anyone for what happened, then blame me since it was I who rushed down the road until I was too far away to return before the rains came.”

  Mr. Bennet was taken aback at the tenor of her words. “I know, child, but Mr. Darcy has placed me in a most uncomfortable position, and I do not—”

  Her father stopped, looking back and forth between the couple and now comprehending the way his precious Elizabeth looked at this haughty stranger—as though she thought the sun rose in the sky because he wished it.

  “I see,” he said finally. “I suppose you are right, Lizzy, but this is not the place to discuss these matters, especially as it appears some things have changed during this terrible night. So perhaps there might be a silver lining to what I was deathly afraid was going to be one of the worst days of my life.”

  He managed a weak smile and gestured about the drive. “My wife appears to have summoned a considerable audience this morning to ensure I do my fatherly duty. I believe she anticipates some kind of dramatic event now you are safely returned home.”

  “A shotgun wedding, I would imagine,” McDunn said cheerfully, having somehow materialized at Mr. Bennet’s side. “Good morning, Miss Bennet. Good morning, Darcy. It appears your quest was more successful than mine.”

  Seeing Darcy’s look, McDunn smiled broadly and said, “I’ll explain this particular Americanism later, but you can probably guess its meaning.”

  “I daresay,” Darcy said dryly. “I think it best that I take Elizabeth to her room. I have her well in hand, and I do not want to take a chance on someone dropping her before we have the opportunity to pay for our transgressions.”

  McDunn barked his laughter, but Mr. Bennet frowned at this improper familiarity. Only then did Darcy realize he had unconsciously used Elizabeth’s Christian name.

  “Papa,” Elizabeth said urgently. “Mr. Darcy did nothing except save my life. Nothing at all ungentlemanly. I am as innocent now as I was yesterday.”

  “I know, I know, Lizzy. I would never believe differently. But I was just angered by—”

  He waved his hand back at the drive. “Your mother, you see. She, well, she…she summoned them a half-hour ago and…”

  Words failed him, and Elizabeth blushed as she saw her mother all but dancing with excitement. Turning to her father, she said, “So William was right, and we must marry?”

  “I am afraid so, child,” her father said consolingly. “Especially with your mother having summoned her friends.”

  “I was not asking for myself, Papa. I was asking for William. I do not wish him—”

  “You know my wishes,” Darcy said, his voice gentle. “I shall not consider ruining your reputation, so put your worry aside.”

  Elizabeth looked at him tenderly before she managed to say, “After Mr. Darcy and I are safely married, Papa, by—what was it you called it, Major McDunn?”

  “Shotgun wedding,” McDunn said happily. “A revered custom from my country’s proud history.”

  “Yes, shotgun wedding,” Elizabeth said doubtfully. “After that, Mama will have only Kitty and Lydia to worry about.”

  An older man, dressed in the black suit and white cravat that were almost a uniform for a clergyman who was not actually preaching, had just stepped to Mr. Bennet’s side.

  “Good day, Reverend Palmer!” Elizabeth said.

  “Considerable excitement for so early in the morning, would you not say, Lizzy?” he said, wearing the slightest of smiles.

  “Yes, I agree. It appears my mother will finally achieve her dream of getting another daughter safely married.”

  She smiled at McDunn and said softly, “But I do not believe your shotgun will be necessary, Major. Mr. Darcy says he wants to marry me, and I certainly want to marry him—more than anything else in the world.”

  “Why, then,” Reverend Palmer said cheerfully, “there seems little left other than the formalities. And those would be best discussed in your father’s library rather than in your drive.”

  “And I will take Elizabeth to her room now,” Darcy said.

  “I will show you the way, my dear,” she said softly, not even aware of her father’s grimace at her use of such an endearment.

  As Darcy turned away, Mr. Bennet called to one of the crowd of servants by the front door and said, “Sarah, please accompany my daughter to her room and assist her in changing her attire. Also, a bit of breakfast and some hot tea, but do not prepare a bath. We have many things to discuss this morning.”

  As Darcy turned away, Elizabeth’s mother had reached the group, and she fluttered about as he strode toward the door, uttering one meaningless endearment after another to her daughter, causing Darcy to roll his eyes. He looked at McDunn, who had resumed his position leaning against the house, but the major only smiled cheerfully. Darcy shook his head sadly as he entered the house.

  Though that went better than I anticipated, I still want to marry Elizabeth before her family causes her any more pain. I shall make sure Mr. Bennet’s parson agrees to issue a common license before he leaves this house. I want to give her the comfort and love she deserves. I do not believe I shall let her leave my bed for a week!

  Darcy was in a much better frame of mind when Sarah opened the door to his future wife’s room and he laid her gently on her bed.

  ***

  Elizabeth forced herself to lie quietly until Darcy left, closing the door behind him, then she abruptly threw off the blankets and leapt from the bed, completely ignoring her nakedness and the wide-eyed stare of her maid. She disregarded the chill morning air as she told Sarah to bring a water basin and clean wash cloths. She simply had to wash away the smell of those blankets.

  He wants to marry me! she thought in disbelief as she began to wash herself with the cold water. He says it is so and even admits an astonishing depth of remorse for his missteps—such remorse as I never would have imagined possible! He wa
nts to marry me! And he is so changed! How is it possible?

  She wondered at the near-overwhelming emotion tightening her throat and chest. Could what I am feeling be simple happiness? But it is so intense, so deep reaching! Surely, there must be more! Or, could it be something else entirely?

  Relief was part of it, she knew—relief at seeing an end to the anguish that had been her constant companion for almost a year.

  I shall have to mind how I act when I go downstairs, she thought as Sarah laid out her clothing, but she laughed again as she began dressing with Sarah’s aid. She was now certain that this feeling could only be pure bliss.

  She sat down so Sarah could attempt to replace the pins from her hair.

  ***

  When Elizabeth was dressed and started down the stairs, her mother awaited her in a state of almost complete frenzy. One part, but a small part, of Mrs. Bennet’s mind was concerned with the damage to Elizabeth’s reputation by the events of the prior night. But the major part of her, the part always obsessed at finding husbands for her daughters, was mesmerized by the possibility—nay, the certainty—of her husband forcing Mr. Darcy to marry Elizabeth because she had been with him all night.

  Of course, she gave not a thought to her own part in her daughter’s flight from Longbourn, nor did she have the slightest awareness of how she had failed in responsibility to her child by letting her stand alone in confrontation with the fearsome old noblewoman. She had not even had the wit to summon her husband to the front parlor!

  Mrs. Bennet was in such a state, she could barely pass on her husband’s request for Elizabeth to join him and Reverend Palmer in his library. But the message was ignored when Elizabeth heard Darcy’s voice coming from the front parlor and brusquely brushed past her mother to join him.

  The parlor was rather crowded with her mother’s friends, and Elizabeth realized others had arrived while she was dressing, including her dear friend Charlotte, who gave her a wave and a cheerful smile.

  But Elizabeth had eyes for only one person in the room, and she walked straight toward him where he sat drinking coffee with his American friend. Both men rose as she approached, and there was time for nothing more than the usual exchange of greetings before her mother was beside them, having followed her daughter into the room.

  “Your father wants to see you directly, Lizzy!” she said, low and urgently. “And you too, Mr. Darcy!”

  Elizabeth’s eyes were bright with mischief. “It seems we are being summoned, sir.”

  “I was waiting for you to arrive, Elizabeth,” he said gravely, holding out his arm to her.

  Instead of taking it, however, she seized his hand instead, and every eye in the room locked on them in astonishment as they left the parlor.

  This crowd didn’t expect that! McDunn thought in amusement as he sat down by his coffee and signaled a maid to refill his cup while hushed conversations broke out about the room.

  Most of these people probably think Elizabeth and Darcy spent the night making wild, passionate love, which is really stupid. It rained bitterly cold most of the night, and Darcy said the cave was terribly uncomfortable, with rock walls and all. How they could have managed anything improper is impossible to imagine!

  Oh, Miss Jane Austen, how your characters have managed to put things aright, though not at all in the manner you wrote! None of the Austen fans in my world would believe any part of this could have happened as it did!

  He was quite disappointed at knowing he never, ever would be able to discuss it with anyone from this world.

  ***

  Neither Darcy nor Elizabeth was gone long, and they returned to the parlor with the parson and Elizabeth’s father. Mrs. Bennet stood with everyone else, and McDunn was unsurprised to see her looking openly exultant. Her husband looked more composed though McDunn thought he looked a bit sad, presumably at the thought of his favorite daughter leaving his home forever.

  Adding to Mr. Bennet’s mood was his displeasure at having so many neighborhood families in his parlor, McDunn was sure, and he seemed even less pleased at social custom requiring him to make his necessary announcement in front of them. However, there being no alternative, he performed his duty, stating merely that his daughter Elizabeth would wed Mr. Darcy of Derbyshire in seven days. Having done what was necessary with as little effort as he could manage, Mr. Bennet faded back and disappeared, intending to do what he could to repair the tattered tranquility of his library.

  Mrs. Bennet was now in her element, accepting the felicitations of her friends in what she imagined to be a genteel fashion. McDunn, however, thought she looked more like the cat that swallowed the canary. Charlotte gave Elizabeth a fond embrace with no insincerity in it. McDunn could tell she was happy for her friend, and she appeared even more so once she had Elizabeth’s assurance that the match was what she desired.

  As for the Reverend Palmer, McDunn never saw him leave. He seemed to disappear at about the same time as Mr. Bennet and well before Darcy and Elizabeth came over to join him.

  “Well, that didn’t take long,” McDunn said after Darcy had seated Elizabeth. The conversations throughout the room continued, but several in the crowd were already leaving.

  Elizabeth giggled at McDunn’s comment, and Darcy said, “Mr. Bennet was prepared to deliver the usual speech, declaring we had violated the norms of politeness and convention with only an immediate marriage being able to atone for our indiscretions. But Elizabeth stopped him immediately and told him she had loved me for most of a year without me ever knowing of it, that I wanted to marry her, and would everyone stop all the unnecessary nonsense and go about the required business to perform the wedding as soon as may be. Her parson said he would immediately issue us a common license.”

  “He did so want to draw everything out—reading the banns, which would take weeks,” Elizabeth said. “Ours will be the most significant marriage he has ever performed, and he was looking forward to having it be a much talked of event. But William demanded a license be issued today, and Reverend Palmer was unprepared to oppose him, so he acquiesced after only a few minutes.”

  “Perhaps it was because you threatened to accompany me to town this afternoon without benefit of matrimony, Elizabeth,” Darcy said dryly. “It seemed to jar him into agreement. It appears as though bargaining with you could be a lifetime’s occupation.”

  I think you just made an accurate prediction, friend Darcy, thought McDunn, hiding his smile by taking a sip of his coffee. Obviously, my beloved author captured Elizabeth Bennet’s playful nature perfectly even if nothing else worked out as I would have expected from reading her novel.

  “I’m still learning about these things, you know,” McDunn said, “but I expected the two of you would be married before sunset.”

  “Such a hasty ceremony is not possible, McDunn,” Darcy said. “The usual custom is to have the banns read in church for three consecutive Sundays, but doing so entails a three-week delay at the least. We insisted the reverend agree to issue a common license, which still has a waiting period of seven days. It is the soonest a couple can be married.”

  “Unless one runs off to Scotland,” Elizabeth said with a twinkle in her eye.

  “Only in those border villages like Gretna Green,” Darcy said. “But Scotland is a rather long journey, and I believe you would prefer to wait in comfort rather than to bounce along the roads to the north for a week or so. I would have preferred sooner myself because it is my opinion that the sooner you leave Longbourn, the better, Elizabeth. You have had to endure far too much here.”

  Elizabeth sighed. She could do nothing other than agree, and Darcy turned to McDunn.

  “Which brings up another matter, and that is Georgiana.”

  “I was thinking I would go fetch her, but I wanted to wait until the Spanish Inquisition was over. I’m actually disappointed to see everything happen with
so little insult. I had hoped to be a fly on the wall for the inter-familial combat.”

  He stopped and looked at Darcy inquisitively. “‘Fly on the wall.’ Do you say something similar here?” At Darcy’s amused shake of his head, McDunn continued. “It means—”

  “I can deduce its meaning, Major,” Elizabeth said with a laugh. “I am just sorry to disappoint you.”

  McDunn returned her smile. “Actually, I’m relieved everything worked out so smoothly. As for my odd sayings, you’ll get used to them in time.”

  “Along with those atrocious contractions he scatters through his conversations,” Darcy said, motioning with his coffee cup while his expression remained calm.

  “You’ll have to,” McDunn said, smiling at his friend’s jab. “Unless Darcy throws me out in the street, of course.”

  “Which is highly unlikely, McDunn. I have too much of my fortune invested in you to allow you to go wandering about the countryside unattended.”

  McDunn only smiled at this, drained the last of his coffee, and bid farewell to the betrothed couple before leaving.

  “He lives with you?” Elizabeth asked.

  “He has since he arrived in England,” Darcy said, looking at her seriously. “It is a long story, one that will take privacy to relate.”

  He kept his voice low and soft. “But even when we have our privacy, I have other plans for the two of us than discussing McDunn. Plans you can likely guess.”

  “I shall depend on that, sir,” Elizabeth said though her cheeks did color slightly. She took his hand and held it tight.

  ***

  Wednesday, September 16, 1812

  Darcy Townhouse, London

  “Married? You cannot be serious!” exclaimed Georgiana from the bench of her pianoforte.

  “I am being dead serious, Miss Darcy,” McDunn said with a smile. “Your brother will indeed be married. In a mere seven days.”

  Georgiana’s look of stunned surprise was suddenly replaced by one of acute anxiety, and McDunn was quick to relieve her apprehension.