“My adventure will be the envy of my sisters, for I return to them a married woman in all but name.” She laughed. “What a fine jest! I have come closer to being wed than them all, for all Jane’s beauty and Lizzy’s fine wit!”
“That will do, Lydia!” Mrs. Gardiner took her hand and dragged her to the carriage steps, quickly urging her inside.
Mr. Gardiner smiled apologetically at Theo and Monty as they made their farewell. “We cannot thank you enough for returning our niece to us, and can only hope you will overlook her foolishness. She is full young, and the years she has attained thus far do not appear to have admitted much sense.”
Monty laughed, and Theo smiled as he shook Mr. Gardiner’s hand. He liked the Gardiners, and he liked Elizabeth too. He could not account for how Lydia was part of the same family, but if they could tolerate her, then he would strive to do likewise.
“We are thankful we could be of service, sir.” He bowed. “Please send my best wishes to Miss Elizabeth; I hope to call upon you all in the near future.”
With that, the gentlemen turned towards Monty’s curricle, and Mr. Gardiner joined his wife and niece for the ride back to Gracechurch Street.
CHAPTER 16
Darcy shifted against the soft carriage squabs and peered out the side glass. The same farmhouse he had been staring at stood resolutely on the horizon, no closer than the last time he had looked.
Perhaps he should take to the box himself? Surely he could get more speed from the horses. He groaned and flexed his hands into fists. What was he thinking? He would probably make excellent speed to London, until the beasts dropped dead half way there.
He threw his head back against the seat, his mind racing as it was once more filled with the contents of Theo’s Express that morning. What a fool he had been. With Anne contesting the terms of her inheritance, Theo was the one to handle the matter, not him. But could he see that—no. No, he had to rush off blindly to the rescue only to discover he lacked the necessary understanding to do anything but stand between the two screeching harpies and prevent their claws and teeth from drawing blood.
Had he only been at Darcy House where he should have been, he would have been there for Elizabeth and her family when they needed him. Instead it was Theo who stepped up to do what should have been his duty.
Theo.
Thank God he had been there and been willing to put aside the past. He had not only found the scoundrel Wickham, but had taken him to task. Granted, Darcy would probably not have resorted to such…physical... tactics. But no one could question that Wickham was entirely deserving of every consequence, including sitting in gaol and contemplating transportation.
Darcy sniffed. He probably would simply have bought the man off and forced him to marry Lydia Bennet. He shuddered. Then he would have faced a lifetime of calling Wickham brother and wearing him like an albatross around his neck. No, Theo’s way was better. Perhaps it was best Darcy had been away. And Theo was the best suited to deal with Anne and Lady Catherine.
The corner of Darcy’s lips rose. He might learn to enjoy sharing responsibility for the family with Theo.
At last, the dreaded farmhouse left his view and the sights of London rose before him. Soon, though not soon enough, he would see her.
*****
The housekeeper admitted him and led him to the parlor—the empty parlor. How ridiculously unfair, just plain bloody wrong to keep him waiting a moment longer—
“Mr. Darcy?”
He whirled about, unable to breathe. “Elizabeth…” He crossed the room in just two steps, hands outstretched.
She smiled and the room brightened. Her fingers entwined in his and his knees threatened to melt.
“You look very well—” His voice was an odd squeak.
“I am feeling much better, thank you. How was your journey?” She gestured toward the settee.
Darcy sat with her, not relinquishing her hand. He had endured far too much distance from her. Oh, her eyes were lovely, simply enchanting.
“Your journey?”
“Oh, yes. Forgive me. It was not a good trip, to be entirely honest. The matters under dispute would have been better handled by my brother. I should have sent him in my stead.”
She stared at him with that peculiar glint in her eye, the one he had not seen nearly enough of. Elizabeth, his Elizabeth, was pleased with him.
“I think he would be pleased to hear you say that.”
“I will make it a point then to tell him so when I see him.”
“You have not seen him yet?”
“No, I came directly here as soon as I had word of what had happened.”
“Oh.” The gleam left her eyes and her smile faded.
“I cannot forgive myself for—”
“Stop, please, do not say that. Is that not the very thing that has caused you so much trouble already? That you could not forgive yourself or your brother…”
“That is not what I meant—”
“But out of the overflow does not the mouth speak? Forgive and think upon this affair, and on the past, only as it gives you pleasure.”
“Pleasure? I do not take your meaning. How is there any pleasure to be found in the unspeakable actions of that…that…”
She pressed a finger to his lips. Oh, he would rant and rail far more often if that was to be his reward!
“I concede I cannot find pleasure in Mr. Wickham’s actions, but in their outcomes, I may.” She met his gaze with one so compelling he might never look away again.
“I cannot image your meaning. I await your instruction. Enlighten me with your great wisdom.”
“First, my sister was rescued, through a Darcy’s intervention.” She tapped the tip of his nose.
With such remonstrations, she could continue this lecture the rest of the afternoon and he would voice no complaint.
“News of her…” She cleared her throat. “…unexpected travel…has been contained, so the damage to her reputation may be minimized. And you,” she trailed her fingertips along his brow.
Hopefully she would not require him to remember what she said later. There was only so much distraction a man could endure with his higher faculties intact.
“Have discovered afresh how useful your brother can be.”
He chuckled.
“And I…” she swallowed, her eyes glistening. “I am embarrassed to say that when you did not come to call the day we learned of Lydia’s…”
“You thought I did not call because of her.”
She bit her lower lip and nodded.
“And the thought distressed you?”
“Very much so. It was in that moment that I realized…realized…how very much…”
“I love you.”
She gasped. “Exactly…how very much I love you and how I did not think I could bear it if—”
“Do not say it and do not think it, for it shall never be.” He cradled her cheek in his palm.
A throat cleared from across the room. “Excuse me, Madam.”
They jumped and turned. The housekeeper stood in the doorway, a tall figure shadowing behind her.
“Mr. Darcy to see you.” The housekeeper curtsied and ducked aside.
The figure removed his hat and stepped inside. “Forgive me, Elizabeth, Darcy. I seem to have selected a very inopportune—”
Darcy and Elizabeth rose.
“Not at all, Theo.” She stepped toward him.
“Theo?” She did not even call him—
“Yes, William, he is to be my brother after all and I have no desire for so much formality among those closest to me. Do you not agree?”
There she was, smiling that smile at him again. He tugged his cravat. “I do not know, it is not something I have experience with.”
She tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. “Just because it is unfamiliar does not mean that it will be disagreeable.”
He slipped his hand over hers and she laced her fingers with his. For such enticements there was l
ittle he would outright reject.
Theo stared.
Darcy cleared his throat.
“Oh, yes,” Theo twitched his head. “I came to inquire after Miss Lydia Bennet. Is she much shaken after the…ah…events of this week?”
Elizabeth huffed and rolled her eyes. “I fear she is not nearly so shaken as I would like her to be. At first, she accepted your story of the stolen jewelry as you told it—”
Theo grumbled under his breath. “But has since reformed the tale in her mind as one with Wickham as the victim.”
“How did you—”
Darcy and Theo shared a dark glance.
“I fear this is not the first time he has manipulated an innocent.” Darcy tried to catch Elizabeth’s eyes.
She rewarded with him with a gaze not nearly as troubled as he expected.
“Or not so innocent.” She lifted an eyebrow. “I have little faith in Lydia’s … blamelessness.”
Theo stroked his chin with his fist. “Perhaps it might be useful for me to have another conversation with her? If you like, I may speak to her far more…ah…plainly than I did before.”
“My uncle and I spoke of that very thing. We both thought it might be helpful to her, but hesitated to ask yet another favor of you. Since you have offered though, I will most gratefully accept on behalf of my family. If you will excuse me a moment, I will fetch her.” She curtsied and departed.
Darcy and Theo stared at one another for a moment that went on far too long and became more awkward as it did.
“Thank you for what you did in my stead. I am grateful. You handled the matter perhaps better than I would have.”
Theo raked his hair back and blinked several times. “I confess, that is not what I expected to hear you say.”
“I can surmise all too easily what you expected, and I regret that too. I am grateful for having this opportunity to make a fresh start of things.”
“I am too.” Theo looked aside and scuffed his boot along the edge of the carpet.
“And I am not nearly so reluctant as Elizabeth—” How lovely her name felt on his tongue. “—to ask a favor of you.”
“Indeed, what would that be?”
“I need—I would like for you to go to Rosings and sort out the details of Anne’s inheritance. She and Aunt Catherine are embroiled in an epic battle over it and I—”
“You took one look at the documents and—”
“Felt like a schoolboy who did not prepare for his lessons.” Darcy rubbed his forehead.
“I should have expected those documents to have been drawn up in the most cryptic manner possible. I shall leave for Rosings on the morrow.” Theo turned aside and traced the edge of the carpet with his boot tip again. “Thank you for your faith in me.”
Darcy tugged his sleeves beneath his coat cuffs. “There is one other favor I would ask of you.”
“What else can I do for you?”
“Stand up with me, when Elizabeth and I marry.” Darcy caught Theo’s gaze.
Theo’s eyes widened. “Truly?”
Darcy nodded.
“I…I would be honored.” Theo extended his hand.
Darcy took it and pumped it hard.
A small sniffle startled him. Elizabeth stood in the doorway. The fist she pressed to her mouth did not conceal her smile and her eyes sparkled.
*****
Elizabeth opened the door to Mrs. Gardiner’s small sitting room and ushered Theo inside. He had no notion what he could say to Lydia Bennet to help matters—what in all this did she still fail to comprehend?—but the offer had been made and thus so must the attempt.
“Oh Lord! Not you again!”
“Lydia!” Elizabeth gave her sister a resigned look, but Lydia merely turned her back and stared out into the street. “Please try to show some manners.”
“Good afternoon, Miss Lydia.” Theo bowed as Lydia threw a bored-looking glance over her shoulder. “I came to enquire after your well-being, and your sister suggested I speak to you once more about what has happened.”
Lydia let out a huff of breath before walking across the room and throwing herself into a fireside chair. “You may speak all you wish.” She waved a hand airily. “They all do a vast deal of speaking, though I have long tired of listening.”
Theo exchanged a glance with Elizabeth, who sighed, shook her head at him, and walked to the opposite end of the room to take Lydia’s place at the window. Turning around, Theo walked over to where Lydia sat.
“May I join you?” He indicated the chair opposite and, taking Lydia’s dismissive shrug as acquiescence, sat down. “How are you?”
“What is it to you?”
Theo merely raised a brow at this and, after a slight pause, she sniffed and said, “Oh very well. If you will make conversation… I am in an ill temper. I am come to Town, with all there is to enjoy, yet I am not allowed to go out. My aunt drones on and on the whole day long and both she and my uncle make it plain naught I do is to their taste, yet then they say I cannot return to Longbourn!” She threw an angry glance over at Elizabeth. “And my sisters treat me abominably. Look!” She pointed at her sister who met her angry gaze with apparent calm. “I am watched over at all times as though I have committed some crime.”
Elizabeth made as though to walk over, but Theo shook his head at her. At least Lydia had acknowledged there had been a crime—this was an improvement on when he last spoke with her. “Miss Lydia,” Lydia refused to look at him. “Would you prefer it if your sister left the room?”
Raising her chin, Lydia nodded before throwing a smug glance in Elizabeth’s direction. Theo got to his feet and met Elizabeth by the door, saying quietly, “Perhaps if you wait just outside—I will leave it slightly ajar?”
Elizabeth bit her lip then nodded, whispering, “I am so sorry, Theo,” as she slipped out into the hallway.
Drawing in a calming breath, Theo turned back and resumed his seat opposite Lydia, who was curling her hair round her finger, much as she had done the last time he saw her. Again, he was reminded she was only just beyond childhood, of an age with his own sister, and he felt his frustration diffuse a little.
“What of your parents, Miss Lydia? Have you received word from them?” He knew that recognition from Mr. and Mrs. Bennet would, in the circumstances, be critical in repairing any taint remaining upon the family’s reputation.
“Papa is to come here, but I am told he refuses to take me home with him.” Her eyes flashed. “And he has insisted on Mama remaining at Longbourn, for he must know she will be my only support in this, as is ever the case!”
“But did it not occur to you there would be repercussions by fleeing from your family’s protection?”
Lydia frowned as though genuinely confused. “Why should there be? Eloping is not uncommon and it is so romantic—to be certain, it deserves far less censure than this!”
“Regrettably, it cannot be deemed a successful elopement with no marriage taking place. Your reputation has been damaged and, in turn, it has brought shame and distress to all your family. You cannot blame them for your present circumstances; by falling in with Wickham’s scheme, you must accept some culpability, and–”
Lydia rounded on him. “No, I will not! It is not my fault, and it is not Wickham’s—it is your fault. You and your self-righteous brother, who is more a criminal than Wickham ever was and who should be brought to task over it!”
Theo almost bit his tongue, his sympathy fading and his defenses rising as soon as Lydia spoke ill of William. How soon had it come to pass he wished to protect his brother so? He was unable to pursue this intriguing thought, however, for Lydia rose to her feet and thus so did he.
“Had he not robbed my dear Wickham of his due, stolen his inheritance from him, he would not have had to resort to other means to fund his way in life. And besides, what of it? The rich have more jewels than they could possibly ever want!”
“That is hardly the point, Madam!” So she had taken on board the theft. “It is al
so erroneous! I believe your sister has already explained to you the truth of the circumstances around what was and what was not Wickham’s due from the Darcy family.”
Lydia stamped her foot. “Pah! I do not believe it for a moment. And I have done no wrong either. I did what all my other sisters have yet failed to do and found myself a husband.” She sighed dramatically. “But it has all come to naught. I suppose I must let them all have their say and then I shall just go home to dear Mama.”
“You cannot just go home to your Mama. Because you remain unmarried, you have to go elsewhere.”
“That is what my aunt believes. She wishes to send me to a place quite northward. Why must I?”
Theo ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “We are going round in circles, Madam.”
“Then why do you not cease speaking?” Brushing past him, Lydia flung the door aside and ran from the room.
Theo winced as he heard a door slam and then blew out a breath, shaking his head at Elizabeth and Darcy as they came into the room.
“I fear I have made matters worse.”
Elizabeth smiled, though her countenance remained sad. “You have tried, Theo, as have we all. There is little else we can do.”
He shook his head. “I shall not give it up yet. Which way did she go?”
Darcy stepped aside as Theo made for the doorway. “She ran down the hall and out of the rear door.”
“It gives access to the garden,” Elizabeth added.
Straightening his coat, Theo brushed a hand quickly through his hair and smiled at Elizabeth. “Then I shall take some air.” He paused, then glanced at his brother. “Please tell me I was not this unreasonable at the same age?”
Darcy shook his head with a smile. “No—you were cleverer.”
Theo laughed and set off into the garden in pursuit of Lydia. With a small amount of persuasion, she allowed him to seat her on a stone bench before perching himself on a convenient tree stump.
The Darcy Brothers Page 30