by Linda Wells
“Enough of this Georgiana. Stop hiding whenever William and I are in the room. These bruises will not disappear overnight, so you may as well grow used to them.” She sniffed and peeked up at her then to Darcy, who was standing behind the chair with his hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder. “I understand that you are blaming yourself for what happened?”
“Yes.” She whispered.
“Well, I am glad of it. I am glad too that you did not run for help. Not because I believed Wickham’s declaration that he would kill me if you did, he had other plans for me, but because I feel that it was good for you to witness the consequences of your rash decision to run away and claim to attempt suicide. I do not for one moment believe that you would have gone through with it. You were understandably upset by what occurred in town, as was I, as was everyone else who was there, and I accept the blame for taking you there at all.” She placed a hand on Darcy’s arm, staying his protest. “But instead of remaining in this house and talking about it when we returned, you left that note and ran off. Wickham’s appearance and the subsequent events have nothing to do with your initial behaviour which put us in that situation. Your flight was not an act of desperation, but one of selfishness.”
“I thought everyone would be happier if I was no longer here. William should have sent me to Scotland to live at his estate there!” She looked at him with anger.
His brows furrowed and he bent his head to look at her. “What good would that have done? I would have been left alone, carrying the guilt of banishing my sister, wondering constantly if you were well or happy, and feeling an absolute failure in caring for you. With you home, I had the opportunity to try and make your life the best it could be, I thought that you had improved quite significantly over the past months, especially with Elizabeth’s letters and then with her here in person, you did not think of the pain you would bring to those people who love you.”
“But nobody loves me.” She said mournfully. Elizabeth’s eyes flashed. “Pardon me, Miss Darcy, but there are two people in this room who love you dearly. Three others were just sitting with you. You have your cousin who twice risked his own well-being to take on the man who attacked you, not to mention your other relatives. You are old enough to know better.”
Darcy sat down on the bed. “When you arrived at the pond, before Elizabeth found you, what were you thinking?”
“I was thinking … that I wanted to go home.” She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “I wanted to go back to Pemberley and just … be away from anyone who would talk of me.”
Elizabeth took her hand. “So you did not really wish to drown yourself?”
Georgiana shook her head. “I was so relieved when you found me, Elizabeth. I guess that I would have eventually turned back to Longbourn, but …”
“Wickham came.” She sighed. “I will tell you what I told William yesterday. The whole day as each event occurred, I thought to myself that I wanted to go home, and not here, but to Pemberley.”
Georgiana’s face came up. “You did?”
Elizabeth nodded. “Yes. And I was very proud that whatever your reasons for not going for help, at least you did fight him. That was very important.” Georgiana’s eyes grew wide with her declaration. “What is equally important is for you to think about how your decisions affect others before you act, not just yesterday, but back to when you first ran away with Wickham.” She relaxed. “Now, William and I will marry soon. We have decided to allow our wounds to heal a little more first. I am asking you for an answer, do you wish to return to Pemberley tomorrow with your cousin, or stay here and return when we marry? The decision is yours.”
“I would not like to miss your wedding.” She bit her lip and looked between them.
Elizabeth smiled. “Georgiana, it is merely a ceremony, something for the law and the church, and a memory for William and me, but truly, I feel that I have been married to William since the moment he asked me, the service is a formality. If you wish to return to Pemberley, do not let witnessing our wedding stop you.”
Darcy took Elizabeth’s hand and kissed it. “I feel the same way, my love. You have been my wife for quite some time, perhaps from the moment I first saw you. But I suppose that I am a sentimental fool for wanting to see you come down the aisle.” She smiled at him “And I am an incurable romantic who wants to see you waiting for me.”
“I think that I will go home if Richard will take me.” Georgiana said softly. “I promise to think about all that you have said, and when you come home, I hope to be ready to learn to be like you, Elizabeth.”
“I do not want you to be like me, Georgiana, but I will be honoured to help you become yourself.” She moved to the bed and embraced her. Darcy wrapped his arms around them both, and rested his head on Elizabeth’s shoulder. Sniffs were heard then Darcy sat back and took Elizabeth’s handkerchief from his breast pocket and discretely wiped his eyes. She took the cloth from his hand and dabbed at her own face, then Georgiana’s. “Well, it seems that you need to speak to the colonel now.” She handed him back the cloth which was carefully returned to its home.
“Maybe you should come with me?” He suggested with a smile.
Elizabeth laughed. “Ah, you finally found a way to bring me to Netherfield!”
Chapter 29
Sir William stood from behind his desk. “Gentlemen, please be seated.” His eyes darted nervously from one man to the other, taking in the expressionless faces, and finally settled his gaze in horrified fascination upon Darcy’s battered features. He swallowed. “What … what may I do for you?”
“Is Lucas home?” Darcy asked quietly. “We would like to speak with him.”
“Oh, yes … yes, of course, so much to say … quite the day you had …” He leapt back to his feet and walked hurriedly to the door. “I will just fetch him, shall I? Yes?” He seemed afraid to turn his back on them. He blindly reached behind for the door, opened it, and disappeared.
Richard glanced at Darcy. “Twitchy fool, is he not?”
Darcy’s lips lifted slightly. “He grows worse with excitement.”
“I am glad that we left the others at Longbourn. A front of all five of us may have been effective, but this particular battle is a family matter, our family.”
Nodding, Darcy watched the door. “This is my conversation to direct, Richard.”
“I promise I will not say a word until you are through, but give me that, Cousin.”
The door opened and Sir William reappeared with John. “Mr. Darcy, Colonel, how may I help you?” He smiled slightly.
Darcy did not hesitate. He stood and glowered over John. “Wickham’s last gasp of breath proclaimed he had help in his destruction. After careful consideration, we have concluded that you were his most likely partner in this.” His eyes speared him. “You have this one opportunity to explain yourself. I have, to this point, held my tongue regarding your countless offences against me and my family, which includes my future wife. You should know that I could ruin you without batting an eye. This is your chance, Lucas. I suggest that you take it.”
John broke the penetrating stare only to encounter Richard’s deadly gaze. He turned back to Darcy. “I … I believe you already know that I admit to listening to his tale.” Darcy made no sign. “I … Wickham told me … well, you know the rumours, you know what he said.”
“I know what he said Lucas, the question remains, what you did with it? Obviously you did not confirm the information with me or at the least, Mr. Bennet.”
“I was going to speak to Mr. Bennet yesterday, but events prevented …”
“You were going to speak to him AFTER disparaging me and my sister?” Darcy bellowed.
John shrunk back. “I never spoke against Miss Darcy! I never said one word of Wickham’s claims about her or your reported behaviour against her. I swear! I only spoke of your denial of the bequest and your … proclivities.”
Richard snorted in disgust. Darcy shot him a look. “Both of those claims you now know are false.�
� He snarled. “Why should I believe you? I know how you wanted Elizabeth. You disregarded her repeated and vehement resistance of your unwanted, ungentlemanly, and uncivil advances! Clearly you cared not for her feelings, but only for your own. Why would you hesitate to spare my sister in your quest to conquer Elizabeth’s opposition?”
He swallowed repeatedly. Darcy was so close he could see every variation in the bruises on his perfectly smooth skin. John glanced down and watched Darcy’s fists clenching and unclenching, and the memory of Wickham’s purple face as those same hands choked the life out of him flashed in his mind. “Mr. Darcy … I thought of my sisters and could not hurt yours.”
Darcy stepped back and relaxed his stance. John breathed and licked his lips. “Sir, I was wrong, completely wrong in every action, word, thought, everything. I deluded myself into thinking that I was protecting Miss Elizabeth from you. I wish I could take it all back … I apologize sincerely for listening to Wickham, for spreading the false tale of your father’s bequest, but I swear on all that I hold dear that I spoke nothing of your sister. Wickham knew that I refused to do so and spread those lies himself.”
“You did nothing to stop him.” Darcy said quietly.
“I did not … I …”
“You still hoped they were true.” Darcy spoke with the same emotionless voice.
“I am not proud of what I have done, sir.” John’s eyes cast down to his feet.
“What made you think that Elizabeth would have ever turned to you? I am fully cognizant of her opinions of us both.”
“I understand the treasure you have won.” John said softly.
“I have won, do not ever forget it again.” Darcy did not move until John met his gaze.
“I will not, sir.”
Darcy’s eyes swept over him and caught Richard’s. He nodded, satisfied with the ghostly white face of the petrified man before him. John took a shaking breath, his heart was pounding. Darcy leaned forward. “If I believed that you were complicit in beginning the rumours of my sister, or participated in the attack in Meryton, we would be outside, and you would be lifeless on the ground by now. No magistrate would convict me.”
“Yes, sir.” John whispered.
Darcy then strode towards the door. Sir William ran ahead and opened it quickly for him. They stepped into the hall but were arrested by Richard’s voice. “Oh, Cousin, I will be with you in a moment. I would like a brief word with Lucas.” Darcy’s lips lifted and he inclined his head, then closed the door behind him.
DARCY WAS in his bedchamber at Netherfield less than two minutes before Richard appeared at his door. “Now that was an afternoon well spent.”
“And no blood was shed.” Darcy scanned over him, assessing his mood, “I am pleased that you agreed to our plan to scare the living daylights out of Lucas.”
“In a gentlemanly way.” Richard laughed. “I thought he was going to soil himself when I asked for a moment alone with him at the end.”
Darcy smiled at the memory. “What did you say? I could not hear you in the hallway. I had an urge to tie down Sir William; he was bouncing around so much.”
“Well with Bingley and Hurst lying in wait for us in the lanes, I could not very well tell you then. This is our secret.” Richard grinned widely. “I, shall we say, offered to demonstrate some of my skill with the sabre. I showed him precisely where my blade entered Wickham, and described in detail his demise. The man turned red, then green, then white. Quite entertaining!”
“I do not believe he will ever be anything but an outstanding citizen from this moment on.” Darcy smiled with satisfaction.
“Did you believe his confession?” Richard asked while closing the door.
“I did. I know how strongly he wanted Elizabeth, and how deeply he wished to prove me inferior and prove himself right, so I comprehend his susceptibility to Wickham. However, what is more significant is that I can also appreciate his desire to protect Georgiana from further shame by not exposing my supposed sins, as well as her behaviour. That is truly the sole factor that has kept me from becoming violent with him. Well that, and Elizabeth’s good sense.” Darcy turned and walked to his writing desk. “I appreciate your willingness to allow humiliation and fear to be his punishment.”
“I admit to not feeling terribly pleased with the decision when we arrived, and not understanding your desire to approach him in such a manner. I would have expected you to relish the justifiable opportunity to make an example of him. It seems that your head won out over your emotion.” Richard watched him opening a deep drawer. “Is it my imagination; or do you actually look … happy?” Darcy smiled slightly and said nothing, only glancing up while he unlocked a large ebony case and removed something wrapped in a bit of red silk that was secreted in his pocket. He carefully placed it within, locked it, and returned the box to the desk, locking that as well. Richard’s brow rose. “What was that, some crown jewels?”
Darcy turned and still wearing his slight smile; leaned against the mantle and folded his arms. “I truly appreciate you agreeing to take Georgiana home tomorrow.”
“Do not try to distract me, Darcy. What was that and why are you so blasted happy?”
“It is none of your business. Now, do you wish to discuss Georgiana or not?” The stare down commenced, and Richard knew from years of experience that Darcy was far more stubborn than he.
“All right, you win … for now.” He took a seat in the chair before the fire. “Yes, I do agree with you, she needs to go home. I wrote to Father to join us at Pemberley. Perhaps we should just go to Matlock with her, you will not want a sister underfoot when you are honeymooning.” He gave him a wicked grin.
“I will not discuss my honeymoon with you, Richard. Pemberley is quite a large house …”
“Ah yes, but with her home you can not indulge in some rather intriguing pasttimes of the newly wed.”
“And what do you know of those?” Darcy raised his brow.
Richard laughed loudly. “More than you do, I would wager!” He stood and walked over to him. “I am intensely jealous of you, Darcy. You have found yourself a lovely girl. I would love her for what she has done for you and Georgiana alone, but watching her take on Wickham, well, she has my unending respect as well. Please forgive my ever doubting you. I look forward with great anticipation seeing her introduction to the rest of the Fitzwilliams.”
“You are certainly forgiven Richard, and thank you.” He paused and met his eye. “I rather suspected that you admired her.”
“I do. She is damned beautiful; and just listening to her talk and laugh … but she is yours Darcy. You had the great fortune of noticing her that day, not me. I would not have seen her in any case, when I am in my soldiering mood, well, I am not fit for courting the ladies.” He said the last morosely and sat down again, staring at his hands. “I have only killed in battle before … it is rather difficult to transition between my civilian and soldiering personas.” He looked up at him. “I do not regret killing Wickham, he was in uniform, and he disgraced it. He was touching Elizabeth and God knows what he did to terrify Georgiana … I simply fear losing control. I feel my anger flaring up and if there is no one to check me … well; you heard how I wished to kill Lucas. If you had not returned here when you did, I likely would have set off after him on my own. Bingley and Hurst could not have stopped me.”
“Perhaps it is time to retire.”
“And do what? I am nearly thirty years old. What else am I fit to do but be a soldier?” His eyes closed as Darcy sat down.
“You could marry Anne.” He smiled and was glad to see his cousin’s eyes open and glare at him.
“You are in a good humour to suggest something so ridiculous!”
“Forgive me … have you spoken of this to your father?”
“No, what could he do for me?” He sighed and regarded his cousin. “I am the second son, I chose the army. I suppose I could have joined the church … could you see me delivering a sermon?” He laughed.
“I know that he has set aside funds for your sisters’ dowries.”
Richard looked at him as if he was mad. “I have no sisters.” Darcy raised his brows and stared at him pointedly. “Do you mean that Father has held those funds in trust … for me? How do you know this?”
“We were speaking of Georgiana’s prospects for marriage someday, perhaps increasing her dowry, the conversation somehow turned to the preparation of marriage settlements and what is involved … it just slipped out in the conversation.” He watched Richard’s mind thinking rapidly.
“And when was I to learn of this, did that news happen to just slip out as well?”
Darcy grinned. “Indeed, I am not a fool, I had to ask. He said that upon your showing interest in marriage, even before finding the girl, just expressing the desire; or if you were to be sent to the continent. Your parents can not bear to see you sent to war again.”
“Well, I will be damned.” He sat back in stunned silence. “Is there enough to … I do not know, buy a home, live from the interest, anything?”
Darcy nodded. “I believe you could afford a small estate, like Longbourn, if you wished. He may have some place in mind.”
A huge smile lit up Richard’s face, and he stood to come wring Darcy’s hand. “Thank you, thank you for telling me this.” He laughed. “I may just have to find myself a bride!”
“Miss Bingley is available, and she does have twenty thousand pounds …” Darcy smiled and laughed at the horrified expression on his face.
“Watch it Darcy, this newfound levity is dangerous in your hands. You have not learned when it is safe to apply it. I may just have to steal your bride away from you.”