Dearest Friends

by Pamela Lynne

  Anne had very little natural poise or grace and so learning the steps took time and considerable patience from her partner, but he was more than happy to comply. The other couples were also pleased with the additional time spent together as travel had prevented private conversation for several days.

  Sebastian looked intently at his partner as the dance brought them together. She returned his gaze and asked what was wrong.

  “Do I have dirt on my face? Surely something about me must offend for you to stare so blatantly.”

  “Not at all, Georgie, I am only concerned.”

  “Oh,” was all she could manage as they were separated. When they next came together, he elaborated.

  “I do not like the way you were looking at Mr. Porter this morning.”

  Her face turned bright red as she glared at her cousin. “I have no idea what you mean.”

  “Yes, you do. I do not care if you wish to deny it, and I do not care if you find my words offensive as long as you listen to them. You are barely sixteen, Cousin. You must understand that you will not fall in love with every man to whom you are attracted.”

  Georgiana wondered if she was so easy to read. Even while Mr. Porter was lavishing attention on Jane, she had been naming their children. Darcy and Rebecca were her favorites.

  “Since when do you play the part of protector?”

  “Since Darcy and Richard are too preoccupied to do so, though I believe you may hear similar words from Elizabeth later. It was not that long ago that you gave me a well-deserved set down. I would like to see more of the girl who managed that.”

  Georgiana smiled as the set ended. “I would as well. It has been difficult to maintain that confidence.”

  Sebastian returned her smile as he took her hand. “I believe that will come in time, but meanwhile, if you cannot control your feelings, at least try to hide them better. Can you not summon that stone-faced glare like your brother?”

  Georgie laughed. “Oh, I can, but I find it is more difficult to manage when among friends.” She squeezed his hand, and Sebastian brought hers to his lips.

  “Come, Cousin. Let us see if we can talk our very proper friend over there into dancing a waltz.”

  Again, Georgie laughed and knew full well his efforts would be in vain but decided to enjoy the performance as it gave relief to her thoughts of a very handsome neighbor.

  ********

  Richard frowned in confusion as he walked to his chambers. He had spent an enjoyable afternoon dancing with Anne and was pleased that the last lesson was a waltz. He held her far closer than he should have, and he was certain the blush on her cheeks had nothing to do with the exercise. But then the dance ended, and suddenly, they were alone, which was no doubt Sebastian’s doing. He took advantage of their solitude and the fact she was still in his arms and kissed her. It was not the most passionate of kisses, but sweet and gentle, exactly as a maiden’s first kiss should be. Or perhaps not, considering once it finished she ran away from him as fast as her delicate constitution would allow.

  He was still deep in thought when he entered his room and did not notice that he was not alone until he heard someone clear their throat.

  “Blast! You scared the hell out of me.” Standing before him was a severe-looking Lady Catherine.

  “You can be of no doubt, Nephew, why I am here,” she said in her most condescending tone.

  “On the contrary, Aunt, I can think of no good reason why you should be in my bedchamber.” Please, God, tell me it has nothing to do with the sketches Anne and Georgie were giggling about.

  “Do not play coy, Richard. It does not become you. You must know that I have come about Anne. You must stop your attentions to her at once. I fear she may be forming an attachment.”

  Richard looked at her and saw concern, even if it was masked in severe hauteur. “Would that be so wrong, Aunt?”

  “Yes, it would be wrong. When we began this journey, I was concerned I would have to save her from Sebastian. I had no idea you would be a danger. I will not have you trifling with her!”

  “I have no intention of trifling with her, madam. I intend to marry her!”

  “Huh! I admit it was a mistake to push Anne and Darcy together, but at least with him, she would have been assured his constancy. She could not say the same for you. You would tire of her before the first year was out and then leave her to fester alone at Rosings.”

  Richard had tried to maintain his composure, to remember how much Lady Catherine truly loved Anne, but she had just gone too far.

  “You mean like you did for half her life? I am not going to stand here and argue my merits with you. I should not have to because you know me, Aunt. You know I would not do the things of which you accuse me.”

  “What I know is that you are a Fitzwilliam, and I have never known a Fitzwilliam man to be loyal or trustworthy. I will decide whom Anne marries. I will choose someone who will stay home.”

  “And be obedient to you? Admit what this is about, Catherine. It is about you and your inability to relinquish control.” She said nothing, so he continued. “Anne is six and twenty. She does not need your permission. If she accepts me, we will marry.”

  “You are determined to have her then?”

  “I am.”

  “Very well, I shall know how to act.”

  “And how is that, Aunt?”

  “We will leave for Kent right after the wedding. I can see coming here was a mistake. You will not follow us. You will let her be,” she said with finality as she opened the door and left.

  The devil take me if I do. He waited a few minutes to allow Catherine time to reach her room then left to walk down the hall to Anne’s.

  ********

  The next morning found the occupants of the castle scattered in different directions. Jane, Bingley and Georgiana decided to explore the nearest village. Anne was sleeping off the effects of the previous day’s activities while Catherine kept watch over her and Richard was out riding. Darcy and Elizabeth were once again seeing to wedding preparations, and Mary was at the piano. Sebastian was roaming the halls looking for her when a most unpleasant sound came to his ears. Mary was singing.

  He followed her voice until he finally came upon her. He grimaced as she reached for a high note, missing it soundly, causing it to come out as a croak. He could swear he heard wolves howling in the nearby woods. Before she was able to attempt the note once more, he sat down beside her, giving her a curious look.

  “What is it?”

  “You should not do that.”

  “I should not do what?”

  “Sing. You are not very good at it. In fact, you are very, very bad. I wonder if that is the reason no one is about this morning.”

  He wondered for a moment if he had gone too far with his honesty when she stared at him blankly. Her eyes moved from his as she looked straight ahead at the sheet music. He began to reach for his handkerchief when her shoulders slumped. She did not cry but let out a long sigh.

  “I always suspected as much.” She turned her eyes to him again. “But no one ever told me. I thought that if I were indeed bad, someone would tell me, but nobody ever did, so I determined I was just modest.”

  Sebastian could only smile. There was absolutely nothing false or assuming about this girl.

  “Would you tell somebody if they were bad?”

  “Of course. I often point out my sisters’ deficiencies, not that they listen.”

  Sebastian laughed. “Do I dare ask about my deficiencies, Miss Mary?”

  “You swear too often, tease your brother too much, and you could use a haircut,” she said flatly.

  “Is that all? I am glad to know that I am a mere three vices from perfection. Two, actually, since a haircut can easily be obtained.”

  Mary rolled her eyes and continued practicing while mentally adding vanity and extreme vexation to that list.

  ********

  “What are the rules, exactly, for a marriage to be valid in Scotland?” Elizabet
h asked.

  “I believe we simply need to make a statement of commitment in front of witnesses. A ceremony is not actually needed.” Darcy looked to Mr. Grimes for confirmation.

  “That is correct. My presence is completely unnecessary, but I am happy to be here regardless.”

  Mr. Grimes held the living at the church in Lambton for three decades and had baptized both Darcy and Georgiana in Pemberley’s chapel. It was imperative to Darcy that he preside over their nuptials, whether it was necessary or not.

  They sat together for more than an hour, condensing the ceremony in a way that pleased both Mr. Grimes as a man of the cloth and Darcy as a man eager to claim his wife. They had just finished, and Mr. Grimes took his leave when the Gardiners were announced. Elizabeth rushed to embrace her aunt while Darcy more calmly greeted Mr. Gardiner.

  “I am glad to see you arrived safely, sir. I hope your travels were uneventful.”

  “They were, thankfully. After the events of the prior week, it was good to have solitude, though I think my wife may be a little tired of my company.” The statement that would generally come out as a tease spoke more of the man’s fatigue. He sighed. “I am sorry to be brusque, Darcy, but I would like to speak of the situation at Longbourn before we retire to our chamber. I would rather be done with it before the wedding if you do not mind.”

  Knowing too well how Mr. Gardiner would not be able to rest until things were settled, Darcy readily complied and moved to seek out the rest of their party. Richard, Georgiana, Jane, and Bingley had returned and were sitting with Mary and Sebastian in the parlor. The non-Bennets rose to leave at the request for privacy, but Mary halted Sebastian’s departure with a hand on his arm.

  “Please remain, Viscount Hedley.” Mary needed a friend with her and felt the subject matter might be too much for Georgiana. While most of the room’s occupants thought nothing of Mary’s request, Mr. Gardiner was most seriously displeased with the tenderness the viscount displayed toward his niece. After giving Sebastian a warning look, he began.

  “I have little to share with you that you do not already know or at least suspect. Your father is dying. Apparently, he has had a heart condition for quite a while and has been taking laudanum for the pain. His heart is feeble, and the opium has left him addled. He did not recognize me when I left, but hopefully, that will change once he has been off the laudanum for a while.

  “I did not think we should impose on Mr. Bingley for long, so as soon as I was sure Thomas would not harm anyone, I brought your mother and sisters back to Longbourn. I left strict instructions to maintain a quiet environment as much as possible.”

  “Unless you give Mama the laudanum that Papa is no longer consuming, I do not see how that is possible.”

  “You are probably correct, Jane. She wants you to return as soon as possible to sit with her. Kitty and Lydia were trying their best but will soon grow tired of your mother’s rants. Lizzy, I am sorry to speak of all this the day before your wedding, but I assume we will not see you after tomorrow. We will be here for the wedding, of course, and I will give your aunt one more day to rest, but then I must get Jane and Mary back to Longbourn.”

  Jane rested her elbows on her knees and covered her face. She was going back to Longbourn in two days. Her reprieve was over, and she must return to the asylum. She shook her head as she felt a chill run through her. She was not ready. She was not strong enough to take on her father’s illness and her mother’s assault. She looked to Lizzy in desperation, and then to her uncle, who was staring into his hands. She rose and fled from the room, and although her sisters looked at her in concern, nobody felt the need to follow her.

  She had not taken many steps when she was stopped by someone standing straight in her path. She looked up to see Mr. Bingley staring down at her in concern. She searched his eyes for a trace of something. When she did not find it, her stomach lurched, and she got sick all over his waistcoat and shoes.

  ********

  “How much longer will he live, Uncle Gardiner?” Mary asked.

  “The physician could not say for certain, of course, but he believes he will expire within the next two months.”

  Mary twisted her handkerchief while warring with her thoughts.

  “What are you thinking, Miss Mary?”

  She looked at Sebastian but hesitated, worried that if she spoke what was truly on her mind, those in the room would all think less of her. It was strange to her that she felt so little compassion toward her father. There was at least one in the room, however, who did not expect her to suddenly love a man who had shown no such feeling for her. He knew her concerns, and so he turned to Mr. Gardiner and asked what he believed she was too afraid or ashamed to ask herself.

  “Longbourn will go to this Mr. Collins as soon as Mr. Bennet dies? Nothing can be done?”

  Mr. Gardiner shook his head. Sebastian looked down at Mary, who still remained silent.

  “What will happen to Miss Mary and her sisters?”

  “Mary,” Elizabeth’s voice was quiet but firm. “You will always be welcome to live with us.”

  “And us,” her uncle stated.

  “I thank you,” she whispered sincerely, “I do not want to be a burden, nor do I want to always be a guest in someone else’s home. Perhaps it is time, Uncle, to try to broker a marriage. I know I do not have a dowry, but—”

  Darcy cut her off before she could finish. “You do have a dowry, Mary. As of tomorrow, you and your sisters each have five thousand pounds to bring to a marriage or to use to support yourself if you never marry. You are not in a desperate situation; please do not make a desperate decision. I apologize. I should have told you sooner. Perhaps I could have spared you some grief.”

  It would have been hard to say who looked more grateful at that statement, Mary or Sebastian, but it was Mary who gave voice to her relief.

  “Mr. Darcy, you are much too generous. I know that by providing for us you are taking away from your own daughters. I cannot thank you enough.” She wanted to say more but found it too difficult to choke back a sob.

  “Say no more of it, please, Mary. It is a great honor for me to be able to provide for all my sisters.” Mary gave him a soft smile and nodded.

  “Right, then I will see you all at dinner.” Mr. Gardiner attempted another scowl in Sebastian’s direction, but he was too busy with his friend to notice.

  “Come, Miss Mary, let us leave you sister to thank Darcy in private.” Mary blushed but followed obediently.

  “It seems, Mary, we find ourselves in a similar predicament.”

  “How so, Viscount? Is your father mad as well?”

  “Probably, but he is titled; therefore, it is overlooked. No, I am speaking about the need to marry. I do not know if you have been informed of my situation, but it is imperative that I marry soon. In fact, I should offer for someone not long after I arrive back in town.”

  Mary nodded in understanding. “I would like to marry soon as well. I know it is likely cruel to say so, but I realize I will be in mourning soon, and I do not wish to spend a year in limbo.”

  Sebastian stopped, took her hands, and smiled. “Well then, Mary, perhaps we may be able to help each other.”

  Chapter Twenty Four

  * * *

  “It is your turn to speak, Mr. Darcy. I spoke of the dance; now you may remark on the size of the room or the number of couples.”

  “Do you speak by rule then while you are dancing, Mrs. Darcy?” The tender expression and smile that accompanied his question was enough to cause her to miss a step. Her husband—her husband—looked at her with so much love that she actually felt breathless.

  “We must have some conversation. A very little will suffice,” she finally managed.

  The smile that had not left his face the entire morning became slightly more serious as he leaned in and whispered, “I love you. I will say whatever you wish, of course, but you will have to direct me, for the only words I can think of now are those. I love you, Elizabeth.
”

  Darcy watched as his bride blushed beautifully and returned his smile. It was his turn to lose his breath as he reveled in her happiness, knowing he was the one who put her in such a state. He had worried this day would be marred since she had been so uncharacteristically sad and serious the day before. They spent much of the afternoon together, braving the cold in order to explore some nearby ruins. Darcy expressed regret for not knowing more about that particular part of his heritage while Elizabeth lamented her heritage of pain and madness.

  They spoke much of her father and how it pained her to suspect that he had promised her to Collins long before his illness, yet she could not bear to think of his suffering. She also felt guilty that she was starting a new life when her sisters were still tied to Longbourn. He assured her that, after they had some time to settle into their marriage, they would make arrangements for Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. He did not want to do anything for Jane but would if Elizabeth asked him to. She did not ask. She had not forgotten the look in Jane’s eyes the day of their argument. She would not have that look turned on Fitzwilliam or Georgiana. She had forgiven her but could not trust her with her new family.

  That’s what they were now—a family. She was his wife. His wife.

  She looked so beautiful when she came into the room on her uncle’s arm. His heart came near to bursting as his eyes absorbed the vision she created. Her ivory dress was trimmed in gold, making her look every bit the goddess she was to him. She was whimsy and seduction, fire and ice, earth and sky. She was his wife.