A Covenant of Marriage

by C. P. Odom

  “Most ardently!”

  “And you offered her marriage, only to be rebuffed in the sternest possible manner. You wrote her a note that absolved you of your supposed offences against Wickham. And Wickham confirmed your innocence by disappearing with Lydia and not being seen again—though no one except the three of us knows that you discovered both of them in London.

  “Now, your assumption is that Elizabeth feels such a dislike of you that she will not give you a chance to convince her she is wrong. Is that a fair summary?”

  “Very close. But I do not see how your suggestion will work.”

  “What you need is for someone to mediate for you, but not with Lizzy—with her father.”

  “Her father? I do not take your meaning.”

  “Given what has occurred, it is unlikely any of our nieces will ever marry, or if they did receive an offer of marriage, they would be fortunate if it were from a respectable person with an adequate income. So we propose an arranged marriage between you and Lizzy.

  “However, while that addresses the benefits of our plan for the two of you, it is not an argument we can make to her father. It is a sad fact that, when my brother Bennet dies, my sister and her daughters will likely be dispossessed from their home by Mr. Collins. If Mr. Bennet agrees to accept your proposal to marry Elizabeth, you can offer to provide for a modest establishment for my sister and her other daughters in exchange.”

  “And perhaps a modest dowry for the girls,” interjected Mrs. Gardiner, “so they might have a chance to attract a suitable husband. Of course, once you marry Lizzy, much of the stigma will be gone. If Lizzy is good enough for Mr. Darcy of Pemberley, then how can it be said the other girls are not worthy?”

  “Excellent point, Mrs. Gardiner,” agreed her husband. “In any case, I shall see Mr. Bennet, present him your offer of marriage, and ask him as the head of the family to accept it. I shall remind him that he took Lizzy’s side when his wife wanted him to force her to marry Mr. Collins—”

  “God forbid!” A shiver of terror ran down Darcy’s spine at the thought of Elizabeth married to such a fool.

  “—and tell him it is now time for him to make a decision required of him as the master of his family to secure the future welfare and security of those who will be otherwise left adrift when he passes on. He will, I am sure, see the sense of the proposals I shall make to him though he may take some convincing.”

  “But Elizabeth!” Darcy said, running his hand through his hair in worry. “How can she agree to a marriage against her will?”

  “Darcy, I beg you to have faith in my niece’s sense and good nature. Elizabeth will be furious initially, so prepare for it and be willing to allow her to express her anger without trying to argue. This is a far better solution for her than any other she might find, and her good sense will eventually make her realise that a home for her children and a wealthy man who loves her are more beneficial than she could otherwise expect. In addition, both her aunt and I believe she will soon acknowledge your excellent qualities, and her honesty and good nature will force her to realise she has been wrong in her estimation of you.”

  Darcy looked at the older man without speaking, considering what he had said.

  “So the question becomes,” Mrs. Gardiner said, “are you willing to take a chance and allow your friends to intercede for you and arrange matters so you and Elizabeth can be married? Are you willing to be married to a woman who will undoubtedly be furious with you—with all of us—and will definitely cause you a great deal of distress at first, trusting in our judgment that matters will turn out well in the end?”

  Darcy looked long at Mr. Gardiner, trying to hold down the rising tide of excitement coupled with the disquiet he felt at such an unusual method.

  “It is,” Darcy said finally, “a draconian solution, but one that almost exactly parallels Alexander the Great’s resolution to the problem of the Gordian Knot. A single, sharp slash with a sword, and the knot was unravelled.”

  “Aye, and it also brings to mind Montrose’s Toast,” replied Mr. Gardiner with a broad smile. He either fears his fate too much, or his desserts are small—”

  “—who dares not put it to the touch to win or lose it all!” finished Darcy with growing enthusiasm. “Very well, it is done. I agree to place my fate in your hands. Now, what should I do first?”

  The rest of the morning was passed in intense conversation before the two gentlemen parted—Mr. Gardiner to his warehouses and Mr. Darcy to begin the tasks outlined by his friend, starting with a visit to his solicitor.

  Chapter 10

  Fortune favours the bold but abandons the timid.

  — Latin Proverb

  Saturday, October 12, 1816

  Longbourn, Hertfordshire

  Elizabeth was reading in her room when she heard a vehicle pull into the Longbourn drive. She did not recognise the coach, but she noted it was a sturdy affair, equipped with springs to soften the ride for the occupants and painted a simple black that had been polished to a glossy sheen. It was an expensive conveyance, and she wondered what business had brought it to Longbourn.

  As the vehicle clattered to a halt at the front of the house, she could see a discreet crest on the door, but the angle from her window made the escutcheon impossible to recognise. Her curiosity was piqued since the family still had few visitors, and she was familiar with most of the carriages of those who occasionally called.

  Her curiosity changed to incredulity as she saw her uncle Gardiner step down from the unfamiliar coach and then assist his wife. And she was struck speechless when she saw Mr. Darcy exit the coach after them.

  Elizabeth was unable to do anything but stare in open-mouthed amazement at the three people standing below her as they exchanged a few quiet words and shared small, tight smiles before advancing to the front door. She was still in that state when Darcy paused to look upwards, directly towards her window. His expression immediately changed to that intense gaze she had belatedly realised was that of a man lost in admiration and struggling unsuccessfully to hide the emotion.

  Seeing recognition in Darcy’s eyes, Elizabeth gave a gasp and jumped off the window seat, her hand at her throat. After wounding him so cruelly and unfairly at Hunsford, she had been certain his admiration had turned to hatred, and not even seeing him observing her in the Theatre Royal had dissuaded her from this opinion. Now, the sudden thought that he might still hold her dear was simply too much for her mind to grasp. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as she retreated from the window and further into the shadows.

  She was thus unable to witness the change in Darcy’s expression as the admiration he had been unable to mask turned to bleak despair.

  ***

  Idiot! Darcy thought savagely as Elizabeth disappeared from the window. What a fool’s quest this is! Her opinion is obviously unchanged, and this mission is doomed to failure.

  He was able to see the parlour window beside the front door where Mrs. Bennet and her daughters were framed, all looking at the party in astonishment. Mrs. Bennet and her daughter Kitty appeared especially excited.

  “Come, come, Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Gardiner said, interrupting his thoughts as she stepped away from the front door to Longbourn to take his arm. “This is no time to dawdle though I know you must be exceedingly nervous.”

  “I just saw Elizabeth at that window, and she—” His jaw clenched so tightly the muscles in the hard planes of his face stood out starkly.

  “Never mind my niece. I am sure she was simply surprised to see all of us arrive. We have already discussed the many misunderstandings both of you have shared during your acquaintance. Plain statements are needed now, sir. Come, the door is open, and my brother Bennet is expecting us.”

  Rather against his will and with severe trepidation, Darcy hazarded another look at the upstairs window before he allowed himself
to be led inside Longbourn.

  ***

  Upon entering the house, the Darcy party found the Bennet ladies, excepting only Elizabeth, awaiting them with high interest. No introductions were needed, of course, and after the usual exchange of greetings, Mrs. Gardiner took charge of the situation.

  “Come, ladies,” she said, stepping forward with her arms outstretched, “let us repair to the parlour and allow Edward and Mr. Darcy to conduct their business with Mr. Bennet.”

  The ladies were reluctant to be so cavalierly ushered away from a meeting that promised to be most interesting, and their animation was evidenced by complaints and attempts to evade being driven from the hall by Mrs. Gardiner. All their protests were useless, and Darcy was impressed by her determined manner as the woman managed to shepherd everyone into the parlour before firmly closing the door to the hall.

  As Darcy followed Mr. Gardiner into the library, he was certain it was not his brother’s presence that had dumbfounded Mr. Bennet but his own.

  “Well, Thomas,” Mr. Gardiner said, “are you just going to stand there, or are you going to greet us properly? I believe you are acquainted with my friend Mr. Darcy. We have come to discuss an affair of great import to his family and ours.”

  “Of course, of course, you are most welcome to Longbourn,” Mr. Bennet said hastily, as he recalled his duties as host. “May I order some refreshments? Some tea and cakes perhaps?”

  “I think coffee and some of those excellent sweet cakes your cook makes would do nicely,” Mr. Gardiner said.

  Mr. Bennet summoned a servant to bring refreshments, and Mr. Gardiner attempted to engage his brother in conversation while they waited. Mr. Bennet made responses only as necessary since his expression still showed the curiosity and confusion that gripped him.

  Darcy said almost nothing though he knew he looked nervous and strained as he sat stiffly in his chair. He could not help being stricken by the change in Mr. Bennet’s appearance since he had last seen the older man. His face had a greyish cast that looked decidedly unhealthy, and the left side of his face showed a pronounced droop. His speech was slightly slurred though his tendency towards crooked smiles and dry witticisms somewhat masked it. Darcy thought the pinched look around Mr. Bennet’s eyes indicated he was dealing with a consistent level of pain. It was apparent that Mr. Gardiner had been correct in his description of his brother’s general deterioration in health as well as his opinion about there being cause for worry.

  When the coffee and cakes were brought and everyone had been seated and served, Mr. Bennet cocked an eyebrow at his brother.

  “I can see you are consumed with curiosity, Thomas.”

  “A masterful understatement as usual.”

  “Yes, of course. I shall not draw this out though it is great fun to see you so perplexed. It is not an opportunity I get too often. So, here is a brief review of the reason for my visit today.

  “It happens that Mr. Darcy has admired your daughter Elizabeth for many years, and he now desires to make her his wife. I have accompanied him here today to make the arguments in favour of his suit with the hope of reaching an agreement with you so he may achieve his wish to marry her.”

  Mr. Bennet’s jaw dropped open at the onset of this statement. Only after several moments did he manage to close it.

  “Lizzy? Mr. Darcy wants to marry Lizzy?”

  “He does. He tells me he has admired her since their very first meeting, and his esteem has grown over the past years. The unfortunate problems created by Lydia’s disappearance mean little to him, and I do not have to tell you that an advantageous connexion between a Bennet and a Darcy would go far to restoring the reputation of your family.”

  “He has loved Lizzy all this time?” Mr. Bennet repeated in stunned amazement. “Well, I still do not understand. Why did you not simply ask her to marry you, Mr. Darcy?”

  “In fact, I did so—” Darcy began, leaning forward, but Mr. Gardiner laid a hand on his arm. Unwillingly, Darcy sat back in his chair, telling himself firmly to persevere and allow Mr. Gardiner to lead the arguments as they had agreed.

  “He did ask her to marry him four years ago last Easter,” Mr. Gardiner interjected, “and Lizzy refused him. She did so in a very determined and decided manner, so much so that Mr. Darcy never considered renewing his addresses and has been mourning his loss these past years.”

  “Mr. Darcy proposed marriage to Lizzy? I have never heard of it!” The succession of unbelievable statements had rocked Mr. Bennet back on his heels, and he desperately sought some explanation for all these exceedingly upsetting assertions.

  “Neither had Madeline or I until I managed to extract the story from Darcy.”

  “And she refused him, you say?”

  “Categorically. Of course, much of the misinformation about his character was obtained from that knave Wickham, so at least part of Elizabeth’s opinion was based on lies. She charged him with thwarting Wickham’s chances and depriving him of his inheritance from Darcy’s father, neither of which was true. It is possible her opinion would be different now, but I confess I cannot know.”

  “Well, then, I do not see why you are talking to me. Let me summon Lizzy here and see what she has to say.”

  “No, Thomas,” Mr. Gardiner said firmly, leaning over to put a hand on Mr. Bennet’s shoulder. “This matter is one affecting both the families, and it is one to be decided by the masters of those families—Mr. Darcy and you.”

  Mr. Bennet was astonished, and he forced himself to sit back and think on what he had learned.

  “You do know,” he said finally, “that families arranging the marriages of their sons and daughters is simply not done any more.”

  “It is much rarer than it used to be, but such arrangements have not disappeared, at least not among the most noble and wealthiest families. In this case, I believe an arranged marriage is necessary.” Mr. Gardiner paused to finish the remains of his coffee and pour another cup before resuming.

  “I shall not mince words. Pray believe me when I tell you I have only the best motives. Simply put, the situation of your family is dire—quite impossible of resolution without some type of outside assistance. Consider this question: If you die tomorrow, what will become of your wife and daughters?”

  Mr. Bennet squirmed uncomfortably under his brother’s piercing gaze, but he could not think of anything to say.

  “You have made no provision for them, and Mr. Philips and I are incapable of supporting them in keeping with their present station. We would do what we can, to be sure, and they would not starve on the streets, but their situation would be quite deplorable.”

  “I know, I know,” Mr. Bennet said, stung by the directness of Mr. Gardiner’s words into finally addressing what he had long wished to avoid considering. “I willingly confess I should have laid aside enough money to provide a proper support for the girls, but Mrs. Bennet and I always planned on having a son to inherit the estate and break the entail.”

  “That did not happen, and now a potential solution is at hand. Will you not cease these protests and listen to what Mr. Darcy proposes?”

  “Why do you not speak for yourself, Mr. Darcy?” Mr. Bennet asked angrily. “This is all too much, to hear you proposed marriage to Lizzy and she refused you and now you arrive at my door with a…business proposition to enable you to get what was denied you! Why do you sit silently and force my brother to make your arguments?”

  Darcy opened his mouth to respond to this outburst, but Mr. Gardiner again laid a hand on his arm.

  “It was my idea, Thomas, and Darcy agreed to allow me to be the mediator in this matter since he is struck almost inarticulate when it comes to expressing his admiration for your daughter. He is quite amiable on other subjects, however, and Madeline and I are pleased to count him as one of our dearest friends.”

  Mr. Bennet
could not stop the corners of his mouth from twitching upward with amusement as he pondered the thought of Lizzy reducing the imposing Mr. Darcy to strangled silence. For the first time, he looked on Darcy with more sympathy than antagonism.

  “If you are stricken so badly when you merely admire Lizzy from afar, are you sure you want to make her your wife? She would have many more opportunities to trouble you.”

  “I love your daughter dearly, sir, and I have for years,” Darcy said firmly, breaking his silence at last. “It is my dearest wish to make her my wife and set about removing the look of despondency I detected in the portrait in Mr. Gardiner’s home. It was my fear of another rejection if I were to attempt this myself that stayed my hand and convinced me to allow my friend to plead my case. And, sir, if I valued tranquillity above all else, I should not be here today.”

  Mr. Bennet locked eyes with Mr. Darcy for several seconds and finally nodded acceptance of the other man’s sincerity. “Point taken, sir. I shall grant you the power of your convictions.” He turned to his brother. “Well, I have at least some idea of what occasioned this visit today though I am still struggling to take it all in. Proceed with your arguments in support of this astonishing proposal. I shall hear what you have to say, of course, but Lizzy is going to be furious, no matter the outcome.”

  “Madeline and I discussed it before I suggested this course of action. We decided Elizabeth is too sensible to remain angry forever, no matter how exciting the fireworks may be in the short term.”

  “‘Exciting’—yes, that is one word for her likely reaction but perhaps not the most descriptive word.” He paused to refill his cup. “But see here, I am rather surprised that you suggest such a drastic solution to Mr. Darcy’s problem. I should normally have expected you to accompany Mr. Darcy if your mediation was required and to then inform me of the depth of his feelings without proposing an arranged marriage. Given the strength of your arguments, doubtless you could have convinced me to welcome Darcy’s attempt to court Lizzy. Such would be a more proper and expected course of action rather than this quite imperious idea of yours.”