A Covenant of Marriage

by C. P. Odom

Jennie Simpson looked up in astonishment as Darcy walked unannounced into his wife’s dressing room. Mrs. Darcy was ensconced in the copper tub, her head leaning back against a folded towel, and wisps of warm vapour drifted out of the small gaps in the painted wood cover that prevented the heated water from cooling too quickly.

  “Good day, Jennie,” Darcy said.

  Elizabeth’s eyes immediately opened, and a warm, welcoming smile curved her lips.

  “My dear,” Darcy said, leaning forward to kiss her on the forehead, “you look as though you are ready to dissolve into that tub.”

  “I mean no disrespect to the quality of your coach, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth said quietly, her eyes closing again in contentment, “but every muscle in my body was aching before I got into the bath. Jennie has promised there is more than enough hot water for as long as I wish, and in four or five hours, I may start to feel relaxed, though I shall likely be as wrinkled as a prune. Until then…”

  Darcy smiled at Jennie. “My wife delights in teasing me, Jennie, and I have already warned Mrs. Benson about it. Now, I shall care for your mistress. I assume there is more hot water available?”

  “Jeb just knocked, sir,” Jennie said, motioning to the servant’s door. “There is another bucket behind the door and more if you pull the chord. And there are towels and a robe in the warmer. But sir, what about—”

  “I think I can manage,” Darcy said firmly, motioning Jennie towards the door. “I shall ring if I need anything.”

  “Of course, sir,” Jennie acknowledged, smiling and bobbing a curtsy.

  As Jennie left through the servant’s door, Darcy brought the steaming bucket of water into the dressing room and set it beside the tub. Elizabeth opened her eyes slightly to see her husband removing his coat and folding it over the back of a chair, and her lips curled in a slight smile as her eyes closed again.

  In less than a minute, she felt the top cover being folded back and hot water being poured in to warm her bath. When she opened her eyes again slightly, she was not surprised to see that Darcy had removed his cravat and shirt and had pulled a chair beside her bathtub. She closed her eyes again, and, a moment later, she felt one hand behind her neck, supporting her head, while his other hand slid down below the water to cup her breast. She smiled and arched herself upward slightly.

  “You are so incorrigible,” she said, almost purring as gentle and skilled fingers teased the tip of her breast in the manner that delighted her so. “But I shall forgive you because you are so good to me,” she said softly as his fingers moved over her skin.

  “I could only be incorrigible,” Darcy said with a laugh, “if you did not appreciate my attentions. So you will have to find another word.”

  “I am afraid that would require too much energy.”

  After Darcy added another bucket of hot water, a question floated up in her heavy-lidded consciousness, and she asked it quickly before it fled away.

  “William, I noticed you were talking to your butler as I came upstairs. It seemed to be a matter of some urgency. Is it something I should know?”

  “No, it is not an urgent matter,” Darcy said sombrely. “I believe I mentioned that my housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, died last year. Her husband is still grieving, and I asked if there was anything he needed. I thought he might like time to visit his children.”

  “Oh, I am sorry. I had not connected the names.”

  “Do not fret, my dear. Everything is still new to you. But Reynolds said there was nothing he needed, and his duties helped him cope with his grief. All of their children except his youngest son were able to attend the memorial service held by the parson at the Kympton chapel, and he hopes to see that son and his family at Christmas.”

  Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. From William’s manner, she sensed there was more to the tale.

  Darcy shook his head in admiration. “You are beginning to understand me all too well. Soon I shall be unable to keep any secrets from you at all.”

  Elizabeth simply smiled, and he continued. “You see, Wickham was not the only child of the Pemberley staff that my father assisted. It was apparent from an early age that young Reynolds was extremely clever. My father gave him free access to our library, and he read extensively from it, especially the histories. He formed a desire to go to sea when he was quite young, and my father supported his early schooling and arranged for his appointment as a naval midshipman.”

  “Was it unusual for him to be appointed as a midshipman?”

  “Not all that unusual. The Royal Navy is not like the army where commissions are sold at a price only the wealthy can afford. Midshipmen are appointed from many levels in the kingdom, though I am sure the sons of good families have a better chance of obtaining an appointment. But a position as a midshipman is not a sinecure, no matter a boy’s heritage or family wealth. They have a hard life and have to learn their profession. Most importantly, they must pass stringent tests to attain the lieutenant’s rank, which is the first officer’s rank. Promotion to commander is not at all assured, much less the even greater assent to captain since such promotions are dependent on capability. Richard says the navy is so fixated on merit it might as well be manned by Americans. He has heard tales of sons of noble blood who are still midshipmen at thirty because they cannot pass the lieutenant’s test.”

  “I had no idea,” Elizabeth admitted. “I thought only gentlemen and nobles could become officers.”

  “It is one of the few ways for a man like young Reynolds to move above his station in our stratified society. He has done exceedingly well in his profession and is well regarded by the Admiralty. They appointed him to command a frigate when so many naval officers have been beached since Waterloo. It was the reason he has been unable to visit Derbyshire since his mother’s death. His ship has been chasing pirates off the coast of India.

  “His mother was so proud of him and wanted nothing more than for him to live as a gentleman, even if it meant he had to live apart from his parents. She hoped he would marry a gentleman’s daughter and settle down to raise young gentlemen and ladies.”

  “That is all very interesting, but your smile says there is still more to tell.”

  “Quite true, my dear. It seems Reynolds—Thomas is his name, by the way—would have nothing to do with forgetting his family or his origins. His childhood sweetheart was the daughter of one of our cooks, and he came to Pemberley some five years ago and took her as his bride.”

  “Well done, Thomas!” affirmed Elizabeth firmly.

  “I agree with you, my dear, though I fear his mother would have preferred he make a more advantageous marriage. In any event, his father expects to see him this Christmas. The young man used some of his rather considerable fortune in prize money to buy a small estate about forty miles from here. From what Reynolds told me, his son should take possession of the place quite soon after he hands over his ship to her new commander.”

  Elizabeth was struck by an idea. “You say a naval officer is truly considered a gentleman?”

  “Without a doubt. The daughter of a naval officer can be presented to the Queen and can participate in the madness of the London Season.”

  Elizabeth only smiled at Darcy’s oft-expressed horror of his experiences with the ton and continued. “Even if the daughter’s mother was a cook?”

  “Yes,” Darcy said.

  “Then, may I suggest we invite this estimable young man to Pemberley for Christmas? Would it be too great an offence against propriety to have Thomas and his family as our guests in the house where the rest of their family are still servants, or would that sow discord among the rest of the staff?”

  “It would almost certainly be a problem in most households, but I am of the opinion it will not be a problem in ours. The lad was popular before he left, and all concerned were exceedingly happy when he returned to be married. So, I have no objection
to such a suggestion. I can send an invitation to the young man tomorrow. Remaining faithful to a childhood sweetheart is deserving of recognition, after all.”

  “Thank you,” Elizabeth said earnestly.

  Then, as Darcy stood to get the towels from the warmer indicating her bath had come to an end, Elizabeth had one more thing to say.

  “And thank you, William, for your faithfulness to me,” she said, looking directly into his dark eyes, her voice heavy with emotion. “When you came to present your arrangement to my father, I had not realised our isolation had made me more than sad and despondent; it had made me bitter. Your offer for me not only restored my family’s honour and provided for my mother and sisters, it also inspired me to change the direction of my life. So I thank you, Fitzwilliam Darcy, for your faithfulness and for your steadfastness. Thank you for giving me my life back.”

  Darcy was so touched by Elizabeth’s undeniable sincerity and gratitude that he could not say anything. He busied himself removing the top to the bathtub and spreading the thick towel open. As Elizabeth rose from the bath, his passion strangled his throat anew as he enfolded her in the warmth of the towel and began to rub her dry.

  After he wrapped her in a thick robe from the warmer, he picked her up as though she were a feather, and bore her off to his bed.

  Later that evening, Pemberley once again had a mistress.

  Chapter 20

  I didn’t find my friends; the good Lord gave them to me.

  — Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882), American poet, essayist, and lecturer

  Sunday, November 4, 1816

  Pemberley, Derbyshire

  Darcy had asked a servant to inform Jane that breakfast would be ready at ten o’clock, and she was already waiting when he and Elizabeth descended the stairs to join her. They had been laughing softly as she teased him about making her sister fend for herself the night before while Jane had watched them closely. Their good humour and ease with each other had relieved any lingering doubts Jane still possessed, and he was pleased to see her look of concern replaced by a warm smile.

  “Good morning, Miss Bennet,” Darcy said cheerfully. “I want you to know it is completely my fault.”

  “Your fault?” Jane said, her confusion at this comment plain to see.

  “Yes, for throwing you on your own to amuse yourself on your very first day in a new house. Your sister begged me to at least come down for the evening meal, but I am a new husband, and I would not relent. Like a beast, I kept her locked in my room all evening.”

  “I see,” Jane said, amused.

  “An undeniable beast,” Elizabeth agreed, but Darcy was convinced she was struggling to suppress a smile.

  “Perhaps so, but I am delighted to see mischief dance in your eyes again. I have missed it so. But you must not concern yourself, Mr. Darcy. Mrs. Benson gave me a tour of the house, and Cook served a truly delicious meal. Afterwards, Mr. Reynolds showed me your library, and I read and used your pianoforte until I retired.”

  “A tour of the house is more than I received,” Elizabeth said archly, looking askance at Darcy as he held out her chair.

  “Now your dear sister will be able to show you about the place,” Darcy said calmly as he assisted Jane. “I have a small mountain of correspondence to sort through, including a number of invitations. News of my marriage has obviously spread throughout the neighbourhood. In the few minutes I spent at my desk yesterday, I noted a number of invitations to dine and an invitation to a ball. The neighbours seem quite anxious to meet you, my dear.”

  He saw Elizabeth share a glance with Jane at this, and he knew the sisters had had few opportunities for dining with other families until recently. From their expressions, neither of them appeared particularly excited by the prospect of a heightened social life, and Darcy patted Elizabeth’s hand as the servants began to bring in the breakfast.

  “Neither of you should worry about being drawn into any social events for which you are unprepared. And I shall make certain to consult you before accepting any invitations, my love.”

  “No, no,” Elizabeth said. “You mistake my concern. Jane and I were remembering less happy times. But I always enjoyed such events previously, and I am sure I shall enjoy them in my new life. Do not decline any invitations on my account.”

  “I feel the same,” Jane said. “It would be pleasant to have the opportunity to dance again, even if I might lack practice.”

  “Likewise, please do not feel compelled to accept them on my account,” Elizabeth said.”

  Darcy only laughed lightly at her oblique reference to his oft-displayed reticence.

  “You forget my life will also be new, but I look forward to being able to introduce my wife to our neighbours. Moreover,” he said, lowering his voice and casting a sly look at Jane, “how shall we find a husband for your sister unless we become better acquainted with the best families?”

  Jane blushed and opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, causing Darcy to smile and Elizabeth to squeeze Jane’s hand in comfort.

  “Do not let him frighten you, dearest Jane. I shall protect you.”

  “Both of you will need to add some fashionable gowns to your wardrobe. You have made a start in town, Elizabeth, but we must now attend to your sister. I have instructed Mrs. Benson to recommend any local tradesmen who are up to the task of sewing such gowns, and your aunt has promised to have several sewn in town and sent here.”

  Elizabeth nodded at this statement as she took a freshly baked muffin from a serving dish and began to butter it. Despite her earlier objections, she had begun to believe Darcy was right to anticipate her increasing needs.

  Her sister was another matter, and Darcy noted the quick look of alarm on her face.

  “Please, sir, my wardrobe is quite adequate. I cannot ask you to bear the expense of increasing it when—”

  “Miss Bennet,” Darcy interrupted firmly, as he speared a healthy piece of ham for his own plate. “We are now brother and sister—are we not?”

  Jane was silent for a few moments and then nodded.

  “And you are living in my house and under my protection—are you not?” Darcy continued.

  Again, Jane could only nod her assent.

  “Then it is not only appropriate but mandatory that I provide for you as I did for Georgiana when I had the care of her. You would not want my neighbours to think I was neglecting my responsibilities, would you?”

  After some consideration, Jane rather unwillingly shook her head.

  “Excellent. I am pleased we are agreed on this matter. I have instructed Mrs. Benson to make certain both you and my wife are outfitted in a manner appropriate to our station in life. Look to your sister. Knowing how steadfast she can be when she deems it necessary, you will note she is not inclined to argue with me on this.”

  “I believe it would be best to follow my husband’s request in this matter, Jane,” Elizabeth said calmly, pouring herself a cup of tea. “He can, at times, be incredibly stubborn.”

  “In addition,” Darcy continued, looking more than a little smug at having bested Elizabeth, “I think it is time we ceased addressing each other as Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennet. As family, we are not only permitted but expected to use our Christian names. Do you not agree, Jane?”

  After one look at Elizabeth, who only smiled, Jane could only accede.

  Darcy returned to his breakfast in a cheerful mood, enjoying the smile he received from his wife.

  ***

  It would not be entirely accurate to say their family party engaged in a whirl of dinner engagements and balls, but Darcy was easily able to accomplish his announced intention of showing off his new wife to the families of the neighbourhood.

  With the help of Mrs. Benson, Darcy responded to several of the invitations to dine with local families and invited several
others to dine at Pemberley. Before the end of November, the Darcys hosted a small fête, inviting the local gentry, families of note, the local clergymen, physicians, and a smattering of retired military and naval officers who resided nearby.

  The event was well attended and a resounding success. In addition to his wife, he was also able to introduce her sister. Jane Bennet created a most favourable impression due to her beauty, her excellent manners, and most of all, by the fact that she was both unmarried and in possession of a modest fortune. This last point was of special interest to those mothers of unmarried sons who could easily see the advantage of a closer connexion to the prestigious Darcy family, and Jane was the centre of a crowd of young, male admirers during the entire evening.

  Elizabeth was gratified to see the effect such attentions had on her beloved sister. At nearly twenty-seven, Jane was in danger of becoming a spinster if she did not marry soon. Yet, Elizabeth knew Jane would never enter into an unwise or hasty marriage, so she enlisted Darcy’s help to keep an account of those young men who appeared most interested in her sister and to ascertain whether any of them were worthy of her.

  This occupation was repeated at various dinner engagements and a ball they attended in early December where many eligible young men showed interest in engaging her sister in conversation and asking for dances.

  Elizabeth was not only pleased by the improvement in Jane’s spirits, she also enjoyed spending time with her husband. Darcy remained as attentive and warm as ever, and while they had a few disagreements, all were trivial and had the unexpected benefit of leading to delightful reconciliations.

  They often walked together, during which Elizabeth was quick to praise him for his insistence on warmer clothing, and even when he rode, Elizabeth grew used to the frequency with which he found her during her rambles and dismounted to accompany her back to the house.

  ***

  Wednesday, December 11, 1816

  Pemberley, Derbyshire

  Soon, however, social events gave way to planning for their first Christmas together, and Elizabeth found that Christmas-time at Pemberley was a significantly more elaborate affair than at Longbourn. They anticipated a considerable number of guests staying in their home, including Lord and Lady Matlock and two of their sons, the Gardiners with their five children, the Bingleys with their child, and Bingley’s two sisters and brother-in-law Mr. Hurst. Also included, of course, were Captain Thomas Reynolds and his family.