“And yet here you are.”
“I’m married to him through an arrangement made with my father. I didn’t care for him or his shameful behavior.”
“You didn’t care for it or don’t care for it, might I ask? You’re beginning to endear his character?”
“Yes, I’m married to him, so that opinion I had at first must change, mustn’t it? I can’t go on thinking ill of him if I’m his wife. That would make for a very unhappy life for me. Tell me, though, what your opinion is, as I’m curious to know it from someone who knew him as a youth.”
Mr. Wickham glanced around at the other women listening to their conversation. “I’m sure our talk of your husband is boring these fine ladies. I do apologize.”
“No, you mustn’t apologize,” Lydia said in a soft voice, clearly enamored with the friendly young man. “It’s a delight to hear something of your past. Please continue. I’m also curious about Mr. Darcy as a youth, as I’ve only known of him since my father made an arrangement for them. I didn’t know him previously.”
“Nor did I,” Kitty put in. “Please don’t stop on our account.”
Mr. Wickham raised his eyebrows and looked back at Elizabeth. “Your sisters are very generous with their time. Do you truly wish to hear more about Mr. Darcy from me? Or shall we play a round of cards?”
“Not yet,” Elizabeth said quickly, wanting to know more from Mr. Wickham about Darcy. “Please tell me something of what you know.”
“He’s your husband. I dare not speak ill of him.”
“You have no kind words for him?” Elizabeth wasn’t surprised. From her first meeting with him, it was clear that Darcy didn’t make friends easily. It came as somewhat of a shock to her that a man with good breeding and fine stock like Charles Bingley would befriend Darcy, who had been so self-centered when first coming to Hertfordshire. If someone who knew him from his past couldn’t muster a kind word about him, it would mean that her initial response to him was valid.
“I must say I’ve always found him to be somewhat ill-tempered and unfriendly.”
“I dare say that was my first impression of him,” Elizabeth nodded. “Though I don’t wish to speak ill of him, now that he’s my husband. I’ve seen another side to him that gives me hope.”
This time, Mr. Wickham raised one eyebrow. “Perhaps he’ll change now that he’s married.”
“Perhaps,” Elizabeth nodded, thinking back to the kind words and looks she had received from Darcy and how he had made her laugh on several occasions, even with his dry wit as he bluntly stated his feelings about something or someone. “Will his presence here affect your stay in Meryton?”
Mr. Wickham shook his head. “No, I’ll continue to be here as long as my regiment is here. I’m seeking a wife and a family. It looks as though I may have been too late to the party where you’re concerned, Mrs. Darcy. My old friend has already ensnared you in his web.” Mr. Wickham turned his eyes to the younger Bennet sisters. “Perhaps there will be another Bennet lady by my side instead.”
“Oh my!” Lydia covered her mouth with one hand, and Kitty openly giggled. Their aunt observed the scene with much amusement.
“You’re a charming young man, Mr. Wickham,” the older woman said.
“You wouldn’t hear that from the Mr. Darcy, I dare say,” he countered in a light-hearted voice. “In fact, I would say that he would prefer not to see me. He’ll avoid me I’m quite sure, as we aren’t on friendly terms, as you might have noticed on the street.”
“I did notice that.” Elizabeth nodded.
“I thank you for speaking to me regardless of that fact. I do hope that Mr. Darcy won’t berate you for spending an afternoon conversing with me. I shall have no part in a duel for his wife’s attention.” He turned his wide smile to the younger ladies again. “There are many Bennet sisters to admire. Why, I believe I was told there are two more of you. How blessed is your father to be surrounded by beautiful woman all throughout the day!”
He made Lydia and Kitty blush again, and Elizabeth decided she liked him very much.
Chapter 12
After returning her sisters to Longbourn, Darcy and Elizabeth headed toward Pemberley House with the explicit intention of having a peaceful dinner and a quiet conversation in front of the fireplace. They rode through a heavy rainstorm, and when they reached the house Darcy leaned forward, giving her an evil grin.
“Let’s have a foot race. I don’t think you can reach the house before I do.”
Elizabeth giggled, surprised to see him in such a pleasant mood after a long day spent apart. She nodded. When the coach stopped, they both jumped out and dashed through the rain, splashing through the puddles to get into Pemberley House as quickly as possible. Elizabeth shrieked and laughed, trying to keep up with her husband. Darcy, with his long legs, reached the door first and flung it open for her. She ran through, sweeping her hands over her coat, shaking it off as she unbuttoned it and dropped it to the floor.
Darcy was in after her, stripping off his own overcoat and politely handing it to the housekeeper, who had approached on silent feet. Elizabeth looked at her in surprise, her cheeks coloring in embarrassment.
“Do forgive me,” she said, leaning to pick up the coat she had dropped.
“No, Mrs. Darcy, don’t trouble yourself,” the housekeeper responded in a kind voice. She was giving them both a curious look. Elizabeth wondered if she had ever seen Mr. Darcy behave in such an undignified manner. “I’ll dry your coats, should you care to go out again. Dinner will be ready promptly, Mr. Darcy.”
He nodded at her and she turned to walk away, holding the coats at arm’s length so as not to soak her own dress.
Darcy held out his hand to his wife. “Come, Elizabeth, to the dining room. We’ll dry ourselves in front of the fire and enjoy the sounds of the rain outside while we wait for dinner to be served.”
Elizabeth took his hand and he led her down the hallway to the door leading into the dining parlor. It was a comfortable, cozy room, though it was one of the largest rooms in the house. The table was set for the two of them, leaving many places empty for guests who would not be there that evening. Elizabeth went toward the head of the table where she and Darcy typically sat, but he tugged on her hand and led her in the opposite direction, toward the large stone fireplace where a roaring fire had already been made.
“Do you forget so quickly,” Darcy’s tone was amused and he chuckled. “that your hair is mussed, wet, and untidy? Come, sit with me by the fire. We’ll move to the table when the food is served.”
“Yes, I do forget quickly sometimes,” Elizabeth said, standing in front of the fire, holding out both hands to warm them. “It’s a silly trait.”
“It’s common among women, I’ve noticed,” he teased. She scrunched her nose at him.
“You’re teasing me, husband.”
“That I am. Come, sit with me.”
“I wish to warm my backside first.” Elizabeth turned around, noticing that he was staring at her with admiring eyes. He said nothing more, just continued to gaze at her with such great desire it almost made her uncomfortable. She remembered Mr. Wickham’s words from earlier in the day, that Darcy was “ill-tempered” and not well-liked. The more time she spent with Darcy the more she was aware that he had a soft, human side, and his initial pride seemed more like a façade to cover up some distant pain he had endured.
She wondered, then, why Mr. Wickham had been so put out by Darcy and hadn’t a kind word to say about him. Both seemed like amiable men, though her initial assumption about Darcy had been quite harsh and his behavior warranted such an impression. This was the opposite of Mr. Wickham, whose initial impression on Elizabeth was quite good all around. She wanted to mention speaking with Mr. Wickham, but decided it wouldn’t do to bring up what might possibly be a sore subject and ruin a good evening with her new husband.
Eventually, she sat down next to Darcy and a thrilling feeling passed through her when their bodies touched and he put
his arm around her. Dinner was taking longer than she expected to be served, and she found herself hungry and longing for something to fill her stomach.
“You must tell me about your conversation with your mother in regard to Mr. Collins. I was told by several gentlemen today that he’s bothering your mother with some kind of proposal.”
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. “What do you know of Mr. Collins? And why is it being spoken about on the street?”
“I don’t mean to pry into the affairs of your family, Lizzy,” Darcy said, calling her by her family’s pet name. “It was mentioned to me because I’m now a part of your family. Or don’t you consider me to be such?”
“I do, I do.” Elizabeth immediately regretted her brash comeback to his initial question. “I apologize, Darcy. It’s a touchy subject for my family.”
“I should know better than to discuss your private family business with those outside the family,” Darcy said. “And I wouldn’t have done so if the subject hadn’t been brought up to me. It’s something your father is discussing with some of his closest friends and word has gotten around, though I doubt many people are interested in it. I don’t suppose these gentlemen would have mentioned it even to me if they didn’t recognize that I’ve married into the family.”
Elizabeth nodded. “I do suppose you’re right. The fact of the matter is that Mr. Collins is my father’s cousin. Upon my father’s death he will inherit Longbourn, and likely my mother and any remaining sisters there will be forced to move out so that he may take possession.”
“It’s assumed he will do just that, which is a shame. The house should rightfully go to your mother and then to Jane.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Sadly, that’s not the case. My mother won’t listen to reason and insists that my father do something to change the situation. However, it’s not to be done because Mr. Collins insists that he must take over the house.”
“He has spoken to your father recently about this arrangement?”
“There was a disagreement between my father and the father of Mr. Collins. When Mr. Collins most recently corresponded with Father he dissolved the disagreement, stating that he would like to be on friendly terms with my father. He’s a clergyman, he reports, and that prompted him to send my father an olive branch. He wasn’t interested in fighting with Father over the property, though he didn’t relinquish it to us.”
“He flatters himself.”
“Yes, he does. He proposes making amends to my sisters, any who remain unmarried and uncared for, along with my mother, in the event that my father dies.”
“I do hope your father doesn’t die soon,” Darcy said, squeezing her shoulder with the arm he held around her. “He’s a good man and I don’t wish to see your mother or any of your sisters put out of their home. Shall I open Pemberley House to them? I will if you wish it.”
Elizabeth’s heartbeat sped up as she listened to his kind offer. She was finding him more desirable as the days passed and his true character came to light. “I’m hoping that my father will live to a very old age and that Mr. Collins will have moved on by then. He’s currently in the service of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who is a widow and wealthy as can be. Do you know of her?”
Darcy nodded. “I do.”
“Father says she’s placed him in a position of prominence in the rectory and he’s satisfied to stay in the position for some time. That doesn’t mean, however, that he doesn’t want to meet with Father and discuss smoothing the difficulties Father had with Mr. Collins’ father.”
“He has had that meeting, according to the gentlemen I spoke with today. It was an amicable time, despite the apparent dislike your mother has for him.”
Elizabeth couldn’t help giggling. She would have continued about the subject, but the door to the kitchen opened at that point in their conversation and they halted their discussion. Both stood up and moved to the table, having been warmed and dried by the fire. She felt toasty and comfortable, though more than a little hungry. She eyed the food as it was brought to the table with famished eyes, catching the amused look on Darcy’s face, which only proved to warm her insides even more as she felt a great love for her husband sweep through her.
She picked up her fork and began to eat, wondering if he was feeling the same for her.
Chapter 13
Elizabeth had agreed to attend the Gardiner Christmas ball the week before the holiday arrived. If it wasn’t for pleasing her husband, she would most definitely have declined to attend. She didn’t need to seek a husband any longer, and her mind was turning more toward family affairs than it was dancing and partying with the members of society. Additionally, she was fairly certain the Bingleys would be there, and she wasn’t in the mood to put up with the foolishness of Miss Bingley and her sister.
She was excited to visit again with Mr. Wickham, whom she was sure would be there.
To Elizabeth’s delight, however, they were paid a visit by Darcy’s younger sister, Georgiana, who would then attend the ball with them. She was anxious to converse with the young woman, as she was as sweet as a bowl filled with honey, quite intelligent, and played beautifully on the pianoforte. Her character was shy, but she and Elizabeth got along famously.
She would be arriving in a chaise within the hour, and Elizabeth was preparing herself for her arrival. She had fine chocolates and sweets ready for the young woman, and hot water prepared for several cups of tea which she wanted to have ready as soon as the girl arrived.
Darcy, for his part, was equally excited to expect a visit from his sister. He sat in a chair behind Elizabeth as she prepared for the ball, touching up her cheeks and lips with a bit of color, patting her hair down and allowing it to curl down around her cheeks and over her shoulders. The majority of it was pinned up and back in various places with pins adorned with jewels and pearls. Her dress was elegant, and she was proud of the way she looked in it. She looked at Darcy in the mirror as she prepared, admiring his handsome face. He was seated in such a casual style she couldn’t help biting her bottom lip.
He had thrown himself down on the chair, one leg hanging over the arm, his back pressed against the other, and was holding a paper in his hands. He read through the several pages over and over until Elizabeth’s curiosity was to the point she could no longer keep quiet.
“What is that you’re reading, my dear?” she asked.
He looked up at her. “Haven’t you heard what’s happening with your family? With Jane and Bingley?”
“I haven’t. My last correspondence with them came last Tuesday and I’ve heard nothing since.”
“It seems that Bingley has declined to propose to Jane and hasn’t spoken to her for some time. They left Netherfield and haven’t returned. The letters Jane receives from his sisters are vague, and speak more of the preference he has for another woman they’ve brought into their mix.”
Elizabeth spun around in her chair, a stunned expression on her face. “How can this be? I was certain they would be married!” she cried.
Darcy shook his head. “My dear, we discussed this long ago. It’s been a month since we spoke of it in terms that the marriage would not happen. We both know that Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst wanted more for Charles than your sister was able to give.”
“You mean her status in society,” Elizabeth snarled, angry at the Bingley sisters. “How did they sabotage their romance? The last time I spoke with Jane, she and Mr. Bingley were getting along very well. She loved him and was sure of his love for her. It only took one glance to see that he was also in love with her. It was written on his face every time he looked at her.”
“It was not to be,” Darcy shook his head. “We already decided the courtship would go this way. It has devastated your mother and father. This letter is from your father.”
“Father wrote to you?”
“We correspond on a regular basis.”
“Business matters to discuss?” she teased him, knowing that her implication that their marriage was a busine
ss matter was an irritation for him. Her teasing succeeded, and he frowned at her.
“No, not business. We’re friends and we have some business dealings together. That’s all. I’m his son-in-law and he respects me and treats me as such.”
Elizabeth had to grin as she turned back to look at him in the looking glass once more. She patted her hair. “You’re right, Darcy. We did expect this to happen. My Jane must be absolutely heartbroken and distraught. I do hope she’s at the ball tonight. Does my father mention whether she’ll be there or not?”
“I suppose she will be. She’s seeking a husband once more, and your mother will most likely insist upon her attending each and every party until she finds a suitable match.”
“Mother is probably beside herself with anguish over this. She had her hopes set on Jane and Bingley being married.”
“Yes, Bingley represented a great deal of pride for her, didn’t he?”
“Poor Mother.”
“Poor Jane. I do hope she’s there.”
A knock on the door drew their attention. Darcy swung his legs down and stood up, approaching the door. He pulled it open.
“Yes?”
“I beg your pardon, sir, but your sister has arrived.” The housekeeper stepped to the side and let Georgiana come to the door.
“Georgiana!” Darcy grabbed his sister in a tight hug, lifting the small woman off her feet and kissing her cheek.
“Fitzie! I see you’ve been well! May I come in?”
Darcy looked over his shoulder, to see that Elizabeth had stood up and was smiling from ear to ear.
“Let her in, Darcy!” she cried. “Let her in!”
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