by Ola Wegner
“Your mother was obviously very wrong. Moreover, you certainly do not look like a boy,” he said, and to emphasize his words, his hand moved lower and gently squeezed her rounded bottom.
“I am apprehensive about tomorrow,” she said, her fingers playing with the opening of his nightshirt. “So far, Papa has not answered the message Uncle Gardiner sent to him, informing him of our wedding.”
Darcy squeezed her to him. “We do not know what possible lies Brooke has tried to spread in Meryton.” He kissed the top of her head. “But please, love, do not worry yourself over this now. I will be by your side at all times.”
She sighed. “I know.”
Shifting her onto her side, he tucked her into the crook of his arm. “Now, close your eyes. We need our rest before tomorrow.”
Chapter Sixteen
The next day, the Darcys had an early breakfast in a small dining room. Darcy’s concerned eyes stared at his wife for the entire course of the meal. She was very quiet, pale, and only nibbled at her food. He was perfectly aware that she felt apprehensive about their trip to Hertfordshire and meeting her family and relatives. This morning, after they had woken up, she had lain silently, cuddled against him for a long time, as if being afraid to face the day. Suddenly, he almost regretted that he had not killed that bastard Brooke when he had the chance. It would have put a definite end to her misery caused by that man.
She must have felt his eyes on her, because she lifted her gaze to him, managing a small smile. He smiled back, reaching across the table to squeeze her small, cold hand.
The door opened, and slightly out of breath, Georgiana stood in it.
“I am sorry. I overslept,” she said, sitting beside Elizabeth.
“You could sleep longer today,” Darcy noted calmly.
Georgiana shook her blonde head. “I wanted to say a goodbye to you before your departure.”
“It is very thoughtful of you.” Elizabeth smiled at the younger girl, but her tone was still uncharacteristically listless.
“I wish I could go with you.” Georgiana said longingly. “I cannot wait to meet Lizzy’s sisters.”
Darcy and Elizabeth’s eyes met. They both knew that bringing Georgiana to Hertfordshire was out of question when the militia was still stationed there.
“I would like that too, Georgiana,” Elizabeth spoke gently. “But I do think that for now it is for the best that only your brother and I pay this first visit. I cannot be sure how my family will react to the news that I married, without their consent, a man with whom they are barely acquainted.”
“I know that all will be well, Lizzy,” Georgiana assured her
“You could have never found a better husband than my brother,” she added with great conviction.
“Georgiana.” Darcy shook his head reproachfully, but there was a smile in the corner of his mouth.
Elizabeth bit her lower lip, attempting to hide her smile, but her sparkling eyes betrayed her amusement. “Georgiana, I can assure you that I am deeply convinced of your brother’s worthiness as a marriage prospect. Still, I am afraid that my family may not be aware of the fact yet. I think that they simply need some time.”
The conversation ended, because their attention was brought by the raised voiced coming from the back of the house.
The next moment, the door opened with a bang, and Thomas Bennet entered, followed by the agitated servant.
“Papa?” Elizabeth mouthed, her eyes wide. “You have come!” She fled straight into her father’s arms.
Mr. Bennet first hugged his daughter tightly, then pushed her at arm’s length as if examining her, checking if she was well.
“Lizzy, C/child.” Mr. Bennet stared down at his daughter, his hands on her shoulders. “Are you well? You are not harmed?”
“I am very well, Papa.” Elizabeth smiled through her tears. “I am so happy to see you.”
“Thank you, God,” Mr. Bennet whispered, hugging her to him again. “What a horrible story is that?” he asked. “Is it true what the Gardiners told me? What that scum Brooke tried to do to you?”
“Yes, Papa,” Elizabeth admitted. “But I am fine. He had no chance to really hurt me.”
“Come, Child.” Mr. Bennet gathered her to him, only fleetingly looking at Darcy. “I am taking you home.”
“But, Papa.” Elizabeth gently stepped away from her father. She walked to Darcy and stood next to him. “I cannot go with you. I married Mr. Darcy two days ago. Have you not received the message from Uncle Gardiner?”
“I have received it,” Mr. Bennet confirmed gravely and then cried angrily. “I could hardly believe it! My daughter leaves my home to visit her friend in Kent, and the next thing I hear is that she is married to a man we barely know. When you mother heard about it, she put herself to bed. And this time I am not the least bit surprised that she did that. I would have come earlier if not for her illness caused by the news.”
“Sir, I assure you that the wedding was necessary in the situation in which we found ourselves,” Darcy spoke in a firm, but still respectful, voice.
Mr. Bennet stepped to him. “Is that so? Will you tell me the same nonsense about the supposed rumors that Brooke was to spread in Hertfordshire? I have already heard all of that from my brother-in-law.”
“It is the truth, sir,” Darcy insisted. “Brooke threatened to ruin Elizabeth’s reputation.”
Mr. Bennet walked closer to the younger man, speaking decidedly. “John Brooke has not been seen in Hertfordshire for the last three weeks. All I know is that you abused my daughter’s trust, taking her away without the consent of her family, forcing her into this marriage!”
Elizabeth caught her father’s arm. “Papa, it is not like that!” she protested. “Nobody forced me into anything. You must have heard that it was Mr. Darcy and his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, who rescued me from Brooke.”
Mr. Bennet looked down at his daughter. “Yes, Lizzy, I was acquainted with that tale yesterday when I arrived at the Gardiners’ and demanded they tell me where you were. I must admit, Daughter, that it all seems very strange to me. I am not sure whether I can trust their word, with Madeline so closely related to the family of this man.” He gave Darcy a menacing look.
“Does it mean that Aunt Madeline told you who her real father was?” Elizabeth asked.
“She did not have to tell me that,” Mr. Bennet snorted. “I knew from the very beginning who her real father was. The thing I cannot understand is how you involved yourself into all of this.” He gestured in the general direction of Darcy. “What happened, Lizzy? You have always acted so respectfully, so maturely. It is so unlike you to involve yourself into such a sordid affair.”
Elizabeth blinked away the tears gathering in her eyes. “Papa,…” she whispered.
“Sir, it is not her fault,” Darcy interjected angrily, seeing Elizabeth’s distress caused by her father’s harsh words.
Mr. Bennet, however, ignored the younger man. “Lizzy.” He looked searchingly into his daughter’s face. “Tell me one thing,” he paused. “Did he force you into this marriage?”
“He did not.” Elizabeth shook her head. “I swear, Papa.”
Mr. Bennet leaned forward and asked in lowered voice, “Was the marriage consummated?”
Elizabeth’s face instantly flushed in embarrassment. “Papa…”
“Lizzy,” Mr. Bennet persisted.
“Yes, it was,” Darcy said, stepping before Elizabeth. “Sir, I beg you to come with me to my study. I would prefer not to talk about such matters in the presence of my sister.”
“You bastard.” Mr. Bennet moved to Darcy abruptly, his hands curled in fists. “How do you dare to touch her?”
“Georgiana, be so kind as to take Elizabeth to the music room,” Darcy ordered.
Elizabeth did not move, looking from her father to her husband.
Darcy stared pointedly at his sister, who stood in the other end of the room, her eyes wide, mouth agape. “Georgiana, I asked you to take your sis
ter to the music room.”
At last, Georgiana moved and walked to the other woman. She took Elizabeth’s arm and pulled her out of the room.
In the music room, Georgiana started playing, but Elizabeth did not to pay attention. She paced the length of the room nervously, clenching her hands together.
Georgiana stood from the pianoforte. “Your father seemed to be very displeased,” she said tentatively.
“He barely knows your brother,” Elizabeth whispered, nibbling at her fingernails.
“I am sure that all will be well when they know each other better,” Georgiana spoke softly.
Elizabeth nodded, not looking at her. “I hope so.”
Another half an hour passed before the door opened and the two gentlemen entered the music room.
Elizabeth stood up immediately, her big eyes widened even more
She glanced from one man to the other in an attempt to decipher their mood and attitude.
There was a long moment of silence before her father walked forward and hugged her to him. “Lizzy, forgive me my outburst earlier.” He kissed the top of her head.
“I do understand, Papa,” she murmured into his coat. “Just please do not be displeased with me,” she pleaded, her dark eyes lifted at him. “That is the one thing I cannot bear.”
“I am not displeased with you, Child.” Mr. Bennet stroked her hair. “I do believe you that you thought… that you were convinced that the marriage to Mr. Darcy was the only choice. Still, I cannot pretend that I am happy with this union. It does not matter now, however. It is too late to change anything.” He looked at his son-in-law for a short moment with an open hostility in his eyes. “I have invited your husband, and your new sister, to Longbourn for a prolonged stay. I think it would be for the best for you to come in a few days, perhaps by the end of this week. I need some time to prepare your mother for your visit, not to mention our relatives and neighbours.”
“I understand.” Elizabeth nodded. “Will you stay for tea, Papa?” she asked with hope.
“No, thank you,” Mr. Bennet refused stiffly. “I plan to return home yet today.”
Elizabeth caught his hand. “Papa, please stay. You could, perhaps, have dinner with us? You could go to Hertfordshire tomorrow.”
“No, Lizzy,” Mr. Bennet said, with his eyes focused not at his daughter, but on her husband. “I do not think it is possible.”
Mr. Bennet bowed formally and left the room.
***
Elizabeth lay curled on the bed in the Master bedroom, staring miserably out of the window.
“Elizabeth.” Darcy sat beside her. “Dinner will be served soon.”
“I am not hungry,” she whispered, not looking at him.
“You have barely spoken a word to me since your father left.”
She did not comment.
He stroked her face. “Sweetheart, please speak to me.”
She turned to him and sat up. “I had not expected Papa to react like that,” she said at last.
Darcy stroked her back soothingly. “In time, I know he will come to terms with our marriage.”
Elizabeth shook her head sadly. “I am not so sure about that. He trusted me, and I feel that I betrayed his trust. I got myself involved in some horrible affair, first with one man, then with the other. I acted shamefully. I know how highly he thought of me. He is disappointed, and he has every right to be.”
Darcy pressed his lips together, swallowing his irritation. It was not a pleasant thing to hear that she referred to him as the other man.
He stroked her arm. “You judge yourself too harshly.”
She sighed, closing her eyes. “I simply wish that I had never met John Brooke, or at least that I would have been wiser and more prudent in my dealings with him. Then all of this would not have happened.”
There was a moment of silence before Darcy spoke very quietly, “Our marriage included.”
She looked to the side and whispered, “At least in different circumstances.”
“We cannot change what happened.” He cupped her face to make her look at him. “We must make the best of it now.”
“Why did you say to Papa that we…? You know…” She averted her gaze again. “You said to him that the marriage was consummated.”
Darcy frowned. “Cannot you guess? Surely he would have probably insisted on an annulment had he known the truth.”
She met his eyes shortly and then looked down, biting her lower lip.
“You would agree, would you not?” he asked incredibly.
“Brooke has disappeared… and…,” she hesitated.
He narrowed his eyes at her. “So it was the only reason you agreed to marry me?” he demanded. “Just to rescue your reputation?”
“No, William, of course not,” she spoke, looking up at him. “But I think that Papa is right. We should not have acted so hastily,” she acknowledged softly.
“I cannot believe that.” He stood up and began pacing the room
“One word from him, and you turn into some little girl who cannot make a move without his approval.”
Elizabeth stood up as well. “He is my father. His opinion is important to me,” she stressed.
“I do not understand.” Darcy walked to her. “You stood up to my aunt yesterday, and today you could not do the same when it came to your father.”
“How can you not understand it?” she cried. “It is an entirely different situation. I do not care what your aunt thinks of me. It does touch me deeply, though, what my father thinks of me. You cannot expect that I will ignore his opinion about me.”
“Even if he is wrong about our marriage?”
“I am not sure he is so wrong,” she spoke calmly. “He has every right to be concerned. He does not know you. He has seen you perhaps three times in his life and talked with you once.”
Darcy stared at her, his entire face tense. He gave the impression he had wanted to say something more, but stopped himself.
“Just imagine that something like this would happen to Georgiana,” Elizabeth continued. “How would you react if she went away for a few weeks, then you hear that some man…,” she stopped, and covered her lips with her hand, realizing what she had said. “William, I am so sorry.” She caught his hand in both of hers. “It was not my intention to bring up what happened in Ramsgate… please believe me.” She stepped closer to him. “It was thoughtless of me.”
Darcy freed her hand and said formally. “I will tell Georgiana that you will not join us for dinner.” He bowed and left the room.
Georgiana Darcy did not dare to ask her brother to elaborate about the reasons why Elizabeth stayed upstairs. It was enough to look at Darcy’s face to know he was in no mood for small talk. She knew her brother well enough to stay silent.
Darcy stayed in the library long into the evening that day. It was past midnight when he put his cigar down and decided to go to bed. His bedroom was dark when he entered. It was illuminated only by the dying fire in the mantelpiece.
He let out an involuntarily sigh of relief on seeing Elizabeth’s small form sleeping on one side of the bed. He disrobed himself quickly and, in just his shirt, climbed into the bed. He lay for some time on his side, staring at her slumbering form. He made a move as if he had wanted to reach for her and pull her into his arms, but he hesitated. Eventually he rolled to the other side, to the far end of the bed and closed his eyes.
***
“So, Lizzy, please tell me what exactly happened when your father visited you yesterday.” Mrs. Gardiner asked. The aunt and niece took an early afternoon walk in the park close to Gracechurch Street.
“Oh, Aunt, it was horrible.” Elizabeth stopped walking and hid her face into her hands. “Papa was so worried and angry about what happened in Kent. But the worst was that he seemed to be so disappointed with me.”
Madeline rubbed her niece’s back. “It had to be difficult for you,” she remarked compassionately.
“And what is even worse, later I quarrele
d with William.” Elizabeth resumed her walk. “We have not spoken a word to each other since yesterday afternoon. When I woke up, the bedroom was empty. He was already absent when I walked downstairs. I feel so miserable about it.”
“All couples quarrel from to time,” Madeline noted diplomatically.“It does not mean that they do not love each other,” she stressed. “Also it does not indicate that it is a bad marriage, on the contrary, I would say.”
“I think he hates me now,” Elizabeth whispered.
Madeline laughed, shaking her head. “He does not. Believe me.”
“But I was so cruel to him.” Elizabeth insisted. “I reminded him of some matter which I know very well is very painful to him. I should not have.”
“We often say things we do not mean, especially in anger.”
“He was not without fault as well,” Elizabeth cried defiantly after a moment. “He spoke as if he had expected me to choose between him and Papa and admit that he was right and Papa was wrong.”
“Perhaps he is jealous of your father,” Madeline pointed out reasonably. “He wants to be the most important person in your life.”
Elizabeth frowned. “That is so selfish.”
“Perhaps,” the older woman agreed gently. “But it may be possible that he acts like that because he is not sure about your feelings for him.”
Elizabeth shrugged. “I am not so sure myself how I feel about him,” she sighed. “I know I am in love with him. I have been from the very beginning, since the evening I met him.” She gritted her teeth. “Ahhh…. He can be so infuriating sometimes!”
Madeline stopped and caught her niece’s hand. “Darling, you put too much pressure on yourself,” she reasoned. “All will be well. You both simply need time to get to know each other better. Tell me one thing.” She looked searchingly into Elizabeth’s face. “Do you want this marriage to be a success?”
“Of course,” Elizabeth answered without hesitation.
“Well, if that is so, you must learn to talk to him and yes, even quarrel with him. I think that he is accustomed to everyone’s following his lead and listening to him. Still, it does not mean that you are not entitled to your own opinion, even if it does not match his. As for you, my dear, I am afraid that you must accept some traits of his character, even if you do not find them overly attractive. He is a good man, and I do believe that you have a chance to build something worthy together. Do not repeat your parents’ mistakes. Tell me, do your parents quarrel?”