Deception

by Ola Wegner

  “He found Milton unholy?”

  “No, Shakespeare’s sonnets actually, and some of Jane’s and my novels, ‘Pamela,’ ‘Moll Flanders’ and ‘Clarissa,’ for example,” Elizabeth answered, reaching forward to take the thick book from the nearby pile.

  “I should not be surprised,” Darcy said, noticing that what Elizabeth was holding in her hands was, indeed, a copy of ‘Clarissa’ by Samuel Richardson.

  “Well, the truth is that my father owned some books which certainly could be pronounced unholy and immoral,” Elizabeth confessed, returning the book to its former place. “I once saw him reading Marquis de Sade, but later, when I tried to find that book, I could not locate it anywhere. I am sure father kept it and the others of that kind in this cabinet.” She gestured to the elegant richly encrusted piece of furniture standing not far from where they sat. “It is terribly heavy, and it is locked. I cannot find the key. It is a beautiful piece, is it not? I would not want to destroy it, trying to open it by force.”

  “Perhaps it simply contains some old estate papers?” Darcy suggested.

  Elizabeth shook her head. “No, the archived papers were found elsewhere. Besides, it is too heavy. I am sure father locked in there some truly interesting books which he found unsuitable for his daughters.”

  “It was very wise on his part. Young ladies of your station should not indulge themselves in some types of literature.” Darcy said, his tone stern.

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Oh, please, sir, your poor sister. I am sure you allow her to read only the books you find safe for her.”

  “Well, yes, and Moll Flanders is not the best advice for a young lady.”

  Elizabeth stared at Darcy for a moment, her brows raised, clearly exasperated with him. “I cannot believe what I am hearing. You sound exactly like my cousin Mr. Collins. You once said yourself that an accomplished lady should improve her mind through extensive reading.”

  “That is correct. However, I meant books on history and literature or poetry.”

  She smiled sweetly at him, her head turned slightly to the side. “I must warn you, Mr. Darcy, do not even try to tell me what I can read and what I cannot. One day I shall find the key to this cabinet.”

  It was all said in a light tone, but Darcy knew her well enough to decipher she meant every single word.

  “But first you should give it to me, so I could advise you which of those books are worthy your time and attention,” he replied with a pleasant smile.

  “Well, I thank you for your offer, sir, but I think I can judge on my own.”

  Darcy opened his mouth to say something more, but decided against it. Lately she had started to behave less formally in his company, and the last thing he desired was to ruin this. He would start worrying himself over the content of the cabinet when she found the key to it. Certainly he did not wish his fiancée to read Marquis de Sade. He would teach her all she needed to know about the subject by himself. He made a mental note to remove the books from the top shelves of his libraries, both in the townhouse and at Pemberley, and lock them away somewhere as well. He had never thought to do it before, but Georgiana was not so inquisitive as Elizabeth. Darcy was drawn from his thoughts by his future mother-in-law’s high pitched voice. It was truly a blessing that Elizabeth had not inherited the modulation of her voice from her mother.

  “Lizzy, child, what on earth are you doing here on the floor?” Mrs. Bennet exclaimed, her eyes round.

  “We were looking through Papa’s books, Mama.” Elizabeth said calmly, turning her head towards her mother.

  “I am sorry, sir, that she kept you on your knees. I assure you, I have never taught her to receive her intended in such a wild manner,” Mrs. Bennet spoke worriedly, clearly horrified with her daughter’s manners.

  “I am perfectly fine, Madam,” Darcy assured, raising himself to his feet and standing in front of Mrs. Bennet, bowing his head. Holding out his hand, he helped Elizabeth to stand up as well.

  “Come for tea, both of you,” Mrs. Bennet ordered, her voice impatient, as she directed herself toward the door. “I must call Jane and Mr. Bingley as well. The cook made his favourite ginger cookies. Kitty! Kitty! Where is that girl when I need her? Kitty, go to the garden and call your sister and Mr. Bingley for tea!” Mrs. Bennet cried from the corridor.

  Kitty’s calm voice was heard. “Mama, I can hear you. You do not have to shout so.”

  Elizabeth glanced at Darcy, who looked as if he had no intention of moving from his spot. “I believe, sir, we have to join the others in the parlour,” she said, knowing very well that he still found it rather difficult to deal with her mother. At least he was civil, if not exactly amiable.

  “Yes, that is true,” Darcy agreed almost gravely. Elizabeth moved to the door first, but she was stopped by Darcy’s hand on her elbow, catching it gently.

  She looked at him curiously. “Is something the matter?”

  “No, I just wanted to explain myself; why I have come later today.”

  “Mr. Darcy, I do not expect you to report every hour of your time to me,” she offered with a polite smile.

  Darcy creased his brows, as if displeased with her words, before speaking slowly. “It is about Georgiana. This morning I sent for her. You know I did not want her here before with the Militia still being stationed in Meryton.”

  “Yes, of course. Your poor sister has suffered enough,” Elizabeth agreed earnestly, lowering her voice slightly. “Perhaps I should instruct Lydia and Kitty not to mention Mr. Wickham around your sister.”

  He shook his head slowly. “I do not think it would be a good idea. They would start asking questions, and we cannot silence the whole neighbourhood on the subject of Wickham. I will explain everything to Georgiana by myself when she arrives.”

  “I am happy that I shall meet her at last. The letter she wrote to me was so sweet, so genuinely kind. She seems truly…”

  Elizabeth’s words were interrupted with her mother’s shrieking voice carrying throughout the house. “Lizzy! Lizzy! Where is that girl? We are waiting only for you to come have with tea with us. Why are you keeping Mr. Darcy there all alone with you? I am sure he is hungry!”

  Elizabeth gave him an apologetic smile. “I believe we must finish this conversation later, sir.”

  Darcy offered Elizabeth his arm. “So it seems. Let us go.”

  ***

  After the whole company finished tea, Jane and Elizabeth proposed to walk the gentleman back to Netherfield. Thanks to her future son-in-law’s generosity, Mrs. Bennet and her daughters were able to move to their new home, Purvis Lodge. The whole neighbourhood was shocked and offended with Mr. Collins’ behaviour, for he had practically ordered the widow and her daughters to move out in a matter of days, not even weeks. His behaviour was condemned by all four and twenty families that the Bennets kept relations with, including his own father-in-law. Eventually, mainly due to the help of Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley and Sir William Lucas, Mr. Collins had been convinced to offer the Bennets one month to pack all their belongings before moving to their new home.

  Purvis Lodge was situated within only two miles of Netherfield Park, and the sisters found it to be a pleasant walk. Both gentlemen had come on horseback, so now they were walking beside their ladies with their horses stepping closely behind. Jane and Mr. Bingley walked ahead while Elizabeth, with Mr. Darcy, kept some distance behind them.

  “You were telling me about Georgiana’s letter to you before we were interrupted,” Darcy began the conversation.

  Elizabeth’s face immediately brightened. “Ah, yes. I wanted to say her letter was so kind. She seems to be genuinely happy that I am to be her sister. I cannot imagine what you could have told her about me.” She looked at Darcy from under her long eyelashes.

  He smiled at her. “I think it is enough for her that she sees me happy since our engagement.”

  To these words Elizabeth glanced away from him, but her delicate brows were moving slightly, indicating to him that she was s
omehow moved with his statement.

  “She also mentioned Colonel Fitzwilliam’s mother, Lady Matlock.”

  “And...,” Darcy looked at her with anticipation.

  “Well, I was a little surprised with that, to be honest, even more than little. She wrote that her aunt and uncle, the earl and his wife, eagerly anticipate meeting me.”

  Darcy shrugged his shoulders. “Why should it surprise you? My uncle has pressed me for a long time to marry.”

  Elizabeth stared at the ground uneasily and spoke hesitantly. “I must admit that I expected them to be displeased with your choice of wife. I thought they would be against me. I presumed your sister was just kind…”

  Darcy put his free hand on her arm reassuringly. “Georgiana would not write anything that is not true, I assure you. The invitation had to come from my uncle and aunt themselves. I believe that Richard explained everything that happened in Kent, especially the despicable behaviour of Lady Catherine towards you. My aunt and uncle are nothing like Lady Catherine.”

  Elizabeth gave him a small smile. “I must admit I am relieved to hear this. I should not have been surprised since Colonel Fitzwilliam is their son, after all.”

  Darcy’s jaw clenched as he muttered, “Yes.”

  Elizabeth seemed not to notice his displeasure over her mentioning his cousin and asked with eager anticipation, “How soon do you think we can expect Georgiana?”

  “Most likely by the end of this week.”

  “I am glad.”

  They had walked for a while in companionable silence, when Darcy stopped and spoke hesitatingly. “I have a certain idea, but I would like to ask your opinion on the subject.”

  “Yes?” she asked, looking at him expectedly.

  “My sister previously attended a school in London for young ladies. She made many friends, and I believe, learned a lot. They teach manners, drawing, needlework, but also languages, history and literature. I was very satisfied with Georgiana’s progress, and she felt welcomed among the other girls. I have thought that maybe your youngest sisters, Kitty and Lydia, would wish to attend the school. I think they would gain much.”

  Her eyes widened, and she began shaking her head. “But sir, you have already done so much for us, for my sisters and me. I do not expect something more from you. It is too much. The expense of such a school, I could not accept it,” she protested with feeling.

  “Elizabeth, do not worry yourself about the expense,” he responded calmly.

  “But such a school must be dreadfully expensive, and you have already done so much…,” Elizabeth started but was swiftly interrupted.

  “Elizabeth, only one thing really matters. Do you think your sisters would benefit from such education?”

  She nodded. “Yes, there is no doubt about it. I think that Kitty would especially. She is very intelligent, but she is too much influenced by Lydia.”

  “So it is done,” he said simply. “I shall write to the principal. If your mother agrees, they could go there this autumn. And please do not fret about expense. My true income is much underestimated, I can assure you. I have made some very profitable investments since my father’s death. I must say I was reasonably successful. Ten thousand a year is just the sum I get from Pemberley. If Wickham had been aware of the real state of my finances, my sister’s virtue would have been his mark long before.” The last words Darcy spoke in a clipped bitter tone with his jaw line tightly clenched.

  Elizabeth stepped closer and looked at him with concern. “You cannot torment yourself with this forever. She is safe and sound now. For certain, it was a horrible experience for her, but it could have ended much worse. We shall never have to deal with that man again.” She put her hand on Darcy’s arm and added, with a spark in her eyes and a big smile on her face, “Do you remember his expression when he first saw us together in Meryton? I almost felt sorry for him.”

  “I can imagine it was not the most pleasant experience for him,” Darcy answered calmly, but Elizabeth could feel a note of deep satisfaction in his voice. “I have one more thing he desired,” he added, reaching out to stroke her cheekbone.

  Elizabeth deciphered easily that he was very close to falling into one of his amorous moods, which she found dangerous and most disconcerting. She did not know how to deal with him at such times. “Sir! I am shocked!” she cried, with great feeling, raising her eyebrow impishly at him. “You call me a thing?”

  “It was not what I meant…,” Darcy started nervously.

  She interrupted him smilingly. “Oh, I know what you meant, sir. As for Mr. Wickham, I am more than certain that he was never truly interested in me. I presume he represents the type of rake who thinks it is his responsibility to flirt with every single woman he encounters.”

  Darcy thought differently on the subject, but he did not fancy to elaborate on it any longer. “Returning to the issue of my financial affairs,” he continued. “I shall inform you in detail about all my businesses when my lawyer has finished preparing the marriage settlement. I already showed the draft of it to your uncle when I was in London three weeks ago.”

  She stiffened instantly at his words. “Sir, that is truly not necessary. I trust you on that matter,” she said uneasily, fidgeting her fingers.

  “Elizabeth, you will have to have your own pin money,” he responded calmly. “There is also the matter of setting aside money for our children. I must say that your uncle, Mr. Gardiner, is a very reasonable men, and a very clever businessman. I have even invested some money in one of his businesses.”

  Elizabeth glanced at him curiously. “I was not aware you were interested in spice import, sir.”

  “I do not know much about it; I am much more a farmer than anything else, but your uncle’s business seems to be very reliable. It was not much of a sum, just a couple thousand pounds, but I will invest more if the rate of earnings proves to be as high as Mr. Gardiner promised it to be. My aim is to become one day entirely independent of the income I have from Pemberley.”

  “I do not know what to say, sir,” Elizabeth confessed simply. “I must admit that I know so little about it. My father never acquainted me with his financial matters.”

  “I saw the Longbourn books. Your father was a reasonable man. Collins inherited quite a profitable estate, I can assure you. However, I would like you to learn all of my business affairs. If something were ever to happen to me, you would …,” Darcy did not finish, because to his great surprise, he was interrupted with a loud shriek from his intended.

  During the conversation, their pace slowed considerably, and for at least ten minutes, the pair had been simply standing on the road talking. Clearly, Mr. Darcy’s horse had become impatient with this arrangement. He nudged Elizabeth strongly from behind, which caused her to give out that undignified sound.

  Darcy looked at her with concern, touching her arm. “Are you well?”

  “That animal touched me!” Elizabeth accused, looking pointedly at her fiancé’s horse, which was, perhaps, more terrified than herself, with his ears laid flat back against its neck and his nostrils moving rapidly.

  Darcy patted the horse’s neck soothingly. “He is harmless. He has just demanded your attention. He is very sociable.”

  Elizabeth made a face in the direction of the horse and spoke brusquely. “I do not wish it to touch me. He nearly knocked me down.”

  “Do not be afraid. I would never let him harm you. Come, you can touch him,” Darcy spoke gently.

  Elizabeth shook her head decidedly. “He makes me nervous. Do you really have to have such a big, black horse?”

  He gave her a long, appraising look. “You do not ride, am I correct?”

  “No, I have never been much of a horsewoman. None of us can ride, I mean, my mother and sisters. My father adored horses, and there was a time I tried very hard to learn horse riding, but unsuccessfully. I think that Papa was a bit disappointed with me on this matter.”

  “I am sure he was not,” Darcy said reassuringly, but he had to a
dmit that he had wondered why Elizabeth did not insist on bringing any of her father’s horses. At least one of them was an excellent mount which he would gladly have paid to buy from Collins.

  “I am afraid of them,” she explained. “I have always been. Papa said that the horse could sense my fear, being restless because of that.”

  “Exactly, the animal must know you are to ride him, not the other way round. You cannot scream around him if he touches you. You have terrified him.”

  “It was not my intent.” She looked at Darcy’s mount guiltily. “I have just reacted from being surprised. I have always felt myself too small to control such a big animal, even Nellie, though she was much smaller than Papa’s stallion. I cannot comprehend how one can find pleasure in riding; it is so uncomfortable, as if being tossed around and about, not to mention the acute soreness in your back afterwards.”

  “It may feel like that, especially at the beginning, but later, when you learn to move in the same rhythm with the horse, it is quite comfortable.”

  “You sound exactly like Papa when he was teaching Jane and me,” she told him. “Jane did much better. She was so calm and poised. She did not make any abrupt movements. Moreover, she always kept herself straight, whereas I tended to lean over the horse, gripping him tighter with both my hands and legs, and he immediately started moving faster. Papa kept telling me that I had to keep my back straight, my body relaxed, press my weight in the saddle, and keep my hands quiet. It was so hard to do all those things at once. Finally one day, Papa said I was a danger to myself when on horseback. I had to promise I would never try to ride by myself, without anyone around. I do not have much strength in my hand;, perhaps it is the reason.”

  “Controlling the horse is not about the size and physical strength so much,” Darcy remarked.

  “It is easy to say for you, sir. You are big and strong,” Elizabeth pointed out.

  Darcy smiled to himself, hearing her describe him like this. “Perhaps I could try to teach you, “ he proposed, his tone light. “We could go together one day. You could sit in front of me and see there in no reason to be afraid.”