Smoky Dreams

by Jaeza Rayleigh

  The staff at Netherfield were used to his habits, and within minutes of his arrival in the breakfast room they brought out a fresh pot of coffee. He sipped at his first cup of the day gratefully, figuratively shaking the cobwebs and remnants of dreams out of his head as he did. He sat where he could see out the windows. As the light gradually grew brighter outside, he noticed snowflakes drifting in the air, although nothing seemed to be sticking on the ground as of yet. He hoped there would not be enough snow to present a danger to Captain and Mrs. Denny as they headed off to Newcastle the following morning.

  Darcy was going to miss Denny. His soon-to-be brother by marriage had turned out to be very good company. That was another reason for which to be thankful, not just for the good company, but because Darcy had finally taken steps to neutralize the threat Wickham posed, Mrs. Denny had instead unwittingly chosen to compromise the one man in the unit most likely to help her become the best woman she could be. For Elizabeth's sake, Darcy would have paid off Wickham and helped him in a career had he been the one in the compromise. But life as Mrs. Wickham would have done little to bring out any of the good qualities he was now certain lurked under the selfish and flighty exterior of the girl. Denny would have to stay firm and consistent in his training of her, but in time she would understand and start training herself. Darcy looked forward to seeing what became of them both and he would make sure Denny knew to turn to him if he needed a brother's help.

  Unusually, Bingley showed up in the breakfast room before Richard. Georgiana arrived at about the same time. They both looked around for Richard, as if he might be hiding under the table or behind the curtains. As late risers themselves, they always came in after Darcy and his cousin.

  "My valet is helping him, but I expect Richard was very stiff and sore this morning," Darcy told them when Georgiana asked if her cousin would be joining them at church. "I will go up and check on him."

  Richard was stiff and sore, and swearing a blue streak under his breath as Darcy's valet was just finishing up the process of getting him properly dressed. Darcy could see a bruise had formed on his chin just in front of his right ear and another headed into his hairline on the same side of his forehead. Apparently, he had hit his head on the floor after all.

  "You could stay here and rest, you know," Darcy said to him.

  "Not a chance," Richard said emphatically, accompanied by a wince as Chalmers brushed against his arm while making a final adjustment to his neckcloth. "I will not leave Miss Lucas to sit in the church alone when the first of the banns are called for our marriage. On top of that, I have already gone through the torture of getting dressed, or being dressed by Chalmers, if we want to be more accurate. Undressing to go back to bed will be just as bad."

  "Well, it looks like you are ready now. Your mood might be improved by some breakfast."

  "Or not," Richard said, holding up hands that had obviously been freshly re-bandaged. "I am not even certain I can manage to drink my coffee on my own with these."

  "You will figure it out. Mrs. Nichols provided a few things you might find easy enough to eat this morning even with hands that only function in a limited range."

  "Lead me to it," Richard said in a frustrated tone. He calmed a little as he sincerely thanked Chalmers for his assistance. The quiet, steady, older man had been in Darcy's service since his graduation from Cambridge and had always been both highly professional and discreet. A mere hint of a smile touched his lips as he accepted Richard's thanks in silence and bowed before leaving the two cousins together.

  "Does he have a twin?" Richard asked as they left, jerking his head in the direction of the door to the dressing room through which Chalmers was disappearing. "I am going to need someone like him as I settle down to be a country gentleman."

  "Not that I am aware of, but it hardly matters. Actually, what you will need is someone more like Mr. Hill. He serves as Bennet's valet and butler, along with doing whatever other tasks a male upper servant might do at Longbourn. Ideally, you would want a man married to a housekeeper as competent as Mrs. Hill or Mrs. Nichols. Mossridge is fairly small and you will not want to overburden it with servants. Do you have people in place right now?"

  "Well, yes, there is a man who serves as both a butler and a groundskeeper and a widow who is the housekeeper. They served my grandmother when she lived there as a young woman and have stayed on even as the house was unoccupied by the family. They are both well-on in years and plan to retire once the house needs to be actively run with a master in residence. Maybe I could steal the Hills from Bennet?"

  "No, no," Darcy laughed. "They belong to Longbourn and I should not wish to hear my mother-in-law complain for years that my cousin stole away the people who keep that household running comfortably. If you need new staff, the best course is to ask people you trust for recommendations. You have some good resources. Between them the Hills, Mrs. Nichols, Mrs. Reynolds and the Barlows at Darcy House are certain to know of a couple who would just fit in at Mossridge."

  "No poaching from the relatives, hmm?" Richard asked with a ghost of his usual grin.

  "Bad form, that." Darcy confirmed. "I was thinking earlier this morning that you probably picked up a bunch of bruises along with those cuts. Is it anything more serious?"

  "No, although a few of the deeper cuts had gotten a bit puffy and red. Chalmers treated them with a cream he swears will prevent infection and then he bandaged them up again. I feel like I've been thrown from a horse into a hedge of briers and landed on a bunch of sharp rocks. In fact, I know it feels just like that because that scenario happened to me once a few years ago. So, I also know it will take a little time, but I will recover. For now, I am just tired, cranky and I hurt all over."

  "I can understand that. Let me know what I can do to help as we go along. There is a difference between being independent and making things harder on yourself because you are too stubborn to ask for help. I do not navigate that one very well myself, so I will understand any reluctance you feel to ask for help just as I will not judge you as weak if you actually need the help."

  Richard sighed, "Thank you, Cousin. I will try to swallow my pride as needed, but as you say, it is difficult."

  ~*~

  Richard's insistence on attending church despite his injuries was correct in Darcy's estimate based on Miss Lucas's reactions. She had been waiting just outside the porch of the church, undeterred by the light misting of snow flurries, along with Elizabeth and Anne. When the Netherfield party exited their carriage, Darcy stepped out first and nodded to her as he helped Georgiana descend. He saw the concern in her face as Bingley stepped down next. There was a bit of a delay as Richard summoned the energy to get out as well. Darcy could see the tension in her face even under the brim of her bonnet. As Richard basically tumbled out of the carriage door, that tension eased away, and she smiled.

  Knowing it might be difficult for Richard to exit without the free use of his hands to grasp the sides of the carriage door, Darcy had stayed close by. Richard was able to stop the momentum of his exit by bumping against his cousin's back and using that as a support to regain his balance. Once he had his footing, Richard stiffly made his way over to his betrothed just as Darcy headed for Elizabeth.

  As Darcy kissed Elizabeth's hand and greeted Anne with a bow, Richard offered his own arm to Miss Lucas. She took it a little hesitantly. Clearly, she could see he was not moving well.

  "I am well enough, Miss Lucas. We should enter together, and I will sit next to you in your family pew if you do not mind." Richard told her. "As we discussed last night, everyone should see we are happy to be in company with one another."

  "Yes, Colonel," she replied. "I am happy to be in company with you." They began the short walk into the church.

  "Then perhaps you would call me Richard when we are talking privately?" Darcy's cousin gave her a winning grin, although it quickly faded as he moved wrong.

  "If you will call me Charlotte," she replied.

  "I think they will be fin
e," Elizabeth whispered to Darcy as they walked behind the new couple, with Anne and Georgiana following just behind them. "She was worried he would not arrive with you today. Is he badly injured?"

  "More than he lets on," Darcy whispered back. "He is determined to protect her from gossip in any way he can, though, and if that means walking through the pain, he will. Of course, he told me as we boarded the carriage that he was going to hurt today no matter where he was, so he might as well be where he could do some good at the same time."

  "I am glad of it. I mean, that he was willing to make the effort to come here instead of just hiding in bed. I hope he will feel better quickly."

  "I hope so as well. We can pray for that today among all the thanks I intend to offer for the many blessings we have." Darcy smiled at Elizabeth in a way he hoped would convey that he considered her one of the blessings. He thought perhaps she felt the same about him by the way she smiled back. All too soon they had to turn their attention to the greetings of their neighbors as they made their way to the Bennet family pew, where Bingley already waited with Jane and the rest of the family. He could see Mrs. Denny showing her wedding ring to various neighbors, although she must have been warned to modulate her voice and manner because she was speaking quietly and frequently looked to her husband, who stood with her, for approval.

  As they arrived at the pew, he offered greetings to all the family who would soon be his own. "I truly do have much for which to be thankful," Darcy thought as he settled into his place among them at Elizabeth's side. Georgiana and Anne joined them, making his family complete as they prepared for the worship service to begin.

  Chapter 33: Departure in the Snow

  Although the snow continued to fall through the night, it did not stick. Darcy rode through a continued light fluttering of flurries as the sun was just rising. Neither the snow nor the cold bothered him, as he wanted to reach Longbourn in time to bid farewell to the Dennys before spending a little time with Elizabeth. Her mother had claimed most of her day for wedding preparations, so Darcy knew he would not have much time with her later or over the next few days.

  The departing couple would be taking a hired carriage to Newcastle. Darcy had offered to sell Denny one of his older, small carriages at a significant family discount, but the Captain had graciously declined. While it would be more convenient to travel in their own vehicle, he explained, he did not want Mrs. Denny to take what was actually a luxury for granted, nor did he wish to take on the cost of the upkeep of the vehicle or stabling for the horse right away. They would be establishing themselves in a new town, and he wanted to use his funds to provide safe accommodations for his wife without straining their budget or setting Mrs. Denny's expectations too high.

  "She wanted to be an officer's wife, and that is what she has become," Denny had told Darcy. "It is not a life of ease and luxury. I know she is not capable of doing all the tasks of running a household on her own, so we will have a cook and a maid of all work. All the same, she will learn to do many things she has not had to do as the pampered daughter of a gentleman. Later, as I rise through the ranks and my pay becomes higher, she will appreciate each new luxury I can provide for her. A carriage is only necessary if you are doing a great deal of travel. We are more likely to stay close to camp."

  Darcy was not insulted by the refusal of his offer. He had assured Denny he understood and agreed with his logic. In his own circle of society, Darcy had become so used to always having a carriage available for his use, he had forgotten the costs that went along with it for someone who did not have their own stables and staff. When he thought about it, he realized even Mr. Bennet's carriage horses did double duty as work horses on the home farm, so Mrs. Denny was already used to walking where she needed to go except for special events. The discussion made him glad he had offered it as a purchase option instead of just sending for the carriage and proudly presenting it to Denny as gift, which had been his first inclination.

  The hired carriage had just arrived, and the driver was making it ready to be loaded with the trunks as Darcy rode up to the house. The family was at breakfast or just finishing it, although not all of them were really awake yet. One of the alert ones was Denny, who had stayed the night there just to make it easier to leave on time. Darcy joined him where he sat chatting with Elizabeth, Mr. Bennet, Anne and Mary.

  "I was glad to see the snow is not sticking yet," Denny told Darcy after greetings were exchanged.

  "I hope, for your sake, that continues to be the case all the way to Newcastle." Darcy replied, accepting the cup of coffee Elizabeth offered him.

  "You get no argument from me on that. At least we have plenty of time to take the trip in easy stages before I am required to report to my new unit."

  "I know you were considering stopping to visit with your family for a few days. Have you decided which way you will go?" asked Darcy.

  "Lydia is not quite ready to meet my family yet," he said. "They are not too far out of the way, but I think it is best we go straight on this time. We can visit with them later. Maybe I will get a few days leave for a visit this summer."

  "Going straight on will also relieve any need to hurry, while reducing any danger from the weather. I think you are making the best choice, Son," Mr. Bennet agreed. "Lydia is improving, but I would hate for her to embarrass you in front of your parents."

  "Yes, I glossed over the reasons for our marriage in my letter to them, focusing on my new promotion instead. I would rather tell my father the details in person after they have already accepted her as my wife."

  "It would be a shame if your parents decided they did not approve of your marriage. Is your older brother married yet?" Elizabeth asked.

  "Yes, Giles married early last year. My sister married two years ago and recently had a daughter. Both of my siblings married people we have known all our lives and my parents definitely approved of the matches. I am hoping to introduce them to Lydia in a way that will present her at her best."

  "An introduction through the post is probably your best option, then," Mr. Bennet chuckled. "Well, for now it looks like time to put on your coats and start your journey. I think Mrs. Hill is about to tell us your carriage is loaded and ready."

  Darcy's guess that Mrs. Hill would also have made sure there were hot bricks for the couple's feet and a hamper of food to carry with them was proved correct. Amid a welter of good wishes and not a few tears from the ladies of the house, Denny and his wife bundled into the carriage and began the journey into their future.

  Elizabeth leaned against Darcy's arm and sniffled a bit as she waved her sister off. "She annoys me terribly most of the time," she said, "but I will miss Lydia all the same."

  Darcy handed her his handkerchief. "It seems all your sisters feel something of the same."

  "Yes," she said quietly. "It is a woman's lot to leave her family behind when she marries, and we knew the time would come when at least some of us went away. That does not make it any easier when it finally comes to the point. Even more, I know this is just a foreshadowing of when I will have to leave the rest of my sisters and the only home I have ever known. I find the thought a little frightening, to tell the truth."

  Darcy sighed slightly. "That is a problem I cannot fix for you, much as I wish I could. I only know I will miss Georgiana when it comes time for her to marry and move away. I cannot imagine how much worse it would feel having four sisters to be parted from."

  "I am gaining you as a regular companion, and Georgiana for a few years as well," Elizabeth said a little more brightly. "Do not think I have any regrets in marrying you. It will just be different. The bit of fear comes from the unknown – Pemberley and all the people there, my new responsibilities. You've told me what you can of them, but some things I will only learn by going there and experiencing them."

  "Yes, I suppose it is analogous to when I went off to Eton. I knew what a school was, and I had been told stories by Richard, but the actual experience was still nothing quite like what I expected.
"

  Elizabeth nodded and leaned into his arm. They both jumped as Mr. Bennet clapped Darcy on the other shoulder as he walked by. "Come inside, children," he said, "It is getting cold out here and you are not really dressed for it.

  Elizabeth chuckled slightly as they both realized he was right. The snow seemed to be falling just a bit more thickly now, and it was becoming cold enough it might start to stick.

  Darcy's hope for a little more time with Elizabeth was dashed almost as soon as they entered the house. Mrs. Bennet had apparently been awakened by the cold air and now bustled around with energy and purpose.

  "Come along, Lizzy," she said, "we have much work to do. This wedding will not plan itself. You come as well, Anne. We need you to help with the planning. This is your cousins’ wedding, after all. I shall have to send someone over to Lucas Lodge to let Charlotte know we need her here as well."

  Seeing he would not be needed or able to spend time with Elizabeth, Darcy volunteered to stop at Lucas Lodge before he returned to Netherfield. His betrothed apologized for her mother's enthusiasm.

  "I had hoped to have some time with you as well," she said. "But there is no point trying to stop Mama when she gets like this. I appreciate you carrying the message to Charlotte for us."

  Darcy kissed her hand and took his leave, feeling rather glad all he had left to do for the wedding was show up. He did not really care about decorations or the food at the wedding breakfast. To him, all that was important was that the wedding would happen, and Elizabeth would soon be his wife.

  Although not a full-blown storm, the light snow was finally starting to stick in places as he reached Lucas Lodge. He did not plan to be long, so he asked the servant to have Miss Lucas come to the door to speak with him. When she arrived, he passed on Mrs. Bennet's message, adding, "Richard would want me to warn you to dress warmly and be careful as you go. It is getting cold out and none of us would wish you to become ill."