His Uncle's Favorite

by Lilian, Lory

  Darcy stopped and looked at his uncle, whose countenance expressed shock and disbelief. He continued, attempting a smile to lighten the tension.

  “She rejected me without hesitation. She accused me of being selfish and insensitive to the feelings of others, which we both know to be the truth. She properly humbled me as neither you nor my beloved parents ever did. My parents taught me what was right but never taught me to correct my temper. I was taught good principles but left to follow them in pride and conceit. Elizabeth placed a mirror in front of me and forced me to see myself in it—to see myself in her eyes. She showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased. Her words were as harsh and as painful as they were true, but for some time I did not allow the truth to touch my mind—that is, until I realised that running away does not bring relief and that happiness does not come from solitude. And then I returned to London.”

  The tension was so burdening that each of them felt the weight of it. The earl rose, opened two windows, then continued to pace the room, glancing at his favourite nephew from time to time. Then he finally spoke.

  “Damn, Nephew, I am amazed that you can be such an idiot at times! It is a wonder how you inherited this trait from me!”

  Darcy smiled but said nothing. He stared at his uncle, waiting for him to continue.

  “I… It is just that… I have always admired Madeleine Gardiner, but I have never considered… I valued and treasured my friendship with Edward Gardiner, and I would never dare to…”

  “Of course,” Darcy replied calmly.

  “But during the last year I found myself enjoying her company more than anyone else’s. And I kept searching for it—for her company, I mean. And…I was certain she accepted my attentions…so…a couple of days ago as you left for Hertfordshire, I proposed.”

  “It did not go well, I presume.”

  “No, it did not… In fact, yesterday I would have said it was horrible but now that you have shared your own experience, I must change my assessment. I did not make a fool of myself as you did—at least I hope not; my age should give me some small advantage. Neither of us was either impolite or offensive. But I believe I was too hasty. She was certainly surprised, and she even seemed frightened. She confessed she never thought I might come to her with such a proposal. She declined me decidedly, though she was kind and generous in her refusal, but I felt I pained her. I attempted to take the proposal back and assured her she had no reason to feel uncomfortable—that I would wait for her answer as long as she needed. I expressed my hope that the incident would not affect our friendship, and I assured her of my esteem and affection.”

  His emotion made the earl’s speech difficult, and Darcy thought he never before saw his uncle in such a state. He patiently waited.

  “She was extremely disturbed; I could see she was tearful though she tried to conceal her distress. She apologised many times and assured me of her gratitude for my support and friendship, and she asked my forgiveness for upsetting me. It was so painful to watch her barely fighting her tears—without daring to do anything to comfort her. I… I had little else to do except leave, though I wished to stay and talk to her as I used to do when I had a problem and needed advice. I hoped I could return the next day after we both had time to reconcile with our feelings. But…the next day I received a letter from her, saying she was forced to sever our friendship and begging me to allow her the time and distance to come to peace with herself. She asked my forgiveness if something in her behaviour misled me and raised expectations that could not be fulfilled. And she has refused to speak to me—or Selina—since then.”

  The earl gulped the remaining brandy and filled his glass again. Darcy stood silent.

  “So, Nephew—any wise advice for your old and unwise uncle?” He laughed bitterly.

  “No indeed, sir. I have no advice, and I dare say none is needed—except not to leave Town for this reason and not to be hasty anymore. And to respect her request. I speak from my own painful experience, not necessarily from wisdom.”

  “Hmm—you said no advice and yet here are three pieces of advice, all reasonably wise I might say. Do you think…considering what you said to me and how things changed for you and Elizabeth…do you believe there might be a change of mind by Mrs. Gardiner?”

  Darcy looked at his always self-confident, daring, mocking, and sometimes-impertinent uncle, now watching him display the uncertainty of a schoolboy.

  “As your lordship once said, I am not the most reliable person in matters of the heart. Besides, I was wrong once in estimating a lady’s feelings for my friend Bingley, so I would not dare form an opinion. What I can say from my own observation is that Mrs. Gardiner obviously enjoyed your company. But she is a very proper lady, and she would never allow her feelings to be openly displayed, even if those feelings did exist. And more so, I imagine how difficult it must be for her to consider binding herself to another man after she shared a life based on the deepest affection with a most beloved husband who died unexpectedly. I would imagine such a woman would not open her heart easily or allow her feelings to be exposed with haste, but that would only make it more worth the effort to conquer her heart.”

  The earl stared at his nephew in silence, both their countenances stern and unmovable.

  “Damn, Nephew, you might be an idiot sometimes, but you are as wise as Georgiana always said—very wise, indeed. You surely inherited that from your father.”

  Another glass of brandy and some tentative smiles were shared before they finally left the library. Just before they stepped out, the earl turned to Darcy again.

  “Nephew, this conversation never took place. None of these subjects have been discussed.”

  “What conversation, sir?”

  “Indeed—what conversation? Now—you and Georgiana should join me for dinner at Selina’s. I dare say she will be pleased to see us.”

  “So I would imagine, Uncle. I shall see you later tonight.”

  ***

  Darcy exited Matlock’s house and hesitated a moment before he gave orders to the coachman. When he arrived in Gracechurch Street, he was still uncertain whether his decision was the correct one, but he dismissed any thought that might advise against it.

  The servant introduced him to the drawing room where Mrs. Gardiner and the children were. He was greeted as warmly as he expected, but Mrs. Gardiner’s charming smile could not hide the dark circles around her eyes or her pallor. He took the offered seat while the hostess ordered drinks and refreshments and sent the children to their room.

  “I am very pleased to see you, sir. I hope everyone at Longbourn is in good health?”

  “Indeed they are; thank you. Mrs. Bennet is quite busy with all the wedding preparations. We changed the wedding date; we shall marry in two weeks’ time.”

  “Two weeks? That is extraordinary news. Sir, please allow me to tell how happy I am. I truly believe there cannot be a more perfect couple than you and Elizabeth.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Gardiner, your approval means so much to us. I hope Elizabeth is as happy as I am—that is all I want and hope for.”

  “I have no doubt she is. In fact, nobody who saw you together lately would doubt that.”

  He laughed nervously. “Yes, those who saw us lately might have no doubts. But anyone who saw us a few months ago would never imagine such a happy ending, I am sure.”

  Mrs. Gardiner released a delicate chuckle. “True. The beginning of your acquaintance was quite challenging, I might say.”

  “It is amazing how fate chooses to play with us sometimes. Less than six months ago, I never would have imagined I would be married by summer—and certainly not to Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

  He looked at his hostess with great seriousness, and then continued.

  “I admired Elizabeth from the very beginning, and my feelings for her began to grow long before I admitted those feelings to myself. I never thought I might attach myself to her, as I was certain she was not suitable
to be my wife; I forbade my mind and my heart even to consider her. However, there came a painful moment when I had to face the danger of losing her forever. The despair of never seeing her again forced me to ask myself about my true wishes and to take proper measures. It took me a long time to recognise that my happiness was Elizabeth. I learned in a most painful way that sometimes two people might not like each other in the beginning or might have a wrong first impression about each other or might begin as mere acquaintances—or quite the contrary, be long-time friends—only to discover that fate has different plans for them. And if one fails to recognise one’s true feelings and wishes, the distance from happiness to despair is a mere step away.”

  Darcy’s voice remained calm even as he struggled to smile. However, by the time he ended his confession, Mrs. Gardiner’s eyes were tearful, and she was biting her lips in a valiant attempt to maintain her countenance. For a time, there was a heavy silence in the room. Mrs. Gardiner’s pale face coloured red while her hands trembled in her lap.

  Finally, Darcy rose and bowed to her. “Mrs. Gardiner, please forgive me if my words upset you; that was never my intention. You know how greatly Elizabeth admires and loves you, and please have no doubt about my affection and gratitude for you.”

  “Thank you, sir. And please do not worry; you did not upset me. I shall be fine.”

  “I am glad to hear that. And I hope you feel better soon; my cousin and my sister were quite worried about you. I hope you know how much they value your friendship.”

  “Yes, I know… Please convey my apologies to them. I hope we shall meet again soon.”

  “Perfect. I shall leave you now; I must send a detailed letter to Elizabeth and assure her you will attend our wedding in two weeks. She was most insistent about that.”

  Mrs. Gardiner forced a gentle smile. “Mr. Darcy, you are a wise man, sir.”

  “Believe me, I am not; but I thank you nevertheless.” He smiled back.

  “Sir, I was wondering… Is Lord Matlock well, I hope?”

  “Not at the moment, but I am quite sure he soon will be. Good day, Mrs. Gardiner!”

  Outside the house, Darcy took a deep breath of fresh air. Only then did he feel the tension and understand how delicate his intervention had been. Fortunately, Mrs. Gardiner was a woman of great intelligence and remarkable wisdom, so she surely took his words properly. And she did not seem upset—sad, troubled maybe, even fearful, but not upset.

  Perhaps he was a wise man after all since both the earl and Mrs. Gardiner declared it so.

  ***

  There was a din during meal at Selina’s, and everyone spoke more than they actually ate. The Matlock siblings, along with Anne and Georgiana, were utterly surprised to see their father almost his usual self. He did not miss the opportunity to tease Darcy about the disappointment of half the ladies in London at his marriage, a comment that made Anne and Georgiana blush violently.

  Darcy inquired about Lady Catherine, but he was told they had no news since she returned to Rosings. The announcements about Darcy’s engagement to Elizabeth were already in the newspapers, so it was presumed Lady Catherine was resigned that there was nothing she could do. Anne then asked whether Mr and Mrs. Bennet were upset over Lady Catherine’s visit to Longbourn, but Darcy could assure them—with complete honesty—that they had been delighted. By the end of the evening, Anne’s distress diminished enough to smile and enjoy the good dinner and the joyful company.

  For the next days, Darcy’s time in Town was split among his solicitor’s office, his club and his uncle’s house.

  Two days after his visit to Gracechurch Street, Georgiana and Selina each received a note from Mrs. Gardiner, thanking them for their concern. The note also said that, if they happened to be in the neighbourhood, they would be most welcome to visit at anytime—which event occurred that same afternoon. On her return, Georgiana was happy to report to her brother that Mrs. Gardiner seemed if not fully recovered then certainly improving.

  Darcy decided to spend the remaining time finishing his business, so nothing would disturb their newlywed time. Keeping his mind occupied was a good idea as, the moment he had nothing else to think of, his thoughts returned to Elizabeth and the pain of being separated from her. He was content, though, that there was such a distance between them, or else he surely would not be able to keep his promise to Mr. Bennet.

  After the wedding, they would go directly to Pemberley, he suggested to Elizabeth in a letter, and she happily accepted. He wished to be alone with her so that they could dedicate themselves to each other without any distractions or disturbances.

  He had already ordered Mrs. Reynolds to have everything perfectly arranged for Mrs. Darcy’s arrival. Mrs. Reynolds replied with two pages of questions about Miss Bennet’s favourite colour, her preferences in dishes, her wishes to change the furniture in the apartment, and personal maid of the future Mrs. Darcy. He assured the housekeeper that Mrs. Darcy would not require any changes, at least for the present, and declared he trusted Mrs. Reynolds to find the most suitable maid to serve Mrs. Darcy personally.

  He had been in Town for six days and expected the papers to be ready the next day as his solicitor assured him. Two more days would pass until he could return to Netherfield with his family. Even Anne insisted on attending—to everyone’s surprise and to Bingley’s great delight as he had long wished to have Netherfield filled with dear guests.

  The earl had not decided whether he would attend, and Darcy did not insist as he knew Mrs. Gardiner would be there. Since the day he talked to both his uncle and Elizabeth’s aunt, Darcy had not brought up the delicate subject again. He did not intend, nor would he ever dare, to interfere further between the earl and Mrs. Gardiner.

  A couple of days before, Darcy was forced to bear a stressful and disturbing visit from Miss Bingley. To his utter shock, she arrived alone, asked for Georgiana—who was not at home—and instead of leaving, simply took a seat. She than declared that she could not believe he decided to marry Eliza Bennet and reminded him of his unfavourable comments in November about the Bennet family. Then, suddenly, she changed the subject and confessed to him that she always loved children exceedingly and wished nothing more than to have at least four children when she married. Darcy could do little but listen to her—dumbfounded, clueless, and fearing what she would say next.

  She left only when Bingley unexpectedly appeared at the door, questioning the reason for his sister’s presence there and offering to escort her back home.

  On the evening of the sixth day, Darcy and Georgiana had a late and peaceful dinner alone as they had for the past three days. These were the last days of their solitude, and Darcy tried to spend as much time with her as possible. He already warned her that after the wedding she would have to bear his utter neglect as he intended to spend an entire month at Pemberley alone with Elizabeth. Georgiana laughed and assured him that the joy of having Elizabeth as her sister would be worth being neglected for a while.

  They were enjoying the second course when a servant entered to announce a visitor, and the most surprising appearance lifted Darcy from his seat.

  “Mr. Bennet! What an extraordinary surprise, sir! Please come in, what—” He was shocked into silence as he saw Elizabeth step shyly from behind her father, her appearance in great disorder, her eyes red and swollen. Georgiana cried in surprise and ran to her, while Darcy quickly took her hands and sat her in a chair.

  “Good Lord, what happened? Elizabeth, are you ill?”

  Elizabeth did not reply, only her hands held his tightly while she avoided looking either at him or at Georgiana. “Perhaps you and Papa should talk privately,” she whispered.

  Mr. Bennet, however, replied with reasonable coherence. “She is not ill; do not worry sir. Please forgive us for such an intrusion, but we did not know where to go as we are quite desperately in need of all the help we can find… We… This is quite ridiculous, and I would laugh if I were not so ashamed… My daughter Lydia… She eloped with Wickham. Po
or stupid, mindless child. She ran away from home with Wickham.”

  Darcy looked at Mr. Bennet in disbelief. His common sense wanted to deny the possibility of what he just heard while his mind painfully comprehended the gravity of it. He glanced at his sister, whose pale countenance seemed burdened by sadness, then at Elizabeth, whose eyes were still averted to the floor. He returned his attention to Mr. Bennet without releasing Elizabeth’s hands.

  “I am grieved, indeed. Grieved, shocked… How did this happen? When? Where?”

  “It happened last night, but we discovered it only this morning. It was my fault… Lydia was very upset that we did not allow her to go to Brighton, and she argued with her mother daily. I confess I could hardly bear all their fights; so when she asked me to allow her to spend some time with Maria Lucas, I was quite pleased. She went to Maria three days ago, and the first night everything was fine. Then the second night… When Maria went to wake her for breakfast this morning, the elopement was discovered.”

  “But are you certain, absolutely certain that she eloped?”

  “I am certain, unfortunately. She left a letter for Maria that is very clear. And I suspect Kitty was aware of her plans. She said they would go to Gretna Green to marry, but I somehow doubt it. I left Longbourn immediately, and Lizzy insisted she on coming with me. I confess I did not wish to bring her, but I had no strength to fight with her—so here we are. We stopped at every station, every inn from Meryton to London, asking about them. We have reason to believe they are in London, but from this point on, I am completely lost. I do not know how I could possibly trace them in Town. If you have any information…”

  Darcy suddenly released Elizabeth’s hand and started pacing the room. Mr. Bennet followed him with a preoccupied gaze, not daring to interrupt him.

  Elizabeth’s pain and the coldness in her soul froze the tears on her face. Her hands trembled, hanging in their loneliness, while the shame forbade her eyes to rise from the floor. She could hear his steps and feel his anger while she feared what he must be thinking. What would he do in such a horrible situation that could possibly have a favourable solution?