by Wynne Mabry
“There was no need. All my family jewels were safely in the bank before I went to Pemberley. Those will be all Anne’s things, and she is entitled to them. I do not want her property either, but your father has said that it will likely be awarded to me as compensation. Adulteresses are not usually given their property back. I suppose it will be better for the tenants if I maintain the estate though, and I can make Anne a generous allowance. I shall never speak to her or my aunt again, but I do not wish them to be in want. They can stay at Rosings and have plenty to live on.”
“That is more than most men would do. You are generous to the end, Darcy.”
“No, not generous.” He shook his head. “It is the right thing to do. They will suffer because of Anne’s choices, but they should not be deprived because of mine. I am free. That is all that matters.”
“Shall we go and get your things now?”
Mr. Darcy looked about his now quiet hall. “I do not think so,” he said after a moment. “I do not want to live here anymore. I shall put this house up for sale and start again somewhere else. My lodgings will do very well for a little longer. I am quite comfortable there.”
Free at Last
With nothing new to report, the newspapers could not make much of the second trial. In the ones which Lord Matlock read, the information that his nephew had obtained a divorce was reported with a brevity which he found comforting.
“Catherine has been on at me to put a clause into your divorce bill preventing you from ever marrying Miss Bennet,” he told his nephew, who looked at him in horror before he added, “I shall not, of course. There is no reason for it. My sister does seem to have a rather particular and excessive dislike for Miss Bennet. It is hard to comprehend why. Her family is a humble one, but I have always thought her a very well-mannered young lady, and really quite charming. We must make a point of inviting her to dinner when she is back in town. Maria and I would not want her to have the impression that we think anything of this nonsense about an affair.”
“I do not think she will be in town this winter,” Mr. Darcy said. “Mr. and Mrs. Bingley have the intention of spending the winter in the country instead of coming to town with an infant.”
“Ah, yes. I saw an announcement of their son’s birth. He is a healthy child, I hope.”
“Very much so.”
“Excellent. You must pass my congratulations on to your friends the next time you see them. Now, what about having Georgiana come to stay with your aunt and me for a week or two? It has been some time since we were together. She may perhaps have been disappointed in me, but I hope that bridges can be mended.”
“I am sure she would like that too.”
Mr. Darcy rode to Netherfield one day at the end of January and put this proposal to Georgiana, who was happy to mend bridges after hearing that her uncle had treated her brother fairly, and that he did not share in the suspicions which had been held against her dearest friend. Her plans for departure were made, but an amendment was made to them after she received a letter from Lady Matlock, inviting her to bring Elizabeth as well.
“Would you like to come?” Georgiana asked hesitantly. “I suppose you cannot be very pleased with some members of my family, but I believe that my aunt and uncle Matlock wish to make amends.”
“I would be very happy to accept,” Elizabeth replied. “Indeed, it would be churlish of me to reject such a generous offer.”
The two of them and Mrs. Annesley left Netherfield a few days later. Upon arriving, Elizabeth was welcomed in an exceptionally friendly manner. Their visit was extended beyond just a week or two, and for the next month, she was made to feel very much at home. The Matlocks often referred to her as their niece’s very dear friend, but by the time she left, they were referring to her as their own dear friend.
“She really is a delightful young lady,” Lord Matlock said to Mr. Darcy. “It is a pity about her connections, but I am not ashamed to know her. Your aunt was right to convince me that we should invite her to visit instead of just to dine. You may not want to think of marrying again, but if you do decide to take a chance on it, you would do well to find somebody with a temperament like Miss Bennet’s. From a better family, of course, but somebody just like her.”
Mr. Darcy paid no heed to that part of his uncle’s advice. “I think that I might be inclined to marry again,” he said. “After a suitable period of time, of course.”
“Naturally. You would not want to do anything in haste. That would make a very unfortunate appearance to the world.”
On the following week, his bill was given first reading in parliament, and there was nothing to hinder it. The second reading took place a couple of weeks later.
As a matter of course, all the witnesses testified yet again. Anne was entitled to counsel, and her representative attempted to demonstrate that the couple had not been on good terms, but Mr. Darcy felt satisfied that the evidence supported his counsel’s assertion that they had been on reasonably good terms despite a few disagreements.
The bill was passed, and he went home feeling that a great burden had been lifted. It was too late to go to Netherfield, but he meant to travel there the next day.
His case was again in the newspapers the next morning, but not as he had expected. Very little was said of the proceeding which had taken place in the house. That was only a minor detail in some far more sensational news, which he read with astonishment.
Scandalous Elopement – Mrs. Darcy, that notorious adulteress whose activities have lately been much in the news, is believed to have eloped with her lover. Yesterday, she and Mr. Upton were seen by several witnesses as they embarked upon the northern road. “They actually kissed each other in the public rooms,” said Miss Smith, a barmaid at the Mitre Inn in Barnet. Since separating from her ill-used husband, who was granted his divorce yesterday, Mrs. Darcy has been living quietly at Rosings in Kent with her mother, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She is reported to have left Rosings in the early hours of the morning and to have made excellent progress in one day. It is speculated that the couple could have made Northhampton by nightfall if they kept up their pace. This is a remarkable feat for a lady who dislikes travelling as much as Mrs. Darcy. Haste may be advisable though. It is rumoured that Lady Catherine is in pursuit.
Better that than coming here to blame me, Mr. Darcy thought, but he hurriedly went to prepare for his journey, just in case she should suddenly turn up.
In a few more hours, he was with his friends and his sister, thanking them for standing by him through troubles. The storm was over and the future looked clear.
The Greatest Joy of All
“That was very nice of Mr. Darcy,” Jane said to her sister after they had heard his plans for the disposition of Rosings. “Now Colonel Fitzwilliam will be able to marry according to the dictates of his heart.”
“He will indeed. I wonder how long it will be before he proposes to Moira.”
“Moira? What can you mean?”
“My dear sister, you must have noticed that he is in love with her.”
“I have not.”
“You surprise me. I thought that you of all people would have noted the signs.”
“But Lizzy, I thought he was in love with you. And you with him. How can you speak so calmly of him marrying somebody else?”
“Because I have never had the slightest idea of being in love with him. How could you have thought it?”
“You gave me the idea. When you refused Colonel Bryce. You said that you could not marry anybody else, and it seemed logical to assume that you were talking of Colonel Fitzwilliam.”
“Did I say that? I cannot remember it.”
“You were rather distraught at the time.”
“Yes, I was. I did hate disappointing such a nice person. But at least I turned him down in the politest way. That proposal did not go as disastrously as the other two.”
“The other two? What do you mean, Lizzy? Has somebody else proposed to you?”
“Did I s
ay two? I meant one.”
“You meant two. I am sure of it. Will you not tell me about it?”
“I suppose I have to now, but you must promise not to let him see that you know. I never wanted anybody to know how badly he was insulted and rejected. I did not speak lightly in using the word disastrous. My words still haunt me. Arrogance. Conceit. Selfish disdain for the feelings of others. I did not hold back in expressing my dislike. I told him that he was the last man in the world whom I could ever marry.”
“But who is he?”
“I accused him of having done irreparable harm to Mr. Wickham, and of having destroyed the happiness of a beloved sister.”
“Mr. Darcy! He proposed to you. When was this?”
“The day before he became engaged to Miss de Bourgh. It was my fault, Jane. All of it my fault. I was rude and insulting, and he went away angry. I caused the mood in which he decided to marry her instead. It is my fault that he and Georgiana were so unhappy. If only I could have been polite to him, none of it would have happened.”
“You cannot blame yourself, Lizzy. I am sure that he does not.”
“No, he is too good and kind. He told me that it was not my fault, but I cannot forget that I had a part in it. And the worst thing is that I was wrong in everything I said. He is not arrogant or conceited, and he cares a great deal for the feelings of others. He did no harm to Wickham, and he was not deliberately cruel to you. And then he went and fixed his error. I had to like him a little better the moment I heard of that. And I was wrong in the worst possible way. He is actually the only man in the world I want to marry. I love him. With all my heart I love him, and I may never be able to tell him so.”
There was a knock at the door to Jane’s sitting room, and then it was opened by Mr. Darcy.
“I could not help hearing your voice,” he said.
“There is something I need to fetch,” Jane said, and she got up and walked out as he had once done for her.
“Say that again,” Mr. Darcy said, sitting down beside Elizabeth. “Tell me that you love me. A little quieter perhaps, but tell me a thousand times over, for I can never hear it enough.”
She smiled at his levity before leaning close to him and whispering, “I love you,” in his ear. “I love you, my dearest Fitzwilliam. I love you.”
“I love you too, my darling Elizabeth. I could not stop loving you for all that I knew it was wrong. I pushed those feelings away and made a friend of you instead, which has been one of the greatest joys of my life. But now, I would rather have the greater joy of being your husband. Forget about guilt and blame. Let us put the past to rest and go forward together.”
EPILOGUE
Of Ships and Sense and Settlements
That winter Mr. Darcy and his sister settled into their new home, which was conveniently next door to the house which Mr. Bingley had purchased.
“I hope you will not mind being unable to wave to Elizabeth,” he said to Georgiana. I tried to persuade the people who lived there to move out and let us move in, but they are quite attached to their house.”
“I hope you did nothing of the sort,” she cried with laughter. “And of course I do not mind, for she will soon be living here anyway.”
“Six months,” Mr. Darcy sighed. “I do not call that soon.”
Their engagement was known only to the few people closest to them. For the sake of propriety, it was to be kept secret until sufficient time had gone by, but Mr. Bennet had given his consent, and naturally the Bingleys knew. So did Colonel Fitzwilliam and his new wife.
Elizabeth had been correct about his feelings. In fact, he had been so much in love, that he had already proposed even before knowing how he was to support a wife. And she, feeling exactly the same way, had accepted him with the expectation that they would have next to nothing.
“I was going to lower my standard of living considerably for the sake of love,” he had said to his cousin. “I very much appreciate that we shall not have to make do after all. I probably would not have been very good at it.”
“I expect not,” Mr. Darcy had said with a smile. “You are not exactly extravagant, but you do have a liking for that standard of living. Anyway, I could think of nobody better for the place. I have confidence that you will be an excellent landlord.”
Fortunately, the couple did not have to share their new home with Lady Catherine. Humiliated by her daughter’s double disgrace, she had left Kent to go and live where nobody would know her. With her own personal fortune giving her all the choice in the world, she had booked passage on a ship and ventured forth to new pastures. Mr. Darcy felt great sympathy for the residents of a place called Toronto.
Lacking her mother’s intrepidity, Anne had settled in Gretna Green, thus saving herself the trouble of a journey home after her hasty wedding. Mr. Darcy had heard that she had sold her jewels, which had fetched quite a significant sum. Apparently, she and her husband wanted for nothing other than the ability to understand their new neighbours. He could not assist them in that regard; however, feeling that Anne was entitled to something, he made a generous settlement upon her. As she would also inherit her mother’s thirty thousand pounds one day, he felt there would be sufficient wealth to establish the child who was born not very many months after her parents’ wedding, as well as any future siblings.
In future years, Mr. Darcy was also generous to some of Mr. Wickham’s children, whom he considered to be well deserving of his aid. The eldest daughter and two of her brothers grew up to be remarkably sensible. Mr. Darcy was happy to pay for their schooling and to assist in establishing the young men in their careers. The two boys, possibly influenced by the mismanagement they had witnessed in their parents’ affairs, were economical and wise investors. One of them made his fortune in the growth of the railways, and Mr. Darcy reaped an excellent profit on his own investment as well.
The daughter, who took up the reins of her mother’s household from an early age, grew into a wise and practical young lady. Her mother declared that she would never marry, having no aptitude for flirtation; however, her attributes were well appreciated by the military community in which her life was centered. She had her choice of suitors and made a very happy marriage to a colonel with five thousand a year.
While Mr. Wickham appreciated having sons who could keep him in funds, he always had a preference for the one who possessed all his charms while Lydia preferred her younger daughters, who were all practiced flirts. She could not find any commonalities with her more practical daughter, although she did appreciate the household savings which made it a little easier for her to buy the pretty bonnets which were always catching her eye.
Of Marriages and Things
“You are engaged to Mr. Darcy?” Mrs. Bennet cried with delight when Elizabeth informed her mother of their engagement almost a year after she and Mr. Darcy had declared their feelings for each other. “This is wonderful news. I thought that you would never marry at all, being so particular. While you have been dilly-dallying, Maria Lucas has found herself a husband, and now even Mary is engaged.”
Mary had been in London over the winter, and she had pleased her mother by returning engaged to a worthy, although dull gentleman.
“But now I see that it was all for the best that you waited,” Mrs. Bennet continued. “I really should have thought of him as a suitor for you myself. I do not know why it never occurred to me.”
“You are going to marry Miss Bennet?” Lord Matlock said, when he was informed by his nephew at about the same time. “Well, you could have done better as to fortune and connections, but she is a delightful lady. And her character is excellent. That is what really matters. I find myself compelled to approve of your choice. She will make you a fine wife. Do bring her to dinner sometime soon. We must celebrate this excellent news.”
Mary, by right of having been engaged first, at least in the eyes of the world, was married a few weeks before her elder sister. Her wedding was a quiet affair, which was just what Elizabeth had envis
ioned for herself. It seemed appropriate given the groom’s divorced status.
But there were too many people who must be included. Lord and Lady Matlock insisted that they would not miss it for anything, which was just what Mrs. Bennet had been wanting to hear. The Gardiners and the Fitzwilliams, who were so dear to the bride and groom, were indispensable to the occasion. Naturally the Bingleys were there, and Mary was back from her wedding journey just in time to attend. Lydia had hopes of attending, but to Elizabeth’s relief, Mr. Wickham was kept in Newcastle by his duties, and his wife was kept at home by the expectation of another baby.
The Lucases and a few other family friends were invited by her mother. Kitty begged for Maria to be included, or else she would have nobody to talk with. Elizabeth was happy to oblige, and she was pleased that her old friend Charlotte was able to attend as well. The Fitzwilliams had brought her with them, but not Mr. Collins. She had no idea how that had been managed, but she was very grateful not to have his presence at her wedding.
It took place on a sunny day, for which Mr. Darcy was grateful. All the omens seemed excellent this time. The sun shone brightly upon them, and they were serenaded by the same boy who had banged the saucepans at Jane and Bingley’s wedding. Best of all, his sister, who was bridesmaid, looked as happy as he felt.
That night, he took his wife to bed and discovered the joys of having a warm and willing companion in matrimonial bliss. In the morning, he woke with her in his arms and felt that life could not be more perfect.
And Why There Can Always Be More Perfection
Nobody entertained any suspicious thoughts about the Darcys, and they were well accepted in town.
“I may yet be the first divorced man to be allowed into Almack’s,” Mr. Darcy said to his wife in the park one morning. “I never expected to be treated with such cordiality by the countess.”