by Elaine Owen
“Lady Catherine wrote to Darcy shortly after you arrived at Pemberley,” the colonel began, speaking earnestly, “threatening to do everything in her power to have him repudiate his marriage to you. You know how determined she is, once her mind is set on a plan. Darcy has been fighting her ever since.”
Elizabeth gasped in disbelief. “Repudiate his marriage? I do not understand.”
“She threatened you in town with having your marriage annulled, did she not? I thought I understood from Darcy that she had.”
Elizabeth recalled her forceful encounter with Lady Catherine at Darcy House. “You might say that we had a spirited discussion. She did say something about finding an error in the marriage contract, but Mr. Darcy assured me that he would never go along with such a plan.”
“Of course he would not! The man is utterly devoted to those he loves, and besides, this would not be the conduct of a gentleman. He told Lady Catherine that he has no intention of breaking his marriage vows to you, now or ever.”
Darcy’s letter, resting inside her sleeve where she had hidden it for safekeeping, became even more poignant. “They must have had this conversation when he returned her call to me at Darcy House, the night before we left town.”
“Indeed. Lady Catherine told him then that she would do everything in her power to see his ‘degrading’ marriage ended. Darcy lost his temper entirely and told her that she would never be welcome at Pemberley again, unless by some miracle she found it in her heart to beg your forgiveness and recognize you from then on as Mrs. Darcy.”
So Darcy had been her champion that night after all! Elizabeth’s heart leaped. “Go on.”
“Her ladyship was quite disturbed, as you can imagine. I cannot recall the last time anyone defied Lady Catherine de Bourgh so thoroughly! She became incensed and made wild accusations against your character. The servants told me it was quite a scene.”
Elizabeth recalled her own interview with the strong-willed matriarch. “Creating scenes seems to be a particular talent of hers.”
The colonel nodded. “She finally threatened to have Georgiana removed from Darcy’s care entirely unless he did as she wished. At that point, Darcy turned and left the house.”
No wonder Darcy had been so grim and preoccupied at the table that evening! “I knew that he was disturbed by his meeting with her, but he would not give me any of the particulars.”
The colonel snorted. “I am not surprised. Darcy has an inordinate sense of responsibility. He believes it is his duty to shield those he loves from unpleasantness around them, no matter how futile the effort. It is at once one of his best qualities and one of his worst, for how can one man carry such a heavy burden his whole life? But I digress.
“Darcy did not believe that Lady Catherine was serious in her threats. As you have seen for yourself, she has often tried to intimidate others into doing what she wants. Because of her title and wealth, most people acquiesce very quickly, and so her threats have never turned into anything more. This time was different. Almost from the moment you left town, she began to contact other family members, trying to bring pressure to bear on him.”
“Is that why he went to town so hastily?”
The colonel shook his head. “I gather from Darcy that some other matter drove him to town, though he would not say exactly what.” Here he glanced at her uncertainly. “But after he arrived he found that Lady Catherine had begun agitating against him with the other members of the family.”
All this time she had been unaware of the turmoil weighing on her husband. “But she could not succeed! Was not Mr. Darcy’s guardianship of his sister laid out in their father’s will? How can a will be overturned?”
“It cannot be overturned, but it can be ignored.”
“And how does she mean for it to be ignored? What is it that she means to do?”
The colonel hesitated before he answered. “Lady Catherine thinks that if enough family pressure is brought to bear on Darcy, he will give you up rather than risk losing his sister.”
“I see.” Her heart sank as the implications of the colonel’s statement hit home. Her thoughts floundered, drowning in a sea of doubt. Though she was now convinced of Darcy’s devotion to her, he was also devoted to his sister. Which affection would carry more weight with him, if put to the test? Yet the letter Elizabeth had read last night seemed to say that he had already made his choice. The colonel saw the look on her face and spoke gently.
“Never fear, Mrs. Darcy. Lady Catherine’s scheme has no chance of success without Darcy’s cooperation, which he will never give. Men like my cousin do not surrender their hearts easily; and once given, there is no chance of it being recalled. Darcy will find a way to rally the family to his side and keep you and Georgiana.”
Elizabeth took a deep breath. The colonel had put her feet on solid ground again. “How does your aunt mean to bring this pressure?”
“By telling everyone in the family about your low connections, as she calls them; your lack of fortune, and your ‘utter unsuitability,’ as she terms it, to have any influence upon Georgiana. She believes that if Darcy is forced to choose between you and his sister, he will choose her; and then he will offer you a discreet settlement in order to end the marriage. At that point, she believes, Darcy will finally marry her own daughter.”
“What an evil, despicable woman!” Elizabeth cried. “To separate a brother and sister who love each other, merely for the sake of advancing her own daughter!”
“To say nothing of separating a devoted husband and wife,” the colonel said with a quick, inquisitive look, leaving Elizabeth to wonder if he had guessed more than he was saying. She wished he would not be so prescient, but she would admit nothing. She raised her chin proudly.
“I trust you have no plans to take Georgiana away with you. If you do, you must know that I would never go along with such a scheme.”
“Of course not! I could take her with me, as her other guardian, and nobody would contest my right to do so. But I will not. She is happy here at Pemberley, with her brother and you. And,” he added with a half smile, “I see no harm from her association with the ‘headstrong, impertinent girl’ my aunt described meeting. In fact, I can see that your lively spirits have been very good for her.”
Elizabeth barely noticed the compliment. “Then why are you at Pemberley? Would it not be better for you to stay in town, to stand with my husband against his aunt?”
“For two reasons. First, to see for myself how Georgiana is doing with you. Darcy gave me nothing but glowing reports on her progress, but I had to see for myself. And secondly, he thought it best for me to be here in case Lady Catherine tries to take matters into her own hands.”
Elizabeth thought of the colonel’s hasty ride from town, of the fatigued animal outside the stable. “You mean in case Lady Catherine sends someone to collect Georgiana without my husband’s consent.”
“Exactly.” Seeing her look of horror, he added, “Never fear, Mrs. Darcy. It is only a precaution. Darcy has retained the services of the best solicitor in the city, and he is working day and night to stop this foolishness and make Lady Catherine give up her objections forever. He is fighting for you—and Georgiana—even as we speak. Mrs. Darcy, where are you going?” he added, for Elizabeth had risen and was making her way to the door.
“I beg your pardon, colonel. Please forgive me for taking my leave of you, but it is imperative that my husband receives this letter as soon as possible.”
“But—this very instant?” he said in amazement to her retreating back, and Elizabeth forced herself to turn around.
“Though I am not at liberty to give you further details, I can assure you that Mr. Darcy has great need of the information I am sending him.”
“Then I will not detain you for a moment, but allow me to secure the services of a trustworthy member of this household. We can ensure that Darcy hears from you as soon as possible. I will speak with Mrs. Reynolds right now to find someone, if you wish.”
Elizabeth thanked him, and the colonel, ever obliging, left to do as he said. In the meantime, Elizabeth stood contemplatively, studying her letter to Darcy as it lay in her hand. She ran her fingers thoughtfully over the seal. Her husband was defying his aunt, he was bearing with the scrutiny of his family, and he was risking losing his beloved sister; all for the sake of a woman who had never even declared her affection for him—except in this letter. Should she open the letter and add to it, letting her husband know that she was aware of the forces he faced?
No, she decided. It was better for him to believe she was acting of her own free will, without undue influence; which was certainly the truth, for she had been entirely ignorant of Lady Catherine’s machinations until now. That, she suddenly realized, was probably the reason Darcy had held back this vital information—he wanted to be certain that, if she chose to stay at Pemberley, it would be for himself, not for consideration of Georgiana or anything else. She would do him the same honor and let her words stand as they were. This was not the time to do anything to make Darcy doubt her motives or her faith in him, just when their relationship might finally be on a secure footing.
With the colonel’s assistance and a recommendation from Mrs. Reynolds she was soon able to secure the services of one of the under grooms, who was happy to travel to town for the handsome bonus she promised. She commissioned the letter to his care, bidding him to take it to her husband with all possible speed and hoping he might return with an answer from her husband, or even, possibly, with Darcy himself. With luck her letter would be in his hands late the following day. All she could do now was wait.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Two days passed by quietly at Pemberley, with nothing of note occurring. By unspoken agreement Elizabeth and the colonel arranged their activities so that one or the other of them was within easy sight of Georgiana at all times, and they deliberately kept their walks about the estate as close to the house as possible without arousing suspicion. The colonel had arranged that news of any unusual arrivals or visitors to Lambton would be brought to him right away, and he kept a wary eye out for anyone making unexpected deliveries to the house. All of this was an elaborate precaution, the colonel assured Elizabeth, as the real battle was being fought in town, but he was following Darcy’s admonition to be thorough. Colonel Fitzwilliam threw himself into the task so much that Elizabeth suspected he rather relished the opportunity to play soldier at home, rather than fighting foreigners across the sea.
Elizabeth, of course, had her own reason to look out for any deliveries coming to the house. Her answering letter to Darcy must have reached him by now, and she could expect a response, one way or the other, within a day or two—depending on how he chose to reply. He might send an answering letter back to her, but she rather hoped she would look out the window and see either his carriage or himself on horseback riding up the lane at any moment. What he would say to her, and how she would respond to him, were questions that preoccupied her constantly. She longed to see the smile he saved only for her, to hear his deep voice speak her name, to feel his admiring gaze on her once again. It had been too, too long.
With Georgiana’s constant presence it was difficult for Elizabeth to speak privately with Colonel Fitzwilliam again, but in the afternoon of the second day she did manage a few quiet moments in the midst of a spirited discussion on the contents of The Mysteries of Udolpho. Georgiana and the colonel disagreed on the names of two of the main villains of the story.
“It was Morano, Georgiana, you may depend on it. I read the story too many times on my passage to India to forget such a point. Morano married poor Emily’s aunt and imprisoned both her and Emily in Udolpho castle,” the colonel said decisively.
“No, Richard, his name was Montoni. You are confusing Morano with Montoni because their names are so alike. Montoni was the man who imprisoned Emily and Madam Cheron.”
The colonel shook his head. “No. My memory insists that Morano tried to force Emily to marry Count Montoni!”
“I know I am right, for I read Udolpho nearly every year!” Georgiana cried. “Montoni married Madam Cheron for her money, and then he commanded Emily to marry Count Morano. Am I not right, Elizabeth?”
“Mrs. Radcliffe should have picked her villain’s names more carefully, in order to avoid arguments like this,” said Elizabeth, laughing. “Poor Emily had so many tormenters that it made no difference to me what they were called. I was always more interested in Annette and her Ludovico.”
“You are wise, Mrs. Darcy, to stay out of any dispute between Georgiana and me. We have these sorts of arguments regularly and never quite seem to resolve any of them!” The colonel laughed in his turn.
“This dispute shall be resolved, though, for my copy of the book is in the library even now. I will go fetch it and you will see that I am right,” said Georgiana. She left the room with the air of determination that had become more characteristic of her in the last few weeks, and the colonel watched her go with an air of satisfaction.
“It is remarkable what a change you have brought about in her,” he said, when he was certain Georgiana was out of earshot. “She is still shy at times, but your self-possession has certainly begun to make its mark on her.”
“I have grown very fond of Georgiana,” Elizabeth answered with an affectionate smile. “Her improvements have been her own making, however. She has come to the age where self-assurance naturally begins to grow as young ladies are exposed to more society; and over time, I believe you will see her confidence improve even more.”
“Hmph! I do not agree. She told me that she told you all about her sad business last summer, and that you spoke to Darcy on her behalf. You must have worked some kind of magic, I think, to win her trust so easily. She said her mind has been remarkably free from worry since that time, and for that I must thank you.”
“And I thank you, but you still give me too much credit. It is merely the effect of having the listening ear of an understanding sister, I think. One cannot confide everything in an older brother, no matter how affectionate and devoted he may be.”
“Nevertheless, I will be sure to let the rest of the family know of the beneficial effect you have had on her. It may be of some small assistance in counteracting Lady Catherine’s plans.”
Elizabeth was glad the colonel had raised the subject of his aunt once again, for she still had many questions about the topic they had discussed two days before. The colonel would not have the same dispensation her husband had received, she decided. He was the only person who could answer the questions she had in mind, and she intended to ask them all. “There are still many things which I do not understand about Lady Catherine’s designs,” she began, making the most of her opportunity. “Please explain, if you can, how Lady Catherine expects her plan to work when it depends so much on the actions of others. Mr. Darcy and I would both have to agree to dissolve a legally contracted marriage, and there is the little matter of my family and the objections they would make! There is also the scandal that would attach not just to Georgiana, but to Miss de Bourgh. Surely Lady Catherine does not want that for her daughter.”
“My dear Mrs. Darcy, your naivete is refreshing. Scandals occur quite often in the Ton, and if the family is wealthy or important enough, the damage never lasts for too long. However, as I said previously, this is not something that should cause you great concern. Her plan has no chance of succeeding.”
“Why not?”
“Because the worst charge Lady Catherine has laid at your doorstep is that of being from a family that is not—” he paused tactfully, “as well off as her own.”
Elizabeth saw no need for delicacy. “You may speak plainly, colonel: my family is not rich.”
The colonel looked at her gratefully. “Not to be blunt, but yes. You are not wealthy, but my family cares nothing for that. If Darcy had married someone who was truly unacceptable for some reason, someone who was compromised in some way, things might be different; but your character is unimpeachable,
your reputation untarnished. It is impossible for Georgiana to be tainted through her association with you, as her ladyship insists, and everyone who has had the pleasure of making your acquaintance knows that.”
It was the most forceful statement the colonel had yet made in her favor, and Elizabeth warmed to the compliment. But she could not resist teasing.
“Everyone knows it except for Lady Catherine,” she pointed out, and the colonel smiled grimly.
“Indeed, everyone but Lady Catherine; but my aunt sees only what is convenient for her and her plans.”
“A quality she shares with many others I could name.”
“Whom I could name as well.”
“Is Lady Catherine really so convinced that my family and I could be swayed by money, that we would subject ourselves to such humiliation simply for financial advantage?”
“Many families have been swayed for less,” the colonel answered with a rueful half-smile. “She does not know that your case would be any different.”
Elizabeth recalled the letters from her mother and Kitty and admitted to herself that, at least in her mother’s situation, if it came to the test, Lady Catherine might be right. Greed had always ruled the day there. She quickly pushed the unworthy thought out of her mind.
“It is almost a shame, then, that her ladyship will never have a chance to discover her error! I am not as used to the ways of society as you are, colonel, but I do know my husband. I believe I can safely say that Mr. Darcy will never allow anyone to dictate terms to him.”
“You are entirely correct. Darcy will not accept blackmail, and he can always be trusted to put his principles before his inclination. Even if our entire family disapproved of you, which they do not, he would not bend from his duty. He is having his solicitor review all the documents to ensure that everything is in order, and he has requested the assistance of his uncle to use his influence on the rest of the family. My family will receive confirmation of your character in time, and there will be an end to the matter.”