Healing Mr Darcy’s Heart

by Kay Mares

  Elizabeth shed some tears when she read that as she already loves the life she feels moving inside of her. When Darcy glances over and sees her distress, he asks her about what is upsetting her then proceeds to comfort her with his arms wrapped tightly around her. As he rocks her, he sings softly to her. He sings to her when she is most upset, and it always works to make her feel his unending devotion as it removes away any sadness.

  The quiet summertime life at Pemberley will be broken though, and the peace found there will be momentarily broken. Darcy rode off to see two of the tenant farmers who were squabbling. They are located a bit farther from the manor than he would have liked to travel, but after he satisfied himself that Elizabeth and their unborn baby are fine, he departed. Georgiana and Lizzy spend some of the morning hours together, and after lunching together, Lizzy goes above to rest. When she awakens, feeling refreshed and energetic, she decides to take a walk around the nearby grounds of the manor.

  With her heart light and invigorated from her nap, Lizzy wanders farther from the house. After viewing many of the wildflowers which are in bloom, she feels the coolness of the forest draw her in. The scent of the pine needles on the forest floor tickle her nostrils as she breathes in the scent. Walking about, she daydreams about having Darcy carry their baby as they stroll. Her mind jumps to when the child is older, and they will show him or her all of the delights to be found in the home and grounds. She feels a faint blush come on her cheeks when she recalls her and Darcy stealing away at dusk for a ramble to end up in the forest resulting in an unplanned tryst. Her wanton thoughts are that she would like to repeat the experience, knowing her adoring spouse will welcome the idea wholeheartedly.

  She pictures in her mind’s eye future events with a houseful of guests and numerous nieces and nephews frolicking with her own children. It is natural and easy to see Darcy right there in the thick of it as she knows him to be a carefree and blissful spirit when he is at home. She imagines him with his children surrounding him as he laughs and lovingly teases with them. She smiles and even laughs lightly at the thought of him running around with them in games of tag or hide and seek. What a fantastic father he is going to make. Elizabeth is filled with longing to see him as these visions of future domestic bliss encompass her. She is so wrapped up in the warm feelings and musings that she does not see the man approaching her.

  With a start and a hand over her heart, she stops and acknowledges with disbelief the man before her. Mr. Wickham stands a few feet in front of her, and as the realization of just how far she traveled falls upon her, he addresses her.

  “Mrs. Darcy! What a pleasant if unexpected surprise. I would not have thought I would meet you of all people out here. Are you unaccompanied? I cannot imagine Darcy allowing you such freedoms.” Wickham declares with all the false sincerity intact just as he was before, only now Elizabeth knows how to read him.

  “Mr. Wickham, it is equally surprising to encounter you on Pemberley lands. I cannot fathom what business you would have in coming here.” Elizabeth speaks calmer than she feels as she assesses her predicament. She studies him surreptitiously. He has gained a fair amount of weight, and his bulbous nose and red cheeks betray his drinking habit. Also, his clothing is wrinkled matched only by the wrinkles on his face. His countenance is no longer pleasing nor alluring. Elizabeth is moderately alarmed to note he smells of alcohol even though his words are not slurred. She knows drink can give a man false courage and bravado, so she does not wish to challenge him nor provoke him. She steps to one side of the path in the hopes that at the very least he will follow her towards the mansion or at best, he will excuse himself and depart in the opposite direction. He does neither but instead continues the conversation. Elizabeth is forced to halt again and face him as she keeps him in her vision.

  “I came in the hopes of visiting with family, Sister, as you are by marriage. Furthermore, that makes Darcy a brother to me as well as having another sister in the person of Miss Darcy. I have missed Pemberley, having practically grown up here and I missed you in particular. You and I always did have most intriguing dialogues.” As his eyes slide down her frame, Elizabeth instinctively runs her hands over her unborn baby. “It seems as if the changes to your life have been many. Again I admit to much bafflement as to the haughty and controlling Mr. Darcy allowing you so much freedom especially considering your delicate condition.” Wickham turns his head sideways and looks at her askance with a calculating stare. “Perhaps the mighty Darcy has softened, and my visit will prove fortuitous.” He rubs a forefinger across his upper lip as he narrows his eyes. “He might still provide me my fortune or perhaps gift me the living which was to be mine. I cannot continue in the regulars, so I need to find another avenue to support my wife-your sister. The illustrious Mr. Darcy of Pemberley would not have his own family to know poverty. Think of the scandal such would create.” His assessing stare bores into Elizabeth.

  Elizabeth is frightened, but she will not allow him to intimidate her. The reason he is here is simple, money. Money drove him to refuse the living and take a payout, money caused him to gamble, and money made him take Lydia with him when he was short of coin. This time it is no different except he harbors the foolish thought that Darcy would even consider his request. Her mind flies to Darcy’s explanation of the white scar on his abdomen. Money and desperation pushed Wickham to an act of violence against Darcy. She will have to tread lightly with him to see herself to safety.

  “Would you consider escorting me back to the manor and perhaps you can make your request to Mr. Darcy at that time? He is home.” Elizabeth suggests as she just wishes to be heading back towards the safety of her house. Hopefully, as they walk, a groundskeeper or two will be about so she can flee Wickham’s presence.

  “I do not think it wise. You know what a stickler Darcy is for propriety and convention. His towering ego will not submit to me returning with you unescorted. His wrath will be great and unjust even as I have done nothing to warrant it. He has always been jealous of me. In spite of all he has, he has never been a person to garner many friends. No one would want to be in the presence of such a pompous and unpleasant man.” Wickham lifts his lips in disdain.

  “Please do not speak of my husband harshly. I will not tolerate it.” In spite of her concern about Wickham’s nefariousness, Elizabeth’s temper flares. “We both know you were not entirely forthcoming about your interactions with him. He has no reason to welcome you to Pemberley, family notwithstanding. I suggest you return to wherever you have come from as your business here will come to naught because you Sir, have none.” Elizabeth raises her chin and tries to fix Wickham with a stare she learned from Darcy.

  Even though Wickham has gained weight and lost his agility, he surprises Elizabeth when he lunges forward and catches her wrist, twisting it painfully. “I will take your advice and leave for the present,” he snarls, “but only after you assure me you will speak to your husband on my behalf. It appears he will grant you most any wish so I expect a favorable outcome or you will know my wrath. Have I made myself clear?” Elizabeth reacts to him out of fright, and she swiftly kicks him in the shin. Instead of releasing her, he twists her arm harder and raises his other hand to strike her across the face. Elizabeth sees what is coming and braces herself for the slap that never comes. Instead, she feels her wrist come free, and as she staggers backward, she encounters the familiar hard planes of her husband’s chest.

  Immediately, his arm wraps around her as he pulls her close to his side while monitoring the figure on the ground. Where Darcy came from or how he intervened without either Wickham or Elizabeth seeing him, she does not know. Nor will she recall seeing the punch Darcy threw which sent Wickham sprawling. “Tell me you are unhurt. He had your wrist, is your arm or wrist injured in any way?” Darcy asks her as he keeps one eye on the unconscious Wickham and gently inspects her arm for any injury. His eyes are steely and cold, but the fury emanating from him is white-hot. Elizabeth is scared, not of Darcy but of the intense anger
and hatred she feels coming from him. Never before has she seen him this livid. It is best for Wickham to be knocked out for if he offered Darcy any offense no matter how minor, Darcy would have reacted violently.

  “I am well only a little shaken up. I had not intended to wander so far, and once I did, I never expected to see Wickham here. It is quite a shock. How did you know I was in trouble and where to find me?” Elizabeth whispers to him in awe. She feels a slight easing in his bearing as he answers her with a whisper of his own into her ear.

  “We are one. When you hurt or have sadness, I feel it as well. Where you are, I am. It is natural for me to know when my other half was in jeopardy. I heard your call in my heart.” Darcy gives her a small smile as a couple of groundsmen approach. One whistles lowly after he greets Darcy and Lizzy.

  “Ya caught a poacher, Mister Darcy. Looky here, ‘E’s got a gun and a scunnin’ knife. Musta been quite a wallop you gave ‘im to have ‘im out cold like that.” The man comments. A sly grin breaks out as Darcy speaks with his men.

  “Do any of you know this man?” Darcy glances about as the men shake their heads in the negative. “Throw him up on the work wagon there and take him to the nearest town, Derby being too far. Have the constable there lock him up on poaching charges. If the man wishes to avoid charges, he is to leave the area with the promise never to return lest I file the charges and have him hung. If the constable has any questions, he may reach me at Pemberley.” Darcy gives his orders and watches as the men tie Wickham’s hands and feet then dump him into the back of the work wagon.

  “You are unharmed?” He asks again. When Lizzy once more assures him she is well, he nods and leads her back to where Tempest waits, tied to a tree. “Looks like you will have a horse ride, after all, Mrs. Darcy.” The familiar lift to his mouth is there as he assists her up on the saddle then swings up behind her. He nuzzles her neck as he whispers once more in her ear. “It will be our secret that you are not riding side saddle.”

  Back at the manor, Darcy hands off Tempest to the stable hands after assisting Elizabeth down. He picked her up in his arms as he makes his way inside, Elizabeth nestling into his strong chest. Once in their chambers, Elizabeth becomes overwhelmed by the fright she suffered. Using his humor then gently holding her as he sings to her just as he did when she was ill all those months ago, Darcy chases her fears away, and Elizabeth slumbers in his embrace. As she rests, Darcy mulls over what will be done with Wickham.

  However, Lizzy asked him repeatedly on the ride back what he plans to do. He diverted her inquiries with humor, but he knows his Lizzy, and once she has rested and eaten, she will want to know what route he will take. Darcy has a murderous rage sweep through him as he considers Wickham meant to strike Lizzy. His sources reported no poor physical behavior towards Lydia, but they sent word Wickham himself appeared to be deteriorating in his person and has been released from the regulars.

  Later in the night as Darcy and Lizzy prepare for bed, Lizzy wishes to know of Darcy’s thoughts regarding Mr. Wickham. Darcy answers honestly when he tells her he has not made up his mind yet. She blames herself for wandering too far even though just like Darcy’s guilt, Lizzy’s is rooted in irrationality. Neither can take responsibility for the reprehensible behavior of Wickham. They talk about what has happened, comfort each other, and discuss possible solutions to end Wickham’s disruptions in their lives. While Darcy still seethes over what Wickham has done to Lizzy, she reminds him of his beliefs and what the Good Book teaches. They agreed to sleep on the subject for the night then Darcy will investigate other avenues for dealing with Wickham.

  The next morning, Lizzy awakens late and to a most glorious site. Her husband is standing in the bedchamber with one of his dazzling smiles, and as he gestures about with his hand, Lizzy sees all of the beautiful and fragrant blooms he has procured for her. There is quite the wild array of colors, scents and varying sizes of flowers. He has her dressing room decked out equally. Darcy’s mood is elated, and he is humming a tune. Once in a while, Lizzy chuckles as she notes his hands directing his ‘orchestra’ once more, but of keen interest to her is what has put him in such a jocular mood especially after yesterday’s unwelcomed events. As Lizzy dons a robe, Darcy comes over and swings her around, planting a kiss on her lips and tells her how deeply he loves her. Lizzy gaily tells him the same then leads him to the edge of the bed where she sits first and inquires of him about his light spirits.

  “I did not sleep well after we blissfully expressed our ardor. I was still mulling over what to do with Wickham, and I had residual worry for you, My Love. So as you still slept and as the sun was barely cresting the horizon, I mounted Tempest to head to the town where Wickham is being held. Imagine my surprise when I found, due to Wickham’s altered looks, that not one, not one person recognized him. Furthermore, most are disgusted such a common criminal as a poacher would even try to identify with Pemberley and the Darcy name, so none of those who have come in contact with him believe his tired and worn lies. Even the other prisoners ridiculed him when he tried to tell them his tale of woe.” Darcy grins widely. “The answer became evident especially when the constable almost physically corrected Wickham when the fool addressed me as Darcy instead of Mr. Darcy. Since no one recognizes Wickham nor believes his falsehoods, I will merely have him run out of the county and should he return; he will face the poaching charges and the resulting serious punishment.”

  Lizzy breathes a sigh of relief. Darcy, her amazing husband and protector, has once more come up with a solution which protects his family and does no further harm to Lydia. His restraint in not seeking the ultimate revenge against Wickham speaks to his nobility. She marvels anew at what a superior man she married. “As an added bonus, Wickham, should he return will face more charges for impersonating an officer in His Majesty’s army. He could be charged for trying to convince people of his real identity. The irony is staggering. I would not speak for him and should it ever become an issue, I have no worries because there is not a soul who can identify him so I too can plead ignorance regarding his altered person.” Darcy lies back on the bed taking Elizabeth with him. He stares up at the ceiling as he traces lazy patterns over their unborn babe and Elizabeth’s arms.

  Lizzy thinks out loud, “Sometimes these sticky situations work themselves out with little help from the rest of us. I am thankful, Fitzwilliam, you did not seek to avenge yourself upon him. You are as always the best of men. He will return to the north, then?”

  “Indeed he will, the constable wanting to have a favorable impression with Darcy of Pemberley such that the man sent two of his men to escort Wickham better than halfway home. No gambling nor drinking stops for poor Wickham.” Darcy smiles wryly which fades away as he faces Lizzy with a certain amount of seriousness. “I cannot tell you how worried I was for your safety. That afternoon I had a feeling which would not leave me. I felt it as sure as I feel you now that you were in some sort of danger. I could feel your fear and your pain. I sat on Tempest and brought forth your face in my mind as I asked you to tell me where you were. Without fully comprehending what I did, I sent Tempest in the direction I found you. I was able to see Wickham accosting you, so I secured Tempest and crept up to where you were.” Darcy shudders as he recalled the events. “Seeing that worm have his hand on you was my undoing, but I knew I needed to be stealthy to position myself in the best place to protect you. Elizabeth, I struck him with all I possessed, and you may not think me so noble when I confess to you the satisfaction I felt from him falling to the ground.”

  Once Wickham is released from jail, the men tailing him report he has left the area appears to be heading back north towards his home. The next scare for Darcy and Elizabeth comes from the weather. The hot summer months produce thunderstorms which sometimes seem to pop up without warning like the one which caught Darcy and Lizzy, forcing them to seek shelter in the cabin. Another rather furious storm has gathered one evening with a lightning display which is almost constant followed by crashing thunde
r. The winds shriek around the manor and bend the trees as it bores down upon them. Darcy completed some morning visits and is safely in the mansion with Lizzy and Georgiana when the storm strikes. The three of them often stop the tasks they are attending, while their gazes go to the windows to view the awe-inspiring display. As the evening wears on, the tempest shows no sign of abating. As Lizzy and Darcy go above to their chamber, the melee is still in full swing.

  In the bedchamber, Darcy is entertaining Lizzy with more stories of pirates on the high seas. He is embellishing his tale with many descriptions of the ships and the pirates themselves. Having heard of some shipmates who had successfully defended their ship from the looting pirates, Darcy pantomimes the action for Lizzy. He showcases his fencing skills as he talks of the brave first mate dispatching a scruffy pirate. Darcy pivots and thrusts with an imaginary sword as he shows how the first mate sent another then another pirate to his Maker. With a final impressive flourish of his sword, Darcy declares the ship safe and the unfortunate pirates killed with the survivors on the run. Lizzy is giggling hysterically at him and his antics because as is his wont when they are alone, Darcy wears not a stitch of clothing. Lizzy never doubted he is shy, but once he overcame his shyness, Darcy is totally informal and frankly bold!

  A tremendous peal of thunder rattles the house as Darcy finishes up his tale and the wind has reached an intense shrill roar which continues for some minutes. Lizzy’s laughter dies in her throat as Darcy grabs a robe while hurrying to the window. Lizzy is on his heels, and he pulls her securely to his side. They peer out into the darkness only to have their eyes pierced by another blinding flash of lightning. During the flash, they make out that some of the trees in the forest are ready to snap in the wind. Darcy frowns as he points out to Lizzy some of the trees which have succumbed. The shrieking wind continues then starts to die down to the same level it has been at during most of the storm. Darcy holds Lizzy to him. “I believe we shall see in the morning that a twister has gone through somewhere nearby. As soon as I am able, I will ride out in the morning with some men to ascertain what damage has occurred and most importantly if anyone is injured.” Lizzy trembles a bit from the ferocity of the storm, but she retrieves a day dress which she puts on speedily. As she dresses, Darcy dons breeches and a shirt along with his boots.