Goodly Creatures: A Pride and Prejudice Deviation (68 page)

“I thought of that, but I am not certain Miss Bennet would do as her sister says. According to her letters, she is acting in a very reckless manner. I fear her judgment might be impaired by her despair. I am writing to both Bingley and Sir Gareth Hughes to alert them to the danger. Sir Gareth has, I believe, become attached to Lady Hastings’ niece, Miss Rebecca Trent. Lord and Lady Hastings are sponsoring Miss Bennet and their niece for the Season this year.”

Darcy seemed to be contemplating what to say next. Richard waited patiently until his cousin spoke. “I have not told you, but I fear your father more than Edmund. Miss Bennet is the most beautiful, tall, statuesque young woman with fair hair and blue eyes I have ever seen—just his type. In her vulnerable state, I fear the Earl could have her settled in a love nest before she even realized to what she had agreed.”

Darcy said firmly, “I plan to confess my treachery to Bingley, but Miss Bennet’s cut might have made him change his mind about her. I pray telling him of her danger will motivate him to forgive her slight.” Darcy laughed at his cousin’s dubious expression. “The mission is to protect Miss Bennet, and I will use every avenue available to accomplish my goal. Have I caused you to have second thoughts about my abilities as a military leader?”

Richard joined his cousin’s mirth with a guffaw of his own. “You are tolerable, Cuz. If you are ever able to persuade Miss Elizabeth to marry you, after making such a mess of your proposal—I will personally recommend you to Wellington.”

“I am not hopeful. Ever since I made a
‘mess,’
as you say, of my proposal, I have been thinking of obstacles. However, for the time being, I will approach this war one battle at a time. Believe me, cousin, if she ever does agree, I will take her home to Pemberley, and Wellington and his war be damned. Will you help, Richard?”

“I will, Darcy; and please know, I want you to win this war.”

“Thank you, but I must be off to see my sister. I want beg her to play a role. Though, I must first talk to her about Dr Wilder. Elizabeth is angry that I have meddled in what she thinks is a budding romance between the two.”

“I think I am the source of her knowledge in that matter as well. I told her you required Georgiana to come to Kent in February to put distance between her and a man you deemed too old.”

Darcy shook his head, but his resolve did not seem to waver. “Is there anything else you have told her to discredit me?”

“I told her you pouted because you did not win the role of the Indian Changeling in the midsummer picnic pageant. It seems she has seen you wear the face I imitated. She laughed.”

Hilarity erupted between the two cousins. Though Darcy’s laughter had an edge of despair, he refused to slip back into morose helplessness. Instead, he decided to entertain Richard and lifted the back of his hand to his forehead in a theatrical attitude of anguish as he said, “Oh, mercy, mercy me. I am most assuredly doomed.”

Darcy arranged to have trays sent to his sister’s sitting room for dinner. He would dine privately with her, and ask her about her feelings for Dr Wilder. He found her in the nursery with Bethany and Lewis.

Bethany spoke first. “Papa, where have you been all day? We missed you.”

Lewis was not laughing as he said, “Miss Lizzy is ill. She did not come to visit. Will you take me to see her so I can make her better?”

“Lew, I saw her. She is already somewhat improved. She has to go to London tomorrow with Richard and Aunt Georgie, and we are going the following day. We will see her there. She may even be staying at our house when we arrive. If she stays with us, she will be able to tuck you in bed. Would you like that?”

“Oh, yes, Papa. Bethie is right. If you marry Miss Lizzy, she will be my mama, and then she could tuck me in every night.”

Darcy tried not to let his children see the pain Lewis’ statement had evoked. “Aunt Georgie and I are going to eat supper in her room. We have to discuss leaving Rosings. Millie will get you ready for bed, and I will be in to read to you once I have finished eating. Does my plan meet with your approval?”

In chorus they said, “Oh, yes, Papa.”

Once he and Georgiana were in her room, he told her all that had happened and explained his need for her to go to London. She put her arms around her brother and he cried into her shoulder. His pain was reminiscent of hers last summer. For the first time in her life, she felt they were equals, and the thirteen-year age difference evaporated.

After eating, Darcy knew he had to ask Georgiana about Dr Wilder. He had enjoyed their closeness and her sympathy when he told her of his disastrous proposal and all Elizabeth had hurled at him. All, that is, except her accusation of trying to separate Georgiana from her friend Jamie.

“Georgiana, are you in love with Dr Wilder?”

Georgiana realized that Elizabeth must have also accused him of interference with regards Dr Wilder—much akin to what he had done with Mr Bingley and her sister. She wished Lizzy could heal enough to accept her brother. They were well suited—and Bethany and Lewis deserved to have this woman as their mother.

“I am not prepared to answer yes or no, but what I do know is that I want to make that decision on my own. At first I thought the tragedy of Ramsgate was my inability to discern who loves me and who just wants my fortune. For several months, I replayed all that had transpired between Wickham and myself. The exercise allowed me to hear the discrepancies and falsehoods. It is true, I was too naive when I first heard them. I have learned well from my experience with Wickham, and will never make that mistake again. For me, the real casualty of Ramsgate is that you lost confidence in me.”

Georgiana smiled at her brother. “That was the biggest obstacle I had to overcome in order to heal. Elizabeth saw that immediately. She knew I was not pining because of Wickham’s betrayal, but for the loss of your trust. I know not whether you have confidence in my ability to discern true affection, but I do know that you
should.
My feelings for Dr Wilder… Jamie… are that I admire and respect him. We have many interests in common… the first being music.”

She stared steadfastly into her brother’s eyes. “Until you separated us, I was spending my time getting to know him, something you probably should have done with Elizabeth. I am not ready to call what I feel for Jamie love, but I think it possible.”

47 STAR CROSSED LOVERS

Elizabeth arose before dawn, dressed quickly, and quietly left the parsonage. She had not bothered to put up her hair, and wore no bonnet; instead she had wrapped herself in a warm shawl over her pelisse. She walked to the grove, and was surprised that Mr Darcy was already there. He had brought a blanket for her to drape over her lap for warmth, and a thick crockery jug of tea with milk and sugar—the way she liked it. He handed her a mug of tea and sat down next to her on the log.

Elizabeth looked deeply into Darcy’s eyes as she spoke. “You are a good man, Mr Darcy. I was incredibly rude to you yesterday, and I apologize…but you must believe me… I will never marry. I said things that might have made you assume I could possibly marry someone other than you, but that is untrue.

Elizabeth lowered her eyes and shuddered at some memory. “You deserve to know why I have made this decision. The only way I can help you to understand is to reveal some additional details of that day. I am unable to promise full disclosure. The memories of what he did are very painful. A wife has certain obligations that I am convinced I would never be able to fulfil, and I made a promise to God that if he protected my family from scandal, I would devote myself to my parents and my sisters.”

Elizabeth spent a few seconds thinking of that life—both the past and the future. “Once my sisters are married, I will live with my mother and care for her. Thanks to you and Mrs Darcy, and the wise investments my uncle has made on my behalf, I will have money to allow my mother to live comfortably after my father dies.” Lizzy decided to lighten the tone of her revelation. “Of course, she might surprise me and marry Sir Walter Trent and move to Bath. I will then be forced to use my investments to keep the two of them in the latest fashions. They are very fond of each other, and clothes.”

Lizzy raised her eyes to Mr Darcy, and noticed he had missed her humour, and his eyes were filled with trepidation. “Mr Darcy, I am not without blame for what happened to me. When I met you, your wife, your cousin, and then later your aunt and uncle, I became puffed with pride that such prestigious personages wanted to become acquainted with me. My sister Lydia is, as you know, ridiculously fond of officers, and my wanting to be in your family’s company was an equally juvenile fantasy. I was a silly little fifteen-year-old to revel in the knowledge that both Mrs Darcy and a viscount wanted to spend time with me.”

Elizabeth took a sip of her tea. “After our meeting my aunt and I were in Mrs Darcy’s company often. I never saw you during any of the times I was in your house. Lord Wolfbridge was occasionally present, as were Lord and Lady Elderton once. The Viscount was not attentive enough to me to make my Aunt Gardiner suspicious. To me he was a handsome, important man; and when he flashed that beautiful smile, I would colour prettily for him. I had girlish romantic thoughts about him, but they were just thoughts I indulged in. Later, I would remember the questions he asked me when no one could overhear. He wanted to know if I had been a disobedient child, and whether my father had to punish me often. These questions made me blush. I now believe he enjoyed watching me react, but I knew not the significance of his pleasure.”

She saw Darcy cringe at her last words but did not falter as she continued her story, “I did not tell you the other day, the entirety of how I came to be alone the day of my violation. One day when we were expected to visit by Mrs Darcy, my baby cousin was sick. Aunt Gardiner felt she should stay home to care for her, but she encouraged me to go to Darcy House without her.” Elizabeth hesitated fearing another denial. “My aunt was certain your wife would take care of me. She sent a note to inform Mrs Darcy she would not be able to attend. Anne wrote back and said she would come to fetch me in your carriage. When we arrived at your house, we went upstairs to what I thought was her sitting room. Always before, we had taken tea in that beautiful room I loved so much… the solarium.”

Darcy had noticed a subtle shift in Elizabeth’s tone to a quiet sort of anger, but it was her words that caused him to close his eyes and moan. “Your aunt sent a note to say you would be alone?” It was worse than he imagined. Together, they had planned to trap her. It was not an accident… with Anne’s crime being a cover-up to protect Edmund.

Elizabeth heard his question and saw his discomposure. She nodded in the affirmative. “Nothing else was out of the ordinary. I had brought gifts, and we chatted for a while. Anne wanted me to accompany her shopping the following week, so I could become acquainted with the best shops. She excused herself to retrieve a gown she wanted to show me. When she exited by the door to the hall, I was struck by the oddity, but did not dwell on it.”

Elizabeth could hear Darcy’s laboured breathing but did not dare look at him, lest she be unable to continue. “The Viscount entered shortly after Anne left. I knew it was wrong to be alone with him. Instead of feeling indignant that he had put me in a compromising situation, I was worried that I would offend him if I asked him to leave. Despite his smile—or maybe because of his smile—I soon knew something was very wrong; but I was confused about what to do. As I told you before, the door was locked.” The next revelation required her to look at anything but him. She chose the mug of tea. “I just stood there frozen, looking at him in horror, and he kept showing me those beautiful teeth. He walked toward me, and he looked as though he was enjoying my discomfort. Next, he grabbed my arm and dragged me into the adjoining room. There was pain, words that mortified, and humiliation on a level that was unbearable.”

Now Elizabeth looked directly at Darcy and tried to read his thoughts. She began speaking once more. “Mr Darcy, I am so ashamed… I did not fight nor scream. All I could think of was hiding my foolishness. He was so big… more than twice my size and panic set in. My only thought became preserving my gown. If it was ripped, everybody I encountered on the way home would know of my disgrace. I was about to be…” Elizabeth shuddered, and her eyes returned to her tea. She knew it was time to use the word he had used, “… raped; and all I could think was that my dress would get ruined, and I would not know how to explain to Aunt Gardiner what had happened.” Again she raised her eyes and tried to appear defiant. “You can now despise me… I helped him remove my clothes. I have nightmares that he is at one of those clubs for important men… laughing with his friends about the silly country girl who unfastened her buttons and removed her frock for him.”

Darcy moaned again. He remembered his reaction to the chatter at White’s. He had assumed it was Elizabeth they were talking about and had condemned her. Unlike Richard, he had been positive that since she helped undress herself, he had proof she had fallen for Edmund’s seductive charm. He was thoroughly disgusted and distressed by his reaction that day, and that he had clung to those ‘misgivings’ for six years.