Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (117 page)

The comment had the desired effect and Darcy’s humour returned.  “I have a feeling that you did not stop here to pay your respects to me and Elizabeth, but to satisfy your unending thirst.”  He smiled and laughed when Richard looked offended.  “Speak the truth, Cousin.”

“I wished to see your lovely bride, but I agree that your well-being is not in the least important.”  They exchanged steady looks and Richard raised his glass in toast.  Darcy nodded and looked away to the fire.  “Well, I wanted to see your ugly face and Father was frankly terrified of turning up at Pemberley uninvited.”  Seeing Darcy’s brow crease, Richard added quietly, “He truly is concerned about you.  But if you dare feel guilty about him shying away, I will crack your other ribs.  He earned your tongue-lashing, as did Mother.  So while he protests the fact that the best room has already been claimed, and by you, I wager, let us speak freely.  What news have you?”

“None.”  Darcy turned the glass of port and watched the wine gently glow in the firelight.  “Wickham’s portrait has been shown to everyone on the estate, and Samuel said that although the innkeeper’s wife and a maid swear that there was a man staying with them who had
shifty eyes
. . .” He looked up when he heard Richard’s snort and smiled, “. . . they could not identify him as Wickham.  And Mrs. Grant knew him well, as did her husband.”  Sighing, he stopped playing with the glass.  “Even Samuel said that he had a nagging feeling he had seen someone with eyes similar to the ones in the portrait recently, but he could not place him.”

“Is this suspicious man still there?  I would be willing to return to Lambton and take a look.  I daresay him spotting me would give enough of a reaction to reveal who he was if his face has changed so drastically.”

“No, this person apparently left.  And he left money behind in the room for the bill.”

“Then it most definitely was not Wickham.”  Richard winked at Elizabeth.

“No, but Uncle’s worry over him appearing here just . . . it was too much of a coincidence.  I am grateful that he came home, and clearly he needed to, but what could have raised this fear in his mind?  And then to have Christmas here . . .”  He drummed his fingers on the table.  “Is it all connected somehow?  Did Uncle know of a threat?  He searched for Wickham just as hard as we did.” 

Richard rubbed his face and his head wagged.  “After spending the last fortnight watching my brother suffer from withdrawal, I daresay your uncle is quite capable of entertaining any variety of delusions over Wickham.  He might have become fixed on him.  From what you told me in your letter; it seems that his valet started ladling laudanum down his throat as he became increasingly upset over Georgiana.  Her situation could make any man a bit paranoid about the one who set off the whole thing.  Bertie is no longer feeling the physical cravings, but the mental ones have him in a black mood.  It could be a version of what your uncle is experiencing.  He just may not be displaying it in the same way, keeping it all inside to fester.”

Darcy glanced at Elizabeth and knew she was thinking of his grandmother’s book.  “Quite likely.  There is no reason for Wickham to approach us again, is there?” 

“Of course there is!  He ruined Georgiana, what a trump card he has in his pocket!  Until the day she is married, he can threaten to expose her.  But, and here is
your
trump card, he would have to come in person to collect, and that would be a great mistake.”  Richard patted his sword.  “Now, I think that we should concentrate on the person we do know about.  Christmas.  Why was he there?  Why did he cry out to you?   He hardly could have expected that reaction from the horses, so I sincerely doubt that he had murder in his heart.”

“What do you suspect?”

“He heard something and he was there to blackmail you.”  He tipped his glass up to his lips.  “And he was stopped, most effectively.” 

“We were all stopped most effectively.”  Darcy shifted uncomfortably.  “Elizabeth wrote to Mrs. Gaston about him, but that was just a few days ago.  At least she will be prepared to speak to you.  I have the same suspicions as you; there is no other reason for a man such as he to travel all the way to Derbyshire.  He wanted something from me.  I want answers.”

“Absolutely.  And you know that I will work quite hard to find them.”

Darcy looked at him pointedly, “It must be done delicately, Richard.  Nobody there knows . . .”

“What do you take me for?”  Richard cried.

Darcy’s lips twitched.  “A bull in a china shop.” 

“Oh, that I must agree with.”  Elizabeth spoke quickly when she spotted Lord Matlock coming towards the table.  “If it has anything to do with the colonel’s manners, I think that we all know that delicacy is not a word in his vocabulary.”

“I am no fop with a lace handkerchief pressed to my nose.”  He declared as he rose to his feet to greet his father.  “I thought that we called a truce?”

“No papers were signed.”  She smiled as Lord Matlock walked forward and took her hand.

“You look very well, Elizabeth.”  He turned to Darcy.  “And you, Nephew.  I was delighted to see your coach in the yard.”

“Thank you, sir.  Please join us.  Your son has bought us a bottle of port to enjoy.”

“I thought that you bought it!”

“I would appreciate it if you would stop spending my husband’s money so freely, Richard.” 

Richard beamed.  “Ah, Mrs. Darcy, I am glad to continue our battles.” 

“As am I.”  She squeezed his hand and letting go, found Darcy’s gaze upon her.  She laughed and looked to Lord Matlock.  “Imagine my surprise to hear that you were hesitant to visit us.” 

“We would have been glad to welcome you, sir.”  Darcy followed her eyes.

“No, I . . . I . . .”  His face reddened.  “Well damn it all, Darcy, we did not part on the best of terms.  Richard was determined that we stop in on the way to London, but I just did not want to impose . . .”

“Amusing choice of word, Uncle.  I apologize for not rising; it is still a bit of a challenge for me.”

“And yet here you are travelling.”  Richard cleared his throat and waiting for Elizabeth to sit, he took his own chair.  “You are a better man than I.”

“Who did not know that?”  Darcy laughed.

“Grace was concerned of your plans . . .”  Lord Matlock fished.

“We are attending our sister’s wedding and going on to London, now whether there will be dancing involved is up to my wife’s discretion.”

Elizabeth nodded.  “And your wife will take on that decision when we are in London.” 

He addressed his cousin proudly, “She is fiercely protective of me.”

“Somebody has to be.”  She raised her chin.

“You make it sound like a trial, dearest.”  Darcy’s eyes twinkled at her.

Richard laughed and rubbed his hands together, “Ah, now that is what I was hoping to see!  If you two are quarrelling again, then I am assured that a full recovery is well-underway.  Father, we should order our dinner, the Darcys have already finished.”

“I was thinking that perhaps I should depart.”  Elizabeth said softly.  “I am certain that you gentlemen have matters to discuss that would be stifled with my company.  I will retire.”

“Lizzy, no.  I see no reason why you cannot stay.”  Darcy gripped her hand. 

“We will not be telling any state secrets, my dear.”  Lord Matlock assured her.

“I know the proper behaviour of gentlemen after dinner.  I will see you in our rooms.  I only ask that you not be too long.”  Elizabeth stood as did the earl and Richard.

“Let me see you upstairs, dear.” 

Richard noticed Darcy struggling to stand.  Without a word he moved to his side, and sticking his hand beneath his arm, helped him up before stepping silently away.  “I will see to her Darcy, you order up another bottle.”

“I knew that was why you stopped here.”  Darcy’s eyes were closed and his breathing was laboured, the mild dose of laudanum had not lasted long and he felt the effect of moving keenly.  Waving his hand at the door, he murmured, “Accost the maid, order enough to keep you drunk all the way to London.”  Immediately Elizabeth moved to his side and took his hand.

“Will, are you well?”  She asked worriedly and he nodded.

Richard looked at his father and back to the couple.  “Extra port is not necessary, I will be at Darcy House soon enough, Lowry is always accommodating.  Besides, I hope to fight in armour later on.  I need to keep my wits about me.”  He patted his coat and smiled when Darcy’s glaring eyes met his and shifted to Elizabeth.  Richard knew that she hadn’t been listening but bowed his head to his cousin.  “Forgive me.  Come and walk your wife upstairs, in fact, I think that you should retire with her.  I will knock you up in the morning before you leave.  Here, let me walk with you while Father mans the table.”    Richard placed a steadying hand on Darcy’s shoulder and gave him a little shove to start moving.

“If you are expecting a kiss at the door you are going to be disappointed.”  He growled as he regained his composure.

“A kiss from Mr. Darcy, ahhh, the stuff of dreams.”  Chuckling he noted Elizabeth had not broken her concerned gaze upon her husband’s face.  “Well I suppose
somebody
would enjoy it.”

“ANNE, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, you must pay attention!”  Lady Catherine demanded and turned the page in the modiste’s book of designs.  “We must have your presentation gown constructed quickly so you will have a great deal of time to practice your curtsey.” 

“Why do I have to be presented now?  You did not think it was necessary when I came out.”  She looked at the sketches distastefully.

“You never came out, Anne.”  Her mother murmured as she rejected another gown.  “You had no need to meet men.”

“What a shame that the man I was supposed to marry did not know that.”  Anne said acidly.

“Oh, he knew.  He disregarded it.  If his father had not up and died when he did, you would have been married years ago.  Pemberley joining with Rosings.  Imagine it!”

“I
did
imagine it, Mama.  I watched him growing handsomer by the year and was thrilled that I would be his wife.  You raised me to want one man and he is gone, snatched away by a penniless seductress!  She took my birthright!  I wanted him!  I would have been the envy of London to be Mrs. Darcy!”  Sitting up, she glared.  “You failed me.  You should have had me presented and then he would have seen how desired I was.  He would have married me without question and I would have been more than happy to accommodate him.  We could have at least four children by now; I might even be pregnant with the next.  He would want me so often.”

Lady Catherine glared at Mrs. Jenkinson and snapped at her daughter.  “Anne de Bourgh, what novels have you been reading to speak with such lust!”

“What is the difference between the two of us, Mama?  You lusted for his estate.  I have Rosings; I do not need another estate.  I lusted for the man.”

“Well obviously he did not want you and never did or that Bennet girl would not have captured him.”  Lady Catherine barked back at her.  “Do you know why I never had you presented or gave you any Seasons in London?  You are weak, have little appeal and no accomplishments.  Your sole attraction is Rosings.  You know full well that you would have been a laughing stock at Almack’s.  The only man who would want you would be one who wanted your money.” 

Anne gaped and reaching for the book, slammed it shut.  “Well if I am so worthless, then I shall remain unmarried!  I do not see why I have to marry anyway, I have my money, I have a home, what do I care what happens to Rosings?”

“I worked your father long and hard to get him to leave Rosings to you instead of his family!  I will not see it sent back to the de Bourghs!”

“You did that so you would not have to stop living here when he died!  That is why you wanted me to marry Fitzwilliam, so you could stay at Rosings!”

“There is something in that.”  Lady Catherine admitted grudgingly.  “I wanted Rosings to have my blood in it as well.  It is an accomplishment to have the woman’s bloodline followed for the inheritance.  With your marriage to Darcy, even if you did not produce a child, he would still be master and his Fitzwilliam blood would carry it forward, even if it was Georgiana’s child who ultimately inherited. 
That
is why I convinced George Darcy to break his entailment, so that Georgiana could inherit Rosings when you and Darcy had no children.” 

“What do you mean we would have no children?”  She demanded.

“Anne.  Look at you, arguing with me now has left you pale and panting where you should be burning with healthy fury.  Do you truly think you could carry a child to term?”  Lady Catherine sighed.  “It is no use.  Rosings is lost.” 

The two women sat in silence contemplating long-denied truths until Anne spoke up cautiously, “I could will it to Cathy.”

“No, your father’s will leaves the estate to you, but if you die unmarried it reverts to the de Bourghs.  It was meant to prevent your silly female mind from leaving it to someone who sweet-talked the favour from you.”  She sniffed.  “As you were to marry Darcy, I did not battle the notion.”

“Well, I could marry Richard.  He would be grateful for the opportunity, would he not?”

“No, Richard will be earl one day; he must marry a woman who can bear his heirs.  The rumours I hear of his brother are too numerous to ignore.  I have no doubt that his dissolute ways will take his life one day and Richard will succeed him.”  Mother and daughter lifted their heads at the same moment and their eyes met.  “However if Gladney married you and he died, Rosings would pass to his brother.”

“A Fitzwilliam.”

“And you, my dear, could be a countess if my brother dies first.”  She smiled.  “Far above Mrs. Darcy.” 

“I would be, would I not?”  Anne lifted her chin.  “Lady Anne Fitzwilliam, Countess of Matlock.  I would like that.” 

“So would I.”  Lady Catherine reached for the bell pull to summon a maid.  “My brother should be in London for Parliament.  We will visit some friends who know of my nephew’s behaviour and pay him a call; I have a little idea forming.” 

“PLEASE, WILL.”  Elizabeth held out the glass of wine and Darcy steadfastly refused.  She set it down on a table a little too hard, and her point was made, but still ignored.  Darcy independently had come to the decision that he would no longer take laudanum and that he would just tolerate the pain.  After their first day of travel he had spent the sleepless night aching, but full of Richard’s warnings.  Reaching the disquieting conclusion that the laudanum made him feel entirely
too
good, he chose pain over relief.  Elizabeth understood his reasoning, he was afraid to become like his uncle and cousin, but she did not like seeing him suffer in the least and thought he was overreacting.  Now on the evening of their second day, he had proven himself incapable of leaving their room for dinner.  That his breathing was laboured and tears filled his eyes with every movement obviously meant nothing to him, but it was deeply upsetting to her.