Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (123 page)

“Who is that from?”  Caroline pointed at the reticule.  “Another endearing letter from your husband’s mother?  Demanding when you will produce her grandchild?”  She laughed as Louisa’s face coloured and sat down.  “As if you let him near you.  I do not know why you spend so much time making baby clothes.”

“I make the clothes
for
my mother-in-law’s parish.   And yes, Caroline, I do want children.  I have no objections to my husband’s attentions.  Perhaps when you are married you can speak better on the subject.”

She gaped, “I was just . . . supporting you against that . . . demanding woman.” 

“We have been married three years; naturally she wants to see grandchildren.”  She sighed and moved on.  “I am surprised that you do not make clothes, the highest families support the Foundling Hospital.  It is very fashionable.” 

“Is it?”  She eyed the little gown in her sister’s lap.  “Does Mr. Darcy?” 

Louisa rolled her eyes.  “I have no idea, and what difference does it make to you?”

“It does not.”  She shrugged and returned her attention to the reticule.  “Who was the letter from?”

“Franklin.  Mr. Darcy is there with his wife.”  Caroline’s eyes widened.  “They are staying for her sister’s wedding, which I believe is tomorrow.”

“A wedding!”  Her hand went to her mouth.  “Oh no, Charles!”

“I
do
think that we would have been informed had Charles become engaged, Caroline.”  Louisa said dryly.  “This is Miss Mary; she is marrying that clergyman cousin.  You remember him from the ball?  He kept stepping on everyone’s feet?”

“Oh.”  Caroline laughed and sneered.  “What a fool, I remember Eliza yelping.  He should be
her
husband.” 

“Well soon enough he will be her brother, and Mr. Darcy’s brother . . . with the privileges of visiting Pemberley.”  Louisa glanced at her sister.  “Franklin and I saw the writing on the wall when she visited and have accepted that Jane Bennet is our brother’s choice.  Clearly Charles does not care of her dowry, and he is free to do whatever he wants.  I do not know why you continue to resist, after all, our brother will have the connection to Pemberley and Jane is a lovely girl.”

“She is Eliza’s sister.”

“So is Georgiana Darcy.”

The two stared at each other.  Caroline sniffed and stretching out her hands, observed the bracelets decorating her wrists.  “I suppose that the Darcys would not miss a visit to Town when they are so near . .  . they are here for the Season?”

“No, Franklin confirms they will go to Scotland for the spring and early summer.”  Caroline made a face and shivered.  Louisa shrugged, “It will be their honeymoon.”

“Why would anyone want to honeymoon there when they can be here with all of the parties!”

“I can well-imagine that Mr. and Mrs. Darcy will have no trouble occupying themselves on their trip.”  Louisa smiled to herself when Caroline glared.  “You see, you and Mr. Darcy would not have been a good match after all.  He hated attending social events.”

“Given time, I would have drawn him out . . .” 

“I sincerely doubt that, Caroline, Mr. Darcy has made it abundantly clear what his opinion of you is.”  Louisa reminded her.

“Mrs. Hurst?”  A maid entered the room and halted Caroline’s retort.  “There is a Miss Hunt here with your order?”

“Oh, my gown!  Yes, I will come down.”  She stood and followed the girl down the stairs.  Caroline listened and moving quickly, reached for the reticule and removed the letter.  With increasing speed, she read of Hurst’s description of the Darcys’ accident and the injuries they suffered.  While she anguished over Darcy, she felt profound satisfaction with the thought of Elizabeth’s face being marred.  Hearing Louisa coming up the stairs, she quickly returned the letter and was smiling when her sister sat back down.  

“Well, it is almost right.  I asked her to add a few more embellishments and then I think I will be satisfied.”  Louisa’s head tilted, “What are you smiling about?”

“Oh, I just had a moment to think while you were busy.  If Charles is determined to take on Jane Bennet as his wife and he
is
to be Mr. Darcy’s brother, I
suppose
that we should call upon Mrs. Darcy when they are in London.”  She sighed dramatically.  “As much as I dislike her, it is a very useful connection, and I certainly would not mind seeing Mr. Darcy again, even if we must endure his wife in the process.”

“That is . . . quite a change in opinion, Caroline.”  Louisa said as she examined her sister curiously.  “I am not sure how much socializing they will want to do.  They were in a horrific carriage accident a few weeks ago.  Mr. Darcy is in terrible pain, but both of them have injuries.”  Caroline’s hand went to her heart.  “I do hope that they will recover quickly.”

“Oh my dear Lord, yes!  How shocking!  Well that settles it; we must visit and comfort them.  I know, let us go to the apothecary and lay in a supply of cosmetics for the poor woman.”  Shaking her head she sighed.  “Perhaps a book on beauty as well.  The poor thing must be devastated.”

Louisa’s brow furrowed, she had said nothing of their faces.   She looked from her sister to her reticule and noticed her husband’s letter peeking out. 
So that explains it.
  “Very well, sister dear, let us go shopping.”  She stood and pointedly picking up her reticule, pushed the letter further inside.  “Perhaps we might find something to make you more attractive, too.”

DARCY LISTENED to the maid quietly rebuilding the fire and kept his eyes closed.  A book rested on his belly beneath his folded hands, his feet were propped on a hassock, and stuffed all around him were pillows.  He sighed and smiled,
I am so, so, comfortable
.  He thought of watching Elizabeth fuss over him, placing the pillows, assessing her work, doing it over again, until at last satisfied that he was secure, well-supplied with both reading material and drink, she kissed him tenderly and departed for Longbourn. 
I will not be a moment.
  He reached into his waistcoat to rub the smooth surface of his pocket watch and thought of her tapping on the case with a teasing smile.  “Dearest Elizabeth.” 

“Well
there
is the picture of contentment.”  Hurst observed from the doorway and stood aside as the young maid hurriedly left.  He entered and took the chair next to Darcy.  Opening one eye, Darcy looked at his position and frowned.  That was Elizabeth’s chair, and only her lovely bottom should occupy it.  “What have I done to earn that glare?  I interrupted your solitude, is that it?  I imagine that you earned it after yesterday.”

Both eyes open, Darcy grasped the arms of the chair and grimacing, sat up a little.  “Things needed to be said.”

“Bingley is in awe.  He told me some of your dressing down of the Bennet household.”

“I did no such thing.”

“You most certainly did!”  Bingley appeared and grabbing a chair from beneath a nearby table, dragged it noisily across the floor and sat down by the fire.  “I would never be so brave!  What set you off?  One moment you are listening to Collins and the next you are pronouncing in the most succinct terms that every person in that household has to remove their heads from the sand and prepare for the coming apocalypse!”

“I sincerely doubt that the Reverend Collins would appreciate your cavalier use of that term, Bingley.”  Seeing his friend shrug he sighed.  “I just became impatient.  Nobody in that room would acknowledge what was clearly before their eyes, save the overly eager heir.  Mr. Bennet did none of them a favour by keeping his condition a secret and I wonder why his brothers did not say anything to the family sooner.  Why would you not wish to prepare?  And more importantly, why were not plans in place long ago?  My father died suddenly, and after the shock and devastation wore off, I was grateful for all of the careful planning that I found had been laid down for my benefit.  I had great shoes to fill, but I was not adrift.  Mr. Bennet remains as I thought upon first meeting him.”

“And that is?”  Hurst tilted his head.

“I reserve that opinion for myself.  If you join with that family, Bingley, I will be curious to hear your honest thoughts.  I will not put ideas in your head.”

“No need to express your opinions to me, you made them clear.”  He turned to Hurst.  “He did it all so calmly, too.   I am used to the old Darcy, delivering strictures without regard to his audience; this one was succinct, even tactful.  Excruciatingly honest, of course, but nonetheless he delivered his opinions and advice to each one of them in the most . . . effective manner.  In the end, I think that they were all grateful somebody broke the ice and actually talked about it.  Extraordinary!”

“Was I truly so awful in the past, Bingley?”  Darcy looked at him seriously.

“No, of course not.  I just . . . am so impressed with the change that marriage has made in you.”  Bingley saw Darcy’s lips lift slightly, but his gaze had become very focussed into the fire.

Hurst folded his arms and nodded his agreement.  “You are decidedly different, Darcy.  But I do ask about this great revelation, I might need to use it someday upon my own family!  Was there a specific approach to each person?” 

Bingley reanimated from his curious contemplation of his friend and smiled, “Precisely!  To Collins he had no mercy.  Lord, that man scrambled for quill and paper and scribbled furiously as you laid out like an impassioned lecturer the basics of estate management, and I might add; what he should be prepared to take on as head of the household.  I should have been taking notes myself!  I daresay that man’s puffed chest was seriously constricted when he got a good look at what he would be taking on.”  

“He will not be visiting Pemberley anytime soon.”  Darcy muttered darkly and took a drink.

The brothers looked at each other and laughed.  “ahhh.”

Chuckling, Bingley nudged Hurst, “I wonder what advice you might have given him as a husband had the ladies not been present.” 

Hurst took pity on Darcy’s rising colour and addressed him, “And to Mrs. Bennet?”  

“I was as reassuring as I could be, but said that her position must inevitably change.  I asked her to recollect when Mr. Bennet’s father passed and how his mother stepped back from her role as mistress to wise consultant to her young daughter-in-law.”  His lips twitched.  “She liked that, I think.  I do believe that she might even relish the role of
not
having to worry about losing her home and marrying off the remaining girls.  She might become an entirely different woman upon widowhood.  I realize that I am being incredibly generous with my confidence in her improvement, but Elizabeth is encouraging me to embrace optimism.  Undoubtedly when she hears of this, she will chastise me thoroughly, and I in turn, will blame it on my pain.” 

Hurst laughed, “Ah, yes I well-remember your dislike of the woman.  While you are obviously trying to improve, do not lose sight of the truth that sometimes bad opinions are earned.”  Darcy lifted his glass and nodded.  “Do you think that she will miss her husband?”

“That I could not say, if there is affection, it is well-hidden.”  Darcy closed his eyes and thought of Elizabeth calling his name and how he had been unable to answer her for so many hours.  He heard the desperation in her cries all over again and feeling his heart ache; he rubbed at it and cleared his throat. 

“What of the rest?”  Bingley asked and looked worriedly at Hurst.

Darcy cleared his throat again and found his voice.  “Miss Mary has the most difficult position, taking on both marriage and an estate.  Elizabeth has been feeling so worried about her, but I see strength in that young woman.  She may not be the most pleasant companion, but I think that she might bloom in her role.  She has been thirsting for someone to recognize her.  Well, as mistress of an estate, she will have that power she has always wanted.  And she is studious. Perhaps she can influence the younger two.  Miss Catherine, I think, is beginning to tire of being in her sister’s shadow.  She has an observant eye and is not as likely to speak whatever thought comes instantly to her tongue.  Miss Lydia is . . . Collins will have to keep an eye on her.  I see shades of another foolish girl I know in her.  One who was spoiled far too much.”  He tipped the glass again to his lips.  “She needs an occupation.  Idleness is her enemy, but with her mother’s money restricted, she may not feel so entitled to frippery and nonsense.”

“She may seek it elsewhere.”  Hurst said understandingly as Darcy closed his eyes and sighed. 

“I was glad that you had nothing to say to Jane.”  Bingley said quietly, but pointedly.  Darcy smiled and started to laugh.  “What?”

“I would not presume to say a word to your future wife, Bingley.  I just hope that you get on with it.  What could possibly be the delay?” 

“I do wish that everyone would stop telling me that!  I was waiting for the wedding to take place!”   He glared from one man to the other as they laughed harder.  “Is that wrong?”

“Just do it soon, do set a wedding date immediately and for heaven’s sake, get that settlement prepared and signed before Mr. Bennet leaves this earth!  Do you really want to be dealing with Collins instead?”  Darcy saw Bingley’s brow furrow and nodded, “If you have those three things in place, you can marry on schedule.  I would say propose at the wedding, and be on your way to London after the cake is cut.”

“Do you think it is that close?”

“Do you not?  You have seen the slow decline preceding death.” 

“Yes.”  Bingley rubbed his chin.  “Easterly is the man, you say?”

“He will take care of you, just mention my name.”  Darcy smiled. 

“Well, now that you are awake; and largely pain-free for the moment, what do you say to some billiards while we await your wife’s return?”  Darcy’s brow furrowed and smiling, Bingley and Hurst grabbed him under his arms and pulled him upright with a grunt.  His blanket and pillows fell to the floor.  “Come on, you need to move.  You have rested on your duff long enough.” 

“I doubt that I can bend to take a shot.”  Darcy protested as they hustled him out the door. 

“If you are drunk enough you will not notice!”  Hurst grabbed a bottle of port and pushed his back.  Darcy gasped and turning, glared at him.  “There you see, you are using new muscles already!”