Pride, Prejudice & Secrets (17 page)

George thought that over for a few moments before Darcy went on. “I can give you another piece of evidence, and it concerns an eligible young man with a fortune rather similar to yours. Miss Bennet would almost certainly be married to this man if she had been willing to display an affection and interest she did not actually feel. I saw this happen, George. I am sure she is not a fortune hunter.”

“That is cheering news, Darcy. I certainly hoped so, but I am such a neophyte.” George shrugged his shoulders expressively and took another drink.

“Further, and this should also interest you, I can affirm that Miss Bennet’s behaviour last evening was different from her usual manner, which is more inclined toward serenity and composure than other adjectives. Elizabeth agreed with me, confirming that her sister showed an unusual degree of interest in your conversation. Whether Miss Bennet is the woman for you is a matter you will have to decide, but you witnessed no feigned reactions last evening; she simply is not capable of them.”

George thought over what he had learned while Darcy refreshed their glasses. “I have at least some weeks, possibly a month, before the
Medea
is ready for sea, so I have some time but not enough to waste. From what you have said, Miss Bennet is so exemplary that I could not fail to give her consideration even were I not attracted to her.”

“And she to you,” Darcy said with a smile.

“Ah, I am somewhat surprised at just how much difference that makes. But I have so little experience with any kind of romantic behaviour that I have no choice but to act the part of a calculating businessman. I know no other way to act.”

“Women need a provider as well as a protector, but they also need more. They need a husband who respects them and treats them as a valued wife and companion.”

“I hope that she may teach me, then,” George said, with a shrug, “for I confess I do not know how to act the part.”

“Actually, I think she may be quite capable of that if you make it known that you need instruction, being only a rough and uncouth sailor and not acquainted with the finer points of romance.”

“You forgot ‘simple’ — a ‘simple, rough, and uncouth’ sailor.”

“Ah, that did slip my mind.”

“I believe you are returning to Hertfordshire soon?” asked George.

“Tomorrow.” Darcy gestured at the papers on his desk. “I was reviewing the marriage articles I plan to take to Elizabeth’s father tomorrow, and I may well remain there until the wedding — except I need to bring Georgiana down at some point.”

Actually, I would take Georgiana with me tomorrow if Wickham were not in the neighbourhood,
he thought in irritation.
Will that man ever cease to be a thorn in my side? At least, he did not completely poison Elizabeth against me, despite at least some early success.

“Then, if you are agreeable, could I trouble you for an introduction to Mr. Bennet?”

“Of course. I will be pleased to do so, but I will go further. A friend made his estate available for my use, and you are welcome to visit for as long as you like. Call on Miss Bennet and see whether my observations are accurate.”

“I accept with thanks, Darcy, and I will indeed call on Miss Bennet. But I wish to speak with her father and ask his permission to court his daughter.”

Darcy raised his eyebrows at such precipitous action. “I must have been more persuasive than I imagined.”

“You answered all my questions, Darcy, and many thanks. But, having those questions answered, you have to remember that I am rather dispassionately seeking a woman as both a wife and a manager of my estate.”

“Estate?”

“Yes, estate. Or perhaps a house. I do not know yet, and I may ask for your advice at that time. But this war cannot last forever, though it has spanned my adult life. Another year or two may see the end of the conflict, after which Parliament will fall all over itself reducing the fleet and putting most naval officers on the beach on half-pay. I wish to be settled before then with a place to live, a wife, and possibly even a small family.”

“Very logical. Very rational.”

“And not at all romantic,” George said smiling. “But I cannot be anything other than what I am. I shall see if that in any way accords with Miss Bennet’s desires. But now I must be on my way. Both Richard and I are expected at supper. I suspect Mother intends an extended front against Father on your behalf.”

I have a suspicion Miss Jane Bennet’s desires include certain wishes you have not yet considered, Cousin George,
Darcy thought in amusement as he departed.
What is it that is said about the quiet ones? Still waters run deep? She might lock
you
in
her
bedroom for a month or two!

Chapter
10

“It is wise not to seek a secret and honest not to reveal one.”

— William Penn, English Quaker leader and founder of Pennsylvania

Friday, April 17, 1812: Meryton, Hertfordshire

Lieutenant George Wickham was a troubled man as he sat with several fellow officers in the Hare and Hound, drinking ale and discussing entertainment possibilities.

“I hear Sir William Lucas is hosting a party this afternoon, and officers are always welcome at his affairs,” Lieutenant Reynolds said.

“What’s the occasion? He already got one daughter married off and the other is visiting her,” Captain Denny responded.

“Probably he just needs another opportunity to practice civility and advise us to dance at St. James’s with our betters,” Lieutenant Taylor said in his lazy drawl. His comment drew a round of appreciative laughter, for the empty-headed, old gentleman was often the butt of their rough jests.

But Wickham hardly listened, for he was consumed with his own problems, all of which centred on his lack of money. He had lived for some time on his inheritance from his godfather, old Mr. Darcy, father of the present heir. He had been a particular favourite of the elder Darcy though relations with his son had been strained for some years.

Blast that priggish son!
Wickham thought angrily, despairing for his blasted hopes.
It still galls me that I could get no more than a paltry three thousand pounds when I gave up the Kympton living! That iceman is harder to deal with than a moneylender! And the old man could at least have left me a decent living instead of a parsonage!

He took a long draught of his ale, remembering the acrimonious negotiations with the younger Darcy, who maintained a cold, emotionless air as he rejected each appeal Wickham made for greater remuneration. Darcy was firm that he would pay three thousand pounds in return for the renunciation of all claims to the Kympton Parsonage, and Wickham finally had to accept the offer. He had to get
some
money, having virtually exhausted the thousand pound bequest, and in desperation, he signed the written agreement Darcy demanded agreeing to the terms.

If I could have eloped with Georgiana before her wretched brother showed up!
he thought viciously.
Thirty thousand pounds! And it was virtually in my hands when Darcy appeared from nowhere! If I had just left the day before; the girl was ready and would have gone with me were all the carriages not rented. That sum would have set me up for life! Why, just the income would have been fifteen hundred a year!

And now he was at the end of his string again. Ale was in his mug only because of credit from the barkeep based on his engagement to Miss King. It now appeared that hope was about to be extinguished, and his thoughts were bleak.

Why else would her uncle be coming to take her to Liverpool? Once she is gone, I suspect the engagement is over, which will spoil my last hope. These other officers are from the gentry and do not have my problems; they are either the heirs of landowners or younger sons with an allowance. I am an imposter, and once the engagement is broken, my credit will evaporate. Even if I manage to escape when the regiment goes to Brighton, I will still have no money. I might manage a few months of credit in a new location, but already my debts of honour to the other officers are becoming a problem. If only I could break this disastrous run of bad luck at cards and dice!

It never occurred to him that the fault was his — that he was an abject failure at games of chance. He had never possessed the awareness to see himself as he was: an inept gambler and, more crucially, a man who pretended to be a gentleman without the income commensurate with his pretensions. Had he managed to secure Georgiana Darcy’s thirty thousand pounds, he would have inevitably frittered the fortune away, always certain he could recoup his losses on the next wager.

At that moment, another officer, Lieutenant Maxwell, came in, wearing the air of enervated excitement so common to him.

“I have just heard the most amazing news!” he said.

“You always hear the most amazing news, Maxwell,” Taylor responded tiredly. “What is it now?”

“It seems one of the young ladies we know has become engaged, and you will never guess which one!”

“What is
really
amazing is that we can almost hear the exclamation points as you speak, Maxwell. Now, I hope your news is not about Miss King,” Taylor said. “That is old information — months old, in fact.”

“No, no, this is about one of the Bennet daughters!”

“Jane Bennet?” Denny asked. “Did that Bingley fellow return to Hertfordshire?”

“No! It is her sister — Miss
Elizabeth
Bennet!”

“Really!” Denny said, genuine surprise in his voice. He rather admired the two older sisters and might actually have fancied one if they had not been essentially penniless. He thought Miss Elizabeth was most charming and certainly quite handsome, even if her figure was not as robust as he preferred

“Most interesting,” Taylor drawled. “One of the local lads, I presume?”

“Not even close!” Maxwell said. “That is the truly astounding news. She is engaged to that fellow from Derbyshire — the one you know, Wickham, the rich one. Derby or Darby — I’m not sure exactly.”

“No!” Denny said in astonishment.

“But I heard she hated the man!” Reynolds said.

“Well, perhaps she might change her mind for — what was it, five thousand a year?” Taylor said.

“His name is Darcy,” Wickham said numbly, still feeling the shock reverberating through his soul. “And it was Bingley who had the five thousand — Darcy clears more than ten thousand a year just from his estate in Derbyshire.”

Darcy!
he thought, so stunned that Maxwell’s earlier excitement seemed a mere gossamer abstraction.
How can this be? I know she believed what I said about him; I saw it in her face!

Then a nauseating thought struck him, and he felt sick.
Darcy must have told her about me! He likely told everything — Cambridge, the drinking and carousing and seductions. He might even know of the two bastards. And the renunciation of Kympton and, worst of all, Georgiana. My reputation will not just be ruined but will be obliterated! Darcy! Why did it have to be Darcy?

And then he remembered Mary King.
When she hears of that attempted elopement, our engagement will not have to wait until she leaves to come to an end. She will publicly renounce it here in Meryton! My reputation will be shredded, and I will not even have the option of escaping with the regiment. I will have to disappear instantly or be booted out, and that will bring out every tradesman and officer owed a gambling debt. I could wind up incarcerated at Marshalsea or in a prison hulk on the Thames!

But the remembrance of Georgiana brought a sudden scheme to his fevered brain.

Gretna Green?
he thought urgently.
Well, why not? It almost worked with Georgiana; it might work this time if Mary King does not hear of the sordid details. But I cannot repeat my mistake with Georgiana; I must move instantly. Mary will agree to my plan; I can see she wants to be married. She thinks it a great lark — and it will be for a while. And I can always disappear once I have my hands on her fortune and make my way to the continent — Italy or perhaps Geneva. I speak Italian passably and French like a native, and I am sure I can make my fortune if I just have a little money to lend credence to my masquerade.

Only then, with his decisions made, did he pay attention to the conversation.

“I suggest Lucas Lodge,” Reynolds said. “Perhaps some of the Bennet girls will attend and provide more details.”

“It is better than nothing,” Taylor said. “And if the two younger Bennet sisters attend, I might steal another kiss from Kitty or even Lydia.”

“I believe I hear agreement,” Denny said with finality, and they stood to leave.

Except Wickham. He had returned to his plans and the need to secure a loan for the journey to Scotland as well as lodgings when they returned. And a ring, of course, though it would be an inexpensive one. And that meant Denny, for he had been quite careful to never borrow money from him and to pay off anything he lost. Denny was the most affluent of the group, the elder son of a York landowner. Wickham had known he might need one last loan, a rather substantial one, and he had husbanded this one final source of credit.

At that moment, providence provided an opening as Denny asked, “What about you, George? Will you join us at Lucas Lodge? You might learn what possessed Miss Elizabeth to marry your old enemy.”

“I believe I will pass, Denny,” he said carefully. “I know not what tales Darcy might have spun, but I will not embarrass the charming Miss Elizabeth by pretending to believe his lies. No, I will take myself elsewhere, but I wonder whether I might have a moment before you go?”

The door to Longbourn opened as Darcy emerged from his coach, and Elizabeth appeared at the door. He quickly strode to her and then raised his eyebrows as she did a graceful curtsey in the doorway.

“Good afternoon, sir,” she said meekly, and his suspicions ratcheted even higher, for he noticed she was careful not to meet his eyes.

“Good afternoon, Elizabeth. I hope I am not being overly cautious, but I can see that your spirits are up. I cannot help suspecting you have some particular plan to tease me today.”

“I can hide nothing from you, sir,” she said demurely. “You see right into my soul.”

“Now I know you are planning something!” He laughed at her act, and she smiled as she took his arm and almost pulled him into the house.

“I do have a favour to ask, William.” She halted in the entry. “My mother was naturally delighted to learn of our engagement, and she proceeded to take me about to most of our friends to inform them of my cleverness in securing a rich husband.”

Her grimace indicated dissatisfaction with her mother’s celebratory efforts, and he nodded since he was certain that his fortune had played only a minor role in her agreeing to his offer.

“And those few of her friends we did not visit yesterday visited
us
this morning,” she said. “Being far too familiar with enduring my mother’s raptures, I truly hate to ask you to undertake a similar experience, but I am asking it anyway.”

“Well, perhaps you might describe the magnitude of this ordeal you wish me to endure.” His voice was mild though he was a bit worried at what she asked. But her obvious contrition in asking it made it difficult to refuse.

“Sir William Lucas invited us to a party at Lucas Lodge this afternoon. The invitation was quite sudden and specifically included the two of us. I believe he planned the event specifically in the hope you might attend and thus lend his party additional prestige and afford him a social triumph.”

“That sounds plausible,” Darcy said hesitantly since he was especially averse to events where he might be the centre of attention. “And you wish to attend despite suspecting Sir William’s intent?”

“I do, sir. I know you are not fond of such occasions, and I know you would much prefer a more private evening. But I have a desire of my own.”

“And that is?” asked Darcy, and he could not conceal the tightness in his voice and expression.

“My mother showed me off to all her friends,” she said softly, slipping her hand into his. “And now I want to show
you
off.”

“Show
me
off?” he asked in surprise, and she nodded.

“Just this once. I know Sir William and his wife are rather trite and trivial in manner, but I learned that Charlotte and her husband returned to Lucas Lodge this morning. She really is my oldest and dearest friend, even if circumstances motivated her to marry a most foolish man. I want to see her, and I wish to do so on your arm. I want to show you off, William, even if it is to assuage my own selfish pride.”

And I also want to begin to rehabilitate your reputation in the neighbourhood,
she thought, watching his eyes.
But I cannot tell you that — not yet. You are not ready to know how very badly you are regarded among all our friends and neighbours.

Darcy looked at her for a moment and then smiled somewhat awkwardly.

“I place myself in your hands, Elizabeth,” he said, and if his voice held no particular enthusiasm, it also held no resentment.

“Thank you, William.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “In return, I assure you this is my only request of this type. In fact, I shall go further. After today, you are certain to receive any number of invitations to social events. Whether you attend any or all is completely up to you. I ask no further generosity; you may decline them all with not a word or an ill thought from me. This is the only such request I shall make.”

This evidence that she knew what she asked and also was beginning to understand his nature warmed Darcy, and he said fervently, “I will attend anything as long as you are with me, my love. With you at my side, I can endure anything — anything at all.”

Elizabeth nodded, moved by his absolute trust in her. He had defects, true, and she hoped he might learn more gentle manners, but she would be content even if he did not change. To be trusted so absolutely was far too precious a gift to be marred by any reservations, and she vowed she would have none about him — not any longer.

Upon entering the drawing room, Darcy prepared to endure the congratulations of Mrs. Bennet, but the meeting passed off better than either he or Elizabeth expected. Mrs. Bennet could hardly utter a word to her future son-in-law, evidently so much in awe of him that she hardly dared to speak. The same could not be said for her younger sisters, who immediately displayed the lack of sense and decorum their mother had avoided by silence. Lydia asked if he had ever worn regimentals, Kitty wondered whether balls were held at his estate, and even Mary enquired into the particulars of his library at Pemberley.

Elizabeth witnessed Darcy’s suppression of a smile, and she would have liked to apply a verbal set-down to her sisters adequate to their violations of propriety, but she firmly repressed the urge. She could only look to the evening after he departed when she might get Lydia, Mary, and Kitty alone.

Mrs. Bennet could not hide her admiration of the Darcy coach, with its liveried driver and footmen, so Darcy was quick to offer its use for the journey to Lucas Lodge.

“You could ride with Elizabeth and me in my coach, Mrs. Bennet, while your other daughters take yours. We might possibly seat five or even six in mine, but seven would be impossible.”

“Oh, certainly, certainly!” she said, and Elizabeth could see her mother’s mind working, knowing she planned to immediately enter Lucas Lodge with the two of them.

Later, as she started to board the coach, Elizabeth was startled to catch sight of the driver climbing into his box and adjusting a scabbard beside him that appeared to have the butt of a pistol sticking out. Darcy saw the direction of her gaze and answered her questioning look by gesturing at the rear box where the footmen stood.

“There are four pistols in the front box and four more in the rear, along with a pair of shotguns.”

“Is all that really necessary, Mr. Darcy,” she asked in some concern. “I have not heard the roads are that dangerous.”

“It is true that highwaymen have been decreasing for a few years now, and one of the reasons is the increasing number of turnpikes and gated toll roads, which makes it difficult for a highwayman to halt a coach and then escape without being noticed. But another reason is the precautions taken by travellers with enough wealth to attract a desperate man. I will not hazard the life or welfare of Georgiana, much less myself, to the beneficence of criminals. And that goes more than double for you, Elizabeth.”

She felt a familiar warmth with this reminder of her important to him, but though mollified by his explanation, her curiosity was still only partially satisfied.

“I would have thought you would conceal your arms so as not to startle the uninitiated,” she said, only to note another shrug from Darcy.

“It does no harm to advertise one’s willingness to protect family and fortune,” he said. “It is really a favour to the miscreant; he sees our arms, realizes our intent, and knows it would be better to look for less dangerous game. Actually, I am far from alone in my precautions; surely, you have heard footmen referred to as ‘shooters’?”

“I have!” she exclaimed, more than a little startled. “But I never considered why.”

“Few do,” Darcy said. “But I wager the few highwaymen left are well aware of the reason.”

Their conversation had gone mostly unnoticed by her mother, who was more interested in the appointments and the glass that kept out the dust, and Darcy and Elizabeth shared a look common to the enlightened in the presence of their benighted brethren.

It will be pleasant to be settled at Pemberley, with just William and Georgiana,
she thought.
I am so used to my usual society here that I never considered the many ways in which it has ceased to be pleasing to me — and could never have been pleasing to William. I long for the solace of intelligent and polite conversation, as when we dined at
his townhouse with his relations — and those of mine of whom I need not be ashamed. It
was all so agreeable — and will be nothing like what we will bear today.

“I do have to speak with your father, Elizabeth,” Darcy said. He was sitting across from Mrs. Bennet, having taken the opportunity of claiming Elizabeth’s hand. Her mother made no complaint. In fact, she beamed in complete approval before returning to her inspection of the coach. “I have some legal documents for him.”

“I supposed as much, Mr. Darcy,” she said, smiling at him. “I knew you would not come until they were ready. Are you already installed at Netherfield?”

“I am, and Bingley’s instructions were followed completely. It is ready for a large party, but there is only me for the moment.”

“And Georgiana?”

“Not yet,” he said, not wanting to tell her that he could not bring her when Georgiana might encounter Wickham. He knew Elizabeth had once been partial to him, and he preferred to deal with as few disagreeable subjects as necessary. “I will bring her down when the wedding plans are firm. She has a number of masters who visit almost daily.”