Everything will change, p.25
Everything Will Change, page 25
“I am, indeed, your ladyship.”
She shook her head. “It is a shame the scandal the late Duke of Dunsmore perpetrated against the Bennet family. No doubt it is a subject you would rather not speak on, but I am not in the habit of tempering my speech.”
If the grand lady meant to intimidate Elizabeth, she would have no luck. Her true bloodline aside, Elizabeth, too, had been reared steeped in aristocracy. “To know me is to know that I always speak my mind with equal frankness as well, your ladyship. I assure you, Lady Catherine, that my Bennet family is much relieved by the outcome. I am sure you know that we have your own nephew, Mr. Darcy, to thank for unraveling the mystery and leading me back to them.”
“I am indeed aware of the role Darcy played in all this, although you cannot be entirely pleased with the outcome of this turn of events.”
“I fail to take your meaning, your ladyship.”
“Why, you now find yourself being one of five daughters—all in need of husbands. I do not suppose your prospects for forming an advantageous match are nearly as favorable as when you were thought to be the granddaughter of a duke.”
Here, Elizabeth merely smiled. How she secretly congratulated herself in being able to boast of her promising prospects with her ladyship’s own nephew. Such knowledge would surely give the old dragon something to contemplate. “My prospects are as they ever were, I assure you.”
“If you insist, although it is a shame that you did not put yourself forward as a possible wife for my parson, Mr. Collins. You might have been the means of assuring your mother’s and your sisters’ places at the Longbourn estate should some ill fate befall your father.”
Elizabeth did not know if she was more aggrieved or relieved by the outcome of that event, but she did not intend to let on any of that to the proud lady. “I am confident my friend Mrs. Collins would argue otherwise.”
Her ladyship reared back her head. “I must say, you state your opinion rather decidedly, young woman. Such is a product of your regal upbringing, no doubt. In time, you shall adjust to your reduced circumstances and learn to regard your superiors with all due deference.”
“I do not know that I ever shall suppress my own opinions for such a reason as you expound, your ladyship, but I suppose it is generous of you to show such concern for my manner of comportment.”
“Pray you are not laughing at me, young woman, when you ought to be thanking me for telling you the things you ought to know if you plan to continue cavorting among Society now that the truth is out. Not everyone will be nearly as generous as I am.”
“In such a case as this, your ladyship, I say you must allow me to tend to what is mine while you tend to that which is your own.”
With a polite curtsey, Elizabeth walked away. Oh, the nerve of Lady Catherine de Bourgh—how dare she mention my prospects when she ought to be worrying about her own daughter’s? No doubt, she is suffering under the delusion that her daughter is to marry Mr. Darcy.
A knowing smile graced Elizabeth’s countenance over what it would be like to see in her ladyship’s face the indignation she would inevitably suffer when Elizabeth was presented to her as her future niece. She had not walked very far when a stranger approached her, although she was certain she saw in his face a resemblance of someone with whom she was particularly familiar.
“I see you have met my aunt.”
“Excuse me, sir, but do I know you?”
“No doubt, you know of me. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam at your service.” Bowing, he took her proffered hand in his and raised it to his lips.
Elizabeth soon found herself the happy woman seated next to one of the most amiable gentlemen she had met in a long while. Colonel Fitzwilliam entered into conversation directly with the readiness and ease of a well-bred man, and the two of them talked very pleasantly of a great many things. She quickly discerned that a gentleman with his charms rendered even the commonest, dullest, most threadbare topic interesting on those matters he was most eager to discuss. However, on others he had little to say. He did say that his cousin Miss Darcy was in town and residing in her own establishment under the supervision of a Mrs. Annesley.
Elizabeth, having been privy to how all that came to be, gave no indication of how intimate she was with Miss Darcy’s story. Further discussion of the Darcys confirmed what she had suspected, that Mr. Darcy was not yet in town. The colonel would not say more, and Elizabeth did not press, supposing it was not her place to do so. If the gentleman had any notion of the nature of Elizabeth’s acquaintance with his cousin, he gave no clue.
She could not help but consider that the colonel was nothing at all like his sister, Lady Victoria, who had formed a very unfavorable impression on Elizabeth during all their meetings the Season before. All too soon, Elizabeth was subtly reminded by her companion, Miss Greene, to give some of the others at that evening’s gathering their due, and she quitted the colonel’s company with but one thought uppermost in her mind.
Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam is one of Mr. Darcy’s relations whom I shall enjoy knowing very much.
Chapter 20 ~ A Pleasant Trip
Less than a week later, Elizabeth espied Darcy at the theater. She did not know at first whether to be glad about his being in town or troubled that he was in London and had not made that fact known to her. There he sat in the Matlocks’ luxury box, dressed in stark black and white and looking incredibly handsome. Sitting in front of him was his cousin Lady Victoria.
Elizabeth arched her brow. It appears the young woman has undergone a complete recovery from whatever mysterious affliction ailed her.
She silently questioned what Mr. Darcy was about. How long had he been in town and why the secrecy, for had the colonel not informed her that he did not know when Darcy would arrive in town for the Season? She could hardly wait until the intermezzo so she might speak with him, and, rather than pay attention to the performance on stage, she soon began plotting the means for putting herself directly in his path.
When at last she and Darcy stood directly before each other, his face showed a mixture of disquiet and surprise, and his demeanor was rather unreadable. Is he glad to see me?
After a neat bow from him and a curtsey from her, Elizabeth said, “Mr. Darcy, I did not expect to see you of all people this evening. I thought you were in Derbyshire. When did you arrive in town?”
“No, I’m here. I arrived this morning. I did not expect to see you here either.”
“Oh? Is this not one of the most highly anticipated events of the Season? Where else would I be?”
“No—of course you are here. What I meant to say is I had planned to call on you tomorrow.”
“At least there is that.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Sir, if you only arrived this morning, as you say you did, and I have no reason to doubt your word, I am surprised at your even being here. One would have thought you would be weary from your travels.” A barely perceptible nod of his head was encouragement enough for Elizabeth to continue. “I trust you had a pleasant trip.”
“I did—thank you. Coming here tonight was not my idea. My cousin—”
Before Darcy could complete his sentence, he and Elizabeth were joined by a third party—his cousin Lady Victoria.
She laced her arm through his. “Here you are, my dearest cousin.” She looked at Elizabeth. Feigning surprise, she said, “Ah, I beg your pardon, but what shall I call you? Is it Lady Elizabeth? Miss Bennet, perhaps?”
Elizabeth noticed Darcy stiffen in the face of his cousin’s brashness. And how dare she assume such a cozy relationship with the gentleman, even if they are cousins. Unless—
“You may call me by my name—Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
“How very formal,” said the other woman. She pursed her lips. “And here I always supposed you and I were such intimate friends.” She made a show of clinging more tightly to Mr. Darcy’s arm. “You won’t mind if I steal my handsome cousin away, I’m sure. You must come with me, my dear, for one of my oldest friends is here, and she is impatient to wish us joy—”
Darcy interrupted, “Lady Victoria!”
“What did I say?” she cried, as she started walking away, forcefully pulling him along.
Darcy looked back at Elizabeth, his eyes filled with unspoken apology, leaving her to wonder what had just happened. An enormous lump formed in her throat. Her heart slammed against her chest. Why would anyone be wishing Mr. Darcy and his cousin joy?
Very early the following day, Lady Catherine stormed into Matlock House demanding to see her brother, the earl, at once. She insisted upon knowing the meaning of the rumors making their way through the ton that Darcy was to marry the earl’s daughter, Lady Victoria.
“Calm yourself, Catherine. You know as well as anyone how close those two have always been. It should not come as a surprise to you that their friendship has blossomed into something more meaningful and lasting.”
“This is not to be borne. Why, it was the favorite wish of our sister, Anne, as well as my own, that Darcy was destined to marry my daughter, our dear sister’s own namesake. I will not have my own hopes and dreams thwarted by the whims of your selfish daughter, who has always considered herself superior to my Anne.”
“I am afraid it is beyond your power to do anything to prevent this union.”
“Nonsense! I am not in the habit of brokering disappointment. I will do everything in my power to see an end to this madness.”
“And I will do everything in my power to see that the union takes place. My family’s honor is at stake.”
“Pray what is that supposed to mean?”
“What I am saying, Catherine”—here the earl arose from his chair— “and I trust you will keep this to yourself… Victoria is with child.”
Her ladyship’s amazement was evident. “There must be some mistake. I refuse to believe it. I will speak to my nephew at once to find out the truth.”
“You are free to speak with Darcy all you like, and, while you’re at it, pray prevail upon him to act swiftly before society becomes aware of Victoria’s situation. I swear if he were anyone else, I would be obliged to call him out. I am not at all certain it may not come to that.”
“So you mean to say that Darcy does not intend to marry her? If that is the case, he must doubt the truthfulness of her claim.”
“Sadly, the situation has proved to be the means of a great divide with Darcy, for he has assured me that he will require more than my daughter’s word on the matter. He requires proof that only the passage of time will afford.”
“That you would abide such a scheme is evidence enough that you, too, harbor doubts.”
“I know our nephew to be a decent, honorable man. He vows that nothing that might be considered untoward happened between him and Victoria. She insists otherwise. Indeed, it is a matter of his word against hers. Only time will tell.”
Chapter 21 ~ Not Wholly Unfounded
Darcy received an early morning summons from Avery to meet him at White’s. He hated it when his friend asserted his ducal airs, but the fact of the matter was that Avery was indeed a duke, and one did not deny a duke a command appearance.
To make matters worse, Avery was late. Sitting at the table, awaiting His Grace’s arrival, gave Darcy time to remember his having to wait for Avery another time. It was the first time he could ever recall having been alone with Elizabeth. Darcy recalled her teasing manner and how she would not be satisfied until she had captured his full attention. Even then he knew he was in danger of one day losing his heart to her—Lady Elizabeth Montlake, the younger sister of one of his closest friends.
Darcy wondered how close he and Avery would be after that morning. Can our friendship survive yet another test?
The initial test had been when Darcy brought the late Duke of Dunsmore’s crime to light. Family loyalty had insisted that Avery balk at the notion that his grandfather had committed such a heinous act as rob another family of their child and pass her off as his own son’s illegitimate daughter. Only the threat of blackmail from one of the late duke’s former associates had persuaded Avery of the veracity of Darcy’s claims. Thus persuaded, Darcy and Avery joined forces in reuniting Elizabeth with the Bennets.
When, at last, Avery arrived, he came straight to the point of his being there. “You can have no doubt why I asked you to see me here this morning, Darcy, away from my home.”
“I would imagine it has to do with my presence at the theater last night.”
“Where you go matters not in the least to me. I am more concerned about who you were seen with at the theater.”
“Look, Avery, I won’t play games with you. No doubt you’ve heard about my situation with my cousin Lady Victoria by now. You ought to know that, despite what it looks like, this matter is riddled with complications.”
“The only thing I need to know is whether the rumor that you and Lady Victoria are to be married is true.”
“I am afraid that the rumor is not wholly unfounded.”
“Then you do not deny it?”
“As I said, it’s complicated.” Darcy then proceeded to discuss the intricacies of his situation with his cousin that he felt at liberty to share with Avery.
Little difference did any of what Darcy said make to the duke. “No one can be surprised by this development, Darcy. Look at how you and your cousin have comported yourselves over the years. Now you speak of loving her. If that is the case, then what does it matter if she is lying or not? There appears to be more than enough affection on her part for both of you.
“I do not need to tell you how disappointed I am, owing to what this means to my sister. I am not unaware that the two of you have an understanding, nor do I fault you. To do so would render me a hypocrite in light of my own behavior towards Miss Hamilton.”
“I am glad you understand.”
“What I understand is that my sister will be devastated by this development. I am aware that you only arrived in town yesterday, which must be your excuse for not informing Elizabeth that you are encumbered. I expect you to tell her today.”
Elizabeth’s busy mind did not know what to make of what was happening. Mr. Darcy had not called on her as promised, leaving her with little choice other than to conjecture the meaning of his cousin’s words the evening before on her own. Wanting to escape the confines of the house in order to dwell on those matters that must surely exasperate her, Elizabeth grabbed her wrap and headed outside. Ever vigilant, Miss Greene soon followed.
Elizabeth had not walked very far when, to her surprise, she espied Mr. Darcy straight ahead. No doubt, he meant to call on her at her home. She considered it quite fortunate that they would spend time together, just the two of them, without exciting her mama’s hopes that he might actually be calling on her sister Kitty. Turning to her companion, Elizabeth asked for time alone with Mr. Darcy.
“I shall allow a discrete distance between us, but His Grace would object were I to abandon you altogether,” said Miss Greene.
“Yes, and we both know that what His Grace wants His Grace gets, do we not?”
“I am merely doing my job, my lady.”
“Pray, forgive my shortness, Miss Greene.” By now, Darcy and Elizabeth were mere steps apart. Nodding to her companion as a means of tacitly commanding her to stay right where she was, Elizabeth walked to where Darcy stood.
He bowed and she curtsied. Darcy said, “I was on my way to see you. Are you expected elsewhere?”
“No, sir, I simply wanted time away from the house—to take in the fresh air.”
“May I walk with you?”
“I do not know that I can stop you, sir, if that is your desire.”
“You’re angry with me. I am sure I know the reason. There is much for us to discuss,” he said, falling in step beside her. “Allow me to start by apologizing for my cousin’s unseemly behavior last evening at the theater.”
“You surprise me, sir. You have never taken it upon yourself to apologize for your cousin’s rudeness before. Why are you doing so now? Or does the fact that others are wishing the two of you joy oblige you to speak for her?”
“It was wrong of Lady Victoria to insinuate that our situation called for such felicitations. She meant to rattle you with premature suppositions.”
“Premature suppositions? Speak plainly, Mr. Darcy.”
Darcy commenced telling Elizabeth everything that he had told Avery earlier but in terms more suitable to her maidenly sensibilities. Throughout his speech, Elizabeth colored, she fumed, and she silently questioned.
Does he honestly expect me to believe that he is being falsely accused of fathering a child? That his cousin’s claims cannot possibly be true, because he has no remembrance of any such transgression? Does he suppose I am completely naïve?
“My stance is that my cousin’s duplicity will soon become known. Patience and a sufficient passage of time is all this situation requires.”
Elizabeth could not believe she was hearing him correctly. She said nothing.
As if taking Elizabeth’s silence as encouragement to push forth the merits of his proposal, Mr. Darcy pressed on. “Elizabeth, you asked me to wait for you, and I did. Is it too much for me to ask that you wait for me?”
“How dare you compare the two situations? I asked for time to reunite with my family, not wait to see if a child is the consequence of a union that you will not even acknowledge.”
Searching her face for a modicum of understanding and finding none, he persisted. “I cannot acknowledge that of which I have no remembrance.”
“What does that even mean, Mr. Darcy? Either the two of you shared intimacies that ought to be reserved for a husband and wife or – heaven forbid – a man and his mistress, or you did not.”
He swept his fingers through his hair. “She cared for me when I was recovering from the injuries I sustained in the carriage accident. I was in and out of consciousness. Those weeks are lost to me, but I am sure that, had I engaged in such intimacies as she suggests occurred, I would remember.”
