One Love - Two Hearts - Three Stories Page 23

  “First and foremost, I thank you for your friendship to my sister.” Darcy had never been known as a good conversationalist amongst strangers. He had the typical abhorrence of sharing his feelings with others that most men were cursed with, especially in front of a female with a multitude of charms, such as Miss Elizabeth. He could not keep from moving his gaze to her as he continued. “Secondly…” Darcy paused as if the thought had vanished into the night. Shaking his head, he realized that he needed to look at Mr. Bennet if he wanted to be articulate in front of this lady. He cleared his throat. Georgiana looked up at him with one eyebrow raised as if puzzled. “Secondly, I thank you for your offer of hospitality. I would appreciate something to drink as I believe that I breathed in more dust than air while on the road. However, as to your offer to make myself more presentable, I believe that Georgiana and I will remove to our home next door for the night. But first, might I inquire as to the exact events that you alluded to in your letters?”

  Elizabeth knew this was coming. It had put their household into a panic yesterday when Georgiana had burst through their door screaming for help. Fortunately, Mrs. Bennet and the three youngest Bennet sisters were out looking for new ribbons and shoe roses at the mercantile. Georgiana’s panic was so evident that the Gardiner’s, Mr. Bennet, Jane, and Elizabeth had run from the drawing room en masse.

  Seeing that Mr. Darcy was anxious for her reply, Elizabeth first called for tea to be served and a tray for Mr. Darcy to ease his hunger. It was apparent from the timing of his arrival that he had not stopped for anything but a short interval along the way. The hour was now quite late.

  “Please be seated.” Elizabeth invited Darcy to sit next to his sister on the settee, as he looked as if he would not relinquish her company under any circumstances. “Just over two weeks ago, not too long after our arrival from Hertfordshire, my sisters and I happened upon Miss Darcy and her companion walking by the seashore. The wind had picked up and I was careless with the ribbons on my bonnet. When my bonnet blew away from me it landed at your sister’s feet. She was all kindness as she offered my wayward chapeau back to me. Rather than wait for a third party to provide introductions, we greeted each other and walked together the rest of the way back to this neighborhood. It just so happens that my aunt had grown up in a small town in Derbyshire named Lambton and that she had had the pleasure of visiting your home and of meeting both your parents. When she mentioned this to Miss Darcy, it was easy to convince her and Mrs. Younge to join us for tea. We were very pleased with her company and you should be proud that she presents herself so well at such a young age.”

  “Oh, brother, it was a jolly time.” He could see from the light in her eyes that this was so. Darcy relaxed slightly and then looked back at Miss Elizabeth for her to continue narrating the events of the days.

  “The next day we were, again, strolling along the waterfront when we encountered your sister in company with a gentleman. Mrs. Younge was walking quite a distance behind them and I wondered if he was the brother that Miss Darcy had spoken so well of the day prior. His appearance matched the description she had given us and his manners were that of a gentleman. However, to our surprise and as you are well aware, he was not Mr. Darcy.”

  “Wickham!”

  “Yes, sir. It was Mr. Wickham who was with your sister.” Elizabeth watched Georgiana’s head bow in embarrassment and could feel the anger emanating from Darcy in waves. “He was all politeness and was introduced as a long-time friend of the Darcy family.” She noticed Mr. Darcy visibly stiffen his posture and a stern look appeared on his face. It was frightening to see and she worried momentarily for her new friend, until Elizabeth noted that he was not even looking in the direction of his sister. It was disgust with his former friend.

  Darcy had long known the sort of evil that Wickham pursued, passing himself off as a lamb when he was nothing but a wolf. He jumped to his feet and started pacing back and forth across the small room. His agitation radiated to his sister and Georgiana, again, started to cry. It pained him deeply that he was the reason for her discomposure and he endeavored to regain his reputed self-control.

  Elizabeth looked to her father for direction. The life they led in the small village of Longbourn was fairly routine and simple. Amongst their circle of friends, there had not been a scandal such as an attempted elopement that she was aware of, during her lifetime. Mr. Bennet allowed his daughters the freedom to read the newspapers that arrived each morning, so they were aware of the devastation of war, the inability of the government to legislate morality, and the debauchery of some members of the peerage, including the Prince Regent himself. For Elizabeth, an elopement of this nature was unknown territory. However, a goodly principle of a mild answer soothing raging feelings was what her pious younger sister Mary would have recommended. This was the path Elizabeth chose.

  While Mr. Darcy attempted to regain his composure, he noticed that Elizabeth had moved to sit next to his sister. Reaching over, she squeezed Georgiana’s hand gently and offered her a smile and a handkerchief, whispering soft words to soothe her.

  This act of kindness was observed by Darcy and his instinctive reaction was to look to see if Elizabeth was performing thus in an effort to attract his attention. When he saw that Miss Elizabeth was paying him no heed, a feeling of shame tugged at his heart. When had he become so jaded? It was good for Georgiana to have a friend, someone who would not turn from her under any circumstances.

  Taking in a deep shuddering breath, Darcy endeavored to bring himself under regulation. “I beg your pardon for my behavior, Mr. Bennet, Miss Bennet.” He returned to the seat that Elizabeth had abandoned and looked to the older gentleman who had moved to stand between him and the ladies. As the head of his own household, Darcy deeply understood that protective stance. He took a deep breath and began.

  “George Wickham, for years, has targeted me in an effort to extort funds and cause embarrassment. This is the first time that he has tried to involve Georgiana and it speaks of a desperation that I believe has rendered him particularly dangerous. I am afraid that this offense against my beloved sister has affected me far more than anything he has ever done to my person. As her guardian as well as her brother, I have been aware that her dowry and our family name would attract the attentions of unscrupulous men seeking her hand when she comes out in society. It had not crossed my mind that this might happen now. To be done at the hands of one who had been given every advantage by my own beloved father is a blow that I am afraid, sir, had much more impact than expected. I am deeply ashamed of my reactions and hope that I did not frighten the ladies overmuch.”

  Elizabeth could see that he was truly horrified at the thought of alarming her and Georgiana. She realized that this man accepted the wrongs done to him, absorbing the pain, and showed no reaction. However, when the wrong was to his vulnerable sister, he felt the pain most acutely. This helped Elizabeth to sketch his character as a man who carried responsibility well and protected those he loved.

  Elizabeth looked to her father and realized that he was not going to speak. “Do not be concerned, Mr. Darcy. Your response is only natural when you considered the possible threat to your family and it speaks well of your love for your sister. What I believe ought to be considered is what needs to be done at this time. You must admit that Georgiana’s inclination to remove herself and obtain help immediately was well done. She is to be praised for having the insight to set aside the shock from what she saw and for having the wisdom to act appropriately. Sir,” Elizabeth waited until she had his full attention, “this is a defining moment for you as guardian, do you not believe? Georgiana’s decision reflects a maturity that comes, in part, from good oversight. While this situation could have been harmful it was, in fact, not at all. Please do not think that I am minimizing the danger, but with both Mr. Wickham and Mrs. Younge gone from Ramsgate, has not the danger passed? Now, might we consider what can be learned from this event and move on?”

  Darcy considered her words car
efully as he watched Elizabeth’s right hand patting the backs of Georgiana’s hands. He realized exactly when Elizabeth’s words filtered into Georgiana’s heart when she suddenly raised her eyes to her friend and smiled.

  “You think I am mature?”

  The delight on his sister’s face started to melt the glacier that had surrounded his heart for so long. Darcy was a private man who was often perceived as aloof and arrogant by those that did not know him well. His careful, almost fanatical, attention to not being caught in a compromise and forced to marry where he did not want, had left him ill qualified to converse at any length with a woman outside his own family. Intellectually, he knew that this rigid stance of protection of his reputation and the Darcy name was not conducive to inviting the friendship of young women with his sister.

  He gazed with pleasure as Elizabeth hugged Georgiana to herself and heard the giggle burst forth from his sister. Darcy was shocked at his own longing to be held by those same arms. Where had that come from? Miss Elizabeth Bennet was entrancing; from the impossibly thick, dark chestnut curls that had escaped when Georgiana returned her hug and now lay draped down the side of her unblemished ivory cheek. Her long black eyelashes that kept the exact color of her eyes in a shadow, and the rich curves of her lips with a smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes and made them twinkle in the candle light were lovely. She was intelligent, kind, and stunningly beautiful. Fitzwilliam Darcy’s heart reacted to what was before him in a way that drew his open hand to his chest. There was a danger at Ramsgate far more ubiquitous than George Wickham. Darcy knew it was time to remove himself from his inner turmoil and that meant leaving the Bennet home. He chose to blame these infant feelings on the turmoil of the day.

  It was with no little amount of regret that the Darcys left for their own house, each wondering how soon they would again be in the company of Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The next week flew by with an abundance of shared social activities between the neighbors. Early morning walks on the beach in the damp fog and wet sand, chess matches in the study with Mr. Bennet, and lengthy discussions of business with Mr. Gardiner filled the days. In the evenings, many heated debates took place over current events, philosophy, and the interpretation of ancient and modern writings between Darcy, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Gardiner, and Elizabeth. With each learned response, each rapid retort, the esteem that Darcy felt for Elizabeth Bennet grew. He knew of no other woman of his acquaintance that drew him in as she did. These discussions were reminiscent of Darcy’s early days spent with his father in the library at Pemberley, which were some of his most cherished memories.

  That night their discussion had centered on Shakespeare’s play As You Like It. Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner were playing a game of chess, so Darcy and Elizabeth had the freedom to engage in a lengthy conversation under their intermittent supervision. Georgiana had long since attached herself to Mrs. Gardiner in an effort to hear more about her parents. Darcy decided to use this opportunity to sketch Elizabeth’s character, entirely unaware that she was doing the same.

  Darcy’s deep baritone recited from Act II Scene VII.

  All the world's a stage,

  And all the men and women merely players;

  They have their exits and their entrances,

  And one man in his time plays many parts.

  Elizabeth found the sound of his voice soothing and was not ready for him to cease the monologue. She hadn’t realized that she had closed her eyes while she listened. She opened them to find him looking intently at her, almost staring.

  “Well done, Mr. Darcy.” Elizabeth decided to put him to the test. At times he seemed to act in arrogance and pride. Other times, especially with his sister, he was all that was kind and gentle. Who was this man? “What meaning do you give Shakespeare’s first line, Mr. Darcy? Do you think that he was speaking of the Globe theatre and the plays that he had already written up to that point?”

  In all of the seasons that he had spent in London, all of the balls, the parties, and the assemblies, he had never had an intelligent conversation with a young lady. He relished the opportunity to know this woman, to know her thinking and her ability to reason.

  Darcy response was thoughtful. “I do not think that Shakespeare was speaking of a theatre at all, Miss Elizabeth. Rather, he is speaking of the various stages of life; how it proceeds and how it ends.”

  “So, you are saying that it is a melancholy perspective of a life well lived? How revolutionary!”

  Darcy caught the laughter in her eyes even though she was making an effort to appear surprised at his interpretation. “Totus mundus agit histrionme (all the world plays the actor).” He whispered, almost to himself.

  Before Darcy could wonder how extensive Elizabeth’s education was, she replied. “”Quod fere totus mundus exerceat histrionem (because almost the whole world are actors).” Elizabeth watched for his response and was amazed at the deep laughter that resonated from within. She could not help but join in his merriment.

  This was a woman beyond compare. She knew Latin. She knew history dating back before Pythagoras, Petronius, and Shakespeare. When their laugher was under control, he could not keep himself from asking. “When you exclaimed “how revolutionary”, you were expressing an opinion not your own, were you not?” At her nod, he continued. “Was this an effort to see if my arrogant assumption of my superior intelligence gained in the hallowed halls of Cambridge would stand up under scrutiny or was this to see if I would trip over my own tongue, Miss Elizabeth?”

  “I do imagine that you are already aware of my motives, Mr. Darcy, as they surely reflect your own?” She was pleased that he could laugh at himself. It was something that she had not imagined possible with his unrelenting visage.

  Elizabeth Bennet was impertinent and Darcy’s heart was lost. His will was like iron, hardened by adversity and fire. His heart was virginal, untouched by tender thoughts of any woman, until today. It was easy to see what their future would hold, if indeed, they had a future together. Other than her expressions of joy at being around friends and family and discovering the outdoors, she held her feelings to herself, protecting them from possible misuse. Darcy understood that need immensely.

  He thought of other deep discussions held with his father concerning his future; the need to find a wife who would be an asset to Pemberley and the Darcy name. Honor and duty flowed through his veins with every beat of Darcy’s heart. To bear the Darcy name, his wife would need to be a woman of wealth and prominence, who had the regal bearing of a queen. Anything less would not bring acceptance into the Darcy family circle. It was to this standard that Darcy had been raised.

  He wondered what his father would have said about Elizabeth. Darcy knew in his mind that it was far too soon to have such tender feelings for a young lady to whom he was so recently introduced. Darcy was a gentleman and Elizabeth Bennet was the daughter of a gentleman. In that, they were equals. However, she was not from his sphere. There appeared to be no wealth, nor a title. Elizabeth would bring nothing to a marriage except her charms, which Darcy’s heart screamed was enough. And her family?

  Darcy was greatly impressed with Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. It was Mr. Gardiner who was the host of the house, with the Bennets staying at his invitation. That spoke well of his success. Mrs. Gardiner endeavored to be a calming influence over her children, the three youngest Bennet girls, and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Bennet. Nevertheless, her efforts to steer the matron and the two youngest Bennets, Kitty and Lydia, into less vulgar behavior appeared to be in vain. Mrs. Bennet rarely failed to remind the household, including guests, how wealthy their next-door neighbors were. It was horrifying to the Darcys and embarrassing to the Gardiners, Jane, and Elizabeth. Mr. Bennet and Miss Mary Bennet appeared unaffected.

  Darcy had been taken back by the striking differences between Jane and Elizabeth Bennet. Even though they were both in possession of fine manners, clearly the influence of their Gardiner connections, the eldest sister’s se
rene beauty and reticent countenance was in direct contrast to the vivacity of Elizabeth. Jane Bennet reminded him of ice while Elizabeth Bennet was an inferno and he was drawn to her heat like a child to a flame. Darcy had never got this close to the fire before and he squirmed in his seat at the risk he was thinking of taking. He wondered if Elizabeth was circling the flame as well.

  ***

  The day after Darcy’s arrival, his valet had shown up with the Darcy carriage and enough clothing trunks to keep him in fashion for a lengthy stay. Six days later, Darcy received an express letter from his cousin. Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam had found George Wickham and Mrs. Younge together at a seedy rooming house in a disreputable section of London. Wickham had never been afraid of Fitzwilliam Darcy. However, he feared Colonel Fitzwilliam’s sword and did not argue the point when the colonel offered the couple enough of Darcy’s money to provide passage and a start of a new life in the Americas. Rooms aboard ship were quickly located and the colonel personally escorted them to the docks and sent them on their way. Colonel Fitzwilliam planned to find his way to Ramsgate within the week to confirm that all was well with his ward, Georgiana Darcy.

  There had been an express letter waiting for the colonel at his barracks two days after he returned from the docks overseeing his cousin’s nemesis heading due west. In his recollection, Georgiana had never sent him mail via such service. Richard was extremely anxious as he broke open the seal and scanned the missive looking for the first signs of trouble. What is this? Who is this Miss Elizabeth and what is Darcy about?

  The colonel sat heavily in his chair, weary to his bones. Taking the time to thoroughly consider what Georgiana had written, a burst of amusement rattled his chest. Then he laughed out loud. The sound seemed foreign to his own ears and would be a shock to the new recruits he had been training. There was nothing joyous about war. This, however, he could delight in.