“I will say my farewells to my uncle and then be on my way.” Richard turned on his heel leaving William staring at his retreating back.
Rather than stay at Pemberley, Richard rode into Lambton and took a room at the Rose and Crown Inn for the night. He would begin his ride home in the morning.
He was fully aware both his uncle and cousin were in pain, and had been so since Aunt Anne was called home. Richard realised part of William’s reaction earlier had been because he had not wanted to hear what Richard had said about what Aunt Anne would have thought of the way her husband and son were mourning her.
All he could pray for was at some point someone would be able to break down the walls William had constructed around his heart and strip away the mask he wore.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As he remembered the conversation, Richard was saddened he had not been in William’s company since their almost physical fight that day. He wondered if his relating the behaviour of Miss Louisa Bingley, who was two years her brother’s senior, and Miss Caroline, three years younger than Bingley, had contributed to William’s reticence to meet them.
Miss Bingley was, as far as Richard remembered, two and twenty while Miss Caroline was seventeen. Both acted as if they were the daughters of a duke, not a tradesman, thinking their dowries of twenty thousand pounds somehow elevated them.
Of course, it did not. Although they had previously dismissed Richard as ameresecond son, as soon as they had learnt he had become the owner of Cloverdell, they set their caps for him. The truth was, he could only imagine the sisters’ reaction if they were to meet William and discover the information regarding all to which he was heir.
If they were ever to meet William, Richard knew he would have to make sure Bingley kept his sisters under good regulation. His cousin would not do well with their fawning and pretentions they were anything but the daughters of a tradesman.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The subject of his cousin’s rumination was sitting athis father’s desk in the study at Pemberley contemplating yet again Richard’s words from a month past.
The more William cogitated on the words, the more he had to admit his mother would not be happy with the way either he or Father had reacted to her passing. That Giana spent most of her time with others, made William feel a deep shame.
Mayhap he should write to Richard and accept his invitation, that is if his cousin still desired his company. He had heard so much of the Bennets from Giana when she had been home for brief periods. Truth be told, he really did not object to meeting Richard’s friend. His cousin had the right of it, character was much more important.
That Richard had compared his attitude to that of their banished, murderous aunt had stung terribly. With time and distance, William had come to accept there was truth in Richard’s words.
He was about to write a letter of apology when there was an urgent knocking on the study door. “Come,” William called out.
Reynolds opened the door, his face, which was usually a stoic mask, showed grave concern. “Master William, the master’s valet asks you to come urgently and he thinks we need to summon Mr. Harrison.”
“I will go see what Hodges wants. Please send for the doctor and tell him it is urgent,” William barked before running out of the study and up the stairs.
Since his father had stopped riding and spending time in the fields, he had lost much of his colour, but in the last few days William had noticed his father’s pallor had become almost grey. The one time he had seen his father climbing the stairs, William had noticed it seemed to be a great effort to reach the family floor. It had been the last time—two days ago—he had seen his father downstairs.
Without knocking, he burst into his father’s bedchamber. The valet, Hodges was trying to have his master sip some water. Most of it was dribbling down Mr. Darcy’s chin.
“Leave…us,” Darcy rasped to his valet.
The man did as he was bade and disappeared into the servant’s hallway.
“Father, what is it, you do not look well,” William stated worriedly.
“Soon…be with…your…mother. William…sorry to…leave you…and Giana.”
“No, Father, you cannot leave us as well,” William wailed.
Was he to be an orphan before he reached his majority? It seemed so. As much as he did not want his father to die, he could hear a crackling sound with each breath he took and when he felt his father’s pulse, he could tell the heartbeat was far slower and weaker than it should be.
Was this punishment for his wanting to start living again?
William did not consider the illogical nature of the thought. However, at that moment it was all that made sense to him.
Mr. Jackson Harrison, accompanied by his son Benjamin, entered the bed chamber. The latter had recently graduated from the Edinburgh Medical School. Now he was working with his father as a second physician in the neighbourhood.
“This is what I feared,” the older Mr. Harrison shook his head.
“You were aware Father was ill?” William accused.
