~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
At Pemberley, about ten minutes after Darcy had sent the butler to find him, the Colonel stalked into the study. He closed the door and flopped down dejectedly into one of the chairs in front of Darcy’s desk. Darcy could now plainly see what had caused the worry for Georgiana. This was not the happy go lucky Richard he was used to seeing. He had dark rings under his eyes from lack of sleep and looked very forlorn.
“Richard, what is going on? I cannot remember a time when you have looked so dour and unhappy. You remind me of myself before I was snapped out of my melancholy. I have been busy, but Georgie and Anne are very worried about you and Georgie actually is so worried she brought it to my attention this morning,” Darcy asked, assessing his cousin to see if he could see the issue at hand.
“It is nothing cousin, or nothing anyone can help with. Only time will fix it.” Richard replied with more bitterness than he usually expressed.
Based on the response, Darcy had a good idea what was ailing his cousin, so he decided to test his supposition. “Are you regretting your courtship of Mary and thinking about the best way to break it off with your honour intact?” he asked, getting the exact response he expected.
“BREAK IT OFF WITH HER?!!” Richard shouted. “If you think that, William, then there is a cell next to Aunt Catherine’s at Bedlam waiting for you. Why on earth would you say something so utterly ridiculous?”
“Just checking, Cousin.” Darcy smirked. “You can sit down and relax.”
“Checking what, William?” Richard frowned. “If it is my constancy…” he stopped when Darcy held up a hand.
“I was verifying my supposition that you do not want to wait much longer to marry your Bennet daughter, and Jane and Charles’s betrothal has sent you down the rabbit hole of frustration,” Darcy offered evenly.
“You know me too well, William. Wait, did you say Georgie noticed? She came and talked to you?” he enquired, much surprised.
“Affirmative on both counts. Our young charge is no longer a child. With help from the Bennets, she has become a confident, mature, and poised young lady. Being able to confront Wickham before he was led away was the final step in her transformation and recovery.
“Now back to you. You are a man of action, a survivor of multiple battles against the enemy forces. So, what are you going to do? Sitting around here moping and feeling sorry for yourself and doing nothing will not get any results other than for you to sink further into frustration and soon despair,” Darcy stated, and as one who had allowed himself to sink into the depths of despair, he was anxious to help his cousin avoid it.
“I do not think there is anything to do short of an elopement...” The Colonel sighed when he saw that his cousin was about to take him to task. “Peace, William. I am not like Wickham; I would never dishonour Mary like that or put the longstanding friendship between her parents and mine in jeopardy. We have been in love for almost three years, we just do not want to wait so many more months before we say our vows before God and are never able to be parted again.”
“Never be parted? Are you to sell your commission?” Darcy looked at him in surprise.
“I am. Once we knew we loved each other, I promised Mary, as well as her parents and mine, that as soon as I am engaged to her, I would sell out. I refuse to leave her the widow of a soldier or alone for long periods not knowing if I live or have died,” Richard related.
“I know your parents as well as Andrew and Marie will be overjoyed when they do not have to worry about you going into battle anymore. Are you in a financial position to take a wife?” he asked with concern, chuckling at Richard’s arched brow. “I suppose with Mary having fifty thousand...”
“How much did you say? I thought it was around forty thousand for each of the Misses Bennet!” Richard’s eyes were so wide Darcy could not help but laugh.
“I assumed you knew, based on the closeness between your families. Yes, the amount is over fifty thousand.” Darcy agreed, now truly amused.
“We will not need to touch that to live reasonably well, thanks to Edward Gardiner’s help. I have saved up over sixty thousand pounds due to my investments since I entered the army,” Richard answered the original question.
“I am very impressed, Cousin. With that you can purchase a small to mid-range sized estate if you want to. Now back to your situation with Mary. Why do you think there is nothing that can be done?” Darcy asked, interested in Richard’s opinion.
“I had previously requested, and the Bennets agreed, to a shortened courtship period of two months rather than three. I cannot go back to him again. I get it, they do not want all three of the older daughters to leave home at the same time, but Mary and I have waited years and you and Bingley have only known….” Richard stopped himself before expressing too much bitterness.
“Richard that is nonsensical! My future father-in-law is one of the most approachable and reasonable men I know, other than Uncle Reggie. What is the worst he can say if you ask? No? He and Mrs. Bennet love their daughter too much to terminate the courtship because you want to marry her sooner,” Darcy suggested, understanding the reasons and could not fault Richard for the frustration he felt, which he and Bingley were the unwitting catalyst for.
“There is some truth to what you say, William,” Richard agreed. After a moment he started to visibly brighten as a plan of action formed in his mind, and the thought of even the possibility of a shorter time before he and Mary recited their vows to each other made his zest for life return.
“Now go get ready. We leave for Snowhaven in an hour but before you do, please let Georgie see you smile again,” Darcy ribbed his favourite cousin.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Two hours later the two carriages from Pemberley arrived at the entrance to Snowhaven. Greetings were made and the party assembled in the drawing room, but Richard was focused on his Mary who was glowing with happiness.
“Ask my parents to join us in the study please, Richard,” his beloved whispered to him as he walked over to greet her.
The Colonel did not have to be prompted twice as this request fit his own intentions perfectly. After conveying the request to Mary’s parents, all four excused themselves and repaired to the Earl’s study. It was a large study with a huge desk, two chairs in front of the desk, and two settees lining the walls, one below the window that looked out onto the formal gardens.
“You requested a meeting, Richard?” Bennet looked at the young man who he had watched grow and could not be prouder of the man he had become.
“Actually, Uncle Thomas, er, Mr. Bennet, I was following instructions from Mary.” Richard nodded at Bennet then smiled encouragingly at Mary.
