“It is. I have been seen by real doctors, not those quacks my mother always foisted on me. My heart has, in their opinions, sustained too much damage, and all the bleeding the incompetent men subjected me to, did not help. It will not occur in days or weeks, but the estimate is months, and possibly as much as one year,” Anne explained matter-of-factly. “Now do you want to object to my request? And before your pride says this is charity, it is cool logic. Neither Andrew nor William needs another estate and the wealth associated with my holdings. I want someone to look after Papa’s estate who will not have to split his time elsewhere. That, cousin of mine, only leaves you.”
Fitzwilliam cogitated on Anne’s words. He knew she was correct; as with her, the de Bourgh line would die. “I will do as you ask. Thank you, Anne. I only wish it did not come at the cost of your life.”
“Good, because I have already signed the estate, the townhouse in London, and the de Bourgh fortune over to you. I have no need for it, and now, I will have family I enjoy being with around me until God decides to have me leave the mortal world.” Anne looked at a shocked Richard smugly. “When the surprise wears off, go with Mr Thomson to the study and sign the documents you need to sign; then you may take one ofyourcoaches and go to London to resign from the army.”
He said the only thing he could: “Yes, Anne. Thank you.”
Chapter 22
Colin Hillman paced back and forth in the drawing room of his rented house, not thinking about whether or not he would wear a path in the rug under his feet. Every time he turned and walked back towards the mantle above the empty fireplace, he looked at the clock in the centre of the marble piece which formed the mantle.
No matter how he willed time to speed up, each time he looked, it was only a minute later than it had been the last time he did so. To take his mind off the time, Hillman thought about the previous day, Sunday, when he had been invited to join the residents of Lakeshore House for the meal after the church service.
He had, of course, accepted the invitation with alacrity. It had been very hard not to speak to Miss Bennet on the subject he wished to canvas in less than a half hour, but he had not given into that temptation.
He would not allow his selfish desires to interfere with the Sabbath. The time spent in Miss Bennet’s company that day had only proved the rectitude of his desire to court her. She had a core of steel, but at the same time, she was everything that was lovely. Not once had Hillman heard her try to subtly, or more overtly, denigrate another in an attempt to make herself look better.
Regardless of her beauty, Miss Bennet was not a vain woman like so many in theTonwere, even those who had no reason to be. However, Miss Bennet was so much more than her outward façade. She had an inner beauty, and that was oneof her most attractive features to him.
When they had spoken after the meal, Miss Bennet, Jane, had never once tried to wheedle information from him about what he wanted to speak of during his call the next day.
Hillman had remained with the Gardiners and their two eldest nieces for some hours after the meal, but thinking it would be too much, for the same day when, after all, there was nothing formal between him and Miss Bennet…yet, Hillman had politely refused to remain for dinner and took his leave. As soon as he left the house, he had almost turned around to tell them he had changed his mind, but he had kept on walking until he entered his rented house.
Sleep had not come easily to him that night as he lay in his bed thinking about the decisions he had made which had led him to this point. After the last attempted compromise, and with his parents’ blessing, he had quit London to retire to his estate. He had been there for barely a month when the Lakes called to him. It was a place where he felt most relaxed. He decided he wanted to be a simple gentleman there and not heir to a peer. Hence, he had become Mr Colin Hillman and sent one of his trusted men to Bowness-on-Windermere to rent a house which a gentleman of moderate means could afford.
Never in all his planning to be incognito and become Mr Hillman, had he imagined he would meet a lady the quality of Miss Bennet—to be honest, both of the Misses Bennet. Even had he been interested in Miss Elizabeth, suspecting her potential future understanding with his cousin, his honour would not have allowed him to pursue her. But as it was, that was moot, because the lady he was fast losing his heart to was Miss Jane Bennet.
Just when he had all but given up on discovering a lady who would touch his heart and like him for who he was, Providence had directed Miss Bennet to join her aunt and uncle. She had told him of theoriginal plan for only Miss Elizabeth to accompany the Gardiners. That had caused Gardiner to rent the larger house next to the one Hillman had taken. There were so many things which had to occur for them to meet that he was convinced he saw the Hand of God in the events which had led him to meet Jane Bennet.
The striking of the clock pulled Hillman out of his reverie. It was half after ten, time for him to call on his neighbours. As it was a warm day, all he donned was his beaver and gloves. Next, he grabbed his cane and was off for the one-minute walk to Lakeshore House.
As he was expected, the butler at the Gardiner’s house led him into the drawing room after placing the beaver and his gloves on a table in the hall. The cane was rested against the wall next to the table.
“Mr Hillman,” the butler intoned and stepped out of the room.
Maddie and Gardiner stood, as did Jane and Elizabeth. Bows and curtsies were exchanged.
“Gardiner, Mrs Gardiner, I request that you and Miss Elizabeth remain for what I need to disclose. If after that, Miss Bennet is willing to hear what I desire to ask of her, I will request a private interview with her,” Hillman stated.
“We agree,” Gardiner answered for his wife as well as himself after she had nodded her acquiescence. “Jane, in the spirit of truth, your Aunt Maddie and I are aware of what you are about to be told.”
Jane and Elizabeth looked at one another. As neither of them had any idea of what was being referred to, they looked at Mr Hillman expectantly.
Knowing that there was no reason to beat around the bush, he decided that being direct was called for at this stage of their friendship. “My name is not Mr Colin Hillman. I willexplain my reasons soon, but my name is Lord Andrew Colin Fitzwilliam, Viscount Hilldale.” Hilldale heard Miss Elizabeth draw in a deep breath.
“You are Colonel Fitzwilliam’s older brother?” Elizabeth enquired.
“I am,” Hilldale owned.
“Then why did you feel the need to hide who you were?” Elizabeth turned to her aunt and uncle with some asperity. She hated that Jane may have been fooled by the character of a man once again. “Why did you not tell Jane and me?”
“Peace, Lizzy. Do you not remember that I used to hide behind my mask of serenity? And does not Mr Darcy have a mask he shows the world? Before we make any judgements, perhaps we should allow Lord Hilldale to explain why he did not reveal his true name and title until now,” Jane insisted.
Elizabeth realised she was about to jump to conclusions again. She felt chagrined that she had almost done so. “Please proceed,” she stated.
“You know my cousin, William Darcy, do you not?” Hilldale watched as both sisters nodded it was so. “A large part of the reason he began to show that fearsome ‘Darcy Mask’ to the world was because of the way he was hunted by single ladies and their families for his wealth and connections. Even though the Darcys are not titled, he is seen as a prime target for marriage-minded ladies due to the fact that the Darcy land and fortune place them in the top fifty wealthiest non-royals in the realm. Until a lady refused him,” Hilldale looked directly at Miss Elizabeth, “most deservedly so, I will say, he had never imagined that any woman would not be most honoured if he deigned to propose to her.
“I was hunted even more than my cousin. Because of what the huntresses wanted from him, I have too, but in addition, I am the heir to theMatlock Earldom. Thus, I have beentreatedto much more aggressive ploys to induce me into the marriage state than even Miss Bingley tried on William.
