Fitzwilliam Darcy
Elizabeth’s eyes stung. She had wept more in the past two weeks than in all her life before, yet it could not be helped. Mr. Darcy was truly the paragon she had once imagined him to be when first she laid eyes on him at the Meryton assembly. In all things that truly mattered, he understood, and he provided.
She was reading his letter again when Jane moved to sit beside her at the breakfast table.
“What is it, Lizzy? Why do you weep?”
“He is too good, Jane.” Elizabeth handed her the letter. After reading the missive, tears rimmed Jane’s eyes as well.
“I am touched. He truly is a good man. You did well to choose him, and not our cousin.”
Miss Bingley entered the breakfast parlor and gave a sharp sniff. “Are you two conspiring again, planning how best to bring me to my knees?”
Both sisters looked up, puzzled.
“Oh, do not look so innocent. You cannot fool me. Mr. Darcy returns tonight, and you will be married tomorrow, but first,you must contrive to humiliate me in the process. Well, I shall not allow it! He was mine before he was yours. Had you not ensnared him, he would be reading his vows to me at our wedding, not yours.”
All four women heard the Hursts and Mr. Bingley approaching in the hall. Caroline turned away and busied herself at the sideboard. Elizabeth and Jane exchanged a look and shook their heads. Mary abandoned the sideboard when Miss Bingley approached her and moved to sit on Elizabeth’s other side, quietly eating her breakfast with eyes fixed on her plate.
Mr. Bingley entered in his usual cheerful manner. “Miss Elizabeth, Darcy arrives tonight and will dine with us. Did he share any other details in the note addressed to you?”
“Yes, sir. He says you will all visit Pemberley this summer. I find that very exciting. Do you go there often?”
Bingley chuckled. “Every summer since I first met Darcy at Cambridge, but it will be the first visit for Caroline and the Hursts. We are all looking forward to it. Darcy promises us hunting, fishing, and riding, diversions that particularly please Hurst and me.”
“Especially fishing,” said Mr. Hurst with a grin.
Bingley continued in this cheerful vein until breakfast was over. Then he turned to Jane. “Miss Bennet, are you ready for our walk?”
“Yes, we are ready. She rose. Her sisters followed, and together they went through the hall and out into the garden.
When they were gone, Caroline turned to her sister. “Louisa, how shall I endure tonight and tomorrow? It is too humiliating.”
Louisa replied calmly, “You might say you have the headache and excuse yourself from the wedding. Or return to London today. I am sure Mr. Hurst would lend you his carriage.” She turned to her husband. “Wouldn’t you, my dear?”
“Certainly,” he said. “I am certain Charles will not insist you stay to watch your favorite marry another woman. What say you, Caroline, shall I have the carriage prepared?”
Caroline sat silently for several minutes, deep in thought. At last, she replied, “No, I will stay. Perhaps there will be a last-minute reprieve, some reason she cannot marry him after all. I would not miss that for the world.”
Hurst glanced at Louisa and raised his brows. She only shook her head.
Caroline rose with sudden resolve. “I must decide what to wear to dinner tonight, something ravishing to capture his attention.” She swept out of the room.
Louisa looked at her husband. “My sister can be so blind to reality. Even though this is a forced marriage to resolve a compromise, I believe Mr. Darcy has long had a tendre for Miss Elizabeth. That is why he refused to let her cousin have her; he wanted her for himself. But Caroline never saw how much he admired her.”
Hurst huffed. “Oh yes, she did. Do you not remember how she called him out in the Bennets’ rose garden? He was staring at Miss Elizabeth. He never had eyes for her elder sister.”
Louisa laughed softly. “You are right. Caroline saw how completely he was captured, and that is why she hates Miss Elizabeth so bitterly.”
Chapter 17: Mr. Darcy Returns
Darcy walked around the two large carriages that were stationed on the street in front of Darcy house. One would carry the three Bennet sisters and Georgianna, while the second would convey their servants. He and Richard would ride on horseback unless the weather turned foul. He was grateful Richard had agreed to attend his wedding. If his cousin liked Elizabeth, he would influence his parents to accept her as well.
Darcy mentally ran through the list of tasks he had set for himself. He had engaged a personal maid, Hannah Ellis, for Elizabeth. She and her sisters would need assistance dressing for the wedding and during the journey to Pemberley. He only hoped Elizabeth would not take offense or think him high-handed for not consulting her first. He inspected the trunks to be certain they were well secured, then went indoors to find his sister.
He found Georgiana in the hall, tying on her bonnet. Richard was finishing his breakfast and would be out presently. Peter Miller, the senior footman, was already seated on the box of the family carriage, armed and ready for travel. His brother Robert would guard the servants’ carriage. Darcy patted his breast pocket where he carried the small case containing the diamond necklace he intended to gift Elizabeth. The marriage settlement and license were tucked into a leather satchel under the care of Reeves, his valet.
Satisfied that all was in readiness, Darcy handed his sister into the carriage just as Richard ran down the front steps. Both men mounted, and the little cavalcade moved along the Londonstreet. In less than twenty-four hours, Fitzwilliam Darcy would be a married man.
