The same silent discussion ensued again, this time with the lady playing the part of the doubter and the gentleman being the certain one. He conceded after a moment, "I said perhaps."
"We should not be speaking of your sister in this manner in front of our new niece. We do not want to poison Elizabeth's opinion of her."
"Constance can poison anyone's opinion of her all on her own. I am sure she gave you no reason to think well of her, did she?" Mr. James Darcy asked, turning his attention to me.
"Mrs. Vane has been perfectly polite to me."
"Perfectly polite and utterly ferocious?"
To confirm his suspicions by word would be impolitic. I allowed myself a slight smile, however.
"A mannerly sort of savagery runs in the family I am afraid. The Darcy temper is not one of our more admirable traits and my sister has perhaps the worst case of it. The disdainful manner in which she treats Rebecca I will never excuse. For any viciousness towards you however . . . well, I cannot say I blame her. I cannot say I feel entirely warmly towards you myself."
"James!"
Heedless of his wife's scolding, he went on,"Tell me, do you have any feeling for my nephew beyond an appreciation for his fortune?"
"James! You promised you wouldn't."
"I said I would be pleasant to her, I made no promises about not asking blunt questions."
"Blunt questions are outside of the realm of politeness."
"Yes, but you said pleasant, not polite. You cannot deny I asked in a most pleasant manner."
"Ignore him," the lady urged, her lips forming a tense smile,"We are absolutely thrilled to meet you and are certain you are a lovely lady who did not mean to trap Fitzwilliam into marriage."
"We are certain of no such thing. We should not be hasty to accept her into the family until we know her character."
"Sheispart of the family. What good can possibly be accomplished by holding her suspect and treating her as though she is on trial. That is what your sister has done to me and my relationship with her has not benefited from the exercise!"
"Please—," I interrupted, anxious to halt their bickering—it was making my aching head pound all the more. "I am not at all insulted by your question. It is only natural for you to be concerned about your nephew. I do not know if you are aware of the particulars of our very sudden marriage—"
"Will told me it was brought about by mishap—an innocent situation which appeared inappropriate to prying eyes. He said the fault was all his own. But of course that is what a gentleman must say," James said with a sardonic smile.
"I would never claim to be innocent of fault, however I am innocent of mercenary intentions."
"Of course you are, dear,"interjected Mrs. Darcy.
Her husband shot her a silencing glance. She rolled her eyes, but spoke no further.
"I am very much indebted to Mr. Darcy—Fitzwilliam—for consenting to a marriage which can hold no advantage for himself. His sense of honor has saved my respectability, and I feel for him all the admiration and gratitude one would expect a person in my situation to feel. However, to say I have feelings for him—the finer sort of feelings to which you refer—I cannot make such a claim."
James Darcy nodded, seemingly satisfied with my explanation. Rebecca however exclaimed with much indignation, "Why ever not?"
"I do not know Mr. Darcy—Fitzwilliam," I said immediately, startled at the sudden vehemence of her reaction. "We have had a few conversations and danced once. That is the extent of our acquaintance. I know of no lady who would object to his person nor anyone who could find fault with the quickness of his mind, however I feel to have true affection one must have a deeper understanding of the other person."
"Of course. I should not have spoken so scoldingly. You must be terrified to find yourself married to a man you barely know—but he is such a good man, you must believe me—yet a most unsettling situation, regardless. And now your husband's frightening relations have come bursting in asking ill-manner questions. We must beg your forgiveness; we have really been unforgivably rude."
I assured her no apology was necessary. The gentleman's expression told me no apology from him would be forthcoming. I was not yet beyond suspicion.
At this point tea arrived providing a well-timed distraction. I thought the subject would be dropped all together following the interruption, but after a perfunctory sip Rebecca Darcy sat her cup down and asked, "Are you sure you are not at least a little in love with him?"
"Forgive me, I am exasperating, I know, James is forever telling me so. I should not say anything. Yet I cannot help but think any woman would find herself half in love with any man who came to her rescue in such a manner. It seems terribly romantic to me," she said finishing with a girlish sigh. Not for the first time, I was reminded of my youngest sister.
"What utter nonsense," James Darcy said, putting to words exactly what I had been thinking. "You certainly did not fall so easily to my charms when I came to your rescue."
"What on earth did you rescue me from?"
