“Tell us all you can of this country girl Darcy has got himself entangled with,” the earl of Matlock demanded gruffly.
His youngest son shrugged. “There is little to say against the lady herself, more’s the pity. A beauty to be sure, witty, amiable, and well-read. Just the sort of lady to attract my dour, clever cousin. Seemed to genuinely like Darcy, too, though I cannot believe her heart was touched as his was. If she had anything at all in the way of fortune or connexions, I could be happy to support him in this, but she simply is not suitable. And with all these rumours going about, what was already far too imprudent is surely impossible.”
“Good thing he's come to town, then, for I certainly cannot be spared from Parliament to gallivant off to Hertfordshire to talk sense into him,” Lord Matlock declared. “Will it be difficult to separate them, do you think?”
Richard shifted in his chair. “I hardly know. He had made no decisions when I was with him at Christmas, but when I saw him last month, he was quite close-mouthed about the whole business. Either he had realised her indifference and did not want to hear me say I had been right all along, or he had decided in her favour and wished not to argue the matter. I rather fear the latter, for I would expect him to have left Hertfordshire in the former case.”
Lady Matlock listened quietly as her husband and younger son went on in this vein for a time, considering which arguments would work best upon her nephew. The young lady’s supposed indifference was a favourite, but her ladyship was sceptical. If she understood rightly, Richard had met the girl only weeks after the death of her mother, and the serious illnesses of more than one of her sisters, not to mention any number of neighbours and friends. If she was not overflowing with admiration for Darcy in such a circumstance, it was hardly to be wondered at. That her handsome, intelligent, and wealthy nephew was capable of securing the affections of nearly any lady capable of feeling, she had little doubt. He often showed to poor advantage in company, it was undeniable, but if he were to lower his formidable mask and bend his considerable powers towards securing the heart of a lady, he would be difficult to resist. He had now had above four months to do so without Richard’s discouraging commentary.
She returned her full attention to the conversation between the gentlemen, noting that her husband was becoming rather overwrought.
“Heshallbe made to see reason!” the earl declared, red-faced. “I am the head of this family, and if he is minded to be recalcitrant, he shall simply be made to obey!”
Lady Matlock cleared her throat delicately; her husband and son turned to regard her with a level of surprise which suggested they had entirely forgotten her presence. She fixed her stern gaze upon the earl. “Iwill notstand by and be sundered from my niece and nephew simply because you do not care to be diplomatic in this matter,” she informed him crisply.
“Darcy would never break with family over a woman,” he replied dismissively.
Although she felt her own temper rise at this cavalier disregard, the countess exerted herself to present a composed exterior.
“Have you met Fitzwilliam Darcy?” she asked, eyebrows raised. “Where he believes himself to be in the right, he is as immovable as the Peaks. If he has given his heart to this girl, I very much doubt he should be swayed from her by anyone other than the lady herself.”
“Then we will pay her off.”
“It may come to that,” she said, nodding at the earl. “But recall, if you will, that Richard’s information is several months old. Darcy may have won her affections in the interim, which would make her far less likely to accept any offer of ours. The lady you have described, Son, does not sound like a fool, and only a very great fool would turn down wealth, status,andfelicity.”
“What, then, would you suggest we do?” her husband enquired snappishly.
“We must speak to Darcy, and determine where matters truly stand, and we will judge better to do so without barking orders.”
The earl nodded reluctant agreement to this plan, but Richard was not yet finished. “I agree more current intelligence is needed, if we are to stop him from making a mistake of this magnitude. He could have almost any lady in the land—he could aspire to the daughter of a duke! I can hardly credit his foolishness over Elizabeth Bennet. Charming as she is, she is far, far beneath him.”
“I believe you said you have an engagement tomorrow morning, Richard?” Lady Matlock asked mildly. He confirmed this, and she nodded decisively. “I shall invite him to attend us then. We do not need you stoking his obstinacy into immovability.”
As her youngest son sputtered, she regarded him with a frown. “I have noted that you praise the lady in one breath, and seek to separate her from Darcy in the next. I am very sorry, Son, that you are not able to disregard matters of fortune when selecting your bride, but this envy of your cousin’s ability to do so is most unbecoming.”
“Envy!” he cried. “Mother, you have got it all wrong! I am thinking of the credit of our family.”
“I am sure that is some part of your motivation,” she allowed. “But until today, you have been the least caring of such matters in all the family you claim to be thinking of. Whatever has caused this alteration, you will not be present when your father and I speak to Darcy about Miss Bennet. I hope very much that you have not been, and shall not be, involved in spreading these rumours,” she concluded grimly. She then stood and moved to the escritoire to pen the invitation to her nephew, clearly indicating that the discussion had now ended.
* * *
“Darcy, we are glad you have come.”
He noted with some concern that his uncle and aunt, Lord and Lady Matlock, seemed rather forbidding. “I am always happy to visit with you,” he added, bowing to them both.
They enquired after his journey and its cause while tea was served, but as soon as the servant had left the room his uncle spoke. “Darcy, you wrote to us of your intentions towards Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and knowing your character and discernment as we do, we had determined to accept your choice in spite of the vociferous protestations of my sister.”
Darcy grimaced; Lord Matlock had long been at odds with Lady Catherine, and he regretted worsening their relations.
“However—” His uncle paused, consternation on his countenance. “A report of a most alarming nature has reached us. The two eldest Miss Bennets are being widely spoken of as adventuresses, who have lured your friend into engaging himself to a disfigured woman by claiming that his honour was engaged before her illness, and that her sister is in pursuit of your fortune, and playing upon this connexion to draw you in.”
Darcy was furious and had no scruples about showing it. “This is utterly ridiculous! Bingley is quite desperately in love with Miss Bennet, and has been since before her illness. Her face is marked now, it is true, but he cares nothing for that. The poor girl was quite prepared for him to reject her when she rose from her sickbed, and surprised when he did not. I should know, for I was there! I have no doubts she would have gone away without a single protest had he wished to end their association, as she was not the sort to put herself forward even when she could claim more than her share of beauty, and is understandably even more retiring now.”
Darcy took a breath, unable to quell his anger and uncaring of its effect on his relations.
“As for Miss Elizabeth, she has never pursued me. I believe I explained some of the history of our acquaintance in my letters to you, and I stand by that description. I had to persuade her to consider me as a suitor. Fortunately for me, she did eventually agree. More fortunate still, she recently accepted my proposals, and is now in town to assemble her trousseau. I came here today specifically to acquaint you with this news, and to inform you that our wedding will take place in Meryton on the third Tuesday in June. I had hoped to introduce her to you during her stay.”
“Impossible,” declared the earl quickly. The countess laid a restraining hand upon his arm; he ignored it. “We cannot be seen to associate with her while such a cloud hangs about her. It is unfortunate that you have acted so precipitously, Nephew, for you will have to pay out quite a sum to be released from this betrothal, and likely your friend will, also.”
