Fitzwilliam gave him a pitying look. “I know what your family’s reputation means to you, Darcy, and now I think you need to be seen in public with your wife. She is an unknown, but she could turn the tide in your favour. Georgiana’s scandalous marriage will sink your respectability, but Mrs Darcy might redeem it.”
“You needed to appraise me first to see if I could conduct myself in a way that would benefit your family,” Elizabeth said with an edge in her voice. “You would not write to suggest Mr Darcy bring me to town, since it might have been a disaster if I could not string words together or behave properly.”
To his credit, Fitzwilliam looked embarrassed. “I needed to see what manner of woman you were.”
Elizabeth gave him an arch look. “Since I do not have wealth, they might say Mr Darcy made his choice from the excellence of my understanding than either beauty or fashionable accomplishments.”
“You are by no means deficient in the one or the other,” Darcy said quickly.
She gave him a surprised look and a shy smile, but they both returned their doubting eyes to Fitzwilliam, who threw up his hands.
“I wanted to meet her first and decide if my advice would be worth giving, and now I know it is. Georgiana’s outlandish marriage and your withholding of her fortune are already much talked of. Add to it all that you, a reserved man who has never been entangled before, fell in love in Ramsgate and eloped? It is in the papers, and no, I do not merely mean the marriage announcement. Everyone in your circle is gossiping already, I assure you.”
“Is it not believable enough that if I eloped because I fell in loveinstantly, I would want to hide away with my new bride for a month or two?”
Fitzwilliam exhaled through his nose. “May I speak plainly? Mrs Darcy, forgive me—but I feared she would be reckless and flighty like the sister Wickham had duped. But she is quick-witted, amiable, and quite pretty, if you will forgive me for speaking forwardly about your wife. There is no reason not to parade her around town and quiet the talk about both you and your sister.”
Darcy thought for a long moment. “Did your father send you?”
Fitzwilliam shook his head, but the guilt was all over his face. “He is not in town until Parliament opens. I am on my way to see him when my visit here is concluded. But,” he drawled, “he wrote to me and agrees that it would be good to distract from your sister’s scandal by showing that at least one Darcy has some sense and decorum. You will lose a great deal of influence and reputation if you do not act.”
He exhaled slowly and felt Elizabeth’s gaze on him. Perhaps he would have to take Elizabeth to town and show his circle there was nothing about her to be ashamed of.
“Mr Darcy must be worried, although he will not admit it,” Elizabeth said. “But you have been honest, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and so will I. I have no connexions of note, and no money either. And my family behaves worse than some unruly children. My character and accomplishments may not be enough.”
Fitzwilliam shook his head. “Your mother and sisters won’t be in London, correct? And while your lack of both is regrettable, your fortune and connexions will not matter as much now that your name is Darcy. I think your manner and character will indeed be enough. It could be good for you to bring her to London,” he said to him. “Show that she is a credit to you, show no shame in the alliance, introduce her to your friends, to Lady Catherine?—”
Darcy was not proud of the groan of complaint that formed in the back of his throat. “No. Lady Catherine was rendered so exceedingly angry in response to my letter announcing my marriage that it would be an insult to Mrs Darcy to allow them to meet.”
“Then ignore her, but there is still talk about your family. Georgiana Darcy threw herself away on a feckless gamester, and her brother iskeeping her fortune from falling into his hands. But Mr Darcy also ran away to Scotland with a woman he fell in love with at a watering place, and it would be better for you if people talked aboutthat.”
“But is his marriage to me not a disgrace, according to them?” Elizabeth asked.
“It could be if they do not know you. Or it could be romantic and a distraction from the disparaging talk about Georgiana. Darcy, you do not want your family name sullied any more than it needs to be.”
“Colonel Fitzwilliam,” Elizabeth said, rising. “You must be weary from half a day in the carriage. You must want to rest. Mrs Reynolds told me some of your much-loved dishes, and you will see some favourites tonight.”
His cousin took her hint with good grace. “You must want to talk things over.” He held out his hand, and Elizabeth took it. “For all his faults, and there are many, Darcy is my closest friend. I hope you can forgive me for my concerns.”
“If he has that many faults, intimate with him as you are, I hope you will teach me how to better tease him and laugh at him.”
Fitzwilliam laughed. “Oh, Darcy, you may not have chosen her, but this has turned out far better than I expected.”
CHAPTER TEN
Elizabeth felt Darcy watching her after Colonel Fitzwilliam left, felt his eagerness to discuss going to town, but she admired the library. It was a well-lit room, with chairs facing the windows and the bookshelves out of the direct sunlight. It was an excellent collection, at least from its size, and she hoped she could discover for herself that its contents were equally fine.
“Do you like the library?” he asked as she walked along the shelves. “I will not bother to ask you what you think of Fitzwilliam. He is a chattering coxcomb, and it is best to disregard half of what he says.”
She smiled to herself. The men were close friends as well as cousins. The colonel worried for Darcy’s happiness and had set out to determine what his new wife was like for himself. When they got to town—for she realised Darcy saw a need—how many people would give her the same benefit? Would she be found wanting by not being wealthy and not having any noble connexions? They might assume she married him for his money, or assume that neither one of them would be faithful to the other.
That sort of judgment would be hard to bear.
“Elizabeth?”
“The library is delightful. I hope you will let me use it occasionally.”
“Occasionally?” he repeated, coming nearer. “Are you not a reader?”
