She did not look at him, when she said “I thinkyouwould not, though.”
Surprised, he pulled back to look at her. She kept her eyes cast down, even when he put his hand on hers to still their twisting.
“Lydia, I like you very much. I think we could do very well together as husband and wife. If it is my income you are worried about, I have deliberately put it about that I am not nearly as well off as I truly am - I stand to inherit a very nice estate from my mother one day, indeed I have the income from it now, though the estate is leased at present. We should have a place to live... to raise a family. Do you want children, Lydia?”
That made her look at him, her dark eyes widening. “Yes,” she said, he thought by instinct. “Yes, I do.”
“That’s good, because I adore children. And the estate is not entailed, so our daughters could inherit if we have no sons; youneed not fear them being pushed out in favour of a cousin.” He smiled at her. Once she realised he knew Mr Collins, Lydia had told him all about the entail and how obnoxious the parson had made himself on his visit to the Bennets. Fitzwilliam could scarcely believe Collins had the gall to propose to Elizabeth; no wonder his manner towards her in Kent had been strange to say the least!
“No entail?” She was nibbling thoughtfully on her lower lip. “Where is this estate, if I may ask?”
“Leicestershire, close by Oadby. Now that I think on it, ‘twould be a convenient spot to pause a few days on the journey between Pemberley and Hertfordshire.”
Lydia stared at him with furrowed brow, and Fitzwilliam wondered if it was possible that she did not know about Darcy’s admiration for her sister. Now was not the time for that conversation, though, so he continued.
“At the present time, with the war still very much in progress, I do not feel able to resign my commission, and you are as yet full young to be a wife. Your youth would be a good reason to delay the wedding, but with the potential for scandal still hanging over us, I would suggest we marry as soon as the banns can be called... as long as your father agrees, of course.”
Lydia winced. “My father is more likely to take me home and lock me in the attic at Longbourn until I am thirty,” she said hollowly. “He would be quite justified, of course...”
“None of that, now,” Fitzwilliam said bracingly. “I don’t tolerate defeatism from my soldiers, and I won’t have it from you, either.If needs must, Gretna Green will do for us, as well. I’m quite willing to put it about that I have lost my head entirely over you.”
Chuckling slightly, Lydia shook her head. “No. I think it’s best if we follow your plan - and I have no doubt once Papa has met you, he will be quite convinced that you are a far better husband than I deserve.”
“Is it settled then? You will have me as your husband?” He tilted his head, trying to get a good look at her face. She had lowered it again as she thought of her father and his likely reaction to her escapade, and did not look at him directly.
Lydia looked up to meet his eyes, and for a long, fraught moment she stared at him in silence, her brow furrowed.
“I would be God’s greatest fool to refuse,” she said at last, “and while I have done my fair share of foolish and even stupid things, I am not so silly as all that. You are getting by far the worst of this bargain, Colonel Fitzwilliam.”
“Richard.”
She blinked at him, and he smiled at her.
“My name is Richard. Richard Joseph Fitzwilliam.” He nodded at the monogrammed handkerchief she still clutched. “And I should also inform you that while I am but a second son and you will therefore be Mrs Fitzwilliam, it is highly likely that you will beLadyFitzwilliam, eventually.”
“Lady Fitzwilliam?” Lydia’s jaw dropped.
“Indeed. My brother Nigel is Viscount Heatheridge, so his wife Sophia is Lady Heatheridge, of course, and I should advise you that they have been very happily married for fifteen years but produced only two daughters.”
Lydia’s expression clearly indicated she didn’t know what he meant by that. Fitzwilliam sighed inwardly, but he was determined that she needed to know everything before they made any irrevocable steps.
“It is likely that one day, any son we may have will grow up to be the ninth Earl of Matlock.”
It was one shock too many for Lydia, after a sleepless night of crying and worrying. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted right into Fitzwilliam’s arms.
