Page 52 of The Mistress of All & Torn

Their eyes met and held for a moment. She understood his unasked question and sensed he deserved at least an explanation.

“It was not the same,” she whispered. “That day, you spoke to me of love, and affection and desire. And, although my opinion of you was utterly wrong, it was powerful and provoked my temper. Even when my opinion of you was ill, I never denied your qualities. Not for a moment was I tempted to deceive you, or to accept your proposal only for my personal gain. The circumstances were different. Do you understand my meaning?”

“I do—quite well...”

“Thank you...I am relieved...I never expected anything good from Lord Barrington, not even to dine with me, or to include me in his daily schedule. I only hoped to be worthy of Lady Sedgewick’s trust and to carry out my duties properly. But he did not allow me to. He did not keep his word, he never intended to. He was a vicious man, a blackguard of the worst sort.”

She struggled to fight her tears, and her suffering broke Darcy’s heart. Her pain was his sorrow.

“I am so sorry...More than I can express...But you are safe now,” he said. “We all will take care of you.”

“Mr. Darcy?”

“Yes.”

“If I die, will the fortune pass to Lady Augusta? Or to Lambert and other distant relatives?”

He stared at her in utter astonishment. “Why do you ask such a thing? Are you unwell? Should we fetch the doctor?”

“No, no...I was just wondering. After all, I am the only one standing in the way of Lady Augusta and Lord Barrington’s friends reaching their goal.”

She had barely dared to admit that fear, even to herself. Now, she confessed it to him. She trusted more in him than in herself.

His face darkened and his eyes narrowed with the deepest concern.

“No,” he eventually said. “The title, property and fortune associated with the Sedgewick earldom reverted to the property of the Crown on the death of Lord Sedgewick. What you have inherited is their personal fortune and, like Lady Sedgewick, you are free to will it to whomever you wish. As for the Barrington side, once the trustees are confident that you are not with child, then there will be no legal heir remaining, and everything that belongs to the Barrington earldom will also return to the Crown. Not that there is much remaining, save his title and neglected ancestral estate that I imagine has been utterly stripped of anything of value. Again, the remainder of Lord Barrington’s fortune, if there is anything left, is yours and you are free to leave it to whomever you wish. It would probably be prudent to have a will drawn up as soon as possible but no, Lord Barrington’s mother and friends have no legal claim to it.”

“I see...”

He gently leaned across the table, and reached for her hands. Their fingers touched lightly.

“Are you still frightened? Do you still feel in danger?”

“It is not fear...Or perhaps it is...I do not know how to explain it. I cannot escape the sensation that something bad will happen. Over the last two months, I have become accustomed to danger...I always expect something terrible is going to occur...”

“Miss Bennet—we will take care of you,” Darcy repeated. “And if you do have such concerns, we might speak to either Mr. Reeves or Mr. Thorn. But surely you cannot imagine Lady Augusta or someone else might threaten your life!”

She avoided a straight answer. “Yes, I would like to speak to one of them when they are available. If only Cece can be discovered tomorrow. I am still lost as to how to proceed further. There is so much to be done. I must visit all Lady Sedgewick’s charities. There are two large orphanages and several other properties. And I wish to go to Longbourn to see my parents. I wrote to my father two days ago and he has replied to me already, but I know he must still be very worried. And I miss them...”

“Of course. You will need a clear schedule and you must find out who is in charge of each charity and each property and begin a correspondence with them. Keep in mind that you are in charge of everything but many others—including me and your family—are here to help you. You are not alone. The first thing, however, is for you to rest and to recover, then perhaps visit your family.”

“Everything seems so clear and easy to accomplish when you speak of it. You appear to always know what to do, always to know the right path and the correct decision.”

“Hardly! I have been wrong often, but I have learned my lessons. When my father passed away, for many months I felt overwhelmed by responsibilities and doubts. And please keep in mind that I had been educated to be the future master of Pemberley for years and my duties were not as many, nor as difficult and diverse as yours. It is reasonable to assume you will struggle with many worries and make mistakes before you master all that is expected from you. But I trust you will succeed—if you are more careful with your own health. Now sleep,” he concluded.

She returned his smile.

“Since I have finished my port, I am too weak for arguments. I shall try to sleep now.”

They both stood up, facing each other in the light of the moon, stars and candles, only inches apart.

“I am sorry I had no time to speak more to Miss Darcy today. I hope she did not think I was rude,” Elizabeth suddenly said. “She was so lovely and kind...”

“Not at all, I assure you. Yes, she is lovely and kind, and generous. Just like your own sister. You will have time to meet and talk soon, I hope.”

A pause followed, then Darcy bowed to her.

“Mr. Darcy, I am grateful for this time we have spent together. It helped me more than you can imagine.”