Page 24

“It is a household operating under strain, at the moment,” Darcy corrected. He needed to speak plainly with the man beside him. “The presence of my aunt complicates matters immensely.”

“You must forgive my straightforwardness, but it is clear to me that your aunt is a formidable entity, sir. She converses by flattening any opposing viewpoints with the sheer weight of her consequence. I observed her technique. She is very effective.”

“She is accustomed to obedience.” Darcy watched a dragonfly hover near his float. “And now she demands an obedience I cannot provide.”

Mr Gardiner waited, allowing the silence to stretch. He was a man of business, accustomed to letting the other party reveal their ledger first.

“I have no intention of marrying my cousin,” Darcy stated, the words clear and unequivocal. “The arrangement is a complete fiction, fabricated by my aunt for her own reasons. Anne has no desire for the union, and I share her reluctance.”

Mr Gardiner nodded, his gaze remaining on the lake. “I suspected as much. Miss de Bourgh does not appear to be a lady pining for a reluctant suitor. She seems to be a young woman who only wishes to read a novel in peace.”

“That is exactly her wish.” Darcy felt a surge of respect for the man’s astuteness. “I intend to secure that peace for her today.”

“A noble endeavour.” Mr Gardiner pulled his line from the water, inspecting the baited hook with a critical eye. “Though I suspect your motivations are not altruistic, Mr Darcy. A gentleman does not endure a roaring matriarch, two unruly beasts, and a chaotic breakfast parlour with such infinite patience unless he has a very compelling reason to remain agreeable.”

Darcy felt a flush of heat rise in his collar, but he did not evade. “You are exceptionally observant, sir.”

“I am a man of trade,” Mr Gardiner replied, reaching into the tackle basket for fresh bait. “I watch the flow of goods, and I observe the behaviour of people. When a gentleman anticipates a lady’s desire for strawberry preserve before she even moves her arm, and when he moves the salt cellar to her plate while discussing the composition of mortar with someone else, I take note. Your attention is entirely fixed on my niece.”

“It is,” Darcy confessed, the admission lifting a heavy burden from his chest. “I have harboured affection for Miss Elizabeth for many months. We have experienced a... complicated history, marred by my own foolishness and pride. I offered her a great insult in Kent.”

“She has not mentioned anything,” Mr Gardiner murmured, tying a complex knot in the fine line with nimble fingers. “But then again, she would not mention it to me. Her aunt though... “

“I caused a lot of damage, I assure you,” Darcy said, his tone thick with regret. “But we spoke in the garden yesterday morning and we cleared the misunderstandings between us. I asked for her permission to court her, and she granted it.”

Mr Gardiner studied Darcy with his piercing eyes that belied his jovial exterior.

“My niece is a lady of rare wit and deep feeling,” Mr Gardiner said, the pleasant uncle receding, the firm guardian appearing. “She does not have a fortune, nor does she have the aristocratic connections your station demands. All she has is us, and we will bring you no consequence in the eyes of the ton.”

“I do not need consequence,” Darcy replied instantly. “I have enough consequence for ten men. I need a partner with a good heart, who challenges me and who makes me laugh. Miss Elizabeth is the only woman I have ever wished to marry.”

Mr Gardiner held his gaze for a long, searching moment, seeking any trace of hesitation or condescension. He found none, and offered a satisfied nod. He turned back to the water and cast his line in a smooth arc.

“You have my permission, Mr Darcy,” Mr Gardiner announced, the warmth returning. “You are an honourable man, and I believe you will make my niece very happy. However, you face a significant obstacle. You cannot court Lizzy openly under the circumstances.”

“I am acutely aware of the problem.” Darcy sighed, turning the handle of his reel. “I intend to conclude the matter with Lady Catherine today. I must inform her that there will never be a union between me and Anne.”

Mr Gardiner adjusted his stance on the grassy bank. “And how do you intend to approach this conversation? Her ladyship is not a woman who responds well to emotional appeals. If you speak of your affections for Elizabeth, or if you speak of your own wishes, she will dismiss your words as sentimental nonsense and she will shout you down.”

“I know.” Darcy remembered the numerous times he had attempted to reason with his aunt in the past. “She views the union as a duty. She will argue that family obligation supersedes any personal inclination.”

“Then do not argue about duty,” Mr Gardiner advised, his tone shifting into the pragmatic cadence of the London counting house. “Do not argue about affection, and do not argue about the past. You must approach this exactly as a merchant approaches a failing negotiation.”

Darcy arched an eyebrow, intrigued by the proposition. “A merchant’s approach?”

“Indeed.” Mr Gardiner reeled his line in a few inches. “Lady Catherine views this marriage as a transaction. It is an exchange of assets designed to consolidate wealth and preserve a bloodline. Therefore, you must use the rules of commerce to dismantle it. An honourable contract should have the explicit, willing signature of both primary parties to be valid.”

Darcy absorbed the logic, the simplicity of the argument unfolding in his mind.

“You are one party, Mr Darcy,” Mr Gardiner continued, his eyes fixed on the bobbing float. “Miss de Bourgh is the other. Lady Catherine is a broker attempting to force a settlement. If you present yourself before the broker, accompanied by the other primary party, and you both formally, politely, and unequivocally decline the terms of the arrangement, the contract is void. It is a matter of irrefutable law.”

“She will find it harder to claim that we have encouraged her expectations,” Darcy murmured with a smile.

“Exactly.” Mr Gardiner nodded. “She may express displeasure regarding the loss of the transaction or complain about the waste of her time, but she cannot force two unwilling participants to sign the agreement. You remove all emotion from the dispute. You present it as a simple, undeniable fact of business. The negotiation has failed; the parties decline; the matter is closed.”

“Mr Gardiner. You possess a magnificent mind. Anne has already agreed to refuse the match beside me. You have shown me how we might state our decision without being drawn into another quarrel.”

“I deal in facts, sir.” Mr Gardiner’s float dipped below the surface of the water. He pulled the rod upward with a swift motion. “And the fact is, a gentleman cannot court a lady properly while a void contract clutters his desk. Clear your desk, Mr Darcy. Then you may focus on winning my niece.”