Chapter 47

Jane had already agreed to Mrs Bennet’s request that they go to Longbourn that afternoon; they would stay until after dinner. Bingley had sent a note before breakfast asking whether Darcy would also be welcome, and the response had been that he was. Elizabeth had suggested he speak to Mr Bennet as soon as possible and warned him that her father might scowl, look at Darcy as though he were mad, and demand to speak to her at once. She did not want her betrothed to be taken aback, and most of all, she did not want anything to mar how happy they were that day.

Soon enough, they were at Longbourn. After greeting her mother and sisters, Darcy surreptitiously left to seek out Mr Bennet. In less than ten minutes, he was whispering to Elizabeth that her father wanted to talk to her.

When she entered the book-room, she watched her father with arched eyebrows until he spoke.

“So, you wish to marry Mr Darcy. That was a surprise.”

“If it makes you feel better about not knowing that he and I love each other, I truly did not expect there would ever be an occasion for us to have this conversation.” Elizabeth sat in a worn armchair across the desk from Mr Bennet.

“Love, is it? I recall your young man mentioning the word, but to hear it from you as well… I suppose there is no need for me to ask whether you are certain you wish to have him as your husband?”

“No, Papa, there is no need at all. Mr Darcy and I have had a rather tumultuous history—why is not important—but our affection for each other has endured. I absolutely, completely, utterly know that marrying him is what I want and what will bring me the most satisfaction in my life.” He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, she held up a restraining finger. “Before you ask, the reasons we did not come to an agreement sooner have all been resolved. At first, it was because we misunderstood each other, and after that, I cannot tell you because it involves someone else.”

“And you wish to protect their privacy?”

“I shall always protect them as best I can.”

Her father made an expression that seemed to accept defeat and concession. “If you expect me to say that I am glad you and Jane will both be settled in Derbyshire, you are mistaken. When you have a moment, pity me. Now, dearest daughter, Mr Darcy mentioned you waiting until next spring to marry?”

Elizabeth confirmed that was their preference. “I prefer not to tell my mother and sisters today. I shall do so before we go to town. What do you think?”

He laughed. “Knowing how thrilled your mother will be to have another daughter married to a rich gentleman, you wish to postpone exposing him to her…excesses? I hope your young man is made of stronger stuff than that implies.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “She will wish to discuss nothing other than the wedding all day, and Mr Darcy and I have not had much opportunity to decide what we want. I would like to speak to him about it first. Then, I shall explain it all to my mother.”

“Very well. I shall be from home tomorrow morning between the hours of eleven and one. Please do the deed then.” Her father grinned and pushed himself to his feet, adding, “Well, as we have settled everything that needs to be discussed today, I suppose we ought to join the rest of the party. Your mother will come to drag me there by the ear if I do not do Bingley the honour of greeting him at once. You would think a man would have to be gone a week or more before I am required to treat his absence as notable, but there we have it.”

Before they descended the stairs, her father patted her cheek. “You are a good girl, Lizzy, and I shall sorely miss you.”

Elizabeth offered him a loving smile and wrapped her hand around his arm for the remainder of their short walk.

The day passed as those at Longbourn usually do—it was a little too loud and chaotic for anyone not accustomed to it, though fortunately, the only disagreeable moment was when Kitty wanted to know why Elizabeth was going to town with Jane again and she was not invited instead. Mr Bennet told her that he would not give his permission, even if Jane had asked, so there was no need to discuss it further. Mrs Bennet remarked that Elizabeth needed to go because she was “not getting any younger or prettier” and had to find a husband. It was all Elizabeth could do not to laugh, and from what she saw, Bingley fared little better; Jane looked aghast and Darcy stoic.

It was probably with that in mind that, as they drove back to Netherfield that evening, Bingley asked when Jane thought they would be prepared to depart for London. Jane looked from him to Darcy and lastly to Elizabeth, then said, “Would this Saturday suit?”

The remaining days in Meryton were busy. Elizabeth told her mother and sisters of her engagement and that she and Darcy would like the wedding to be in Derbyshire.

“We could not possibly be married without Jane and Bingley there, and you know Jane will not be able to travel for months after we remove to Larch Lane,” Elizabeth had said to Mrs Bennet to ease her complaints. “You would not want me to delay marrying him until next summer, would you? Besides, it is a wonderful excuse to make Papa take you and Mary and Kitty to Derbyshire. You will all see Jane’s new home and meet your grandchild.”

Mrs Bennet reluctantly agreed after Elizabeth promised to write to her ‘constantly’ about the arrangements.

Upon arriving in town, Elizabeth found a note from Colonel Fitzwilliam requesting a private interview. If she accepted, he would call the next morning.

“I shall join you,” Darcy said. He had accompanied them to Bingley’s house and come in so that they could settle their plans for the following days. Presently, they were sitting together, Jane and Bingley having left them alone for a few minutes.

Elizabeth regarded him, her brow arched. “You will? I believe he wishes to speak to me, not you.”

“And I would like to be present.”

“Whereas I believe he and I would speak more freely if you were not.” She held up a hand to stop him when he opened his mouth to respond. “He has not been pleasant to me for many months, and I understand you wish to protect me. I adore you for it, but it is not necessary.”

He sighed, and she wrapped her arm around his and rested her head on his shoulder.

“This first meeting with the colonel since Buxton will be awkward, and I would like to have it done as soon as possible. He and I shall resolve our differences and, I hope, find a way to be friends again. If you are here, I shall be distracted. I would want to give all my attention to you, and I shall be minding my manners lest you think poorly of me rather than speaking as openly as I would like to your cousin. Then the business will be only half complete, and he and I shall have to meet again so that he can apologise.”

“You are teasing me,” Darcy said. Elizabeth laughed, and he added, “I have missed you doing it. I do worry about you seeing him.”

“I know you do. Will it help if I promise to recount everything we say to each other, even if it makes me seem like a shrew?”

Their eyes met, and he smiled. “I suppose.”

“Now, I beg of you, before Jane or Bingley interrupt us, kiss me!”

She did not have to ask him again.

Bingley insisted on greeting the colonel with Elizabeth. She supposed it was his way of reminding her visitor that she had family who would not allow her to be mistreated.

“I believe you wish to review your correspondence or read a book or something—anything—else?” Elizabeth said to him.

Her brother-in-law chuckled. “That is her way of telling me to go away. I shall be in my study.”

She smiled at him as he left the room, then turned her gaze to Colonel Fitzwilliam and stood still while waiting for him to speak. He cleared his throat.

“Miss Bennet, I owe you an apology, and I offer it to you without reservation. My behaviour has been unconscionable, and I am ashamed of it.”

“Thank you,” she said when he paused. “Why did you feel it was necessary—or appropriate? Was there something in my behaviour that concerned you? Did I give you reason to suppose I would attempt to convince Miss Darcy that she must tell her brother to marry me, or that I would trick him into it? Perhaps you thought I would deliberately ensnare him?—”

“No, of course not,” he interjected. He sighed. “May we sit?”

She nodded, and they took seats opposite each other.

“I liked you very much when we met in Kent. I still do,” he said. “I…I do not know if I can tell you how distressing it has been to see Georgiana as distraught and self-destructive as she has been since Wickham. You must have witnessed some of it yourself in Buxton, perhaps at Pemberley.”

“I did. After that last morning, I understood better than I had before what your family have had to contend with. Yet, it does not explain how I became the villain in your mind.”

“I am afraid the answer will do me no favours,” he admitted.

Elizabeth wanted to laugh with derision but did not, realising it would make their situation more difficult.

“Then again, I suspect your opinion of me is already rather low,” he added. “Do you know that it was Lady Catherine who informed Georgiana that Darcy was planning to propose?” She nodded, and he continued. “You have met my aunt, and I assume you can imagine she made it seem as though your marriage would be the worst thing that ever happened to our family, and she would not have stopped regardless of any signs of distress Georgiana displayed. When I saw her, she was…” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I cannot describe it. I was furious with my aunt and with Wickham, though that was nothing new. Neither of them was nearby to bear the weight of my wrath, and so I directed it at Darcy for daring to want to marry the woman he loves. He and I argued, and I am ashamed to say that, for a time, I allowed myself to think very poorly of him. All I cared about was that it eased Georgiana’s agitation to tell her that Darcy would forget the notion of proposing to you.

“When I learnt that you were in town, I was worried. I knew Darcy still loved you. What if he proposed or attempted to cajole Georgiana into saying she would not mind if he did? I had thought that she was beginning to improve, but with you here, her well-being was threatened anew. That meant that I treated you with unwarranted suspicion and hostility. Bramwell is quick to tell me how stupid I have been. You and he might like to discuss it.” He gave an awkward chuckle, to which she did not respond. “I have not known what to do to help her. I ought to say that nothing I or any of us have done has helped her. Promising her she would not face the prospect of having—excuse me for calling you this—Wickham’s sister as her own seemed to calm her. When I discovered this, I clung to it excessively.”

“Did you encourage her to fear my presence?” Elizabeth interjected.

“No, no!” He shook his head vigorously. “If I did, it was not my intention. I simply agreed with her that it was reasonable to ask Darcy to forget you and assured her that she did not need to see you if she did not want to. I am sure I also agreed with her that she might encounter Wickham if you and Darcy married, even if it was inadvertently.”

She regarded him for a long moment. There was a great deal she had intended to say to him, some of which she decided might be better kept to herself. He seemed to be sincere, which was satisfying and gave her hope that they could learn to be friends again. “I acknowledge that you believe you were acting in Miss Darcy’s best interests, and I accept your apology, Colonel. But I want you to understand how difficult you made my situation. I was already desperately unhappy and trying to find a way to set aside my feelings for Mr Darcy. I never did succeed, as you are aware. It was bad enough that we were separated. To that, I had to add knowing Miss Darcy hated seeing me, and you, whom I had liked, began to treat me as though—” She stopped, knowing there was no need to remind him of his past behaviour. “I was miserable and confused.”

“I am very, very sorry. I wish I could go back and do many things differently, for you, Darcy, and Georgiana.”

She nodded. “Let us say nothing more about it. This should be a time for happiness. I hope you view it as such.”

“I do.”

“Good. Tell me, honestly, how is your cousin? Mr Darcy claims she is much improved, and the letter she wrote to me suggests as much, but I worry they both exaggerate. What is her true opinion of our engagement? Does it make her anxious? Understand, I shall do whatever I can to ease her concerns, but I can only do that if I know what they are.”

Colonel Fitzwilliam shook his head and let out a heavy breath. “I feel like such a fool for ever doubting that you would be an excellent sister to Georgiana. I have spoken to her daily, and I assure you, with no pretence whatsoever, that she is thrilled—or as near to that state as she is currently capable of being. What you did for her in Buxton has convinced her that your presence in her life will do her a great deal of good, and she is aware of how much her brother loves you. It is possible she will experience some…setbacks along the way, but she is determined to confront and conquer them, knowing she can rely on her family—which includes you—to assist her.”

It was just what Elizabeth had longed to hear. She and the colonel spoke a little more about Miss Darcy, and soon after, he took his leave.

Darcy came to see her later that afternoon, and as promised, she told him everything that had passed between Colonel Fitzwilliam and herself.

“You need have no concern,” she assured him. “Recall that your cousin and I were friendly with each other when we met in Kent. We are both desirous of regaining that ease, and so we shall.”