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After an early dinner, Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley retired to their chambers exhausted by the day's long journey. Colonel Fitzwilliam followed Mr. Darcy into the library and gratefully accepted a glass of brandy.
"So you finally proposed," the Colonel said, leaning back in his chair. Mr. Darcy winced as he took a seat near his cousin. His pride still stung from his failure to properly propose to Elizabeth. He did not regret accepting her proposal, of course. It was the thought that he had failed her a second time that gnawed at him.
"Darcy?" Colonel Fitzwilliam asked when he caught Mr. Darcy's gesture. "Is everything all right?"
"It could not be better," Mr. Darcy said. "I would declare myself the happiest man alive, if I thought you not would contest my declaration." The Colonel smiled lazily. "When I left here this morning, I never imagined that the day would turn out as well as it did. When I spoke to you and Miss Crenshaw in the park, and with your mother later, you all advised me to be patient. I also spoke to Mr. Gardiner and he advised me to do just the opposite. In the end I discovered that you were both right.
"I had acted impetuously the first time I proposed to Elizabeth. I acted without once thinking about her, or whether she even cared for me, and paid a high price for my selfishness. But I have to admit, Mr. Gardiner's advice appealed to me even more. When I knew that she loved me, I did not want to waste one more moment. Mr. Bennet's visit this morning sealed my fate."
"I imagine that was an interesting interview," Colonel Fitzwilliam said.
"Yes," Mr. Darcy laughed, "Especially at the beginning. He really put me through it. Not that I could blame him, mind," he added as he stared into his swirling amber liquid in his snifter. "I had the temerity to ask for Elizabeth's hand after I had wounded her terribly, ruined another daughter's happiness, and insulted all his dearest relations. And I was brash enough to confess it all before asking for his blessing. It is a wonder he even considered my petition. I thought he had come to call me out."
"What did he say?" the Colonel asked as he rose and sought the decanter.
"Mr. Bennet asked me to account for my behavior. I repeated all that I had said in the letter and more. He finally asked me if I thought Elizabeth would ever have me. I told him that I did. He told me I had better go see her then, then."
"And so you went straight to Gracechurch Street and proposed." Mr. Darcy squirmed uneasily.
"Darcy?"
"Fitzwilliam," Mr. Darcy asked, "How did you propose to Miss Crenshaw?" Mr. Darcy watched as the Colonel sputtered and choked on his brandy.
"Why do you ask?" he replied, wiping his tearing eyes.
"Never mind," Mr. Darcy smiled.
"I will not, Charles! I simply will not go!" Miss Bingley cried, tossing down her napkin for emphasis. "That is final!"
"But Caroline," Mr. Bingley pleaded. The siblings had been arguing for some minutes about Miss Bingley's flat refusal to accompany him to Mr. Darcy's home for dinner.
"Charles, please! Let us not belabor the point," Miss Bingley cried, as she swept past him and headed up the stairs.
"Will you at least tell me why not?" Miss Bingley paused and turned. She returned to the parlor with Mr. Bingley in her wake and carefully closed the door behind her brother. She paced for a moment before speaking.
"I ...I said things. I was very angry and I said things to Mr. Darcy about himself and Eliza Bennet that I... I will not repeat what I said, but I know that it will be a long time before he will forgive me." Miss Bingley laughed ironically. "He...he may never forgive me."
"I am certain that you are exaggerating, Caroline. Darcy is not a mean or vindictive man. I am sure...."
"I do not exaggerate. I will stay home, Charles. I will not expose you to the humiliation...I doubt that Mr. Darcy will even allow me to enter his home." Overcome with emotion, and unwilling to be importuned any further, Miss Bingley rushed from the room. Her brother was left alone, bewildered and saddened.
Colonel Fitzwilliam entered the parlor of the Crenshaw townhouse and was welcomed by Richard Crenshaw and Mr. Douglass. He joined the men while he awaited his fiancée, who was upstairs attending to the final touches of her ensemble.
"I hear that your cousin Darcy has become engaged to our Lizzy," said Richard.
"Our Lizzy?" the Colonel replied, accepting an offered seat. He immediately rose again as Olivia entered the parlor, followed by Elise Crenshaw. Olivia looked disdainfully at her brother.
"My brothers like to think of Lizzy as the sister they should have had. I was far too tame for their liking," she quipped as she accepted the Colonel's kiss on her hand.
"I somehow find that hard to believe," Colonel Fitzwilliam retorted.
"Mr. Darcy is to marry Miss Bennet? How delightful! When did this happen?" asked Elise, as she claimed a seat beside her husband.
"It happened yesterday. You were away from home last evening and I have been out of the house all day, so I have not had a chance to tell you. I assumed that my father would tell you."
"He only told me about it an hour ago," said Richard.
"I had no inkling that there was an attachment between them," added Mr. Douglass. For his trouble, he drew stares from all in the room. Olivia and Elise exchanged glances.
"Men," Olivia rolled her eyes, as she took the Colonel's arm and headed for the door, shaking her head as she went. The couple repaired to Mr. Darcy's carriage, which the Colonel had borrowed for the evening. As the carriage pulled away from the curb, Colonel Fitzwilliam sat back and smiled at his bride to be.
"I suppose you intend to take credit for Darcy and Miss Bennet's engagement?" Olivia laughed.
"No, no. After what Lizzy told me about the matter yesterday, I am inclined to give her all the glory. "
"Why? What did she tell you?" Colonel Fitzwilliam asked; he was very curious to hear Miss Bennet's version of how the engagement came about.
"I am sworn to secrecy, beloved. I suppose you could ask your cousin," Olivia teased.
"I did," the Colonel pouted. "He evaded me the entire evening." Olivia laughed again. The pair rode on awhile in silence, enjoying the quiet summer evening. "Speaking of engagements, you and I should start thinking about setting a date."
"I thought you said that we would probably have to wait awhile," replied Olivia, referring to the delicate subject of the Colonel's finances. Although Olivia had received a handsome legacy from her grandmother, and stood to bring a more than respectable dowry to her marriage from her father, the Colonel was somewhat reluctant to marry until he was more certain of his own resources. While Olivia saw no reason for his apprehension, she nonetheless respected his desire to provide for his wife and family.
"There have been two very interesting developments that should permit us to marry almost immediately," the Colonel smiled. Olivia's eyes lit up at this news and she eagerly pressed him for details.
"Well, first of all, my father has made us a very generous gift of a tiny estate in northern Derbyshire. It is nothing more than a cottage really, on a few dozen acres of land with no real income to speak of, but it is completely self-sustaining. It came into my father's hands quite a while ago. He was trying to acquire a large parcel of land to the east of the property and he bought it simply to link the larger parcel of land to his own. He had leased it for many years to a family. The last of his tenants died recently and the cottage thus became available."
"Oh, Richard that is wonderful!" exclaimed Olivia. The Colonel looked into her eyes.
"Do you really think so? You have been accustomed to far finer lodgings, I think."
"I would happily live in a gypsy cart, so long as we are together, my love," Olivia declared.
"Well," Colonel Fitzwilliam laughed. "Our future home is considerably grander than a gypsy cart, but it is no Crenshaw House," he admitted. But the look in Olivia's eyes told him that she truly did not mind.
"What is the other development?" Olivia asked as the carriage made its way onto ______ Street.
"Oh, I very nearly forgot," replied the Colonel. "I have received a letter from my aunt's solicitors, and one begrudging letter from my aunt herself."
"Your aunt Lady Catherine DeBourgh?" Olivia asked as the Colonel stepped down from the carriage and handed Olivia out.
"Yes," Colonel Fitzwilliam answered. "Perhaps we should discuss this inside. I want Darcy to hear of this." The couple entered the Darcy drawing room, where Mr. Darcy and his sister greeted them. Colonel Fitzwilliam greeted his young cousin with a kiss on her forehead.
"I believe you have met my fiancée, Georgiana," he said.
"Yes, of course, although it has been nearly a year since we last met," said Georgiana with a curtsey.
"It is a pleasure to see you again, Miss Darcy," Olivia smiled.
"You must call me Georgiana, since we are to be cousins. I was delighted when Richard told me that you and he were to be married. I will finally have a relation near to my own age."
"Thank you, Georgiana, and you must call me Olivia." The two ladies took seats together and began to chat. Mr. Darcy, meanwhile, approached the Colonel.
"I have had some very interesting correspondence, cousin," the Colonel said. "I was just about to tell Miss Crenshaw about it." At the sound of her name, Olivia looked up, as did Georgiana.
"What manner of correspondence?" Mr. Darcy asked.
"The first was a document from Aunt Catherine's solicitors, and the other was from the lady herself," Colonel Fitzwilliam replied. Georgiana rose and came closer.
"Has something happened? We have not heard anything--." Colonel Fitzwilliam immediately laid her fears to rest.
"No, no, my dear. All is well at Rosings Park. Well, all was well...I had better begin at the beginning," the Colonel chuckled. "I received a letter from Aunt Catherine informing me--since I about to marry--that Uncle Lewis left me a legacy." Now it was Mr. Darcy's turn to interrupt.
"A legacy? I knew nothing of this," he said.
"According to Aunt Catherine, there was no need to inform me until now." The Colonel turned and directed his speech toward Olivia. "My uncle, Sir Lewis DeBourgh, looked upon me as the son he never had. Since Darcy here stood to inherit Pemberley, and my older brother, John, will inherit our father's titles and estate, Uncle Lewis decided to leave something in his will for my future well-being." Mr. Darcy exchanged looks with Georgiana.
"According to Aunt Catherine, Uncle Lewis left me an annuity of one thousand pounds per annum, to begin upon my marriage." Olivia's face registered surprise, as did Georgiana's. Mr. Darcy, however, merely looked intrigued. "Naturally, Aunt Catherine found this sufficient provocation for investigating Miss Crenshaw's background and reputation the moment she learned of our betrothal."
"What?" cried an outraged Olivia.
"Do not worry, my love; you passed inspection and were deemed worthy to become a Fitzwilliam," said the Colonel. As charmed as she was by her fiancé's smile, Olivia was hardly mollified.
"So, Aunt Catherine, having decided that she approved of your marriage partner, informed you of your inheritance," Mr. Darcy said, speculating about his aunt's motives. Colonel Fitzwilliam addressed his unasked question.
"Aunt Catherine wrote that she did not tell me of my legacy earlier fearing that I would marry the first girl who caught my eye just to get my hands on it," the Colonel said with a bitter laugh. "At least that is what she would like for me to believe."
"What did her solicitors have to say?" asked Mr. Darcy, as Olivia rose from her seat and came to stand near the Colonel.
"Ah.... now here is where things get interesting. Aunt Catherine has apparently not been very forthcoming with her solicitors or with me. They contacted me independently out of concern for my legal rights and undoubtedly in order to protect themselves. It seems that Aunt Catherine lied about the legacy," said the Colonel.
"You mean that there is no legacy?" asked Olivia, aware that she sounded mercenary, but too curious to worry about it.
"No, my love. There is a legacy, all right. But Aunt Catherine has lied about its terms. Uncle Lewis stipulated in his will that I was to receive an annuity of one thousand pounds to begin upon my marriage or my twenty-fifth birthday--which ever came first."
"Then Aunt Catherine has been withholding money that belongs to you for five years?" gasped Georgiana. The Colonel nodded.
"To think I have spent the past several months wondering whether or not I could afford to start a family when I might have had ample income to do so some time ago," said the Colonel, shaking his head.
"And Aunt Catherine, no doubt, has made good use of it while she was allegedly saving it for you," said Mr. Darcy.
"Do you mean that she stole it?" asked Georgiana.
"Technically, it could be considered stealing, although the money never left the security of the DeBourgh accounts. But I suspect that Aunt Catherine has made herself a tidy sum in interest," said Mr. Darcy distastefully. "I daresay you have grounds for suing her."
"Will you?" asked Georgiana. The Colonel shook his head.
"I am just happy that I am able to marry Miss Crenshaw and provide for her comfortably," he smiled with a loving look for his love.
"With five thousand pounds, you can buy a very nice piece of property and still have funds to put aside for investments," smiled Mr. Darcy.
"That will not be necessary," replied the Colonel. "Father has made us a gift of Petrie Farm."
"Do you mean that marvelous old stone cottage?" cried Georgiana.
"Do you know the place?" asked Olivia.
"Yes, Uncle and I toured the place just last week while I was at Matlock. Aunt Rebecca wondered about his sudden interest in looking at it. Uncle said that he wanted to see what kind of shape it was in and whether it needed repairs. Oh, it is a lovely cottage! And it has the prettiest little flower garden...."
"Then it was to your liking, Georgie?" asked Colonel Fitzwilliam with a grin.
"To my liking and your father's," she replied. "The last tenants left it in immaculate condition. I am so happy that you are planning to settle so near Pemberley," Georgiana said to Olivia. "That means that we will be able to see each other often."
"I look forward to that, Georgiana," said Olivia, who found the shy girl very sweet and charming. At that moment voices could be heard from the hall. Moments later, Mr. Harris led Mr. Bingley into the room, with Jane and Elizabeth on his arms. Behind them came Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and the Gardiners. Mr. Darcy went to welcome his guests.
"Elizabeth, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, and Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, I would like to introduce you to my sister, Georgiana." The shy young lady politely greeted her new acquaintances, but was only interested in coming to know the lady about whom her brother had spoken so frequently. Elizabeth was equally interested in Georgiana, and the two ladies took a few steps away from the others to become better acquainted. Olivia introduced the Colonel to those in the room he did not know; Mr. Darcy, meanwhile, became the immediate captive of his future mother-in-law.
"I have been looking forward to meeting you, Miss Darcy. I have heard nothing but glowing accounts of you since Fitzwilliam and I first became acquainted," smiled Elizabeth, as she looked for signs of the brother in his younger sibling.
"Please, you must call me Georgiana, since we are to be sisters, and if I may, I would be honored to call you Elizabeth," Georgiana replied in one breath. Elizabeth's laugh disconcerted her, but for only a moment.
"My sisters call me Lizzy, but if you prefer Elizabeth, so be it." Georgiana relaxed then, and the two ladies sat together and instantly began to become friends.
"Oh, what a grand and elegant room, Mr. Darcy," said Mrs. Bennet to Mr. Darcy. "I am certain that my Lizzy will be very happy here," she smiled as she stroked the silk drapery.
"I intend to see to it, madam," Mr. Darcy replied graciously. "Elizabeth will have free reign to make any changes or improvements to suit her taste. I want this to be her home as much as mine." Mrs. Bennet, who had merely been smiling, fairly beamed at this disclosure.
"You are very generous, sir. To tell you the truth," Mrs. Bennet confessed, as she stroked the deep blue silk upholstery of the drawing room, "The place could use a woman's touch. It has too much the look of a bachelor's home." Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, who had been speaking with the Colonel and Olivia, thought it best to come to Mr. Darcy's aid. But to their surprise, Mr. Darcy agreed with her. The importuned man went so far as to offer to take his guests on a tour of the public rooms.
The Colonel and Olivia stayed behind with Georgiana, while Mr. Darcy led Elizabeth, Jane, the Gardiners, and the Bennets on a tour of the parlor, the library, his study, and the morning room. Mr. Bingley trailed along, mainly to keep company with Jane. Elizabeth was far too mortified by her mother's decorating advice to pay much attention to what she was looking at, but even when Mrs. Bennet suggested that Mr. Darcy have the hundred year old mahogany paneling removed from his study Mr. Darcy remained in good humor and seemed completely unfazed by behavior that would formerly have lead him to quit her presence. Elizabeth did not know what had come over Mr. Darcy, and seizing an opportunity in the corridor when they were walking a short distance ahead of the group, she asked him about his good mood.
"I would happily suffer a dozen enthusiastic Mrs. Bennets if it means that I will have you by my side for the rest of my life," Mr. Darcy whispered into her ear. Elizabeth glanced up at the unaccustomed spectacle of Mr. Darcy's dimples, and returned his smile.
"You may very well live to regret suffering one Mrs. Bennet before our vows are complete, sir. She has even managed to push Mr. Bingley to the edge of his patience these last few days," she said under her breath. At the mention of Mr. Bingley's name, Mr. Darcy glanced back at his friend. He opened the door to the drawing room and, letting Elizabeth, the Bennets and the Gardiners pass by him, he summoned Mr. Bingley with a look. Mr. Bingley allowed Jane to pass into the room before him and went to answer Mr. Darcy's inquiry.
"Where is your sister, Bingley? I thought that she was coming with you tonight." A frustrated look quickly flashed across Mr. Bingley's usually serene face.
"She is not coming, Darcy," Mr. Bingley said dejectedly. "I tried to convince her, but...." His voice trailed off, leaving Mr. Darcy slightly confused.
"Is she unwell? Has something happened to her?" he asked with genuine concern. Mr. Bingley looked into Mr. Darcy's eyes, a bit surprised by his questions.
"She...she said that you would not want her to come after...well, she said that you two had words...." Mr. Darcy's brows rose, and then it came back to him. In his happiness at becoming engaged to Elizabeth, he had completely forgotten his unpleasant scene in the park with Miss Bingley. "Did you two argue?" Mr. Bingley asked cautiously. Mr. Darcy shifted uneasily. He did not want to repeat what had transpired that day.
"I am afraid that Miss Bingley is correct. We did...have words," he admitted.
"Whatever about? I cannot imagine...I mean I know that my sister can be very irritating at times, but--."
"No, Bingley. I am afraid I am to blame. She made a remark that made me lose my temper. I should not have allowed myself to lose my composure," Mr. Darcy was beginning to realize how painful his retort to Miss Bingley must have seemed to the lady. He lowered his voice so that only Mr. Bingley could hear. "We both said things we cannot be proud of that day." Mr. Bingley grew even more curious to know what had passed between his sister and his best friend, but he was more interested in healing the breech.
"She thinks that she is unwelcome in your home, Darcy," Mr. Bingley said softly. Mr. Darcy, who had been staring at his shoes, suddenly looked up.
"No! No, no, Bingley. Your sister and I have never been the best of friends, and my marriage to Elizabeth is bound to put a strain on our relationship, but I never meant to...I will go to your sister and apologize to her first thing in the morning, Bingley. I am heartily sorry things ever came to this. I will set things to right, you have my word on it as a gentleman," Mr. Darcy said with a pat on Mr. Bingley's shoulder. Mr. Bingley nodded, and they returned to the company.
Mrs. Bennet was in the midst of a scheme to send Mary, Kitty, and Lydia to spend the season in London with "the Darcys," as she had already begun to speak of her daughter and her fiancé. Mrs. Gardiner tactfully suggested that the Darcys be allowed to spend some time alone in their first few months as husband and wife.
"Nonsense," Mrs. Bennet cried. "What will they have to do, alone by themselves for four months? They will become bored to tears with each other I am sure. It will do them no harm to have some company," she added, to the great amusement of Colonel Fitzwilliam. Olivia poked him in his ribcage to silence his laughter, but everyone in the room, save a crimson-faced Elizabeth had joined the Colonel in smirking at Mrs. Bennet's comment. Mr. Bennet quietly assured Elizabeth that she would spend her first six months of marriage without a visit from any Bennet younger than himself. Dinner was announced, and as Mr. Darcy began to escort Elizabeth to the dining room, Miss Bingley appeared. Mr. Darcy was surprised to see her, given her brother's recent disclosure, but he tried to both make her welcome and convey his regret at their misunderstanding.
"Miss Bingley! I was just asking your brother for you. I am very glad you were able to join us after all. We are about to go into dinner. Won't you join us?"
Mr. Darcy extended his free arm, and Miss Bingley shyly took it. She fairly whispered her greeting; she could not bring herself to look Mr. Darcy in the eye. She had come because she did not wish to disappoint her brother. But she had almost turned and run away when she reached the drawing room door, fearing Mr. Darcy's rejection. His gracious welcome was wholly unexpected.
The party moved from the drawing room to the dining room, with Mr. Darcy in the lead and the Colonel, with Olivia and Georgiana, bringing up the rear. Ahead of the Colonel, Mrs. Bennet could be heard to exclaim about the quality of the lace on Miss Bingley's gown.
"I am certain it is the very finest lace, but I daresay, my Lizzy will have her equal share of it soon enough," she whispered to Mr. Bennet. When the party was seated, Elizabeth tried to break the apparent tension between Mr. Darcy and Miss Bingley. Something had apparently happened; she could see it in both their faces. Colonel Fitzwilliam, Olivia, and Mr. Bingley seemed equally conscious of the fact that something was amiss. Assuming that it had something to do with her engagement to Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth took a deep breath and attempted to break the ice, but before she could speak, her mother's voice could be heard from the far end of the table declaring that the dining room drapes were just perfect and should not be changed. From the corner of her eye, Elizabeth could see Georgiana nodding patiently.
"Lizzy looks very becoming in green, you know. It is her coloring, which comes from my side of the family," she said to the snickering Colonel. "Yes, yes...these dark green drapes will look very well with her complexion."
"Miss Bingley, I understand that your brother and sister are traveling on the Continent," Elizabeth said quickly. Miss Bingley seemed a bit surprised at being addressed by Elizabeth, but she answered gamely.
"Yes," she replied as she felt her brother, who sat between herself and Jane, give her hand a squeeze. "They have just reached Milan. I have been thinking about joining them there," she said, unable to meet Elizabeth's gaze.
"Oh, but you must not go before the wedding!" Jane cried. "You cannot! Charles will have so little of his family at the wedding, and you are his closest relation... Please say you will stay at least until then." Miss Bingley felt her hand being squeezed once more.
"I...I will, of course, remain for your marriage to my brother," she said with a sincere smile for Jane. "Which reminds me... I have yet to congratulate you, Mr. Darcy--and you, Miss Bennet--on your forthcoming nuptials. When is the happy event to take place?" Miss Bingley's comment was made without enthusiasm. She felt obliged to congratulate the couple but was not really interested in an answer. She received three.
"Oh, we have not yet even begun to think about a date," said Elizabeth.
"Very soon, I hope," Mr. Darcy chimed in.
"Oh, not for many months yet! There is so much to plan and to do before the wedding. Mark my words--I have spent two months preparing for Jane's wedding to Mr. Bingley, and I am sure that Elizabeth's will be far grander!"
Elizabeth was mortified. Miss Bingley, returning to form, could not suppress her contemptuous sneer. Jane, Olivia, and the Gardiners felt all the mortification that was apparent in Elizabeth's eyes. Mr. Darcy, however, continued to smile. Elizabeth took a gulp of wine and tried to still the tongue that threatened to lash out at her unfortunate mother. Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet quickly quieted that lady with a reference to the meal, and Mrs. Bennet was content to rhapsodize about the quality of butchering performed by Mr. Darcy's cook. And other than half dozen or so other comments, Mrs. Bennet behaved rather well for the remainder of the evening.
The next evening, the Darcy carriage pulled up outside the Fitzwilliams' townhouse, an imposing mansion in one of the most exclusive enclaves in London. As Mr. Darcy handed his sister out of the carriage, he glanced up and saw Colonel Fitzwilliam pacing outside the house.
"Fitzwilliam! What are you doing out here?" he asked. The Colonel was startled out of his reverie and he came over to greet his cousins.
"Georgie, Darcy. I was just getting some fresh air," he said absently, as he began to fidget with his cuffs.
"A case of nerves, old man?" teased Mr. Darcy. He exchanged a knowing smile with his sister, who had herself watched Mr. Darcy pace up and down not a half hour earlier. Mr. Darcy had decided to announce his engagement to Elizabeth at his aunt and uncle's dinner party. Colonel Fitzwilliam had consented to his cousin's sharing the celebration, and Mr. Darcy had barely just recovered from his own case of nerves before leaving the house.
"I wish," retorted the Colonel, as he drew to a halt before Mr. Darcy. "Aunt Catherine is here."
"I did not know that she had been invited," replied Mr. Darcy.
"Oh, she gets invited to everything, but she rarely troubles herself to come. But she seems to have made an exception tonight," the Colonel laughed bitterly. Mr. Darcy followed his cousin with his eyes as he began to pace again.
"You do not believe she will make trouble for you and Miss Crenshaw, do you?" he asked. As the words escaped his lips, it dawned upon Mr. Darcy that the Colonel was not the only one who had cause to worry. Georgiana, at a loss as to what had come over the two gentlemen, searched their expressions for some sort of clue. The silence was abruptly broken by the subtle cough of a footman. The three turned to the man, who informed them that Lady Catherine "awaited their pleasure" in the drawing room. The two male cousins exchanged glances before following Georgiana into the house.
"Standing out in the courtyard like beggars. What do you mean by such vulgar behavior?" demanded Lady Catherine imperiously. Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam exchanged glances once more before they followed Georgiana in the ritual of kissing their aunt's upturned cheek.
"Darcy, you look very well. Georgiana, how are your art and music lessons faring?" Without waiting for the girl's reply, Lady Catherine turned her attention to the Colonel.
"Stand up straight, Fitzwilliam. You are supposed to be an officer in the king's army. I cannot abide a slouching posture. A gentleman should always stand up straight, shoulders back. There," she said, as the Colonel complied, "That is better. Your future wife should not find you looking as though you were some penniless man of the lower classes." Lady Rebecca and her husband, the Earl of Matlock, entered the room. Georgiana greeted them with considerably more enthusiasm than she had shown her dowager aunt.
"I did not know that you were in town, Aunt Catherine," said Mr. Darcy as he bent to receive Lady Rebecca's kiss. "Is Anne with you?"
"Darcy, you know that Anne never travels during the summer. Her constitution is far too delicate. I came into town alone to meet Fitzwilliam's fiancée," she said, casting an eye at the Colonel's posture. "Now that he has decided to marry a suitable bride, I will be providing him with a most generous annuity. I want to meet the lady who will be spending a share of the DeBourgh fortune." Without even turning his head, Mr. Darcy knew that his cousin was seething.
"What is this about an annuity?" asked the Earl. "You have never mentioned this before, Kate." Colonel Fitzwilliam, who had been maintaining a distance from his aunt so as not to allow himself to be provoked, now came forward to hear the interchange between his father and his aunt.
"Do not call me 'Kate,' Nigel. You know I despise being called 'Kate.'" Lady Catherine glared at her older brother, who had called her by that name since childhood for the sole purpose of annoying her. Lady Catherine, turned away from him, dismissively, and said, "My late husband, Sir Lewis, left an annuity for your younger son, to begin upon his marriage." Her tone was meant to end all further discussion, but the Earl was immune to his sister's ploys.
"How come I never heard of this? I was one of the executors of Lewis's estate!" declared the Earl suspiciously. Lady Catherine gripped the arms of her chair but her slight squirm was detectable nonetheless.
"You had no cause to know of it. It had no relevance fifteen years ago. Besides," Lady Catherine added, unconvincingly, "I only learned of it myself a short while ago when my solicitors brought it to my attention. The codicil was drawn up shortly before Sir Lewis' death and was not among his other papers." Colonel Fitzwilliam crossed his arms and smirked.
"That must be why you did not execute my late uncle's wishes five years ago," he said. Lady Catherine looked stricken. Mr. Darcy and the Colonel struggled to keep from laughing at her affected display of shock.
"What do you mean, Richard? You were not married five years ago," said his confused mother. "Were you?" she added with a wary look. Colonel Fitzwilliam took a seat next to his mother and gently took her hand. The resemblance between mother and son was striking as Lady Rebecca met her son's smile with her own.
"No, Mama," the Colonel replied. "I merely meant that Uncle's will specified that I was to receive an annuity of a thousand pounds per annum, to begin upon my marriage or my twenty-fifth birthday, whichever came first," he concluded with a benign smile for his aunt. "At least, that is what your solicitors told me yesterday afternoon." Lady Catherine did a slow burn as she took in this information.
"Do you mean to say that Catherine has withheld five thousand pounds of your own inheritance from you, dearest?" an affronted Lady Rebecca asked. Mr. Darcy sat quietly, enjoying the spectacle of seeing his proud and pretentious Aunt Catherine receive her comeuppance at the hands of the Fitzwilliams. Both the Earl and Countess were loving parents who fiercely defended their children's interests. The Earl, therefore, took up the argument with his younger sibling.
"Plus interest!" he declared firmly.
"Interest?" Lady Catherine scoffed dismissively. "Why I have saved Fitzwilliam more than five thousand pounds by not giving it to him earlier. He would have been easy prey for the first girl who caught his eye." Colonel Fitzwilliam rolled his eyes and smiled at Mr. Darcy, who watched the Earl lash out at Lady Catherine with a rarely seen show of anger. Georgiana stood a short distance away from the others, shocked and a bit frightened by the scene unfolding before her. Mr. Darcy's smile caused her to relax a bit. She took a seat on Lady Rebecca's other side and her aunt assured her that the Earl was just "having his usual go" at Lady Catherine.
"Once a year at least, since I married him, he and Catherine have had a battle royal over something or another. I think they actually enjoy arguing," she laughed. Georgiana blinked. It seemed that while her aunt and uncle continued to shout at each other, no one else seemed to show the slightest concern. The Colonel began to chat with his mother. His older brother John and his wife entered the room and greeted the new arrivals, barely acknowledging the arguing pair. Mr. Darcy had also lost interest in the argument over his cousin's inheritance, and grew concerned about problems of his own.
Mr. Darcy had planned to announce his engagement at the dinner and had gained Elizabeth's permission to do so. If he chose not to make the announcement, in an effort to avoid a second unpleasant scene involving his aunt, she would certainly understand. But Mr. Darcy had no illusions that Mrs. Bennet could be dissuaded from mentioning the match. The realization of what was likely to transpire between his aunt and his future mother in law was very discomfiting to Mr. Darcy, and he began to regret his aunt's generosity in extending her invitation to include the Gardiners and the Bennets.
This is all I need...Aunt Catherine...Elizabeth's relatives in trade...Mrs. Bennet...." As if stung by the realization of the incendiary combination of people, circumstances and timing, Mr. Darcy abruptly smacked himself on the forehead, earning the stares of everyone in the room. Mr. Darcy looked up, colored, rose and went to stare out of the window.
"You ought to follow your cousin's example, Darcy." He felt the shrill voice of Lady Catherine pierce his spine. "A wife would be a steadying influence on you. You ought to marry very soon," Lady Catherine smiled smugly and was about to suggest that he announce his engagement to his cousin Anne immediately when she heard Mr. Darcy murmur something.
"I fully intend to," Mr. Darcy said as he rolled his eyes. Lady Catherine clapped her hands in delight.
"Wonderful!" she cried as Lady Rebecca rose and joined her nephew at the window.
"Yes, Fitzwilliam, Richard told us of your engagement this morning. I must say I was surprised to see matters resolved between the two of you so quickly," Lady Rebecca smiled with a twinkle in her eye. But instead of acknowledging his aunt's comment, Mr. Darcy whirled and glared at the Colonel who, momentarily ignorant of the consequences of his betrayal, was confused by the ferocity in his cousin's eyes. Lady Catherine rose from her chair dramatically, and like some lace-adorned bird of prey descended upon her nephew.
"Engaged?" she shrieked. "To whom are you allegedly engaged? How can you, how dare you presume to give your affection to another while you are perfectly aware that you are already betrothed to my Anne!" Mr. Darcy had turned to confront his aunt, but his action was arrested by the sight that greeted him from the door. The party from Gracechurch Street had arrived, along with Mr. Bingley and his sister. Elizabeth, on the arm of her father, strolled into the room with her brows furrowed, with a questioning look to her fiancé. Mrs. Bennet, who had eagerly pressed forward looked equally confused, as did the others who milled about, undecided about entering the clearly hostile territory. Elizabeth stood frozen amid the tumult around her, her eyes riveted upon those of her beloved. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner stepped forward then came up short abruptly behind her. Miss Bingley smirked as she saw Lady Catherine raise her finger and point at Elizabeth accusingly.
"You! Elizabeth Bennet! I should have known you would scheme to entrap my nephew. Is this how you intend to make your fortune? I know you are penniless; your cousin has told me that your father's estate is entailed away. Oh, yes," Lady Catherine sneered as she took a step in Elizabeth's direction. "I know what you are about. But do not think for one moment that I will permit you to succeed...." Lady Catherine fell silent and dropped her arm as Mr. Bennet came to within a foot of her, towering over the diminutive lady. He had positioned himself between his daughter and Lady Catherine in such a manner that even Mr. Darcy, who was about to come to Elizabeth's defense, was cut off.
"Lady Catherine DeBourgh, I presume," he said with menacing quiet. The angry woman looked him up and down.
"Do you know me, sir?" she said condescendingly. She could only assume that the man was Elizabeth Bennet's father.
"I ought to; my simpering null wit of a nephew spoke of little else during his visit to Hertfordshire last year." He snarled.
"Then you must be Mr. Bennet. I suppose you presume to condone this outrageous match between your daughter and my nephew," Lady Catherine rallied.
"As a matter of fact," Mr. Bennet intoned, "I was dead set against it." Mrs. Bennet opened her mouth to speak, but the briefest glance from her husband silenced the words on the tip of her tongue. A second glance forced Mr. Darcy's mouth shut. Even Elizabeth, who still stood in the doorway, was unable to utter a sound. She stood mute, holding her breath, dreading the scene about to unfold. Lady Catherine was about to seize this opening to speak but Mr. Bennet silenced her as well. "But Mr. Darcy has won the love of my dearest child," he continued with a reassuring smile at that gentleman, "And my Lizzy has declared her love for him. And considering what the two of them have been through, I can think of nothing less important to their happiness than your or my approval." With that, Mr. Bennet curtly bowed to Lady Catherine and strode past her and extended his arm to Mrs. Bennet. He was about to turn to leave, when the Earl stepped forward.
"Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet," he said, graciously extending his hand, "Welcome to our home. Please, all of you," he said, gesturing toward Mr. and Miss Bingley, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Jane, and Elizabeth. "Do come in and make yourselves comfortable."
If Mr. Darcy was at all offended by Mr. Bennet's comment, he did not show it as he rushed to Elizabeth, who looked very ill at ease. His warm smile acted as a mild restorative, and the color returned to her cheeks by the time he reached out and took her hand. The Earl and Countess graciously welcomed the Bennets and the Gardiners, while Lady Catherine continued to sputter and fume to herself. Returning to her seat, Lady Catherine proceeded to scowl at Mr. Bennet, who calmly gazed back at her in defiance. Mr. Bennet kept a firm grip on Mrs. Bennet's arm as he chatted pleasantly with the Earl, as if to forestall any possibility of a spontaneous action on her part. Mrs. Bennet was too much in awe of her surroundings to say very much, although she gaped at the luxurious furnishings.
"I had hoped for a different reaction when I announced our engagement," Mr. Darcy quipped with a disdainful glance at Lady Catherine as he presented Elizabeth to his aunt and uncle.
"Well, we shall not disappoint you," Lady Rebecca cooed. "I am so very happy to meet you, dear, and I welcome you to the family.'
"Indeed," said the Earl, as he drew her further into the room and introduced her to his older son, John and wife, Gemma. Elizabeth was charmed by all the Fitzwilliams and they all endeavored to make her welcome. Georgiana drew Elizabeth to her side as the rest of the party began to relax and mingle. Everyone seemed to forget Mr. Bennet's confrontation with Lady Catherine as easily as they had forgotten her earlier confrontation with the Earl.
"I am sorry about Aunt Catherine," Georgiana whispered to her future sister as she drew her aside. "She is not usually so rude."
"You will never be able to convince her of that," winked Colonel Fitzwilliam. "I am afraid she knows Aunt Catherine far too well. But I am very sorry that you should be subjected to such behavior in our home," the Colonel added with an apologetic smile.
"You are right, Colonel. I am far too well acquainted with your aunt and thus I have no choice but to acquit you and your family of any responsibility for that incident." Elizabeth glanced at Mr. Darcy, who had been detained by the Earl and Mr. Bennet. Mr. Darcy's eyes were fixed upon his aunt. Elizabeth sighed. She knew that the unpleasantness caused by her engagement to Mr. Darcy was not over.
While Colonel Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth told Georgiana of their experiences with Lady Catherine in Kent, Miss Bingley joined the Viscount and his lady in conversation with her brother and Jane. She listened politely as John and Gemma apologized to Jane for their aunt's behavior.
"I do not know why Aunt Catherine should object to your sister; she is as refined a lady as we have ever seen," said John.
"I did not realize that you knew Miss Bennet," Miss Bingley replied.
"Oh, we have never met before this evening," smiled the elegant Lady Gemma. "But we have seen her on a few occasions, and I must say we were very impressed by her." The couple exchanged a smile, as Jane wrinkled her brow in confusion. Colonel Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth, who were just a short distance away, could not help but overhear the comment, and could not resist the temptation to listen further.
"Miss Bennet first came to our notice some months ago at the theatre," John began, as his doting wife smiled in encouragement. "It was in the spring, was it not my love?"
"Yes, dearest," Gemma replied. "Darcy there," she said with a gesture toward her tall cousin, "Was not himself that night. When we spoke to him, he did not even acknowledge us."
"Yes. We feared that something was wrong with him, but after observing him we saw that he seemed to be quite obsessed with a certain young lady."
"Of course, we had no idea of her identity then," added Gemma. "We later asked Richard about the lady, but he would tell us very little. We decided to do a bit of investigating for ourselves," she added with satisfaction.
"Unfortunately, no one in our acquaintance knew anything of her," said John.
"Richard was very cruel to us," pouted Gemma. "He would not tell us a thing." Colonel Fitzwilliam stopped feigning indifference, and in spite of Georgiana's whispered appeal, he and Elizabeth walked over to join the conversation.
"I rather liked the idea of Miss Bennet as a woman of mystery," teased the Colonel to his sister and brother. "Besides, I could not have the two of you gossiping about Darcy's love life among the ton."
"We have gossiped to no one," said the Colonel's affronted brother.
"We have been very discrete in our inquiries," Gemma chimed in.
"Inquiries about my love life?" asked Mr. Darcy as he joined the circle. John and Gemma repeated their tale of how they first saw Elizabeth at the theatre in March and their subsequent observations on her later visits to town.
"We have kept a close eye on your Miss Bennet since then," said John.
"And we have been speculating about her ever since," concluded Gemma with a smile for Elizabeth.
"I had no idea that the two of you had been spying on us," Mr. Darcy said, but John and Gemma just laughed. Lady Catherine's snort of derision momentarily distracted the group. The offended dowager remained in her chair, speaking to no one, contributing nothing to the evening's festivities, but silently observing all the Bennets. In the space of a minute she had found them all wanting, decidedly inferior. Mr. Bennet, Lady Catherine concluded, was rude and boorish, and his wife a complete fool, though probably tractable. Elizabeth Bennet she already knew to be a scheming social climber, and as for Jane Bennet.... Not being able to discern any external flaws, Lady Catherine merely concluded that she must be tainted by her connections to the other Bennets. The Gardiners she deemed not worthy of comment. She could no longer contain her anger and began to vent her spleen.
"Pah! Look at them all, smug and cozy amid their superiors," she grumbled to no one in particular. The Earl pointedly ignored her as he spoke with the Gardiners ands Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. "Darcy is throwing himself away on that little nobody. Well, at least Fitzwilliam had the good sense to choose someone appropriate as his bride. I daresay that her relations know how to behave in company. Her family will not be an embarrassment to her. Nor would she approve of Darcy marrying so far beneath himself. Olivia Crenshaw will be a credit to this family. Thank goodness one of my nephews has shown some good sense." Just then, voices could be heard down the hall. The Earl and Countess rose to receive the Crenshaws, and Lady Catherine hastened to join them.
"Now, we will see a dignified and refined young lady worthy of becoming a Fitzwilliam. Olivia Crenshaw will put Elizabeth Bennet to shame," Lady Catherine said to Lady Rebecca, who merely smiled to Colonel Fitzwilliam as he came to stand by his mother's side. "Fitzwilliam, I am proud of you. You have chosen your bride well," Lady Catherine declared loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"I could not agree with you more," the Colonel replied with a wink for Elizabeth. She and Mr. Darcy exchanged a confused glance as the Crenshaw party, led by Mr. Crenshaw with Olivia on his arm, entered the room. The Colonel immediately relieved Mr. Crenshaw of his burden, and whisked Olivia back into the hall. Lady Catherine was not insensible of the Colonel's impropriety, but so anxious was she to flaunt the Colonel's fiancée before Elizabeth Bennet that she immediately forgave him.
"I think you should be warned," Colonel Fitzwilliam said hastily. "My Aunt Catherine is here, and she is in a foul mood." Olivia barely had time to take in this information before he returned her to the room. As he formally introduced his future bride to his parents, Lady Catherine insinuated herself into the conversation.
"It is very good to see you again, Miss Crenshaw," said Lady Rebecca, "And it especially gives us pleasure to welcome you as a member of our family."
"Thank you," Olivia said with a deep curtsey as Lady Catherine stepped forward for an inspection.
"You are a very pretty girl, Miss Crenshaw," Lady Catherine said with a proprietary interest in the girl. "I admire my nephew's taste, but then, Fitzwilliam has long been my favorite, and has had the good sense to follow my judgment in the choice of a wife." Lady Catherine paused, accustomed as she was to some acknowledgment of her excellent judgment, but try as she might, Olivia could think of no suitable comment to make. Lady Catherine narrowed her eyes slightly, but still convinced of Olivia's superiority, she bestowed a smile on the young lady. "I shall take you under my wing and prepare you for marriage myself, as I understand that you are without a mother." Olivia involuntarily gasped.
"I thank you, Lady Catherine," she managed as she recovered herself. "But that will not be necessary. Mrs. Gardiner has been as a second mother to me since I was a child and has already been invaluable in preparing me for marriage. Also, my sister Elise has been a great help. So, you see," she concluded with a smile, "I am quite well looked after." It was Lady Catherine's turn to gasp as Olivia curtseyed again and turned away.
"Well! To refuse my counsel...and for that of inferior advice from people who can know nothing of what it is expected of her in elite society," she said as she glared at Olivia's retreating back. Of course, it did not occur to her that the young couple's income would be no more than that of the Gardiner's, if one discounted Olivia's legacy--as the Colonel was wont to do. Nor did it occur to Lady Catherine that Richard and Elise Crenshaw's income easily exceeded her own or that the pair traveled in the first circles. She watched with mounting horror as Olivia approached Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.
"Lizzy! You look beautiful!" Olivia gushed. "I knew that lavender was a perfect shade for you. And your hair-oh, Lizzy, you look wonderful!" Elizabeth laughed as she returned the compliment.
"Oh, you find it easy to praise my attire, do you, when you know you have all the credit of it," Elizabeth laughed. Olivia joined her, as Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy exchanged quizzical glances. They had no way of knowing that not only had Olivia given Elizabeth the gown she wore so becomingly, Olivia had seen to every detail of her outfit down to her choice of scent.
"And you, Livy," Elizabeth said, turning the tables on her friend. "You look...you look so..."
"Permit me, Miss Bennet," the Colonel interrupted with a slight cough. "Ethereal, incredible, beautiful, lovely, exquisite, astounding," Colonel Fitzwilliam reeled off, pausing briefly between each word. Olivia and Elizabeth rolled their eyes as they smiled at his hyperbole. "Magnificent--did I already say magnificent? Wonderful, uh...." Colonel Fitzwilliam searched for more words with which to flatter his beloved
"Charming?" Mr. Darcy offered helpfully, but the Colonel squinted at his cousin with disdain.
"You must forgive my cousin, my dear. He is too little practiced in the art of flattering ladies," Colonel Fitzwilliam said with a sidelong glance at a smirking Mr. Darcy.
"And I am afraid you will find that my cousin is far too well practiced in that art, Miss Crenshaw, Mr. Darcy retorted.
"At least I know better than to tell a young lady in evening dress that she merely looks 'charming.' Most girls upon hearing such pallid praise would spend the remainder of the evening peering into every available mirror wondering what went wrong between their mantua makers and their toilettes," the Colonel huffed as the ladies giggled.
"Which do you think is worse, Lizzy: marrying the man who has had too little practice or the one who has apparently had too much?"
"I am afraid I have the better of them, for should Mr. Darcy be moved to flatter me, I know that he will be speaking from his heart. I doubt you will be able to believe a word of what the good Colonel says," Elizabeth laughed. Olivia and the Colonel joined her, but Mr. Darcy was distracted by the sight of Georgiana in conversation with Mr. Douglass.
"What is it, Fitzwilliam?" asked Elizabeth, with a touch to his arm.
"Nothing," Mr. Darcy replied absently as he continued to observe the pair. Georgiana and Mr. Douglass were immediately attracted to one another however, they were each hampered by shyness. Mr. Douglass spoke mostly to his shoes, while Georgiana's eyes flitted about, landing upon every object in the room except Mr. Douglass' handsome face.
"They make a lovely couple," suggested Olivia when the Colonel joined Mr. Darcy in his fraternal vigil.
"She is far too young to be courted," Colonel Fitzwilliam murmured.
"Courted!" Elizabeth laughed. "He can barely say two words to her much less pay her court."
"Pay her court?" Mr. Darcy had not been listening, and only caught the last of Elizabeth's comment. "He does not even know her."
"And how well did you know me when you fell in love?" Elizabeth teased, but Mr. Darcy's would not be sidetracked.
"Georgiana is barely sixteen," he growled.
"And we know nothing of this man, nor of his prospects," added the Colonel. Olivia and Elizabeth could scarcely believe their ears.
"Mr. Douglass is two and twenty, has a very decent income which will very likely double next year when he comes into his trust fund, and is as pleasant, intelligent, and refined a young man as you are likely to meet," Olivia said with some asperity.
"Yes, and he is rather charming, if you will allow us ladies the use of the word without the fear of sending Mr. Douglass to the nearest mirror," Elizabeth quipped. But Mr. Darcy was still not disarmed.
"No matter," he said. "Georgiana is too young and impressionable to know her own heart," Mr. Darcy said with an air of finality. He prepared to cross the room to break up the tete a tete.
"And who are you to dictate her happiness?" Elizabeth cried as she grabbed his arm. She immediately recoiled from her own bold act and covered her mouth. Mr. Darcy turned on her, sparks flashing in his eyes. One look at Elizabeth, however, was enough to forestall the outburst that had sprung unbidden to his tongue.
"I suppose we are being a bit presumptuous," Mr. Darcy said evenly, "But you will allow Fitzwilliam and me to show a filial concern for our young charge." Elizabeth bowed her head, and Mr. Darcy felt awful. He had not meant to sound so harsh. He reached out to touch Elizabeth, but she eluded him and crossed the room to join her sister and Mr. Bingley. Mr. Darcy drew a deep sigh. He glanced at his sister, who had been joined by Richard Crenshaw and Elise, then at Elizabeth, who determinedly refused to look up. A few feet away, Lady Catherine who had observed the exchange between the couple, smiled. Mr. Darcy decided to wait a few minutes before apologizing. He did not want to repeat his mistake in acting too hastily. He stood awkwardly beside the Colonel and Olivia, hardly hearing their discussion about their wedding.
"I was speaking with my parents earlier and, if you and your father have no objections, we would like to hold the wedding at Matlock," said the Colonel with a surreptitious glance at his cousin, whose eyes, mind and heart were across the room.
"That would be lovely," smiled Olivia. "As a girl in Derbyshire, I often dreamed of a beautiful country wedding. But when father gave up our country home and decided to move to town permanently, I quite gave up on the idea. A wedding at Matlock would be perfect. Lizzy has already consented to be my maid of honor, if she is still a maid. Have you two discussed a date?" Olivia asked, desperately trying to draw Mr. Darcy into the conversation.
"No," he replied, a bit sadly. "But I hope it will be soon." He looked at Elizabeth wistfully and found that she was looking at him with same expression. A bit of a smile was all it took to make Mr. Darcy to fly to her side. He immediately began to apologize, but Elizabeth put her finger to his lips. He kissed the delicate obstacle and smiled his apology.
"So when will the two of you take your vows, Darcy?" asked Mr. Bingley.
"As soon as humanly possible," Mr. Darcy said with a smile meant only for Elizabeth, and Mr. Bingley and Jane smiled at the besotted couple, as did Olivia and the Colonel as the joined them.
"So, it is to be a rushed business is it?" Lady Catherine remarked. She was overheard by Mrs. Bennet, who had briefly escaped her husband.
"Certainly not," she sniffed. "It will not be a 'rushed business' as you call it, for all that Mr. Darcy is eager to have his way with my Lizzy." Mr. Darcy reddened at her remark, and Elizabeth wished she could disappear. Miss Bingley giggled at Mrs. Bennet's vulgarity, until her brother silenced her with a look. As Mr. Bennet, Mr. Gardiner, Mr. Crenshaw had just joined the Earl to take a look at some bronzes in the Fitzwilliam library (and undoubtedly to partake of some port as well) the duty of extricating Mrs. Bennet fell to Mrs. Gardiner.
"I believe that my niece and Mr. Darcy have yet to set a date," she said diplomatically. "Perhaps we should let the couple in question decide what sort of wedding it is to be." Elizabeth allowed herself to breathe again, but she knew better than to think that her mother was done.
"Nonsense!" squealed Mrs. Bennet. "What would Lizzy know of planning such a grand event"? She was not brought up to it. No, she and Mr. Darcy must leave every detail to me. It will be the most lavish and extraordinary event of the season, mark my words." Elizabeth looked at Mr. Darcy in silent appeal as Mrs. Gardiner tried and again failed to silence her sister. Mr. Darcy leaned over and whispered into Elizabeth's ear as Jane went to her mother and took her arm.
"Would it not be lovely, Mama," she said as she carefully led her mother to a chair a safe distance from Lady Catherine, "If Lizzy and Mr. Darcy were to be married with Mr. Bingley and myself?" Jane looked her question to Elizabeth but both she and Mr. Darcy suddenly seemed to be deep in conversation with Colonel Fitzwilliam and Olivia.
"A double wedding? Nonsense, child! Lizzy and Mr. Darcy are to have a wedding of their own, with everything the finest, as befits her new station in life. I can see it all now...." Mrs. Bennet said as she became lost in elaborate schemes.
"Spending my nephew's money already are you?" Lady Catherine sneered. "Well, it is no more than he deserves, casting his lot with the likes of you," she said as she crossed her arms smugly. All the Bennets in the room were too far away to hear her, but Lady Rebecca had heard enough.
"Lady Catherine, if the presence of my guests is so offensive to you," she said in a low voice, "Perhaps you would rather take your meal in your chambers. I will arrange to have it sent up now." She turned away immediately, before Lady Catherine could utter a syllable. She rose from her chair, smarting from the set down and strode from the room, nearly bumping into Mr. Bennet as the men returned from the library. She drew herself up haughtily and swept past the men without a word. The gentlemen entered the room in time to hear Mr. Darcy declare to all assembled his intention to marry Elizabeth in early autumn.
"I rather like the idea of a double wedding," he said with a smile for Jane. "But you and Bingley deserve a special day of your own. On the other hand, Miss Bennet and I would probably not be here today were it not for the intervention of these two," Mr. Darcy continued, with a nod toward the Colonel and Olivia, "So we have chosen to impose upon them instead. The four of us will marry in October at Matlock."
"Yes," Elizabeth chimed in, beaming. "And since Lady Rebecca has graciously consented to attend to all the details herself, Mama, you will be spared the trouble of planning my wedding." Elizabeth had to suppress the smile that threatened her composure. Mrs. Bennet was on the verge of apoplexy, but Mr. Bennet claimed his wife's arm and led her to the dining room along with the others, effectively silencing her for the remainder of the evening.
For Elizabeth's part, the remainder of the evening went quite well. The meal was splendid, the conversation pleasant, and the Fitzwilliams warm and gracious. Elizabeth discovered that the Colonel's winning smile was a family trait that was frequently displayed by all the Fitzwilliams. And in the company of the Fitzwilliams (and especially in Lady Catherine's absence), Mr. Darcy also smiled a great deal more. He was so disposed to be in good humor that he did not seem to mind that Georgiana and Mr. Douglass sat together at dinner, still barely conversing. Miss Bingley even deigned to make conversation with the Gardiners, who both instantly became great favorites of all the Fitzwilliams.
When the evening was over and Mr. Darcy had seen Elizabeth to Mr. Bingley's carriage, she peered up at the beautiful façade of the mansion. From a corner window on an upper floor, Lady Catherine glared at her, but her face was no more than a shadow. But Elizabeth recognized the lady and after she pointed her out to Olivia, they both waved goodbye as the carriage pulled away. Lady Catherine was outraged by their audacity. She immediately called for her abigail and ordered that her carriage be brought around at first light. She was furious at her nephews.
"They are fools, the pair of them. To be so easily manipulated by those vulgar little chits...." She momentarily considered contacting her solicitors to withhold Colonel Fitzwilliam's inheritance, but knew that her efforts would not be successful. "Bah! Let them be made fools of. They deserve their fates. They will not know a moment's happiness, either of them. Mark my words, they will come to regret their marriages." She blew out the candle and slid into her bed, as the Colonel and Mr. Darcy, who had heard her rant from the courtyard, laughed.
"Tell me again exactly why you insisted on dragging me out here at this hour?"
"Insisted? Dragged? My love, all I did was extend a simple invitation."
"Simple invitation? You made those eyes--you know it is impossible to resist you when you make those eyes." Colonel Fitzwilliam paused in his tracks and smiled wickedly. Olivia grabbed the lapel of his coat and pulled him along until he suddenly grabbed her hand and led her off the path. "Where are you taking me?" she gasped as she struggled to keep up with the Colonel's long-legged stride.
"It would not be much of a surprise if I told you that, now would it?" he called over his shoulder as he trod on.
"I do not need any surprises this morning. If Elise discovers that I am missing--and worse, that I am out here with you at dawn--."
"If Mrs. Crenshaw threatens to harm one hair on your lovely head she will have to answer to me for it," the Colonel replied as he turned to help Olivia over a particularly large and slippery rock.
"Oh? Will you call her out, Colonel?" Olivia asked as she stopped to catch her breath.
"Yes," he laughed, as he brushed an errant wisp of hair out of her eyes. "And I will show her no mercy." The couple laughed as they continued to trudge up a rather steep hill. Olivia began to lose her enthusiasm for the Colonel's adventure when she plunged her foot into a muddy hole in the ground.
"Really, Richard! I do have better things to do this morning." Colonel Fitzwilliam turned upon her with "those eyes." Olivia rolled her own eyes and tried to look away. "I should be sleeping, or better yet, preparing. I have hours of preparations to make before the ceremony..."
"Exactly what is it you brides do before a wedding that takes so long? When John and Gemma were married, she was cloistered in her chambers for a day and a half." Olivia shot him a withering glance.
"Never you mind. Just be prepared to appreciate my efforts," Olivia laughed. The Colonel put his arm around her waist and drew her close.
"Have I ever failed to appreciate you?" He whispered in her ear.
"Only the first ten years or so of our acquaintance," she whispered back. She smiled at the Colonel's surprised expression, and kissed him lightly on the mouth before pulling away and ducking under a low hanging branch on their path.
"I had no idea of your interest in me ten years ago," the Colonel said as he nearly bumped into, then ducked under the offending branch. "Of course, you were still a little girl then and not really worthy of notice."
"Oh? And exactly when did I become worthy of your notice?" Olivia demanded. The Colonel stopped to carefully consider his answer.
"It was about two years ago, I think--the night I danced with you at Mama's Christmas Ball."
"Two years ago? And it took you that long to speak?" Olivia asked in disbelief.
"Ten years ago, madam? I might ask you the same question," the Colonel returned the challenge.
"Ten years ago I was barely eleven and hardly in a position to attract the notice, not to mention the affections, of a Cambridge man."
"Ten years ago you did capture the affections of a Cambridge man," the Colonel retorted with a smile. "His affections, however, have rather matured since then."
"As have I?" Olivia smiled sweetly, but the Colonel knew better than to answer. "So what took you so long? Once I became worthy of your 'mature' notice, I mean." The Colonel again carefully weighed his words. This was not the day to start a row.
"On that night, I held you in my arms and for the first time saw you as a woman." He smiled at the remembrance. "It was a bit overwhelming...Crenny's little sister, all grown up. It took a while for it to sink in and still longer to realize that I had fallen for you. Of course, at the time, I was not yet ready for marriage, and I could hardly have supported a wife..." Colonel Fitzwilliam looked up then, but far from returning his ardent gaze, Olivia was surveying the prospect from the top of the hill. The sun was making inroads in its battle with the morning mist that still shrouded much of the Matlock estate. Olivia was entranced by the pastoral beauty of the scene; nonetheless, she turned to Colonel Fitzwilliam and demanded to know why she had been "invited" on his predawn hike.
"I wanted you to see our new home," the Colonel replied in a slightly hurt voice.
"I saw it two days ago! You walked me over every inch of the estate, remember? Are all of your family great walkers or are you an exception?" Olivia grabbed the Colonel's arm and bent over to look at the damage incurred by her lightweight boots. "Probably something you picked up in the army," she muttered as she picked up as stick and attempted to remove a large clot of mud from the toe. "You men are always walking everywhere," she murmured, as the Colonel smirked at her. When she had done and stood up again, Colonel Fitzwilliam placed his hands on Olivia's waist and turned her toward the west. She was about to make another comment, and then caught her breath as she saw her new home seemingly rising out of the mist. She saw the large cottage, its well-manicured gardens, the orchards, the outbuildings, and beyond them all, acres of lush green land. Olivia put her hands to her mouth and smiled. The scene before her was awe-inspiring. As she looked at the lush green fields, the tidy house, and saw the horses being let out into the corral, Olivia saw her future before her. When the Colonel drew her closer to him and whispered in her ear, she was startled.
"Well? Do you like your new home, madam?" Olivia, tears in her eyes, nodded.
"It is beautiful," she whispered. Olivia turned and hugged the Colonel for a long moment, then released him and started back down the hill.
"Where are you going?" the Colonel cried, as he scrambled after her, fearing that something was wrong.
"I want to get home and get ready for the ceremony," Olivia called as she hurried down the hill at an alarming clip. She nearly took a tumble, but the Colonel caught her in time.
"Slow down, my love. The wedding is not for hours yet!" the Colonel said, moving ahead of Olivia so that he was in a better position to protect her from harm. "What is your rush?" he laughed.
"The sooner we are married, the sooner we can move into our new home, and the sooner we can begin our life together as man and wife." The Colonel's smile grew as he pondered her point. He turned and carefully led Olivia to the base of the hill.
"I have been thinking about what you just said," the Colonel began as the couple walked hand in hand along the level path.
"And?" Olivia asked. Instead of answering, the Colonel took off at a run, and the couple made its way back to Matlock Hall in half the time it had earlier taken them to walk the distance. Upon her return to the house, Olivia left Colonel Fitzwilliam at the bottom of the grand staircase and made her way up to her room unseen, save for one footman who was decidedly disinclined to take notice of a wild-haired young lady in mud-splattered clothing sneaking into the house with the Colonel on the morning of his wedding. Talbot was no gossip, even if his mates would have gladly paid to hear of the young master's escapades. Olivia tiptoed past Elizabeth's door and found her own. She entered her room and gently closed the door so as not to make a sound. She therefore nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a voice behind her.
"Where have you been?" Elizabeth asked from the bed, where she had apparently made herself comfortable.
"What are you doing in here?" Olivia managed to say when she found her voice. She held her hand to her panting chest.
"I believe I asked you first," Elizabeth replied archly.
"I was with Richard." At Elizabeth's shocked expression, Olivia quickly amended her statement as she tugged at her disheveled hair. "We took a walk. He said he wanted to show me something." Elizabeth crawled out from under the coverlet and crawled to the end of the bed, where Olivia had unceremoniously deposited herself.
"It was nothing that could not--or should not--have waited until after the ceremony, I trust?"
"Lizzy!" Olivia cried, as she blushed at the implication. Elizabeth immediately began to laugh.
"What did he show you? And was it as my mother described?" she teased. For an answer, Elizabeth was nearly smothered with a pillow.
"He took me to see a lovely view of Matlock Glen and our new home from the top of the hill behind the house. It was truly breathtaking, Lizzy." Elizabeth stared at her doubtingly. "Wait until you see Pemberley," Olivia said.
"Have you ever been there?" Elizabeth asked with great interest.
"Yes, many times, many, many years ago when we still lived in Derbyshire."
"Livy, did you ever think you would come back here? As a wife I mean...in your wildest dreams, did you ever dare to think that you would one day marry the son of an earl and be settled on one of the finest estates in Derbyshire?" As Elizabeth spoke, Olivia began to realize how surreal it all seemed to her friend. Olivia had had every expectation of marrying well--her situation disposed her to it--and though the disparity in their circumstances was great, it was not so great as to prepare Olivia for Elizabeth's apprehension.
"Lizzy, you are not having reservations about marrying Mr. Darcy, are you?" she asked.
"About marrying Fitzwilliam, no...but it all seems so strange. The first time you lay eyes upon a man it never enters your head that you will marry him one day. That certainly was the furthest thing from my mind when I met Fitzwilliam." Olivia's mysterious smile taught Elizabeth that she was of quite a different opinion.
"The first time I saw Richard, he had come home from college with my brother and stayed with us for several weeks. I took one look at him and declared him the man I wanted to marry. I was absolutely infatuated with him." Olivia laughed. "I as much as confessed that to him a few minutes ago."
"How come I never knew of this 'infatuation'? I thought we had no secrets from one another!" Elizabeth pretended to pout, and Olivia patted her cheek in mock sympathy.
"You and I were not yet acquainted. I was still a girl in Derbyshire and Richard was a Cambridge mate of my brother's. You," and she smacked Elizabeth with a pillow for emphasis, "Were still an unruly brat who climbed trees and got into 'perilous adventures' behind your Mama's back."
"Oh dear," cried Elizabeth. "We do have no secrets! But seriously, Livy...did you really know he was the one?"
"I was eleven! I knew nothing except that Richard Fitzwilliam was divine. I silently worshiped him for six weeks, until he returned to college. Then I did not see him for a few years. The next time I saw him, I was fifteen, he was a dashing young captain, and I could not get anywhere near him for the hoards of young ladies who constantly surrounded him. He barely knew I was alive, and when he did deign to acknowledge me, it was only as the sister of a dear friend." Olivia felt anew all the frustration of her disadvantaged status, which was quickly replaced by her present knowledge of her fiancé's heart.
"When did that change?" asked Elizabeth, warming to the tale.
"According to what Richard told me this morning, two years ago. He said that when he danced with me at his family's Christmas Ball, he realized for the first time that I was all grown up," Olivia beamed as she recalled the moment, not a half hour earlier, when Colonel Fitzwilliam held her in his arms and revealed the moment he fell in love with her, sort of. She wished now that she had not been so distracted by the scenery. There was so much more she wanted to ask him, and even more she wanted to tell him.
"Livy?" Olivia blinked and came back to the present. She blushed at Elizabeth's amused expression.
"Now it is your turn, Lizzy," she said, as she bent to remove her soiled garments.
"I have already told you everything about my relationship with Fitzwilliam," Elizabeth protested.
"Perhaps, but you have never told me of your first reaction to him."
"I have told you. I found him arrogant, conceited, rude--."Olivia turned to her with a sly smile on her face.
"Before that."
"I did not know him before that evening," Elizabeth replied innocently, but Olivia pressed further.
"I did not ask if you knew him. What I am asking has nothing to do with knowing him." She leaned closer so that they met eye to eye. "I asked about your first reaction to him. Before you decided you hated him. Before you knew anything of him. What were your impressions at the first sight of him?" Elizabeth blushed deeply.
"I...."
"Yes?" said Olivia to Elizabeth, who couldn't seem to raise her eyes.
"He struck me...well, I thought..." She glanced up at Olivia, who had her arms crossed and was waiting none too patiently.
"Admit it. You thought he was gorgeous. You thought--."
"I did not! I...I did remember thinking that he was handsome...very handsome..."
"Liar! You will not even admit it to yourself, will you! Richard and I knew it even before we saw the two of you together!" Elizabeth furrowed her brow. She was growing increasingly uncomfortable with Olivia's line of inquiry.
"What are you talking about?" Olivia started to pounce again, but she suddenly relented and smiled benignly.
"You and Mr. Darcy fell in love at first sight." Elizabeth began to protest, but Olivia kept right on talking. "I know all about it. He insulted you that first evening and you hated him for it. But admit it, Lizzy, you did fall for him immediately, otherwise you would not have cared one jot what he thought of you. You took one look at Mr. Darcy and had the same visceral reaction that he did, only the two of you were far too stubborn to admit it even to yourselves." Elizabeth began another weak protest, but Olivia's notion was far too interesting to discard.
"Fitzwilliam told me himself that he did not fall in love with me the first time he saw me."
"Of course not. He did not fall in love with you until he really looked at you, and you did not fall in love with him until you really looked at him. But when the two of you looked at each other, sparks flew to be sure. And," she added as she sidled up closer to Elizabeth, "Long before then, that first night at the assembly, you took one look at Mr. Darcy and swooned, just as did every other girl in the room, did you not?" Elizabeth could not resist the temptation to turn the tables on her friend.
"Are you asking this out of mere curiosity, or are you simply confessing some unspoken attraction for my future husband?" It was Olivia's turn to blush slightly; she had always thought Mr. Darcy to be among the handsomest men in England. However, she was all the more determined to make Elizabeth admit it.
"I want you to confess that you were as interested in your Mr. Darcy the moment you laid eyes upon him as I was in my Richard." Elizabeth merely smiled enigmatically. In a last desperate effort to secure a confession, Olivia resorted to a more effective tactic: she renewed her assault with the pillow, and in seconds, Elizabeth's defenses crumbled.
A knock on Mr. Darcy's door startled him out of a waking dream. He quickly mumbled a command to enter, but instead of being greeted by his valet, he looked up into the beaming face of his cousin.
"It is time you were out of bed, Darcy. We have preparations to make," said the Colonel as he strolled over to the window and drew apart the drapes. Mr. Darcy crawled out of bed and joined his cousin at the window.
"What are you so bloody cheerful about?" he asked as he secured the knot on his robe. Colonel Fitzwilliam stared at his cousin incredulously.
"Why should I not be cheerful? It is a beautiful morning and by the end of it I will be a very happily married man. I daresay," he added with a nudge to Mr. Darcy's ribs, "Tomorrow I will be an even happier one." Mr. Darcy blinked and glared at the Colonel. Mr. Darcy always hated seeing the Colonel first thing in the morning. He was always so relentlessly cheerful. Mr. Darcy was a habitual early riser himself, but he could never match the Colonel's mood. Mr. Darcy preferred to confront each morning soberly and learn to be cheerful as the day wore on. However, this morning, Mr. Darcy found the Colonel's good spirits infectious and very soon the two men were chatting amiably about the coming nuptials.
"I cannot believe that Miss Crenshaw could be convinced to do such a thing," Mr. Darcy remarked when the Colonel told him of his visit to what the Fitzwilliams had always called the "Big Hill."
"You underestimate my Miss Crenshaw," Colonel Fitzwilliam said proudly. "She has as much spunk, wit, and energy as your Miss Bennet. I suppose that is why they are such good friends." Mr. Darcy eyed the Colonel thoughtfully.
"Tell me, Fitz," he said. "What do think of Elizabeth?"
"I think Miss Bennet is absolutely delightful, and I am very happy that the two of you have finally found your way to this day. I cannot think of anyone better suited to you, cousin."
"And if we had not 'found our way'? Would you have pursued her?" Mr. Darcy asked out of curiosity. Colonel Fitzwilliam was not certain what his cousin was driving at, but he tried to avoid the obvious trap.
"You must remember, Darce," he said with a forced laugh, "I was spoken for before you and Miss Bennet--."
"No, no, I realize that. But if your Miss Crenshaw did not exist, and I was 'out of the picture,' as they say...would you pursue Miss Bennet?" Colonel Fitzwilliam shifted his feet uneasily.
"I think any man given such an opportunity would be a fool not to," he admitted, hoping he had neither betrayed his vows to Olivia nor injured himself in the eyes of his best friend and closest relation. "Tell me, Darce. Were the situation reversed, would you pursue Miss Crenshaw?" Mr. Darcy paused and thought for a moment.
"No," he shook his head. "Your Miss Crenshaw is lovely and charming," he began, smiling self-consciously as he had ever since the Colonel's remark several months earlier. "But she has never inspired me as Elizabeth has. Besides," he added. "She has always preferred you, and that is a character flaw I could never tolerate." The men chuckled good-naturedly. "Fitzwilliam, did you ever think that you and I would stand at the altar together?" Mr. Darcy asked wistfully, still staring out the window as the Colonel headed for the door.
"Never," replied the Colonel with a wink, "I never dreamed of asking for your hand." He closed the door quickly as the pillow was launched at his head.