Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Page 6

  “Then I shall,” he began, as he motioned for her to be seated on the bench in the middle of the garden. “I have come to a point in my life where marriage is desirable. Both of us know that neither is in love with the other . . .” and without removing his gaze, he then quietly added, “at this time,” and continued, “but I felt that we could still possibly get along well together.”

  “May I inquire what has brought you to the point where you feel marriage is now desirable?” Amanda asked. She looked him directly in the eyes, eyes that were so blue, the colour of the sky on a crystal clear day, azure. She had never noticed before. Somehow this struck her as humorous, and she could feel the corners of her lips start to turn up.

  Smiling slightly himself, Darcy admitted, “It is refreshing to speak with a young woman who is not drawn to or concerned with my wealth.”

  Then the humor left his face and looking directly at her for a moment, he stated almost as a question, “I ask for your discretion.”

  “Of course. Mr. Darcy.” Amanda looked into his face, not allowing hers to betray the sudden ominous feeling that had swept over her.

  Darcy peered deeply into her eyes and Amanda felt as though he were trying to search her very soul before he finally spoke again. When he did speak, it was in a controlled voice, but she could nonetheless feel the deep emotion that lay just beneath the surface of his words.

  “My sister, Georgiana, is nearly two and ten years my junior and was left in my care and that of my cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, after the death of our father six years ago. In September last year, I took Georgiana from school and, although she was still very young, set up an establishment for her at Ramsgate, where she would continue her studies with various masters. In November, I made a surprise visit with the intention of having her return with me to Pemberley before the Christmas season began. To my utter surprise, I found that she had been talked into thinking herself in love and agreeing to an elopement.”

  Amanda could not hide her surprise at this disclosure. Darcy flushed. He knew that anyone finding out about the situation with Georgiana would initially react just as Amanda had. Most would look upon her situation, not with compassion but with disgust, and in all likelihood would not seek any further alliance with her. Indeed, he feared that she might be cut directly by the “ton.”

  Keeping his demeanor in check, he continued, “Please, let me explain further. George Wickham is the son of a most trusted and honorable former steward of Pemberley. However, trusted and honorable are not terms that could be applied to the son. After the death of the steward and in deference to him, my own father gave George a gentleman’s education, and in his will provided an inheritance and a living for the man.”

  Darcy walked a few steps away before he turned to her and continued: “Wickham approached me only days after the death of my father. Finding his inheritance to be £1,000, and the living at the parish in Kympton, when the position should next fall vacant and only should he take holy orders, he declined the living in favour of £3,000. I knew that he was the last man who should ever be given the position of a clergyman at Kympton, or anywhere else for that matter, so I gave him the money and thought all contact between us to be over forever.”

  Amanda’s eyes opened wide, and she uttered a muted, “Oh, my.” Darcy continued, “Not quite two years ago, when the living at Kympton unexpectedly fell vacant, Wickham again came to me demanding that it be given to him. I, of course, refused and had my men escort him to the boundary of Pemberley property.”

  Darcy studied Amanda’s face for a moment, then walked to where she was and sat on the opposite side of the bench before he continued, “Through an alliance with George Wickham, that was unknown to either me or my cousin at the time we set up the establishment for Georgiana, her companion, a Mrs. Younge, directed him to Ramsgate. Being only a year or so older than myself and having lived on the Pemberley Estate, Wickham had been known to Georgiana all her life, and he easily convinced her that she was in love.”

  He stood, paced a few steps away, turned, and studied her face carefully for a few moments before he confessed, “My arrival at Ramsgate was prompted by an express sent from an acquaintance there, and it could only have been by providence that he had witnessed Wickham and Mrs. Younge together one night at a local tavern.”

  “I immediately set off for Ramsgate, and when I arrived quite unexpectedly, Georgiana admitted the whole of the elopement to me immediately. Later that afternoon, when I confronted him, Wickham could not leave the vicinity quickly enough. Georgiana felt betrayed and, although she was not in fact compromised, her faith in herself and her self-esteem were greatly shaken. Along with our Aunt Eleanor, Lady Matlock, I have done all that I can to help her regain her former self. But she needs someone closer to her age to help her and give her guidance. She needs a sister.”

  Stunned is the only word that could describe Amanda’s reaction to Darcy’s disclosure. She took a few moments to gather her thoughts before she calmly inquired, “May I ask what else has brought you to feel that marriage is now desirable?”

  He wondered how she could have known there was more, but replied to her, “I had thought to never marry except for love.”

  Amanda’s eyes opened wide again. A simple statement made in a quite matter-of-fact manner.

  He smiled slightly before he continued, “That is not quite the fashion currently held by our peers, I am afraid.”

  Looking to the ground, he used the tip of one boot to roll a small, almost spherical shaped rock back and forth before he spoke again.

  “Since Pemberley is not entailed, I had thought to let the heir come through Georgiana, making it unnecessary for me to marry and produce an heir of my own. But, with the incident involving George Wickham and Georgiana’s subsequent state of mind, I feel that is no longer an option.”

  Turning to look directly into Amanda’s face, he all but whispered, “I fear that George Wickham is not through with his plans for Georgiana’s ruin. He has always known that the way to hurt me most deeply is to hurt the ones I love.”

  His gaze still steady and direct, he finished by saying, “It is very important to me that you have all the facts before you make any decision about whether or not you would wish to be associated with such a family.”

  For her own part, Amanda took time to study the handsome face before her, and, as she studied the fine lines, she could see the pain caused by the hurt inflicted upon Georgiana. But she could see something else, too. He clearly had the strength of character and an inner will to face whatever might come. It was almost as if, with time, she might see directly into his very soul.

  She thought, “What was it he said when he first began our discussion? ‘At this time.’ Yes, that was it.” She searched her memory for his words. “‘Both of us know that neither is in love with the other, at this time, but I felt that we could still possibly get along well together.’” He had also clearly stated, “‘I had thought to never marry except for love.’”

  “‘At this time . . . at this time.’ Was Darcy inwardly allowing for the possibility of love to grow?”

  “I see,” Amanda finally responded, “and how do you wish to proceed?”

  “I believe we should take a few days to become better acquainted. Then, I would like for you and your parents to come to Pemberley for a few weeks. If we find that we suit, our engagement should be announced and we should marry within another few weeks,” Darcy stated candidly.

  Amanda then stood to face him, “Is this time of acquaintance to be considered a courtship?”

  “Yes,” was his only reply.

  “Then, let me speak clearly and directly so as to eliminate any confusion,” she announced stiffly. She saw an expression of pain flash in his eyes before he quickly recovered his composure. “Is that a face that I will see often if we should marry?” she thought to herself.

  Then, controlling her own emotions, she gave voice to the concerns that had plagued her thoughts earlier: “My father’s e
state is not entailed, so I am his only heir. Should something happen to him, I fear that the estate would be overrun with fortune hunters seeking a way to acquire the estate through a compromise and marriage, with my dowry and inheritance being used to pay off gaming debts and such, and my mother and me left to neglect.”

  She turned slightly away before she continued, “I do not choose such a life.”

  When she turned back to fully face him, her back straightened and her gaze seemed to penetrate him, “Although I prefer the country to the ‘ton,’ please do not consider me a ‘country miss.’ I am well-educated and am deserving of your respect, your understanding, and your loyalty should we choose to continue after this courtship.

  “Finally, Mr. Darcy,” she continued, “you are not the only one who had thought to never marry except for love. Perhaps with time . . .” She lowered her head as her voice dropped away. “Shall we tell my parents of our,” she hesitated but a moment, “‘courtship’?”

  Taking her delicate hand and placing it on his arm, Darcy answered succinctly, “Yes,” and led her back inside the house.

  ∞∞∞

  Darcy stayed at Avonlea for the next five days. He and Amanda attended church along with her parents, strolled in the gardens, went horseback riding, and read companionably in the library, sometimes only in the company of one another, and at other times they read aloud to each other. Mostly, they talked. They talked of their similar tastes in authors from Shakespeare to Chaucer to Byron, about horses and crop rotation, politics and mining, and steam engines and railroads.

  Darcy was impressed with her wealth of knowledge on a vast array of topics and Amanda appreciated Darcy’s approval of her acumen. She thought, “Apparently, Fitzwilliam Darcy prefers to have an intelligent conversation with a woman who has a genuine opinion, rather than spending time with one who would rather defer to his position without voicing any opposing thought.”

  Darcy returned to Pemberley as scheduled on Friday of the week after he had arrived at Avonlea. He immediately met with Georgiana to let her know of his courtship with Lady Amanda Dove, adding that, as he had promised, he had informed Amanda about Ramsgate.

  Having been afraid that Amanda would judge or condemn her, Georgiana was relieved the next day when Amanda instead offered her a warm hug just after she arrived at Pemberley.

  Amanda had heard much of Pemberley through the years from various acquaintances, but neither she nor her parents had ever actually been to the estate, so she was very interested to see if it would live up to its wondrous reputation. She had known that Pemberley was a great estate and that Avonlea would fit in one small corner, but she was not prepared for her first official view. Immediately after she and her parents had passed through the gates, a young rider had set off on horseback through the woods behind the gatehouse while another accompanied their carriage along the road.

  They had been steadily climbing a gradual incline for a mile at least, when they reached the crest of the hill. The rider indicated that there was a very good prospect of Pemberley House from this spot, so Amanda moved to the window to look.

  “Oh my,” was all she could say.

  Below, Pemberley House shimmered like a gigantic pearl in the midday sun. Its slightly pinkish stone walls raised fully three stories above the windows of the main floor. A plethora of windows on each floor would let in the natural light throughout the day and wide curved steps led up to two enormous wooden doors at the entryway. The lake in front held the reflection of the house, and the woods behind it provided a frame that seemed to preserve the view as a masterful painting.

  “Simply beautiful,” pronounced Amanda, as she thought to herself, “I think I could never grow tired of looking at Pemberley House from this very spot.”

  When the Dove carriage arrived at the main door of the house, Darcy and Georgiana walked down the steps to greet Amanda and her parents. Once inside, the young woman was struck with the understated elegance and beauty of her surroundings, very much like her own Avonlea. She wondered whether the house was a reflection of its owner or if the owner was a reflection of the house. Either way, she could not imagine one without the other.

  Soon she and Darcy settled into a life much like the one they had shared at Avonlea, only with the bonus of Georgiana. Amanda was truly taken with her young hostess and knew immediately that they would be as close as or even closer than real sisters. Somehow that comforted her. Her favourite places at Pemberley were the same as those at Avonlea: the gardens, the stables, and, of course, the library.

  Amanda knew that the library at Avonlea was exceptional, because her father and grandfather both had striven throughout the years to make it so. She herself had contributed liberally. But the library at Pemberley was almost unfathomable. Such a thing could only be achieved by the work of many Darcys throughout the centuries. The collection of first editions, some of them hundreds of years old, only scratched the surface of the volumes contained within the library.

  After a brief three-week period of courtship, Darcy asked Amanda for her hand in marriage, and she accepted. Darcy presented her with a four-carat, rectangular-cut emerald ring, beautiful in its elegant simplicity.

  Amanda and her parents returned to Avonlea, where the bans were to be read at church on the following two Sundays. When he joined them at Avonlea a week later to review and sign the settlement papers, Darcy brought Georgiana with him. The two of them planned to continue there until the time of the wedding.

  When he and his solicitor, Mr. Foxglove, sat in the study with the Duke of Avon and his solicitor, Mr. Henry Grove, Darcy was quite literally shocked to find that Amanda’s £60,000 dowry belied her country origins. In fact, truth be known, he had thought nothing about her dowry at all. The only thing that he had really considered was the fact that she would be good for Georgiana and, he hoped, equally good for him. For his part, the duke was also pleasantly surprised to find that Darcy had settled a like amount of £60,000 on Amanda, and had also given her Pemberley throughout her lifetime, even should she fail to produce a Darcy heir.

  CHAPTER 3

  Their engagement unfolded much as had their courtship. Darcy and Amanda took extended walks through the gardens and park areas of Avonlea and enjoyed long rides, often accompanied by Georgiana. They read of current events and financial news as companions sitting across from one another in the library and discussed their views throughout the day. The two young women played the piano and sang for Darcy and Amanda’s parents in the evenings. Sometimes he read from his book of Shakespearian sonnets or his bride-to-be read aloud poetry by Blake or Bryon. As Darcy had discovered early on, his and Amanda’s taste in books was very similar, as was their taste in the arts and the theatre. He was pleased to find that Georgiana truly enjoyed her time with them as well.

  Still, for Amanda’s part, she knew that she did not love Darcy. She respected him, had a deep regard for him, and cared for him. Further, she knew that Darcy respected her and would take care of her.

  Darcy had similar feelings, plus he knew that Amanda was not interested in any of his extensive wealth or anyone else’s, for that matter, and that she would take care of him and Georgiana.

  They both hoped that eventually they would become more to one another.

  Their wedding took place in the small chapel on the Estate of Avonlea with only family and a few mutual friends in attendance. Darcy had asked his friend, Charles Bingley, to stand up with him, while Amanda had asked Georgiana to stand up with her.

  The wedding breakfast was held in the grand ballroom, and from thence the couple left directly on the first leg of their four-day wedding trip to Cumbria. The Darcys had long owned a small estate there, near Maryport in South Quay.

  Darcy had sent express messages to the inns where they would be spending each night of their trip specifying the requirements for their lodging and meals plus accommodations for servants. Everything had been carefully considered and requirements defined to the minutest detail. At each inn, they were to ha
ve an entire floor and the best suite away from the street and overlooking the establishment’s garden or park.

  The first day of their travel was very short, and when they reached the inn, everything had been laid out exactly as Darcy had requested, but, truth be known, he was apprehensive.

  While he had studied thoroughly the books that his father had suggested and was not totally inexperienced, his experience was a great deal less than that of most of the gentlemen his age. The only place he had ever taken gratification had been at the exclusive and very discreet establishment for gentlemen recommended by his father and never within the lower echelons of the general demimonde. What’s more, there had only been the two times. He would admit to listening as unobserved as possible to other gentlemen at his club when they had talked about such matters, but he had been mostly disappointed and disgusted with their boasting and the uncharitable remarks about the women involved.

  Concerned, he had spoken with his cousin about his apprehension regarding the wedding night. “Richard, you know that I have never been one to engage in frivolous intimacies and never once have I been with a maiden. Only with you would I admit how I now feel.”