Before her father could respond, however, Darcy said, “Mr. Bennet, take all the time you require. We will be remaining in Hertfordshire until we can be certain of Wickham’s whereabouts. God willing, Colonel Forster and his men will be able to locate him within the next few days, and of course, we will be better able to decide on a course of action then.” He turned toward his wife and squeezed her hand. “Come, Elizabeth. I believe your father might appreciate having his library to himself. Perhaps we can take a turn in the garden before luncheon is served?” And with that, he led a very perplexed, not to mention irritated Elizabeth out into the hall.

They retrieved their coats in silence and left the house to walk in one of the gardens. “Fitzwilliam, I hardly understand why my father would need to think over such a generous offer. Would it not be to the advantage of our entire family? He must be well aware he could never afford to do so much for them. He has not your income or your influence in society.” Elizabeth folded her arms.

“Yes,” Darcy answered, “he is, Elizabeth. He is well aware of the differences in our financial situations, and it is a matter of some delicacy. How do you think you would feel if you were in his position? Your father is very upset over Lydia’s outrageous behavior, and he must, undoubtedly, be laying a healthy portion of the blame for her failings on his own shoulders. Please do not be too hard on him, my love. Just be patient, and give him the time he requires. In essence, I have offered to assume responsibility for all your sisters, as though he has not done an adequate job. It was not my intention to cause your father any further pain or humiliation, and most definitely not to imply that he has not been a good father to you, but I fear that is precisely what my making such an offer may have accomplished. That is not something to be taken lightly. I hope he will understand that I meant him no disrespect. I only wish to help redirect your sisters to a more propitious path.”

Elizabeth stopped and turned to face him. “I am sure he understands that you wish only to help us. You are truly the best man I know, Fitzwilliam, and I love you all the more because you possess such selfless goodness.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned in to give him a kiss. “I only hope my father will see fit to accept your offer, for all of our sakes.”

Darcy hugged her closer. “Your father is an intelligent, sensible man, Elizabeth. He knows what is best for his family.” Then smiling, he said, “He allowed you to marry me, did he not?”

Elizabeth laughed. “Yes, but that hardly signifies! As much as I love my father and do not wish to occasion him any pain or disappointment, I would have married you without his consent, in any case. We would have been forced to wait only until next year, when I would have become of age. I love you that much, Fitzwilliam. Indeed, after knowing you, my dearest, I am certain no other man could ever make me happy.”

Darcy rested his forehead against hers. “Elizabeth, you cannot know what it means to have you for my wife. Waking every morning with you in my arms is happiness like none I have ever known. I thank God every day that I have you to love me.” He kissed her then, with great feeling, and they remained thus engaged until Bingley’s arrival called them back into the house.

Chapter 27

On the day Charlotte Lucas became Charlotte Collins, it came as no surprise to the inhabitants of Longbourn that Mrs. Bennet declared herself unequal to the task of feigning a pleasure she could not feel. Indeed, the knowledge that Charlotte, and not one of her own daughters, would usurp her place as mistress of that estate after the death of her husband brought her no comfort. To make matters infinitely worse, it had recently been brought to her attention that Lydia, who was by far her favorite child, had been discovered in a compromising position with George Wickham. Normally, this would not have been the cause of much agitation and distress to Mrs. Bennet, for she would have looked upon the prospect of having another daughter married as nothing short of a fortuitous act of providence; however, the unhappy reality that the prospective bridegroom had seemingly fled the area without so much as a hint of his whereabouts, left her in high dudgeon and with a fit of nerves that amazed even her husband.

“Oh, Mr. Bennet! You must find him and make them marry,” she cried, her distress extreme, “for soon everyone will hear of it, and then what will become of us all?” She blotted her eyes with her damp handkerchief and continued. “I simply do not understand it! Lydia was always such an obedient, respectful girl. Never any trouble at all—and so popular with all of the officers, too. Surely, there must be one of them, at least, who would happily marry her if Wickham is not found!”

Darcy rolled his eyes and walked to the window to stand beside his wife, who laid a hand upon his arm in a gesture of assuagement. He gave her a searching look before raising her hand to his lips, caressing her fingers with an almost reverent kiss. It was truly beyond his abilities to understand how Elizabeth and Jane could have been born to a woman as impractical as his mother-in-law, and he found himself suddenly wishing they could depart for London on the following day, as they had originally planned. In light of all that had occurred, however, Darcy had decided to remain in Hertfordshire until Colonel Forster and his men determined Wickham was most definitely not in the area. In his opinion, such news could not come soon enough.

Elizabeth’s spirits had been low since her encounter with Wickham, and it concerned him. At her insistence, Mrs. Bennet had not been made aware of Wickham’s assault, and it was obvious to Darcy that Elizabeth’s state of mind was far from improved by her mother’s obtuse comments. He longed to take her away from the unpleasantness of the last few days and from the added stress of reliving the painful event in the antagonistic company of her youngest sister.

If he was honest with himself, Darcy knew he was really longing to take her not to London, but to Pemberley, where he felt fairly confident his wife would soon find many ways to raise her spirits as they submersed themselves in their new life together.

Mr. Bennet’s dry voice, tinged with anger, rang out from across the room. “My dear, if anyone should hear of your daughter’s indiscretion, I am certain it will be by your own mouth, as the only people who are aware of Lydia’s shameful conduct currently occupy this room.” He then made a sweeping motion with his arm, indicating Darcy, Elizabeth, Jane, and Bingley. Colonel Forster was the only absent party. Darcy cringed. He would not put it past Mrs. Bennet and her loose tongue to advertise the scandal any more than he would Lydia herself. He briefly wondered where his sister-in-law was at the moment, as he had hardly seen her since they returned from the wedding breakfast at Lucas Lodge. Lydia, due to her shameful behavior at that house not two nights prior, had not been permitted to attend. It was now nearly teatime.

Just then, the front door to the house opened, and Lydia’s loud voice could be heard ringing throughout the front hall. Her father strode to the door and summoned her into the drawing room. Lydia immediately took in the grave faces collected there and her mother’s incessant wailing, and rolled her eyes. “Lord,” she muttered, “you are a dreary lot.”

“And why should we not be?” cried Mrs. Bennet. “Mr. Wickham has gone from the country, perhaps never to return!”

With a huff, Lydia threw herself upon one of the sofas. “Oh, Lord! Wherever did you get that notion, Mama? I daresay you ought not to put stock in anything Mr. Darcy and Lizzy have to say on the subject, for they cannot possibly know anything of my dear Wickham,” she said as she readjusted a bit of lace on her gown. “Indeed, Wickham shall return for me. He must only have some very pressing matters of business, I am sure, for he dearly loves me, as I do him, and we shall be married sooner or later.” Here, she shrugged. “It hardly signifies to me when our wedding shall take place, for I know I shall someday be Mrs. George Wickham.” Then she laughed. “Lord, how droll that sounds!”

Elizabeth had heard all she could possibly bear, and with a sound of disgust, she hastened from the room, slamming the door behind her. Darcy made to follow her, but Jane placed a steady hand upon his arm and shook her head. “I will gladly see to my sister, sir. Do not trouble yourself.”

Darcy relented, only to pace before the window and quit the room himself not five minutes later. Shutting the door behind him, he stood in the hall before he discerned the sound of Jane’s voice coming from abovestairs. Not wishing to intrude upon a private moment between the two sisters, he had just taken a seat to await them when he heard the distinctive sounds of retching, followed again by Jane’s soothing voice. Taking the stairs two at a time, he soon came upon both ladies seated upon the floor of the nearest water closet.

“Elizabeth!” he exclaimed as he stood over the pale form of his wife and watched her lay her head upon Jane’s lap.

“I am well,” she whispered.

He knelt before her and stroked her clammy brow. “You are not well. I shall call for a doctor.”

“No. There is nothing Mr. Jones will be able to do for me, Fitzwilliam. Indeed, this is perfectly natural.”

Darcy studied her with an incredulous expression. “This is perfectly natural? You cannot be serious.”

Elizabeth closed her eyes and swallowed several times. “Jane,” she implored.