A Pemberley Medley (A Pride & Prejudice Variation) (15 page)

Darcy wasted no time. “Mr. Bennet, it is late, and I have much to discuss with you. If it is agreeable to you, I would like to call on you tomorrow morning to discuss the current situation. I have some ideas as to how I may be able to locate your daughter Lydia, but I would like first to become current on all the information you may have regarding her elopement and Wickham's situation. We need to discuss as well the arrangements you will authorize me to make for her once I have settled matters with Wickham.”

Mr. Bennet was exhausted from long days and nights of anxiety and self-recrimination, and was coming to a point of despair on the matter. Darcy's brash assumptions irritated him, and his ability to disguise his feelings was rapidly slipping. “So, Mr. Darcy, you propose to walk in, find Wickham and Lydia, make all the arrangements and solve all the problems. Do I have that correctly, or have I missed some points on your agenda?”

I should have asked Mr. Gardiner to join us,
thought Darcy as his anger rose.
I should have known that we would be at odds in a matter of minutes.
. Struggling to keep his ire in check, he said in a cold tone, “You have it correctly. I had thought you would prefer to be consulted; if that is not the case, it will be simpler all around for me to proceed unilaterally on this matter.”

“You are very confident of yourself, Mr. Darcy.” Mr. Bennet's manner matched Darcy's for coolness.

Darcy knew that his ability to control his anger was reaching its limits. “I am confident that I stand the best chance of discovering Wickham and bringing matters to a satisfactory conclusion. Perhaps your daughter or Mr. Gardiner can apprise you of my plans in a manner that interests you more. I shall be in contact when I have information for you, then. Good evening, Mr. Bennet.” He swept out of the room.

Finding Elizabeth without, hoping for an opportunity to bid him farewell, he took her by both hands. “My love, you will have to teach me patience,” he said regretfully. “I fear that your father could make a saint curse, and I am no saint.”

“Why, what is the matter?” she asked with concern, unable to see any grounds for a disagreement.

“He is not interested in my assistance. It seems that he thinks that I am brash and overconfident.”

Elizabeth touched his cheek. “Oh, William. I am so sorry.”

Darcy sighed. “It is of no matter. I will proceed on my investigations, and perhaps he will find results more convincing than words. In any event, I hope to be able to call tomorrow, but if I am unable to, I will send word.”

“I will be thinking of you,” she said softly, conscious of how much she would miss him, after becoming accustomed to spending much of her days with him.

He raised her hands to his lips. “My dearest love, you will be in my thoughts every moment.” Their eyes locked, speaking volumes, until Darcy saw a movement out of the corner of his eye.

Mr. Bennet stood in the doorway. “I have spoken with my brother Gardiner, and he suggests that I may have been overhasty in spurning your assistance, Mr. Darcy,” he said in a voice which bespoke his dislike of the situation.

Elizabeth looked up at Darcy anxiously, hoping he would accept this overture. He tightened his grip on her hand briefly, then said levelly, “If there is assistance I can offer, it is yours.”

“Perhaps, as you suggested, we could meet tomorrow to share what we know.”

Darcy bowed. “I shall be here, sir.” He turned to Elizabeth, and said, “Until tomorrow, then.” He dearly wished to be back at Pemberley, where he could speak to her more freely.

Her gratitude for his patience showed in her eyes. “Good night, William,” she said softly.

He took his leave, and Elizabeth turned to her father. “You look very tired. I am sorry for what you must have endured here,” she said sympathetically.

He grimaced. “Say nothing of that. Who should suffer but myself? It has been my own doing, and I ought to feel it.”

“You must not be too severe upon yourself,” replied Elizabeth.

“You may well warn me against such an evil. Human nature is so prone to fall into it! No, Lizzy, let me once in my life feel how much I have been to blame. I am not afraid of being overpowered by the impression. It will pass away soon enough.”

“You at least need not be alone in this any longer,” she said.

His mouth quirked in a smile. “I confess I am glad to have you here, Lizzy, even if you did bring yon young pup with you.” He motioned with his head toward the front door.

Elizabeth, who had been growing to prefer Darcy's sense of playfulness to her father's sardonic humour, sighed with exasperation.

Darcy was grateful when the carriage finally pulled up in front of his townhouse. After helping Georgiana out, he strode into the house, where he was met by a flustered Philips. “Mr. Darcy!” he exclaimed. “We were not expecting you, sir.”

“I apologize for failing to send notice, Philips; we left Pemberley rather unexpectedly.” Darcy handed over his hat and coat.

“I will have your rooms prepared immediately, sir. Would you like some refreshment?”

“Yes, if Cook could put something together, I am sure we would all appreciate it.”

“Right away, sir. And, Mr. Darcy, I should mention that Colonel Fitzwilliam has been staying here; I hope that is not a problem, sir.”

“Not in the least.” Darcy wondered what would have brought his cousin to town again so shortly after his last visit, as the gentleman himself appeared in the hallway to check on the commotion.

“Darcy!” Colonel Fitzwilliam exclaimed. “What brings you here?” He kissed Georgiana's cheek warmly.

“A matter of business,” said Darcy briefly.

“And dare I ask how the lovely Miss Bennet is?” Colonel Fitzwilliam asked with a knowing smile.

Darcy slapped his gloves against his cousin's arm. “Lovelier than ever, and not long to bear the name of Bennet,” he said good-humouredly.

The colonel raised his eyebrows. “That was quick work, Darcy. I take it the difficulties were overrated?”

“Not at all,” Darcy responded with a satisfied smile. “I was merely very convincing.”

“Is that so? Do I take it then that pistols at dawn are off?”

Darcy looked pleased. “Yes; I have decided to wait until you challenge me instead - then I can choose rapiers and spoil your pretty looks for you, cousin. Now, may I sit down in my own house, or are you planning an inquisition before you let us past the door?”

Colonel Fitzwilliam bowed elaborately and gestured them past him. Georgiana, after the long ride, wanted nothing so much as the opportunity to refresh herself, and proceeded to her rooms, while the gentlemen retired to the sitting room. Once they were settled, Darcy asked, “So, what are you doing here, Fitzwilliam?”

“Apart from drinking your port? Well, you know that I went back up to Newcastle, and no sooner had I arrived than his lordship sent me straight back here to indulge the Major General again, and then we repeated the whole cycle one more time, after which I told his Lordship that I thought it would be far more efficient for me to remain in London while he sent me instructions by post, rather than keeping the instructions in Newcastle and sending me back and forth by post. So, since you were away, and planning to shoot me at dawn as well, I imposed upon my dear brother and stayed with him for two days, after which I thought it unlikely that I would survive long enough for you to shoot me, so I decamped and threw myself on the mercy of Philips, who took pity upon me and took me in. He has not allowed me to drink
too
much of your port, though, more's the pity.”

“Fitzwilliam, you are welcome to every last drop of my port, and the rest of the wine cellar as well,” Darcy said meaningfully.

Colonel Fitzwilliam inclined his head. “Always happy to be of service. Now, what is this business that brings you post-haste to London and away from your lovely fiancée?”

Darcy grimaced. “Well, fortunately for my sanity, Elizabeth is only as far as Cheapside, but less fortunately, I have another problem with George Wickham.”

“Wickham? That blackguard - what has he done now? If he has so much as looked at Georgiana....” The colonel's mien was threatening.

“No, this has nothing to do with her. He is trying the same trick again, though, but this time he has run off with Elizabeth's youngest sister. They are hiding here in town somewhere.” Darcy drained his glass. “I need to find him and make him marry her.”

“Is
that
all? No dragons to slay?”

“Believe me, Fitzwilliam, I would rather go up against a dragon any day. But, as it happens, it is Wickham, not a dragon, that is upsetting Elizabeth, so I go after Wickham.”

“How difficult do you think it will be?”

“It will be very expensive. I doubt it will be difficult. Wickham has always known how to state his price,” said Darcy sardonically.

“I take it he knows of your engagement.”

“It appears so. I cannot imagine any other reason he would be interested in Lydia; the Bennets have no money, and she is hardly a prize in other ways. No, he is after me, I have no doubts.”

Colonel Fitzwilliam helped himself to another glass of port. “Well, then, what do we do first?”

“We?”

“Of course. You cannot think I intend to let you have all the excitement of dealing with Wickham yourself, do you? I still have a few things to say to him about the matter of Georgiana.” Colonel Fitzwilliam had no intention of letting Wickham take advantage of Darcy as he had in the past; the man was too skilled at playing on Darcy's feelings.

“He is not worth pistols at dawn, Fitzwilliam,” said Darcy.

“Obviously not, and even if he were, I would never challenge him, since he would be certain to find some way to cheat.”

Darcy laughed. “I appreciate the offer, but I believe that I will be able to manage him myself.”

“I think it is only fair to warn you that I intend to be stubborn about this,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said amiably.

“And to think that I once believed that I had some measure of control over my life! Well, I am not about to face you over a bottle of port again, so if it matters so much to you, you are welcome to join me - perhaps you can keep
me
from violence.”

“Darcy!” he said with surprise. “You are becoming surprisingly reasonable. If this is the effect of Miss Bennet, I must say that she will be a fine addition to the family.”

“She has taught me a few hard lessons,” said Darcy, “but she is worth every one of them.”

The meeting with Mr. Bennet the next morning started on a harmonious note, in part because the main participants had each resolved to make an effort to restrain their tempers, and in part because the presence of Mr. Gardiner and Colonel Fitzwilliam diffused the tension. Darcy had also managed to steal a few minutes to talk to Elizabeth beforehand, which relieved his distress over her absence while at the same time frustrating him with the limitations on their contact and conversation in this new setting.