A Pemberley Medley (A Pride & Prejudice Variation) (17 page)

“Are you so worried, then, about what Wickham may do with this?” she asked.

“No, I.... in truth, the idea that he could make it difficult for us to marry is worrisome, but we would find some way to manage, I am sure.”

“Then what is concerning you so, William?” Her suspicions were still raised.

He closed his eyes, wishing that she were slightly less perceptive. The truth was that, given Mr. Bennet's stance, he saw no choice in the matter unless they were willing to risk a major confrontation, and he desperately wanted Elizabeth to be pleased about marrying him. He could see no solution that would satisfy everyone. “I do not believe that this is what you would wish, and I do not wish to make you unhappy, yet I see conflict no matter the decision we reach. While I have said that I would not support forcing you into this arrangement, your father is not of the same opinion; he sees it as sacrificing your preferences in timing to improve the chances of both Lydia and Jane to marry, and he has said that he will insist on it.”

This way of looking at it had not occurred to Elizabeth, and she wrapped her arms around herself as she forced herself to consider it. He was right; she could not be so selfish as to risk her sisters' future for her own comfort. “Very well,” she said, her voice steady, but far from warm. “You have convinced me.”

“Elizabeth,” he said with obvious distress, “I want you to feel happy about marrying me. I do not want you to pay the price for my conflict with Wickham, for my failure to expose his actions to the world, and I feel helpless to prevent it.”

The pain in his voice made her heart lurch; she feared that he was interpreting her response as a rejection of him. “I
am
happy about marrying you, William,” she said gently, putting her arms around him. “This comes as a shock, that is all; I admit that I do not feel quite ready for this step, but I have faith that you and I will find a way to make it work.”

“Dearest Elizabeth,” he said, relief apparent in his voice. “I will do anything in my power to make you happy.” He kissed her lightly, his mind travelling to the possibility that she would be his soon, and his body's response to the thought was undeniable. Between his anticipation and his fear of her rejection, he could feel his possessive need for her about to spiral out of his control, and he disentangled himself from her gently, keeping only her hands in his. As he raised them to his lips, he asked, his eyes beseeching, “Are you certain, my love?”

“I am quite certain,” she said steadily, looking into his eyes as she saw his need for reassurance. “Are the details settled? I would like to know the plans.”

“Not as of yet; perhaps we should join the others to discuss that now,” he said, concerned by the idea of leaving her alone with her thoughts.

She smiled at him warmly, pleased that he would include her. “Yes, let us do that.”

He was still not completely reassured, and with an effort forced himself to make an offer that went against his deepest wishes. “Elizabeth, I do realize that this is rushing you, and I want to say that I .... I will not ask anything of you that you are not ready to give.”

Her face took on an affectionate look of amusement. “William, you do worry about the most unlikely things sometimes.” She was relieved to see his slight smile in response to her words, and accepted a kiss whose intimacy clearly held promises for the future.

He led her back to the study, where the other three gentlemen were deep in conversation which abruptly ceased on their entrance. Mr. Bennet raised an eyebrow at the sight of his daughter. “Well, Lizzy?” he enquired.

“I have given my consent,” she said, receiving a grateful look from Darcy.

“Excellent!” said Colonel Fitzwilliam. “We have been making plans in your absence, Darcy, and have determined that your task for today is to get the license. I will speak with the rector at St. George's - I assume you do want St. George's, Darcy? - and Mr. Gardiner will try to obtain further information as to the present location of Mrs. Yonge and Wickham's other London friends.”

“My task,” said Mr. Bennet dryly, “is to remain here and be useless. It seems that I am not to be trusted with any of these negotiations.”

“You are too close to the concerns, brother,” said Mr. Gardiner. “I can be more detached.”

“I should warn you, Mr. Darcy, that you have been equally dispossessed; these gentlemen have determined that you cannot be trusted to deal directly with Wickham either,” said Mr. Bennet, watching with some amusement to see his reaction to this intelligence.

He was not disappointed. Darcy's face darkened as he said, “Dealing with Wickham is my responsibility, mine and no other's. It is my fault that his character has not been exposed before this, and it stands with me to remedy it.”

Colonel Fitzwilliam was prepared for this response. “No one is trying to take away your part in this - we are just suggesting that you are not the ideal negotiator if our goal is resolution of the situation. First of all, he knows you well enough to manipulate you, Darcy, and second, I do not trust your temper at the moment. Wickham knows that I would just as soon run him through as not, and hopefully that will keep his demands within reason. You will have your turn with him soon enough, cousin.”

“We will discuss this
later
, Fitzwilliam,” said Darcy grimly, more than willing to take out his anger over causing Elizabeth distress on his cousin.

“As you wish,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam with a shrug, clearly not at all concerned by the concept.

Elizabeth had expressed a desire to visit Georgiana, so after the gentlemen had departed on their various tasks, she convinced her father to escort her to the Darcy townhouse. She was pleased to discover that it was only a few houses away from Hyde Park, ideal for her favoured walks.

Georgiana was delighted to see her, and took Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet on a tour of the main rooms of the house. It was not a surprise to find that it was as elegantly appointed as Pemberley, although in a more fashionable style. Elizabeth's pulses fluttered a bit at the thought that it would become her home tomorrow, and she coloured as certain implications of that came to her mind.

Georgiana seemed to think that the news of an immediate wedding was a cause for excitement rather than concern. After her first raptures were over, she announced that there was no choice but to visit the milliner immediately to purchase new gloves and a new bonnet for Elizabeth for the occasion, although she acknowledged with a sigh that unfortunately there would be insufficient time to have a new dress made. Elizabeth initially demurred, saying that what she already had would serve well enough, but after noticing how animated the prospect of a shopping trip made Georgiana, who had been very quiet since the news of Lydia and Wickham, she reconsidered and accepted the offer.

“I must admit, though, that I have no idea where one goes in town for such things,” confessed Elizabeth.

“Oh, that is no problem,” Georgiana said eagerly. “We can go to the my milliner, and if she has nothing appropriate, I know that she will help us find something. I like her very much; she has lovely things.”

Elizabeth laughingly agreed to the proposal. Mr. Bennet, feeling that his time could be more profitably spent exploring Darcy's library than discussing lace, opted not to join them.

Once at the milliner's shop, which obviously catered to a wealthier clientele than the shops she had patronized with her aunt, it became clear that shopping was one setting in which shyness did not affect Georgiana. She seemed well-known there, and when she introduced Elizabeth as Darcy's intended, the staff were very excited by the intelligence. It was not until she purchased new gloves, a new bonnet, and several other items of a far higher quality than that to which she was accustomed that Georgiana was satisfied. Elizabeth instructed the shopkeeper to send the bill to her father at Gracechurch Street, but Georgiana overruled her and had it all placed on the Darcy account, much to Elizabeth's discomfort. She was acutely aware of how much the situation with Wickham was likely to cost Darcy, and she hardly wished to spend any more of his money at the moment. Georgiana then insisted that they visit a modiste to examine patterns and fabrics as well in preparation for ordering new dresses, but Elizabeth, cognizant of the cost of this adventure, laughingly put her off.

“You will need to do it soon in any case,” said Georgiana winningly. “We could at least see what is available.” Elizabeth eventually allowed herself to be persuaded with the agreement that there would be no further purchases, but by the time they had viewed many fabrics and models, Georgiana was not to be gainsaid, and insisted on ordering one new dress for Elizabeth.

On the way back to Brook Street, Georgiana took the opportunity to point out some of her favourite shops, as well as taking Elizabeth past Grosvenor Square and through the neighborhood. Elizabeth was still bemused by the transformation in her when they returned to the house to find Mr. Bennet and Mr. Darcy looking daggers at one another over glasses of port.

Darcy's face warmed gratifyingly when he saw her; he had been successful in obtaining the license, and was feeling quite ready to join her life to his. Seeing her come back to
his
house after what had clearly been a pleasant outing with
his
sister was a fine reminder of how pleasant it would be when she was his wife.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at her father when she noticed the tension in the room. She was tolerably well acquainted with how her father's behaviour affected Darcy, but she was not completely certain to what extent her father chose to quarrel with him over actual concerns rather than for his own amusement. “Mr. Darcy,” she said lightly. “You had not warned me of the dangers of shopping with your sister. I fear that despite my best efforts she has been attempting to bankrupt you.”

“I am sure it is in a good cause,” he said affectionately, kissing her hand.

“Well,” said Mr. Bennet abruptly, “It is time for us to be returning to your uncle's house, Lizzy.”

Darcy rolled his eyes upward. “If I may beg a minute's indulgence, sir, there is something which I would like to show to Elizabeth.” The tension in his voice belied his polite words.

“As you wish, Mr. Darcy.” Mr. Bennet's eyes followed them as Darcy led Elizabeth from the room.

He showed her into his study and let out a pent-up breath. “Elizabeth, I am beginning to think that your father positively delights in annoying me.”

She kissed him lightly. “It is quite possible; I cannot think why else he should be so harsh with you.”

He took her into his arms, thinking that he himself might well not be too fond of the man who would take Georgiana away from him. “As long as it does not affect how
you
feel, my love, I can tolerate it. But I did not bring you here to talk about your father, or even to kiss you, though that is a very appealing idea.”

With an amused smile, Elizabeth took his hint and put her arms around his neck and offered him her lips. It was several pleasant minutes before she pulled away from him and said, “There was something you wished to speak to me about, I believe?”

He laughed softly. “I have something to give you, in fact. I brought this with me from Pemberley, thinking that I might not have the chance to return there before we married, though I did not anticipate that it would be quite so soon as this! It would please me if you wore this tomorrow.” He drew a long box out of a drawer of his desk. He handed it to her, and when she looked questioningly at him, said, “It is yours, my love. Open it.”

Raising the lid, she gasped as the sight of a diamond and sapphire necklace, obviously an heirloom, and exquisite in its simplicity. Speechless, she touched it lightly with one finger, and then looked up to find a pleased smile on Darcy's face. “William, I ... I hardly know what to say.” She had never received such an extravagant gift - nor even dreamed of receiving one - and did not even know how to express her thanks.