Elizabeth was on a mission to find her husband, when the man himself appeared before her.
"Lizzy, I was coming to find you," glancing at the letter she clutched in her hand, "you have a letter from your sister?" he frowned.
She nodded. "She writes that she is to marry your cousin Thomas! How can it be so? They barely know each other!" Darcy did not share her surprise. "You knew?" she asked.
"I have had my own letter from my cousin this morning. It is why I was looking for you. What does your sister write?"
"Only to say that I should not be concerned, they are engaged, that they do not love each other but she believes they will be happy – it is all so strange. Why would she accept him if there is no love involved? What can be the meaning of this?" An idea occurred to her, "Could she have been compromised?" she cried.
"Lizzy! Calm yourself. It is a natural surmise I grant you, one that occurred to myself, but we know Tom, he is an honourable man – he would not risk a young lady's reputation or feelings. In any case, he assures me in his letter that all is well between them, and we must believe him."
"Kitty's letter is so short - it gives little indication of her feelings." Elizabeth sighed, "Before she went to town with my aunt, I cautioned her that the amount you settled on her may make her a target for fortune hunters - she assured me that she understood the evils of a loveless marriage - you have seen our parents! She told me that only love would induce her to accept an offer. And yet here I have her letter telling me she has accepted the Colonel without it. I know not what to think!"
"Let us look at the facts;" said Darcy, "Colonel Thomas Fitzwilliam is the best man I know. Granted, I never imagined he could possess the kind of feelings that would satisfy a love match, however, he is truly a gentleman deserving of the name. If he has offered for Kitty we can be certain her future will be secure. We know not what precipitated their engagement, but since Kitty's arrival at Pemberley, she has impressed me with her intelligence and good sense, she is much improved since I first knew her. I cannot believe that either of them would enter into an arrangement if it was not mutually agreeable."
Lizzy, acknowledged the truth of her husband's words, saying "At least we do not have long to wait for an explanation, Kitty tells me they are to arrive at Pemberley later this week."
"I compromised her." Darcy was evidently astonished, and Thomas felt vindicated that his cousin would think it impossible. "I know that I do not need to tell you that it was unintentional and there was nothing improper in the conduct of either Kitty or myself."
Darcy regarded his cousin carefully – of course he believed him. "You must understand our concern for yourself and Kitty, Tom. You had better tell me how it happened."
"Locked in a cupboard! You are joking, Kitty?" Elizabeth's concern could be heard in her voice.
"I am in earnest Lizzy, and if you allow me to finish you will soon understand how we came to be discovered there." Kitty's tone was petulant, she did not like being accused of wrong doing, and she was tired of having to defend herself since she and the Colonel had been found. Elizabeth tightened her lips and nodded for Kitty to continue.
"My aunt and I had just finished some shopping and were on our way home when we bumped into the Colonel. You know how he is, so well-mannered and disposed to be nice - he asked if he could call on us. When he arrived the next afternoon, we had just discovered little Edward was missing from a game of hide and seek and the Colonel was so kind as to offer his assistance in locating him. Lydia and I use to hide from Aunt in the utility cupboard near the kitchen when we were younger, do you remember?" Elizabeth nodded, and Kitty continued, "So I thought to try there first. I was looking under the bottom shelf in the corner when I heard the door shut. When I tried to open it, it would not shift."
"And so how came the Colonel to be locked in with you?"
"He heard me rattling the door I suppose, because he attempted to open it himself. It happened rather quickly but I guess that I was pulling on one side, and he was pushing the other and so when the door did give way, it was with more force than necessary. He fell onto me, and the door bounded shut." Kitty, who had been acting out the scene, threw her hands up in the air and said, "And that is how I came to be shut up with the Colonel. It is ridiculous, I know. Do you believe me?"
Elizabeth thought a moment, then said, "I am astonished Kitty, but I know yours, and Thomas's characters too well to suppose otherwise." Kitty was relieved to know that at least one person believed her, and was about to say so when her sister suddenly exclaimed, "He fell onto you?" Kitty coughed.
"He did." Kitty bit her lip and smiled, "I confess, our inevitable marriage did seem a little less burdensome after I considered that experience more fully." Elizabeth laughed despite her anxiety over her sister's situation.
"Oh Kitty, do be serious. Your discovery was such that you were obliged to become engaged. Did the Colonel... did he take any liberties with you?" Kitty snorted.
"Take comfort in this Lizzy: when we were confined, he did nothing but attempt to ease my mind and ensure my well-being. You may be certain that my betrothed is a true gentleman." Kitty said solemnly, before she added with some irritation, "Besides – it was rather hot in that cupboard and I was far too mortified by the state of inelegance it rendered me to allow him to come close enough to take my hand, let alone – anything else." Lizzy raised her eyebrows and smiled at Kitty's inappropriate sense of humour.
"If it is as you say, then there was nothing else to be done. I thank you Tom, for not leaving Kitty and our family open to scandal. It was unfortunate the Gardiner's had other guests at the time, else it may have been easily concealed." Darcy's tone was despondent, and Tom presumed to know why.
"Come, Darcy. I am not unhappy with my situation. I would have found a wife someday, but you know, I am not a romantic sort of man like you – Kitty will do for me, just as well as any other lady of sense and breeding. I admit that I was uneasy about her lack of wealth but you tell me now that you have settled a large sum on her and so I find my only true apprehension regarding the match dissolved."
Tom thought Darcy looked doubtful, so added, "Indeed, I find her to be charming company – you and Elizabeth are to be commended – I understand she was much like Mrs Wickham in her youth. In our short acquaintance I find her conversation intelligent and I am delighted to say she can make me laugh. Oh, and you know, she is hardly a chore to look at, our children will be angels. Yes, she will do very well for me." He smirked at Darcy, who did not feel his cousin was taking the situation seriously enough.
"You may not be romantic Tom, but Kitty is. It saddens me that you both accept a loveless marriage so easily when I had hoped for more – for both of you. Of course, I do not blame either party for your present situation. But Kitty is my sister and is as dear to me now as Georgiana is – I do not know what I am asking, perhaps it is nothing. I guess that I hope you will make each other happy." His voice faltered.
The Colonel sensed Darcy's disappointment in the engagement – "Darcy. Kitty and I were relieved to find we got along well but neither of us is deluded there is love involved – how could there be? She knows of my unromantic disposition and accepts love may be something I can never give her. I have promised to keep her in comfort and safety but let us be realistic - I am over ten years her senior and we have little in common; she is not stupid – thank god. We have resolved to be good friends and do our best to make each other happy, and you cannot deny that is more than many marriages start with."
Darcy could not find fault in his cousin's opinions and intentions given the circumstances. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud snore from an armchair by the fire. Mr Gardiner had fallen asleep not long after they arrived, "It has been a taxing situation for Gardiner, he was good to escort us here – we should let him rest." Thomas said quietly, looking toward the sleeping man.
"Indeed - let us go find your fiancee." Thomas grinned - his fiancee - he had not been looking for a wife, and yet now he had engaged a lady to become his, he found himself unexpectedly pleased with his present situation.