Chapter 4
Colonel Fitzwilliam had come to greet his cousin after several months without seeing him. He wanted to know if Georgiana had felt better since the last time he saw her and to extend an invitation on behalf of her mother, Lady Hellen.
Richard told the butler not to announce to him that he would go straight to his cousin's office to speak with him. The Colonel was part of the family, so all the servants treated him as such. When he entered, he found Mr. Darcy staring at an object that looked like a jewel, as if lost in his own thoughts.
Christmas was approaching, and Mr. Darcy had to collect the gift he had commissioned for Georgiana. He had bought her a beautiful pearl necklace that he knew his sister would like very much. While waiting at the jewelry store, he couldn't help noticing a small brooch with an emerald in the center. The color of that stone was almost the same color as Elizabeth's eyes when they were illuminated by sunlight. He instinctively bought it, and now he was holding it in his hands, thinking how stupid he was. He couldn't deny that he had bought it in hopes of one day being able to give it to her. At that moment, he wondered why he kept lengthening his agony. He should stop thinking about her once and for all.
"Darce, do you have a hidden love you wish to give that jewel that you look at with such interest?" Said the Colonel jokingly.
Mr. Darcy put the jewel away quickly and snapped at his cousin. "Don't be silly, Richard. You know very well that I would never do a thing like that. I am the head of the Darcy family, and the Darcys have always been honorable men."
Richard laughed heartily and said. "Darcy, always so grave and serious. You are like my superior, General Wagner."
"There are things, Fitzwilliam, that are not to joke. I would never have a mistress, and you know it very well. And although I do not have the honor of knowing the General, I am flattered that you compare me with a hero like him."
"It's your lucky day then. My mother asked me to invite you to a dinner she is organizing in two more days. There, she plans to play matchmaking mama with you and General Wagner." The Colonel told his cousin that his mother, Lady Hellen, wanted to pair her sister Lady Samantha with the general and Mr. Darcy with Lady Claire, General Wagner's niece.
Lady Hellen and Lady Samantha were granddaughters of a Duke, daughters of a second son. They were both very attractive but entirely mindless women. Lady Hellen had succeeded in conquering Lord Matlock and had become a Countess. Her sister thought that she should surpass her sister. She rejected the two proposals that she had received because they were from rich men but without a title. Today, she was thirty-five years old, and she thought that since she hadn't gotten a titled husband, at least, she could marry a hero like General Wagner.
"And how is this Lady Claire?" Mr. Darcy asked curiously. Now more than ever, he was eager to meet a woman of good lineage whom he could marry and fulfill his duty to have an heir for Pemberley.
"Lady Claire is General Wagner's niece and daughter of Baron David Wagner. I met her a few months ago at a party in honor of her Uncle. I can tell you that she is a very nice young lady, not the typical woman of the first circles. She is a bit shy, but once she gets confident, she has a lot to say. Do not worry. I know how you hate that my mother tries to match you with random ladies. I'll find an excuse for you". Richard liked Lady Claire very much. In fact, he had seen her on more than one occasion, but he did not want to tell his cousin.
"No, Fitzwilliam. Tell your mother that I will be there" It was all Mr. Darcy said. He internally thought that maybe, Lady Claire was the answer to all his prayers. To change the subject, he asked him. "I didn't know that Lady Samantha was looking for a husband."
"Aunt Samantha says that she is bored with the life of a single woman. But the truth is that she has no money left from her dowry and needs a rich husband to pay for her luxuries. But I doubt that the general will even look at her," said the Colonel seriously.
"Why? I know your aunt can be difficult, but if the General is looking for a wife, I think she is a good candidate. I think he is not so young, and if he is a widower, all the more reason." Mr. Darcy was curious to learn more about the renowned General.
"How do I tell you this, Darcy. The General must be in his mid-forties, and he has never been married." He paused and continued. "There are rumors in the military that sometimes some officers don't necessarily enjoy the company of women."
"What? The great General Wagner is ..."? Mr. Darcy did not want to complete the sentence so as not to say something inappropriate.
"I don't know, Darcy. It is what some say. But a man with such a brilliant career as the General arouses envy. All I can tell you is that he began his career in the regiment stationed at New Castle, where Colonel Campbell's scandal occurred. For many years they said strange things happened there, and as Wagner has never married... He certainly is a very lonely man and apparently only has a close relationship with his niece."
"Is this Colonel Campbell, Lord's Westcliff brother?" Asked Mr. Darcy curiously.
"Yes, he is. Do you know him?
"No, I just heard about him from a friend. But you know, I just met his widow. She just returned from Canada. A very nice Lady, quite attractive for her age and undoubtedly charming and smart".
"So, I guess everything that was told about Colonel Campbell was a lie, like what is said about General Wagner." Concluded Richard.
Richard continued talking about many other things with Mr. Darcy until he asked. "How was your time in Hertfordshire, Darcy?"
Mr. Darcy immediately stood up and went to pour two glasses of brandy. He told Richard something of what had happened and why they had returned so quickly. "Unfortunately, Bingley was about to make a serious mistake."
"I know you do it because you are a good friend, but shouldn't he decide for himself who he should woo or not?" Richard did not like how his cousin often intervened in the lives of others, thinking that his opinion was always the most correct and valid.
"Bingley decided not to return to Netherfield. I only limited myself to giving my opinion." After that, Mr. Darcy started talking about Georgiana. He let his cousin know that she was better, thanks to Mrs. Annesley's constant support and help.
After more than an hour of conversation, the Colonel said goodbye. They agreed to see each other in two more evenings at Richard's parents' house.
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Eleanor was anxious. She had gotten out of her carriage, almost shivering with excitement. After so many years and a lot of painful memories, she was returning to Longbourn. Indeed, she was coming back for a good purpose, hoping to protect and help her nieces, who, like her, were victims of the damned entail the Bennet men had established so many years ago. They had put that mark on the estate, preventing the family's women, no matter how good or hardworking they were, from ever being heirs.
But now, she didn't need the money or the little consequence of being a Bennet. Now, she was a rich and powerful woman. She was Baroness Lady Campbell, sister to Earl Westcliff and heir to a fortune that included vast lands in Canada, the largest estate in the Meryton area, and a shipping company that earned her an income of over fifteen thousand pounds a year, not counting other investments in different regions. Unlike other windows, Eleanor was always aware of her husband's business affairs. In fact, she had been the forerunner of many of them. Daniel Campbell had recognized his wife's talent for numbers and had supported her in all her new ideas for investment and business. He was an intelligent man ahead of his time. He had suffered discrimination from society and mainly from men, starting with his own father. For this reason, he understood better than anyone how cruel that society and these men were towards women, whom they held firm under their authority.
Eleanor knocked on the door, and Mr. Hill opened it. At first, he did not recognize her, but he greeted her warmly and called his wife when he did. Mrs. Hill received her with tears. They both thought she was dead, but knowing her whole backstory, they weren't surprised that Mr. Benner had created a big lie like that.
"Very good, Mr. and Mrs. Hill. You already greeted my cousin," said Mr. Bennet, highlighting the voice in the word cousin so as not to leave any doubt as to what would be communicated to the family. "Now, you can go back to your chores."
"Your cousin? What are you up to, Thomas?" Eleanor asked in surprise.
"Let's go to my office, and I'll explain everything you want to know. My wife and daughters are shopping at Meryton. I gave them some money to go shopping, so we could have time to talk before introducing you to the family," said Mr. Bennet as he went to his office with his sister.
Eleanor was amazed by the state of the office. Her brother had transformed it into a kind of mini library, full of books and quite messy. "I will be as brief as possible. My daughters know that I had a sister who died, and that is all they have heard about you. I don't feel like having to explain why now you are alive."
"I see that you have not changed at all, Thomas. But it may be I feel like explaining to them why I am alive, and I was away for so long," Eleanor added threateningly.
"I don't think you want to do that. Because if you speak up, I will tell my daughters all the things that their dear Aunt did with young Captain Marcus, who later abandoned her and never married her. Actually, I think I shouldn't allow my daughters even to come closer to a fallen woman like you. Let's leave the past in the past, Ella. I will tell them that you are a cousin who came to visit me and everyone is happy. Do not think that because you earned some money in Canada, by doing who knows what, you can come and give orders in my house. I hope you have not forgotten that I am the heir to this estate," concluded Mr. Bennet firmly.
Eleanor realized that her brother still didn't know who she was now. Surely, when the older daughters spoke about Lady Campbell, he never thought it could be her. Her biggest mistake twenty years ago was trusting her brother. This time everything would be different. For the moment, she would accept her brother's conditions. First, she wanted to know a little more about the family before deciding what to do. "It's fine, Thomas. Tell your daughters that I'm your cousin. The truth is that I don't care. I just want to meet them."
"If you do not have anything better to do and you want to waste your time, I do not have any inconvenience. They are all just a bunch of silly girls, just like their mother," said Mr. Bennet with a mocking laugh.
Eleanor said nothing. That was the way the Bennet men had always thought about the women in the family, and her brother was no exception.
"Well, since we agree on everything, I will tell Hill to take your things to the guest room. Fanny and my daughters will be back for dinner. There I will introduce you to the family. My wife knows about our arrangement, so do not worry about that. Now, please walk away because I want to continue analyzing my new book." Mr. Bennet waved his hand to signal his sister to leave and sat down to continue reading.
Lady Campbell's servants arranged all her things in the small guest room, and she told them they could leave. They would stay at the Meryton Inn because Longbourn didn't have enough rooms for everyone. Only her maid would stay with her.
Before the family arrived, she went out for a walk in the garden. It was the only part of the house that was still in good condition. Evidently, there was someone who took pains to keep it that way. When she reached the end of the garden, she sat on the bench covered by the old willow tree beside the stream. She couldn't help but think of Marcus. It was there that he kissed, hugged, and promised her eternal love for the last time. "Marcus, how I wish I had never met you," Eleanor said as she wiped away a few tears.
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Reginald Wagner, Lord Rockwell , his wife Lady Emma, his daughter Lady Claire, and his brother General Wagner arrived at Lord Matlock's home shortly after Lord Westcliff and his wife, Lady Westcliff.
Lillian Coleman, Lady Westcliff hated Lady Samantha. Both had studied in the same seminary and had been friend-enemies since there. When Lillian married Viscount Robert Campbell, her husband's family had only the title and debts. She learned that Samantha made derisive comments about her and her husband's ruined family. Fortunately for them, Daniel managed to become one of the richest men in Canada, and he helped the family recover its social standing. It gave her great pleasure to know that Samantha was no more than a spinster. But she had heard a rumor that her friend wanted to catch the handsome bachelor, General Wagner, brother-in-law of one of her frivolous friends.
Of course, she wouldn't let Samantha get away with it. She planned to introduce her sister-in-law, who recently arrived from Canada, to the handsome and lonely General. She had once heard her husband speak to him, and she knew that a woman like Lady Campbell could attract a man as serious and reserved as the General. Men like him were interested in boring things that her sister-in-law talked easily about with her husband and other men. She couldn't help but laugh at the thought of how Samantha would die of rage upon seeing General Wagner propose to her attractive and immensely wealthy sister-in-law.
Dinner was quite lively, Mr. Darcy was sitting next to Lady Claire, and although they discussed trivial things, the experience was not entirely pleasant for either of them. She was more interested in watching and listening to everything Colonel Fitzwilliam was saying. At the same time, Mr. Darcy couldn't help but compare her to Elizabeth. Strangely, they both had a similar eye color, but Lady Claire's eyes lacked the liveliness or intelligence of Elizabeth's. In everything else, they were different. Elizabeth was a lively woman with strong, intelligent, and well-founded opinions. Lady Claire only answered questions without giving her opinion. Besides, Elizabeth was a beautiful woman, and Lady Claire was a woman like any other.
After dinner, Mr. Darcy wondered if things were going to be like this for the rest of his life. If he would compare every woman he would meet, to the one he couldn't have.
Lady Claire spent the rest of the night listening to what Colonel Fitzwilliam was saying. She was a relatively simple woman of almost twenty-four years of age. Thanks to the protection of her uncle, she had managed to stay single because her mother had tried to force her to marry on more than one occasion. After dinner, Richard had sat next to her to chat and later offered to turn the pages while she played the piano. It was the first time in his life that a woman preferred him over his cousin Darcy. From the first moment he met Lady Claire, he knew she was different, and today she had proved that he was right.
General Wagner watched with interest as his niece interacted with the Colonel. He could see that there was more than just friendship between them. He knew his sister-in-law intended to pair her daughter with the Derbyshire gentleman, but there was something about him that he didn't like. The way he had looked at her and how he had spoken to Claire had been so cold and distant that it was clear that he was a proud and haughty man. On the contrary, he liked Richard very much. He knew him from a very young age, and he knew that he was a warm and honorable man. If he showed genuine interest in Claire, he would give them his support.
"General, you don't know how pleased I was to know that you were coming today. I really wanted to see you again ..." Lady Samantha spoke flirtatiously as she smiled at a severe and almost absent General Wagner. He could never understand why women like the one in front of him insisted on getting his attention if everyone who knew him knew that he would never notice her or any other woman.
From the opposite part of the room, Mr. Darcy watched the scene and felt sorry for the General. He was routinely the victim of similar attacks. That is why he approached the General and began to talk with him. Lady Samantha tried to be part of the conversation until she got bored, and she went to speak with her sister.
Before leaving, Lady Westcliff decided to implement her plan. "Dear Lady Claire, I want to personally invite you to the ball that I am organizing to welcome our sister-in-law, Lady Campbell. She lived in Canada for many years and after the death of our dear brother, Lord Campbell, she decided to return to England. She is spending time with her nieces now. She will return in some weeks and she plans to invite her nieces to spend time with her here in London. I will invite you to have tea one day so you can meet them, maybe you can make new friends". Lillian knew that if Claire attended the ball her uncle would too. Besides, if she became friends with Eleanor's nieces, the General and her sister-in-law would spend a lot of time together.
"I would love to meet Lady Campbell and her nieces. She must be a very interesting woman" Claire said sincerely.
Lady Westcliff invited everyone present to the ball that would be in little more than a month. Lady Samantha was happy to know that she would have one more chance to conquer the elusive military man without knowing that her friend had other plans for the General.
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Mrs. Bennet and all her daughters had returned from Meryton with fabrics and ribbons and were planning how to transform and repair some dresses. Elizabeth had asked her father to lower the expenses because she had to make some investments in the estate to increase productivity. Of course, her father had imposed restrictions on everyone's spending except his own. He had bought a new horse, had ordered several high-cost books and expensive brandy.
All the sisters were talking and joking animatedly when Mr. Bennet entered the room accompanied by Eleanor. Mrs. Bennet turned pale, but she didn't say anything. When her husband had told her about her sister-in-law, she thought it had all been a joke to play on her poor nerves. Seeing Ella in front of her, she realized it was true. She had always envied her because she was not only a beautiful woman but also intelligent, and everyone who knew her loved and admired her.
Elizabeth and Jane looked at each other, a little confused but happy that the nice Lady Campbell decided to visit them. But Jane couldn't help but be saddened at the same time. Most likely, Lady Campbell had taken possession of Netherfield, which meant that Mr. Bingley would never return, just as Caroline had told her in the note she sent him.
"Well, I want to ask you to listen to me for a few moments. I want to introduce you to my cousin Eleanor Bennet. She will spend a few days with us because she is very interested in knowing all of you better," said Mr. Bennet wanting to leave after the unpleasant affair and be able to go to his office as soon as possible.
All the daughters looked with great interest at the beautiful and elegantly dressed lady. "Thank you, Thomas. But I think there is an error in the way you have presented me. I understand; it has been so long since the last time we saw each other that you probably still see me as the person who I was twenty years ago". Speaking directly to her nieces, she said, "Girls, I am Baroness Eleanor Campbell. I lived in Canada for a long time with my late husband. I returned to England a few months ago, and I am eager to reconnect with my family. Please, call me Aunt Eleanor." Looking at her brother, she concluded, "I want to thank you very much, dear Thomas, for this opportunity."
Thomas Bennet was nervous. He didn't like what he had heard at all. Eleanor was nothing more than a woman, she was not born to be the heir to anything, and he could not bear that she had a better life than him. And less that she came intending to intervene in how things were done in Longbourn.
After the introductions, they went to dinner, where the conversation between the nieces and the aunt continued lively. Mrs. Bennet, although she asked some impertinent questions, she was relatively quiet. Mr. Bennet just listened so he could get as much information as possible.
"Lady Camp ... I'm sorry, I was used to calling you like that. Aunt Eleanor, so it was your husband who gave you Netherfield? I remember that was what Miss Bingley said," Elizabeth asked curiously.
"Do you own Netherfield?" asked Mrs. Bennet in surprise.
"Yes, Fanny. My husband bought it several years ago to surprise me. The idea was that we would both come to Hertfordshire for a season together, but he got sick, and it wasn't possible." Eleanor told them a little more about her husband and how she had acquired the property.
"Do you have a house in London?" Lydia asked excitedly.
"Yes, Lydia. I have two houses in London. My brother-in-law lives in one with his family, and I live in the other." Eleanor explained.
"You have to take the house from your brother-in-law and give it to us," Lydia said as she laughed uncontrollably.
Eleanor was shocked by the vulgarity of her younger niece and how her older sisters tried to correct her, while her mother supported her in everything, and her father seemed amused by her lack of manners. "My brother-in-law is a very important man. It wouldn't look good if I did that."
"I don't think he's that important if he doesn't have a home in London," Mrs. Bennet said as Lydia and Kitty noted that her mother right.
"My brother-in-law, Lord Westcliff, is an important man. The house where he lives, my husband bough it for him and his family." Explained Eleanor.
"Is your brother-in-law also a Baron?" asked Mrs. Bennet.
"No, he's an Earl," Eleanor replied.
"Are you very rich, Aunt Eleanor?" Kitty asked sheepishly.
"Enough to support all of you to have a better life," Eleanor replied with a smile.
Mr. Bennet was furious, but he knew how to keep his sister away. On her side, Mrs. Bennet couldn't believe everything that was happening. Perhaps, Ella would be the answer to all her prayers and the one who would save her and her daughters from living in the hedgerows.
That night Eleanor had a hard time falling asleep thinking about everything that had happened and especially analyzing each of her nieces. Jane was the same one she had met at Netherfield, kind and sweet, but there was sadness in her eyes. Mary was an enigma; she practically did not express her emotions and spoke very little; she only limited herself to observing. Kitty seemed like an interesting girl when she didn't get carried away by her younger sister. But Lydia did not seem like the daughter of a gentleman, she had no manners at all, and apparently, she was extremely spoiled by her mother. Elizabeth was the one who reminded her the most of herself and with whom she most identified. "Tomorrow will be a new day to get to know my nieces better," Eleanor said until she finally fell asleep.
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General Wagner just wanted to go home. The night had been long enough to have to tolerate his brother's dull conversation. He had gone to that dinner because his niece had asked him to accompany her. He hated socializing and less with snob people. Although Claire hadn't told him, he knew she was interested in Colonel Fitzwilliam.
His niece was all he had in the world, the only person who had managed to get him out of his misery and pain. He considered himself a dead man walking. Only when he interacted with his niece, he felt that he was a bit alive. He had wished to die many times, but he had concluded that death never comes to those who want it so much. Everyone said he was a hero, but the truth is that he was just a man without fear of dying.
"Brother, what do you think of Lady Samantha. It is clear that she sees you as a possible husband. She is an attractive and well-connected woman. She has an Uncle Duke and a brother-in-law Earl." Lord Wagner said cheerfully.
"You know very well that I am not interested in this woman or any other one," the General replied dryly as he took the rest of the brandy that was left in his glass and poured himself a little more.
"Don't you think it's time you stopped living in the past, Marcus?" Said his brother, exasperated. "I'm going to sleep, finish your brandy. I know you'd rather be alone. When you are done, go home. Good night".
General Marcus Wagner kept drinking his brandy without understanding why it was so difficult for everyone to realize that he died the day his beloved Ella died.
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Thanks to all who comment and follow the story with enthusiasm.
This chapter was very long, but I needed to put context for the characters that will be vital in the story. I understand that most of you prefer stories focused only on E&D. In this, they are the central characters. Still, there will be several other stories around that will intervene in how their relationship develops. Anyway, on this site, I suppose there are stories for all tastes.
Saludos,
Yo