Chapter 6
When Elizabeth entered the room on her uncle's arm, after the butler announced them, Darcy let out a silent sigh of relief. He intently scrutinized her features for any signs of distress. Her slightly reddended eyes gave away that she had been crying. Darcy scowled at the thought. The tense set of her shoulders further indicated that she was upset. Seeing her, he felt the to familiar urge to reach out and touch her run through him. Though he no longer was fighting his own inclination for her, he still stiffened himself against the desire to do so, since it would not yet be proper to do so, not until they were engaged. His aunt, in a bustle of skirts, had stepped forward to greet the small group. Darcy stepped up behind her and with a bow said stiffly, "Miss Elizabeth," as he fought the urge to crush her to him, her red rimmed eyes being more evident up close and rousing in him a fierce need to comfort her.
"Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth said archly, catching sight of him once Lady Matlock released her from the soothing embrace she had bestowed upon Elizabeth, recognizing the same signs of distress Darcy had.
"Yes. I was quite surprised to find out my nephew was acquainted with you, Lizzy," Lady Matlock said wryly as the nephew in question either devoured her with his eyes or scowled at her in a most disapproving fashion depending on one's viewpoint. "Allow me to make my nephew and sons known to you, Maddy. You have of course heard me speak of William, Richard and Ben. Allow me to present my eldest Lord Sutton, my youngest Col. Fitzwilliam of his majesty's light dragoons, and my nephew Mr. Darcy of Pemberly. Boys, this is Mrs. Gardiner and her husband, Mr. Gardiner, along with their niece Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Hertfordshire."
"I have heard much of you, Miss Bennet," Sutton said with a smirk.
"Oh dear," Elizabeth said with a soft laugh relasing her uncle's arm so that he could join Matlock in discussion. "I am afraid it cannot have been good, though I did apologize quite prettily to your father for correcting him on his ancient History. Please call me Miss Elizabeth, Miss Benent is my sister."
"Yes, Miss Elizabeth reminded me that Mycean culture was Greek not Roman," the Earl said with a chuckle before engaging Gardiner in a discussion.
"You have heard of Mycean culture," Sutton said eagerly, with appreciation.
"My father had one or two interesting tomes on the truly ancient greek cultures," Elizabeth said lightly. "He naturally had works on Athens and Sparta as well. He believes that someday we may catch up to the ancient greeks in technological advances if we ever uncover their mysterys."
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Col. Fitzwilliam said eyeing the dark eyed beauty apprasingly.
"I dare say you prefer the tales of Julius Ceaser to those of the minatour and his labrynith, despite that he did no more to conquer the British Isles then land, claim them for Rome and head back home with his army.," Elizabeth said impishly, taking note of his regimentals.
"In some cases I do not believe much more then a few words are need to conquer," Col. Fitzwilliam said back with an exaggerated flirtous wink causing Elizabeth to laugh.
Darcy frowned. He would have much prefered Elizabeth show off her intelligence to his cousin Suttton from the safety of his arm and her playfulness to his other cousin with his hand firmly held over hers as she graced his arm."Miss Elizabeth," Darcy said with a small step closer to her, "has a rapier wit, Richard. I suggest you not engage her, or you will most likely find yourself bested. Though I can atest to the fact that the sting of losing is lessened when the winner is Miss Elizabeth."
Elizabeth arched her eyebrow at Darcy, and with an expression she was unaware of just how much he adored, said, "I had hoped to pass myself off with some degree of credibility, beware before you force me to retaliate."
Col. Fitzwilliam enjoying the playfal cast to Elizabeth's features as she prepared to tease his cousin said, "Oh and just how does my cousin pass himself off amongst strangers?"
"Brace yourself," Elizabeth said archly, "But I am grieved to tell you that the first time I met your cousin was at a ball, where he soundly refused to stand up with any young lady outside his own party, though I can atest that more than one young lady was sitting down without a partner."
"Gads, Darcy, you were visiting Bingley's household when this occurred? If you were going to be uncivil enough to not dance with the locals, you might as well of crossed the line all the way and refused to stand up with your hostess as well. I know I would have," Sutton said.
"I am not particularly good at reccomending myself to strangers, " Darcy began to say stiffly.
"Only because you pocketbook does it for you," Col. Fitzwilliam said with a snort, interupting him. "I bet you recommended yourself to Miss Bingley even more so with that stunt. Just think, had you of danced with one of the locals, say the lovley Miss Elizabeth right here and a few others, Miss Bingley might not have thought your dance with her gave her such a recommendation and perhaps spared yourself some aggrievment."
"Reasons of Miss Bingley aside, it was not well done of me," Darcy acknowledged before addressing Elizabeth specifically. "I beg your pardon, Miss Elizabeth. I can now see how I would have done much better to acquise to my friends suggestion of a dance partner, particularly one as lovely as you," Darcy said gravely. "I regret deeply that you did not favor me with a dance until the third time I asked. Dancing with you is one of my fondest memories of Hertfordshire."
Elizabeth's eyes went wide and then she flushed as she remembered the topic of conversation she had persude during their dance. Assuming he ment it was pleasant to have been right and pleased with this, ruefully she said, "To my chargrin it appears you bested me in that particular conversation. Accept my apologies for berating you on the behalf of a man I knew absolutely nothing about his true self."
"Think nothing of it, Miss Elizabeth. I hope that his true nature was revealed in a way that brought no harm to you?" Darcy asked with a scowl. If Wickham had caused Elizabeth distress in anyway to cause his true nature to be revealed, Darcy would take care of him once and for all. Wickham had been allowed to distress to many that he cared about.
Elizabeth went pale at his words and seeing this Darcy quickly stepped toward her to assist her to a seat but as he reached for her she flinched away from him, her eyes clouding over with fear.
"Miss Elizabeth," he said attempting to keep his tone gentle. Seeing her flinch away from him in fear made him want to hit whoever had caused her to feel that way. He had touched her hand when he assisted her into a carriage and while they danced, never had she flinched away in fear, this was something new. He realized this was likely a reaction to an interaction she had with a male since their dance less than a week ago. Whether it was Wickham or Collins, they would pay, Darcy silently vowed.
"Lizzy!" Madeline exclaimed abandoning her conversation with Lady Matlock upon seeing her niece pale.
His attention called to the situation by his wife's cry of distress, Gardiner stepped toward the group of gentlemen surrounding his niece and said, "Apologies gentlemen." And then addressing Elizabeth he gently said, "You need not be embarrassed, sweetie. A natural response after what occurred. It is expected that you may be a little jumpy right now. Perhaps a glass of wine or something stronger to soothe you for now? I should have insisted on you having a bit earleir. My apologies, Lizzy."
"It is fine, uncle. You know I do not care for over indulgence. My apologies Mr. Darcy, my reaction had nothing to do with you," Elizabeth said softly, feeling her cheeks flame with embarrassment. Her cousin may have grabbed her and tried to force ungentlemanly attentions on her but she instinctively knew she had no such thing to fear from Mr. Darcy. After all he found her tempting not at all, she wryly though to herself as she gathered her composure.
"Perhaps we should adress the elephant in the room," Lady Matlock said firnly. "Maddy, you know you are assured of my assistance and silence. You are assured of my family's as well. Please confide in us. We wish to be of whatever assistance we may."
Elizabeth glanced askance at Darcy, she did not relish confiding her troubles to him, but knew that her aunt was pinning her hopes on Lady Matlock being able to assist them.
Catching Elizabeth's eye, Darcy said firmly, "I, along with my cousins, wish to be of assistance to you, Miss Elizabeth. I can assure you of our discretion and that whatever you have to say will not leave this room, if that is what you desire."
Saying nothing, Elizabeth searched his face and finding it to be surprisingly reassuring, gave her aunt a nod to speak freely. She just hoped he meant what he said and would not use what was revealed to disuade Bingley from Jane. Her reccent chargrin at being taken in by Wickham had her attempting to skecth Darcy's character anew. If Wickham was not what he appeared to be, he was likely not a reliable source on Darcy. She admitted that based off of Wickham's actions with her youngest sister, he certainly was not suited to be a clergy man. Darcy's pride might have made him refuse to give the living connected to his name to an inept clergy that could bring dishonor to the Darcy name she considered, but regardless if Darcy knew what Wickham was, which remembering his words she conceded was likely, he had good reason to deny the living, such a man should not be in charge of other's souls.
"As you already know, Susan, my niece arrived seeking our protection after refusing her cousin's offer of marriage. My brother-in- law is an invalid to enough of a degree that he feared if his cousin attempted anything untoward, he could not protect Elizabeth physically. His thoughts were not that far off, my husband was forced to physically protect her," Madeline said her voice breaking. Pausing to compose herself, she said, "I shall get to that. Mr. Collins, that is this cousin's name, the night before Lizzy left Loungbourn, attempted to access her room. Thomas had the forethought to house her with Jane and did not tell anyone of her planned journey, or Mr. Collins might not have given up so easily. He likely believed he would have another chance to impose on her and force a marriage. Elizabeth was sent off early Wednesday though as you are aware, Susan."
"Yes, I dare say you did not expect me on your doorstep Wednesday in time for dinner," Lady Matlock said wryly. "I was quite anxious to meet her."
"I was honored to meet such a dear friend of my aunt's," Elizabeth said with a small smile. "Though I never expected you to be a countess."
"Yes, well what happened next?" Matlock said prompting Madeline to continue before his nephew gave in to his obvious, to those that knew him, desire to place Elizabeth in the protection and security of his arms. An action that, in addition to being improper, he doubted the young lady would welcome. If it weren't for the look in Darcy's eyes, proclaiming for all who cared to look, that he loved Elizabeth and considered her as his, Matlock would never consider that his nephew would cast aside proper decorum. The look in Darcy's eyes though had Matlock hoping he would not be witness to his nephew getting his face slapped for such a breech of propriety. Keeping Madeline talking would hopefully keep Darcy's attention focused on solving Elizabeth's problem and not holding her in the middle of his wife's sitting room.
"Today shortly before we were ready to depart for here, Mr. Collins called on the house," Madeline said shakily. Reaching out for Elizabeth's hand she shook her head and motioned for her husband to take over the tale.
"Mr. Collins, was announced to the sitting room where Elizabeth was alone. He had claimed kinship as her cousin and I had not the forethought to tell my staff we were not at home to him. He once again demanded Lizzy marry him. When she refused, he grabbed her. I arrived in time to see him attempting to force an intimate kiss on her as she struggled to remove herself from his hold," as Gardiner paused to take a calming breath, remembering the scene he had walked in on in his own home, Darcy let out a low growl.
"He is a dead man," Darcy said in a flat voice, rage spiraling through him that the parson would dare place his hands, his lips, on Darcy's Elizabeth. No wonder she had flinched away in fear earlier when he had reached for her. She had been imposed upon and handled roughly against her will. It had been an instinctual reaction. She had no way of knowing he would always treat her gently. He wanted to wrap her in his arms to protect her, not to bend her to his will and force his attentions on her like the odious parson did.
"Oh my god," Elizabeth said in a stricken voice, remembering suddenly the connection Collins had claimed to Darcy. "Is Lady Catherine de Bough a maternal or faternal relation?" she asked anxiously.
"Lady Catherine is my sister," Matlock said with a frown.
"I am sorry to impose on you, but we must be going," Elizabeth said as she started to rise.
"What's this?" Matlock saif in confusion.
"Lady Catherine may be an relation to all of us, but none of us hold with her pronouncements. While she may take the side of her parson, we shall not," Darcy said firmly, understanding Elizabeth's response.
Elizabeth paused as he spoke and slowly sat back down. She truly did not understand him, she thought as she studied him. His one aunt was everything kind and good it would appear, after all her own aunt had counted her as a dear friend for years. His other aunt sounded like someone she would rather not meet. She was uncertain how much sway her cousin held with his patroness, but the picture he had painted of Lady Catherine was that of someone who would enjoy interfering in other's lives because she could and would likely help her parson because she thought it was her right.
"My cousin speaks the truth, Miss Elizabeth," Sutton said gently. "Lady Catherine believes Richard and William visit her out of family duty and affection, but truly they visit her to correct all of her mistakes so that Rosing's tenants do not pay the price for her foolishness. Knowing she granted a living to your cousin tells me exactly what type of inept sycophant he is. None of us ever side with Lady Catherine if it can be at all avoided."
Gardiner nodded and clearing his throat continued, "After removing that creature from my niece, I demanded to know what he was about. I was prepared to give him the boot and kick him out of my house if he dared to claim she was compromised. He produced a letter from my brother-in-law granting his permission to marry Elizabeth."
"No," Darcy said firmly. His mind already working on alternatives. A proposal was on the tip of his tounge, offering himself up as an alternative, for surely in this situation Elizabeth would prefer him to her vile cousin, when his aunt spoke up.
"I gather you have no intention of allowing this wedding to go through?" Lady Matlock said shrewdly.
"Neither does Elizabeth's father. His consent was gained under duress. A situation that has no bearing on this, other then Collins was able to use it to force my brother to grant his consent. My brother's true instructions in the letter where for us to hide Elizabeth away, until she comes of age or he resolves the other situation," Gardiner said.
"If you were to host her at Matlock, it is unlikely it seemed that Mr. Collins, even with his patroness's support would find her there. Of course this was before we knew of the connection," Madeline said wryly. "Elizabeth does not come of age until the beginning of the summer. If we make it seem that Elizabeth ran away and her family is supposedly actively helping Mr. Collins look for her it would buy my brother-in-law time to attempt to resolve the other situation."
"And once Miss Elizabeth is no longer under age, she cannot be married against her will," Col. Fitzwilliam acknowledged.
"A bride, no matter the age, always has the right to refuse to say I do at the alter, but Fanny, Elizabeth's mother, is likely to take aggressive steps to ensure that such a scenario does not happen," Gardiner added.
"A husband would also serve to stop Mr. Collins," Sutton said with a careful look towards his cousin.
Elizabeth gave an involuntary shudder, and said, "Since I have no other suitors at present that isn't an option." Unspoken was the fact that after her cousin's rough and ungentlemanly handling of her, she had no desire for one at the moment.
"Rather than Matlock, she could visit with Georgiana at Pemberley," Darcy said carefully. What he did not say, was that he could woo her at Pemberley easier then he could his uncle's estate and that if necessary it was a closer dash to the Scottish border. Darcy was absolutely determined that Elizabeth would be his wife, not her cousin's. She was under his protection, whether she knew it or not, and he would not let another man ever impose on her again. With Wickham in the neighborhood, and Elizabeth's acknowledgment that Wickham was not who she had thought, coupled with what he had observed of her youngest sisters, he believed he had an idea of just what type of situation the parson used to force her father's consent. His first order of business would be to determine which of her two youngest sisters was ruined and pay for a marriage to go through to restore the girl's reputation before it became gossip. He would have to make sure that Elizabeth did not discover his involvement. He did not want her to think he believed he could buy her as his bride. He was nothing like her cousin, he had no intentions of coercing her or her father's agreement. He would buy a groom for her sister because it would save Elizabeth, not to force her to choose him.
"I am afraid Pemberley is to close to Lambton. My sister-in-law," Madeline said with disgust, "will at first assume I have assited Lizzy and knows that I am from there. She would insit on inquiries made there."
"If Mrs. Bennet were led to believe a wealthier suitor wished to offer for Miss Elizabeth, surely she would switch her alligence from the parson's suit to his," Col. Fitzwilliam suggested.
"I am afraid not. Any other daughter, yes, but not Elizabeth. Fanny has not been a natural mother to Elizabeth. After her birth she was severly depressed. She wished nothing to do with Lizzy until Elizabeth was three and she was close to her delivery with Mary. Fanny would fight Elizabeth having a wealthy or caring suitor. Making up such a man would not dissuade her, but goad her on in favoring Mr. Collins suit," Gardiner said grimly.
"If she was even willing to believe such a thing," Elizabeth said with a self deprecating smile. "As mama is fond of pointing out, I am nothing compared to my sister. A fact that no one can argue with. Jane is the true beauty of the family."
"While your sister is a classical beauty, you should not underestimate yourself, Miss Elizabeth," Darcy said quietly. "I do not speak empty flattery. I consider you to be the epitome of femine beauty."
Elizabeth blinked in shocked surprise. Who, she wondered, was this surprisingly complimentary man? He outwardly looked like the same Mr. Darcy that she had met in Hertfordshire but he sounded nothing like him, other then his tendency to still glare at her as he looked for faults. That had not changed at all. Why though was he complimenting her, she thought in confusion.
"Fanny speaks nonsense," Gardiner said firmly. "I have always maintained you are just as beautiful as your sister. Not every beauty is a blonde english rose."
"Seeing as how Aunt Maddy has coloring closer to mine than Jane's I would hope you did not prefer blonde locks," Elizabeth teased her uncle. "Though aunt Maddy was blessed with the height I was denied."
"All your siblings comapred to you, were blessed with the height you were denied," Madeline said wryly. "You take firmly after your great grandmother Bennet in looks and stature."
"Personality too from what I remember of her," Gardiner said with a chuckle.