"The jury ruled it an accidental death," Mr. Bennet declared as he stepped into the drawing room of the Philips's house with Mr. Philips at his heels.
Elizabeth, who had been literally shaking with nervous anticipation as her father entered the room, sagged in relief and sank onto the handiest chair. Jane cast a worried glance at her favorite sister and said, "Oh, that is good news!"
"It is indeed," Mrs. Philips exclaimed, rushing forward to assist her husband out of his coat. "My dear Mr. Philips, I am so thankful. It is a great pity that Wickham died on Longbourn land, but I cannot grieve the death of such a man. He could have stabbed us in the street!"
"It is indeed a relief, my dear," Mr. Philips said, patting his wife gently on the arm. She was a foolish woman but also good-hearted. "Now, I am quite tired and hungry. Would you and your daughters care to stay for a meal, Brother?"
"No thank you. Jane, Elizabeth, and I ought to return to Longbourn as everyone there is waiting eagerly for news. Shall we go, my dears? We need to collect Mary from the parsonage."
Elizabeth accepted her father's hand and rose to her feet, managing a smile toward her aunt and uncle. "Thank you for a charming visit, Aunt Philips. Uncle, I do hope you rest well tonight."
"I am certain I will," her uncle returned affectionately. Indeed, he would sleep very well, confident now that the Bennets had escaped notoriety and disgrace.
/
"Are you well, Darcy?" Richard asked in a concerned tone.
Darcy, who was leaning against his seat with his eyes closed, reluctantly opened his eyelids and said, "I am well, yes, but also incredibly fatigued. I was more uneasy over the inquest than I realized."
"I suspect that was because if the inquest had gone poorly, we would all have been in a great deal of trouble. It was most unlikely, but when an unlikely possibility would have devastating consequences, it is still worrisome."
"You did not seem worried," Darcy returned.
"I was," the colonel confessed. "We did everything possible to prove that Wickham was a rogue, but there was still a small chance that something dangerous would come out at the inquest. But that is past, and all are safe."
"I am most appreciative for your help, Richard. There is no doubt that your discussion with Colonel Forster assisted our cause. Mr. Denny, at least, was quite convinced of Wickham's iniquitous character, and many of the officers shook my hand after the verdict was read."
"Indeed," Richard agreed drily, "though I am not certain that their motivation was entirely altruistic."
Darcy frowned in confusion and then his expression cleared. "They hope that I will pay Wickham's debts of honor."
"Yes, I am certain they do," Richard agreed, "since you have graciously paid Wickham's debts to the local merchants."
"I have no intention of doing so," Darcy said resolutely.
"Of course not," Richard agreed. "If the officers wish to gamble, they may, but that is hardly your concern. Do not think about it anymore."
"I will not, at least for now. I feel I could sleep for days. It is most peculiar."
"You are recovering from being stabbed," the colonel pointed out. "A significant injury is exhausting as the body must work hard to heal."
Darcy nodded respectfully, knowing that Richard spoke from personal experience. The colonel, then a major, had been shot at the Battle of Corunna two years previously and spent a full six months recovering.
"It is frustrating," the master of Pemberley admitted in a rueful tone. "I am not accustomed to needing daily naps."
"It could have been a good deal worse, Cousin. For now, rest as you need to and give yourself time to heal. Now, as soon as we are back at Netherfield, you will no doubt retreat to your sitting room for a meal, followed by a needed time of slumber. Before you disappear on me, may I inquire as to what your plans are regarding Miss Elizabeth Bennet?"
Darcy groaned and shook his head. "I do not know. I find myself very confused in the matter."
"What exactly are your concerns, Darcy?"
Darcy sighed and looked outside the window, his thoughts in turmoil. He did love Elizabeth, but her mother and younger sisters were poorly behaved.
"Her family, as I said before, is not well connected, and Mrs. Bennet and her younger daughters behave poorly though, in her own way, Lady Catherine is just as bad. You are correct that if I cannot accept the Bennets, I ought not to offer for Miss Elizabeth. It would not be fair."
"Do you love her?"
"I do love her dearly, more than I thought possible. Truly, I do. But as Georgiana's brother, I cannot set aside my role in my young sister's life. Would her life and prospects be affected poorly if I married into the Bennet family? On the other hand, how can I set aside my great love for Eliza ... Miss Elizabeth? I also wonder if I am merely caught up in the throes of an infatuation that will burn itself out in a few weeks, though that seems quite impossible given the strength of my adoration for the lady..."
This outpouring of words from his usually taciturn cousin made Richard chuckle aloud and throw out a protesting hand. "My dear Darcy, I do not know entirely what you ought to do, but I am quite certain this is no foolish infatuation. Indeed, if Miss Elizabeth was an heiress, I might well try to cut you out; she is a most charming young lady."
"You had better not try," Darcy returned, trying on a menacing glare for size.
"I will not, as I must marry a woman with a substantial dowry. But seriously, Cousin, Miss Elizabeth is one woman in ten thousand. When most women would be focusing entirely on their own reputation and safety, she insisted that you sacrifice her honor if it was necessary to save you from a murder charge. What a remarkable lady!"
Fitzwilliam Darcy's face relaxed, and his eyes unfocused. He said softly, "She is indeed most remarkable. She is brave, honorable, courageous, and intelligent. She is, I believe, my perfect match, except for..."
"Except for her relations," Richard finished. "Well, after you retired to bed last night, Bingley informed me that he has invited the Bennets over for dinner tomorrow night. I have met Mr. Bennet and his elder daughters and will give you my opinion of the mother and the younger girls. I cannot believe they are as bad as you make them out to be."
"I do not suppose they are as bad as all that," the master of Pemberley mused aloud. "I have come to realize that I have been overly proud and haughty in the last years, and far too inclined to look down on those around me. But yes, I look forward to having you meet the entire Bennet family."
"I do as well, especially since we no longer have our aunt and her tiresome clergyman in residence.
Darcy grinned and said, "Yes, that will make it far easier!"
He leaned to the right to protect his arm as the carriage turned onto the road that led to Netherfield and closed his eyes, and his lips curling up happily. He could imagine Elizabeth sitting in the library at Pemberley, curled up next to him, both of them poring over a book together. Mrs. Reynolds would love her; she was kind and intelligent and would be an excellent mistress of his vast estate. She ...
"Darcy?"
"What?" he returned a little irritably. He was tired and wished to think of his love.
Richard, who was considering him gravely, said, "There is one other aspect you need to consider regarding a prospective marriage with Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Cousin."
"What is that?"
"She might have no interest in marrying you?"
The master of Pemberley jolted upright at this statement. "What?"
"Miss Elizabeth may not wish to marry you," Richard repeated.
"Why ... why would she not? I am intelligent, handsome, and wealthy. I am..."
He trailed off and leaned back against his seat with a groan. "But that is sheer arrogance, is it not? Miss Elizabeth is not the kind of woman to marry for money."
"Yes, that is a most arrogant assumption, Darcy," his cousin agreed drily. "Based on my limited knowledge of the lady, she will not marry either for monetary reasons or for social status."
"But surely our ... our shared experiences, her passion to keep me safe – surely she cares for me, Richard!"
"Undoubtedly, Miss Elizabeth cares about your well-being. You saved her virtue and possibly her life," Richard agreed. "But it is also possible that her dreadful experience with Wickham has tainted your mutual relationship in permanent ways."
"Whatever do you mean?" Darcy asked in bewilderment.
Richard leaned back and blew out a breath as the carriage approached the Netherfield stables. "I saw it on the Peninsula more than once. Here is an example – old Colonel Blackmore was drinking brandy with his friend Colonel Cooke when the latter fell over dead with an apoplexy. Blackmore could never drink brandy again because it reminded him of his friend's death. Then there was one of my junior officers; the poor lad was aboard the troop ship Reliant when she was attacked by French ships on her way to the Continent. Many of his friends were killed in the attack, and now he has to drink himself into oblivion before he can board a ship. His memories of the carnage and bloodshed are so severe that he cannot bear to be at sea, or at least not when he is sober and in his right mind."
Darcy groaned and rubbed his forehead wearily. "You are saying that for Miss Elizabeth, I might be a horrific reminder of what came to pass last week."
"Perhaps, yes," Richard returned. "People react differently to trauma, Cousin. She may be as in love with you as you are with her. I merely caution you to tread carefully. Do not arrogantly assume that she is eagerly awaiting an offer from you."
Darcy turned his head and discovered, to his surprise, that the carriage had come to a halt in front of the stables. He nodded and said, "Thank you, Richard. I admit that I have been embracing the unconscious premise that Miss Elizabeth would eagerly welcome a proposal of marriage. I understand what you are saying. If I choose to pursue Miss Elizabeth, I must woo her, not take anything for granted."
"Precisely," Richard agreed, pushing the door open with one strong hand. "Now, to bed with you, Darcy!"