Chapter 5: Mr. Darcy's death
Pemberley, August 1807
William: 20, Elizabeth: 12
It was a late summer afternoon at Pemberley, but this time, the Matlock's; save Richard, who has joined the army in the Horse of Guards and is currently deployed and unavailable, and the de Bourgh's have been invited to spend the summer with the Darcys and they have come. Only a few know of the real reason for all of the family getting together here.
Mr. Darcy called his two children to his chambers. Mr. George Darcy was on his deathbed, and he knew it. When the door opened from the hall way, he heard William ask, "Father, may we come in?"
"Come in, children." He called out.
William asked in a worried tone of voice as Georgiana and he entered the Master chambers, "Father, are you well?"
His father had not seemed that ill last night, but Mr. Darcy replied, "Son," He coughed for a bit, before he continued, "Please sit by me. Georgie, come here dear."
They came and sat by and Georgie too hold of her father's hand.
William asked in a worried tone, "You do not look well, Father. You are hot to the touch, I should call the doctor!" Georgie too echoed her brother, said, "Papa, please let William call a doctor for you!"
Mr. Darcy looked towards his daughter, and said with a sad smile, "You look so much like your mother."
Georgiana asked as she fought to keep from crying, "Do I, Papa? I can barely remember her. I always thought that I looked a little like Cousin Elizabeth or Cousin Rachel."
William walked over and put his arm around his sister, she leaned up against him for the emotional support she needed.
Mr. Darcy Sr. said after another coughing fit, "You do look like your mother, Georgiana, you always have. I am sad that you did not get more time with her! William, Georgiana, I have something to tell you… I have seen a doctor over the last year." He tried to sit more up in bed.
William's brow contracted with worry clearly etched on his young face as he said, "Father, please tell us. Why have you seen Mr. Marcourt?"
Mr. Darcy signed and said, "The reason why I have seen Mr. Marcourt is that, I am ill. Mr. Marcourt has diagnosed it to be terminal. I have known for quite a long time that my time was running out."
Georgiana whimpered as her blue eyes filled with tears as she said, "Oh Papa! Do not leave us so soon!"
William said with panic in his voice, "Father! I am not ready to lead Pemberley. It will go to ruin without you!"
Mr. Darcy said as he held their hands, "I am sorry to be so frank, children, but it is the fact."
Looking pointedly at William "William, I have taught you all that I can these past years. You have been a good student and have learned well. You are ready to take the reins. I have asked your uncle Matlock to help you become the Master of Pemberley. Georgiana, sweetie, do not cry. You have to be brave, both of you. Be the strength for each other!"
William asked, "That is why the Matlock's and de Bourgh's have arrived, is it not, father? Because you want to have everyone here?"
Mr. Darcy looked at his son and said, "Yes, William. Your uncle and aunt Matlock have known it for a while and I have made arrangements so you children are taken care of. Please take Georgie to sit with your cousins and bring your aunt and uncle Matlock and your cousin Elizabeth here. I wish to discuss other important matters privately with the four of you."
William left the room, and five minutes later he returned with his Matlock aunt and uncle.
When the doors to the chambers were closed for privacy, Patrick said to his brother, "George, here we are brother. Seems like you told your children!"
"Yes Patrick, I have told them and I want you and my sister Constance to promise me to look after my children as your own. You remember the arrangement I made with Sir Lewis for William?"
William was alarmed and asked, "What arrangement papa?"
Mr. Darcy Sr. said, "You see William, your uncle Sir Lewis and I entered into a betrothal contract for you to marry your cousin Elizabeth when she turns 18, in order to protect her. You know she is completely alone in her own house, after your uncle's passing? Your aunt Catherine never cared for her. Your aunt Catherine wanted Anne betrothed to you. But I could see that Anne was not suitable for you and would be too easily manipulated by her mother. Both your mother and I saw how you behaved when you met Elizabeth for the first time, shortly after she was born. I knew you would be a good couple.
Turning to Elizabeth, he said, "Elizabeth, do you still have the silver locket?"
Elizabeth saw that all the family was looking at her and replied in a quiet tone of voice, "Yes, I do. I never take it off."
"Have you ever looked inside it?" Mr. Darcy questioned.
Elizabeth shook her head, opened the locket and gasped lightly, "It is...Pemberley."
Mr. Darcy explained, "The locket is also a key to a drawer in the Mistress' Chambers; the draw contains the Darcy jewels; the Mistress jewels."
"How?" Elizabeth questioned.
Mr. Darcy said with a gleam in his eyes, "See Elizabeth that is a trade secret, I think your future husband will be quite happy to show you, and I think you will both take great pleasure in seeing it together – when you are ready."
Patrick and Constance chuckled quietly.
Mr. Darcy began coughing and Elizabeth was quick to get a glass of water and handed it a little shyly to Mr. Darcy.
The Earl said, "Elizabeth, William you should know that the betrothal was made in order to protect both of your futures. We are of firm belief that you two are best suited for each other in intelligence, disposition and temper. We want you to marry for love and wish that be to each other. But there are stipulations made to break it too, if things turned out to be different.
"What kind of stipulations, Uncle?" William asked in a worried tone of voice. Elizabeth looked worriedly at her uncle too.
The Earl said, "Well, William, Elizabeth, to simply put, it was left to Elizabeth to opt out of marrying you if she falls in love with another. In that case you will be free to marry elsewhere."
William exclaimed, "But that is not fair to not have me opt of it. We both might want to marry someone else! There are plenty of ladies who have more dowry and better estates then Cousin Elizabeth, who would be an attractive wife for me, father. I might wish to marry a woman with a title! Now I am stuck with her, unless she would not have me."
Elizabeth ran out of the room with tears running down her face.
His aunt Constance reproached him just as Elizabeth ran out of the room, "William, how can you say that to Elizabeth! You know how sensitive she is about her father's memory! Besides Elizabeth is the kindest person, I know. She has a natural grace about her that even the royalty themselves would not have! She has borne the news and remained quiet to give solace to your father while he is on his deathbed. How can you talk so callously? You have years to decide whether you suit each other"
The Earl said in a furious tone, "William Darcy, you will apologise this minute to my niece! I will not have your arrogance to mark your father's deathbed, making him think ill of you! You remind me more of my sister, Catherine than of your own good mother. She would be ashamed of you this minute; if she could hear you speak so!"
William replied, "It was not my intention to demean her father's memory! She can not expect everybody to fall at her feet and apologise for every little wrong word! She will only become spoilt, and will not grow up!"
The Earl saw Elizabeth as his own daughter, since Lewis had died and said, "William, you will apologise to my d...niece. Otherwise you can forget about my support in London in the future. Do you agree with that, George?"
George Darcy replied in the affirmative with a disappointed look at his son,
William looked at his uncle, father and aunt and got disappointed looks from them all, and if there was one thing William hated seeing in his father's eyes, it was disappointment over his own behaviour. Therefore he conceded and left the room to apologise to Elizabeth, both to appease his father and also because deep down, he knew it had been wrong to say.
Outside in the gardens, Elizabeth sank down under a tree near the lake, trying to calm down and get her temper back under control after hearing William had besmirched her father's memory, and her own character to some extent.
After having searched for Elizabeth for a while, William saw her sitting near the lake. He went over and said, "Miss Elizabeth..."
Elizabeth stood as she heard her cousin's voice, and she replied formally, "Mr. Darcy." with a curt tilt of her head.
"I suppose I owe you an apology." he said stiffly.
Elizabeth responded wearing her mask of indifference. "You assume right, Mr. Darcy. I may be your younger cousin, but I am hardly a child, I know my own worth. I know I am not marriage material and clearly not a beauty enough for your taste. But I too want to marry for love. But you did not need to degrade me before your dying father! It was unfeeling, and selfish!"
William went on the defensive as she made her opinion known, "You speak of love; you can throw that idea out of your head, Elizabeth, as people in our level of society marry for advantages; money, status and rank. Love," he shrugged, "only happens in fairy tales anyway. Feelings and affections are not taken into consideration in the real world."
Elizabeth took a deep breath to calm herself before saying, "Love is the most important thing in the world! The world without love is like without the Sun – dark and frozen. I may have wealth and connections, but I also have my brains, which are my most cherished assets. I know that my parents married for money and status and did not live a happy life. I also know that Uncle and Aunt Darcy married for affection and love. Uncle and Aunt Matlock also married for love. I can see it and that is the kind of marriage that I want! All you have is your limitless! I would not marry you either if you were the last man!"
Any rebuke that was on William's lips was held back as he heard his uncle's voice, "WILLIAM! ELIZABETH! COME QUICKLY!"
Elizabeth and William looked up and saw their uncle and without hesitation, they ran up towards the house, without realising they were holding hands.
They saw Georgie was once again in the room holding her father's hand; tears streaming down her cheeks and listening to him speak softly. When Mr. Darcy saw that they returned, he said to William, "William, make it up with Elizabeth."
William replied as he stood next to his father's bed, "Father, I am trying..." and looked over at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth nodded her head, to indicate that she forgave him.
Mr. Darcy said, "She will forgive you. She is young but very caring. You will find happiness with her." His breathing was uneven and irregular at best.
William pleaded his father desperately, "Father, I...I will not let you down! You can trust me! Father, please stay with us!"
Elizabeth could see the pain and sadness in William's face and carefully put her hand on his shoulder to give him strength.
"Forget the betrothal, my son and court her like you would court any other woman." Mr. Darcy said after a deep breath.
William choked on his words as he practically begged, "Father, please do not leave us!"
His uncle promised his brother-in-law, "George, I will look after your family. Do not worry about them, we shall help them in any way they need us."
Georgie said in a shaky voice, "I promise, father, I will look after Elizabeth and William.
Mr. Darcy smiled at his young daughter, who was looking so like his late wife, "Thank you, Georgiana!"
William replied in a thick voice as he tried to hold back his own tears, "I will look after her, father."
The family heard as Mr Darcy said in almost a whisper, "Anne?" then he slumped back on his pillow, and they all knew that Mr. George Darcy had left them.
Georgiana wailed as tears was streaming down her cheeks, "Do not leave us, Papa! Come back, Papa!" William was holding up no better, as tears were running down his cheeks as well.
Her aunt Constance gathered her in her arms, and her uncle said as he placed a hand on Georgiana's shoulder, "Georgiana, he is at peace. He is with your mother, child."