Chapter 13

In September, the four Darcys set out for London for the little season. Lady Matlock had promised to present Elizabeth to society, as well as her other niece, Anne de Bourgh. Darcy had had a letter from his cousin, James de Bourgh, telling him that James and Anne would be coming to London since their mourning for their father was over.

"My mother has little to no influence in London society anymore," he wrote, "so Lady Matlock has promised to present Anne. Besides, Mother has some new silly idea in her head about my marrying Georgiana, since you can no longer marry Anne. I have forbidden her from coming to London with us, and even threatened her with the dower house if she does not listen."

Darcy could only roll his eyes at the new scheme of Lady Catherine. Clearly, she was intent on getting her hands on some part of Pemberley, now that he was no longer available for manipulation. But James was twice Georgiana's age, and his personality was not at all suited to her shy, retiring one. Fortunately, James was uninterested, so Darcy did not have to worry about forbidding the match.

The Darcys were going to stop at Longbourn on their way to London to pick up Jane, who was going to enjoy the season with them. Darcy had also decided they would stay at Longbourn for a week or two, so Elizabeth could spend time with her family.

"Oh, Lizzy, how wonderful it is to see you!" cried Mrs. Bennet, bustling out to meet the Darcys as they descended from the carriage. She enveloped her daughter in a hug, and then happily greeted the others. Mr. Bennet came out after her and shook Darcy's hand, then embraced his daughter. The other three Bennet daughters followed suit, although Lydia was more excited to see Georgiana. Apparently the two girls had been exchanging letters since Georgiana was last at Longbourn.

Elizabeth was amazed at the change in her youngest sister. Lydia clearly wanted to impress Miss Darcy, and her behaviour was better than Elizabeth had ever seen from her. Kitty had also apparently matured, possibly by following Lydia's example, as she had always done before.

One afternoon, Elizabeth and Darcy took Jessica back to the Tanner home, to visit her old family. She and the other children were delighted to see each other, and Jessica was pleased to tell the other children about her new home, her new toys, her new mama and papa, her new pony, her new dresses, and her new books. She expanded then on the party her mama and papa had thrown for her fifth birthday that summer. The other children soon grew bored of her tales, but Mrs. Tanner listened carefully.

Mrs. Tanner had tears in her eyes as she thanked the Darcys for taking the girl in. "I can tell she is so happy with you. And she will have a much better life than she could have had with us." Indeed, even by her new clothing there was an instant difference at first glance between her and her former playmates.

Jessica was introduced to the Bennets as Darcy's ward, but Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and Jane, knowing who she truly was, treated her with an especial tenderness.

Soon, it was time to leave for London, and Jane joined the Darcys in their carriage as they made their way to Mayfair. Jane was going to stay at Darcy House with her sister and new brother. She was looking forward to the season. Elizabeth, especially, hoped that Jane might find a good man to marry. Jane was now three-and-twenty, after all. Not yet on the shelf; but she had little time to waste.

The day after they arrived, Darcy told his family at breakfast that his cousins had arrived in town from Kent. Elizabeth was interested to meet James and Anne de Bourgh. Her sister Mary had written that James, as the master of Rosings, was a good man and much admired by Mr. Collins. James kept his mother's interference to a minimum, for which Mary was grateful. It had also decreased Mr. Collins' subservient and obsequious behaviour, which was a blessing.

Their first meeting with James and Anne took place the following day, when the siblings came over for supper. After an hour spent with them, Elizabeth was amazed at the difference in their personalities, although they looked alike. Both had light hair like Georgiana, clearly inherited from the Fitzwilliam side of the family, and Anne, at seven-and-twenty, was wan and wispy-looking, hardly speaking above a whisper. Her brother, at thirty-two, shared similar facial features with her, but he was in perfectly good health, and was expansive and friendly in a way that reminded Elizabeth of Colonel Fitzwilliam. From all that Darcy had told Elizabeth of Lady Catherine, Elizabeth was not surprised that James had been able to get her under firm control after his father's death. His personality was definitely a strong one.

Elizabeth was interested to see James and Jane sneaking glances at each other through the meal, and wondered if something might come of their apparent interest in each other. James was certainly the opposite of Mr. Bingley in almost every way. He was amiable, but firm in his decisions when he knew he was right, and was not likely to be clinging to the apron strings of either his mother or his sister.

Elizabeth set out trying to become a friend to Anne de Bourgh. Anne had been repressed by her mother all her life, Darcy had told her, and this was her first season in town. To Elizabeth's delight, Anne responded to her overtures, and Elizabeth found that Anne found pleasure in writing stories. After promising to share some of her work with Elizabeth, the two said farewell, and promised to meet again soon.

Lady Matlock soon took both of her nieces under her wing, and both of them were successes, although Anne was less so, considering her retiring nature and lack of accomplishments. Elizabeth was delighted to see James and Jane grow closer, and was pleased to think that something might develop between them.

Lady Matlock had organized a ball to officially present Anne and Elizabeth to the ton. Elizabeth had been growing rather more tired now that she had entered her fourth month of pregnancy, and she was looking forward to returning to Pemberley in the next month or so. Darcy had been worried for her health, and had told her they would return home in a few weeks so that she could spend the rest of her confinement in comfort, without a need to travel again until after the babe was born.

Elizabeth was still determined to enjoy her time in town, and the ball especially. Darcy had requested two dances of her, and she looked forward to sitting out with her love and enjoying his conversation.

Darcy himself was enjoying the ball as he had never enjoyed a ball before. The ton had taken to Elizabeth surprisingly well, although why Darcy should be surprised he did not know. Everyone except supercilious snobs such as Miss Bingley loved Elizabeth. Mr. Bingley and his sisters had been at the ball, of course, and while Miss Bingley still looked down her nose at Elizabeth, Bingley had been his usual cheerful self, regaling them with tales of his newest angel, Lady Angelica Featherstone.

They were standing by James de Bourgh as they waited for the next dance when a man approached. Darcy did not examine him closely until she heard Elizabeth take a sharp breath. Her face turned deathly pale, and he felt a fine tremor run through her. He looked at the gentleman and saw a man of about forty, balding and running to fat. But it was not that which amazed him. It was that he recognized that face, although it was in the features of a five-year-old girl. This man had Jessica's blonde hair, and her vivid green eyes, although in him they looked more like the orbs of a snake.

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet," he said in a silky voice, bowing to her in what Darcy perceived as a mocking manner, "what a delight to see you again."

"You are mistaken, sir," said Darcy in a hard voice. "This is my wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy."

"Forgive me, of course," he said, although he had clearly known that. "Mrs. Darcy and I go back a long way. We have known each other for years, have we not, my dear?"

Darcy thought Elizabeth might actually throw up, she looked so sickened. He determined to get her away from this demon as soon as possible.

"I am afraid we have not been introduced, sir," said James, clearly seeing a problem as well while not knowing the reason for it.

"I am Viscount Melbury," he said with a sneer, then he turned to Elizabeth. "I will lead you out for the next dance, if you please, Mrs. Darcy."

He held out his arm but Elizabeth recoiled from him.

"I am afraid you are too late, my lord," said Darcy in a voice like steel. "My wife has already promised all her dances."

"Ah, perhaps next time then," said the viscount. Then, with one last insolent glance at Elizabeth, he turned and left.

Perceiving that his wife was about to faint, Darcy quickly led Elizabeth away from the ballroom, down a hall and into a guest room of the Matlock house. When they reached the room, Elizabeth did indeed vomit, although she reached the chamber pot in time. She was shaking and looked whiter than Darcy had ever seen her.

"Oh, my love," he said, sitting on the bed and holding her to him. "That was he, was it not?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, it was," she said, her voice trembling. "He and his wife leased Netherfield when I was fifteen. I was wary of him from the first, from the way he seemed to leer at all the young girls. But he came across me once when I was on a walk alone, and –" She choked on a sob.

"Shhh my love. You do not have to tell me any more. I will protect you from him. You will never have to see him again."

Elizabeth quickly dried her tears and looked stronger now. "Forgive me, Fitzwilliam. It was just such a shock to see him so suddenly. I had never expected to see him again. That was naïve of me, I see now. He is part of the ton."

"Would you like to go home early?" he asked.

"Do you not think it would look bad for me to leave my own coming-out ball?"

"The evening is almost over," said Darcy. "I will explain to Lady Matlock that you are not feeling well. She knows of your condition and will attribute it to that."

"Very well. Then yes, I would like to go home, Fitzwilliam. Thank you, my love."

"Always, Elizabeth. I will always take care of you."

After Darcy left Elizabeth sleeping peacefully in their bed, he took a carriage to the de Bourgh townhouse and asked for James. His cousin answered the summons quickly.

"What is it, Darcy? Is Elizabeth all right?"

"I need a second, James."

James' face at once morphed into a fierce expression. "Did that rogue do something to Elizabeth? I could tell he had seriously discomposed her. Then you all left the ball soon after."

"I cannot go into detail, but he hurt her when she was only a girl. I mean to make sure he never bothers her again."

"Are you certain of this? You know he will be able to choose weapons since you will be the one to challenge him. He is not likely to choose pistols, but rather swords or something that will be more difficult for you."

"I am in better physical shape than he, no matter if he has two whole feet. I have been practicing foils at my club. I can beat him, and I will. I will kill him if I can."

"Then let us not delay. Do you know where to find him?"

"I suppose he will be at his townhouse," said Darcy. "The address should be easy to find."

The two cousins set off together.

"Ah, Darcy," said Viscount Melbury in that sneering way of his when Darcy and James were shown into his study. "I should not be surprised to see you this evening. I suppose you found that your precious wife was not quite as virginal as you had hoped on your wedding night?"

"Shut your mouth about Elizabeth. You shall never speak of her again!"

"Tut, tut," said the Viscount, pouring himself a brandy and downing it. "You should watch your tongue. I can ruin your wife in society, and I will."

"I declare that you shall never speak her name again," insisted Darcy. "We will meet at dawn at a place designated by myself, and only one of us shall leave alive."

"Idiot," the Viscount sneered. "I should not be surprised you should issue such a challenge, but if you want to die and leave your wife a prey to the snakes of society, far be it from me to discourage you."

"The only snake here is you, Melbury!" cried James. "Now, choose your weapons."

Melbury's eyes ran over Darcy's twisted leg. "I choose swords. We'll see how well you can hop about on that club foot."

"So be it," said Darcy.

It was late when Elizabeth woke the next morning. She was feeling considerably better. Fitzwilliam had brought her back to Darcy House after that horrible encounter at the Matlock ball, and had held her in his arms until she fell asleep. She looked over to the other side of the bed, but was not surprised to see it empty. She had been more tired because of her condition, and Darcy usually rose early.

She rang for her maid and decided to dress for breakfast. She did not want to worry Jane or Georgiana. However, she had only just descended the stairs for the dining room, when Anne de Bourgh was announced.

"Anne! How are you this morning?" Elizabeth asked.

"Oh, Elizabeth! I came to ask, do you have any word?"

Elizabeth was confused. "Word of what?"

"You mean you do not know?"

"Know what?"

Anne wrung her hands. "Darcy challenged someone to a duel last night, and James was his second. I do not know anything other than that. The duel was supposed to be this morning, but James has not returned home, and I am worried about him."

Lizzy suddenly felt dizzy with fear. Darcy had challenged Viscount Melbury? What was the foolish man thinking? But she knew what he was thinking. He wanted to avenge her; he wanted to ensure the viscount would never bother her again, as he had promised last night. Oh, the dear, foolish man!

She sank, nearly fainting, into a chair in an agony of terror. Viscount Melbury would kill her husband, and she and their baby would be left alone. And what would happen to Jessica?

"Oh, Elizabeth, I am so sorry! I thought you knew." Anne sat beside her and took her hand. "Do you know what this is about?"

"Yes. I do not know why my husband got such a foolish idea into his head as to challenge the – the man, but he did it to protect me. Oh, it shall be all my fault if he dies!"

"Now, there is not need to speak that way," Anne tried to encourage. "There is a good chance he will be perfectly all right."

Elizabeth was about to speak when the front door opened and Darcy entered, limping a bit more heavily than he usually did. Elizabeth at once burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. "Oh, my love, what were you thinking?" she cried.

"Shh… everything is well, Elizabeth."

"You are all right?" She pulled back and examined every inch of him, then gasped as she saw a linen wrapping around him arm, stained with blood.

"Only a scratch," he said.

"You must tell me what happened," she said. "First you need a bath and some rest."

Anne had come up to her cousin. "Darcy, is James all right?"

"He is in perfect health. In fact, I know he was going straight back to the de Bourgh townhouse to reassure you."

"Then I shall depart at once. I am glad you are well, cousin."

Anne departed, and Elizabeth ushered Darcy up the stairs to his room, taking extra time on the stairs, for his limp was heavy.

"Have you hurt your leg?"

"He picked swords, and so my efforts proved a little more difficult; but he underestimated me, always the trouble with an arrogant man."

"How did he underestimate you?"

"He thought he would kill me easily, with my infirmity. I cannot move about as quickly as other men. But he was not in good physical condition, eating and drinking too much wine, and never exercising. I merely played on the fact that my leg seemed to be paining me, lulling him into a false sense of security, before I struck."

"Did you kill him?" she asked, with eyes wide.

"I did. It will be hushed up, do not fear. He has a fifteen-year-old son who will inherit from him. His wife is leaving town with his son for the country as we speak."

"The poor woman," said Elizabeth. "Imagine being married to a man like that!" She turned to him. "I should scold you for being so very foolish, but I am so happy to see you alive and well that I cannot."

Darcy gave her a weary smile. She ordered a bath for him, and then fussed over the wound on his arm, which was shallow, as Darcy had said it was. Still, she called for a doctor, although Darcy said the surgeon who had been at the duel had already looked at it.

"I do not care. I am taking no chances with your health," said Elizabeth stubbornly, and Darcy could not help but smile.