A/N
Chapter 14 of LTGHW. Hope you enjoy it. Again, am posting immediately after finishing the chapter, so if you find typos my apologies.
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N
Like the Gentleman He Was
Chapter 14
Darcy glanced back towards Elizabeth and saw that she was being embraced by Georgie. "Oh, Elizabeth, I am so sorry that you had to face such abuse on your very first day at Darcy House. This was not how we had hoped to welcome you to your new home." Darcy's lips tightened as he heard his sister make the apology he should have been making to Elizabeth.
'I will do so as soon as I have discovered what Richard and Aunt Susan are hiding from me.' He turned to his cousin and asked abruptly, "So, who was the woman with you at the Gardiner's warehouse?"
Colonel Fitzwilliam thought it best to pretend ignorance. "Gardiner's warehouse? I do not know what you are …"
Darcy interrupted him grimly. "I think you also heard Elizabeth seek Georgie's confirmation about the soldier in the warehouse. I could have easily asked Georgie to tell me the truth and you know she would have told me everything, but I do not want to go down that path, so…"
Colonel Fitzwilliam sighed, realising that dissembling was no longer an option. "Mother and I went to the warehouse that day."
"May I ask what was the purpose of your visit and why the secrecy?"
"Well, you as good as forbade mother to contact your intended in your absence! So… this was the only way she could get a glimpse of the future Mrs Darcy before your wedding without openly defying you."
"But what was the need? I told her I will bring Elizabeth to meet her and my uncle at the first possible opportunity!" Darcy protested annoyedly.
"She was worried for you for heaven's sake! Truth be told, so was I! Can you not see how uncharacteristically you have behaved in this matter? Although I would not have dreamt of interfering had mother not pressurised me. So, if you have any further queries you will have to speak to her."
In his heart Darcy knew that his aunt and cousin had acted in an attempt to safeguard his interests, but a sense of ill usage and betrayal still persisted. After all he had trusted his aunt enough to tell her the whole truth behind his sudden marriage to Elizabeth.
"I think I will do just that," he said stiffly. "I would have accompanied you now if it was not more important to apologise to my wife for the fracas Aunt Catherine created. Can you please tell your mother from me that I call on her tomorrow morning?"
"As you wish, Darcy," Colonel Fitzwilliam said as he took his leave of his cousin.
'It would be an interesting conversation tomorrow and I would not miss it for the world,' he thought with sudden spurt of amusement. His mother and Darcy both were strong willed, stubborn people, but if he had to bet on any one person winning tomorrow's arguments, he would bet on his mother every time. 'Life has certainly grown more entertaining ever since Darcy announced his intention to marry,' he thought as he remembered Elizabeth Darcy's sally to his aunt. 'One can not really blame Darcy for ignoring the ton's eligibility criteria while choosing his wife.' His grin widened at the thought.
~§§§~
"Where are Miss Darcy and Mrs Darcy?" Darcy enquired of the footman in the hallway once he had bidden farewell to his cousin.
"They are in Lady Anne's parlour, Mr Darcy."
Darcy nodded his thanks and made his way to the parlour which had been his mother's favourite and was still mentioned as her parlour by the staff.
He saw Elizabeth and Georgiana sitting side by side on a sofa and talking. They were speaking very softly, and he could not distinctly hear anything from where he was standing at the entrance of the parlour. He cleared his throat and called out to Elizabeth, "Elizabeth, would you like to go to your chamber and refresh yourself?"
Elizabeth got up from her seat with a grateful nod.
"Oh, how remiss of me! I am sorry, Elizabeth, I completely forgot to offer even this basic courtesy. All the unpleasantness with Aunt Catherine seems to have made me forget my manners!" Georgiana exclaimed, looking mortified.
"There is no need for an apology, Georgie. If I had the need, I could have easily asked you myself."
Darcy came forward to stand by Elizabeth's side. "Is your foot in any pain after the journey? I believe I should carry you…" he began worriedly, only to be interrupted by Elizabeth.
"Mr Darcy, I feel perfectly fine. At this moment, all I need is for you to offer me your arm and escort me to this chamber that you mentioned."
Darcy offered her his arm with alacrity, even as Georgiana asked in concern, "What happened to your foot, Elizabeth?"
"I had suffered a sprained foot a few months back. Unfortunately, it would appear that the appendage is still not ready for me to start climbing hills and mountains. But please do not worry, Mrs Higgins prepared a very effective medicine and I feel fully recovered now."
"Oh, I am very glad to know that. Between them Mrs Reynolds and Mrs Higgins ensure that we call the apothecary only if one of us is suffering for some serious malady."
"I can very well believe it."
"We will be back in a while, Georgie." Georgiana nodded at her brother. "I will call for some tea and refreshments for you. I can get them sent up if you would prefer that."
Elizabeth shook her head. "What I would prefer is to have my tea with you here in this very charming room," she averred with a smile and received a pleased smile in return.
~§§§~
"Elizabeth?" Darcy began as soon as they started climbing the stairs.
"Hmm?"
"I… I would like to apologise.. for…"
"For what? For standing up to your aunt or for standing up for your wife?"
Darcy glanced sideways at her and was astonished to observe the faint smile that graced her lips! And here he had been worried that despite her courageous handling of the situation, she would be distressed by all the ugliness his aunt had spouted.
It seemed his wife had taken the unpleasant much better than him, because he could not stop his anger and frustration at his aunt's disgusting antics from bursting out.
"For being unable to prevent my aunt from ruining your homecoming to Darcy House! This is not how I had imagined welcoming you here!"
"To be honest, sir, even I had not imagined that my arrival at my new home would be accompanied by such… ahem… interesting happenings. While I did not want unpleasantness to mar my first steps into Darcy House… I hope you would not think me an unnatural sort of female when I confess that I am rather glad at the way the events transpired."
"G… glad?" Darcy's mouth dropped open in astonishment.
"Yes, glad…." Elizabeth could not help but smile at his befuddled expression.
"Before you start believing that I am not quite right in the head, let me explain why I say so. I would not have admitted it in the ordinary circumstances, but after what took place just now, … I can confess that I came to London with some trepidation."
She noticed the troubled look he gave her and pressed his arm comfortingly. "This was despite how welcome you, Georgie, and the Colonel have made me feel. I was disturbed by the fact that Lady Catherine disliked our marriage so much that you actually feared her retaliation. But more importantly I was apprehensive of the fact that the earl, whom you hold in such high esteem, was also unhappy with your decision to wed me. I do not want to you to suffer your uncle's disapprobation just because you have been a gentleman in all senses of the word."
"Oh, but…" Darcy began to protest even as he brought them to halt in front of a closed door.
Elizabeth, however, interrupted him with a gentle shake of her head. "But… Lady Catherine's unpleasant actions have had some very beneficial consequences!"
She grinned at her husband's expression and continued, "For one thing, they inadvertently provided me with an opportunity to… uh… break the ice with Lord Matlock. From what I could hear, he no longer appears disappointed with you for marrying me."
"Hmm… he did convey his approbation for our marriage quite ungrudgingly just now."
"Exactly. I was also gratified to discover that except for Lady Catherine – for obvious reasons – my new family, contrary to my fears, is very willing to accept me in its folds. And finally, how the events unfolded, they made me realise that I am capable ofovercoming my fears and… and standing up for myself…. Oh, I know that this was family and… and except for Lady Catherine, everyone else was sympathetic to me… but…"
"But… you were magnificent," Darcy murmured. He lifted her hand to plant a soft kiss on her palm. He was equally fascinated to feel tremor in her hand when his lips brushed over it as he was by the realisation that he was getting more and more attuned to her in a manner he had not thought possible.
"This, Mrs Darcy, is your chamber," he said as he opened the door in front of them and led her inside a luxurious room decorated in soothing shades of teal and cream.
Elizabeth took a moment to look around her, then said, "It is lovely like everything else I have seen in Darcy House, but more importantly it has an aura that is… warm and welcoming," she said with a smile, even as she wondered how Mrs Higgins had found the time to arrange for the delightful pink and cream roses that adorned both the tables in the room and made it much more welcoming.
"I am glad you think so, Elizabeth, and although you almost had me convinced that Lady Catherine did us a favour by coming here and abusing us…" he paused for effect, and 'was gratified when she obliged by bursting into a giggle. "But… somehow I could not help but wish that I had welcomed you to your home and this chamber in a more conducive circumstance." I am sorry I could not prevent my aunt's insulting outburst, Elizabeth," he added a little wistfully.
"Mr Darcy, in the last one month I have come to know something about you that I must confess, troubles me a lot, sir."
Darcy's brow furrowed. "And what is that, if I may enquire?"
"It is this very foolish tendency of yours to assume responsibility for things that are nothing to do with you and not in your control." She shook her head at him ruefully. "I do wish you would remember that you are responsible for only your conduct and not of others, and that includes your aunt. You tried your best to prevent any unpleasantness, but Lady Catherine was determined to force a confrontation. Pray tell me how you could have prevented her outburst save by physically constricting her?"
Darcy could not help smiling at the comical expression on her face even as he was struck by Elizabeth's assertion about him being responsible only for his conduct. He had been more than eager to judge her for the faults of others even if they were her family. 'I will thank the good Lord every day of my life that I recognised her worth soon enough not to let society's expectations and probable disapprobation make me take a foolish decision.'
"I suppose you are right Elizabeth, but I am human enough to wish your homecoming had happened differently. Frankly, had it not been for Anne, I would have been very tempted to sever my relations with my aunt for what she did today."
"Well, I am glad you did not. I would not want you to do that on my account. I assure you that I would quite easily manage to tolerate Lady Catherine for a greater cause." Elizabeth paused to give him a wry smile before continuing, "And I can do nothing else when you have been tolerating my mother and younger sisters with utmost patience ever since we became engaged,"
Darcy flushed. "Lydia and Catherine are now my sisters… and… there is no question of tolerating them. I hope you would not take it amiss if occasionally I try to correct them as an elder brother would."
"Well… why would I? As you said, you are now their brother." Elizabeth gave him a pleased smile. "But.. what about, Mama?" some imp of mischief made her ask.
Darcy's expression immediately became stern. "I would have more than tolerated her if it was only this odious man's happiness that did not concern her, Elizabeth, but I find that I am unable to forgive her for the callous manner in which she was willing to sacrifice you and your happiness at the altar of your family without even a twinge if remorse," he said grimly, then seeing that she looked rather dazed at his pronouncement, he caught hold of her hand and said remorsefully, "Forgive me, Elizabeth, I did not mean to distress you."
"I… I am not distressed." Elizabeth muttered quite incapable and unwilling to give words to the emotions coursing through her. He looked at her searchingly for a moment, satisfied that she was indeed telling him the truth, he bent his head to place a kiss on her hand. Giving her a quick glance under his lashes, he placed his lips exactly at the same place as before and gave an inward smile as he felt the tremor once again.
"I will leave you now to refresh yourself. Give a knock at this door once you are ready to go downstairs," he said as he strolled out of a connecting door she had not noticed till now, into what she assumed was his own bedchamber.
~§§§~
After a leisurely breakfast the next morning, Darcy left Elizabeth and Georgiana gossiping together to visit his aunt at Matlock House. As he exchanged pleasantries with Waverly, the Matlock butler, he was pleased to learn that his cousin Emmaline had gone to stay with her elder sister, and his uncle was busy with his man of business. Darcy had hoped for a quiet discussion with his aunt and it seemed he was going to get his wish. However, when he entered the parlour after Waverly announced him, he was annoyed to discover Richard present in the room with his mother.
"Why do you not sit down, Darcy?" Colonel Fitzwilliam asked when Darcy continued to remain standing.
"I will prefer to stand."
When Lady Matlock first came to know that Darcy had become aware of their clandestine visit to the warehouse that day, she had been quite worried. After ruminations, however, she had come to the conclusion that it would not do to be defensive in front of her nephew. Especially as she felt certain that she had acted in a manner in which Anne would approve wholeheartedly.
"Richard informed me that you are very unhappy with our visit to the Gardiner's warehouse, Fitzwilliam."
"Should I not be, Madam? If I remember correctly I wrote to you promising to introduce Elizabeth to you as soon as I was able."
"Yes… you did, my dear, but that would have been after your wedding, and I found that I could not wait until after your nuptials to see for myself what manner of a girl you had chosen."
Darcy's eyes widened a little at his aunt's irresolute manner. "But I told you everything there was tell, Aunt Susan! Do you not trust what I told you, or you do not consider me fit to take decisions for myself?"
"Well, if we are talking of trust, my dear Fitzwilliam, it was implicit from your letter that we were not to try and meet your betrothed in you absence. Why was that Fitzwilliam? Did you not trust me to be kind to Elizabeth, or not capable enough to protect her from your uncle's disapprobation if that was what you feared?" Lady Matlock got up from her seat and went to stand in front of Darcy.
Darcy's mouth dropped open at the unexpected counterattack and he stared at his waiting aunt in some consternation. Colonel Fitzwilliam hid a grin behind his hand, ruing the fact that there had been no one with whom he could have placed a bet for the outcome of this particular altercation.
After a moment of awkward silence in which his aunt continued to stand before him, Darcy tried to respond. "Er… no… no… of course it was no such thing, it is just that…"
"It is just that the protective lover in you did not want Elizabeth to face even a moment's anxiety because of you or your relatives. I am willing to concede that it does not mean that you did not trust me, but only that you were not willing to take a chance with her comfort."
"Umm… yes… yes…"
"Similarly, Fitzwilliam, while my mind told me that I could trust you to make right decisions, it was a mother's heart that did not allow me to sit quietly without trying to at least ascertain if you were making the biggest mistake of your life. One which could not be corrected. Anne is not here with us any longer, but the last promise I made to her will be there with me always."
Darcy could only stare mutely at her aunt at her confession.
"If it is any comfort to you, then please know that had it been Richard instead of you, who had acted as precipitately, then also I would have gone to the warehouse that day. The only difference is that it would have been you who would have accompanied me instead of Richard."
Colonel Fitzwilliam watched as his cousin swallowed and then turned his face away to stare out of the window. After a while, he turned to face his aunt again, smiled, and bent down to place a kiss on her cheek . "Thank you, my dearest Aunt." His voice was thick with emotion.
Lady Matlock smiled and patted his cheek gently. "You know, I am rather glad that we visited the warehouse that day."
"Oh?"
"Yes, when came away that day we were much assured that you were marrying a loyal, courageous, and intelligent woman."
"Oh, but, how…"
"Ah… yes. Mrs Darcy has a razor sharp wit. Truth be told, I would always prefer not to be near her when she is annoyed with me. And I have yet to decide which set down I appreciate more, the one she delivered to Aunt Catherine or the one to Miss Bingley."
"Miss Bingley! When did Elizabeth meet Miss Bingley?"
"Oh, both of Bingley's sisters were there in the warehouse that day," Colonel Fitzwilliam confirmed and then proceeded to regale Darcy with the events that had transpired in the warehouse.
When he finished, Darcy was grinning from ear to ear, but all he said was, "She did not buy that red silk?"
"Nah… only the green one that Georgie said you would chose."
"Hmm…. I will take your leave now, Aunt, Richard and we will see you in the evening."
~§§§~
After Darcy left to visit Matlock House, Elizabeth and Georgiana retreated to Lady Anne's parlour on Elizabeth's request. It was a charming room overlooking a pretty garden, but that was not the reason why Elizabeth had asked Georgiana to accompany her there. What had peaked her interest yesterday was that one complete wall of the room was adorned with beautiful paintings. From the miniatures of her parents that Georgiana had shown her in her previous visit to London, Elizabeth knew that most of these were portraits of the Darcy family – Mr Darcy's late parents, and Georgiana. Additionally, there were some beautiful landscapes of what she had guessed very scenic places in and around Pemberley, including one of the grand house.
When they entered the room, Elizabeth immediately went to stand before the paintings. What had intrigued her was the impression one gathered while looking at the portraits that their subject were quite unaware that they were being sketched. There was one of a young Georgiana riding a pony, another one of Lady Anne sitting in a parlour and embroidering, and one of the senior Mr Darcy working in what appeared to be his study. From her own knowledge of the art, she could tell that they were all painted by the same artist, except perhaps her favourite from the lot. Although it appeared a little raw, painted by an artist still learning his craft, it exuded such a feeling of happiness and contentment that it immediately drew her eyes. It showed Lady Anne laughing at her husband who was standing with a squealing golden haired toddler in his outstretched arms. Only one thing distracted her from the beautiful wall – there was not one painting of her husband in so many beautiful ones.
"I have been meaning to ask you about these beautiful paintings, Georgiana. Who is the talented artist?"
Georgiana glanced at her sideways and gave a mischievous smile. "Would you like to take a guess, Elizabeth? I can give you a small hint – you have met him."
"Oh! Mr Darcy?"
"Right the very first time!" Georgiana applauded.
"He has also painted the one in the middle… the one in which you are a toddler in your father's arms?"
"Oh, yes, that is his first painting that he got framed. He painted it when he was my age."
"Hmm… so that is why there is no painting of him on the wall," Elizabeth murmured even as she felt a strange feeling of melancholy that Mr Darcy was not part of any of these beautiful memories.
"Father very much wanted to get a portrait of brother done for this wall… to… umm… complete the family so to say, but brother was adamant that mother consider this as his wall and he wanted it to remain that way," Georgiana said softly as she too studied the various paintings on the wall.
"Father and I both suggested him to try a self-portrait…. Well… as you can see, it is still awaited."
"Hmm…" Although Elizabeth pretended nonchalance, she looked at the wall once more and hoped fervently that somehow she could do something so that the wait could be over. 'It is not right that Fitzwilliam is not part of these memories…'
~§§§~
Like The Gentleman He Was
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