An Unexpected Discovery

February 14th, 1812

On the best side of town, a Gentleman was about to make a discovery that would shock and stun the man.

Mr Darcy was dining with his Uncle Cyril the Earl of Matlock and his aunt Cassandra Lady Matlock with his cousin the Viscount and future Earl - Lucien and the Viscountess Julia Fitzwilliam, his other female cousin Lady Sophia Fitzwilliam and his sister Georgiana and her companion Mrs Annesley. When it came to the end of the fine meal, Fitzwilliam Darcy noticed that his aunt seemed to look pointedly at his uncle who glowered and then sighed.

Cyril was a jovial being most of the time. When his ire was up though he was stormy and cold. At the age of eight and fifty if anyone had met his sister Lady Catherine De Bourgh first people were astonished they were related, some people had tried to take advantage of his kind nature in the past, but underneath his jocularity lay a man with a keen mind. One had to be to keep his family to the comfort of which they had all grown accustomed. He was also a supporter of anything his sister was against, which is why he had a somewhat tepid relationship with the great Lady of Rosings.

The aunt, Cassandra was three and fifty and married when she was 17 to the Earl, she had her youngest son at the tender age of one and twenty and was nothing like her celestial namesake for she was not vain. She knew she was a handsome woman but did not overstate her elegance. Her eyes were keen and observant. She had seen the symptom of love in her dearest Nephew. With a heavy heart, she knew it was time to get the letter out that her husband's dear sister Lady Anne had written, that was the message she had conveyed to her husband.

Lucien and Julia were a society match but were fond of each other in their own way. They already had a son, and a daughter so felt their duty had been served. They had austere tastes that sometimes bordered on the puritanical and often only dealt with modistes and tradesmen when they really had to. Both were of a serious disposition more in common with their aunt Lady Catherine than their happy, lively parents.

Lady Sophia was a beautiful belle of society who had yet to marry but determined her 40,000 pounds dowry would not go to anyone unless they truly deserved her. She was lively, accomplished, and kind. Unlike her fair-headed brothers, she had taken after her mother's dark looks.

Georgiana was still a youth, not yet out in society, and often in company with the Matlocks. She was of womanly form that made her seem older than her tender years of five and ten. Elegant, accomplished, handsome and had the potential to make a good match someday. She had already been the victim of a fortune-hunting scoundrel and his cousin, Mrs Young, who attempted to steal her fortune away from her. Neither knew that her canny father had a clause in the will that the match she aspired to had to be approved by her guardians - her brother Mr Darcy, and the only Fitzwilliam not in attendance, the good Colonel. As a result, she had lost that liveliness that had once been her disposition - and retreated into herself, no longer able to trust people.

There seemed to be no one who would be a good friend to her except her companion Mrs Annesley who was a respectable woman of good age and the wisdom to match, she was motherly in her approach to her charge.

After dinner, the separation of the sexes occurred.

"Come, Darcy, you are more miserable than Lucien and that's saying something!" the Earl said.

"I am not myself Uncle," was Darcy's listless response.

The Uncle narrowed his eyes, "Come on then, who is she?" he asked.

"That is just like you, Father, getting straight to the point," Lucien said as he took his cup of coffee as he did not like alcohol.

"I do not believe in prevarication," said the Earl airily. "At my time of life, no need to beat around the bush!"

Darcy swirled the brandy in his crystal glass and sighed, "There is no she, Uncle."

"Nonsense, you have the look of a man in love - say," he leaned over, "she is not a serving girl, is she?"

"I do not wish to discuss this," Darcy avoided his uncle's gaze.

"In Trade p'raps?"

"Uncle," Darcy drew out a long breath.

The Earl sighed, "Hmm, p'raps Cassandra is right," he mused.

"Right, about what?"

"There was a letter my dearest sister Anne wrote for this occasion," the Earl said, "she gave it to me on her deathbed, begging me to give it to you." Then he sat back, "Course, would be marryin' down but tradespeople are mostly honest folk. Got some investments in Trade myself, Gardiner - good man that, in Trade, not shameful at all. Lord Dalrymple sent me to him. Got good taste in women too, wife could easily pass as a Lady!"

Darcy frowned in thought, "I would not have thought you to meddle in Trade Uncle!"

"What about you being friends with that Bingley. He's Trade, isn't he?"

"A generation away, Uncle."

"Close enough," Lucien mumbled.

"Bingley has aspirations to own an Estate, he seeks to better himself," Darcy said warmly.

"Once in Trade always in Trade!" Lucien muttered. "I warned you, father, about your venturing into Trade, it is unseemly."

"Nonsense, working with good people - finest fabrics in the warehouse, your mother and sister swear by him! Darcy," he said, "might do you good to get that poker out of your backside, you have been listening to Catherine too much I daresay."

Was it true? Was he becoming a male Lady Catherine? Did he really think that he was superior to everyone else? Here he was in an Earls home, and he had to admit, he had not been performing his best of late. Still wearing the mask of arrogant pride even amongst his own relations.

"Do you know what the letter is about?"

"No idea, Darcy, you should read it," the man got up and went to his bureau that sat against the far wall, he took a key out of his pocket and opened it up. Pressing a little thing underneath the desk opened a secret compartment, and here he dragged the letter out and handed it to Darcy.

"To my Darling Moon Beam!" he read.

He choked up, no one else was ever allowed to call him Moon Beam other than his mother. Even she stopped calling him that when he entered Eton. Seeing her elegant hand again made him freeze. The Earl squeezed his shoulders. "Lucien and I will be leaving you to your peace," he said.

Once the two men left Darcy opened the letter.

"My dearest Moon Beam,

I know you are at Cambridge now and so I won't embarrass you by sending this letter there. I know you detest the affectionate appellation I have given you but if Georgiana is my Sun, then it stands to reason you are the Moon.

I understand that in a few short years, you will enter your majority and with that comes responsibility - if either I or your father dies before you are thirty then I would wish this letter to be in your hands.

Lady Catherine has been begging to make the betrothal complete before my death, to your cousin Anne. I have spoken to Anne, and she is adamant that she does wish to marry a cousin, but you are not her choice. I have wisely kept silent on the subject as I know you have expressed many times that you do not wish to enter the parsons trap with your cousin Anne either.

On this, your father and I are in total agreement, if we are not in agreement about a certain matter that does not mean we do not love each other. Marriage is a meeting of both heart and mind, conquer one and the other soon follows. The love I have for you fills my soul so much that it feels like I could burst from it.

That is why I have written this note.

Marry for love - preserve rank as much as you can - but marry for love. You are going to be a Gentleman, only a Gentleman's daughter will do. I have said this to Georgiana on her note she is to get on her coming out into society.

I have encouraged Brother Cyril and my dear sister Cassandra to aid you against Catherine's machinations for she will always carry her point. Although she may not like it, Cyril is the head of the Fitzwilliam family so she will have to abide by his edict.

Just remember you are your own man. If your father is dead at the time of reading this then you are the Master of only yourself, if your heart is tending towards a lady, follow it. Woo her, be romantic with her and for goodness' sake, talk to her. I know you are shy, my lovely boy, but you must speak with all your heart. Trust her to know your secrets no matter how shameful and be kind to everyone.

Communication within a marriage is vital. Choose carefully, but if you were to follow my advice you need someone to bring you out of your shell. A witty wife who will bring that adorable smile to your face, you need someone to care for you, to be a sister to Georgiana. A warm, caring soul who does what is right and does not stick to appearances. Some consider that I marrying your father was beneath me despite his fortune, but love leads to strange places. Let love guide you. Teach you and humble you.

Do not let pride get in the way of a good thing.

Your loving mother

Mrs Anne Darcy!"

Darcy had never been more stunned in his life.

It seemed his mother had spoken beyond the grave and given her agreement to court Miss Elizabeth, but does he dare to?

He folded the letter and placed it in his jacket to peruse later. Perhaps going back to Hertfordshire might be a good idea…

If only he knew what Bingley was up to right, then!