A/N - this has been updated to correct grammar and spelling - a big thanks to my beta reader Ann (goclimbatree), who has begun reading through and helping me fix errors and ensure clarity. I took down several chapters and am slowly adding them back. Some chapters have been split, so this is not the same as the original chapter 17.

Let me know if you continue to see any issues. This story will be published on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited at some point once it is finished (August 30?).


Chapter 17

Darcy quickly caught up with Elizabeth and, finding a spot hidden from view of the house, pulled his wife into his arms while she cried. "I am so sorry, William," she sobbed.

"Why are you apologising, my love?" he replied softly. "You have done nothing wrong, and I am deeply impressed by how you handled your father. While I might have been inclined to simply give the funds to him, it is wise of you to require him to sacrifice to repay the money. He may very well do something like this again if there is no pain or effort required of him to correct the situation he has created."

"You are correct that simply giving him funds will not require him to make any changes in his behaviour," Elizabeth told him, her voice muffled as she was pressed to his chest. "This way, perhaps we can help my sisters since he will never make the effort to do so. We can invest the money he repays us to serve as dowries for my sisters or use a portion to pay for school or a governess to educate my younger sisters. Surely something can be done to correct their behaviour. Jane and I have tried often enough, but to no avail."

Darcy nodded his agreement. "What stipulations would you like to include?" he asked as he led her to a bench he saw a little farther from the house.

"He must tell Mama, and they must learn to live on less. He will need to do what he can to increase the estate's earnings and pay more attention to the running of it," she grimaced before she stated her next thought. "Do you … do you think you could give him a few suggestions to improve the estate's income? He has largely left things to Mr Todd, his steward, to manage and does little himself, and I am sure many things have been neglected while Jane and I have been away."

Once again, he nodded his agreement. "I will ride out on the estate tomorrow morning to see what I might suggest. If we stay a few extra days, I will take a look at his books as well."

Elizabeth thanked him. "I have made suggestions over the years that he has not implemented. The steward would occasionally do as I suggested, but Papa would never agree if it required any expenditure of funds. And now, there will not be funds available to do so, even if he were to agree."

When they reached the bench, Darcy sat down and pulled Elizabeth into his lap, comforting her with his embrace. Elizabeth broke the silence. "We have been here for such a short time, William, and already I am anxious to depart. I am angry at Papa for putting his family — and us — in this position, and you must know he was thinking of this when he agreed to us marrying. He knew he would ask you for this money, and he fully expected you to simply give it to him without condition."

"Hush, love," he crooned as he felt her tense in his arms before feeling her tears soak his cravat. He continued to rub her back and soothe her by whispering words of love until she calmed. She, at last, took a shuddering breath and sat up, remaining seated where she was.

"I wonder what my uncle Phillips knows about this," she wondered. "Should we seek his advice on creating a document that would bind Papa to repay the debt, or is a written contract between you and him enough?"

"A written contract, regardless of who wrote it, will be binding since both of us will sign it. I have read enough contracts in my years as master of my estate, and even before, when my father began to fade, to feel we can write a document that reflects our stipulations," he told her.

She nodded at him. "My Uncle Gardiner cannot be aware of any of this, and my father would not have said anything to Uncle Phillips unless he believed it absolutely necessary. Mrs Hill suspects something is wrong — she hinted at something amiss when I spoke to her about our trunks. I suspect he is holding something back in all of this, but what he did tell us is bad enough." She shuddered as she considered the threats those men had made. Elizabeth was angry enough with her father to think a brief stint in debtors' prison would serve him well, but she would protect her sisters from the damage that would do to their reputations and from the men who threatened Jane and might threaten any of them.

"Let us go to our room and write up the conditions. I will hire someone to protect your remaining family from any additional threats from these gentlemen and arrange for the money to be paid directly to them," Darcy said. "There should be no reason for them to continue to threaten your family after they are paid."

Elizabeth nodded. "I am sorry I have brought this trouble to your door. I do realise that for you, this amount of money is likely insignificant, but it is substantial for Longbourn. I do not know how he could have amassed such a significant debt."

"I have seen a few men get in deeper than this in a matter of days," Darcy told her. "I have seen Wickham lose more than a thousand pounds in a matter of hours."

Elizabeth gasped in surprise. "I can scarcely believe someone can lose so much money so quickly, but little of what Mr Wickham has done surprises me. And while I can understand my father's desire to finally do something to aid his family, gambling was incredibly foolish."

Darcy agreed with her, but they were interrupted when Mary and Kitty approached, blushing and averting their gaze when they saw Elizabeth's position on her husband's lap. "Mama told us to find you and bring you into the parlour to take tea. Lady Lucas has come for a visit, and Mama desires to show off her married daughter and her husband," Mary said, rolling her eyes as she spoke. Elizabeth sighed and reluctantly stood. Darcy did as well and, placing his wife's hand on his arm, followed the younger girls into the house.

When they joined the ladies in the parlour, Darcy, at least, was greeted enthusiastically by Mrs Bennet. Initially, Lady Lucas was slightly in awe of the taciturn man, whose disturbance by the day's revelations showed in his demeanour, and noted Elizabeth was unusually quiet as well. Both were considering the news that had been shared and the stipulations they would insist upon before loaning Mr Bennet the money to pay his debts.

While Elizabeth had written to Charlotte several times since leaving Kent, she had not received a response from her friend since the first letter congratulating her on her marriage and had assumed her friend was being prevented from writing further. It had not occurred to her since her marriage to wonder what stories Mr Collins had shared with the Lucases or what Maria Lucas might have said upon her return, especially since none of the Bennets had mentioned any gossip from that quarter. However, the gleam in Lady Lucas's eyes made her wonder what that lady thought she knew.

Lady Lucas did not make her wait long. "Mr Darcy," she began, her voice sickeningly sweet, "I understand your aunt is most displeased with your recent marriage. Mr Collins has had much to say about it in his letters, especially after you treated the lady so abominably in London."

Darcy immediately stiffened at her rudeness and the mention of his aunt. "Lady Catherine objected to my marriage because it interfered with her plans to retain control of Rosings. She believed I would not force her into the dower house as would be my right as Rosings' master and as her husband directed in his will. My cousin Anne has been the rightful owner of that estate for more than two years, which means my aunt did not have the right to appoint your son-in-law to the living. My uncle, the Earl of Matlock, is presently consulting with my late uncle's solicitors about how to proceed.

"We have since learned much about Lady Catherine's machinations and Mr Collins' ignoble behaviour. Did you know, madam, that your son-in-law threw my wife from his home without concern for how or when she would travel, for her reputation, or for any harm that might befall her? In fact, he attempted to ensure she would be harmed by interfering with arrangements I made to transport her safely to London. He encouraged the coachman to leave without her and, when that man refused, ordered the chaperone out of the carriage, an order she also refused. My uncle has spoken to the archbishop, who is considering what to do with Mr Collins because of his disgraceful and un-Christian treatment of Mrs Darcy and because his appointment by Lady Catherine was not legitimate. So far, they have been reluctant to act since we had not heard any rumours about Mrs Darcy's expulsion from his home, and my wife does not want to see Mrs Collins harmed. Should any gossip circulate that might damage my wife's reputation, the archbishop and my uncle will protect our family.

"My aunt is no longer recognized by her family; her daughter has been removed from her care and is being treated by a physician in London due to her mother's neglect. Now tell me, Lady Lucas, do you truly believe I have treated Lady Catherine poorly, or is your fool of a son-in-law spreading rumours that would be potentially damaging to my wife's reputation? It is my intention to visit several shops in Meryton tomorrow, and if I hear a word spoken against my wife, I will be most displeased, and I will be sure to let my uncle know of it."

Lady Lucas could not respond to the direct threat in Darcy's words and tone. She had made sure everyone in Meryton knew of the compromise that led to the Darcys' hasty marriage and knew the Bennets were unaware of the gossip that was circulating since Mr Bennet had restricted his family from visiting Meryton or shopping of late. Her face turned pale under Darcy's intense glare, and she suddenly remembered an appointment and, abruptly excusing herself, scurried away.

Elizabeth sagged against him. "She has spread some falsehood that Mr Collins and your aunt concocted about the reason for my expulsion from his home," Elizabeth whispered. "She will never be able to retract all the tales she spread, and I have little doubt everyone we encounter tomorrow will look at me with either pity or disgust."

Ignoring her family around them, he drew her into an embrace. "It will be well, Elizabeth," he told her quietly. "All will be well."

"What can we do?" she asked him.

"I will send an express to my uncle immediately," Darcy replied. "He has been waiting until we arrived here to determine what should be done in regard to Mr Collins. I am afraid things will not go well for that man after this. Lady Catherine did not have the authority to appoint him, and his actions toward you are heinous enough to cause him problems with the archbishop. I do not know what my uncle and the archbishop will do, but it is possible Mr Collins will be sent somewhere as a missionary or be unable to support a wife if he cannot find a position in the church. If Mrs Collins finds herself needing a home, I will offer to purchase a small cottage near Meryton for her. Or in Derbyshire if she prefers that to remaining here."

Elizabeth gasped lightly. "Poor Charlotte. But perhaps that would be a good situation for her; all she wanted was a house of her own and not to be a burden on her parents."

"Then that is what we will give her. She does not deserve such a husband," Darcy replied.

While the Darcys were speaking privately, the Bennet ladies were discussing what they heard and watching the couple. Jane tried to convince her mother and younger sisters that Lady Lucas was incorrect and Elizabeth had not been compromised by Mr Darcy or anyone else, but Mrs Bennet was working her way into a fit of hysterics. Finally, the dam burst loose.

"What have you done, Lizzy?" she cried. "What was Lady Lucas speaking of? You must tell me at once, for it seems that all our neighbours know some gossip about you that they have hidden from us. Tell me now, Lizzy Bennet, what you have done that will bring ruin upon all of your sisters."

Elizabeth stood and faced her mother. "My name, madam, is Elizabeth Darcy, and the only thing I have done is marry a good man, a man who loves me and will do all he can to ensure my family is well taken care of, despite their own stupidity. Do not accuse me of anything. Mr Collins turned me out of his home because Lady Catherine believed I had taken Mr Darcy's attention from her daughter, completely disregarding the truth of the matter. William was never engaged to his cousin, and neither party desired to be so, but Lady Catherine was determined to force her will. She blamed me when she could not manipulate them and told Mr Collins to throw me from his house. The fool did so but William ensured I was safe and protected."

Darcy had stood with her, and for the second time that day, she retreated to the garden where her husband comforted her.

She felt his arms around her before she spoke. "Can we never leave Pemberley once we arrive there? Between my parents, Lady Lucas, Mr Collins, and Lady Catherine, I do not think I want to see anyone else again for some time. What story do you think they have concocted that we will hear tomorrow in Meryton, and how many do you think will believe it?"

"It does not matter, Elizabeth," he told her. "Truly it does not. You have already won over many in the ton, and my aunt will counter any rumours that might make it as far as London. We do not have to return to London next year if you do not wish it, although we will have to the following year so Georgiana can be presented."

She sighed into his arms. "I just want to go home, William."

"Home?" he asked.

She nodded and smiled up at him. "Is not Pemberley our home?" she asked impishly.

Darcy leaned down to kiss her nose. "Yes, dearest, Pemberley is home, and I cannot wait to take you there. However, we must remain here for at least a few days to settle things with your father and address any rumours that may exist."

Elizabeth stood in his arms for several moments, taking comfort from him. "Thank you, William. I think we need to rest before dinner, together, in our bed."

He grinned and drew her back to the house. Elizabeth showed him to the servant's staircase, and they snuck upstairs, where they remained until it was time for dinner.

After Darcy rode the estate that morning, he and Elizabeth met with Mr Todd and discussed suggestions for improving the estate's yields and increase its profits. Darcy discovered Elizabeth and the steward had previously made several of the suggestions, and they selected several easily implemented and low-cost strategies to include in their contract. Mr Todd readily agreed to keep them informed about how things were going on the estate, which seemed underhanded in a way, but both Elizabeth and Darcy felt it was necessary to ensure they knew what was going on from someone other than Mr Bennet.

After meeting with Mr Todd, Darcy and Elizabeth walked into Meryton, paid the Bennets' outstanding accounts, and arranged for the estate's purchases to be covered through Michaelmas. In each store, they obtained a signed receipt for the amount paid to add to the total of her father's debt. They also sought to counter what rumours they could as they patiently answered questions about their courtship and engagement. The obvious affection they shared did force a few to change their opinions about the couple, although some rumours persisted.

Following the meal, Elizabeth and Darcy presented her father with the document outlining the conditions for their loan. He must take an interest in the estate and actively work to increase its income and begin implementing some of the strategies Darcy had written out following the meeting with Mr Todd.

Mr and Mrs Bennet would retrench and pay a minimum of two hundred pounds each quarter toward the loan. They pointed out that the pin money for the daughters who were from home could be saved and the pin money for the youngest girls could be cut significantly since they would no longer be attending social events and their current dresses would do and could be remade to fit their new status.

Darcy and Elizabeth would provide a governess or send the younger girls to school. Mr Bennet must support their attempts to improve the girls' behaviour. Bennet agreed to send a letter to Pemberley within the week with his preference of school or a governess for his daughters. Eventually, if their behaviour was amended to the point that it would be acceptable in town, a decision that would be made by Elizabeth herself or Lady Matlock, Elizabeth would sponsor both girls in society.

While Mr Bennet must send a letter at least every other week informing the Darcy's of the progress and any concerns at Longbourn, he must not allow Mrs Bennet to complain to Elizabeth about the conditions of the loan. If Bennet defaulted, Darcy reserved the right to throw Bennet in debtors' prison until such a time as he could pay back the loan.

And, finally, Bennet must inform his family of these changes and conditions immediately after the Darcys departed and write within the week with details of the meeting with Mrs Bennet and her reactions to the changes at Longbourn. They agreed this meeting would occur after the Darcys left to avoid Mrs Bennet's anger being directed at Elizabeth. Darcy insisted Bennet tell his wife everything that had occurred, and although he doubted the likelihood of it, he expected at least some honesty about their situation.

Bennet was unhappy with the conditions of the agreement but had little choice but to agree. He did not know what would happen to his family if he were sent to debtors' prison, and despite his indolence, he did not want any of his daughters to be used as they would be if they were taken to repay his debt. Reluctantly, he signed both copies of the agreement and, when the ink dried, kept one and gave Darcy the other.


Copyright 2023 Melissa Anne