Update ch 31
"Colonel. You are so pale! Tell us what could be in Anne's letter to make you so worried." Elizabeth placed her hand over his arm in comfort, shaking him out of his thoughts.
"What? No, no! I have not read the letter, but Anne is not here. I have looked everywhere and spoken to as many people as I dared. I did not wish it to get out that Anne left early, especially if she has left with someone not of our party."
Mr. Darcy finally tore his eyes from Elizabeth. "She left with someone."
"I doubt she could get far on her own. She is too weak. Though I cannot think whom she might have left with." The colonel held up the letter, exasperated. "Read it and tell me what is going on."
Mr. Darcy quickly took the letter and opened it. Stepping closer to the candles in the wall sconces, Elizabeth had to lean over his arm to see the letter. Chuckling, Mr. Darcy moved the letter so that they could both read it. "I should have known you would be too impatient to wait for me to tell you what it contains." Pleased he could do so, he set his free hand over her back to help her lean closer.
Elizabeth would have responded, but she was reading the letter. "Mr. Warden!"
The colonel blanched further. "I have not seen Warden. He left with Anne?"
Mr. Darcy spoke quietly as he continued reading the letter, pleased he could enjoy the comfort of having such an intoxicating woman beside him and still pay attention to the matter at hand. "They seem to have eloped." He did not continue, so the colonel moved around Darcy to attempt to read the letter himself, but he could not move over his cousin's arm as easily as Elizabeth and was forced to give up.
Mr. Darcy finished the letter and pocketed it. "Come to the library so that we may discuss this in private." They managed a few steps when an idea struck him. "Miss Bennet, Elizabeth," he paused to kiss her hand, pleased at the intimacies he could enjoy. Before his cousin could tell him off for delaying, he continued, "Could you please find Lady Catherine and escort her to the library to join us? Her assistance will be invaluable. Be as discreet as you can."
"Of course," Elizabeth declared. "I am nothing if not discreet. I shall simply tell her that Mr. Darcy needs to discuss a settlement before he can declare his love for his future bride."
"Elizabeth." Mr. Darcy began to protest, but she skipped away. Shuddering at what Lady Catherine would think, he turned again to follow his cousin into Lord Metcalfe's library.
"You always do manage to snag the best this world has to offer. I wish you many years of bliss, my dear cousin." The colonel said as he opened the door to the library. "She is the brightest woman I have yet met, and she seems to adore you."
Mr. Darcy did not know how to respond, so he kept silent, pacing as he attempted to put his thoughts in order.
"Care to share your ideas, Cousin?" The colonel asked, adding, "May I at least read the letter so that I know what you are up against? Lady Catherine shall be here far too soon for my liking."
Feeling this was a reasonable request, Mr. Darcy handed over the letter. "It is imperative that Lady Catherine not read this letter." He cautioned.
The colonel unfolded the letter and moved to a corner of the room that had adequate light while being unobtrusive should Lady Catherine enter while he was reading.
My dear cousin,
By now you have noticed my absence, though perhaps you have not noticed with whom I have eloped. That is well. All shall be revealed in good time.
I have been meditating on our predicament for some time. To no avail, I had hoped you would marry some time in the past few years. Until you married, I knew I could have no hope of my mother allowing me my own choice of a marriage partner. We have been courting by mail and occasional drawing room visits in the company of our mothers for three years at least. His mother wishes his elder brother to marry first, though he seems even less inclined to marry than you, especially at the moment.
But you seem to have come to the point at last, and I adore your choice of bride. Lizzy is the sweetest, most obstinate woman I have ever met, and she shall be the making of you. Gone are your days of settling everything without taking another's opinion first, and you shall be better off having to ask permission from your wife on occasion.
However, I know how little my mother will accept your choice. She is not me, despite her many qualities which far surpass mine. As I have waited for you to come to the point, when I heard about the rumors surrounding you and Lizzy, I knew they would force your hand. Mr. Warden assured me that the rumors had escalated even from what you and Lizzy had heard. You shall have to forgive me for listening to your conversations in the library. Before you get angry at him, know that he had nothing to do with the rumors, and he attempted to reason with everyone who spoke of them, unfortunately to no avail. Your engagement announcement tonight (which you must do, in case you are thinking otherwise) shall put paid to the rumors and all will be well, except for my mother's reaction.
To help resolve this dilemma, I have run away with Mr. Warden. We had already planned to elope if my mother ever became any more overbearing. He has already purchased a special license, and we are both of age and independent means. You cannot marry a married woman, nor can she hold anything over you should you find me before we marry. I am tainted unless I marry Mr. Warden. It is no longer your fault you cannot marry me. You are very welcome.
I suspect you shall have to travel to London to search for me to show my mother you are willing to protect the family name. Do not search too hard, for I will be well hidden until I marry. Perhaps you might travel to Hertfordshire to speak with Mr. Bennet and secure your engagement while my mother believes you are in London searching for me. My marriage shall be announced at Lady Matlock's ball on the twenty-eighth, and I expect you and your betrothed to be there so that we can also announce your engagement to London society. We shall be the peak of the gossip columns in every newspaper, for I am certain no other family is as sought after as ours. I look forward to witnessing the utter dejection on the faces of all the matrons with unwed daughters almost as much as I look forward to marrying my beloved Thomas Warden. I am sorry that I shall not witness my mother's reaction. Do write down everything she says so that we may look back on it and laugh together.
The dower house is being readied for my mother, though she is not aware of this. How soon she moves shall be dependent on her behavior. She knows this, as I made it clear to her that I am the legal mistress of the house now. Her letter was sent at the same time yours was delivered to the colonel, which was about half an hour before my departure.
Do not attempt to search for me. We have horses at every inn, ready to hurry us along to London. You shall not intercept us tonight, nor should you wish to. I must be compromised by Mr. Warden so that I am unmarriageable to anyone else. I suppose there is a risk that Mr. Warden might abandon me, but I am willing to accept that risk, for I highly doubt his affection for me is deceptive, for he has more income than I and has his own establishment in London, where he prefers to reside.
Good luck,
Anne de Bourgh.
"Good lord, has she put her foot in!" The colonel stated as he stared at the sheet in wonder after he had finished. He would have continued, but Lady Catherine and Elizabeth entered before he could say another word.
