Chapter 13
Richard was a little surprised to hear how his cousin spoke about his wife's family, considering that Elizabeth had accepted Georgiana as a sister without conditions or judging her.
"Without a doubt, the Bennets are different from the families we frequent, Darcy. But I think you are always a little harsher than I would be because I tend not to be so critical of things that are not really important. But if I am honest, I do not understand why Mrs. Darcy accepted your proposal. Beyond her family's flaws, it seems to me that she is quite special and, of course, very pretty."
"Her irresponsible parents compelled her to look for employment because they wanted to force her to marry Lady Catherine's ridiculous cleric," Mr. Darcy said. When he saw his cousin's questioning face, he explained in more detail why Elizabeth had accepted his proposal.
"It is a shame that such a lovely lady was forced to make such a drastic decision. We men, no matter how precarious our situation must be, always have an alternative. And what do you plan to do now? It is no longer necessary for you to be married, and as I assume you have not… well, you understand what I mean. I believe it will not be difficult to annul your marriage if it has not been consummated..." Richard saw his cousin uneasy and tried to steer the conversation to another topic. "In fact, you could hire her as Georgiana's companion. That would be a way to safeguard Miss Bennet's reputation."
"Well, there is another matter you should know. Georgiana believes that Elizabeth and I married for love. I did not want her to feel guilty thinking I was tying the rest of my life to a woman I did not love to help her."
"I understand. I noticed that Georgie feels very happy knowing that you have a good wife who you love and loves you. But you have not answered my question: what are you planning to do now?"
"Nothing. I am already married, and despite my wife's origins, I can recognize that she is an excellent woman and a good sister, and I am sure she will also be a good mother to my children."
"Darcy, I get the impression that your wife has a different idea of what matrimony should be. Remember that she preferred to leave her home rather than marry her father's estate heir. Furthermore, when she accepted your proposal, she did so, thinking that you would be anything but husband and wife. Have you not thought she might not be interested in being your wife in the broad sense of the word?"
"Fitzwilliam, Mr. Collins is an insignificant fool; you cannot compare him with me…"
"You are right, Darcy. I cannot compare him with Fitzwilliam Darcy, one of the most eligible bachelors, who, besides being rich, Master of Pemberley and owner of the half of Derbyshire, is handsome and very intelligent," Richard said sarcastically.
"You know very well, Fitzwilliam, that I could have married a beautiful and rich heiress if I had desired. I do not want to sound presumptuous, but I know very well what I am worth and what I can offer a woman, which is not only money and luxuries but also respect and devotion," Mr. Darcy replied with conviction.
"So you will tell your wife that you now want her to be 'your wife'? Richard asked, half worried and amused by the situation.
"Fitzwilliam, there are certain things that have happened between my wife and me that… Well, that is not easy to explain. I can only tell you that when we spent time together in Hertfordshire, there was always a strong attraction between us, and there are no longer obstacles for those feelings to transform into something deeper."
"What kind of things? Did something happen between you and Miss Bennet? And why did you leave Hertfordshire then?"
"How can you suggest that, Fitzwilliam? I am an honorable gentleman, and my wife is a proper lady."
"I am sorry, Darcy, but I do not understand!"
"Well… Since we met, there has been admiration and attraction between us that we only showed in sometimes passionate exchanges of opinions. But when I realized what was happening, I kept a respectful distance not to raise expectations I could never fulfill."
"Because she had neither the dowry nor the connections to be Mrs. Darcy, correct?"
"Yes, Fitzwilliam, that was so, even though you said it mockingly. But none of that matters anymore after everything that has happened in these months. In any case, Fitzwilliam, I am not the callous brute you think I am. Before discussing the future of our relationship with my wife, I plan to court her as she deserves," explained Mr. Darcy, convinced that things would turn out just as he had planned.
"Well, now I have a better idea of the situation, Darcy." Richard felt like telling his cousin that he was, in fact, an unfeeling brute who thought things had to happen because he wanted them to happen. But he knew him very well and knew he would not learn to be less conceited and proud because he told him so.
Furthermore, Richard knew that his cousin had a high opinion of himself because he had always been the best at everything. Also, because of his wealth and physical appearance, many women pursued and flattered him, significantly boosting his ego. Only his strict morals had kept him from worldly temptations to which other men like him succumbed.
"I wish you the best of fortune, then, Darcy." Richard thought there was no one better in the world to teach him the lesson his cousin deserved than Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
"Fortune has nothing to do with this matter, but I thank you for your good wishes. I think it is time to visit Georgiana," said Mr. Darcy.
"Yes, she must be waiting for us," Richard replied, closing the matter.
Elizabeth was reading a story to Georgiana when Mr. Darcy and the Colonel arrived in the room. She did not notice their entry, so Mr. Darcy took the opportunity to observe each expression on her face carefully.
"Well, I think I shall stop here, and I shall retire to my room to rest so that you can converse with the gentlemen," Elizabeth said. She wanted to spend as little time as possible around Mr. Darcy.
"Thank you, Lizzy, for being so good to me," Georgiana said, unable to help but get emotional.
"No, Georgiana, I do not want to see you sad. Give me one of your beautiful smiles before I leave," Elizabeth said, kissing Georgiana's forehead.
"Will you come later?" Georgiana asked, smiling.
"Of course, but now you must take advantage of spending time with the Colonel, who came especially to see you," Elizabeth replied. She then stood up, greeted the gentlemen, and excused herself so she could leave.
Mr. Darcy was very moved to see the tenderness with which Elizabeth treated his sister, and he could not stop looking at her. But she mistook his admiring look for condemnation and censure. She was used to him looking at her that way ever since they were forced to spend time together in Netherfield.
Elizabeth left the room and Mr. Darcy and Richard sat on chairs near Georgiana's bed to talk to her.
P&P
Richard had told his cousins several anecdotes about the new recruits and how many of them had no idea how intense the life of a soldier could be. "I swear, Georgie, some have cried like little children."
"Indeed? And what do they do? Do they abandon the army or persevere?"
"Very few give up because they understand things improve a lot once the initial phase of the training ends. Furthermore, the spirit of brotherhood and camaraderie is very strong among officers, which you will not find in any other profession."
Although Mr. Darcy was listening to his cousin, his attention was elsewhere. He was thinking about Elizabeth and how to talk to her about the future of their relationship. He knew there had to be some period of courtship before declaring his devotion to her, but he did not know how long it was necessary because they were already married.
"Darcy, you have not heard a word I have said," Richard stated, winking at Georgiana.
"You were talking about the new troops and how hard the training is."
"I just asked you a question; you see, you were not paying attention to me."
"Pardon me, I was distracted. I got a letter from Bingley, and I have not had time to read it yet."
"Does Bingley write very long letters that you need so much time to read them?"
"No, they are quite short. The problem is that his handwriting is terrible, and it takes me a long time to discern what he wants to tell me. But tomorrow, I shall get up early and read it. What did you ask me?"
"It was something related to dinner, nothing important. But tell me, how is Bingley? Is he still in Hertfordshire?"
"No, he is in London."
"In London? But is he not supposed to spend time there if he leased an estate? Richard asked, somewhat surprised.
"Unfortunately for him, things did not go as planned, and he had to flee that place," Mr. Darcy said.
"Indeed? "I find it hard to believe that a fellow as affable and good person as Bingley has gotten into trouble and cannot return to his estate."
"It was precisely because he was too good and affable that he had troubles," Mr. Darcy explained. Then, he briefly told how Mr. Bingley had behaved, paying too much attention to a local lady without mentioning Jane's name. He knew that Georgiana had become very attached to Elizabeth and would be concerned to know that her sister was involved in such an unpleasant matter.
"From what you say, Bingley seemed sincerely interested in the lady. Why did he not establish a relationship with her?"
"I can only say there were serious objections to the lady and her family. A relationship with her would have had serious consequences for the future of Bingley and his family."
"William, you are an excellent friend, and I am sure Mr. Bingley will always thank you for helping him to make good decisions," Georgiana said. She imagined that the woman who had tried to trap Mr. Bingley was someone like George Wickham and that her brother had saved his friend from a wretched life just as he had saved her.
"I think we have been talking nonsense for more than an hour, and it is time for you, dear, to rest," Mr. Darcy said, kissing his sister on the forehead.
"Your brother is right this time, Georgie. You should rest, and I shall return to see you in a few more hours." Richard kissed Georgiana on the cheek and left the room with his cousin.
For her part, Georgiana could not help but think about George Wickham and everything that had happened to her in the last few days. She cried uncontrollably for almost an hour until she finally fell asleep. A few hours later, she told everyone she was exhausted and needed to sleep. The truth is that she wanted to be alone and think about what she wanted to do with her life.
P&P
Elizabeth wrote a letter to Jane describing everything that had happened in her life in the last two months, but she threw it into the fireplace because she knew she could not tell the whole truth. She was sure Jane still loved and missed Mr. Bingley and did not want to cause her more distress. Therefore, she wrote a much shorter letter informing her that she was well and enjoyed the young lady's company.
Just as Elizabeth sealed the letter, a servant told her that dinner would be served in another half hour. Georgiana had eaten soup and fallen asleep, so Elizabeth had no excuse to avoid her husband. Fortunately, Colonel Fitzwilliam would still accompany them, making the evening much more tolerable.
Elizabeth decided to change her clothes and put on an evening dress that Aunt Gardiner gave her. She also asked her maid to help her fix her hair because she wanted to look her best. After what she had heard that afternoon, she did not want to give her pompous husband any reason to criticize her as he had done with her family.
Five minutes before the time, Elizabeth went to the drawing room next to the dining room, where Richard and her husband were waiting for her. When she entered, both gentlemen stood up and greeted her. Following protocol, Mr. Darcy offered his arm to his wife and escorted her to the dining room. He was very excited, thinking that Elizabeth had specially dressed to have dinner with him, and he would have liked to be alone with her so they could talk about more private and personal matters.
Once they sat at the table, Richard was struck by the fact that Elizabeth was so quiet, but he thought that after everything she had been through in the last few months, she probably missed her family.
"Mrs. Darcy, before you arrived, my cousin and I were talking about life in the country and the city. Although I enjoy spending time in Pemberley or on my father's estate, I must admit that I love city life and its enjoyment. And you, what do you prefer?"
"I have never had the possibility of living in the city or spending long periods there, but I agree with you that it offers entertainment that is impossible to find in an estate or a small town. But despite that, I suppose I prefer life in the country because I love being in contact with nature. Although it is wonderful to have the possibility of enjoying the best of both worlds," explained Elizabeth. She liked the Colonel because he was always easy to talk to and cheerful.
"Fortunately, Mrs. Darcy, you will now have the chance to enjoy the best of both worlds. Here in Pemberley, nature is generous and lush, and in London, you have a beautiful mansion and a box at the theater. In addition, the Darcys are sponsors of several museums, so we have access to all their exhibitions," explained Mr. Darcy proudly. He wanted Elizabeth to know that everything that was his was now hers, too.
But Elizabeth was so inclined to think the worst that everything Mr. Darcy said seemed like another example of his arrogance and made her feel the enormous differences between them. "Thank you, sir," Elizabeth responded, and she preferred to keep her opinion to herself out of respect for the Colonel.
For his part, Richard noticed that Elizabeth did not like what her husband said. In a way, he understood her reaction. His cousin often did not know how to express his ideas and sounded rather presumptuous. So, to change the topic, he preferred to talk about other things.
"Mrs Darcy, I understand you and my cousin met in Hertfordshire."
"Yes, Colonel. We met several times in social gatherings and spent a few days at Mr. Bingley's estate." Elizabeth told Richard that Jane had fallen ill and that she had been taking care of her for several days.
"So you had the opportunity to interact for several days and get to know each other a little better," Richard said. He noticed Mr. Darcy could not stop looking at his wife with open admiration.
"Only on rare occasions were we able to talk. I spent much of the time taking care of my sister, and the few times we were able to exchange opinions, we could never agree on anything, or Miss Bingley interrupted us," Elizabeth said with a mischievous smile.
Richard could not help but laugh because he had seen how Caroline behaved with his cousin. "How is it that you could not agree on anything?"
"It is just that your cousin, Colonel, has some ideas that… I am not sure what the right word is, but I think they could be described as extreme."
"Extreme ideas? "Excuse me, but could you explain, Mrs. Darcy, what do you mean by that?" Mr. Darcy asked, almost offended.
"I do not know if you remember, sir, but one evening, you said that you did not know more than six accomplished women because very few met your idea of what an accomplished lady is," Elizabeth explained.
"And I still hold my opinion, Mrs. Darcy. But I do not think that is an extreme idea but rather being practical," Mr. Darcy explained.
"And what are those requirements that make a woman considered talented and accomplished?" Richard asked with sincere curiosity.
Elizabeth listed all the qualities Caroline had described and added, "You realize, Colonel, that this woman possibly exists only in Miss Bingley's imagination."
"Do not forget, Mrs. Darcy, that I said that the most important quality was that a woman should read to cultivate her mind and strengthen her character," Mr. Darcy added.
"Traditionally, an accomplished woman is often defined by her grace, refinement, and ability to manage a household. However, I think we should consider another aspect of life," Elizabeth said, a little exasperated.
"I agree, domestic skills are undoubtedly valuable; an accomplished woman must also be well educated and intellectually competent. As you can see, Mrs. Darcy, we think alike on many subjects, so you, too, have extreme ideas," Mr. Darcy added. He was fascinated talking with his wife, so much so that he forgot that his cousin was there analyzing everything happening.
"No, Mr. Darcy, you and I think very differently on this subject. For you, a woman must be versed in a list of knowledge, and she must be competent in each of them to be considered talented or accomplished and, therefore, worthy of admiration. For me, a woman should have the opportunity to cultivate her own talents, whether in painting, music, or writing; that to me has much more value than meeting a series of unattainable expectations only because society dictates it." Elizabeth looked defiantly at her husband to show him she was not afraid to give her opinion.
"I think you are right, Mrs. Darcy, although I must add that it is also important for a lady to have a pleasant conversation and manners, as she will often find herself in fine society. A combination of eloquence, charm, and decorum will serve her well," said Mr. Darcy, praising the qualities his wife possessed in abundance.
Elizabeth did not understand why Mr. Darcy said that, but she assumed it was another hidden criticism of her behavior and background. "My dear Colonel, I believe you have witnessed the first time that Mr. Darcy and I have somewhat agreed on something," Elizabeth said to prevent her husband from continuing to talk to her as if they were alone.
"My dear Mrs. Darcy, you are a very charming lady, so much so that you can change the mind of even a stubborn gentleman like my cousin," Richard said, causing Elizabeth to laugh.
Mr. Darcy preferred not to add anything. He was bitter because Richard always managed to make Elizabeth laugh, which caused him to feel angry.
Elizabeth asked Richard several questions about military life and thus avoided having to talk to her husband. As soon as dinner was over, she excused herself and retired to her room.
Mr. Darcy also did not wish to spend more time conversing with Richard, so he retired to his room. He could not sleep; that evening, Elizabeth was so beautiful, and her eyes had shone brighter than ever when she defended her points of view so eloquently. She was the perfect woman for him, and anything that would have separated them in the future no longer mattered because they were now husband and wife.
He knew it might not be the best time to give her that gift, but he needed to talk to her, even if it was outside her room for a few minutes; he needed an excuse to be with her. So, without thinking twice, he approached the door that connected his room to his wife's, knocked gently, and said, "Elizabeth, if you are not asleep, there is something I would like to talk to you about."
Elizabeth was sitting at the small desk in the room, writing a letter to her aunt Gardiner, when she heard her husband's voice. She thought it was something to do with Georgiana, so she walked to the door and opened it without realizing that she was wearing only her nightgown.
"Elizabeth… I…" said Mr. Darcy when he saw his wife with her hair down and wearing only a nightgown.
P&P
Thanks to everyone who follows the story with enthusiasm and leaves comments.
This chapter was very long; I hope you like it and don't fall asleep before finishing it :)
Another thing I would like to clarify is that Mr. Darcy has not had what we know as the "Hunsford moment," which is why his pride is still very significant.
In the next chapter, our dear Colonel must return to the barracks and say goodbye to his cousins. In London, Mr. Bingley will begin the fight against his sisters.
See you soon!
Saludos,
Yo