Disclosure The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux
Richard Fitzwilliam and Love
"I don't know if he told you, but William made you my son's godparent; isn't an irony? His name is Richard; he named him to honor you; we should call him Ricky. I told William there were too many repeated names in the family, but he insisted. And, yes, this weekend is fine, but I still have concerns." Lizzie answered.
Richard felt at peace as they walked to the library holding the baby, feeling Ricky was his son. He loved the baby because he still loved his cousin, selfish or not; William was his brother as much as Bartlett was, though William wanted everyone miserable. He pulled the baby up to him and kissed the baby's head, loving the baby's smell of life and innocence. Richard grinned when Ricky made happy little sounds.
Lizzie watched them, liking how Richard looked at her son.
"We can tell Georgiana as soon as we see her," Lizzie said. "I do worry she might not like it. It is too soon; I know I should wait at least a year before I marry, so soon is not proper." Lizzie hesitated.
"Though you are right, this marriage is not usual. Your husband requested it be done this way. There are other pressing concerns to think about, such as Aunt Catherine. I bet you she is on her way with a solicitor." Richard pressed on, but he wasn't lying.
Walking to the library, they met one of the Darcy, a Scot, William's cousin. Richard remembered their father was George Darcy's best friend and cousin. Richard's father said Lady Anne loved the cousin, a Scot Laird, but who could tell? According to his father, his ambitious father didn't care for love matches, but he wanted his three children to be rich.
The Darcy cousin smiled from ear to ear. "Elizabeth, so nice to see you. I was about to look for you. I found some of the strawberries that you like."
Richard looked at the man suspiciously but said nothing; at least he tried to smile when Lizzie said thank you. "Have you gone to see Lydia today?" Lizzie asked, eating a strawberry and sighing with pleasure, making Richard want to kiss her.
"Yes, I have a message and a small gift from her to you," the cousin gave her a pair of tiny socks for her son.
Lizzie thanked him, admiring Lydia's present.
"Elizabeth, I don't think it's too soon for your sister to consider marrying again. I know she's still trying to come to terms with George's death, and I'd like to show her that I'm here for her. Though I am sorry she married George, he is gone here, and I'd like to be the first one in line. She's such a beautiful lady, so nice and full of joy. I can give her a good life; I'm very rich, and my father split the property between my brother and me. We can live in our huge home castle. I don't see any problem. I can wait till it is time for more." He looked at Lizzie and waited for her answer.
Richard exhaled. He thought the man was going to ask Elizabeth to court her. He was perfect-looking, a lot younger than him, and he didn't have the baggage he had.
Elizabeth said, "It might be too soon, but why not? But for now, only friendship. Please talk to her, tell her that I want her to move. She doesn't need to live in the little house that is rather cold. She can come here; please help her move today and get a couple of footmen to help you."
The man smiled happily. Richard turned around and saw him jump and do a little jig. Richard breathed in relief and stopped worrying after thinking the man wanted Elizabeth.
So, they kept walking to the library, and when they went there, Richard saw William arguing with his father.
"William, if you destroy this will, there are copies of it already at the notary. There is nothing you can do. Turning into a bad ghost full of anger will keep you a ghost forever, haunting Pemberley." George Darcy was trying to stop his son's madness.
"But I don't want them to get married. I don't want him to share my wife's bed. She is mine, and nobody else will have her." He looked like a child throwing a fit.
"She is not your wife anymore. And let's be honest, I saw you sometimes, and you always treated her condescendingly. So, why did you behave so poorly with her if you cared for her?" His father asked.
"That is none of your affairs because she was, correct; she is my wife, and I could treat her as I saw fit. When I was alive, Lizzie had the best clothes, jewels, and comforts." William answered, in not a very nice way.
Now, Richard heard them again, and now, he could see a faint outline of two people; one was William. He was certain because the papers were flying everywhere. Hearing William's callousness when talking about Elizabeth irritated him, though William had written much of the same. William's proclamations made him long to have a word or two with his cousin. He concentrated and was able to see that William and his uncle stood in front of him.
Richard told Lizzie, "I think we need to close the window. There is a big wind here," he looked straight at the ghostly figures, "I agree with him," Richard pointed at his uncle whole looking straight at him, "I also believe that those who willfully destroy signed documents, should be punished." Then he looked at his ghostly cousin, shook his head reproachingly, and sighed.
Lizzie was surprised at his words, but looking at him, she wondered who Richard was talking to, "Pardon me? Who are you talking to?" She asked him.
"Sorry, I think someone is trying to steal documents from here. Don't worry, I am going to talk to an expert in these matters; hopefully, there is something that we can do." Richard still looked at his uncle and William, his eyebrows knitted, looking angry, and clicked his teeth twice.
William and his father turned silent, realizing Richard could hear and probably see them. That was no good. They would have to be very quiet in return. "William, come with me." The father whispered, "This is not good," with these words, they both disappeared.
Richard narrowed his eyes, and he could no longer see the ghosts.
So, Richard moved the picture, knowing there was a small safe behind. Richards also remembered the safe combination because he had an exceptional memory. When he was 12 or so, he was bored and fell asleep on a couch in the library. Richard was basically hidden behind the sofa, when he heard George Darcy opening the safe. His uncle started saying the numbers out loud, so Richard peeked.
Richard, easily opened the safe, and found a stack of letters, a large leather envelope, and three boxes with jewels, seemingly presents for a lady. He picked up an empty wooden box from the desk and placed the folded letters. Then, he pulled out the thick envelope, left the jewel boxes, closed the safe, and sat down with Lizzie.
Richard opened the leather envelope and found a large stack of the Bank of England 50 £ banknotes and a will from William's grandfather. "Though I have no idea if this is Wickham's inheritance, it probably is. I need to find out if all the seals on this will are correct, and then we can talk to the accountant. I will disburse it since I can manage William's money, and I will deposit the notes in a bank account in Lydia's name. i will be Lydia's guardian and manage the money. If she marries, I think the money will still be hers and the children's. However, I wonder why my uncle never gave it to Wickham; there are so many secrets. And who was Wickham's mama?"
"I want to read the letters," Lizzie said; she was curious.
"They look personal; hence, I recommend we leave them for another time," Richard told her. "William said there is an old will here in the library. I heard him, so I want to find and put it safely away." Richard meant his cousin's original will. He would look again in the safe William had.
Someone interrupted them, knocking on the door. "Who is it?" Elizabeth asked.
"It is me to get the baby. It is time to change his clothes, and the wet nurse is waiting to feed him." Someone said.
"Miss Erika, please come in," Lizzie asked, and a handsome lady in her forties came in.
"Come here, my sweet baby, the best baby." She looked at the baby, picking him up. The baby seemed happy to see her.
"Ah, she is still so pretty. Did she marry?" Richard asked when Miss Erika left.
"No, she lives in a house she bought with her sister. She received a large gift and is wealthy, but she wanted to help. Just like she used to do when she was William and Georgie's governess." Lizzie answered.
"Hmm," Richard mumbled. He remembered his aunt crying, telling his father, her brother, that George loved somebody else and wished she hadn't married him. Richard also remembered his grandfather didn't let his aunt marry the one she loved. Richard's father told him about his father's choices for wives, hurting all of them. Was it Miss Erika, the one his uncle loved? Maybe she was a relation to the Hurst. No idea, Mrs. Reynolds knew Miss Erika, he would ask. And it occurred to him, was his father in love with someone else?
"Elizabeth," Richard started, but Lizzie interrupted.
"Lizzie, call me Lizzie. I prefer that name. My mother won't like it, I mean us, but William wanted it." She blushed, "I hoped William would change because I loved him. His words were always hurtful. Did you know my sister ended up marrying Charles, and her life is miserable? His sisters keep her down. She cries most of the time because Charles has another angel." Lizzie looked away, once again down.
"She's sure the angel is real. Charles is a beautiful man with little inside, and now, she's bound to him. Did you know she heard some months ago that Charles had married when he was 18? You can imagine that she wants to find out if this is true. If so, this may be a way out of this marriage. Though unsure whether the woman he married is alive, she hopes to find out. Now that I have my own money, I will help her investigate. My sister Mary is marrying one of Reggie Hurst's cousins whose father is an Earl, and he is the only son; she might be lucky. Perhaps Kitty might also be lucky; another Hurst also likes her. They are good men; their estates are nearby."
Fitzwilliam Darcy was back and heard he hurt her, but she loved him. He disregarded how he hurt her, thinking she shouldn't marry Richard while still in love with him. But if Charles was married before, he should get punished. No matter what, Lizzie was too good for Richard; he didn't deserve someone like Lizzie.
Richard looked, and he could see a shadow at first, then better; it was William, the jealous ghost, giving him a dirty, hateful look. Richard ignored his cousin since Lizzie had accepted him, just as Mr. Selfish William had stipulated; besides, he loved and wanted Lizzie. Richard wanted to sleep with her in his arms but could wait for more, even though it would be difficult. The thoughts he had continuously about lying with a naked Lizzie, holding and living her, would present a problem, considering that he had only a few encounters with women. He hadn't been with many women, waiting for the right one, and Lizzie was it.
Richard looked at her wearing the severe black wool gown that Miss Erika bought for her; it didn't matter because Lizzie was the same from some years ago, regardless of the severity of her attire, and even when she looked so sad. He reached for her hand and held it to his cheek, sighing in contentment, "My dearest Lizzie, you won't regret marrying me. You see, William's request fulfilled my impossible dreams. I was crushed when I heard he married you, as I told you. It made me wish I had more to offer."
George Darcy joined on time; he had been warned to hurry. Indeed, he saw William holding something ready to throw it at Richard. "Don't do it; darkness beckons you. Richard has the right."
Lizzie blushed, "I know I won't regret it. I could tell how special you were since I met you."
Darcy stood on a table and growled; Richard grinned, clearly seeing and hearing William.
His father chuckled, "Son, Richard is very nice; he is more than a little like you without the pride. You look a lot like each other, almost twins, but he is blonder; after all, his mother was my cousin." They started talking softly so Richard wouldn't hear them.
"The traitor, and I, stupidly, handed him Lizzie on a gold platter. I asked Richard, thinking he was a cold fish. He wasn't one and wanted my Lizzie." William harrumphed.
His father guffawed. "She is a beauty. I don't blame him."
Richard grinned since he could hear them perfectly but pretended not to, smiling at Lizzie. Mr. Selfish is getting just punishment for treating Lizzie so poorly, Richard thought, slyly looking at them. He was attuned to them, seeing and hearing them clearly.
"Father, help me find the will; I will burn it. I wish I could remember where I put it." William tried again.
"No, you cannot do that. If you will be in trouble. Stop it." His father wished his son to stop.
Someone was knocking; it was Miss Erika again. When she came in with the screaming baby she said, "Mrs. Darcy, Master Ricky screamed nonstop, he would not eat. Perhaps you should try to feed him. Please, you always have a little," She asked, not looking at Richard.
But as soon as the baby, nearly five months old, saw Richard, he gurgled, and stopped crying.
"Oh my, he wants Lord Fitzwilliam. No wonder, he looks so much like his daddy," Miss Erika smiled. Richard opened his arms and took the baby. He played with Ricky, saying nonsensical words and moving his hand, making the ladies smile.
Darcy's father saw his son's awful face and laughed, not too loud, while he kept looking at those around the baby.
"The damn bloody despicable thief, stealing my son in less than two weeks. I am a fool." Fitzwilliam Darcy growled, forgetting he had wanted Richard to love his son. He looked around when he heard someone else laughing, probably at him, a third ghost, neither one of them. Who was there and why?
"William, you wanted Richard to love your son," his father pointed that out, keeping his voice down. No matter, Richard could hear them.
After a few minutes, Lizzie took the baby and went to a corner to feed the baby. She covered herself with a shawl, helped by Miss Erika.
"Wait, I love seeing the baby eat," William said.
"I bet." Richard muttered and also said, "Lucky baby." Thank goodness William didn't hear that, but he noticed, when William looked up, his father was looking at Miss Erika and wondered. He wanted to find out if Miss Erika was George Darcy's love; perhaps, he would ask his father.
Lizzie's Parents
Two days went by, and I\ Richard had talked to Lord Bennet and agreed that Lizzie would marry him; her father said only the family had to know. Her father was very happy that his daughter was marrying somebody as nice as Richard Fitzwilliam. He wanted to say something else but didn't. Remembering his secret, he wished that they would be happy.
Thomas Bennet hadn't liked his son-in-law, nor did he like any of his sons-in-law. He seemed them awful, worthless, and unfit to marry his daughters. Lord Hurst had confided that Jane's husband had a mistress, so at least Elizabeth would be happy. Maybe Mary would also be happy since her husband-to-be seemed like a nice fellow. He talked to Richard and agreed that the wedding would happen the Saturday in three days. Afterward, Thomas Bennet wondered if someone dear to his heart would be at the wedding.
When Lord Bennet told his wife, Fanny Bennet, she started screaming, saying she was going to faint. Seeing his wife behaving improperly, more than usual, he told her, "I am tired of your attitude; nothing is good enough you. You must leave Lizzie alone. Lizzie's husband wanted her to marry Richard within weeks of his death; but it isn't your affair."
He added, "You cheated after I married you. I married you even though I knew about you, and your brother, my friend, told me not to marry you, warning me of your assignments with officers. He told me you had recently lost your lover's child. Then, a while later, your lover returned when you were increasing with Jane, and you broke your vows. I was quiet because I wanted a good marriage. Yes, I have known all along; your sister, ashamed of you carrying on with the man, told me. So, who are you to pass judgment on Lizzie? I know why you dislike her. No, stop and don't lie, I don't want to hear more lies. Now, I want to go to the wedding."
She started screaming, saying awful things about Elizabeth, so he left and closed the door, wondering why his wife was behaving in such a fashion.
A/N Oh, yes, Mr. Darcy is behaving rather horribly, like an unreasonable brat, but I believe he will learn and change. Richard has an upper hand in any case.