"And that's when I said, why invest in a landau, when you can have a whole fleet of the things?" Mr. Aster laughed at his own joke, even though it made no sense at all, and Lizzy would have preferred to put her face through the leaded glass windows than even hint that she found him funny.
He was not funny.
He had come to call the afternoon after Mr. Darcy had fled the Ashford townhome, and then a few days later, to reinforce his interest in her.
The trouble was, she had no interest in him, and she found it difficult to wonder at his sudden enthusiasm for her company when he'd barely marked her before.
It had to be her new-found fortunes, since word was likely spreading around the Ton of the Dowager's generosity. They had not lacked in callers prior to this change in their world, but now it was bordering on ridiculous, with the Ashford drawing room looking more like a hot-house, so festooned with bouquets of flowers as it was. She was grateful she did not suffer from an intolerance to flower and weed, such as Mary did, or she'd have been in a misery.
The men came, preceeded by their cards, with their flowers and their pretty words. They all seemed to be very fine men, well-educated, well-trained in the ways of the world, but she found herself bored out of her mind with most of them.
"Colonel Fitzwilliam, Miss," the footman said, and the few callers they had at the time glanced up, as did Jane, who give Lizzy a significant look.
"Thank you," Lizzy replied, her eyes widening as the Colonel entered, and she rose, feeling as if the wind had been taken from her sails.
"Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, how lovely to see you," the Colonel said with a bow. He smiled at Mr. Aster, and there was some metal in his expression, as Mr. Aster made a noise and removed himself from his seat, which was across from Elizabeth.
"A surprise to find you calling, Colonel Fitzwilliam, we thought you very attached to Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, and frequently not seen without their company," Lizzy commented, as the Colonel reached over to a side table and gently selected a slice of cake for himself.
"Ah, indeed, and that has not changed, but I'm here on behalf of my cousin, you see," the Colonel said, and his smile was almost teasing. Lizzy did not know how to reply, and her gaze slipped from his. He lowered his voice when he spoke next. "You must put him out of his misery. He is to hold a ball, and I know there is nothing he likes more than his own company or the quietude of those he loves best, so it only stands to reason he is doing it to give him a chance to see you again, to tempt you to visit Darcy House."
Elizabeth did not know how to respond to that. The thought of Mr. Darcy throwing a ball in hopes to catch her eye, or to be in her company was beyond her ability to understand. All he had to do was to come, present his card, and to be welcomed into the drawing room, or perhaps, to see her at the Opera, or walking in Hyde Park, he had no need of going to all the fuss and expense of a ball...
"Does he think the mere expenditure of funds impressive?" She asked, and felt herself catching an odd look from Jane. Her tone must be slightly waspish then, and she softened her words with a smile. "That is-"
"No, you have him at the wrong, Miss Elizabeth, no, my cousin does not often find it easy to speak to those that tie his tongue up in knots, as you seem to do, and although Bingley and I have found quite the sport in teasing him for it... if he has misspoken to you, if he has even spoken without thinking, then know it is for lack of sense as he loses his most basic faculties when he is in your company," Colonel Fitzwilliam's words were barely above a whisper, for her ears alone.
"There are many gentleman who have professed them speechless in my beautiful presence over the last few days," she replied quickly and he held up one finger to still her.
"And I am certain you put paid to their ambitions, as clever as you are, to see through to their true intentions. For fortune hunters abound in the Ton, even myself, I am not able to take a wife who does not have ample funds that come with her, but Darcy has no such need, his sister alone has thirty-thousand to her name, and more upon the birth of her first child. Trust when I say, my cousin's intentions are pure, and his heart is true," he said softly, before sitting back. "But if you are set on your prejudices where he is concerned, I will make no overtures, and instead turn my thoughts to that of your sister-"
He glanced at Jane, and Elizabeth felt a flutter in her chest.
"And what of my sister?" She asked. He shrugged.
"Again, I do not insert myself between two people I believe will find their greatest happiness together, but I do believe that Mr. Bingley adored her from the moment he met her-"
"But he has not come to call on her-"
"Out of respect and care for his good friend Darcy, who is bereft and forlorn, and out of concern for Darcy's wellbeing. Neither of us are eager to leave his side when he is this distraught and heart-sick. Not after what happened to his sister. The Darcys' are exceptionally poor at being heartbroken. No, do not take his lack of attention as anything other than duty to his closest friend," Colonel Fitzwilliam said, grim amusement fading away to something that looked a little more like exhaustion at the tack their conversation had taken. "But there, I am out of arguments. But please, when the invitation comes, encourage your aunt to accept it, would you not?" He glanced about the room. "And now, I will take my leave. This room reminds me too much of a southern jungle, and I can feel the mosquitos eating at my flesh, even if it is only in my mind."
Elizabeth could barely focus the rest of the afternoon, and it wasn't until several days later, as Sharpe was arranging her hair, that the answer came to her. She would issue a challenge to Darcy, one that would solve one of Elizabeth's own problems: vetting a possible suitor and future husband for Jane. There was no way for Lizzy to know the true heart of man, not in the way Darcy would, and while there had been some hurtful things said in the past, Darcy was a true person with no ulterior motives, or at least, not motives she was not aware of.
"Miss? Is everything alright?" Sharpe asked, surprised as Elizabeth sat up straight.
"It looks lovely, Sharpe, thank you," she said, and the maid blushed prettily, demurring politely. "Pardon me, I must hurry down and ask my aunt a favor."
"While I am trusting of your judgement, Lizzy, calling on Miss Bingley?" Aunt Gardiner said as the carriage rolled to the stop outside of Darcy House, and Elizabeth peered out from behind the curtain and through the glass up that graceful townhome.
"At least take heart, the Darcy cook is quite good, and we won't starve," Lizzy replied, and Jane gave a nervous giggle. They were shown in, and to their surprise, Miss Bingley was in and receiving callers, alongside her sister Mrs. Hurst, and they accepted their call.
The three were shown into the drawing room, and made their greetings, surprised to see Mr. Darcy in attendance as well, with Colonel Fitzwilliam hovering at his elbow. Mr. Bingley, however, was notably absent.
All of this was perfectly to Lizzy's plans to corner Mr. Darcy and ask him for a favor, and when Mrs. Gardiner sufficiently distracted Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst with questions about the modiste they preferred, Lizzy crossed the room to where Mr. Darcy stood at the windows.
One sharp look to Colonel Fitzwilliam had him clearing his throat and saying,
"I shall go find myself a cup of tea," as he stepped away from them.
"Miss Elizabeth," Mr. Darcy's voice was quiet, and Elizabeth didn't bother to glance back at where the ladies were arranged on the sofas, their tittering conversation more than a cover for the request she was about to make.
"Your cousin made your suit to me," she said, and Mr. Darcy went pale, nearly as pale as his cravat, and he opened his mouth. "I am not... offended, Mr. Darcy, in truth, I was surprised, given past things you've said to me when not under the burning influence of a fever, but it made me think, there is a great task with which I require assistance."
"And what is that?" He asked, his jaw clenching. She glanced over her shoulder, and smiled to herself. Miss Bingley spared a glance for them, and seemed to notice that the object of her interest was locked in a corner of the room with Elizabeth Bennet.
Lizzy looked back at Darcy.
"My sister requires the best match, the purest match, once of true love, and nothing less than that. I have been the guardian of her heart since it was first broken when we were both younger, but this is not Meryton, and I am not a man. I cannot truly know the intentions of the men who come to pay her kind words and lay flowers at her feet. You are uniquely positioned both to know them as I cannot, and to be in my debt."
Mr. Darcy said nothing, his dark eyes set on her with such intensity that she almost shivered.
He had a very piercing gaze, Mr. Darcy did.
"Yes, I am in your debt," he murmured, and with the thickness of his voice, she knew Colonel Fitzwilliam had not said a lie. Mr. Darcy did... feel something for her, although she was loathe to really believe it. She was almost ashamed to take advantage of that fact. Almost. Jane's happiness had to weigh more in this instance.
"Then, agree to my terms, help me determine which men coming to call on my sister might merely be a fortune hunter, and which are true in their intentions. Agree, and we can consider any debts owed to me for that night and your actions... forgiven and forgotten." She searched his face and waited, for a long moment, before he nodded in agreement.
"I could not conclude a better way to... make it up to you," he fumbled for the words. "It will not be the first time I find myself desirous of preventing a match between a woman and an unscrupulous man. I am in your service, Miss Elizabeth."
Lizzy did not think that her heart was in her throat, but she did not think it was where it ought to be.
"Thank you, Mr. Darcy. Now, come sit and have a cup of tea, and let us discuss the ball you are going to throw."
I am so pleased to announce that Duty and Desire is now available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple iBooks, and more, just search for 'Nora Kipling - Duty and Desire'! You may purchase it right away or wait for a new chapter to be uploaded here every Thursday. Thank you for all your loving support.
- Nora