Author's Note: Sorry that I was not able to get this chapter out earlier, but the wintry weather where I live has caused a lot of problems.

Thank you for all of your reviews. One review has led me to change the culpability of one of the characters. However, that character will still only get a few mentions. As I have indicated before, I am trying to keep the focus on D and E.

Another reviewer questioned the size of the cottage pointing out that a bailiff would probably not have a house with so many bedrooms. However, the cottage that was the inspiration for Chilton Cottage was, indeed, owned by the local bailiff during the 1700s and had at least five bedrooms. I added one extra bedroom and a room for the library just for the sake of my story. In the actual cottage, the post coaches and carriages did roar by at all hours which was very annoying to the inhabitants. This annoyance was actually documented in a journal by one resident of the house during the regency period. The cottage is now a museum and I became aware of it when it was featured in a BBC documentary. The story caught my interest such that I was determined to place our dear girl there for, at least, a short time in one of my stories. The name of the cottage has been changed to protect the innocent.

Many reviewers have said that Darcy should not be forgiven too easily, but I think that our dear boy must be redeemed. For I did promise an HEA, and I, myself, am too impatient to make him suffer for very long. It is typical of him to land himself in a hole that he must climb out of in order to live happily ever after.

Thanks for reading. This is unbeta'd. All the mistakes are my own. Please review.

Chapter 7

Chilton Cottage

Darcy was relieved to be the first to descend the stairs before dinner. He knew the conversation between himself and Mr. Bennet would probably be contentious. Therefore, while he had dressed, he had spent that time trying to organize his thoughts. It was imperative that he present the order of events in a manner that would, in some small measure, placate the justifiably angry father.

What he had learned from Wickham had left him shaken and ashamed, and he wished that he had time to come to terms with the revelations of the afternoon. However, the arrival of Mr. Bennet had made any lengthy reflection impossible. His feelings concerning his marriage had suffered such an extreme about-face that he could hardly comprehend or consider what his next steps should be. He could not yet say how he felt about Elizabeth, but he recognized that he was in a very poor position with her. How was he ever to make restitution to his wife for his many sins? Dread filled his heart and mind that he had irrevocably damaged any chance that she would ever forgive him.

Mr. Bennet and Richard came down the stairs having taken care of the introductions themselves. Darcy tried to overcome his nervousness as he bowed to the older gentleman receiving a cold, curt bow in return.

"Mr. Bennet, I am pleased that you were able to arrive so quickly. Elizabeth will, undoubtedly, be comforted by your presence. I hope your journey was uneventful."

Mr. Bennet eyed him through narrowed eyes. "Yes, I appreciate the express and the invitation to attend her."

At that moment, dinner was announced, and they made their way into the small dining room. After they had all been served, Darcy dismissed the maids.

When he was assured of their privacy, Darcy took a deep breath and began, "Mr. Bennet, I understand that Miss Mary has elected to take dinner on a tray with Mrs. Darcy. So, I plan to use this time to apprise you of all that has transpired of late. Before we start that discussion, I have a number of things that I would like to apologize for. As you will hear, it was revealed today that the injury suffered by your daughter was part of a bigger scheme to punish me. We have also learned that the same person who instigated the attack on Mrs. Darcy instigated and executed the compromise that led to our marriage back in the Autumn. Thus, my resentful behavior towards my wife and your family was badly done on my part. Your daughter did not deserve my ire and cruelty. Too late, I have been made to see that she had nothing to do with the compromise and was just as much of a victim as myself. I, now, have reason to believe that we were both drugged and placed in the scandalous situation in which we were found. I apologize to you for my unreasonable anger last fall and for depriving you of your daughter these past four months. I callously placed her in a vulnerable position, and I am heartily sorry and ashamed that she was injured while under what should have been my protection."

Mr. Bennet paused in cutting his meat to scrutinize his son-in-law for a long moment. With a great deal of bite in his tone, he replied, "Well Mr. Darcy. That is a very fine apology, I must say, and unexpected, based on your manner last time we met. However, regardless of your behavior four months ago, you and the colonel have much to account for." He peered at the cousins with a look that promised that the fire of his anger was barely contained. He gripped his knife as if he might find a better use for it than cutting his beef. Instead of resorting to violence, he continued, "I am quite troubled at the extremely poor showing that you and your cousin made in your efforts to protect my daughter. You, Mr. Darcy, a big strapping young man, and your cousin here, a trained military officer, were utterly and completely ineffectual in preventing that loathsome man from harming my most precious girl. I do not understand it. I am extremely worried for the fate of our next generation and for the defense of our country." Darcy and Richard could only hang their heads in shame as the man berated them for allowing Wickham to harm Elizabeth. He went on to excoriate the two of them for their poor planning and ineffective approach to rescuing Elizabeth from the clutches of the villain. Mr. Bennet finally relented in his diatribe concerning her injuries and said, "However, you and I will discuss your negligence as a husband after dinner in more detail. But for now, I will allow you a reprieve from the tongue-lashing that you deserve. For I wish to hear how you came to be blessed with such knowledge and understanding as you claim to have obtained of late. I hope that the revelations from the scoundrel are not the only reason for your new contrition. Surely, you possess enough inherent good sense to have already come to see that your behavior has been wanting. For you have been very slow to come to the point, young man. Have you had this discussion with Elizabeth yet? Have you apologized to her?"

"No, sir. We only discovered the truth for ourselves this afternoon during our interview with Mr. Wickham. Furthermore, I agree with you that my pride, selfishness, and conceit blinded me to the truth that I should have acknowledged all along. I allowed my poor temper to rule whatever good sense that I might have been born with. I intend to talk to her after dinner, if she is up to it."

"That is all well and good, but I sincerely hope that you offer her more than trite platitudes and polite apologies." After taking a sip from his wine glass, he motioned to the two younger men, "And now, I find myself anxious to hear the particulars of what you have discovered. Your reference to a larger conspiracy has piqued my curiosity. Please proceed."

While they ate, Darcy, with interspersed commentary from Richard, laid out for Mr. Bennet the sequence of events starting with when he received the letter from Elizabeth, the confrontation in the parlor leading to Elizabeth's injury, and then proceeding to the revelations from Wickham's testimony. Darcy had brought his satchel containing the letters and the money that the scoundrel had received from Bingley. Therefore, after they had finished the main course, he passed the letters to the older man. Darcy and Richard gave him a few moments to read through them waiting patiently for him to absorb the scope of the conspiracy that had been woven around Darcy and Elizabeth. When Mr. Bennet laid aside the last letter, he sat back in his chair with a dumbfounded expression.

In order to gather their wits, the gentlemen all took advantage of the respite provided by the maids who had come in to clear and bring in dessert. The men silently applied themselves to the lemon tarts until the servants had departed.

Mr. Bennet eyed Darcy. "So, you suspect that your harsh set down of Miss Bingley enraged the amiable Mr. Bingley to such an extent that he set about destroying your and my Lizzy's lives?"

Darcy heard the skepticism in the older man's voice, and answered in a defensive tone, "I know it sounds ludicrous. But that explanation is the best one that I can come up with. I humiliated Miss Bingley and then denounced her scheme for entrapment. I told her in detail what kind of settlement she would receive, how little society she would enjoy, and how small of a home she would be consigned to. In retaliation, I believe that they conspired to force me into that very situation with Elizabeth and in such a way that I would blame her for forcing my hand."

Richard added, "They probably considered it to be no more than what Darcy deserved, to give him a taste of his own medicine."

Darcy glared at his cousin and interjected, "Furthermore, Miss Bingley had already taken a great dislike to Elizabeth due to her refusal to give deference to Miss Bingley's superior town manners." He considered his next words carefully before adding, "I had also commented to Miss Bingley that Elizabeth had fine eyes which excited her jealousy."

Mr. Bennet gave Darcy a surprised look, then furrowed his brow and said ponderously, "I can see how that might have led to them including Lizzy in their retribution, and it adds to the veracity of your theory. It is just outlandish enough to be true. Still, I find it hard to understand how such a friendly, seemingly open gentleman can concoct a scheme that is so wicked. I repeat, I do agree with your theory that this could be part of his reason for this treachery, but there must be more. There must be a more sinister bent to his personality than we know, more to his history than we are aware of. We need more information."

Richard nodded in agreement. "Darcy and I intend to travel to London in order to find out how far Bingley is willing to go. We hope to determine if there is more to come. Perhaps he will even reveal his motivation."

Darcy turned to Mr. Bennet and asked, "How long can you stay, sir?

"I can stay another fortnight. There is nothing that requires my immediate attention at home."

"If you can remain here, we will leave tomorrow to track down Bingley. He does not know that we have Wickham in shackles and that he has turned on him. We do not plan to confront him right away, but we need to see how much we can deduce from his behavior. I have had a servant positioned in Wickham's rooms at the inn in Basingstoke to collect any letters sent from Bingley to Wickham. We need to keep Wickham's capture from him as long as possible. In addition to Theo who will be posted here at the cottage, his brothers will be stationed at the holding cell. Furthermore, I have three more men arriving in the morning to provide additional security for Elizabeth and to ensure that Wickham does not manage to escape."

At that moment, the maid returned with a decanter of port. Richard poured for all of them, stood, saluted to them with his glass, and said, "Gentlemen, I know that you have weighty matters to discuss. I will withdraw with my drink to the library and wish you a good night."

When the door to the dining room closed, Darcy and Mr. Bennet eyed one another silently. The younger man fidgeted under the glare of the elder.

Realizing that Elizabeth's father expected him to initiate the conversation, he cleared his throat and began, "Sir, I must repeat my sincere apology for the despicable manner that I have treated your daughter and your entire family. I both refused to consider the veracity of her claims of innocence and failed to recognize that I was reacting in a reprehensible manner. Furthermore, I placed her in a dangerous situation. I was negligent of her safety and reputation by sending her into such an isolated position. No gentlewoman should be subjected to the harsh treatment that she has received at my hand."

Mr. Bennet opened his mouth to reply when he was interrupted by the loud rumble of a carriage as it passed by on the road just outside the dining room windows. In consternation, he exclaimed, "Is that a frequent occurrence, dinner interrupted by passersby gawking through the drapes?"

Darcy sighed in embarrassment and nodded, "Yes, Sir. I am afraid that the Portsmouth road is quite busy."

The older man glared at him. "I continue to be surprised at the cruelties to which you subjected my favorite daughter. As they say, 'Death by a thousand cuts'."

Darcy could only reply contritely. "I am troubled and ashamed to realize my vindictive nature. Whether I had thought her guilty or not, my behavior was reprehensible. I should have ensured that this cottage was suitable for such a gently bred lady and that she was not made to endure such a lack of privacy."

Mr. Bennet waved his hand impatiently as if to cast aside his apology. "I insist that you reveal all of this to Elizabeth exactly as you have laid it out to me. She is an intelligent woman, and she deserves to be told the complete explanation. Do not try to gloss over or whitewash any of it. Allow her to see the letters so that she can determine for herself the truth of the matter. She needs to know in what kind of danger her association with you has placed her. She is not a wilting blossom who will faint at the slightest difficulty."

Darcy swallowed and bowed his head. "Of course, sir. I will tell her the entire truth."

"In addition, you must utilize all of your vaunted vocabulary to let her know just how apologetic you are for the sins that you have committed against her. I expect you to beseech her at length and with every pretty word in your arsenal for her forgiveness. Furthermore, you will allow her to react in whatever way that she sees fit, whether it is with forgiveness, with justifiable anger, or with cold disdain. And you will humbly and cheerfully accept from her whatever breadcrumbs she chooses to toss your way. Am I understood?"

Again, Darcy nodded in acceptance. "I hope that, at some point in the future, she will forgive me. It is true that before the compromise, we were becoming friends, and I did admire her. But I will leave it entirely in her hands as to what sort of a relationship we will have going forward. If she wants to maintain this estrangement, we will do so. Or if she chooses to seek some sort of healing and restoration, it will be her decision." Darcy stated the last while maintaining eye contact with Mr. Bennet, hoping to convey his sincere promise.

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Furthermore, I will visit my attorneys upon my return to London to have new marriage articles drawn up. Her settlement will be in keeping with the terms that were used for my own mother's marriage contract. Moreover, I will work with Elizabeth to place her in a setting befitting her station and of her choosing."

The older gentleman gave Darcy a ponderous look before responding, "That is all well and good. But I would like to know what you envision for this marriage that you are both trapped in. What do you foresee?"

Darcy gave him a defeated look. "I understand that my actions may have irreparably harmed any hopes for even a tolerable marriage. For my part, I would like us to have a felicitous union. However, I will leave that in Elizabeth's hands. If she never desires to see me again, I will abide by her wishes."

Mr. Bennet frowned and said, "If you ever hope to mend your relationship with my daughter, you will have to exert yourself far beyond what you have suggested here. A revised marriage settlement and better living conditions will do nothing to reassure Elizabeth that your bad nature will not re-emerge at some point in the future."

Darcy responded in confusion, "What are you suggesting, sir? What more can I do to prove myself to her?"

Mr. Bennet replied impatiently, "Oh come now, man. In matters of property and business, women have no power. You know that a marriage contract gives a woman only scant protection. If a vindictive, resentful husband chooses to, he can make his wife's life a misery with or without explicit articles written on her behalf. He can find ways to make it impossible for her to access those promised funds. Or he can have her declared insane, and then, have her committed. In this instance, you have shown every indication of being just such a husband. To Elizabeth, you have proven yourself to be a wrathful man of implacable resentment. How can she trust that you will not become angry at some point in the future and seek to punish her? How can you reassure Elizabeth that you are a man to be relied upon, that you will take care of her from this day forward?"

Darcy stammered, "I swear to you that I will never again treat her with anything other than the highest respect."

With much exasperation, Elizabeth's father huffed, "Then you need to be prepared to prove it, Mr. Darcy. I know that you are a man of intelligence and some understanding. Surely a man like you can conjure up a creative way to convince Elizabeth that you mean what you say." He leaned forward, peering at his son-in-law. "Admittedly, I have not been the best father to my five daughters or a good husband to my nervous wife. But I have come to understand that her nervousness is, in part, due to my lackadaisical attitude to her financial security should I pass away. I can freely admit that it took the shock of the compromise to force me to see the folly of my ways. Therefore, over the course of the last four months, I have made substantial changes in my finances, investments, and fatherly oversight. Using the expertise of my brother-in-law, Edward Gardiner, with whom I understand you are acquainted, I have already seen the benefits of these changes. With these measures, I intend to make my wife and daughters see that I can be the man that they can rely on. You, too, can instigate changes in your dealings with Elizabeth that will convince her of your reliability."

Again, he paused to ensure that he had the younger man's full attention. "You should do whatever you can to reassure my Elizabeth that she will be provided for in a much better manner than what you have done so far." At Darcy's puzzled expression, he sighed and continued, "I assume that you are familiar with Irrevocable Trusts." At Darcy's nod of assent, he went on to explain his point, "Providing her with a new marriage contract is a good first step. In it, you should state that all property that is in her name shall remain hers and under her control. Then, you must go one step further. If you want to win her forgiveness, you should set up a Financial Trust in her name that cannot be touched or revoked by you or any other Darcy heir. This trust should be constructed in such a way that she will be independent should you lapse into another of your temper tantrums."

Darcy looked momentarily annoyed at his provocation, and Bennet could not restrain a teasing laugh at Darcy's reaction to his insult, then he proceeded, "I am not suggesting this in order to enrich myself or my daughter, or to punish you. But I truly believe that this is the right thing to do. For instance, this trust could possibly include the deed to a piece of property as well as the means to maintain said property. I am aware that you have several holdings besides your primary estate. Perhaps one of those might be suitable for the wife of Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley. This Trust could be the grand gesture that she needs in order for her to trust you. She needs to know that she has a safety net. She needs to know that she cannot be banished to the back of beyond whenever she has displeased you. She must be given the tools to take care of herself if you fail to take care of her. I cannot repeat this enough: you have to show her that she can trust you."

Darcy tucked his chin in concentration as he began to understand what his father-in-law was suggesting. The attraction of the scheme was unmistakable. Such a gesture might go a long way in redeeming himself in Elizabeth's eyes. Regardless of that, it was the right and just thing to do. Elizabeth deserved whatever he could do for her well-being and happiness. "Your council is sound, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it. Since this afternoon's revelations, I have been in a state of shock and have felt incapable of coming up with a plan. But what you have proposed has great merit. In fact, I can improve upon what you are advising by offering to purchase a new estate for her in the location of her choice. Most of my existing properties are smaller than she would need, and Pemberley is entailed to heirs of the body, which means that it must pass to my heir or my sister. However, I can afford to buy Elizabeth an estate comparable to Netherfield."

Mr. Bennet nodded slowly and said, "I think that is a good idea. Although, as you would probably agree, Netherfield should not be considered because of its past negative associations as well as its close proximity to my wife. Elizabeth would probably like a bit of distance from her mother's attentions."

Feeling a flutter of hope, Darcy resolutely said, "I am truly in your debt for this wise and undeserved advice. Thank you for this recommendation, sir. I will have my man of business begin to research potential properties of the size that we have discussed while my attorneys begin work on crafting the type of Trust that you were speaking of. But more immediately, I will have new marriage articles drawn up and will update my will to further ensure her security."

Mr. Bennet interjected, "I would like your lawyers to work with Gardiner on the Trust. Elizabeth's interest will be best served if her favorite uncle is involved in drawing up the documents."

"Certainly. I have great admiration for the man."

Mr. Bennet stood. "Well, I believe that we can count on you to follow through with the measures that we have discussed. It is not up to me to forgive you or declare you absolved of all guilt. That is Elizabeth's decision. But I appreciate anything that you will do to ensure her protection and financial security. Moreover, you should consider broadening your protective net to include your sister and yourself. Until we can effectively stop Mr. Bingley's plans, you should take no chances. Now, I would like to go sit with my daughter for a few moments. I will leave it to you, Mr. Darcy, to inform her of what you have discovered couched with your humble apologies. Give me half an hour and then you are welcome to make your revelations. I am weary to the bone and need to rest from my trip. Goodnight."

ppp

An hour later, a stunned Elizabeth stared at the ceiling as her husband finished detailing the same discoveries and theories that the gentleman had laid out for her father over dinner. She had insisted on reading the letters for herself, even though the ones that spoke of ruining her by any means necessary were terribly upsetting. Mary, who she had requested be allowed to hear all, had held her hand when tears had begun to roll slowly down her cheeks.

Darcy had begun the interview with an apology for his many offenses toward her, and now he finished it with another more fervent apology. "Mrs. Darcy, once again, I am heartily sorry for my treatment of you after the compromise. I would not give credence to your assertions of innocence last November and made your life very difficult. Then, I left you here unprotected. And when we arrived, intent on apprehending Wickham, we actually made the situation worse by making him desperate enough to assault you. You have received nothing but grief from my hand and I apologize. Once you have recovered and we are assured that all is safe for you, I will set about improving your situation and endeavoring to move past this. Your father and I have come up with a good plan to give you financial security come what may. I pledge to see you in such a secure situation that you can tell me to go to the devil should my worst self ever rear its ugly head again."

She responded by spending several moments writing on the slate. "I would like to forgive you for your treatment of me prior to and since our marriage, but I am still wary of trusting you, sir. I am aware that we have both been forced into this by no fault of our own and that, you too, were a victim. But our marital situation remains very problematic. For we never would have married one another had we not been forced into it. At this time, I cannot envisage what I want the future to look like. However, I request that we defer further discussion until such a time that I can freely speak. There is too much to be said, and this slate will not do it justice."

Darcy rose from his seat and said with some embarrassment due to Mary's somewhat hostile and protective stance, "I have done a poor job in upholding our vows to date. But I promise to conduct myself in an exemplary fashion for the rest of our lives. Your health and happiness will be my primary focus from this day forward. I pray that you sleep well tonight and know that I will do everything that I can to see that no further harm comes your way." With great respect, Darcy bowed over her hand and left the room.

Mary poured her a cup of chamomile tea with a tremulous hand and practically sobbed, "Oh Lizzy, what a fine mess. What great evil lurks in the heart of man? I have never been so shocked in all my life. I know you do not want to dwell on it, but I must ask this: Does it mean what I think it means when Mr. Bingley said that Mr. Wickham should force the issue?" The poor girl's face showed just how frightened, overwhelmed, and mortified she was at the connotation behind those words.

Elizabeth's eyes once again filled with tears as she nodded her head jerkily. She reached over and pulled her younger sister in for a comforting hug as they both sought to compose themselves.

Once Mary had mastered her own emotions, she stood and encouraged Elizabeth to drink the restorative tea. With a bit more cheer in her voice, she reflected, "Well, we were already certain that you must have been drugged. And now, your shame-faced husband knows how much he has misjudged the entire situation. For my part, I hope that he is racked by guilt and grovels at your feet for a good long while. He has much to atone for." Mary finished that last statement with an unladylike snort of smug glee.

Elizabeth gave her a weak smile, grateful for Mary's effort at levity. Mary added, "Now, papa will be here for the next fortnight. Perhaps tomorrow you can sit with him in the library for a few hours. Mr. Howard said that tomorrow he might let you leave this room."

Later, after Sarah had helped her prepare for bed, Elizabeth's mind continued to race with all that had been revealed that evening. Shock, outrage, and fear kept her awake for several hours. She twisted and turned as she tried to sleep. For the wickedness that had come so close to her was frightening. It was unthinkable that such malevolent plans had been made to do her harm. Even though she refused to allow her mind to focus on what might have happened, the shadow of the possibilities was tremendously unsettling.

Finally, after she had wrestled with her thoughts to the point of exhaustion, she reminded herself that there was a God in heaven that loved her. Gradually, a feeling of calm won out over the negative thoughts that had plagued her. A sense of peace replaced the fear and uncertainty that she had been experiencing. Even as bad as her injuries were and as uncertain as her married life was, the God of the universe had protected her from real danger. Furthermore, she knew that he had a good plan for her future.

Looking back over the past four months, Elizabeth could now see that Providence had played a part in bringing her to this point. Before the great calamity, she could recognize that she had been a bit too proud of her own judgements, a tad too prone to place her trust in first impressions, and a touch too quick to look down on those that she considered to be inferior to her own intelligence. She had even judged her own family harshly at times. Instead of helping them to achieve greater understanding, she had mocked and discounted them.

Yet, now, she could see that God had used those first months of her marriage to reshape her wrong thinking, and to smooth and polish off the rough edges in her character. The more recent trials with Mr. Wickham had further honed her stubborn nature. The old Elizabeth would have vowed to never forgive her husband for the wrongs that she had suffered at his hand, but the new Elizabeth recognized that God would expect her to do so. She did not know if she would ever be able to trust Mr. Darcy, but she knew that she must forgive him. She could only pray that she could find it in her heart to do what was right.

That night, as much as she had appreciated Mr. Darcy's vow to care for her, that was not the thought that most settled her heart. It was this reminder that God, not her husband or any other man, was in charge of her life. As she finally drifted off to sleep, she clung to that blessed thought.