Chapter 26: Of Kings and Paupers
Marcus Walker had no expectations when he agreed to talk with Miss de Bourgh. He had a healthy apprehension, considering his latest encounter with Lady Catherine. Whatever ideas he had started to mull over as they walked and shared the contents of the picnic basket in silence did not prepare him for Anne's words.
"If I were to propose a mutually beneficial agreement, would you marry me?"
Marcus was so shocked that he almost fell from the bench. He was glad he had finished eating, or he would have choked. "I beg your pardon!?
"I need to hire your services."
He blushed furiously, "As a husband?!"
"No! Uh… Wait. Mmm… Maybe?"
"Not to quote your aunt, but please explain yourself before I have a conniption."
Anne laughed, "You even sounded like her just now."
"Miss de Bourgh!" he blushed.
"I will behave… Momentarily, at least," she winked.
"Miss de Bourgh! Enough. Please explain yourself."
"Well, I am done with my mother, and you are in a unique position to help me kill two birds with one stone."
"Just for my peace of mind… You are using the word 'kill' metaphorically, right?" he stared at her beseechingly.
"Of course…"
"Please proceed."
"You are an attorney, and I know you are an excellent one."
He blinked as he processed her statement, "How do you know that?"
"Fitz and my uncle are extremely private and particularly protective men who have succeeded in their endeavors for years. They only work with the best," she replied in a tone that told him she thought this was a very obvious conclusion.
Marcus blushed. "Thank you… I think."
"I want you to look into my inheritance and help me legally banish my mother from Rosing's Park. My cousins think the dower house is enough distance between us, but I disagree. The days I have spent here, I have felt better than ever. The food is delicious. I can eat as much as I want. I can go on walks. I have even been asked to sing with my cousin."
"You sound surprised…" His tone was questioning.
"My mother does not allow me to leave the house unless I am atop a phaeton. I cannot eat what I want. I cannot wear what I want. I cannot even do my hair as I prefer when she is around."
"Allow you?"
"Yes."
"Miss de Bourgh, pardon me but… You are an adult, yes?"
"It does not matter. Or have your parents stopped calling you Markie and pestering you to marry?"
"Do not call me that, I beg you," he groaned.
"Why?"
"Because you are a lady. If you were a man, I would cause you physical harm, but you are a woman. I cannot harm you, so I must ask that you refrain. Lest you make me do some research into things that could embarrass you."
"Let me save you some time. The list begins and ends with my mother."
"Hmm."
"I have not wanted to tell my cousins, but I am almost positive she has been keeping me sick on purpose."
Marcus stared at her wide-eyed, "You mean to tell me that your mother has been drugging you? Poisoning you?"
"My so-called symptoms disappeared within three days of being here without her tonics, her laudanum, and her supposed medicinal teas."
"That is a most serious accusation," Mr. Walker stood and paced.
"It is a most grievous crime. Is it not?"
"It is. What would you have me do?"
"We can threaten her with a book."
"A book?"
"I can write a book and publish anonymously, letting slip enough details that ensure all of the ton will know she is the horrible mother protagonist."
"You would do that?"
"Yes."
"Chapeu," he moved an imaginary hat to show respect. "I respect that a lot."
"Thank you. That is precisely why I want you to agree to marry me."
"A marriage in name?"
"Yes. Unless you want it to be real."
"Uh… Miss de Bourgh… I am not used to being approached like this."
"Like what, Mr. Walker?"
"Like I am… a woman."
Anne chuckled and then laughed. "I apologize. It was not my intention. Had it been intentional, I would have been more obvious about it."
"More?"
"Yes. I would have kissed the back of your hand or-" She threaded her fingers through his hair, and he sighed. "Something like this."
He caught himself and shook his head, removing her hand gently.
"I seem to have already found a weak spot."
"How is your arrangement mutually beneficial?"
"Well, you would get all the business from Rosings Park and the continued business from my cousin and uncle. I would think that would be a good financial incentive."
"It would."
"I would offer to have you as a kept man of leisure, but you do not strike me as someone who would like that."
"I would not."
"Well, is it a yes on the attorney business and a maybe on the marriage, or am I misreading you?"
"You are awfully direct."
"I have wasted years next to my mother. If you do not care to be my husband, I need to find someone else before she returns to Pemberley to try and force me to go home with her."
"I will represent you, and I… I need to think about the marriage."
Anne smiled, "Wonderful… Is Fitzwilliam expecting anyone?" she asked as a carriage rushed down the main road.
"Not that I am aware of."
"Just so you know, regarding the marriage business… Option one: a marriage in name. We live separate lives in the same house. We attend a few social occasions per year as a couple and put on a show that we are deliriously happy. We go back to ignoring each other the rest of the time. You can have a mistress if you need one, as long as you remain healthy and there is absolutely no gossip of any extramarital activities."
He stammered, "Miss de Bourgh! I do not-"
She raised a hand to shut him up, "Option two: a real marriage between hopefully friends who may eventually grow fond of each other. We could one day love each other, even if we are not in love with one another. We would attend more social events and host a couple per year. Absolutely no affairs from either of us. Oh, regardless of your choice, I will need one or two children.
"Are you giving me the 'I need heirs' speech' right now?"
"Yes. However, I do not care whether they are boys or girls."
"But if we do option one… How do you-? Do you intend to pass someone else's children as mine?"
"No. Some very interesting scientists are doing something called artificial insemination. They have done it successfully with different animals. I do not see why it would be a problem to do it with humans."
His jaw fell. "How do you even know about that?!"
"I cannot leave the house. Did you not hear me? What am I supposed to do other than read?"
"I see."
"We could also try to do it naturally if you could manage," she chuckled.
"Oi! I can manage perfectly well!" Mr. Walker complained.
"I guess we will see… Or we may see. I would not want to count my chickens before they hatch."
Mr. Walker blushed a deeper shade of red. He was saved from replying by Darcy coming out to talk to…
"I believe that is Mr. King Jr."
"Who?"
The colonel carried Miss Lydia to the closest settee while Darcy went outside to greet the carriage. It barely stopped when the door was thrown open, and Mr. King Jr. jumped off it.
"Mr. Darcy!"
"Mr. King?"
He bowed, "Is she well?"
"Miss Lydia?"
"Yes. Is she well?"
"Well, she was, but she fainted when she saw your carriage. What are you doing here? I was told your father had made different arrangements to absolve you of all this."
"I am my own man."
Mr. Darcy blinked, "I see. And you came here because?"
"Because I have thought about it… And I would like to be considered as a candidate to marry Miss Lydia."
"As a candidate?"
"Yes."
"Come to my study and explain yourself. This is not making any sense."
The colonel came into the study with a frown.
"How is she?" Mr. Darcy and Mr. King said in unison
"Miss Bennet is with her. She says she will be fine. She often does not eat breakfast. That was probably why she fainted," the colonel replied.
Mr. Darcy motioned for Richard to sit next to Mr. King.
"When we spoke about you marrying her, you said you could not marry a child. Miss Lydia is still sixteen, and I assume you are still twenty-six. What changed?"
"I feel responsible for her loss of innocence."
Richard turned to him with a scowl, "Aha! So you did touch her!"
"No. I did not. Not in any way to bring any satisfaction nor pleasure."
Mr. Darcy pinched the bridge of his nose, "Did you kiss her?"
"No."
The colonel threw his hands up, "I do not understand."
"We managed to trick Wickham by pretending we were engaging in… intercourse."
"What?!" both cousins looked at him in equal shock.
"How do you even pretend you are engaging in intercourse?!"
Mr. King blushed deep red.
"Answer me!"
"You explain to a child how it would have to look and sound like from outside the carriage if two people were engaging in intercourse within it."
"You told her to… Good Lord!"
"Yes, well, I promise you it was way more mortifying to me to try to sound like a lady enjoying herself so she could imitate me."
Mr. Darcy's jaw fell. "I cannot even ask. I-"
"So you taught her to moan loudly, and then what?"
"I rocked the carriage while she… uh, made those sounds."
"While you were on opposite sides of the carriage?" the colonel tilted his head, trying to picture the scene.
"Well, no. I had to place myself kneeling between her legs that were uncovered up to her knee while she was against the side wall."
"Why you-!" Mr. Darcy would have jumped over his desk and decked him, but the colonel stopped him.
"I did not touch her! My hands were flat on the side wall so I could rock the carriage, and the reason I was in that position was so I could hide her -and Mr. Bennet's pistol that she was pointing at the door- with my body."
"Mr. Bennet's pistol?!"
"Yes. So, as you can imagine, she could have shot me dead if I tried anything. Come to think of it, she almost shot Mr. Wickham. That pistol was loaded and ready to fire."
"What happened?"
"Wickham opened the door, furious, and ripped me off her, but I was ready for that. While he was focused on Miss Lydia's pistol, I took his pistol from the back of his pants and pushed it against the base of his skull. Then, Miss Lydia hogtied Wickham so tightly that he could barely blink and… well… I do not know if she would want me to disclose this -mainly because I think she thinks I did not see it- but she gagged him with a used menstruation rag."
The cousins shared a look, and their faces were equally pale.
"Her menstrual rag?!" Richard asked in awe. "I keep telling the army that we must involve women in warfare. They are vicious!"
"No. Not hers… That was the only way she managed to hide Mr. Bennet's pistol. She was allowed to grab some luggage. She put the pistol at the bottom of her sewing kit and covered it with clean menstrual rags. In one of the inns we stayed in, she managed to get a servant to help her. She had just been beaten the night before, and her whole face was deep purple and swollen. The girl helped her send a note and handed her used rags. I was scared they would go through her things and find the pistol, and she knew that. She was sure they would not touch her sewing kit if the pistol were under dirty rags."
"That is both deviant and effective," the colonel nodded with a smirk. "I love it."
"Richard!" Mr. Darcy exclaimed.
"Sorry. Back to the matter at hand. If I understood correctly, you were willing to be engaged in a long engagement as a pretense for up to two years."
"I am."
"But you did not rush here for a pretend engagement. Did you?"
"No. I will marry her. In name only."
Mr. Darcy shared a narrow-eyed look with the colonel.
"Mhmm," Richard replied in an incredulous tone.
"I am serious. I did not lie when I said I found the notion of marrying someone so young terrible. But I had to tell her, perhaps more than anyone ever did, about intercourse. At this point, I feel I must marry her."
"I do not think anyone will believe you. I do not," Mr. Darcy frowned.
"I understand. I would not believe me either. However, if you and her family agree, we could marry, and she could move to London to stay with her aunt and uncle. Perhaps she could either finish or rather advance her education there. I could visit perhaps once a month. My father and I can cite some business that keeps me traveling abroad. I would not be comfortable to… progress to a real marriage unless she agrees and she is at the very least nineteen, or I would rather hope twenty years old."
The colonel sighed, "Do you think your possible bride could… uh… abide by that?"
"Richard," Mr. Darcy's tone was a warning. He knew his cousin too well not to imagine what was coming.
"What? Darce… He gave her too much information. That is the reason he feels guilty. Now that she has that information which she relates to him and their… uh… performance… he expects her not to want… Well, that."
"Once she starts focusing on her studies, she will get her priorities straight."
"Hmm."
"I would like to speak to her."
"Why?"
Darcy remembered how sad and worried she looked about Mr. King's injuries, "You may speak to her with us present."
"Of course."
"You healed rather quickly."
"Yes. The sling she made me really helped."
"She was quite concerned about your wellbeing."
"She is a sweet… girl."
"Therein lies the issue," Mr. Darcy blinked.
"Yes."
"Lydia? There is a gentleman here to see you," Mr. Gardiner shook her slowly.
"Wh-What?" she asked groggily as she came to.
"A Mr. King Jr. is here. Mr. Darcy wants you to join them in Mr. Darcy's study. Your mother will be in attendance, and so will I."
"I must look a fright."
Jane was next to her and fixed her hair quickly. "There, you are perfect."
"Mary?"
"Yes?"
"Will you please come with me?"
Mary was shocked by her request. She did not show it and merely nodded. Lydia was shaking while she held onto Mary and her uncle. Her mother was in the study. She was pale. Mr. King had a proper sling on his arm now. Lydia felt too self-conscious to speak. She could not even look at his face. She did notice he stood up and bowed.
"Miss Lydia."
"M-Mr. King."
"I hope your fainting spell was not too serious."
"No. It was not. How are you? Did you recover?"
"I am well. The doctor Mr. Darcy sent was excellent."
"Did Spotty survive?"
"He did."
"Everyone, please be seated," Mr. Darcy stood and motioned. A footman brought an additional chair for Miss Mary. She sat and held Lydia's hand supportively.
"Miss Lydia, we are doing our best to provide you with a suitable solution to your situation. We were about to brief your father on what happened when, as you know, a carriage arrived rather swiftly. I am glad to see you have recovered from your fainting spell."
She nodded.
"Mr. King, go ahead."
"Miss Lydia, I am open to marrying you if you are still amenable to do so," Mr. King said in as neutral a tone as he could muster. It hurt him to see her bruises were fading slowly.
After a long, tense silence, Mary squeezed Lydia's hand, reminding her to reply. In a shaky voice, she said simply, "Why?"
"Because I consider it the right thing to do."
"Are you here under duress?"
"What?"
"Did someone force you to come and offer this?" Lydia's bottom lip trembled.
"No."
"Your father will disagree."
"We had… words. He wanted me to marry you from the start. I was the one who planted doubts. I just have some conditions about the marriage. I would appreciate it, Mr. Darcy, if I could speak to her alone to discuss them."
"Miss Lydia?" Mr. Darcy prompted.
Lydia took a deep breath, "I will hear you… if Mr. Darcy stays."
Mr. King was surprised but nodded. He just thought so many people were not conducive to a good conversation.
"Everyone else, please wait in the family room."
Mary pulled prayer beads from her pocket and placed them in Lydia's hand, closing her fist around the wooden beads. She patted her hand and kissed the top of her head before helping her mother out of the room. Lydia took a deep, shaky breath.
"Do you want me to stay here, or may I stand by the door?"
"You may stand by the door if you do not mind, sir."
Mr. Darcy did as he was told.
Mr. King explained his stipulations in as gentle a way as he could.
"How can I trust that you will not change your mind again, Mr. King?"
"I am willing to enter into a formal courtship immediately and marry as soon as can be arranged."
"Mr. Darcy?" Lydia turned to him. "How soon can a small, very simple wedding be arranged?"
"Well, I have never planned one. My aunt said a wedding can be put together in a week."
"Would you?"
"Would I?" Mr. Darcy blinked.
"Would you make arrangements? I do not deserve a party. Just a private ceremony will do."
Mr. King looked at Miss Lydia in astonishment.
"Well, Mr. King? Is that agreeable?"
"I need to contact my family. However private the ceremony may be, I want them present. Just my parents and my sisters."
"Where do you intend to live?"
"My family owns a small home in London."
"You said you would be married in name only," Mr. Darcy frowned. "Do you think it wise to leave her to her own devices in London?"
Mr. King blinked. "Uh… I thought she would not be alone."
"How come?"
Mr. King shrugged, "Well, one of her sisters could live with her."
"While you live… where exactly?" Mr. Darcy raised one brow.
"With my parents and sisters."
"This is not going to work," Lydia piped up.
Mr. Darcy tended to agree. "What do you suggest?"
"We should do what we said we would. Long engagement charade. If, after the long engagement, you still feel disgusted by the mere idea of marrying me, I will end the relationship publicly."
Mr. Darcy saw a lot of determination in her eyes. Mr. King looked impressed.
After a deep breath to settle himself that this was the best course of action, Mr. Darcy said, "I have a complementary proposition."
Lydia stared at him with wide eyes. Mr. King frowned slightly but said nothing.
"While engaged, you can live with Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner or at Darcy House in London with your mother and sisters."
"Sir?"
"I want you to further and improve your education during your engagement. However, you should travel to your hometown to make sure everyone knows you are engaged. Then, you will spend most of your time taking classes with excellent tutors to further your knowledge. You both may travel back and forth to attend social occasions. When you visit London, Mr. King, you will stay at your parents' house. When Miss Lydia travels to attend events in your hometown, she will stay at Longbourne. Are you two amenable to this?"
The pair shared a long wordless look, "We are."
"Good. Mr. King, wait outside. I need to ask some final questions to Miss Lydia."
Mr. King nodded and left.
"Is this really what you want? We can still find you someone else to marry."
"How could I say no to such generosity, sir?"
"I do not want you to feel rushed to marry. That is the only reason I agree with the long engagement. You are still too young to make such a monumental decision in the best of circumstances. The two of you must act completely above reproach and proper. Do you understand that?"
"Yes, sir."
"One of my carriages in London will be available for long trips, should you need it. Only confirm with the housekeeper before using it."
"Yes, sir."
"Now, tell me. What would you like to learn?"
"I get to choose?"
"Of course. If you get to choose your husband… why would your education be any different?"
"I do not want to overstep…"
"Not at all."
"Lizzie is very lucky to have you."
Mr. Darcy chuckled, "No, Miss Lydia. I am lucky to have her. Tell me, I heard you enjoy painting."
Her face transformed and lit up into such a joyful expression that he was sure this was the right path forward.
Mr. Walker approached Mr. King once Miss de Bourgh was safely inside.
"Mr. King."
"Mr. Walker."
"These belong to your sister. Wickham will never trouble your family again. I doubt he will survive prison for more than a month. However, if Miss King were my sister, I would only be satisfied if I myself saw them burn," Mr. Walker handed him a stack of letters that he had picked up from Mr. Young.
Mr. King made sure it was his sister's handwriting. "Sir, this means everything to me. Thank you!"
"Thank Darcy. I only carried out his instructions," he nodded. "Are you here for Miss Lydia?"
"Yes."
"Good luck with the marriage talks."
"Thank you."
"Markie!"
Walker grimaced. However, he turned with a kind smile that did not reach his eyes. "Lady Elinor."
"Who is this gentleman?"
"This is Mr. King… Miss Lydia's… uh…"
"Intended," Mr. King said.
"Oh, how wonderful. I am Lady Elinor. Countess of Matlock. My husband, the earl, is around here somewhere. I am sure I can introduce you later."
"Of course."
Lady Elinor took Mr. Walker's unoffered arm and dragged him away, "Now, Marcus dear… I saw you speaking with Anne… Dare I hope-?"
"Lady Elinor, please! It is much too early to plot marriage!"
"Too early in the day or the courtship?" Lady Elinor wiggled her brows.
"Cease this, I beg you! Not even my mother is so invested in my marriage prospects!"
"Aha! So it is a prospect!"
William could breathe better now that they had decided on Miss Lydia's future with her direct input.
"Brother? Uncle told me you wanted to talk to me."
"Gigi," he motioned for her to sit.
"What did I do wrong?"
"Nothing. I have something to help close a terrible chapter in your life."
Gigi stared. He handed her a tied stack of letters. Her hands trembled as she took the parcel.
"I want you to review them and ensure no letter is missing."
Gigi nodded. "How?"
"Wickham had an illegitimate child that Mrs. Young passed off as her husband's. I am only telling you because he looks exactly like Wickham did when he was sixteen. I would not want you to run into him in London and be terrified, thinking he escaped prison. Mr. Young is the complete opposite of his father in character, and he was keeping your letters safe. He also kept other ladies' letters safe."
"This is mortifying."
"I know, sweetling. Just make sure they are complete. We can burn them together."
It took around ten minutes for Gigi to finish checking. "They are all here."
"Good."
Mr. Darcy stoked the fire, and she placed letter after letter in the flames until they were nothing but ashes. When they were done, her body was wracked with sobs. It was finally truly over. She cried in her brother's arms for a long time, like she never allowed herself to cry back when it happened. She had felt unworthy of being consoled. Now, she finally did. William cradled her against his chest and held her, muttering sweet nothings and kissing her hair.
"William?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"If I… If I never marry… Could I live here with you forever?"
He chuckled, "My dear, this is your home. You are forever welcome here and anywhere else Lizzie and I go. I would selfishly prefer to keep you here, but I do not want this experience you went through to dissuade you from ever entering the marriage market. You could meet your Lizzie."
"I doubt it… But I am glad you want me here with you."
"I always will."
Mr. Bennet drummed his fingers against the bedside table. He could do that now. He had been waiting for a supposed meeting for hours, and they seemed to have forgotten. No. They had not forgotten. They had simply chosen to make him wait. Bloody aristocrats. A knock made him jump. Finally!
Mrs. Bennet came in. She was pale and looked terrified. "Mr. Bennet," she nodded but stayed close to the door.
"What a loving wife I have. This is the first time you have been here in two weeks, and you will not even ask how I am doing."
"She knows how you are doing. My staff reports your progress to her daily, as does the doctor," Mr. Darcy walked in with his usual expressionless face.
"I have been waiting for our meeting for hours. I have known you to be many awful things, but unpunctual was not one of those."
"I was solving a pressing situation for your family, seeing as you cannot be bothered to act in their benefit. Miss Lydia, please come in."
Mr. Bennet was shocked and quiet when he took in the bruises. But what surprised him most was that Lydia looked like a different person: fearful, nervous, and somber… way more somber than Mary, and that was saying something.
"Papa," she curtseyed but did not approach the bed.
"Who did that to you?"
Lydia's eyes filled with tears, and she wrapped her arms around herself, "M-Mr. Wickham."
Mr. Bennet scowled. "Why?"
"Because I t-told him the tru-truth. That what he was do-doing was ex-extortion."
Mr. Bennet frowned, deeply. "And why, pray tell, were you in the position to be beaten by him?"
"Because she was brave and wanted to save my sister's reputation," Mr. King said from the door.
"Joshua King? Is that you?" Mr. Bennet reached for his reading glasses.
"Yes, sir."
"Why are you here?"
Mr. King quickly recounted how he ended up kidnapped with Lydia. Mr. Bennet was stunned. It all sounded so absurd, so ridiculous, and so dangerous. It was all Lydia's fault.
"You goddamned stupid, foolish child!" Mr. Bennet bellowed. "Out of all the brainless things you have done, this is the worst! How dare you even show your face before me? You are thoroughly compromised, and I am in no condition to call anyone out. Although I am sure that you all would be very happy to see me fall dead trying to avenge an ungrateful chit who does not deserve anything that I have given her! It is exactly like I always thought you would be! I NEVER want to see you again! You are no longer my daughter! You are nothing but a ruined woman, a strumpet, a harlot, a trollop, a-"
Lydia started crying and desperately reached her right hand back.
"SHUT UP!" Mr. Darcy and Mr. King yelled in unison.
"Miss Lydia, please return to your room," Mr. Darcy said gently.
"YOU WILL NOT INTERVENE IN FAMILY AFFAIRS!" Mr. Bennet roared.
"FAMILY AFFAIRS?!" Mrs. Bennet exclaimed. Everyone froze to look at her. She had been crying during the conversation. "You just said you do not want to see her again, and she is no longer your daughter. FINE! She is and will always be MY daughter! She was formed in my womb and will always be welcome at my side!"
Lydia froze. Her mother had never defended anyone like this.
"How dare you speak to me that way?!" Mr. Bennet threw his legs down the side of the bed.
"How dare I? How dare you?! You accuse our daughter with such horrible words after what you did to the Countess?!"
Mr. Bennet colored but offered no reply.
Mr. Darcy turned to her, wide-eyed. He had no clue what that was about. Lady Elinor had left that out of the contract conversation, probably because she knew he would kick Mr. Bennet our regardless of what the doctor recommended, "What the hell did you do to my aunt?!"
"He stalked her and tried to compromise her when she was sixteen years old!"
"YOU. DID. WHAT?!"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH FRANCINE! As soon as we return home, your circumstances will change A LOT!"
"I am not going to live with you EVER again!" Mrs. Bennet yelled back
"What?!"
"Mr. King, please walk Miss Lydia to her room."
Mr. King half-pulled, half-pushed Lydia out as fast as he could.
"No, you will not leave me, Francine! You could never afford divorce! You will starve! The scandal would cost our daughters their futures!" Mr. Bennet stood up, and with sheer fury, he managed to stand up and walk on shaky legs, like an unsteady monster ready to attack.
"You already took care of ruining their prospects. I did not have to do anything!" Mrs. Bennet started walking backward slowly, scared.
"Mr. Bennet, sit down. You will injure yourself," Mr. Darcy stepped forward.
"As if you care!" Mr. Bennet held onto the furniture as he tried to reach his wife.
"Thomas! Enough! SIGN THE CONTRACT OR DIE IN THE MARSHALSEA!"
Mr. Bennet growled and jumped toward his wife with his adrenaline-fueled frail body. Mr. Darcy quickly pulled her behind him. It was only when the man would have reached her that he noticed Mr. Bennet was holding onto a small pocketknife. Mr. Darcy tried to jump back, but he would have injured Mrs. Bennet. The pocketknife ended up slicing down his upper arm through his suit and shirt and ended up stabbing his waist.
"ARGH!" Darcy was not going to touch the knife as he knew that was safer, but Mr. Bennet pulled it out harshly. This made him tumble backward, so much so that he almost fell through the window. He landed with a pained grunt, and there was a loud, sickening crunch.
Mrs. Bennet saw red, literally and figuratively. She ran, "COLONEL! HELP!"
Richard ran in and unceremoniously kicked the knife off Mr. Bennet's hand. Mr. Bennet, who was already screaming in pain, howled expletives. The colonel retrieved the knife and put it against Mr. Bennet's throat.
"Move, I beg you! Give me a reason to cut your neck from ear to ear!" Richard growled.
Mrs. Bennet ran back with a towel and pressed it against Mr. Darcy's side, apologizing profusely.
Walker rushed in and looked at the chaotic scene. "Darcy! Come. You need to lie down."
"YOU! Time is up!" the colonel grabbed Mr. Bennet and sat him up against the foot of his bed. He took the contract from the side table and inked a pen. "You have stabbed the master of this house! You wanted to stab your wife! You are done! SIGN THIS!
"NO!"
The colonel wrapped his arm around Mr. Bennet's neck and started to squeeze. Jane rushed in. For a moment, Mr. Bennet hoped she would defend him, but then she took the contract and the pen.
"Sign!" Jane placed the pen in his hand. "If you ever gave half a damn about any of us at all, sign it!"
The colonel squeezed tighter, "This is not a game, Bennet! I will squeeze tighter until your windpipe collapses, and you die an agonizing death due to lack of air!
"SIGN IT! Richard is a man of his word! He will kill you! And I will testify in his favor!" Jane wrapped her hand around his to keep the pen steady. "Sign it!"
He felt consciousness starting to leave him, but he signed regardless. It was a shaky signature, but it was his. Jane rushed to take the contract to the earl. On her way out, two footmen came in and lifted a screaming Mr. Bennet to the bed. His body did not look natural. He had to have broken bones.
"You deserve no peace of mind. But I will tell you, just so that you know how unfair you have been and how much you have lost. Miss Lydia came here to tell you she was engaged to Mr. King. Thanks to Darcy's intervention. Darcy is marrying Miss Elizabeth, and I am marrying Jane, regardless of what you think. Miss Mary will forever be welcome in our homes, as will Miss Lydia and Miss Catherine. Mrs. Bennet has been offered all the accommodation she could possibly want. She can live here in the dower house. She can live in Darcy House in London. Darcy will ensure your younger daughters receive an education, and once they are ready, he will find them respectable husbands."
"No man will take them with their dowries," Bennet grunted.
Richard laughed sarcastically, "They do not need your bloody meager funds. My cousin settled a 20,000 pounds dowry on Miss Bennet with 500 pounds a year. He will provide for all his sisters. All the damage you have done destroyed the family bond to you. You are not a good father or provider, but they will not need you because Darcy is. He is the consummate provider and a great father already. Darce and I will make sure they want for nothing. You are irrelevant, completely unimportant to their future happiness. You did that. No one had to help you."
Bennet was stunned. Between all the revelations and the pain he was in, he could not say a word.
The colonel walked toward the door, "With that signature, Mrs. Bennet now owns Longbourne, and Darcy will hire a competent steward to manage the estate. If you live long enough, you will get to see all that you could have had. But now," Richard scoffed. "Now, you will not take part in anything. You will not walk your daughters down the aisle. I doubt you will have any visitors. Any grandchildren will not know you. I hope your books keep you happy when you spend the holidays alone… When no one remembers your birthday, I hope you can play chess against yourself, and that will make you smile. I hope that if you ever choke on your meal, your stubbornness will pat your back to help you survive the obstruction. When you finally lay dying all alone with no one to help you, I hope you will remember all the awful things you did and said to your family, and that you finally understand you caused them a lot of pain for no reason. You will be all alone. If you did not understand the terms, you will not have any staff to mind you. My parents said you would have a cottage. Not staff. I hope you can feed yourself. Otherwise, you will starve soon enough. That is, if this most recent self-imposed injury does not kill you first. I am sure there will be a doctor here to see you soon, regardless of how little you deserve it."
"Get out!" Bennet roared. He could feel his heartbeat in his hips.
"Gladly!" the colonel left, slamming the door behind him.