Darcy glanced at his friend and smiled. “By the way, all,” he said, in a carrying voice. “Miss Elizabeth has done me the very great honour of accepting my hand in marriage. You may be the first to congratulate us.”
Georgiana grew so excited that she nearly fell out of the litter. “Oh, my brother, you have made the very best of choices, of a wonderful wife for you and a sister for me!”
“I am relieved you think so,” Darcy said, grinning at his sister, while Mr Bingley seconded her sentiments. Even Mr Hill, not prone to approval in general, granted them a smile.
“I am glad for you, for you both,” Jane put in. “Congratulations, Mr Darcy, on choosing a person so utterly loyal to those she loves—a woman of great strength of character and personal courage. She will be missed.” Elizabeth saw, in hersister’s eyes, what she thought it meant for her own life; well, she hoped Mr Darcy would not mind if she brought Jane with her, but of course she had not had time to ask.
It was not until they were nearly to Fox Hollow’s doorstep that they realised it had not been empty while they were away; two men emerged, who had plainly been awaiting their return.
“Look at them, Sir William!” Mr Philips cried, pointing rudely at Jane and Elizabeth, who were in the front of the procession. “They look like trollops!” When he caught sight of Darcy right behind them, cravat-less and holding Neddy, he turned bright red in absolute fury. “Well, it seems we now know what activities they engage in, when not in company with respectable folk.”
“Now, then, Philips,” Sir William said soothingly, not quite so ready to accuse one of the most affluent, highborn gentlemen he had ever met. “I said we would come out and discuss this with Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth, and that is what we will do. I am certain they have an explanation.”
“Here is your explanation,” Mr Philips spat. “You can see what is happening. They are obviously using Fox Hollow to indulge in lascivious goings-on! Elizabeth has already corrupted her elder sister, and is harming the child’s morals in the process! He should be returned to his mother at once, and you ought to support me in my suit to assume immediate guardianship when I take it to Chancery.”
Darcy turned a glare on Mr Philips that would have served as a warning to someone less stupid. Sir William took an actual step back. At the same time, Mr Hill and Mr Bingley came into sight with their burden.
“As you can see, Lucas,” Darcy growled, “my sister has been injured. Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth, who, by the way, has agreed to marry me, accompanied Bingley and me,because their young brother is the only one who witnessed Miss Darcy’s accident. Thankfully, he led us directly to her. We are hardly returned from her rescue, which has been a strenuous venture for us all. Now, what is this about a discussion you wished to have, and can it wait until after my sister has been seen by Mr Jones?”
Thirty-Eight
THE BEST OF US
Mr Hill departed to fetch Mr Jones, and Bingley to bring the Darcy carriage to transport Georgiana back to Netherfield. Darcy was unwilling to leave until Philips was well and truly gone. It was surprisingly difficult, even for Sir William, to convince the man that his complaints must wait for another day. By the time the older man departed with Philips in tow, it was clear to Darcy that waiting weeks for banns to be called and a more traditional wedding to be arranged was impractical.
Georgiana was installed upon the settee, obviously in pain but pretending she was not. Edward wakened and was a little grumpy, but after he was fed, returned to his usual cheer.
“I do not have much in the way of variety,” Elizabeth said, blushing a little as she offered them bread, butter, and cheese.
He accepted the bread with thanks, as did Georgiana. It was not an extravagant meal, but the bread was fresh and delicious, especially after their recent efforts.
Miss Bennet, he noticed, was very quiet. She had not saidmuch at all today, for that matter, but there was something about her now, as though she was gathering her courage, that seemed a little out of the ordinary. “Lizzy,” she said with a tentative air, “I-I want you to know that I will remain at Fox Hollow with Neddy after your marriage. I will not return to Longbourn once you are gone. Mr Darcy, I feel certain that any court in the land would listen to your opinion on the matter of Neddy’s guardianship. If I have your support to keep him with me, I will be able to prevent Uncle Philips from taking our brother. I promise to be as valiant in that effort as my sister has been.”
He saw Elizabeth open her mouth to reply, but he spoke first. “Except that living at Fox Hollow is not my opinion of what is best done to remedy Edward’s situation.”
Elizabeth smiled, but Miss Bennet looked at him in some surprise. “Oh, but…”
“I feel the best conceivable outcome for Edward is only possible if he remains with Elizabeth; after all, she has been both mother and sister to him almost his entire life. I mean to gain guardianship, and put more protections in place for his future. I will ensure Philips has no part of whatever future that is for Edward’s estate. I presume your mother and sister would prefer to remain at Longbourn, but I rather supposed, Miss Bennet, that you might like to live with us and your brother.”
Georgiana, grinned. “Two sisters! Why, what a wonderful idea! Can I have them both, Fitzwilliam?”
To his dismay, Miss Bennet covered her face with her hands, plainly distraught.
His Elizabeth went to her at once. “Oh, my sister, I meant to speak with Darcy about this very idea. There has not been time. Of course you will go with us when we go…that is, unless you have a different, better offer.”
Jane shook her head. “Thank you. You both are so kind.”
“I shall soon be sorely outnumbered by females, I fear,” Darcy replied mournfully. “It is as well that I have Edward to balance the scales.”
Elizabeth delighted in this evidence that he would tease her. “Neddy would miss you dreadfully, were you to stay behind, Jane.”
“I have not been nearly as good to him as you have,” she whispered. “Thank you, Lizzy, for keeping him so safe and so happy, all this time. Papa would be so proud of you, as he always was in life.”
“He was proud of you, too.”
“Yes. But there was a reason you were his favourite. You are the best of us.”
“Jane, none of us is perfect. We are all trying, are we not? Papa loved every one of his girls.”
