Chapter 18
A week after Jane requested her father investigate Colonel Fitzwilliam, the duke called his eldest daughter into his study.
“I have received a report on your Colonel Fitzwilliam,” he said.
“He is not my colonel,” Jane replied.
Papa smiled slightly. “Given the information I have gathered and the fact that you have walked with the young man four times in the last week, I strongly suspect he soon will be.”
Jane ignored her father’s insinuation and said, “What have you found?”
“His income is sufficient for his needs as well as a few small luxuries, the most notable of which is a racing curricle and a single horse,” Papa said. “Despite the expense of purchasing and keeping them, however, Colonel Fitzwilliam is in debt to no man. He does not even have any open gaming debts.
“Additionally, he treats both his manservant and his landlady with respect, and my men could find no rumor of him ever mistreating a servant in any way. In fact, he has even stood up to his father when the earl attempted to fire a footman for simply standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Why would you investigate how he treats servants?” asked Jane.
“The way a man treats his servants is a good indicator of how he will treat his wife or any other person the man thinks is below him,” said Papa. “Now, on to the less savory side of the report.”
Jane felt her heart sink as her father said that. She feared that perhaps he had a mistress or a foundling child or something of that nature.
“This is the part of the report that took so long to complete. My men were thorough in their search, but they could find no evidence whatsoever that Colonel Fitzwilliam has ever fathered a child, not even with the professional ladies in London’s brothels.”
“That is good to know,” said Jane. She did not ask how often he went to such places, simply because she didn’t wish to know. That was a side of the life of a gentleman that Jane was perfectly happy to remain ignorant of.
“That is the extent of my report,” said Papa. “It would have been longer had there been anything negative to report, but it appears that your young man is as close to perfect as a gentleman in London can possibly be.”
“And what is your opinion of him?” asked Jane. “Do you think he will make a good husband for me?”
“I can’t think of a better man for the position,” said the duke. “However, that is merely an objective statement. If you don’t like him or can’t respect him, the rest matters very little. Let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to love or respect your partner in life.”
“I do like him,” said Jane. “He is easy to converse with, and he has a lively sense of humor reminiscent of Elizabeth’s. I also respect him. He has knowledge and experience I do not, but heis not overbearing when sharing a different perspective or even giving advice.”
“Give him time,” said Papa. “You have only known him little more than a week. I know you are in a rush to establish a family that can carry on the title, but there is no need to rush quite that much.”
“Very well,” said Jane. “I will make no decision as of yet. Still, it is good to know that your investigators found what I had already assumed, that he is a good man.”
~~~~~
Jane continued walking with Colonel Fitzwilliam nearly every day, since he always accompanied Mr. Darcy when he called on Elizabeth. Their conversations were always easy and pleasant, and Jane noticed that he had gradually become more comfortable around her.
They didn’t always speak of hobbies or entertainments. Sometimes they spoke of life experiences, both past and present, and Jane gradually developed a sense of what the colonel valued most in life.
At Elizabeth’s engagement dinner, Jane and Colonel Fitzwilliam were placed next to each other at dinner. Without even thinking of how it would look, both of them practically ignored their dinner partners on their other sides.
By the end of another two weeks, Jane was certain she loved the man, and she was equally certain that he would make an excellent partner in life.
There was only one thing that still held her back. She did not wish to be the one to propose.
Ever since she was a young girl, her mother had told her that she was sure to attract every man she met. The idea had been reinforced by her own experiences. She had always resisted the temptation to be vain about such a clear advantage, but she was not immune to the pleasure of having such power.
Even so, she had always done her best to be demure. The one thing that had managed to penetrate her mind and enter her dreams was the desire to have a man propose marriage to her in the most romantic way possible.
So, she put it off, not wishing to give up on that one last dream, the final vestige of normality from her old life.
~~~~~
Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam entered the study of the Duke of Derby. Only half an hour had passed since he received a note requesting his presence as soon as possible. He wondered what this could possibly be about.
