29
After spending the rest of the day consoling Georgiana, Elizabeth noticed a dramatic difference in her husband’s demeanor when he entered their chambers.
“How is my sister?” His volume was high, and his tone sharp.
“She is as you would expect.” Elizabeth watched him closely, hoping to figure out what was wrong before she had to ask.
Darcy moved quickly, his movements jerky as he disrobed. “I cannot think that she will mourn long since Wickham’s offenses against her were almost as many as against me.”
“Ah.” Elizabeth set aside her brush, braiding her hair from habit. “You are thinking like a man, I suspect, not like a girl whose youthful dreams were shattered.”
He paused only briefly before unbuttoning his waistcoat, shrugging out of the garment, then tossing it on the back of a chair.
“Or, rather”—he smiled smugly—“I believe it is because of her youth that she will rebound from the tragedy that was her marriage.”
Elizabeth gaped. “You do, do you?”
What transpired in the hours after they learned of Wickham’s death that changed Darcy’s character? Where was the man who determined that Elizabeth and Georgiana were his priorities? What happened to the compassion he showed Petey when he lost his grandmother and with Mr. Bingley when his sisters became an embarrassment? Did he not grow closer to her family as he spent more time with them? Where was the tenderness that seemed inherent to his nature since the moment they wed? What happened to his new goal to look toward their future separate from Pemberley?
Darcy was so caught up in his thoughts that he paid no attention to her unspoken concerns.
“I shall need an armband out of respect for my sister. Georgiana will need widow’s weeds.” He paced the small confines, increasing her ire with every revolution of the room. “I will need to determine if he left a will. Of course, I will run Pemberley until Georgiana’s son is old enough to manage the property.”
Elizabeth spoke as clearly as possible. “You assume that Georgiana’s child is his heir, then?”
He stopped. “Who else would it be? He left behind no family. He had no friends who were close enough to trust with an estate of this size. In fact, Wickham trusted no one.” He dropped his hand to his forehead. “The fire.Blast!Anylast willwas likely destroyed in the fire. I wonder if Georgiana knew who he used as an attorney. Certainly, the person who wrote the contract would havea copy.” He started moving again. “Since these affect my sister, I need to see those papers.”
Instead of the man she thought she knew, the one standing before her was rigid with ambition. She stood and approached him, blocking his way. When he went around her, she touched his arm.
Keeping the timbre of her voice calm, she asked, “Fitzwilliam, was it not less than a day ago that you told me Pemberley was part of your heritage but not your entire identity?”
He ran his hands through his hair. “I need to help Georgiana. She does not know what I know. Under my hand, Pemberley thrived. With me at the helm, she can rise from whatever damage Wickham has done to the glorious estate it should be.”
“She? You are speaking of Pemberley, not Georgiana?” Elizabeth squeezed his arm reassuringly. “I understand that you are used to taking charge. Nevertheless, did you not mention how the world was changing, how estates of the magnitude of Pemberley will struggle in the future because needed workers are abandoning that life?”
“Yes, but…” Darcy looked at his wife until he really saw her. “Elizabeth, I need to do this for Georgiana.”
He truly believed this was his only course.
“Darling man, as long as you are certain that you are not doing this for yourself.”
“I…I…” Darcy glanced away for a moment. The pause was sufficient to deflate him completely. He pulled her to the side of the bed where he sat. When he looked up at her, she appreciated the intensity of his eyes. “I swear to you, Elizabeth, that Pemberley was not my first thought when your father told me about Wickham. However, whenmy brain started putting the pieces together, for the first time in months, I felt empowered. Revitalized. Happy even. Not from the death of the man. But from having a purpose, from knowing I would once again be able to stroll through the doors of Pemberley with pride.”
She stroked his temples. “You know that your sister’s marriage ended the guardianship you and the colonel held over her?”
“I do, but she remains frightfully inexperienced. I shall need to act on her behalf to make certain that no one attempts to take advantage of her.”
“As long as you consult with her and listen when she expresses her opinion, Fitzwilliam.” She kissed his cheek. “What of Ashworth estate?”
He ran his fingers from the top of her braid to its tip. “I cannot think about Ashworth now. Likely, all our resources will need to be combined with Pemberley’s to purchase the supplies necessary to plant for the upcoming year. My dear wife, until I learn otherwise, we must make decisions as if we have lost all of Wickham’s assets. Neither Georgiana nor I will step back into the lives we led prior to her marriage. If it is, as I suspect, once word of Wickham’s death reaches London, the possibility of any Darcy’s being welcome in society is almost non-existent. They will not hesitate to remind my sister that they allowed her to remain in their company only because her husband charmed them. Now that Wickham was murdered for assaulting a girl who was little more than a child, Georgiana will be shunned.
She had to ask for her peace of mind. “Then we are still looking toward our future, Fitzwilliam?”
“Always.” He kissed her.
A prompt reply would have convinced Elizabeth. Instead, he hesitated. Holding on to her hope, she was determined to provide him with her full support, but inside, she wanted to weep as her dreams seemed to be vanishing like the mist.
Elizabeth’scalm response reminded Darcy of the wisdom of marrying her. She was peerless amongst women.
