“My friend, Charlotte Lucas, wrote hinting for an invitation so she might see the man she is courting, Mr. Andrew Livesay. He was staying in my home county, and after a few visits with my sister, he moved on to my friend Charlotte and asked to court her after knowing her for a few weeks. Unfortunately, business called him to town, and Sir William allowed the couple to exchange letters. Still, Charlotte would like to see him again before he must travel to his estate in Lancashire County,” Elizabeth explained.
“Yes, that is quite the distance from Hertfordshire,” Lady Anne said, then suggested. “If you were to invite Charlotte to visit you at Oakridge, she would be much closer to her beau.”
Elizabeth looked at Fitzwilliam, who nodded. “I will invite her to visit us in London in a fortnight, and she may stay until it is time for us to remove to Derbyshire. We intend to return home at the beginning of July, as we have much work to do before the harvest,” Elizabeth said.
“Oh, no, you must stay in town longer than that, my dear,” Lady Anne objected. “We will not depart for Pemberley until the end of July and had hoped you would stay until then.”
“You mentioned visiting us on your way to Pemberley, and we will need time to make sure things are ready for you,” Elizabeth insisted. “Besides, a month in London is more than enough for both of us.”
Lady Anne pulled a face but reluctantly agreed with their plan. “I do not suppose I can persuade you to change your mind,”she replied. “Now tell me about your friend Charlotte. I seem to recall an Andrew Livesay among your friends, Fitzwilliam.”
The two told her what they knew about the couple, and they discussed their plans to help bring the two together. Charlotte had shared more in her letter, but Elizabeth wanted to wait until later to share those details with her husband.
CHAPTER 19
Threats and Plans
“Fitzwilliam,” Elizabeth began the following morning as they laid about in their bed, “I need to speak to you of more that Charlotte said in her letters to me. I received several while we were on our trip, and she mentioned that Mr. Livesay would likely be writing to you as well.”
He sighed. “I noticed a letter from him on my desk but had not had a chance to read it yet. Should I be concerned about what it contains?”
“I am not certain,” she admitted. “I do not know exactly what he wrote, but Charlotte said Jane is becoming more desperate, going so far as to threaten to ‘take what is mine’. I cannot imagine what she might mean or how she thinks she might have access to harm either of us. She is not reasonable, which is no surprise, but I cannot understand her.”
Fitzwilliam considered this for a moment. “Would the Gardiners invite Jane to town?” At the shake of Elizabeth’s head, he continued. “What could she do unless we are in Hertfordshire? That is the only way she could do anything, and she has no connections that would enable her to come to town. Perhaps we should send an investigator to Hertfordshire to see if he can learn anything, but I imagine this is mostly bluster.”
“The Bennets, well, mostly Mama and Jane, are being shunned in Meryton for their actions after our visit. Lady Lucas did as she promised and spread the truth of our marriage before Jane could spread word of a compromise or an early babe. Ourappearance in Meryton aided that, and the break between my family and myself was revealed. There was a very public setdown when Mama tried to claim a closer connection with us. Jane attempted to claim she was pleased with the match but then revealed her true self when she insisted very publicly she would marry better. She did not appreciate your true status being revealed and is very focused on the fact that you are the nephew of an Earl. I worry that she is becoming unhinged,” Elizabeth admitted. “I doubt she can do any true damage, but I begin to worry about her mental state. She has heard too often from Mama that she ‘could not be so beautiful for nothing’ and puts a great emphasis on her looks.”
“Perhaps we should send a physician to Longbourn to evaluate both her and your mother?” Fitzwilliam asked. “While a few men would accept an insipid woman as a wife, most would not unless the lady in question also possessed a significant dowry. No man would want a wife who brings nothing, as your sister appears to do.”
Elizabeth sighed and snuggled deeper into his embrace. “There is little she could do, as she would not be invited in our home here or to Darcy House, and I cannot imagine she could manage to travel to either Oakridge Manor or Pemberley. It is such a long distance to travel and an expensive journey—not one my father could or would be willing to fund. With us leaving London before long, I do not think there is cause to worry.”
He hugged her more tightly and assured her that her safety was his first priority. “Regardless, dearest, I think we should discover all the information we can so we are prepared for any situation that might arise. Does Charlotte say if your sister knows her courtship with the gentleman she had hoped for?”
“The Lucases and Bennets are not exactly on speaking terms of late. Sir William, Charlotte’s father, objected rather strenuously to my mother and Jane’s insistence that Charlotte give them the address to locate me. My mother protested, leading to a break between the two families. Most of Meryton recalls how Mama always treated me and sided with the Lucases. I am uncertain if the news of the courtship has made its way to Longbourn since Kitty and Lydia are also prohibited from visiting Lucas Lodge. They have met with Maria Lucas occasionally, but it has been difficult for them to converse. I will ask Charlotte to encourage them to write me and find a way to pass it on to one of the Lucases,” Elizabeth said.
“When will you ask Miss Lucas to arrive? Will we need to send a carriage for her?” Fitzwilliam asked.
“I will suggest she arrive in a fortnight, perhaps three weeks, and then accompany us to Dovedale for at least a month. I will offer to send a carriage, but I expect Sir Lucas to refuse. Since Charlotte is also writing to her suitor, she may know of his plans and want to adjust them based on his availability. Perhaps we should rise and break our fasts so you might read your letter from Mr. Livesay, and I might write mine inviting Charlotte to visit,” Elizabeth suggested.
“Soon,” was his reply. “For now, let us enjoy the quiet and solitude of our chambers. Too soon, we will be disturbed by something or another. While I love my mother, she has been so pleased to have a son married and is determined to be far too involved in our lives at present. At least at Oakridge, we will be free from her interference for a time.”
Laughing, Elizabeth swatted at her husband playfully. “Your mother is delightful, but, yes, a bit intense. She is thrilled to have a daughter-in-law and someone she can shepherd through theSeason and the rest. Georgiana is too young, and you and George have been too stubborn to allow her to do as she likes. I enjoy the novelty of having a caring mother, although I am pleased to have the distance between us now.”
Fitzwilliam laughed in reply, lightly pinning her down as he threatened her. “I will tell Mother what you said about her, and then we will see if you still think she is delightful.” Before she could open her mouth to answer, he bent to kiss her, and the two remained in bed and did not rise until some time later.
When they finally appeared downstairs, they ordered tea and a small meal to be delivered to the study. They sat there together, sorting through their correspondence together. Several letters had been directed to their borrowed home, and Fitzwilliam had not gone through them until now. The first he found was the one from his old friend Andrew Livesay, and he quickly broke the seal and began to read.
When he was done, he turned to his wife, “His letter is a little different from your friend’s, a bit more explicit in some details. He was rather direct with Miss Bennet and told her in painful detail that besides her beauty, she had little to recommend herself. He called at Longbourn a few times but found little to admire there and quit visiting and told your sister as much when they were overheard speaking ill of you in Meryton. He told her, and I quote, ‘You have nothing to tempt a man other than your smiles,’ she took umbrage at the statement. She informed him that she would marry much higher than you had, but when she walked away, Livesay heard her threaten to destroy our marriage and take what is yours. I believe that is similar to what Miss Lucas told you.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “It is,” she agreed. “Will you send a note to send an investigator to Meryton? He should seek outSir William first to gain information, but the Hills at Longbourn would also be useful. Could he, do you think the investigator would be able to deliver a note to the housekeeper from me? I did not have a chance to speak with Mrs. Hill before we departed, but she always looked out for me as a child.”
“I think it could be arranged, my dear, but I will write to a man I know who has done this sort of work in the past. As a barrister, these connections were useful, but I did not think I would need them as a gentleman of means in this new life. However, I am glad to have them,” Fitzwilliam replied.
Both began to work on answering their letters, and most of the morning was spent in this occupation. Several hours passed before the butler appeared to announce a visitor. “Mr. George Darcy is here to see you, Mr. Darcy,” he stated.
Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth looked at each other in surprise at their visitor. While George and Fitzwilliam had not always gotten along in recent years, things improved following Fitzwilliam’s engagement and wedding. They asked the butler to escort their guest into a sitting room, and after checking their appearances, they made their way there. “Welcome, George,” his brother began.
“Would you care for refreshments?” Elizabeth asked. “I can call for tea or something stronger if you prefer.”
