Darcy groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Yes, she has considerable experience in trying to run the estate into the ground. Each year, when I visited Rosings, I had to remind her yet again that she could not spend more than she earned, nor did she have the right to meddle in her tenants’ personal affairs. But did she listen? Of course not. Inevitably, I am summoned back, time and time again, to untangle the same messes. The worst part is that a single letter—to the steward or the tenant—could resolve most of these issues; yet, she wanted me to travel halfway across England to repeat advice she has ignored countless times before.” His tone was tight, his frustration clear, as he leaned back in his chair and exhaled sharply.
“I know, Fitzwilliam,” Anne replied, a hint of weariness in her voice. “While I did my best to manage Mother’s excesses and ridiculous demands, there was only so much I could accomplish. At least you had the authority to prevent her from dismissing the steward, and she rarely concerned herself with anything outside the house long enough to ensure that it met her specifications.”
“Anne, that leads to her actions over the last several years,” Darcy began. “You know as well as I do that there was no ‘cradle betrothal’ between the two of us no matter what she claimed. However, I have only recently learned how far she has gone to force the issue.” Darcy explained to his cousin and her husband how Lady Catherine had bribed Mr. Bennet to reject his suit and then later her schemes with Wickham.
“Wickham—somewhat willingly—gave us letters your mother had written to him and explained how he came to be involved in several other matters as a messenger. We have kept the attempted elopement secret, so when your mother mentioned it, we knew she must have played a part. Wickham confirmed much of what we already knew, although he attempted to embellish his unwillingness in the matter. For his compliance, my men placed him on a ship bound for Van Diemen's Land; however, with his injuries, I sincerely doubt he will survive the voyage.”
“His injuries?” Anne cried. “How was he injured?”
Darcy hesitated only a moment. “I shot him after he escaped from gaol and attempted once again to kidnap Elizabeth. The bullet went through his shoulder, and while we allowed a doctorto examine him, he was rather insensible from laudanum when we placed him on the ship. The men consulted with Richard before taking this action, and neither of us wanted to see Wickham tried publicly for fear of what he might say. Of course, he might not have survived long enough to be tried, but we did not want to take any chances.”
Mr. Hargrove patted his wife’s hand before speaking. “I do not know this Wickham chap, but it seems you have dealt with him far more fairly than he deserves. With what he holds over your families, it was probably best to get him as far from England as possible.”
“I do not know why I was so surprised,” Anne said after a moment. “I vaguely recall Mr. Wickham visiting Rosings a time or two but thought he was just one of Mother’s servants or something of the like. I did not know what she hired him to do, and I knew nothing of the connection to the Darcy family.”
“The matter with him is settled as well as it can possibly be. However, we must decide what to do about your mother next, Anne. Do you know where she is staying?” Darcy asked.
“My best guess is that she is at Lord Matlock’s. The house in town has not been opened. Since we do not know where she is, my solicitor has yet to inform her about the funds she will have available to her. It is a reasonable amount for most people, but perhaps less than she will believe she is owed. Regardless, she will have exactly what her marriage contract stated, but that does not include access to any of the de Bourgh properties,” Anne replied.
“Since I am waiting for Richard to arrive before I speak to his father, I will have to delay any further confrontations with yourmother. I am expecting him to arrive early next week,” Darcy replied.
“We have all journeyed today, so let us seek our rest. Tomorrow we can meet again and determine what will need to be done,” Elizabeth suggested. “Allow me to have the housekeeper show you to a suite of rooms for your use. If Darcy House is anything like Pemberley, I feel certain they will already have been prepared for you.”
“Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs. Darcy,” Anne replied as the foursome stood to move into the hallway.
“Oh, please, call me Elizabeth. Or Lizzy, if you prefer. We are cousins by marriage now,” she offered.
“Then thank you, Elizabeth. You must call me Anne in return. I look forward to getting to know you better, for despite our conversation tonight, my cousin has smiled more than I have ever seen him do before,” that lady replied.
* Green Sickness was likely a form of anemia, with symptoms that included general fatigue, a lack of menstruation, paleness (sometimes with a slight greenish tint), difficulty breathing, and more. There may have been other contributing factors as well, but it is reasonable to assume that poor understanding of nutrition and a general dismissive attitude towards women’s health at the time played a significant role. While we often attribute Anne’s condition to various causes, in this story, it is linked to a mineral deficiency in the body.
If you want to learn more, try this resource: https://juliamartins.co.uk/green-sickness-a-historical-look-at-the-disease-of-virgins
Chapter Twenty-One
FRIDAY, 22 NOVEMBER 1811
DARCY HOUSE
Although the knocker was absent from the door, the Darcys’ arrival did not go unnoticed by those they might have preferred to keep in the dark. Within hours, a message found its way into Lord Matlock’s hands, informing him that Darcy had arrived in London with his wife and sister. As soon as he read the note, he burned it.
He was also informed that the former Miss Anne de Bourgh, accompanied by a young man—likely her new husband—had arrived at Darcy’s home shortly thereafter. From the activity observed, it appeared they intended to stay there as well. However, the informant had been unable to uncover the name of the unknown gentleman, and not for the first time, Lord Matlock cursed the fact that Darcy’s servants were so infuriatingly loyal and damnably incorruptible.
Unfortunately, Lord Matlock was not the only one aware of Darcy's arrival in town. The unexpected announcement of his marriage had astonished theton, sparking widespread curiosity. Many eagerly awaited a chance to see the woman who had not only captured the heart of the elusive bachelor but had also convinced the esteemed gentleman to elope with her—a scandalous and unprecedented act for someone of his standing.
While Darcy’s household remained notoriously resistant to bribery, others were not so scrupulous. Shopkeepers andsuppliers readily gave up information for a price. As soon as orders were placed, signalling the family’s imminent arrival, notes were dispatched to several households willing to pay handsomely for such intelligence.
One of those was Caroline Bingley, who spared no expense to be notified immediately of any arrivals at Darcy House. The morning after the Darcys returned to town, Miss Bingley acted quickly, determined to assert her closeness to Mr. and Miss Darcy and show the new Mrs. Darcy her place. She still could not comprehend how that country girl, Elizabeth Bennet, had managed to captivate Darcy so completely and convince him to elope the very night they met. During her brief stay in Hertfordshire after Darcy’s abrupt departure, Caroline had thoroughly investigated the Bennet family, particularly Elizabeth. What she learned failed to impress her—at least by her standards—and she remained mystified by whatever quality Elizabeth possessed that had so thoroughly won Darcy’s attention and affection.
To Caroline, it seemed incomprehensible that Darcy, a man of such impeccable taste and refinement, could have been drawn to someone so vastly beneath him in status and connections. But she would rectify this. Today’s visit, she thought, would remind him of what he had overlooked.
She wasted no time in calling at Darcy House after learning of their arrival. Several times, she had attempted to bribe the housekeepers of both Darcy House and Pemberley for details, only to be met with firm refusal. She remained blissfully unaware that Darcy knew of these efforts, and if she had recognised his true opinion of her, she would have been mortified. Despite his words to her at the assembly in Meryton,her self-assurance was as high as ever as she arrived on his doorstep at the earliest hour acceptable for visiting.
When she noticed the absence of the knocker, Caroline hesitated briefly, a flicker of concern crossing her features. Her gloved hand twitched, but she quickly waved it off, instructing her footman to knock anyway.
The first knock was met with silence. Caroline shifted impatiently, adjusting the folds of her gown, her lips thinning in displeasure. She glanced around, hoping no one had noticed her waiting. After a few moments, she gave a sharp nod to the footman, who knocked again, harder this time.
As the second knock echoed, she tapped her foot and drew her shawl closer against the cool air, her growing irritation evident. “Honestly,” she muttered, casting a glance towards the upper windows, “you would think they would be eager to receive visitors after such an absence.”
