Darcy’s brow arched, and his voice dropped to a frigid tone that sent a chill through the room. “My sister’s reputation?” he repeated slowly, each word sharp as a blade. His piercing gaze locked onto his uncle, unblinking and severe. “What, precisely, are you referring to, Uncle?”
The subtle emphasis he placed on each word was unmistakable—a warning that this was no trivial matter. Darcy’s posture was controlled, almost deceptively calm, but his eyes held a quiet fury that suggested he would tolerate no insult or insinuation against his sister. The silence that followed was taut, daring his uncle to answer.
Lord Matlock’s gaze sharpened, and a slow smile crept across his face, as if he relished what he was going to say, believing he had won a point against his nephew. “Ah, dear Georgiana. Ayoung lady’s reputation is a delicate thing, especially in society’s eyes. You must remember the whispers that circulated about one debutante last season, following her brief flirtation with an unsuitable man. It would not take much for Wickham to resurrect his allegations, especially considering no one seems to know his current whereabouts.”
Darcy’s expression hardened. “You dare to threaten my sister’s reputation in this way?”
“Not a threat, dear boy, merely a reminder,” Lord Matlock replied smoothly, his tone almost disingenuous. “In our world, perception is everything. If you wish to shield her from further scandal—especially in light of that unfortunate incident with Wickham—you must consider your position carefully. It is in your best interest, as well as Georgiana’s, to play the game wisely.”
“Will my remaining in town protect Georgiana from a scandal? What do you know of the matter? A young girl, not yet out, was deceived by her companion and a scoundrel. She was never alone with him, and her maid can vouch for her behaviour. Should some whisper of the incident make it into theton, we would withstand it since she has a few years before being presented. If George Wickham were wiser, he would have disappeared from England after I saw him in Kent, for he knows Richard will tear him limb from limb if he resurfaces,” Darcy countered.
“You are being short-sighted, Darcy,” Lord Matlock protested.
“If anyone says anything, we will deal with it then. I know none of my family would dare mention the event, for if they did, they would live to regret it, as would Wickham, should he ever crawl out of whatever hole he is in and attempt to blackmail me,”Darcy replied, trying to deliberately phrase the matter so his uncle did not know what truly happened to Wickham. “He would be an even bigger fool than I thought to come after me or my sister after all this time.”
Lord Matlock sighed, frustrated that his nephew was being so recalcitrant. “Very well. But know this: if you choose to disregard my counsel, then you will do so at your own peril. Let us turn to a different topic. I was informed by a friend about an investment opportunity that I think would greatly benefit you, Darcy, and perhaps you as well, Hargrove. With the backing of Rosings now, you will have substantial funds at your fingertips, and you would do well to invest. As Darcy will no doubt inform you, a landholder cannot rely solely on the land anymore and must seek alternative means to bolster one’s finances.”
Darcy eyed his uncle warily. “An investment opportunity, you say. Tell me more about it. What friend mentioned it to you and are you investing as well?”
The earl’s eyes darted to the side. “I… I am not investing at this time. My funds are too tied up in other places to make it possible at this moment.”
“What friend told you of this opportunity? If it is as an incredible opportunity as you say, I cannot imagine that you would pass it up?” Fitzwilliam asked.
Lord Matlock stared at his son in disbelief. He had requested his son support him in encouraging Darcy to invest where he directed. While he had not told his son all the details regarding their imminent ruin, he had said enough that he ought to know to follow his lead. Getting their hands on Darcy’s money was the key to eliminating the problems at Matlock, and he would takethis opportunity to get his fingers into the coffers at Rosings as well if he could.
“Anne retained the control of Rosings in our marriage settlement; she insisted on the matter. I have a small trust left to me by my maternal grandfather, but it is already invested,” Hargrove stated.
“Is that even legal?” Lord Matlock objected. “Why would you have married Anne if you did not wish control of Rosings?”
“I care for Anne. I would have married her with or without a dowry, for between my allowance from my father and the income I earn from my investments, I rarely spend all that I have. Of course, my father might choose to discontinue my allowance after I married against his wishes…” Hargrove began, but was cut off by the earl.
“Who exactly is your father? Were you obligated to wed another when you married my niece?” he insisted.
“My father is Baron Edmund Hargrove of Ravenswood Manor. He intended to force me to marry a cousin, a similar plan to that of my wife’s mother although with the approval of both her father and mine. The marriage contract was not yet endorsed, and since I am of age, he could not force me to sign one. However, he could have forced me from home and discontinued my funds, forcing me to take a position for my support or comply with his wishes. Since I did not desire to do either, and Anne and I had formed a friendship through the letters we exchanged, her suggestion that we marry was a perfect solution. I am well-versed in estate management and will assist my wife, but ultimately, the decisions regarding the estate will be hers,” Hargrove replied calmly.
For several moments, the entire room fell into a tense silence, all eyes fixed on Lord Matlock as he processed what had just been said. The anticipation hung heavy in the air, each person waiting to see how he would respond. Then, to no one’s surprise, Lord Matlock’s expression shifted, his brow furrowing and his lips pressing into a thin line. His gaze hardened as he looked around the room, clearly preparing to make his stance known.
When he finally spoke, his tone was cold and unwavering, leaving no room for doubt about his disapproval.
“What sort of foolishness is this? You are a man and should act as one. As soon as you married, Rosings became legally yours to do with it as you wish. A married woman cannot own property,” Lord Matlock exclaimed.
Calmly, Hargrove stared the man down. “Be that as it may, I signed the marriage settlement that granted her authority over the estate. I will not go back on my word as a gentleman to wrest that control from her.”
“Darcy, you allowed this?” Lord Matlock asked, his voice still registering both his surprise and anger at the turn of events.
Darcy laughed. “Anne is of age, Uncle. I have not the authority to allow or forbid her from anything she wishes. Yes, my father was named a trustee of her estate, and I took on that role after he died. Should the ownership of Rosings be contested, I would naturally side with Anne’s wishes in the matter,” Darcy replied, letting his uncle know exactly where he stood. From the information Fitzwilliam had discovered, his uncle lacked the funds to take the Hargroves to court, but as trustee, Darcy had the authority to sign off on the marriage settlement should it be required.
“I have never understood why Lewis de Bourgh left Rosings to Anne as he did and named your father as guardian instead of me,” Lord Matlock huffed, a scowl on his face.
“My father and Uncle Lewis were friends before they married sisters. The relationship was somewhat strained in its latter years, in part because of my aunt’s insistence that I marry my cousin. Both my father and uncle disagreed with my aunt’s claims, and I believe she made it difficult for my father to visit Rosings, both before and after my uncle’s death,” Darcy replied.
Lord Matlock barked a laugh. “Your aunt attempted to compromise your father on several occasions, both before and after his marriage to her sister.”
Darcy shook his head at that. “I understand my aunt’s actions less and less. I know she was behind both attempts to kidnap my wife, and I have her handwriting on the note ordering the first one. Once I am able to track her down, I intend to have her arrested and tried for her crimes,” Darcy said, having heard from his cousin that his father had housed Lady Catherine until recently.
Lord Matlock turned to him in surprise. “What can you mean by this? My sister attempted to have your wife kidnapped?”
Darcy detailed both attempts, including the letter he now held, which Lady Catherine had written to Wickham.
