“Hush, love,” he crooned as she tensed in his arms before feeling her tears soak his cravat. He rubbed her back and soothed herby whispering words of love until she calmed. She, at last, took a shuddering breath and sat up, remaining seated where she was.
“I wonder what my Uncle Phillips knows about this,” she wondered. “Should we seek his advice on creating a document that would bind Papa to repay the debt, or is a written contract between you and him enough?”
“A written contract, regardless of who wrote it, will be binding since we both will sign it. I have read enough contracts in my years as master of my estate, and even before, when my father began to fade, to feel we can write a document that reflects our stipulations,” he told her.
She nodded at him. “My Uncle Gardiner cannot be aware of any of this, and my father would not have said anything to Uncle Phillips unless he believed it necessary. Mrs Hill suspects something is wrong—she hinted at something amiss when I spoke to her about our trunks. I suspect he is holding something back in all of this, but what he did tell us is bad enough.” She shuddered as she considered the threats those men had made. Elizabeth was angry enough with her father to think a brief stint in debtors’ prison would serve him well, but she would protect her sisters from the damage that would do to their reputations and from the men who threatened Jane and might threaten any of them.
“Let us go to our room and write up the conditions. I will hire someone to protect your remaining family from any additional threats from these gentlemen and arrange for the money to be paid directly to them,” Darcy said. “There should be no reason for them to continue threatening your family after they are paid.”
Elizabeth nodded. “I am sorry I have brought this trouble to your door. I realise that this amount of money is likely insignificant for you, but it is substantial for Longbourn. I do not know how he could have amassed such a significant debt.”
“I have seen a few men get in deeper than this in a matter of days,” Darcy told her. “I have seen Wickham lose more than a thousand pounds in a matter of hours.”
Elizabeth gasped in surprise. “I can scarcely believe someone can lose so much money so quickly, but little of what Mr Wickham has done surprises me. And while I can understand my father’s desire to finally do something to aid his family, gambling was incredibly foolish.”
Darcy agreed with her, but they were interrupted when Mary and Kitty approached, blushing and averting their gaze when they saw Elizabeth’s position on her husband’s lap. “Mama told us to find you and bring you into the parlour to take tea. Lady Lucas has come for a visit, and Mama desires to show off her married daughter and her husband,” Mary said, rolling her eyes as she spoke. Elizabeth sighed and reluctantly stood. Darcy did as well and, placing his wife’s hand on his arm followed the younger girls into the house.
When they joined the ladies in the parlour, Darcy, at least, was greeted enthusiastically by Mrs Bennet. Initially, Lady Lucas was slightly in awe of the taciturn man, whose disturbance by the day’s revelations showed in his demeanour and noted Elizabeth was unusually quiet. Both were considering the news that had been shared and the stipulations they would insist upon before loaning Mr Bennet the money to pay his debts.
While Elizabeth had written to Charlotte several times since leaving Kent, she had not received a response from her friendsince the first letter congratulating her on her marriage and assumed her friend was being prevented from writing further. Since her wedding, it had not occurred to her to wonder what stories Mr Collins shared with the Lucases or what Maria Lucas might have said upon her return, especially since none of the Bennets mentioned any gossip from that quarter. However, the gleam in Lady Lucas’s eyes made her wonder what that lady thought she knew.
Lady Lucas did not make her wait long. “Mr Darcy,” she began, her voice sickeningly sweet, “I understand your aunt is most displeased with your recent marriage. Mr Collins has much to say about it in his letters, especially after you treated the lady so abominably in London.”
Darcy immediately stiffened at her rudeness and the mention of his aunt. “Lady Catherine objected to my marriage because it interfered with her plans to retain control of Rosings. She believed I would not force her into the dower house as would be my right as Rosings’ master and as her husband directed in his will. My cousin Anne has been the rightful owner of that estate for more than two years, which means my aunt did not have the right to appoint your son-in-law to the living. My uncle, the Earl of Matlock, is presently consulting with my late uncle’s solicitors about how to proceed.
“We have since learned much about Lady Catherine’s machinations and Mr Collins’ ignoble behaviour. Your son-in-law threw my wife from his home without concern for her reputation or what harm might befall her. In fact, he attempted to ensure she would be harmed by interfering with my arrangements to transport her safely to London. He encouraged the coachman to leave without her and, when that man refused, ordered the chaperone out of the carriage, an order she alsorefused. My uncle has spoken to the archbishop, and there will be consequences for Mr Collins because of his disgraceful and un-Christian treatment of Mrs Darcy and because his appointment by Lady Catherine was not legitimate. Although my wife does not want to see Mrs Collins harmed, he may be sent somewhere as a missionary, or perhaps we will request he be defrocked, depending on the severity of the rumours he spreads about Mrs Darcy’s expulsion from his home.
“My aunt is no longer recognised by her family; her daughter has been removed from her care and is being treated by a physician in London due to her mother’s neglect. Now tell me, Lady Lucas, do you truly believe I have treated Lady Catherine poorly, or is your fool of a son-in-law spreading rumours that would potentially damage my wife’s reputation? I intend to visit several shops in Meryton tomorrow, and if I hear a word spoken against my wife, I will be most displeased, and I will be sure to let my uncle know of it.”
Lady Lucas could not respond to the direct threat in Darcy’s words and tone. She made sure everyone in Meryton knew of the compromise that led to the Darcys’ hasty marriage and knew the Bennets were unaware of the gossip circulating since Mr Bennet had restricted his family from visiting Meryton or shopping of late. Her face turned pale under Darcy’s intense glare, and she suddenly remembered an appointment and, abruptly excusing herself, scurried away.
Elizabeth sagged against him. “She has spread some falsehood that Mr Collins and your aunt concocted about the reason for my expulsion from his home,” Elizabeth whispered. “She will never be able to retract all the tales she spread, and I have little doubt everyone we encounter tomorrow will look at me with either pity or disgust.”
Ignoring her family around them, he drew her into an embrace. “It will be well, Elizabeth,” he told her quietly. “All will be well.”
“What can we do?” she asked him.
“I will send an express to my uncle immediately,” Darcy replied. “He has been waiting until we arrived here to determine what should be done concerning Mr Collins. I am afraid things will not go well for that man after this. Lady Catherine did not have the authority to appoint him, and his actions towards you are heinous enough to cause him problems with the archbishop. I do not know what my uncle and the archbishop will do, but Mr Collins may be sent somewhere as a missionary or be unable to support a wife if he cannot find a position in the church. If Mrs Collins needs a home, I will offer to purchase a small cottage near Meryton for her. Or in Derbyshire if she prefers that to remaining here.”
Elizabeth gasped lightly. “Poor Charlotte. But perhaps that would be a good situation for her; all she wanted was a house of her own and not to be a burden on her parents.”
“Then that is what we will give her. She does not deserve such a husband,” Darcy replied.
While the Darcys were speaking privately, the Bennet ladies discussed what they heard and watched the couple. Jane tried to convince her mother and younger sisters that Lady Lucas was incorrect and Elizabeth had not been compromised by Mr Darcy or anyone else, but Mrs Bennet was working her way into a fit of hysterics. Finally, the dam burst loose.
“What have you done, Lizzy?” she cried. “What was Lady Lucas speaking of? You must tell me at once, for it seems that all our neighbours know some gossip about you that they have hiddenfrom us. Tell me now, Lizzy Bennet, what you have done that will bring ruin upon all of your sisters.”
Elizabeth stood and faced her mother. “My name, madam, is Elizabeth Darcy, and the only thing I have done is marry a good man; a man who loves me and will do all he can to ensure my family is well taken care of, despite their own stupidity. Do not accuse me of anything. Mr Collins turned me out of his home because Lady Catherine believed I had taken Mr Darcy’s attention from her daughter, completely disregarding the truth of the matter. William was never engaged to his cousin, and neither party desired to be so, but Lady Catherine was determined to force her will. She blamed me when she could not manipulate them and told Mr Collins to throw me from his house. The fool did so, but William ensured I was safe and protected.”
Darcy stood with her, and for the second time that day, she retreated to the garden where her husband comforted her.
She felt his arms around her before she spoke. “Can we never leave Pemberley once we arrive there? Between my parents, Lady Lucas, Mr Collins, and Lady Catherine, I do not think I want to see anyone else again for some time. What story do you think they have concocted that we will hear tomorrow in Meryton, and how many do you think will believe it?”
“It does not matter, Elizabeth,” he told her. “Truly it does not. You have already won over many in the ton, and my aunt will counter any rumours that might make it as far as London. We do not have to return to London next year if you do not wish it, although we will have to the following year so Georgiana can be presented.”
She sighed into his arms. “I just want to go home, William.”
“Home?” he asked.
