Page 31 of Sweet on Mr Darcy

“Your sister will remain another hour to read with her friend, and Priscilla will spend some time with Miss Bennet and Miss Mary. Come with me, son. We will send Mrs Younge in the carriage to accompany them home.” Darcy Senior was obviously tired.

“Of course, Father.” Darcy ensured that his father was comfortably settled in the carriage before escorting Elizabeth to the door.

As they lingered on the doorstep, he spoke in a low voice, as if to a lover. “Miss Elizabeth, you gave me too much credit, for I must confess that I am a selfish creature.”

“I could never believe it, Mr Darcy.” She looked bewildered. “Not in a thousand years.”

“I confess that I am unashamedly selfish enough to pray that one day, I may inspire a much more precious sentiment from you than mere friendship.”

Elizabeth gasped as he bowed low and kissed her glove, then turned and boarded his carriage.

Darcy was quietly contemplating Elizabeth’s reaction to his declaration as he rode in the carriage with his father.

“You found her then,” Mr Darcy said gently to his son.

Darcy met his father’s gaze in surprise.

“Your future wife,” Darcy Senior elucidated.

Darcy was candid in his reply. “I hope so. I pray you do not disapprove.”

His father reached across the carriage and placed his hand over his son’s. “My dearest boy. I could never disapprove of any choice of yours.”

“Only my opinion of Wickham.”

“You do not give my godson any credit for the loss of his parents or his background,” Darcy Senior murmured thoughtfully. “What do you think that was about with the younger girls today?”

Darcy answered with perfect honesty. “Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia were told before they arrived in Ramsgate that they are not here to be courted and that they may not consort with officers. Wickham holding your affection and accompanying you everywhere poses a complication for your friend, who does not wish to offend you, but must be firm with daughters so young. It is made harder by the fact that Wickham only wishes to consort with very young girls, or the worst sort of men. A better man, any man would have taken your patronage and used it to change the course of his life. Wickham has used the opportunity to behave as if he were the son of a crown prince who has nothing to do but live as dissolutely as possible. You indulge him too much. You would never have accepted such behaviour from me.”

“Wickham is no danger to the Bennet girls,” Darcy Senior insisted.

Darcy frowned, wishing his father would be sensible about his godson. “I think that you know in your heart that is not true. It is up to Mr Bennet to decide with whom his youngest daughters, who are not yet out, should associate. The Bennet girls, for all their lack of connections, are gentlewomen.”

When his father did not reply, Darcy continued on. “For all of your patronage, you have not raised Wickham high enough for them. He is the son of a steward, without fortune, without family, without property, or anything that might allow him to support a wife. Even if you gave him an estate and raised him to the station of a proper gentleman, he would only bankrupt it, and you know this, which is why you have never done it. We have enough holdings to spare a small property for him, if you chose. If he deserved it, I would never object. But he is undeserving, and everyone knows it.”

“Wickham is my godson. Bennet’s daughters–”

“I beg your pardon, Father. It is not for you to decide he is good enough to land a Bennet daughter with child and then abandon her to ruin once he convinces you that she is a seductress who entertains many men. Your affection for him does not change the fact that they are too good for him, that any lady is too good for him, and that his attention to such young girls is wholly inappropriate.” Darcy was firm. Ever since leaving university, he had steadfastly refused to entertain the fairy-tale picture his father clung to in regards to his godson.

Mr Darcy was sad. “I wish you could only–”

“Perhaps we should no longer speak of Wickham, it will only cause disagreement, which will grieve us both.” Darcy looked out the window, wishing that his words were not true.

The men rode in silence for a few minutes before his father spoke again.

“She will be the making of you, that girl.”

Darcy smiled at the return of conversation to the subject of Elizabeth. “I am happy that you do not dislike her for her lack of fortune or connections.”

“Nonsense. We have more connections than we need, and you can provide her with a better pension than her dowry allows with the funds we earned from that investment I made with Gardiner. She will improve you in ways that you never imagined possible,” Mr Darcy insisted.

“I hope so,” Darcy replied agreeably.

“You will tell me if there is anything I may do to help you along,” His father offered.

Darcy was thoughtful. “I think this is something I must accomplish for myself.”

“Of course, dear boy. I have every faith in you.”