A Wife for Mr. Darcy Read online

  “That is unnecessary as you expressed yourself with great energy. The subject of dancing always renders a lady eloquent.”

  “That is because there are few things I enjoy as much as dancing, sir.”

  “Would teasing be among the few?” he asked.

  “Only when the person being teased has little experience with it.”

  Sensing the levity in their exchange, Charlotte took Lizzy’s hand and explained that she was leading her friend to the pianoforte so that she might exhibit her talents. “It is her turn to be teased, Mr. Darcy.”

  “If that is the case, then I shall not move from this spot.”

  Lizzy was not a proficient, but the delight she experienced in playing was evident, and her performance merited a request for another. While she performed her second piece, Miss Bingley came and stood next to Mr. Darcy, and he felt as if a sinister shadow had darkened his path.

  “Is it not insupportable that we must pass an evening in such society because my brother insists on having a house in the country?” The whine continued at length. She complained of the noise, the heat, the lack of fashion, and the self-importance of the guests.

  “My mind was more agreeably engaged, Miss Bingley. I was reflecting on the pleasure a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow, as is the case with Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

  Miss Elizabeth Bennet! He could not be serious! If she had fine eyes, then that was the only thing that was attractive about her. Her clothes were out of fashion, and who did her hair? And what of her family?

  “I agree with you, Mr. Darcy. Other than Miss Jane Bennet, Miss Elizabeth is certainly the most attractive of the Bennet daughters, and I am sure you were entertained by Miss Mary Bennet’s exhibition on the pianoforte. I do not recall if you were introduced at the assembly to the younger sisters, but they are certainly enthusiastic in dancing with all of the young officers. Then there is their mother, Mrs. Bennet, who has so much to say and is so easily heard saying it.”

  “None of which affects my admiration of Miss Elizabeth’s eyes,” he answered. Nevertheless, he found it unfortunate that the lady had such a family, especially in light of Bingley’s attentions to her sister. Caroline might be right. This may not be the best place for a young man, such as Charles, whose heart was easily touched, and because of that, their continued stay in Hertfordshire would require more thought.

  Shortly after the gathering at Lucas Lodge, Mr. Darcy left Hertfordshire for London to visit with his sister. He was glad to be away from Netherfield Park. Although he enjoyed Bingley’s company, he could not say the same for his sisters and brother-in-law. With the exception of Jane Bennet, whom they were damning with faint praise, they found nothing to admire and considered the local society to be inferior in every way. Darcy could not agree to such a general statement, but as a rule, society in the country varied little from one month to another, which was to be expected. Anything new was immediately seized upon and shared, including what had happened at Lucas Lodge. While he was listening to Miss Elizabeth play on the pianoforte, Lady Lucas had made a remark to Mrs. Long concerning how much attention he had paid Elizabeth. As a result, he had decided not to fuel the fire by dancing with her, which was unfortunate because she was a skilled dancer and pleasant company. In addition to visiting with his sister, Darcy had another purpose in going to London, and that was to begin a courtship with Miss Letitia Montford, an attractive lady of twenty-two years, and a granddaughter of an earl and, thus, his equal in rank. Because the Darcy estate was entailed away from the female line and Georgiana could not inherit, Darcy must have an heir, and for that he needed a wife.

  As soon as his carriage pulled up in the front of the Darcy townhouse, Georgiana was out the door. She had not seen her brother in weeks. While he was in Hertfordshire with Bingley, she had been in the country staying with friends. Georgiana quickly brought Will up to date on what was happening in London. Some of the families who had spent the summer at their country estates had returned to town, among them Sir John Montford and his daughter.

  “Miss Montford is truly lovely and has a most pleasant disposition,” Georgiana began. “I twice invited her here for tea, and in return, I was invited to dinner. She is very accomplished. Her sketches are so well executed that they are prominently displayed in their drawing room, and she has a gift for painting tables which to my mind is unmatched. And did you know she speaks French and Italian?”

  “I see you have decided that Miss Montford is to become my wife.”

  “I would never be so presumptuous as to tell you whom you should marry, but of all the ladies who earned your notice during the season, Miss Montford was clearly superior to all of them. If you were to ask my opinion on the subject, I would not hesitate to name Letitia.”

  “We shall see,” Darcy said in an attempt to tamp down her enthusiasm. If he gave any indication that he agreed with her choice, Letitia Montford would be their only topic of conversation. “I will be in town for at least a week seeing to my business affairs before returning to the country to go shooting with Bingley, and I most certainly will call on Miss Montford. I assume your plans are unchanged and that your preference is to remain in town?”

  “I have no wish to speak ill of anyone, but if you and Mr. Bingley are to spend all of your time shooting, that would mean I would have to spend all of my time with his sisters.”

  “I understand. You need say no more.”

  In the week that followed, Darcy spent a fair amount of time with Miss Montford and her family and friends. He found Letitia to be a lovely woman, who deserved the high praise she received for her many accomplishments. Her only flaw was that she was rather dull, and he was sure he would not have noticed just how lacking she was in any sense of irony or wit if it had not been for Elizabeth Bennet.

  Elizabeth was unique to his experience. She liberally voiced her opinions but seemed unaware of the accompanying hazards, or maybe she didn’t care. No matter. There was an excellent chance he would not see her again as he was determined to spend most of his time shooting and riding and had no intention of attending social events in the neighborhood. In ten days’ time, he would return to London and begin a courtship with Miss Montford in earnest.

  Fortunately, the approach to Netherfield did not require that he pass through the village of Meryton as he was sure its inhabitants would assign some romantic reason for his return. As he turned down the lane, his only thoughts were about Bingley and if he had made the necessary arrangements with the gamekeeper for the shoot, but he noticed that at the bend in the drive, a woman was walking toward the manor. Much to his surprise, it was Elizabeth Bennet.

  After dismounting, he took his horse by the reins and walked toward her, wondering all the while what on earth she was doing. Elizabeth turned around and greeted him, giving the appearance that there was nothing unusual about a young lady, miles from home, walking down a muddy lane.

  “Miss Elizabeth, what are you doing here?”

  “I have come to visit my sister. Have you just come from town, Mr. Darcy?” she asked, after looking at the amount of mud on the horse’s hooves.

  “I have.”

  “Then you do not know my sister, Jane, was taken ill during dinner yesterday, and I have come to visit her.”

  “On foot?”

  “As you see,” she answered, looking down at her dirty hem. “Because we have had so much rain, chores on the farm have been neglected, and I did not wish to ask my father for one of the horses. Besides, after dancing and teasing, walking is one of my favorite things to do.”

  Although his eyes were drawn to her muddied hem and soaked boots, Darcy had also noticed her rosy complexion and that her eyes were brightened by the walk, and because of the humidity, her beautiful dark, curly hair was trying to escape from beneath her bonnet.

  “I can see you are looking at my boots, Mr. Darcy. I successfully avoided every puddle, except one,” she said, laughing. “However, you need not be concerned; I promise to stay
off the rugs.”

  “Please allow me to go ahead and secure dry shoes for you. I believe you are about the same size as Mrs. Hurst.”

  “Please do, and warn them that I am coming.”

  “I am sure they will be pleased to see you again,” Darcy said, knowing that Louisa and Caroline would be anything but pleased.

  Lizzy thought that Jane would definitely be happy to see her. Mr. Bingley, highly likely. Mr. Bingley’s sisters, not very likely at all.

  In the foyer, Lizzy was greeted by Mr. Bingley, Mrs. Hurst, Miss Bingley, Mr. Darcy, and Mrs. Hurst’s maid, who handed her clean hose and shoes. After removing to an anteroom where she changed her footwear, Mr. Bingley escorted Lizzy to her sister’s suite. Although Jane had asked that he not send for the apothecary, Mr. Bingley, in exercising an abundance of caution, had done so. The diagnosis was that she had a bad head cold and needed to rest and recommended some draughts specific to her complaint.

  Lizzy spent the whole of the afternoon seeing to the care of her sister. The Bingley sisters visited several times to ask after Jane’s health, and on their last visit offered to send for a carriage to take Lizzy home. But Jane gave out a cry imploring her to stay, and Caroline and Louisa, with great reluctance, sent a servant to Longbourn for a change of clothes for Elizabeth.

  “They do not want me here, Jane.”

  “Lizzy, you have frequently said that you do not care what they think about you, so why give in to them now when I am in need of you, if not to nurse me back to health, then at the very least to cheer me up.”

  “You are right. How dare they not like me? I shall punish them by staying.”

  Jane took her sister’s hand and smiled. “I feel better already, but you must go downstairs for dinner as you have not eaten a morsel all day.”

  Lizzy did join her hosts for dinner but immediately returned to Jane’s room to find that the apothecary’s potions had done their work. Even though Jane was sound asleep, Lizzy remained in the bedchamber as she had no wish to spend an evening with Louisa and Caroline, who had stared at her through the whole of dinner as if she was a specimen from a distant land. Mr. Bingley was all charm as usual, but Mr. Darcy had very little to say, except to share some news of his sister.

  The following day, Lizzy spent most of the morning reading to her sister, but she could have read the same chapter over and over as Jane was so sleepy that she could not keep her eyes open. The prescribed rest was doing her a world of good, and hopefully, they would be able to leave the day after tomorrow as her color had definitely improved.

  After supper, all adjourned to the drawing room. Louisa, Caroline, and Mr. Hurst were in favor of playing cards, while Mr. Darcy chose to write a letter to Georgiana Darcy. But Miss Bingley could not be kept from commenting on anything to do with Mr. Darcy.

  “How I long to see Miss Darcy again. She is so elegant and represents the very best in polished society.” She proceeded to wax rhapsodic on all of her many accomplishments.

  Lizzy thought how silly all of this was. Caroline’s purpose was to show that the Bingleys and Darcys moved in a society inaccessible to the Bennets, but her monologue was wasted on Lizzy as she had no pretensions to be anything other than what she was—a gentleman’s daughter.

  “It is amazing to me how young ladies have the patience to be so very accomplished as they all are,” Charles said.

  This statement brought an immediate challenge from Caroline, who listed the requirements for such praise. She must play an instrument, sing, draw, dance, know the modern languages, and improve one’s mind through extensive reading for the word to be half-deserved.

  Mr. Darcy nodded in agreement. “I do not know more than half a dozen ladies who are truly accomplished.”

  Unable to remain silent any longer, Lizzy said, “I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women, Mr. Darcy. I rather wonder at you knowing any.”

  “You are severe upon your sex, Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy said with that quizzical expression that Lizzy found to be adorable.

  “Not at all, sir. My idea of an accomplished woman is someone who has mastered some discipline to a level that is beyond the ability of most of us. For everyone else, we do the best we can. In my family, my grandmother saw to our education. We all learned to net purses, cover screens, paint tables, sketch, and play the piano. You can imagine in a family with five daughters that there are boxes in the attic filled with aging purses, painted canvases, and samplers. My forte is needlework, and I will compare my letter E to anyone’s.”

  Lizzy had meant this last comment as a means of lightening the mood, but there was hardly a moment’s pause before Caroline added, “And you are also an excellent walker, Miss Elizabeth.”

  “I do enjoy walking as there is so much to observe in Nature, and I make no apology for it. In fact, it is my intention to take the air tomorrow morning as soon as my sister has had her breakfast.” Rising, she bid them all a good night.

  As soon as she left the room, Miss Bingley started to complain about Miss Elizabeth. “I am fond of Jane Bennet, but with such a father and mother, no connections, and an uncle who lives in Cheapside…”

  “Their lack of connections and an uncle in Cheapside do not make the Bennet sisters one jot less agreeable,” Bingley said, interrupting his sister.

  “But it lessens their chance of marrying any men of consideration in the world,” Darcy added.

  “That would be true if I were a Darcy, but I am not. And although the Bingleys are rising, we do not have ancient ties to Norman kings, nor am I the grandson of an earl. In fact, I lack any pedigree whatsoever, and as such, I may marry where I choose without the pillars of society collapsing all around me.”

  Darcy said nothing, but Bingley’s sisters made up for his lack of response with howls of protest. After a heated exchange, Bingley left, only adding that he would not be joining them for breakfast as it was his intention to go riding. He had deliberately not asked Darcy to join him as he had no wish to be lectured about choosing a suitable marriage partner by his friend.

  Later, in the quiet of his room, Darcy thought about what Bingley had said. It was true the Bingleys were moving up in society, but if he did not marry into a prestigious family or one with excellent connections, he would find his progress checked. But Bingley did not seem to care about such things, and because of that, Darcy envied him. For all of his advantages over his friend, there was one thing he could not do. He could not marry where he wished. That was a luxury even a Darcy could not afford.

  In the morning, Jane was feeling so much better that she told Lizzy that she anticipated joining the others for supper. “I am not sure if I will eat, but I would enjoy being out of this room.”

  “And seeing Mr. Bingley, perhaps?”

  “He is all that a man should be, and we are of such like temperaments,” Jane freely admitted.

  “It is as if the two of you were made for each, and I believe you were. I think you may safely depend upon an offer in the very near future.”

  This was not idle conjecture. After leaving the drawing room, Lizzy had stopped in the library to retrieve the second volume of a book she had been reading and had heard the heated debate between Bingley and his sisters regarding Jane. However, Charles had prevailed, and Lizzy did not think it necessary to mention it to her sister.

  Looking out the window, Jane said, “When you walk this morning, you may have company as Mr. Darcy is in the lane.”

  Lizzy joined her sister at the window. “Well, I shall not disturb him as it is easy enough to go out through the breakfast room onto the terrace.” But when she went downstairs, she found that the maids were in the room cleaning. Well, he does not bite, Lizzy thought and went out the front door. She walked quietly and as closely as possible to the house to avoid his notice.

  “Miss Elizabeth, are you trying to escape?” Darcy asked as she emerged from behind a bush.

  “I was trying to avoid intruding upon your privacy, Mr. Darcy,” an embarr
assed Lizzy answered.

  “If that is your goal, I would suggest you stay off the gravel,” and then he smiled. It was an infrequent event, but when it did happen, it was a reminder of how truly handsome he was. It seemed rather unfair. If you were rich, you should not be handsome, and if you were poor, you should be blessed with good looks. One person should not have it all.

  “I am not in need of solitude this morning. Quite the contrary, I would enjoy your company.”

  Lizzy was used to walking at a brisk pace, but Mr. Darcy preferred to amble along. But the pace did lend itself to conversation, and he shared with her his visit with Miss Darcy.

  “When Bingley and I first planned to come to Netherfield, I had hoped my sister would join me, but instead she chose to be with friends in Hampshire. It is very strange. I have spent five years moving her toward adulthood, and now that she has reached it, I find I want to pull her back.”

  “As her guardian, I think that is a natural inclination as you wish to protect her. Up to this point, you have been more father than brother, but you may now look forward to a mature relationship. It may take some time for you to get used to it as she will probably wish to make her opinions known.”

  “Oh, it is too late for that. Her powers of observation are amazing, and there is nothing that does not merit some comment.”

  “Since you are of a taciturn nature, Mr. Darcy, surely the pleasure she derives from talking takes some of the burden of conversing off of you. And since you do not like the preliminaries necessary for friendship, she may catch you up, and you can jump right in without enduring the tedious parts you so dislike.”

  “I would most definitely have benefited from such assistance before being formally introduced to you. I would have been warned of your penetrating wit and ability to strip a person of all pretenses.”