An Autumn Accord: A Pride and Prejudice Novella Variation (Seasons of Serendipity Book 4) (6 page)

“
I find that my wife employs formal address when she is piqued. And I must admit that I, too, am rather angry at the lax supervision my sisters enjoy with your family.”

Lady Matlock’s eyes widened as her own anger began to build. “I dedicated the last six months of my life to the Bennet girls and Georgiana! And this as how I am to be appreciated?”

“
On two occasions my eldest sister was forced to physically protect herself while in your care. My sisters and I are without the protection of a father; surely you must have known how the rakes and scoundrels of society would perceive that! You filled the two youngest girls with lessons and education on matters of social futility. I expected them to be taught not only plate settings, but Plato and Cicero.” Elizabeth Darcy said, forcing her breath out behind each word as she struggled to not yell at a peer of the realm.

“
And that is to say nothing of these ventures my cousin Richard has taken with Miss Mary Bennet. Were you aware she witnessed a killing?”

“
This is absurd! The two of you are uncivil to speak to me in this manner! I shall not endure this upbraiding from a couple that has spent the last four months on holiday while the responsibilities fell to me. I take no leave of you, and perhaps when you both come to your senses and display the proper gratitude, I shall deign to forgive you.”

Lady Matlock exited the study with the grace of a woman of her exalted station. As Elizabeth Darcy placed a hand on her husband’s desk to steady herself, her own anger coiled and burned within, her husband gently placed his hand over hers.

Nearly breathless, the revelation of Mary’s mishaps shattered what little defense Elizabeth still held against the guilt of abandoning them to take a wedding trip. Finally, she found her voice.

“
I am truly sorry, Fitzwilliam. I never meant to be so harsh with your aunt, but the facts remain…”

“
All will be well. Unfortunate mistakes were made in all quarters of our family this year. It will take time to repair the damage.”

Elizabeth glanced at her husband’s desk covered in correspondence. She expressed a desire to rest, and frowned when he responded as she expected.

“
My darling, I would love nothing more than to extend our holiday to this afternoon. But I’m afraid duty beckons if we are to away again to Hertfordshire.”

“
We mustn’t go, I was delighted to know of your plans. But perhaps we should stay?”

Darcy rose from his chair and embraced his wife firmly. “I’m afraid there would be more plans to undo if we were to change our minds. Go rest. Visit with our sisters. I shall see you at dinner and beyond, Mrs. Darcy.”

Offering her husband a minxish smile, Elizabeth Darcy closed the study door behind her and leaned against it for a moment. The days of travel had indeed caught up with her, and she truly felt a need to sleep. Yawning, she took the stairs to the family suites, and without her maid’s assistance, skipped her room entirely and found her way to her husband’s bed.

♠♠~♠♠~♠♠~♠♠

Jane Bennet marveled at how quickly young Master Robin grew in just the short few weeks since her sister and brother-in-law left them to the running of Starvet House. From Robert Bennet’s miraculous beginning in the kitchens all of the staff were spurred to keep watch over the babe. Not an afternoon went by that Jane did not find a maid or even a footman in the nursery, thoroughly embarrassed to be caught by the proxy mistress of the home.

Tired from rocking the young man to sleep for the third time that evening, Jane ran into Graham Hamilton in the upstairs hallway on the second floor.

“
Miss Bennet,” he bowed in greeting, but Jane paused and stood flat against the wall so that he might pass. Only he didn’t. “Are you making a habit of strolling the halls in the midnight hour?”

Jane narrowed her eyes. “My brother and sister left me in charge of the home in their absence. Perhaps you ought to explain your presence at this late hour?”

Graham Hamilton held up his hands in surrender, covered in the gray sealskin gloves he rarely removed to conceal his scars from the fire. “Fair point, my lady. I am here to merely assist you in your efforts. Is the babe finally aslumber?”

“
I am not titled.”

Graham flashed her a smile. “Respect offered when due. I shall drive into town tomorrow and wondered if you might care to join me?”

Jane’s breath caught in her throat as unhappy memories of racing in Mr. Bingley’s gig returned her fears to the front of her mind. “I’m afraid I am too occupied with house matters, Mr. Graham. Now, if you will excuse me, Robin wakes so dreadfully early.”

The man bowed and stepped back to allow her to pass. She did not know he knew of her past and had promised Darcy not only to protect Jane but also refrain from frightening or offending her. “Another time, perhaps.”

Jane merely lifted her hand in acknowledgment of his words, quickening her pace down the hall to her suite. Once inside, she hastened to bolt the lock and leaned heavily against the door. Sliding down to a crouched position, she wrapped her arms around herself and sobbed. Her maid scurried from the dressing room and clicked her tongue in sympathy.

“
Come, come Miss Jane, I’s has your remedy on your tray.”

“
Rose hips and chamomile?” Jane looked up with her tear stained face, always confirming her nightly cordial.

The maid nodded and helped Jane into her nightdress. Seeing the poor woman in her charge so upset, Millie made a note to tell the nurse to tend to the young lad tonight and not bother her mistress. Mrs. Buchanan had expressly ordered young Millie to keep an eye out for Miss Jane and her stamina.

Tucked into the soft white sheets, Starvet House was slowly becoming more and more a comfort to Jane. The rattle of an autumn gale could be heard through the windows, and Jane sat up to slowly sip her tea to help her sleep.

“
There, there, will there be anything else I be getting ya?” The pale-faced maid asked with her arms full of Jane’s dinner gown that likely smelled sour of baby.

Jane shook her head and replaced her delicate teacup to the silver tray beside her bed. “Have them summon me if the babe wakes.” Her head free of the strain of hair pins, Jane Bennet’s eyes fluttered closed as she forced herself to happily consider how full her life was, not reflect on the feelings of empty loss that dwelled in her heart and threatened every day to take over. For Lydia, she would be strong. For Robin, she would be steady.

♠♠♠

Chapter 5

A number of days after the argument with his aunt, Lady Matlock, Darcy’s heels had more than cooled when his cousin abruptly interrupted his afternoon. Darcy felt slightly amused at Richard’s serendipitous arrival while the ladies were out shopping. Heartily aware of his cousin’s life of military tactics, the master of the house would not be surprised to learn a spy or some other indication had informed Richard of a safe time to visit.

The butler opened the study door and announced the Colonel formally, yet Darcy did not hesitate to set aside his affairs for a moment and warmly greet his favorite family member. The two men shook hands and Darcy offered Richard a drink.

“
I expected to see you much sooner after our return. Has His Majesty’s Army so occupied your time you could not even acknowledge the dinner invitation sent two evenings ago?”

Richard Fitzwilliam opened his mouth in an odd manner to show his displeasure at his cousin’s immediate verbal assault. Snatching the drink from the tray before Darcy could offer it to him by hand, Richard calmly took a deep draft and gazed out the window to the rust and copper colored leaves outside. “I would not aim to bring unpleasant business to your home so swiftly after your long travels.”

“
Unpleasant business? This does sound ominous. Pray, enlighten me with the new challenge I am to solve for my family members. I am all ears.”

Richard turned and watched as Darcy resumed the master’s position behind the desk. He calmly unbuttoned the top three brass fasteners of his coat and allowed himself to take a relaxed seat in his favorite chair by the fire. “That bastard’s seed truly took such a young girl?”

Darcy nodded solemnly, not adding further explanation than his letters from last summer sent to both Richard and Mary. There were very few in the family who knew the truth of Lydia’s situation, and even fewer that she was already dead.

“
Unfortunate circumstances, the poor girl was silly, but she didn’t deserve such a fate.” The Colonel raised his glass in an expression of acknowledging Lydia Bennet’s memory and took a sip.

“
The child is hardy. Jane remained behind to raise the lad, with the support and assistance of Graham Hamilton.”

“
Old MacFarmer has a lady at last, eh?”

“
I would not jump to those conclusions, as of yet. You are worse than the mamas of the ton with your leap from acquaintance to ideas of matrimony. There are, – hesitations – on the part of Miss Bennet as I’m sure you can appreciate. By the by, how badly did you hurt Torrington?”

The Colonel choked on his drink as he smirked. “The beatings and bruisings could not be seen when he was properly attired. I don’t believe the man sat for more than a week.”

“
Are you mad! And if he demands satisfaction?”

The Colonel held up his hand to stay his cousin’s admonishment. “I made it quite clear I would just as soon shoot him dead and find a way to put the law on my side should he seek retribution. The man’s a coward. And if you had been there, you would’ve realized Ms. Bennet was quite proficient at protecting herself before James and I arrived.”

A stormy, dark expression clouded Darcy’s face. The very idea of one of his sisters, even a sister by marriage, left to fend for herself against such a notorious rake as the Viscount renewed his anger towards his aunt and uncle for their pathetic attempts at protection.

The Colonel resumed their conversation, taking the opportunity to brook the subject of the family spat. “I understand you and Mrs. Darcy being quite cross with my mother and father, but the affection my parents offer is true. Even I am guilty of placing Miss Mary in grave danger, from the folly of a lack of experience.” Richard’s face fell grim as both men reflected on the events of the past summer.

Darcy relaxed his weight against the back of his chair and considered Richard’s mea culpa. He knew too well the difficulties that came with performing the duties of guardianship over a young lady. He and Richard’s own blunders nearly cost Georgiana her reputation when they allowed her to visit Ramsgate with only a companion.

“
We are to Hertfordshire in the morning. I will make an attempt to bring my wife’s sentiments around to reconciliation if you will agree to approach your mother?”

“
Agreed.” The Colonel relaxed further into his chair and began to ask Darcy innocuous questions about the trip to Scotland. Darcy answered a few, choosing to ignore his cousins pointed barbs about his private life with Elizabeth, then resumed the offensive position in their battle of understanding.

“
I do not relish telling another man how little patience I hold for suitors who dally with ladies of my family.” Darcy allowed his words in the master’s tone to hang heavily in the air for a moment before continuing. “The fact you are a cousin, and not merely a friend, grants you more time to arrive at a mutually satisfactory position. But my sister Mary carries her misery more prominent than she shows. Even if you are not ready to disclose your plans, I should like to know how you intend to form a life with a woman I earnestly agree to be a good match for your future happiness.”

“
I won’t take your money, if that’s what you’re aiming to achieve.”

Darcy leaned forward on his desk and clasped his hands together in front of him. He narrowed his eyes at Richard. “Don’t mistake me for your bombastic father. I care not if you go back to the Continent and seek to get yourself shot full of holes. I would prefer you choose a different path, but I respect your position as your own man and do not confuse my regard for you as license to control. There are no misunderstandings between us that should you require funds, they are readily available to you. Are you in love with Mary Bennet?”

“
No, I am not.”

A log on the fire crackled and audibly popped, emphatically punctuating the silence between them. The claim was bold. A bold faced lie by both of their estimations.

“
She’s too good for a wretched soldier like myself and all evidence indicates I would not provide a suitable future for her happiness.”

“
Well, if that is how you feel, there is no further discussion to be held.” Darcy resumed his attentions to the letter he was penning before Richard’s arrival. Between the two men who had grown up together, shared many a scrape or two, there was no need for raised voices.

Richard Fitzwilliam rose to pour himself another drink. The cousins mutually wondered why the other would concede so easily, but decades of brotherhood made them both aware this matter was far from over. A temporary accord of surrender may have been settled, but it was a moment’s peace and nothing more.

Richard remained standing by the scotch, sipping away at his second pour, calculating how long he knew his cousins patience to be. Fitzwilliam Darcy’s greatest asset was neither his bank account nor the long list of properties on his balance sheet. It was the man’s fortitude to wear down his adversaries with nary a sign of discomfort. The best solution for Richard was to find a way to remove himself from Darcy’s family and the company of the beguiling Mary Bennet for as long as he may muster.