The Darcys of Pemberley (23 page)

Caroline’s intimations were so pointed that
she left no graceful way of escape. Darcy bristled at her
impertinence, but he did what the rules of civility demanded. “Of
course, Mrs. Darcy and I would be pleased to have you, and Mr. and
Mrs. Hurst,” with a nod in Louisa’s direction, “to stay with us at
Pemberley, if that would be of any use. Personally, I think you
make too light of the distance to Heatheridge and back, but that is
for you to judge.”

“What an excellent notion!” Miss Bingley
exclaimed, as if the idea had never occurred to her. She turned to
her sister with a look of triumph in her eyes. “Louisa, is that not
a capital idea? I think Mr. Darcy has hit upon the very thing that
would suit us best. Surely, Mr. Hurst would agree.”

Mrs. Hurst returned her sister’s exultant
look. Speaking for herself and on behalf of her husband also, she
added her approbation for the plan. So, before other possibilities
or objections could be raised, it was settled. They were determined
to come, and in no more than three weeks time – sooner if Mr. Hurst
could arrange it. All that remained was to share the glad tidings
with the prospective hostess. Mr. Darcy did not relish the task,
but knew it must be done at the earliest opportunity. It would not
do for the information to overtake Elizabeth unawares.

As the ladies stood to repair to the drawing
room after dinner, Mr. Darcy drew Elizabeth aside for a whispered
communication. “I fear your little joke has gone awry, Lizzy.”

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“Seating Miss Bingley next to me. Despite my
best efforts, she managed to wrest an invitation to Pemberley from
me. She and the Hursts will be arriving in little more than a
fortnight.”

“Oh, dear!”

“I thought I had better tell you before
someone else had a chance. Shall you mind so very much?”

“I suppose not. Surely they cannot mean to
stay long.”

“Unfortunately, I believe they intend to stay
until they can remove to Heatheridge, which they will not do until
your youngest sister and her husband quit the place.”

“But that could be weeks!”

“Precisely.”

Joining the rest of the ladies, Elizabeth did
her best to look pleased as she acknowledged Caroline and Louisa’s
upcoming visit.

The sisters were all ease and friendliness,
overflowing with benevolence and goodwill, now that their
invitation to Pemberley had been secured. Miss Bingley’s joy
increased still more when she received the intelligence in the
course of conversation that the interesting Colonel Fitzwilliam was
once again a free man.

A Wedding and a Dream

Departure preparations chiefly occupied the
following day. Mr. Darcy made one last trip into the business
district to finalize his affairs, whilst Elizabeth oversaw the
packing and gave instructions to the household’s permanent staff in
anticipation of her absence. According to their plan, the four of
them would attend Anne’s wedding together the next morning. Then,
since the church was across town and along their way, Darcy and
Elizabeth would continue on from there, Charlotte and Georgiana
returning to the townhouse by another means.

They arose early to allow time for last
minute details, and then set off while the air was still cool and
the streets of London mostly quiet. As expected, only a few people
were gathered at the church when they arrived. The communication
they had received from Rosings, acquainting them with the
particulars of the wedding arrangements, had stated that the guest
list would be very limited. The same letter also requested the
services of Georgiana as bridesmaid and Mr. Darcy to give the bride
away, since Anne had no father alive or any closer male relative
available.

The ceremony was brief, tasteful, and
completed without difficulty. Glowing with the bloom of health and
high spirits, Anne looked truly handsome in her pale silvery-gray
gown, garnering the admiration of all those present, particularly
her devoted groom. The tall Dr. Essex cut a dashing figure in his
wedding clothes and played his part so well that it would have been
impossible for anyone unacquainted with the facts to guess that he
was not the man originally cast in the role.

Lady Catherine had more difficulty portraying
her assigned part: the happy mother of the bride. Her pallor and
rigid expression made her outward show of assent unconvincing. When
all was accomplished and she stood to make her way out of the
church, she would have benefited from the support of a strong arm.
But she refused to accept those dutifully offered her. Lady
Catherine could not look upon either of her nephews with much
fondness at that moment. To her way of thinking, they had both
failed to do their duty and were responsible in large measure for
the way things had turned out.

The group moved to a nearby establishment for
the wedding breakfast, where a veritable feast was laid out for
their enjoyment. During the course of the meal, Darcy spoke to his
cousin. “Again, I must thank you, Fitzwilliam, for conveying the
ladies back to the house.”

“I am glad to be of service. How fortunate
that Mrs. Collins is willing to stay on with Georgiana. It seems an
eminently suitable arrangement.”

“Yes, although I would be easier about
leaving if I knew you were also close at hand. Might I entreat you
to make yourself available as much as possible as an escort to the
ladies, especially on their evening outings?”

“Of course. I mean to put myself entirely at
their disposal. I have little else to occupy me here in London in
any case.”

“How long do you intend to remain in
town?”

“I hardly know. My only definite plan is to
stay well clear of my father until he recovers somewhat from this
latest disappointment over me. I wrote him that, now that I am a
bachelor again, I intend to take in what remains of the social
season. Perhaps I might yet find an obliging heiress willing to
marry me and make him proud,” Fitzwilliam quipped. “What do you
think of my chances, Darcy?”

“It depends entirely upon how particular you
are, I should imagine. I hope that recent events have taught you to
be careful indeed. Thanks to Anne, you have come away unscathed
this time, but you may not be so lucky the next.”

“Experience is a harsh but effective
teacher.”

“Enough said then; I did not intend to preach
to you, old friend. I do have one last favor to ask, though. Would
you consider accompanying the ladies when they return to Pemberley
… if you are still free to do as you please, that is? Of course, if
you have found your heiress by then, she may have other ideas.”

The colonel laughed heartily. “Since I have
no real intention of looking, I scarcely think it likely I shall
find her so soon. I will be only too happy to fulfill your
commission.”

Meanwhile, Elizabeth had a few parting words
with Georgiana. She wished her success in sorting out her feelings
and wisdom to guide her decision regarding Mr. Sanditon. Both
sisters promised to correspond frequently during their
separation.

Darcy and Elizabeth did not linger long when
the wedding breakfast was over. After wishing the newlyweds joy and
saying their farewells, they settled into their carriage and were
off on the next leg of their journey, not sorry to leave the
ever-present gray of cobbles and masonry behind in favor of the
verdant countryside.

On their way homeward, they were obliged to
make a stop in Hertfordshire to visit the Bennets and to collect
Kitty as prearranged. However, since the long days of June provided
many hours of daylight for travel, they still hoped to make enough
headway to enable them to reach Pemberley on the morrow.

As they drew near Longbourn, Darcy said, “You
realize that your parents are not likely to be satisfied with as
brief a visit as we have planned. No doubt they will attempt to
persuade us to stay the night, and I truly have no objection if you
wish to remain. I am far more patient than I once was, so you need
not be uneasy on my account.”

“I appreciate the offer, Darcy, but I
honestly have no desire for an extended stay.”

“Are you sure it is wise in your condition to
attempt so much in one day? We have made a late start, and this
interruption will slow our progress still more. I wonder if it
might not be better to break our journey at Longbourn rather than
tax your strength by pressing on any farther today. I would gladly
suffer anything rather than risk your health, Elizabeth.”

“
You
may be willing to suffer, but I
am not so generous. At present, I am the one who lacks forbearance,
and I can imagine nothing that would tax my strength more than my
mother’s incessant fretting and fidgeting. No, the kindest thing
you can do for my health and comfort, husband, is to keep the
length of this visit to a bare minimum and get me home to Pemberley
as soon as possible.”

So, when they arrived at Longbourn, Darcy and
Elizabeth were agreed on keeping the stop as short as good manners
would allow. Mrs. Bennet was tolerated to fuss over her guests for
an hour before her son-in-law announced it was time to go.
Strenuous protestations followed, just as predicted. Darcy would
not be dissuaded, however. As soon as Kitty’s trunk was loaded onto
the carriage, the party took leave.

Once they were underway, Kitty pressed her
sister for every detail about their London season, inundating her
with dozens of questions. Elizabeth indulged her interest until
fatigue and the rocking motion of the carriage got the best of her.
When she could keep her eyes open no longer, she curled up against
her husband and peacefully drifted off to sleep in his arms.

Elizabeth’s slumber did not remain tranquil,
however. After only half an hour, a series of plaintive moans and
violent starts gave evidence of her growing unrest. Darcy’s normal
reserve quickly dissolved. Entirely forgetting his sister-in-law’s
presence, he stroked Elizabeth’s hair and whispered words of
comfort in her ear, attempting to soothe his wife back into a more
easy sleep. It was of no use. Finally, when he could bear her
distress no longer, he gently roused her.

Elizabeth woke with a jolt and a wail. She
looked about wildly, her vision still clouded by phantoms from her
sleep.

Darcy held her tight to stay her trembling.
“Hush, hush, my darling, I am here. It was a nightmare, but now you
are safe. Only a dream; it cannot harm you.”

Elizabeth could not immediately calm herself.
She clung to Darcy, sobbing, as he rocked and caressed her.

Kitty silently took in the scene, her eyes
wide with alarm over her sister’s state and also in wonderment at
witnessing the intimate exchange between husband and wife. This
unguarded glimpse of married life, and of her forbidding
brother-in-law, came as quite a revelation to her. She was both
embarrassed and fascinated to see it.

When at last the vivid images crowding
Elizabeth’s mind began to fade, she struggled to reassert a measure
of composure. Echoing her husband’s assurances, she told herself
that it was only a dream. Her mind, if not her emotions, insisted
that it must be so. At length, the tension in her body began to
ease.

“Are you feeling better, Elizabeth?” Darcy
asked gently.

“A little,” she answered with a quavering
voice. “I am so sorry to have distressed you both by such a
display. What must you think of me?”

“No, no,” Darcy protested. “Nightmares are
beyond one’s control. Yet I have never known you to be afflicted by
such dreams before, my dear, at least nothing as dreadful as
this.”

“You are quite right, Mr. Darcy,” Kitty
volunteered. “Lizzy never suffered from nightmares, even as a
child. I clearly remember Mama saying that Mary was the only one of
us five girls who had any difficulty of that kind.”

“Yes. Truly, I have never in my life
experienced anything like it,” said Elizabeth, still shaking. “It
was so intense, so real, that even now it frightens me! I cannot
dispel the feeling that it was no ordinary dream.”

“What was it about?” Kitty asked with excited
curiosity.

“No, Lizzy,” said Darcy, “do not force
yourself to think of it again.”

“I cannot
but
think of it, and perhaps
the two of you can help me sort it out. Yet how shall I begin to
explain? It was at once both alarmingly realistic and completely
nonsensical. There were horses and carriages all whirling round in
a hideous, tangled mess; a woman screaming in pain or fear, or
both; and a man, all in shadow, who seemed to be somehow at the
heart of the trouble. The horror slowly rolled on and on, as if it
would never end.”

“How awful!” said Kitty. “And who was the
woman? Was it you, Lizzy?”

“I really cannot say. It seemed I was in her
place and at the same time outside, watching the scene helplessly
from above. I was no disinterested bystander either way. Yet no
matter how hard I struggled, I was completely powerless to do
anything useful. Oh, what a wretched feeling!” she cried.

“That will do,” said Darcy, blotting his
wife’s tears and brushing the hair away from her face. “Kitty, no
more questions. It cannot be good for your sister to dwell on
something that has upset her so. It is just as I feared; the travel
is too much for you, Elizabeth. Your fatigue has caused your mind
to turn this carriage ride, and the slight chance of an accident,
into the makings of a nightmare. If you were not overtired, this
would not have happened. I am sure of it.”

“I suppose I
have
been under a bit of
a strain the last few days,” Elizabeth admitted, “what with all the
travel arrangements and the wedding and such. And it is not
uncommon for a woman who is with child to suffer from all sorts of
strange maladies, including unusual dreams. Jane told me some of
hers were very odd indeed.”