Dearest, Loveliest Elizabeth Read online

  “I fail to see where you’re going with this yarn, my friend. How exactly does your being her late father’s godson figure into all this? One would think that, if he loved you as much as you say he did, he would have welcomed the match.”

  “I have every reason to believe he would have. He loved me just that much. However, he passed away before his daughter was of an age to consider matrimony. I am afraid she was very young at the time.” Wickham paused and took a sip of his drink. Resuming his former attitude, he said, “I went away from Pemberley for a time after my godfather’s passing. When I had cause to return, the sweet child that I had left behind had blossomed into a young woman, and we began to renew our acquaintance.

  “When I learned that she would be spending a summer in Ramsgate, I made special arrangements to visit her there. I thought it would be a fine thing to spend time with her away from her brother’s disapproving presence.”

  Bingham’s silence encouraged Wickham to continue.

  “I would not say that I went there specifically to persuade her to elope with me, but—well, one thing led to another”—he arched his brow—“if you catch my meaning, and that is precisely what took place. We were that close to leaving Ramsgate for Gretna Green when her dutiful brother, the almighty Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, arrived in Ramsgate for a surprise visit.”

  His interest piqued, Bingham leaned a bit closer to hear what Wickham had to say next.

  “Georgiana, not knowing of the bad blood between us and not wishing to offend a brother whom she likened to a father, shared our happy news with him soon after his arrival.” Just the thought of the ensuing events cast a pall over Wickham’s mood. “Darcy would not hear of it. He did everything in his power to put an end to our plans and obviously he had his way.”

  Here, Wickham took another sip of his drink. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he continued. “Darcy accused me of doing it all to spite him, as though the inducement of thirty thousand pounds was insufficient encouragement. He thinks that much of himself. However, I dare say I got the last laugh for I ended up marrying another one of his sisters, didn’t I?”

  ~*~

  “You came home,” Elizabeth said, surprised when her husband walked into her apartment.

  Darcy silently commanded Elizabeth’s lady’s maid, who was helping with her evening toilette, to leave him alone with his wife. The woman immediately heeded his demand, laid the towel she was using to dry Elizabeth’s hair aside, and quit the room. Darcy seized the towel, sat next to his wife on the bed, and resumed where the servant left off. “I told you I would do everything in my power to return to Pemberley tonight.”

  Elizabeth threw a cursory glance at the mantle clock. “It is so late, and you know I do not like the idea of your traveling so far in the darkness of night, even if you are accompanied by your groomsman.”

  “I wanted to be with you.” He ceased what he was doing and kissed her on the nape of her neck. “We do not see each other nearly enough.”

  Elizabeth smiled lovingly at him. “This is true, my love. I do miss you exceedingly.”

  Resuming his earlier task, he asked, “How was your visit with the tenant wives this morning?”

  “It went as well as could be expected. This morning, I spent time with Mrs. Pollard and her eldest daughter, Clarissa. The others were out and about.”

  Darcy pursed his lips. “What are that young woman’s plans for reaching the altar?”

  “I did not know you were aware of Miss Pollard’s predicament.”

  “It is my business to know these things as master of Pemberley.”

  “If you know so much, perhaps you might tell her father the name of the man who is responsible for his daughter’s condition so he will know how to act.”

  “Do you mean her father does not know with whom his daughter has been keeping company?”

  “She refuses to say, which leads her poor mother to think her daughter is protecting the man’s identity. She fears the gentleman may be married, perhaps even someone who is not from the vicinity.”

  “It is a shame. However, it is all the more reason to make certain Georgiana is not exposed to the young woman.”

  “I assure you Clarissa’s condition is not contagious. Georgiana is in no danger in that regard.”

  “It is not the young lady’s physical condition that concerns me, but rather the weakness of her character that has led to her condition.”

  “Clarissa is little more than a child, with the sweetest temperament one could imagine. Must she be condemned as lacking in good character for yielding to the temptation of the flesh? Are we not all humans, subject to the same frailties and mistakes?”

  “Indeed, we are. However, that does not excuse her refusal to name the man who is responsible. That particular frailty is one of her own choosing.”

  “I fear she is merely afraid of the aftermath.”

  Elizabeth’s words gave Darcy cause to think of another woman whose wantonness had led her to behave recklessly: Lydia Wickham. That young woman was someone who did not give a fig about the aftermath of what she had done. No doubt, given a second chance, she would behave no differently. His thoughts then tended to his own sister. She had almost been persuaded to throw caution to the wind and elope with George Wickham. True, she was nowhere near as silly and reckless as Lydia, but Lydia’s current predicament might well be Georgiana’s but for Darcy’s timely intervention.

  Wickham! Darcy would not have been at all surprised were he to learn that he was the man responsible for young Clarissa Pollard’s plight. He knew enough about the gentleman’s low propensities not to at least consider such a possibility. Wickham certainly spent enough time in the surrounding area. Darcy shook his head. Even Wickham would not sink so low as to seduce a young woman nearly two decades his junior. Would he? Darcy silently pondered. He shook his head to rid himself of such thoughts. Why was he wasting time thinking about his former friend when he had better things to occupy his mind—namely his lovely wife?

  Such talk spurred Elizabeth’s musings as well. Thoughts of the eldest Pollard daughter’s situation inevitably led her to consider her own circumstances. Nearly two years of wedded bliss without an heir to show for it was no small matter. It certainly was not for want of trying.

  Having completed the task of drying her hair, Darcy brushed a soft kiss across Elizabeth’s shoulder. Pulling her hair to one side, she tilted her head just so, inviting his breath’s warm caresses.

  Perhaps this will be the night, she considered, just as she had countless times before. “Shall we retire for the evening, my love?”

  He bestowed a look that promised she’d receive no objection from him. As was their wont to do of late, she and her husband set about the task of extinguishing the candles in the maid’s stead. Elizabeth was not designed for ill-humor; hence she laughed a little in silence. Should tonight’s endeavors fail to bear fruit, what sweet pleasure I shall suffer in having given it my all. With that, she climbed into bed, leaned in the direction of her night table, and blew out the last candle.

  Chapter 15

  Darcy glared at the sanctimonious gentleman opposite him. His disgust was beyond expression. “What kind of fool are you to stand before me and speak of my sister’s dowry as though it’s any of your concern when I have yet to give my consent to an alliance between the two of you? You are sadly mistaken if you suppose I will ever do so now.”

  “Were I to share what I know about your sister’s time in Ramsgate, no respectable gentleman would have her. You ought to be begging me to marry the girl; although begging in this case is entirely unnecessary as I have every intention of marrying her. All I ask for is extra compensation in light of the fact that she is damaged goods.”

  “My sister’s reputation is above reproach.”

  “Come now, sir, you and I both know that is far from the truth. However, no one else need know. Double the amount of her dowry, and you shall hear not another word on this matter from me. Your sister need not
know about this talk either. There is no need to upset her pretty little head with such matters.”

  Darcy said, “Lest you are not aware, extortion is a crime. I can see you arrested and thrown into prison for this, and then what will become of your relations?”

  “Lest you forget, I would have my day in court, and then your sister’s scandal that you’ve spent years covering up would be aired in a public forum. I am sure you would not want that, and you have the means of preventing it from coming about.”

  “I am not to be dictated to, you scoundrel. You’ll get nothing from me.”

  “I must take it that your sister’s reputation means nothing to you. What a shame. One would never know that you were the same man who took the trouble of recovering your dear wife’s sister from scandal by paying all her husband’s debts and obtaining his commission in Newcastle.” Indeed, George Wickham had given Bingham a thorough accounting of how his marriage to Darcy’s other sister had come about. The man crossed his arms before his chest. “What a shame indeed that you would go through so much trouble and expense on behalf of the one and not the other.”

  “If you think such blustering will persuade me, you are a bigger fool than I thought.”

  “A fool I may be—in your eyes—but as my sources are quite reliable, you and I both know I am not merely blustering.”

  Darcy said, “I am afraid I have been quite remiss in this entire affair. Perhaps I ought to be investigating you. Perhaps there is a thing or two about your own sister that you would wish to conceal from the world in general. You did say she was a widow did you not?”

  Bingham’s indignant expression was quite telling in view of his silence.

  Darcy stood. “You need not bother to answer, for I have the means of finding out for myself. Indeed, I shall know everything there is to know about you in a matter of days and should you ever show your face again, I shall indeed no how to act. I do believe you can find your own way out, sir, and if not, I shall be happy to show you a quick route,” he said, gesturing toward the window.

  When his visitor was gone, Darcy wasted no time in writing a missive to his London solicitor to determine what had become of his earlier inquiries into Bingham’s past. He was sealing the letter when his butler entered the room with an urgent missive in hand. Darcy accepted the letter, read it, and was stunned. The earl had suffered another fit of apoplexy. Darcy’s presence was needed in Matlock post haste.

  “This is grave news indeed.”

  “Pardon, sir?”

  “My uncle’s health has suffered another setback. I must leave for Matlock at once.” Darcy handed the man the missive he’d just completed. “Please see that my steward handles this letter. In addition, I ask you to make my apologies to Mrs. Darcy for my abrupt departure. It cannot be helped.”

  Accepting the charge, the butler bowed and turned to quit the room. Darcy halted him. “On second thought, I will explain everything to my wife in a letter before I take my leave. As for the other request, it is most urgent that Mr. Howard attends it as soon as he returns from Lambton.”

  ~*~

  Bingham walked up and down the room, looking grave and anxious. His entire scheme had fallen apart, and he had no one to blame but himself.

  “What was I thinking in attempting to pressure that tight-fisted Fitzwilliam Darcy to increase his sister’s dowry when I was months if not weeks from fulfilling his stipulation that Georgiana and I must wait before he sanctioned our union?” He swept his fingers through his hair and threw a glance about the room. Lodging for two to keep up the appearance of a brother traveling with his sister and infant child in one of the better inns in Lambton is what had led to his rashness. The expenses had taken quite a burdensome toll on his purse.

  When at first he made the offer of painting Georgiana pro bono, he truly never believed that Darcy would not offer him a single shilling as recompense for his resulting costs. Such was the way for people of Darcy’s ilk Bingham had come to consider. Having never wanted for anything in their lives, they could not possibly conceive the dire financial straits of others who were less fortunate than they were.

  Now he was desperate. He had to see Georgiana in private, away from her nosey companion, her inquisitive sister, and her officious brother. His patience exhausted by extreme vexation, he ceased his pacing and glared at Angelica.

  “You more than anyone know how much this means to me.” As much as he loved his lady, Bingham did not intend to allow her stubbornness to stand in his way. He had come too far and spent too many months devising the scheme that would be the means of him claiming his fair share of the vast Darcy family fortune.

  “If I am unable to depend on you then who else might I employ? Again, I insist that you write to Georgiana Darcy on my behalf.”

  “I hate being a party to all this deception,” Angelica cried, no doubt livid that he would ask such a thing of her.

  “You know I am doing all this for you and the child.”

  “You keep saying that, but how can I be assured of anything, especially now when you’re sending us away?”

  “This separation between us is meant to be temporary, and you know it. If worse comes to worst, I may be forced to elope with the girl to Gretna Green. After the wedding takes place, you and the child will come and live with my new wife and me. So long as it is believed that you and I are half siblings, who will object to such a scheme?”

  Crossing her arms in defiance, she said, “So long as you’re planning to marry this girl, why can’t you write to her yourself?”

  “That is not the way it is done in polite society. Besides, her brother does not recognize our engagement. He has effectively banned me from stepping foot on the grounds of Pemberley. No doubt he is taking added precautions to assure that his sister and I do not have any contact with each other. This is the only way I can think of to penetrate the barrier separating Georgiana Darcy and me.”

  Hovering over her, he reached for the quill and dipped it into the inkwell. He then placed it between her fingers. “Do as I say. Write the bloody letter.”

  Chapter 16

  “Where is Georgiana?” Elizabeth asked Mrs. Annesley upon her return from her round of morning calls on some of the tenant households.

  “Is she not with you? She made it a point of mentioning to me that she would be spending the morning with you.”

  “She said nothing to me about her plans else I should not have left as early as I did. I think I shall have a walk about the grounds in order that I might accompany her. Georgiana has made it a habit of late to enjoy a solitary stroll along her favorite paths.”

  “No doubt as a consequence of enjoying your company,” said the older woman knowingly. “She admires you exceedingly, and she depends on you. However, I don’t suppose I need to tell you that.”

  “Indeed. She and I have come to depend upon each other, especially during times like these when my husband is away.”

  The situation of his uncle’s failing health was taking its toll on Darcy, and he sometimes felt it best to remain on at the Matlock estate rather than spend an abundance of time traveling back and forth.

  Elizabeth walked to the door. “What’s more, I fear her spirits might be a little low what with all the tension between Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingham. I shall attempt to cheer her up.”

  Before heading out, Elizabeth went to her sitting room to retrieve her favorite parasol that she’d left there days earlier. She espied a missive from her husband on her writing desk. “Oh, look! My darling Fitzwilliam must have left this here for me to find just before he took his leave,” she said aloud. She did not want to put off walking out to join Georgiana a moment longer than she had to, but likewise she was eager to read her husband’s missive. Knowing him as well as she did, she supposed it was a renewal of his love for her with an assurance that he would not stay away a moment longer than was necessary. She decided to read and walk at the same time.

  As soon as she was at the foot of the stairs, she opened the lett
er:

  Elizabeth, my love, I beg your pardon for the briefness of this missive. It cannot be helped. I have received news from Matlock that my uncle has suffered a serious setback in his recovery. I must leave at once. I must also tell you that Bingham and I suffered a severe impasse this afternoon that renders further association between us virtually impossible. I shall explain it all upon my return to Pemberley. Bingham is aware he is no longer welcome at Pemberley, but, as I will not be there to assure he does not attempt to circumvent my wishes, I ask that you keep an eye on the situation to make certain that Georgiana is in no danger of seeing him.

  How I shall miss you, my dearest, loveliest Elizabeth. I will send word from Matlock as soon as I can.

  Forever yours, FD

  Reading these words added a heightened sense of urgency to Elizabeth’s footsteps, not that she thought Georgiana was in any imminent jeopardy, for surely she was safe merely strolling about the lanes at Pemberley, but because Elizabeth needed to be certain of it.

  ~*~

  A clandestine meeting with Mr. Bingham was just the thing to brighten Georgiana’s dull spirits that day.

  “Thank you for agreeing to see me alone, dearest Georgiana,” he said after they had been walking along, sharing polite conversation for some time.

  Georgiana felt as if she ought to be the one thanking him for coming to see her. It had been too long since she had the pleasure of his company, she considered. “I confess it was not easy to get away from Mrs. Annesley. I believe she has increased her vigilance of late, and I can only ascribe it to a directive from my brother to keep a sharper eye on me now that you and I have an understanding.”