Elizabeth Bennet's Excellent Adventure: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary (5 page)

“I am only resolved to act in that manner which will constitute my happiness, without reference to you or to any person so wholly unconnected with me.”

“You refuse, then, to oblige me; you refuse to obey the claims of duty, honor, and gratitude. You are determined to ruin Darcy in the opinion of his friends and make my nephew the contempt of the world.”

“Neither duty, nor honor, nor gratitude, has any possible claim on me in the present instance,” Elizabeth quipped in frustration. “No principle of either would be violated by my marriage to Mr. Darcy. And with regard to the resentment of his family, or the indignation of the world, if Mr. Darcy expressed excitement at the prospect of marrying me, your condemnation would not provide me one moment’s concern; and the world, in general, would possess too much sense to join in the scorn.”

Lady Catherine’s features hardened.

“And this is your real opinion! This is your final resolve! Very well! I shall know how to act. Do not imagine, Miss Bennet, that your ambition will ever know gratification. I came to this place to try you,” Her Ladyship snarled. “I hoped to discover you a reasonable creature, but depend upon it, I will carry my point to London.”

As Lady Catherine strode away, Elizabeth groaned in despair. Would Her Ladyship prevail? Could his aunt convince Mr. Darcy to call off? Although some censure would arrive at the gentleman’s door if he chose such a course, it was possible Mr. Darcy would simply withdraw until the gossip died. A man of Mr. Darcy’s wealth and ancestral lines would not long be censured for disposing of a minor indiscretion, as was Elizabeth.

“
Miss Darcy.” Elizabeth greeted the girl.
“How kind of Mr. Bingley to escort you to Longbourn.”

Miss Darcy offered Elizabeth a respectful curtsy.

“I begged my brother to permit me to come ahead. I hope you do not think me too presumptuous. I hoped to have the acquaintance of your sisters before the ceremony. William’s negotiations delay his departure from London.”

The girl’s news grieved Elizabeth; she had yet to recover from Lady Catherine’s vituperations.

“I am sorry to hear of Mr. Darcy’s continued absence,” she said distractedly.

Miss Darcy slipped a folded paper into Elizabeth’s palm.

“Darcy sends you his regard.”

The girl blushed as if Miss Darcy read her brother’s words, but the wax seal remained in place.

“Come in and permit me to make you acquainted with my family.”

As they entered the parlor, Miss Darcy shared, “My cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, will accompany Darcy to Hertfordshire.”

Elizabeth responded without much enthusiasm.

“Yes, your brother spoke of a promise between the cousins regarding weddings.”

“It is my understanding the colonel will soon be required upon the American front to train new British recruits. It saddens me that my cousin will be from his family over the festive days and beyond.”

Miss Darcy’s countenance displayed the girl’s affection for the colonel.

Elizabeth observed, “If the colonel must serve England, I would think him safer upon the Canadian border than with Wellesley upon the Peninsular.”

“Yes…yes, I suppose,” Miss Darcy said on a rush. “Even so, I wish the colonel was a simple country gentleman rather than a trained soldier.”

* * *

After learning from Kitty of Lady Catherine’s calling upon the Bennet household, Miss Darcy expressed concern in private to Elizabeth as the girl departed with Mr. Bingley.

“I pray Aunt Catherine spoke to you civilly,” she whispered as Elizabeth waited with the girl for the coachman to bring Bingley’s carriage around.

“Although my experience with Her Ladyship is limited, I believe Lady Catherine speaks her opinions without prompting,” Elizabeth quipped.

She could not shake the feeling that Lady Catherine’s prediction would know fruition.

“Oh, dear,” Miss Darcy whispered anxiously. “Darcy will not be pleased with our aunt’s interference.”

The girl caught Elizabeth’s hand to press the back of it.

“Please do not hold Darcy responsible for Lady Catherine’s delusions. My brother does all he can to dissuade her.”

“I assume your brother will possess another opportunity to do exactly that,” Elizabeth said matter-of-factly. “Her Ladyship meant to press her point with Mr. Darcy.”

Miss Darcy squeezed Elizabeth’s hand a second time.

“Do not fear, Darcy will correct Aunt Catherine’s miscalculations. My brother cares very deeply for you, Miss Elizabeth. Do not discount Darcy’s resolve to make you his wife.”

Elizabeth wanted desperately to believe the girl; yet, each time she counted the reasons Mr. Darcy would choose to marry her and the reasons he would not, the second list remained three times longer than the first. If they were in love–if they openly expressed their affections, mayhap then, Elizabeth could believe Mr. Darcy might withstand the pressure of his family and Society to deny their connection. It gritted against everything holy that Elizabeth recognized the truth of many of Lady Catherine’s arguments, as well as the knowledge her rebukes to the gentleman in Kent could not be wiped from the slate recording their journey.

“Only novels bring the hero and heroine together after a bit of trouble,” she told her foolish heart as she crawled into bed that evening.

* * *

The last three days had Darcy at his wit’s end. In addition to the painstakingly slow negotiations with the stock company and two other investors, Darcy’s confrontation with Lady Catherine occurred over part of Monday evening and twice more on Tuesday. Because of the interruptions into his private affairs, Darcy had yet to retrieve the wedding ring for Elizabeth.

On Tuesday, he sent the colonel to Netherfield to assist in chaperoning Georgiana for Mrs. Hurst had yet to join her brother to serve as his hostess, as well as to smooth the feathers of Darcy’s future family for Georgiana sent an express chronicling the terrible rumors Elizabeth endured in his absence.

As Wednesday came to light, Darcy meant to be on the road to Hertfordshire.

Even that was not quick enough in Darcy’s estimation. He missed Elizabeth with an ache he could not describe to those who never knew love. Darcy planned to claim her mouth several times this evening in anticipation of their exchange of vows on the morrow.

“Will there be anything else, Mr. Darcy?” the jeweler asked with a ready smile.

After examining the many sketches the jeweler showed him, Darcy studied the pieces upon a black velvet cloth. The craftsman knew his art: all were exquisite. At length, his eyes fell upon a simple, but elegant design incorporating an alternate row of topaz and creamy brown stones he did not recognize.

“Diamonds?” he asked as his finger traced the cut of the unusual stones.

“Yes, Sir. I purchased a handful of what the darkie called “cacao.’ ‘Like me,’ he bragged.”

Darcy flinched with the caustic remark, and his opinion of the jeweler’s assistant lessened; even so, he kept his objections to himself. Rundell and Bridge held a reputation for excellence, and although Darcy recognized the prejudice following many from other lands, he knew his voice was in the minority. However, he would place a private word with the man’s employer regarding the impropriety of the assistant’s speech. 

“I was uncertain whether anyone would think the stones worthy,” the craftsman said as he nudged his assistant to the side, “but I find the cream of the stones play well with the golden tones of the metal and the topaz. Do you not agree?”

“The piece is perfection,” Darcy murmured. “It reminds me of the cinnamon umber of my betrothed’s eyes.”

Thankfully, the jeweler did not pounce upon Darcy’s comment. The man waited for Darcy’s decision.

“Wrap it separately,” Darcy instructed.

“Certainly, Sir,” the man said with a deep sigh of satisfaction.

Darcy glanced up to note his carriage moving slowly past the shop. Customarily, his coachman would walk the team up and down the street in preparation for a journey. Keeping the horses warm meant fewer injuries than permitting them to stand for long periods.

With a look to his watch, Darcy hoped to be in the confines of his coach and on his way to Elizabeth within minutes.

Unfortunately, that wish was not meant to be. The jeweler insisted on tightening two prongs upon the necklace’s setting before wrapping the gift. If Darcy’s heart was not set upon seeing the delight upon Elizabeth’s face when he presented her the necklace, he would abandon the item to another day; but Darcy hoped to observe Elizabeth wearing it upon their wedding night: the necklace and little else.

In time, he secured both the ring and the necklace in an inside pocket of his jacket and stepped into the early afternoon shadows on what should be a busy street, but what was quite deserted except for the occasional street urchin and a house mistress. Darcy looked up and down Ludgate for his coach. A quick glance to his timepiece explained the abandonment of the street. It was well past time for the midday meal. He would be fortunate to reach Netherfield before the supper hour.

Another glance brought no sight of his carriage, and a frown claimed Darcy’s forehead. If thoughts of the urgency of reaching Elizabeth’s door did not distract him so, he might have taken note of the four men slowly surrounding him.

It was only when he heard the clicks of the two guns pressing into his back did Darcy recognize the danger the day held.

“You’ll come with us,” a menacing voice announced.

Darcy stiffened, but he kept his wits about him.

“If it is my purse you desire,” he said evenly. “I will hand it over without a fuss.”

“It be not yer purse Mr. Sloane requires,” the group’s spokesman announced.

“I assure you,” Darcy said, keeping his eyes upon the street in hopes of assistance, “I hold no one named Sloane in acquaintance.”

“That be not my concern.”

The man nudged Darcy in the side with the gun.

“Step betwixt the shops and we’sll settle this.”

Darcy wished for a different option, but he did as the man instructed. It was essential to stall until Mr. Garner and Murray reappeared with the coach.

Yet, he possessed no opportunity to delay what was to come. Once in the safety of the narrow passage between the buildings, two of the men caught his arms, while the one before him struck Darcy square upon the chin, and the fourth punched him several times in the small of his back.

Darcy’s legs did not know whether to stumble forward or to crumple. His mind chose the second, but before he could sink to his knees, the two holding Darcy’s arms jerked him upward again, and a second and a third round of blows followed. He tasted his own blood, but there was no time to consider his split lip for one of the ringleaders’ punches doubled Darcy over at the waist. This time the two who held him permitted Darcy to pitch forward into the slime dumped upon the hard ground. He did not wish to think upon what covered his freshly shaved cheek.

He knew when his attackers stepped back, and instinctively, Darcy brought his legs up to curl into a protective ball before a new onslaught ensued. He expected the men to rob him–to steal his purse. Without considering his actions, Darcy rolled more to his left side to protect the ring and necklace he meant to gift to Elizabeth.

“Elizabeth,” he murmured.
At all costs, he must reach Elizabeth. Tomorrow was their wedding day.

With a groan, he rolled to his knees, but before Darcy could stand to make an escape, the toes of a highly polished pair of boots came into view. A gloved hand caught Darcy’s hair and lifted his head. Through what must be a cut eye, Darcy stared up into the scowling countenance of a gentleman. Darcy could not make out the man’s features, for the shadows were too deep in this part of the passage, but he could smell the boot black and the man’s sandalwood soap.

“What have you done?” the man growled as he released Darcy’s hair.

Darcy collapsed to his forearms, his breath difficult to come by.

“As ye instructed,” the ringleader responded in what sounded of fear.

Although he could not view the altercation, Darcy knew the instant the gentleman caught Darcy’s assailant violently and shook the man.

“I told you to bring me that scoundrel Wickham,” the man, who was likely the one called ‘Sloane,’ barked.

Wickham?
Darcy thought.
How ironic! I took a beating mean for my long-ago chum.

Darcy attempted to respond to the man’s assertions, but he could not muster a breath to pronounce the words. A sharp pain in his chest accompanied each of his efforts.

“We follow this gent several times from the house ye claimed to be this Wickham fellow’s,” the assailant grunted.

“Then we erred,” the gentleman insisted. “We must be rid of this one. If he identifies us to the authorities, we will all face hard labor or transportation.”

Darcy wondered if they meant to kill him. One of his attackers answered his question. The man wrapped a large kerchief about Darcy’s eyes and tied it off.

“We’s take him to the country and dumps him. If’n he lives be it God’s choice.”

After the slightest hesitation, Sloane agreed, and Darcy was unceremoniously hoisted to his feet. His captors half carried and half dragged him to a waiting wagon. Darcy supposed the culprits meant to use the farmer’s cart to transport George Wickham to what was to be his former friend’s fate.

He could not see the flat cart, but Darcy could feel it when the men quite literally threw him into the back. Two of his attackers crawled in beside him and covered Darcy with a heavy cloth. Again, Darcy curled up in a ball of protection. He survived by not fighting back, and Darcy meant to continue the assumption of helplessness. Some would think him a coward, but Darcy knew otherwise. It took more courage to know when to walk away from a fight: He meant to survive and make his way to Elizabeth.

Later, Darcy would locate the unknown “Mr. Sloane,” and the man would know Darcy’s displeasure. Likely, Wickham dishonored the fellow’s sister or wife or Darcy’s oldest friend owed Sloane a gaming debt. Either way, Darcy would claim his justice upon another day; for now, Elizabeth’s disappointment was of a greater concern.

Surely his betrothed would understand this situation was beyond his control. The license was valid for three months, and as quickly as Darcy could recover he would have her before Mr. Williamson and her family.

Elizabeth is a reasonable woman
, he told his Reason.
She would recognize the irony of this attack coming at Mr. Wickham’s hands.

Thinking so, Darcy closed his eyes to bring forth his favorite image of his intended.
Survive for Elizabeth
, he repeated with each click of the wagon’s wheels.