Page 52 of A Rational Man (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

A fter seeing his cousin Daniel so unhappily wed, Mr. Darcy had difficulty enjoying social events.

Perhaps it was because the specter of compromise loomed before him.

He did not have his cousin’s reputation, so it was unlikely that such a claim could succeed, but it was not impossible.

Or perhaps it was because he had lost all hope of finding another Miss Elizabeth.

In any case, the Season had lost any appeal for him; it was just as well that he was going to Kent.

Invited to Matlock House for dinner, he told his aunt and uncle that he would soon depart for Rosings.

“Decided on Anne at last, have you?” his uncle asked.

“No, not at all,” Mr. Darcy returned. “But I have been recently reminded by your sister that I am expected at Easter to meet with the steward, look over the account books, and so on.”

“Your annual journey, then,” the Countess said.

“Precisely. I do not enjoy it, but it is my duty to assist her.” Mr. Darcy thought then that he did sound like a bit of a prig, just as his cousin Daniel had said.

“The family thanks you. But someone needs to marry Anne, you know,” the Earl said, dourly.

“Doubtless, but it shall not be me. Perhaps Richard?”

“I have suggested it, of course, but he evades the conversation. Tell you what, though, Richard will soon be on leave. If you will but delay your departure for a few days, you can take him with you on your journey. Perhaps seeing Rosings again will help him see sense. I had far rather he marry Anne and learn to manage Rosings than risk his life in foreign lands.”

“I would very much appreciate Richard’s company,” Mr. Darcy said. “As for his marrying Anne, that is entirely up to him.”

“It seems to me that any second son should appreciate the opportunity to be master of such an estate!” The Earl was clearly irritated.

Mr. Darcy, who had long thought that the Fitzwilliams could have done more for Richard, chose to direct his attention to his soup.

But the Earl would not let the subject drop. “Hey, Darcy? Would you not leap at the chance, were you a second son?”

Mr. Darcy set down his soup spoon and looked up at his uncle. “I do not think that I could tolerate years of living with Aunt Catherine; I imagine that Richard feels much the same. In France, at least, one can kill the enemy.”

The Earl stared at his nephew for a long minute, as various expressions chased one another across his face.

Mr. Darcy, red-faced, opened his mouth to apologise for such a dreadful statement, when the Earl burst out laughing.

“Yes! At least in France, he can kill the enemy!” He repeated it several times, with greater and greater hilarity.

It was some minutes before the Earl regained control of himself.

“Ahem!” He cleared his throat. “Yes, you make a good point. But there is a dowry house at Rosings, you know.”

“Which Aunt Catherine would doubtless move into immediately; is that your thinking?” Mr. Darcy said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Since we are on a rather indelicate topic already, may I enquire as to whether it is not possible to grant Richard a minor estate of some sort, thereby allowing him to leave the Army? I understand that your estates are not entailed, as you recently threatened Daniel with taking them away. I have offered Richard a small estate of my own, Falconcrest, but he says he will not take charity.”

The Countess added, “Richard is far more deserving than Daniel. You have always said that you would not break apart Daniel’s inheritance, which he would then be able to pass intact down to his own progeny, but do current circumstances perhaps require a different approach?”

The Earl shook his head. “My father passed the Matlock estates down to me, complete and intact, and it is my duty to do the same. I threatened Daniel with taking it all away from him, but I was certain that it would not come to that.”

“So there is nothing available for Richard?” Mr. Darcy asked.

“You sound censorious, Darcy, but you will do the same when the time comes. Great families remain so only if the sources of wealth and consequence remain in as few hands as possible. Once we begin splitting estates up, the family’s income decreases and we begin a slow slide down the social ladder.”

“Perhaps a competence, George? I hate having Richard in harm’s way!” The Countess leaned forward to argue her point.

“We have discussed this before, Elaine. I am adamant.”

***

Three days later, Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam left London for Kent.

“Tell me about the wedding, Darcy! I could not get away in time to attend, and whenever I ask my parents about it, they do a good deal of head-shaking, but not a good deal of talking. Is she truly dreadful?”

“Certainly the circumstances under which the marriage was made were dreadful, but truth to tell, Daniel rather deserved it.”

“Tell me everything!” Richard demanded. “Do not leave out any detail, no matter how insignificant!”

Mr. Darcy did his best to satisfy Richard’s curiosity, and Richard’s laugh rang out several times.

“You sound positively delighted,” Mr. Darcy commented. “He is your brother, you know.”

“And you well know what our relationship has been like. Daniel has never let me forget that he was the heir, that he would inherit everything and I nothing. He always said that he would marry well, that he would have nothing less than one of the diamonds of the Season.”

“He might have, in truth, had he behaved better.”

“Well, enough of that. This is your annual journey to help Aunt Catherine, I understand. And I suspect that I am invited along only to see if I find Anne tolerable enough to marry her.”

“Your father seems adamant that a second son should leap at the chance to marry an heiress such as Anne.”

Richard sighed. “I like Anne, I do. But to marry her? And suffer Aunt Catherine’s presence for however many years she has left on this earth? I had rather be in France.”

Mr. Darcy chuckled. “I told your father that at least in France, you could kill the enemy.”

Richard laughed. “Very good, Darcy. Did he appreciate the humour?”

“He did, as a matter of fact.”

“I am glad your bon mot was not wasted.”

“So Anne has no chance with you?”

“Likely not, but I appreciate the chance to enjoy our aunt’s hospitality and your company.”

“As I shall enjoy yours. I am grateful to have someone to talk with other than our aunt and cousin. Ah, I must remember to pay a call on the new Mrs. Collins at some point.” He did not necessarily look forward to seeing Mr. Collins, but the chance to hear something of Miss Elizabeth was irresistible.

“Mrs. Collins? The parson is married?”

“Oh! Did I not tell you? Yes, he is married to the middle Bennet sister.”

“Mary, is it?”

“Yes; she is now Mrs. Collins. It would be rude not to call on her.”

“An odd coincidence that her husband is Aunt Catherine’s parson!”

“Indeed.”

***

They arrived at Rosings Park that same afternoon. The sky had grown dark and raindrops had begun to spatter down as the carriage pulled up in front of the mansion. The butler appeared with umbrellas, which Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam accepted gratefully.

They were escorted into the formal drawing room, where Lady Catherine sat in state in her preferred chair. Anne sat on the sofa closest to the fire, with her companion, Mrs. Jenkinson, beside her. The three ladies rose when their guests entered the room, and greetings were exchanged.

“I expected you earlier,” Lady Catherine began. “It is quite late.

“Truly, Aunt?” Mr. Darcy answered, mildly. “I thought we made very good time.”

His aunt waved the comment away. “No, indeed, but here you are at last! And here is Anne! Her health is much improved, as you can see. Take your shawl off, Anne, let your cousins see you.”

“That is not necessary, Aunt,” the Colonel put in hastily, as Anne blushed and began to obey. “We can see that she is in good health.”

Anne threw a grateful glance at Richard.

“You would like refreshments, I imagine,” Lady Catherine said, pulling a cord to summon the maid.

“We would be grateful, yes,” Richard replied.

The tea tray soon arrived, and Lady Catherine insisted that Anne pour for their guests. She managed it, rather clumsily, and her cousins thanked her.

“I understand that you know my parson and his wife, Darcy,” Lady Catherine said, raising her eyes from her teacup to her nephew.

“I do, yes. I met them both in Meryton; Mrs. Collins was Miss Mary Bennet before her marriage.”

“How is it that you came to make her acquaintance?”

Mr. Darcy gave her an abbreviated explanation of how he had come to be in Meryton, and then added, “The Bennets are the nearest neighbours to Bingley’s estate, so I was in their company a good deal.”

Lady Catherine scowled at the explanation. “Her father’s estate is quite small, I understand.”

“Compared to Rosings or Pemberley, certainly. But it was able to support the Bennets and five daughters; Miss Mary is the middle daughter.”

“Oh, come to think on it, one of her sisters is visiting her just now.”

Mr. Darcy sat up straight, almost spilling his tea. “A sister?”

“Yes; I cannot recall her name just now, but I have invited them all for dinner tomorrow night.”

Mr. Darcy was unable to speak, so it was left to the Colonel to indicate his pleasure at the idea of meeting Mrs. Collins and her sister. The Colonel then asked if he might be permitted to wash the road dust from his person, and Lady Catherine released her guests to go to their rooms.

As they mounted the stairs, the Colonel hissed, “Think you it might be her?”

“Her?”

“Miss Elizabeth, of course; do not pretend you did not immediately hope for it! I saw your face.”

“It is just as likely to be one of the younger sisters.”

“It is possible, yes. But what if it is Miss Elizabeth?”

Mr. Darcy only shook his head.

But later that night, when everyone was in bed, he lay awake for a long while, wondering what he would do if it was Miss Elizabeth. Would he give in to his secret longings and marry her? Or would his rational mind prevail?