Page 69 of Count the Cost (The Secrets of Elizabeth Bennet #2)

D arcy hurried up the steps of Darcy House. He was grateful that Gibson had agreed to see him so late, but it had been a long meeting and he was very hungry.

But he had been successful. His lawyer was accommodating and after much discussion had written him out a full draft of the settlement. While there had not been time to have them copied, the man’s clerk would be set the task early next morning.

Gardiner had said to go to his home tomorrow in the afternoon, because Elizabeth would travel in the morning.

The papers would be ready to collect before he called at Gracechurch Street.

Elizabeth . He would see Elizabeth tomorrow.

He had made detailed notes of Gibson’s suggestions on his own initial rough plan, and he looked forward to going through them over his solitary dinner.

But, as the front door opened for him, his heart sank. The strident, complaining tones of his aunt assailed his ears before he had even crossed the threshold.

Why was she here? Surely no hint of the rumours could have reached Kent yet?

The butler bowed. “Mr. Darcy. I am afraid Lady Catherine has been here some time. She is waiting in the lounge.”

Darcy nodded, his optimism draining away. He did not need this to spoil his good temper; not today.

He steeled his nerves, let out a long slow breath, and entered the drawing room.

“Darcy! Where have you been! I have waited on you for an unconscionably long time. It is not to be borne!” His aunt rapped her cane sharply on the ground.

Darcy raised his eyebrow. She was in much more of a temper than he would have expected.

“Then you are fortunate I did not go straight on to a dinner engagement,” he said frostily. “If you arrive unannounced, you cannot expect me to be sitting around waiting for you.”

He turned and carefully placed the papers on the table furthest away from his aunt.

Then he looked at her. The table beside her bore a tea tray and many plates of cakes. His staff had been attentive, but he knew of his aunt’s irascibility. “And if you have abused my staff, next time they will be instructed not to permit you entry if I am not present.”

She snorted in rage. “That is beside the point, Darcy! I must speak to you. The rumours I have heard are shocking! Utterly disgraceful. I must save you from them. You must put this — strumpet — aside and marry Anne. That is the only way to be believed in your renunciation of that Miss Bennet!” Spittle sprayed from her mouth in her rage.

Darcy observed her carefully, his brow furrowed. This was beyond what he would have expected.

“What has happened to put you in such a rage, Aunt?”

“That Miss Bennet! Why ever did you place her in such a fine house, Darcy? She will use it to weasel you into a compromise. She is dreadful, Darcy. Really dreadful. Not only did she refuse to oblige me, she actually had me ejected from her house! She knew who I was, and refused to address me by the rank I bear. What about that, then?”

He took a step back. Elizabeth. You are so strong, my love.

“Then I admire her even more for treating you in the manner you obviously deserved.” He took a step forward.

“And how dare you? How dare you call upon a respectable, intelligent, young lady of good character and, I am sure, abused her to her face? How could you show such ill-breeding to her?”

“Darcy! You are obviously addled by lust. She has been compromised; the rumours confirm it all. You ought not to have gifted her that house. If you marry the chit, you will brand both of yourselves with that disgrace and pollute the shades of Pemberley. I will not have it!”

He looked down on her, rigid with fury, but determined to keep his composure.

“Lady Catherine. I know Miss Bennet’s character and I trust her absolutely.

Compared with her worth, and her character which is of the highest standard, then the scandalous gossip — which you should know is usually utterly fictitious — is nothing compared to her worth.

As for the shades of Pemberley, they are my concern and certainly nothing to do with you! ”

He turned away to the window, mastering his temper with an effort.

“You will be ruined, Darcy! And Anne has waited for you all these years!”

He spun back around to face her. “I have told you both repeatedly that I will never marry Anne.” He swallowed, “and if ruin consists in honouring a woman of worth, then I welcome it.” He leaned over her, “and let me tell you, Miss Bennet is a woman of wealth, and so is her wider family. She has easily afforded Oakfield Park for herself.”

His aunt scoffed, and Darcy began to wonder if she was quite right in the head. He turned away to the little writing desk and scribbled a note before ringing the bell. When the butler entered, he gave him the note.

“Have that sent to Matlock House at once, please.”

“Sir.” The man bowed away.

“What have you written to my brother, Darcy? He will agree with me, you know that!”

“I have told them to expect you there, since it is too dark to return to Kent and your daughter.”

“I will stay here tonight. I have already had my trunk taken up.”

Darcy turned back to the bell, and gave terse instructions to have the lady’s bag repacked and her coach called round.

Then he turned back to her. “I will not have you imposing on me, Lady Catherine. Especially if you insist in your abuse of Miss Bennet.”

“So you are determined to have her? You will ignore all that your station demands of you and take that … that woman? Nothing will lift the scandal, Darcy. Nothing. You must listen to us. We know better than young people what our position in life means.”

“That is enough, madam!” He was goaded beyond endurance.

“Miss Bennet is the best of women. I have been at my lawyers, arranging the settlements. If she will have me, which is by no means certain, then whatever belongs to her, whether modest or considerable, shall remain hers entire, untouched by me. My lawyer is already instructed to put that into the settlements so I cannot touch what is hers.”

“You are lost, Darcy. Lost to all sense of duty and honour. I wash my hands of you, and of the disgrace you are determined to wreak on the House of Matlock. Marry her, if you must — but do not look to me for consequence. You will have none.”

“Then I will bear your displeasure with equanimity, madam. Because I will never betray my heart.”

Lady Catherine gave him a look of pure wrath and swept past him, her patrician looks twisted with resentment.

The door closed behind her, and in the sudden silence Darcy let out the long breath he had been holding.

Relief sent weakness to his legs, and he steadied himself agains the desk. She was gone, and he had not hesitated.

Exultation seized him; he had stood firm against the worst the family could throw at him. Let the rest of the world rail against him, he had stood for Elizabeth and would do so again and again, as long as was necessary.

His course was fixed.

Now the only task he had was to win Elizabeth’s regard, have her believe in his devotion and his admiration of all she had achieved, and win her hand in marriage.

Suddenly the elation left him. Would she ever forgive the way he had confronted her and accused her of the basest mistrust? Had he really said that disguise of any kind was abhorrent to him, and that her cautious concessions were that disguise?

He dropped his head in his hands. All the hope he had taken from those moments at the Bingleys’ wedding? Were they to be in vain?

No, it could not be! He would see her at the Gardiner’s tomorrow, and he would ask for a private conversation and show her what he had decided to do for the settlements should he be so fortunate as to win her hand.

He must show that he knew no man could be worthy of her, but he would devote his life to her, to protecting her, protecting her secret, and protecting her family, too.