Page 19 of Darcy in Distress (Pride and Prejudice Variation #17)

“Miss Elizabeth,” Darcy said gravely as the door closed behind his sister.

“I have no right to ask for such a favor, but will you stay the night here at Netherfield? Georgiana is greatly distressed, and I have never seen her take so quickly to another woman. Your cheerful company would be a great boon. If that is too inconvenient, I understand entirely, but…”

He trailed off, staring at her hopefully, and Elizabeth could not but return his gaze with sympathy.

She had known him to be a good son and brother, and now, with the knowledge of his father’s sins and his uncle’s perfidy, he was even more remarkable.

With the two maidservants returning tonight to Longbourn, she was no longer needed as much to sit with Mrs. Bennet.

Furthermore, if she stayed here, she would avoid Mr. Collins as well!

“I would be honored to do so,” she said. “Perhaps I can write a note to my father, and you can have a servant take it to Longbourn?”

“Of course,” Bingley said, before adding carefully, “Perhaps I had best take the note myself, just to assure your family of your well-being.”

Elizabeth read in this a desire to see Jane and smiled in satisfaction at the master of Netherfield. “That would be very kind, sir. Where can I find pen and paper?”

/

Beaumont House

Russell Square

London

For at least the tenth time, Cecil Fitzwilliam, youngest son of the Earl of Matlock, walked over to push aside the scarlet brocade curtains which hid the front window from the street below.

This waiting was really quite unendurable, especially considering that he did not want to marry his cousin Georgiana.

Really, he ought to run away now, before his father could…

A carriage pulled to the front of the house, pulled by sweating horses, and Cecil squinted in the gloom of twilight as the door opened and the Earl of Matlock stepped out.

A moment later, the man reached in and assisted a tottering female form out of the carriage and guided her toward the front door.

Cecil moaned aloud and cast a glance toward the back of the mansion.

His horse was waiting for him in the stables behind the house, and this was his last chance to flee before he was forced to wed.

However – and here his shoulders slumped unhappily – he had no real choice in the matter.

His habits of expense made it impossible for him to live in penury, and thanks to his father and grandfather’s gaming and extravagance, the Matlock fortunes had fallen indeed.

No, he could only submit to his father’s directives and marry his cousin.

If they proved as incompatible as the Regent and his wife, he could always take a mistress.

He walked, rather sulkily, into the front hall of the manse and halted as the Earl of Matlock marched into the vestibule, his face twisted in a fearsome scowl.

The older man glanced at his son, then gestured to two footmen and ordered, “Take Lady Anne up to the guest suite at the very back of the house. Her nurses are waiting for her there.”

“Yes, sir,” the taller of the manservants said stolidly, and the two men half supported and half carried the wilting form of Lady Anne Darcy up the heavy oak staircase.

Cecil turned a confused look on his father. “Where is Georgiana?”

The earl ground his teeth before saying, “We did not find her at Netherfield. Her companion said that she was visiting another family nearby, but refused to give us the exact location.”

“Perhaps she was lying and my cousin was hiding in the house,” Cecil said helpfully.

“Do you take me for a fool?” his father snarled, his already red face purpling in his anger. “We searched from the attics to the basements, and there was no sign of the girl!”

In spite of himself, Cecil relaxed a little, which did not go unnoticed by his sire.

“Do not imagine this changes anything, my boy,” the earl warned. “We will obtain Georgiana, and soon, and you will wed.”

“Surely Darcy will be watching out for another attempt to abd... take my cousin, sir?” Cecil ventured.

“He will, of course,” the earl replied, pacing up and down the tiled floor of the foyer. “However, we have Lady Anne, so I daresay some arrangement can be made.”

Cecil did not pretend to be a particularly honorable man, but this took him aback. “You would not harm my aunt, surely?”

“Of course not!” his father snapped. “There is no need for such a thing. My nephew wishes to have Lady Anne at his side. Well, I am entirely willing to return my sister to the bosom of her family if Darcy permits you to marry Georgiana. I do not even require that you live together; you may go your separate ways, so long as Georgiana’s dowry makes it into Matlock coffers. ”

Cecil suppressed a grimace. If he was to marry his young cousin, he ought to have control of her dowry, but he knew that his father would not permit such a thing .

“Very well, sir,” he said. “I will return to my rooms in Half Moon Street and await your summons.”

“You will stay right here and await my summons,” the earl barked, and then, when Cecil looked mulish, added, “I know that those degenerate friends of yours will appear at your doorstep tonight and want you to go carousing or to a cockfight or to the races. Then you will wander off with one of them, and I will be required to send the Runners after you . No, no, Son – you must stay here and keep watch over Lady Anne.”

“I know nothing about insane persons!” Cecil protested.

The earl waved an impatient hand. “The nurses will care for her. It is vital that you remain here, however, for I must return to Matlock House to await Darcy’s arrival.

I daresay he will be on my doorstep tomorrow morning at first light in an attempt to convince me to return his mother to his tender care.

One of us must be here to oversee the servants and the house. ”

“What is this place, anyway?” his son demanded, glancing around with dissatisfaction.

While he had seen a few servants flitting to and fro, much of the house was shut up, with Holland covers over the furniture and with drapes across all the windows to prevent the carpets from fading.

It was, in the absence of a family, a dreary place .

“It belongs to one of my old cronies, Sir Abel Beaumont. He is currently in the country but agreed to let me use his London house. Darcy will never find his mother here.”

Cecil groaned aloud and said petulantly, “But what am I to do here? And what about my clothes?”

“Send a servant to your quarters at Half Moon street and your valet can join you here with necessary items,” the earl said impatiently, marching toward the door. He then halted and said, “If you are truly desperate for amusement, you can read a book!”

Cecil closed his eyes and moaned as the door slammed behind his sire.

Books were so very dull. A moment later, soft steps behind him caused him to swing around quickly.

A young woman of some five and twenty years was descending the stairs, dressed in a simple brown gown with a high neck and long sleeves, with a white cap placed demurely on her hair.

Cecil stared in wonder, for while the garments of the woman were modest enough, she was exceptionally comely with auburn hair and brilliant green eyes.

The girl blushed at Cecil’s frank appraisal, and curtsied as soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

“My apologies, sir,” she said softly. “I did not intend to intrude. ”

“Not at all,” Cecil answered warmly. He had never dallied with servants, but this particular one was enticing indeed, and he was looking forward to several very dull days. “I presume you serve here at Beaumont House?”

“No, sir. I am Deborah, one of the nurses caring for Lady Anne Darcy.”

/

Netherfield

“I will speak to my father, Darcy, not you.”

Darcy, who had been pacing up and down the floor of Bingley’s study, turned to stare at Richard in astonishment. “What!?”

“I will ride to London tomorrow and speak to Matlock regarding Lady Anne,” the colonel repeated. “You will remain here with Georgiana.”

“My mother is the one who was taken, and thus I should speak to her abductor!”

“Georgiana needs you to stay here, Darcy,” Wickham said from his position near the window. “You know how very distressed she is after the events of today. ”

Darcy sighed and said, “She trusts you and Richard as much as she trusts me, and she has Miss Elizabeth to bear her company.”

“You are her beloved brother,” the colonel returned.

“Come, Darcy, you are far too angry to speak calmly to my father. Indeed, I am certain he hopes that you will arrive on his doorstep in a cloud of wrath. He thrives on high emotion when he has the upper hand, and as much as I hate to admit it, he does, at this time, have the upper hand.”

“Not as much as if he had managed to kidnap Georgiana,” George pointed out. “That is another reason why you must stay, Darcy. You have the moral right to kill anyone who attempts to take your sister.”

Darcy gritted his teeth and declared, “Yes, and I confess I would very much like to shoot my uncle in the heart. All the same, Richard, I bow to your superior knowledge. I will stay home and guard Georgiana. I beg of you to do what you can to find and save my dear mother.”

“You know I will,” Richard said, placing a comforting hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “I will do everything in my power to bring her back to you.”

/

Longbourn

“But Miss Elizabeth was supposed to be here at Longbourn this evening!” exclaimed Mr. Collins, his plump cheeks quivering in outrage. “We spoke this morning, and I planned to spend a cozy hour with my intended bride reading Fordyce’s sermons together.”

Charles Bingley blanched and looked at Jane Bennet, who actually looked irritated.

“My apologies, Mr. Collins,” Bingley said awkwardly. “In truth, Miss Darcy took a great liking to Miss Elizabeth and requested that she spend the night. I am certain that Miss Elizabeth...”

“Oh, Miss Darcy!” Collins interrupted, his anger gone in an instant.

“Oh, if Miss Darcy wishes for my cousin’s company, there is nothing more to be said!

Lady Catherine herself told me that I should do everything in my power to assist her gentle relations, and it is a small thing indeed for me to give up a few hours in the presence of the lady who will, I am confident, soon be mistress of my parsonage in Hunsford. I suppose...”

“Mr. Bingley, I will have one of our maids gather together some clothes for Elizabeth,” Jane murmured, and glided gracefully out of the room.

Bingley sadly watched her leave before turning back to the clergyman, who was still chattering inanely.

He did not pretend to know Elizabeth Bennet well, but he was confident that the lady would be miserable if she married the rector, who was entirely foolish.

Nonetheless, given the entail, the second Miss Bennet might feel obligated to accept the parson’s offer.

Of course, if he, Charles Bingley, were to marry the eldest Miss Bennet – well, he was a wealthy man, and the marriage settlements would be generous enough that the Bennet ladies would no longer need to concern themselves about their financial future.