Page 8 of Darcy in Distress (Pride and Prejudice Variation #17)

“Good morning, Colonel Fitzwilliam,” the Matlocks’ butler said. “It is wonderful to see you, sir!”

“Thank you, Cooper,” the colonel replied, handing the man his hat. “It is good to see you as well. Is my father here?”

“Yes, sir. He is in the office and gave standing orders to escort you to him as soon as you arrived.”

“Lead the way,” Richard directed, and followed the butler toward Lord Matlock’s office.

The great house was quiet, as it was still too early for the ladies of the house, who all kept Town hours, to emerge from their bedchambers.

Richard had deliberately chosen to wait upon his father in the early morning so that they could speak privately.

Cooper opened the door to the study and announced, “Colonel Fitzwilliam, my lord.”

“Richard, finally!” Lord Matlock exclaimed, rising from the chair behind his desk as his son strode into the room. “I thought you were to land in Plymouth a full week ago!”

Colonel Fitzwilliam wrinkled his brow at the earl’s strident tone, bowed and said, “My apologies for my late arrival, sir. There was a slight delay in launching the transports, and then the crossing was a slow one, which is not unexpected at this time of year.”

“Well, I can hardly fault you for poor weather, I suppose,” the earl said in a dissatisfied tone, “though if you had returned to England months ago, as I ordered you to, the crossing would doubtless have been smoother!”

“I could not reconcile it with my conscience to request leave before now, Father,” Fitzwilliam declared.

“The regiment was short on reliable officers, especially with the attrition in the ranks from various skirmishes with the enemy. A set of very fine men have arrived in the last month, and I was able to take leave, but I am not certain how long I can stay before I must return to the Peninsula.”

The earl opened his mouth as if to speak and then seemed to think better of it. Instead, he gestured toward a nearby chair and walked over to a silver platter, on which reposed a heavy decanter filled with amber liquid. “Sit down, my son. Would you care for some brandy?”

“Yes, sir, thank you,” Richard replied, regarding his father with growing suspicion. The Earl of Matlock had always been a brusque, autocratic father, and this courtesy was unusual.

The older man poured brandy into two glasses, handed one to his son, and both gentlemen sat down in imposing leather chairs across from one another. Richard took a careful, appreciative sip, stretched out his long limbs, and waited patiently, determined to make his father begin the conversation.

The earl waited for a full minute, fidgeting with his glass, and finally said, “Richard, I need your assistance with our Darcy relations. Your cousin Darcy is acting in a dangerous and foolish way.”

The colonel produced a confused expression at this announcement. “Darcy? That seems most unlikely, sir. My cousin has always been a sensible, intelligent gentleman.”

The earl frowned and said, “You have not seen much of him during the last three years, am I not right?”

“That is true enough,” Richard allowed.

“Has he written to you?”

The colonel considered his father carefully. There had been a strange, anxious tone in the earl’s voice when he asked that question.

“I have not received a letter from Darcy in some time, no,” Richard said. “I have moved around a great deal in the last months, so it is possible some correspondence went astray.”

Matlock openly relaxed at these words, which only served to increase his son’s suspicions.

The earl said gravely, “The truth is, Richard, that your aunt and my sister, Lady Anne, is mad, and has been for many years. It is a great pity, but the best and wisest course is to keep her confined so that she cannot harm herself or anyone else.”

Richard straightened his spine and leaned forward a little. “Mad, sir? Surely not! I saw her at Pemberley, it must have been five years ago after my uncle Darcy died. She was quiet, thin, and sickly, but seemed sensible enough.”

Matlock leaned back and pasted on a sympathetic expression. “That was due to the laudanum, Son. Your uncle hired a trained female to care for his wife, of course, and when she needed to be seen in company, Lady Anne was carefully dosed with laudanum so that she would not create a scene.”

Richard drew in a deep breath and said, “That is most regrettable indeed. It must be very difficult for Darcy and Georgiana.”

“Difficult? Difficult? How do you think I feel? My own sister, mad, and her son being a complete fool about the matter!”

“How is Darcy being a fool, Father?” Richard demanded.

Matlock leaned back and tapped his fingers irritably on the arm of his chair. “Darcy refuses to accept that Lady Anne is insane. Instead of keeping her safely confined where she cannot harm others or cause scandal, the boy insists on dragging his mother along with him wherever he goes.”

“Darcy is eight and twenty,” the colonel pointed out mildly. “He is hardly a boy.”

“He is acting like a boy,” the earl said irascibly.

“He is the master of Pemberley and the Darcy family, and there is no place for foolish sentiment in a matter like this one. Of course I regret my sister’s condition, exceedingly.

But Darcy brought her to London two months ago, and within weeks the rumors were flying in society regarding her unfortunate state. ”

“That is most regrettable,” Richard agreed, his brow creased. “Am I to understand that Lady Anne has been permitted to call on others?”

“No, it is not as bad as that! Lady Anne stays quietly at home and does not receive visitors; Darcy had it set about that she is too ill to interact with others.”

“Then how did the rumors start?” Richard asked suspiciously.

Matlock waved a casual hand. “As to that, I do not know; perhaps the servants at Darcy House shared the truth with their own kind at other great houses, and thus the information traveled to their betters. In any case, the Darcys, and by extension the Matlocks and de Bourghs, are on the verge of dishonor and disgrace, and you must assist me in righting the situation as quickly as possible. ”

“Darcy and I have long been good friends, sir. I would be glad to speak to him on this matter.”

“No, no,” the earl responded hastily. “There is no point in talking to Darcy about this; the boy is incredibly stubborn. No, you must help me in gaining guardianship over both Lady Anne and Georgiana.”

“Why Georgiana?” his son asked in bewilderment. “Surely Darcy is not mistreating her?”

The earl hesitated and then said, “Of course not, but he is, again, exchanging sense for sensibility. Darcy withdrew my niece from her exclusive boarding school a year ago, and since then, Lady Anne has had unfettered access to her daughter. I shudder to think at the distress in Georgiana’s heart and mind.

On the one hand, she is a gentle girl and doubtless loves her mother, but she should not be exposed to madness.

Since you are Georgiana’s other guardian, I have confidence that the courts will side with us. ”

“The courts? Surely that is not necessary! Will that not cause the very scandal we so wish to avoid?”

“There is nothing else to be done!” the earl growled.

“Darcy will not listen to reason. I have a responsibility to both my sister and my niece, do you not see? Furthermore, I am concerned about Darcy as well. He has enough on his shoulders with the care and oversight of Pemberley; he ought not have to manage his mother’s insanity as well!

As for Georgiana, she will be ready to launch into society within two years.

Far better for her to settle here, with Lady Matlock, than be in a household with her brother and demented mother. ”

“Perhaps,” Richard said noncommittally. “Are the Darcys here in Town, then?”

“No, they are not, though I do not know where they have gone. It is quite likely they have returned to Pemberley or, perhaps, even farther north; there is a small Darcy estate in Scotland, you know. I have asked the Runners to track Darcy down and have no doubt that I will soon discover the family’s whereabouts. ”

“The Bow Street Runners? Surely that was not necessary!”

“I tell you that I am quite at my wit’s end!” the earl exclaimed, his face flushed. “Here is Darcy acting like a complete idiot, and my sister mad, and my niece in danger! What else am I supposed to do?”

“It does sound like a most difficult situation,” Richard said diplomatically. “I will return to Headquarters and ask for an extended leave of absence this morning. There are a few matters of army business which I must complete, and then I can devote myself to family concerns. ”

“Excellent,” Matlock answered, his expression lightening. “May I expect you to return tonight in time for dinner?”

“Perhaps we had best make it tomorrow night, sir, as my army tasks may take a little time. Please tell my mother and sisters that I will see them soon. Are Ewan and Cecil in residence, sir?”

“Ewan is visiting his wife’s family in Wiltshire,” Matlock said, “but Cecil is here in London, yes, though he has his own rooms on Half Moon Street.”

“I hope my brothers are both well?” Richard asked politely.

“They are well enough,” Matlock grunted, and rose to his feet, signaling that the interview was over.

Colonel Fitzwilliam exited his family’s mansion a few minutes later, waved down a hack, climbed in, gave the order that he be driven to Army Headquarters, and sat back to think hard.

There was obviously a great deal going on regarding the situation with the Darcys, and Richard was certain his father was hiding important information from him.

The earl had always been a selfish man and an indifferent parent; why would he care so much for his sister and niece when he had largely ignored his own children?

It must have to do with money. Richard’s two other brothers, Ewan, Viscount Lancaster, heir to the earldom, was a gamester; and Cecil, the youngest son, was much addicted to expensive attire, fine wines, and beautiful horses.

The Darcys were a wealthy family, and if the earl managed to gain control over his sister and niece, he would be able to use Darcy money for his own expenses.

Richard sighed aloud and ran his fingers through his hair. He simply must find Darcy and learn his side of the affair.

The coach pulled to a halt a few minutes later, and the colonel stepped down onto the pavement next to Army Headquarters. He took a few steps toward the front entrance only to halt as a young man, dressed in dark, sober attire, walked over and said, “Colonel Fitzwilliam?”

“Yes?” Richard asked suspiciously.

“I have a letter for you from Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy,” the youth said, holding out a sealed packet of papers.

Richard took the correspondence, gave the boy a coin, and, clutching the papers securely in his hand, hurried up the steps and into a conveniently private corner where he opened the letter and read it twice.

He blew out a slow breath and, tucking the papers safely in his pocket, strode toward his commander’s office.

He would request immediate leave and ride not back to Matlock House, but into Hertfordshire, to Netherfield where the Darcys were dwelling.

The sooner he determined the truth of this complex and difficult situation, the better.