Page 29 of Fitzwilliam Darcy An Honourable Man

London

The Stanton Townhouse

The next day

Mr. Scroggins moved to stand behind his employer. His mind was fixed on the pistol in his waistband as he scowled at the two gentlemen confronting Lord Stanton in his study. He recognised Colonel Fitzwilliam from having seen him about Town, but before now, he had only heard of the tall, reticent Mr. Darcy who stood alongside Fitzwilliam. He left off studying Darcy, however, when the Colonel replied quite testily to Lord Stanton’s address.

“I care not for your diplomatic service or your reputation, Essex. My father has incontestable proof that your son, Stephen Arthur Stanton, is the man who took advantage of my cousin, Anne de Bourgh. He married and then abandoned her as soon as he drained her bank accounts. I assure you, it is to your advantage that my father agreed to let me negotiate this matter in his stead, as the Earl of Matlock is very displeased.”

Lord Stanton sighed, motioning towards some chairs. “Please, sit down. Can we not discuss this rationally? After all, my son is eight and thirty, and I have had no control over him in years. And at this moment, I am uncertain of his whereabouts.” Darcy nodded to Richard and everyone sat down.

Relieved that the Colonel had calmed, Stanton offered. “I would like to tell you about Stephen, as I feel you would understand the situation better if you knew his background. Would you agree to hear me out before we discuss the matter you have come to arbitrate?”

Richard crossed his arms. “We will hear you out, if you will answer our questions once you have finished.”

“That is my intention,” Frederick Stanton answered dryly.

William’s eyes flicked to Richard’s, and they shared a meaningful look—today they would know. Having listened last night to the investigator’s report on Anne’s husband that Richard’s father had commissioned, they both concluded that the man who married Anne and Count Stefano were likely one and the same. They had convinced the earl to let Richard handle the matter, as they did not want his father to learn of the possible link between Anne and Elizabeth.

Lord Stanton cleared his throat. “I cannot tell my son’s story without speaking of his mother. My wife, the Contessa Maria Issabetta de Cavour, and I met when I accompanied my father on a diplomatic mission to Italy. She was young and very beautiful, the daughter of a wealthy nobleman. Being not much older but quite foolish, I fell in love with her at first sight. Unfortunately, I did not realise that she was too immature to know her own mind or to move away from her family and her homeland. At that time, I thought love would conquer all, and we were married shortly before I was to return to England. Barely ten months later we were residing in Sheffield and awaiting the birth of Stephen.

“Being very spoiled, Maria never tried to adjust to England. She constantly cried to go home, and I indulged her by letting her visit for long periods of time during the first five years of our marriage. However, by the time Stephen was old enough to begin his education in earnest, she insisted he attend school in Italy. I disagreed. He and I were very close and, naturally, I wanted him educated here. I had hoped he might take over Northgate Manor, my family estate, when he was older. And, of course, I wished him to take his place among our equals in society.

“However, Maria was determined to return to her homeland with Stephen. When he was about seven, she succeeded in spiriting him out of the country while I was away on business. I tried to recover him from Italy, but it was made clear to me that I would never leave the country alive with Stephen in tow. Maria’s family has great influence there, so I had to settle for visits and letters. As the years went by, those visits were fewer, and his letters stopped altogether.

“Our relationship suffered, as you can imagine. Near Stephen’s eighteenth birthday, Maria’s father died, and Stephen inherited his title and properties. Maria insisted that he be known thereafter as Count Stefano Gianni Montalvo de Cavour, ignoring his given name and the title he would one day inherit from me. I had no say in the matter and, unfortunately, Stephen was more eager to please his mother as he and I were practically strangers.”

At the mention of Stephen’s Italian name, Richard observed that William’s eyes narrowed and his countenance darkened. He was beginning to wonder if bringing his cousin had been such a good idea. It had been a hard bargain talking his father into letting William and him handle the matter, and now it seemed his normally docile cousin was quickly becoming as infuriated as his father had been. Unaware of Richard’s concerns, Lord Stanton continued his narrative.

“Sometime after his twentieth birthday, my son turned up on the doorstep at Northgate. He voiced his desire to live with me, and we had a grand reunion. For the longest time, everything seemed to go smoothly—or perhaps I did not wish to see the problems that concerned members of my family and my staff. Numerous times, my loyal steward mentioned incidences of Stephen’s brutality regarding some of the animals on the estate. A beloved horse suffered a broken leg and had to be put down. My housekeeper’s cat, which he despised, was found drowned and he even went so far as to bludgeon one of my favourite fox hounds, claiming the dog had gone mad and attacked him.”

Lord Stanton was silent for a time, staring at something only he could see. “He always had a good explanation for his actions and, God help me, I wished to believe him.”

He sighed resignedly. “Nevertheless, things can only be rationalized for so long I suppose. Within the space of another year, I had heard one discouraging report after another concerning my son. Only now it involved young women—maids and such. I tried to reason with him, to tell him he should not trifle with the servants or any woman for that matter. I suggested that if he could not control his desires, he should find a proper young lady and marry. He laughed like a madman.” Stanton shook his head and repeated sombrely, “Like a madman.”

Seeming to recover, he continued, “That was when he declared that he could never marry one of those whores!”

At the shocked looks on the faces of his listeners, he clarified, “Those were his words, gentlemen, not mine. He went on to explain that he was already married and had fathered a child, a son, before coming back to England to escape a domineering wife.”

Richard started to voice his disgust, but was stopped by an outburst from his enraged cousin. Standing with balled fists and blazing eyes, William declared, “All this time! He has been trifling with the lives of innocent women, and he is married!”

Alarmed, Stanton stood too, blanching as Mr. Scroggins moved between himself and Darcy. Surprised at his cousin’s outburst and seeing the bodyguard’s nervous grasp on the handle of his pistol, Richard stood and stepped between them, facing William.

He leaned in to whisper, “Calm down. We need to hear him out. Otherwise, how are we to help Elizabeth?”

William studied Richard for a few moments before dropping back down in the chair, a clenched jaw and steely eyes proof that he was livid still. Richard took the seat beside him as a precaution and nodded to Frederick Stanton to continue. The older man tapped Mr. Scroggins on the shoulder, motioning for him to stand down and then took his seat as well.

“The fact that he was married did nothing to curtail Stephen’s pursuit of respectable women. His conduct was despicable and we parted company over his actions. Many disturbing reports followed—arguments, rumours of maidens ruined, duels, angry fathers and brothers. It was as though he had no conscience. Whomever he desired, he pursed with a passion, and once he had the woman, he no longer wanted her it seemed. I began to believe that Stephen was tempting fate, and that one day an angry father would finish him. It was not until his thirtieth birthday, however, that a cruel incident convinced me to intervene and commit him to Bedlam.

“I ... I had invited my niece to Northgate. Mary Catherine was to be married, and her mother, my sister, was determined that the wedding be held at our ancestral home. My niece was a lovely girl, barely twenty, with dark blond hair and green eyes. By this time, Stephen had been back in my good graces for about a year and often frequented Northgate. I remember thinking upon her introduction to Stephen that he acted the perfect cousin—respectful but not flirtatious.

“Apparently that was all an act as he was quickly smitten with Mary Catherine. My servants caught them together in a compromising situation so I went to him—asked him not to trifle with her affections. All he did was scoff! He implied that I had an evil mind—that he was only taking an interest in her welfare as any cousin should. The next day he eloped with her, taking a curricle and heading to Gretna Green. He was driving when it overturned, and she was killed. Everyone was devastated—everyone except Stephen.”

A grimace crossed Stanton’s face. “He laughed! Laughed! He claimed Providence must have intervened to save him from an imprudent union.” He shook his head. “Our family was shattered, while he went on his merry way without so much as an apology. After that, I filed the papers to have him committed; but, in a twist of fate, someone alerted him, and he was on a ship to Italy before I realised he was missing.

“The next time I laid eyes on him, he was nearing four and thirty and much too clever for me to manage. Our relationship has been strained ever since. He knows I will not support him, but he insists on coming to my homes when least expected. That is how I learned of his new occupation—marrying widows for their money. I challenged him about his comings and goings at Northgate Manor, and he admitted as much to me.”

Everyone was silent, as furtive glances were exchanged between the occupants of the room. Finally, William asked through gritted teeth, “How many women has he married?”

Lord Stanton lowered his eyes to the floor. “Actually, there has been only one actual ceremony of which I am aware.”

William’s voice was low and controlled. “What do you mean?”

“He carried out such a sham marriage to Lady Marlton, a wealthy widow, within a few months of his return. They eloped to Gretna Green. The poor woman died several months later under peculiar circumstances, and I was never sure of Stephen’s innocence. After her demise, he began preying on other wealthy women—those who were most vulnerable—widows mostly, but anyone with no father or brothers to protect them. Sadly, most were not very intelligent.”

“Once, I confronted him with what I suspected, and he did not bother denying it. In fact, he bragged of procuring blank marriage certificates, stolen from the magistrate in Gretna Green, and forging them. Apparently, Stephen and his victim would begin the trip to Scotland, and then along the way he would drug her. I suppose it was easy to keep her drugged for a sufficient number of days and then bring her out of her stupor to proclaim that they were married . He boasted of showing his new wives their marriage certificates while they were still quite groggy. The ring on her finger and the fake certificate was apparently proof enough. After a few months, they would find themselves back in their own homes, and Stephen would be gone, along with their money and jewels. I am sure they were too embarrassed to say anything, and who would champion them in any event?”

William gripped the arms of his chair, his knuckles turning white. Stanton swallowed hard, quickly adding, “You realise I could do nothing by the time I was informed about it. I knew that my son was not divorced from his first wife in Italy, so any subsequent marriages were illegal, including the one to Lady Marlton.”

Seeing William’s continued discomposure, Stanton sputtered, “Over the years, I have tried, given the resources I have, to help the women my son has injured. I will repay your cousin’s dowry, though it may take some time. I know it is not much, but it is the best I can do under the circumstances. I cut Stephen’s allowance off years ago, though I have allowed him to stay at my estates under certain circumstances, and I use the funds he would have received to reimburse what he has stolen.”

He bowed his head. “You understand that one does not stop loving his child, just because he becomes someone who is unlovable.”

Seeing Stanton’s guilt, William hoped he might be willing to tell what he knew about Elizabeth. “What can you tell us of another of our acquaintances whom your son has apparently deceived—Elizabeth Bennet. She certainly would not fit the pattern of a wealthy woman or a widow, which you describe.”

Lord Stanton observed Mr. Darcy, instantly recognising the place that Elizabeth held in his heart. “Yes, dear Elizabeth. You are correct in that she was not his usual target. I met her in Hertfordshire when I leased an estate there for hunting. I did not mean for Stephen to find me and join me there, but he did. Elizabeth was such a delightful girl and so smart—not fooled by my son in the least. I am afraid that her indifference intrigued him, and he was determined to have her. I tried to intervene and had great luck with her father, as Mr. Bennet was an old acquaintance from Cambridge. He listened to my council and soundly rejected Stephen’s overtures.”

“Mrs. Bennet, however, was as mercenary a woman as I have ever seen and she tried to force the match. Alas, Mr. Bennet died while I was in London on business, and when I returned, Stephen was gone and so was Elizabeth. I knew immediately what had transpired, just as surely as I knew she would never have agreed to marry him. She hated him, you see.”

William swallowed the lump in his throat, as the earl continued. “When I returned to Northgate she was there but it was too late to help her. If I took her back to Meryton, her reputation would have been ruined and, besides, that horrible mother of hers would never have let her return home. Stephen paid the mother to have the daughter, of that I am sure!”

Without waiting for a reply, he stated, “I believe Elizabeth Bennet was the only woman that Stephen ever truly cared for, though he is not capable of loving anyone but himself. He told me that he loved her and accused me of turning her against him by telling her about his past. That was untrue, but he could never admit that she despised him. Then when he learned she had planned an escape from Northgate, well, you know about the fire I am sure.”

Stanton turned to meet William’s gaze. “If I am not mistaken, I believe you know everything that has happened to Miss Bennet since she disappeared from Meryton.”

William nodded slightly, without speaking.

“I also believe that she did not die in the fire. You are hiding her, are you not?”

Astonished at the man’s powers of deduction, William sat speechless, his eyes blazing, while Richard’s gaze flew from one man to the other.

Unnerved, William had to know. “How did you ascertain she was not dead?”

Lord Stanton sighed. “Only my intuition. Something was not quite right in the account my housekeeper gave after the fire. She was evasive about the details, and I got the distinct impression that she knew a great deal more than she was saying. Then again, I recognised how difficult it had been for her to deal with Stephen all these years.”

He shook his head tiredly. “I suppose some part of me did not want to know. So, I did not press her.” Noting their uneasiness, he vowed. “I give both of you my word as a gentleman and as Elizabeth’s friend, that I will never tell him that she may be alive. I thought a great deal of her and Mr. Bennet, and it sickened me to see her treated in such a manner.”

William’s agitation was palpable, so the earl persisted. “Nevertheless, let me warn you—though Stephen will get nothing from me, he has significant resources from his mother’s family. If he were to ever to suspect that Elizabeth is alive—well, he is relentless in pursuit of what he desires.”

William lifted his chin, his eyes like flint. “That makes two of us.”

Stanton nodded. “Of that I have no doubt, Mr. Darcy. Keep her hidden. She deserves to be happy—to live as she desires, not as he wishes. Take care of her.”

“You can rely on that.”

~~~*~~~

The carriage ride back to Darcy House was very quiet, as the slow rocking of the carriage lent itself to reflection. Ever since departing Stanton’s townhouse, Richard had silently studied the dark expression on his cousin’s face, while William, deep in contemplation, was completely lost in his thoughts of Elizabeth.

William’s heart beat furiously as his feelings fluctuated—from elation at learning she was not married—to despair at the complications created by Stefano’s hoax and the continued threat he posed. One thought after another raced through his mind.

… Elizabeth was assumed dead ... Would it be legal to marry Elizabeth Lawrence? …

… An announcement of marriage to Miss Lawrence would not draw attention …

… And a special license would mean no need for banns…

… Mr. Williamson is likely to arrive soon... Will this change my plans? …

… Will it be possible to locate this cad while I am in London? …

A declaration from Richard interrupted his jumbled thoughts. “It must be awful to know the boy you loved is lost to you forever, and the man who returned is a reprobate—that all you have left to deal with is the devastation he leaves behind. Nevertheless, Stefano is truly a blackguard ... and I have met a few blackguards in my time.”

William slammed his fist against the door. “That man should be horsewhipped then hanged!” Recovering, he stared out at the passing houses. “And Stanton shall not garner any sympathy from me. He should have tried harder to restrain his son, no matter his age. Had he at least warned more people of his debauchery, a lot of women, including Elizabeth, likely would have been spared.”

“I cannot quarrel with you on that, though I dare say some people never listen to advice, or like Mrs. Bennet, would not have cared.”

William exhaled loudly. “You are correct. There will always be those who fall prey to pretty words and a handsome deportment as well as those who care more for money than the well-being of their own children.”

“Now, where does that leave us? I will tell Father that Lord Stanton agreed to repay Anne’s dowry, howbeit, over a period of time. In addition, I shall inform him of the cad’s propensity to elope without the benefit of a divorce and the likelihood that Anne was never married to him. Naturally, I shall not mention Elizabeth, but I assume you will want to locate this malefactor before he seeks her out.”

“Precisely! Charles and Jane thought I could hide her at Pemberley, and I suppose I convinced myself it would work. However, if Stanton has figured out that Elizabeth is alive and living with me, Stefano could also have reached that conclusion. Since it is apparent that he is obsessed with her, as long as he is alive, Elizabeth will be in danger. I shall immediately advise my steward to double the guards again, and we shall intensify our search.”

Conscious of William’s reluctance to exact punishment in the past upon Wickham, Richard asked cautiously, “And you agree that he should be destroyed?”

William nodded. “I want the opportunity to call him out. Who is this contact that you believe can find him?”

“If anyone can locate him, it is an old friend of mine, Lieutenant Marbury. He has retired from the army and runs his own investigation firm. Rumour is that he has members of the Bow Street Runners on his payroll, so he knows where every scoundrel in London is at a given time, and probably over all of England. But, why would you chance a duel?”

“I would like the satisfaction of revenging Elizabeth. Do you worry that I am not capable?”

“Of course not! You are a better swordsman than I and an equal marksman. I have no fears in that regard, but I would not trust the man to fight fair.”

“I appreciate your concern.”

“I will help all I can, but I have to return to my regiment at the end of the month. What shall we tell Father if he asks why I am spending so much time with you?” Fitzwilliam looked at Darcy, and receiving no answer, ventured, “I thought we should say that we will not stop until we catch this devil and rid England of him. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

“This new intelligence—how does it affect your plans.”

“It changes nothing. I still intend to marry her, only now I shall deal with Stefano first.”

Richard chuckled. “I knew it! Shall I tell you what I theorized?”

William smiled wanly, shaking his head. “You are apparently going to tell me, whether I want you to or not.”

“Well, first, I figured you never intended to let Elizabeth settle at one of your estates—at least not without you! And, knowing the honourable man that you are, I assumed you would marry her, with or without the blessing of the law or society.”

He grinned to see William’s eyes widen in astonishment. “It is not that hard, Darce. You are too predictable. When you love, it is with all your heart and soul; there is no half-way with you.”

William tried unsuccessfully to smile. “I suppose I am transparent.”

“That is not a bad thing, my friend,” Richard jested. “You are honest, dependable and proper to a fault, so it is easy to figure out what path you will take. That cannot be said of many men.”

William laughed mirthlessly. “I am hardly the saint you think I am.”

Richard teased good-naturedly. “Oh, I do not think a saint would have considered marriage outside the law and the church.”

At William’s grimace, he promptly sobered. “Do not mind my kidding, Darce. Providence must have seen your selfless love for Elizabeth and intervened. After all, He provided a way out of this darkness.”

Just then the carriage came to an abrupt halt, and they could hear the footman as he climbed down to open the door. As Richard prepared to exit, William grabbed his arm.

“Thank you for coming with me. Without your calming influence today, I might have gone completely mad. To hear what Stefano did,” his voice faltered, “to my sweet Elizabeth.”

Seeing his cousin’s pain, Richard grasped his shoulder. “I am proud to have been there when you needed me, but know this—Elizabeth is safe right now, and you are the reason.”

Darcy House

The next morning

Richard took a sip of his tea and a bite of a sweet roll as he watched William open a letter. It had just been delivered on a silver salver, along with several others, and William had rifled through the stack, picking out this one specifically. It caught Richard’s attention, as William normally finished eating before bothering to look at the mail. A wide grin spread across his cousin’s face.

“You look as though you were expecting that.”

William gazed over the top of the missive. “I am sorry. I was going to inform you when everything was settled, but it is an answer from the vicar at Meryton, Mr. Williamson. He was a great friend to Elizabeth, and he and I became fast friends while I stayed at Netherfield. I wrote him before I left Pemberley, asking him to visit me while I am in Town. He should arrive the day after tomorrow.”

“So, Mr. Williamson from Meryton is the lucky fellow chosen to conduct some type of religious ceremony. Am I correct?”

“Yes.”

Richard studied him carefully. “Does this vicar know she is alive?”

“No, when we met, neither of us knew. But he was like a father to Elizabeth, and I know he will be as thrilled as I. And it will please her immensely if he visits Pemberley, whether he chooses to help us or not.”

“Let us hope that he fills the role nicely. By the way, I sent a courier for Lieutenant Marbury as soon as I awoke. We should hear from him by this afternoon, if I know my friend at all.”

William looked genuinely pleased. “Good. I am eager to get things settled and return to Elizabeth. Lord, I miss her so!”

Richard laughed. “I know how you feel. I am going to make time to call on Mrs. Largin tomorrow.”

“Am I to wish you joy?”

“Not yet, cousin, but I confided in mother as you wisely advised, and she has made it plain that she favours the lady. And she reminded me that grandmother left her a small estate in Derbyshire. Apparently, she and father have saved it for me all these years, hoping that at some point I would mature and marry.”

“Well, one out of two is not bad,” William smirked.

“Very funny, cousin!”

“In Derbyshire you say? What is the name of this estate?”

“Windmere.”

“Windmere is not twenty miles from Pemberley, but I thought it belonged to Lord and Lady Perkins, though she abandoned it after he died.”

“Apparently the Perkins had rented the estate from mother for years. With the passing of Lord Perkins last year, Lady Perkins moved to her daughter’s home. Mother purposefully did not seek another renter in anticipation of my becoming a respectable married man!” At this pronunciation Richard wagged his brows.

“And Aunt Evelyn is not a woman to be thwarted!”

“No.” Richard grinned from ear to ear. “No, she is not!”

William stood and embraced his cousin. “I pray that you have captured the lovely Mrs. Largin’s heart if that is what you desire. I cannot express how relieved I am that you will be able to retire from His Majesty’s service and become a poor working sod!”

“Such as yourself!”

“Precisely!”

They both convulsed in laughter.

That night

Soft curves yielded under his hands as he ran them over her body. She sighed, as deeply affected as he, and as he leaned in to capture her lips, he could feel her fingernails burrow into his bare back. Elizabeth!

William sat up abruptly, looking around the silent, dark room. This was Darcy House, not Pemberley. He groaned, disappointed to realise that he was only reliving Elizabeth’s visit to his dressing room the morning he left for London.

Adams had left him sitting in the barber’s chair while he went to sharpen his scissors for a quick trim of the Master’s hair. Thus, eyes closed and clad only in breeches with a towel lying across his lap, William startled to hear Elizabeth’s soft voice at the door.

“ William?”

The dressing room door slowly opened and seeing that he was alone, she slipped inside. A vision of loveliness, she was clad only in a white satin nightgown and robe, her hair loose about her shoulders. Holding a finger to her beautiful lips, she smiled mischievously. “Shhh!”

Then she turned and locked the door before taking in the scene. Obviously the bath water had already been used, and for a brief moment she grieved that Gwendolyn had seen him in this tub, and she had not. However, as their eyes met, hers widened in surprise at how very nearly naked he was. Surprise was immediately replaced by a look of hunger as she followed the fine, dark hair across his toned chest down a trail that led across his slim abdomen and stopped at his breeches. When her tongue swept across her parched lips, William could not sit still any longer.

Throwing the towel to the floor, he had barely gained his feet when she ran to him. Her arms wrapped around him tightly and her fingernails began to trace patterns on his bare back causing him to shiver. Luxuriating in the feel of her, he buried his face in her hair and took a deep breath of the lavender scent wafting up.

“ Elizabeth, my darling, what are you doing up at this hour? We agreed that you would not awaken to see me off. That is why we said our goodbyes last night.”

“ You agreed, not I!” She murmured into his chest, all the while placing kisses on every possible place. “I could not bear for you to leave me without another embrace, another kiss.”

He was unprepared for the way his body reacted to her proclamation. Instantly aroused, he quickly untied her robe, pulling it off and throwing it aside before he kissed her hungrily. As they kissed, he backed her towards the wall. Once against the barrier, he cupped her bottom, lifting her as her legs immediately clasped around him. Holding her this way, his throbbing shaft was just where it longed to be, and as they continued to kiss, he rubbed slowly back and forth. She moaned softly causing him to harden even more.

A knock at the door and then a much louder one seconds later, finally broke the spell, if not the embrace. They quit the kiss to stare passionately at each other. Finally he let her slide down to her feet, and then stooped to retrieve her robe. After replacing the satiny clothes, he tried to dissuade his arousal but ended up opening the door for his valet holding a carefully placed towel. If Adams was surprised to find Elizabeth inside the room when he entered, he was well trained not to show it.

He began to apologise. “Excuse me, sir. I shall wait in the hall until you summon me.”

“ No need, Adams. Just wait here,” William ordered, tossing the towel aside and grabbing Elizabeth’s hand. In one fluid motion he pulled her past the surprised valet into the hallway.

Adams nodded absently as the door closed. Picking up the discarded towel, he sat down to wait as William swiftly led Elizabeth back to her bedroom for more pleasurable pursuits. At some point, lost in the ecstasy of her kisses, William remembered that Adams was waiting.

“ I must go, darling,” he said breathlessly. Elizabeth’s head shook in disagreement as she brought his lips back to hers. A few seconds more and he pulled away to stare into her eyes, his own now black with desire.

“ Know this, Elizabeth. The next time we are in this circumstance, I shall not stop until I have made you my own.”

William thought of how startled Adams had been when he opened the door to find him dozing in the barber chair. He smiled wanly as he reached up to run his fingers through his long, dark curls.

I suppose I shall have Mr. Noble cut my hair while I am here.

~~~*~~~