Page 88 of Lizzie’s Spirit

“Lady Matlock, Lady Felicity, welcome to Pemberley. I apologise for the delay. My friend Bingley is just off to Hertfordshire, and his sister to Scarborough. Please, have some refreshment. Has Mrs. Reynolds seen to your rooms? Of course she has. What would we Darcys do without her? Uncle, do not stand on my account. After all, you are an earl, and I, like your sister, am a mere commoner.”

“Are you drunk? Whatever can you mean by such disgraceful behaviour? In front of Felicity, Georgiana, and Anne, no less. I suggest you retire and return once you are civil.”

“No, my lord, I think not. I find this room very relaxing, the present company notwithstanding. It was Lady Anne’s favourite; mayhap, mine as well.

” Darcy sat on an elegant settee, upholstered in a fine jacquard fabric.

Its position lent him a good view of the shocked expressions of the others.

Georgiana came to sit beside him. “Oh, come to the point, uncle. Both Georgie and I are out of mourning, though by custom, we were allowed a year. ”

“No, Darcy,” Lady Catherine interrupted, fearing she would lose control of the conversation, “we are here because you are to marry Anne. Your conscience should have told you why we’ve come.”

“You are mistaken, ma’am. For I’ve said often enough, I will not offer for Cousin Anne.”

“And why is that? She has inherited a great estate and is a gentlewoman, perhaps even above you, the granddaughter of an earl and daughter of a baronet.”

Darcy turned to his uncle, now seated, who shifted uncomfortably. “So, uncle, I assume you’ve not spoken to Anne, as I suggested in February, some three months ago.”

“Of what do you speak? Why should Reginald speak to her?”

Should he break the family? Should he send Georgiana and Felicity out of the room; should Anne also be dismissed? The dark, bottomless pit of doubt tried to swallow him. From somewhere, the decision was made—whether it was right or wrong, he could no longer tell.

“Lady Catherine, have you told your daughter the cause of her illness? Why, since a babe, she has suffered—her breathing difficult, her heart weak?”

“No! Anne, you must leave at once! Darcy, keep your foul words to yourself.”

Anne looked to her mother, to Darcy who was staring intently at her. She had never before thought of her infirmity. It was always there, just her cross to bear. Now, she was mistress of Rosings, had come into her inheritance; she would hear what Darcy had to say.

“No, Mother, I wish to hear this.” Her voice was soft, hesitant, but surprisingly clear. “There seems to be a deep secret to which I am not privy, but which concerns me greatly. William, pray continue.”

Bluntly, for there was no other way to say it: “You suffer from congenital syphilis, contracted in the womb.”

Darcy paused, his words now causing expressions of horror, sympathy, and pain to spread across the faces of all but Matlock and Lady Catherine.

Of course, it was no surprise to them. Tears spilled down Anne’s cheeks; she stared bewilderedly at Darcy.

Georgiana leapt from her seat to sit beside Anne, enfolding her into her arms.

“Do you wish to leave?” she asked, gently wiping her cousin’s tears with her handkerchief.

“No, I wish to know why.”

Darcy saw her determination to learn the truth. “Your father died of the pox, a disease he contracted before he married. There is no doubt your mother was infected prior to your birth. ‘Tis not for me to explain further—best you speak with Lady Catherine and Lord Matlock.”

Abruptly, he stood. “Georgie, you spoke of a ride in the park. Felicity, will you join us?”

***

There was no release. Finally, Darcy knew his doubts had won over his belief in Bumper.

Could he blame the dog? No, for they are loyal to a fault.

He could only blame himself for hoping against hope.

Eight months had passed without any sighting, any word of an English woman and child lost, then found, on the African coast.

Of course, a desperate and vindictive earl would feel justified in threatening Darcy once again.

An appeal to duty had failed miserably because the revelation of Sir Lewis de Bough’s syphilis being kept secret by the earl and Lady Catherine had rendered any sympathy in that quarter moot.

Anne and her humiliated mother had already left for Kent.

The earl, countess, and Felicity would leave shortly.

“Please, tell Lord Matlock you are already married.” Georgiana sat with Darcy in the small family parlour. “Why not, for there is little he can achieve now? Can he force you to purchase Rosing’s debt? If there is not enough, you could always use my dowry…”

“Oh, dearest, you’ve such a sweet nature.

No, selling our investments, perhaps a small loan against the estate—I could raise one hundred and fifty thousand.

That would be enough. But to what purpose?

For Matlock and Lady Catherine to continue their irresponsible lifestyle?

Did you know the spring ball given by the countess cost six thousand pounds?

Such extravagance—yet their house in St. James’s Square is in need of repair, and the tenants are left for another season with leaking rooves. ”

Georgiana leant into his shoulder. “But he appears to be so sure of himself.”

“Lizzie once said that she never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. That her courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate her. That is her legacy to which I must cleave. I know not what Matlock is about.”

Winthrop entered the room. “Lord Matlock left this letter, sir, for delivery after he departed.”

Darcy—

I am disappointed in you. You are a Fitzwilliam; you carry our name and our blood. That you should allow the name to be disgraced when Pemberley has the means to effect a resolution is beyond my understanding.

You force my hand—I am a reasonable man, but you are not.

You are unmarried, a bachelor in sole charge of a young woman not yet out in society—it is a scandal.

Your father should be ashamed to have created such a disgraceful circumstance.

If you were married, however, then society can have no reproach.

You must agree, forthwith, to wed Lady Felicity.

Otherwise, on Friday next, the 4th of June, a special sitting of the Court of Chancery in Derby will hear my petition to assume guardianship of Georgiana.

Society will applaud me for removing her from your care.

Matlock