Page 159 of Obligation and Redemption

“Perhaps you would not have been so weak in this instance if I had not said things to cause your vanity to need stoking. I essentially told you that you were no more than tolerable, and he, well, I do not care to know what he told you, but I hope you believe that no matter my sentiments before, they are only of adoration now.”

She smiled at his sweet words. “In the cabin, you said that he told you about the baby. I suspect Mama was the culprit there. She never could keep her tongue, but why did he tell you the baby might be his? What could he gain by a fabricated story? And why did he continue to write me, do you think? I had made my sentiments on the matter clear, I thought.”

“Elizabeth, I have not wanted to tell you.”

“Please, you know not what you do to a curious woman such as myself. I must know.”

He paused as if to consider whether or not to share with her Wickham’s designs against their marriage, but seeing the anxious look on her face, he realised that he could not subject her to the discomfort of always wondering.

“Blackmail.” At her look of distress, he reached his hand over to hers before continuing.

”He requested money in order to keep his silence, otherwise he would share the story with the papers that you were carrying another man’s child. ”

“I cannot believe it! But it must be true,” said she. Then turning a pained look towards, him, she continued, “Did you pay him? I hate to think what my friendship with him has cost you.”

“Do not be uneasy. I did not pay him.”

“But does that mean he has spread the lies? Oh no! Everyone will think that I am a, a harlot! We will never have peace, and our poor child….”

He reached over to calm her, and then said, “Fitzwilliam took care of everything. He gave no details in his express, but apparently, we have no reason to concern ourselves with Wickham’s threats anymore.

When we next see my cousin, he will share all.

Apparently, Fitzwilliam desires to enjoy the tale in person. ”

“But why did Mr. Wickham write to me? Surely by then he knew I was not accepting any correspondence from him.”

“That I do not know, but maybe Fitzwilliam will give us some insight when next we see him.”

“DARCY! THIS IS A SURPRISE. Had you come next week you would have missed us. The Season is underway, you know. We were just making our plans to return to town.”

“Lady Susan, please forgive my unexpected intrusion, but I was hoping for some time alone with your husband,” Darcy said as he looked towards Langston. “Perhaps in the library?”

Langston glanced nervously at Darcy, unsure what to expect from the visit.

He had spent no small amount of time considering what might have come of the search for Elizabeth Darcy.

He had heard no announcement of her demise.

In fact, Darcy had been eerily silent on the matter, thereby leaving his imagination to run its course.

Langston considered the possibilities should Darcy find his wife, but he knew that his position in the family would protect him from Elizabeth’s accusations should she overcome her reticence.

The viscount planned to deny whatever Elizabeth might allege that he did; the family would not believe the tart over himself, and from his experience, Darcy did not truly care about what happened to her anyway.

“Susan, please have a place setting added at the dinner table,” Langston genially said to his wife.

“Please do not bother on my account. I will not be staying.”

Darcy had travelled to Matlock by horseback, leaving early that morning before Elizabeth had woken up for the day.

He lamented having to depart without her knowledge, but he knew that his wife would disapprove of his mission, and he hoped to spare her any more worry than she had already experienced.

He had left word that he had pressing business that must be dealt with, but he expected to return that evening shortly after dark.

After Langston closed the door behind him, he was taken completely by surprise when Darcy landed a fist squarely across his jaw sending him to the floor.

Holding his face, he turned back up to his cousin whose eyes were aflame with pent up fury, relieved to finally have the outlet for his anger before him.

“What the hell was that for!” cried his cousin.

“You take me as a simpleton, Patrick. You are mistaken if you thought that your betrayal would go unnoticed or unpunished.”

As Langston stood, he said, “I have no idea what you are talking about.” Just then and without warning, another punch landed to his gut, buckling him over as he fell down to his knees.

“I did not come here to discuss what happened between you and Mrs. Darcy. As far as I am concerned, I have heard enough from her own report.”

“You can’t believe anything that chit says, Darcy. She is seeking to preserve herself by pitting you against your family.”

“Quiet! I am well aware of everything you did to harm my wife – whom you should thank by the way, for her peace of mind is the only thing that has kept me from calling you out,” Darcy said ominously.

He rarely lost his composure, but when he did, he was a fierce sight to behold.

“You will stay away from Mrs. Darcy. If we are required to be in your company in the future for family matters, you will keep your distance from her. If she feels any threat from you or any discomfort while in your presence, I will not hesitate to rethink my promise I made not to challenge you.”

“Darcy, she lies!”

“My wife told me how she defended herself when you were out in the woodland with her.” Darcy could not stop his upturned lips at the thought.

“My stunning bride took you down, a man twice her size. Now, consider this to be a delayed response to your attack against her at Christmas.” Just after these words were spoken, Darcy kicked him in the groin with his riding boot, satisfied when his cousin sucked in his breath, no longer able to throw defamatory accusations.

Darcy stepped over Langston and stood at the door.

Before opening it, he turned and said, “Your father will be informed of your treachery, as will James. I cannot know how Uncle might respond, but James will support me. I have no desire to acquaint your wife with your faithlessness or to let any of this be made public, but be warned, I will defend my family whatever the cost to you or Matlock.”

Langston lay there, seething, but unable to get up.

While in their youth, he had always been able to impose upon Darcy or James without recourse.

They were much younger than he, but now he was wise enough to realise that should it come down to a challenge, Darcy was the better shot, and swordsman for that matter.

James was equally as dangerous but in a far less gentleman-like manner.

Although full of pride and pretension, Langston knew that if he wanted to spare his own life, he would have to let his cousin have his way.

If there was one thing the viscount knew about Darcy, it was that he never made idle threats.

When Darcy arrived home, he went straight to Elizabeth’s chamber through the sitting room.

As he opened the door, he saw that Elizabeth was sitting by the fire with Georgiana and Charlie.

Elizabeth’s eyes were red as she took in his appearance.

He had been in the saddle all day and had not yet taken time to change.

The weather was warm for the season, and the scenic ride had lifted Darcy’s spirits considerably – that and the long-awaited thrashing upon the viscount.

Though despite his own relief, he saw that his wife’s mood was far from his own.

“Elizabeth, are you well?” He glanced to his sister. “Georgiana, could you take the puppy outside?” After Georgiana had left, Darcy knelt down next to his wife. “My love, what has you in tears?”

“How could you?”

“Elizabeth, please …”

“You could have been hurt or something terrible could have happened to you!” She covered her face as she cried in frustration.

“You have so little faith in me?”

“But he is vicious and without integrity.”

“He is a coward, and anyway, I took him quite by surprise. I know he is a physical threat to you, but it has been long since I have had the advantage over him. The last time we fought, I soundly thrashed him, but that was years ago. He fears me much more than I fear him.”

“I thought you would stay away from him.”

“I could not let his assault against you go without recourse, Elizabeth. I did not challenge him, for your sake, but I had to ensure that he would no longer be a threat to you.”

“What did he say?”

Darcy smiled at the remembrance of the debilitated heap he had left on the floor in the library of Matlock Estate. “He said very little, actually.”

“Did he not deny what he did?”

“Truly, my love, he was given very little opportunity of saying anything. He will no longer be a threat to you.” He squeezed her hand as he stood up.

“Now, allow me to go to my room to change into something more comfortable, and then I will return and spend the entire evening turning those tears of worry into laughter.”

“You defended me to your family.”

“Something I should have done long ago. ”

THE DARCYS DID NOT HAVE LONG to wait to hear from the colonel, for about a month after Elizabeth’s illness, when she had recovered fully, the Darcys received a surprise visitor.

They had just sat down to dinner when Colonel Fitzwilliam walked into the dining-parlour and took a bow.

“James!” exclaimed Georgiana as her face lit up upon his entrance.

“Don’t get up on my account. I just wanted to alert you to my arrival. Peters will be setting a place for me so that I can join you after I clean up a bit.”