Page 45 of Obligation and Redemption
“Is she pretty?” Darcy rolled his eyes at his cousin.
“Seriously, man. Is she attractive? You cannot say there is no value in a handsome face, for your children may grow up to look like her.” Fitzwilliam was trying to bring some levity to the question; as a soldier he knew that sometimes it is the small things that one needs to grasp upon to survive the difficulties in life.
“She is not ugly, if that is what you want to know, but she traipses across the countryside unsuitably attired, stepping in puddles and covering her shoes and clothes in mud. She is positively wild, James.” He said this with vehemence that Fitzwilliam found amusing.
“Sounds captivating to me, but I am a military man. My tastes in women have changed dramatically to what they once were when I was at Cambridge. That is why I will never marry. The women whom I desire would never be acceptable as the daughter of an earl, so I am forever doomed to bachelorhood. And very few have the dowries to entice me anyway.” After a few moments of reflection, he continued, “Tell me about your engagement. I want to hear it from you rather than from my parents.” So Darcy began the story starting with his ride on that stormy morning.
ELIZABETH CAUTIOUSLY OPENED THE DOOR to peek into the corridor.
When she saw that it was clear, she slipped out into the hallway and made her way to the drawing room, looking for her sister who had departed the ladies’ room just before her.
Miss Bingley had interrupted the sisters’ private conference after they had been in the ladies’ room not a quarter of an hour, resulting in Jane’s early removal while Elizabeth remained alone.
Jane had planned to search for their father who would best know what to do given the circumstance of Mr. Wickham’s attentions.
While scanning the house, Jane came up to Elizabeth and reported that her father and mother had left.
Due to the wedding’s early start in the morning, their mother had asked to be taken home.
Mr. Bennet took her and the Gardiners to Longbourn and would return the carriage for the rest of the party.
Jane had not yet seen Mr. Wickham and volunteered that perhaps he had left when he saw that she was avoiding him.
Elizabeth hoped this was the case, and was also sorry that Mr. Darcy would not have the occasion to meet her aunt and uncle this evening, but was most distraught that her father had left.
This meant that she would have to depend upon Mr. Darcy.
Her heart lurched once again when she saw her fiancé talking to a man in regimentals, but she observed that he was the same man with whom he had been speaking previously.
Elizabeth hesitantly joined him by his side, letting him know of her presence.
“Miss Elizabeth, allow me to introduce you to my cousin, Colonel James Fitzwilliam. Fitzwilliam, this is my fiancée, Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn.” The Colonel bowed as Elizabeth curtseyed.
“The colonel is my cousin on my mother’s side.
My mother and his father were siblings. His father is the Earl of Matlock.
” In provocation, Darcy continued, “Miss Elizabeth, you look somewhat distraught. I cannot claim to understand your feelings on the matter, but you may want to know that Mr. Wickham has left.”
Elizabeth stared at him in surprise, that he would be so bold in front of his cousin, but saw that he was looking for her reaction. “I thank you for letting me know about Mr. Bingley’s guest. Will you also be telling me about the rest of the invitees as they depart?”
“You appeared as though you were looking for someone a moment ago, and I thought that perhaps Mr. Wickham might have been the object.”
“I was indeed looking for someone, my father, but Jane has since told me that he, along with my mother, aunt and uncle, departed after supper. So, you see that that gentleman was not the one whom I sought; therefore, you can rest easy tonight. The wedding shall go on as planned.”
“I am glad to hear it.”
She looked at him archly, and then turned to Darcy’s cousin whom she was already predisposed to like, for although appearing not much older than her fiancé, his cousin’s laugh lines spoke of his good humour.
“Colonel Fitzwilliam, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Did you just arrive, or has Mr. Darcy sequestered you away somewhere?” She smiled while glancing at Mr. Darcy to see how he took her tease.
In good humour, he replied, “I only just arrived before supper. I was able to clean off the road dirt and make myself presentable in time to ask you to favour me for the next dance, that is if you are available? I would never assume that a lady as lovely as yourself would have space on her card so late in the evening.” She is quite beautiful, my cousin, as is usual with women around you, and she can also hold her own, which is not so common.
“I am delighted to join you, sir, for I have the next two dances free.”
“Excellent!” Fitzwilliam continued, “And as this dance seems to be at an end, shall we line up for the next?” She took his arm and walked away with him. He was not as handsome as Mr. Darcy, few were, but his pleasing manners and congenial personality predisposed her to think highly of him.
They found their place in line, and before the dance began, her sister Lydia came up and said, “Lizzy, who is that handsome man with you? I thought I knew all of the officers, but I daresay I have never seen him before.” She said this more loudly than was necessary, thus embarrassing Elizabeth, as Colonel Fitzwilliam did indeed overhear her.
“Miss Elizabeth, please be so kind as to introduce me to this lovely, young lady.”
Lydia thrilled at the distinction. Hoping that her sister would not say something silly, Elizabeth made the introductions.
“Miss Lydia, if you are not otherwise engaged, would you join me in dancing the following set?”
She agreed with alacrity and moved on with her partner to the far side of the line. “You are a brave man, Colonel. My sister’s exuberance often grows as the evening progresses, and as you are an officer, I am afraid that she will find your company much to her liking.”
“I will be happy to get to know her since you will be my cousin after tomorrow.” Then Colonel Fitzwilliam entered into conversation directly with the readiness and ease of a well-bred man.
Elizabeth very much enjoyed the dance, as he was skilled at the art and seamlessly led her through the more intricate steps accompanying this particular set.
His manners were easy and inviting, and Elizabeth could not believe that he and Mr. Darcy could come from the same family and told him so.
“You find my cousin and myself to be so different, do you?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I imagine that Darcy is rather quiet amongst the local society, unless he has changed recently,” added Colonel Fitzwilliam.
“So, he is usually distant and aloof?” said Elizabeth with an unabashed directness.
“No, he is not that. Well, I can imagine that he could be when surrounded by unfamiliar people, but when around friends and family, he can be good-humoured enough.” Elizabeth looked surprised.
“Pray let me hear what you have to accuse him of!” cried Colonel Fitzwilliam.
“I should like to know how he behaves amongst strangers.”
“Would you like to hear about the first time I saw him or of the fateful day that we encountered one another upon the path on my father’s estate?”
“Both if you are willing to share.”
“You shall hear then, but prepare yourself for something very dreadful. The first time of my ever seeing him in Hertfordshire, you must know, was at a ball, and at this ball, what do you think he did? He danced only four dances! I am sorry to pain you, but so it was. He danced only four dances, and only with his party, though gentlemen were scarce; and, to my certain knowledge, more than one young lady was sitting down in want of a partner.”
He laughed heartily. “I can well imagine!” She was a little surprised by Colonel Fitzwilliam’s jesting at the expense of his cousin. “So, did you actually meet him at the ball, or was it on the path?”
“We did not meet at the assembly; it was a public gathering, and he did not wish to be introduced, “ said Elizabeth gauging his cousin’s response.
Pleased to discern he meant no ill-will, she continued, “We were in company on two other occasions, but I do not know if he remembers or not. We actually first met on the path, or more accurately, in the cabin, but I am sure he has told you what happened on that day, as he was able to remember it anyway.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam then said, “Darcy did give me some of the particulars, but admitted that he was not well and only has a few recollections that he could share with me. I was hoping that perhaps you would fill in the blanks.”
“So, are you trying then to determine whether I am a mercenary upstart taking advantage of your cousin who is honour-bound to act the gentleman, or are you open to hearing the events of the day from the perspective of someone you neither know nor trust, hoping to obtain some reason why your cousin would take such a drastic measure as to form an engagement?”
He appreciated her directness. So far, he had no reason to dislike her.
“Why do you not tell me? I would like to think the latter, but as you say, I do not yet know or trust you. I mean no offence; I have known you these ten minutes and would like to form an opinion based on something other than my cousin’s perspective, which may be biased, or my parents’, who have never met you and are most certainly biased. ”