Page 13 of Why I Kissed You (Pride and Prejudice Variation)
Darcy glanced at Fitzwilliam, who lifted a shoulder.
After acknowledging his uncle’s request, Darcy followed him out of the drawing room; he would have liked to announce his engagement to all the family and be on his way to Grosvenor Street, but it appeared he must wait.
He walked beside the earl in silence, wondering what business he could wish to address, when suddenly a sneaking suspicion entered his mind that was confirmed moments after the study door had been shut.
Lord Disley crossed the room and went behind his desk, and from a drawer he took out a folded letter that he held up for Darcy to see.
The address was in Lady Catherine’s handwriting.
“My sister sent this express to me today, which I received little more than an hour ago,” his uncle began.
“In it, she claims that the cousin of Hunsford’s parson has engaged in a total want of proper decorum, that she has disrespected the hospitality of the Reverend Mr. Collins and shown an utter contempt for the notice and condescension of herself.
In short, Catherine claims that this girl, a Miss Elizabeth Bennet, has thrown herself at you repeatedly in an attempt to violate your betrothal to Anne and trap you in a disgraceful alliance. ”
Darcy scowled, and several deep breaths were required to rein in his rising fury. “Lady Catherine is a liar,” he said at last.
Lord Disley’s eyebrow rose. “Is that so?”
“It is,” Darcy replied. “Firstly, Uncle, you know I’ve never desired my cousin and am not engaged to her. Your sister has allowed that fantasy of hers far too much free rein, and now she thinks to use your authority to force me to do her bidding. I will not abide her attempts to manipulate me.
“Secondly, that Miss Bennet is the cousin of Mr. Collins is the only sentence you uttered which is true. The rest of Lady Catherine’s claims are entirely false.”
His uncle dropped the letter on the desk. “So you said. Tell me, then, what is the truth, Darcy?”
“I first became acquainted with Miss Bennet when I went into Hertfordshire with my friend Charles Bingley,” Darcy began.
“It was not long before I found myself falling in love with her, much against my inclination. The situation of her family is such that a match between us would be considered imprudent. Her father is a gentleman, but his income is not enough for him to have the means of endowing his five daughters. Her mother’s connexions are an attorney and a tradesman. ”
Lord Disley frowned. “I fail to understand you, Darcy. If you acknowledge the girl’s family is beneath you, why did you allow yourself to become attached to her?”
Darcy sighed. “I was in the middle, Uncle, before I realized I had even begun—and by then, I now suspect, it was already too late. I did try to quell my growing affection—as you know, the Bingleys and I returned to town after the ball he hosted at Netherfield, and I remained here until Fitzwilliam and I went into Kent. Until meeting Miss Bennet again there, I had believed myself free of my attachment. I was wrong, as I found myself as drawn to her as before. We spent a great deal of time together these last three weeks.”
The earl sighed and lowered himself into his desk chair. “Go on,” said he with a flick of his hand. “I suspect you have more to say.”
“Yesterday, I gave in to the force of my desire and asked Miss Bennet for her hand in marriage. Only I did not do so in a manner which recommended my suit, so she begged I give her time to consider my offer.”
Here his uncle frowned again. “Time to consider? Why should she need to consider anything? You are one of the richest young men in the whole country and she would be elevated to the first circles of society.”
Though vexed with his uncle’s attitude—more so because it reminded him most uncomfortably that he’d thought the same—Darcy nevertheless smiled.
“Although Miss Bennet is well aware of the value of a good income, wealth and status have less influence on her than mutual respect and admiration. And as I said, sir, she found much fault with the manner in which I presented my offer. When she told me this morning that she had decided to accept me, I vowed that I would behave in a more gentlemanlike manner henceforth.”
Lord Disley scoffed. “You, ungentlemanly? The very idea is absurd,” he said. Then, after a moment of scrutinizing his features, he added, “However, I can see you are quite serious.”
Reaching forward, he picked up the express Lady Catherine had sent him and tapped it against the palm of his hand. “There was no inappropriate conduct?”
Darcy clenched his jaw. There had been, of course, but he could not bring himself to confess it.
And yet… given he had no idea of just what it was Mr. Collins’s servant had seen, or precisely how much of that report was contained in his aunt’s letter, he wondered if perhaps a partial admission might do.
“No, sir. Miss Bennet’s conduct was entirely proper, though I will admit to embracing her when I was assured of her wishing to marry me.
I understand from what Lady Catherine said to me this morning that one of the parson’s servants reported having witnessed some interaction between Miss Bennet and myself, but I assure you, there was nothing untoward. ”
Reflecting once more on the morning’s events, he was forced again to pause in order to rein in his temper.
Elizabeth’s disapprobation had vexed him, but it was nothing in comparison to how furious he was that Lady Catherine had abused her authority over Collins in the manner that she had—or that she had sent an express to her brother in the hope of the earl doing what she could not.
“Your sister had the sheer hubris to order Mr. Collins to turn Miss Bennet out of his house based on hearsay, with no means for leaving the country except what she could do on her own—which was nothing. I could not in good conscience allow Lady Catherine’s complete disregard for the reputation and safety of a young lady to go unanswered, so I engaged a maid from her house to join Miss Bennet on the journey and brought her to her uncle in Gracechurch Street myself. ”
“This uncle is the one in trade?” Lord Disley asked; Darcy inclined his head. “What is his name? What does he do?”
“His name is Gardiner, and he is the proprietor of Gardiner’s Custom Carriages.”
Surprise alighted on his uncle’s countenance. “Is that so? I have met him—we ordered our last carriage from him, and he presented it personally when it was finished. I was astonished to find him so gentlemanlike.”
“I confess I felt the same when I met him near an hour ago,” said Darcy. “Both he and his wife are well-spoken, well-mannered… They are people of fashion, and what little I saw of their house was very comfortably fitted up.”
“I should imagine so—his carriages are in great demand, so he is never in want of business,” Lord Disley observed. “Last I heard, he has had to institute a wait-list.”
The earl then leaned forward and sighed. “It is probably unnecessary for me to ask, but all the same… You are resolved, then, on marrying this Miss Bennet?”
Darcy nodded. “I am, sir. I love her.”
Lord Disley scoffed. “So you said. Well, it’s not as if I can stop you—you’re of my family, but you are also the head of your own and you are past your majority.
I confess that I’d rather she did come with a fortune and better connexions, but few dowries would significantly add to your coffers, and we can emphasize that she is a gentleman’s daughter—and that her uncle is one of the most sought-after carriage makers in the city. ”
Relief coursed through Darcy that his uncle did not entirely object to his marriage. “Thank you, Uncle. It pleases me to know that you believe me and trust in my judgment.”
“I know you would not throw yourself away on some flibbertigibbet with no sense or manners, so she must be a beauty and possess more than a little intelligence.”
Here Darcy smiled. “Miss Bennet is the handsomest woman of my acquaintance, and she has a dry wit that I find rather refreshing.”
Again, his uncle scoffed. “Which means she is a pretty girl who speaks her mind and doesn’t fawn all over you like that boy Bingley’s sister.”
“Indeed. To be appreciated for who I am rather than the size of my income or my relationship to nobility is a much better foundation for a happy liaison than being liked only because I am rich and connected,” replied Darcy sardonically.
“How very modern of you, Darcy,” said Disley. He tapped the express against the desk. “Your aunt will not take my refusal to stand in your way lightly.”
“I don’t imagine she will,” Darcy agreed. “As such, Miss Bennet and I have agreed to put an announcement of our engagement in the paper for tomorrow’s morning edition.”
“Why not the evening edition? I’m sure we have the time to notify the papers—”
Darcy held up a hand to stay his uncle’s words. “I have not yet sought Mr. Bennet’s blessing for our marriage,” he interjected. “To put the announcement in this evening risks his seeing it before I have a chance to speak to him.”
“If he’s a smart man, he won’t object. Very well, I’ll see to placing the announcement for you,” said Disley. “When do you expect to meet with Mr. Bennet?”
“Tomorrow. Meryton will not receive the morning papers from London until some hours after my business there is concluded.”
Lord Disley stood and, moving around the desk, went to the fireplace and took up a matchstick. Darcy was surprised to see him light the express from Lady Catherine on fire before tossing it into the hearth.
“Can’t let Catherine’s accusations get out,” he muttered at Darcy’s quizzical look.
“That won’t prevent her writing to you again, or writing to someone else,” Darcy pointed out.
“Perhaps, but by the time she does I expect you’ll be married, and she will gain nothing. You do intend to marry quickly, I presume?”
Darcy nodded. “I see no reason to delay now we are engaged. Miss Bennet is to go about town and order her trousseau tomorrow, and it is my intention to procure a license on my return from Hertfordshire. I expect we can be married in as little as a week.”
“Well then, my dearest nephew, we have but one thing left to do,” said his uncle. “We must go and tell the rest of the family that one of society’s most eligible bachelors will soon be a bachelor no more.”