Page 32 of Why I Kissed You (Pride and Prejudice Variation)
The following day began very early for Darcy.
Given that His Grace was giving up untold minutes of his precious time to himself, Darcy had promised he would be there.
Five was a wretched hour at which to rise.
Darcy did not keep country hours even at Pemberley, but few of his tenants—whose hours he did try to keep so that he was always available to them—rose before seven.
He made sure to select his clothing before going to bed, so that he could dress himself without having to bother Vincent.
Even as he was entering the carriage, pointedly ignoring the wide yawn of his driver, he hoped that the interview would be short.
For the first time in a great while, he intended to indulge himself and go back to bed when he returned.
He was surprised to be met at the entrance to Doctors Commons by the archbishop himself.
After they exchanged polite greetings, Darcy was led silently to the elder man’s office, where he was asked for the information requested.
For a moment, he had not a clue as to what His Grace referred, then he remembered having been asked to bring along Elizabeth’s statement and Mr. Bennet’s letter.
Having had the foresight to tuck them into the pocket of his waistcoat, he pulled them out and handed them across the archbishop’s desk.
After unfolding and reviewing each, the archbishop opened a drawer in the desk and pulled out a piece of paper with markings similar to the standard license Bishop Keller had planned to use.
It was filled out quickly, leaving only a few spaces blank, which—upon a quick inspection after receiving it—he noted were for the date and place of the marriage and the signatures of the officiant, bride, groom, and witnesses.
“I thank you again, Your Grace,” said Darcy as he tucked all the papers back into his pocket. “You are most generous to be of assistance to Miss Bennet and me.”
“She must be quite a young lady, if you overlooked a suitable match to your cousin for her,” replied the archbishop.
Darcy decided to ignore the remark about Anne being a suitable match and smiled. “Miss Bennet is that and more, Your Grace.”
He then bowed and took his leave. A glance at his watch told him that he would be home by six. Excellent , he thought. I might just get an extra hour or two after all .
He ended up sleeping nearly three after his return to Darcy House; it was a quarter of nine when he rose for the second time.
Darcy opened his eyes just as Vincent was setting a steaming cup of coffee on the side table next to his bed.
He marveled, as he sometimes did, on how the man just knew when he was about to wake up.
“How do you do that?” he asked as he sat up on the side of the bed and lifted the coffee to his lips.
Vincent paused as he was rounding the end of the bed and turned to face him. “Do what, sir?”
“Know when I am about to open my eyes,” said Darcy before taking another sip of the strong, hot coffee.
“I have developed an innate awareness of you and your habits, sir—they are my old friends these fifteen years, at least.”
Darcy chuckled and waved him off; Vincent bowed and continued on into the dressing room, where he had probably already selected the day’s clothing for him.
He finished his coffee slowly, thinking about the day ahead.
After breakfast, he would pay a visit to his solicitor to have marriage articles drafted; he would spend the hour before the meal in his study making a list of all the provisions he intended for Elizabeth and their children.
Once they married, Pemberley and Darcy House would always be homes for her—she would be granted lifetime residency in both.
The pin money he intended to give her would always be hers, and no matter where she lived—whether a Darcy property or another—her expenses would always be paid by the estate.
If even one son was born, he would be the first in line to inherit Pemberley and command of the family wealth.
But even if they had no sons at all, the estate would remain in the family—for it was not entailed—thus allowing for it to pass to the eldest daughter.
He intended to ensure that no younger children of theirs would be without financial protection.
The other two estates in his holdings would pass to younger sons, and he planned to invest a large sum to build interest for dowries for their daughters.
At breakfast, a ridiculously cheerful Bingley declared he would be calling on Miss Bennet as soon as he’d finished, and would he care to join him to see his own betrothed?
Darcy shook his head. “Nay, I cannot go with you. I do intend to call at Gracechurch Street today, but first I must see my attorney to have the marriage settlement drawn up.”
“When do you think you and Miss Elizabeth will marry?” asked Georgiana.
“I cannot yet say, as I must discuss it with Miss Elizabeth,” Darcy replied. “However, given the threat made by Lady Catherine in her last letter to Lord Disley, we may do so as early as tomorrow.”
He watched her process the news for a moment before saying, “I know it must seem rather sudden to you, but recall, dearest, that I have known Miss Elizabeth since October last. I have loved her for some time, and the only reason we are moving so quickly to marry—”
“Is because of Aunt Catherine’s unpleasantness,” Fitzwilliam interjected.
Darcy affirmed his words with a nod. Georgiana offered a timid smile and said, “I understand you. I do not like to speak ill of family, but I am glad she will not be your mother, Fitzwilliam, because then she might try to be mother to me also. I would not like that at all; she frightens me sometimes with her… her…”
Darcy reached over and laid his hand atop his sister’s as she struggled to find the right word. “She can be very stubborn,” he said. “And formidable, in her way. I do wish she did not intimidate you so, but it is no matter. ”
He did not share the sudden thought that Mrs. Bennet might also frighten her, but at least in that lady’s case, she was primarily concerned for the future security of her daughters.
Darcy had only to see that her vulgar behavior did not unduly influence his sister, and the governess he intended to hire he would be certain could teach etiquette to Mrs. Bennet as well as educating Elizabeth’s younger sisters.
“Do you wish to know what I will be busy with today?” asked Fitzwilliam.
“Has it anything to do with the proposed visit to your father’s estate?” Bingley asked.
Fitzwilliam nodded. “Aye! There is a minimal staff there already, but Philip and I are to see to the hiring of more as needed for such a large party. We are also to call on some friends to see who might be willing to join us. I already know he intends to call on his good friend Arthur Beckwith—you might know him better, Darcy, as the Earl of Winterbourne.”
“Did not Lord Winterbourne marry recently?” Darcy asked.
His cousin nodded. “He did, yes, to the sister of my friend Thomas Horne, also known as Viscount Larraby.”
“And does not Lord Winterbourne also have two sisters?”
Again, Fitzwilliam nodded. “You’ve a good memory, Will, for meeting the lot only once.”
Bingley frowned. “Beg pardon, but was not the purpose of this party to interest my sister Caroline in the Winfield estate?”
“Miss Bingley!” cried Georgiana.
Fitzwilliam narrowed his eyes. “It is, Bingley, but recall that my marrying her depends on whether she can behave herself among the social circle to which she aspires. If she cannot learn to rein in her tendency toward superciliousness, thereby earning the good opinion of my friends—not to mention myself—then it will not matter if she admires Winfield or not.”
“I understand the conditions, Colonel,” Bingley said.
“And I will make them clear to my sister when I call at Grosvenor Street after my visit with Jane. I just… Well, I was a little afraid that your brother hoped you might be attracted to one of the earl’s sisters instead.
If they are either of them unmarried, that is. ”
“Charles, it was Philip’s idea to have a house party at Winfield to interest Miss Bingley in being its mistress, was it not?” Darcy said. “Why then would he counteract his own proposal?”
“Miss Bingley!” cried Georgiana again. “And Cousin Theodore?”
Darcy looked to her. “Forgive us, Georgiana. We should perhaps have had this discussion out of your hearing, but as you’ve heard some of it now… Yes. There was a proposition made in which Theo agreed to consider Miss Bingley as a wife.”
Fitzwilliam cleared his throat softly. “Georgie, dearest, you must understand… A second son—like myself—who is used to a certain level of comfort in his lifestyle, cannot marry where he likes. There are not many in my rank of life who can afford to marry without some attention to money.”
Georgiana frowned. “So, you only wish to marry a woman of fortune?”
“I must marry a woman of fortune, do not you see?” Fitzwilliam replied. “Do not misunderstand me, dearest cousin, I do desire a marriage with affection. But I must also hope that the woman I fall in love with comes with a fortune attached.”
“But Miss Bingley…” Georgiana glanced sidelong at the lady’s brother and blushed furiously as she looked down at her plate.
Bingley chuckled. “It’s quite all right, Miss Darcy—we are all among friends here. I shall not take offense to anything you say of my sisters.”
After biting her lip in a nervous gesture Darcy had long been familiar with, Georgiana glanced up at Fitzwilliam and said, “How can you like her? She’s quite intimidating. And…” Here she blushed deeper. “…and rather a snob.”