Page 35 of Why I Kissed You (Pride and Prejudice Variation)
“Do you suspect her to be part of some plot of your aunt’s?” asked Jane.
Darcy nodded again. “I do,” said he, then he looked pointedly at Elizabeth.
“And I desire that Anne should keep believing that Saturday is our wedding date. Her coming so suddenly is concerning enough, but that she came here instead of going to our uncle’s house definitely gives me reason to suspect a scheme is afoot. ”
“But does not allowing her to think the wedding is not until Saturday give her more time to act?” asked Jane. “Surely you do not expect her to wait until then.”
“She has a point, Darcy—by informing her of our intention to marry tomorrow, we make it clear that whatever may be the plot she and her mother devised over the weekend, she is too late to act upon it,” said Elizabeth. “Although I must say, her being here even one night rather concerns me.”
Darcy sighed, then smiled and reached for her hand. “Do not make yourself uneasy, Elizabeth. I don’t much like it either, but as she was already here and she is my cousin, I could hardly not consent to that much.”
“Now you make a fair point, sir,” said Elizabeth with a sigh. “If you’d forced her to go to your uncle’s, you’d be no better than her mother and Mr. Collins. But pray, be sensible, Darcy—lock your chamber door tonight, and advise Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Bingley to do the same.”
“You are kind to be concerned for their virtues as well as mine,” said Darcy.
“’Tis not your virtue I would question,” Elizabeth retorted. “Or theirs.”
“Oh please, Mr. Darcy,” begged Jane softly. “Mr. Bingley and I have just come to an understanding. I should not like to chance anyone else coming between us.”
Knowing deep down that he still owed Jane Bennet some form of reparation for his actions, Darcy bowed his head to her. “I will speak to Bingley and Fitzwilliam the moment they come in,” he said.
“And what about telling Miss de Bourgh that we are to marry tomorrow?” asked Elizabeth.
“I think it will all depend on what time we marry,” said Darcy.
Elizabeth looked to her sister. “Well, the coachman you instructed to take my letter to Longbourn should arrive by dinner this evening, or shortly thereafter; Papa I am sure will be kind enough to give him a bed for the night in the servants’ quarters, so he need not hurry back to town.
Though Mamma might well wish to leave tonight, our father will refuse, as he detests travelling at night.
As they will then leave first thing in the morning, our parents and sisters ought to arrive tomorrow by one, I should think. ”
Jane nodded in agreement. “That sounds reasonable, Lizzy,” said she.
Elizabeth drew a breath, then looked up to Darcy with a smile and a gaze that held traces of nerves in it. “Tomorrow evening—before dinner, I think—would be a good time for the ceremony. We can celebrate our union as we dine.”
Darcy smiled and brought her hand to his lips, lightly pressing them to the back. “That sounds delightful to me.” He then sighed and added, “I am sorry your visit with my sister was spoiled.”
“I feel sorry as well, though more on her account than my own,” said Jane. “She’s a very sweet girl, I think, just terribly shy. I should very much like to know her better.”
“And you will, Jane,” said Elizabeth. “After all, she is to be my sister, which also makes her yours, in a sense. I am sure you will see her often.”
The Bennet sisters stayed only a few minutes more before Darcy reluctantly called for the carriage to take them home again. Shortly after their departure, Bingley returned in almost as perverse a mood as Darcy felt himself.
“Dare I ask how went your meeting with Miss Bingley?” Darcy asked when the two had sat together in his office with a snifter of brandy each.
Bingley snorted, then took a sip of his drink.
“At first, both she and Louisa thought I had ‘come to my senses’, and when I made it unerringly clear that I was determined to marry Miss Bennet, they begrudgingly wished me happiness—though they did not themselves appear happy when speaking the words. I then laid down the law, as they say, and informed them in no uncertain terms that they were at risk of being cut, for I had been invited to a house party in the company of a number of noble persons, and their pointed exclusion would no doubt be noticed in our circle.”
Darcy had to grin. “I am sure that went over well.”
His friend tried, and failed, to stifle a laugh.
“Indeed, Darcy! I am sure you can imagine how immediate was their change of address to me—all affability and gratitude, they were, for my promoting further connections for our family! La! What snobs they are. If they were not my sisters, I would give them up entirely.”
“And did you inform Miss Bingley as to the actual purpose of this party?” Darcy pressed.
Bingley nodded. “I did,” said he. “When Louisa went to have a word with her cook about their dinner tonight, I told Caroline that a number of new noble acquaintances might not be all that she gains from this party. When she asked what I meant, I told her that Lord Rowarth himself had suggested to Colonel Fitzwilliam that he ought to consider her for his bride. She was astonished by my revelation, as can only be expected, and I regret that she turned up her chin a little at his being ‘only a second son.’ I then reminded her who his parents are, who his brother is, and that through them she could very well achieve all the consequence she could desire, so long as she learned to temper her arrogance and conceit. And I plainly told her that Fitzwilliam doesn’t even like her, which of course her vanity could not understand!
I then relayed the true purpose of the party—for her to determine whether Winfield might be to her liking, and for the colonel to determine if he could like her enough to make her its mistress should she find that she did. ”
Darcy raised his eyebrows. “And what was her reply?”
Bingley snorted and took a drink. “Only that she would consider the proposition, which tells me one of three things: she either has no intention of accepting the arrangement, wants to make it look as though she is one doing the favor, or she wants to keep Theo in reserve in case whatever other plans she has don’t work to her advantage. It was then that I left.”
With a sigh and a shake of his head, Darcy said to his friend, “Well then, perhaps Theo will be safe from her after all. I am sorry to speak so of your sister, Charles, but her superior attitude is likely only to lead to ridicule and ruin.”
The result of Bingley’s meeting with his sisters was immediately relayed to Fitzwilliam when he at last returned, and he heard it with bemused indifference.
“Tell me again why I should play Petruchio to her Katherina?” was his sardonic reply, before he launched into a recitation of the efforts of himself and his brother to hire more staff for Winfield as well as recruit friends to join them there.
Everyone he and his brother had hoped to collect had agreed to come, as the colonel and the viscount had painted the venture as a celebration of Darcy’s upcoming marriage.
Although such prevarication normally was not to his liking, Darcy could well understand why his cousins did not wish the real purpose of the gathering to be known.
Darcy then informed both of his housemates of Anne’s presence. Both agreed that her coming was likely due to some plot of Lady Catherine’s, and they agreed to lock their doors to prevent any chance of Anne’s wandering into their chambers by accident or design.
Neither of the ladies in the house came down to dinner, so the three gentlemen spent an evening in welcome solitude, entertaining themselves in the billiard room after dinner with a number of games between them, as well as talk of the upcoming house party and Darcy’s wedding the next day.
Fitzwilliam had asked if he thought Elizabeth might still marry him if her parents could for any reason not attend, to which Darcy replied that he hoped such would be the case, though he would not begrudge her waiting until they could.
The three men decided to forego supper and retire early, for chances were that Darcy would marry the very next day and he “ must get all the rest you can, old boy!” according to his cousin.
With a laugh and shake of the head, Darcy went into his room, and was undressed and in bed before he remembered to lock the door. He rose again and went to turn the key.
Best not to take any chances , he thought as he returned to his bed.