Miss Darcy's Beaux Page 16

  For a moment I was ashamed, but then I remembered how Fitzwilliam had insisted on accompanying me. I reminded myself that I had his full support. I could feel Lady Catherine's cold grey eyes on mine, but I didn't look away.

  "I don't understand this interest of yours in going to the Wentworths," she added with a grimace. "Unless it's because you're eager to see a particular gentleman, that is."

  Her painted eyebrows and angular features gave her the air of an exotic mask, like the drawings of primitive wares I had seen in one of the books in the Pemberley library. I felt a shiver down my spine as if I was a helpless mouse about to be attacked by a hawk.

  "If that Price sailor has taken your fancy, I have made my enquiries. He may be a favoured nephew of Lady Bertram’s, but his family is lowly. His father is a drunkard, his mother is the hen to a brood of wild children, and they live on little more than charity from his uncle and aunt. Moreover, Captain Price has a lot less than he ought to, but it is not just because of the supposed events in his unlucky career which no doubt his friends will have made you aware of. His lack of fortune is also due to a rather unfortunate tendency of handing money out to hopeless causes."

  I looked at her in the eye. I could not remain silent.

  "Captain Price is a brave commander and a charitable soul. He was greatly wronged in the past and–"

  "Insolent girl! You still harbour hope, I see, but it must be squashed once and for all. As my successor to Rosings Park, you will never marry so low beneath you, certainly not to an upstart who only wants your money. I will speak to your brother again, and he will soon come round to my way of thinking. Cosette, call for Mr Darcy at once!"

  The maid came towards us with an anxious look in her eyes.

  "I'm afraid Dewar said that Mr Darcy would be gone all afternoon, ma'am."

  Lady Catherine let out a cry of frustration, and I felt I could breathe again. I was safe, at least for a few hours. But my aunt was not one to give up easily. Grabbing my wrist with her claw-like hand, she brought my face down to hers.

  "You will marry as you are told, do you hear me?" she added in a whisper.

  I shuddered.

  Back in my room, Jones helped me prepare for the evening ahead. I picked my trusted eau-de-nil gown. It was not as richly made as others in my wardrobe, but I liked it very much and thought it ideal for a dinner among close friends. Jones brought me the butterfly brooch without asking, but I quickly pointed out that it wouldn't do.

  "Of course, ma'am. The golden undertones will clash with the colours of your dress. How about your mother's diamonds?"

  I thought of Captain Price's disdain for jewels and shook my head.

  Jones nodded in silence as if she understood. She rummaged in my jewellery box some more, then took out the diamond cross that Elizabeth and my brother had given me for my eighteenth birthday. It was my favourite, but it had been banned by Lady Catherine during her initial inspection of my wares, and Jones had most obediently placed it in the barely discernible compartment hidden beneath the main section of the jewellery box.

  I put it on. Its simplicity was perfect. I admired my reflection in the mirror and noted how the tiny stones caught the light and reflected it back. Through the looking glass, Jones looked at me and smiled.

  At the agreed time I went downstairs. Fitzwilliam was waiting for me in the drawing room. With his dark green velvet jacket and starched breeches, he was the very picture of gentlemanly affluence and elegance. I searched his face for signs that he had read my anonymous letter or spoken to our aunt, to no avail. He seemed, however, very pleased to see me.

  "You look beautiful tonight, Georgiana."

  And suddenly I realised that I did.

  Chapter 19

  It was another mild evening, and it had been dry for a few days, so the streets were free from mud and dust. The conditions were perfect for a leisurely stroll, so Fitzwilliam said to the coachman that we would walk the half mile to the Wentworths, his sole duty to collect us after dinner. I took the arm my brother was offering, and we set off. The daytime bustle was waning, and in the dusk London had a magical air, the mist blurring the tall buildings in the distance and the skies above tinged in shades of pink.

  Fitzwilliam looked pensive, and I wondered again whether he had read my unsigned warning, but I pushed the thought away; I had done all I could, and the rest was best left to the fates. After some minutes of silence, I could tell he was about to speak, and I braced myself for another uncomfortable discussion about my affections. However, to my surprise, Fitzwilliam asked me about the other guests likely to be at the Wentworths' party.

  "I do not know for sure, but there will be a few Navy officers," I replied with some embarrassment.

  "They are brave men, ready to risk their lives for this country. It's an endeavour that very few of us would dare to embrace, for which they are justly and handsomely rewarded."

  "Not always."

  I immediately felt my face redden. My brother gave me an inquisitive look, and before long I was delivering an impassioned account of the injustice suffered by Captain Price, proclaiming what a good, kind and honourable man he was. My brother listened attentively while I spoke, but I didn't dare raise my eyes to his as I did so, and we soon arrived at Cavendish Square Gardens.

  The Wentworths' London residence was grander than I had imagined, an imposing three-storey house in white stucco with an elegant porch flanked by two Doric columns. Inside, our hosts gave us a warm welcome and expressed their unreserved delight at finally meeting Mr Darcy of Pemberley. Mrs Wentworth, in particular, was luminous, her evident happiness radiating around her with a gentle glow.

  "I am so pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr Darcy," said Captain Wentworth to Fitzwilliam. "I will tell my brother Edward that I have had the honour to meet the man whose property he so praised all these years ago. He visited Pemberley during my time away and was rather struck by the place, so he wrote to me in one of his letters. True to his profession as a man of the cloth, he is a great believer in providence, and no doubt he will see divine intervention in our meeting. Now, allow me to introduce you to the rest of the party."

  It was a small and very pleasant gathering. I feared my brother's natural reserve might come across as hauteur, but he was the perfect guest, asking the Captain for his opinion on the robustness of English ports in times of peace and praising the hostess for the comfort and elegance of their dwelling. He was, I realised, doing it for my sake because he knew how much I esteemed the Wentworths.

  I thanked Mrs Wentworth profusely for allowing our belated acceptance of her kind invitation, but she waved my concerns away. She explained that she had initially invited Lady Dalrymple and Miss Carteret, as well as her father and sister. However, her cousins had declined on account of Miss Carteret's nerves being rather altered since the ball, and Sir Elliot and Miss Elliot excused themselves, citing a prior theatre engagement.

  "So you see, Miss Darcy, you and your brother did us a favour by changing your mind at the last minute, or it would have been a poorly attended party indeed."

  I protested; the size was perfect to allow agreeable intercourse with all guests, and at the same time it was large enough to facilitate new acquaintances and renew existing ones. Mrs Wentworth gave me one of her gentle smiles. Then, seeing that Fitzwilliam was busy consulting her husband about the most attractive spots in Shropshire for keen sportsmen, she looked at me knowingly, and I understood that the hip flask had been returned to its rightful owner. I felt my colour rise. Mrs Wentworth noticed my embarrassment and quickly steered our conversation towards gentler waters.

  "I envy the easy camaraderie of men. Look at my husband and your brother; they were introduced but twenty minutes ago, and they are already in deep discussion. I must say, Miss Darcy, that your brother is as pleasant as I imagined him to be."

  I smiled. Fitzwilliam was a worthy representative of the family he so prized.

  A few minutes later, Captain Price arrived, and his gaze imme
diately alighted on me. His being commanded my attention like that of sunflowers in the presence of the sun, but I forced myself to fight it and remain calm. There were cries of welcome, and greetings, and introductions, and then he was in front of me. He had a kind smile and a twinkle in his eye, and I thought I had never seen him look so dashing.

  "Miss Darcy, I was the happiest of men to hear from Mrs Wentworth that you would be here tonight. I was concerned about you."

  I remembered the circumstances of the last time we parted, right after my unexpected encounter with Wickham. It felt like a lifetime ago. I smiled.

  "Captain Price, please do not trouble yourself about my spirits. My distress that evening was more due to confusion than to affliction, although I'm afraid I must have appeared quite the feeble woman to you."

  "Believe me, I know you to be the opposite."

  His gaze was intense, and I had to look away, unable to bear the depth of my feelings. Attempting to change the subject, I gestured towards the Wentworths.

  "The Captain and Mrs Wentworth appear very merry tonight.”

  "My lips are sealed on the matter, although I have no doubt that you will find out the particulars later."

  He was openly smiling now, tiny creases forming around his blue eyes.

  "I must say, Captain Price, you also seem very cheerful tonight. Is it on their account?"

  "Miss Darcy, I am ashamed to admit that, as delighted I am for the Wentworths, I am even more elated at a change in my circumstances."

  My chest tightened, and for a few seconds, I couldn't breathe. Were my fears to be realised? Was he to marry Kitty? I couldn't hear of it, not now. Without allowing him to add another word on the matter, I said with the utmost composure,

  "What an extraordinary coincidence. My circumstances are also changing. I am to leave London shortly to return to Pemberley."

  He looked at me with his eyes wide open. It was just an instant, but I saw them flash with panic. The bell rang, and all that I could do was to accept the arm he was offering me and enter the dining room with a racing mind and a heart pulling me in a thousand directions.

  We weren't seated next to each other this time. My companions were Captain Wentworth and an elderly Admiral who spent most of the time dozing, and apparently had little inclination for social intercourse. His lack of conversation was more than made up by the Captain, who was exultant, although he wouldn't tell me the reason behind his joy.

  "You must speak to Mrs Wentworth. She is looking forward to sharing our news with you tonight."

  "Whatever it is, I am happy for you both, Captain."

  He beamed back at me, a firm smile planted on his handsome face.

  "Mrs Wentworth may have mentioned that we are leaving for Somersetshire in a few weeks. We are to spend some time with Admiral Croft and my sister. You must come and visit us at Kellynch."

  "I thank you for the invite, Captain, I will miss you, although my London season is also coming to an end. I am going back to Derbyshire next week."

  My companion looked at me as if it was the first time that evening.

  "So it is true. My wife and I believe you to be a very remarkable young lady, and I speak for both of us in wishing you a very joyous life together." He must have sensed my confusion because he hastily added, "Marriage is not to be undertaken without serious consideration. You are still very young, but in my personal experience, age is not necessarily commensurate with wisdom in the matters of the heart. If you believe that your affections are constant and returned, do not allow the world to tell you otherwise."

  His eyes were shining with an intensity I had never seen before.

  "Oh, but I am not to get married, Captain–" I managed to whisper.

  My head was spinning, and everything disappeared.

  When I came to, my brother was looking at me with a frown on his face, pressing a glass of water to my lips, while Captain Wentworth watched with concern and his wife stood next to him, her face pale with worry. Captain Price was holding my wrist in his hand. A warm, manly, hardened hand, with short square nails grounded on perfect crescents.

  "Miss Darcy only needs a bit of air, Mr Darcy. Allow me to accompany her to sit outside just for a few moments. I'm convinced she will recover in an instant."

  His decisive air allowed no objections, not even from my brother. Holding on to the Captain's arm, I made my way towards the garden at the back of the Wentworths' house.

  The warm night air enveloped me like a healing balm, and the fog in my head began to clear. The Captain made me sit on a bench overlooking the landscaped grounds, which were illuminated by the full moon, and he remained standing. I took in my surroundings. The garden was small, as was the case for most London residences, but it was very prettily arranged, with a harmonic composition of shrubberies, fruit trees and flower beds. Above all, there were roses, in all shades of pink and as big as my fists, their sweet scent enveloping me.

  I looked at the Captain, and for an instant, my affection for him was as tangible as the stone bench I was sitting on. I had never been so sure about anything in my life. And now he was to marry another. A weight took hold of my chest, and I gasped.

  Noticing my distress, he lightly touched my arm with his hand.

  "Take deep breaths; they will help you regain your strength."

  I complied, and slowly recovered my spirits.

  After a few moments, with great deliberation, the Captain joined me on the bench. He was a good foot away from me, but I could feel his presence as if he was a roaring fire in the coldest winter night. We sat in the darkness for a few moments, until he broke the silence to say,

  "Miss Darcy, I am leaving for Portsmouth tomorrow and may not see you again for a long time. For this reason, I feel emboldened to ask you something. If I don't find out tonight, my heart will not only break but never recover, because not knowing is the worst of tortures."

  His gaze was on me, frank and sincere. In the moonlight, his skin had the same grey undertone of the statues that decorated the garden around us, only he was flesh and bone.

  "Captain Wentworth has said to me you are not to be married to your cousin. May I ask if that is true?"

  I pressed my hands together, shivers running down my spine, and I nodded. He gave a deep exhalation, then turned towards me with determination.

  "Miss Darcy, I joined the Navy at thirteen, and I am a sailor at heart. I know not of the airs and graces of men of the world, and I am perfectly aware of my social standing at the moment, but please know that my words come from the heart, with no embellishment to disguise them. The first time I met you, at the roadside inn, it was as if I had known you all my life. You seemed to me the sweetest, most graceful creature on earth. Then I saw you again in London and realised just how superior your station was to mine. I must confess that I was bitter. It was just my luck that I should meet again a woman I could love, and immediately lose her to the conventions of society.”

  Love. He had said love. I started to tremble.

  "I must confess I wished you poor because my fortune was far from large. I wished you blind, so you would not mind living in a modest house and see plaster instead of silk panels and fine wallpaper on the walls. I was in despair. But that has all changed. I have just received a letter from the Navy calling me to Portsmouth. I have been recognised for a capture I commanded under extraordinary circumstances, for which I did not receive any credit at the time, and I am due a large reward. My fortune is changing, madam, and the prospect of wealth has made me determined on my quest for your affections.”

  The contours of the garden greenery became a blur, and for a few moments, all I could think of was the scent of roses. Then, the Captain gently took my hand.

  "Miss Darcy, I cannot in truth ask for your hand in marriage until the business at Portsmouth resolves itself in my favour. However, may I consider you my one and true love, the one I will marry one day?"

  I looked at his kind blue eyes, the same ones that had captured my heart on the l
ucky day that our paths first crossed, and I nodded again, allowing the tears pouring down my cheeks to do the talking.

  We didn't have much time together after that. I knew my brother would be worried, so we made our way back to the house, after having agreed to keep our promise of love a secret until after Captain Price's affairs had been put in order and he could formally ask for my hand in marriage as a wealthy man. The joy in my heart was overpowering. I had not entered a formal engagement, but I trusted him and knew it would come. Above all, I was certain that I had the love of a good man.

  Back in the dining room, my brother took in my glowing cheeks and happy countenance with visible relief. The rest of the meal was a sweet ordeal, for my eyes only wanted to see Captain Price's, but propriety insisted they shouldn't. An hour later, I retired with the ladies to the comfortably furnished drawing room. Mrs Wentworth searched out my company and gave me the happy news that a Wentworth baby was expected before Christmas. I expressed my happiness at her and her husband's obvious delight. I knew they would be the most wonderful of parents.

  The gentlemen joined us some time later. Although my gaze immediately looked for Captain Price's, I couldn't help but notice that my brother and Captain Wentworth were deep in conversation. I suspected it was political matters, judging by their grave demeanour. It struck me that, although very different men, they shared an unwavering commitment to their values and responsibilities.

  The evening slowly came to an end. One of the servants came in to let us know that Lady Catherine de Bourgh's coachman was waiting outside when Fitzwilliam took me aside.

  "Georgiana, there is an urgent and rather unexpected affair I must attend to just now. It requires a brief absence, and I will not be short of company, for Captain Wentworth has very kindly offered to accompany me."

  He had a look in his eyes that I recognised at once. It was the determined gaze he had when the eastern part of the Pemberley estate, which was on slightly lower ground than the main building, suffered a catastrophic loss, and he had to rush out to help the tenants in the dozen cottages that stood there. Then, Fitzwilliam gave me one of his half-smiles.