14. Chapter 13:A wife of noble character

Ch 13: A wife of noble character*

Ten days later, two men rode up to the great house at Pemberley. Met by groomsmen to take their horses, they quickly mounted the stairs. Davis greeted them and showed them inside.

"Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Edwards to see you, sir," Davis announced as his master studied his ledger.

So soon! I hope this bodes well. Rising to his feet, Darcy directed, "Show them in."

Quickly, Fitzwilliam and Edwards entered the familiar room and waited for the door to close behind them.

"Please sit," Darcy said, as he uneasily lowered himself into his chair. Please, have good news for me. You wear our officers' masks and I cannot see through to what you are bring me.

"Go ahead and ask, Cousin, I can see the suspense is killing you," Fitzwilliam gently prodded, a wry smile lightening his countenance. You have become so much more transparent than the serious boy you once were. When did this happen?

Darcy sighed softly with relief. "So it is done then? All went according to plan?" He bit his lip in anticipation. Please tell me there were no disasters along the way.

"Yes," Edwards confirmed, glancing at the other officer. "You might even say it went off with military precision." The two men laughed softly.

"Rogers' ship, HMS Redoubtable, will leave Portsmith in just a few days. Rogers readily agreed to take on Mr. Wickham, despite knowing all the facts. Life will not be easy for him, but Rogers is a fair man. If he survives, he may actually have something to show for himself." A look of cold satisfaction crept over Fitzwilliam's face. "It is time he tastes the fruits of his labors."

"Before you ask," Edwards added knowingly, "I left Fredrickson and Knightley behind to see that Wickham is on the ship when it sails. We are taking no chances." I have no desire to endure such an event again. He will sail with the Redoubtable.

"And Wickham himself?" Darcy reluctantly asked, his lips curling into an unconscious frown.

Edwards raised his eyebrows. Why would you be concerned for him?

"It was strange, I will be honest with you, very strange indeed," Fitzwilliam began.So few men would care about such a thing at a time like this. They would be glad to wash their hands of the lout. You are a rare breed, my cousin, and I am glad to call you friend. "There were moments when he was exactly as you would expect, still trying to talk his way free. But then there were times when he would become very quiet, even thoughtful, as though perhaps the weight of his actions was hitting him. I do not know what to make of it."

Accepting the information, Darcy simply nodded. Then we have indeed done the right thing. Bradley was right. "Thank you for all you have done for my sister and me."

"You are welcome. We are family, after all, and Georgiana is as much mine to care for as she is yours," Fitzwilliam said softly.

"It is no more than what your father would have done for me, or what you would do for me yourself," Edwards replied cordially. Pushing himself to his feet, he rose stiffly. "If you will excuse me, I should be getting back to my home."

On their feet now, Darcy and Fitzwilliam shook Edwards' hand and watched him leave.

"Coffee? Tea? Port?"

"Port…definitely port." The colonel lowered himself heavily into his seat. He leaned his head back wearily.

Pressing the glass into his cousin's hand, Darcy leaned back against the desk. "Tell me."

"Just listening to that ungrateful fool day in and day out, it was nearly unbearable. I am not accustomed to enduring such prattle. My men would never dare voice such complaints to me." He rubbed at his temples, grimacing. "Yet when I was nearly ready to gag him myself, he would stop and, for fleeting moments, seem to have a bit of clarity. Perhaps the time at sea will give him an opportunity to think.

"Rogers keeps his men on the ship, only his officers have shore privileges at port. So he will be denied many of his usual diversions. Seamen tolerate little, especially from the landsmen aboard. The favor he is used to acquiring by his golden tongue will not be there. It will be a rude awakening for him."

"Hopefully one will come," Darcy sighed, sipping his port.

"If it does not, it will be no fault of yours. You have given him the chance for it. What he makes of it is his own doing." Wearily, he rubbed his face. "I had no idea that Georgiana was so naïve."

"I am glad your mother has agreed to take her for the next few months and prepare her. Clearly I have no idea what a young woman needs. I feel like I have failed her." He dropped his head into his hands.

"Do not judge yourself too harshly, Darce," Richard sharply admonished. "No offense, but your father would have done just as you did. She needs a woman right now. You have done everything a man could do for her." Quietly he sipped his port for a moment. "It was good of you to arrange for Miss Lackley to travel with her. Mother was delighted to extend the invitation to include her as well. Miss Lackley impressed her last season. I believe Mother said she was a very poised and proper young woman with many excellent prospects. She will be an excellent role model for Helen and Georgiana."

"She has been a good friend to my sister," Darcy sighed. "I can be honest with you, though. I confess that was not my only motive."

"I thought not. I imagine you would find it awkward to be in company with her without your sister present?" His cousin smiled archly. I have seen the fawning way she looks at you, and I cannot imagine you have welcomed it.

"She is a sweet girl, with a good dowry, who will have no trouble making an excellent match, but I have no interest in her as a wife. She is too young, too much a girl still." Pushing himself off the desk, the young gentleman began to slowly pace the room. "I have no wish to offend Lackley, but his sister is not for me. Having her away to London with your mother and my sister will put her in the presence of many young men who are more suited to her charms."

"And away from you and your brooding ways." Nodding his approval, Fitzwilliam followed him with his eyes. "You have never been satisfied with the marriage market."

"No, I have always found it distasteful. Now even more so." Darcy paused at the bookcase that held his father's journals. How shallow it all is.

"What has changed? How is it worse than before? Match-making mama's conspiring with their conniving daughters on how to lure you in was not bad enough?" A cynical laughed followed.

"I suppose that it all remains the same, does it not? No, Fitzwilliam, I am the one who has changed." Reverently, Darcy ran his fingers down the black leather spines of the journals.

"Bradley?"

"In part, I suppose." He began to pace again. "But there is more to it. I have been reading my father's writings, his journals." Darcy sighed heavily. "I miss him."

"I admired your father very much. Uncle Darcy was one of the few men I have ever looked up to, despite his few faults."

"You have never spoken of his faults before." He ran his hand idly through his unruly dark locks.

Fitzwilliam laughed. "You are your father's son. I could not speak to you of his failings, though there were few enough to speak of." He rose to stand beside his cousin near the window. "He had very few vices, you know. He kept himself under good regulation nearly all the time. I never saw him in his cups nor looking at any woman but your mother. You know I cannot say that about many, even within our own family. Your father was truly a model of gentlemanly behavior.

"But there were moments when his temper got the better of him. They were few and far between though. Occasionally, he could be dour and critical, but your mother was always the balm that settled him out of those moods.

"They had a very rare and admirable relationship, your parents. Not one in a hundred, I think, knows such a bond. I do not think my parents ever had such a rappor. You are a very lucky man to have seen it. I imagine you want the same? That is what you have seen in Uncle Darcy's journals?" There is such a wistful look in your eyes. What are you thinking, Cousin?

How much you do not know, Fitzwilliam. I wish I could tell you, but I will not dishonor his wishes or his memory that way. You know he was not perfect; you do not need to know the depths of his imperfection. I suppose what he became was more important to all of us that what he was. That should be what we dwell upon. Sighing, Darcy turned to look at his cousin. "I have read of some of my father's failings from his own perspective and how much he depended on my mother to help him through them. You are right, they shared a love that I envy, and I suppose I do want that kind of relationship too. My mother was a strength to him, she helped him to become what he was. He trusted her and turned to her for her wisdom. Who would not want such a partner in life?

"Yet, it seems that what I desire is not valued by the Ton. The principles my mother had, that shaped my father, also shaped our family life. Everything that I am, it seems, was shaped by her choice to live by her principles. And yes, before you ask, Bradley was there to help her. I will always be grateful for him. He helped them through some very difficult days.

"That aside though, I am finding that the woman I am seeking is very unlike one to be found in the London crush. I want a woman of principles, who is willing to live by them, not by the whim of society. One who can understand what it means to have the lives of others dependent on her choices, one who cares about the lives entrusted to her by taking on the role as mistress of this estate. One who can be to me what my mother was to my father." Shaking his head, Darcy sighed heavily.

Fitzwilliam laughed softly. "That is a very tall order. I wish you good fortune finding a lady who will suit you. When you do, make sure she has a sister who will take an old soldier like me." With a wink and a nod, the soldier returned to his port.

Darcy made a face, laughing hard.

Slowly he set down his glass allowing it to clink softly on the table."You think I am joking? No, man, if you find such a gem, I require that she have a sister, elder, younger, it does not matter which. You must promise to write me from wherever you are and I will come to claim her. Do not look at me like that! I am deadly serious. I am as repulsed as you at the match-making and fortune hunting I see. A lady of principle and virtue would suit me well."

"Even a poor one? I thought you had made it a point only to consider women of substantial means." Dark eyebrows rose archly.

"Now that I have made my fortune and am ready to retire from the Army, yes, I can afford a poor gentlewoman. However, were she to be rich, far be it from me to reject her because of her wealth!" Rakishly he raised his brows.

"Well, I have an eligible young lady staying with me now," Darcy said with ill-contained mirth.

A look of horror blossomed over the colonel's face. "That horrible Bingley woman?"

"How can you say such a thing of my guest? You have barely had three words with her." With mock severity, he crossed his arms over his chest.

"That was two more than I needed!" Fitzwilliam stammered, studying Darcy's face. His eyes narrowed as he frowned at his cousin. "Such a jest to have at my expense! Here I trust you to find me the woman of my dreams, and you direct me to that harridan!" He jokes so easily now! Who could imagine?

Laughing richly, Darcy smiled smugly at his cousin."You know me better than that, Richard. Just consider that payback for all those times…"

"All right, I must concede that point." He sighed, a wry grin lifting the corner of his lips. "But you must know that I was serious…"

"I understand. I promise if I ever find such a mythical creature, she will have a sister, and I will bid you come and find her." Darcy laughed, a little sadly. I am just not sure such a woman exists.

"Just three more days, Rebecca!" Georgiana fairly danced around her blue sitting room. "Can you imagine? Just three more days until my dashing cousin whisks us off to London!"

Miss Lackley laughed in bemusement at her friend. "Was it not just a few days ago that you were sulking about, crying that you were being banished from Pemberley?" How quickly your moods change!

"That was before I knew you were included in the invitation to my aunt's! I had no idea she had requested you to come as well!" The young woman grinned and spun around, laughing merrily. "I am so happy that you will be there too!

Your aunt is a lovely and influential woman. I am honored by her invitation. She is so gracious. With a wry smile, Rebecca nodded and laughed, "I cannot help but wonder how much of your glee has to do with leaving Miss Bingley behind."

Giggling, Georgiana covered her mouth with her hands. "I cannot believe you just said that!"

"As if you had not thought it." Crossing her arms over her chest, the older girl tapped her foot impatiently.

"But I did not say it!" Georgiana curled up in a chair near her friend, "Tell me what she was like when she was visiting you." Surely she must have made quite a spectacle of herself. She certainly has done so here.

At the invitation, Rebecca flopped into the nearest chair. "Oh, she was awful! I cannot tell you how awful! All the things our brothers have said about the women of the Ton, I am sure she is the embodiment of them all!"

"No, she could not have been…"

"Indeed she was!" Blue eyes darted about, remembering. "When she was with me, all she could talk about was the gossip of the Ton. I heard all about how horribly Miss T was dressed and how poorly accomplished Miss M was. Over and over again, all she could do was pick at and criticize everyone she knew. Of course, she was all compliments towards you and me."

"Really?" The younger girl wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "I wonder why?"

"Is it not clear?" The strawberry-blond beauty taunted gently. "She has been out for a long time, she is nearly on the shelf! Miss Bingley is desperately looking for a rich gentleman husband, and either of our brothers will do."

"Oh no!" Georgiana sprang to her feet and started to pace the room anxiously. "What a terrible thought. She could be my sister! That cannot be. That cannot happen! We must do something!"

What began as a small laugh grew until Miss Lackley was consumed by her mirth. She finally wiped the tears from her eyes. "You cannot be serious!"

"Of course I am. Are you not concerned? Would you want to call her sister?"

"Of course not! I was quite happy to see her gone from our home. Her brother was a lovely man. Such a perfect gentleman." She sighed happily for a moment. "I would be happy to have him stay again, but not at the price of tolerating her. Our brothers are not fools, Georgiana. Quite the opposite, in fact. They know a fortune hunter when they see one, and they are not impressed. They certainly do not need protection from the likes of us."

"You are certain?"

"Absolutely, dear." Rebecca smiled sweetly, reassuring her friend. "Now tell me of your aunt's letter. You said she already has plans for us. I want to hear everything."

"That was a lovely supper, Darcy!" Bingley cried, settling comfortably into a large chair near the fireplace in Darcy's sanctum. "What a fine thing that the ladies wished to retire early tonight. It seems quite some time since we have been able to have a conversation by ourselves!" He reached for his tea and plate of biscuits.

"So it has been," Darcy replied absently.

"What has been troubling you? We have been friends too long now for me not to know when you are preoccupied." The saucer clinked softly as he set it gently on the table. "I pray this is not over my sister tonight." A look of alarm overtook his features.She has gone too far this time. I know it! "I realize she said some very untoward things to you tonight. Perhaps I should have intervened more directly. I just did not want to cause more of a scene than was already there." If only he knew how much worse she could have been! I would rather not think of it.

Shaking his head and suppressing a shudder, Darcy replied, "No, do not fear…"

On his feet now, Bingley walked to the fireplace and leaned against the mantle. "I know I need to control her better. She was abominably rude! She was the same way at the Coopertons! Oh Darcy! The way she fought and criticized Mrs. Cooperton, I could hardly fathom her behavior. It was mortifying! You would have thought the woman was deliberately torturing my sister with false tales of the expectations of an estate's mistress. Caroline railed and ranted that you, the fine and proper Mr. Darcy of Pemberley, would never have such expectations of his wife!

"Nothing could convince my sister that it was so. She left the Coopertons loudly declaring she would prove Mrs. Cooperton wrong. Then tonight, when you had the audacity to agree with that lady, it just pushed Caroline over the edge. I am so very sorry. It seems there are moments when she is totally beyond all control."

Slowly, the gentleman joined his friend at the fireplace. "Bingley, it is all right. Truly. I have been preoccupied to be sure. I have had many things on my mind but, perhaps fortunately, your sister has not been one of them." Although I do not for a moment envy you having such a harpy in your family.

"Indeed?" His friend nodded. "I am so relieved! You have been such a good friend to me, I could not live with the possibility that my sister…"

"Enough of her!" Darcy interrupted lightly. "So tell me of your time with Cooperton and Lackley. Were they of assistance to you?"

Relieved, Bingley returned to his seat and his tea. "Both of them were true gentlemen, and offered me generous support. Lackley showed me a great deal of what it takes to run a place. I never knew how much work the management of an estate entailed! Somehow I thought…"

"That you just purchased a place and it would run itself?" The dark haired man laughed gently. "I have heard many say that. Often those are the ones that employ stewards to do their work for them, and they are perpetually disappointed in their profits. I have always been of the mind that to truly do well, an estate must be run by its master."

"Your friends seem to agree with you and, I must say, their ledgers seem to agree as well." The blond man paused for a sip of tea. "I think I should not begin with too large a place, and possibly lease first to see what I am getting myself in to."

"Cooperton's advice?"

"Precisely, though I imagine you would have said much the same."

"I would. I had three years during my father's illness to slowly take over Pemberley, learning from him and his steward. I am grateful for that time. I would not want to be thrown into it as you would be if you were to suddenly buy a large estate. I have found the running of such a place to be more complicated than I ever thought." Darcy paused, staring into the crackling fire, "Did his solicitor have any prospects for you?"

"He did, he did indeed!" A slow boyish grin spread across Bingley's face. "There is a place called Netherfield Park near the town of Meryton in Hertfordshire that sounds like just the place for me to cut my gentleman's teeth. Would you come and see it with me? I would feel much more confident to have your opinion on it." When his friend hesitated, he added, "When I told Caroline I would expect her to act as a proper mistress, as Mrs. Cooperton instructed, she decided she wished to return to London, to stay with friends. She wants nothing to do with such 'low tasks' as she calls them." He chuckled. "I have asked my other sister, Louisa ,to serve as hostess. She is engaged to be married to a Mr. Hurst, who is currently doing business on the continent and will not return for some time. You will be relieved, I am sure, to know she does not share most of Caroline's views."

Darcy considered his friend's words thoughtfully for a long moment. No Miss Bingley? Perhaps this is worth considering. Finally he replied, "With my sister in London, it might be a very good thing for me to take some time away. I have not spent much time from here since my father's illness. The business of spring planting is all but finished and there is a lull to be enjoyed. All right, I will go with you to investigate this Netherfield Park and see what Hertfordshire has to offer."

* PR 12:4