A Death at Rosings: A Pride & Prejudice Variation (13 page)

Chapter Thirteen

The following day, as Elizabeth and Kitty joined Mr. Darcy and Mr. Whitaker in the foyer in preparation for their walk, Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived. Elizabeth thought he looked quite well, showing no ill effects from having been worried for his father. Of course, they’d had letters saying the earl was recovering well, so there was no longer any reason to worry.

“Why, good of you all to come out to greet me,” the colonel said, stopping in the doorway to look around at them. “Though, in truth, I can’t say I’m familiar with all of you.”

“Richard,” Mr. Darcy said, bowing to his cousin. “May I remind you of Mr. Whitaker. I believe you’ve met him once or twice. He lives nearby and has been of great assistance to Rosings in this time of need. Mr. Whitaker, Colonel Fitzwilliam, my cousin.”

“It’s good to know someone’s been picking up my slack,” the colonel said with a bow for Mr. Whitaker.

“I am sure I’ve only done what any neighbor would,” Mr. Whitaker said. “Mr. Darcy has done all of the real work.”

“May I also present Miss Bennet’s younger sister, Miss Kitty Bennet,” Mr. Darcy continued.

Kitty dropped a curtsy. Elizabeth was pleased with how naturally done the gesture was, and with the demure turn of her gaze. Nothing like the Kitty that Lydia encouraged.

“Miss Kitty Bennet, it is an honor to meet another of the exceptional Bennet sisters,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said, bowing.

“Thank you, Colonel,” Kitty said. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My sister has spoken highly of you.”

“You must all be headed off somewhere,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said. “Don’t let me keep you.”

“We were about to take some fresh air,” Elizabeth said. She glanced at Mr. Darcy, wondering if he would invite his cousin to accompany them. It would be rude not to, but Darcy was the most appropriate person to invite his cousin to join them. Secretly, she hoped the Colonel would say no, for she was sure he’d end up walking with her and Darcy.

“Would you care to join us?” Mr. Darcy said after casting a look at her.

“No, thank you,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said. “I shall get cleaned up and present myself to Anne. She’s well?”

“She is,” Mr. Darcy said. “May I assume from your arrival that your father is now fully recovered?”

“He is, but he’d have only himself to blame if he weren’t. He tripped over one of my mother’s pugs, you see. That’s what went awry. When Mother received the letter about Lady Catherine’s death, she shrieked as if the devil himself had walked into the parlor. My father came running and tripped over her favorite pug, breaking his arm and hitting his head. It didn’t look good for a time, let me tell you, but he’s recovered nicely. Tough old thing, my father.”

“Your mother must have been mortified,” Elizabeth said. She couldn’t imagine how wretched she’d feel if she’d done something as silly as shriek over bad news and gotten her husband injured in the process. “I’m so pleased to hear your father is well.”

“They tell me mother was quite upset.” A twinkle lit his eyes. “They also say she actually seemed more worried about my father than that dratted pug. Who would have thought? She loves her dogs more than her children, and I should know.”

“Was the pug hurt?” Kitty asked.

Elizabeth hid a smile. Apparently, Kitty would side with the Colonel’s mother when it came to the value of a prized pug.

“Only startled. My father says that if no other good comes of the incident, at least the pug’s been improved. It used to be the dog made my father walk around it. Now it gets out of his way.”

“Smart dog,” Darcy said.

“He would have been smarter if he’d learned to get out of people’s way earlier,” Elizabeth said.

“True enough,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said. “I won’t keep you from your walk any longer, but I’ll leave you with this thought, Darcy: Let me know what responsibilities I can takeover. Now that my father is recovering, there’s no reason you should have to bear the burden of Rosings alone.”

“Thank you, but you exaggerate,” Mr. Darcy said. “Elizabeth has been managing most everything here, with the help of Anne’s cousin Mrs. Allen in the kitchen. Mr. Whitaker has been assisting me with the estates.” He glanced at Elizabeth. “In truth, I don’t think either you or I will be needed here much longer. Things are nearly back to the point of running themselves with just the occasional look in from us.”

Elizabeth made sure her expression remained neutral. She was surprised how much she disliked the idea of them all departing Rosings. She should be excited to return to Jane and her father, but she would miss Mr. Darcy terribly.

“Glad to hear it, glad indeed,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said. “I knew the two of you would have things well in hand. Feel bad for running off on you, though.”

“You did what you had to,” Mr. Darcy said firmly.

“Kind of you to say. Now enjoy your walk. Don’t let me keep the lot of you standing in the foyer all day.”

There was a flutter of bows and curtsies, and soon Elizabeth found herself walking beside Mr. Darcy, Kitty and Mr. Whitaker some little ways in front of them. She smiled up at the blue sky, enjoying the slight breeze. It was grand to be out of doors. Rosings was running well, as Mr. Darcy had said. The weather was perfection, with summer in full bloom. She walked beside a tall, distinguished, handsome gentleman. There was little that could make the day any more pleasant.

“What do you smile at?” Mr. Darcy asked in a low voice.

Elizabeth glanced at him askance. “Why, Mr. Darcy, are you asking after my thoughts? I’m not sure that’s entirely appropriate.”

“Appropriate can go to the devil,” he said. “I want to know what brings you the joy I see upon your face. Is it that my cousin is returned?”

Was he jealous? “What if I said that walking on a fine spring day, in fine company, is the source of my smile?” she said. Her heart thudded in her chest and she realized how important his response was to her.

“I would say that while I would never dream of declaring you a liar, I find it difficult to credit such a notion.”

Elizabeth stopped. He took one stride without her and then turned back around to face her. She moved closer so she could keep her voice low. “I assure you, sir, that it would be nothing but the truth. A fine day, in such pleasurable company, is what brings this feeling of joy I have.”

“Then, may I derive that you no longer abhor spending time with me?”

“How can you think it?” she said, alarmed he should. “Have we not spoken most every morning in the yard, dined together every night, walked together every day of late?”

“I’d hardly allowed myself to hope this was because you have come to prefer my company,” he said.

He looked down at her with his intense, unfathomable gaze. Elizabeth’s breath caught. Hope? Did he mean he still hoped she would come to care for him? He hadn’t relinquished all feeling for her, then? He leaned toward her.

“May I, Elizabeth?”

“May you what, Mr. Darcy?” she asked breathlessly. His use of her first name suggested an intimacy she wasn’t sure she wanted.

“Dare to hope?”

“I don’t know,” she said, distressed at her own answer. She didn’t know. When he’d proposed to her months ago, she had three objections to him: his behavior to Wickham, his personality, and his separating Jane and Mr. Bingley. She was wrong about Wickham and she now liked him, possibly even loved him, but could she love a man who’d destroyed the happiness of her sister? Should she love him?

“Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy,” Kitty called. “Do keep up. Whatever are you doing back there, dawdling like that?”

From the amusement in Kitty’s voice, Elizabeth knew her sister could quite well imagine what they were doing, speaking too privately, and she very well wished Kitty would leave them to it. Mr. Darcy searched her face for a moment. He started to turn away. Elizabeth put a staying hand on his coat sleeve and he swung back, brows raised in question.

“I really don’t know. There is still the issue of Jane and Mr. Bingley,” she said. As she said it, she saw the hope leave him. He would not give in on this issue.

“Elizabeth,” Kitty called, closer this time.

Elizabeth made to remove her hand from Mr. Darcy’s arm, but he clasped his over it. “At least your opinion of me has improved,” he said, carefully adjusting her fingers to lay properly along his arm. His hand on hers was a surprisingly intimate gesture. They turned up the path to face Kitty and Mr. Whitaker. Kitty came to a halt, casting a grin at her walking companion. “And I can enjoy your company without the fear that you are only tolerating me for the sake of harmony at Rosings,” Darcy said too quietly for Kitty and Mr. Whittaker to hear.

“That you can.” Elizabeth raised her chin, refusing to blush. If only they could resolve the one thing that came between them. She loved Jane too well to give in on the point, even for Mr. Darcy.

“Come on then,” Kitty said. Mr. Whitaker offered her his arm. She took it and they turned back up the path. “Do try to keep up this time Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy,” Kitty said over her shoulder, her tone a mixture of officiousness and mischief.

Elizabeth looked to Mr. Darcy, embarrassed by her sister’s behavior and how justified it was. He smiled warmly down at her. Shifting her attention to where her hand rested on his arm and then back to the bright spring sky, Elizabeth returned his smiled and they resumed their walk.

Later, when they returned to Rosings after Mr. Whitaker tended his farewells for the day, they found Colonel Fitzwilliam, Anne and Mrs. Allen seated in the parlor. Anne looked up from the book she held as they made their greetings. Colonel Fitzwilliam lowered his newspaper, but not for long. Mrs. Allen exchanged pleasantries without dropping a stitch.

“The post arrived. There are letters for all three of you,” Anne said, her expression warm. “I hope you had a pleasant walk.”

Elizabeth had the oddest urge to blush, though Anne couldn’t mean anything by her statement.

“I think Elizabeth had a very pleasant walk,” Kitty said, giggling.

“Young ladies do not giggle in mixed company, Kitty,” Anne said in a tone of mild reprimand. “Was it a particularly pleasant day, then?”

“The weather is very fine,” Elizabeth said, shooting a glance at Kitty. “You should walk with us, Miss de Bourgh. We needn’t go farther than you like. The weather is beautiful. It’s not too hot for summer.”

“Perhaps tomorrow or the day after,” Anne said. “Your letters are there.” She gestured to a silver tray that had been left on a side table.

Elizabeth crossed to the table, finding a letter from Jane, which she took, and one from Lydia, which she handed to Kitty. “There is one from your sister as well, Mr. Darcy,” she said. “Would you care to read it now?”

“I would,” he said.

Elizabeth brought him his letter, trying not to find the action intimate. He didn’t seem to. His visage and tone were the same as always, aloof and unreadable. He seated himself on the remaining sofa, far to one side, as if daring her to sit with him. As the only other option remaining was beside Mrs. Allen, Elizabeth took his dare. It wouldn’t do for Kitty to sit with Mr. Darcy, after all. Kitty cast her a knowing smirk and took her place beside the window.

Elizabeth opened her letter from Jane, stealing a glance at Mr. Darcy. Could his words that afternoon mean anything other than that he still had an interest in her? Would he be writing a letter soon, to her father? She glanced down at Jane’s careful writing, guilt tugging at her. She wanted Mr. Darcy to propose again, and she longed to say yes, but what of the wrong he’d done Jane? What of his disdain for her standing and her family?

“Oh, no,” Kitty whispered.

“What’s the matter?” Elizabeth asked.

Where she sat beside Mrs. Allen, Kitty had gone white. “Lydia is planning to elope with Mr. Wickham,” she said, sounding almost as if she might cry. “She says they’re going as soon as he can sell her necklace and get money for a carriage. They’re going to Gretna Green.”

“He’ll never marry her,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said. He folded his paper, a frown pulling down the corners of his mouth.

“But why take her to Gretna Green then?” Kitty asked.

Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam exchanged glances but didn’t speak. Elizabeth was trying to find a delicate way of saying what no one else was willing to say. She wished Colonel Fitzwilliam had been a little more careful with his words.

“Wickham has a history of being fond of having a woman share his bed,” Anne said.

Kitty gasped. Elizabeth turned to Anne. She didn’t know if she was more shocked that Anne knew such a thing or that she would say it aloud. She could see by their surprised expressions that Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam were equally stunned by their cousin’s words.

“My mother didn’t always know when I was listening,” Anne said, shrugging. “The question isn’t why he’s taking her, but what can be done.”

“They may have already left,” Elizabeth said. What could be done? The full ramifications of Lydia’s actions hit her. Why, they would all be ruined. No one would marry her, Jane, Mary or Kitty if Lydia ran off with Mr. Wickham and shared his bed. She went cold, a feeling of dizziness stealing over her. Worse, if he got her with child.