Colonel Fitzwilliam's Dilemma (32 page)

“Sir Marius,” he said, looking astounded.

***

So that is where Mama has been all day, Anne thought incredulously. She had received a reply to her letter to Sir Marius and had gone to meet him somewhere in private. How extraordinary. Mama looked different too. Animated, younger, less disapproving. Anne studied Sir Marius as she waited her turn to be introduced, intrigued by Pierce’s mentor. He was perhaps fifty years old, with thick grey hair and whiskers, a deeply tanned face etched with lines and a tall, upright stance. He must have once been very handsome. He was still elegant and commanded one’s attention.

She watched as he greeted Pierce by clasping his shoulder and shaking his hand for a prolonged time.

“It is a pleasure to see you again, my boy,” Sir Marius said.

“As it is you, sir. I trust I see you well.”

“Fit as a flea,” Sir Marius replied cheerfully.

Anne breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. Mama would have lost no time in confronting Sir Marius with the accusations Mr. Collins had brought to Pemberley. If there was any truth in them, Sir Marius and Pierce would not be on such congenial terms.

“Ah, so you are Miss de Bourgh,” Sir Marius said when Anne made her curtsey. “I have heard a great deal about you and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

When everyone was seated and refreshments had been served, it was Sir Marius who broke the silence.

“I dare say you all wonder what brought me here uninvited, and where Lady Catherine and I have been all day.”

“You are very welcome here, sir,” Lizzy said.

“Thank you, Mrs. Darcy. I would not have dreamed of intruding had I not received Lady Catherine’s letter. When I heard of the accusations my daughter levelled against Asquith, I knew a visit in person was necessary to set the record straight. I assume you all know of these accusations.”

Everyone nodded, probably feeling as uncomfortable as Anne felt about having the subject discussed so openly, but at the same time curious, or in Anne’s case anxious, to know the answer.

“I came to England because I plan to return here permanently. My wife died a year ago during some rioting by dissatisfied slaves from an adjoining plantation, so there’s nothing left in Jamaica for me.”

“I am sure we are all very sorry for your loss,” Mr. Darcy said.

“Thank you. I appreciate that.” Sir Marius rubbed the back of his neck. “Now, where was I? Ah yes, I was explaining about Jamaica. The place ain’t what it once was. I have seen the best of it, made my fortune, and want to end my days on British soil. All of my children are either married or at school over here. Miranda is the only one still living beneath my roof and there’s a reason for that.” This time he rubbed his bristled jaw and took a sip of his tea. Anne surmised that rubbing certain parts of his person was a nervous habit and wondered what it was he was about to reveal that so upset him. “She’s a charming chit, but not quite right in the head. We all knew it the moment she came into the world. Asquith here took especial care with her schooling, showing devilish patience because she was slow, you see. She mistook Asquith’s patience as something more and got quite fixated on him.”

“Ah,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said softly.

“Quite so,” Sir Marius replied. “That was one of the reasons why I suggested he return to England. I thought she would get over him soon enough. Her memory isn’t all that good, and she was bound to forget. But the moment we got here she found out where he was, waited until I was out of the way, and took off after him.” Sir Marius shook his head. “I never would have credited her with that much guile. Anyway, Asquith is blameless in the entire affair.”

“And yet you kept silent when accused in order to protect the lady’s reputation,” Lizzy said. “I applaud your conduct, Mr. Asquith.”

Pierce inclined his head. “Thank you. I am just grateful that Lady Catherine did not accept Mr. Collins’s account at face value.”

“I was acquainted with Sir Marius when I was a girl,” she replied. “I knew he would not recommend a man unworthy of his endorsement.”

“Well, Sir Marius, I do hope you will stay tonight and watch the play Mr. Asquith is putting on for our entertainment,” Mrs. Darcy said.

“Are you taking part in it, Miss de Bourgh?”

“Yes, sir, indeed I am.”

“Then I shall stay with pleasure. Thank you very much.” He turned towards Pierce. “Dolores, Daphne and…er–”

“That is the one, sir. I had no notice to prepare anything else.”

Sir Marius laughed. “Asquith wrote that himself. Don’t suppose he told you that.”

“No,” Anne replied. “He did not.”

“Wrote it and put it on in Jamaica with half my brood participating in it. Best entertainment we had in years.”

“Well then,” Mrs. Darcy replied. “Speaking personally, I now have an even greater desire to see it.”

Simpson was summoned to show Sir Marius to his chamber and Anne took the opportunity to escape to hers and rest before changing for dinner. She had had a very full day and it was far from over. She had no wish to see the doctor because there was absolutely nothing wrong with her, although she was very glad he had been called to attend Lizzy. She would never forgive herself if anything happened to the baby.

***

Joshua slid his arms into the coat Cox held out for him. He was nervous and on edge. The Briars and Celia would be arriving any moment. When the play was over he would be seated at table with her and knew it would be a living hell. He wanted her more than ever. The passion that burned inside of him each time he thought of her could not be suppressed, and so he must endure it with fortitude.

Celia was at her loveliest that evening. She wore a shimmering turquoise gown with delicate lace bows running from bosom to hem, its small capped sleeves trimmed with similar lace, drawing one’s attention to her fine figure. Her eyes sought out Joshua the moment she entered the drawing room and he was powerless to look away from her. She looked different somehow, almost carefree, as well she might. Her life was now hers to live as she saw fit.

There was no time for them to converse in private before they were ushered into the music room in preparation for the play. The gentlemen helped the ladies into chairs and took the ones behind them. Joshua did his damnedest not to sit behind Celia, but somehow that was how it turned out, and he was tortured by the sight of her lovely profile for the entire production. Her laughter rang in his ears, and every so often she looked back to share her pleasure with him. Ye gods, this was purgatory!

The play itself was light-hearted, funny in places and surprisingly well acted given the limited amount of time they had had to prepare. The girls threw themselves wholeheartedly into their parts and Captain Turner did not once stutter over his lines. The scenery the girls had agonised over appeared natural enough with the lights lowered, but even if it had not, no one was of a mind to criticise all the hard work that had kept the young people occupied for an entire week.

Joshua noticed Lady Catherine and Sir Marius sitting together, slightly apart from the rest of the audience. His aunt appeared to enjoy herself and actually laughed aloud in places. Joshua was astonished. He could not recall ever hearing her laughing aloud before. She considered such conduct unladylike. She had been heard to mutter disapproving comments all week about the play itself. Had anyone but Asquith suggested it, Joshua was sure Anne would not have been permitted to participate. He was filled with curiosity regarding her tolerance for Asquith, which obviously had something to do with Sir Marius. That gentleman certainly had a beneficial effect upon her temperament, and Joshua wondered about the nature of their previous acquaintance.

When the play came to an end, the applause was loud and prolonged. The players, flushed with success, mingled with the audience to accept individual congratulation—his cousin Anne included. He was probably not the only person to notice she never strayed far from Asquith’s side, or the long probing glances they shared.

Joshua had the pleasure of escorting Celia into dinner, which was a rowdy affair and presented no opportunity for them to speak in private. And speak in private they must since Joshua had been charged with securing her agreement to prosecute Sheffield.

The gentlemen did not linger over their port, and Joshua knew he must now find an opportunity to see her alone. If he did not, he would have to go to Briar Hall in the morning for that purpose, and he couldn’t take the risk. His resolve was not that strong. No, he would obtain her consent now and never see her again after tonight.

He was the last to leave the dining room. He followed the other gentlemen towards the drawing room but was waylaid by the touch of a small feminine hand reaching out to rest on his arm. He did not need to look down to know who owned that hand.

“If I did not know better,” said the melodic voice that haunted his dreams, “I would say you were avoiding me, Colonel.”

Joshua sent her a raffish grin, he simply couldn’t help himself, and steered her into the vacant small sitting room. “We have been in one another’s company the entire evening.”

“But there has been no opportunity for me to thank you for your kindness.”

“No thanks are necessary. It was entirely my pleasure.”

“I did not know quite what to think when the will and Percival’s written recantation regarding his claim to my property arrived and you did not accompany them.”

“There was no need for me to push myself upon you,” he said, looking everywhere except at her. His words were hurtful, deliberately so. Perhaps that way she would understand she was under no obligation to him.

“Has it occurred to you that I might have been anxious to be pushed upon, as you so charmingly put it?”

“Celia, don’t.” He turned away from her. “I rejoin my regiment in a few days’ time, and I dare say you are anxious to return to Buckinghamshire.”

“That is a miserable excuse for your neglect.” Still turned away from her, he heard the condemnation in her tone. “I thought we knew one another better.”

Dear lord, she was not making this easy for him. “Something happened today that you need to be aware of,” he replied in a deliberate change of subject.

Succinctly, he outlined the events of the day. Celia clapped a hand over her mouth, rightly appalled, her eyes luminous with shock.

“This is my fault. I should never have involved you. When I think what could have happened to Miss de Bourgh, and to Mrs. Darcy as well.”

“Everyone involved is anxious to take the blame but in actual fact the only person culpable is Sheffield.”

“Perhaps, but I don’t see it that way.”

“Mrs. Darcy has been seen by the doctor and suffered no harm to herself or her baby.”

Thank goodness.”

Joshua smiled. “Precisely. Darcy would ripped me apart with his bare hands had it been otherwise.”

“I am glad that proved unnecessary,” she replied with the ghost of a smile.

Joshua gave a theatrical shudder. “As am I.”

“What have you done with Percival?”

“He is secured in the cellars here. We cannot charge him with abduction without Lady Catherine discovering what happened. We would much prefer it if she remained in ignorance.”

“I understand.”

“We hoped you would agree for him to be charged with attempted fraud, otherwise he will escape punishment.”

“We cannot allow that to happen. Certainly you may charge him with wrongfully claiming my property, forging a will, and anything else you think might help.”

“Thank you. Darcy will be pleased to hear it.”

“And so, Joshua,” she said after several tension-filled seconds of silence between them, “we come to the real reason why you are avoiding me.”

“I am not avoiding you, Celia.”

“Liar!”

Joshua’s body jerked. He was not accustomed to be addressed in such a fashion, even if it happened to be true. “I do not have the pleasure of understanding you.”

“Was I wrong to assume you admired me?” she asked, looking down at her hands.

“How could any man fail to admire you?”

“That is not precisely the answer I was hoping for. I had not taken you for a prevaricator.”

The wounded look in her lovely eyes crushed Joshua’s resolve. She deserved the truth. He owed her at least that much.

“I do admire you, Celia. More than that, so very much more, but I have nothing to offer you.”

Her clouded expression cleared. “Oh, is that all? Your silly pride stands in the way. I ought to have foreseen as much.”

“It is not pride but plain economic fact. I live on a colonel’s pay and very little else. You have not long been widowed and have had to battle to obtain your rightful inheritance. You do not need me complicating matters. You require time to adjust to your freedom and independence.”

“You treat me like a green girl rather than a woman of experience.” She sent him a smouldering look. “I was attracted to you the first moment I saw you, as I believe you were to me. We were drawn together in a way I had long since stopped believing existed. It was as though we had been waiting to find one another our entire adult lives.” She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Deny it if you can.”

Joshua shook his head. He could lie to her but she would know it immediately. “In all conscience, I cannot.”

Her smile was triumphant. “Then be a gentleman and propose to me rather than leaving the matter to me.”

He pulled her into his arms, unable to resist a moment longer. “Are you absolutely sure, Celia? I would not have the world think I married you for your money.”

“What do I care for the world’s opinion? Besides, men marry for money all the time. Your aunt certainly expected you to do so, and the fact that you turned down those riches when they would have seen you comfortably settled for life, is to your credit. I suspect few men in your situation would have done so, especially as you appear to be very comfortable in your cousin’s company.”

“She is a very different person nowadays, for which Asquith must take full credit. I only hope she will not allow Lady Catherine to crush her spirit.”

“Let us all hope that.” Celia smiled up at him. “You will be far less wealthy with me. My property is very modest, as is my fortune.”