Pirates and Prejudice (23 page)

Neither
Elizabeth nor her father seemed capable of explaining to Lydia about their
encounter with Lockerly and how Mr. Darcy played a part in the whole affair, so
David was the one who calmly told her of their adventure.

Lydia listened
to all the particulars of the adventure, which – from the entranced look on her
face – she most likely wished could have been hers. As they had agreed before,
he omitted the part about Elizabeth being held captive by pirates on the small
island.

Elizabeth knew
that neither she nor her father would have been able to say more than a few words
without their anger towards Lydia spilling out, so she was grateful that David
was there to tell the story.

She could think
of nothing save what Mr. Darcy must now think of her family. She could hardly
breathe as she grasped that this would certainly preclude him from ever wishing
to see her again.

*~*~*

The journey to
London, with an overnight stay at an inn, progressed at a pace too slow for
everyone’s comfort. Elizabeth could barely bring herself to speak to Lydia. Her
father buried himself in the pages of a book, thereby separating himself from
all his aggravations. David remained in polite, but stilted conversation with
the young girl.

Lydia’s
impertinent and inappropriate outbursts gradually tempered. Elizabeth glanced
up at her occasionally and actually saw evidence of worry. She would bite her
fingernails, which was odd because she was always so concerned about her
appearance. At other times she would furrow her brows as if a thought
distressed her. Elizabeth was not certain her sister was worried about herself
and the gravity of her actions, but feared her sister’s concern was about
Wickham. His fate would rest in the hands of the courts, and his sentence would
likely be harsh.

She wondered
whether Mr. Darcy was concerned at all for his childhood friend. Would he have
been willing to step in and help his friend? Elizabeth’s eyes shot wide open.
Could it be? She turned slowly to Lydia. Her youngest sister should have faced
a judge and been sentenced for her part in breaking the law. But she had not.

Elizabeth felt
her face flush as she considered that perhaps Mr. Darcy may have had some
influence over the charges against Lydia being dropped. She looked at her
father, David, and then back to her sister. She let out a shaky breath.

She suddenly
felt an onslaught of tears threaten to spill out. The man that she had so
callously refused to marry was certainly not the man she had thought he was.
She turned her head away from the others, closed her eyes, and let the tears
trail down her cheeks.

*~*~*

It was almost
dusk when the carriage pulled up to the Gardiners’ home. Everyone was weary
from the days of travel and looked forward to a decent meal and comfortable bed
in which to sleep.

The Gardiners
welcomed them all, and then heard about the storm and an abbreviated account of
their pirating adventure. When everyone repaired to their rooms to ready
themselves for dinner, Elizabeth remained behind and told them about Lydia, so
it would not have to be done in front of everyone. The Gardiners were astonished
that she would do such a thing, but were also quite perplexed about Mr. Darcy’s
involvement in all of it. Elizabeth then explained how they encountered him at
sea.

“It is odd, is
it not, Lizzy? Everyone thought him so proud and above everyone else!” Mrs.
Gardiner said. “Perhaps he is not as bad as you once thought him to be.”

Elizabeth shook
her head, her brows knitted together. “No, Aunt. We were all wrong about him. I
was especially wrong about him and have much to regret.”

Mrs. Gardiner patted
her niece’s hand. “You need not be so hard on yourself, Lizzy. The man most
likely never had the slightest idea how strong your dislike
was.”   

  
*~*~*

As they gathered
for dinner that evening, Elizabeth felt a great deal of strength just being with
her aunt. She was a lady for whom she had a great deal of respect, and she
always appreciated and benefited from her reassuring words and sage advice.

As they ate, a
letter was brought in and handed to Mr. Bennet.

As he took the
letter, he said, “Ah, Mrs. Bennet must have known we arrived!” He laughed as he
looked down at the missive. “But it is not anyone’s handwriting that I am
familiar with! Such neatness and exactness! Who could it be from?”

They all watched
him eagerly as he opened it. “Hmmm,” he said in a drawn out tone. “This is
rather interesting!”

“What is it,
Papa?” Elizabeth asked.

“It seems as
though you, David, and I have been invited to Mr. Darcy’s town home tomorrow
afternoon. Shall we accept?

Chapter 23

Darcy paced nervously in his study, watching the
mantel clock that seemed to move at an unreasonably slow pace. He lifted his
fingers to rub his chin and was surprised – as he had often been of late – to
find it clean shaven. On the journey back to his town home, he had spent the
night at an inn, where he had enjoyed a much-needed bath and employed the
innkeeper to cut off his unruly long hair and give him a shave. He also had
bought himself some new clothes so when he stepped into his house in London, the
servants would not be shocked at his appearance. If he had arrived in his
previous state, he doubted they would have even recognized him!

He had not felt
as though he would be quite back to himself, however, until his valet tended to
him. Stewart had been waiting when Darcy arrived and immediately had set forth
to improve upon what the innkeeper had done to his hair and beard.

It was almost
two o’clock, and he knew that at any minute his guests would arrive. He was
anxious to tell them about the reward, but his excitement was tempered by what
had happened with Lydia. He would not divulge knowledge of the situation unless
he found they had become aware of it.

There was a
light tap at the open door. He smiled, knowing that tap well.

“Come in,
Georgiana.”

The young girl
walked in and glanced at the clock. “They ought to be here soon.”

“Yes.”

A gentle smile
tugged at her lips. “What are their names again?”

Darcy leaned
casually against the wall, not wishing to give rise to any suspicions on
Georgiana’s part. “Mr. Bennet, Mr. David Adams, and Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

Georgiana pursed
her lips and nodded her head. She walked over to her brother’s desk and picked
up a pen, twirling it about in her fingers. “And they somehow were involved in
this pirating adventure of yours.”

He nodded. “Very
involved. One of the reasons I invited them today was because they are to
receive a portion of the reward for finding some jewels Lockerly had hidden in
the ship.”

“I am certain
they will be very pleased.”

“I believe they
shall be.”

Georgiana
suddenly furrowed her brows and looked askance at her brother. She reached into
the pocket of her dress and pulled out some paper. She looked down at it, and
Darcy realized it was a letter.

“Would you mind
if I asked you a question?” She smiled sweetly at him, and Darcy almost
detected a slight quiver in her voice.

“Does it have to
do with that letter?”

She nodded and
took in a deep breath. “You wrote this letter to me last autumn while you were
visiting Mr. Bingley at Netherfield.”

Darcy slowly
nodded his head, not realizing his sister kept his correspondence. His heart
began to race a little faster than it already was.

“In it, and in
several other letters, you mention – quite often – a Miss Elizabeth Bennet.” She
looked up with beseeching eyes. “Is this the same Elizabeth Bennet who is
coming today?”

Darcy again
nodded, wondering what all he had written about her.

“I do not have
all your letters here, as some are at Pemberley. I believe there were others
that were written this spring when you were in Kent, and she was there.” She
unfolded the fine linen paper and looked down. “You say, ‘Miss Bennet is one of
those fine ladies that one seldom meets, who is lively and intelligent and does
not seem to care for all the trappings of the fine circles in society. She is a
rare and delightful find.’”

Darcy actually
felt his cheeks warm as she read this. He wondered what he should tell his
sister. As he contemplated this, she continued.

“While I do not
have the letters written while you were in Kent, I do recollect you mentioning
that you were about to ask for her hand. And yet, I heard no further mention of
her. When you returned and seemed so distraught, I was so concerned for you
that I forgot all about your letters. I do not think I would have ever
suspected that she – or any lady, for that matter – would refuse you.”
Uncertainty wrinkled her brow. “Tell me, Brother. Is that what happened?”

Darcy’s hands
began to shake, and he clasped them tightly together. “Yes, but please, there
is so much to tell; I do not have the time now. Please welcome her as a guest
and say no more about it.”

“Oh, Brother, I
am so sorry,” she walked to him and wrapped her arms about him, leaning her
head against his chest. “Now I know why you were so downcast when you returned
from Kent. Is there any hope for…?”

“Nothing can
ever come of it,” he interjected. “She and her cousin, Mr. Adams, are likely to
marry.” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

Georgiana looked
up at her brother, a twinkle in her eyes. “Shall I like her, do you think?”

Darcy tousled
the young girl’s hair. “I think you shall like her very much.”

When he pulled
away, he placed his hands on her shoulders. “I need to meet with our guests
privately, and then I shall come for you and make the introductions.”

Georgiana smiled
and stood on her toes to reach up and give him a kiss on the cheek. “I shall be
eagerly waiting.”

Darcy watched
his sister walk away. His heart pounded thunderously, and he felt a real sense
of grief that his sister would never know Elizabeth as the kind sister he knew
she would have been to her.

He heard the
sound of the bell and gave a tug on his coat. He took in a deep breath and
walked out of his study to the parlour, where he would meet his guests.

On the way, he
stopped in front of a hallway mirror and looked at his reflection. He was not
interested in the fact that he had often been told that he was handsome, but he
only hoped he would look presentable to Elizabeth. He reached up and touched
the scab above his eye. The swelling and redness were gone, but he would likely
have a scar. He hoped she would not be distressed by what she had done. If only
he could tell her how it allowed him to think of her each time he looked upon
it.

He took in
another deep breath and tugged again at his coat. Shaking his head, he thought,
It was so much easier for me when she did not know who I was!

He walked into
the parlour, sat down, and then bolted to his feet when he heard voices
approach.

His butler,
Godfrey, appeared at the door and announced the guests. Darcy walked to the
door and gave a quick bow, inviting them in. His breath caught when he saw
Elizabeth. He wondered whether it was finally being able to see her again after
so many days or that he had feared she might not come.

“Welcome.
Please, come in and have a seat.”

Mr. Bennet took
Darcy’s extended hand. “Now there is the Darcy we all knew back in
Hertfordshire!” He turned to David. “He is a completely different man, is he
not?”

“Very different!
The only thing I recognize is the bruise above his eye! Otherwise, I would have
never known he was the same man! It is no wonder you did not recognize him.” He
let out a laugh as he shook hands with their host.

Elizabeth winced
at the reference to his bruise. She dipped a small curtsey as Darcy gave her a
short bow and a reassuring smile.

“I am glad you
have come.”

“How could we
not?” Mr. Bennet interjected. “We owe our lives to you, well, my Lizzy’s, at
least, and now we come to find out you were somehow involved in my other
esteemed
daughter’s venture into lawlessness. We understand Lydia had a rather
unexpected encounter with you.”

Darcy grimaced
at the mention of Lydia, and he saw Elizabeth cast her eyes down and bite her
lip. It pained him to see the shame that tinged her cheeks a rosy pink. He
wondered how much they knew of the extent of his involvement. He had to change
the subject and improve the mood, and he knew exactly how to do it.

“Mr. Bennet, all
that is forgotten. I did not invite you over this afternoon to discuss Miss
Lydia, but rather because I have some news to share with you that I believe you
all shall be delighted to hear.”

“You have my
attention, Mr. Darcy, and I, for one, am eager to change the subject.”

“Good!” Darcy
clasped his hands together. “I do not know if you are aware, but there was
prize money for my crew for the capture of Lockerly.”

David spoke up.
“I understand that crewmen are often rewarded in that way. But what does that
have to do with us?”

Darcy stood up and
walked over to a small desk. He opened the door and pulled out some paper.

“These are
banker’s cheques that are being bestowed to you and the other passengers for
the return of the jewels.” Despite being completely the truth, he did not wish
for them to find out he had had a say as to how it would be distributed amongst
them. He handed the cheques to Mr. Bennet and Mr. Adams. “He looked at Mr.
Bennet, holding up one last cheque. “I have one more, sir, that with your
permission, is reserved for your daughter, as Miss Bennet found the jewels and
was instrumental in coming up with the scheme that brought Lockerly down while
keeping the jewels intact.” He looked with questioning eyes at Elizabeth’s
father.

“Well, Lizzy, if
you promise not to tell your mother or any of your sisters about this, you
certainly deserve it.” He gave a nod of his head in affirmation to Mr. Darcy’s
request.

Elizabeth took
the cheque, and her eyes widened as she looked at it. “Thank you, Mr. Darcy,”
she said nervously. “I am not quite certain what I will do with it…”

“I trust that
you are wise enough to handle it judiciously.”

She looked up to
see him smile briefly and give a few nods of his head.

“Oh, be assured
she will,” Mr. Bennet said. “And I thank you, too. I barely consider myself
worthy of it, but I know what I shall do with it. Since, due to my own neglect,
my daughters do not have decent dowries, I intend to make it up to them.” He
then let out a huff. “I am not certain, however, that Lydia deserves any part
of this unless she improves in character.”

David then added
his thanks.

Mr. Darcy
nodded. “You are indeed welcome, although I was merely the bearer of the good
tidings.” He clasped his hands together.  “Now, if you do not mind, I
should like to introduce you to my sister. Would you please excuse me while I
go get her?”

Elizabeth looked
up and smiled. “Your sister is here? I would love to meet her.”

Her soft smile
warmed him, and her eagerness to meet his sister delighted him. “She is eager
to meet you, as well.”

He began to walk
out, but Elizabeth stopped him. “Does she know about your pirating adventure?”
She gave him an encouraging smile. “I would not wish to enlighten her on a
subject you wished to keep from her.”

Darcy nodded. “I
have informed her of it, yes, Miss Bennet.” He gave another single nod of his
head and walked to the door, but then stopped and looked back at Elizabeth. “I
tell my sister everything.”

*~*~*

As she watched
Mr. Darcy confidently stride out of the room – much unlike his stride as
Lockerly or Captain Smith – her heart pounded relentlessly. Could he have told
his sister about her refusing his offer of marriage? If she was as proud as Mr.
Wickham had led her to believe, would she treat her with contempt for slighting
her brother?

She had been a
fool. She stood in a handsome room, decorated with beautifully carved wood
mouldings and furniture with intricately embroidered tapestry coverings. She
had been struck by the simplicity of the outside of the house when their
carriage pulled up, but upon entering, she readily saw its fine qualities.

A marble
entryway welcomed them, but there was warmth in the reds and golds of the area
rugs and window coverings. A small flower print wall covering added a cheery
feeling against the heavy wood of the furnishings. It was all very pleasing to
Elizabeth’s senses.

She walked over
to the window, which looked out at the park on the north side. It was more
extensive than any she would have imagined in town. A beautiful garden was in
full bloom, with a rock path that wound through it to the back. She could just
see a small pond with a few benches placed near it. The prospect from this
vantage point was very pleasing. She imagined that walking within the garden
would be a pure delight.

She shook her
head slowly as she realized how all of this could have been hers. She could
only imagine what Pemberley must be like. And yet, it was not these things that
caused her to regret her earlier decision. It was that the man she had thought
was full of pride and arrogance was truly a man of integrity, generosity, and
compassion.

The sound of a
young girl’s cheery laugh drew her attention from the window. Mr. Darcy walked
in with a tall girl, whose features were very different than his. She had
blond, straight hair that was pulled up into a tight knot on the back of her
head. Not a stray curl was in sight. She had deep blue eyes that hinted of
shyness but were welcoming. She stood in the shadow of her brother, whose dark
features and muscular build seemed to radiate strength to her.