Page 33 of Leave Her Wild
“I have warned the Bennets that they may support the Wickhams as they choose, but I will not provide the couple even one penny. I will not welcome the pair into Darcy House or Pemberley. I am a man of honor, Georgiana, and I cannot in good conscience walk away now. Moreover, you and the colonel must understand, I require a wife and an heir or Bertram Darcy means to claim a large chunk of Pemberley. I do not have the luxury of time to break one engagement and woo another lady. In a little over fifteen months, I will lose prime land from our father’s estate.
“I must produce a son to inherit by my thirtieth birthday or Bertram claims one-fourth of Pemberley Estate.”
“Does the earl know?” Fitzwilliam demanded.
“Matlock is the one who presented me the letter from Bertram, where our cousin expressed his intention to know the fruit of all my labors.”
Chapter Thirteen
Georgiana remained hesitant about traveling to Hertfordshire; therefore, the colonel had suggested that they travel to Longbourn on Tuesday rather than Wednesday. “In that manner, I may return Georgie to London if we learn that the Wickhams are expected for the wedding.”
Darcy grumbled, “I have warned the Bennets I will leave if Mr. Wickham makes an appearance, even if Miss Bennet is ruined.” Darcy actually was not happy to return early, for he would have preferred not to see Miss Elizabeth any more than necessary but, nevertheless, he agreed with his cousin’s suggestion to send the Bennets an express on Monday to inform them of his and his family’s desire to return on Tuesday.
>>
Later, that same afternoon, Mr. Bennet opened the letter from Mr. Darcy. “What does he want now?” Elizabeth asked.
Her father handed it off to her to read. “Dear God, what are we to do?” she asked after quickly skimming through the short message.
“I cannot refuse without an explanation,” her father deduced.
“Then tell him the truth. Tell him the man he most despises in the world has arrived at Longbourn because your wife remains insensible to anyone’s wishes but her own, despite her having convinced her eldest daughter to marry a man that Jane does not love nor does said man love our sweet Jane in return.”
Her father presented Elizabeth with an odd look. “I am accustomed to your occasional surliness, but that little speechwas something more than your impatience with your mother in your tone.”
“It is nothing of significance,” she was quick to say. “I am simply exhausted by Lydia’s whining about being left behind by Mr. Wickham and mama’s insistence that she should be permitted to entertain Mrs. Long and Aunt Philips and others while Lydia is with us.”
“Are you speaking the truth, Elizabeth?” her father asked with skepticism in his tone.
She shrugged. “This whole business has been a disaster.”
“I do not believe your mother’s latest fit of ‘nerves’ is the source of your discontent, but I will not press you for the ‘truth’ at this time. Let us determine my response to Mr. Darcy. He wishes to bring his sister with him, as well as his cousin again. Miss Darcy has expressed a desire to greet Jane before the wedding.”
“When would Mr. Darcy arrive?” she asked. “Other than Tuesday, it does not state the time in the letter.” She read his message again and marveled at the crispness of his handwriting. “Very much like the man speaks,” she thought. After another minute of contemplation, she said, “As you said, I was being sarcastic when I purported that we should inform him of Mr. Wickham’s presence in Hertfordshire, but the truth is essential in this matter.” Elizabeth paused before saying, “Mr. Darcy would not wish to expose his young sister to Mr. Wickham’s presence. There is a long history between Mr. Darcy and Lydia’s husband. We cannot guarantee Mr. Wickham will actually arrive by Monday, as he initially agreed. He has never kept his word on anything unless it benefited him.”
“So what are you suggesting?” her father asked.
“I know you despise London, but could Jane and Mr. Darcy not marry equally as easily in London as in Meryton? Hepurchased a common license. They could marry in Mr. Darcy’s church in the City.”
“What of Lydia?” Mr. Bennet asked.
Elizabeth sighed heavily. “As Mama invited her, it should be Mrs. Bennet who stays home with her.”
“You wish me never to have another peaceful day!” her father commented with a chuckle. “Though I like the way you think, my girl.” He studied her suggestion. “I suppose if Mr. Darcy is agreeable with the idea of switching the church, we could stay with the Gardiners or even at a hotel. We would leave mid-afternoon on Tuesday and return to Longbourn after the wedding on Thursday. Such would not be ideal, but it would be manageable.”
“And if Mr. Wickham does not return by Tuesday afternoon?” Elizabeth asked.
“I will send both your mother and Lydia to stay with the Philips and provide your uncle strict orders not to permit them from the house until I return.”
Elizabeth smiled easily at his jest. “Seriously, what will you do?”
“I suppose I could stay here,” her father said, though Elizabeth heard the disappointment in his voice. “Your Uncle Gardiner can give Jane away, just as he did with Lydia.”
“No!” Elizabeth argued. “Jane is your first-born. You must attend her wedding. If Mr. Wickham does not return, I shall remain with Lydia. Neither my youngest sister nor the lieutenant would dare to contradict me.”
“Are you confident, Elizabeth? I know it would grieve you greatly not to attend Jane’s big day.”
It would grieve her more to stand witness to Jane marrying the one man Elizabeth had ever desired, but she said, “It shall be my wedding gift to Jane and Mr. Darcy—not to have their marriage ceremony interrupted by the appearance of theWickhams,” she professed, when, in reality, she was protecting her own heart.
