Page 88 of To Go Against Her Heart
“Am I to believe that my future husband lacks the will to mount his horse and ride to Longbourn if he wishes to see me?” she asked with a smile. Darcy and the Matlocks were to arrive at Netherfield a day before the engagement party and remain until the wedding.
Knowing that he did not have much time to detain her, Darcy reached for his pocket and held out a small box.
“I have wanted to give this to you for a very long time,” he said and pressed it into her hands.
Elizabeth gazed into the box with excitement, and within it she found a delicate chain adorned with a beautiful pendant shaped like a rose, set with sparkling diamonds.
“It belonged to my mother and was one of her favorite pieces of jewelry. I wanted this to be my first gift to you. I have never missed my parents as I do now, and their absence pains me, as they missed witnessing my happiness in winning the heart of awoman as worthy as you,” he said. Elizabeth bravely touched his cheek and thanked him.
“It is so thoughtful of you to give this to me. Though I never had the honor of knowing your mother, whenever I behold Georgiana, in the affection and care she shows me, I sense her presence. You have not only given me a beautiful future, Fitzwilliam, but you have helped me rediscover the woman I once was. I cannot express how your love has healed my scars; I no longer fear anything,” she said.
It took all his resolve to refrain from kissing her, for he knew better than to take advantage of the liberty her father had granted.
“Shall we join your family?” he asked, and Elizabeth nodded and accompanied him. They met once again that night and the next morning, then Elizabeth’s family left for Hertfordshire along with Mr. Bingley. As much as the thought of separation pained him, Darcy knew he had pressing matters to attend to. He was certain that after his wedding, he would neglect business, for how long was yet uncertain.
Having seen Elizabeth safely on her way, he returned home with dejected spirits, and Georgiana immediately excused herself as she busied herself in preparing for her upcoming trip.
Darcy sat in his study, attempting to divert his thoughts by attending to the pile of mail upon his desk. Before he knew it, he had spent nearly a quarter of an hour addressing matters long neglected in recent weeks. Suddenly, his eyes fell upon an envelope addressed to him without a sender’s name. Instantly, Darcy sensed that something was amiss, and Elizabeth’s face flashed vividly before his mind. Despite his efforts, he could not quell the fear that crept into his chest. Hastily, he broke the seal and read the letter’s contents.
Within moments, Darcy understood with horror that Elizabeth’s fears were well-founded, for her past now lay beforehim on paper. He read the letter repeatedly, seeking to affirm his doubts, and was deeply perplexed as to who could possess the cruelty and courage to threaten Elizabeth’s happiness and ruin their engagement.
“It will not do, I must find who is behind this,” he thought and rose swiftly, and at the exact moment Richard stormed into his study.
He placed a letter on Darcy’s desk, and it was addressed to Lady Matlock.
“We ought not to have spared him, Darcy!” Richard exclaimed, hisragemirroring the fury in Darcy’s eyes.
Chapter 37
Madam,
It grieves me to withhold my name as I write this letter, yet I fear that my very life would be threatened should the disclosure I am about to make reach the ears of those implicated. In this world filled with deceit and vengeance, I write to you only as a well-wisher of your family.
Being aware of your nephew’s recent engagement with a woman from Hertfordshire, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, I am compelled to expose her character and past. To betray your nephew and to have no fear in tainting the reputation of the Darcy family is a courage the lady in question possesses. To be honest, she has vilely deceived everyone including Mr. Darcy and yourself.
You shall be alarmed to learn the particulars of this woman, who has so convincingly trapped your nephew with her falsehoods, for her past contains nothing but disgrace. It pains me to inform you that this past yet clings to her in the form of an ongoing affair with the very man to whom she was once attached. I daresay I can picture your shock in discovering the truth. The woman you have declared as the future Mrs. Darcy is utterly without character and even now maintains her liaison with her former attachment. Just a year before, Mr. Harrington, who has now married into the Kingston family, was attached to Miss ElizabethBennet and had courted her for more than two months. However, suspicious as to why he did not marry her, it is evident now, during her recent stay in town, Miss Elizabeth has been having an affair with him. The couple has shamelessly progressed with their behavior, artfully deceiving everyone, including you. You must understand that, at a recent ball, she was introduced to Mr. Harrington by none other than Mr. Darcy himself, and both of them conducted themselves as though they had never been acquainted before. This alone is proof enough of the accusations I now lay before you.
I do not presume Mr. Darcy to be aware of her true character, but if a woman is willing to conceal her past and is quite unashamed to accept your nephew’s offer of marriage without the slightest remorse for her fallen character, one can only conclude that it is prompted by greed for wealth and the desire for status. Please do not doubt the details I now share with you, for if confronted, Miss Elizabeth will have no means of concealing her misconduct. I beg you, Madam, to trust that my sole intention in writing this letter is to preserve your family and nephew from falling into the hands of a woman whose character is not only questionable but devious.
I trust you will do what is needful to prevent a marriage that would forever tarnish your family name; for the truth about Miss Elizabeth Bennet will, in time, come to light, and society will not hesitate to shun all who are associated with her. If you act now and break their engagement, you may spare Mr. Darcy a lifetime of misery and shame.
Your humble servant & well-wisher
Darcy crushed the letter in his hands, and at that very moment, Richard looked up from the one he had been perusing. Both letters contained identical contents, much to their mutual shock.
“This is pure slander, Darcy. I cannot believe he dares to play with our family this way. I will destroy him,” Richard said.
Darcy paced the room without reply, and it seemed that he struggled to compose his anger.
But then, he stopped abruptly and turned around.
“This isnotMr. Harrington,” he said in a piercing tone.
***
Richard and his parents sat perplexed, listening to what Darcy had revealed in the past hour. As uncomfortable as it had been, Darcy related Elizabeth’s past association with Mr. Harrington and her engagement with the man. He did not fail to mention the reason as to why he broke her engagement with him and the manner in which he had behaved with her at the ball.
“I am most disappointed in you and Richard. Why did you not inform me that the woman of whom you spoke earlier was Elizabeth?” Lady Matlock cried with anger.
