Page 1 of Pemberley's Imposter
Chapter 1 Stalemate
Pemberley, December 1812
“Mrs Darcy!” Pemberley’s housekeeper called after Elizabeth, sounding slightly out of breath. “Colonel Fitzwilliam’s carriage has been spotted descending the hill.”
The guests were expected as Colonel Fitzwilliam was conveying Miss Darcy home after an extended absence.
“Thank you, Mrs Reynolds. Take them to the blue parlour whilst I ferret out Mr Darcy.”
Another month of solitary bliss would not have gone amiss,Elizabeth thought wryly whilst hastening through the house. A bout of guilt immediately assailed her conscience; poor Miss Darcy had been exiled to the Matlocks in London for the last five weeks and must be anxious to return home. Besides, Mr Darcy fretted constantly about his sister’s well-being. He would be more at ease with her returned to the bosom of her closest family.
Miss Georgiana Darcy was a lovely but reserved girl on the verge of womanhood, and Elizabeth greatly anticipated getting to know her better. As she was so far from her home and all her sisters, female company was heartily welcome, and what she knew of Miss Darcy boded well for their future. She possessed a sweetness of heart rivalling Jane’s; all she lacked was confidence.
The colonel was no less welcome. He was an entertaining guest and a close confidant of Mr Darcy. The gentlemen had grown up together. The eleven miles between Matlock and Pemberley had allowed for frequent visits from their early childhood. Later, they had attended Eton and Cambridge together whilst forming an alliance against the increasingly debauched Mr Wickham.
Elizabeth’s own experiences with the colonel at Rosings had been cordial, and she had frequently joined him in teasing his cousin.
Mrs Darcy found her husband in his study, bent over his correspondence in deep contemplation, but imagined the interruption would not be unwelcome.
“The colonel and Miss Darcy have been sighted,” she chirped cheerfully. “I have asked Mrs Reynolds to direct them to the blue parlour.”
Mr Darcy smiled, rose with alacrity, and barely had time to kiss her upturned lips in his haste to greet his sister. Elizabeth was not miffed but rather pleased to see him so eager and happy. She giggled and followed her husband. They managed to arrive with only seconds to spare before the colonel walked smilingly into the room. He slapped Mr Darcy on the back and enveloped Elizabeth in a warm embrace.
Elizabeth felt awkward and struggled to conceal it; she was not in the habit of hugging all and sundry. She would occasionally bestow such a gesture upon Charlotte or Jane when they had been parted for an extended period of time, but she had not even embraced her father since she was a child. She did not know the colonel well enough for such a display of familiarity; they had met thrice in Kent, which was months past, and again briefly at their wedding.
Her spouse had become another matter entirely. She had grown accustomed to his touch—though it had been awkward at first, especially when they were unclothed. The wedding night sprang to mind. She had resisted taking off her shift, feeling utterly embarrassed by the notion, but Mr Darcy could be extraordinarily persuasive. She had relented and had to admit that her husband had been correct, but she was glad those early days of discomfiting novelty were at an end.
“It is so good to see you both. You look so well. Marriage must agree with you, though I find that it particularly suits you, Elizabeth. I hope you do not mind dropping the formalities—we are cousins, after all.”
“We are indeed, Colonel Fitzwilliam,” Elizabeth replied.
Mr Darcy’s eyebrows were knitted together; something had displeased him, but she was not sure what had caused his disapprobation. Her husband was a man of many layers—the peeling had barely begun, and she was in no hurry to reveal his every quirk. It was to be hoped that the unravelling of each aspect of his character would divert her for years to come.
Georgiana stepped out from her cousin’s shadow, and Elizabeth greeted her new sister by seizing both her hands. “I am delighted to see you, Miss Darcy. I hope you had a pleasant time in London and an uneventful journey home.”
Miss Darcy was eager to please and generously shared stories of the activities she had partaken of in town. The conversation flowed effortlessly until the gong rang to notify Pemberley’s residents that dinner would be served in an hour, and their guests were afforded time to refresh themselves.
The meal proved to be a lively affair, with much to discuss regarding Georgiana’s coming out in the spring. She would be seventeen in January, and both guardians agreed she wasready to be launched into society. Whether the Queen would hold any drawing-rooms during the Season was less certain, but regardless of the King’s fragile health there would be an abundance of balls and parties to attend.
The sexes did not separate after dinner. Instead, the party removed to the music room, where Georgiana and Elizabeth took turns entertaining the gentlemen. The pleasant evening eventually came to an end, and everyone agreed to retire early, which the newly married couple minded not at all.
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Mr Darcy often read a book in the library while his wife readied herself for bed. His own preparations were much less time-consuming, and he was too impatient to wait unoccupied. He dismissed the notion this night, concerned the colonel should happen upon him and waylay him with brandy and billiards. Richard was his favourite cousin, more like a brother really, but not even his excellent storytelling skills nor the temptation of defeating him at billiards could lure Darcy away from his tempting wife.
The addition of his sister and cousin at Pemberley left barely any opportunities for the stolen liberties he had grown accustomed to seizing whenever and wherever an opportunity presented itself. Besides, his cousin intended to stay until December the twenty-fourth, when they would all travel together to the Matlock estate to celebrate Christmas. There would be plenty of opportunities to trounce Richard at billiards during the course of the next two weeks.
The following week brought the two male cousins much into each other’s company, laying battle plans for the impending Season, in which they would have to participate to a much greater extent than they were accustomed to. At least, Darcywould have to. The colonel had been summoned and would depart for Portugal after Twelfth Night, so this was their only chance to agree upon which engagements to accept and which to avoid for a long while; the colonel had no fixed date for his return to English soil.
Elizabeth and Georgiana’s days were much occupied with learning to run a large household and getting to know each other better, somewhat at the expense of time spent with Darcy and his cousin. With Georgiana’s coming out rapidly approaching, there really was no time to lose. Elizabeth had suggested that thorough knowledge would improve the girl’s confidence, and she was doing her best to prepare her to be mistress of an estate.
The colonel and Darcy were partially placated by frequent requests to partner the ladies during Georgiana’s dancing lessons—a task they did not mind in the least. Even the scandalous waltz had been practised diligently.
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Pemberley, December 16th
It was impossible to fall asleep. Elizabeth had been married above a month and had already grown accustomed to snuggling close to Mr Darcy for warmth and comfort. She glanced at the mantel clock. It was past midnight, and her husband had yet to retire.
