The Secrets of Darcy and Elizabeth

“I regret that we must give you such dreadful tidings so soon after your return from France.” Mrs. Gardiner’s tone was warm with concern.

“I must return to Longbourn at once!” Elizabeth said with conviction. “They will need me at this moment of crisis.”

“You cannot!” Alarm colored Darcy’s voice. “You are not well enough for any additional travel. You must rest here for some days.”

Shaking her head vehemently, Elizabeth was about to protest when Mrs. Gardiner joined her voice to Darcy’s. “You are so pale and tired, Lizzy. And this news will undoubtedly make you feel even worse. There is little you can accomplish at Longbourn in any case. I would not have you jeopardize your well-being.”

“But—” Elizabeth began. However, at that moment, the Gardiners’ housekeeper arrived to tell her master that a Mr. Harris had arrived to see him. “Ah, that is the investigator!” Mr. Gardiner said. “I hope he has good news. Please excuse me.”

After he had left, Mrs. Gardiner tried to console Elizabeth with the thought that since Lydia had no fortune, Wickham must have some regard for her, but Elizabeth was not comforted. If Wickham did care for her sister, they would already be married. One glance at Darcy’s face told her he did not believe that Wickham would honor his promise either.

Then the housekeeper returned, bearing the news that one of the children had a stomach ache and was demanding his mother. Mrs. Gardiner excused herself. In the doorway she glanced back at Elizabeth and Darcy a little apprehensively since propriety demanded they should not be left without a chaperone. However, her aunt must know they had been unchaperoned quite a bit in France. Apparently as a compromise, she left the door ajar and hastened away.

Darcy was positioned about as far from Elizabeth as the room would allow and he watched tears trickle down her cheeks, burdened by the full weight of his guilt. How she must hate me at this moment. I could have prevented it all! Would she grow to resent being married to the man who had allowed her sister to fall into the hands of such a scoundrel?

Her red-rimmed eyes turned to him and he felt a fresh wave of guilt wash over him. “I am so sorry, Elizabeth,” he said. “You must be so angry with me at this moment.”

Her expression turned from distressed to puzzled. “Angry with you, why?”

Relief flooded him at the thought that she did not blame him as much, perhaps, as he deserved.

“I am the one who allowed this to happen.”

A small smile curved her lips. “You are? I thought you were in France at the time.”

He stood abruptly and paced the length of the room. “But I could have prevented this!” He said bitterly. “If only I had been willing to lay bare my private affairs. I was too proud to reveal my family’s business to the world. If everyone had known Wickham’s true nature, this could not have happened.”

“I am as much to blame as you. I could have revealed the truth as well.”

“You wanted to protect my family’s privacy. That is completely admirable!”

Unexpectedly Elizabeth gave a little laugh. “We could stand here all day trying to take blame, but perhaps that would not be the best use of our time.”

He stopped as he considered this idea and then sighed. “Of course, you are right.” Watching her wipe her eyes with the handkerchief once more, Darcy was struck by the sudden revelation that she needed his comfort more than his self-recrimination.

Crossing the room in one stride, he gathered Elizabeth into his arms. “My darling, I am so very sorry.” He kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair. “The entire time we were talking with your aunt and uncle, I was longing to hold you and provide what comfort I could. If they had not left when they did, I might have given into the impulse to hold you – and provide your uncle with evidence to chastise me.” He strove to keep his tone lighthearted in the hopes of lightening her mood.

“I am the one who should be sorry,” she murmured as she cried against his shoulder. “I regret you are attached to a family in such disgrace! What will people think of you allying yourself with our family?”

Is that what she truly believes? Darcy asked himself. How could she think that of me? Darcy pulled back a little so he could behold her eyes. “My love, there is nothing that could make me regret marrying you. Nothing!” His voice was rough and fierce with emotion. “Not even if you had four disgraced sisters!”

Unexpectedly, this declaration caused her to sob all the more. Hopefully, Darcy thought, with relief.

Then she turned her face upward for a kiss, so he obligingly caressed her lips with his. “It is an inexpressible comfort to have your love at a time like this,” she murmured against his lips. He smiled and kissed her again.

He had pressed her against the room’s door, which was now completely closed. Therefore he was well positioned to hear footsteps in the hall and hastily maneuvered Elizabeth into a chair. When Mr. Gardiner entered, Elizabeth was sitting demurely on the settee and Darcy was gazing out of the window next to the door. Her uncle glanced from one to another, but said nothing. When her uncle looked away, Darcy saw Elizabeth discreetly smoothing down her hair.

Darcy turned away from the window. “Has your investigator found them?”

Her uncle shook his head. “Their one clue led nowhere and I am at a loss. I do not want to abandon my niece, but we have no information about where she is to be found.”

“I have some ideas,” Darcy said. “Perhaps we should retire to your study to discuss them.” Mr. Gardiner nodded gratefully and ushered Darcy out of the room.

Darcy was soon seated in Mr. Gardiner’s study with a glass of port at his elbow. He had given the man the whole history of his dealings with Wickham, omitting only Georgiana’s name in favor of: “a close relative.” If the other man guessed her identity, he said nothing.

“So where will you start your investigation?” Gardiner asked.

“I will begin with Mrs. Younge. She runs a boarding house in London where Wickham may have lodged while he was here. If so, she may have an idea where he planned to go. I will also see what can be learned from Wickham’s associates near Pemberley.”