Page 56 of Roses from Pemberley
Her mother nodded. “In any event, he was twelve years old when Georgiana was born. Unfortunately, the second birthtook its toll on Anne, and she became even weaker afterwards. Three months later, she died.”
“How tragic,” murmured Mrs. Bennet.
“Poor George never recovered. He still ran the estate, of course, but it took its toll on him. Weighed down by his grief, he simply had nothing left to give the children. Or perhaps they reminded him too much of what he had lost. Regardless, they were left to be raised mostly by the housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds. I came to Pemberley as much as I could and so did Catherine; but we had our own children to raise and could only do so much. Fitzwilliam suffered the most, I think. For it was almost as if he’d lost his mother and his father at the same time.”
Elizabeth felt incredibly sad, thinking about the loneliness that Darcy must have felt during those years, and at so young an age.
“The poor boy,” said Mrs. Bennet.
“Indeed,” said Lady Matlock, “his childhood was certainly not what you would call a happy one.
“No, not at all,” whispered Mrs. Bennet.
Lady Matlock continued, “When his father eventually did die ten years later, Darcy was only two and twenty. He had been in his final year at Cambridge when he received word from Pemberley that his father had been in a riding accident. He rushed back home, but George died within hours of his arrival. Can you imagine how distraught he must have felt?”
“Yes, I can imagine,” said Elizabeth quietly, earning a look of curiosity from Lady Matlock.
“Henry and I came, of course. And we naturally expected to see Fitzwilliam at his wit’s end, attempting to cope with his father’s death, while making funeral arrangements and generally going from being a university student to master of a great estate. Hundreds of people depended on him now, you see, in addition to his ten year old sister. But he was not in the leastbit fazed. No, Fitzwilliam simply became more serious after that. His sense of responsibility was so great that he pushed aside his own grief in order to address all the concerns that were now his to shoulder.”
Elizabeth suddenly felt tearful. That she could have been so cruel to such a man. And to have told him that she did not even like him! How repugnant her behaviour seemed to her then.
“No wonder he was always so solemn,” she heard Diana say.
Elizabeth, not wishing for anyone to see her so discomposed, suddenly stood up and went to the window. She did not think she could face him - not after everything she had heard. Her trust of Wickham seemed hardly significant anymore, in light of all of Darcy’s tribulations.That smarmy cad, she thought bitterly to herself.
And then she heard something that made her blood run cold.
“But now that Anne is engaged to Richard,” said Lady Matlock to Mrs. Bennet, “it may be time for Darcy to get engaged to Diana.”
“What? No, mother, Darcy and I are just friends.”
“But that is where you are wrong, my dear,” said Lady Matlock, patting her daughter on the hand. “What better wife could there be for Darcy than yourself? You do admire him, do you not?”
“Of course I do, for he is an admirable man.”
“Then you belong as his wife. You know him and understand him. And you have seen how many ladies have pursued him over the years, including - I might add - Bingley’s unfortunate sister. But you are different from them. You and Darcy share a common upbringing and a sense of responsibility. You are both intelligent and…even reserved. But, fortunately,not with one another. In fact, you are closer to Darcy than any lady has ever been.”
“That does not mean that we should marry, Mother.”
Though Diana spoke as if she were not interested, there was something in the tone of her voice that made Elizabeth think that she would actually consider marrying him. Who wouldn’t, after all? Her mother’s words were compelling, actually convincing. And, when she thought about it, Diana and Darcy were perfectly matched.
“Speak to him tomorrow, Diana,” continued Lady Matlock. “And show him that you would be willing.”
“Willing to do what, Mother?”
“Why, accept his proposal of marriage, of course.”
It was then that the gentlemen entered the room.
CHAPTER 24 A Sleepless Night and a Walk to Rosings
Darcy entered the room with the rest of the gentlemen and noticed that Elizabeth was now sitting with Lady Catherine. But unfortunately, for some reason, she no longer stole glances at him. In fact, she seemed more subdued than ever.
He attempted to talk to her but her responses were quiet, even cheerless. She did not leave Lady Catherine’s side the entire evening. Eventually he stopped trying to approach her altogether and settled instead for Diana’s company. She, at least, could be counted upon to take him out of himself.
The evening passed as unsuccessfully as it had begun and he went to bed that night, thinking that Elizabeth had turned irrevocably against him. Perhaps she had been too offended by his unwillingness to discuss Wickham. Another proof of his arrogance and conceit. He did not blame her at all for thinking ill of him.
He spent the night in restless turmoil, then awoke the next morning wishing to avoid everyone’s company. Eschewing the breakfast room altogether, he went directly to the stables and began to saddle his horse.
