Page 4 of Fitzwilliam Darcy An Honourable Man

“I was quite shocked. She had always said she would never marry...That is until you came along. I remember telling you that I had not formed an opinion about you.”

“And I retorted that I was not worried about your opinion, only Ana’s!”

“Yes,” William said wistfully, his mind recalling his sister’s joy at discovering Evan was at Pemberley to ask permission to court her. “I remember it well.”

Straightening even taller, he punched Evan on the arm. “You should be thankful that I overlooked your impertinence and granted my permission.”

Just at that moment, Georgiana began to stroll towards them, her blue velvet gown hugging her lovely figure and tendrils of gold trailing down her back from a crown of curls atop her head.

She was so lovely that Evan’s breath hitched. “I will forever be thankful, Darcy! I could never love another as I love her!”

William could not but smile as he watched their eyes lock and Evan move to meet his wife. Georgiana took her husband’s outstretched hands and leaned towards William, whispering sweetly, “Come, Brother, you must not stay hidden in this corner. Many are eager to speak with you, and I promised Cecile that you would play a selection on the pianoforte.”

William grimaced as his sister grinned. “I knew that I should have stayed in Ireland!”

“Shhh, Fitzy! People will hear you!”

~~~*~~~

Chapter 2

Pemberley

Pulling back on the reins, William halted his stallion at the top of the ridge, taking in the beauty of Pemberley nestled in the valley below. He always enjoyed pausing at this particular spot before heading back to the stables and today he was not surprised to hear Mrs. Preston’s mare trot up beside him. The view never failed to inspire and, apparently, it delighted Mrs. Preston as well.

She sat staring at the vista for a few seconds before exclaiming breathlessly, “It is beautiful!”

“Thank you,” he stated quietly. “I think so.”

He and Mrs. Preston had ridden out quite early that morning on an excursion planned by Georgiana, who decided at the last minute that she had something that required her attention, leaving him and this new acquaintance alone. William was worried about the impropriety of their ride and the fact that he had no idea what he was going to say to the woman. He had counted on Georgiana to carry the conversation.

After several moments, he dismounted, tying Onyx to a tree, and walked around to take the reins of Mrs. Preston’s horse. As he tied up her mare, she slid off to the ground, not waiting for him to help her as most women interested in securing him would have done. That action alone made him begin to think of her as more than just another woman out to gain his approbation. Perhaps it was worth the effort to become better acquainted with Evan’s sister.

“You ride well,” he offered shyly. “Have you always ridden?”

She smiled warmly. “Yes, but I was not very good at it until a few years ago, though I dearly love horses. My husband insisted that I become a more accomplished rider. His estate was quite large, and it was impossible to get to the more remote areas in a carriage—too rocky, I suppose.” She looked as if she were reminiscing. “In order to visit the tenants, I had to ride.”

William nodded in agreement. He was beginning to admire her character. “I am sure Mr. Preston appreciated having someone to help him in that regard.”

Her head dropped, and she studied her riding boots for a moment before looking back up to meet his eyes. “Did you know my late husband well, Mr. Darcy?”

“I would not say I knew him well. He was three years behind me at university, so I knew who he was, though we hardly talked. Afterward, I saw him occasionally at my club.” William wondered at the sudden expression of sadness that washed over her.

“Yes.” She sighed, sitting down on a huge boulder and staring across the valley. “White’s, I believe it is called.”

“That is correct.” William looked puzzled. “You seem unwell, madam. Do you need to return to the house?”

“I am well, I assure you, sir.” Her attention was fixed on a point somewhere straight ahead. “It is just—my husband spent most of his time there whenever we were in Town.”

William did not know what to say, so he did not reply. He knew Owen Preston was a gambler when he was at Cambridge and was later known as a drunkard. Furthermore, when he ran into him at White’s, Preston often bragged of frequenting the local courtesans. Georgiana had confirmed his opinion of the man when she confided that Evan had often confronted his brother about fulfilling his obligations to Cecile. Rumour was that he had deserted Cecile’s bed shortly after the honeymoon, preferring his mistress and the courtesans.

When he did not reply, she cut her eyes back to William. “I—I am sorry. I should not have said anything. I have cast a pall upon our lovely ride. Forgive me.”

For the first time, William truly studied the woman. She was certainly plain, but not ugly. Her light brown hair had been streaked blond by the sun, and her eyes were light gray. She was tall like Georgiana, but her figure was even leaner. She was not voluptuous like Elizabeth.

Where did that thought come from? Why must she invade my every consideration of another woman?

Focusing anew on his riding companion, William began to wonder if she would make a pleasant partner for a marriage like that of most of his peers—a marriage of convenience. She had experience as mistress of an estate, and in addition to being an excellent rider, she was intelligent and did not blatantly try to please him. Knowing her husband’s failures during their marriage, he had no qualms about her ability to provide an heir. Still, he reasoned, he did not want to raise her expectations. He simply wanted to get to know her better.