did because you were so protective of me.”
“Yes, I was,” she said and kissed him. “Did you see him flirting with Lady Lucas? He had bitten into an apple, and he said as delicious as it was, his preference was for fully ripened fruit. She was so shocked that she dribbled punch down her dress, and then she started to laugh. After providing amusement for Lady Lucas, he took up with my aunt Gardiner exactly where he had left off in town, and he had her giggling once again.”
“Yes, he certainly can be charming.”
“And my goodness, Colonel Fitzwilliam could barely move for all the young ladies clustered about him.”
“To which he made no objection, I might add. He is as big a flirt as his brother, but when it comes time to marry, he will marry money as he has expensive tastes. Because of that, I feel sorry for him; his chances are slim that he will love his wife.” He kissed the top of Lizzy’s head.
By the time the coach pulled into the Gowlands’ yard, the sun had already set, and darkness was upon them. It had taken them longer than expected because, unlike the light dusting of snow at Longbourn, a few inches had fallen farther north.
The coach was met by Mr. Gowland, who immediately pulled Mr. Darcy aside, and from his expression, it was obvious that he was being told something he did not like. Instead of helping the ladies out of the carriage, he climbed back in.
“There is a stranger inside who sought refuge because of the weather, and it would have been wrong for Mr. Gowland to turn him away. I do not think there is anything to be alarmed about, but I would ask that you not speak, or if you must, please do so in French. Just as a precaution, I shall ask that our meals be served in our rooms.”
Lizzy entered a large room with a long table that served as kitchen and dining area, and at the end of a bench sat the unexpected visitor. He immediately jumped up, bowed to the visitors, and introduced himself as Jacob Linley, who had been recently appointed to serve as curate in a parish near Watford. Upon hearing this, Lizzy relaxed, as he definitely had the look of a clergyman about him. When he spoke to her, she pretended not to understand him, and to discourage any further attempts at conversation, Mrs. Gowland quickly led the ladies upstairs.
The bedroom was simply furnished with a bed, washbasin, and small table with two chairs. Because the wood had been dampened by the snow, the fire was producing little heat. Georgiana and Mrs. Brotherton’s room was a little better, and so they decided to have their meal in there. The three ladies were seated in front of the fire when Lizzy heard Mr. Darcy’s heavy footfall on the stairs, and he came in the room and closed the door behind him.
“I am going to join Mr. Linley for supper to make sure he is who he says he is, but your meals will be sent up shortly. Even though I find nothing alarming about the gentleman, I do not like the idea of someone who is not in the community staying in a Council house. Because of that, we shall leave earlier in the morning than expected,” he said and went downstairs.
“Do not worry, Elizabeth. My brother is a very cautious man,” Georgiana explained as soon as her brother had departed. “I can assure you that if he thought anything was amiss, we would not stay here tonight.”
Lizzy agreed, but it was a rapid initiation into a world where anyone who did not belong to the “community” was considered suspect until proved otherwise.
After their meal, and with her coat still on, Lizzy went back to her room to see if she could do something to get the fire to give off more heat. She was making some progress when Darcy came into the room carrying some sticks and twigs, and he immediately took the poker from her. After deftly moving the logs about, he threw some of the kindling on the fire and flames shot up.
“I learned how to make a good fire when I was in Hudson Bay because you did not dare let it die out or
“It is fine, and since this will be the first full day of my being Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy, I am having the happiest Christmas of my life. Besides, it is only for the one night.”
“Not even that. I want to leave before Mr. Linley gets up. Metcalf has arrived, and he will remain behind until the curate leaves to make sure that he heads south toward Watford. Both Mercer and Metcalf are sleeping downstairs, so Mr. Linley cannot go anywhere without one or the other knowing of it.”
“For someone who isn’t concerned about the curate, you are certainly taking a lot of precautions.”
“I am always on the lookout for someone who is not where he belongs. It is instinctive; I cannot act in any other way.”
The thought of a life lived looking over one’s shoulder sent a shiver down her spine, but she, too, would have to learn to recognize when someone did not belong.
“You are shivering. I am sorry it is not warmer in here.”
Lizzy stood up and put her arms around her husband’s neck and pulled his face to hers. “Why don’t you warm me up the same way you did last night?”
Chapter 34
The trip from the Gowland house to Aunt Marguerite’s was uneventful, and with Mercer perched outside on the driver’s seat, no one complained about the chilly interior. As soon as the house came into view, Lizzy looked out the window to the top of the turret, and once she saw the pale orange flag flying, she felt a sense of relief. Even if something unexpected happened and Mr. Darcy had to transform here, he would be safe.
Darcy’s aunt was waiting for them at the door and ushered all of them into the library, where a blazing fire awaited them, and after making arrangements for Mercer to be served a hot meal, Marguerite followed her guests inside.
“Make yourself at home. We are all alone here, Jeanne and her… Jeanne and her… I never can get it out,” she said, shaking her head. “The pair of them is in town. I have ordered some hot soup to be served right away, and then we shall have a nice supper. But first, tell me all about the wedding.”
After getting the nod from her sister-in-law, Georgiana described everything the bride had worn, right down to the tiny pearls on her satin slippers, and then provided descriptions for Jane’s dress as well as her own and spared no details for her brother’s attire, even noting his expertly tied neckcloth, which caused Darcy to chuckle. He would have to tell Charles that if he ever found himself in financial difficulties, he could hire himself out as a manservant. While his sister recreated the wedding breakfast for her aunt, Darcy smiled at his wife, thinking how gracious she was to allow Georgiana to provide the details of the most important day of her own life.
After supper, they all returned to the library, the warmest room in the house, but shortly thereafter, Darcy asked that the entire party be excused as they had had very little sleep since the wedding. Aunt Marguerite indicated that was fine for her niece and nephew but gestured for Elizabeth to sit beside her on the sofa because there were a few things she wished to discuss with the new Mrs. Darcy. When Darcy tried to protest, his aunt cut him off.
“Did you and Elizabeth share the same room last night?” she asked.
Darcy looked confused. They had only been married two days; of course they had shared a room. “Yes, we stayed at a Council house.”
“All right then. That should hold you for a while. Off you go. I want to talk to your bride.”
Knowing his aunt to be a mule and that he would not win any argument with her, Darcy departed, but he was not happy about it. What could she possibly have to say to Elizabeth that he could not hear?
Once Marguerite was sure her nephew was gone, she asked Lizzy how everything went on their wedding night.
“Fine,” Lizzy answered and said no more, but Marguerite continued to look at her as if waiting for some horrific confession. “Truly, everything was fine.”
“I am glad to hear it,” she said, putting her hands over Lizzy’s, “because my husband nearly put me through the headboard, but we worked it out. When we first got married, he was actually very considerate, and I have often
