Page 38 of A Quiet Affection

“Papa, I—” Darcy felt sick inside. He did not want to leave his father. And not because his father believed that ridiculous notion that Wickham suggested that he was in love with Miss Bennet. “Papa, I don’t want to leave. I hurried across the seas to return to you as fast as I could. And I—”

“My dear boy, it is for the best. You have now seen me again. There is no reason why you must remain. You will leave, and you will not speak to Jane at all. Do you hear me? Swear to me. Fitzwilliam—I trust your honor. Even in a case where your heart is engaged, you will not speak to her if you swear that you will not.”

“I have no—”

“Swear!” Mr. Darcy’s eyes bulged out. He pressed his hand against his stomach. He leaned weakly against the side of his desk. He in fact felt quite ill and weak after that spasm of rage, and the pain was greater than he could remember.

That was good. Fitzwilliam would see, and he would listen and do as he must. Both Fitzwilliam and George hurried to his side to help him, but Mr. Darcy pushed his son away and only let his godson help him. “Swear to me, Fitzwilliam, swear to me that you will make no attempt to communicate further with Jane Bennet until she is married.”

At this point Darcy made a choice that would sit uneasily upon his conscience for many years. He later thought that it would have been his duty to make any attempt, no matter how unlikely it was to succeed, to directly speak with Jane and dissuade her from her marriage to Wickham. However, in blaming himself on these grounds, he was unfair to himself, since it was only after he made the oath that he even thought of speaking to Jane directly for that purpose.

“I swear that I will not speak with her until she is married,” Darcy said, and he had the happiness of seeing his father relax. He had been most unsettled by his father’s temper, and by his father’s present weakness. It was unlike what he had always been.

Mr. Darcy was satisfied to hear that much, but he knew he must ask more of his son. This was when he could ensure that his son would never be overcome by any unsuitable attachment. He added in a pained whisper, “Swear that you will never marry a woman who is not worthy in position and fortune to be connected to the Darcy name.”

“Of course I will not—”

“Swear it. Upon your honor as a gentleman. For your old father. I trust your honor, even if not always your wisdom. If you swear solemnly to such a thing, I will die knowing that it shall be so.”

Darcy felt an odd reluctance to say what his father wished him to. He of course had no intentions to marry anyone beneath him. That would be absurd. But when asked to make this a solemn oath, he hesitated. It made little sense.

Papa’s face twisted in pain. “Oh, it progresses. My son, my son. Swear to me, I beg you. It is a simple thing, and then I may be satisfied. Please swear.”

“I swear,” Darcy said slowly.

“What do you swear?”

“I swear, upon my honor as a gentleman…” Darcy’s voice cracked.

Wickham watched them.

This was ridiculous. He had come here to tell his father about Wickham’s misbehaviors, and now that gentleman was grinning at him, his position in Papa’s affections unharmed.

Wickham’s marriage with Jane Bennet would still occur, and he had even now sworn to make no attempt to talk her out of it.

“Fitzwilliam, please, say it. Do not delay. I know that you shall always do what you say. You know what you owe your family. Do as your conscience demands.”

“I swear,” Darcy said in a confident voice, “that I shall never marry a woman if my conscience rebels against the marriage. I will never marry a woman whose character I consider to be unworthy of my family name.”

“Swear that you will never marry a woman without position or fortune, simply on account of her beauty.”

“Do you wish for me to swear to marry a wealthy woman? Or would you be satisfied by the daughter of an impoverished gambling duke? I must know the particulars before I make the oath to put connections and wealth above all else, so that I can know the meaning to attach to my words.”

“Fitzwilliam, I wish you to swear to me that you will never make a fool of yourself over a woman. That you will not be weak like I have seen many of my friends to be.”

“Then I will happily swear to never marry a woman simply on account of her beauty. I know that beauty without character is of no account. But I also know—Papa, though you die right here before me, I will not make an oath that my conscience refuses.I do hope to marry a woman of fortune and connections, but there is something ill in your insistence upon this. I shall make no solemn oath to be as mercenary as a banker or a slave trader. And ifyouwere to attend to your duty and conscience, you would prevent the marriage between Miss Bennet and Mr. Wickham. Further, since you must provide a place for him—our honor is pledged in that matter—give him an estate, support him in the law, buy him a commission—anything,anything at all. But do not place him into supervision of the souls of honest men.”

“Fitzwilliam, you disappoint me.”

“Papa, you have disappointed me—I shall be off as soon as I say a few words to Georgiana. Will an exile of a fortnight be sufficient for this unfortunate marriage to be completed? I shall see you again afterwards.”

Chapter Ten

When thick-stick-Fitz left the room, George Wickham sat next to his patron. Mr. Darcy took slow, pained breaths of air. Despite a refusal to say so, George was more than a little anxious. He knew that Mr. Darcy would seriously consider what his son had said, despite George’s every effort to guide his thoughts in the proper directions.

The pained rasps were unpleasant for George.

At least the notion that he’d given Mr. Darcy that Fitzwilliam was in love with Jane had been a product of inspiration.