Page 104 of The Widower of Pemberley

“Why do you not want Lydia married as soon as she might?” Mrs. Bennet asked her husband. She turned to Darcy. “If only you could settle some little dowry on her, I am sure there would be men keen to marry a girl so happy and lively.”

“No,” Elizabeth said. “It is not Mr. Darcy’s place to provide dowries for all of us. It is enough that we shall be secure no matter what happens.”

The strain in Elizabeth as she talked to her mother was quite different from how she behaved in the domestic circle at Pemberley. It gave Darcy an unhappy feeling.

He hated to remember that she had married him because she had been in a desperate situation and her only alternative was Mr. Collins.

“If,” Darcy said, “there were an eligible gentleman and the connection would be good for us all, or if there was a great deal of affection, I would be willing to put something forward. I might talk to Mr. Bennet about the matter. But your youngest is still too young. Perhaps I could make some promise for Jane or Mary.”

“Oh, why bother with Jane? No one would ever marryher.”

Elizabeth pressed her lips together. “Mama, do not bother Mr. Darcy about this.”

His wife remained in poor spirits for some time following this conversation. It was only after she went into the study with Mr. Bennet for an hour to talk in private with her father that she came out in a better mood.

As soon as they were alone that evening, Darcy went to kiss Elizabeth, but she drew away and sat down with a frown. “My mother left me upset. She does that so easily. I had forgotten why we had married. It was all about money.”

Darcy sat next to her and took her hand. “I should not have…made you accept me in such a way.”

Elizabeth looked up at him with an anxious expression. “What do you mean?”

“You had no choice but to marry me. And I took advantage of your fear for your father and your sister and the future. You would not have tied yourself to me otherwise.”

That anxiety in her eyes faded away. She looked at him steadily and then slowly smiled at him in that manner that made it seem as though the whole world was a good place. She put her hand on his face. “I had hoped you had mostly stopped thinking of yourself in such a way.”

Darcy held her palm against his cheek, soaking in the warmth of her eyes and smile.

“But you have reminded me that matters werenotquite what I recalled at first. It was not about money at all. I could have accepted Mr. Collins. But you fascinated me. Greatly. You still do. I knew I would either be happy or miserable if we married, and so far it has certainly been happy—” She broke off, and her expression became strained once more. “You are not concerned that I have not yet become with child?”

Darcy blinked at the question. “We have been married less than three months. Such concerns are quite early.”

“But what if I never become with child? Or if it is always a girl, like with my mama?”

“I dearly hope to have children with you because you are a wonderful mother and I want another child. But if the Almighty does not bless us in that way, we have been greatly blessed in other ways. As for an heir…” Darcy waved his hand about vaguely. “You know that I deeply hope for a son. But by marrying you I have done my duty to the estate. My second cousin is still a Darcy. Pemberley will be managed. And I have far, far more than enough money outside the estate that those I love and care for will never need to be afraid for themselves.”

Elizabeth looked down. “I fear making you unhappy. When Mama asked you to just give her money, I felt guilty. I felt sick. I felt as though Ihadonly married you for money. But it really was more. It always was that…there is something very good about you, very admirable. I did not understand at the time, not until I had lived with you for so long. But I wanted to know you better.”

They kissed, and a deeper sense ofknowingthat Elizabeth was happy with him settled in Darcy.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Upon their arrival in London, Elizabeth and Jane had the leisure on the first full day to spend the whole of their time with the Gardiners.

Her lovely husband was to spend the morning discussing matters with his man of business—he had explained that he was putting substantial amounts into government stock each year for the sake of establishing dowries or an independence for the children they would have.

It was admirable of him to do so and kind of him to make the effort to ensure that she understood the arrangements.

Following that, Darcy planned to go to his club and see which of his acquaintances were already in London.

“You do not mind that we shall be apart for the whole day?” Darcy asked after he explained his plans.

Elizabeth gave him a small kiss. “As much as I adore your company, I believe that we can survive eight or ten hours apart.”

“It feels odd to not see you for so many hours. We have always been together these last months. Either in the same room, or I often walk down the hall to speak to you.”

He looked away with a touch of red in his cheeks.

“Do not fret.” Elizabeth kissed him softly. “I shall miss you as well.”