Page 51 of The Widower of Pemberley
He liked Elizabeth. That was why he had wanted to marry a plain girl. If he had married someone whom he did not like, maybe he would not feel so much guilt when he failed, again, to be a good husband.
He then would not be so scared that she would find another man whom she liked more than him.
Not worse than Collins. You are not worse than Mr. Collins.
“I imagine,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said, at last sitting down in a chair and stretching out in a relaxed manner that made it seem as though he owned the whole room, “that our dear Darcy wishes us to be friendly to the girl. Show the support of the earldom for her in society, cut those who cut her, be polite and quite nice about the fortune hunter in our midst at Christmas. All such nonsense. Quite right, Darcy?”
“She is not a fortune hunter.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam waved his hands dismissively.
“Her nature is not—you wholly misunderstand her,” Darcy said.
“Do I? I shall defer to your superior knowledge of women,” Colonel Fitzwilliam replied in a sardonic tone. “How did it come about that you are to marry this woman?”
“Her father had an attack of apoplexy, and he may still die from it, so she was obliged to marry immediately for the well-being of her family.”
“In other words, a fortune hunter.”
“Elizabeth has a blind sister,” Darcy replied. “Surely you can see the importance of maintaining that sister in comfort.”
“And she hunted down a fortune to do so.” Colonel Fitzwilliam grinned at Darcy sunnily. “But I do not say that she is a fortune hunter, merely that my mother, my brother, and my sisters willthinkand say amongst themselves that she is.”
“I shall manage them,” Lord Matlock said grimly. “I shall make it clear that nothing unkind is to be said to your new Mrs. Darcy. I owe you that and more. But I want to know this woman better before I decide what I shall think of her myself. I certainly shall not promise to use what influence I have to get her invited about in town until I know whetherIlike her. Butyoulike her. That is something.”
“I thought you did not care for matters of affection in marriage.”
“Not care for—” Lord Matlock sighed. “I think we have not been clear enough about such things. My view is simple. It is not difficult to fall in love with a woman. What matters to feeling and joy in the married state is years of connection growing, and a similar understanding of your own duties and their duties. Given that falling in love is no difficulty, a man ought to choose a suitable woman before deciding to fall in love with her.”
Darcy’s uncle frowned and slumped into his chair. “One with a good character. Mary had fortune, station, beauty, all of it, but no character. But even that would not have been so bad if you had understood how to manage her. Jove, I dare say the adviceIhavegiven you has not been toyourbenefit, however much it would have been to my own. I suppose that is the nature of giving advice. It is never useful.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam grunted and laughed a little at his father’s words.
“I know.” Matlock looked sideways at his second son. “I have freely given you advice, young fellow, and you have even turned some of it to profit.”
“And disregarded some of it profitably and overlooked twice as much unprofitably. But do not fret—Darcy does not follow anyone’s counsel but his own.”
Darcy smiled thinly at his cousin’s statement.
He was unsettled by the whole conversation. He would have preferred it if his uncle had in fact argued fiercely instead.
“Darcy,” Colonel Fitzwilliam then said, “my father has to be on the road back to Matlock tomorrow, but I shall happily attend your wedding.Iwant to meet the girl, and I shall not be in Derbyshire for Christmas.”
Chapter Thirteen
Mrs. Bennet wished to take the carriage into Meryton for her sister’s card party, but Elizabeth absolutely refused.
“But Lizzy! You will marry very well! Everyone will scarce believe that you are to be such a wealthy lady if you do not go everywhere, even five minutes away, by carriage.”
“I shall not bethatsort of wealthy lady,” Elizabeth replied. “I still like a walk, and I have not had a proper one these two weeks. But, Mama, console yourself, I have heard that, on occasion, even the wives of peers stroll about the grounds.”
“Lord! If you insist. You will marry better than I ever anticipated. There must be something to your notions. I never understood you, Lizzy, but you have done even better than I did when I married Mr. Bennet.”
Elizabeth had in full honesty never expected to receive a statement of approval and trust in her judgment from her mother.
It felt odd, especially since Elizabeth feared, a little, that she was making a terrible error by marrying Mr. Darcy.
Her mother’s actual grief at seeing Mr. Bennet in such danger—mixed, as it ought to be, with the matron’s concern for the future—and Elizabeth’s inability to truly disagree with Mr. Darcy’s judgment upon the flaws of her father, had left Elizabeth with more friendly feelings towards her mother than she ever recalled.
