An Inconvenient Courtship (Regency Romance) Read online

  The sisters stared at their father, amazed. Mrs. Bennet stared as well. Respite was brief, though. She snapped out of her stupor and resumed screeching. Mr. Bennet flinched as the clamor hit his ears.

  Mrs. Hill and Kitty helped the wailing woman to her room. When the noise had faded in the distance, Mr. Bennet turned to the valet. “I will accompany you back at once.”

  Chapter Four

  Miss Elizabeth was moved with great care into the house and put in a bedroom with her sister attending her. Miss Bingley refused to show her face, but Mrs. Hurst had taken over her position as hostess for her brother. It was she who led Dr. White upstairs to check on the condition of the patient. As he examined Miss Elizabeth, Darcy paced the library while Bingley and Hurst kept watch with him. Darcy abruptly swung around and fixed a scowl on his friend.

  “Bingley, what was that sister of yours thinking? To strike a horse with her parasol?”

  Bingley nodded, regret stamped on his handsome features. “I cannot understand it, Darcy. I would never have thought her capable of it.”

  Hurst entered the conversation. “Gentleman, I dare say there was no real malicious intent.” He held up a hand when both men opened their mouths to argue. “Darcy, you know she has had her cap set on you for years. Or rather, on Pemberly.”

  Darcy snorted in disgust and resumed pacing.

  “Yes, yes I know. You have never looked at Caroline with anything more than tolerance. But I truly believe in her mind she saw herself as your equal. Eventually you were bound to notice her. These past few days have shown her that she is definitely not the type that interests you. In fact, to see someone so far below you attracting your attention was probably more than she could stand.”

  “Beneath me!” Darcy burst out, forgetting that he himself had despaired of that very thing just a few hours ago. “She is a gentleman’s daughter. I am a gentleman. How is that beneath me?”

  Bingley and Hurst gazed at him with amazement. They had both assumed Darcy would see her as unworthy.

  “Darcy, she has no money, no connections,” Bingley began.

  Darcy rounded on him. “I am shocked at you, Bingley. How can you bring those facts up to me as obstacles when you yourself decried them as unimportant just yesterday? Did you not say you felt marrying a woman you admired like Miss Bennet was far more important to you than finding a woman with a large dowry?”

  “That’s true for me. But Darcy, think, man. I am the son of a tradesman. Miss Bennet is above me.”

  Hurst rolled his eyes. “I say, you chaps are really in deep. Darcy, I am sure Miss Elizabeth has great charms. We can all see her beauty and her intelligence. Although her wit is a bit sharp for my tastes.”

  “She is vibrant,” Darcy murmured. He looked up and met his friends’ suddenly somber eyes. “I have never found anyone who makes me feel more alive.”

  “The ton would not accept her.” Hurst’s voice was soft, as if he regretted being the reminder of the way the world worked.

  Darcy was in an unusual mood. Whereas mere hours ago the thought of sharing his feelings with these men would have appalled him, the memory of Elizabeth’s blood spreading beneath her had altered him profoundly. The knowledge that he had nearly lost her forced him to acknowledge the emptiness he felt as he contemplated letting her go. Steel had entered his soul. No. He would not seek someone else because it was expected. He would fight for her. Fight for her life, then for her love. If she rejected him, well, he couldn’t even contemplate that thought.

  “I am not overly fond of the ton,” he informed his astonished friends. “I have always preferred my library and the grounds at Pemberly to the crowds in London. The ton could reject me, and I probably wouldn’t notice.”

  “Darcy, are you seriously thinking of courting Miss Elizabeth?” Bingley asked his friend cautiously.

  “She is not what your family would expect.” Hurst was bolder in voicing his thoughts.

  Darcy nodded. “I understand that. But I cannot abide the idea of a marriage of convenience.”

  “Mine was a marriage of convenience,” Hurst mused.

  “Hurst,” Darcy began, appalled at his blunder.

  Hurst waved a hand, dismissing the need for an apology.

  “I needed the money to pay for some bad debts my father had left. Louisa wanted the security. The fact that I was from a higher station than she was in my favor.” He glanced at the two men. “I like to think there is true affection between your sister and I now, Bingley.”

  His face saddened by the conversation, Bingley nodded. Darcy patted him on the shoulder and resumed pacing.

  “Gentlemen, I appreciate your input. I have much to think about. I am completely resolved upon one thing, though. It seems to me Christian marriage must have a higher purpose than the exchange of worldly goods. When I marry, I will settle for nothing less than a true sacramental marriage, the way Christ intended.”

  “You will not take a mistress,” Hurst stated.

  “I will not.”

  *****

  Mr. Thomas Bennet was hearing the most astonishing conversation of his life. Mr. Darcy of Derbyshire, whom the gossips in Meryton insisted had ten thousand a year, was declaring he wished to court Elizabeth. His Elizabeth! Could this be the proud stranger who had insulted his favorite child so callously? What had happened to “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me”?

  Oh, yes, Mr. Bennet had heard all about that. He rolled his eyes as he remembered his wife’s effusions and declarations of hatred for the man who had sneered at her daughter. The same wife, he reminded himself, who was more concerned about how Elizabeth’s death might affect Jane’s marriage prospects. Not that she didn’t love her daughter. Mrs. Bennet tended to focus on other matters when things got too serious.

  Just thinking of his Elizabeth brought a pain to his chest. He cleared his throat to make his presence known. The three men in the room whirled to face him, then dropped their eyes before his. Mr. Darcy recovered his composure first. He strode forward and inclined his head courteously. Mr. Bennet bowed slightly.

  “Mr. Bennet, sir. The doctor is examining your daughter now. We were unaware you had arrived.” Darcy’s face was calm, but his ears were red.

  “Obviously,” Mr. Bennet responded, his tone dry.

  A flush spread over Darcy’s skin. It was highly inappropriate to discuss courting a lady while she was indisposed. Also, the fact that her father had yet to be called on was slightly scandalous. Fortunately for Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bennet had never been one to be impressed by what society considered the proper way of doing things. If he had, his five daughters would not all be out. Nor would his girls be lacking an adequate dowry.

  “Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy, how is my Lizzy? Has she stirred?” Emotion was thick in his voice. He strove to keep his face impassive, but the trembling voice gave him away.

  It was Mr. Darcy who answered him. “She did, sir. Briefly. But she was coherent and appeared to be quite sound of mind. She said—“ Darcy stopped abruptly. What exactly had his daughter said? The rather aloof Mr. Darcy seemed reluctant to impart the information, which only whetted his curiosity.

  “Yes, Mr. Darcy? She said?” Mr. Bennet noted the chagrin in Darcy’s eyes. Mr. Hurst swallowed a snicker. Mr. Bennet swung his gaze on the portly man. “Mr. Hurst? Mr. Bingley? Come, men. You brought me here because my daughter is injured. I must assure myself of her state of mind. What did she say?”

  Mr. Darcy drew in a deep, fortifying breath. “When I sent Dawson to Longbourn, I assured Miss Elizabeth her family had been notified and someone was sure to come. Her response, sir, was ‘Not Mama. Anyone but my mother.’”

  The men watched in anxious silence as Mr. Bennet digested this morsel of information. His eyes began to twinkle, and he started to chuckle. The other men relaxed, and soon they too were chuckling. “Yes, I can see my Lizzy being terrified her mother would come. Her mother would make a complete cake of herself, and Lizzy would be mortified. At least until she lau
ghed herself out of it.”

  Footsteps in the hall made the four men straighten and face the door. Mrs. Hurst entered the room, her air harried. She was followed by an older gentleman with white-gray hair and a sour expression. Being the only doctor in the vicinity meant Dr. White was always in demand, even if his bedside manner held as much charm as a warty toad.

  “Mr. Bennet, glad to see you arrived so quickly. That means I can start treating Miss Elizabeth at once.”

  The doctor’s announcement was met with mixed reactions. Bingley seemed relieved the doctor felt something could be done to help Miss Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy’s face was serious, but somewhat paler than it had been a minute ago. Mr. Bennet, however, felt the blood drain from his face at the doctor’s words. He, unfortunately, had too much experience with members of the medical profession.

  “What treatments, exactly, are you proposing, Dr. White?” Mr. Bennet fixed the doctor with sharp eyes. He hoped the doctor didn’t intend to bleed his favorite daughter. He still remembered with pain his older sister dying after being bled twelve years ago.

  The grumpy physician puffed his chest out importantly. “Your daughter suffered a blow to the head. Although she is coherent, I am concerned about swelling to the brain. I think it would be best to prevent her situation from deteriorating by bleeding—“

  “No!” Darcy’s harsh bark brought the conversation to a halt. At the same time, they turned to stare. Darcy seemed unaware of the attention he was gathering as he focused all of his on the doctor and Mr. Bennet.

  “Mr. Bennet, I realize that I am almost a complete stranger to you, but I implore you to allow me to suggest an alternative.”

  Mr. Bennet raised an eyebrow. He inclined his head for Mr. Darcy to continue.

  Darcy’s shoulders relaxed slightly at his acquiescence. “Sir, my cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, is in London currently with part of his regiment. In his company is a surgeon who has treated head wounds far more serious than Miss Elizabeth’s with great success. I could have someone sent for him. He could be here within a day.”

  “This is absurd!” the doctor blustered. “Bleeding is a common practice! I have been a doctor many years, young man, and I don’t appreciate—“

  “How many of your patients have died after being bled, sir?” Mr. Bennet’s question stopped the doctor’s rant. A dull flush rose up from the medical man’s collar.

  “Head wounds are tricky things! You never know when fever will strike,” Dr. White stated.

  “Still, I would feel better with a second opinion,“ Mr. Bennet turned to Darcy, relieved to have another option. “If the situation were not so serious I would never dream of imposing upon you in such a way, Mr. Darcy, but Lizzy is more important to me than my pride. Send your man. We will wait for your cousin and his surgeon.”

  Chapter Five

  Colonel Fitzwilliam was just sitting down to a late luncheon with his parents, Lord and Lady Grayson, and his young cousin Georgiana, when a servant brought him a letter carried on a gold tray. He grimaced at the ostentatious gesture. Being in the army had given him an appreciation for simple things…a hot meal, a bath to cleanse away dirt and grime, lying in a bed knowing you’ve survived another day. He felt like an imposter now, dining at his parents’ fine table, taking messages from haughty servants.

  None of this showed on his face, of course. To the world, Colonel Fitzwilliam was, as always, congenial. He calmly thanked the maid, only half aware of her curtsy before she carried the empty tray away. He was already intent upon his letter.

  “Great Scott!” he exclaimed.

  “Good heavens, Richard, must you bellow so?” Lady Grayson reprimanded him, setting her fork down. “Whatever is the matter?”

  Fitzwilliam glanced around the table in some surprise. He had quite forgotten he wasn’t alone. He regretted his outburst. Letting his parents know that Darcy appeared to have fallen under the spell of an unknown country girl would not do. No, it would not do at all. While Lord and Lady Grayson were basically good people, they tended to live their lives in strict accordance to the rules of society, which meant, of course, that they depended upon Darcy to marry an heiress. Anyone less would not be countenanced.

  He deliberately folded the letter and tucked it into his jacket. “Nothing to concern you, madam.” He wiped his mouth on his napkin and stood, bowing to his parents. “I beg your pardon, Mother. Father. It seems I must be about some military business. I will return shortly.” He bent and kissed Georgiana’s cheek before taking his leave.

  As he rode his horse to Dr. Taylor’s residence, he pondered the strange letter he had received. Darcy requesting his surgeon immediately to treat a gentleman’s daughter injured at Bingley’s estate – that in itself was unusual. The fact that Darcy had basically declared his intention to court her as soon as she was better was extraordinary. Even more intriguing was the hint that his suit might be met with resistance from the girl in question. Who would deter such a suitor? Fitzwilliam was aware of how sought after his cousin was. There were very few mothers in England who would not be pleased if their daughter caught Darcy. To his knowledge, Darcy had shown no preference to any of the young women paraded in front of him. If he was showing interest in this country miss, Fitzwilliam was determined to help him. He thought about how he could go about such an endeavor. Obviously, he would show his moral support any way he could. He pondered the dilemma. It was unlikely he would be able to influence the young lady’s opinion about his somber cousin. Why would she be inclined to listen to him, a complete stranger? He might not even see her since she was injured. Darcy had mentioned her sister was also in the house, but again, she didn’t know him. Not that he was a bad sort. He was just a little rough around the edges. Maybe if he were of a gentler nature. Or a woman, he thought sardonically. Because only a woman could enter the young lady’s sickroom.

  A woman! Of course! He would bring Georgiana with him. She could go into the sick room and help smooth his way. She was calm and gentle, and had a very pleasing manner. As soon as he returned from Taylor’s, he would convince Georgiana to accompany him.

  Dr. Taylor lived in a quiet neighborhood. His house was modest, as befitted one of his station. Dr. Taylor was a first son, but unlike the upper class, he would not inherit a title from his father. He had grown up knowing he would need to work for a living. His parents had been well off enough to send him to school. Taylor had graduated top of his class right before the war broke out. Although he had no need to enlist, he felt called to use his skills to help his countrymen. Colonel Fitzwilliam had the utmost respect for him.

  “Fitzwilliam!” Taylor exclaimed when the colonel was shown into his office. The two men shook hands. “I did not expect to see you this week. Please, have a seat. May I offer you refreshment?”

  Fitzwilliam patted his full belly. “No, I just came from breakfast. My mother sets a fine table. I tend to overindulge. I’m here on a mission, Taylor.”

  Taylor’s eyebrows quirked. “Please, go on.”

  “You’ve heard me talk of my cousin Darcy? He is in a small village about three hours from here visiting his good friend, Charles Bingley. One of Bingley’s guests, a young woman, has taken a fall and sustained a head injury. The local doctor wishes to bleed her. Darcy asked me to see if you would be willing to come with me and hopefully offer an alternative.”

  As expected, Taylor’s first concern was the patient. “Bleeding! To think men of medicine are still relying on that. Of course. I’ll pack my bag now.” The idea that they must leave almost immediately for Hertfordshire was of no importance. He left the good doctor to prepare for the journey and returned to Grayson House to inform Georgiana of his plans to travel to see her brother with the doctor. He was careful not to mention the whole story. Why get Georgiana’s hopes up? He knew his young cousin would love to have a sister at last. Better wait to have his suspicions confirmed before putting ideas into her head. Georgiana was delighted to be asked to go to Hertfordshire. She ran to inform Mrs. Anne
sly, her companion, that they would be traveling within the hour.

  Lady Grayson was not pleased. Although she could not say what, she suspected something was afoot. She speared her second son with her iron gaze.

  “Richard, what are you not telling me? Why would you drag Georgiana off to the country? She has much to learn if she is to come out in two years.”

  Fitzwilliam sighed. “Mother, you see how shy she is. She’s been so withdrawn lately. I thought a new adventure in her brother’s care might be just what she needs to restore her spirits. Surely you can spare her for just a week or two?”

  Lady Grayson frowned. It was true. Georgiana had been withdrawn, almost depressed for the past three months. Would it hurt for her to allow the girl to go see her brother in the country? After all, what better chaperone could her niece have than her nephew and her son? With reluctance, she gave her approval for the plan. If she had had any idea of the true reason her son wanted Georgiana to accompany him, she would have refused.

  As it was, in a relatively brief time, the colonel, Dr. Taylor, Georgiana, and Mrs. Annesly were on their way to the country.

  ****

  The London party arrived after dinnertime. Darcy stood as the small group was shown into the parlor where he was seated with Bingley. He shook hands with Dr. Taylor and his cousin. His shock at seeing his sister and Mrs. Annesly was plain for all to see. Before he could question her, Mr. Bennet and Jane entered, followed closely by Dr. White.

  Darcy remembered his manners in time to introduce the arrivals to Jane and Mr. Bennet. Dr. Taylor bowed perfunctorily before requesting to be taken up to Miss Elizabeth at once. Dr. White sniffed as he took in the younger man’s crisp, military bearing. Nevertheless, he followed as Mrs. Hurst took him to his patient upstairs.

  “Georgie, dearest, I am pleased to see you, of course, but I am a bit astonished that our aunt allowed you to travel this far.” Darcy addressed his sister gently.