Page 53 of Darcy's Guarded Heart
Lady Catherine’s enquiry about Georgiana prompted a flicker of concern. He feared she would broach the delicate subject of Georgiana’s unfortunate friendship with the Bennet sisters or that boy, but thus far she remained silent.
“Georgiana is, as well as can be expected. I daresay a return to Pemberley will restore her spirits.”
“Excellent! I must invite you to Rosings Park first. My vicar is to be wed, and I believe you know the bride.”
Darcy’s heart clenched. Who could it be? His thoughts immediately turned to Elizabeth. He had observed the way Collins favoured her company, both at the ball and in conversations around town. Jane had shared whispers of the odious little man’s attentiveness to Elizabeth with Bingley.
This troubled him greatly, and he silently prayed the bride was not Elizabeth.
“A young lady named Charlotte Lucas,” his aunt pronounced. “She’s the daughter of a knight.”
“Oh,” Darcy exhaled, relief pouring over him. “I am familiar with Miss Lucas—a commendable young woman.”
“Indeed, though perhaps not quite so young. She is seven-and-twenty, considered somewhat past the marrying age. I did caution Mr Collins to ensure she is fit for motherhood.”
Darcy frowned. “How is he to gauge that?”
“He can enquire as to her mother’s age when she bore each of her children; it serves as an indicator. You ought to understand such matters, Fitzwilliam.”
Darcy nodded without further comment, placing his napkin on his lap.
“And how fares your unfortunate friend, Mr Bingley?”
“He remains as he was,” he replied thoughtfully. He had not confided in his aunt regarding Georgiana’s involvement withthe Bennets, nor had he shared the deeper reasons for Bingley’s disquiet. To Lady Catherine, he credited their parting as a righteous measure. She had lauded him as a hero for rescuing Bingley from a dreadful match.
“He is quite miserable. I am beginning to doubt the wisdom of my actions.”
“My dear nephew, what trouble could possibly arise from separating from a family of such lower station?” she asked, exuding confidence in her opinions. “If anything, Bingley is beneath the Bennets. He is not yet a true gentleman, lacking an estate.”
“But he shall, in due course,” Darcy interjected. “Do not let his present woes stain your conscience, you did the right thing. He shall soon express his gratitude.”
Darcy had little faith in this forecast but his aunt offered no time for reflection.
“We must always safeguard our status, Fitzwilliam. One cannot lower themselves by marrying beneath their station; we must always marry upwards or at least on par.”
“But what if such decisions lead to unhappiness?”
“Happiness blossoms from respect and financial stability, not from the fleeting allure of a handsome visage or a clever retort. You ought to have grasped this by now.”
While he conceded that physical beauty may fade, he maintained that a partner’s intellect was of considerable importance.
His aunt snorted. “I hardly presume Bingley seeks much intellectual challenge. He strikes me as one unconcerned with matters of profundity.”
Darcy pursed his lips, acutely aware that, while Lady Catherine might favour Bingley, she also harboured a certain disdain for him. She misinterpreted Bingley’s warm disposition as folly, a perspective Darcy found inequitable.
“Mr Bingley is my closest friend, Aunt Catherine. I wish you would refrain from such disparagement.”
“Disparage? I recall the night he almost allowed himself to be ensnared in that wretched match. You performed valiantly, Fitzwilliam, and I will assert it a thousand times over. You must learn not to emulate your father,” she cautioned. “He mistakenly elevated that detestable Wickham to your equal standing, and we all know how that concluded.”
With that, she resumed her meal, forcing Darcy back into the depths of his thoughts. He should have drawn strength from her words, yet they only deepened his uncertainty. Throughout his life, he had often found himself at odds with Lady Catherine’s perspective, particularly concerning the nature of love.
Had he truly erred in separating Bingley from Jane Bennet? And what of Thomas? Lady Catherine’s remarks regarding social status, the importance of remaining within one’s sphere, made him uneasy. He was haunted by the scrutiny with which she viewed Bingley, who had yet to rise in society, despite being one of the finest friends he had ever known.
He reflected on Lady Catherine’s final sentiments, remembering his father’s failure to see beyond social standing when he took George Wickham into their home and treated him as a son. Those memories bore a weight of anguish, forDarcy had never felt more cast aside than when his father embraced Wickham so warmly. Had he allowed those harrowing experiences to darken his perception of the Bennets and their ilk?
How often he allowed the spectres of his past to taint his judgements. Yet now, only upon witnessing the consequences of his actions did he fully comprehend what he must do.
Chapter Twenty-Six
