Page 38 of Compromise & Consequence
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Days melded into weeks and Darcy kept to his study, coming out occasionally to eat a silent meal with his wife, followed by a quiet evening with them both reading or her playing the pianoforte or sewing. More often than not, he removed himself to his gentleman’s club, and rare was the day he joined her for breakfast. He knew he had behaved abominably and until he could right the wrongs of the marriage settlement, he could not look his wife in the face or bear to be in her company.
And so it was, before Richard’s trip to Meryton, Darcy made an appointment with his solicitors. He sat across from Mr. Kemper, one of the senior partners from the firm of Kemper and Bedway, solicitors to the Darcy family for the past twenty-five years. Mr. Kemper looked up from the aged parchment in his hands and said, “Let me clarify. You would like to prepare a new marriage settlement, using your fathers as a guide?”
“That is correct.”
“Mm hmmm… and I am to remove the clause which specifies upon your death your wife must vacate all residences owned by you, taking with her only that which she brought into the marriage and will receive a thousand pounds upon your death and an allowance of two hundred pounds per annum.”
“I also wish to increase the death benefit to twenty thousand pounds and her allowance to three thousand pounds per annum.”
“The article your father had for the heir and other children, shall that be added to yours verbatim?”
“Yes, my father’s template is a sound one and I should have used this from the very beginning.”
“Frankly, Mr. Darcy, I was surprised when you did not. Even your previous mistress received better legal reimbursement when you terminated the arrangement last year.”
Darcy’s cheeks burned with embarrassment at the reminder of his broken liaison. Not only had Georgiana almost eloped with Wickham, but Celeste had taken a lover behind his back. Another nasty discovery he had made when he dropped by unexpectedly to tell her he was off to Ramsgate for a few days and would not be seeking her company until he returned.
Mr. Kemper’s gaze moved down the document. “As for your wife’s pin money, am I to assume we are going to increase that as well?”
“Yes,” he said gruffly. “Exactly what my father had for my mother.”
“Splendid. I believe that takes care of everything, except…” Mr. Kemper paused. “Shall we still include the clause your wife’s father created?”
“Absolutely. He was adamant in having it added, and I see no reason for not allowing it to stand as is.”
“We shall have this prepared next week, sir.”
Both men stood and Darcy gave Mr. Kemper a polite nod of the head and hurried to his carriage. Glad that nasty business was out of the way, he told his driver to take him back to Darcy House. As the carriage trundled through the busy streets, he worried the pinkie ring on his finger.
He had not pressed Elizabeth into performing her wifely duties for two reasons. One, he still did not know if she andWickham were involved intimately and would remain in the dark on that score until Richard returned from Meryton. The second reason being, he was fairly certain now his wife actively hated him, further fueled by his arrogant behavior. If she were innocent of all wrongdoing, he had a very long road to forgiveness ahead of him.
He well knew she had a caring personality, much in evidence when she attended Netherfield Park to look after her sick sister. How many women did he know that would walk three miles, through fields and mud, all in the name of sisterly love? One. He knew only one and had married her.
Chapter Ten
Richard cantered through the picturesque village of Meryton and paused for one brief moment when he beheld the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, walking with three other girls, one of whom gave him a flirtatious little wave. He wished he could find a valid reason to stop and be introduced. All too soon, he passed them by and continued on to the encampment. In short order he stood before Colonel Benjamin Forster, whom he knew quite well, and had appraised him of Wickham’s perfidy, providing all the receipts Darcy had purchased over the years. In total, they added up to over one thousand pounds. The colonel ordered Wickham to report to his office and Richard took a seat in the adjoining room.
His smile was feral at the sound of raised voices and furniture being overturned. Wickham was not giving up without a fight. No small wonder. If he didn’t rot in Marshalsea, he would be deported and he was not one to forfeit his pleasures. Soon, all was quiet and Colonel Forster called him back into the room.
“Mr. Wickham will be stripped of his rank and ready for transport tomorrow morning. I have called in the local magistrate and once he has signed the required documents, I wash my hands of the man.”
“Do you mind if I chat with Wickham? I have something which needs to be cleared up, and I will admit, it is of a personal nature. Nothing to do with all of this in any way.”
“You can go to his cell and talk about anything you like.”
“Thank you, Benjamin. It was good to see you again.”
“We will need your signature on the documents as well before the magistrate leaves.”
“Not a problem. I shall return within the hour.”
Richard left the office and asked for directions to the temporary brig set up near the colonel’s quarters. He could not help but smile when he was led to where Wickham was chained to a wall, his face swollen from a well-placed punch.
“I never thought I would see the day when you were as ugly on the outside as you are on the inside.”
“Fitzwilliam. I would ask what you were doing here, but then we both know Darcy usually sends his faithful lap dog to do his dirty work.”
