Page 86 of The Cheapside Runners
Gardiner nodded, and finally said, “It is not my place to advise you, but if it were—”
“I can always disregard advice, but I cannot evaluate what I do not hear. Only a fool goes into battle without the very best scouting reports he can get.”
Gardiner nodded. “I cannot tell you how to live your life, but I doubt very much that you will ever make general.”
Both the colonel and Darcy perked up at that. “Meaning?”
“This is not based on definitive information, mind you, but you are far likelier to make earl than general, if you take my meaning.”
“I suppose you imply my brother’s longevity is… at risk?”
“Considerable risk. He owes a great deal to people who should not be trifled with.”
Darcy and the colonel did not know whether to feel surprised, sad, or indifferent.
“Is there anything I could do to save him… if I were so inclined?”
“Not unless you could go back in time and beat some sense into your father when you were children. His fate was cast before he left for Eaton. It has just taken all this time, and a lot of difficulties for many people, for it to catch up with him.”
Darcy asked, “Should we at least try?”
Gardiner gave him a very hard stare and just waited him out.
Darcy finally said, “I see your point. In a just world, I would be more inclined to help fate along.”
“Yes. Youcando nothing, and youshoulddo nothing. Theman has dug his own grave. Let him be buried in it.”
“Good riddance,” the colonel muttered, but he had some thinking to do.
“While you are thinking, Colonel, I would ask you to consider something.”
“Of course!”
“Elizabeth makes more money than a general, and more than her father, while I make considerably more than her. If you deviate from the three professions gentlemen are theoretically supposed to select from, you have choices where you need not even dodge bullets.”
“He has you there,” Darcy said quickly before his cousin could react. “I would be happy to discuss some opportunities with you.”
“More charity?” the colonel asked, though not as emphatically as he once might have.
“Hardly. It would be business… the dreadedtrade, but I think you could do many things quite profitably.”
“I will give it some thought.”
“While you are thinking about it, I suggest we rejoin the ladies,” Gardiner asserted.
29.Seasons of Love
A week later, Lydia asked at dinner, “Lizzy, are we still going to the theatre?”
“Yes, but I have to think about when. Christmas is coming up, and you are all staying in town, so there is no hurry. I think we should delay until our courtship is public.”
“I am curious. How do you afford a box?” Mary asked.
“Oh, that is easy. Wealthy people lease boxes for a season or several. Fitzwilliam, I imagine you have one?”
“Of course,” he replied softly, then added in a tone worthy of Lady Catherine. “It is expected of a man of my station, and to do less would be an insult to my ancestors,” which elicited a nice laugh from the group.
“And you attend perhaps a half-dozen times per year, at best?”
