Page 17 of Pemberley's Imposter
“Dear Lords and Ladies, friends and family, we are gathered here today in honour of my niece Miss Georgiana Darcy, to celebrate her betrothment to my son Colonel Fitzwilliam. May I be the first to offer them my sincerest congratulations.”
The room erupted in cheers and wishes of joy and happiness. Darcy looked at his sister, who was immediately swamped by a mass of tittering ladies, but he managed to catch a glimpse of her eyes. She must have known because she looked guilty and not at all surprised.
Had living with him become such a burden that she would shackle herself to his debauched cousin?He could not fathom this turn of events, except for the culprit obviously being his uncle. He had been betrayed by a Fitzwilliam for the second time and loathed his own name. Never would he saddle a son with a surname as his Christian name. Not that he would ever have a son of his own.
Instead, it would be Colonel Fitzwilliam’s son who would inherit his life’s work.
Darcy felt sick. It must have shown because Lady Matlock approached him and steered him out of the ballroom to Lord Matlock’s study. She filled a tumbler with a generous amount of brandy and thrust it into his hand. He swallowed the amber liquid in one large gulp and felt the familiar burning sensation travel down his throat.
“What is the meaning of this? You were the last person I would have expected to cause a scene. I am sorely disappointed in you.” Lord Matlock had followed them to the study with Colonel Fitzwilliam trotting in his wake.
“I am sorry to spring this upon you in this manner, Darcy, but something had to be done about you thwarting your sister’s prospects. In this way, we have secured both the Darcy and Fitzwilliam blood at Pemberley for the next generation. May I remind you, you are not the owner of an estate, you are the guardian for future generations.”
Darcy felt the injustice of his uncle’s accusations; the rage that surged through his veins was impossible to quell. What had his sister been thinking?
“I need to speak to Georgiana,” he ground out through clenched teeth.
“What, now? The ball has commenced.”
“Yes, now! I shall not enter your ballroom until I have spoken to my sister—alone.”
The Matlocks filed out of the study, and a contrite Georgiana soon entered. She stood just inside the door, studying the pattern on the carpet. He waited patiently for his sister to explain herself, but she offered nothing.
Darcy sighed deeply; he would haul it out of her, the truth of the matter. It had evidently been a mistake to allow Georgiana to visit the Matlocks while he was busy with estate matters. His closest relations must have worked upon her until she relented. But he was not sacrificing his sister; the scandal would not matter much.
“Please tell me you were not coerced into accepting your cousin.”
Georgiana’s head snapped up.
“Of course not. Can you not be happy for me?”
Darcy searched his sister’s eyes; they wore a defiant expression.
“I…” he faltered.What can I say to change her mind?“Please. Let us sit and discuss the matter as rational beings.”
Georgiana acquiesced with a nod and moved to the chairs before the unlit fireplace.
“I know Richard wronged you, Brother, but are we not better off without Elizabeth?”
His first impulse was to vehemently protest, but, thankfully, his reason re-emerged before a word left his lips.
“Would you not agree it is better to be informed than to be ignorant? I admit Richard’s warning came a bit late, but at least it was before you sired an heir you could not be certain was your own.” Georgiana paused and cleared her throat. “Richard told me about her affinity for Mr Wickham and how he had to defendyourname to her. May I remind you that a child born within wedlock would be impossible to disinherit. I do not commend Richard’s method, but the outcome is the same.”
It surprised him that Georgiana could speak Wickham’s name with such ease. He hardly heard what she said next, but it delighted him that she was fully recovered from her disappointment.
“It is time to leave the past behind and focus on the future, Fitzwilliam. I love Richard, and I know he will treat me well. He is deeply injured by your estrangement and your continued refusal to mend the breach. He wants nothing more than for the two of you to have the relationship you once had. You truly were like a brother to him.”
“Colonel Fitzwilliam was well aware I was approaching the library because he summoned me thither under some pretence or other.”
“Exactly. He knew you were coming. It only proves he had no intention of seducing Mrs Darcy. He wanted to open your eyes.”
“He could have spoken to me.”
“Would you have believed him? You were so in love with Elizabeth, nothing else mattered. It was the only way he could break the spell she had cast on you.”
A quarter of an hour of uncomfortable silence was broken when Georgiana rose from her seat and offered him her hand.
“Come, Brother, dance with me.”
