Pride Prejudice and Prodigy

A Matter of Honour

Chapter 18 ~ A Matter of Honour

After the countess' departure from Pemberley, Georgiana was in a state of ecstasy. She wondered when she would next see Mr Darlington, and what would then transpire between them. Towards evening, shortly before Mr Darcy's return from the Derby assizes, a servant arrived from Kympton with a message for Georgiana from Julia Darlington, which she read aloud to Elizabeth:

Dearest Georgiana,

I am so pleased that the Countess de Namur was able to enlighten you regarding the ruse which you inadvertently witnessed yesterday. My mother is likewise greatly relieved, and rejoices with me, that you learned the truth of the matter before taking the drastic step which you had contemplated.

Regrettably, my brother, James, was not so fortunate as to learn of the satisfactory outcome of the meeting between the countess and yourself. When he heard the news this morning at Kympton from your sister, Elizabeth, he believed that you had accepted Lord William Beauchamp. He understood the engagement to have already taken place, and departed immediately for London, feeling himself unable to remain in Derbyshire. By the time the countess had returned from Pemberley with her wonderful news, my brother was already many miles distant.

As you may imagine, I straight away despatched a letter to his London address, informing him of the true state of affairs. I only hope that it reaches him quickly, for I fear that he must presently suffer most grievously.

Your dear friend,

Julia Darlington.

***

Georgiana waited anxiously for word from James Darlington. Three days following his departure from Derbyshire, an express from him arrived while she was sitting in the morning room with Elizabeth and her brother, together with Julia Darlington and the Countess de Namur, who had come to wait on them. Georgiana was surprised that the express was addressed to her brother, rather than herself. The four ladies looked at him, and were alarmed at the sombre expression that came upon his face as he read.

“I must go to London immediately,” he said with some urgency.

“What is it, my dear? What has happened?” asked Elizabeth, anxiously.

Mr Darcy read from Mr Darlington's letter:

I have just this hour heard some most surprising, and disturbing news. It concerns your cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam. It is reported that he is engaged to fight a duel over an insult upon the honour of his future wife, Miss Anne de Bourgh. My informant is not privy to any further particulars; and although the details are sketchy, I believe there to be a high probability of the accuracy of the report.

“Yes, yes, of course you must go immediately, my dear; and if it is not too late, attempt to dissuade your cousin from fighting,” pleaded Elizabeth. Then after a moment, she added. “I think I shall come with you, my dear; perhaps he will listen to me.”

“I fear we shall not arrive in time to prevent it; although I would be most happy of your company,” replied Darcy, ringing for the servant who was immediately despatched to the stables to have the carriage readied for the journey.

“May I come also?” asked Georgiana, greatly anxious for the fate of her beloved cousin.

“Yes, of course, my dear,” replied her brother.

“And if there is room in the carriage for a fourth, do I ask too much, to beg that I may be permitted to accompany you?” entreated Julia.

Mr Darcy readily assented to her request, and within the hour the four of them set off for London. They stopped briefly at the first town through which they passed, to enable Mr Darcy to send an express ahead of them. When they were once again on their way, he explained, “I have alerted the housekeeper to our arrival, and instructed her to prepare a guest apartment for Colonel Fitzwilliam. I also sent an express to Mr Darlington, requesting him to bring my cousin to Grosvenor Square, and take all necessary measures, at my expense.”

“Such as engaging a physician, should he require one?” asked Elizabeth anxiously.

“Yes, exactly,” Darcy replied. “I recommended Stevenson of Harley Street.”

Julia gasped and turned pale as she contemplated the import of his words.

In an effort to distract her from such worrying thoughts, Elizabeth said, “I find the whole affair quite bizarre. Anne de Bourgh is the very last woman one would expect to be the object of a duel.”

“I have been thinking much the same thing,” said Georgiana. “On account of her poor health, my cousin, Anne, never travels to town, and is seldom seen abroad. It is hard to imagine many persons beyond the immediate neighbourhood of Rosings Park, or my aunt's visitors, even being acquainted with her; much less, finding cause to make so offensive a remark in her regard, as might provoke a duel. She is so insipid and reserved; she never speaks to a soul outside of the family circle; it is all quite inexplicable.”

“Perhaps Mr Darlington's source had the wrong de Bourgh,” suggested Elizabeth. “Perhaps it was your aunt who gave rise to the precipitous insult. She is doubtless a woman well able to give offence.”

Darcy snorted. “Yes, my dear; as you know from first-hand experience, my aunt is indeed gifted in the art. I very much doubt, however, that my cousin would risk his life challenging the offended party to withdraw what was, very likely, a well-deserved insult of Lady Catherine. I think a far more likely explanation of the business is that my cousin has been challenged for the hand of Miss de Bourgh by a competing suitor.”

“Without wishing to injure Miss de Bourgh,” replied Elizabeth, “she is hardly the young lady one would expect young men to fight over. It has taken all of Lady Catherine's considerable powers of persuasion to bring your cousin to the point; and if I recall correctly, they were entirely insufficient to the task in your case,” she said, smiling impishly.

“Indeed they were not,” reflected her husband fondly. “But I believe there are men who would find Miss de Bourgh's fortune ample motivation for wishing to marry her. Rosings Park, unlike so many great estates, is not entailed upon the male line, and will pass in its entirety to my cousin, Anne, when her mother is deceased. It is one of the finest estates in all of England.”

They resolved to drive on through the night, stopping only to change the horses every few hours, and for a brief dinner at an inn. Managing only a fitful sleep, they were rather weary upon arriving in London, late the following morning.

When the housekeeper opened the door, all she could manage, after welcoming her master and mistress, was to announce that Mr Darlington could be found in the morning room. Whatever else the good lady wished to impart to them was lost; for the entire party hastened immediately to find him. As they entered the morning room James Darlington rose from his chair; but before he could speak, his sister Julia was urgently demanding news of Colonel Fitzwilliam. “Is he alive? Is he badly hurt? For God's sake, James, where is he?” she entreated him most passionately.

“Sitting right here,” came an amused voice from the occupant of the large wing chair, which stood with its back to them, and facing the chair from which Mr Darlington had just arisen.

Julia rushed to Colonel Fitzwilliam, and dropping to her knees, she embraced him, tears streaming down her face; until, realising the impropriety of her behaviour, she quickly released him, her face turning bright red. Rising to her feet, and taking a backward step, she now regarded him carefully. To her horror, she observed the right sleeve of his jacket hanging empty and lifeless from his shoulder.

“My God!” she cried, falling once more to her knees, her face turning from red to white. “You have lost your arm,” she said, clutching at his left hand, miserably.

“Indeed not,” replied Colonel Fitzwilliam, gently extricating his hand from hers and throwing open his jacket to reveal his right arm heavily bandaged above the elbow and supported by a sling. “It is merely a flesh wound; the physician assures me that with a little rest, I shall make a complete recovery.”

Julia had to resist the impulse of throwing her arms around him again, so happy and relieved was she, to be thus reassured that he was not badly hurt. The formal greetings between the four newcomers and the two gentlemen, which had given way to Julia's impetuous behaviour, were now made; and they all sat down to take refreshments after their long journey.

Georgiana found herself excessively conscious at being in James Darlington's company after all that had passed recently in Derbyshire. Her mind, however, was very soon occupied with the surprising details concerning the duel, which were now revealed. It began with Colonel Fitzwilliam informing Julia that he had something to tell them which was bound to dampen her present good spirits, and that would cause her unhappiness. “My opponent was not so fortunate as I,” he told them ruefully. “My intention was only to force him to the point of surrender, and oblige him to withdraw his odious remarks. Regrettably, in endeavouring to defend oneself with the sword, it is not always possible to limit the injury one does to one's opponent. Accidentally, I inflicted a mortal wound upon him,” he said lowering his head sorrowfully.

“Now look here, Fitzwilliam,” said his cousin. “You can hardly blame yourself for such an accident. He was a fool to agree to fight a swordsman of your reputation in the first place. And if you were prepared to accept the withdrawal of the offending remark as satisfaction enough, then it was entirely his own fault, if he chose to persevere.”

“Indeed, I was prepared to forgo the satisfaction of a duel, if he would but retract the insult. I was most surprised that he chose not to do so.”

“But, who was the gentleman you fought with?” asked Elizabeth. “Was it anyone we know?”

Colonel Fitzwilliam looked exceedingly uncomfortable, and was unable to answer her question. At length he said, “For heaven's sake Darlington, tell them – for I cannot.”

All eyes turned to James Darlington. He rose from his chair, and approaching the couch, where sat his sister, he went down on his knees and took her hands in his. “My dear Julia,” he said sombrely, “his opponent was our brother, Edwin.”

“No!” gasped Julia. “Edwin dead? No!” she cried, tearfully.

“But, Mr Darlington, this makes not the slightest bit of sense,” said Elizabeth. “Why would your brother Edwin insult Miss Anne de Bourgh? He can hardly know her. What is she to him, that would cause him to do such a thing?”

“It was not Miss de Bourgh whom he insulted,” replied James Darlington. “Yes, I know, in my express, I stated that the duel concerned Colonel Fitzwilliam's future wife, Miss de Bourgh. My informant, it transpired, was not entirely correct; and unfortunately, I made a wrong assumption, thereby further compounding the misinformation. It was not Miss de Bourgh who was the subject of the insult.”

“And neither am I engaged to my cousin,” added the colonel.

“You are not engaged to Anne de Bourgh?” exclaimed Julia, so startled that she stopped crying. “But there were several reports to the effect that the matter was entirely settled, and an engagement was certain, if not yet fact.”

“No doubt rumours put about by my good aunt, in the belief that if all the world believed me to be engaged to marry her daughter, Anne, that I, too, must believe it,” said the colonel smiling.

“But… then to whom are you betrothed?” asked Julia.

“I am not presently betrothed to anyone.”

“Then who is the lady whose honour you were defending?” asked Julia, perplexed.

Colonel Fitzwilliam looked away from Julia and remained silent. Finally, James Darlington spoke. “My informant was only slightly in error: he told me that a gentleman had insulted the woman that Colonel Fitzwilliam wished to marry, and I naturally assumed he must be referring to Miss de Bourgh.”

“But then who is the lady,” demanded Julia of her brother, who looked towards Colonel Fitzwilliam with raised eyebrows.

Finally, the colonel spoke. “I encountered your brother, Miss Darlington, several nights ago at his club; where I happened to be dining at the invitation of a friend. I understand that in recent years, he has gone there but little. Indeed, he is rarely in town, since the loss of his character. He was come to London, I understand, in order to make preparations for his forthcoming marriage to Miss Caroline Bingley. It seems that he decided to dine at his old club, though most of his former acquaintance there refuse even to acknowledge him. Probably, he had been drinking to excess. Upon recognising me, he arose and, somewhat unsteadily, approached the table at which I was dining, where he delivered his insult.”

“But against whom was the insult made?” asked Julia.

Since the colonel again declined to name the lady, Mr Darlington spoke. “It was not the lady to whom the colonel was engaged to be married, for of course there is no such lady. It was the lady whom he had wished to marry.”

Julia turned and looked enquiringly at the colonel.

“There is only one lady I have ever wished to marry,” said the colonel, staring at the floor.

“Oh!” exclaimed Julia. Then a moment later she asked, “But… why would my brother Edwin have insulted me?”

“Because you refused to marry him, I imagine,” said Elizabeth. “And very probably, he still wished to marry you, despite knowing that his suit was hopeless, and having settled for Miss Bingley.”

“Yes,” added the colonel, “it seemed very much that way to me. With his impending marriage to Miss Bingley, I imagine that the disappointed hopes of what might have been were prominent in his mind; and of course, when he recognised me, he recalled that though you refused him, you were on the point of accepting my addresses.”

“Yes,” said Elizabeth, “that is very likely what provoked the insult.”

“It is quite certain,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam, “for he began haranguing me about it: asserting that it was I, who came between the two of you, and that, were it not for me, you would have accepted him.”

“Never!” exclaimed Julia. “I will not call it a lie, for perhaps he allowed himself to believe it. I would never have accepted him – under any circumstance.”

“Your brother began to gloat, and crow about how he had taken his revenge upon us both, by thwarting our marriage. I became so angry, that I immediately apologised to my host, and rose to leave the club; for I could tolerate his behaviour no longer.”

“But, then how did the duel come about?” asked Georgiana.

Elizabeth now realised why Colonel Fitzwilliam had earlier wished to avoid naming Julia as the object of the duel. He did not wish to disclose her brother's insult for fear of hurting her.

“He hurled an insult at my back as I was leaving. It was a most scurrilous lie, and he spoke it so loudly that all the dining hall heard it. I could not allow such a scandalous perjury to be made publicly, and demanded that he withdraw it immediately – or give me satisfaction with his sword. He readily accepted the latter, and when we met two mornings later, I again asked him if he would publicly withdraw his falsehood – rather than fight. He insinuated that my offer was borne of cowardice, and refused to withdraw.”

“What did he say of me?” asked Julia, anxiously.

“I shall never repeat it,” replied Colonel Fitzwilliam. “It was a total fabrication, and utterly unworthy of ever being uttered again.”

“Colonel Fitzwilliam,” said Julia sternly, “I have a right to know what has been said against me publicly.”

But the colonel remained steadfast in refusing to speak it.

Elizabeth turned to James Darlington. “Mr Darlington, your sister is entirely correct; it is her right to know – and your duty, as a brother, to tell her what the colonel is too noble and kind-hearted to reveal.”

Mr Darlington looked questioningly at Colonel Fitzwilliam, who shook his head. “You must all know that because the colonel so bravely challenged the slanderer, and defeated him, that his lies are now publicly repudiated.”

“Yes, that may be so, by the agreed rules of gentlemanly chivalry; but still you must tell her,” insisted Georgiana, adding her voice to those of the other ladies. “If she does not know, then she will very likely imagine something even worse than what was actually spoken. No matter how terrible and great a lie it may be, it can in no way reflect upon your sister – only upon the one who uttered it.”

“I am sorry, colonel,” said James Darlington, “but, I must agree with the ladies: my sister has the right to know what slander has been said about her; and if you will not speak it, then I fear I must.” Turning resignedly towards Julia, he said gently, “Edwin's aspersion was with regard to the fact that when we were made destitute some years ago, you came to London and, for a time, were forced to seek employment.”

“What? Only that?” asked Julia in surprise. “Although people are kind enough not to speak of it now, and dismiss it as nothing of the least import, it was already known to a great many in society. Where is the insult in that? I do not understand.”

James Darlington sighed. “Edwin asserted, most explicitly, that the manner in which you earned money was not solely as a teacher of music, but also… in the most dishonourable way imaginable, for a woman.”

The ladies all gasped in unison. “What a despicable thing to say of any lady – let alone his own sister!” exclaimed Elizabeth angrily.

“Indeed it is,” agreed Georgiana. “But the whole world already knows how disgracefully and dishonourably he acted against his own mother, sister, and brother. He has already, by his own actions, condemned himself as the most disreputable of scoundrels. My dear Julia, no rational person can believe a word of it; your reputation and honour remain untarnished.”

“Thank you,” said Julia, “I know you are correct; but it is not my reputation that concerns me, or for which I grieve. It is for my brother, Edwin, whom once I loved, that I grieve; for that beloved companion of my childhood, who was lost to me so many years ago. I have grieved a long time for him; and yet, that it should come to this – that he could have spoken such cruel and wicked lies about me… And now he is dead, and there is no longer hope for him…” Julia began sobbing into her hands. Elizabeth and Georgiana sat themselves on each side of her to give what comfort they might.

“Miss Darlington, I hope, in time, you shall be able to forgive me for what I have done,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam earnestly. “Please believe me, that it was not my intention to kill your brother – only to force him to withdraw his wretched lies.”

Julia looked up through her tears and smiled at him. “You have nothing for which to beg my forgiveness, sir. You have acted entirely honourably. And although I wish, with all my heart, that my brother Edwin were still alive, as imperfect as he was, I do not blame you in the least for what has happened. I think I must express my gratitude, that you would defend my honour with your life. I am greatly in you debt, sir.”

The colonel's face glowed, and he smiled at her with the deepest affection.

“Fitzwilliam, when will you be well enough to travel, do you think?” asked Darcy.

“I am ready now – to travel by carriage at least. It may be some time before I am again ready to be mounted.”

“Then, I think we should return with you to Pemberley, where you may recover at your ease,” said Darcy. “We shall depart tomorrow morning, if you are up to it, and make an easy journey of it.”

“That is very kind of you, Darcy,” replied his cousin, “I most happily accept your invitation.”

James Darlington rose to his feet. “If you will all excuse me, I have the rather sad business of making the arrangements for my brother Edwin's funeral.”

“James, I shall remain here, to assist you,” offered Julia.

“No, dear Julia,” her brother replied, shaking his head. “You must return to Derbyshire, and give the sad news to our mother, and comfort her. She will be most distraught. I shall take Edwin back to Cheshire, to be buried in the graveyard at Middlewich, beside our father. When the arrangements are made, I shall send an express with the date and time of the funeral, so that you and mother may join me.” Taking an envelope from his jacket pocket, he handed it to Julia. “When our mother is somewhat recovered from the dreadful news, please hand her this letter.”