Mr Darcy's Fight for Love, page 13
“I understand. It is a wise decision, yet I pray for it not to be necessary.”
“You, Arthur, you are my best friend!”
The colonel smiled faintly, nobody called him Arthur anymore.
“Yes, Fitzwilliam, tell me whatever you want.”
“This evening my solicitors will also come for my testament—the only heiress is Georgiana, and I want to be sure all the documents are prepared. Your father is the guardian I chose for Georgiana, a long time ago in the event…”
“I know,” the colonel said.
“But I want you to observe every step she takes until she marries. I also asked Elizabeth and Sophie to be her advisors, the female presence near her. Still, please take care that she receives all the inheritance and her money is kept away from a man like Wickham or the viscount.”
“It goes without you asking me…I will be her shadow…but please finish all you have to do this afternoon and evening and then act normally; tomorrow you will come back and your life will go on as if nothing had happened.”
Darcy nodded, it was also his decision not to think of the worst possible outcome.
“This is not all. This evening I will write a codicil to my testament. My mother had a small property near Dover; it will go to Mr Bennet. It is not much and it does not impact Georgiana’s heritance, but for Mr Bennet and Elizabeth it will be the difference between anxiety and quiet life. In my bedroom you will find a box; there are some pieces of jewellery for Elizabeth and all the money I could gather. Please give it to her in a most discreet way. And that is all.”
“Are you sure you want to be alone tonight?”
He was. So the colonel gave him a rare embrace at the front door of the house. He and Darcy had been together from birth, the difference between them was insignificant and he could not imagine life without him. If he could, he would have gone in his place, just to be sure that the despicable viscount would never come back in society. He only hoped that Darcy would keep his nerve and aim for the heart.
∞∞∞
Elizabeth sat down in the library, incapable of moving. She wanted to be alone, but she knew that, in the end, she would have to face the others and…Georgiana. For her, losing the man she loved was a tragedy whereas for Georgiana losing the only close parent she still had was beyond sadness. It was as if the universe should collapse.
Jane and Mary were near Georgiana and kept her occupied. There was also Mr Bingley, who left Sommershire Palace only to sleep. He was a kind and brave man who wanted to be near Darcy but accepted that the colonel or the Marquess of Montrose were more suitable for such a task. Instead, he did what he knew best: offered kindness and comfort. Clearly, her sister had chosen a man she could depend on.
But then she also had her man, and he was right for her. She closed her eyes and imagined she was at Pemberley with Darcy, married; she saw their children and their everyday life, not continuous bliss but a family with bad days and good days…She stopped, the torment was too great, so she just remembered the few moments they had been happy together in the last week.
In the silence of the library, Elizabeth got an idea. Forced to wait until the outcome of the duel, she got caught up in a sort of frenzy. She had to act, to do something to help him…to try to dissuade the viscount from going on with the duel. To look into his eyes and maybe find an ounce of humanity and empathy.
She could not wait any longer; her decision to go to the viscount was a last desperate try to cancel the duel.
She asked a maid to invite Lady Sommershire and Lord Montrose to the library. Worried, they came in a hurry, only to find a woman with a peaceful and determined face.
“Lord Montrose,” she said, “I want your help!”
“Anything, Miss Elizabeth,” he said, and Sophie nodded.
“You need to accompany me to the viscount’s house.”
If they were astonished, neither of them showed it; on the contrary, Elizabeth saw only dedication and approval.
“I am at your disposal.” Lord Montrose answered, ready to help her
“We both are, my dear,” Sophie said firmly. “But we do not know where the viscount lives.”
“We can find out, he is well known in Town,” Lord Montrose said. He instructed his valet to go to a certain friend, a solicitor, who had the viscount’s address.
It was after 7 o’clock when left the palace, Lord Montrose and the two ladies in a carriage, while another one was following them.
He did not show it to the ladies but had a pistol. He even thought that if the viscount tried to put even a finger on Miss Elizabeth, he would have a motive to shoot him.
Arrived in front of the viscount’s house, Elizabeth got into the empty carriage while Lord Montrose and Sophie were closely watching her. Elizabeth was protected by four servants who stood in front and behind her carriage, ready to intervene at the smallest signal. One of the servants knocked at the door and passed a verbal message for the viscount—“Miss Bennet kindly asks you to come to her carriage.”
In the beginning, Elizabeth wanted to write a note, but Lord Montrose objected, “It is better not to write him; we do not know how he could use your letter.” And while she waited, she could not but appreciate Lord Montrose’s help.
It was cold in the carriage, but it did no matter, through the open window she could see the viscount’s silhouette as he came down the few steps to the street. He was accompanied by a servant with a candlestick and in the pale light, Elizabeth could see his smile, “Miss Bennet what an honour,” he said. One short look at the carriage behind made him understand that Elizabeth was not alone. He did not try to get into her carriage, he silently accepted that their discussion would be through the open window.
“Good evening, Viscount Devonshire,” Elizabeth said and her voice did not tremble.
“I see you came accompanied, I hope you are not afraid of me!” he continued still thinking he could conquer her.
“To be truthful, sir, I am!”
Surprised by her answer he wanted to say more but Elizabeth cut short, “I have come here sir to ask you to renounce the duel; I am sure you could find an amiable way of solving this situation.”
“My Lady,” he replied and this time his voice was sharp like a sword blade, “I am afraid nothing could compensate the offence…but a duel.”
“I am ready to do anything,” Elizabeth said.
Lord Montrose thought that maybe a large sum of money would tempt the viscount. They did not know the situation of his fortune but years of gambling could have had an impact. That was the idea behind her last words. She even thought that the Duke of Sommershire could gain him a particular privilege…but the viscount totally misunderstood her words. A sly smile appeared on his face that made Elizabeth realise what he was going to propose to her, but again she did not tremble.
“Then, Miss Elizabeth, please come in to have dinner with me,” he said dinner in such a way that his intention was evident as the daylight. Elizabeth blushed in the darkness of her carriage but did not lose her composure. She brought her face to the open window and began to laugh. It was the only way that the viscount’s indecent proposal could be vanquished.
“You are dreaming, my lord. In three short weeks I will be the wife of the most marvellous man in London…why do you think you could make me accept such a bargain?”
“Because it is not certain that after the duel the marriage will still take place and you can save your man if you love him. You have my word you can save him this way!”
“Well, Lord Devonshire, your word does not amount to a rusty pence for me.”
She could see the anger growing in the viscount.
“If you cannot persuade him to cancel the duel, at least make him angry, make him lose his mind with your disdain,” Lord Montrose said to her in the carriage, “an angry, frustrated gentleman is not a good shooter.”
“Good night, then, Lord Devonshire!” Elizabeth said in the same tone.
“You will be sorry, madam!” the viscount shouted and then he looked around to see if anyone had heard, but the street was empty. “If Darcy dies, you will have his blood on your hands, because you hate me,” he whispered in the same hateful tone.
Elizabeth fixed him with angry eyes and said, “It is not I carrying the pistol…and I do not hate you, Lord Devonshire, I despise you!”
Then she shut the window and knocked for the servants to start the carriage.
Chapter 25
It was still dark when Darcy with the colonel arrived at Battersea Fields.
Darcy had slept all the way from home while the colonel’s turmoil grew with every mile. He had been on a battlefield, ready to fight and die, but he had never felt the fear that was now overtaking his mind. He looked at his cousin and could not imagine having to take the way back to Town without him and then to announce the news to Georgiana. But once at Battersea Fields, he tried to think about practical matters. He made some measurements and waited for the daylight to decide which was the best shooting position.
Rarely did someone die in a pistol confrontation because the pistols were not very accurate; more often there were wounds of different severity. But there had been cases of death, the colonel was sure not because of the duellists’ skills but mostly by chance. Or rather by mischance.
When another carriage approached, Darcy got down onto the field. He was strangely calm as it was not his nature to anticipate the worst. He had slept a few hours till his butler came to wake him up—a sleep without dreams like a black cloud to cancel his worries.
He did not have any thoughts but those regarding the details and clues his cousin told him a day before.
He knew that the time had come. He looked as the viscount’s ‘seconds’ got out and started talking to the colonel. Almost at the same time Lord Montrose arrived riding a horse near the doctor’s carriage. They were all on the field excepting the viscount.
“Lord Devonshire will approach the moment you are ready,” one of the ‘seconds’ told the colonel. They presented the pistols to the colonel and Lord Montrose, who took each pistol and attentively considered each of them.
The doctor was inside the carriage, waiting for the fight to end. He was prepared to help and the colonel wondered why the viscount did not bring his own doctor. In the case of both being wounded, it was highly improbable for the doctor to have time to attend both of them. But it was not his problem.
He looked around at the forest that provided isolation for the fight field and then he looked at Andrew, who was also waiting for his signal.
They were ready.
Both men approached Darcy and silently embraced him. And suddenly Darcy felt better; he had good friends near him which was much more than his enemy had.
At the colonel’s sign, one of the ‘seconds’ headed to the viscount’s carriage and in a few seconds, the duellists saw each other for the first time that morning.
The indifferent expression on the viscount’s face looked more like a mask than a real state of mind. The colonel’s experience with men on the battlefield told him that the viscount was scared and trying to hide.
‘A good point,’ he thought. In the end, the viscount had nothing valuable to fight for—a ruined reputation was not the best reason, while Darcy had a beautiful life before him with the woman he loved and a family that proved how solid was its support in times of crisis.
‘Be calm, my cousin,’ the colonel thought as if Darcy could hear him…and maybe he could because his face was so serene, such as the colonel rarely had seen.
Darcy and the viscount each took a pistol and as they arrived at their position they bowed.
The colonel stopped breathing, so enormous was the pressure he felt. He was not very religious. Still, he said a silent prayer while Lord Montrose kept in his hand a talisman Lady Sommershire gave him.
It was at that very moment that an unusual noise came from the trees on the side. It sounded like a group of people marching in a constant rhythm and indeed in a very few seconds through the trees, twelve soldiers led by an officer appeared.
A profound wonder covered the gathering. The colonel made a vigorous gesture to stop the duellists while the officer came closer and said, “This duel is outlawed, I have the mission to arrest the duellists. Please, gentlemen—Mr Darcy, Lord Devonshire—put your pistols down on the ground; in the name of our king you are under arrest.”
He spoke with a deep and severe voice expecting everybody to obey.
Darcy looked at the colonel who made an unmistakable gesture inviting him to drop his pistol in front of him. Yet, he still hesitated. He did not look at the viscount, nobody did until they heard him shouting like a madman, “You traitor and coward! You called your servants to stop the duel and save yourself!”
Stunned, the officer turned to the viscount. “Watch what you are saying, sir; we are here on the order of our commander. Just put down your pistol!”
“You too, sir,” he said, turning again to Darcy.
It only lasted for a moment when all eyes were on Darcy while he slowly bent to put his pistol down. Then as he rose, all eyes turned to the viscount who, before anybody could make any move, aimed his pistol at Darcy and fired.
Shock and chaos filled the scene. At the officer’s order the soldiers ran and arrested the viscount, holding him tightly while he was shouting, “Is he dead?” Nobody answered and the soldiers almost dragged the viscount who wanted to escape and see for himself if he killed his enemy.
Darcy was down. The colonel, Lord Montrose and the doctor knelt near him. He lay with his eyes shut, covered in blood but from only one glance the doctor whispered, “He is not dead,” and the colonel breathed for the first time in seconds, his lungs burning, his heart completely broken in pain.
He looked at the viscount as he was leaving, surrounded by soldiers while his ‘seconds’ were nowhere in sight. It was over, yet what a tragedy.
They helped the doctor undress Darcy who opened his eyes and looked rather curiously at those near him, “What happened, where is he, is it finished?” he whispered.
“Yes, it is over, do not talk,” the colonel said, “you are slightly wounded and we will take you home.”
“He is lucky,” the doctor mumbled as he was trying to stop the blood, “that mad man aimed right, but the bullet passed between his arm and chest, along a rib…three inches right and it would have been in his heart! He is superficially wounded, he is not in any danger as soon as I stop the bleeding.”
They helped the doctor to lay the wounded man down on the carriage seat and the colonel and the doctor headed to Darcy’s home.
Chapter 26
Lord Montrose mounted his horse to take the good news to Sommershire Palace.
He was so relieved that he galloped through the streets of London like a lunatic; all he wanted was to arrive and shout that Darcy was alive.
He found everybody in Sophie’s parlour in a mournful atmosphere, they all looked frozen in pain and worries. Even the duke and Mary were present. They did not talk, but from time to time one of them went to the window to see if a carriage or horse was coming. When Lord Montrose finally arrived, they were all tired and sad as they expected horrible news.
In vain the duke tried to tell them that the duel would not take place, but Elizabeth and Georgiana would believe only the news coming from Battersea Fields.
“He is alive,” Lord Montrose shouted from the door watching as Georgiana almost fainted in Mrs Bennet’s arms while her sisters and Sophie surrounded Elizabeth.
“He is slightly wounded!” he continued and again all the joy froze.
“How?” shouted the duke looking at Mary, “What happened?” Mary asked in her turn. “Yesterday we asked the Regent to arrest them both and stop the duel; it was what we have been trying to tell Elizabeth for the last hour.”
“Indeed,” Lord Montrose said, “a squad of soldiers came with the order to arrest the duellists.”
“To arrest?” Elizabeth said for the first time attentive to the conversation.
“Yes, Elizabeth,” the duke said, “they had orders to stop the duel and present the duellists to the court. For their release they would have had to sign a document by which they pledged not to continue their rivalry.”
“Lord Montrose, please tell us what happened!”
“The soldiers were prepared to arrest them, Darcy was placing his weapon on the ground when the viscount, in a fury, aimed at Darcy and fired!”
Elizabeth fell into an armchair incapable of believing such a horror. “He shot an unarmed man?”
“Yes, that dishonest, unscrupulous, worthless man shot Darcy after he had placed his weapon on the ground.”
“What shall we do now?” Elizabeth asked.
“I have to go home,” Georgiana said finally recomposed and everybody around agreed. “My brother needs me.”
“We all have to go!” Lord Montrose exclaimed as he looked at Elizabeth’s face; she wanted so much to be with Darcy, yet she did not know how to propose such a visit.
“Elizabeth also has to go. The poor man was full of blood and in pain but his only thought was to bring Miss Georgiana and Miss Elizabeth at his place…so what I propose is to accompany the ladies to Darcy’s to celebrate that this horrible story had a happy ending.”
Mr Bennet wanted to protest but Mrs Bennet was at her best, “We have a duty to help Lizzy to see her betrothed is well cared for. It is a good idea to go, Lord Montrose.”
Mr Bennet hid a smile, Mrs Bennet took good care of her daughters’ betrotheds and never let them from her sight. It was a good method to assure that neither of them would change his mind. He looked around. Mr Bingley was there from the first minutes of the morning, anxious about his friend. He may live in the clouds but not when it came to helping the people around him. Jane would be a happy woman near him. While Mary was already the Duchess of Sommershire; the few days until her wedding were just a formality, as she was regarded as the mistress of the house and as the most precious jewel by her future husband.
