Mr. Darcy's Noble Connections: A Pride & Prejudice Variation

  "Perhaps you understand better now why I am willing to deceive my father to delay the betrothal. Eleanor would be better off married to someone like Darcy who is not subject to my stepmother's wiles. But I have no say in that since my situation with my father is also complex. If I were his heir, he would listen to me, but neither of us knows whether I am or not."

  This seemed a much safer topic. "That would seem to be a simple question, in as much as you have an elder brother."

  "I do, though whether he is still alive is another question."

  "He is travelling abroad, is he not?"

  "That is one way to put it. I suppose Eleanor told you that?" At her nod, he continued. "She has never wanted to face the facts when it comes to Edward. The truth is that he is in exile."

  "In exile?"

  "Four years ago he killed a man in a duel. He fled the country before he could be charged with murder. He went to Europe initially, and as far as we know, he is still there, but we have heard nothing since his first month there."

  "He does not write to you?" Somehow this silence seemed more shocking than a duel.

  "No, but I cannot blame Edward for that. My father told him never to contact us again. Edward obeyed him, and as a result, we do not know where he is, how he is managing to live, or even if he is still alive. It is disturbing, to say the least."

  "He cannot write to any of you? That seems very harsh."

  Lord Charles shrugged. "My father was furious with him, more about the events that led up to the duel than the duel itself. My brother had always been rash, but it was a shock to discover he had become dishonest."

  "Really?" Elizabeth injected a touch of skepticism in her voice.

  "Yes, really. You have no doubt been told horror stories about my depravity, but what he did - or what they said he did - is something even I would not do. He cheated in a contest with another man. Pardon me; I should not have said even that much. You are so easy to talk to that I forgot myself." He seemed genuinely shaken.

  "I am not offended." she said gently. "You sound as if you were uncertain of the truth of it."

  He took his time about answering, looking up toward the sky for a short time, then down at his boots. "At some level, I cannot believe it. The brother I knew would never have done such a thing. If I had not been told it by so many sources, I would say it was a lie. Of course, you might say that I am just choosing not to believe it, but my brother was a good man. Not perfect, but not a liar and a cheat."

  "It sounds as if you miss him."

  "I do. And I miss knowing what is in my future. It was all planned out - Edward was the heir, I was to go into the military, and my younger brother was for the church. But after Edward was exiled, my father bought a commission for my younger brother instead, while I have no purpose, since I am neither heir nor able to pursue a career. If Edward does return someday, I do not know what I will do."

  "What would you like to do?"

  He spoke without hesitation. "I would like to be a diplomat. War only exists when there is a failure of diplomacy. That would seem to be the best place to put our efforts."

  She smiled, though she could not help thinking that a diplomat's life would be much more comfortable than a soldier's, and wondered how much that influenced this spoiled young nobleman. "I imagine you would make a good diplomat, though you might have to change your ways to avoid jeopardizing relationships with our allies."

  He laughed. "How right you are. But the only other thing I would enjoy doing would cause my father to have an apoplexy on the spot, so it is better for me to think of diplomacy."

  It was clear he hoped that she would ask. "And what is that?"

  "You must not tell a soul, or I will never live it down." His eyes took on a faraway look. "I would like to breed dogs."

  Elizabeth was so startled by this response that she almost tripped over a small stone. "Really, my lord?" she asked with a laugh. "Somehow I imagine you would miss the excitement of London."

  He seemed surprised at the question. "I have never liked London. I prefer the countryside, and there is nothing I enjoy more than working with dogs. All of the Carlisles are mad for animals, and I am no exception. And now you are laughing at me."

  "Just surprised and confused. If you dislike London, why do you live there, even when the Season is over? You have a country home here, one of the most beautiful in England."

  "Aye, there's the rub." The bitter twist of his lips was back. "Bentham Park is beautiful, but it comes with the price of living with my father and stepmother. My father expects me to live either here or in London. Since I cannot live with them. London it must be."

  "Yet you are here now and do not seem unhappy."

  "I was commanded to return for this house party, so I have done so. And you would accuse me of wild flattery if I told you that the only thing that makes it bearable is your company and that of Eleanor, so I shall not say it, even if it is true."

  "Most people would say that my charms pale beside those of Bentham Park," she said lightly. "While I have no particular fondness for your stepmother, and I would be happy never to hear another of her etiquette pointers or lectures on the importance of my deportment, I fail to credit that she could drive you from your home."

  His lips pursed as if he had tasted something sour. "You know, I assume, how my father came to marry her?

  "I have heard rumors," she said carefully. When he raised an eyebrow, she added, "One person told me she trapped him."

  "It was at a soiree given by a very fashionable hostess. My father was given a message that someone needed to speak to him urgently in the library, and when he went there, he found her in a state of dishabille. He chose to be chivalrous and offer her the protection of his name. He did not realize she had done it intentionally."

  "An unfortunate beginning, I agree."

  "That is not the unfortunate part for me. Entrapments happen; it is part of life, and at least she is young, pretty, and capable of handling her role as Marchioness. However, under ordinary circumstances she would not have been able to gain entrance to an event of the sort my father would attend. She was only at the soiree because I brought her there."

  "Oh, dear." She had not expected that.

  "It was not a coincidence. She did not possess the connections needed to enter the exclusive circles where the wealthiest nobles travel. But she could approach me, since I am only a second son. She was charming, lovely, and most attentive to me; I was young and gullible. When she said she wished to meet my family, I thought it meant that she cared for me. I brought her to the soiree so that she could meet my father. She made an excuse to leave me for a few minutes, and the next time I saw her was when my father announced his engagement to her."

  Elizabeth winced. "I am sorry to hear it. It is no wonder you are uncomfortable with the situation."

  He shrugged. "Fortunately, I was not so enamored of her that I could not recognize she had done it all deliberately. Had I any doubts, they would have been put to rest when I discovered my brother Edward had received an identical message at an earlier event to which I had taken her. Women were always trying to trap him, and he saw through it at once, so she had to settle for my father. And that, my dear Miss Bennet, is why I do not like coming to Bentham Park."

  "That is understandable." In truth, she hardly knew what to say. The story itself was less shocking than that he had told her such a personal and painful tale. Their brief acquaintance did not merit such confidences. It reminded her of Mr. Wickham, who had poured out his fabricated tale of woe at their first meeting, and she had failed to see the impropriety of it. This seemed different, though. Lord Huntingdon did not seem to be trying to influence her views as much as explaining his own.

  "And on top of it all, she dislikes dogs." He sounded indignant now.

  "I beg your pardon?"

  "She dislikes dogs. I do not mind my father having a beautiful young wife, even if she is extravagant, and she seems to try to make him happy. But she dislikes dogs. Can
you believe it?" She laughed. "It seems you find that more disturbing than all the rest!"

  "Sometimes I think it is," he said, half under his breath. "What sort of person dislikes dogs? I hope you do not dislike them, Miss Bennet."

  "I would not dare to tell you if I did! But you may rest easy, as Eleanor can attest that I am quite fond of them. She had a spaniel named Maisie who was our constant companion for years."

  "I remember her. She slept in Eleanor's bed. Maisie's brother Herodotus was mine, and I would make myself ill with missing him when I went off to school. My grandmother still has some of their descendants."

  "I have seen no dogs at Bentham Park on this visit."

  "She thinks dogs do not belong in the house. She and my grandmother fought constantly about the dogs. My grandmother left after my stepmother hired a new kennel-master who was unkind to the dogs, and she took the family spaniels with her. Eventually my father shut down the kennel altogether, and his two hunting dogs are cared for by the gamekeeper. We used to have the finest kennels in Yorkshire."

  "I take it your father is not as mad for animals as the rest of you?"

  "Oh, he is! Sometimes I think my father only hunts so that he can be with the dogs. But I can guarantee one thing: no matter whether Edward inherits or I do, Bentham Park will be full of dogs again." He said it with an odd ferocity.

  "And your stepmother will be living in the kennels?" suggested Elizabeth with a laugh. While she still would not trust Lord Charles alone with her in a room, she had to admit that today she had found him more likable. When he shed his pretenses and flirtation, he had greater depths than she expected. "Do not tempt me!" he said with a smile.

  Chapter 5

  Under ordinary circumstances, Darcy would have been interested to hear tales of his father's youth. These were not ordinary circumstances, though; and when the tales consisted primarily of recounting details of cricket matches that took place long before he was born, it was all he could do to remain civil to Lord Bentham. The carriage ride had been short, but the wait for the carriage had stretched forever after Elizabeth and the others disappeared into the gardens on their way to the ruins. His mind kept presenting him images of Carlisle beside her, talking to her, touching her, coldly calculating the seductive potential of each look and word.

  By the time the carriage reached the ruins, Darcy felt as if he had eaten rocks for breakfast. Lord Bentham was still speaking to him, but Darcy could not stop himself from looking over his shoulder in an attempt to locate Elizabeth. She was not in his line of sight, but he saw Carlisle chatting with Miss Elliot. Hot relief flooded through him. Nothing terrible could have happened in just this half hour when they were in company with so many other people.

  His breathing easier, he turned back to Lord Bentham and nodded as if he had been listening to him all along. Fortunately, his lordship did not seem to require any input from Darcy to enjoy his recounting of the past.

  Once they dismounted from the carriage, another one of the guests caught Lord Bentham's attention. Darcy took immediate advantage of the opportunity to walk a few paces ahead, hoping for a glimpse of Elizabeth. If he could find Lady Eleanor, Elizabeth could not be far away, but he could not spot her golden hair either. Where had they taken themselves off to?

  "Mr. Darcy," trilled a feminine voice beside him. Darcy recognized Miss Elliot's honeyed tones and resigned himself to yet another delay. Miss Elliot would not allow him to slip away easily. Her sights, like those of so many other young women, were set on the position of Mistress of Pemberley. Little did she know that looking for a bride was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment! Even if he wanted one, she would not be the sort he would choose. Her birth was good, but her vanity and artificial charm grated on him even in brief encounters. He could not imagine spending the remainder of his life with her.

  He would be civil to her, though, if for no other reason than that he would not allow Elizabeth to catch him being anything less than amiable to anyone. Of course, he had not been amiable with Elizabeth herself when they danced. He had wanted to shake her when she dismissed his warning about Carlisle. One minute furious with her, the next wanting to hold her in his arms and comfort her, the next wanting to...best not even think about what he wanted to do next.

  A sharp rap on his arm roused him from his reverie. Miss Elliot held her fan poised to strike again. "Mr. Darcy, I begin to question whether you are listening to me!" she said flirtatiously.

  He floundered for a moment. "I was momentarily awed by the magnificence of the ruins." True enough, but only when considering the ruins of his former love for Elizabeth Bennet.

  "Oh, the ruins," she said dismissively. "They are very picturesque, I suppose. The sun is quite warm, is it not?"

  He was about to reply that he found it pleasantly cool when he recalled that she was speaking the language of the ton. A reference to warmth meant that she wished him to offer to bring her a cool drink. With an inward sigh, he said, "I believe I see a bowl of lemonade over there. Perhaps a drink might refresh you. May I have the honor of bringing you one?" How he hated these games!

  "That sounds lovely, Mr. Darcy." She batted her eyelashes at him.

  At least fetching the lemonade gave him the opportunity to inspect the area. After a moment, he spotted Elizabeth seated with Paxton and Lady Eleanor. Now that he knew she was safe, annoyance replaced his earlier worry. Why could she not simply have listened to his warnings about Carlisle? Was she deliberately trying to make his life difficult? He returned to Miss Elliot and handed her the lemonade with a forced smile.

  Miss Elliot now seemed to expect him to partner her for the remainder of the event. Darcy had a sudden urge to plead illness and return to Hillington Hall where he would not have to make dull conversation with a lady with neither cleverness nor humor to enliven their interaction. Alas, he had promised Paxton he would help by coming to the house party, and he still did not trust Carlisle. The thought made him glance over to Elizabeth's group. Elizabeth was no longer there, only Paxton and Lady Eleanor in close conference. With a sense of dread, he began to look around openly, hoping to spy either Elizabeth or Carlisle. Neither was in sight.

  His heart pounding, he said, "Excuse me, Miss Elliot. I have only just remembered an urgent message I must give to Mr. Paxton." He bowed and left quickly, before she could say a word. She would no doubt be angry at this cavalier treatment, but he no longer cared.

  Darcy strode across the clearing to where Paxton and Lady Eleanor sat in the shadow of the far wall. After the briefest of greetings, he said, "Miss Bennet is not with you today?"

  Lady Eleanor gestured to her left, then stopped. "She was right here talking to Charles...." Her voice trailed off for a moment. "Oh, what a beast he is! Come, Geoffrey, we must find them. Pardon me, Mr. Darcy."

  "Lady Eleanor, I believe we share the same concern," Darcy said urgently. "I will look for them as well."

  She gave him an assessing look. "I will go with you. Geoffrey knows the ruins well enough to search on his own. We can start with the cloisters." Had he not been so worried, he would have been impressed by Lady Eleanor's assertiveness. Instead, he led off in the direction she indicated, ducking his head to step through a low stone arch.

  Lady Eleanor peered into a dark corner. "They have not been gone long, so they cannot be far."

  How many minutes were required to compromise a woman's reputation? If Charles Carlisle was involved, Darcy suspected it was a very short time indeed. The next doorway led into a room where the arched roof was still intact, supported by rows of columns. Enough light came in through the empty window openings to show that no one was there.

  "Watch your step here," warned Lady Eleanor, pointing to a half-buried lintel. "This takes us into a corridor that runs the length of the abbey."

  It was like a maze, the twists and turns causing him to lose all sense of direction. The shadows finally gave way to bright sunlight as they entered a roofless chapel. Darcy halted abruptly as he spotted the two f
igures at the far end. Elizabeth was sitting on a fallen pillar while Carlisle towered over her. one booted foot resting on the pillar just inches from her. His hands clenching into fists. Darcy forced himself to remain where he stood. He did not trust his temper, or rather he trusted too well it would lead him into a situation best avoided.

  His companion seemed to have no such reservations. Lady Eleanor stalked toward the two of them. "Charles, how absolutely lovely of you to show Miss Bennet the ruins," she said in a voice laden with irony. "Especially after I most particularly asked you not to do so."

  Straightening Carlisle laughed and chucked his sister under the chin. "Since when do I take my orders from my little sister?" he said lazily. "Besides, there is no harm that could befall us here. There are dozens of people within calling distance, not to mention servants swarming everywhere." He turned an intimate smile on Elizabeth. "Besides, your Miss Bennet is quite able to keep me in my place."

  Elizabeth stood and dusted off her hands, then paled as she caught sight of Darcy. "Of course, I have not yet figured out what your place is, though I am quite certain it is not in a church, ruined or not." Lady Eleanor motioned to Darcy. "Would you be so kind, sir, as to conduct Miss Bennet back to the party? I have a few things I would like to say to my brother. Alone."

  Lord Charles raised an amused eyebrow. "What a shockingly bossy wench you have become, Eleanor. I think I will join Miss Bennet and Darcy instead."

  Raising her chin, Eleanor said, "If you would prefer that I speak my piece in front of them, we can do it that way. I would simply prefer not to embarrass either Miss Bennet or Mr. Darcy with our private business."

  "Oh, very well. Miss Bennet, I will see you again very- soon."

  Elizabeth looked from one of them to the other, then gave Darcy a long, serious look. "I can see that any hope of a peaceful day is in vain, so perhaps returning is my best option. Mr. Darcy?"

  He nodded, unwilling to trust his voice, and gestured silently toward the corridor.