A Scandal at Pemberley Read online

  Kitty had explained to her that children were an inevitable part of sharing one’s bed with one’s husband and, as she had no wish to fill a nursery even with someone as handsome as the major, she must remain single until she was ready to be a mama.

  ‘Georgiana, you are wool-gathering, I asked you if you would be kind enough to find the novel I was reading earlier. I cannot remember where I last saw it.’

  ‘Of course I will fetch it for you, Lizzy, I am certain you had it with you at luncheon. I shall go right away and look in the small dining room.’ Something occurred to her as she reached the door. ‘Will Adam and Major Brownstone be joining us for dinner?’

  ‘Indeed they will, my parents have yet to meet their future son-in-law which is unusual to say the least. As Fitzwilliam gave Adam permission to address Kitty there was no need for him to make the long journey to Longbourn and speak to Mr Bennet.’

  Jane, now seated opposite her sister in an upright padded chair, joined in the conversation. ‘Papa gave his consent in writing, Lizzy, so everything is as it should be. I am quite certain he will approve of Adam. As Darcy now considers him a friend, Adam is bound to impress both of our parents.’

  Georgiana still found it strange to hear Mr King addressed so informally by everyone, but it was not her prerogative to comment. She hurried on her errand her head buzzing with possibilities. Her brother had changed since he had married Lizzy; she had softened his reserve so that he now seemed more approachable and less haughty. A year ago the only friend he had was Bingley and now he had Adam included in his inner circle. Was it possible he would ever consider Major Brownstone in the same way?

  If Fitzwilliam did not approve of the major he would not have been invited to join them tonight. It was a conundrum that she could have feelings for the major when she was certain she had no wish to marry him – no that was not quite true – it would be fair to say she had no desire to be married to any gentleman at the moment.

  Kitty had only known Adam since last December, had not even had a Season or reached her nineteenth birthday, but had absolutely no doubt at all she wished to be married. The dining room was empty and decidedly chilly now the fire had been allowed to die down. Pemberley was her home, a magnificent edifice, the biggest and most splendid establishment in the whole of Derbyshire, but its sheer size made the building impossible to keep warm. It had been far more comfortable living at The Old Rectory where Kitty would be moving to next week.

  She found the book immediately. Lizzy had left it where not even a diligent servant would have seen it, for it was under the table. With the novel in her hand she began the long trek through the house to rejoin her sisters. She was just entering the central, flagstone passageway that bisected the house when someone called her name.

  ‘Miss Darcy, I beg your pardon, but I have been wandering about this vast place this age and am no nearer to finding the small drawing room.’ Lydia ran towards her holding her skirt aloft to avoid tripping over – that she also showed an indecorous amount of ankle did not seem to bother her.

  ‘Mrs Wickham, I apologise if you have become lost. You could have rung for a footman and he would have guided you to the drawing room. This is a large building, but it is laid out sensibly and I am sure you will have no difficulty finding your way in future.’ She pointed down the passageway. ‘You are almost there, I’m sure you would have arrived on your own volition very shortly.’

  ‘Mama has retired to bed with a megrim but I am sure she will be recovered in time for dinner tonight.’

  Georgiana was about to point out that when she had a sick headache she was prostrate for days, but thought better of it. ‘I expect the stress of the journey has unsettled her nerves. Shall we go and join Lizzy and Jane? It is far too cold to stand about chatting here.’

  ‘I know we are not to become friends during my visit, Lizzy made that quite clear, but perhaps we can become acquaintances. I believe that we have a great deal in common.’

  This was said with an open, sunny smile, but Georgiana had difficulty keeping her dismay from showing. How could Lydia be so unkind as to mention what might have happened in Brighton three years ago? She was relieved they had arrived at the small drawing room and she was not obliged to reply.

  Lizzy was comfortably settled on a chaise longue and Jane was sitting opposite. Neither got to their feet on their entrance – for all its grandeur Pemberley was not a formal place to live. Lizzy had seen to that when she had taken the reins last September.

  However, they were greeted with smiles and affection and that was more than enough. ‘Come in, girls, you both look chilled to the bone. If there were fireplaces in the passageways I would insist that they were kept burning both day and night.’ Lizzy patted the end of her daybed and Georgiana was about to take this seat when Lydia sat there herself.

  ‘Lizzy, one might suppose your baby was due in the spring and not the summer.’ Lydia simpered and gestured to the quite noticeable roundness beneath her sister’s gown. ‘Do you think you could be mistaken with your dates?’

  This outrageous comment caused a collective gasp and Lizzy sat bolt upright, swinging her feet to the floor. ‘Lydia, if you wish to remain under my roof you will curb your tongue. Do I make myself quite clear?’ Her voice was as cold as the passageway outside and Lydia’s smug expression slipped.

  ‘I beg your pardon, I was jesting...’

  ‘Then your idea of what is amusing is in very poor taste.’ Lizzy pointed to a chair at the far side of the room. ‘I wish Georgiana to sit next to me, kindly remove yourself and sit over there.’

  Lydia flounced across the room but did not take the chair; instead she walked to the far end and pretended to be entranced by the vista. Once she was out of earshot Jane spoke up.

  ‘Oh dear, this does not bode well. I wish Kitty had not been so insistent Lydia must come to her wedding.’

  ‘Marriage does not seem to have improved her, Fitzwilliam was right to be wary. We can hardly send her packing as it would upset Mama.’ She shuddered. ‘I do not think we would wish Mama to become upset. I well remember how she behaved when Lydia ran away – I don’t think Fitzwilliam would stand for it.’

  ‘I think that you are expecting twins, Lizzy, there can be no other explanation.’ Georgiana had been thinking this for some time but had not wished to voice her opinion upon a subject of which she knew very little.

  ‘Twins? Of course, why did I not think of that? Small wonder I am growing at such a remarkable rate.’ Lizzy flopped back on the chaise longue as if not particularly pleased at the prospect of producing not one, but two potential heirs for the Pemberley estate.

  ‘Fitzwilliam will be pleased, will he not? Having two babies, no three as Jane will be residing in the East Wing when it is completed, will be splendid.’ Georgiana did not understand why neither of her sisters-in-law appeared to share her delight.

  ‘I wish things were as simple as that, my dear, but producing twins is considered far more hazardous than producing a single baby,’ Jane said.

  Lizzy reached out and took her hands. ‘We must not look so worried, dearest girl, I am as strong as an ox and I am quite certain nothing untoward will happen to me or my babies. Mind you, this is merely speculation on my part, I could be carrying a single baby of magnificent proportions.’

  ‘Surely Doctor Bevan will be able to examine you and confirm or deny your suspicions?’

  ‘I shall certainly ask when he comes next month. There is no need to worry about this possibility at the moment, Georgiana. Promise me you will not mention anything to Kitty or Mama, I have no wish to upset either of them at this happy time.’

  ‘I wish I had not mentioned it, but after Lydia…’

  ‘Forget what she said, I already have, dearest. Now, I have no wish for Fitzwilliam to know of any of this. Will you promise me that what has taken place here will remain a secret between us until after the wedding? I am certain that he would have Lydia’s bags packed within minutes if he knew.’

 
; Although this chamber was called the small drawing room, this was really a misnomer for there was enough space for two dozen people to sit comfortably and still be able to converse in private. Georgiana stared at the girl at the far end of the room and, for the first time in her life, understood what it was to hate someone.

  *

  ‘Jonathan, I have no intention of changing my mind. I knew the moment that I saw Kitty I would marry her, and I intend to do so in five days’ time, with or without your approval.’ Adam King glared at his friend who was unbothered by his anger.

  ‘That is all I wanted to hear you say. As your groomsman it is my job to ensure that you wish to tie yourself to a young lady that you have only known for three months.’

  ‘You are forgetting, my friend, that she lived under this roof until last week and that we have spent more time in each other’s company than most betrothed couples do in a long engagement.’

  ‘Remember, less than two years ago you were fighting at my side, and in that short space of time you became a man of the cloth – renounced your vows and became involved in the supernatural. Do you not think you are rushing into matrimony? Why not leave it until you have settled into being a gentleman of leisure?’

  ‘Stow it, Brownstone, or I shall floor you.’

  Jonathan chuckled. ‘There is no need for fisticuffs, Adam, I give you my word as an officer and gentleman that I shall say no more on this subject. Kitty Bennet is a delightful young lady and will make you a perfect wife.’ He yawned and his jaw cracked loudly. He had been staying up too late and drinking too much since he had returned to The Old Rectory three days ago.

  ‘I thought you had a tendre for Georgiana and would be joining me in wedded bliss before the year is out.’

  ‘Have I been so obvious in my regard for her? We get on well together, but she is too young to become a serving officer’s wife and I have no intention of resigning my commission. The King is going to need every experienced officer to fight the French and I would be betraying my country and my regiment if I stepped aside for something as trivial as love.’

  Adam frowned. ‘In which case, you have behaved poorly. I have become fond of Georgiana and will not stand by and see you break her heart.’

  ‘I think you underestimate her, she has made it very clear to me she has no wish to follow the drum and she is well aware that I intend to remain a serving officer. We agreed we should be friends, enjoy each other’s company, but with no expectation of anything permanent coming from the relationship – at least at the moment.’ Seeing the expression on his friend’s face made him realise he had made a grave error of judgement. Showing such partiality for a young lady without making her an offer was tantamount to ruining her reputation.

  ‘There is no need to say what you are thinking, Adam. Darcy will be expecting me to speak to him after the wedding, will he not?’

  ‘Indeed he will, in fact everybody is expecting you to ask permission to pay your addresses to Georgiana.’

  The situation was nothing short of ridiculous. Jonathan gave a snort of laughter. ‘In fact the only person who will not be expecting me to do so is Georgiana herself. She wishes to have a Season in London “before she becomes entangled with a gentleman”. They were her words exactly. Please excuse me, I shall pen her a note explaining the situation so that she is prepared for me to…’ He was unable to finish his sentence, not sure if his friend would understand.

  ‘Feel free to send one of my footmen with your letter. You are right to be concerned, Darcy would never have permitted you to spend so much time alone with his sister if he was not convinced you intended to make an offer for her sooner rather than later. There is one thing you do not wish to do, my friend, and that is make an enemy of Fitzwilliam Darcy.’

  Having excused himself, Jonathan made his way to the study where he would find the necessary requirements for writing his note. The room was pleasantly warm and he found a fresh pen, paper and sealing wax on the desk ready for use.

  He would have to assume Georgiana was allowed to receive letters without them being perused first by either her sister-in-law or her brother. What he was going to write was for her eyes only – it would be an unmitigated disaster for anyone else to read the contents.

  My dear Miss Darcy,

  I’m writing to warn you that your brother is expecting me to make you an offer after the wedding. I know, for we have spoken of it together, that you have as little wish as I to become betrothed at the moment.

  If I do not speak to your brother he will think I have been playing fast and loose with your feelings. Therefore, for both our sakes, I am suggesting that we pretend to be betrothed. I shall speak to Darcy as if I intend to marry you in the autumn, but we will both know this to be a Banbury tale.

  Our false engagement will prevent the tabbies gossiping and keep your good name intact. We have become good friends, I hope, and I would not like to lose your friendship. Although at this time neither of us wishes to embark on matrimony, I can assure you that when my duty is done things will be different. I shall resign my commission, and if you are still single, I shall be appearing at Pemberley in the hope that you will do me the honour of becoming my wife.

  We can tell our families that we wish to have a long engagement, that we have no intention of marrying before the summer of next year, and this should give you ample time to break the engagement if you meet someone more to your liking.

  I hold you dear to my heart,

  Jonathan Brownstone, Major.

  He sanded the paper, folded it neatly into a square and scrawled her name on the front. He then sealed it with a blob of wax and pressed his signet ring into it. He marched to the bell-strap and pulled it. When a footman appeared he was given the missive and told to deliver it immediately to Miss Darcy and not to wait for a reply.

  Satisfied he had done all he could to ameliorate the situation he strolled back to join Adam in the main drawing room. He was a soldier through and through. His milieu was the military and he found himself rather out of his depth socialising with the cream of society. The fact that his grandfather was an earl meant nothing to him, he had never met the man and his father had been estranged from him for years.

  His older brother, Richard, would inherit the title and the entailed estates that went with it, he must continue to make his own way in the world. He stiffened as something appalling occurred to him. He was not in a position to make Georgiana an offer unless they were to live off her wealth.

  He was not a fortune hunter and would never marry an heiress in order to better himself. Georgiana could make a match with the highest in the land, not only was she rich, she was also kind, intelligent and the most beautiful girl he had ever set eyes on.

  Adam must have got things wrong – Darcy would never entertain a virtually penniless soldier as the husband for his precious sister. Dammit to hell! He must reclaim the letter before it was too late.

  Chapter Three

  Kitty did not join the ladies in the drawing room and Georgiana had no wish to spend the remainder of the afternoon in Lydia’s company so decided to go in search of her friend. ‘Pray excuse me, Lizzy, Jane, I am retiring to my apartment but will rejoin you, of course, for dinner.’

  Lizzy glanced at the far end of the room where Lydia was still sulking and then turned back. ‘I understand, my dear, there is no need for you to remain here with us. Perhaps you could send Kitty and Mary here, I cannot remember the last time we were all together.’

  ‘I think I can hear them coming, I was beginning to worry about their absence.’ Georgiana crossed the room and opened the double doors just as the two girls arrived. Mary ignored her and walked straight across to take a chair beside Jane, but Kitty took her hands.

  ‘Mama is asleep so we have come to join you. Are you not staying?’

  ‘No, I have no wish to intrude on your reunion.’

  ‘Fiddlesticks to that! I would much rather spend time with you than with Lydia or Mary.’

  Georgiana choked
back a laugh. ‘Shush, you must not say such things, your sisters would be deeply offended if they were to hear you speak like that. I am already at odds with Mary and I find that I cannot like Lydia at all.’

  ‘I am not surprised, she has a natural talent for upsetting all those she comes in contact with. I cannot imagine why I wished to have her here and I sincerely regret my decision. I shall spend no more than half an hour conversing with my sisters and will then return to the apartment.’

  ‘You had better go; Lydia is on her way to join Lizzy and Jane.’

  Georgiana slipped through the door closing it quietly behind her. She was about to ascend the Great Stairs when there was a sudden hammering on the front door which sent a footman racing across to open it. Curious to see who might have arrived so precipitously she paused, hoping she could catch a glimpse of who it was without being seen herself.

  To her astonishment the major burst in, his shako rakishly over one eye and his dark blue military uniform liberally mud-spattered. There must be an emergency of some sort to bring him pell-mell to Pemberley. Without hesitation she stepped into view. ‘Major Brownstone, has there been an accident?’

  He skidded to a halt as if she was speaking in tongues. ‘Accident? Why would I come here if that were the case? No, I wish to...’ His voice trailed away and he ran his finger around his neck as if his stock had unaccountably tightened.

  Belatedly she remembered her manners. ‘Do come in, Major Brownstone, I expect you wish to speak to my brother. I shall have someone take you to the billiard room.’

  ‘No, he is the last person I wish to speak to.’ He scowled and she was certain she heard him say something very impolite under his breath.

  ‘Whatever the reason you have arrived in such disarray, I do not think we should discuss it here. If you do not wish to see Fitzwilliam then presumably you have come to speak to me. If you would care to follow me we can converse privately in this anteroom.’ She gestured towards a small chamber in which unexpected visitors were asked to wait.