Love and Prejudice Chapter 15

“Oh Mary, my child. I do feel your pain,” Beatrice soothed as she continued to stroke Mary’s hair. “However, everything might not be so terrible as you have thought. I may not know Colonel Fitzwilliam very well, but he strikes me as an honorable man who is very much enamored with you. I just cannot imagine such a pleasant man betrothing himself to such a harpy! There must be another explanation.”

Mary’s lips formed a brittle smile at Beatrice’s choice of words. While Lady Letitia may not have quite been a harpy, she was a rather unpleasant and mean sort of woman and Fitzwilliam had never shown much interest in her. Mary’s heart also rebelled at the very notion that Fitzwilliam would purposefully use her in such a way.

“Lady Letitia did say that the engagement was long standing and secret. Perhaps Richard pledged himself to her when he was very young. It may be that Lady Letitia was much more pleasant then.”

Beatrice gave a very unladylike snort at that. “I have met women like Lady Letitia before. If they are vicious harpies at five and twenty they were also ill tempered as youths! No. I wouldn’t trust a single word that passed through those painted lizard lips.”

Mary laughed out right at this, lifting her head from Beatrice’s lap.

“Beatrice, you are quite wicked,” Mary replied as she wiped her wet cheeks and shook her head. “I would like to believe that every word she spoke was a lie. Indeed, I would. However, I cannot see why they would speak in private to each other in such a way. Richard has also made his intentions towards me quite clear yet he still has not proposed nor spoken with Mr. Darcy.”

“I told you that I have known harpies like Lady Letitia and the Viscountess before. When they are in pursuit of a husband there is no limit to their schemes.”

Beatrice turned to face Mary, taking both of her hands into her own.

“However, I must be frank with you, Mary. It is not proper that you continue this clandestine courtship with the Colonel. I know that you mean well and that your love for him is sincere. I also believe that he may sincerely care for you as well. Do not loose all faith just yet. I advise you to speak with him and ask him when he plans to speak with Mr. Darcy. If he continues to prevaricate or gives some excuse as to why he cannot do so, then you must do what is right and end things then and there.”

Mary nodded her head in acceptance. She knew that Beatrice was right. She only prayed that she would have the strength to walk away if the situation called for it.

“Please do not tell Mr. Darcy, Beatrice. I’ve only spoken with you and Georgiana about Richard. I know I have acted foolishly. I could not bear for Mr. Darcy to know and look on me with disappointment.”

“I will not speak with Mr. Darcy, Mary. You have my word. But please, I cannot bear to hear you speak so harshly of yourself. You are still a young woman and you have had to handle your first love without the benefit of a mother to guide you. On top of all this, you have had to deal with two harridans.”

Mary smiled again.

“So, no more self abuse, dear girl,” Beatrice continued as she hugged her close. “If you have need of me, you only need to ask. I do enjoy giving advice.”

With that, Beatrice quit the bed and went to her own rooms to prepare for the evening meal. Although speaking with Beatrice improved her spirits somewhat, Mary did not feel up to the task of enduring another dinner with Lady Letitia’s smug looks and thinly veiled insults. Nor could she endure Richard’s heated glances or compliments.

*************

“Princess,” little William cried as he ran towards Mary. “Momma said that you had a hurt head and that you needed to sleep. Is your head all better?”

Mary laughed as she stooped down to hug the small child. “Yes, my head is all better, Sir Little Bits. I would not miss fireworks for the world!”

Fitzwilliam watched in contentment as William led Mary into the room, pulling her along by the hand towards the windows where the rest of the party was gathered. As the evening’s entertainment was special and the noise would have woken the children anyway, William and Ronald were allowed to enjoy the spectacle with the adults.

He smiled as he walked towards her and offered her his arm.

“I am pleased that you are well enough to join us, Miss Farthington. Your presence was missed at dinner.”

His smiled slipped from his face as Mary mumbled her thanks and continued to walk with William, her eyes downcast.

“Colonel Fitzwilliam,” Lady Letitia purred as she made her way towards him. “Is this not a lovely bit of amusement?’

Fitzwilliam swallowed a groan before turning towards her and offering a placid smile. “Quite.”

“Shall we join the others?” Letitia asked as she threaded her arm through his.

Fitzwilliam nodded absently as he continued to watch Mary. She stood surrounded by the children and her relations. Mrs. Peterson noticed his perusal and met his stare with one of her own. She frowned at him most openly before turning back towards the window and wrapping one arm about Mary’s shoulders in a motherly fashion. Before Fitzwilliam could wonder at the action, the fireworks began and he found himself pulled hurriedly towards the windows by Lady Letitia.

Despite the spectacle of the fireworks display before him, Fitzwilliam’s gaze remained fixed on Mary. For her part, she endeavored to ignore his pointed stares, looking at him once, only to blanche as her eyes came to rest on Lady Letitia who clutched unpleasantly to his arm. He wondered where had gone his teasing girl of the day before. He longed to speak with her privately but found no opportunity that evening to do so. Yet again he lamented the fact that he lacked the privileges of a fiancé.

After the fireworks, the party gathered to partake of hot cider and cakes with the exception of the children as Elizabeth despaired them ever falling asleep should they be provided sugar to further fuel their excitement.

“I find that I am quite tired,” Mary announced to the room as a maid gathered the children for bed. “If Sir Little Bits and Sir Kelvin so wish, I could tell them one story to usher them off to bed.”

“Oh, yes please! A story would be most wonderful,” Ronald pleaded as William bounced up and down.

“Are you sure that you are quite up to it, Miss Farthington? Perhaps you should rest instead,” Fitzwilliam offered with genuine concern. He could find no other explanation for her peculiar behavior.

“I am quite fit for a story, I assure you,” Mary replied in a clip tone, looking him in the eye for the first time that evening.

Fitzwilliam was stunned by both her tone and the look of anger in her eyes. He was about to make another protestation before Mrs. Peterson interrupted him.

“I could do with a bit more rest myself, dear. Let me help you with the young gentlemen. I should like to hear one of your famous stories myself,” Beatrice said with a smile.

Mary smiled at her gratefully before taking William by the hand. Fitzwilliam watched dumbfounded as Mary and Beatrice bid them farewell for the evening.

*************

The Viscountess Daniela examined herself in the mirror, adjusting her nightgown and pinching color into her pale cheeks. Her auburn hair was loose about her shoulders and down her back, the thick curls arranged in such a way as to appear most enticing. Her bosom was freshly powdered and her best perfume delicately applied to her wrists and behind her ears. As she examined the pleasing picture before her, she sighed dramatically. She hoped that her cousin came to appreciate the depths of her affection for her. She disliked asking anything of her husband almost as much as she disliked sharing his bed. However, Letitia was not getting any younger and she had to marry. For reasons that the Viscountess still could not understand, Letitia was determined to have Richard Fitzwilliam, despite his position as a second son with average looks. While her plans to remove the threat of the Farthington chit had been a splendid success so far, more drastic intervention was needed to secure the Colonel. So, as a devoted cousin, the Viscountess felt it was her duty to do all that was in her power to secure the future happiness of her beloved Letitia. After adjusting the scandalously low-cut bodice of her nightgown one last time, she made her way towards her husband’s chambers.

The Viscountess bore the caresses and vigorous attentions of her husband with feigned impatient desire. Thankfully, her husband’s attentions were of a short duration. As they lay in bed, her husband content in the afterglow of their activities, the Viscountess made her move. She sighed dramatically.

“What is the matter, Poppet?” the Viscount asked sleepily as he fondled one of her silken locks.

The Viscountess cringed inwardly at her husband’s endearment. “I am simply worried about our dear Letitia. She has been so despondent lately. I had hoped that this little party would cheer her, but I fear that it has just brought her pain.”

“How so?” the Viscount asked distractedly as his wife lazily traced patterns on his chest.

“I had thought that being in the company of our dear brother would cheer her. You know how she admires him so. But I am afraid that he has quite ignored her, much to Letitia’s regret.”

“Ah. Miss Mary does provide an enticing distraction. I daresay my brother is quite besotted with her. He absolutely refuses to share.”

The Viscountess’ movements stilled for a moment. She had not known of her husband’s interest in that slip of a girl. However, she had known his tastes to always venture into the exotic and new. Of course he would desire to pluck a hothouse flower. The Viscountess resumed her languid attentions to her husband. His interest in the girl could prove useful.

“If only Miss Farthington were somehow out of the way, I know Richard would pay Letitia the attention that she so craves.”

“What can be done for it?” the Viscount asked as he grew restless under his wife’s traveling fingers. “My brother has never shown any interest in your cousin.”

“I know,” the Viscountess replied as her questing hands slipped beneath the covers. “However, if we gave them a moment alone, Letitia would at least have an opportunity to catch his eye. And perhaps…”

“Yes?” the Viscount prodded, his voice roughened with reawakened desire.

“Ad perhaps you could have a moment alone with Miss Mary. Away from prying eyes and uninterrupted.”

“What would you have me do?”

************

Mary dressed her self with care for the afternoon’s planned entertainments. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy had arranged for the party to take part in a sleigh ride tour of Pemberly’s grounds and of local points of interest in the vicinity. Mary hoped to use the sleigh rides as a chance to speak with Fitzwilliam. She would take Beatrice’s advice and learn the truth for herself. After breakfast, Beatrice had informed her that Elizabeth had arranged the groupings for the sleigh rides so that Mary would be paired in a sleigh with Richard with Beatrice acting as their chaperone. Beatrice conspired to delay their sleigh so that it would be the last to depart and then to make herself scarce at the last moment before their departure so that she and Richard could speak in private. Mary thought the plan was rather clever.

The party was all gathered in the foyer being assisted by various staff members in donning warm attire for the afternoon’s sleigh ride. Young William and Ronald chatted excitedly as they shrugged into their winter coats. Mary accepted a hug from each boy as she entered in the foyer.

“Will you ride with us, Princess?” William asked excitedly. “I can show you my favorite hiding places in the spring, but I think the snow may have hidden them all.”

“I would love to see your hiding places, Sir Little Bits, but I think that your mother has assigned me to another sleigh. But, when the weather is warm and the grass is green, I promise to go with you to all your hiding places.”

William pouted dramatically before running over to his mother to ask that Mary be put in his sleigh as the Princess would need the protection of her knights.

“Does not your queen require your protection, William?” Elizabeth replied, with a smirk.

“You will have Papa to protect you. But who will protect the Princess from bandits and thieves?”

“You and Ronald are surely not the only knights pledged to the Princess?” Elizabeth replied.

“No,” William answered as he looked down thoughtfully. “Sir Gallant can protect the Princess!”

Elizabeth watched William run over to his uncle with a bemused expression before walking over to Mary who stood laughing as she watched the scene unfold.

“I suppose that Colonel Fitzwilliam is Sir Gallant?” Elizabeth asked smilingly.

“Yes,” Mary replied, her cheeks warm with embarrassment. “As a knight of my realm he required a proper name. I thought that Sir Gallant suited him.”

“Indeed it does,” Elizabeth agreed as she squeezed Mary’s hand fondly.

Shortly thereafter, the entire party made their way to the carriages. Mary looked around for Fitzwilliam as she was handed into the equipage by a footman. Beatrice stood by the sleigh engaged in a similar search. Soon, all but Mary’s sleigh and that of Lady Letitia remained.

“I’ll go and see what’s keeping him, dear,” Beatrice offered before walking back into the house.

Mary sat in the sleigh for several moments, snuggly wrapped in furs. She used the minutes alone to think over what she planned to say to Fitzwilliam and to steady her nerves. Her stomach rebelled at the fearful thought that Fitzwilliam would only confirm what Lady Letitia and the Viscountess had said. She wondered if she would indeed have the strength to let him go if that was the case. The feel of the sleigh dipping under the weight of a new occupant broke her from her reverie. Mary turned expecting Fitzwilliam before starting at the sight of the Viscount entering the sleigh.

“Your Lordship!” Mary exclaimed.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting, Mary,” said the Viscount as he settled into the seat across from her. “And, we agreed that you would address me as Gregory.”

“Where is Richard?” Mary asked, looking around frantically as the sleigh began to move.

“Ah, he is riding with Lady Letitia,” the Viscount replied with a smile. “He asked me to switch places with him as he needed to discuss some private matter. I confess that I leapt at the opportunity of being in your fair company, Mary.”

Mary regarded him with a look of contempt and disbelief.

“Richard would not do such a thing,” she retorted hotly, remembering his anger following her previous encounter with the Viscount. “I demand that you turn this sleigh around at once!”

“Oh, but we have barely left sight of the house, Mary, and I so looked forward to your company.”

Mary began to grow uneasy under the Viscount’s rapacious smile. “Driver, please return us to the house at once!”

“That will never do,” the Viscount replied after the driver ignored Mary’s demand. “You see, Sam is under my employ and I do not wish to end our lovely ride so soon.”

Mary sat with her mouth agape, disbelieving the Viscount’s audacity.

“Well, I do wish to end our ride. If you are a gentleman, you will instruct your servant to return us to the house at once.”

The Viscount laughed. “Oh, I am afraid that your notion of what makes a gentleman is woefully limited, Mary. I am a gentleman, but I have no intention of returning you to the house just yet.”

The Viscount quit his seat across from Mary to sit beside her in the sleigh. Mary’s anger soon gave way to fear and she clutched the furs tightly to her body.

“What do you want with me?” Mary asked, her voice wavering slightly.

“Only to spend time in your lovely presence, Mary.”

“You do not have leave to call me by my Christian name, my lord,” Mary replied as she inched further away from the Viscount.

“Gregory, Mary. Gregory. I do not wish to tell you again,” he replied as he closed the distance between them.

“If I call you Gregory will you return me to the house?”

“Perhaps,” he replied distractedly. “It is quite cold, Mary. Will you not share the furs with me?”

“That would not be proper, Gregory. There are furs enough for you on the other side of the sleigh.”

The Viscount smiled at Mary’s capitulation. “Oh, but I prefer to share with you, Mary.”

The Viscount lifted a corner of the furs from Mary’s body and slid underneath as he pulled Mary against him.

“Much better,” he commented. “I begin to see my brother’s fascination with you. You are so bewitching in your feigned innocence. But I know that passions run deep in your people.”

“I…I don’t know what you mean. Please, release me. This is not proper,” Mary pleaded.

“Whatever my brother has offered you, I can more than double, Mary. Come to me this season in London and I will lavish you with luxuries and attentions that my staid and poor brother could never offer. I have a little house in London with servants who are paid to be discrete. I will arrange everything.”

“You…you think I am his mistress,” Mary gasped. “What you propose is despicable! I have no need for money and would never degrade myself in such a way.”

“I can offer you more than money, Mary,” the Viscount continued, his questing hands moving from her shoulders to caress her form. “My brother is so prudish and unschooled. I could teach you things and show you pleasures that he could not imagine.”

“I demand that you release me at once,” Mary commanded through gritted teeth.

“Who knew that you had such fire?” the Viscount laughed as he turned Mary forcibly so that she was pressed against his chest. “But you will not deny me.”

With that, the Viscount crashed his lips down onto Mary’s. She screamed and pushed against his shoulders forcefully, but he would not release her. Mary felt his tongue seeking entrance into her mouth. She allowed him in before biting him firmly on the tongue. The Viscount yelped as he pushed Mary away from him. Hearing his master’s cry of pain, the driver stopped the sleigh to attend to him. Sensing her chance, Mary quickly climbed down from the sleigh, falling to her knees as she hit the snow covered ground. Before the Viscount could follow her, Mary picked herself up and ran into the woods.

“Should I follow her, my lord,” the driver asked as he leapt from the sleigh.

“No, leave the blasted chit,” the Viscount bit out as he spat blood from his mouth. “Return to Pemberley without her.

*************
Colonel Fitzwilliam stepped into the foyer angrily shrugging off his coat followed by a sheepish Lady Letitia. He disliked being bamboozled. He had been looking forward to the sleigh ride with Mary and was quite put out when he found himself placed alone with Lady Letitia instead. He immediately suspected that his brother’s sudden desire to have a private word with him just as they were due to embark on the tour was related. He spent the entire sleigh ride seated as far from Lady Letitia as possible. He had been in no mood to indulge her mindless chatter and rebuffed her flattery with a coldness that he seldom displayed to the fairer sex. His ire had been further stoked when Letitia mentioned that his brother Gregory was riding with Miss Farthington. In response to his uttered curse at that bit of news, Letitia became angry herself and began abusing Mary abominably.

“I do not know why you are so concerned after the chit,” Letitia went on. “She is hardly better than a servant and not worth your concern. She’s such a dark coarse thing, no more than a bastard parading around like a proper lady.”

“That is quite enough, Letitia,” Fitzwilliam barked out, stunning Lady Letitia into silence. “You have no right to speak of Miss Farthington in such a way. The lady is everything that you are not. Miss Farthington possess more true grace and beauty in her little toe than you do in your entire body. Despite all your breeding and education, you are nothing more than a vapid shell of a woman who pales in comparison.”

“How dare you speak to me in such a manner!”

“I dare say that you deserve far worse, but I shan’t waste my breath,” Fitzwilliam replied. Ignoring Letitia’s indignant splutters, Fitzwilliam instructed the driver to return them to Pemberley at once.

As soon as Fitzwilliam divested himself of his coat, he was approached by a concerned Darcy.

“Richard, have you or Lady Letitia seen Miss Farthington?” Darcy asked, his brow knit with worry.

“Not since this morning,” Fitzwilliam replied. “Whatever is the matter?”

“Your brother returned to the house without her. He claims that she jumped from the sleigh for no reason claiming that she had to return to the house. But that was over an hour ago.”

“I hardly believe that she leapt from the vehicle without provocation,” Fitzwilliam replied darkly.

“Do you think that he imposed on her in some way?” Darcy replied, his tone matching his cousin’s.

“I do not know, but I would not put it past him. He has demonstrated an unsettling interest in Miss Farthington,” Fitzwilliam replied before calling for his coat. “We can deal with my brother later. It will soon grow dark and Mary is hardly attired for a trek through the snow.”

“You are correct of course,” Darcy replied, ignoring Fitzwilliam’s familiarity with his ward. “I have already called for every available footman to gather to form a search party.”

“I will join the search as well.”

Fitzwilliam turned to see Peterson already dressed in his coat and riding boots. “She is my cousin, afterall.”

Fitzwilliam clapped him on the back. “Good man.”

“Well, lets be off then,” Darcy announced as he donned his hat and headed for the door.

*************

Mary shivered as she sat on a rock deep in the woods surrounding Pemberley. She was completely lost and began to despair of ever finding her way back to Pemberley before it became too dark to see in front of her. As it was a new moon, Mary knew that she would have no source of light to guide her steps. The coat she donned that afternoon had been sufficient for a two hour ride in an open sleigh complete with furs and warming blocks, but it was woefully inadequate for an impromptu nighttime hike through snow covered woods. She began to regret her decision to run into the woods rather than along the road when she made her escape. However, Mary had been too bewildered and frightened for rational thought. She only wanted to get away from the horrid Viscount.

Mary rose from her perch and continued to trundle through the woods, hoping to come across a road or a stream that would lead her to civilization. She wondered how such a man as the Viscount could be the brother of her Richard? He was such a vile and presumptuous man. She recalled the taste of his mouth upon hers with a shiver of disgust. However, if what Lady Letitia and the Viscountess had said was true, then their being relations was not quite so surprising. Oh, but Richard was nothing like the Viscount. She knew this in her heart. He had not approached her as if he was entitled to her favors nor handled her so roughly. Richard was a good man and Mary hoped that it was all just a great misunderstanding.

Mary was heartened when she came upon a clearing that bordered a lake. If this was indeed the lake she was familiar with, she knew that if she walked along its bank, eventually she would come upon a familiar path that would lead her to the house. That is, if she found the path before the sun completely set. Mary began to wonder if she was near the place where she had first met Richard. How long ago that seemed! So much had transpired since then. Mary longed for those simple carefree days before the Viscount and his awful family darkened Pemberley’s doors. Well, not all of his family was awful. Ronald was a dear sweet boy whom she hoped would grow to be a fine gentleman despite his parents. Mary sobered at the realization that if the desires of her heart came true, she would have to name the Viscount as brother.

Panic began to overtake her as she began to despair of ever finding her way before nightfall. The sun was rapidly setting and Mary found her path becoming more and more difficult to determine. 
******************

Richard rode through the woodland paths surrounding Pemberley at a moderate pace, calling for Mary as he made his way. He had been occupied with his search for three quarters of an hour and had no luck. Daylight was becoming scare and he despaired of finding Mary before he was due back at the house to reconvene with Darcy and Peterson to modify their search before redeploying with lantern bearing servants. Pain gripped his heart at the idea of Mary lost and frightened in the woods. The picture of her shivering and helpless in the snow was the only thing holding back the rage he felt for his brother. He knew that Mary would not take flight without provocation and he knew his brother’s disposition well enough to be confident that he had tried to impose himself on Mary in some way. He had hoped that his last conversation with Gregory on the subject would have dissuaded him from continuing with his unwanted advances. Richard concluded that a more serious lecture was in order.

All too soon, the sun disappeared from the sky and Richard was forced to make his way back to the house. He directed Beauregard back to the house, calling for Mary all the way back in the off chance that she had wondered near to his route within the past hour. As he approached the house, he was heartened to spy Mary being helped down from a horse by Peterson. Richard swung down from his horse, tossing the reigns distractedly to a nearby footman before trotting towards her.

“Mary…Miss Farthington, I am so glad that you are alright,” Fitzwilliam exclaimed, taking Mary’s cold hands into his.

“Yes, I am well, thanks to Derek,” Mary replied, smiling warmly at her cousin as she pulled her hands from his embrace.

“Thank heavens you are found!” Beatrice exclaimed as she hurriedly made her way down the steps towards them, Elizabeth and Georgiana hot on her heels.

Richard soon found himself separated from Mary, as Elizabeth bundled her off into the house with Beatrice and Georgiana fussing over her along the way.

“She is in good hands,” Darcy said as he patted his cousin on the back. “I am sure that between the three of them Mary won’t be allowed to even blow her nose unassisted.”

Richard nodded his head in agreement as he watched the ladies’ retreat. While he longed for the privilege of taking Mary into his arms to assure himself that she was well, he was too relieved at her having been so quickly found to offer any complaint.

“Thank you for finding her, Peterson,” Fitzwilliam said, his voice thick with gratitude and relief as he held out his hand to the man.

“It was my duty and my pleasure, Fitzwilliam,” Derek replied as he shook the offered hand.

“Now to deal with my brother.”