Revelations an adaption of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 163

'Darcy, do you have a few moments?'

His son-in-law did look rather impressive considering his age, but of course he was very tall and though his demeanour had softened considerably since his marriage, he was still not a man to trifle with. But as he'd said, he only had one father-in-law, maybe that was worth something.

'Of course. Let us sit in the corner over there, with the piano playing no-one will hear us.'

Good, that meant he wasn't livid or at the very least didn't intend to yell, though Darcy wasn't the kind of man for fury, his anger was cold.

As soon as they sat Mr Bennet started.

'Darcy, I suppose you've heard of Mrs Annesley and myself travelling together. Please do not reproach her with anything, I convinced her to let me have the carriage, and I pleaded with her to come with me. I wanted her to have some change of scenery before she faced the coming months. Though I admit I also wanted to have her to myself for a few days. I'm afraid I misjudged, she was very upset that Lizzy instantly realised what we had been up to. But it was all my fault.'

'It's true then, that Mr Annesley has little more than weeks left? You've seen him?'

That was not what Mr Bennet expected Darcy to focus on, though he might have known.

'I have seen him, yes, he cannot last much longer. He is deathly pale and emaciated, and he needs constant attendance. A widowed friend of Mrs Annesley's is caring for him, has for years. Until he passes they need little company, but after that sad event Mrs Floyd will need her friend. She has lost a loved one before, you see.'

Understanding was dawning on Darcy's face, there was no way Mrs Annesley was ever going to tell her employer what was really going on in her private life, but he and Lizzy needed to know, and not only to justify Mr Bennet's own position.

'Difficult situations make for complicated solutions, Darcy, they made it work for years but now things are going to change, for the children, too. But you see Mrs Annesley wasn't that much in the wrong, and she is really going to need her position as housekeeper, she still has quite a few souls depending on her income. Contrary to her agonizing situation I have no excuse at all, I was merely lonely and well, in love. She is an admirable woman.'

'I know, Mr Bennet, I know. I wasn't going to dismiss her anyway, you know, I'd already decided to blame you.'

Darcy let that sink in, then continued on a more serious note, 'Besides, my staff have a right to decide for themselves how to live their life, I'm merely their employer. But I'm glad you explained. Of course I don't approve of what you are doing, and I'm certain Elizabeth is quite upset so you'll need to talk to her. But I can imagine what living at Longbourn is like these days, who is to say what I would have done in your situation?'

'You would never have put yourself in my situation, Darcy, you have been much wiser from the first. But I couldn't punish myself for that ancient mistake for another decade or more, I needed this. I don't feel that old, you know, and I'm planning to do some living in the coming years. Getting pulled into society through my connection to you has made me realise books and birds aren't all there is. I plan to spend quite some time on exploring high culture coming winter, and I'm as certain Mrs Bennet won't be particularly keen to join me in those pursuits. I'll find something to amuse her on her own level. Brighton is just the beginning.'

'Talk to Elizabeth, please. We have both had to adjust our views on love and marriage quite a bit the last few months, but she adored you so much and now you've fallen lower than she imagined possible.'

'And you, Darcy? Do you despise me for being weaker than you?'

'Do you want to know my first feeling when I heard? It will prove my own weakness better than I like to admit.'