A Most Civil Proposal by C.P. Odom

Author:C.P. Odom [Odom, C.P.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Meryton Press
Published: 2013-03-11T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Monday, April 20, 1812

Darcy had returned home the previous night to find a reply from Lord Matlock that he and his wife would be available at one o’clock the next afternoon. He spent the morning working his way through his back correspondence, and when the clock struck twelve, he sent word to Johnson that he would be leaving immediately. He then went in search of his cousin, finding him sitting in the rear garden with Georgiana and the two Miss Bennets, all of whom were laughing at one of his stories. Darcy was never able to determine to what degree his cousin mixed truth and fiction in the tales of his many and varied exploits in the service of his King, but he did know that he could not have survived to that date if even a quarter of them were to be believed.

“I am sorry to interrupt yet another sterling saga, Richard,” he said as he entered the garden, “but I must borrow you immediately if we are to reach your parent’s home by one.”

“But Darcy, I was just getting to the climax! You cannot force me to leave the ladies in suspense, man!”

“Ladies,” Darcy said firmly, “you must excuse us. I am sure he will finish his tale at another date. Of course, it is possible that his continuation will bear no resemblance to what he has related thus far, possibly because he makes it up as he goes along. But that you shall have to judge for yourself.”

“William,” Georgiana laughed, “do not speak so of our cousin. If he had not been a younger son and thus unable to buy more than a lieutenant’s commission, he would undoubtedly be a general by now!”

“You see?” said Fitzwilliam, rising to his feet and preventing his sword from clattering with the instinctive motion of one who has worn the weapon daily for more than ten years. “At least one of the Darcy family appreciates my service to my sovereign!”

In truth, Darcy knew that Fitzwilliam’s service had indeed been valuable, because he knew that his father, Lord Matlock, had actually offered to buy his son a majority at seventeen and a colonelcy at twenty, but Richard had refused, accepting only a lieutenant’s commission. His subsequent promotions had been gained through merit, and he had seen a goodly share of action on the continent, in Spain and the Netherlands. But Fitzwilliam did not voice that aloud in gentle society, preferring to pose as a gentleman soldier rather than the experienced professional he was.

“Sweetling,” Darcy leaned over to kiss Georgiana on the cheek, “enjoy yourself this afternoon. Remember, I am depending on you to make sure that Elizabeth purchases what is needed. If I am any judge of her character, I predict that she will protest that she surely does not need so much and will be quite reluctant to spend my money. I hope you will be able to convince her of the futility of such a course.” Elizabeth looked at

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