The Colonel's Son Read online

  The Colonel’s Son (The Lost Heir Novella Series, Book Two)

  A Pride & Prejudice Variation

  April Floyd

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  About the Author

  Also by April Floyd

  Chapter 1

  Elizabeth covered her ears as her mother and Kitty argued endlessly over the desire for new dresses. Fitzwilliam House had descended into chaos with the arrival of Mrs. Bennet's trunks from Bingley House.

  Mr. Bennet had returned to Longbourn the first day of the new year but his wife insisted on remaining in Town with her daughters.

  "Mr. Bennet, the girls have a much better chance of finding wealthy husbands in London,” she had offered by way of explanation for her reluctance to quit Town.

  Mr. Bennet had not argued. He seemed entirely too pleased to be leaving the females of his family to their own devices at Fitzwilliam House.

  Elizabeth moved swiftly to the door of the salon. In the library, she could hide just the same as her father did at home in his study.

  Jane and Charles had returned to Netherfield with Mr. Bennet and young Richard had become the project of his aunts. He missed Rose so terribly that Elizabeth allowed him to spend greater portions of his day in the salon or her sitting room.

  Once in the library, Elizabeth wandered to the windows that looked out on the small back garden. To her surprise, her son was there with Mr. Harley building a snowman.

  A genuine smile moved her lips for the first time since her holiday dinner. She could not brood over it forever. She had not heard from Mr. Darcy in the week since though Miss Darcy had come twice for tea. The young lady's presence assured her Mr. Darcy must not be terribly angry with her.

  Turning away from the window, she spied a crate by the fireplace. It was another from Mr. Darcy’s bookseller.

  Moving with great speed, she fell upon the crate with joy. Mr. Harley or Thomas, the footman, had loosed the lid and Elizabeth removed it easily and leaned it against the hearth.

  Inside were books that would bring her son hours of pleasure. The boy loved to snuggle against her as she read to him in her private sitting room. Lately, he had taken to stretching out upon the floor before the fireplace and promptly falling into his nap there after luncheon.

  Poor Nanny had joined them upon two occasions and Elizabeth released her to assume other duties until after dinner.

  Replacing the lid, Elizabeth stood and dusted her skirts. A sharp knock upon the door startled her and she called for the footman to enter. Whenever Mr. Harley was busy with Richard, he left Thomas in charge of his duties.

  She had not expected to receive a visit from the man Thomas led into the room.

  "Mr. Darcy," she began, forcing her hands to remain by her side. She did not wish him to know how very pleased she was to see him.

  “None of that! I am still William where you are concerned. Elizabeth, I ought to have given notice I was coming today. Have you the time to see me?"

  "How might I refuse the man who gives books in such great numbers that the bookseller must send them in large crates?"

  Mr. Darcy's smile and the easing of the tension in his shoulders pleased Elizabeth. "I must say I did not expect such a welcome. Once again you surprise me."

  She pulled the bell by the fireplace and the footman returned. "Please send for tea, Thomas."

  Mr. Darcy looked as though he might refuse, but Elizabeth gestured for him to sit. The laughter of her son in the garden filled the silence that had fallen between them.

  Instead of sitting, Mr. Darcy went to the window where Mr. Harley and young Richard could be seen engaged in a snowball fight. "I ought to have seen it myself. He looks so very much like Richard when he was a boy."

  Elizabeth moved to stand beside him. "You could not have known, William. We were very careful to conceal the truth. I am truly sorry for the deception."

  Mr. Darcy turned and gazed into Elizabeth's bright eyes. He could not muster even a speck of anger. He had missed her the past week.

  His sister had come home after both her visits to Fitzwilliam House and implored him to make amends. Mr. Darcy took Elizabeth's hand and held it with gentle pressure.

  "I must apologize for my hasty judgment at dinner that night. It was poor form, and most unkind of me to abandon you in that moment."

  Elizabeth wanted to be angry with him but in truth, she had missed him too. "I agree, you should have understood my fears. You should have known how terrible it was to keep such a secret. But you have come at last and graced me with a heartfelt apology. Now, for the matter of that crate beside my fireplace. I suspect you wish to spoil my son."

  Mr. Darcy laughed. "He is my cousin and the son of the man who was truly like a brother to me. I should be allowed to spoil him."

  Elizabeth's heart opened to Mr. Darcy in that moment. "I will allow it as long as books are involved. He would benefit from your presence as my father and the Bingleys have returned to Hertfordshire."

  "Mr. Harley seems to have taken him on, but I plan to be involved in his upbringing. His place as the next Earl of Matlock has saved me the task. But I shall see he is prepared for the day he takes the title." Mr. Darcy had grown quite serious during this speech.

  Elizabeth left him to sit by the fire. "He is underfoot without Rose to distract him. Are you certain you wish to be involved while he is still so young?"

  She expected him to withdraw his offer but the man surprised her. "He is the perfect age to spend the afternoon in pursuits that delight gentlemen."

  Elizabeth laughed. "And what would those be, pray tell?"

  Mr. Darcy seemed taken aback by her amusement. “There is chess and the reading and discussion of books when the weather will not allow a ride in Hyde Park."

  Elizabeth imagined Mr. Darcy attempting a game of chess with her young son. The thought of it was highly amusing.

  She looked up as he came to sit with her. "How many children of the age of four have you played chess with William?"

  He sat in the chair beside her and rubbed his hands before the fire. "Georgiana is brilliant at the game. I began teaching her at that age. 'Tis not a matter of whether he might grasp the game now, it is the act of exposing him to the world he will navigate as he grows older.''

  Elizabeth admired his reply. It was true that a gentleman such as Mr. Darcy would be a wonderful example for her son. When she thought of it, Colonel Fitzwilliam would have done no less.

  "You have persuaded me. Will you stay for tea and wait to see Richard? I daresay he will have caught a chill in the garden."

  Mr. Darcy agreed as a maid brought the tea. Elizabeth offered her apologies to the servant, for the maid had brought tea only an hour earlier to the salon. "I promise not to burden Cook with one tea after another every afternoon, but my guest could do with a warm cup."

  The servant smiled at her mistress. "'Tis no trouble, Mrs. Fitzwilliam. You may ask for tea as often as you wish. It is our great pleasure to serve you."

  Elizabeth blushed at the sincere words. The servants of Fitzwilliam House had ever been kind to her. “Thank you, Dotty. Please have Thomas tell Mr. Harley to bring young master Richard to me when they have come in from the garden."

  Dotty gave a curtsey and left the room.

  Mr. Darcy watched as Elizab
eth poured him a cup of tea. “Georgiana shall be upset she missed this visit, but I am most pleased to have you to myself."

  Elizabeth laughed with much mirth. "Tread carefully, William. I might believe you find me most tolerable even with my headstrong ways.”

  As he took the cup she offered, Mr. Darcy grew serious. "Oh you may depend upon it, Elizabeth."

  Chapter 2

  Mr. and Miss Darcy spent many afternoons at Fitzwilliam House as winter faded into early spring. Mr. Darcy did just as he had promised he would with his cousin’s only son. Young Richard took to the man immediately as he felt acutely the absence of Mr. Bingley.

  The two spent hours in the library, and some of those were taken up by the reading of many books. But often, when Elizabeth came to have tea with them, her son was crawling under the huge, ornate writing desk by the window as Mr. Darcy counted to twenty before seeking the boy’s hiding place.

  To see the man in his shirtsleeves, and on his knees, searching every nook and cranny in the library softened her heart further to the proud man.

  There had been a change in her relationship with Mr. Darcy. It had been so gradual Elizabeth had not realized it until the afternoon young Richard had fallen asleep as Mr. Darcy continued to read from a book about pirates.

  She had stood quietly in the doorway and listened to Mr. Darcy’s voice, low and deep as it was, as he read of scurrilous deeds upon the high seas. Her son was not slumped against the man in slumber. He was snuggled under his arm as the boy did with her when she read.

  Elizabeth felt the prick of tears and a lump formed in her throat. She imagined Mr. Darcy was the colonel, for the picture of the two dear ones before her would have been just the same.

  She swallowed and said a small prayer for Colonel Fitzwilliam’s soul and spoke to him in her thoughts as she often did. Have you led us to him, Richard?

  It was the first time she thought seriously of Mr. Darcy as a father for her son and the idea comforted her.

  She stepped forward and left the door open for the maid to bring their tea. “My goodness, your visit to the park did tire him today. He never falls asleep during a rousing tale of swords and pirates.”

  Mr. Darcy gently closed the book and settled more deeply into the sofa. His cravat was loosened and his shoulders relaxed. He pulled young Richard closer against him and yawned. “I believe I am the one who was tired out by the park. He has a wealth of energy I had not considered when I agreed to a game of tag.”

  Elizabeth bit back the laughter that might awaken her son and cherished the warmth that infused her heart. “He is a sturdy young boy and boundless in his rambling. Quite like me, I suppose.”

  She straightened her skirts all while still going on about her son and looked up to see that Mr. Darcy’s head had fallen back against the sofa, his eyes closed.

  The maid arrived with tea and Elizabeth stood quickly and met her before she made her way further into the room. Speaking quietly and pointing at the sofa, she helped wheel the cart from the room. “Let us go to the salon instead. I would not wake either of them for the world.”

  That event had replicated itself over the weeks that followed and as she now sat in the parlor with her sisters and Miss Darcy reading fashion magazines, she could hear Mr. Darcy and her son as they climbed the stairs from the entryway.

  There was laughter from Richard and threats of sword play from Mr. Darcy. Nanny appeared in the doorway and corralled her charge. Young Richard resisted but Elizabeth arose from her seat.

  Before she might intervene, Mr. Darcy knelt and captured the boy’s attention. “Be good and do as Nanny says and there may be swords in the library after dinner if she gives me a good report.”

  The boy’s eyes lit up and he grasped Nanny’s hand, nearly pulling the woman off her feet. Elizabeth covered her laughter at the sight for she did not wish to encourage her son to be quite so thoughtless.

  Nanny stumbled along behind him before getting him to settle down as they gained the stairs.

  Mr. Darcy watched them go before turning again to Elizabeth. “It is my hope he goes easily to his nap. I would not like to excite him so that he is trouble for Nanny.”

  “He was up earlier than usual this morning. He found his way to my rooms and climbed under my covers. I am worried that Nanny often loses sight of him. I do not blame her, but still it worries me.”

  Mr. Darcy grinned from ear to ear. “He would not be the first boy to do so, Elizabeth. You may rest easy in the knowledge that the footmen are aware of it when he is out with Nanny. The servants of Fitzwilliam House do guard their young master.”

  Elizabeth’s brow relaxed at this bit of news. “I am so grateful for them. It is a great service they have done to see that we are comfortable in our new home. I shall have to see they are rewarded handsomely. Perhaps a small raise for everyone?”

  “I know they are compensated quite well for their services, but a small token from their new mistress would not go amiss.” Mr. Darcy said as he offered Elizabeth his arm.

  The pair went into the parlor and Mr. Darcy encouraged his sister to play for them. Miss Darcy obliged and the Bennet sisters continued with their magazines.

  Mr. Darcy sat with Elizabeth and sought the answer to a question that had bothered him. “How is Aunt Margaret behaving lately? I have been to Matlock House twice and she was out, or so the butler told me.”

  Elizabeth gave a puzzled look at his seeming doubt of the butler’s veracity. “She has come only twice in the last few weeks. Both times, she and my mother argued but she did not leave in disgust. Richard spent the better part of an hour with her both times, though she had not an idea how to entertain a boy of his age. She seems to like me at one moment and hate me the next, though.”

  “She would not know how to entertain a young child. Aunt Margaret prefers to bully rather than befriend. I can imagine young Richard tested her patience to its limits.” Mr. Darcy chuckled as he thought of it.

  “I believe my mother had already weakened it long before my son was brought down from the nursery. When next she visits, I will insist mother remain in the salon or risk being sent back to Longbourn. Such a threat would be sufficient as she is at me night and day to hold a ball so my sisters might be paraded before wealthy, young gentlemen.” Elizabeth grimaced at the thought but Mr. Darcy seemed amused by the idea.

  “You certainly could fill the ballroom of this house, Elizabeth. Gossip of the Bennet sisters is the buzz of London this spring. With Georgie debuting this season, all eyes are on our family.”

  Elizabeth knew he spoke the truth. Her few forays into Mayfair with her sisters had proven to be quite a show for the well-heeled who frequented that area. Lydia and Kitty had loved the attention while Mary had lowered her head and remained close to Elizabeth’s side.

  “So you believe I should indulge them? It could end up as quite the spectacle, you know. Their behavior has improved since coming to Town, but they are still capable of thrusting us all into scandal on a whim.”

  Mr. Darcy seemed thoughtful. “Perhaps we might ask Aunt Margaret to see that they are prepared for such an event. If we beseeched her to assist in improving their behavior, it might ease the tension between the two of you.”

  Elizabeth snorted in incredulity. It was not the most ladylike noise, but it expressed her feelings on the matter perfectly. “As long as I am Richard’s mother, we shall never see eye to eye.”

  Mr. Darcy did not doubt it. “That may be true, but it only means there is much room for improvement. It cannot hurt to seek a truce. At heart, she truly wishes to be useful. She simply does not know how to go about it. Your mother desires that matches be made and my aunt is an expert at it. Throw the ball, Elizabeth. What is the worst that may happen?”

  Elizabeth gave Mr. Darcy a roll of her eyes. “You tempt fate so, William? I would not think you would do so lightly as you are well acquainted with my female relatives.”

  Chapter 3

  Lady Matlock scoffed at her nephew when
he made the proposal in her salon the following week. “The Bennet sisters cannot be civilized in a mere fortnight, Darcy. Years without a governess, indulged in their every whim, it has created within them an impertinence I am certain I have never seen in a young lady before, save their sister Elizabeth.”

  Mr. Darcy would not allow the matter to be so easily dismissed. “All the more reason you ought to take them on, Aunt Margaret. They are family now and reflect upon us all. Your failure to at least attempt to civilize them will not go unnoticed. And you may see young Richard more often and for a more agreeable time.”

  Lady Matlock sipped her tea. Mr. Darcy feared he had lost the battle when she sat her cup on the table between them. “It would be wonderful to see the boy more often, for I truly cannot spend hours in that house and I have not the patience for a child of his young age. There must be rules, however. I will not be attacked by that awful Mrs. Bennet and I will not pretend to prefer Elizabeth’s company.”

  Mr. Darcy bit his tongue to keep from crowing at this victory. He had not misjudged his aunt’s taste for controlling others in her circle. The lure of her grandson, and shorter more frequent visits with him, had certainly played in his favor.

  He rose from his seat and moved to where she sat. Mr. Darcy bent and kissed his aunt on the cheek. “I knew you would see the sense in it, Aunt Margaret.”

  Lady Matlock smiled at her nephew but her eyes were cold and Mr. Darcy did not miss that fact. Even now, he knew her mind was spinning with ideas of how she might bend the Bennets to her will or extract some payment from Elizabeth for her deceit.

  “I must go, but I also wanted to thank you for your help in preparing Georgie for her season. I do not think I could have done her justice as I abhor the ceremony.”