Darcy and Fitzwilliam: A Tale of a Gentleman and an Officer

He strained upward to speak into Richard’s ear again as he touched the scarred hand. “Did a Frenchie do that to you, sir?” His compassion was deeply serious, and Fitzwilliam nodded, much moved by the child’s sincerity.

Harry let that information take root for a moment in his five-year-old brain, and sighing, shook his head.

“Goddamn Frenchies…” he sympathized.

“All right, that is quite enough.” Amanda turned, no longer able to pretend ignorance of the conversation behind her.

Harry cast a worried glance up at his mother. “Whatever is wrong, Mama?” he whispered.

“Shush! Harry, please sit down now and pay attention to the mass,” she whispered back.

“But, Mama, I wasn’t doing anything bad,” he explained. “I have to give comfort to my new friend. He is a soldier. Don’t look at him. He’s been horribly disfigured by war.”

Amanda’s eyes went briefly up to Richard’s in mute apology, but he was grinning back at her, his eyes revealing his deep affection. A defeated Harry sat back down in his seat as his mother began her obligatory reprimand.

Fitzwilliam could not hear what was being said but felt a twinge of guilt seeing as he was equally to blame for the disruption. She was a gentle mother though—kind and firm, loving and sensible. Harry nodded and whispered something back, and then they kissed. Fitzwilliam’s heart swelled at the beautiful sight. After a moment, Harry looked back at Richard and smiled contentedly.

***

It was some time after the service had ended, and Richard now stood at the back of the church, waiting for Amanda, mentally reviewing his prepared comments for her, going over and over in his head the course before them. Absently, he twirled his bicorn hat in his hand as he nodded to the people streaming past him—the street vendors already late for work, the immigrant men who held their poor but proud heads high, the black-dressed, elderly women hurrying home, the street children looking for a few hours’ warmth, the Irish housemaids. He especially acknowledged the salutes of several old soldiers and happily spared them as much time and coin as they required.

Anthony reached him finally and accepted his handshake, while behind Anthony, a beaming Harry dragged his mother forward.

“Colonel Fitzwilliam, I am so surprised to see you here.” Amanda was breathless as an exuberant Harry bounced up and down on his heels. “Colonel, allow me to introduce you to my son, Harold Augustus Penrod. He is very anxious to make your acquaintance.”

“Mama, please let my hand go. I must make my bow. Grandmamma showed me.” He took a step forward and bowed deeply, showing a fine leg. “I am honored to make your acquaintance, Colonel.” He was for a brief moment the picture of elegance but then ruined the entire effect by sniffling and smiling broadly. “You are ever so tall, sir. I’ll bet you can see all the way to India, or Ireland.”

Richard beamed down at the boy. “Why don’t you see for yourself, lad?” He reached down and lifted Harry up onto his shoulders.

“Oh, Mummy! This is very high up! I should like to be this tall someday! Will I ever be this tall, do you think? How tall are you, sir? I don’t think Tio Anthony is even this tall!” Harry excitedly pumped his arms and legs as Fitzwilliam turned the twisting little body this way and that to see everything.

Observing the couple stealing glances at each other, Anthony reached up to retrieve Harry. “Let us give your mother and the colonel some privacy, eh? We will await you outside, Lady Penrod, Colonel.” As Anthony carried Harry out the door, he could sense the colonel’s single-minded intensity and Amanda’s apprehensive nerves, and laughed when he turned and saw her gazing anxiously after him.

Fitzwilliam cleared his throat first and adopted his usual formal parade stance. “Amanda, my dear…” he began; however, she spoke simultaneously. “Colonel…”

They both laughed awkwardly.

“Excuse me, madam. I wanted to apologize to you for my behavior the other evening, very unlike me, really. But please, you go first.”

“Thank you, Colonel. I was going to comment on the fact that you appear to already know Dr. Milagros. I have only recently learned of this.” After one quick glance up at his face, she returned her eyes to a level with his cloak button. “He has also just told me that you and he have recently spoken. Imagine my surprise.”

“Yes, and he has told me something of your situation…”