Longbourn to London (10 page)

Elizabeth felt more and more relieved as she read the description of the fabric that would arrive with her aunt, whose taste more suited her own than her mother’s ever could. Elizabeth detected the slight by her mother, and although it was painful, her main sensation was one of liberation. The idea of shopping for her wedding ensemble and trousseau had instantly become much more palatable.

“How kind she is to me, Mama. Thank you for letting me read the letter. I am full of curiosity now for her arrival.”
In every possible way.

“Yes, dear,” her mother said absently as her hair was being dressed. “I thought you would not mind if she helped you. Are you wearing
that
this evening?” Mrs. Bennet eyed her daughter’s choice of gown dubiously. “I am sure Mr. Darcy has seen that gown too many times to count. What about your ball gown, dear?”

“I have heard Mr. Darcy remark in jest of Miss Bingley’s tendency to wear ball gowns for regular evening dress. He thinks her pretentious. I would not have him think so of me. And I only have so many gowns, Mama.”

Mrs. Bennet huffed. “Soon you will have enough to fill all of the closets in this house put together.”

“I doubt quite as many as that, Mama.”

“Lizzy! You must learn to live up to your new station. Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy…” Mrs. Bennet finally smiled upon her second eldest daughter. “How well it sounds. I knew you could not be so clever for nothing.” Mrs. Bennet began humming to herself, and Elizabeth sensed she had pleased her mother by agreeing so easily to the arrangements for obtaining her wedding clothes, however undeserving she might be of becoming Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy.

***

When the Bennet carriage arrived at Netherfield that evening, Mr. Darcy was awaiting it. With a great show of magnanimity, Mr. Bennet stepped aside so Darcy could hand Elizabeth down from the carriage and walk her into the house. They had seen each other only in company during the three days since Elizabeth’s revelations and the letters sent to Mrs. Gardiner. Elizabeth found she had to force herself to be easy with him in public. Not usually missish, she nevertheless had surrendered to her trepidation and changed the timing of her walks to start at midday, and she followed paths known only to the local populace. She had seen Darcy riding the day before— perhaps looking for her?—but she did not draw his attention. Now, having received her aunt’s missive, she began to feel her confidence returning.

Once they were a safe distance from her family, Elizabeth whispered, “I have had a letter from my aunt, Mr. Darcy. She says she will gladly meet, and that she has the deepest regard for you and high expectations of your behaviour.” She sent him an impertinent sidelong glance, “So you have deceived
her
, at least…”

Darcy chuckled, pleased to have a few private words with her, and that she was teasing. “No, I do not suppose I have. Your Aunt Gardiner strikes me as a woman few can hoodwink.” Darcy held out his arm, and Elizabeth tucked her hand in his elbow.

“Jane and I had an odd conversation with my mother yesterday afternoon before dinner.”

Darcy composed a tart comment but thought better of speaking it, asking instead, “Did you? And the topic?”

“The day I told you of my dream, Mama and Papa had a fearful row. Jane and I could not hear all of it, but the subject was what Jane and I have been told to expect of…” She paused and sighed. “…Of our wedding nights. Papa demanded she recant most of what she told us, else he would lock her in her bedroom until after the wedding! It seems she wished to prepare us for the worst. I am wondering how my father learnt of the nature of Mama’s advice to us, or perhaps he merely surmised?” Another sidelong glance was delivered.

They had entered Netherfield’s front hall, and servants advanced to take the Bennets’ outerwear. Elizabeth held back so her pelisse and bonnet would be taken last, and Darcy stayed behind with her. He was embarrassed to reveal his communication with Elizabeth’s father, but he would hide nothing from her as now several days had passed from that strange and sensational morning.

“It must be admitted, Elizabeth—I shall confess—Bingley and I were alarmed to learn of your ordeal at the hands of the local married ladies. We wrote to your father, asking him to do what he could to spare you too much time with your Aunt Phillips. And your mother.”

Elizabeth had taken his arm again and now they were nearly to the drawing room doors. She stopped their progress and looked at him with a knowing smile and a slight shake of her head. “I thought as much. I own I do not know whether to be grateful to you for the results or very cross for the interference. Mama is treating Papa with unprecedented deference, but she is annoyed with me although she tries to hide it. She blames me for expressing my concerns.”

“I hardly know how to respond, Elizabeth! I would not have you in your mother’s bad books.”

“It is hardly an unusual occurrence, sir.” She chuckled.

“Before we enter the drawing room, Elizabeth, there is something else you should know.”

“Indeed?”

“On the same morning of which we are speaking, the Bingleys also had a family set-to. I only heard part of it. Hurst and Bingley attempted to give Caroline some correction in her behaviour towards myself and to you. So far, I see no change, or if anything, she is worse, and I want you to be on your guard. Netherfield has taken on a surprisingly uneasy atmosphere unless Jane is visiting. She always lightens the mood.”

“
That
is what Bingley and I have been trying to persuade you: Jane is uniformly angelic! You should have wooed her when you had the chance, and you would have had a much more amiable wife than you deserve or are likely to get.”

Darcy chuckled. “I am getting exactly the wife I want and deserve. Of
that
I remain firmly convinced.” They smiled openly into each other’s eyes for the first time in days. Both breathed a sigh of relief.

When Darcy and Elizabeth entered the drawing room, Caroline swept to Darcy’s other side and offered to bring him some refreshment in an unnecessarily obsequious manner while ignoring Elizabeth. Darcy gave a curt bow and a brusque, “No, thank you, Miss Bingley,” before turning his back and seating Elizabeth upon the only settee in the room where there was space for her, which was next to Hurst. That gentleman made his allegiance clear by springing up in a rapid manner rarely seen and insisting Darcy take his place.

“I shall have the singular opportunity, Darcy, of taking the chair nearest my wife.” With a bow, Hurst strove to make amends for his sister-in-law’s rudeness. “May I bring you something to drink, Miss Eliza?”

“You are very kind, sir; yes, I would take some wine punch if that is what I see in the bowl.” Elizabeth turned her eyes to Darcy with a little surprise.

His response was a raised eyebrow. “You see how matters lie?” he whispered.

She nodded in reply then looked up to Hurst with thanks as he returned.

“Miss Eliza,” Louisa Hurst called as her husband settled himself with a generous goblet of wine in the chair next to hers. “Have you begun the selection of your wedding clothes?”

Elizabeth leaned forward to answer and did not notice, as Darcy did, the glaring look sent Louisa by Caroline. “Indeed, we have just had word from my aunt in London, who is bringing a fabric she has admired and thinks would suit me. She arrives the day after tomorrow. My Aunt Gardiner knows my taste well, and I am most pleased to have her exert herself on my behalf.”

Caroline moved in hopes of catching her sister’s eye to pull a face of scorn, but Louisa would not look in her direction. She asked instead, “This is the aunt we had the pleasure of meeting at Pemberley?”

“Yes, the same.” Elizabeth nodded. She was wary, but to all appearances, Louisa was distancing herself from the unbridled disdain that marked her sister’s discourse.

“She seems to be a lady of fashion. Her travelling pelisse was beautifully tailored. I am sure you could not be in better hands.” Louisa seemed sincere.

Elizabeth decided to try her further. “Yes, she has a modiste on Bond Street to whom she has extended her custom for many years: a Miss Camille. Have you heard of her?”

Louisa could not hide her surprise. The Gardiners must have a vast deal of wealth for Miss Camille to condescend to create gowns for the wife of a tradesman. Elizabeth chose not to reveal that her uncle’s company had made a fine carriage for Miss Camille’s use as she made calls for in-home fittings to London’s best addresses, and that a bargain by way of barter had been struck to keep Mrs. Gardiner in the latest fashions.
Let them assume what they like
, Elizabeth thought, and wondered whether, in her own way, she was not displaying a certain smugness she would have discouraged in her betrothed.

Louisa’s eyes flickered to those of her sister, who appeared thoroughly astonished and then looked away.

Dinner was announced. Darcy was further vexed when, after extending his right arm to Elizabeth, Caroline Bingley took his left, steering them both to where she wanted Elizabeth to sit, between Mr. Bennet and Mr. Hurst.

Again Louisa intervened. “Pray, excuse me, dear sister, but I thought I had informed you of my seating plan. Mr. Darcy, you are on Miss Bennet’s right, and Miss Eliza, you are to his right.”

Caroline blushed angrily. “How silly of me, Louisa. My apologies. I had thought you would sit as hostess tonight, rather than I.”

“Yes, dear,” Louisa responded, “and you will sit on my right, since we have too many ladies.”

Caroline was quietly livid;
she
was the extra lady!

***

When the Gardiner carriage rolled into the Longbourn paddock, Elizabeth was annoyed with herself for being nervous. She was filled with a strange fluttering and prayed this was not some early evidence that she might become more like her mother with age. She knew there would be no time for a lengthy conversation anytime that day, and took several deep breaths to calm herself enough to join her sisters in greeting their London relations. Nevertheless, Elizabeth could not resist inundating her aunt and uncle with embraces delivered with excessive velocity and vehemence, for such was her relief at their arrival.

After dinner, which included Mr. Darcy at the Gardiners’ particular request, the ladies examined the fabric brought for Elizabeth’s wedding ensemble, and even Mrs. Bennet seemed to approve. It was her intention to decorate Jane following the newest fashion of dressing brides in white, and Mrs. Bennet was heaping onto Jane’s gown as many ruffles and laces as her daughter’s statuesque figure could carry. To a disinterested observer, the effect would be not unlike an all-white Maypole. The fabric offered for Elizabeth, candlelight in colour with a naturalistic leaf embroidery, suited her second daughter admirably without any danger of diminishing Jane.

When the men entered, they were laughing. Mr. Bennet revealed that Mr. Gardiner had been regaling them with a fishing story from Pemberley, which ended with Mr. Hurst and Mr. Bingley completely soaked in pursuit of a trout little bigger than a minnow. The story was retold for the benefit of the ladies, but was not quite so amusing with the absence of Mr. Hurst’s colourful oaths.

There was no time or opening for Darcy to speak to Elizabeth about her abandonment of their morning walks. That she was reluctant to be alone with him was obvious, and although he had not thought of anything suitably clever or persuasive enough to encourage her to take up the habit again, he did mean to try. She did not sit near him, though she smiled when meeting his eyes and gave every appearance of friendliness. But Darcy knew perfectly well he was not as trusted as he had once been.

The couple avoided Mrs. Bennet’s whist table, but Elizabeth was drawn into a conversation about Kitty’s new gown, which had not yet arrived, and it seemed she had assigned herself the duty of describing it in agonising detail to her aunt. She was actually quite amusing on the topic as she teased Kitty, but Darcy was not inclined to do anything except observe her with the fixed gaze that had so marked his first evenings in Elizabeth’s society a year ago. She glanced at him often, smiled, nodded, and attempted to include him, but he was having none of it.

After an hour of hearing nearly nothing from Darcy, Mrs. Gardiner turned and caught his eye. She glanced at Elizabeth and back at him, raising her eyebrows in acknowledgement of her niece’s behaviour. She gave a little nod, and for the first time that evening, Darcy returned a restrained half smile. He was evidently pleased that the Gardiners had arrived.

At the end of the evening, Mr. Bennet accompanied Elizabeth to see Darcy away in his carriage, and Mrs. Gardiner, to whom the notion of imparting a married woman’s wisdom-of-the-ages to her niece had seemed something of a lark, began to take her responsibility more seriously.
Mr. Darcy was not happy, and Lizzy is losing the confidence he appreciates. This will not do.

***

The next morning, Mrs. Gardiner was surprised to see Elizabeth join the family for breakfast. It was just starting to rain; however, the sunrise had been bright, and an early riser like Elizabeth could certainly have enjoyed an hour of exercise.

“Lizzy! No walk this morning?” Mrs. Gardiner was accustomed to the rhythm of Longbourn with Elizabeth always the first to rise but the last to break her fast, bursting into the dining room with flushed cheeks and a handful of flowers or some other treasure found in the hedgerows, souvenirs from her rambles.