The Darcy Cousins (17 page)

All this she expressed in a half-whisper to Clarissa, since Darcy and Elizabeth had long since drifted into their own private conversation.

"I have prayed and prayed that she is safe," said Georgiana.

"And I do hope Lady Catherine was wrong, and that it is not our fault that she was abducted."

"I am trying my best not to think about it all the time," said Clarissa, "but my mind seems to be coming up with more and more gruesome possibilities. As for feeling guilty--how could I not feel responsible? Even if Lady Catherine had not made a point of it, I would have felt very uncomfortable about our role in this whole calamity. Of course, Lady Catherine made sure to put the blame squarely on us."

The two ladies were silent, each struggling in her own way to deal with her qualms of conscience.

"But sometimes I wonder if your brother was right. If Anne--who is much older than us--chose to follow our advice, are we really so much at fault? Are we really responsible for the actions of a woman over ten years our senior?"

Despite her protestations, however, she sank into a gloomy silence, and sat staring absently out of the window. Georgiana too sank into gloom. Whatever way one viewed it, Anne's disappearance was nothing short of a nightmare.

Even Anne's situation, however, was not enough to quell their spirits as the carriage rolled into London, and the hustle and bustle of Town overwhelmed their senses. A more extreme contrast to 149

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Rosings could not be found. The motley cries--newspaper boys, knife grinders, chimney sweeps--the streams of conveyances--carts overloaded with vegetables jostling for position with shining yellow barouches--the hoards of people--the costermongers, the bands of charity school children, the porters, the fashionable ladies, the merchants. They had entered a different land.

Once in London, they separated. Georgiana went to her home in Berkeley Square, while Clarissa lodged with Robert and Caroline in Grosvenor Street.

"'Tis the first time I will be alone with Caroline and Robert since I arrived here," said Clarissa. "I hope it will go well and that you and I will not be prevented from visiting each other by our separate lives."

There was no need for her to fear a separation. It was not long before they were thrown constantly together again.

For despite the uncertainty surrounding Anne, a decision was made by the guardians to start with some of the preparations, which at the very least should include acquiring an appropriate wardrobe.

No one said anything directly to either of the young ladies. But the rounds of shopping began. For a young lady who wishes to attract a husband must be in possession of everything fashion dictates she should have.

Caroline, whose taste in clothing was well established, soon took over the task of escorting the young ladies to the modiste, for Elizabeth quickly tired of the task, and with the excuse of keeping an eye on baby Lewis, laughingly absolved herself of all responsibility.

"For you must know that I scarcely know one end of a pattern from the other and have barely the patience to let myself be fitted for a gown, let alone spend hours surrounded by chattering debutantes who can never make up their minds about anything."

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"Oh, I do not mean you," she remarked as almost identical expressions of dismay appeared on their faces. "You are very decided on what you want and are far quicker at choosing than any young ladies I have met. But we are never alone, not at this time of the year. I do not enjoy finding myself with debutantes who giggle and gossip and disparage everyone around them, while you are busy being fitted. In any case, I am sure you are in far better hands with Caroline, who has always had superior taste."

Elizabeth would have been surprised to know that it was not Caroline, in fact, who guided Georgiana's taste, but Clarissa, and that it was she who approved or disapproved Georgiana's choices.

Nevertheless, in the midst of shopping expeditions and an endless succession of fittings, Georgiana found a grey shadow inside her, a constant reminder that something was wrong. It was there even when she laughed and wondered at the new self that was emerging in the mirror. But most of all, it emerged at night, when she was haunted with all kinds of fears about her cousin Anne's fate.

News came one morning, when Mr Darcy, who made it his habit while in Town to go over his business in the mornings with his secretary, was looking over some accounts that had been presented to him. The morning caller--a non-descript gentleman of average height and ordinary clothing--called at an unusually early time of the day, which immediately aroused Elizabeth's suspicion.

He remained closeted with Mr Darcy for such a long time that Elizabeth had to prevent herself any number of times from inventing an excuse to scratch at the door and enter. A few minutes later, Georgiana, who had heard the visitor arrive, came down to enquire 151

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if there was any news. The two women stood waiting impatiently in the hallway for the visitor to leave.

After what seemed like hours, Mr Darcy emerged and accompanied the caller to the door.

"You will send me news by express if you hear anything at all, no matter how trivial," he said.

From his tone, Georgiana quickly surmised that the news was not all bad. Elizabeth let out a breath she did not know she was holding.

As the door closed behind their visitor, Mr Darcy turned and frowned at them.

"Surely you have not been waiting all this time in the hallway?"

he said. "I hope you, at least, Georgiana, did not stoop to eavesdropping. I would not put it beyond Elizabeth however."

Elizabeth answered his frown with one of her own. Georgiana came to Elizabeth's defence and reproached her brother with mock severity for impeaching them without any proof.

Darcy gestured to them to enter the library.

"Well, are you going to tell us, or do you propose to keep us in suspense all morning?" said Elizabeth.

"The news is good," he said, shutting the door firmly behind him. "At least, we know that until a few days ago she was alive and well, and we know that she was not abducted."

Georgiana wanted to cheer. She had never heard better news in her life.

"So she has been found?" asked Elizabeth.

"We have not been so fortunate. But we have managed to follow a trail of hers. She travelled north toward York, where she stayed a few days, apparently with friends, for there was no news of her at any of the inns. She was then seen travelling further north in the 152

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company of a young gentleman and a servant. Her trail now has been lost, but we are hoping to pick it up again soon. It may well be that she is heading for the border."

"An elopement?" said Georgiana in shock.

"I am glad that she is alive at least and not in any immediate danger," said Elizabeth. "Did your sources say whether she was travelling of her own volition, or was she being forced?"

"Everything indicates that she is travelling of her own volition, though it is too soon to be sure."

"Why, then, did she not leave a note informing us of her intentions?" said Georgiana.

"I can only surmise that she does not wish to be found," said Darcy grimly.

There was, however, still the possibility that she was being coerced into marriage by some ruthless fortune seeker and that she was in need of rescue. Through some contacts of Colonel Fitzwilliam, men were dispatched quickly north to watch North Road and to intercept Anne if she tried to reach the border.

A rider was also sent out with an express to deliver to Lady Catherine. The rider returned the next day, however, with Darcy's letter unopened.

Georgiana had not seen her brother so borne down by emotion since the unfortunate incident with Wickham four years ago.

"Is there no end to my aunt's folly? Does she not wish to hear news of her daughter? Does she think pride more important than her daughter's safety? At times like this, I cannot believe that Lady Catherine could bear any relation to my mother, who was so gentle--"

Elizabeth interrupted this futile torrent of words by laying her hand on his arm. He stopped and turned to her, as he always did, 153

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with a half smile. They moved away together, leaving Georgiana alone in the hallway.

The news of Anne's sighting brought Georgiana enormous relief.

The grey shadow that had dogged her as she went about her preparations dissipated, along with the nagging guilt she felt about continuing with her life as if Anne had never existed. Anne was safe.

That alone was enough to bring more of a spring into Georgiana's step. She could set aside nightmarish images of Anne's death. She was alive and in no physical danger.

With the issue of Anne's safety now resolved, they could finally start to plan for the Season.

Both Darcy families gathered in Berkley Square to discuss the matter. The situation was very delicate, argued Caroline, who was generally Elizabeth's guide in matters of etiquette. However one looked at it, they needed to tread carefully. It was only too easy to draw the disapproval of society, who would relish the smallest whiff of scandal related to Lady Catherine, who had always put on airs and consequently alienated a great number of people in London society.

Clearly it would be too heartless for the young women to be launched into full-scale festivities when no one knew yet exactly what had happened to Anne. It was one thing to know definitively that she had eloped of her own volition, another entirely to have the issue still unresolved. From this perspective, it would be wiser to keep the young ladies' activities limited, in case something unexpected occurred and they were forced to withdraw.

The other aspect that had to be considered was the elopement itself. If Anne had indeed eloped, then what would happen when 154

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the news broke out? Unless there was a serious attempt made to keep it quiet, then it would sooner or later become the subject of scurrilous gossip. How would it then affect the young debutantes'

chances for marriage? This seemed yet another reason to limit the scope of their introduction until matters were clearer. The fewer the people were who knew the young ladies, the less impact the widespread knowledge of an elopement could have on them.

Caroline's arguments were repeated in different forms by everyone else, and the conclusion was the same. The young cousins were to have a launch, but a very circumscribed one. Mrs Darcy's plans for a large ball were abandoned, and a small musical soiree was proposed instead, providing a chance for each of the two ladies to exhibit their musical abilities.

As no strenuous objections were made by anyone to these plans, the soiree was resolved upon and preparations began.

Three days after this momentous decision, Elizabeth and Georgiana were in the parlour reading. It was a stormy day and any errands that needed to be done had to be postponed. The parlour was completely still, apart from the occasional sound of a page turning or the noise of the wind agitating at the windows.

The quiet was disrupted when Darcy strode into the room, waving in his hand a letter.

"Oh, what is it?" cried Elizabeth, jumping up hastily. "Not bad news about Anne, I hope?"

Darcy smiled reassuringly. "No. Set your mind at ease. It is nothing like that. No. I have had the great honour of receiving a letter from Mr Collins."

Elizabeth's lips twisted as she heard the name. "My worthy 155

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cousin? Come tell us what he has to say, for whatever it is, it has you in a rare state."

"You will see why, in a minute. I will not attempt to read the whole letter to you, for he has written four full pages, crossed! He does not have to pay for them. But you will quickly understand the general direction of the letter from a few paragraphs."

I will endeavour in every way I can to persuade her ladyship--for I flatter myself that I have some little influence on her--to practise the forgiveness and compassion that is so much her nature, in spite of the gross provocation practised towards her, even after her ladyship condescended--after much persuasion, I might add from my side--to extend the olive branch to you and invite you to Rosings Park. Nothing can mitigate the grievous wrong that has been done to her in inciting her only daughter and heiress to folly, and, in retrospect, one can only wish that this young person had never been invited so graciously by Lady Catherine, for to trespass on her ladyship's hospitality while at the same time plotting to do her harm quite escapes comprehension, even if one were to allow that her Foreign upbringing is partly responsible for such wicked inclinations. For a young foolish person to so heartlessly bring tragedy to the family--but I will speak no more on this matter. Suffice it to say, I will not endeavour--nor should I--to soften her ladyship's heart towards her, for estrangement from such a superior person is the least punishment she deserves.

I will do my best to move her ladyship to bring to mind the family ties that join you, Mr Darcy, to her, for 156

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such ties must not be unbound, but rather strengthened, provided you are prepared to sever all connections with such a person. Should I receive your promise to undertake such a thing, I will do everything in my power to convince Lady Catherine to return you to her bosom and to embrace you once again as family. Meanwhile, I beg leave to be of service in any way I can by passing on to Lady Catherine any information pertaining to her daughter, over whom she suffers untold pangs of anxiety, and I have great fears of her falling into a slow decline...

"The letter continues in this manner for some time." He started to crumple it in his fist then thought better of it. "He has become too puffed up with his own consequence, simply because of his association with my aunt. To venture to suggest to me, her nephew, what course of action would benefit me in being reintroduced into Lady Catherine's presence! That is quite beyond anything."

"I am not surprised," said Elizabeth, "for when it comes to Lady Catherine, he has always been like this. But to cast such aspersions on Clarissa and to suggest that you cut your connection to her, that is going too far. She may be guilty of interfering in the relationship between mother and daughter, but that is hardly a criminal act."