Mr. Darcy's Decision: A Sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Page 5

  Elizabeth was pretty enough, if not bestowed with quite the extraordinary beauty of her sister Jane, and, concluded Mrs. Bennet, the girl must have merits besides being acceptable to look at. After all, had she not managed to secure herself a situation in marriage to one of the most notable men in England? But Lizzy’s predilection to muddy her shoes, jump stiles and run about, not to mention her outspokenness, could well cause offense in refined circles. Mildly distracted from her concerns by the idea that her trunks might be sent to the wrong room, Mrs. Bennet delighted in behaving very high in requesting her clothes be unpacked without delay. “For I have with me,” she announced with affectation, “the finest silks and lace… and truly, I cannot bear the worry of their creasing.” She cast a glance at one of Darcy’s men.

  Elizabeth, holding up her skirts, ran from the house to greet her family, heartily embracing her father, whose fondness for her was unyielding, then Jane, Bingley, and Kitty were received with equal enthusiasm. Finally, she caught her mother’s grave expression.

  “Elizabeth,” whispered Mrs. Bennet sharply, before kissing her daughter’s cheek,“it might be as well to adopt a more elegant way of behaving.Whoever would think that the mistress of Pemberley would make such an ungainly spectacle of herself? You forget yourself, my girl, dashing around with your petticoats rucked up for all to see.”

  Her daughter countered,“And who am I to impress, mama? To adopt any air of falsity in the company of my own family would be ridiculous and to do so in the presence of my staff would merely insult them.” She glanced at Bingley and said,“I am sure my friend would demand no such pretension on my part.”

  Mr. Bingley engaged Elizabeth with a warm smile and bowed to her. “Indeed I would not, Mrs. Darcy. May I say that I have always found your manners most agreeable, and never more so than today, I might mention too that you are looking very well indeed.”

  “I thank you, sir,” said Elizabeth with a brief curtsy. To her mother, whose eye was fixed with intent upon her, she said with good humor, “Now, mama, that your scolding is over, may I welcome you to my new home?”

  Mrs. Bennet was all eagerness. “Of course, my dear girl,” said she. And Elizabeth, who took a sudden delight in raising her hand in the direction of the house, said simply, “Madam, on behalf of my husband and myself I welcome you to Pemberley.”

  Mrs. Bennet’s eyes were drawn to the perfect uniform architecture and the established grounds of the house once more, but it was not Pemberley’s unique beauty that seduced her, moreover her view was impaired by the thought of the riches the estate represented.

  The housekeeper, who informed Elizabeth that the master was expected downstairs directly, met the party in the hallway.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds,” said Elizabeth warmly, and touching the woman’s arm briefly in a true gesture of affection she added,“please tell my husband I will be in the drawing room with my family, if you could be so kind as to arrange tea for us.”

  “At once, madam, shall I send for a servant to show everyone in?”

  “No, no,” said Elizabeth in a hushed tone. “Spare the trouble, I shall manage to lead my family through to the drawing room alone, for it is not such an unruly group as it may appear!”The two women shared the joke quietly and presently the party was quietly and happily settled in the comfort of the drawing room.

  When all aspects of the furnishings and fireplaces had been extensively admired Mrs. Bennet seized upon the moment as a further opportunity to check her daughter’s manners. “I noticed that you feel very easy with the servants, Lizzy,” said she with a frown.“It did not escape my attention that you indulged in some quiet amusement with the housekeeper! Is that wise, do you think? My advice to you, my dear, would be to exercise a little reservation when dealing with those of lower rank.Your overfriendliness may do you damage by association. I know we have always been very good to our own dear Hill but that is different. I daresay you have three hundred times the number of servants here. It would not do to befriend every single one. Every grate-blacking maid, every French chef.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “Mama, you grossly exaggerate both the number of servants and my propensity to befriend them, besides which there is a very great difference between friendship and what I judge to be fair and decent treatment of those in my employ.”

  Mrs. Bennet began to respond but was prevented from doing so by Darcy’s entering the room. He went directly to Elizabeth’s side; there was a bow, as was his usual courteous manner, to the ladies on introduction and he shook both Mr. Bennet and Mr. Bingley heartily by the hand and when those formalities had been attended to he leaned and kissed his wife tenderly on the cheek. She colored slightly, as she always did at his nearness, which seemed at once to please him and give him the easy style of attitude which sets a man in love very much apart from all other more rational humans.

  Darcy informed the party of his sister’s imminent arrival, all this was done with a smile, a relaxed posture and, as far as Mrs. Bennet was concerned, a hitherto unknown inclination to behave like the friendliest man alive. Georgiana Darcy, according to her brother’s information, was expected to return by the early afternoon with Miss Bingley who had accompanied her to take tea in Lambton with friends. He went on to mention that Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner’s absence could be accounted for by pressing affairs of business in London.They were staying at their house in Cheapside, although it was known to all present that this was considered by them to be a hardship indeed.

  Mrs. Bennet was exuberant in her expression. “What a disappointment that I shall not see my dear brother and his wife today, nor indeed my sweet little nephews and nieces. But I am delighted by the prospect of your dear sister’s arrival.Will she play for us?” she asked. Then, having been put quite at ease by her son-in-law’s apparent unaffected manner, Mrs. Bennet continued rather rapidly before the latter was afforded the opportunity to give an answer. She went on, in high spirits.“I shall insist upon her playing at least a jig for us, for I hear she has perfected the art of entertainment.”

  Lizzy glanced at Darcy; her mother was too hasty in her insistence, too presumptuous to declare her intentions to press a performance on Georgiana. The ease with which Darcy had received them all was quickly gone.Where his sister was concerned he was governed by feelings so strong, so beyond his own control, as to render him quite the distant creature that much of his reputation had been built on.

  “She will be delighted I am sure,” said he with curtness, “but pray,” he went on firmly, “I will not have her pressed to perform. I must confess to her being timid, it is best left for her to decide how inclined she is to endure inspection.”

  Mrs. Bennet became too familiar with Mr. Darcy. “Come now,” she trilled,“every young lady likes the chance of showing off a little.”

  There it was! His expression of old. Firm, aloof, cool. His voice was measured, there was an economy about his intonation. “Selfexhibition is not just the preserve of young ladies, Mrs. Bennet. Sadly, I have witnessed it, in certain circles, in women of senior years.”

  If Mrs. Bennet had had any intention of reacting, she was prevented from doing so by Mr. Darcy’s ignoring her and seeing fit to do nothing more than turn his attention elsewhere. He was soon happily engaged in conversation with Mr. Bennet, whose admiration for his new son-in-law grew rapidly. Along with his own great love for his daughter there was an affinity for Darcy that the latter appreciated and the former welcomed.

  The concluding part of the Bennets’ first day at Pemberley passed without consequence, ending with dinner which was taken, as always, at a fashionably late hour. This was followed by quiet adjournment in the music room. Georgiana obliged the party by playing the pianoforte and Caroline Bingley exercised admirable control over her desire to be malicious towards the Bennets, so peace was maintained, but it was to be a fleeting tranquillity.

  CHAPTER 7

  “Oh!Yes, the handsomest young lady that ever was seen, and so accomplished! She plays and sings all day l
ong.”

  The following evening the party repaired to the drawing room after dinner. Georgiana played for the entertainment of the gathering, her decision to entertain in this manner had been quite her own. Mrs. Bennet, on becoming further acquainted with Miss Darcy, took heed of Mr. Darcy’s declaration that his sister should not be put upon and she was therefore uncharacteristically quiet and far less peremptory than would usually have been her way. When she did elect to converse with Miss Darcy it was to congratulate the young woman, both on her ability and her choice of music.

  “Ah, you play very well, Miss Darcy, and Mozart is always a wise choice for a young lady, although I daresay you have the desire for a jig from time to time.”While Miss Darcy’s musical preferences did not include jigs she was not disposed to declare the fact and commanded as always by her timidity she said nothing and began to play again.

  “Andante Favori!” said Darcy with indulgence, reminiscences of a most passionate nature regarding the development of his infatuation with Elizabeth quite taking him over. He succumbed to the clarity of his memories, the expression of his countenance, as he directed his gaze to his wife, was as gentle, and probing as it had been on one of the first occasions of their ever having been in that very room together. Elizabeth could not fail to observe the sensitive nature of his examination and, much to his pleasure, she graced him with a look that had an equally rousing effect on his composure as his had on hers.At once his countenance was flushed with a desirous rosiness but he noted the scrutiny of Caroline Bingley and so cleared his throat and his mind simultaneously. He then began a light discourse on the pleasures of the shooting season with Mr. Bennet who always reveled in masculine conversation when given the chance of it; the opportunity to savor such manly distractions quite simply never arose at Longbourn.

  “Ah,” sighed Mrs. Bennet, seeking and securing the attention of Caroline Bingley, “I am quite enraptured by Miss Darcy’s playing but I confess it inspires a small measure of sadness in me for it puts me in mind of my daughter Mary, with whom you are acquainted. Now she is proficient in music, and on this occasion I lament her not having the fortune to cheer the party with her performance, for she is always very well received.”

  Miss Bingley responded in her cultured tones. “Such deprivation must indeed be trying for you, Mrs. Bennet, as I am sure it is for all of us.”

  Mrs. Bennet replied, “Yes indeed, Miss Bingley, you are too kind. Alas, I confess poor Mary’s absence from Pemberley must be put down to my own generosity. I was recently at Rosings Park you know, with the express intention of insisting that Mary remain there to attend poor Anne de Bourgh.”

  Enchantment with Bingley limited Jane’s contributions to the conversation for most of the evening but she spoke now with quiet determination. “Mama, it is in your favor that your kindness needs no more emphasis.” Jane’s assurance was not enough to quench Mrs. Bennet’s thirst for continued elaboration; again she addressed Miss Bingley, and when Georgiana was not preoccupied with her music Mrs. Bennet occasionally directed a look at the girl as a way of including her.“Anne de Bourgh is, as you know, a sickly thing,” declared Mrs. Bennet, “so feeble and without vigor, I could not bear to wrench Mary from her, for she is a loyal companion to the poor wretch and highly regarded at Rosings Park.”

  Caroline Bingley was no stranger to conceit as it was a trait she displayed herself and recognition of it in others required little effort. “Your good intention cannot be questioned, madam,” she said to Mrs. Bennet, “but your daughter’s acceptance of relinquishing the delights of this assembly at your request cannot have represented any personal sacrifice surely?”

  Mrs. Bennet knew not how to answer. To own that Mary would find no enjoyment in the present company would be to indicate no deprivation on her part. To profess as much would therefore diminish her own claims of authority. Lost for a suitable retort Mrs. Bennet rapidly altered the point of conversation by introducing another of her daughters as subject matter, she again turned to Miss Bingley as a suitable recipient for her oration.

  “You have met my youngest daughter Lydia have you not? Now there is a wholesome girl! She would add spirit to our little assembly here, but of course you are already familiar with her husband George Wickham and all of Derbyshire must surely know him as well as they know Mr. Darcy. Sadly his regimental duties detain them both in Newcastle.”

  The mention of his own and his adversary’s name brought Darcy to his feet. Deflection of any unfortunate atmosphere was now his purpose; he attempted distraction and addressed his wife. Her full sympathy he could rely on.

  “Elizabeth,” he said with determination,“I see my sister tires of playing, will you relieve her?”

  “But of course.”

  The two exchanged looks. His was one of caution, hers was one of alarm.

  When the members of the party had all retired to their beds Elizabeth and Darcy rejoiced in their privacy but felt the advantage of intimacy to be quickly lost. Immersed in concern over Mrs. Bennet’s unbridled reference to Mr.Wickham the two reluctantly discussed the matter and the man. Elizabeth was eager to ease Darcy’s agitation when she spoke of her mother to him.

  “Mama’s very open reference to Wickham is a sure sign that she is mostly ignorant. She does not know the full extent of his sinister nature or I am sure she would not venture to mention him at all. That at least should be of compensation to you.”

  “Her ignorance does not make the mention of him any less painful for myself or, more importantly, my sister, though I notice Miss Bingley’s eyes brighten on hearing his name,” said Darcy.

  Elizabeth could only wonder at the implication.“Do you allude to some desirous feeling toward George Wickham on Miss Bingley’s part?” she said.

  “No, not at all, though the pair would be deserved of each other in some respects. But that is a harsh judgment and one made under duress. Forgive me and forget I said it. My inference was directed more at Miss Bingley’s propensity to revel in any subject that casts your family in a poor light. Although she has not all the details of Wickham’s past, she detects our unease and I have no doubt that she feasts on it.”

  “You are sure she is so uninformed?” Elizabeth asked.

  “She has knowledge of my original misgivings.”

  Elizabeth colored slightly. “Yes of course, she delighted in informing me when we were at Netherfield that Wickham had treated you in ‘an infamous manner.’ She claimed not to know the particulars, but knew very well that you were not in the least to blame, that you could not bear to hear George Wickham mentioned, and that although Bingley had seen fit to invite him to Netherfield, he was gladdened to find that he had taken himself out of the way. Oh!” cried Elizabeth, “how enraged I am when I remember her sneering, ‘I pity you, Miss Eliza, for the discovery of your favorite’s guilt, but really, considering his descent, one could not expect much better.’”

  “Her observation was accurate, but I believe her delight stemmed from your association with Wickham at the time.”

  “I am ashamed of it now, that I was so easily fooled by his pleasing exterior and manners.”

  The consolation of her husband’s hand on her shoulder appeased Elizabeth.

  Satisfied, Darcy continued.“You took an apparent gentleman at face value, that he proved himself to be otherwise reflects poorly on him, not you.”

  Elizabeth smiled but was quickly angry with herself again.“Yes, but my liking of him then is unfaithful to my love for you now, I cannot bear to consider it, the admission of my stupidity, my prejudice, and my misconception leaves me mortified.”

  “I will not have you so, your opinions were formed only by what you saw, hence your partiality to Wickham was as understandable as your abhorrence of me, I cannot not berate you for either, my love.”

  Elizabeth managed a smile. “Indeed, in my blindness I showed no fondness for you, but I believe I felt more than I revealed, your distance had some appeal I recall.”

  “I cannot imagine that
I challenged you any more than you did me, I thought I should never win your approval and I knew I could never conquer the power of my love for you, despite my contemptible efforts to do so.”

  Elizabeth touched her husband’s cheek. “I fear we are so taken over with emotion that we neglect the question of Wickham. I cannot see that it would in any way be prudent to inform mama of the full extent of his wrongdoing, but the necessity to silence her on the subject is very great. It would give Georgiana peace of mind for she cannot bear to hear that he is highly esteemed.”

  “I know you fear keeping countenance on his behalf but there is little else to be done. It is not worth your mother’s distress to reveal his distant past now that she is so suitably recovered from his more recent improprieties with your sister.”

  Elizabeth frowned. “A recovery that her fickleness and ignorance affords her. My father knows of your involvement of course, but my mother has not the slightest notion that it was your intervention that forced Lydia’s respectability. She is still of the impression that my Uncle Gardiner settled matters and had them marry, though she shows him scant gratitude.”