by Riana Everly
Jane brought her sister into her arms for a fierce embrace and Mrs. Gardiner clucked; she surely recognised the reason behind her niece’s agitation. She placed a cool hand upon Lizzy’s restless ones and spoke quietly.
“Dearest, I am most confident that when Mr. Darcy sought us out, he was quite aware than any connexion with our family must, at some time, throw him into company with you. And,” she paused slightly to capture her niece’s full attention, “when mention was made of your coming visit, he most specifically requested to be able to join us so that he might enjoy your company once more.” She pulled the now sobbing younger woman into her arms and held her as she wept.
“Oh, Lizzy, dearest, here is another handkerchief. Cry it all out. Mr. Darcy might not have the greatest innate skill at deciphering expressions, but when he is comfortable, his face betrays his to the world, and when he speaks of you, his visage does not suggest disdain or dislike. No, rather, it glows in admiration. Lizzy, he likes you so very much, and not even your abuses and cruel words have been able to change that. Come and meet with him at dinner, and be not sad or ashamed.”
Eventually Elizabeth brought herself under better regulation and promised her aunt that she would behave herself most properly at dinner. As she wiped her face, she asked how Samuel had reacted to this new friendship. Mrs. Gardiner’s lips curved into a soft and grateful smile as she spoke more about her oldest son.
“Lizzy, you will be all amazement when you see him tonight. I know the time of their friendship has been short, but already I see in Sammy a new confidence and maturity. Oh, no, fear not! Mr. Darcy is not trying to make my boy grow up before his time—I can assure you that I, your uncle, or Miss Pierce has been in the room with them so we know fully what they discuss. Mr. Darcy lets Sammy direct their conversation or activities. Sometimes they play chess, or discuss the races and calculate the probability of a certain horse winning. But they have also built paper boats and seen which floats the longest or travels the furthest out on the Serpentine, or they exercise in the back garden or the park across the way, at running or cricket or football.”
“Mr. Darcy plays football? I should imagine such a thing far below him!” Lizzy snorted.
“You still have such preconceived ideas, Lizzy dearest. He is proud, to be sure, but it is the pride of dignity and not the arrogance of superiority. He runs with both of my boys and teaches them to kick the ball to best control its direction and speed, as any active man would do, as their own father does when he is not needed at his place of business.
“I believe that Mr. Darcy has let our young Sammy see how a lad such as himself might indeed become a most genteel and capable man; this is the new confidence I see. It is the confidence of knowing that all the work my boy has done, with your most vital help and Miss Pierce’s, will allow him to prosper and live a good and satisfying life. His efforts are to a good end, and as he sees the evidence of this, he becomes a happier child. And as his contentment increases, so does his progress and success. Even his school master made mention of this just yesterday when he came to call upon walking home with Sammy after the day’s lessons were over.”
“Then I am most happy, Aunt, and shall do nothing to jeopardise this budding friendship. You know how I adore my cousin, and how I rejoice in the success of his hard work; I could never harm him.” She wiped the last of the errant tears from her eyes and affected a cheerful grin. “Now, pray tell, what shall I wear for dinner? Shall we empty my trunk and examine whether any of the dresses not quite good enough for Lady Catherine de Bourgh of Rosings might possibly be adequate for Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner of Gracechurch Street?”
Despite her assurances to her sister and aunt, however, Elizabeth was more than slightly ill at ease at the thought of seeing Mr. Darcy once more. Of course he would be too well-bred to speak ill of her before her aunt and uncle; but did he really wish to see her once again? Surely not, after those horrid things she had said to him, and after she had so conclusively proven her own blindness! And yet, he had sought out an introduction with a family so far beneath him socially, and initiated a friendship with a boy just beginning his journey towards manhood, purely on the grounds of her information of them. What on earth could Mr. Darcy have hoped to gain from meeting young Samuel? There could be no material advantage to him, but from all her aunt had intimated, the friendship was genuine and of pleasure to both man and boy.
More amazing, Mr. Darcy had taken such a bold step and had exerted himself so greatly to risk the censure of his society by seeking the company of tradesmen and by denying his discomfort in unknown situations in so doing. He introduced himself to strangers! He fought to free himself from his protective walls in order to seek a new friend. In the midst of her mortification and anxiety, Elizabeth felt a strong thread of pride in her student!
These ruminations filled her head as she descended the stairs to the salon where she would await her relatives in anticipation of their dinner guest. As she entered the comfortable room, she noticed she was not the first to appear. Samuel was seated on the sofa with a book in his hands. He noticed her arrival and leapt to his feet. “Cousin Lizzy!” He was torn between greeting her as a gentleman should and his boyish inclination to run to her and wrap his eager arms around her.
She observed his internal struggle and satisfied both desires by curtseying most properly before walking over to him and bestowing a kiss upon his sandy head. She had to bend far less than in years past, and it would not be long before this lad would surpass her in height. He returned her kiss with a brief embrace before he bowed as a gentleman ought and returned to his book. His hugs and kisses had been hard-won, for as a young child, Samuel had resisted any physical displays of affection, and seemed quite bothered by any touch of another’s skin upon his own. This, too, had been an obstacle to overcome, and whilst the boy would never be one to encourage the physical closeness sometimes seen between friends, he could now shake hands confidently and without betraying his discomfort.
Absently, Lizzy wondered if Mr. Darcy too shied away from all physical contact, before recalling his hand upon hers as they walked the lanes of Rosings, or as they sat quietly under the shade of the folly. She felt a wave of warmth suffuse her cheeks at the memory and breathed deeply to restore her equanimity. Before she could dwell too heavily upon these matters, she pushed the thought firmly from her head and addressed her young cousin, asking about his day and his studies, and about his friends at the school which he attended.
Although he looked everywhere but at his cousin’s eyes, the boy chattered on about his experiences, requiring only the occasional question from Elizabeth to enable him to supply the information and details that any youth approaching his adolescence might be remiss in imparting. He had, he announced most proudly, been invited to spend the fortnight of the upcoming school holidays with his friend Robert Harwin, whose father owned a prosperous shipping company, and who was a good business associate of Mr. Gardiner.
“Papa has agreed, and we are to go to Margate!” Samuel announced with great excitement. He bounced on his chair and flapped his hands for a moment before glancing down and them in realisation of what they were doing. Stilling his recalcitrant appendages, he continued, “Is that not the most exciting news, Lizzy?” Then he paused, and added, “I do hope my new friend, Mr. Darcy, will not miss me too much. Do you think he shall?”
Elizabeth smiled to herself, but added in a most sincere voice, “I am certain he will, but he is also, by all accounts, a most busy man, and he will certainly find some activities to keep him engaged until your return.” Samuel sat up a little straighter at this, and a proud and satisfied expression stole over his young face.
They talked generally of sea bathing and Margate, and of Samuel’s studies at school for a few minutes until Mr. Gardiner strode into the room. He had been at his workplace when Elizabeth and Maria had arrived from Kent, and had yet to greet his favourite niece. He was Mrs. Bennet’s younger brother, possessing all the refinement of character and commo
n sense that his sister lacked. He was also a good businessman, owing as much of his success to his genial good nature and uncompromising honesty as to his business acumen, and was generally liked and respected in the community. His intelligence was clear in his bright eyes, both traits of which he had passed down to his son. The boy looked up as his father entered, and before Mr. Gardiner had a chance to open his mouth, Samuel cried out excitedly, “Papa, Papa, look who has come! It’s Cousin Lizzy!”
Uncle and niece greeted each other as warmly as might be imagined, for they could not have doted upon each other more had they been given the choice of all the family in the world. Mr. Gardiner was genuinely delighted to have Elizabeth in his house. “Stay a few more weeks, Lizzy,” he implored her. “Your aunt enjoys your company so, and I know your cousins adore you. You set a wonderful example for my little girls, and Jimmy pays so much more attention to his manners when you are here to chide him. And,” he looked proudly upon his eldest son, “we all know how Samuel thrives in your company. Aunt Maddie agrees with me, and we shall write to your parents this evening if you will but agree. Think, Lizzy, of all the adventures we might have while you stay with us. How long has it been since you were last at the theatre or the museums, or the opera?”
And so it was decided, with very little convincing required on Uncle Gardiner’s part, that Elizabeth would stay some further weeks with the family in Town. Within moments of this decision, Jane, Mrs. Gardiner and Maria entered the room, followed almost immediately by the housekeeper, announcing their guest. “Mr. Darcy of Pemberley has arrived.”
Chapter Thirteen
Dinner at the Gardiners
If Mr. Darcy felt any discomfort being in Elizabeth’s presence once more, nothing in his words or manner betrayed the fact. He looked comfortable in the Gardiner’s salon, more so than at Rosings, or, in fact, anywhere outside of the folly or on the long walks they had taken through the grounds at his aunt’s estate. He entered the room with an easy and friendly confidence and greeted his hosts in the manner of long-established friends well satisfied with each other’s company. To Jane he bowed politely and inquired after her health. To Samuel, he inclined his head before shaking the youth’s hand as he might an adult of his circle, which left a smug and proud grin on the lad’s face. Neither seemed to mind the brief physical contact. He greeted Maria Lucas most cordially, asking after her sister with a look of genuine interest, and at last he turned to Elizabeth. He bowed to her, perhaps a touch more deeply than etiquette required, and when she curtseyed in return, he took her hand and brushed his lips over her fingertips. His actions were all that was polite and proper, but they left nobody with any doubts as to his intentions towards Elizabeth.
As they sat for a while before the meal was served, he reclined comfortably in the chair he was offered, conversing easily with Samuel and Mr. Gardiner, smiling freely and displaying yet another aspect of his fascinating character. Elizabeth tried not to stare at this stranger with the familiar face, this man who chatted with newly encountered social inferiors as if they were old and dear friends, who sought and cultivated the friendship of a youth, who taught children football and who smiled and laughed with the good nature of a natural socialite. She could scarcely reconcile what she saw now with the stony-faced and arrogant creature who had stalked the edges of the Meryton assembly rooms only a few short months before.
As discreet as she tried to be, Elizabeth’s glances could not escape her aunt’s keen observation. “It would be hard to believe that Mr. Darcy is not always so easy in company, that he and my Sammy share so many traits in this respect, had I not seen him with my own eyes upon his first visit,” she whispered.
“Indeed!” came Lizzy’s quiet reply. “I cannot account for this change, nor would I have believed it had I not seen it myself. It does you and my uncle great credit, Aunt, that he should be so very at ease here.” Or, she considered in silence, that he should be here at all!
Suppressing a laugh and with kindly shining eyes, Mrs. Gardiner replied, “Perhaps, Lizzy, but I believe it does greater credit to you! For without your help, Sammy would not be the lad he is now, and Mr. Darcy would not have dared to make that very first visit. I believe we may all feel quite satisfied with ourselves in this result that we see before us.” She now turned to Maria, who had been telling Jane all about Mr. Collins’ closets, and entered into the conversation, leaving Elizabeth to join them or ponder the sight before her, as she desired.
Dinner was a pleasant and comfortable affair. It was Samuel’s first meal with the adults, and he acquitted himself most admirably, seeking the approbation of both his favourite cousin and his new great friend. It was clear that Miss Pierce had spent much time with her charge, refining his manners for the dining room and ensuring he would be confident enough that the scrutiny of his company—even though they might be his loving family—would not shake his composure. Elizabeth resolved to spend a few moments with her friend Miss Pierce the following day to commend her on her solid instruction and to praise her student for his excellent execution of what he had been taught.
The conversation all around the table was light and most amiable, and the company small enough that all could participate in the discussion. Only Maria, unused to the Gardiners and half-terrified of Mr. Darcy, kept silent, although Jane, always kind and solicitous, strove valiantly to make the girl comfortable; the rest, including Samuel, participated fully, if sometimes disjointedly. Lizzy gazed upon her cousin and fairly glowed with pride at the fine young man he was becoming, especially when compared to the most awkward and uncommunicative child he had been not so many years before.
The topics of conversation ranged from the current selection of entertainments at the various theatres and private salons, to the weather, the latest news from the races (which garnered a frown from Mrs. Gardiner but no reprimands), to the newest advances in bridge-building. Samuel seemed fascinated with the topic, and when Mr. Darcy began talking about structural iron and the smelting facilities and factories in his home county of Derbyshire, Samuel all but begged for an invitation to tour some of these facilities.
To his credit, whilst Mr. Darcy was an expert on the smallest details about bridges, a fascination which bound him rather beyond the ordinary, he was able to keep the discussion interesting to all at the table and refrained from diverting into minutiae which would interest only other devotees. He enumerated some of the bridges near his estate and proved to have a gift for description, bringing to life the sights and sounds of the environs of his favourite structures, complete with animated recollections of the villages and the people who resided in them. His tales elicited sufficient oohs and aahs that by the end of the meal, the Gardiners had expressed an interest in visiting Derbyshire in the summer to see the neighbourhood and its bridges for themselves, and a corresponding invitation was issued by Mr. Darcy to stay with him at Pemberley whilst they were in his part of the county.
“You mentioned, upon our very first meeting, that you had once lived in Lambton,” he directed at Mrs. Gardiner. “I am certain that should you travel north you will wish to visit your friends and relations there. The town is only five miles from Pemberley, and I would be most honoured to have you as my guests for the duration of your stay.”
He continued so enthusiastically that the Gardiners could hardly refuse him. He then turned to Elizabeth and catching her eye and holding it, added, “It is my deepest hope that you might travel with your relatives, for I would like nothing more than to show you my home.” He spoke with great meaning, once more leaving little doubt as to his feelings towards the lady. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner said nothing but Lizzy noticed that they exchanged glances that spoke more eloquently than words. Maria stared at her plate and said nothing. Samuel, too, was oblivious to the unspoken conversation around him, and only asked more questions about iron bridges in the vicinity.
It was not until much later, after sweets had been served and the men had finished their port and rejoined the ladies in the salon, that M
r. Darcy at last approached Elizabeth to speak with her alone.
“Miss Elizabeth,” he began, a strange look on his face, questioning and cautious.
“Mr. Darcy.” She met his eyes briefly, then looked away, fighting a war of conflicting emotions that roiled within her breast, unable to identify any, let alone examine them. Was this how he felt when forced to meet another’s gaze? Was this acute discomfort she felt now something he experienced with every encounter? The churning in her mind was almost unbearable, and she could hardly think what to say. Before she had the time to collect her thoughts, he came to her rescue.
“Your shoulders are pulled slightly forward, and your fingers are playing ceaselessly with the tassels on your shawl. You seem to find it difficult to maintain a steady regard, and your breathing is a bit more rapid than normal. Your chin is tucked in somewhat and you are worrying the inside of your lip, whilst your eyebrows are raised in the centre, with a slight furrow between them. Your nose, as always, is perfect.” She could not help but look up at this recitation of her expression and stance, and now that he had captured her attention he continued, a small and satisfied grin stealing over his face. “All of that indicates that you are worried and ill-at-ease, and the way in which you cast your eyes towards me and then turn away as if burned suggests that I am the cause of your distress.”
