by Zoë Burton
“You will need to set a date. Lizzy, do you wish to do it now or wait to hear your mother’s desires?” Mrs. Gardiner hoped they would go to Longbourn with a date already chosen. Her sister-in-law was verbose at the best of times, but hearing that she had a daughter engaged was certain to make her downright loquacious.
Elizabeth groaned. “Mama. Oh, heavens.”
Darcy looked from his hostess to his betrothed, then to her sister and back to Elizabeth. Confusion was evident in his voice when he asked, “What is the matter, Elizabeth? Is your mother well?”
Seeing that her sister was just about in tears, Jane replied, “Nothing is the matter; Mama is well. It is only that she is very enthusiastic, and when she gets good news, her joy knows no bounds.”
“What Jane is ever so politely trying to tell you, Darcy, is that my sister is loud and unchecked. I have heard many people over the years wonder at how our parents could have produced me and my sisters. Jokes about my true parentage are almost expected. I am happy Madeline brought this up; it is best you enter Longbourn prepared for Fanny Bennet’s raptures.” Gardiner picked his fork and knife back up from the sides of his plate, where he had placed them when he began speaking. “If you like, I will go with you. I do not know that I can stop her, but I can at least blunt the effect and divert her attention.”
“Oh,” Darcy began, looking at Elizabeth sitting beside him, her head down and her ear and the cheek he could see bright red. He stretched his hand over to cover hers where it clutched its mate in her lap. “I would appreciate that, though you know that it makes no difference to me what she is like. It is Elizabeth,” he paused until she raised her head and looked at him, “it is you who I am marrying, not your mother.”
Elizabeth nodded her thanks. “It is.” She lifted the side of her mouth in a slight smile. “Mama has reasons for her behavior, but they do not make it less humiliating for the rest of us.”
“Tell me her reasons.” Darcy urged his betrothed to express her fears, knowing that to speak them out would allow her to reason them away. “I suspect I know, but I should like to hear it from you, all the same.”
Looking around at the rest of her family as they ate, she looked back at her nearly-empty plate and thought of her mother and how to best explain her. “I do not know what you and uncle have spoken of in regards to me, but my father’s estate is entailed to the male line. I have no brother; therefore, there is a distant cousin, whose name I do not know, who will inherit. Mama fears that if we girls do not marry, she will have nowhere to go when Papa dies. She holds out great hope for Jane to make a spectacular match.” Elizabeth stopped speaking to smile at her sister, reaching her free hand out to grasp Jane’s for a moment before letting go and turning her attention back to Darcy. “Mama will want to know all about your income and your estate, even the number of carriages you own. She is unstoppable. But, my father does little to check her. He finds amusement in her antics.” Elizabeth looked away once more, but encouraged by Darcy’s squeeze of her hand, she turned her face his way again and informed him of her true fear. “You might meet her and rush out the door and away from me as fast as you can. She may be intolerable to you. I know that her manners are not fashionable. Indeed, her behavior is not even appropriate for private discourse with her family, but she is my mother, and there is little I can do to stop her.”
“If I were to ask, I have no doubt you would say that you love her.”
Elizabeth snorted a laugh. “I suppose I do, though I often dislike her, as well.”
Darcy smiled softly, then sought to reassure her. “Again, dearest Elizabeth, it is you I am marrying, not your family. No matter how badly they offend me, for your sake, I will bear it. I promise you.”
“Very well, Fitzwilliam. Thank you.”
Darcy raised her fingers to his lips, bestowing a brief kiss upon them.
~~~***~~~
The next day, Darcy met Bingley at their club. Over a glass of port, he shared his good news.
“Congratulations! She is a lovely girl, and I know you will do well together.”
“Thank you. I look forward to many years of teasing.” Darcy lifted his glass in a toast before taking a sip and putting the glass back down. “Are you still calling on Miss Bennet?”
“I am,” Bingley happily replied. “She is an angel.”
“You know, they are to return to Hertfordshire soon.”
“Yes, Miss Bennet told me that. I have asked my man of business to look into an estate she told me about that is near to her home. The place is called Netherfield. Robertson is supposed to get back to me today about it. Perhaps you could ride out there with me to look it over?”
“I would be happy to. I will be travelling there tomorrow to speak to Mr. Bennet about Elizabeth. If you like, you can ride along.”
“That is an excellent idea! I will send round a note as soon as I know something.”
Darcy took a final sip of his port, then rose. Shaking Bingley’s hand and accepting his further congratulations, Darcy left for home, greeting several other friends and acquaintances on his way out.
Not more than two hours later, he received the expected note from Bingley. Through the spots and blotches that were part and parcel of his friend’s every letter, was a message indicating that Bingley would be ready to leave at dawn for Hertfordshire.
~~~***~~~
Bright and early the next morning, the pair set out in Darcy’s well-sprung travelling carriage. They left the main road well north of London, shortly after a stop to change horses. The roads from this point were rough; the gentlemen often clung to the straps inside the equipage to maintain their seats.
“Good thing it has not rained in a while, eh, Darcy?”
“It is. This road must be impassable when wet.”
Both men were thankful to finally reach Meryton, the market town closest to both Longbourn and Netherfield. Their first order of business was to stop at the office of the local solicitor, a Mr. Philips, who would be available to lead Bingley and his friend on a tour of Netherfield. A time secured for the showing, the gentlemen boarded Darcy’s coach once again, this time pulling up to Longbourn. They presented their cards to the housekeeper and waited in the vestibule to be shown in.
Within a few minutes, they were led to a small but well-stocked library. Inside they found an older gentleman with spectacles and greying hair, standing behind a desk that was piled high with books, ledgers, and papers.
“I am Thomas Bennet.” The gentleman bowed. After Darcy and Bingley had introduced themselves, he gestured them to seats, sitting down in his own chair behind his desk.
“I have heard much of the two of you, from my brother and my daughters. You have both made good impressions.”
Bingley spoke first. “Thank you, sir. Your family is delightful, and I know I speak for Darcy when I say that we are happy to have made their acquaintance.”
Darcy spoke up. “Bingley does speak for me. I have never met a pleasanter group of people in my life.”
Bennet smiled at them. It was always good, in his opinion, to hear well of one’s family. “Well, then. I thank you for having the good sense to see them as I do. I do not think you are here to sing their praises, though, and while I suspect I know the reasons for your visit, perhaps you should tell me, lest I come to the wrong conclusion.”
By the end of this speech, Darcy was certain he saw what Elizabeth had been talking about when she spoke of her father making sport of others. “Well, sir, Bingley is looking at Netherfield this afternoon, and rode along with me. I cannot speak to any other motives he might have. I, on the other hand, do have a specific purpose.”
“Very well, let us hear what you have to say.”
Darcy cleared his throat. “Sir, I met your lovely daughter, Miss Elizabeth, and the rest of your family several weeks ago. In the intervening time, I have discovered that she is the most delightful woman of my acquaintance. She told me that she informed you that I called on her?” Seeing Mr. Bennet nod
, he continued. “Miss Elizabeth and I have discovered an affinity for each other. We enjoy many of the same activities, and have engaged in debates almost every time we have seen each other. I have fallen in love with her, and so I asked her to marry me. She has accepted me, and I am come to ask you for her hand.”
Bennet was impressed with the gentleman’s confidence, though it did border on arrogance. “Happily for you, Elizabeth has written of you frequently, and I am prepared for this.” He paused for a heartbeat, looking at his hands clasped on his belly, then breathed in and looked up. “You have my permission and my blessing. My brother has written of your circumstances and your affection for my daughter; I know you will take good care of her.”
“The best I can, sir. Thank you.” Rising, Darcy shook hands with his betrothed’s father. They spent the next hour discussing the settlement.
Upon leaving Longbourn, Darcy and Bingley rode to Netherfield, where Mr. Philips escorted them all through the house and the park. They examined the home from roof to basement, and finding nothing to alarm them and no visible problems outside, Bingley declared himself delighted with it. After a further hour in Meryton so that Bingley could sign the lease, they were back on the road to London.
Chapter 6
Two days passed before Darcy was able to see Elizabeth again, though he did send her a note upon his arrival back in town from his trip to Meryton. In it, he assured her that they had received her father’s permission to marry, and that he had business to attend the following day but would arrive at the Gardiners’ in time to break his fast with her the day after that. While his betrothed was disappointed to have to wait to see him, she bore it philosophically; he was a gentleman, and often, gentlemen had matters to which they must attend.
The morning of the second day brought Darcy to the Gardiners’ doorstep, just as he had promised. Elizabeth happily received both him and the information he shared, that Mr. Bingley had signed the lease for Netherfield. Darcy’s friend would move into the estate in a fortnight, and Darcy was coming with him.
~~~***~~~
Two weeks later, the Darcy carriage came to a stop outside the Gardiners’ door. Darcy and Bingley, who had been riding behind on their favorite horses, dismounted. They handed the reins to one of the grooms before knocking on the door. Within a quarter hour, the gentlemen were remounting, having handed Elizabeth and Jane into the luxurious coach. The ladies waved goodbye to their family as the equipage pulled away.
That afternoon, the group pulled into Longbourn’s driveway, stopping at the entrance to the large, well-kept home. Darcy was at the side of the carriage before the groom could descend, handing out his betrothed. Moving away so his friend could assist Jane, Darcy tucked Elizabeth’s hand under his arm. He looked down at her and smiled. “Are you ready?”
“To face my mother’s effusions? I am as ready for that as I possibly can be. Are you certain you will be able to face her with equanimity?”
“With you by my side, I can do anything.” Darcy winked at her before turning his attention to Longbourn’s front door, which had opened just then, allowing the Bennet sisters’ family to pour forth out of the house.
“Jane!” Mrs. Bennet ran right past her second daughter to pull her eldest in for a hug as Elizabeth and Darcy stared after her, one with an expression of disbelief and offense on his face and the other with resignation mixed with disappointment on hers.
“Lizzy, it is good to have you home.” The couple turned at the sound of Mr. Bennet’s voice. “Mr. Darcy, thank you for seeing my daughters to Longbourn.” Elizabeth’s father bowed a greeting to his future son-in-law as he spoke.
“It was my pleasure, sir.” Darcy returned Mr. Bennet’s salutation. “I have the settlement with me; we can review it whenever it is convenient.”
“Excellent! I am sure my wife will invite you to dine tonight; bring it with you, and we can take care of it after we eat.”
“Very good, sir.”
“Papa,” Elizabeth interjected, “I expected Mama to make a fuss over my engagement, but she has not.”
Mr. Bennet’s face flushed. “I…have not yet told her of it.”
“You did not tell her? Whyever not?”
“I am sorry, Child; I simply could not countenance her outrageous exclamations the day your young man was here. I thought to wait a day or two, but as time passed, I found it more and more difficult. And now, you are here.”
“Papa!” Elizabeth’s disappointment was clear. “Now Mr. Darcy will be subject to her initial reaction, as well. I had hoped to spare him. How could you?”
“I am sorry, Daughter. We will see just what kind of a man your Mr. Darcy is, though, will we not?” With a chuckle, the Bennet patriarch turned away to greet Jane himself.
Elizabeth sighed. “I am so sorry.”
Darcy did his best to reassure her. “All will be well, I promise you.” He was prevented from saying more when Elizabeth’s younger sisters, seeing that their father had completed his conversation with her, surrounded her. Darcy stepped back and watched, observing the obvious affection that the girls had for each other. Their reunion was interrupted when their parents swept past them, urging them inside. Jane and Bingley followed in the elder Bennets’ wake; their mother had never acknowledged Elizabeth’s presence, nor Darcy’s. Giving Elizabeth a look at the same time perplexed and apologetic, Darcy escorted his betrothed through Longbourn’s door.
Bustling into the drawing room ahead of her family, Mrs. Bennet, speaking rapidly, ordered tea for her family and guests. Shooing the housekeeper away as the rest of the group entered in ones and twos, she began directing everyone where to sit. Still, she did not greet her second daughter. It was not until everyone else was seated that she made note of Elizabeth’s presence, and the tall, handsome, and well-dressed gentleman at her side. “And who have we here?” she cooed, mentally tallying the cost of his garments. She had automatically paired Jane with Bingley, but if this gentleman was a better match for her most beautiful daughter, she would make certain it was made.
“Mama, this is Mr. Darcy.”
Darcy bowed. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Bennet. Miss Elizabeth has spoken of you often.”
Mrs. Bennet appeared taken aback at his statement. “She has? Oh, well, then. Come, Mr. Darcy, there is room on the other side of Jane for you to sit. Lizzy, you may seat yourself there, by the window.” She gestured to a pair of wingback chairs positioned at the far side of the room.
Darcy was not about to allow his future mother’s machinations to separate him from his betrothed; he escorted Elizabeth to the chairs indicated, first seating her before pulling the other chair closer to hers and sitting himself down.
Mrs. Bennet huffed but turned back to Jane and Bingley, fawning over them almost to the exclusion of everyone else. Once the tea was poured, Mr. Bennet broke the news to his wife, though not in a manner appreciated by his favorite daughter.
“Mrs. Bennet, you disappoint me.”
“I do? How so, Mr. Bennet?”
“Why, you have not interrogated Mr. Darcy here! We have learned nothing of his income, nor the number of carriages he owns. We have heard nothing of his estate, or where it is located. I had fully expected by now to hear all the details pulled out of him, one by one.”
“Oh,” said Mrs. Bennet with a shrug of her shoulder. “I admit he is nicely dressed, and I thought to inquire many of those things of him, but he chose instead to sit with Lizzy.” Her disdain for that action was clear in her voice. “He cannot be worth much of anything if he chose her.”
Over the sound of gasping that came from every mouth in the room, Mr. Bennet continued. “So you would say that his interest in your daughter makes him…poor?”
“He’s a poor prospect, indeed, if he cannot see the superiority of Jane or Lydia. They are far more desirable. Lizzy will never be as beautiful as her elder sister, as I have predicted for years. Nor is she as lively as my youngest daughter. She has nothing to recommend her; sh
e reads too much and does not know when to keep her mouth closed. He will soon tire of her, and she will remain unmarried, and I will remind her again that I told her so.”
“Well then, Wife, you will be surprised to hear that Mr. Darcy visited me a fortnight ago to ask for Lizzy’s hand in marriage. Since you are convinced that he is worthless, I will not share his income with you. I will, however,” Mr. Bennet turned to Elizabeth and Darcy, “recommend to you, Mr. Darcy, that you marry soon. The sooner, the better. Do not let Mrs. Bennet talk you into delaying the wedding so she can organize a grand celebration.”
Darcy, who had sat through the discussion with his anger barely under control, grabbed his chance to speak with both hands. “Indeed, I will, sir.” He stood, the better to make his point. Glaring at Elizabeth’s stunned mother, he made his opinions known. “Miss Elizabeth is an accomplished and genteel woman. She is everything I wanted in a wife and feared I would never find.” He spoke next to his future father, though his eyes never left that gentleman’s wife. “I will take your advice, Mr. Bennet. I have already purchased a special license. I am certain Bingley would allow us to marry at Netherfield tomorrow, and if not, the church is likely available. I will ask Elizabeth her preference before I leave here today. Mrs. Bennet, if I were not concerned for my betrothed’s reputation, I would take her with me tonight, and you would never see her again. As it is, I must leave her here. It is only with the greatest reluctance that I abandon her to contend with such horrible abuse. You may be assured, however, that as soon as the sun has risen in the morning, I will be on your doorstep. She had best be in the exact condition she is now.”
Turning then to Elizabeth, Darcy’s features and tone softened as he held out his hand to her. He helped her to rise, then escorted her into the vestibule.
Elizabeth had sat through the entire exchange, from her mother’s first words until her betrothed held out his hand to her, in a state of shock. She was not surprised that her mother would speak of her thusly; that was common enough. What unsettled her was the vehemence behind the words. She wondered what had happened while she was in London to give her mother more reason to dislike her. She allowed Darcy to lead her out of the room, and not a murmur of protest left her lips when, once they reached the entry hall, Darcy pulled her into his arms.
