"I cannot decide how many cards to order. Do you think two hundred would be sufficient, or should I bespeak a thousand?"
Now she was definitely smiling. "You are ambitious, sir. The house party is almost half over. You would have to work hard indeed to offend me a thousand times in the remaining days."
"True, but I do seem to possess a remarkable talent for it. Still, it might be prudent to plan ahead, given the frequency with which we seem to cross paths. After all, we have only met in Hertfordshire, Kent and Yorkshire so far. There are still thirty-six counties where we have not met."
"Only thirty-six? I take it you do not anticipate travelling to Wales, Mr. Darcy."
"Not at present, so you may go there in perfect safety."
"Well, then, if you order only two hundred cards, that will be five or six cards per county. Do you think that would be sufficient?"
"An excellent point. Based on experience, it might not be enough. There are some offenses that might require two or even three cards."
"You need not concern yourself.
The butler's voice interrupted her, announcing in stentorian tones a new arrival. "The Dowager Marchioness of Bentham."
Eleanor spun to face the newcorner, an expression of heart-felt delight on her face, clearly only just restraining herself from running to her grandmother. Darcy also turned toward the older woman. It was remarkable how little she had changed since he was a child. Then his attention was drawn by the absolute silence in the room, everyone frozen as if in a tableau.
Finally, Lady Bentham swept forward. "Welcome to Bentham Park, my lady," she said in honeyed tones.
The dowager honored her with a dubious look that swept from her head to the hem of her gown. "Why, I thank you, Lady Bentham." Her voice could have frozen the ocean. "I hope this is not an inconvenient time. I see you have guests."
"Though we are, as always, delighted to see you, we do have a house party at present. Pray allow me to present some of our guests." Lady Bentham took her mother-in-law's arm and began to escort her around the room, starting on the side opposite Darcy.
Apparently Paxton had not been exaggerating the enmity between the two women. Still, a great-aunt he had not seen for years could not compete with Elizabeth Bennet for Darcy's attention. What had she been about to tell him? He turned to her. but she was watching Lady Eleanor, who in turn focused on the Dowager Marchioness.
When the dowager reached Admiral Worthsley, her voice rose enough to be audible across the room. "Why, Worthsley, you old buzzard! Where have you been keeping yourself all these years?" Had she really called him an old buzzard in public? She had always spoken her mind, and evidently that tendency had not diminished with age.
Darcy stared as the Admiral who, clearly pleased to see the older woman, answered genially. "England is still at war, your ladyship, so I have not spent as much time enjoying the beauties of the countryside as I might have wished."
Lady Eleanor rocked back and forth on her feet as if trying to resist temptation, but she stayed in place until her grandmother reached them. Casting her eyes nervously at the present Lady Bentham, Lady Eleanor leant forward to kiss the older woman's cheek. The dowager was having none of it, though; she hugged Lady Eleanor tightly.
Lady Eleanor's eyes were misty when the embrace ended. "Grandmama, I am so pleased to see you!"
Her stepmother's eyes flashed. "My dear, would you be so kind as to introduce your friends to our new guest?" Her voice had a chill in it.
"Grandmama, may I present Mr. Paxton to your acquaintance? You must already know Mr. Darcy, and of course you remember my friend Lizzy."
The dowager took a step back and examined him. "Why, Fitzwilliam Darcy, this is a surprise! When you wrote that you were coming to Yorkshire, I did not realize it was to Bentham Park." Clearly this intelligence displeased her.
For once, an accusation he could defend himself from! "In fact, I am visiting my old college friend Paxton. I had no idea he lived so nearby. We are here only for the day."
She nodded, apparently satisfied by this. "You have grown quite tall. Your mother always said you would be tall. I will have to accustom myself to looking up at you."
"This is a fortuitous meeting. I had originally thought you still resided here, but when I learned otherwise. I planned to call on you next week."
"Well, we must sit down and talk, you and I; but first I must converse with my granddaughter. Lady Bentham, I assume you have no objection if I borrow Eleanor for a short time?"
Lady Eleanor's smile was as bright as her stepmother's was artificial. "Of course not," said Lady Bentham. "The west sitting room would be convenient."
The dowager wasted no time, leading Lady Eleanor toward the door. Just before they left the room, Lady Bentham called after her, "Eleanor, do you mean to leave poor Miss Bennet all alone?"
Poor Miss Bennet, who had not seemed the slightest bit disturbed over her friend's departure, looked up in astonishment. "I thank you, my lady, but I am quite comfortable here, and I have no wish to intrude."
The cool glance froze Elizabeth now. "Eleanor is your hostess and has duties as such." It was patently obvious that Lady Bentham was trying to avoid allowing her stepdaughter to be alone with her mother-in-law, and she had left no opening for Elizabeth to refuse.
Darcy looked after Elizabeth's retreating form, damning the interruption. When would he have the chance to speak to her?
No sooner had the three women arrived in the west sitting room than the Dowager Marchioness turned to Elizabeth. "It has been a long time, Lizzy. Or must I call you Miss Bennet now?"
"Of course not," said Elizabeth warmly. She had been a little hurt that the dowager had not seemed to notice her before. During her years visiting Bentham Park, Elizabeth might not have seen Lord Bentham often, but the Dowager Marchioness had been a regular visitor in the nursery wing and the schoolroom, and Elizabeth had enjoyed her acerbic commentary. "But you are here to speak to Eleanor. Pray do not concern yourself about me in the slightest. I plan to sit in the corner and read quietly."
"There is no need," said Eleanor. "You already know all my secrets - unless perhaps Grandmama is planning to tell me some of hers." Her smile showed her view of the likelihood of that.
"Not at all. You know that I prefer to be direct, and since I have no doubt that we will be interrupted soon, I will be even more so today. Eleanor, I had a surprising visitor this morning. Your brother came to see me."
"My brother? Which one?"
"Charles, of course, who under any other circumstances could not be bothered to spend time with an old lady. He came to tell me that he was worried about you and to ask me to use my influence to delay, if not stop, your betrothal."
Elizabeth stared. Once again, she had thought she understood Charles Carlisle, and again he had surprised her. After learning of his bet. she would never have expected him to actually try to help Eleanor.
Eleanor's mouth dropped open. "He did?" Her voice squeaked.
"Yes, I have said so, have I not? Is it true, my dear? Has he cause to worry?" She laid her wrinkled hand over Eleanor's.
Eleanor glanced at Elizabeth. "It is true. I do not wish to many Lord Deyncourt, and if I must do so, I would rather wait as long as possible."
The dowager nodded. "Have you spoken to your father about this?"
"Yes, but he will not cross his wife in this or any other matter."
Frowning, the older woman said, "Charles also suggested that you might be open to a different marriage."
Eleanor stiffened. "He did?"
"There is no need to keep questioning things I have just said, young lady. Is it true or not that you wish to marry young Darcy?"
"Mr. Darcy? No, of course not. I do not know where he came by that idea."
Narrowing her eyes, the dowager said, "You do not like Darcy, then? When I saw you standing together, I thought Charles must be right."
"Oh, I do like him, and he is far superior to the man I am to wed. Indeed, he would m
ake an excellent husband, except that he knows perfectly well that I am in love with his friend."
"A pity; it would have solved two problems at once. And who is this friend of his?"
"He is the other gentleman that was with us, Mr. Paxton."
"Paxton - he is not related to that merchant that bought Hillington Hall?"
Eleanor winced. "His son. That is why I cannot tell Father. Geoffrey is only here on sufferance because he is Darcy's friend; otherwise he would not be welcome."
Distaste pursed her grandmother's lips. "Nor was his father before him. It is not what I would have hoped for you."
Lifting her chin. Eleanor said, "I love him. He is the only man who truly understands me and does not wish for me to be a decorative puppet in his sitting room. He was educated as a gentleman, and you can see he is perfectly presentable. If only you knew him, you would understand!"
"What if he is only interested in your dowry?"
"He has no need of it. His income is almost as large as my father's."
"He would gain enormously by your connections."
Eleanor jumped to her feet, wrapping her arms around herself. "I am sorry you disapprove, but you need not say these things." Her voice was flat. "I will not be allowed to marry him. I only told you because you asked."
"My dear, I admit I would have preferred it to be Darcy or someone of his ilk, but I am not completely backward in my ways. I am aware that there are impoverished highborn gentlemen who are suddenly deciding that the amount of a dowry is more important than the source of the money for it. It is not as unacceptable as it would have been in my day, but still..." She gave a deep sigh. "If he is what you truly want. I will do what I can, but it will likely not be enough."
Eleanor threw her arms around her grandmother and burst into tears.
"I wish I knew what they were talking about," Paxton muttered to Darcy for at least the third time. "We will find out soon enough, I imagine."
"Eleanor has often said that her grandmother would like me. I think she forgets that the dowager refused to acknowledge my parents' existence. One time, when I was very young, I ran in front of her in church, and she looked at me as if I were some species of particularly offensive insect. She would be horrified if she knew the truth."
Although his friend spoke quietly, Darcy glanced around to ensure they were not overheard. "Perhaps, and perhaps not. She may dislike the idea, but there is someone she dislikes even more." He cast a significant glance toward Lady Bentham. "A common enemy can create unexpected allies."
Out of the corner of his eye, Darcy saw the dowager enter, followed by Elizabeth. The older woman did not appear distressed, but neither did she appear pleased. At least Elizabeth was smiling as the two strolled directly to their corner of the room.
The Dowager Marchioness inclined her head to the two gentlemen in response to their bows. "Darcy, I will be leaving soon as I have no doubt already overstayed my welcome here. I hope you will call on me during your visit."
"You may count on it, madam."
She turned her bird-like gaze on Paxton. "Perhaps your friend would like to join you."
Paxton's eyes widened, but he showed no other sign of surprise. "I would be honoured, your ladyship."
It was such a glaringly odd thing for her to say that Darcy could guess what must have passed between Lady Eleanor and her grandmother. "Is it not late in the day for you to undertake such a long drive home? You will be travelling in full dark."
She gave a bark of laughter. "There does not appear to be an invitation to remain here forthcoming. Besides, travelling on a dark road is less dangerous than what I would face should I chose to remain. You need not worry; I have lanterns on my carriage and there is an inn at which I can stop should it prove necessary."
Beside him. Paxton took a deep breath, his face pale but determined. "If it pleases your ladyship, my house is but three miles from here, and I would be honored if you chose to stay the night there. I am sure Darcy would enjoy your company."
Darcy silently applauded his friend's courage. Clearly he expected to be rebuffed. His desire to wed Lady Eleanor was driving him to extreme lengths.
With a sharp look, she said, "Thank you. That would be lovely."
"I understand you are acquainted with my granddaughter, Mr. Paxton."
Paxton raised his chin slightly. "I have that honor, yes."
"What do you think of her?"
"In what way?"
"What do you find to admire in her?"
He paused. "The proper answer to that would be to speak of her beauty and her accomplishments, but while she has these in abundance, I have known ladies more beautiful and more accomplished. What I admire about Lady Eleanor is that she is perfectly, exactly herself."
"What precisely does that mean? Are we not all ourselves?" She sounded annoyed.
"No, I think not, especially young ladies. They are taught deference, manners, and how to present themselves in public until they turn into identical languorous ladies with an identical air of boredom. Lady Eleanor can put on that mask of deference and of world-weariness, but she does not allow it to rule her. She likes to laugh and even to skip when she thinks no one is looking. She may be deferent in public, but inside she is still the little girl who pushed me into the river because I agreed with her when she complained of her brothers' cruelty to her. That is what I admire about Lady Eleanor."
The dowager's face showed little reaction. "You admire her for being a hoyden?"
"No, I admire her for being strong enough to remain true to herself and not to the ton's idea of what a perfect lady should be - and also for her ability to act the part of a perfect lady when she so chooses." Paxton's tone was defiant.
"What did you do when she pushed you into the river?" Now she sounded almost amused.
Paxton's lips curved in a reminiscent smile. "I splashed water at her while she stood there like a proud little queen and told me that she was allowed to criticize her brothers but I was not. Of course, this also was while your late husband was still alive and had forbidden her on pain of a beating to so much as speak one word to me. I also admire her for speaking to me anyway."
"For disobedience?"
"For doing what she felt was right, even though it meant breaking rules. But that was many years ago. I do not believe she would disobey her parents now." His voice had grown cool.
"And why is that?"
He seemed to reflect for a minute. "I believe you would have to ask Lady Eleanor why she fears disobeying them."
She chuckled. "Oh, I do not think I have any need to ask her that. Darcy, you are very quiet tonight. Are there no young ladies that you admire?" He favored her with a haughty glare. "I will happily discuss whatever you like, as long as it is not on that subject."
"My! You are every bit as testy on the subject as Matlock warned me you would be. Had your heart broken, did you?"
"Did he tell you that? He has lost his reason." Darcy had forgotten about the dowager's uncanny ability to discern the truth.
"That slowtop? I hardly think so. He said you were being unreasonable on the subject of marriage and requested my assistance in convincing you to see the matter differently."
Darcy snorted. "You are wasting your time. I do not intend to marry, nor do I intend to permit my relatives to lecture me on the subject."
To his surprise, she acquiesced to his request and returned to speaking of topics that were more neutral until she announced it was time for her to retire. Darcy gravely bade her good night but remained where he was.
As soon as the sound of her footsteps faded away, Paxton slumped down in his chair, covering his face with his hands. "This must be how heretics felt after facing the Inquisition."
Darcy laughed. "I expect so. You held your own very well, though."
"I did nothing but babble. I feared she would see through any attempt at prevarication and order me shot at dawn."
"She does give that impression. I grant you."
"I co
uld hardly believe she was actually here and speaking to me. I feel as if this evening has taken a year off my life!"
"You did not show it, which is fortunate. I believe she liked your frankness."
"Do you?"
"If she had not, she would have given you a set-down you would never forget."
"I still cannot believe that Eleanor told her. I would rather trust a dragon to protect my pile of gold." Paxton let out an explosive breath.
Darcy said slowly, "I may be mistaken, but I believe she is trying quite hard to give you every chance to prove yourself. I am rather surprised by it - she was born a Fitzwilliam, and the Fitzwilliam women are not known for their ability to bend to circumstance - but I think it a hopeful sign." In the meantime, he was grateful that she had not had a significant chance to observe him in Elizabeth Bennet's company. The dowager's sharp eyes might have seen too much.
Rivulets of water meandered down the panes of the mullioned window in the breakfast room at Hillington Hall. Normally Darcy did not mind rain, but this would delay the planned trip to the gardens at Rosedale Park, which would leave Elizabeth alone all day at Bentham Park with Charles Carlisle. Good God, if only she had listened to him this time and would be more careful! He just wished he could be certain. She had not seemed angry with him at the end of the previous day; then again, he knew just how well she could disguise her sentiments when she chose.
The Dowager Marchioness entered with a sweep of skirts. "Ah, there you are, Darcy. No Mr. Paxton this morning?"
"He already breakfasted and has left with his steward to deal with a problem. He should return soon." Privately Darcy thought Paxton had been glad for the distraction. Having the older woman in his house was making him unaccountably nervous.
"Does he do his duty for the estate and the tenants, then?"
Darcy gave her a dry look at this almost indecently direct question. "He seems attentive to their needs - more so than some nobles I could name. May I bring you a plate of food?" Any other woman would serve herself, but somehow he doubted his great-aunt would deign to do so.
Mr. Darcy's Noble Connections: A Pride & Prejudice Variation Page 11
