Darcy & Elizabeth: Hope of the Future: Darcy Saga Prequel Duo Book 2

by Sharon Lathan

  The Darcys hosted the group for dinner on Saturday, as usual. Returning to the Gardiner townhouse from the menagerie late in the afternoon, Lizzy had scant time to relax before needing to bathe and dress. All too soon she was wedged inside the coach making its way from Cheapside to the distant Grosvenor Square. Between the silence of her equally tired family, the twilight shadows, and the rhythmic swaying of the carriage, Lizzy came close to dozing. Jane’s subdued voice pierced the calm as if she had shouted.

  “Perhaps, in time, we will grow accustomed to the changing pace of our lives as the wives of important men. At present, however, I confess to being rather drained. London has much to offer, to be sure, and when I was here in the spring, I developed an appreciation for the city’s charms. Of course, I was here for weeks and never engaged in the entertainments of high society. I was largely at my leisure. Frankly, I cannot fathom how the ton manages the endless dances, dinner parties, and theatre events of the Season! I feel a bit overwhelmed merely thinking of it. Not that I regret our time here, Papa, and pray I do not sound unthankful for this sojourn.”

  Lizzy and Mrs. Gardiner’s amused chuckling caused Jane to fall silent. Mr. Bennet countered humorously, “I do not think it is possible for you to sound unthankful, my dear.”

  “Rest easy, Sister.” Lizzy gave Jane a gentle hug. “I am confident we will adjust to our new lives, in due course. Remember that we have crammed much into a short period. Dwelling in the country where a walk about tiny Meryton can consume an entire day is ill preparedness for the bustle of Pall Mall shops. I say we have performed brilliantly under the circumstances.”

  Jane rested her head against Lizzy’s, sighing. “We survived, I shall agree with that, and finished the mission.”

  “We have what we need for the wedding and beyond, and did so without depleting papa’s pocketbook completely. Such bargain shoppers we are! You have taught us well, Papa, and must be bursting with pride.”

  “I am indeed,” Mr. Bennet concurred, “particularly in light of the massive pile of boxes in the foyer of your uncle’s house. It looks to me as if the two of you bought out half of London, so I am shocked to have any funds left at all.”

  “Only a third. We considered it polite to leave something behind,” Lizzy teased.

  Mr. Gardiner added his jesting. “The children are enjoying the maze created by the bags and boxes. They will be devastated to see the piles gone. Nevertheless, another day or two of shopping and we may not be able to enter the house through the front door.”

  “Oh! You two exaggerate,” Mrs. Gardiner scolded.

  Exaggeration or not, the bounteous purchasing extravaganza had created a problem, which Jane addressed. “We do face the dilemma of how to get all of it to Longbourn. Bless you, Uncle, for the lovely gift of new trunks, but we have stuffed so much into them already that we can barely secure the latches. Do you think we can manage the added weight and find the space in our carriage, Papa? Or have you come up with an alternative solution?”

  “Your uncle did. He is conscripting one of the wagons he uses in his business to transport the precious cargo once the shopping is finalized, which, dare I hope, will be soon?”

  “I believe our papa is homesick, Jane. Does the lure of Mr. Darcy’s well-appointed library no longer placate?”

  “Your Aunt Gardiner’s generosity to serve as escort saved me from tromping behind the two of you, up and down noisy streets entering an endless number of bustling shops. Mr. Darcy’s hospitality in sharing his outstanding collection of fine literature occupied my time in the best possible way. For both kindnesses I shall be eternally grateful. Nevertheless, this old country gentleman is only truly at peace in wide-open spaces where the air is fresh and natural sounds prevail.”

  “After just over a week doing the tromping, and scant time for the joy of solitary communion with Mr. Darcy’s books, I admit to yearning for the pastoral quiet of Hertfordshire. I suppose we are, in the end, simple country creatures like our papa,” Lizzy said. Jane murmured her agreement.

  Clearing his throat,= and darting a glance to Mr. Gardiner, who nodded encouragingly, Mr. Bennet asked hesitantly, “Then, if we have accomplished the purpose of this trip, do we need to stay the full two weeks?”

  After a startled minute, Lizzy answered, “Honestly, I do not see why we must. Our wedding dresses are unfinished, but we have had our final fitting, so Aunt can send them to us when the modiste delivers them. What say you, Jane? Shall we ask Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy if a Monday return to Hertfordshire is doable?”

  What Lizzy did not add was that as the days ticked away, the realization that she would soon be leaving the only home she had ever known pressed upon her heart. Unlike any other period away from Longbourn, this week in London had aroused rare sensations of homesickness. At first, she had shrugged off the laughable feelings, but as they intruded stronger upon her consciousness, Lizzy was forced to evaluate the meaning.

  Focusing on Mr. Darcy, the wedding, and the desire to be alone with him had overridden her emotions over parting from her entire family and moving out of Longbourn permanently. She was impatient to begin her life as Mrs. Darcy and trusted that the joy of being with William at Pemberley would soothe most bouts of sadness. Mostly, she was far too practical to dwell on the negative. Nevertheless, she planned to relish every moment of her current life, including soaking up each minute with her ofttimes annoying family. That meant departing crowded London on Monday.

  As had become the routine, Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy welcomed them in the parlor, joined on this occasion by Colonel Fitzwilliam. After proper greetings and brief conversation, they were escorted directly into the dining room. It continued to amaze Lizzy that no matter when they arrived, the table setting was complete, the butler was uncorking the wine, and servants were on their way from the kitchen with the first course of what was always an excellent meal. She fancied Mr. Darcy had a sentry posted at a top-story window whose sole job was to watch for their carriage. Whether this was true or not, she did not ask. It was more fun to live with the mystery.

  Of no mystery was the strict adherence to dining formality standard practice at Darcy House, and at Pemberley, as Lizzy recalled. Precise to the last detail, from the rigidly poised footman in impeccable livery to the flawless execution of the meal service to the unblemished, and costly, tableware, it was a sharp contrast to a typical dinner at Longbourn. Or rather as evening dining was before Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy joining them.

  Mr. Darcy, particularly, was a man of elevated rank with staunch protocol and exacting manners woven into the fabric of his character. His inclusion had affected the Longbourn servants and the family in a host of ways, the dining table only one of them. Lizzy had amusedly observed how her betrothed adjusted to the casual atmosphere and playful table conversation—to a degree, that is—while unaware of how his presence caused the household to improve its dining standards.

  Once in charge and in his natural element, Mr. Darcy had instantly reverted to the rigid customs of dining in high society. That had lasted all of two days—a party including Mr. Bennet, Lizzy, Charles Bingley, the Gardiners, and the effervescent Colonel Fitzwilliam was doomed to backslide into frivolity.

  Not utterly, of course. On this Saturday evening, the proper dinner topics and formality lasted for three courses. Then the women related the details of their menagerie adventure, accented with animal vocalizations and the expected hilarity consuming a bulk of the time. Mr. Bennet's opportunity to broach the subject of departing London on Monday arose between the fifth and sixth course.

  “I need to make an announcement, of a sort, that I hope will not disrupt too greatly. Jane and Lizzy have informed me that the purpose of our trip to London has been adequately fulfilled, enough, at least, to indulge an old man’s preference for his home. Additionally, while perhaps a flaw in my character, I have never delighted in city life, even as a young man at university. My dear daughters have graciously offered to sacrifice their fun and leave on Monday rather
than later in the week, as initially planned.”

  “Of course!” Mr. Bingley exuberantly assured. “Monday is perfect! I understand completely, sir, as I too have grown fond of Hertfordshire. London is my home, so holds a special place in my heart, of course, but the country is charming. Is that not so, Darcy? You have long extolled the virtues of clean air and estate living, which I now can appreciate as never before.”

  Darcy gave the briefest of nods to Bingley’s rhetorical question but said nothing. As the details for departure time, where they would meet, and the like carried on, Lizzy watched Darcy’s face with growing unease. His expression was neutral, displaying no obvious hint to his thoughts or emotions, yet Lizzy sensed something was not right.

  “William,” she whispered as soon as the opportunity arose for a semiprivate conversation, “is something amiss?”

  He swung his eyes to her immediately and then dropped them to his plate. “No! Nothing. That is, nothing to worry over. We can discuss it later.”

  “I would rather discuss it now, please. My overactive imagination will leap to all manner of ridiculous assumptions. You know it will. Do you really wish to be the cause of that, Mr. Darcy?”

  His lips twitched, but he still evaded her gaze. Hesitantly, speaking so low she had to lean closer, he explained, “I do not wish to cause wild speculations but also do not wish to ruin your dinner.”

  “A dinner this superb will not ruin, I assure you. Now,”—she flattened her hand atop his, which was fiddling with the edge of his napkin—“look at me and speak plainly.”

  Sighing, he did as she asked. His eyes were faintly troubled but more sheepish than anything. “I regret to inform that I shan’t be able to escort you home. I must stay in London on…business.”

  “Oh! I see. Well, this is disappointing, of course, but I understand. We have sprung the news suddenly and did plan to stay longer. What business do you have? Or is it more of your secret plotting for my grand entrance into Pemberley?”

  “Perhaps,” he hedged. “I have a meeting with my solicitor, Mr. Daniels, on Tuesday for various estate matters. On Wednesday I am meeting with a merchant at the Exchange who is…acquiring select items for me. No, do not ask,” he added when her lips parted. “However, the main reason is…Well, to be frank, it is a bit embarrassing.”

  “Something embarrassed Mr. Darcy? Oh please tell me.”

  Smiling, he slid his fingers through hers, the napkin acting as a shield from the sharp eyes of Mr. Bennet at the far end of the table. “I may regret confessing this, but, as you are aware, I attended a meeting at the Jockey Club last week. It seems that in the excitement over our engagement, it completely slipped my mind that one of the horses bred at Pemberley is competing at Newmarket. I really should not miss… Must you laugh? Have you no pity for my predicament, Miss Elizabeth?”

  “Forgive me, but I am imagining the consternation amongst your Jockey Club peers at having anything horse related ‘slip the mind’ of Mr. Darcy. Were they searching the sky for flying pigs?”

  “Not that I noticed. Although, now that you mention it, Lord Westingcote did stare out the window for a long while. I thought that the result of Mr. Shelley’s riveting dissertation on the benefits of blue banners over red. What do you think?”

  “Of Lord Westingcote’s inattentiveness or the banners?”

  “Both.”

  “I cannot fathom how a discussion of the vital importance of proper banner color bored any one of sound mind, so his lordship must have been searching the sky for the flying pigs. And obviously red, always red. Unless they plan to invite bulls to the races?”

  “We voted against that this year. It was a narrow margin, however, so perhaps blue banners might be safer, in case they revisit the inclusion of bulls another year.”

  Lizzy shook her head, laughing softly to avoid drawing undue attention, and squeezed his fingers. She adored bantering with him, the fun enhanced now that he had learned to relax and explore his surprising propensity to tease and outwit. “So, an important race is upcoming, and you wish to watch your exceptional Pemberley thoroughbred take the prize. I can find no fault in this perfectly reasonable excuse to stay in town, Mr. Darcy. I suppose if I must share you with other entertainments, horse racing is a worthy choice.”

  “Once we wed, you can come with me, Elizabeth. If you wish.”

  “I would like that very much. I’ve never been to a horse race, but it must be thrilling. Watching you race certainly is, when I am not frightened half to death by one of your daredevil exploits, that is. I look forward to sharing in those sports and activities you are passionate about.”

  “And I you, my dear. Who knows, I may even surpass your skills as a juggler, in time and with serious study.”

  Lizzy groaned. “I swear, from this day forward you are forbidden to listen to another word anyone in my family says to you regarding my youth. But, for the record, I did master three balls in the air at once.”

  “If only you had persevered, instead of diverting in your quest to conquer shovelboard and become the reigning champion in all of Hertfordshire. How did that endeavor go again?”

  Lizzy groaned a second time and briefly covered her eyes.

  Grinning, Darcy pressed on. “Imagine the possibilities. You might now be a juggling master performing at Astley’s circus.”

  Further joking was interrupted by the next course, Lizzy reluctantly removing her hand from Darcy’s. Once they were served, Lizzy took advantage of the footman serving Georgiana, who sat beside her, and again leaned toward Darcy, whispering, “I will miss you terribly. No one can tease me as skillfully as you, William. But…that is not the main reason.”

  She held his gaze, ensuring he understood her meaning. His gaze softened and dropped to her lips, and a swiftly indrawn breath confirmed the message was received. Swallowing, he huskily replied, “I will return on Friday, possibly Thursday evening, if my business concludes. Being parted from you, Elizabeth will be agonizing, so be prepared to make up for the lost time.”

  Smiling dreamily, she reminded him, “We still have tomorrow, and for the sake of preventing overwhelming agony, I suggest it wise to find a way to create a stockpile, so to speak. What say you, Mr. Darcy? Does this sound like a feasible plan?”

  “Darcy! I have told Miss Bennet of your idea for a walk tomorrow afternoon, and she is most agreeable. Capital, isn’t it?”

  Mr. Bingley’s interruption was fortuitous. Lizzy and Darcy seemed to have some difficulty remembering where they were, and who was around them, a fact that must have been clear, as Richard Fitzwilliam was smirking and Mr. Bennet’s face had a half-amused and half-scolding expression. Lizzy flashed an unrepentant smile in her father’s direction before diving into her food. At the same time, Darcy answered Bingley’s question in a steady voice, no trace of being taken unawares or caught in a mild impropriety.

  “I thought it would be a nice outing, if the weather holds fair, as I suspect it shall,” Darcy said. “Grosvenor Gate opens into Hyde Park and is only two blocks away. An easy walk and this area of the park is far less crowded than the Row and south of the Serpentine, especially this time of the year.”

  “Oh yes!” Georgiana enthused. “Mrs. Annesley and I walk into the park often, sometimes with a picnic basket and blanket. The trails are maintained, and it isn’t far to the lake. The ducks have probably gone away by now, but the walnut trees lining Park Lane are brilliantly yellow in autumn.”

  “The air is fresher in the park,” Mr. Bingley added. “Once past the fence and out amongst the trees, the city scape disappears from view and nature surrounds. A small slice of the country, as it were.”

  “I read that cattle and sheep still roam the grasslands. Is this true?”

  “Yes, Miss Bennet, it is true. Not wildly or in vast numbers, so no need to worry. And they tend to accumulate in the northwesterly areas.”

  “I have seen a handful of cows, although Mr. Bingley is correct that they do not venture this direction often. Hyde P
ark has an ancient, fascinating history! My brother is knowledgeable of the past details, Miss Elizabeth, which I know will interest you.”

  “It does indeed interest me. Thank you, Miss Darcy. As I learned the other day, your brother is well educated on London’s history and has a flair for imparting dry information compellingly. A pleasant surprise. Plus, it is always nice to know we shall have something to talk about if normal conversation lags.”

  Laughter erupted at this jest, in equal parts due to Mr. Darcy’s well-known reticence, as well as for Lizzy’s penchant for history lessons. Talk turned to organizing the Hyde Park agenda—which was to begin at two o’clock with a light lunch at Darcy House before setting off to explore—so it was not until the dessert course that Lizzy had another chance to engage Mr. Darcy in a quiet conversation.

  “Are you and Miss Darcy attending church tomorrow morning?”

  “We are. We usually do, unless a legitimate impediment arises. Do not worry, my dear. We shall be back at the townhouse well before our scheduled luncheon.”

  Amused, Lizzy assured, “I am confident you would never plan an outing if there were the slightest chance of you being tardy, William. I asked about church because I greatly desire to accompany the two of you if the request is not an imposition.”

  In his surprise, Darcy swallowed his bite of lemon mousse a bit too hastily, coughing twice before being able to speak. “Nothing you request could ever be an imposition, Elizabeth. Having you join us would be a tremendous honor and joy, most assuredly. I only hesitate because I do not want you to feel obligated. Surely you would prefer to worship at the church where the Gardiners do? Is that not where you attend when in Town?”

  “You forget that I can count on one hand the number of times I have been in London, and those were some years ago. Even at home, we do not regularly attend, I am embarrassed to admit. I have realized these past weeks, especially while at Westminster Abbey, that faith is of great importance to you, my love. As Mrs. Darcy, it will be my duty and honor to worship in the traditional Darcy family parish, here and at Pemberley.”