by Massey, Beth
Darcy arrived back in the solarium, just ahead of Anne and Miss Elizabeth. As they entered the room, he could tell from the smile on Anne’s face that she had been successful. Miss Elizabeth was more difficult to read. She was to be given an unprecedented amount of money, but he saw no evidence of joy or even contentment. He watched as she walked to her uncle, and her hand crept into his as she gave him the barest nod to indicate the result of their conference. The audacious young woman was gone, and Miss Elizabeth appeared to him as a child seeking comfort. Georgiana often held on to him in such a fashion. He searched her eyes for understanding. They no longer glittered the way they had, as she had boldly negotiated. Instead they were now murky pools that completely concealed what lay beneath.
13 THE UNSINKABLE ELIZABETH BENNET
The plot was set in motion when Mr Gardiner wrote to Mr Bennet, to inform him of an opportunity for Elizabeth in Derbyshire. An elderly widow friend of Mrs Gardiner’s father and aunt, one Mrs Thomas, needed a lively companion to read to her and write letters. Mr Davies had told his friend of Elizabeth’s talent for telling stories using voices as attested to by his daughter and grandchildren. After hearing of her abilities, Mrs Thomas had been determined to have no other. Elizabeth would be paid a thousand pounds to be her companion. The widow Thomas had no family and was quite wealthy, and Mrs Gardiner’s cousin was her physician. She had a chronic and degenerative illness and was not expected to live long. The unprecedented sum Elizabeth was to be paid was due to the finality of her circumstances and a desire to enjoy her last days. Mr and Mrs Bennet need not fear for their daughter’s reputation for she would be in a remote area of Derbyshire and would not be in any company but that of Mrs Thomas and Mrs Gardiner’s family. They had been assured several times that the opportunity would not leave the unseemly stigma of service as it was much more like an act of Christian charity than work.
This elaborate charade would also lay the basis for explaining the huge amount of money Elizabeth would receive from the Darcys and Lord Wolfbridge. The widow Thomas would be so taken with Lizzy that she would leave her a significant sum and instructions that Mr Gardiner should invest the amount for his under-age niece. The specifics, though never divulged in detail to her parents, would be oft-mentioned as being enough for the provision of Mr Bennet’s wife and children in the event of his untimely passing.
Mr Bennet had replied to Mr Gardiner’s proposal to allow Lizzy to spend months in Derbyshire with doubts, but grudgingly agreed to let his favourite daughter, right arm and eyes delay her return to Longbourn. The compensation was too great to be ignored. Elizabeth, sensing his displeasure, had written to her parents before leaving with the hopes of assuring them they had made the right decision.
July 14, 1806 - London
Dearest Mama and Papa,
I have heard from my aunt and uncle with regard your concern about my taking this position with the widow Thomas. Though I miss you and my sisters, I am of the opinion this opportunity is fortuitous.
Mama, I know you will be irritated with me, but I still have trepidations about being out. London taught me that I am not yet comfortable in the presence of male strangers. If I were home now, I would be a disappointment to you. As Mrs Thomas’ companion, I will be paid handsomely. The one thousand pounds in compensation will be a welcome addition to Jane’s dowry. She deserves to make a great match because, unlike me, she is both good and lovely.
I am looking forward to seeing the peaks. Aunt Gardiner has promised me that her family will ensure I see some of the spectacular views in this country. You know how I love looking out from a high prospect. It always makes me wish I had learned to draw. If I had Kitty’s talent, I would be able to share the sights with you when I return for Christmas.
Papa, I am pleased to hear Mary is such a success as a substitute for me. I am suspicious though, since I believe she wrote your letter and is reading you mine. How am I to trust those are your true feelings? Please, for the good of the estate, limit the time you spend arguing theology. I am positive she is even better at accounts than I was. She has always been able to add things quickly in her head, and as you know I must do my sums on paper.
Not to forget Lydia, please give her a kiss for me. Aunt Gardiner tells me Mr Davies has a wonderful store that sells all manner of delightful things. Tell her I will be bringing gifts when I return.
All say I should be home for Christmas. Know how anxious I am to be reunited with all of you. We will truly have ourselves a merry time this year.
Your loving daughter,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth knew she would have to be the consummate actress when she returned. It would be hard with what was ahead of her to be joyous at Christmas.
In the last week of July, the entire Gardiner family and Lizzy set out for Derbyshire. Mrs Jones had left the day before with their luggage. David and Marianne had barely slept in anticipation of the journey. They had paraded around the house the night before, singing of the trip. “We are off to Derbyshire in the morn, in the morn” and “to Taid’s house we will go, to Taid’s house we will go, our trip will be delightful, to Taid’s house we will go.” Lizzy laughed at her cousins’ penchant for repetition. Mrs Gardiner explained that Taid was an affectionate Welsh term for grandfather. Marianne had confided in her mother that she was looking forward to the carriage ride because Cousin Lizzy, while still sad, had started using her voices again when telling stories.
Lizzy, for her part, had been reading up on Welsh mythology to add to her repertoire of stories. Even though she would have preferred to be home in Hertfordshire, her circumstances dictated the trip to Derbyshire. She was determined to find some enjoyment in her time with her Aunt Gardiner’s family.
As they prepared for the trip, Elizabeth had been told about Mr Davies and Mrs Wilder’s childhood in Wales, her Aunt Gardiner’s father’s deep religious convictions as part of the Welsh Methodist revival movement and the entire family’s love for music. Lizzy learned that Dr Wilder and his mother had been forced to abandon their estate in Ireland and seek refuge with her brother. There was a mystery about their departure that she had not been told, but she assumed all would be revealed in time. She was to live with the Wilders until near the end of her confinement, when she would be secretly taken to Pemberley for the birth.
The trip was enjoyable with two stays at inns for the night, as well as numerous stops to allow for the change of horses. These occasions gave the children an opportunity to run around and expend energy. Miraculously, Lizzy’s sickness in the morning and the excessive tiredness had disappeared. She was feeling much as she had before, except she definitely was getting larger in places… not just her belly, but also her bosom, and even her hips and bottom. It was as if this baby was forcing her to become womanly.
Lizzy and the children used their leg stretching time to full advantage. The weather was fine, and they played tag and leapfrog. At one of the stops, they became engrossed in watching a young man playing with a disk on a string. He made the colourful circle slide up and down, and David was particularly fascinated. The miraculous object was called a bandalore. When Davy pointed out the young man to his parents, he was surprised to find that his father knew of the toy. He promised he would procure one for him, and together they would learn how to make it spin as it traversed the string. Of course, Marianne insisted she too must be able to play with the toy, and the child in Lizzy wished she would also be able to learn to create such magical motion that seemed to defy Newton’s laws of gravity.
On one leg of the journey, the children napped and Elizabeth had the chance to peruse her letters from home. Despite the communication with her father from Mr Gardiner and her letter to her parents, her family continued to be concerned with her absence. Jane, in particular, seemed perturbed. She chastised Elizabeth for not being at home to be her confidante. Lizzy felt tears threaten as she pondered her relationship with Jane. Not having her sister to share in every aspect of her life was something Elizabeth had neve
r imagined. Before she learned she was with child, all she wanted was to be home and unburdening her soul to her sister. Now the consequences were too dangerous for that to ever be.
Elizabeth was filled with both anxiety and excitement when the first sight of the famous peaks came into view. She knew it meant they were coming near their destination. Though apprehensive of what lay ahead, she was determined to become stronger despite her fears.
When they arrived at Mr Davies’ house, there was a letter waiting for Elizabeth from Jane. Lizzy put the letter in her pocket for later. She was uneasy to learn her sister’s news. The last communication had told her of Mr George Trent, who was Tom and Becky’s cousin. The thought came to her that her relationship with her sister would prove to be another example of collateral damage from the viscount’s violation.
Mr Davies was just as her cousins had described him. He was not a particularly large man, but his presence seemed huge. Elizabeth thought it was because his head was very leonine; and his voice did indeed boom. She could almost hear him singing the hymns Mrs Gardiner had told her he loved so dearly. The house was as large as Longbourn and was called Glywysing. The housekeeper was Mrs Jones’ daughter. She herself was also Mrs Jones and looked like a younger version of her mother. Old Mrs Jones, as everyone in Mr Davies’ household now referred to her, had arrived the day before.
When Lizzy retired for the night, she finally had time to read Jane’s letter.
July 20, 1806 - Longbourn
Dear Sister,
I hesitate to call you dear. Why have you abandoned me? My need for you is desperate, and you are off enjoying a great adventure in Derbyshire. I know you told Papa that you would contribute the money you receive to my dowry, but I would much prefer to have you here. Mama says you are just being contrary and proclaiming to everyone who will listen that you do not want to be out. I need you to help me make sense of what is happening. You are so wise about sketching the characters of others. Perhaps, if I had done as much reading I would be as clever.
Elizabeth scoffed at the absurdity of her sister’s statement. If she only knew how poorly she had judged the motives of Lord Wolfbridge and Mrs Darcy.
Tom’s cousin, George Trent, is at Netherfield. He intends to stay through Michaelmas. As you know, he will one day inherit the Baronetcy and possibly even the estate. I am certain you remember his last sojourn in Hertfordshire two years ago. Just as before, he has paid a great deal of attention to me at the assemblies and the house parties. If you were here, you would be able to tell me whether he is sincere or not. This time with the pain of Tom’s death less pressing on me, I must admit I find him very pleasing. Mama is forever telling me how much he admires me, and she is preparing for him to make an offer. She gushes on about how I will one day be the mistress of Netherfield, as I was always intended to be.
Unfortunately, I have doubts about his intentions. You remember the last time he was here, he wrote some lovely sonnets for me; and he was and is forever telling me about my great beauty. He spends time reading poetry to me, and I must admit he has a beautiful voice. He puts great feeling into the words, but it all falls short of the expressions of love I received from Tom. Please don’t chastise me. I am aware both of us were very young and proper behaviour prohibits such words, but it happened nonetheless.
Elizabeth stopped to reflect on Jane’s confession. Lately she had been thinking how ridiculous most of the conventions of propriety were. They seemed to be at odds with real life. Elizabeth knew there had been the deepest feelings between her sister and Thomas Trent since they were four and five respectively. She was certain neither had any intentions of violating God’s holy ordinances, but she was also positive they had needed to speak of their love and admiration… even when too young by society’s standards for such confidences. She returned to her sister’s letter with a feeling of regret that she could not help her with her dilemma.
In this way, George Trent is the opposite of Tom, and it confuses me. I think I could have been quite plain and Tom would have loved me. He was not overly romantic, and he was so very practical; but the things he told me made me know the depth of his feelings. He often spoke of how we would make Netherfield a great and profitable estate again. He once left a note for me in the tree that was our childhood hiding place. In it he wrote that he thought the goodness of my soul shone from my eyes and left a tiny nosegay of forget-me-nots. Lizzy, I will forever cherish the last thing he ever told me as we were out riding the day he became ill. It was such a small compliment, but so dear because he truly meant it. He told me he admired my seat. After he complimented me, he spoke of riding together for the rest of our lives. I could see the happiness on his face as he imagined our future.
Her last statement shocked Lizzy. Jane had never revealed this piece of information to her sister before. It was almost word for word what Mr Darcy’s father had told his mother in his final proposal. This thought distracted Elizabeth from her sister’s plight and brought to mind the couple that would raise her child. She wondered why Mr Darcy, whose parents had loved each other deeply, decided to marry for convenience.
Mr Thatcher had revealed to the Gardiners and Elizabeth that Mrs Darcy’s mother had been telling anyone who would listen—since shortly after her sister’s death—that it was destined for the two cousins to wed. Rumour had it that Mr Darcy’s father disputed her contention. Mr Thatcher further told them that both Mr Darcy and Mrs Darcy had inherited great estates, and that Mr Darcy had recently taken on the responsibility of running both. Lizzy worried that he had agreed for monetary considerations. Would her child be taught to value wealth above all else? What did Mrs Darcy mean when she said, ‘the way he was that night at the theatre was as he had been as a young man?’ Why had he stopped smiling and laughing, and why had he given up pursuing joy and love at such a young age? Unable to come to any kind of resolution for the mystery of Fitzwilliam Darcy caused Elizabeth to put those thoughts aside and return to Jane’s letter.
Lizzy, please come home. Mama is putting so much pressure on me to encourage George Trent, but Becky says I should be careful. She thinks her cousin admires me, but she also says he needs to marry for money. I fear my heart is going to be broken again. If that happens, what will I do without you to comfort me?
Your loving sister,
Jane
PS, I am sorry I said I hesitated to call you dear. You are the dearest thing in my life.
Elizabeth crawled into bed and sobbed. Lord Wolfbridge had robbed her of so very much. When there were no more tears, she lay waiting for sleep and remembered she needed to ask Mr Davies’ help in procuring something she had been thinking about for some time. She wanted a sturdy knife she could carry with her wherever she went.
14 LIZZY GETS BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HER FRIENDS
Elizabeth took to the Wilders immediately. Dr Wilder and his mother, along with Mrs Jones’ other daughter, Mrs Hinton, and her husband and children came to Mr Davies on Sunday afternoon. All the family at Glywysing had gone to church that morning, but the afternoon would be devoted to another service in Mr Davies’ home. Their society or fellowship was still a part of the Church of England, but definitely at odds on many tenets of faith. They were known as Jumpers because of their habit of jumping for joy during services. Elizabeth had heard of Quakers and Shakers, but never Jumpers.
The sermon Mr Davies preached for the group seemed much more passionate than any she had encountered at Longbourn church. He preached in Welsh, so Lizzy had no idea what he was saying. She periodically looked over at her Uncle Gardiner, and they exchanged quizzical glances. David and Marianne had been given permission by their mother to join in the jumping of Mrs Hinton and her two children as well as several other members of the fellowship.
Mrs Hinton’s children were Griffith, a boy slightly younger than Davy, and a girl, Angharad, about the same age as Marianne. Old Mrs Jones had taken possession of her newest grandson, Morgan, only a month old. Lizzy was fascinated by how tiny he was. She was
particularly amazed by his fingers and realized in less than five months, she would hold a baby even smaller.
As she had been warned, music was very important to the service, and young Mrs Jones played the hymns on the pianoforte. Lizzy found the hymns beautiful with a haunting, melancholy sound. Mrs Wilder accompanied her on the harp, and Dr Wilder contributed with an instrument he called an Irish whistle. Though she understood little of the service, Elizabeth felt her worries lessen while in the company of this jubilant congregation.
Mrs Gardiner took her cousin Jamie for a walk after the service. She did not want to be overheard by anyone, especially Lizzy. “Jamie, I am very worried. She is young, and so very small. I allowed her to go alone to visit Mrs Darcy. Her parents would be completely justified in blaming me for her situation. I will never forgive myself if anything should happen to her.”
Jamie looked fierce and said, “You are not to blame for what Mrs Darcy and Lord Wolfbridge did. How could ye know such important personages would be so vicious?”
“I do not believe Mrs Darcy was cruel as much as careless. She thought little about what her cousin might do and only wanted to curry favour with him and so agreed to his request.”
Dr Wilder shook his head in disgust. “Maggie, whether she was thoughtless or cruel, the result is the same. The Darcy and Fitzwilliam families are important to my reputation in Derbyshire, so I must overlook the despicable behaviour of the great Mrs Darcy. Besides, it is she who seems to have come out the winner.” He reined in his anger before he spoke again. “But, I refuse to forget the agony experienced by that slip of a girl. The resilience with which your Lizzy is facing her ordeal is remarkable. Ay, she who is a mere child herself—who could have been destroyed by what happened—is, as we speak, captivating the children with the story of the wrongfully accused Rhiannon.”
