The Portrait of Elizabeth

by Jane Angwin

  For the first time, Darcy heard Anne laugh out loud at hearing Richard's mother cautioning her grown son to behave himself. It occurred to Darcy that he had never heard Anne express any joy, and this filled him with pleasure. He also noticed that during the short time away from her mother her usual gaunt and pale complexion had changed to a lovely shade of pink, and she actually looked quite pretty. Her lady's maid had undone the austere chignon she always wore and skillfully curled her long hair. She wore a feminine gown, undoubtedly chosen and purchased by Lady Edith, instead of the plain grey frock that she had always worn whenever he had visited Rosings. He also watched Richard's face as he watched Anne laugh, and he could swear that he almost looked like a man quite fond of his betrothed, but whatever it was that Richard was feeling, it definitely was not the look of sacrifice or dread.

  As they readied to leave, Darcy noticed a lovely white gown hanging in the room, and their impending marriage became quite real. Never did Darcy think that his confirmed bachelor cousin would marry before him, and he was truly delighted for him, but his joy was interrupted by a fleeting moment of regret over not having told Elizabeth that he loved her when he had the chance. He should be celebrating his happiness and planning his own wedding, but now, he wondered, would that day ever come? Where had she gone after she left Longbourn so quickly? Was she still in London? Or were they already on their journey somewhere in England. Was it because she thought he was marrying Anne, or did it even matter to her? His biggest fear was that if he found her and told her the rest of the story, finally professing his love for her, would she accept him? He did not know the answer to any of these questions, but he did know that he would never stop looking for her, no matter what the consequences.

  They didn't frequent any seedy pubs that night, but instead went to Darcy's gentleman's club and celebrated this milestone alone. Richard, his best friend and cousin who was more like a brother, was getting married in the morning, and they had much to talk about. They did imbibe too much alcohol that night, but they knew that it was their last night together with Richard as a single man. They agreed that toasting glass after glass of brandy seemed the appropriate thing to do, and they laughingly agreed to bravely face the wrath of Richard's mother together. They had been there for each other all their lives, and this time would be no different.

  Chapter Thirty Five

  A wedding in Mayfair

  The small wedding was held at St. George's Hanover Square Church near the Fitzwilliam's townhouse in Mayfair. The only guests were the Fitzwilliam's closest friends, Lord Chancellor Cecil Ludbury and his wife, Lady Mary Ellen Ludbury, Richard's older brother, Edmund Fitzwilliam and his betrothed, Elise Carlisle, Darcy, Mrs. Barrett, and Lord and Lady Fitzwilliam. They had also invited Mr. Stater to attend, but his wife had sent a note saying that he was unable to attend due to having come down with a severe case of hives upon his return from their meeting the previous day. No one questioned the reason.

  Richard and Anne solemnly exchanged their vows, with Darcy standing up for Richard and Mrs. Barrett standing up for Anne. When they were at last pronounced man and wife, Richard gave Anne a small kiss on her cheek, and they whispered a few words to each other that only Darcy and Mrs. Barrett could hear. "Thank you, Richard" Anne said as she looked deeply into his eyes. "I am honored to be your wife, and I am grateful that you have agreed to protect me for the rest of my days."

  Richard smiled and nodded, "No, Anne, it is my honor. Together we make a formidable team, and we will face whatever comes our way, have no doubt." He winked at her and said "And now, may I call you Mrs. Fitzwilliam?" Anne giggled, and blushed as they turned and smiled at the small gathering. Anne was beaming, and Richard looked quite pleased as well. "Thank you all for coming," Richard declared, "and now back to Matlock House for a celebration!" They all filed out of the church and returned home to enjoy a sumptuous wedding breakfast, and although Darcy was anxious to return home to write a letter to Elizabeth, hoping it would find her somewhere along her journey, he accepted the invitation to toast to his cousins' joy.

  When the festivities concluded and the guests and family had finally departed, Darcy, Richard, and Anne secluded themselves in the library to talk about their future plans. For the time being, knowing that Lady Catherine was undoubtedly going to strike again, it was decided that it was in Anne's best interest to leave Matlock House to avoid the inevitable pandemonium, and Darcy reiterated his offer to have Anne accompany him to Pemberley to be under his careful watch. Richard had much to take care of, including resigning his long held commission and learning about the options for a new assignment at Military Headquarters. He also had to obtain his own legal representation to defend him when Lady Catherine learned of the family's subterfuge. Lord Chancellor Ludbury had recommended an outstanding barrister who he felt could capably stand up to the madness and bizarre new assertions that were sure to come, but he assured them that if it was escalated to him at the Kings Court, he would personally silence her once and for all.

  At first, Anne resisted the offer to go to Pemberley, claiming that she felt quite secure with her Aunt and Uncle Fitzwilliam at Matlock, but even Richard felt that she should go with Darcy. "I would feel much better if you were nowhere near London while your mother wields her fury and malevolence. We know that she will not succeed in her attempt to keep Rosings and her control over you, but it may take time, and in the meantime, I will have my hands full handling the onslaught. You will do well in the peace and good air of Pemberley, and I have no doubt that Darcy will protect you in my absence. I would like to have Mrs. Barrett go along with you and Darcy, if you agree. What say you, my dear wife?" he finally asked with a twinkle in his eye.

  "I suppose I do see your point, Richard. I haven't been to Pemberley since I was a young girl when you and Fitzwilliam would chase me in the gardens, torturing me with frogs and spiders. I remember running and laughing and feeling so free and happy then, and it will be wonderful to be there again, as long as there are no frogs or spiders, of course!" They all laughed at the memories, but then simultaneously quieted as they realized how odd it was to be returning under these strange circumstances. Anne thought for a moment, and then said, "Yes, I believe that I will accompany you, Cousin, and when Richard has taken care of the details here, he can join us in Derbyshire. It would be lovely to see Georgiana again, and perhaps we can celebrate Christmas together as a family. I know that Aunt Edith and Uncle Alexander plan to celebrate the holiday at their home in Matlock, and it isn't far from your estate, is it?"

  "No, it is only a half day's carriage ride to Matlock. I think that is a grand plan, and I know that Georgiana will be thrilled to have you there with her. She has been quite lonely of late, and it has become imminently clear to me that she requires another female in her life. We have several guests staying at Pemberley right now, including two ladies, and her letters are full of joy at having them there. Richard and I have been poorly equipped to handle the emotional needs of a young girl, and you will be most welcome."

  "Will it not be an imposition to have yet two more guests in your home at this time, Fitzwilliam?" Anne asked.

  "Not at all. I will explain their reason for being at Pemberley on our way. It is quite an interesting story, and it will help to keep your mind off your troubles. You will see that other families also endure hardship and tragedy, and when you meet them, it will renew your faith in how the love of family heals." He stood to leave, and told Richard that he too had things to handle before leaving for Pemberley. "I will be ready to leave in two days time, and I will bring my carriage around early in the morning to make good time on the first day of our journey. The ladies will need warm clothes for our colder weather in the North, and that will give them time to visit the shops tomorrow to purchase whatever they need. I am sure that Aunt Edith will love the opportunity to take the ladies to Bond Street and spoil them with much too much finery!"

  "Will you ride in the carriage with them, Darcy? Or will you ride instead?" Richard ask
ed.

  "I will ride Omega next to the carriage most of the time, allowing the ladies to talk freely without worrying about the ears of a gentleman, but I will always have them within my view, and I have two very capable groomsmen with the proper protection to ride atop the carriage. If I feel the need to rest, however, I will join the ladies in the carriage, and perhaps they can teach me about all the intricacies of the feminine mind!"

  Richard and Anne laughed at Darcy's jest, and Richard asked him to be sure to remember what he learned. "I hope you make sense of their puzzling ways, Darcy. I have not had much success thus far, and I am now a married man. I worry that I will live in total bewilderment, making mistakes on an hourly basis!"

  "I believe it is a woman's duty to keep her husband on his toes, Richard," said Anne, "and I do not plan to share any secrets with you or your cousin. I am looking forward to lending friendship to Georgiana however, as I do agree that neither of you is properly knowledgeable about dealing with her needs, particularly now that she is reaching the time to begin thinking about marriage."

  Darcy threw his arms up in the air and his face visibly grimaced. "Good Lord, not so fast, Anne! She is yet a young girl of only sixteen, and I am not ready to think about her marrying!"

  Again, Anne laughed, and she rolled her eyes at Richard. "When will you ever be ready, Fitzwilliam? Perhaps you should open your eyes to the inevitability of some fine gentleman sweeping her off her feet and asking for her hand." Darcy and Richard looked at each other, knowing that it was soon going to be necessary to share the details with her about Georgiana's near elopement with George Wickham, but now was not the time. Perhaps Georgiana would decide to share it with her herself when they have had time to become close at Pemberley.

  The three cousins sat for awhile longer, enjoying each others' company, and reminiscing about happier times. They finally said their goodbyes, and Darcy left, promising to be back in two days time. It was only a few blocks to his home, but he asked his driver to take him to Cheapside instead, hoping that he might find Elizabeth still in London. He wasn't sure of the exact address, but he had heard mention of the street name, and he would inquire around the neighborhood or go to the Gardiner's import business that Elizabeth had told him about. Someone there would surely know where they were.

  He had never had any reason to go to this part of town, and he was not sure what to expect. He was quite surprised at how nice the homes were that lined Gracechurch Street, and it was obvious to him that these residents were quite successful in their businesses. These large and beautifully appointed townhomes reflected class, and he felt embarrassed that his preconception of Cheapside was so wrong. How many other things had he been wrong about? After inquiring with a few people that were out walking, he wasn't successful finding the right townhouse, but he was directed to the Gardiner's business. When he arrived there, he was again impressed with the large block-long two story establishment, and it appeared that it was a full operation with a great number of employees visible in the warehouse.

  The clerk in the office came out and inquired about Darcy's reason for being there, and when Darcy inquired about the whereabouts of Mr. Gardiner, he was somewhat skeptical of this stranger asking about his employer. When Darcy handed him his card, the clerk did not readily recognize the name, but he saw that he was a distinguished gentleman of the upper class, and his carriage crest implied obvious wealth and status, so he felt more comfortable informing him that the Gardiners had gone on a lengthy trip just two days earlier. Darcy asked the clerk if he knew the Gardiner's itinerary, but the man was not as comfortable providing that information, so Darcy left for home feeling dejected without learning anything except that Elizabeth was no longer in London. He returned to Darcy House, now knowing what he had to do. He had a letter to write.

  After Darcy had arrived home and his valet helped to change him out of his wedding clothes, he retired to his study and sat behind his large desk, thinking about what he wanted to say to Elizabeth in a letter. There was so much to say. This letter was as important as anything he had every written, and he did not care that it was improper. Propriety be damned. So, what was the most expedient and dignified way to manage this? Should he deliver the letter to the Lambton Inn when he arrived in Derbyshire, or would it be faster to ride to Hertfordshire in the morning and ask Jane to forward it to the Lambton Inn enclosed in a letter from her? Another thought occurred to him, and he felt that there might be another possible approach. He could write a letter to his sister and enclose the letter to Elizabeth, posting it this very day. He would ask Georgiana to go to the Lambton Inn and she could determine when Elizabeth would arrive, and if she was already a guest there, she could have it delivered to Elizabeth. But then Georgiana, and most likely his houseguests as well, would believe that Darcy was courting this mystery woman, and what if Elizabeth rebuffed him? How would he explain that to his sister and friends?

  After hours of debating what to do, he finally came to the realization that none of these options were right. What he had to say to Elizabeth should not be put in a letter. It was much too important, and he could not take the chance that the letter would be misunderstood, misinterpreted, or worse yet, intercepted and used against him somehow. He always felt that George Wickham was lurking in the shadows somewhere nearby, and it would be like him to do something devious to hurt him. Ever since their unfortunate meeting in Meryton, he felt that Wickham would involve himself somehow with the Bennett family, and if he knew the way the fiend operated, it would be something that hurt Darcy directly. He calmed his anxiety by knowing that Wickham would never expect him to fall in love with a country girl with no ties to society, and he had not seen any of his interactions with Elizabeth. Or had he? His anxiety level rose again.

  After much thought, he decided that it was best to keep to his plan of accompanying Anne and Mrs. Barrett to Pemberley and hoping that the Gardiners were not yet in Lambton. First, he needed to write a letter to his sister to inform her of Richard's marriage to Anne and the reason for her departure from London. She would b shocked at the news, but he believed that she would be delighted that Anne was to be happy at last and soon to visit her at Pemberley. In passing he would mention that a friend of his from Hertfordshire was soon to be staying at the Lambton Inn with her relatives, and if she was in the village with Janine and Angelique and happened to hear of Miss Elizabeth Bennett or her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner, it would be proper to invite them to Pemberley for tea. He would simply say that he was acquainted with the lady due to Bingley becoming engaged to her sister, and there would be no indication of anything else. He quickly wrote the letter and had it posted immediately.

  Chapter Thirty Six

  Elizabeth's Journey North

  Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle had intended to take their time traveling West from London to Bristol, and then North through the quaint towns and villages of the Cotswold's, eventually stopping for several days in Stratford, a lovely town located on the Avon river, the home of Shakespeare. Elizabeth had wanted to see where he lived and wrote his masterpieces, as well as the cottage where his wife, Anne Hathaway lived as a young girl. Just before they started their journey, however, Edward had learned that the ship carrying a large shipment of his silk and cotton textiles that had set sail from Bengal was due to arrive in England much sooner than expected, and he would have to shorten their trip somewhat in order to receive the goods when the ship arrived. That meant that instead of going West and then North, they would travel North to Lambton in Derbyshire and then on to the scenic Peaks area they had all agreed to visit, a journey of about 160 miles.

  Having never journeyed out of Hertfordshire except for an occasional trip to London, everything she saw along the way was thrilling to her. The scenery was breathtaking, and it helped to brighten her low mood from the problems she left behind. The further they traveled she began to see the subtle differences in the landscape. Her country home in Hertfordshire was situated in an idyllic valley of rolling hills and patches of
wooded areas, but as they progressed northward, the land became wilder woodlands and rocky land strewn with craggy cliffs, as if to protect itself from the harsher winters. Elizabeth thought it was magnificent, and she could understand why Mr. Darcy had professed a preference for his home in Derbyshire. She hadn't wanted to think about him, but it was impossible to put the man out of her mind. He had shown such an interest in her, almost as though he was developing feelings for her, and then he left so suddenly to make the arrangements to wed his cousin. In her heart, none of it made sense, but her head had always known he could not offer for a penniless country girl with no connections. Yes, she was the daughter of a gentleman as was he, and technically they were equals, but their worlds were oceans apart.

  At long last, their carriage rolled into Lambton, the village where her Aunt Madeline had grown up. It was a town rather similar to Meryton with cobblestone streets lined with small shops and miscellaneous trade establishments. In the center of town, there was a large fountain where several boys were splashing each other, and a lovely church at the end of the main street. "That is where your Uncle Edward and I were married, Elizabeth," she said as she looked at her husband fondly. "And there on the left is my father's bookstore where I worked as a young girl. Another family owns it now, but it still looks exactly the same as when it was ours."

  "I would very much enjoy going there to browse for a new book or two while we are visiting. I'm sure you have fond memories of growing up here."

  "My, yes. I have so many happy memories and I will undoubtedly bore you to tears reminiscing while we are here! I had a small crush on a boy when I was about ten years old, and I scratched his initials in one of the reading tables. I wonder if it is still there."