by Jann Rowland
Laughing, Mr. Gardiner indicated for Mr. Darcy to precede him from the room. “In that case, let us retire to your study, though I own that handling this matter in your study, where I have not the advantage of sitting behind my desk, will deprive me of some level of amusement.”
“If it makes you feel better, Mr. Gardiner, you may sit behind my desk and intimidate me to your heart’s content,” replied Mr. Darcy. “As long as my request is granted, I care not how much you make me sweat.”
Laughing, the two men retreated from the room, leaving the ladies with Mr. Bingley. The chatter in the room made it a gay party all around, and Georgiana called for tea and refreshments. By the time Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Darcy returned, talk had already turned to the weddings, and Mrs. Gardiner was eagerly plotting the dresses, wedding breakfasts, and all the sundry details which would go into making them both celebrations fitting to the occasion. It was a merry party, and Elizabeth found that she was happy, though she was a little sad that she would need to leave Mr. Darcy’s house until her marriage.
When Mr. Darcy and Mr. Gardiner returned, the three men stood together speaking apart from the ladies, no doubt finding the discussions of food, lace and other finery, and similar details to be a little too feminine for them. Elizabeth had all the pleasure of watching her betrothed attempt to know her uncle, and from what she could see, he appeared pleased by what he saw of Mr. Gardiner. It was all she could have hoped for.
“You seem to have found a fine man, my dear,” said Mrs. Gardiner in quiet tone. “I believe that you shall be very happy indeed.”
“I believe I shall, aunt,” said Elizabeth, her eyes never leaving her betrothed.
Chapter XXXI
Quite incongruously, Elizabeth felt herself to be both happy to be back with the Gardiners and wistful about the remaining time available to her in her uncle’s home. Every room, every item in the house, every path in the park close to their home was familiar and comforting, imparting a sense of normalcy which had been missing for far too long. But this place was no longer where she belonged. And it was this change in perspective which caused her pensive feelings and which at times made her feel almost like a stranger in the home in which she had spent ten years of her life.
She was grateful to have Jane with her for that first period, as Elizabeth felt that she would have been in danger of becoming almost maudlin without her. Jane, with her calm serenity and ability to see the best in every situation, seemed to understand Elizabeth’s feelings, and she made it her task to pull Elizabeth from her weighty thoughts when she seemed destined to fall into them.
Without the interference of her mother or her other sisters to hamper her, Elizabeth found herself drawing closer to Jane, and her suspicions of how their relationship might have been had they grown up in the same house were proven correct. Jane was everything a sister should be, and Jane appeared to treasure this time together as much as did Elizabeth herself. Many times during the course of those days, Elizabeth found herself wondering how deep their relationship would have been, and she cursed her parents anew for what their actions had wrought. It was all that much more imperative that they use this time before marriage installed them in their own homes.
Of her aunt and uncle, Elizabeth saw much, and she cherished this time with them, even though it separated her more than she wanted from her beloved. Their conversations frequently centered on the memories they had built together, though often Elizabeth had the sense that her aunt was subtly imparting final instructions on how to be a good mistress of her own home.
Elizabeth also listened to accounts of the Gardiners’ time spent in Ireland, the things they had seen, and what had been accomplished. It appeared that Mr. Gardiner’s mission there had been a complete success, and he was now in a position to increase his income to a level which would rival that of most landowners.
“Then you shall find yourself in a position where you may purchase an estate, uncle,” said Elizabeth in a teasing tone when she had heard the good news. “If you do, I would hope you will consider Derbyshire, as I would be very happy to have you close to me.”
“That eventuality may be closer than you think, Elizabeth,” said Mr. Gardiner, his amusement showing at her astonishment.
“Truly?” asked Elizabeth.
“It is something we have considered for years. As you know, I am descended from a veritable bevy of second and third sons, and it has been in my mind for some time that our family might return to its roots as a landed family.
“But nothing is certain as of yet. Even if I should purchase an estate, I have no intention of divesting my business interests, as I am convinced that business is the future of our society. I shall likely divide my time between the estate and my business in London if we should indeed decide to purchase an estate.”
“How will you manage it?” asked Elizabeth. “Your business takes most of your time now—how can you manage an estate as well?”
Mr. Gardiner smiled. “A good businessman knows the value of hiring trustworthy employees and endowing them with the power to manage his interests. Yes, I am busy, but I have been gradually handing the reins off to my assistants. With a competent steward, I would be set with respect to managing an estate, too.”
The thought that the Gardiners would potentially be close by brought a new sense of contentment to Elizabeth. She had been sure of her love for Mr. Darcy and her desire to be united with him for some time. But the thought of leaving the Gardiners so far behind while she went to manage Mr. Darcy’s home in the country was daunting, to say the least.
Elizabeth, Jane, and the Gardiners continued comfortably for those days before the Christmas holiday, enjoying the company, decorating the house for Christmas, and preparing for the time when the two girls would leave for houses, husbands, and families of their own. And in that time, the Darcys and Mr. Bingley were much in evidence, and they also saw much of Colonel Fitzwilliam and Anne de Bourgh, whom Elizabeth was quickly coming to count as a friend.
It was two days before Christmas when Elizabeth received a most unwelcome visitor to the townhouse. The occasion was made worse by the fact that said visitor came when Jane was at Mr. Bingley’s townhouse to tour it and meet with the housekeeper, as her wedding would take place in the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Elizabeth had been invited to go as well, but she had begged to be excused, deciding that Jane should be allowed the opportunity to see her new home by herself. That the timing of the visit was by design was not in question, but the fact that Mrs. Gardiner had been called to the nursery to deal with some matter of the children made the situation all that much more uncomfortable.
For a moment after Miss Bingley was announced, Elizabeth watched the other woman with barely concealed curiosity, wondering what she could possibly mean in calling. Miss Bingley had not accompanied Mr. Bingley even once to Gracechurch Street, nor had she been present when Elizabeth had visited Darcy house. And though Mr. Bingley had not explicitly mentioned his sister, it was evident that she had been in a constant state of fury since their return to London. Her disgust for her surroundings was evident in the way she curled her lip, in the exasperated looks she directed at Elizabeth, and in the way she haughtily refused the offer of tea. If her feelings were thus, then Elizabeth could not imagine why she bothered to even come.
“I imagine you must congratulate yourself for this . . . triumph you have managed to bring about,” said Miss Bingley almost as soon as she sat facing Elizabeth. The contempt fairly poured off the woman in waves, as did her bitterness of spirit and unhappiness.
But Elizabeth was not to be intimidated, and she responded, “I am uncertain of what ‘triumph’ you refer to, Miss Bingley. Perhaps you should come to the point of your visit.”
“And I am certain you understand me perfectly, Mrs. Collins,” said the other woman with a sneer.
“That is a name I did not even answer to when society deemed it belonged to me,” snapped Elizabeth. “I would appreciate it if you would refrain from us
ing it. Otherwise, I believe we have nothing further to discuss.”
“Very well, then. Miss Eliza, I shall be frank. I am certain you congratulate yourself due to the engagement which you have managed to bring about, though by what means I am uncertain. Before he met you, Mr. Darcy was able to spot a fortune hunter without fail, but his insight seems to have deserted him when it comes to you.”
The audacity of the woman knew no bounds! But Elizabeth would not respond in kind, though she was sorely tempted to do so.
“I know nothing of what you mean. Mr. Darcy and I came to our understanding by way of a mutual regard. There was nothing underhanded on either of our parts.”
“There is nothing else that could have tempted him from his duty,” said Miss Bingley. “The only explanation is that you drew him in!”
“His duty?” asked Elizabeth with an incredulous laugh. “And what do you consider his duty to be. To wed you? According to his aunt, his duty was to wed his cousin. He did not accede to her demands either.”
Miss Bingley’s countenance darkened to a most forbidding scowl, proving to Elizabeth—if she had not already known—the ugliness of character to which the woman could descend. She stood with an abruptness which startled Elizabeth and loomed over her in an attempt to intimidate. “Mr. Darcy’s duty,” hissed she, “is to wed a woman of connections and fortune, not some penniless waif who has been thrown off by her family.”
“Connections!” said Elizabeth, scoffing at the woman’s pretensions. “You should remember, Miss Bingley, that regardless of my current status with my family, I am the daughter of a gentleman, whereas you will never be more than the daughter of a tradesman.”
By now, the woman’s eyes were positively smoldering with fury, but she calmed herself with a visible effort and once again took her seat on the other sofa. But Elizabeth was not prepared to endure her presence any longer.
“I believe that it is time you left, Miss Bingley,” said she. “You may take your insults elsewhere; I have neither the time nor the stomach for them.”
Miss Bingley, however, did not move. She merely glared at Elizabeth in that superior manner of hers, as though she was the queen and had judged that everything before her was wanting. Elizabeth waited for a moment to see if Miss Bingley would depart peacefully, but when she saw that the woman had no intention of leaving, Elizabeth rose to summon a servant to evict her from the premises.
“I had hoped to find you reasonable,” said Miss Bingley. “It was a vain hope, perhaps, but I had thought you could be persuaded to desist without having to resort to threats.”
“And what could you possibly threaten me with?”
“Information concerning your past.”
The two women faced each other, the tension in the air an almost living, breathing entity. Elizabeth’s mind was whirling. What the woman thought she knew, Elizabeth could not fathom, but she was determined that she would not be coerced. Besides, Miss Bingley had truly underestimated their attachment to each other if she thought that Mr. Darcy would not protect her by every means possible. Miss Bingley was setting herself up for a fall in society, whether she knew it or not.
“Do not be surprised, Miss Eliza,” said Miss Bingley, breaking the silence, her words accompanied by the smile of a woman who felt she held all the cards. “Your mother was a font of information once I learned how to induce her to share it. The senseless woman thought that I was commiserating with her, but in truth, I was gathering material to use to free Mr. Darcy should he succumb, as I knew what you were attempting to do. I know it all, Miss Eliza—your murder of your younger brother, your banishment from Longbourn, and your parents’ attempt to persuade you to redeem yourself by marrying the current heir, not to mention your annulment. And I am willing to use this information, I assure you.”
“To what end?” asked Elizabeth, curious as to whether Miss Bingley had thought the entire matter through.
“To see this . . . this . . . trumped-up engagement ended, of course! If you will not end the engagement of your own free will, then the details of your past will be discussed in every drawing room in London.”
“And what of Mr. Darcy? Do you think that the scandal of my ending the engagement will have no effect on him?”
“Come now, Miss Eliza. It is not even announced. Whatever shred of reputation you still possess will not even be affected. It need never be known.”
Elizabeth smiled slightly, though with no hint of good humor. “Therefore leaving Mr. Darcy to you?”
Miss Bingley preened and examined her fingernails. “He requires a society wife of excellent breeding, education, and accomplishments, and before he became infatuated with you, I am certain he was on the verge of making an offer to me. I will readily accept him, I assure you.”
“And I assure you that he will never make you an offer.” Elizabeth smiled coldly at the other woman. “Mr. Darcy has never looked at you twice, except perhaps in exasperation. He considers you a grasping, artful, mean, unfeeling woman, and he would never tie himself to you.”
Her fury such that she could hardly even speak, Miss Bingley stammered and struggled for something to say, but Elizabeth continued on, discarding all pretense of amiability.
“And I think that perhaps you have not thought this matter through, Miss Bingley. A child of two can have no understanding of the concept of murder, so your claims of my being a murderer are nothing but the braying of a donkey. But even if you were to make such claims in the hope of ruining my reputation, you would be ruining your own by association! Whatever gossip taints me will also taint my family and will therefore taint you by association, given the fact that my sister will soon marry your brother.”
“I shall do it before the wedding ever takes place!” snapped Miss Bingley.
“That is still no solution.” By now, the angry tone of Elizabeth’s voice had been replaced with an agreeable and almost friendly tone which clearly irked Miss Bingley. All the more reason to use it, in Elizabeth’s estimation. “You would merely put your brother in the unenviable position of having to choose between marrying the woman he loves and protecting his family, and even then, he and you would suffer, as he would become a jilt if he ended the engagement with Jane. Your arguments make little sense, and the application you have made to me is frivolous. I must ask you to leave before I have you removed.”
Miss Bingley stood, but her forbidding glare never wavered an inch. “You will end your engagement if you value your reputation.”
“I will do no such unreasonable thing,” said Elizabeth as she crossed to the room and rang the bell. “Mr. Darcy will not marry you. I will not give up the man I love. I suggest you find some other more interested man to sink your claws into.”
The door opened, and the Gardiners’ housekeeper entered. “Yes, Miss Elizabeth?”
“Miss Bingley will be leaving now. Her carriage should be waiting outside.”
The housekeeper bowed and retreated, seeming to sense that more was at work here than a simple request to see that Miss Bingley’s conveyance was prepared.
Elizabeth turned to Miss Bingley and gestured to the door, waiting to see if the woman would depart without being coerced. Miss Bingley sniffed with disdain and began to walk toward the door.
“Very well. I warned you, and now you will pay the price.”
“I suggest you consider how to act very carefully,” warned Elizabeth. “It would be unwise for a woman of your social background to make an enemy of a man of the prominence of Mr. Darcy. And you should also remember that I have been accepted by his uncle, the earl. Think of that before you spread stories concerning his future niece.”
With those parting words, Elizabeth turned away. Miss Bingley did not move for several moments after Elizabeth’s final words, but soon after that, Elizabeth heard the return of the housekeeper as she announced to Miss Bingley that her carriage was ready. They retreated from the room, leaving Elizabeth alone.
As it turned out, Miss Bingley’s threats ended up being
nothing more than a bluff. Soon after Miss Bingley had departed, Darcy arrived with his sister in tow, and when Georgiana was involved in a discussion with Elizabeth’s aunt, Elizabeth took the opportunity to initiate a quiet conversation in which she explained the scene which had occurred not long before his arrival.
To say Darcy was not amused was a vast understatement. Miss Bingley had pursued him since he had had the misfortune of being introduced to her, and despite the hints he had given that he was not interested, not to mention all the times Bingley had told her straight out that he would never offer for her, she still persisted.
Darcy was a man of the world, and he had lived in that world as the master of a great estate since his father’s untimely death. Though he did not as a rule enjoy society or excel at making the polite conversation which society deemed so necessary, he was aware of the fact that it was his duty to engage in society nonetheless. He was also aware that society was awash with young women seeking to marry to improve their status and wealth. However, none approached the fervor and determination of Miss Bingley. The woman was no better than a leech.
Later that evening, Darcy visited Bingley’s townhouse to discuss the matter with him. Time had given him a little perspective on the matter, and he thought it unlikely that Miss Bingley actually intended to follow through with her threats. However, he could not allow the matter to go without making response, and it was a response which the woman would not like.
Ensconced in Bingley’s study with the man’s raptures over his angel and effusions concerning the expectations the man had concerning the marriage which would take place the following week, Darcy congratulated his friend warmly. But when there was a lull in the conversation, he took the opportunity to discuss what was on his mind, acquainting Bingley with the particulars of what Elizabeth had related to him that afternoon.
After the specifics had been imparted, Bingley sat back in his seat and sighed, his previously ebullient mood forgotten. “I am sorry, Darcy. I know not what to do with her. You are aware how many times I have attempted to bring her to understand the facts of the situation, but she persists despite it all.”
