A Covenant of Marriage

by C. P. Odom

  “She looked at the positive side as you would expect, and she hoped the two of you could put aside unhappy memories and find comfort together. She seems to think highly of you, Mr. Darcy, and believes you are the best possible match for her sister, though she did admit to already missing her even before we returned to town.”

  “I shall hope to live up to her good opinion, Mrs. Gardiner. But on the topic of Miss Bennet, I believe now is a good opportunity to mention something I have been considering but have not yet discussed with my wife.”

  He turned to Elizabeth. “As you know, I mentioned travelling to Pemberley rather soon. What would you think of inviting Jane to accompany us? She would be company for you until you get to know our neighbours. Do you think your parents would approve? And would Jane find the suggestion appealing, or do you think she is too much attached to Longbourn?”

  For a moment, Elizabeth was so taken aback she could not speak. The thought had never occurred to her that Darcy might suggest such an invitation. She quickly sought for and gained a measure of control over her racing thoughts though it took several more moments before she could speak.

  “I think it a wonderful idea,” she managed. “I believe Jane would look on the invitation quite favourably though my father will undoubtedly despair of having any sensible conversation at home if she were to leave. But I do not believe he would try to forbid her from accompanying us.”

  “I believe he would be agreeable,” her aunt said. “Your father is well aware that Longbourn has many unhappy memories for Jane and a change of scenery would likely do her good. In fact, I had been considering inviting her to town, but this is an even better design. It is a very gracious suggestion, Mr. Darcy.”

  Darcy nodded in acknowledgement of the compliment, but he sat up straighter as though in surprise. “I just had another thought, one that should have occurred to me earlier. Mr. Gardiner, I am sure Elizabeth would be as happy as I if you and your family would join us at Pemberley to celebrate Christmas. Travelling such a long distance in winter used to be a daunting task before so many turnpikes were built, but these days it does not present the insurmountable obstacle it once did. I would suggest a stay of several weeks if at all possible so the travel time will be worth the effort.”

  Elizabeth nodded. This suggestion was not surprising, considering the relationship her husband had formed with her aunt and uncle, but it was welcome nonetheless.

  I must ask how he became so closely acquainted with them that he was able to speak of his despair over his failed proposal at Hunsford. Given how secretive he is when it comes to family matters—or, at least, how secretive he used to be—it is a mark of great trust that he was willing to speak of such a sensitive topic. So I should not be at all surprised that he desires their presence at Pemberley.

  “You do know we have five children, Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Gardiner said with a smile. “Would they not be an imposition?”

  “Not in the slightest, madam. We have more than enough room, and Pemberley would not suffer becoming reacquainted with the sound of children at play. I am sure they will find much to occupy themselves, especially if the snow is as timely in its arrival as usual, and there will likely be other guests with children. With the press of events, Elizabeth and I have not yet given thought of whom to invite.”

  “Then we should be pleased to accept your kind invitation,” Mr. Gardiner said promptly, relieved at having an alternative to their usual stay at Longbourn for the holidays.

  We can stop and visit my sister on our journey home, he told himself, and we shall only have to tolerate Fannie’s foibles for a single day.

  ***

  “You appear to be in tolerable spirits,” Mrs. Gardiner said as she sat alone with Elizabeth after her husband invited Darcy into his study for a glass of brandy and a cigar. “I am sure your father will be pleased when we so inform him. He was worried about you, you know. Despite our assurances, he feared you might be most unhappy.”

  “But you and my uncle were not. I am still mystified at how you could be so certain I would react as I did. Nor do I understand how you came to know Mr. Darcy so well that you would aid him in arranging this marriage.”

  “No, we were not worried about your acceptance of the situation after a time,” Mrs. Gardiner said seriously, addressing only the first of Elizabeth’s questions. “We were convinced you would eventually come to judge Mr. Darcy’s character as we do and reconcile yourself to what we did. We would not have acted in this manner if we had not been definitely convinced of that.”

  “But even if you were so certain of my eventual contentment, why would you act as you did?” Elizabeth asked plaintively.

  “In part, it was because of the situation resulting from Lydia’s elopement. The family’s damaged respectability made it unlikely any of our nieces would ever marry, and the eventual death of your father would impoverish the family because of the entail. But the main reason we acted as we did was that we knew Mr. Darcy—rather well, in fact. We have known him for several years now, and we were convinced of his excellent character. Before we discovered he had loved you hopelessly for years, we never saw a reason to try to change your opinion of him. We simply avoided the matter by ensuring the two of you did not inadvertently meet when you visited us.”

  “I suppose I would have been hard to convince,” Elizabeth admitted uncomfortably. “I know I have not been completely reasonable these past years. I wanted to blame someone for what happened to us, but there was no one to blame except Lydia, and that was somewhat difficult since I knew full well how convincing Wickham could be. To the extent I thought of Mr. Darcy at all, it was only to remember how he separated Jane from Mr. Bingley, so it took no great effort on my part to keep the fires of my anger fanned.”

  “That was another reason we acted as we did,” Mrs. Gardiner said gently. “We saw the change in you, and we did not want you to sink even further into bitterness. Your uncle and I debated about what we might do for two people very dear to us, a beloved niece and an excellent friend—both of them sunk into abject misery, though for different reasons. After seeing the two of you today, I am convinced our decision to intervene was for the best. Certainly, Mr. Darcy appears quite happy, and while I believe you are not completely joyful, I should say you were content.”

  “I would have to agree. I think both of us are determined to avoid doing or saying things too hastily.”

  “And, from a strictly logical point of view, what Mr. Darcy was prepared to offer your family made the decision easy for us. It was, we believed, simply a matter of getting you to confront the contradictions between what you believed his character to be and what we knew it to be.”

  Mrs. Gardiner reached out to take her niece’s hand. “Be honest, Lizzy. I know it has been less than a week, but doubtlessly you must have already seen that a number of your objections were either entirely unfounded or are no longer true. Am I right?”

  Mrs. Gardiner looked her niece directly in the eyes, and it was Elizabeth who had to look away.

  “Very well,” she said finally. “Yes, you are correct. I do not find my new husband as objectionable as I once thought I might. In fact, there are several areas in which I could not have asked for a better husband…or a better man. Oh, we still have some areas we need to discuss…but, as you say, it has only been six days.”

  “That is to be expected,” Mrs. Gardiner said, sitting back in her chair and refilling her cup of tea.

  “Now, I remember seeing parts of Pemberley when I lived in the village near there, and everyone told me how delightful the grounds were. I cannot tell you how much I anticipate seeing them at last, especially in the winter. And you have to admit Mr. Darcy’s idea of inviting Jane to come to Pemberley was an inspired suggestion.”

  Chapter 16

  Hope is the struggle of the soul, breaking loose from what is perishable, and attesting her etern
ity.

  — Herman Melville (1819–1891), American writer

  Sunday, October 20, 1816

  Darcy Town House, London

  Elizabeth and Mrs. Roberts were sitting together, speaking of the tasks needed to manage the house, when one of the maids came to the doorway.

  “Beg pardon, Mrs. Darcy,” the maid said. Elizabeth thought her name was Edith but was not certain. “Mrs. Bingley has called and wishes to speak with you.”

  “I see,” Elizabeth said, trying with difficulty to keep any sign of apprehension from her face and voice.

  She still was not sure whether she agreed with her husband’s suggestion to expand her wardrobe, and she was even less sure she wanted the assistance of his sister. Elizabeth knew she would not be able to meet Georgiana without remembering she had married Mr. Bingley and put an end to Jane’s hopes.

  She wondered why the woman had called today. From what Darcy had said, his sister was not expected until Tuesday at the earliest when Darcy House would again be open to visitors. However, since Georgiana Bingley had lived in this house for most of her life, Elizabeth supposed she might feel the rules of visitation did not apply to a member of the family.

  Elizabeth looked at Mrs. Roberts, who waved a hand at the papers and books scattered over her desk.

  “I shall leave you now,” the housekeeper said. “We can return to these later.”

  “Very well,” agreed Elizabeth, rising to her feet and turning to the maid. “When Mr. Darcy returns from riding, please inform him of his sister’s arrival. I am sure he will wish to see her.”

  The maid looked uncomfortable. “I beg your pardon, madam, but Mrs. Bingley specifically said she would like to speak only with you.”

  “I see,” Elizabeth said, looking at the girl thoughtfully. She could understand the maid’s consternation since the staff had known Darcy’s sister for years while Elizabeth had been in residence for barely a week. It was to be expected they would defer to his sister’s wishes.

  “Where is Mrs. Bingley waiting?”

  “In the front parlour, madam.”

  “Thank you. Mrs. Roberts, as you said, we can resume another time. The household had been working perfectly for quite some time before I arrived. I doubt affairs will crash to a stop if we wait a few hours before you finish my instruction.”

  With that, she smiled at the older woman and departed, walking to the front of the house. She had been given a complete tour and had met all of the staff, but she was glad Darcy’s sister was in one of the rooms most familiar to her.

  Mrs. Bingley! Elizabeth still felt a lurch when she heard the name she had always thought should have been Jane’s.

  The lady was standing in the parlour, looking out the window, and she turned as Elizabeth entered.

  “Mrs. Darcy,” she said with a nod, and Elizabeth stiffened at the cold and distant formality of the greeting.

  “Mrs. Bingley.” Despite being puzzled by the other woman’s attitude, Elizabeth was unable to stop herself from responding in kind. Her nod was calculated to precisely mirror the other woman’s.

  Georgiana Bingley was dressed elegantly in an emerald-green gown in the high-waisted style English society had copied from the French since the war ended. A dark green, fur-trimmed Spencer provided warmth against the October chill. Despite the fact that she was taller by some four or five inches and almost four years younger than Elizabeth, her figure was more robust, and her waist was thicker, undoubtedly due to having given birth to a son the previous year.

  From what Darcy had told her, his sister had always been exceedingly shy, but there was no evidence of reserve present.

  “You are most likely wondering why I came to call today.”

  Elizabeth’s only response was a silent nod. She did not know what motivated the other woman, and the best course appeared to be to hold her tongue and listen carefully.

  “In the note from my brother telling me of his marriage, he also asked for my assistance in improving your apparel,” Georgiana said, her voice dispassionate and cold. “As a rule, I would be pleased to do so, and I have been considering his request these past days. While I am willing to do as my brother requested, I have decided I ought to inform you as to what our relationship will be since you may well decide not to avail yourself of my assistance.”

  Elizabeth was shaken. It was clear that, for reasons unknown, Darcy’s sister had formed a distinct dislike of her and was serving notice she would not pretend to the normal relations expected of two ladies who were sisters by marriage. In both content and delivery, Georgiana sounded more like Caroline Bingley than the girl Darcy had described.

  “I wonder, Mrs. Bingley, did Miss Bingley instruct you on the best way to deal with a country upstart like me?” Elizabeth said, her voice coolly polite, and Georgiana’s startled reaction told her she had hit the mark.

  “How did you—?” Georgiana started in astonishment before catching herself abruptly.

  “Yes, I thought as much.”

  Georgiana glared at Elizabeth. “I do not like you, Miss Bennet. I have not liked you for all the years you made my brother’s life miserable. But at least I had the comfort of believing I would never have occasion to meet you. Now I find that my brother has lost his senses and made you his wife! It is inexplicable!”

  “Instead of marrying Caroline Bingley, I suppose?”

  “Caroline would have made an admirable wife for William! She comes from a circle similar to our own, and her knowledge of fashion, style, and society would have made her a wonderful companion for my brother.”

  “And she would not need any assistance to bring her wardrobe to the standards of London society.” Elizabeth’s smile was mirthless.

  Georgiana ignored the remark. “How did you manage to ensnare my brother? It might have been understandable if you had accepted his offer of marriage four years ago, but it is unconscionable to have tormented him for all these years only to finally pull him into your web now.”

  “Ensnare your brother?” Elizabeth said, and now her smile was one of real humour. “If only you knew!”

  “Knew what? That you will make him a laughingstock in society? That all of our family and friends will shun him because of you? That you will ruin him and make his life wretched a second time?”

  “My husband does not seem to be miserable,” Elizabeth said with quiet complacency as she remembered the days and nights since they had been married. “And, with regard to the resentment of his family, I suppose I shall have to bear it with as much fortitude as I can summon. As to the indignation of the world, I suspect most people will have too much sense to join in the scorn you have so plainly described and obviously so fervently desire.”

  “I have already been in communication with our aunt Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and she shares my opinion.”

  “Knowing Lady Catherine, I do not find that surprising at all. But I doubt such resentments will stand the weight of time.”

  “I think you will be surprised in that regard, Miss Bennet!”

  “Again you refer to me as ‘Miss Bennet,’” Elizabeth said archly. “Are you trying to insult me, Mrs. Bingley?”

  Georgiana’s thin-lipped silence gave Elizabeth all the confirmation she needed.

  “In any case, with respect to resentment and time, I would caution you against placing too much dependence on the steadfastness of all concerned in keeping their resentment alive. Just this past Saturday on the very day of our wedding, I told your brother I would never forgive him for forcing me into an unwilling marriage. Now, barely a week after making such an unshakable promise, I find myself quite agreeable to relenting.”

  “What? Of what are you speaking?”

  “Oh, did you not know?” Elizabeth said sarcastically. “In the years since your brother first offered marriage, I have scarcely had occasion
to think of him. I would have continued in that same manner if he had not come to my home last Saturday with a second offer of marriage. But this time, he took his offer directly to my father and asked for his approval. I was not consulted until the negotiations were complete.”

  “What is this nonsense?”

  “Nothing but the simple truth. You may ask your brother when he returns from riding. He made the offer to my father, asking for my hand in marriage and asserting he was willing to support my mother and sisters when my father dies since my father’s estate is entailed to a cousin. My father felt he could not refuse such a generous offer, irrespective of my wishes in the matter, and he accepted the proposal. I had no choice but to abide by the agreement my father made even though I was fiercely opposed to it.”

  “Opposed? I do not understand,” Georgiana said, so shaken she sat down abruptly.

  “This may be difficult for a loving sister to understand, but I did not have a favourable opinion of your brother. Even after I learned how I had been deceived by Mr. Wickham, there was still the matter that he had separated my elder sister and Mr. Bingley. If he told you of his offer of marriage and my rejection of it at Hunsford, did he tell you of what I had accused him?”

  “Well, yes, but—”

  “And now you are married to his friend, and my sister is seven and twenty and unmarried.” Elizabeth’s words were cold and clipped.

  “Are you intimating that I was my husband’s second choice—that he should have married your sister?”

  “I cannot pretend to know Mr. Bingley’s mind on the matter, but I believe he was sincere when he offered marriage to you. My comment was made only to address my opinion and explain my resentment towards your brother. I had no reason to change that opinion in the last four years, and only my father’s agreement as the head of our family made me accede to his wishes. So, your charge of entrapping your brother is sheer nonsense.”

  “You married a man you do not like? That is absurd. You are trying to confuse me somehow and—”