Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth

by Greer Boyd

  And he did. Promptly at a quarter hour to three he appeared at Elizabeth’s door just as he had the day before, followed closely by Georgiana. The strength of the emotion the couple shared could not have been more evident. As she held her arms up to him in a manner very similar to the way that both Thomas and Anne Elizabeth had held up theirs, her eyes began to twinkle almost mischievously, “I await the pleasure of your embrace.”

  A look of unconcealed desire swept over Darcy’s face. Taking a steadying breath as he promptly knelt beside her bed, he laughed as well, “And I yours.”

  “How will they be able to bear the weight of their desire for more than a year?” Georgiana again thought to herself as she stepped in front of them. She would be their shield, and she would not allow any harm to come to their character or reputation.

  The entire scenario of the day before played out once again. Darcy gently set Elizabeth upon the makeshift settee, where Georgiana covered her lovingly with the duvet. Having taken their seats, the assembled group was merrily chatting when Gabby and her sisters Paulie and Bella arrived, followed by two footmen laden with boxes.

  “Madam . . . Gabby, what is all this?” asked Georgiana, as she stood abruptly from her chair.

  “Miss Georgiana,” answered Bella, “it is your presentation gown. We knew that with all that has happened over the last few days you must have forgotten, so we brought it to you and can make any adjustments that are needed in quick order.”

  Georgiana all but ran to Aunt Eleanor. “Oh, Aunt,” she cried, “I completely forgot about the presentation. Will Uncle James or Cousin David still be able to present me? And I have not practiced at all. Oh, I do not want to make a muddle of it. Can you help me?”

  Already beginning mentally to organize everything, Aunt Eleanor replied in a voice and with words designed to assure her niece: “I believe that your Cousin David is coming to Darcy House this afternoon with Richard. To my knowledge, it is still his intention to be your escort to the presentation along with me. William will attend as well, but he will have no part in the proceedings since he is still in mourning.

  “Gabby, which of the boxes contains the train?” she quickly inquired, looking over the various boxes splayed over the floor.

  While Gabby and her sisters sought the box with the train, Aunt Eleanor pulled the bell cord. When a footman entered the room, she immediately began to direct him to arrange the seating in the room so as to make it appear more like the presentation area at court.

  Darcy was amazed, as was everyone else in the room. Aunt Eleanor was formidable, but not at all highhanded. His cousin, Richard, had always told him that if Wellington had had his mother arrange his campaign, the war would have been won in half the time.

  In less than a quarter hour, Aunt Eleanor had the furniture rearranged, the boxes from Madame Claudine opened, and everyone seated. The feathered headpiece had been attached to Georgiana’s hair and the long train to her day gown. Her aunt was showing her how to walk, to make the exceedingly low presentation curtsy with her knee almost touching the floor, and to handle the train so as to not trip over its length as she backed her way from the presentation chamber into the antechamber.

  Georgiana practiced for half an hour, while everyone in the room both encouraged her and laughed with her when she made a mistake. She was in the middle of her curtsy, knee almost touching the floor, bent forward and holding her position when her cousins, David, Richard, and Annabel Fitzwilliam, quietly entered the sitting room before anyone knew they were there.

  As she started up from the precarious position necessitated by the curtsy, Cousin David announced in an overloud voice, “Heavens Georgiana, you are not going to tip over are you?”

  Surprised by the sudden sound of his voice booming in the room, she looked up and immediately fell backward right on her bottom. The four cousins promptly burst into laughter, soon joined by everyone else. As David walked over to help her up, she explained, “I would not have fallen if you had not startled me.”

  “Now Georgie, you looked a bit shaky to me before I startled you,” he retorted cheerily.

  “Well, I do have two more days to practice,” insisted Georgiana with a laugh of her own.

  “Only two more days? Why, I think a good week might not be enough,” laughed David, a look of mock horror on his face.

  “You are no help at all,” giggled Georgiana, but she was soon laughing right along with him. “Will you still escort me to the presentation?”

  “Oh,” David dramatically pressed the back of his hand to his forehead, “the things that one must suffer for family. Of course I will escort you. Now introduce me to this sea of women.”

  Georgiana began the introductions and, when she came to Elizabeth, David stepped toward her, bowed, and with the utmost sincerity asked, “Mrs. Mills, may I kiss the hand of the woman who helped to rid us of one of the most worthless human beings in all of England?”

  “Lord Fitzwilliam,” responded Elizabeth with equal sincerity, her face reddening as she did so, “I assure you that I did very little.”

  He winked as he replied, “Please call me David, and that is not what my brother Richard has said and the more you are around him you will find that he is rarely wrong.”

  With that having been said, he ceremoniously kissed the back of her hand, before he quickly stepped back, “Sorry, Georgie. I did not mean to muddle your introductions please . . .” His eyes turned to Mary and lingered a moment longer than necessary, before he continued, “carry on.”

  When Georgiana’s introductions were finished and the requisite bows and curtsies taken care of as well, Annabel moved quietly to occupy a chair close to her mother, and Aunt Eleanor reached over to squeeze her hand.

  “Darcy,” queried Richard as he almost twirled, extending his arms to take in everyone, “how have you managed all by yourself surrounded by such beauty.”

  “Richard, Charles Bingley is also in residence. His wife gave birth to their heir prematurely, and she is the sister to Mrs. Elizabeth Mills, and Miss Bennet. He has been working closely with Mrs. Mills and her uncle regarding some business dealings that were of great importance. But, I hope he will be able to join us soon,” stated Darcy.

  As if actually summoned, Charles entered the room with Jane in his arms and announced, “I will join you now if you will allow me to seat Jane close to Elizabeth. You, Darcy, are not the only one able to transport a beautiful woman from her bedchamber to the sitting room.”

  “Well, Georgie, more practice while you have a somewhat captive audience,” intoned David as he turned everyone’s attention back to Georgiana.

  “Of course, Cousin,” laughed Georgiana, “Jane, do you and Charles mind being the queen and prince regent as I practice? That way Elizabeth can talk with Gabby and her sister.”

  “It would be our pleasure,” smiled Jane as her husband quickly sat in the chair beside the one she currently occupied.

  Georgiana continued her practice under Aunt Eleanor’s watchful eye, but her aunt still managed to notice that both of her sons were slowly making their way to Charlotte and to Mary. She hid the smile that threatened to spring up on her face and thought to herself, “Have my young men finally been smitten?”

  Richard had taken special notice of Charlotte, and David seemed quite distracted by Elizabeth’s sister, Mary. She approved of both women immensely. Should either one or both seem to return the attention given them by her sons, she would do everything in her power to try to make a successful match. After all, was that not the intention of every mother?

  Now at two and thirty years of age and born only minutes apart, her sons were fraternal twins and therefore had some differences in their appearance. But one could definitely tell that they were brothers. They had the same azure eyes and a tall lanky frame, both Fitzwilliam family traits. David possessed an almost unruly mop of curly golden-blond hair, while Richard’s hair, almost but not quite as curly as his brother’s, was the colour of rich dark chocolate. Their natures
were and had always been different as well.

  David, the first-born and therefore the heir, had an exceedingly happy and carefree attitude toward life, though no one could ever accuse him of being a fool. He was conscious of the gentlemanly styles of the time almost to the point of being called a fop, but fell just short of actually fitting the term. He worked diligently to find the best possible solution to any challenges that life presented him, had always treated people fairly no matter their rank, and, knowing that his mind did not deal well with financial matters, had been perceptive enough to turn all of his financial dealings over to those who knew much better how to handle them.

  Richard was playful, but more sedate. He cared little for current fashions, as long as his attire was comfortable and showed him to be a gentleman whenever he was out of uniform (which he had sometimes had to wear for weeks at a time during the war). He possessed a sharp mind almost equal to Darcy’s in dealing with financial matters. He was also intensely loyal, so particularly as the second son, the Army had been a good choice for him. His loyalty translated into immense patriotism, and he served his men and his country exceedingly well displaying undeniable bravery. But war changes men, and it had changed Richard Fitzwilliam. His playfulness had been tempered by the things that he could not forget and wished that he had never seen.

  Her daughter Annabel, almost two and ten years old, had eyes that were lavender in colour and mimicked those of her adoptive mother. She also had a tall lanky frame and thick curly hair only a shade or two lighter than Richard’s.

  “Darcy,” queried Richard walking to where his sister sat beside their mother, “you would not mind the addition of one more female in your household would you?”

  Looking to Annabel, who lowered her eyes teasingly, Darcy answered, quite cheerfully, “I think that one more lady would be just the ticket. Lady Annabel, have you missed your mother?”

  Annabel laughed and poked playfully at her brother’s arm, “David and Richard are wonderful brothers, but they are not Mama.”

  “Then I will have Mrs. Wyatt make up a bedchamber for you, and you can stay here with Aunt Eleanor,” offered Georgiana looking for any excuse to take a break from the cumbersome train pulling heavily on her dress.

  “Oh, Mama, may I stay?” she begged as she held her mother’s hand and looked fully into her face.

  “Well, since your cousins do not mind, I will send Richard back to have a small trunk packed for you,” was the response.

  Annabel looked sheepishly at her brothers and the three of them started to laugh. David, recovering first, turned to those in the room and then back to his mother, “The little minx has already packed a chest, and it is waiting in the foyer.”

  Aunt Eleanor reached over and hugged her daughter saying, “You were pretty sure of yourself, were you not?”

  Straightening her back to reflect an almost regal mien, Annabel brushed her hand down her gown and looked fully at her mother. “Well, it is a Fitzwilliam family trait,” she answered, prompting another round of laughter.

  “Indeed it is, Annabel,” Darcy chuckled, “indeed it is. And you are just in time.”

  “In time for what?” she asked with a puzzled look on her face.

  “Well, you see,” laughed Darcy, “I have a group of ponies coming tomorrow for Anne Elizabeth and Mrs. Mills’ son, Thomas, to choose from so that they can begin their riding lessons. Would you like to accompany them when they make their choices?”

  Annabel almost squealed with glee and clapped her hands together, “You know I would. Will we travel to look at them or will they be brought here?”

  “They will be brought here along with two new Arabian mares for Mrs. Mills and her sister, Mary,” replied Darcy smiling as he walked back to Elizabeth.

  Immediately turning his attention to Mary, David asked, “Miss Bennet, do you ride?”

  “Only a bit, My Lord, and very poorly, but William has said that he would help me improve,” responded Mary, demurely lowering her eyes and clutching her hands in her lap.

  “Well, Miss Bennet,” David immediately dropped into a low bow, “may I volunteer my services as riding instructor as well?”

  Mary looked at Elizabeth. As Elizabeth smiled encouragingly back to her and nodded her head slightly, she plucked up her courage and looked at David with a most pleasant, if still somewhat tentative smile, “As poorly as I ride, I can certainly use all the help that I can get. Your services as riding instructor, My Lord, would be most welcome.”

  As he walked closer to her side, David exclaimed, “Well, I can see that a pleasant smile and laughing eyes must be a Bennet family trait.”

  “Oh no, I am afraid that Lizzy received the lion’s share of those traits in our family,” Mary laughed nervously.

  “No, Miss Bennet,” explained David looking squarely into a face surrounded by the most luscious dark chocolate-coloured hair, “I can assure you that she did not.”

  A deep blush rose from Mary’s neck to her hairline. Realizing what he had said, he looked to see his mother smiling at him. Seeking a distraction before the silence became an embarrassment for Mary, he inquired of Charlotte almost too loudly, “Miss Lucas, do you ride as well?”

  “Once upon a time I did, My Lord, but it has been many, many years,” she responded, directing her gaze from David to Anne.

  David turned then to his cousin and asked, “Anne, if you can spare Miss Lucas for riding lessons, I would gladly volunteer . . .” with a quick glance at Richard “the services of my brother.”

  With no hesitation at all, Richard rested his gaze on Charlotte and added, “And I gladly accept being volunteered.”

  At that point, a rustle of amusement enveloped the room. Anne seized the moment and simply stated, “Well Charlotte, you might as well accept. How could you refuse such an offer from a gentleman with such a pleasant smile and laughing eyes?”

  Raising her voice slightly in order to be heard above the laughter, Charlotte exclaimed, “Yes, indeed. How could I possibly refuse?”

  Aunt Eleanor noted her nephew’s merriment, “Darcy, if the riding party gets any larger, London may think that it is being invaded by the Normans all over again.”

  Looking across the room to where David stood with his hand on the back of Mary’s chair, Elizabeth cheerfully added, “I will certainly need to talk with Gabby and her sisters to make sure that we are all properly turned out.”

  Gabby rose from where she had been sitting and quickly walked across the room to stand next to Elizabeth. “Lizzy, it would be my honor to assist you.”

  “Well, sit with me and I will tell you what I was thinking, and you can let me know if it is possible,” Elizabeth countered.

  Darcy quickly pulled another chair close to her for Gabby to sit. The two women then discussed riding habits for Elizabeth, Mary, and Anne Elizabeth, with Gabby choosing the colours, as usual. Elizabeth was limited in what colours she could wear because she was yet in the middle of her mourning. Still, some little bits of colour could now be added, although the majority of the garment would remain black. She asked Gabby to make the riding attire to guidelines that were slightly different from the norm.

  The skirt was to be split to allow for ease of riding and mounting, but cut in such a surreptitious manner that the split did not show either when she walked or rode. The jacket was to be a version of a man’s riding jacket complete with tails, but cut to conform to a female form. To accompany the coat, they decided on a top hat made either to match the colour of the riding habit or to contrast with it, but to include the addition of wide ribbons wrapped around the crown and made to flow down the back. Kid gloves were to be made to match riding boots made similar in style to those of Darcy’s Hessians, but again constructed to be more feminine in appearance.

  Since Gabby had been making Thomas’ clothes since his first birthday, it was not a challenge for her to make him riding attire to match Darcy’s, and Elizabeth asked that she add black kid gloves made to match a small pair of black Hess
ian boots.

  As Anne had listened to the style of riding habit Elizabeth requested, she saw the wisdom in every part of it and asked, “Gabby, do you think that you could make a similar garment with all of the necessary accessories for Charlotte?”

  Before Gabby could answer, Aunt Eleanor interjected, “I would like one made for me and Annabel as well.”

  Then Georgiana asked, “Brother, may I also have one made per Elizabeth’s direction?”

  Darcy looked at Gabby and said with a smile, “Madame Claudine, it appears that you will be providing riding habits and accessories for the Bennet, Mills, Lucas, Darcy, and Fitzwilliam ladies.”

  “Well, do not leave me out,” laughed Aunt Lilly. “Mr. Gardiner and I ride as well.”

  “Nor me,” cried Jane. “Charles and I ride and would most enjoy riding with your group, although it will be a while longer for me, I am afraid.”