by Lory Lilian
At that moment, a din of cries, voices and barking startled them and from one of the rooms, through the open door, a pug, dressed in a lovely dog gown, was running away, heading towards the main door, with the clear intention of escaping into the street. Several voices yelled "Dido! Dido!" but the dog ignored all the calls. He ran through Darcy's legs, and as he approached the shop door—which was about to be opened by another group of ladies—Elizabeth ran after him, knelt on the floor and grabbed him. The dog struggled in her hands but she caressed him and held him closer to her.
Darcy immediately hurried to help his wife up; countless eyes were staring at the little scene disapprovingly, shocked by such improper manners.
A lady in her second youth, extremely fashionable, tall, handsome, and with an air of superiority that spoke of her fortune and likely her social status, hurried to the dog, while two other maids ran to take it from Elizabeth's hands.
"Oh, good, you caught him! Thank God! Be careful, he is a spoiled brat at times, and bites everyone! He hates strangers," the older lady addressed Elizabeth, then turned to the two maids.
"Fanny, Betty! Where are you? Are you coming today? Take the dog!"
They tried to obey, but the dog barked and attempted to bite them. Elizabeth stroked him with perfect composure, and he seemed to calm himself.
At that moment, another lady arrived in haste, more agitated than the others.
"Oh, your ladyship, I deeply apologise! What happened? Why are you in the hall?" She called another woman, while Betty and Fanny attempted to take the dog from Elizabeth again, with equal failure.
"I believe he is a little bit frightened," Elizabeth said. "Perhaps I should keep him a little longer, and take him somewhere more private and quieter?" she offered.
The older lady appeared stunned by her daring suggestion. She measured Elizabeth from head to toe, scrutinising her with a frown.
"And who might you be?"
Darcy stepped forward and touched Elizabeth's arm.
"Lady Sefton, allow me to introduce my wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy, to you."
The lady arched her eyebrow and gazed at Darcy with disbelief, then back to Elizabeth.
"You are Darcy's wife? You have just married, I read."
Elizabeth curtseyed, still holding the dog.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Well, this is hardly a proper manner of introduction. You have done me a great favour by catching my dog—he escapes every time someone is not attending his duties properly and does not pay attention to my requests," she said sharply, glaring at those around her, who quickly lowered their eyes.
"It is the girl's fault, your ladyship. She left the door open when she entered," one of her maids said. All eyes turned to the private chamber's door, where a young girl with blond hair falling from her bonnet, dirty cheeks and fearful eyes looked at them.
"Madame Claudette, why is a child allowed to enter my appointment room?" Lady Sefton enquired severely. "Children must not be either seen or heard!"
The lady who had entered last—apparently the famous modiste—could hardly find her voice.
"She is not a child, your ladyship, she brought some more firewood. But she is worthless; you cannot count on her for anything! I shall punish her properly."
"She is a child," Elizabeth interjected. "A child should not carry firewood, and one can hardly count on such a young girl to accomplish such difficult chores."
Madame Claudette stared at Elizabeth in disbelief. The new Mrs. Darcy was the hottest subject of gossip in town and the fact that she had interfered in a matter that was not her concern was astonishing. Surprisingly, Lady Sefton seemed to agree with her.
Mrs. Darcy is right. Hire proper help, do not send a child to bother us. I do not wish to see this girl again, and I wish you to assure me I shall not be disturbed again whenever I make my next appointment."
"Of course, your ladyship! I shall take care of everything," Madame Claudette responded obediently.
At that moment, while everyone was talking in the main hall and Elizabeth was still holding the dog, Lady Matlock and Georgiana entered. They stared at Elizabeth and Darcy enquiringly, and then greetings were exchanged with Lady Sefton.
"Darcy just introduced his wife to me, after she caught my dog," Lady Sefton explained briefly.
Lady Matlock smiled.
"Had Dido attempted to escape again?"
“Yes, but it was all the servants' fault. I am not even surprised; one can hardly expect solicitude and care from the servants."
Elizabeth was already flushed from her growing ire, and she felt Darcy's hand on her arm, pressing gently in an attempt to calm her. She breathed deeply.
"Perhaps I should help each of you to return to your appointment rooms?" Darcy offered elegantly.
Lady Sefton took his arm.
“Yes, certainly. Mrs. Darcy, would you be so kind as to bring the dog? Strangely, he seems to favour you. And someone should close the door, then take this girl from here," she demanded, and everyone moved at her request.
Someone from the shop grabbed the girl's arm and pulled her out hastily. The girl tried to walk with her small feet, her lips trembling, and she glanced at Elizabeth. Elizabeth put the dog inside the indicated room, curtsied and exited.
While she, Georgiana and Lady Matlock were directed to their chamber, Elizabeth looked at Darcy, her heart heavy with distress. He recognised her feelings and whispered,
"What do you wish to do?"
"I will complete this appointment, of course. I cannot disappoint your aunt and your sister. Will you fetch us later?"
"Of course. Would two hours be acceptable?"
That question, Lady Matlock heard.
"Oh, that will not be necessary. Your uncle is waiting for you at the club. As soon as we finish here, we will bring Elizabeth home."
Darcy exchanged a quick glance with his wife and she nodded in approval. "Yes, that would be best. I shall meet you at home later."
Neither of them had a light heart, nor any interest in gowns or the club. The small scene had made a deep impression on Elizabeth, as now she had the confirmation that she had seen the girl carrying heavy packages in the rain and accomplishing chores beyond her strength. She was not older than seven or eight, she was thin, pale and obviously exhausted; the fear and the emptiness in her eyes was something that had cut Elizabeth's heart.
"Lady Sefton is one of Almack's patronesses," Lady Matlock explained to Elizabeth privately. "One of the six. They pretend themselves to be the arbiters of London respectability. They decide who is admitted at Almack's, and they have a great influence among London's ton. It is good you saved her dog; that will surely help in giving her a good impression of you."
"I doubt that; I hope you will not be too disappointed. Lady Sefton was appalled that I caught the dog by kneeling on the floor, and displeased we did not have a proper introduction," Elizabeth replied. "But I did not save him—the poor thing was in no danger."
"Ahhh, but you are wrong in this, my dear! He has run away several times, and she has been devastated! Trust me, she will not forget your gesture. It will carry more weight than any proper introduction."
Madame Claudette and two other young women arrived and introduced themselves, expressing their delight at seeing Lady Matlock and Georgiana again, as well as their excitement at making Mrs. Darcy's acquaintance.
Madame Claudette's skills were beyond question. All six dresses ordered at Lady Matlock's suggestion—although with no other measurements than one of Elizabeth's old gowns—fit her almost perfectly. Two of them—the pale gold one and the pale pink one— were almost ready and would be delivered the next day.
Lady Matlock and Georgiana also each had two new gowns ready.
Elizabeth could hardly pay attention to the chattering around her and to the dressmakers' measurements and even less could she enjoy her new purchases. Her thoughts were troubled by the young girl, and she could not restrain herself long from asking about her.
&nbs
p; "Madame Claudette, if you do not mind me asking, who is that girl?"
"Oh, I do not mind you asking, Mrs. Darcy. She is an annoyance for everybody, but my kind heart does not allow me to throw her out on the street. She is the daughter of one of my seamstresses, who eloped with a man two years ago and she left the girl here! Can you imagine? I have never imagined something like this! Outrageous, I know, but she was such a good seamstress! She must have lost her mind, somehow! She wrote to me once, asking me to keep the girl and saying she would pay me for the effort! Pay me? How could she pay me? I paid for her for four years and she abandoned me with her child at the door! All I can do is to use the little help the girl can provide."
"How old is she? The girl…"
"She must be eight, Mrs. Darcy, from my calculation. But she is short and weak for her age and not very clever; one can hardly count on her to do anything. She forgets things, she pretends to fall ill all the time, and she tends to sleep late! A true annoyance!"
Madame Claudette did not stop complaining about having her generosity betrayed, about how she could not count on anyone and had to do everything by herself, but Elizabeth ignored her. In a place filled with the most illustrious women of London, there was a little girl abandoned by her mother at the mercy of people to whom she meant nothing. Elizabeth was aware there were countless similar situations, but since she had crossed paths with this one, she found it hard to accept it.
Suddenly, her own perfect happiness seemed painfully opposite to the ordeal that the lonely girl called an annoyance had to bear. Elizabeth remembered herself at the age of eight, wandering around Longbourn’s garden, playing with Jane, affectionately scolded by her mother and spoiled by her father.
"Elizabeth, are you unwell," she heard Georgiana asking. Elizabeth forced a smile.
"No, I am fine… Just lost in my thoughts. These gowns are beautiful," she said absently.
"Did Darcy give you the jewels?" Lady Matlock asked.
“Oh, yes. The gold and diamonds with citrine set will be perfect. Just as your ladyship suggested."
"I am glad. It will be a spectacular evening at the theatre, and we must be prepared."
"Gold and diamonds and citrine? What a perfect combination for the gold dress! Your ladyship's taste in fashion is flawless, Lady Matlock," Madame Claudette approve readily.
The entire conversation sounded so shallow, so useless, that Elizabeth felt pained and ashamed. Georgiana was still watching her with concern, and she tried to keep her composure.
The appointment lasted longer than Elizabeth expected. Lady Matlock invited her for tea, but she claimed a sudden headache and declined.
When they arrived home, she was told Darcy had not returned yet. Troubled, she tried to clear her mind by writing to her father and to Jane and only when she had finished the letters, did her husband finally return. As soon as he entered, she hurried to him and found comfort in his tender embrace.
"What is it, my love? What happened?" he asked, taking her to sit together on the bed.
"It is nothing, truly. I am just happy to see you."
"So am I. I have greatly missed you," he admitted, kissing the top of her head. "How was your appointment?"
"The gowns are beautiful…"
"And that would be all? No other events? No more drama from Lady Sefton?" he jested.
"No … but that little girl…I asked about her…Madame Claudette said she was left there by her mother, who eloped with a man. That her mother wrote only once and asked her to take care of the girl until she returns. They put her to work for them. I did see her carrying the packages in the storm; I am sure of that. How cold she must have been! She is only eight, can you imagine?"
Darcy held her tightly.
"This is what upsets you, my darling? I understand your distress, but there is little you can do. There are so many abandoned children, so many grievous circumstances, so much injustice. All we can do is to ensure all those under our care and protection are properly looked after. This has been my main concern all my life, and I have taken it from my father. "
"I know that… but that little girl…I simply cannot forget her. Can you imagine her going to sleep alone and waking up to bear a new day, pained, hopeless…"
Darcy held her hands, looking at her. "Elizabeth, what can I do? It breaks my heart to see you so distressed, but there is nothing to be done. She was left there by her mother, we have no right to interfere. And even if I approach Madame Claudette on this subject, she would surely not be honest with me. She will probably put the girl to work just as hard, making sure nobody witnesses it."
"Yes, I know. I am being unreasonable; I am aware of that. Forgive me…"
"My love, do not apologise for being kind and generous and caring! I only wish to be able to do something for your relief…"
He continued to hold her, trying to comfort her. They had dinner, then she played the pianoforte for him, but she felt her distress had not diminished. Her concern for the strange girl was impressive and heart-melting. That was his Elizabeth. In a circumstance where most women would have enjoyed a day of shopping at the most famous London modiste, where the majority of ladies could not even obtain an appointment, she had been affected by the ordeal of an unknown child.
That night, he heard Elizabeth sighing several times in her sleep. She moved around restlessly, while he watched her with a heavy heart.
When the daylight broke the night he arose, careful not to disturb her, then moved to his room and dressed without even calling for Stevens. He waited impatiently in his library until the clock showed an hour decent enough for a visit, then left the house, leaving word that he would return in time for breakfast.
Chapter 5
The sunshine resting on her face through the half-open curtains made Elizabeth open her eyes, glancing around for her husband. He was not in her bed, nor in the room, and she listened carefully for any sign of him. But there was none. Puzzled, she sat up against the pillows, calling for him. No answer came, so she put on her robe and searched in his chambers. His bed was undisturbed, and his robe was slung over the chair.
It was the first time she had woken up alone since their marriage, and she felt slightly worried. She rang for Sarah, who arrived shortly with the news that the master was out and would return for breakfast.
Elizabeth dressed and went to the library, trying to employ her time with a book. Without Darcy she felt restless, so she called for Mrs. Taylor and invited her to have a cup of tea together.
An hour passed before Darcy returned and Elizabeth looked at him for an indication of some problem. Mrs. Taylor left, and once alone, he took her hands and kissed them.
"Is anything wrong?" she asked, recognising the shadow of distress on his face.
"No… Nothing particularly. I paid a visit to Madame Claudette…"
The unexpected answer stunned Elizabeth.
“Madame Claudette?"
"Yes. I told her that you were concerned about the little girl and asked for more details about her mother. I enquired about the woman's whereabouts, but she claims to be ignorant of her location."
Elizabeth sat, overwhelmed by the news.
"I also told Madame Claudette that you might discuss with her the possibility of taking the girl under your protection until the mother returns for her. I requested she consider the conditions for accepting such an arrangement."
"Oh dear … Fitzwilliam, this is… I have no words to express my gratitude for your kindness and generosity! This is …"
She was so emotional that Darcy's heart warmed with tenderness and he kissed her hands again. She was thanking him for allowing her to protect an orphan… And she claimed he was kind and generous.
"Mrs. Darcy, you have nothing to thank me for; surely you know that! You may do what you consider is right, at anytime! I have only spoken to Madame Claudette to avoid any misunderstandings, as you are not well enough acquainted. But I expect you to discuss this with her and with the girl and to settle this matter t
o your liking! You are the mistress of all this, Mrs. Darcy.
"But … do you think Madame Claudette will accept it?"
Darcy hesitated briefly. "She is a woman inclined to business. She should be pleased to be freed from what she called a burden. The little help the girl can provide in the shop could be easily covered by hiring another servant of mature age. I am sure we can reach a mutual agreement.”
Overwhelmed by love, admiration and respect, Elizabeth looked at her husband, her eyes filled with tears, then she took their joined hands to her heart. No more words were needed.
***
"So what should we do now?" Elizabeth enquired. "How do you suggest we proceed?"
"If you are prepared, we will return to Madame Claudette’s now. I see no reason to delay."
"I am prepared. I see no reason to leave that child there any longer."
Another hour later, they were sitting in a large office at the back of the shop, waiting for Madame Claudette, who had announced to them that she had a previously fixed engagement. Darcy had quickly lost his patience and was pacing from the door to the chair and back, while Elizabeth tried to calm him with a smile. Eventually, the woman arrived.
"I apologise, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy. As you well know, I have fixed engagements throughout the day. I did not expect such a meeting to interfere with my schedule."
"We understand and will not keep you long from your duties. Please be so kind as to let us know what you have decided," Darcy requested, already irritated by the woman's superior tone.
"May I ask, Mrs. Darcy, what the nature of your interest is in that child?" the modiste asked.
"The nature of my interest is my belief that a young child, no matter how unfortunate the circumstances of her life have been, should have a little bit of childhood. That a girl of eight should not be made to carry packages in the middle of a storm alongside men, nor should be asked to bear heavy loads of wood. And that a child who claims to be ill, should not be rebuked for that, but taken care of." Elizabeth's ire had grown too, and it became obvious in her voice. Her head was held high, her eyes and lips narrowed, and her eyebrow rose in challenge. Her overall demeanour allowed no room for argument.
