by Lory Lilian
The two younger ladies appeared offended, but Lady Sefton watched Elizabeth with interest.
“Mrs. Darcy, I shall send you a note one day to join me for tea soon. Dido rejects all strangers and yet, he took a liking to you immediately. I am more tempted to approve those that my dog likes.”
“Your ladyship is very kind. I would be honoured to receive such a note at any time,” Elizabeth answered.
“We beg you to excuse us, ladies, we must leave you for now. We should find our places, the play must be ready to begin soon,” Lord Matlock interjected.
“Yes, yes, so must we,” Lady Sefton agreed.
The Matlock party departed, while the three patronesses remained to stare after Elizabeth. Out of the corner of her eye, Elizabeth noticed them talking animatedly.
They entered the box and each occupied a chair, the ladies in the front row and the men behind them. Elizabeth was between her aunt and Georgiana, then Lady Matlock and the Viscount’s wife. The box was large and could easily accommodate five more people. They were almost the only free places, as the rest of the theatre was full.
“As I told you, Elizabeth, you must be ready to face both approval and rejection,” Lady Matlock repeated.
“I believe she is ready,” the Colonel said. “I wonder if the others are. Lady Jersey is often ridiculous, with her rude behaviour and ill-bred manners. I am glad Elizabeth handled her properly.”
“Yes, but Elizabeth must be careful. She will never be accepted at Almack’s without their approval.”
“My dear aunt, why would Elizabeth want to go to Almack’s? She already has a rich and handsome husband,” Darcy asked, much to the others’ amusement.
Lady Matlock remained serious. “Because she is Mrs. Darcy. And because Georgiana will be out soon and she must attend Almack’s balls. And because everybody in our family has been invited there, with no restriction.”
“I understand, your ladyship,” Elizabeth answered respectfully. “I hope I did not misbehave earlier.”
“Not at all. I only mentioned that you must be careful, as I know it is not easy to keep your countenance with some of our acquaintances.”
“And speaking of that, I just noticed Aunt Catherine,” the Colonel said. “She looks like her usual self. Poor Anne.”
Lady Catherine was in a box on the opposite side of the theatre from them, but her frowning face was still visible. She was talking to Lady Eresby, and in the box next to them, was Lady Sefton and her party.
Soon, silence fell in the theatre as the performance began.
It was the first time that Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle had watched a performance from a box. The view was perfect, and with the glass Darcy had offered her, Elizabeth was truly delighted to share such a special evening with her dear relatives. She felt Darcy behind, close to her. She sensed his scent and his warmth and shivered a few times when his hand touched her arm.
He whispered to her during the play, and she turned her head half way to respond. They were oblivious to the fact that their behaviour, although perfectly proper, was drawing the attention of many.
Halfway through the play, there was a long intermission. The gentlemen left the box to take a much-needed stroll in the lobby and enjoy some drinks. A servant brought some tea for the ladies, who remained in the box. They began a conversation, moving from the subject of Almacks’ balls to the latest edition of Ackermann’s Repository.
“I would like to take a few steps to stretch my legs. Would you keep me company?” Lady Matlock enquired. Both Elizabeth and Georgiana were happy to oblige her. The Viscountess preferred to greet a friend in the nearest box, while Mrs. Gardiner remained in her seat.
As they walked down the hall, they could hear discussions from other boxes and Elizabeth was shocked to recognise Caroline Bingley’s voice. They had not met since the double wedding. She expected Bingley’s sisters to be there that night, but she had not seen them yet. However, she could hear them very clearly.
“I cannot imagine what was in Darcy’s mind to marry her,” someone said.
“We were shocked to hear the news,” Caroline replied. “She has nothing to recommend her, except a most unbecoming impertinence. At least her sister who married my brother is exceedingly beautiful as well as well-behaved and docile. She is a good enough wife for Charles. But from Mr. Darcy I expected much more!”
“Why would he choose her over so many accomplished young ladies with far better situations and wealth?”
“Oh, speaking of wealth and situation—they have an uncle that is in trade. And her mother—do not even make me start!” Caroline continued. “And I find it even harder to believe that Lady Matlock seems to approve of her.”
“No doubt Mr. Darcy had a moment of weakness, as every man has. But at least, other men do not marry their weaknesses.”
Elizabeth’s heart raced with shame, as she noticed Lady Matlock and Georgiana’s distress. She knew not what to do; her embarrassment increased when she spotted the gentlemen behind them, and no doubt they had heard the last statement.
Darcy was dark with anger. He gently pushed his wife away and pulled aside the curtain to that box. His appearance drew gasps of surprise from the women inside.
“Ladies, allow me to enlighten you. I married my wife after struggling to convince her to accept me for a long while. Rest assured that I have not married my weakness but my strength. I hope that you too find equal happiness in marriage. Just be careful; gossip and spite and grudges appear very unbecoming to a man when he is in search of a wife. Much more so than a witty impertinence. I wish you all a lovely evening.”
He bowed, then returned to his party, who watched him in disbelief. Inside their box, the Colonel began to laugh. “Darcy, I must say that marriage suits you very well! Very well indeed!”
The play began again and with no little satisfaction, Elizabeth noticed the Bingley sisters and other two young ladies glancing at her from time to time.
The performance of Hamlet was extremely powerful. It met and exceeded the audience’s high expectations. At the end, a storm of applause rewarded the actors. Their entire party was in complete agreement regarding the worthiness of the evening.
They left the box, but in the main hall, people were gathered again. They seemed unwilling to depart, caught in gossip and chatting. Some acquaintances came to greet the Matlocks and the Darcys, staring at Elizabeth with obvious curiosity.
The Gardiners were waiting in a corner. They knew nobody in attendance and only expected to take their farewell and express their gratitude to the Matlocks, at the proper time.
Elizabeth’s distress was all gone. She had her husband’s support, she was holding his arm and his hand covered hers. Nothing could intimate her when he was at her side. He had called her his strength, but in truth he was her power.
She noticed the Bingley sisters again, but they did not dare approach her. Lady Catherine also kept her distance, although Elizabeth was introduced to Lady Eresby, whose scrutiny was more severe than any other.
Eventually, Darcy announced their departure, and no insistence convinced him otherwise. They partook of warm farewells, with the promise of meeting the next day. The Gardiners left too, thankful and still overwhelmed by the greatness of the evening.
It was rather late when the Darcys entered their carriage to ride back towards their privacy. He closed his arms around her and her hands encircled his neck.
“How are you, my love?”
“I am very well. It was a wonderful evening and I am forever grateful to Lady Matlock for inviting my uncle and aunt.”
“You know how much I love the Gardiners; they have been the means of reuniting us, I shall never forget that. Besides, they are worthy people, whose company is a delight. But how are you?”
“I am fine. More than fine.”
“Was it as bad as you expected?”
“A little worse,” she laughed and he pulled her even closer.
“But now I am so happy to be alone with yo
u, husband.”
He kissed her temples. “I do not remember much of this evening, except how beautiful you were and how proud I am of you. You are my world now, Elizabeth.”
Her eyes were glowing at him, and he claimed her lips, satiating his thirst.
However, by the time the carriage arrived home, their thirst had only increased. What they started in the carriage, with tender caresses and tentative kisses, aroused a deep hunger that needed the entire night to be soothed.
***
After the Darcys left the theatre, speculation and rumour remained behind.
The entire ton had been curious to see the country girl that tricked the severe Mr. Darcy into matrimony and enraged Lady Catherine de Bourgh so utterly and completely.
Many ladies quickly decided they despised her and would never accept her in their circle, while the gentlemen were interested to see what Darcy could possibly see in her over and above other young heiresses.
After seeing the two newlyweds together for an entire evening, most of the women did not understand why Mr. Darcy had chosen his wife.
But most of the men did.
The small gestures, the small touches between the newly weds, the gaze that Darcy kept upon his wife and her looks of acceptance and promises of her own, were enchanting and most revealing to anyone who was able to understand.
The new Mrs. Darcy might not possess one single, perfect feature that set her apart from other ladies, but she was surely the perfect mélange of imperfections. And most of all, her brown, sparkling eyes were impossible to ignore. There was so much hidden and so much revealed in those eyes that they stirred many feelings in those who met her. Whether those feelings were ones of approval or rejection, nobody remained oblivious to Mrs. Darcy’s fine eyes.
THE END
Book 3 in the Hot Mush Series—“Mr. Darcy’s Proper Behaviour”—coming soon (January 2020)
