I Met Mr Darcy Via Luton

by Fredrica Edward

  The question of where exactly the married couple would live had not been broached. Perhaps the engaged couple had themselves not yet decided. It was not clear to Elizabeth whether Mr Bingley would be an active partner in the Yorkshire business; or whether he meant to be involved from a distance, settling in London or Hertfordshire. Two weeks later, Mariah arrived on their doorstep with crucial gossip.

  "Have you heard?" she said, bursting into Longbourn's parlour with Kitty and Lydia, "the Yardleys have finally sold Netherfield!"

  "I knew it!" said Mrs Bennet, "Mr Bingley has taken the option to purchase it for our dear Jane."

  Jane expressed her opinion that this was unlikely; she merely knew that Mr Bingley had pledged they would spend the first fortnight of their marriage at Netherfield, so she could be near her family. The second fortnight would be spent in London at the Darcy townhouse, a wedding gift from Mr Darcy to his friend. Charles claimed it was an apology for not being able to attend the actual ceremony. The newlyweds hoped to attend the opera and the theatre–Charles was keen to be seen in public with his beautiful new bride.

  Mariah was unable to shed any light on the purchaser, but some more information was forthcoming when Dr Gregory turned up the following day. He carried a bunch of flowers, ostensibly for Mrs Bennet, and was quite dismayed upon reaching the threshold to see the parlour was already full of blooms.

  "Ah!" said Mr Bennet, who was exiting with a cup of tea. "I gather you are also attending the funeral."

  Dr Gregory looked quite alarmed and quietly expressed his condolences, at which Mr Bennet laughed and walked away.

  Upon their father's departure, several of the sisters looked up from yards of silk to smile, and Elizabeth told him not to mind their papa.

  "He is just sore because we spent his book money on silks," said Lydia.

  "And he does not like flowers," added Kitty, "because they make him sneeze."

  Dr Gregory jokingly hid the bouquet he was holding behind his back before presenting it to Mrs Bennet.

  "Are all these bouquets in honour of your daughter's engagement?" he asked, thinking such had not been the custom in Scotland.

  "Oh, no, no!" laughed Mrs Bennet, glad to have her favourite subject mentioned; "Mr Jones bought them in return for all the potions that Lizzy is brewing."

  Lizzy was astonished that her mother could mention her occupation with equanimity, as she had previously expressed the opinion that Lizzy had become the local witch.

  "Oh dear," said Dr Gregory, "I think we had better think of some more inventive form of recompense," he said, carefully avoiding the word payment.

  "Will you take tea, Dr Gregory?" asked Mrs Bennet.

  "Gladly," replied Dr Gregory, availing himself of one of the few vacant chairs that was not covered with the detritus of dress-making.

  This surprised Lizzy. Dr Gregory was generally too busy to sit down to take tea: he usually gulped it standing up or sipped it at his desk while he attended to other matters.

  Lydia smiled at the prospect of a break and put down her needle.

  "There will be time enough to rest when the tea arrives, Lydia," remarked Mary.

  Lydia frowned and picked up her needle.

  Hill duly arrived with the tea, and after all manner of small talk on Jane's wedding, Dr Gregory finally stated his purpose.

  "Miss Elizabeth, would you care for a turn in the garden?"

  Lizzy put down her stitching and nodded her acquiescence.

  Lydia jumped up with glee. "I'll go too!" she said, declaring herself chaperone.

  Kitty put down her needle also, to be met with "Lydia is enough," from Mary.

  As the group stepped into the afternoon sunshine, Lydia ran for the swing; and Dr Gregory offered his arm to Elizabeth leading her to the rose garden.

  "We miss you at the infirmary, Miss Elizabeth," he ventured upon arriving.

  "I miss my time there too, Dr Gregory," Elizabeth affirmed.

  He stopped. Turning to her, he grasped both her gloved hands. "I have some very exciting news, Miss Elizabeth. I have secured a major patron and hope to soon open a larger hospital."

  "Dr Gregory, that is wonderful!" replied Elizabeth. "Will you be expanding your current establishment?"

  "No, that will remain as a fever hospital. But I have managed to secure Netherfield for the new hospital."

  "Netherfield!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "So you are the purchaser!"

  "No, Miss Elizabeth, my patron is the purchaser, but I have signed a lease which will give me the use of the building for the next ten years for a peppercorn rent. My patron has also donated a substantial sum for the fit-out of the building. So all I need to do now," he smiled, "is to run the business within budget; and as a Scotsman, Miss Bennet, I believe I can do that."

  "Goodness," said Elizabeth, "you will be run off your feet!"

  "Indeed, I will be busy, but I am searching for a junior partner from Edinburgh as we speak. There is only one thing more that I need to make this enterprise a success…"

  "And what is that?" asked Elizabeth.

  "You, Miss Bennet."

  "Me?"

  "Will you come to oversee the operation? Take on a role similar to that which you occupied at the infirmary?"

  "But what of…" your wife, thought Lizzy, but said, "the previous objections?"

  "Well…" said Dr Gregory, dropping Lizzy's hands and pacing in front of her with his hands clasped behind his back. "I have spoken to Amanda, and she agrees that her previous objections were silly."

  He turned to look at her.

  "Well…" said Lizzy, smiling and looking at the ground before tilting her head up again, grinning. "Then gladly, I will."

  Looking through the window of his study, Mr Bennet was bemused. If Dr Gregory was not already spoken for, he would have sworn that Lizzy had just received a proposal of marriage. But all was explained afterwards, over dinner.

  Later when Lizzy brought his tea to the study, Mr Bennet joked about it.

  "Well, well… Lizzy, I'm glad you set my mind at rest during dinner; I was a little worried when I saw you in the garden today. I thought Dr Gregory might have been making an improper proposal!"

  Lizzy blushed scarlet and was unable to form a reply, which surprised her father a little.

  "Now, now, my dear, no need to be missish. I was only joking! I am sure Dr Gregory would never do such a thing!"

  Lizzy put down the cup, nodded, and retreated quickly.

  Mr Bennet was glad the awkward moment was over. Pouring a little brandy into his tea, he picked it up and chuckled to himself. He would like to see the fellow who had the temerity to ask his spirited daughter such! She would hit him with the first object to hand!

  Chapter 43: Jane's wedding

  The day of Jane's wedding finally dawned. The sisters had been up since cockcrow preparing themselves and Jane for the wedding at eleven. Jane looked radiant in her blue gown, which was fashioned similar to a court dress. Lizzy also looked a dream in a much simpler blue gauze dress over an ivory slip. All the sisters helped to ensure Jane's skirts were kept clear of the dirt as they walked the short distance through the village to the church. Behind them, Mrs Bennet, wearing the most incredible hat, gave frantic last minute instructions to Hill before heading to the church with her husband and the Gardiners for the eleven o'clock ceremony. Little Gardiners in their Sunday best skipped alongside, except little Tommy, who at two, could not be trusted to keep his clothes clean and was carried like a parcel by his father.

  A little earlier at Netherfield, Bingley's nervous preparations had been interrupted when the Darcy carriage appeared in the drive. Abandoning his valet in his shirt sleeves, Bingley bounded down the stairs and launched himself out the front door as the carriage steps were let down by the footman, grabbing Darcy in a bear hug as he emerged.

  "Darcy, Darcy! You made it after all!" he laughed.

  This enthusiastic reception somewhat disconcerted Darcy, but he bore it well enough, supposing Bingley su
bject to wedding day jitters.

  Inside the carriage, Georgiana was glad she had twisted her brother's arm to come after all, although it had required a considerable amount of scheming. She had first managed to convince him to go to London–he had urgent business there, which he appeared to be avoiding. When another entreaty had arrived from his solicitor, Georgiana had declared herself desperately in need of new dresses. Indeed, her pin money had been piling up during her post-Ramsgate apathy.

  Finally, when they had arrived in Bedfordshire on the previous day, Georgiana had claimed an indisposition, and Darcy, anxious for his little sister, had diverted to Luton Hoo, calling upon an open invitation from Lady Louisa Stuart.

  Upon their arrival at the grand estate, Lady Louisa had expressed delight that Darcy had finally found time to visit her home in between dashing between London and Derbyshire. She spent the afternoon having tea and walking around the grounds with him while Georgiana lay down in one of the guest rooms. Despite saying many witty things, Lady Louisa was unable to draw more than an occasional small smile from Darcy, and she noted that he had become even more withdrawn and taciturn than he had been during his awkward years of his youth.

  She was a little sad for her friend's son–his mother had died so tragically. He had been an exceedingly pretty child, with riotous black locks and large expressive eyes, but a little shy, always within the orbit of his mother. On the one or two occasions she had seen him after his mother's death, he seemed to have totally withdrawn into himself. Then the connection had lapsed–she did not particularly like the earl, and she had not seen Darcy again until he graduated from Cambridge. When she had met him at balls with his cousin Richard over the last few years, he had seemed happy and almost normal, and she had thought him well on the way to turning into the handsome and charming man she had imagined when she had met him as a little boy.

  But now he seemed to be reverting to his former taciturn self–perhaps his cousin's influence only lasted as long as Darcy was in his vicinity–such a shame. The man she had met during the season almost two years ago had only wanted a little more liveliness to turn him into a complete Prince Charming.

  Georgiana recovered sufficiently from her indisposition to take dinner with Lady Louisa and her brother. Over dessert, she suddenly remembered Bingley's wedding and asked her brother if his friend might not be on his honeymoon now. Darcy replied that the ceremony was on the morrow.

  "Tomorrow, Brother?" exclaimed Georgiana. "But we must only be five miles away! Could we not attend after all? It seems a shame not to when we are so close."

  Darcy was frankly suspicious, but he agreed it would be churlish not to attend in the circumstances.

  So at cockcrow they were off, leaving behind a bemused Lady Louisa. She picked up the latest manuscript from her friend Mr Walter Scott and began to annotate it, but her mind was still partially with the Darcys. She thought the sister reminded her much of her father George Darcy, and, if so, she was well on the way to becoming a rather formidable lady.

  Entering Netherfield, Darcy urged Bingley back into the arms of his valet, wondering why the hell his bestman wasn't around to calm his nerves.

  Upon enquiry, Darcy was informed that a note had arrived from Dr Gregory stating that Sophia Wells' baby was a little early, and he must attend her lying in. When Darcy discovered that Hurst and Bingley's sisters had also forsaken their brother in favour of Badminton, he was indignant on Bingley's behalf and then mortified in turn when he realised he had almost done the same himself. He silently thanked his sister for her machinations.

  Darcy and Georgiana quickly spruced themselves up, while Bingley's valet finished his preparations. When they reconvened in the vestibule, Dr Gregory had still not arrived, and Bingley begged his friend to stand up with him should the good doctor fail. Darcy considered himself underdressed for the occasion but reluctantly agreed.

  They all headed off together in the Darcy carriage, having sent word to the stables that Bingley's new carriage would not be needed until the afternoon. They arrived at the church in good time to find no evidence of Dr Gregory; but the rector was not fazed, saying that babies choose their own time to enter the world.

  The Bennet party had only just reached the churchyard when Dr Gregory drew up in his new Tilbury. Tossing a coin to a village boy who had been waiting near the front gate for just such an event, he ran into the church.

  Seeing Dr Gregory enter the church, Darcy whispered good luck to Bingley and joined his sister in the front pew on the groom's side. Dr Gregory gave him a respectful nod as he took his place, and Darcy vouchsafed a solemn one in return. The three front pews on either side of the church had been decorated with posies to reserve them for the bridal party. Bingley could only be glad of the villagers who had crowded into the pews behind for obscuring the fact that the groom's pews were woefully empty, despite him gratefully seating Sir William Lucas and his family into the row behind Darcy and Georgiana when they had arrived from Meryton.

  The Bennet ladies and the Gardiners entered soon after Dr Gregory. From underneath her enormous hat, Mrs Bennet exchanged numerous glances left and right with the illuminati of Meryton as she walked down the aisle before joining her sister Mrs Philips in the foremost pew, while the Gardiners filed into the seats behind. Kitty and Lydia sat directly across from Mariah Lucas and exchanged giggles. Mary took her place at the piano, and little Johnny Lucas stood up beside her with his violin.

  Mary began Bach's Air on a G string, and the congregation slewed round as the bride entered on Mr Bennet's arm, looking regal and radiant. Bingley beamed. Miss Elizabeth followed behind, holding her sister's cream lace train and looking thin and sophisticated in her more modern gown. As she reached the front pews, she started when she recognised Mr Darcy and his sister in the front row. Georgiana gave her an encouraging smile, but Mr Darcy stared straight ahead without acknowledging her.

  It was a short aisle, and Mary improvised an ending to the wedding march with a flourish as Jane knelt beside Mr Bingley on the cushion near the altar rail. After artfully arranging the train at her sister's feet, Lizzy stood off to one side and shot a smile at Dr Gregory, who stood in an equivalent position on Bingley's left. He returned her smile with a broad grin of his own.

  Behind him, having noticed the brief exchange between Elizabeth and Douglas Gregory, Darcy closed his eyes briefly. He felt physical pain. Would it be the two of them next?

  The rector raised his hands. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…"

  Darcy sat there, not registering a word, as he gazed on Miss Elizabeth's slim form standing before the congregation, holding her sister's bouquet. A well of self-loathing bubbled up inside him. But for his own arrogance, he might have been standing there now beside her, hearing the rector say his name.

  Georgiana could feel the tension radiating from her brother and was at a loss to understand its source. She had thought coming here would be a good thing, allowing him to pursue Miss Elizabeth, whom he was obviously much taken with. She knew that Miss Elizabeth had refused him once, but they seemed to be making some progress at Pemberley. Watching the muscle tic in his jaw, she was almost frightened: she had not seen him so enraged since Ramsgate. As she stared at him, he turned to look at her, and his anger seemed to dissolve into sadness. He grasped her hand and she gave it a squeeze.

  Once the happy couple were pronounced man and wife, Mary restarted the Bach air as the bridal party moved into the vestry. Several minutes later, Bingley emerged triumphantly with his new bride, and the congregation rose to wish them well as they headed back down the aisle and into the sunshine. Jane had caught up her train over her left arm as she clasped her husband's elbow with her right. Lizzy followed on Dr Gregory's arm, holding her sister's bouquet. When Georgiana sought to follow the Bennet family down the aisle, Darcy held his sister back while the pews emptied.

  Outside the church, the bouquet was handed back to the bride and duly thrown into the air. It was fielded athletically by Lydia who
scrambled up her sister Kitty's back and snatched the blooms from her sister's grasp before her fingers could close on the stems. There were howls of protest from an indignant Kitty, but the villagers laughed and declared Lydia a worthy winner.

  When Mr Darcy emerged from the church with his sister, he was chagrined to find that although the crowd had dispersed, Miss Elizabeth was waiting at the front gate. Dr Gregory was nowhere in sight.

  "Miss Elizabeth!" said Darcy. "Where is Dr Gregory?"

  "He had just delivered a baby before arriving at the ceremony and has gone off in his Tilbury to check on the mother before returning for the wedding breakfast."

  Georgiana curtsied. "How nice to see you again, Miss Elizabeth. Longbourn is such a pretty village!"

  "It is, is it not?" replied Miss Elizabeth, returning the curtsey. "I hope you and your brother will join us at the reception? I noticed you brought your carriage and was afraid you might slip off to London if I did not wait."

  Darcy had indeed been thinking of doing just that, although it was hardly polite to Bingley, and he had no idea how to square it with his sister. But looking at Miss Elizabeth in her blue gown, it occurred to him that his carriage was handily placed for an elopement or, more accurately, an abduction. Miss Elizabeth was quite alone, and he was sure he could easily throw her over his shoulder. There was, of course, the impediment of his sister.

  "Certainly, Miss Elizabeth," he said, offering his arm. "I'm sure we can spare half an hour."

  He nodded to his coachman to indicate he would walk. Miss Elizabeth took his arm without hesitation while Georgiana happily attached herself to his other side.

  Chapter 44: The wedding breakfast