Mrs. Bingley’s Sister (The Austen Novels)

Chapter 13

December 1819

Pemberley Estate

Derbyshire

Elizabeth was overwhelmed by the grandeur that was Pemberley. She had heard from Bingley on many occasions of how impressive the wealthy Derbyshire estate was, but to actually see it for the first time was a whole other matter, indeed.

The entrance was large and lordly; the house stood tall and removed from the natural landscape around it, yet it seemed to belong to its natural surroundings, too. Elizabeth's breath caught to be led inside and see the high, ornate ceilings. The interior was elegant but understated, nothing gaudy or showy to be seen anywhere. She couldn't help but associate Darcy with every corner, every piece of furniture, every room—

The entire home was Darcy.

Elizabeth considered this as she and the Bingleys were led to the guest wing upstairs, traveling up a grand staircase behind the housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds. They had departed from the parlor and left Darcy and his cousin Fitzwilliam, but not before the children finished having their fun with their presents.

"Aunt Bennet! Aunt Bennet, look! Isn't it marvelous?" Lizzy had cried over the sweet little dolly she had been given.

"And what shall you name her?" Elizabeth had asked with a smile, dropping down to eye level with her goddaughter. Lizzy made a pensive face as she examined her doll.

"I do not know," she finally admitted in a sad voice, with a frown. Elizabeth smiled.

"Cheer up, my dear, do not you fret," she said, "The name shall come later. After all, we have to have a christening ceremony before we can name her, don't you think?"

Lizzy brightened at this idea. "Just like we had for baby Janie?"

"The very same."

"But Aunt Cathey and Aunt Vinson are not here to be the godmothers," Lizzy said dejectedly, referring to Elizabeth's sisters Mary and Kitty, "and neither is Uncle Hurst!"

Elizabeth shook her head, very seriously. "Well then, Lizzy, you know what you shall have to do? You must select two new godmothers while we are here at Pemberley."

"And a godfather?"

"And a godfather."

"Who shall do the ceremony? Is there a vicar here?"

"We shall have to find someone to play the role of the vicar."

"Play the role of the vicar?" Bingley repeated, appearing behind Elizabeth. She stood up straight and laughed as she explained, "We were just discussing a christening ceremony for the new baby."

She gestured with a wink to Lizzy, who held up her baby doll proudly. Bingley laughed.

"Oh, of course!" he said, "I daresay, Darcy can play the vicar—won't you, Darcy?"

Darcy came over at the sound of his name, his eye meeting Elizabeth's briefly before he looked at Bingley.

"What won't I do?" he asked, a curious yet relaxed smile upon his face. Elizabeth found herself to be staring at him, as he looked so easy and pleasant, so very handsome. She knew it must have been because they were here, at Pemberley, the place he called home.

“You'll play the part of the vicar!” Bingley laughed. Darcy made an amused face of some confusion.

Elizabeth said by way of explanation, "Lizzy needs to have a christening ceremony for the baby you gifted her, and Mr. Bingley has volunteered you the role of the vicar."

Darcy looking at her as she spoke gave Elizabeth no little feeling deep in her chest; she wondered at how she was to endure this weeks long stay if her body reacted so every time Darcy gazed upon her. She wasn't self-conscious for too long, however, because little Lizzy demanded everyone's attention.

"I don't want him to be the vicar!" Lizzy cried with an adorable pout, causing both Elizabeth and Darcy to exchange a smiling look while holding back a grin at the girl's seriousness.

The little girl scowled and crossed her arms. "I want Mr. Darcy to be the godfather!"

Bingley was frowning, likely about to scold Lizzy, so Elizabeth swooped in and said, "Well, that settles it, then. Mr. Darcy must be the godfather."

This seemed to pacify Lizzy, and Elizabeth added to Darcy, "Clearly, you are not suited for the role of vicar."

That got a small smile from him, and then he turned to Lizzy and said, "I would be honored to be your little baby's godfather."

Lizzy beamed. "And Aunt Bennet can be a godmother! But we shall need another godmother..."

While Lizzy thought aloud and narrated how the ceremony shall go directly to her father (as seven-year-olds were wont to do), Elizabeth and Darcy stepped away from Bingley and Lizzy ever so slightly. She couldn't help but speak to him directly, as warm as his usually reserved and stiff appearance seemed to be here at Pemberley.

"I do hope you are being serious when you agree to this," Elizabeth warned playfully in a low voice, "Lizzy means it when she plans her elaborate games. She is a very headstrong girl."

Darcy chuckled. The he leaned in a little closer to Elizabeth and said, "She reminds me of you."

Elizabeth laughed a little and couldn't help but blush. “Well, she is my namesake.”

“She looks like your sister, to be sure, but she seems to have your...” he trailed off, trying to find the word.

“Impertinence?” Elizabeth finished his thought with a slight smirk. He grinned and shook his head with a chuckle.

“Your liveliness of mind, I would say.”

Elizabeth found herself blushing a little more, but she shook her head and said, “Do not worry yourself about accidentally insulting me, sir; I know very well I am headstrong and impertinent. Do ask the Bingleys how they tolerate me, for I am hardly a lady.”

Darcy smiled slightly but then he shook his head and said, “I must disagree with you, Miss Bennet: you are everything a lady should be.”

This compliment embarrassed and confused Elizabeth. His words also halted Elizabeth's ability to speak, and the timing of it was just as well, for the housekeeper had arrived. Darcy stepped away and cleared his throat, turning his attention now to the rest of the party as he said, "If my guests will kindly follow Mrs. Reynolds, she will lead everyone to the wing where you will all be residing during your stay."

Elizabeth, still flushed, observed him for just another moment longer before her attention was captured by little Jack. Jack had a rather nice ball, which Bingley lamented sarcastically, "A wonderful gift, Darcy, to ensure my son breaks something valuable here during our stay."

Elizabeth tried to take the ball from the toddler while she heard Darcy's deep chuckle at Bingley's words. She didn't look at him—as she was focused on retrieving the ball—but she found she rather liked the sound of Darcy's relaxed laughter.

"You laugh," she heard Bingley say, "But the sound of a vase crashing to the floor is a most unpleasant one, I daresay."

"Come Jack, give me the ball for now," Elizabeth began to say to the boy, who was looking as if he wanted to throw it.

"Mine," he protested with pouting lips.

"Jack, you must give Aunt Bennet the ball," Lizzy scolded. Elizabeth shot the girl a slightly disapproving look, but then turned her attention back to Jack.

"I will give the ball back once you are settled in the nursery," Elizabeth said slowly, then, looking over at Bingley, she added, "But if your father is the one who has to come and retrieve the ball, why, then, you may very well never see the ball again—" at this, little Jack looked alarmed and she asked him nicely, "Now, shall you give the ball to Aunt Bennet?"

The boy nodded and sulkily handed over the ball. He then ran over to Nan, who led him along out of the room. Little Lizzy grabbed tightly onto Elizabeth's free hand.

"But I shall carry my dolly," the little girl said.

"Yes, you shall. We simply didn't want Jack to throw the ball in the house, is all."

Elizabeth squeezed her goddaughter's hand, and they began to follow the rest of the Bingleys out of the room. She glanced back one more time before they left the room and saw Darcy looking at her—their eyes caught for a moment, and he held her gaze before giving a slight nod as they left the room.

She couldn't keep Darcy from her thoughts as they were led to their wing where they would be residing. She wondered at Pemberley, this estate, this grand home of Darcy's, and she knew not how she was to endure their stay here. She was shown to her chamber, a lovely, spacious room with a large bed and a nice view from the window, overlooking the dry, wintry gardens.

"And of this place," she muttered aloud, finally alone, "I might have been mistress! With these rooms I might now have been familiarly acquainted! Instead of viewing them as a stranger, I might have rejoiced in them as my own.”

But it was not to be, and with that dismal thought, she sighed, lay down on the bed, and stared out the window, the wintry sky beginning to darken as the gray clouds covered the sun.