Chapter Forty-Four
June 1812
E lizabeth was happy to see a letter from Aunt Gardiner waiting for her at the breakfast table, as well as one from Jane and another from her mother. Her husband, after greeting her and helping her fill her plate, was now reading letters of his own, so she felt comfortable about reading her own letters. Jane’s, she was certain, could wait; the letter from her aunt was more important.
Dear Elizabeth, or should I say Mrs. Darcy?
I am glad the gowns were useful to you. By now you understand that the Darcy family is quite wealthy; it would have done you no favours to have arrived at Pemberley with trunks full of modest clothing.
I have the perfect companion for your new sister. Mrs. Annesley is the widow of a baronet. He left her with a modest jointure, and she could have lived on it easily enough, but she prefers an active life. She speaks French, Italian and German, she is a proficient artist, and a more than competent musician. While I do not think her musical skills to be the equal of Miss Darcy’s, she would certainly be able to hold her own in a duet! She has been serving Lord and Lady Richmond for the past five years; their third and last daughter was wed just this past month, so she is available for a new position. I told her about Miss Darcy, and she is willing to travel to Derbyshire to take up the post. I include her direction so that you might write to her yourself.
As for Master Bianchi, I think it will take a good deal of money to convince him to travel to Derbyshire, especially as he is much in demand here in Town in the summer months. Nonetheless, your uncle obtained his direction for you, which I include below.
The remainder of the letter included news about the children, which Elizabeth decided to read later.
“William,” she said.
He looked up. “Yes, Elizabeth?”
“My aunt says – well, perhaps you might just read the first three paragraphs yourself.”
He did so, and then handed the letter back to Elizabeth. “I certainly agree that Georgiana needs help to prepare for her entrance into Society.”
“Yes; but I think we should not just surprise her. Georgiana must be consulted on the subject.”
“On what subject?” The object of their discussion was even now entering the breakfast room.
“Your timing is exquisite, Georgiana! Do you recall that we discussed preparing you for a Season?” Elizabeth asked.
The girl turned pale.
“No, no, Georgiana, do not fear. You have expressed your concerns on the matter, and I quite understand you; but I have someone who could come and help you prepare.”
“But –“
“Do you not think you would like having someone come to spend the day with you, Georgiana?”
“Will she let me play the piano?”
“Yes, and she plays herself! So just think, you would not be dependent on my own poor self for such delights. Also, she will teach you French, as she speaks that language as well as Italian and German. Hold; here is what my aunt writes about her.” And she read the pertinent paragraph aloud. Looking up at her sister, she said, “Does that not sound ideal?”
“Very well,” Georgiana sighed.
“I tell you what, Georgiana. Give her a fair trial, perhaps six months? If, after that time, you do not like the situation, we will reevaluate it together. Is that reasonable?”
Georgiana agreed that it was very reasonable indeed, and so it was with a whole heart that Elizabeth sent off her message the very same day.
Dear Mrs. Annesley,
I understand that my aunt, Mrs. Gardiner, has spoken with you about the possibility of you coming to Pemberley to act as a companion for my sister by marriage, Miss Darcy. She is a shy, self-effacing young woman, whose primary interest in life is her pianoforte.
However, her position in society will require her to have a Season in another few years – three, at the most – and she is not at all prepared to do so. She has not a governess for two years, and it seems her education stopped as a result. She must learn to speak French, she must know polite etiquette, and perhaps most importantly, she must acquire self-confidence. I believe she will work hard to gain your approval if you are kind to her.
We are prepared to offer one hundred pounds per annum, which I hope will be sufficient inducement to bring you this far north.
If this sounds agreeable, I beg you to tell me what date would best suit you to travel; I will have the Darcy coach sent to bring you to us. There will be a maid to attend you, of course, and the coachman will have directions and funds for inns and meals along the way.
Very Sincerely,
Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy
Elizabeth hoped that offering twice a companion’s usual salary would encourage Mrs. Annesley to accept the position of Georgiana’s companion. As she put her letter with the other outgoing messages, she had the satisfaction of seeing one in her husband’s hand addressed to Master Bianchi.
She was pleased, then, to give her attention to the letter from Jane, who thought she might be with child, and to the letter from Mrs. Bennet, who was quite certain Jane was with child and recounted the advice she had given her eldest daughter to ensure said child being a boy.
***
A reply came from Mrs. Annesley a week later, indicating her satisfaction with the position and naming a date on which she would be ready to travel. Since that date was just five days hence, Elizabeth hurried to her husband’s office and presented him with Mrs. Annesley’s letter.
“Will we be able to send the coach in time?”
“Indeed; it will only take the coach three days to get to London.”
Surprised, she said, “I recall it took us four days to get here.”
“I saw no reason to push the horses, nor to cut short what little time we had alone,” he said. His tone was rueful.
“So you were quite aware that we would have little time together once we arrived at Pemberley.”
“Sadly, yes, though I did not expect it to be quite so…” He trailed off.
“Tense? Difficult? Challenging? Trying? Grim?” She tried for a teasing tone, but it fell flat.
“Any and all of those. I am so sorry, Elizabeth.”
His tone was sorrowful indeed, so she hastened to reassure him. “It is not your fault, William, and I do think things are getting better. Your sister, at least, has accepted the situation. And I do believe she and Mrs. Annesley will do well together. My Aunt Gardiner is an excellent judge of character.”
“I am glad you thought to write to her. By the way, I had a letter from your Uncle Gardiner, inviting me to invest with him.”
“I am glad my few connections are useful! Have you heard back from Master Bianchi?”
“I have, just today.” He handed her a small message.
Mr. Darcy,
Your offer is acceptable. You may expect me by the fifteenth of July, and I will stay for a full week.
Alessio Bianchi
Elizabeth laughed, giving the paper back to Mr. Darcy. “Not long-winded, is he?”
“No; let us hope he is rather better at instruction than correspondence.”
“Hmmm; so Mrs. Annesley will be here just before midsummer, and Master Bianchi three weeks later.”
“A busy summer, then.”
“One with many changes, certainly. William, I plan to hand out the servants’ wage packets at midsummer; I trust you do not object?”
“Not at all; it is within the mistress’ purview, though I believe Mrs. Reynolds has managed it alone for the past few years.”
***
Upon hearing that her new companion would be in residence in a few weeks’ time, Georgiana went into a frenzy of self-improvement. She cleaned out her wardrobes, with the help of her maid, and pulled out all her old schoolbooks to display them prominently on her bedroom bookshelf. Elizabeth came to visit Georgiana in the midst of this disarray; hiding her smile, she remarked, “Georgiana, this is not necessary.”
“I want her to think well of me, Lizzy.”
“She will think very well of you, Georgiana, I promise you.”
“Do you really think so?” Her voice was so small and worried that Elizabeth could not help giving the girl a hug, and was pleased when she did not shrink away from it. At fifteen, Georgiana was already taller than Elizabeth, but that did not matter; inside, she was a child.
“Oh, Georgiana,” she sighed. “You are so, so much more than you think you are.”
“But I always feel…” And she trailed off.
“Yes?”
“I do not know the right word. Inadequate, I suppose.” A tear made its way down one cheek.
“Georgiana, look at me. You are lovely, you are gifted, you come from an excellent family, you will never want for food, clothing or shelter. You are blessed beyond measure.”
“I do not deserve all these good things, Lizzy. I am no one and nothing very special.”
“No one deserves the good things they are given, Georgiana. Think you the Prince Regent deserves his position in life?”
Georgiana giggled, though the sound was a bit choked by her tears.
Elizabeth went on. “You see, then; a good many of us have things that are given to us through no effort of our own, and few of us deserve them. We can only try to become a person who would have deserved such blessings. Does that make sense?”
She thought about it. “So I can become someone who deserves what she has been given…?”
“Exactly. Every day of my life I try to deserve being married to a man as excellent as your brother, having a sister as wonderful as Miss Georgiana Darcy, and being the mistress of Pemberley. Every morning, I ask myself what I can do that day to deserve all that has been given to me.”
“I think that a most excellent philosophy, Lizzy, and I will adopt it immediately.” Georgiana brightened considerably at this idea.
“I believe it will serve you well. Now if we could only convince the Prince Regent…” And the two laughed merrily together before Elizabeth hugged Georgiana again and left.