Chapter Twenty-Four
Darcy and Fitzwilliam rode their horses up to the front door of Netherfield shortly before half past one in the afternoon. They had returned from Flitwick Manor early that morning and joined the family for breakfast, then called upon Longbourn after to speak with Mr Bennet.
Tea had not yet been served when the two gentlemen joined the others, and the time spent waiting for its delivery was spent hearing of the search for the two men at large, and the fate of Mr Wickham.
“A message returned from Hardwick this morning that two men fitting the description of the two robbers entered the village there, ate at the inn, then purchased bread and cheese before leaving on foot, but they have not been found on the roads, it is clear they are cutting across country,” Colonel Fitzwilliam informed them.
“The men attempted to hire horses at the livery, but the horses there were all let. Sir Gregory knows a man with hounds who can track a man; he has been sent for. We have items with their scent from the cottage they lived in. I do not believe it will be long before they are caught.”
“What about Mr Wickham?” Lydia asked.
“Wickham has run out of resources, I am afraid, Miss Lydia.” Mr Darcy answered her.
“It seems that he has been bereft of alternatives since he deserted the militia in the summer. He returned to this area and used his knowledge of the environs around Hertfordshire to prey upon its inhabitants. It is my understanding that the regiment performed training maneuvers all over the county, and he used his knowledge of the roads and houses to his advantage, all the while keeping what he considered a safe distance from Meryton so he would have less chance of being recognised. He could never have returned to Derbyshire. He is recognised everywhere there.”
Darcy shook his head. “I do not think even my connections could influence the matter of his fate. He has not committed murder, but he has robbed at least twelve carriages that we know of since August. He has taken three hostages for ransom, one an underage girl who returned in love with him, and with child. I do not even believe transportation will satisfy the judges. He will be executed. The only question is how and when. The militia will have their say as well in the matter due to his desertion. He is to be taken to London on Monday; Richard and I shall accompany the party, and attend the trial. It is necessary for me to travel to town, in any case. I must meet with my solicitor, and return with the marriage settlement. I should have done it already, but I was too well entertained here.” He smiled at Elizabeth.
“Will you return by Christmas Eve?” asked Georgiana worriedly.
“We will; I expect we shall return on the twenty-third,” he promised. “Have we ever spent Christmas apart?”
Georgiana looked relieved. “Of course not.”
“Where is the tea?” demanded Mrs Hurst. “What on earth have you ordered to make it take so long, Jane?”
“Here it is, Mrs Hurst, here it is.” Mrs Nicholls entered with three footmen pushing trolleys. On one trolley was the tea service. On the other two were trays lined with what appeared to be golden squares of toasted bread with something over the top.
“Cheese toasties!” exclaimed Jane excitedly. “Oh, I adore cheese toasties.”
“Happy Birthday!” bellowed Elizabeth and the younger ladies.
“Lizzy told me about one evening where you spent a whole night in your rooms speaking of your craving for this, Miss Jane.” Mrs Bingley smiled as she poured tea, and the footmen served cheese toasties for the others on plates.
“We spoke to the cook about the ingredients you mentioned, and the cook said she has a cousin who makes such things for her employers. A messenger was sent to St Albans for the receipt. I do hope it is just how you like it.”
Jane closed her eyes in bliss as she sank her teeth into the shredded cheese mixed with egg, mustard, and butter, toasted over bread. “Oh, Mrs Bingley, this is perfect! It could almost be from my mother’s kitchen. That is… if I knew where my mother’s kitchen was.”
“Can you remember her face?” Lydia asked curiously.
“I have an impression.” Jane wiped her mouth politely. “I believe my sister Cassandra is named after her. My sister is very beautiful, and very good; much like Mrs Bingley.”
“This looks vile,” Mrs Hurst objected. “We are supposed to eat this?”
“Dear Lord, it is delicious! Darcy, is it not delicious?” Colonel Fitzwilliam had already consumed his. “Is there any more?”
“Of course there is, Colonel Fitzwilliam.” Jane served him another plate, taking his empty one and putting it on the tray beside her.
“Jane, you cannot be serious.” Mrs Hurst held her plate as if there were a snake upon it.
“Give it here then.” Mr Hurst held his hand out, and his wife gave him her plate in disgust.
“There is sponge cake as well, Louisa.” Jane hurried to ensure her sister-in-law’s comfort.
“Richard is correct, I find this meal strangely enjoyable.” Darcy finished nearly as quickly as his cousin.
“I fear that I can never enjoy mustard,” Mary confessed, uncertain what to do with her plate.
“Give it here, I will finish it!” The Colonel was quick to relieve her of her treat and replace her cheese toastie with a plate of sponge cake.
“Mrs Bingley, Mrs Hurst and I really must beg your cook for this receipt,” Mr Hurst said with more animation than anyone had ever noticed from him. “Rupert, would these not be perfect on those cold winter afternoons up north?”
“Indeed.” Mr Rupert Hurst seemed rather low, over near the window by himself.
Without the attention of Mary, and after the terrifying warnings of the Colonel, the lure of Netherfield had begun to pall for the man, but he saw that Mr Bingley was correct, it would be a kindness to his host to amend his behaviour and repair his reputation before he left the village. He wondered how he would accomplish it.
“Mrs Bingley, nothing short of finding my family could have made my birthday as special as this,” Jane thanked Mrs Bingley sincerely, before enjoying the last cheese toastie at her host’s insistence. “Thank you so much.”
“Just wait until later.” Elizabeth stirred her tea.
“My sister has decided to use your birthday as an occasion for her kitchens to practice before the ball and Christmas. She has so many guests coming from London, Mr Darcy’s and Mr Bingley’s connections, she wants to ensure that the kitchens are ready for such an event.
So my parents, the Gardiners, the Lucases, the Collinses, and the Phillipses will join us tonight, and we will put the kitchen staff and footmen through their paces. ”
A pleasant half hour later, most of the party was still in the drawing room, having broken up into small groups for conversation.
The younger ladies were reading to one another.
Elizabeth and Darcy were in close conversation together.
Colonel Fitzwilliam was reading the most recent edition of The Compleat Angler, and Jane was working on Mrs Bingley’s wrap in a corner.
Mr and Mrs Bingley were conversing near the fire about a tenant matter.
Mrs Hurst was speaking with Mr Rupert Hurst, and her husband had promptly fallen asleep.
Mrs Annesley had gone upstairs to rest before supper.
Jane watched Mr Hurst sit up with a confused snort a moment later, as everyone in the room heard a tremendous clamour from the hall.
“How dare you admit these low born women to the house before me! Do you know who I am!” A woman’s voice was screeching from the hallway.
“Why should we know who you are, you silly woman!” The tones of Mrs Bennet travelled down the hall. “Of course I was admitted before you, this is my daughter’s house!”
“I care not what low born personage lives in this hovel! I am here to speak with my nephew! Where is he! Where is Darcy!” The woman shouting in the hall sounded terribly irate, as if she might have an apoplexy at any moment.
“Where is that scheming jezebel who aspires to steal the affianced groom of my daughter? The trollop who took my hospitality as her due, and then stole the very man my daughter was intended for? Where is Elizabeth Bennet? I demand to speak to her at once!”
Everyone in the drawing room was looking at one another in horror.
Mr and Mrs Bingley appeared quite lost for words.
Mr Darcy’s eyes were closed as if in pain, Georgiana had covered her face with her hands and was rocking and shaking her head.
Colonel Fitzwilliam was grinning from ear to ear and giggling just a bit as he pulled a flask from his pocket and poured some brandy into his and Darcy’s tea cups.
“Is that who you are? The meddling patroness of my husband’s idiot cousin?
” Mrs Bennet scoffed. “Well, who cares about what you think, that is what I say! Who are you, here in Meryton society? No one cares a fig about you here in Hertfordshire, that is what I think! How dare you insult the home of my lovely daughter, Mrs Jane Bingley, the most beautiful woman for three counties, and the wife of a most doting and handsome husband! You will not insult her and then cross her threshold, that is what I say, not if I have anything to do with it!”
“I will speak with my nephew!” Lady Catherine bellowed. “He must be separated from Elizabeth Bennet, who I now understand to be your daughter. I will thank you for standing aside, madam. Since you have not taught your daughter to stay in her place, I will do it myself.”
“Oh fie! Who are you to have a say in my Lizzy’s match?
I have heard all about this supposed cradle betrothal from my husband.
It was discussed when Mr Darcy asked for my Lizzy.
My husband is entirely satisfied that you have no proper claim to the boy.
No more claim than my sister Mrs Phillips here has to direct Lizzy’s match–not that she would ever make such an attempt–would you, Harriet? ”
“Of course not, sister, and besides, Lizzy has superb taste in gentlemen, if I may say so. She will hear no argument from me regarding her choice, even if he came without a farthing. Mr Darcy is obviously a man with merits.” Darcy’s face flamed in front of the others, and Colonel Fitzwilliam gasped in hilarity and pounded the arm of his chair as they heard Mrs Phillips praise Darcy’s supposed manly virtues.
Lady Catherine addressed the butler next. “Sir, I will thank you for compelling these women to stand aside. I am the daughter of an earl, and I will see my nephew.”
“Mr Nicholls, if you even think of such measures, I swear, I shall speak to your wife and your cook, and ensure that tripe is served in your servants’ hall for a twelvemonth, even if I have to butcher a cow every week myself!
” Mrs Bennet warned. “Now, Lady Whoever-You-Are, I say that I will not stand aside and allow you to insult my daughter and then enter her home! No, no, I shall not! Now, you get back in your carriage, and you go back to Hunsford, or wherever it is you came from. No one cares about your opinions here. My Lizzy is to wed Mr Darcy, and I will run you out of this village before I allow you to interfere!”
“Bless your mother.” Darcy’s head dipped low to Elizabeth’s as he spoke. “I owe her another turban. Or a diamond parure.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam had slid out of his chair and was on the floor, hanging on the arm of the chair as he giggled uncontrollably.
“Huzzah for Mrs Bennet!” he gasped. “Oh, if I had ten thousand more just like her on the continent, we should end every conflict in the work of a moment! I believe she could rout Old Boney!”
“Come now, cousin, we have subjected our poor hostess and her guests to more than enough terror and mortification.” Darcy stood and hauled Fitzwilliam to his feet. “Mrs Bingley, I cannot apologise enough for the poor behaviour of my kin.”
“Not at all, Mr Darcy. But I wonder, how did she know about your betrothal?” Mrs Bingley answered.
“That is an excellent question. Obviously my cousin must have written to her.” Elizabeth sighed. “Of course, he would not have been able to help himself.”
“I do not think so, Lizzy,” interrupted Jane. “Mr Collins told me at Longbourn that Mrs Collins advised him to speak to Mr Darcy directly, and that he was grateful he had not written to his patroness.”
“Oh who cares how she found out,” Mrs Bennet dismissed the thought as she entered the room.
“I will not allow that woman to even enter your home, Jane. Come and look at this Brussels lace that your Aunt Gardiner found in St Albans. Worked by nuns! Your Aunt Phillips and I simply had to show it to you without delay, or we never would have made such a late afternoon call.”
“Thank you, Mama.” Mrs Bingley replied, as Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam left the drawing room to ensure their aunt left the village.