Chapter 12 #2
True to his words, Darcy wrote to Bingley immediately after his arrival at the dower house.
He also included Miss Bennet’s address in town, and specifically mentioned that he had reason to believe that Miss Bennet would welcome his visit.
That done, Darcy was again at a loss as to his next task.
He was a man of action, but this courtship business was beyond anything he had ever attempted.
Well, one cannot do worse than what he had already done, he thought with a self-deprecating humour.
Finally, seeing no way forward without some guidance from those who knew better, he decided to write to his uncle.
Judge Darcy was a mild-tempered man who had always had a weakness for his brother’s children.
He had stood by Darcy after his father’s death and helped him take up the mantle of the master of Pemberley.
Darcy expected his uncle to value his happiness above fortune or connections, and thus wrote to him, seeking his help.
Elizabeth was pacing restlessly in the study.
Mr. Darcy had once more succeeded in surprising her.
His acceptance of his error regarding Jane and Bingley, along with his desire to correct it was beyond anything she had ever expected.
The trouble was that she had no idea what, if anything, she should write to Jane.
While she did not want to raise her sister’s hopes in case Mr. Bingley proved inconstant, she also did not want Jane to be alarmed by the sudden appearance of the gentleman at Gracechurch Street.
“Miss Bennet, may I have a moment of your time?” the housekeeper interrupted her musing.
“Of course. Is something the matter?” Elizabeth asked, seeing the anxious expression of the lady.
“The thing is, Miss Bennet, that the shopkeepers in the village have refused to extend credit. They are worried that Mrs. Hardwicke may not have enough funds, and Mr. Darcy may not honour the household accounts.”
“Do you not have any money in the household account?”
“No, Ma’am, whatever little fund I had was used to settle the apothecary’s bill.”
Elizabeth frowned at the insensitivity of the neighbourhood but could not think of a suitable solution.
She did not have enough funds with her, and not knowing anyone in the neighbourhood, she could not ask for any help.
Finally, she decided to ask Mr. Davis, the solicitor, for help.
The man knew well enough that her aunt was in no way destitute, and may also be sympathetic to her plight.
Checking the time, she considered that she could easily walk to the solicitor’s office and be back before it was dark.
Once Elizabeth had explained the whole situation, Mr. Davis was quick to suggest that Mr. Darcy may be better able to help her; for if the gentleman made it clear that he would honour credit from the main house, the shopkeepers would then rest easy.
“That would be a great imposition, sir. I have no wish for Mr. Darcy to take over the expense. I am certain my aunt’s allowance is more than sufficient to cover her expenses,” Elizabeth responded, not wishing to presume on Mr. Darcy’s ever-increasing goodwill.
“I doubt the gentleman would consider small household expenses an imposition after the annuity he wishes to settle on Mrs. Hardwicke.”
“What annuity?” Elizabeth questioned with surprise.
“Did he not tell you? I had thought that you would have been aware, though he asked me to keep the matter private.”
“Mr. Darcy is very good at hiding the best of his character and deeds,” Elizabeth responded, realising the truth of her words, only after she had made the assertion. “I implore you to let me know what provisions Mr. Darcy has made for my aunt.”
“Well, I do not suppose there is any harm in you knowing. Mr. Darcy thought that given Mrs. Hardwicke’s age there was a fair possibility that she may remarry.
The allowance from the estate would cease in such a case, hence he instructed me to draft paperwork to settle an amount of five thousand from the estate account on Mrs. Hardwicke.
The lady may as well consider the funds a dowry of sorts. ”
Elizabeth was amazed at what Mr. Davis had relayed.
Mr. Darcy had provided for his cousin’s widow, a lady he had never met before in his life, what her father had failed to do for his own daughters.
The ladies of Longbourn would be destitute after Mr. Bennet’s passing if she or one of her sisters failed to make a decent match.
They would not have an allowance from the estate, like Mrs. Hardwicke was to get.
Any reasonable person would have judged the five hundred pounds a year more than sufficient for the widow’s need.
She may even have some savings if she were prudent, but Mr. Darcy had considered her aunt’s emotional needs much more than her material needs.
A dowry gave a lady independence to choose a partner in life without wholly depending on the man’s fortune.
Elizabeth took her leave from Mr. Davis and walked back to the house in deep agitation.
She was once again reminded of how unfair she had been to the gentleman in her judgement and how impossibly unforgivable her behaviour had been at Hunsford.
For the first time since that fateful evening in the parsonage, she felt that she may have squandered the biggest gift fortune had given her.
That she did not esteem the gentleman, and hence could not have accepted his proposal was no longer a sufficient argument in her head.
She should have respected his feelings and explained her lack of understanding of his character.
She might have suggested a courtship. There were so many ifs in her mind, but there was hardly anything to be done now.
No gentleman, no matter how generous, would persist with his regard after her nonsensical behaviour.
Elizabeth entered the house much more dejected and downcast than she had left it.
To realise her own shortcoming amidst the crisis of the household was a harrowing experience.
She had hardly entered the front parlour when she stopped short.
The gentleman responsible for her preoccupation was calmly sitting with Margaret and reading aloud Gulliver’s Travels.
Seeing her, he immediately stood and bowed, “Miss Bennet, it is good to have you back.”
“Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth replied, not sure how to ask him to account for his presence in a house where he was now the master.
As if sensing her confusion, he clarified, “I met Miss Margaret in the gardens and we started discussing books. She had not been introduced to Gulliver’s Travels, and I immediately sought to correct that oversight. I hope I am not intruding.”
“No, sir, not at all. I am sure my cousin welcomes your guidance.”
“What about you, Miss Bennet? I would hardly wish for you to be inconvenienced,” Mr. Darcy asked hesitatingly, as if worried about her response.
“I know you have just cause to doubt the veracity of my statement, but I implore you to believe me when I say that I could never begrudge your presence, sir,” Elizabeth responded feelingly. Darcy could not help but notice the tremor in the lady’s voice and for once felt that not all was lost.