Chapter Seventeen
An Air Of Decided Fashion
“I have been thinking, Lizzy.”
“Mmmn?” Elizabeth jerked her attention back to her aunt.
Mr Darcy had told them that morning he had found the right companion and governess to help prepare Georgiana for her come-out and, of course, teach Lydia and Kitty to be ladies, although he forbore to say as much.
A Mrs Annesley would be joining them at the end of November, and Elizabeth had been much caught up with considering ways and means.
Mary drove the girls in their mother’s gig on those days they shared the current governess, but was it too much to do daily?
Could Elizabeth trust Lydia and Kitty with the gig each day?
Perhaps Jack Hill, or her mother’s stable boy, might drive them back and forth?
Aunt Darcy glanced up from her letters. “Although we are not making an extravagant house party for the Bingleys, we are planning much more of a social nature. Do you think Jane might come to stay, and join our planned amusements? It is an opportunity to make new acquaintances.”
“Oh, how kind! I am sure she would be delighted.”
“Jane is too great a beauty to moulder away in Frith House, and we must turn serious attention to her future. I cannot imagine she has many prospects unless we make a push at it.”
“Not many prospects at all. She attends an occasional dinner with Mamma’s neighbours, and the monthly assemblies in Lambton. The Lackenbys and the Standleys attend there, but most of the better kind of neighbours prefer the Buxton assembly. That is too far for Mamma and the girls to travel.”
“I wondered, too, about Mary, but I daresay we ought not to leave your mother entirely unsupported by her elder girls.”
“No, indeed!” The pictures conjured up by leaving Mamma entirely at Lydia’s mercy were enough to, as Mamma would say, cause flutterings and tremblings all over her. “Mary will relish a quiet time at home. Jane is a gentle soul, but far more gregarious than is Mary.”
“And, as I say, too great a beauty to be wasted.” Aunt Darcy bent her head over the salver of letters. “Hugh admires her, I think.”
The inevitability of this conversation had hung over Elizabeth’s head for weeks.
Hugh hardly hid his admiration, and everyone in the drawing room the evening of the fire had seen his foolish, impetuous jealousy when his elder brother had contemplated a visit to Frith House.
She had expected since then that her aunt would want to say something.
While not the most ambitious of mammas and having a sincere regard for her bevy of nieces, still Aunt Darcy undoubtedly looked higher than a penniless beauty for her only son’s bride.
Elizabeth had hesitated too long.
Aunt Darcy looked up at her, gaze sharper than needles. “Do you not think so?”
“I think,” said Elizabeth, choosing her words with care, “that he has a boy’s admiration for Jane, yes.”
“They are the same age.”
“Young men age slower, and marry later. We ladies do not have the same luxury, and she is older than him in many ways.”
Aunt Darcy pursed her lips. “And Jane? What are her expectations?”
“If you mean her expectations of Hugh, ma’am, I do not believe she has any.
She is fond of him as a cousin.” Elizabeth met her aunt’s gaze.
“I would not, normally, betray a confidence of Jane’s, but for your comfort, I will say she has described Hugh’s partiality as a silly fancy.
She believes he will grow out of it, if not encouraged. She does not encourage him.”
“Your mother would welcome it.”
“Mamma has never recovered from all the losses following Papa’s death.
It is very hard for her to be so reduced, and she frets constantly over seeing five girls into some sort of security, and for her that means to see us all comfortably married.
Yes, I think she does see Hugh as a prospect, as she sees any eligible bachelor, but please do not think that influences Jane.
She will not openly defy our mother, or argue with her, but Jane’s character and morals are quite firm. She will not marry at anyone’s behest.”
Aunt Darcy pursed her lips again, her gaze searching. Then she smiled. “I agree. She is too upright and principled. We must ensure she has a good visit with us, and perhaps something may come of the Bingleys.”
Elizabeth returned the smile, to hide her exasperation at Hugh’s folly.
Men. They were such a tribulation. The world would have been better served had the good Lord seen fit to find some other way to populate it.
Mr Darcy offered no objection to Jane’s presence.
His mouth had quirked up in a rather attractive, crooked smile, but all he had said was that he was sure it could only enhance the Bingleys’ visit for everyone, and he ignored his young brother’s raptures.
Hence Jane came to Pemberley the day before the Bingleys’ expected arrival, and was installed in the room adjoining Elizabeth’s in the family wing.
Jane tugged at a recalcitrant strap on the old leather valise holding her clothes, glancing up when the strap came free and the valise sprang open. “Mr Darcy does not cavil at my being invited to meet Mr Bingley?”
“Well, we did not put it to him in quite those terms, of course, but he would be a lunkhead indeed if he did not comprehend our aunt’s design.
He agreed your support would help ease the transition for her as we emerge from mourning, and, of course, it was a pleasant notion to invite you to partake of the increase in society the Bingleys’ visit brings with it.
Aunt Darcy wants you to share the amusements we planned. ”
“She is very kind. Although I hope Mr Darcy does not think I am presuming too much. He is a reserved gentleman, and I suspect he can be severe.”
“I thought so too when first I knew him. I assure you, on further acquaintance his manners become easier, and he shows unaffected kindness and consideration towards the tenants. Also we can only be grateful for his forbearance towards our two youngest sisters.” Elizabeth’s face grew hot.
“I find I like him a great deal better. We have had many interesting discussions about his time in the East, or about books. His views on the latter agree often with mine, and hence his opinions are informed and intelligent.”
Jane laughed. “Of course they are, if they align with yours! Mamma is delighted, by the way, at the notion of Mr Darcy bringing a young man of fortune into the district.”
“Naturally.” Elizabeth’s mind’s eye produced memories of her mother’s fluttering over eligible young gentlemen, and she was devoutly glad of the three miles between Pemberley and its second dower house.
Mamma meant well, but she had no inkling that her pushing Jane’s merits onto any passing gentleman served only to make herself look desperate.
“Kitty and Lydia, too, are excited at the prospect of new people to meet and admire. Lydia is quite disgruntled with what she termed my great good luck.”
“Jealous, I expect.”
“Their lives are sadly constrained, Lizzy. They see very little society.”
“They are young yet. Their time will come at Georgiana’s debut.”
“They think it a long time to wait. What do you know of this Mr Bingley?” Jane hung the last of her dresses onto a hook inside one of the two large wardrobes lining each side of the short corridor between their bedrooms, the other closet belonging to Elizabeth.
The dresses looked meagre, too few to fill the room decently, and even the best were merely of jaconet and lawn.
Though, to be honest, the merest striped muslin enhanced Jane’s delicate beauty. Everything did. It was most provoking.
“Only that he went to India as Mr Darcy’s aide, and Mr Reid considers him a bright and cheerful young gentleman. He is two or three years Mr Darcy’s junior.” Elizabeth smiled at her. “And hence two or three years your senior. He has links to the East India Company.”
“Like Uncle Gardiner, he is in trade?”
“I understand his father was, and the family fortune derives from business. It was the older Mr Bingley’s wish that his son buys an estate and becomes landed, and settles the family into the gentry class.
He must possess a substantial fortune to be in that position, but he does not yet own his estate.
Would that concern you, Janey? Mr Reid says he is a very gentleman-like, well-educated young man. ”
“Concern me? He has not yet arrived, Lizzy. Please do not emulate Mamma so closely as to plot my wedding before I am even introduced!”
They laughed, and Elizabeth embraced her sister with fervour.
“I promise you I will not emulate her at all in that regard! It comes from a sincere desire to see my best-of-sisters happy and well settled, with a worthy gentleman who will adore her as she deserves. Aunt Darcy wishes the same for you.”
“How kind she is to us!” And Jane sighed. “I do hope Hugh will keep himself under regulation.”
“You may need to speak bluntly to him.”
“I do not wish to cause him pain. I can only pray he will soon recover his good sense.”
Irritated, Elizabeth tutted at her all-too-characteristic gentleness. Jane needed more resolution, more courage to realise that soft words and kindness might not be sufficient.
“The sooner he is over his fancy, the sooner any brief pain he feels will be assuaged. We may amuse ourselves over the notion of Mr Bingley being somehow your rightful property merely because he is a single gentleman of good fortune, but he is a prospect, Janey. Hugh has no claim on you, and his distemper must not be allowed to prevent you coming to know other gentlemen.” Content she had planted the seed, Elizabeth smiled.
“Now then, Lydia may be our best needlewoman, but you are a fine seamstress. Aunt Darcy gave me something for you that we will need all your skills to use. Here.”