Chapter 19 Wicked schemes and a night at the opera. #2
Darcy visibly flinched, unable to hide his loathing at the prospect of such attention as was inevitable under the circumstances.
She was sympathetic for her shy nephew’s reluctance to be noticed in society; this event would open him to even more scrutiny than he had become accustomed to as a single man of good fortune.
The discussion returned to the letter from Thomas Bennet when she asked Darcy many questions about the man and his family, and her nephew answered to the best of his knowledge.
Feeling justified in ensuring that the Shelton ladies had a proper upbringing, Lady Matlock was very thorough in her inquisition.
Darcy’s assurances left her somewhat mollified; his words inspired confidence that the young ladies were genteel in nature, well bred, and wanting nothing in their comfort or education.
“He has asked me to assist Lady Jane and Lady Elizabeth,” she said.
She paused to peruse the letter again, and read the passage aloud, “‘and their sister, Miss Mary Bennet, in their introduction into the first circles of London society. I suggest that you might collaborate with Mrs. Madeleine Gardiner, Mrs. Bennet’s sister-in-law, to work on the purchase of their trousseaux.’”
Darcy made no response.
“Well, there is no need to dawdle, Fitzwilliam. You will take me to your carriage and escort me immediately to this Gardiner family so that I can reacquaint myself with my goddaughter and her sisters.”
When Lady Matlock met the eldest three Bennet girls, she clearly saw Jane’s and Elizabeth’s resemblance to her sister, their birth mother, Lady Shelton.
The meeting was tearful and happy for Lady Matlock and she was enthusiastic about getting to know her long-lost nieces.
She went on to offer to obtain invitations for balls, soirees and musical evenings hosted by the most illustrious leaders of the London set and to introduce them to influential individuals in order for the ladies to take their proper place in the hierarchy of society and, by extension, for their sister Mary to become known.
Lady Matlock predicted the excessive deference to which Jane and Elizabeth, as the new darlings of the ton, would be subject.
Many people who had brushed them off in the past would now be approaching with false sincerity in hopes of cultivating a relationship to their advantage in society.
At her advice, Mr. Gardiner had the knocker removed from the front door until Lady Jane and Lady Elizabeth became comfortable with the protocols of women of their rank.
Soon after their engagements were announced and the London community had dispatched its spies to discover where the Lydon ladies were residing, the inevitable plethora of calling cards were left at the Gardiner home in Gracechurch Street.
Longbourn, Hertfordshire
Bennet received a letter from his cousin, Mr. Collins, which read as follows:
Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent, April 22, 1812
My dear cousin Bennet;
As duty falls to me, mingling with my very good opinion of my authority as a clergyman and rights as a rector, I congratulate your two eldest daughters on their betrothals.
I must also pay my compliments in deference to their superior positions due to their newfound fortunes as Lady Jane and Lady Elizabeth Lydon.
I hope they will condescend to my humble request to congratulate them in person when next I call at Longbourn.
My coming thither will provide me with the greatest satisfaction, as I hold all the dear ladies of your family in terms of the highest admiration, and I have always thought them to be agreeable young ladies to Mrs. Collins and myself.
Be assured that, when I am able to relate this most joyous intelligence to my benefactress, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and Miss de Bourgh on their expected return to Rosings, my happiness will be complete.
I do not think it of light importance that I should have attentive and conciliatory manners towards everybody, especially towards those to whom I owe my preferment.
I cannot acquit myself of that duty; nor could I think well of the man who should omit an occasion of testifying his respect towards anybody connected with the family.
The respect I feel for my ladies’ high rank, and in my veneration for their position in society, I relish my position in honouring your kind daughters’ favour with the most solemnity of gratitude and humbly hope that I can ingratiate myself to them with my own humility.
For a want of having me improve myself, I am most thankful that the discovery is made in time for me to pay my respects to them, and I trust Lady Jane and Lady Elizabeth will excuse my not having done it before.
My total ignorance of the connection must plead my apology.
I would appreciate being paid the compliment of their grand condescension, and I am confident that they will deign to recognize their friends in Hertfordshire and Kent.
Your servant,
William Collins
He sighed as he handed the letter to his wife to examine.
“Oh, Thomas, you must be so disappointed.”
“I am ashamed my pride allowed me to assume that I had convinced him to change his sycophantic ways when he visited last autumn.”
“Elizabeth’s accounts of Charlotte’s success were in the same vein.”
“The tone of the letter indicates that he is as obsequious as before I intervened.”
“If this is Mr. Collins’s view of Jane’s and Lizzy’s new notoriety, imagine what it bodes for them once others find out about it,” Mrs. Bennet said. “Our girls will be inundated by the attention of not only people like Collins, but also by those with less noble reasons for courting their favour.”
Bennet nodded and then reviewed a section of the letter.
“What will Lady Catherine say?”
It was one of the most exciting evenings in Elizabeth’s life.
She, Mary, Jane and the Gardiners were on their way for an evening at the opera.
She had attended smaller theatre productions with her aunt and uncle when she was in Town for the Season before, but she had not the opportunity to attend the opera until now when they were all invited, along with Mr. Bingley, to attend in Mr. Darcy’s box.
She peered out the window of the Gardiners’ carriage as they waited in the queue in front of Covent Garden.
When Uncle Gardiner finally handed the four ladies out, Elizabeth took in the multitude of stylish ladies and foppish gentlemen gliding along, preening and posturing in all their finery, hoping to be noticed by the best of the haute monde.
As they entered the theatre, Elizabeth continued to be in awe of all she saw.
She was enthralled by the architecture and art, beautiful embossed wallpapers, decorative stucco, gilded plasterwork, carved woodwork, imported carpets, ornate sconces, and huge chandeliers.
This opulence was new to her experience; she never expected half as much splendour.
“Oh, Aunt, I have never seen so many beautifully dressed women in my life!” Elizabeth observed. “My little ball gown is so plain compared to theirs. I am very glad you convinced me to wear your arm-bands and wrap so I would look at least half as elegant.”
“Nothing is wanting in your appearance, dearest Lizzy,” Mrs. Gardiner assured her niece.
With the extra lace and ribbon we added, your dress is perfect for the occasion.
Many of the other ladies are decidedly overdressed.
Look at that one over there: her lace is literally pulling down her décolletage, and it is such an unbecoming colour! ”
“That is Miss Bingley! Oh my, we must greet her,” said Jane, who made to move in that direction. The gentle touch of her aunt’s hand reminded her that she should not be so hasty, since her new social stature demanded a different deportment than was her wont.
“It would be most polite for you to wait until the interval, dear, and then she must approach you. Then you may acknowledge her.”
Elizabeth was relieved but knew the feeling would not last for long, as it would be inevitable that Miss Bingley would want to perform, not with her usual haughty manners, but with an uncommon amount of insincerity.
For Darcy, the evening was not going so well.
The buzz in the room was all about the potential presence of Lord Shelton’s two daughters, and no one was subtle enough to keep their comments from his hearing.
The gossip mills had already associated him with Lady Elizabeth, so he was being tormented by the attention of well-wishers who were unable to hide their interest. Several were unabashed in their inquiries, expecting to be rewarded with exclusive information about the Shelton ladies and their inheritance.
The whispers included speculation about the gentleman who had been their guardian for these last 20 years.
Darcy inwardly sighed because he knew the gossip would become even more intense after the interval when the fashionably late appeared and insinuated themselves into the delicious conversations.
Nervous as he usually was in public, Darcy was especially intimidated this evening.
It was made no better by the appearance of Elizabeth.
He rushed to her side, determined to swiftly secrete her in his box.
He watched her protectively as, in her innocent inquisitiveness, she perused the people of fashion who filled the room, craning their necks to see who was attending and with whom. Her face was flushed with excitement.