Chapter Twelve #2
“The ambassador is happily married and his wife also adores Elizabeth. She is often invited to dinner at Hertford House whenever she is in London and Lizzy was to travel with them to Spain this summer.”
“There is so much I never knew.”
“True, and there is more if you can stomach some bitter news.” Bennet pulled the lanyard by his bookcase and the butler soon knocked on the door. “Griggs, would you ask Hill to find Jane and have her join us? Tell her to bring Miss Bingley’s letter.”
“Yes, sir,” Griggs nodded politely before closing the door.
Bennet did not say much more and read through the legal document again. A soft knock on the door was the only thing that had him lift his head.
“Enter,” he called out and Jane Bennet entered the room, surprise etched on her normally calm facade at the sight of Darcy seated across from her father.
“You asked for me, Papa?”
“I did, Jane. You brought the letter?”
“Yes.”
Bennet held out his hand and she, quite unwillingly if Darcy had to hazard a guess, handed it over. At his nod, she took the chair next to Darcy’s.
“Mr. Darcy, you may wonder why I asked Jane to bring this letter. Normally, I would not share information passed between my daughter and an acquaintance, but you said there was so much you did not know. As you wish to make amends to my family and Elizabeth, I cannot, in good conscience, allow you to continue in ignorance. You should know what your so-called friends do behind your back.”
With that, he handed Darcy the letter. Miss Bennet started to object, but quickly closed her mouth tight, although her eyes welled up with a hint of tears.
“Miss Bennet. I will not read this letter if it grieves you this much.”
“I do not grieve for myself, Mr. Darcy. I worry for Mr. Bingley. I do not wish you to view him in a bad light.” She touched the edge of her eye with a trembling finger. “Please do as Papa asked. He would not have done this if it was not important.”
Darcy cut them each a glance before reading what Caroline Bingley had written after the fateful night of the ball.
With each word, with each paragraph, his anger rose.
The gall of that woman, to openly declare her brother and Georgiana were as good as engaged and that his family rejoiced in the connection!
He fought the urge to crumple the letter into a tight ball and consign it to the fire.
Keeping his anger reined in tight, he handed the letter back to Miss Bennet. A full five minutes passed before he could trust himself to speak.
“There is not, nor has there ever been, an understanding between Mr. Bingley and my sister. I am confident he is not aware of what Miss Bingley wrote.” He dared look Bennet in the eye. “You could have let me flounder and make a complete fool of myself, but you chose to tell me the truth.”
“Whether I like you or not, you are now my nephew and we protect those who belong to us.”
“Mr. Bennet, I never thought I would ever say these words, but I am glad to be counted as a member of your family.”
Bennet gave him a wry smile and seemed as though he was about to comment when the jangle of harnesses could be heard coming up the drive.
“Would you be willing to meet more family before you depart, Mr. Darcy?”
“Call me Darcy, and yes, I would like to meet anyone Elizabeth holds dear.”
The three exited the study and proceeded to the front of the house. A large carriage had, by this time, come to a halt and an outrider jumped off to pull down the steps and open the carriage door.
Darcy was impressed by the fine conveyance and wondered who these people of some means were to the Bennet family.
The first to emerge was a gentleman, bearing a strong resemblance to Mrs. Bennet although younger by a few years.
He turned around and gave his hand to a woman, attired in a very becoming travel ensemble.
A second carriage trundled in behind them and from it tumbled four children who, though excited, didn’t rush screaming to their parents, but did hasten toward Miss Bennet and hugged her.
The smile that wreathed Miss Bennet’s face astonished him.
He had never seen anything but calm emanating from her person.
It may have been the first time he realized how beautiful a woman she was.
No wonder Charles was lost in her presence.
Briefly, Darcy’s thoughts clouded with anger over the Bingley siblings.
They had behaved as badly as him, and Caroline had stepped over the line.
He would deal with her when he returned to London.
Unfortunately, at that moment the gentleman had turned to face him, waiting for Bennet to perform introductions.
“Gardiner, may I introduce you to Lizzy’s husband, Mr. Darcy?”
Darcy saw Gardiner’s posture stiffen and his wife cast him a wide-eyed glance.
“I think you must, Brother.”
With conscious effort, Darcy smoothed his features and while he did not smile, he softened his mouth and hoped he portrayed a pleasant demeanor.
Bennet brought the man and woman forward.
By this time, Mrs. Bennet and the three other daughters had come out of the house and spoke with the children, leaving the adults to finish their introductions.
“Darcy, this is my wife’s brother Edward Gardiner and his wife Madeline. They reside in London and my daughters look upon them with great fondness.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner,” Darcy said with a polite nod of the head. “I am pleased to meet someone dear to my wife.”
Never in a million years could he have predicted what happened at the utterance of his sentence. Everyone stopped talking, even the children, and stared at him. He shifted uncomfortably at the attention he had unwittingly garnered. Surprisingly, it was Mrs. Bennet who broke the silence.
“Well, it is good you have come to your senses and we will talk about this over tea, but first, we must get everyone settled.” She gathered the children and beckoned Miss Lydia to her side. “Lydia, you and Kitty take the children upstairs. Hill will bring your tea up there.”
Darcy barely stopped himself from gasping at the knowledge the two youngest daughters had been relegated back to the schoolroom.
Much had changed since he was here last. Mrs. Bennet continued, “Mary, tell Sarah to bring out the cake and let her know the Gardiners have arrived.” While she spoke, the carriage drivers continued to the back of the manor.
“Edward, Maddie, do you wish to freshen up or have tea?”
“A cup of tea would be divine, Fanny and this would give us a chance to get to know Mr. Darcy better – unless you are leaving right away, sir.” Mr. Gardiner looked at him.
“I had not thought… not expected…”
“Of course, you will stay for tea, Mr. Darcy. We are family and cannot let you travel back to London without ensuring you have had something to eat.”
Mrs. Bennet dared to take him by the arm and lead him into the house.
The woman may be flighty, but she had always been an excellent hostess, so he willingly allowed her to take him inside where the next hour was filled with pleasant conversation, and he found he liked the aunt and uncle from London very much.
The amiable Mr. Gardiner was as intelligent as Mr. Bennet, evidenced when they began discussing the ongoing conflict over the channel.
Darcy could not remember the last time he had relaxed in the company of virtual strangers and did not feel the need to guard his thoughts and opinions. It was refreshingly welcome.
He quickly learned the family had gathered for their annual Yuletide celebration and experienced a pang of remorse Elizabeth was not here. He realized belatedly, he could have asked her to come with him and while he was with her uncle, she could have enjoyed an afternoon with her cousins.
“Darcy, the day is lengthening and soon it will be dark. I would be remiss if I did not ask you to stay for dinner and spend the evening here,” Bennet said when his wife left the room to see about dinner.
He could see the sense in staying the night but was woefully unprepared without his valet, or a change of clothes.
“I did not come prepared to spend the night,” he started to say.
“Nonsense. My valet can attend to you and the maids will freshen up your clothes once you are abed. Even though you have very able outriders, I would not rest knowing you were on the highway at night.”
“Very well, I will stay. Thank you. Your kindness is welcomed.”
“We are family. It is what we do.”
“I will send an express to Elizabeth advising her of my change of plans.”
Bennet grinned at him. “You are learning, Darcy.”
When he boarded his carriage the next morning and drove off, he realized he truly thought of the Bennets like family. Even the loud ones.
***
The afternoon her husband returned from Hertfordshire, Burke informed Elizabeth the master wished to see her in his study.
Having just returned from a brisk walk at a nearby park, she handed her outerwear to the footman who had accompanied her, smoothed the errant curls that insisted on escaping her chignon whenever she wore a bonnet and made her way to her husband’s study.
Darcy stood with one buckskin-clad hip resting on the edge of his desk. He glanced up from the note he held in his hand and smiled upon her entry making him even more handsome if that were at all possible.
“Mrs. Darcy,” he said in greeting and smiled wider, dimples appearing on both cheeks in response.
Her heart did a traitorous flip. No. No. NO! She did not wish to find him handsome, agreeable, or handsome... She wanted him to remain aloof. And miserable. And taciturn. She could remain in control of her emotions if he kept his distance and did not smile.
“Mr. Darcy.” She clasped her hands and did not advance further into the room, poised by the door for a quick exit. “Your journey to Longbourn was met with success?”