Chapter 6 Capital Exploration
Capital Exploration
True to his promise, Mr. Darcy partnered with Mr. Bingley to escort Miss Elizabeth and Miss Bennet for one whole day of blissful togetherness.
The enormity of London prevented a comprehensive exploration within a day, no matter how long they stretched the hours.
When asked for sightseeing preferences, Lizzy and Jane declined to offer any guidance.
They contentedly announced that whatever the gentlemen decided would be fantastic.
As nice as it was to be trusted implicitly, neither lady realized how challenging the task was for their eager-to-please fiancés.
For over an hour Darcy and Bingley deliberated over which places provided the highest intrigue and entertainment, while also being best suited to the personalities and interests of their respective ladies.
They also considered which were open for public viewing on a Thursday and possible to adequately canvas in a few hours.
The last two stipulations eliminated several options immediately, yet the list remained long. It came down to bargaining and veto power.
Darcy began by voting for the British Museum, knowing Elizabeth would adore the wealth of history and ancient artifacts.
Bingley yawned at the very mention of a museum, effectively striking off a half dozen similar destinations Darcy had as alternatives.
Bingley favored visiting an art exhibition and specifically mentioned his favorite: the Society of Painters in Watercolours.
Darcy adored art and could understand Bingley’s desire since Jane painted in both oils and watercolors.
Elizabeth, however, while appreciative of art, was not a talented artist or passionate about the subject.
Using his veto, Darcy crossed artistic options off the shrinking list. Turning again to historic places, Darcy proposed Old Bailey and Newgate.
Leaving no doubt as to his vote, Bingley dramatically rolled his eyes before pretending to fall asleep, loud snores included for emphasis.
Swinging the other direction, Bingley suggested Astley’s Amphitheatre, the Royal Menagerie, or the horse races.
All of these options and others of a similar bent were favorable for the excitement aspects to be sure.
They analyzed each at length, yet the more they discussed the pros and cons, the prevailing negative was the noise and potential for large crowds.
Indeed, it was long past the height of the Season, but London never completely emptied or slowed down, particularly at the prime spots for lively entertainment.
Escorting their beloveds to places teeming with overzealous people crammed into tight spaces with enclosed animals resulting in swirling dust and odiferous stenches did not appeal.
These were the sensible excuses to avoid the popular London destinations, of which both gentlemen concurred.
What Darcy did not add to the argument were his fears of Elizabeth encountering those amongst high society.
Cognizant of how gossip circulated faster than lightning, the odds of meeting a single person ignorant of the rumblings spread by Lady Catherine were not in his favor.
Staying away from the choicest areas people of his class frequented decreased the chances of overhearing whispers or being boldly confronted.
Frankly, since his precipitous offer made in the carriage on the way to the Matlock townhouse, Darcy had mentally cursed himself as a fool dozens of times.
It figures that the one occasion I behave spontaneously may well prove the importance of regulated speech and careful forethought!
At this point in the planning process, Bingley reminded Darcy that the day of exploration was born out of Elizabeth’s interest in Saint James’s Palace.
True enough, Darcy admitted, whereupon Bingley suggested driving around town to view all the grand palaces, stately mansions, and other noteworthy buildings.
Darcy was aware that Bingley’s rationale in this idea was to stare at his “angel” Jane from his carriage seat across from her—understandable to a degree as Darcy could easily stare at Elizabeth for hours on end—but the prospect of being confined to a vehicle fighting traffic all day sounded more nightmarish than fun.
Darcy countered with a compromise to launch the expedition at the palace and limit the visit to two or three of the historic locales London had to offer.
Bingley reluctantly conceded, the debate then turning to which two or three.
By the end of the session—with several brandies consumed—they settled on a flexible itinerary of places located within a reasonable proximity of the palace to save travel time and allow leisurely strolling while exploring.
Lastly, at Darcy’s suggestion, Georgiana was enlisted to play the part of chaperone.
His reasoning was admittedly multifaceted.
For one, he sensed that poor Mrs. Gardiner was exhausted—although she would likely never admit to it.
A day of rest was much needed and deserved.
Using the pretext of desiring his sister to spend time with Miss Elizabeth and Miss Bennet, and elaborating her yearning to explore the city, Darcy convinced Mrs. Gardiner to relinquish her self-assigned role.
What Darcy also suspected, not that he would verbalize the bonus reason, is that Georgiana would be even laxer as a monitor than Mrs. Gardiner often was.
While Mrs. Gardiner as chaperone purposefully turned a blind eye to the sly caresses and brushing kisses the lovers shared, Georgiana would be innocently oblivious to most furtive demonstrations of affection.
Those she did notice would either make her smile happily or blush, with scolding never crossing her mind.
Undoubtedly, the Gardiners and Mr. Bennet were aware of this fact, but thankfully no one argued over the idea.
As both gentlemen eventually discovered, the change in chaperone was supremely beneficial.
* * *
Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy arrived at the Bingley townhouse near Berkeley Square bright and early that Thursday morning.
Already transported via the Gardiner carriage, the Bennet sisters were waiting with Mr. Bingley.
After a hearty breakfast, the group of five was ready to begin their day.
The temperature was cool, as typical for late in October, but the sun shone brightly with few clouds to obstruct, and there was no wind, allowing the landau hood to be folded down.
The coachman slapped the reins as soon as they seated comfortably, and off they went.
Mr. Bingley interrupted the gay chatter a few minutes later, just as the driver turned onto the main street past the townhouse.
“So, here we are, in the carriage, heading south on Bond Street toward Piccadilly. Now, I wonder if our two clever ladies have deduced our immediate destination?” His question met with neutral expressions, placid smiles, and no verbalized replies.
Grinning, he continued, “The next question is, do we enlighten you as to the day’s activities?
Or do you wish to remain in the dark? What do you think, Darcy? ”
“I am entirely at the pleasure of our ladies. It shall be a test as to how fully they delight in being surprised, or if mysteries are a cause of displeasure. Such information may well prove useful in the future.”
Darcy’s reply to Bingley’s question was delivered while holding Lizzy’s gaze, his eyes sparkling with mirth.
Smiling, she responded, “I am willing to play the game of mystery, noble sirs. After all, I heard a tale of excessive, dramatic plotting and scheming for this one small day of adventure”—Georgiana’s flush and averted eyes revealed where that information came from—“so I could not live with my guilt-ridden conscience if we spoiled a single moment.”
“Nor could I,” Jane agreed in her soft voice. “Additionally, it may be fun to see just how clever we truly are, by gleaning hints along the way.”
“Oh yes! A guessing game! What a great idea, Jane.” Lizzy patted her sister’s hand. “We shall see how well Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley can keep secrets and maintain the suspense. Who shall break first? Can we successfully read their thoughts, or will they slip? Who will win the prizes, them or us?”
“If one or both of you make a correct guess, what do you want your prize to be?”
“A kiss!” Georgiana’s blurted suggestion to Bingley’s question elicited laughter and a few blushes, although not enough to quell the gaiety.
“A fair prize indeed, dear Sister. That way both parties win, no matter what. Now, as neither lovely lady has voiced a guess of our destination, and we are here”—Darcy pointed in the direction over the women’s shoulders—“that means the first-round score goes to the gentlemen.”
Twisting in their seats, Jane gasped. “I did not realize your townhouse is so close to the palace, Mr. Bingley. We could have walked and saved the horses.”
“A trick, Jane, to maintain the mystery,” Lizzy said. “Take the carriage to insinuate a long trip. Oh so sneaky, Mr. Darcy.”
Chuckling, Darcy countered Lizzy’s teasing assertion.
“I wish I could claim foresight and deviousness, Miss Elizabeth. Alas, we were merely saving our ladies’ feet at the outset of a long day.
Additionally, we will require the carriage throughout the day.
Besides, the game was a recent challenge, was it not? ”
“Very true, I admit,” Lizzy murmured, her eyes on the palace.
“The gauntlet tossed recently or not, we shall not forget the win is ours.”
Jane turned around to meet Mr. Bingley’s eyes, her cheeks rosy. “The count has begun, sir. However, if I may suggest, perhaps it is best to mentally store the tally and save for a future time of privacy to collect?”