26
Morning. Elizabeth dozed, having slept from sheer exhaustion, then sat up abruptly as reality flooded back. She was in the bedroom previously occupied by Sarah, who had been told to share with another maid. Justina hated her. The Selborns would despise her. Lindale had been humiliated and betrayed. Darcy had been set at loggerheads with his sister.
And today the reckoning would come.
Slowly she washed and dressed, unaided, while recalling the sequel to her tryst with Darcy. It was not in Justina’s nature to keep such a revelation private. On returning to the dining room, the secret lovers were received in shocked embarrassment. Can this be true? A misunderstanding, surely?
But it was true, and Darcy did not attempt to deny it.
Georgiana, in tears, stayed near Justina. Lindale looked stony-faced at Elizabeth and said nothing. Lady Selborn conferred with her husband before taking charge. ‘It is late. We are exhausted. We will retire now and discuss the situation with clearer heads in the morning. I will ask Sarah to share with Fanny so that we have a separate chamber for Miss Bennet.’
Typical of Lord and Lady Selborn, Elizabeth thought. They had experienced crises before and knew how to keep calm. The same could not be said for their daughter, now glaring at Elizabeth as if she longed to strangle her.
Descending, Elizabeth heard playing from the pianoforte in the drawing room: Justina was already up. In the dining room, where servants were bringing dishes for breakfast, a footman passed on a message. Lady Selborn would like to see you. As soon as convenient. In the room she used as a boudoir.
Elizabeth found Lady Selborn making notes in a journal, which was set aside with a sigh.
‘Good morning.’ Lady Selborn pointed to a chair. ‘You slept well in the servant room, I hope?’
‘Yes. Thank you.’
‘There is much I could say say to you, Elizabeth. But in fairness, I shall allow you to speak first. My husband is with Mr Darcy now, in his office. Evidently there is a connection between yourself and that gentleman that you have not seen fit to mention. Perhaps you might explain.’
Elizabeth paused, thrown off balance by Lady Selborn’s manner—more like that of a magistrate than the victim of a betrayal. The opportunity to tell her full story was a relief, and she described her first meeting with Darcy at the Meryton ball, his insult, their sparring at Netherfield and Rosings, his proposal and its aftermath.
‘I see.’ Lady Selborn was thoughtful. ‘And last night? Did he find you alone on the balcony, and take the opportunity to renew his addresses?’
‘He found me. But as to the rest …’ Elizabeth blushed. ‘More the other way around. You see …’
‘Yes?’
Lady Selborn listened, impassive, as Elizabeth explained the change in her feelings that had taken place since Lindale’s proposal. As she did so, she wondered what account Darcy had given to Lord Selborn. Of his love she had no doubt. But she knew the value he attached to reputation. And what if Georgiana declared herself opposed to the match?
‘I understand.’ Lady Selborn paused, deliberating. ‘You have been honest, Elizabeth. Belatedly. But plainly our relationship cannot remain as before. Justina wants you out of her sight. She refuses to speak with you. I admit that I too find your disloyalty hard to forgive. Your role as companion is therefore terminated, and you will conduct the return journey separately, presumably with the Darcys. In regard to salary, you will receive your payment for the present month, and may keep the clothing and other effects we have purchased for you.’
Elizabeth nodded: she had not even begun to think of these practicalities. ‘You are very generous.’
‘I have one favour to ask.’ Lady Selborn pressed her lips together in distaste. ‘We have our final engagement tonight at the Apollo ballroom, to which we are all invited. It is a grand event where we may say farewell to all the dignitaries and salonnieres whose hospitality we have enjoyed during our visit. It would leave a bad impression if three members of our group stayed away. May we put on a show of unity at least for today? And then part, on the pretext that the Darcys planned to return by a different route?’
‘Certainly.’ Elizabeth took a deep breath: in all this turmoil she had forgotten the ball. ‘I am so sorry to have occasioned such disruption.’
Lady Selborn was impassive. ‘As you should be.’
In the corridor Elizabeth crossed with a grim-faced Darcy as he left Lord Selborn’s office and she entered. Unexpectedly Lord Selborn greeted her with a smile as she occupied a leather chair opposite his desk.
‘You are always full of surprises, Miss Bennet! Mr Darcy has told me something of your history. His proposal. Your rejection. The awkwardness of your reunion at Brussels. Is there anything you wish to add?’
‘Only to apologise to your family, for what must seem an act of heartless disloyalty.’
He shook his head, still smiling. ‘Did I not advise you, in Prague, to control this impulse to blame yourself before the facts are clear?’
‘They seem clear enough to me. I allowed attachments to develop between Mr Darcy and Lady Justina, on the one hand, and Mr Lindale and myself, on the other. I told no-one that Mr Darcy had once offered me his hand. Only at the last minute did I realise that it was Mr Darcy that I truly wanted, after which, with no consideration for anyone but myself, I forced him to declare whether he still loved me.’
‘Indeed?’ Lord Selborn raised his eyebrows. ‘I understood from Mr Darcy that it was he that had to convince you of the possibility of such a union.’
‘In the end, perhaps. But at my prompting.’
‘It was a brave step.’ He met her eye. ‘Instead of letting events take their course, you admitted your error and accepted the uncomfortable consequences. I wish some of our leaders possessed equal courage.’
‘More desperation than courage.’
He sighed. ‘Very well. You reject the compliment. You insist on thinking ill of yourself. I beg to differ. I say that the human heart is a mystery. I say that we are often unaware of what we really want or need. But what do I know?’ He smiled again, shaking his head. ‘Has my wife communicated our decision?’
‘She said we would all attend the ball tonight, and that I would leave with the Darcys thereafter.’ She frowned. ‘Has Mr Darcy agreed to this plan?’
‘He proposed it himself.’
‘Oh.’ It seemed the emotions of the night before had survived the cold light of day. Darcy would stand by her. She would become his wife. But was this certain? What if he had changed his mind, and agreed to take her home out of a sense of duty?
Lord Selborn frowned. ‘You are surprised?’
‘No.’ She rallied. ‘Mr Darcy has my full trust.’
‘Then we have, not perfection, but at least a resolution. Which in life, as in diplomacy, is all one can expect. I am sorry to lose you, Miss Bennet, and will always be grateful for your influence on my daughter. You have been like the older sister that she needed but never had.’
Moved, Elizabeth made as if to leave, but he held up a hand. ‘If you permit, there is something else.’
‘Yes?’
‘It concerns your sister, Lydia. As promised, I wrote to Brussels, and by coincidence received a reply this morning. They have no record of her living in the city, either under the name Bennet, or any of the false names adopted by Mr Wickham. They managed however to locate a certain Madame Renard in whose house Lieutenant Frederick Mullins resided before Waterloo.’
In her confusion, it took Elizabeth several moments before she recalled the significance of Mullins—the amour to whom Lydia may have run after Wickham’s desertion.
She gasped. ‘With what outcome?’
‘The trail unfortunately led no further. Madame Renard had never heard of Lydia. Mullins lodged with her until the summer of 1815, but disappeared after the French attack; in all probability he fell on the battlefield. An appeal to the War Office in London might provide clarification. Meanwhile we have Madame Renard’s address, in case you wish to make further enquiries.’
Elizabeth’s face fell. ‘It seems hopeless. But thank you.’
Breakfast was accompanied by duets from the music room, where Justina and Georgiana had ordered trays with coffee and pastries. Edmund Lindale had moved to an upper floor where the less senior aides were accommodated. No-one mentioned the drama leading to these changes. Mr Koch talked of the poor weather; Lord Selborn of a fund by patrons of Herr Beethoven to finance a holiday in the nearby spa town of Baden, so that the composer could recover his health. Elizabeth emulated Darcy by confining her conversation to polite asides, and behaving like acquaintances, not lovers.
When the Selborns left, Darcy said quietly, ‘We had better talk.’
They found armchairs in a secluded corner of the drawing room, and faced one another warily, like disobedient children in fear of being caught.
‘I cannot believe this is happening,’ Elizabeth said. ‘It is like this weird summer, a world gone out of shape.’
‘I should apologise for last night. In the emotion of the moment I was too precipitate.’
‘In kissing me?’
He nodded. ‘Had I controlled myself better, we might have hidden what had taken place on the balcony. It would have given us time—not only to reflect, but to detach ourselves from Lady Justina and Mr Lindale more gracefully.’
‘True.’ Elizabeth sighed. ‘Yet I cannot honestly regret the indiscretion. First, it was delicious. Second, it burned our bridges, leaving no possibility of returning to our former alliances.’ She looked up with a tentative smile. ‘I don’t imply by this that you must marry me. But I doubt you will have much luck repairing your reputation with Justina.’
‘Of course I will marry you.’ A frown. ‘Unless you are having reservations?’
‘None. But you have not exactly asked me.’
‘I made my feelings clear four years ago.’
‘Mine are of more recent vintage. But equally intense.’
‘Then it is decided, and I would be the happiest man in the world …’ He threw up his hands. ‘Were it not for this mess.’
Elizabeth nodded. ‘I’m worried about Georgiana.’
‘Have you not been friends in the past?’
‘Yes, except when she thought I hated you.’
‘Then the only problem is that her loyalties are now divided. Would it help if you tried to make peace with Lady Justina?’
‘I’ve been told she will not speak with me.’
‘A pity, but it is done, and meanwhile we have practical matters to discuss. Our trunks should be packed ready to leave tomorrow morning. We need to decide our route.’
Elizabeth brightened: it would be a relief to flee Vienna and the Selborns. ‘Do you still intend to visit Italy?’
‘It was my hope. But impossible now.’
‘Because of me?’
‘Because of the weather. It is feared harvests will fail all over Europe. I must make haste to Pemberley and ensure our parishioners are looked after.’
Elizabeth gasped. ‘And my family in Meryton?’
‘There should be no immediate crisis. But granaries may run low as winter approaches, in which case prices will rise. Grain can be imported, but not if harvests fail in the Americas as well.’ He gave her a reassuring smile. ‘Do not worry, Elizabeth. Your family will be cared for. But I want to take the quickest route, west through Munich to the Duchy of Luxembourg, then up to Antwerp.’
‘Will we pass through Brussels?’
‘Yes.’ He met her eye. ‘Shall we pause to seek news of Miss Lydia?’
‘I would be grateful. A day perhaps?’
‘We can decide later.’ He became pensive, concerned perhaps about Georgiana’s reaction to such a search.