Chapter 32
One morning, Mr. Darcy returned from walking with Elizabeth to be handed a letter from Georgiana sent from Kennington Castle.
Mr. Darcy opened the letter immediately because the butler mentioned there were similar letters for the Ladies Bennet-Fitzstuart and even Mrs. Collins.
“Dear Brother,
I hope you are enjoying being at Rosings and training cousin Richard.
I must write about an important matter.
Yesterday about noon, Kitty (Lady Catherine) received a letter from Lydia, in which she said we should all congratulate her because she would be Duchess of Devonshire as soon as she and the Duke of Devonshire arrived at Gretna Green.
She planned to leave that night in a carriage sent for her by the Duke of D.
He was to meet her outside London because he did not want to be seen near her seminary, as people would recognize him since he is an important person.
She said a friend at the seminary introduced her to the Duke through letters.
Apparently, the Duke loves letters, and he said Lydia’s letters were as wonderful as Lady Caroline’s.
She would be his duchess, and they would live at Chatsworth. Lydia has never met the Duke in person.
At first, Kitty and Maria thought it was a good joke.
They showed me Lydia’s letter. I had no choice but to tell them my experience with W.
A person as important as a duke would never elope.
Only a scoundrel would scheme to deceive an innocent girl.
My friends believed me and, more importantly, did not despise me.
I am very grateful for their friendship and their kindness.
We immediately looked for Mrs. Trimmer, but she was not present.
We then went to see His Grace, but we could not find him either.
We did not know what to do, and so we told Mary.
Mary said we should not tell Her Grace because she thought Her Grace might be with child.
She learned about such signs at the home for displaced girls.
So, we are in a quandary. Someone needs to stop Lydia from eloping.
I simply cannot believe the young duke would do something so shameful.
I do not know him well, but he seemed a serious young man when you took me to Chatsworth a few years ago.
In addition, I found several spelling errors in the letter Lydia wrote.
She is not a good letter-writer, and a discerning person would not find her letters charming.
I suggested we write to our siblings. I know you will help Lydia just as you helped me, and Elizabeth is clever as well. Since you are all at Rosings together, you will come up with the best way to save Lydia.
I hope we are not too late.
Affectionately yours,
Georgiana”
Mr. Darcy’s mind started churning immediately.
Who could be the instigator of this treachery?
It cannot be Devonshire, can it? He is eccentric and is also losing his hearing.
Could this impairment make him lose his mind as well?
Did Lady Caroline and Lord Byron’s recent scandal push him over the brink?
He was extremely upset when Lady Caroline married William Lamb…
He was pacing in front of the breakfast table when Jane and Elizabeth entered the parlor.
In Elizabeth’s hand was a letter as well.
She was overjoyed to see her Fitzwilliam in the room.
In a few quick steps, she went up to him.
They both wanted to hold the other’s hands, but stopped in time.
There were footmen about whose new loyalty to their master was untested.
“Mr. Darcy, is the letter in your hand from Georgiana?”
“Yes, your ladyships. Good morning to you both. Shall we go to the study to continue this conversation? I shall have trays sent there.”
As soon as the three friends took their seats, Mr. Darcy began, as he could see the ladies were anxious.
“Has Lady Lydia shown any signs she would attempt something like this?” Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth exchanged letters to glean extra information, but the notes were virtually identical.
Elizabeth explained, “Lydia has been boasting of being the first to marry since mamma allowed her out in society almost a year ago. After our elevation, she started hinting that the Duke of Devonshire would be a good match for her. We just ignored her comments as something from an ignorant child. Georgiana is right: Lydia is an atrocious writer. She has no interest in literary pursuits, and she reads only fashion magazines and the society pages. Do you think the Duke of Devonshire would stoop so low as eloping with a foolish girl not yet out?”
“It is unlikely. Devonshire is highborn and knows it… and shows it, too. While many men of noble birth have behaved more scandalously than running away with a young girl, Devonshire sneers at despicable acts. He has quite sophisticated tastes, is interested in many scholarly pursuits, and is a serious student of horticulture.”
Mr. Darcy hesitated to disclose information concerning the lady whose shocking behavior made him uneasy even to mention, but he pressed on.
“You may not know, but he has a long-held, bordering on irrational, unrequited love for Lady Caroline Lamb. They are cousins. Lady Caroline has been married these past five years, and Devonshire seems unwilling to accept that fact. He announced to his friends that he loved the literary brilliance of Lady Caroline best, especially her letters. Whoever is behind this treachery may have heard this tidbit and devised this gambit to trick a young, aristocratic heiress into eloping before ever seeing the man she was to marry. This person may even have some connection to Devonshire.”
“Is there anything we can do? Should we go after the runaway couple?” asked Jane, her usually calm demeanor somewhat ruffled.
“The letters say a friend at the seminary introduced Lydia to this imposter. If we can get hold of the girl, we should be able to find out how this deception came about,” suggested Elizabeth.
Mr. Darcy could not help smiling at his clever Elizabeth.
“Indeed, m’ladies. I shall visit Devonshire in town. If he is not involved in this treachery, he will want to help. He will not stand having his name sullied in a scandal.”
He turned to Jane to answer her questions.
“I am heartened that Mrs. Trimmer and His Grace were both absent when the girls received Lady Lydia’s letter.
Mrs. Trimmer has a deep connection to this school.
Unless Lady Lydia was completely silent about her plans, which does not seem likely as she wrote her letter before leaving the school grounds, I believe Lady Lydia should be safe by now. ”
Just then, Mrs. Collins knocked on the door of the study. She had also just received a letter from her sister Maria.
“Ah, all our sisters have written, I see,” Charlotte said.
“Just the person I hoped to see, Mrs. Collins. Would you continue to act as hostess in my absence? The Colonel and I will leave for town shortly to sort out this mischief. Lady Jane and Lady Elizabeth will explain what we have deduced.”
Mrs. Collins answered cordially that she would be pleased to help.
Mr. Darcy took his leave and went to do the same with his cousin-wife. Anne showed her displeasure at her husband’s leaving with a petulant pout.
“Anne, I must go to Pemberley to oversee the spring planting directly after visiting London. You have known all along that Pemberley’s season begins later than Rosings’s.”
“Why must you leave all the time? You are my husband!”
“Madam, the responsibility of a master of an estate is to take good care of it. Now that Rosings’s home farm is ready for the growing season, I must make certain my ancestral estate will not be neglected.
I wish you a good day, and for your health to continue to improve.
I shall see you again when I return to Rosings around the middle of June. ”
“Humph!” was all Anne said, and the way she said it was eerily similar to her mother.
By one o’clock, the master and his cousin had bid farewell to all the guests. They were surprised to see that the ducal carriage was also being prepared for departure.
“Are Her Ladyships leaving as well?” inquired Mr. Darcy of the coachman.
“Yes, sir. Jenny, Her Ladyships’ abigail, asked for the carriage to be ready for immediate departure for Northampton House in town. We plan to arrive before dark.”
“I see. Do you have enough out-riders?”
“Yes, sir. We have two. The London Road is not so dangerous during daylight hours.”
“Let me talk to Her Ladyships directly. I would like to drive together with them.”
Jane and Elizabeth requested an interview to bid farewell to Anne, but they were refused admittance as the mistress was indisposed—even though they had just seen Anne being wheeled into her rooms from the terrace.
“She seemed well not five minutes ago. I wonder whether her health could be so capricious,” wondered Elizabeth aloud.
“Mrs. Darcy’s health appears to be improving. It is indeed curious for her to be too ill even to receive us for a few minutes. But I should not have made such an unkind comment,” said Jane apologetically.
“Mr. Darcy said that her health had ups and downs, but recently it has been going slowly up. This situation is not easy for either of us, but we are both resigned to enduring the separation. Fate is not always kind. How about you, Jane? Are you disappointed at leaving without a satisfactory resolution of your feelings?”
“Oh, I do have a resolution, which is not to be hasty about my choice of a partner in life. At present, I am quite set on being Lady Jane Bennet-Fitzstuart, and have no need of any gentleman’s hand in marriage. I wish Lydia had come to the same conclusion.”
“Dearest, if that is your decision, I am glad for you. We both pledged to marry only for the deepest love. I am certain your wait should not be long.”
Just then, Jenny came to let them know the carriage was ready, and Mr. Darcy and the Colonel would be riding with them.
“Oh, Jane, it appears you will not be able to escape a gentleman’s attentions for a few more hours.”
“And you now have another few hours of bliss with the man of your choice.”
“We lose some and gain some.”
They found the Bingleys in the breakfast parlor, just finishing breakfast. Mr. Bingley’s face showed a distinct disappointment when he heard the angel of his dreams was also leaving.
Darcy had informed him earlier that he, but not his sisters, would be welcome at Pemberley.
It appeared Darcy had reached the end of his patience as Bingley appeared to have squandered his time away in the north meant for his coming up with ways to handle his sisters and brother-in-law’s encroachment on his money and friends.
Even though Mr. Bingley realized his chance with Jane was gone, he asked regardless, “M’ladies, may I call once you are back in town?”
Jane was tongue-tied, but Elizabeth answered after glancing at the gentleman’s sisters.
“Mr. Bingley, you are acquainted with my father. He would welcome your visit if he is at leisure.”
This was quite a blunt answer. Although all the Bingleys were disappointed, Miss Bingley was not ready to accept defeat, and she was curious about the sudden departure of the master and his guests.
“We would be honored to visit His Grace and Her Grace to wish them all the felicitations of such an august elevation. Could you enlighten us as to why you are leaving so suddenly?”
“Miss Bingley, your party left Netherfield Park suddenly last autumn. We and our neighbors assumed you must have had good reason to depart without taking leave of anyone. Jane and I are not in such a hurry. We were scheduled to return home in two days. Since the gentlemen are leaving today, we shall take advantage of their protection and travel with them. But do not worry, Mrs. Collins will act as your hostess until you are ready to depart as well.”
Miss Bingley wished she could go back in time and not dissociate herself from the Bennets as she had, and she was not so obtuse as to pretend things could be mended so easily, especially with that impertinent Eliza standing in the way.
One thing was certain—now that she had found a ducal connection, she refused to give it up, come hell or high water.