Chapter 7
Once dinner was over the duke informed his children that he would be heading into Chelmsford for the evening. Edward asked if he could join him, but the duke declined.
Elizabeth and Edward retired to the drawing room. Once there, Elizabeth asked, “Does he go into town most evenings?”
“About half the time,” said Edward. “Sometimes he lets me join him, and we play cards or drink with some of the locals. When he won’t let me go, it usually means he is visiting his mistress.”
“He has a mistress?” asked Elizabeth, shocked at Edward’s casual reference to such a thing. She thought about how much she had been shunned in Meryton for being illegitimate, but Edward was treating infidelity as if it were a matter of course.
“Of course,” he said. “He has one here in Essex and another one in London. I once asked him when I would be allowed to have one, but he said not until I completed my education.”
Elizabeth forced herself to maintain a flat expression, but it was a struggle. Edward was referring to a mistress the way most men referred to a horse or the way Lydia referred to a puppy. And he was only fifteen.
“And when will you have completed your education?” asked Elizabeth.
“My sixteenth birthday is in March. So, my tutor and I will be going to Cambridge for a year, starting in April. Once I’m done with that one year, I will be independent and can have my own house and do exactly what I like.
Father said he wished I could go on the Grand Tour, since that was a much better education, but with the war on the continent, he said it would be safer to settle for Cambridge. ”
Elizabeth almost asked what he would do with his time once he was free, but she stopped herself. Memories of whispered conversations, hints, and innuendos of what London society was like for young men came back to her, and she realized that she simply didn’t want to know.
“So, what do you usually do in the evenings if you don’t go into Chelmsford?” asked Elizabeth.
Edward shrugged. “Not much, really. Sometimes, I manage to convince my tutor and our butler to play cards with me, though of course I give them back any money I win.” He shrugged and grinned.
“Not that I win very often. Both of them are ruthless at cards, and I am usually out a pound or more by the end of the night.
“Of course, sometimes they can’t be spared from their duties. In those cases, I will read or go for a walk. I have tried fishing at night. That can be fun, because the fish are attracted to the lantern light.”
Elizabeth was beginning to feel sorry for the lad. He had so much, yet he seemed to be almost lonely. No wonder he was looking forward to going to Cambridge so much.
“Say, didn’t Father mention that you play music?” asked Edward.
“Yes. I play piano and sing,” said Elizabeth.
“Could you play for me? That would pass the time quite nicely I think.”
“Of course. Is there anything in particular you’d like to hear?”
“I don’t know much about music to be honest,” he said. “Mother never played except when Father demanded it, which hasn’t happened since I was ten. Just play whatever you like.”
Elizabeth played several of her favorite songs, and they all seemed to please her brother. When she played a dancing tune, he got up and capered around the room, seeming to have a marvelous time.
Eventually, he got tired of music and asked if they could play cards, so they sat down to play for the rest of the evening.
By the time Elizabeth went to bed that night, she was convinced that the butler and Edward’s tutor weren’t necessarily good at playing cards. Rather, it was that Edward was simply very bad at it.
~~~~~
The next morning went exactly as the duke had said. Once Elizabeth had breakfasted alone and was ready for the day, Mrs. Hampton took her and Anna into Chelmsford to introduce Elizabeth to the shopkeepers and to do some shopping.
Chelmsford seemed to be about three or four times the size of Meryton, and Elizabeth suspected that its size was almost entirely due to the fact that Pollaner was nearby.
Most of the time was simply taken up going from one place to another, but they were at the dressmaker’s for over an hour as Elizabeth was measured and, with Anna’s help, selected designs for four evening gowns.
According to Anna, that wouldn’t be nearly enough, but it was a good start. They also selected enough cloth for several day dresses, but Anna said that the styles were simple enough that the maids at Pollaner could sew those.
At least Elizabeth’s assumption that she would never have to sew again was proven true.
At Longbourn, she was at least expected to do the fine work on her gowns, such as decorative embroidery or additional ribbons.
Here, however, it would all be done for her, and if she wished to change the ribbons on a gown, there were maids to do the work.
By the time they returned to Pollaner, all three ladies were clearly tired. Elizabeth desperately wished for a bath before dinner, but she did not wish to work her maid harder when she was already tired.
In the end, her intention mattered little. Anna must have known Elizabeth wanted a bath, for she drew it without needing to be asked.
Dinner that night was almost exactly like the night before. The duke checked in with each of his children to ensure they did what they ought, but there was little other conversation.
After dinner both Edward and the duke headed into Chelmsford.
Elizabeth took advantage of the peace and quiet to explore the library.
She spent the rest of the evening curled up with a book, enjoying the luxury of burning half a dozen candles to illuminate the pages so that she could read without straining her eyes.
~~~~~
A few days passed, and Elizabeth began learning how to drive a phaeton.
A week passed, and her new gowns began arriving, prompting another round of shopping, though this time it was for accessories.
A few weeks passed, and Elizabeth began making and receiving calls from the wealthier local ladies.
A couple of months passed, and Elizabeth’s wardrobe and jewelry box began filling up.
All the while, the duke paid little attention to anything she did other than to verify that she spent some time with her music every day. The only exception was when she began making friends. He paid close attention to who she met, but he never seemed to care what they spoke of or what they did.
At first, Elizabeth spent her evenings either alone with her books or in the company of Edward, teaching him how to be better at cards.
After a few weeks, the duke began taking Elizabeth with him when he went to a dinner party or a ball.
This didn’t happen often, only four times before the end of the year, but it was something to break up the boredom that always descended when it was too dark to go out much.
Christmas was barely acknowledged. Neither the duke nor Edward prepared any presents. Elizabeth, not knowing that this would be the case, had embroidered a handkerchief for each of them and accompanied that personalized gift with a cravat pin.
Edward received his present with joy and excitement as well as an apology that he hadn’t purchased anything for her. Her father merely smiled slightly and thanked her.
Two weeks into the new year, Elizabeth and The Duke of Essex left Pollaner, heading for London.
As she bid farewell to Edward, Elizabeth felt bad at leaving him all alone in such a large house.
He tried to tell her that he wasn’t alone, that he had his tutor to keep him company and that he could go into Chelmsford whenever he wished. He said he was used to it.
Elizabeth tried to believe him.