Chapter 43 Tea And Tidings
Elizabeth moved slowly along the sideboard, pausing before each floral arrangement.
She read every handwritten card and admired the artistry of the bouquets, each one designed to charm and court her favor.
Then she came upon an arrangement larger than the others.
Its quality and artistry were an expression of love, hope, and dreams of the future.
She reached for the accompanying card written in bold script. Lord Dunwich.
She recoiled and, with trembling hand, cast it on the sideboard before retreating to the settee.
“Lizzy, what is it?”
“Lord Dunwich. He is dark, like a serpent. He frightens me, Jane.”
Elizabeth pulled a handkerchief from her reticule and dabbed at her eyes.
“This year has been difficult. Death. Then Mary was taken, and these past weeks I have labored to improve myself, only to become prey to a man with nothing better to occupy his time than persecuting a defenseless young woman.”
She blew her nose and continued her lament. “You lost Mr. Bingley. I was ill, nearly unto death.”
She did not speak of Lydia. Of the blackguard. Of India. Of a sister lost forever.
Elizabeth heard a sound at the door. Both women turned and saw Sir Gareth with Madeline Gardiner standing beside him. After kisses and embraces were exchanged, Beaumont rang for tea, and then he excused himself.
“Jane, I shall be in my study should you need me.”
Aunt Gardiner spoke of all that occupied her life and their uncle’s, but once tea and cakes had been served and they had settled comfortably together, she requested that the door be shut for privacy.
“My dear girls, your uncle is away upon business, but he asked that I share this news with you immediately. He has already dispatched a message to Longbourn.”
Both sisters grew still.
“There is a young gentleman, a Mr. James Adams, who serves as a clerk with the East India Company. He is a client of your uncle’s.
He was traveling to India and wished to marry before his departure.
There is an additional stipend and finer living quarters for married men as encouragement to establish themselves in India, but time was of the essence.
Edward sent for Lydia and arranged introductions.
She was wild to travel, so they married, and your uncle saw them off. ”
“The ship was to complete its final provisioning in Kent. From there, they sail to Madeira to take on fresh water and other supplies.”
Jane stared in astonishment. “Lydia is aboard a ship bound for India? Why now? Why could she not go to Mamma to make her farewells?”
“The sailing season extends from January through April, to take advantage of the trade winds, and to avoid the worst monsoon conditions in the Indian Ocean. Rather than lose such an opportunity for Lydia, Edward resolved to act at once. Mr. Adams was wishful to marry, for the advantages of a wife greatly benefit him. He shall not reside in barracks amongst other men, but in a home with his wife and, in time, their children.”
Jane appeared unsettled by the abruptness of Lydia’s marriage.
Mrs. Gardiner said, “Jane, your fortunate marriage to Sir Gareth and Elizabeth’s to Mr. Darcy are not guaranteed to your younger sisters.
Mary is unhappy with her prospects, and what of Kitty?
She possesses little more sense than Lydia, though she is two years older.
This was an opportunity, and your uncle seized it.
Since your father granted him the authority of a guardian, all has been done within the law. ”
Elizabeth wrapped an arm around Jane’s shoulders.
“Would you rather our sister remain behind to find her own path to ruin, Jane? Left in our mother’s care, that is precisely what would happen, for Lydia is obstinate, headstrong, and forever occupied with thoughts of men. ” She looked toward her aunt.
“I believe Uncle Gardiner has done us a great service, Aunt Maddie, for I have often feared Lydia would drag us all into disgrace. The manner in which she fraternized with the officers of the militia without attendance from either of our parents all but ensured our ruin.”
Jane said, “I admit, I have often feared for our respectability. Lydia behaved too freely with the officers. Mamma would not heed us when we begged her to place some restraint upon Lydia, and Papa would not exert himself either.”
Jane took her aunt’s hand in her own. “Aunt Maddie, please tell Uncle Edward how grateful I am for this service to our family. Is Mr. Adams capable of managing our sister?”
“Though he is only twenty, he is mature, responsible, and hardworking, and he found your sister very beautiful and personable. He believed they would suit one another well.”
“Aunt, please share Lydia’s letters when she writes.”
Madeline chuckled. “I fear we shall never receive a letter from Lydia. Her final words to me were that, as a married woman, she had no time for letter writing, though her sisters were welcome to write to her since they possessed nothing better to occupy themselves with.”
Both sisters laughed.
Jane said, “I forget how very much Lydia resembles Mamma. She is neither melancholy nor inclined toward deep reflection upon her life. She shall be happy wherever she goes and consider it all an adventure.”
“Yes, very true. I shall forward any letters we receive, if indeed any arrive, to Longbourn so your Mamma may hear from her favorite daughter. I shall ask her to pass them along to you girls as well.”
“Now, Lizzy, tell me of this Lord Dunwich. Jane sent for me, particularly so I might hear the entire account.”
Elizabeth related all that had occurred at the ball and concluded by saying, “I shall attend Lord Morton’s ball in a fortnight, and afterward Fitzwilliam and I shall marry, unless I succeed in persuading him to marry sooner.”
“Are you truly so afraid of Lord Dunwich?”
Elizabeth crossed to the sideboard, retrieved the handwritten note Lord Dunwich had sent her, and handed it to her aunt.
Mrs. Gardiner read the note, frowned, then looked gravely at Elizabeth.
“He bears a black reputation, Aunt Maddie, and has ruined many women.
He abandoned every one of them, even those left with child.
A man who abandons his own children to an orphanage or the streets must surely be a monster.
I have been informed that a lady's reputation may suffer merely because he singles her out for his attentions. Yes, Aunt, I do fear him.”
“And your Mr. Darcy may not marry because of his bereavement. Then insist that he marry you immediately and in private. I am certain Jane and Sir Gareth will stand with you.”
“I shall ask him. Perhaps he will hear me.”
Sir Gareth entered the drawing room. “Mrs. Gardiner, I promised Mr. Darcy I would return Elizabeth in time for dinner. My carriage stands ready.”
Both ladies took their leave, and Sir Gareth handed them into the carriage. He sent two footmen along for protection.
Once they were alone inside the carriage, Mrs. Gardiner withdrew a letter from her reticule.
“We received this letter from Mr. Adams. You may read it before your uncle sends it on to your father. Your mother shall not be shown this first letter, for she must not learn that the young couple married and departed many months ago.”
Elizabeth took the letter. “Aunt Maddie, it felt so wrong to deceive my dearest sister, yet what else could we do? Jane, nor any member of our family, must ever learn of Lydia's elopement with Mr. Wickham.”
“Yes, I felt it as well. I did not like deceiving my niece.”
Elizabeth opened the letter and began to read. “They have already arrived in India?”
“Yes. The voyage required six months, but they arrived in good health.”
Elizabeth found Lydia's handwriting difficult to decipher. “I cannot make sense of the paragraph written by my sister.”
Mrs. Gardiner said, “She writes of their lovely home, and she has formed friendships with many of the other women residing in the compound. She also mentions balls and card parties, and that the weather is excessively hot.”
“Lizzy, now that we know they survived the voyage, we believe it best to speak openly of their marriage and journey. Do you think you shall manage to keep secret her elopement and the actual date of her marriage to Adams?”
“I must, Aunt Maddie, for the sake of our respectability. Oh, how I wish I did not know. How am I to keep such a thing from Mr. Darcy?”
“Lydia did not actually lie with a man, Elizabeth.”
“But she did run away with one. Oh, Aunt, if I tell him and he breaks with me, I shall die of a broken heart. Yet if I conceal it and he ever discovers the truth, he will never trust me again.”
Mrs. Gardiner answered with gravity. “Only you know what ought to be done, Elizabeth. You know him, and I do not. I am not in a position to offer advice.”
The carriage drew up before Matlock House. Elizabeth returned the letter to her aunt, then threw her arms about her neck.
“Aunt, think of me, for tonight I must decide what I shall do. I lean toward telling him, and I fear he may cast me off. For how could a man of his rank and consequence stoop so low?”
The carriage door opened, and Elizabeth was handed down. Elizabeth was taut with emotion. She would tell Mr. Darcy all, and perhaps this very night, he would cast her off.
Darcy stood waiting to greet her. “You have returned. I was concerned. I do not know whether Dunwich has men watching the house and following you about. Did you observe anything?”
“No, sir, nothing. Perhaps he has forgotten me already and moved on to his next conquest.”
“We should prove so fortunate, Elizabeth. That man resembles a bulldog once he fixes his attention upon a woman.” He offered his arm. “Come. I shall escort you to your chamber. There is barely enough time to change for dinner.”
They climbed the stair in silence. She was stiff with tension and could not bring herself to look at him.
“Elizabeth, is something amiss? You appear downcast. Did my ill-timed remarks concerning Dunwich distress you?”
“No, sir, though I would speak with you privately if you are able.”
“Now?”
“Yes, sir. We shall have no opportunity later, for Lady Helen keeps close watch over us both.”
“Come then. There is a sitting room beside my bedchamber.”
He led her there, and they seated themselves in the darkened room.
“What is it, Elizabeth? You appear exceedingly grave. What has happened?”
“Sir, I have five sisters.”
“Yes, I know.”
“One of them, the youngest, ran away with a man this past March.”
She saw him stiffen. Dropping her eyes, she hurried on with her account.
“I encountered her walking down the lane early one morning just after sunrise. She carried a satchel in each hand, and farther down the lane, perhaps a mile distant, stood a carriage. Then a man approached her. His name is Mr. George Wickham, sir.”
She saw him start, and color rose in his face.
“George Wickham? You are certain?”
“Yes, sir. I ran home and informed my father. We followed them into town but lost them on Russell Street.
“We could not find her, so we traveled to Gracechurch Street to my uncle’s residence. Papa and my uncle were preparing to hire Bow Street Runners when my sister arrived at the house in a hackney.
“She was weeping because all her gowns remained in the boot of the carriage Mr. Wickham had hired, though otherwise she was untouched and unharmed.
“My uncle arranged a marriage for her with a young gentleman, a Mr. James Adams, and two weeks later they sailed for India. This all occurred in March, sir.”
“My aunt has received the first communication from Mr. Adams. Only moments ago, within Sir Gareth’s carriage, we enjoyed privacy, and she allowed me to read it.
The young couple arrived safely in India, and he shall make his career there.
I doubt I shall ever see Lydia again, but I am ashamed I did not tell you of her sooner, sir.
I have no excuse. I have not thought about her for many months.
Yet today I received news of her, and I could not allow another day to pass without telling you. ”
She kept her eyes lowered as she rose to her feet. “Sir, I understand if you must break with me. By concealing this from you, any promise between us must surely stand void.”
He had also risen. “Elizabeth, do you wish to be rid of me? Do you use this as an excuse to cast me off for Lord Dunwich?”
She raised her head, and he saw that tears streamed down her cheeks.
“No, sir. My greatest desire is to marry you, tomorrow if possible, so that no one and nothing may ever come between us again. Not Lydia, not an unexpected death, not your uncle, not Lord Dunwich.”
He drew her close until she stood flush against him.
“Elizabeth, I am glad you told me. There must never be secrets between us. Nothing could separate me from you, darling. Not even should your sister have eloped with Wickham. I would have found a way to make it right. It happens that devil attempted to drug Georgiana in January while she resided in Ramsgate, but she escaped him, just as your sister did. Let us marry tomorrow at eight in the morning. I shall arrange for Richard and Anne to stand with us. Aunt Helen does not come down to breakfast until half past ten. We shall have been married two hours by then.”
“Oh, sir! You do not cast me off? I scarcely dare believe we shall still marry after all that has passed.”
She encircled her arms about his neck and lifted her face in invitation. He bent and kissed her.
They remained in one another’s embrace until the sound of Georgiana’s footfalls in the hall reached them. He released Elizabeth and dried her eyes with his handkerchief.
“We must dress for dinner.” He chuckled, a low, gleeful sound that vibrated against her lips. “Darling, I am so happy I do not know how I shall endure dinner without betraying our secret.”
He kissed her once more, then stepped into the hall, glanced in both directions, and signaled for her to follow. They parted then, both radiant with happiness.