Vol 1, Chapter 10
Bennet requested that his wife join him in his study. “Come in, Cilla. I received an extraordinary letter from Edward Gardiner,” he informed his beloved wife.
“What does Edward have to say for himself?” Mrs. Bennet asked as she smoothed her skirts after sitting next to him.
“Here my love, read it for yourself,” Bennet handed his wife the missive.
Gardiner House
Portman Square, London
Thomas and Priscilla,
I almost forgot to write to you on this subject as I had meant to some weeks ago. You have my contrition for the delay. I am not sure if you know, but among others the Fitzwilliams, relations of Mr. Darcy, who I understand you have met, are clients of mine as is the aforementioned gentleman.
I am sure that Priscilla knows exactly who they are as they are good friends of her parents and will be at Broadhurst for Christmas. They have no idea of the connection and will not until we are all in Essex together.
“The Earl and Countess of Matlock—they have been friends of Mama and Papa for many years, but they are nothing like Mr. Darcy. They are open and friendly and have two sons—the heir, Andrew, and Richard, who is in the army, I believe,” Mrs. Bennet informed her husband before she read on.
About a fortnight ago, the Viscount, Andrew, was here and was asking after our Jane.
He has met her a few times when she has been in London with us and is in her thrall.
He sees the real Jane, not just her physical beauty, and has assured me that his intentions are completely honourable.
I made sure to stress her reported low dowry and that her known connections of note were to tradesmen.
None of what I said deterred him. He is in earnest and would like to call on Jane when she comes to stay with us. Please advise if I am to allow him that.
Maddie and the children are all well and looking forward to seeing all of you at Broadhurst.
Regards,
EG
“I knew Andrew and Richard when they were younger, and they were always good boys. Everything I have heard of them, and their family speaks well of their characters. Andrew has never been part of the fast set and is not a gambler, nor does he overindulge in drink. My vote, if I have one, is to allow Andrew to call on Jane,” Mrs. Bennet stated.
“Cilla, you always have a vote, and you know it.” Bennet kissed his wife soundly.
“What say you we canvass Jane’s opinion on the matter.
If she is not interested, he will not be the first titled man she has rejected,” Bennet chuckled, proud of his eldest daughter for so many reasons.
Though this was lower on the list, in moments like this it was nearer the top.
When Jane sat, her father handed her the letter.
Both her parents watched closely as she read its contents.
Neither missed the look of pleasure nor the blushes it drew, understanding now what she had not said a few days before.
“He does not think me too far below him?” she asked in wonder.
Lord Andrew Fitzwilliam was the man who had captured her attention, but she always believed that he could not be interested in one as low as the Bennets presented themselves to be.
It appeared none of that nonsense mattered to him.
The fact she had fortune and connections to spare would be a bonus but were not needed to gain his attention or attract him.
He saw her for who she was, not what she was.
For the first time since meeting Lord Hilldale, Jane allowed herself to actually hope she could gain the happiness she had so far believed impossible.
“I take it you have no objection to him calling on you at Uncle Edward’s, Jane?” Bennet grinned.
“None, Papa,” Jane blushed as she realized her secret was officially no longer hers.
Priscilla Bennet hugged her daughter when they stood.
The two ladies exited the study while Bennet composed an express to Gardiner granting his permission for Jane to receive Andrew Fitzwilliam’s calls.
He did not think it too much to extend his appreciation for the information on behalf of all his family so he would know the news had pleased their Jane.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Later that day, a note arrived from Netherfield addressed to Jane from Miss Bingley.
The Bennets were aware that Miss Bingley and Mr. and Mrs. Hurst had departed Netherfield not two hours after Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy had departed that morning.
Miss Bingley had been abusive to the servants, even striking one, and told them to close up the house.
Jane opened the note and read it to the family:
By the time of your reading, my dear Miss Bennet, we will have departed Netherfield Park, having resolved to follow our brother to Town directly, and of our meaning to dine in Curzon Street, where both my brother and Mr. Hurst have their houses.
I do not pretend to regret anything I shall leave in Hertfordshire except your society, my dearest friend; but we will hope, at some future period, to enjoy many returns of that delightful intercourse we have known, and, in the meanwhile, may lessen the pain of separation by a very frequent and most unreserved correspondence. I depend on you for that.
When my brother and then Mr. Darcy left us earlier, he imagined that the business which took him to London might be concluded in three or four days; but as we are certain it cannot be so, and at the same time convinced that when Charles gets to Town, he will be in no hurry to leave it again, we have determined on following him thither that he may not be obliged to spend his vacant hours alone.
Many of my acquaintances are already there for the winter; I wish that I could hear that you, my dearest friend, had any intention of making one of the crowd—but of that I despair.
I sincerely hope your Christmas in Hertfordshire may abound in the gaieties which that season generally brings, and that your beaux will be so numerous as to prevent your feeling the loss of the three of whom we shall deprive you.
Mr. Darcy is impatient to see his sister; and, to confess the truth we are scarcely less eager to meet her again.
I really do not think Georgiana Darcy has her equal for beauty, elegance, and accomplishments.
The affection she inspires in Louisa and me is heightened into something still more interesting from the hope we dare entertain of her being hereafter our sister.
I do not know whether I ever before mentioned to you my feelings on this subject, but I will not leave the country without confiding them, and I trust you will not esteem them unreasonable.
My brother admires her greatly already; he will have frequent opportunity now of seeing her on the most intimate footing.
Her relations all wish the connection as much as his own, and a sister's partiality is not misleading me, I think, when I call Charles most capable of engaging any woman's heart.
With all these circumstances to favour an attachment, and nothing to prevent it, am I wrong, my dearest Jane, in indulging the hope of an event which will secure the happiness of so many?
“What a pretentious, social climbing, and delusional woman!” Jane exclaimed.
“Are they all blind? I care no more for her brother now than I ever did. Where did this shrew get the idea I am in any way enamoured with him, or that I should care if she and the rest of them never return?” Jane was angry.
“How dare she call you my dearest Jane? You did not give her leave to address you informally did you, sister?” Elizabeth asked, wondering how any halfway intelligent person could be so blind.
“No, Lizzy, I did not. I will not dignify this with a response. If she or her sister ever try to approach me, I will give them the cut direct!” Jane retorted with anger.
“We will see how happy Mr. Bingley is when he receives a notice from Phillips informing him that he has lost ten months’ worth of rent,” Bennet frowned as he re-read the note from Mrs. Nichols, shaking his head more than once.
She explained how Miss Bingley had verbally abused the servants that morning and that she had struck a maid.
A note was immediately dispatched to Mr. Phillips to send a notice of immediate eviction to Mr. Bingley and retention of the funds for breach of contract, and he considered the merits of requesting restitution for those whom Miss Bingley had harmed.
“Not for one instant do I believe that Mr. Darcy would allow his tender aged sister to be betrothed to anyone, least of all the son of a tradesman,” Mrs. Bennet opined.
“This is part of Miss Bingley’s delusion, and what needs to occur to ensure Mr. Darcy will offer for her one day, thinking that one match will lead to another.
“In her mind, because her brother is enamoured with you, she feels that she needs to warn you off, regardless of the fact that you have no interest in him,” Bennet surmised. “They will never return to Mark’s estate, even should they want to, after Phillips is done with them.”
The subject soon changed to Jane’s packing for her departure on Monday, of which she anticipated more than she had even two days previously.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Darcy was halfway to London before he was able to get his temper under control. Miss Bingley had tried to compromise him after the ball! As he thought about the events of the early hours of the morning, his ire rose once again.
Carstens had heard a key in the door an hour after the ball and woke Darcy. The door had opened only inches before being blocked by the cot that the valet slept on. Darcy and his man had listened as the door to the second bedchamber of the suite was unlocked.
Very quickly, Carstens slipped into the master’s bed and Darcy hid in the dressing room.
A minute later the interconnecting door was unlocked, Darcy watched as Miss Bingley padded to his bed and dropped her flimsy robe, revealing her naked form.
She climbed into the bed and sidled up to the man within it.