Chapter 19 What Is It About Thursdays? #3
Elizabeth’s eyes flew open to behold Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam standing over her, smirking. John scrambled up and ran to join his brother near the pond. Elizabeth shook her head and held her hand up to Mr. Darcy.
“Be a gentleman and help me up.”
He grasped her hand with a smile and pulled her up so forcefully she smacked into his chest and said, “Oh!”
Fitzwilliam rolled his eyes. “Let her go, Darcy. We are in a public park.”
Darcy smiled and released her. “No one is here to see us. It is only children and their nurses out today.”
“That is precisely why I chose this time to come out. Parks are for being enjoyed, not strolling around like peacocks,” said Elizabeth as she brushed the grass off her skirt.
“I must confess I did not know you could run so fast, Miss Elizabeth,” said Fitzwilliam.
“Oh, I am very fleet of foot, Colonel. I shall have to race you sometime.”
“I will take you up on that,” he replied.
They turned towards the pond and Darcy offered Elizabeth his arm. She took it with a smile, then playfully took Colonel Fitzwilliam’s arm with her other hand.
“Pardon me for saying so, gentlemen, but you have the look of mischievous boys about you. Dare I ask what you have been getting up to this morning?”
The men caught each other’s eyes over her head, and Colonel Fitzwilliam said, “We visited my mother, actually.”
“Oh? Is she well?”
“Very well. In fact, she would like to meet you this afternoon if you are amenable.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened and she looked towards Mr. Darcy.
“You do not have to meet her if you would prefer not to, Elizabeth. But she would like to know you.”
“My mother is powerful in her own way, but she is a kind woman, and she is fond of Darcy.”
Elizabeth understood they were saying Lady Blackburn would not antagonize her, but she was unsure if she should meet her today.
“Are you asking me to accompany you to call on her?”
“She wished to call on you and your aunt, if you are home to callers.”
“I see.” She thought for a moment, then looked from one to the other before saying, “Very well. I will ask my aunt.”
They rounded up the children and made their way back to Gracechurch Street, where Elizabeth quickly closeted herself with her aunt. Jane was visiting a neighbor, but they decided she would likely be back in time to receive her ladyship.
“I can only assume this is some sort of test,” said Mrs. Gardiner.
“I thought so as well, but Colonel Fitzwilliam assures me his mother is fond of Mr. Darcy and genuinely wants to know me.”
Mrs. Gardiner looked skeptical. “I hope he is right.”
They told the gentlemen they would receive Lady Blackburn that afternoon, and Colonel Fitzwilliam left to deliver the message to his mother and escort her to Gracechurch Street.
Elizabeth could only hope the meeting would go well.
She had thought the name Blackburn sounded menacing when she heard it, but then Lord and Lady Hopewell had a lovely name and had turned out to be un-lovely people, so perhaps Lady Blackburn would be the opposite of her name as well. One could hope.
Lady Blackburn came to Gracechurch Street with all the pomp and circumstance of a countess in a crested coach that was polished to a shine. She approached the door like a queen, her gloves spotless, her gown new, her hat perched perfectly on her head.
Colonel Fitzwilliam had always thought of this show as her armor, the things she put between herself and everyone else to maintain her position, protect herself, and keep those dear to her safe. They were more alike than different, he and his mother.
They were led into the drawing room where Darcy stood near the door, Elizabeth slightly behind him, as if he would protect her with his own body, and Miss Bennet and Mrs. Gardiner just on the other side of the room.
They were announced and Darcy took it upon himself to introduce his aunt to their hostess and the Miss Bennets.
Lady Blackburn looked Elizabeth up and down, taking in the fabric of her dress, the price of the trimmings, the style chosen and what it said about its wearer, and Elizabeth’s face and figure.
She seemed to consider the younger lady for some time before she nodded slightly and moved to sit near Elizabeth.
Elizabeth took a deep breath. She had not known what to expect.
The lady was neither as false nor imposing as Lady Hopewell, nor was she as jovial as Colonel Fitzwilliam.
Lady Blackburn’s shrewd eyes took in every detail of Elizabeth’s person until she felt as if she were an animal displayed in the menagerie.
But then she had noticed it. The slight tick around the countess’s mouth, the crinkle beside one eye that said she was holding in a smile.
Elizabeth thought she just might like Lady Blackburn.
“Would you care for some tea, my lady?” offered Mrs. Gardiner.
“I had hoped Miss Elizabeth Bennet might be willing to accompany me on a walk? I saw a pretty little park not far from here.”
The party looked at each other, eyes darting from person to person, until Elizabeth stood and said, “I’ll just get my things.”
Darcy was uncomfortable, Colonel Fitzwilliam was suspicious, and Lady Blackburn was self-satisfied. Jane looked worried and Mrs. Gardiner pursed her lips in disapproval.
Elizabeth had a spirit that could not bear to be crushed at the will of others, and she relied on it now. She accompanied Lady Blackburn outside, and once they had entered the little park, the older woman said, “My son holds you in high esteem, Miss Elizabeth.”
“As I hold him, my lady.”
“He spoke of you in such a way that I thought for a moment that he had an interest in you himself, and only the barrier of fortune had kept him from declaring himself.”
Elizabeth had expected many things from Lady Blackburn, but not that.
“Do not be alarmed, Miss Elizabeth. My son does not view you in that light. I must say I am glad of it. He and Darcy have always been close. It would have torn them apart to be in love with the same woman.”
“I can imagine,” said Elizabeth weakly.
“I am sure you can. After further conversation, I realized Richard looked on you as another sister. I imagine you remind him of someone.”
“Of Olivia?”
The countess turned to her sharply. “He told you of my daughter?”
“Yes. I am very sorry for your loss, my lady. I cannot imagine how difficult that was.”
Lady Blackburn looked away, swallowing thickly. “It was many years ago now.” She straightened her shoulders and looked ahead. “Richard has told me enough about you that I see no reason to question you further. I only wish to know one thing. Do you care for my nephew?”
Elizabeth studied her shoes for a moment. “Yes. Though sometimes I wish I did not.”
Lady Blackburn smiled wryly. “I can imagine. Darcy is not an easy man to come to know. I would imagine he is not easy to fall in love with either.”
“Easier than I would have thought,” said Elizabeth without thinking. Her eyes widened and she looked at Lady Blackburn with her mouth agape.
That lady smirked back at her. “Just so.” She walked on, causing Elizabeth to rush to catch up to her.
“Regardless of the difficulty involved in having a relationship with a man such as my nephew, I believe it is worth the effort in the end. He is fiercely loyal, and there is nothing he would not do for those he cares for.”
Elizabeth looked intrigued, so the lady continued.
“You should have heard him this morning warning me off you. He insisted I not meet you at all if I could not be kind.” She chortled. “I would have been insulted had it not been so amusing.”
Elizabeth flushed and looked toward the meadow where children were running with a hoop. It was gratifying to know Mr. Darcy had fought so hard for her; that her equanimity was valuable to him.
“I am not displeased to hear it,” she said quietly.
“No, I imagine you are not.”
Elizabeth refused to blush further under the lady’s scrutiny.
“I will support you as best I can, Miss Bennet.”
“You will?”
“Of course. Darcy is very dear to me, and Richard values you. And he is right—you do have Olivia’s way about you.” She gave Elizabeth a wistful smile and the younger woman returned it.
“I am grateful for your support, my lady.”
“You are welcome to it. And it will drive Lady Hopewell mad, which can only be an added inducement.”
Elizabeth laughed.
When they returned to Gracechurch Street, they were met by four pairs of anxious eyes. Elizabeth smiled brightly at the room and asked if they might have some tea for the walk had left her quite thirsty. She prepared a cup for Lady Blackburn and winked when she delivered it.
That lady smiled and said, “Thank you, my dear,” and Darcy nearly fell off his chair.
Lady Blackburn began a conversation with Mrs. Gardiner.
They had both grown up in the Peak District and they had a lively conversation on the beauties of the area.
The call ended with Lady Blackburn inviting Mrs. Gardiner to call on her and join in a charity effort she was part of.
She kissed the cheeks of Darcy and her son and patted Miss Elizabeth’s hand with a warm smile.
Everyone stared blankly at one another for more than a minute after the door had closed behind her.
“Well,” said Jane, a little breathless.
“Indeed,” added Darcy.
“You have worked your magic on my mother, Miss Elizabeth,” said the colonel. “Not that I ever doubted you.”
“That was in large part due to your efforts, Colonel. I must thank you for the glowing recommendation.”
He bowed slightly. “I am always happy to assist a lady.”
Darcy still looked rather gobsmacked and did not join the conversation until Elizabeth surreptitiously took his hand and squeezed it. He looked at her in surprise, and seeing that she was truly not distressed, he smiled weakly and made an effort to converse.
Elizabeth could only be glad she had now met both sides of Mr. Darcy’s family and come out of it unscathed and with the support of someone as powerful as Lady Blackburn.