Chapter 35
The first week in Bath was completely idyllic.
Darcy and Elizabeth would spend their morning walking along the Crescent and then come back for breakfast. The afternoon was spent in the parlour or the sitting room where they would read together and discuss whatever book caught their fancy.
They were not in the mood for much intellectual discussion and would end up reading some frivolous novel and laughing at the inanities of the characters.
Elizabeth still remembered his comment made during their courtship period where he had promised to climb her window.
“All those days after you left for London, I kept sitting by the window hoping to see you climb,” she joked one evening as they were reading another romance novel.
“You forget, dearest, in our story you were hardly the damsel. I think the word would be better applied to me. Hence you came flying to London for my rescue,” Darcy responded teasingly.
“Aha! I can hardly disagree with that. I think I like the idea of being a hero in a romance novel.” Elizabeth answered with a delighted laugh.
They then spent a couple of hours reading the book where Elizabeth tried to apply all the heroism to herself and the helplessness of the heroine to Darcy.
They explored the local shops and bought trinkets for each other and their sisters.
Occasionally Darcy would run into some acquaintance or another and would then introduce Elizabeth with all the ceremony due to a new wife.
Their marriage announcement had already been published in the papers, and whoever saw them was curious enough to meet the new Mrs. Darcy.
The London gossip columns had already fuelled everyone’s imagination after Elizabeth's time in town before her marriage. Her beauty and poise had been much talked about arousing enough interest. One thing that everyone agreed was that the staid Mr. Darcy seemed to have finally fallen. He seemed unable to keep himself from smiling whenever he was in his wife’s company.
They visited the Pump Room a couple of times and Elizabeth tried the water but made such a face that spurred Darcy into a loud laugh causing everyone to stare.
The local society column had been quick to note that Mr. and Mrs. Darcy were honeymooning amidst them.
From then on, Elizabeth appeared in the gossip sheets almost daily.
It became a game for her to get the sheets as they were published to check where all she had been seen.
Darcy had always despised being gossiped about, but the way Elizabeth took it in stride amazed him.
Her capability to find humour in the eccentricities of society astounded him.
He had been worried that she would find it difficult to adjust to the exposure her new status would gain, but it seemed that she flourished without effort and without losing her innate self.
Nothing affected her good mood, and she could as easily laugh at someone’s good opinion of her as a bad one.
It was a novelty for Darcy to see someone this unconcerned with society's views. He soon took his wife’s lead and decided that he would not let the gossip ever bother him.
In the second week of their stay, they finally ventured to the Assembly Rooms and the theatre.
Elizabeth enjoyed the diversions in Bath much more than those in London.
The plays were quality performances and the society in the Assembly Rooms refined but nothing was as ostentatious as London.
While people still wanted to see and be seen, it was much more subtle.
She was surprised when Darcy suggested they go to a public dance one evening.
“For I have hardly had the opportunity to dance with you. Sir William would be very disappointed if I did not take the opportunity to dance an evening away with the brightest jewel in Hertfordshire.”
“I can hardly refuse when I have such a handsome husband to show off.” She responded, her eyes dancing with mirth.
Thus, the matter was settled, and they arrived at a dance that same evening. It appeared to Elizabeth that the room was full of gentlemen of an age with her husband, and he seemed to be acquainted with an inordinate number of them.
“For a person who dislikes society, you are acquainted with a lot of people.”
“Why do you think I desperately needed to marry you? Now you can keep straight all my social obligations which will, in itself decrease, given that I am no longer a bachelor.”
“So, now I am to be your secretary. I will be sure to inform Mrs. Ashcombe for she was adamant that I let her know if her nephew mistreated me.”
They danced a couple of times and were standing with refreshments when one of Darcy’s acquaintances requested Elizabeth to dance.
Though loath to part with her husband she could hardly refuse.
Mr. Crawley was a couple of years younger than Darcy.
He was a genial sort of person who seemed to require a lot of concentration for dancing.
Taking pity on the poor fellow Elizabeth did not talk much and let her attention wander.
As she was looking around, she thought she saw someone but by the time she could properly see the person was gone.
As the dance came to an end, she walked to Darcy, her eyes still scanning all the individuals in the crowd.
“Who are you searching for?” Darcy asked as she joined him.
“I think I saw Mr. Bingley. It was only for a minute.”
Darcy immediately looked around but could not see him. They stayed for a couple of hours but when neither saw Bingley they concluded that probably the lighting was playing tricks on Elizabeth.
“I should be jealous that, on our honeymoon, you seem to be imagining another man,” Darcy said as they retired for the night.
“I could hardly imagine you when you were always next to me. Do not think that I did not notice you scowling at poor Mr. Crawley throughout our dance.”
“He should have known better than to ask you,” Darcy replied as he pulled Elizabeth for a deep kiss.
“What a tyrant I have married,” she said as they broke apart, and then smilingly pulled him towards the bed where she spent the night convincing him that no man could ever hold a candle to her husband.
A couple of days later they were attending a musical performance where Darcy kept surreptitiously holding her hand much to Elizabeth’s delight.
Her husband’s playfulness had distracted her from the performance, and she kept looking around to check if anyone noticed them.
It was then as clear as day that she saw Mr. Bingley.
He did not seem to have noticed them and she immediately nudged her husband who could not deny that it was his friend sitting in the front row.
What Darcy found surprising was that Bingley was sitting in the gallery and appeared quite unkempt.
As soon as the performance ended, he asked Elizabeth to wait in the box and walked up to his friend.
Darcy was shocked when he approached Bingley for it was clear he had not shaved for weeks.
His clothes stank and his eyes were red.
“Bingley, whatever has happened?” Darcy exclaimed.
“Can I never escape you. No matter how much I drink, why do I still see you? Go away, Darcy. I cannot face your judgement. I have messed up my whole life and lost your friendship and Jane's love forever," he said as he staggered away.
Realising that his friend was too inebriated for any sensible conversation Darcy signalled a footman and gave him half a guinea to make sure he helped Bingley to reach his lodgings and put him to bed discreetly and then to convey the address to Darcy.
Elizabeth was quite concerned when she heard about Bingley’s condition.
She was convinced that he was wallowing in guilt and needed to be pulled out but had no desire to spare her husband for such a task.
Thus, she decided to write to another industrious person of her acquaintance who would desire as much discretion in the matter as she herself.
Caroline Bingley may be a lady, but she was in no way a helpless maiden.
Once Darcy had received Bingley’s address, Elizabeth immediately sent an express to London.
The footman was then commissioned by Darcy to keep an eye on Bingley and not let him harm himself any further.
He was also tasked to be of use to Miss Bingley once she arrived.
Elizabeth prayed to God that the gentleman would return to his former self before she felt obliged to tell her sister.
Jane was too gentle a creature and would be devastated with the news.
It was as they were planning their departure from Bath when the Hursts and Miss Bingley were announced. They did not stay for long but were effusive in their thanks to locate their brother and help him avoid further trouble.
“Elizabeth, you have been too generous with me, and I hope you will allow me the opportunity to be of use to you in the future,” Miss Bingley said, holding her hand as she took her leave.
“I could not have done anything else. I will pray that Mr. Bingley is soon restored to his former self.”
“We have secured lodgings and will be staying for a few weeks in Bath until my brother is fully recovered. Then we will probably travel north for the summer.”
“I hope you will stop in Derbyshire. I am planning to invite Jane once I am settled, and you both have always been such good friends,” Elizabeth said suggestively.
Miss Bingley was quick to understand and assured her that they would soon meet at Pemberley, then she joined the rest of the party in the carriage. Elizabeth stood looking in the direction of the carriage for a few minutes after their departure then exhaled sharply drawing Darcy’s attention.
“Is all well, dearest?”
“It seems I have used my prerogative as the mistress of Pemberley to invite my first guest, Fitzwilliam,” she said, as they walked back in.