Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
MONDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 1811
T he following day, not long after Lady Catherine was bundled into a carriage for the journey north, an invitation arrived at Matlock House, requesting the presence of Lord and Lady Matlock for tea with the Darcy family and their guests on Thursday. Both were pleased with the invitation although for entirely different reasons.
Since their conversation the previous day, they had avoided each other, each silently scheming how best to use their nephew to further their own aims. Lady Julia believed that by embracing Darcy’s new wife and offering to sponsor her in society, she could endear herself to her nephew and gain influence over him. A gesture of support and public approval, she reasoned, would grant her the favour she needed to steer Darcy in more satisfactory directions.
Lord Matlock, however, had far more mercenary intentions. He planned to continue using the clerk in Darcy’s solicitor’s office who had proven useful in feeding him confidential information. Lord Matlock saw this as an opportunity to lay the groundwork for manipulating Darcy’s finances, hoping to subtly push him into situations where he could take advantage of his nephew.
On Tuesday morning, Lord Matlock received the unwelcome news that Darcy had moved all his business to a new solicitor. The news came after Darcy’s visit to the man, during which he clarified that confidential information had been leaked from the firm, prompting him to sever ties immediately.
The solicitor, enraged at losing such a prominent client, began interrogating his employees, suspecting one of them was responsible for the breach. Meanwhile, the clerk who had been selling information to Lord Matlock grew increasingly nervous. He had failed to uncover which firm Darcy had chosen and feared his betrayal would cost him his job. The note he sent to Matlock would be his final one.
When Lord Matlock received the note, he crushed it in his fist, his mind racing with the consequences.
Without access to Darcy’s financial dealings, his carefully laid plans to manipulate his nephew’s affairs were now in jeopardy. Worse still, his paid informant had failed him at a critical moment. “Useless fool,” he muttered under his breath, pacing his study with growing frustration. The clerk would have been a valuable asset, and it had taken considerable time and energy to find a way to use the man to his benefit. News of Darcy’s marriage contract had been the first piece of useful information he had generated, but now that stream had dried up, and Matlock was left in the dark.
He considered his options. It would take too long to find a new source, and that could happen only after he discovered who Darcy’s new solicitor was. Since he had not recommended anyone to Darcy, he could not be certain whether his nephew was intentionally misdirecting him or whether he referred to his wife’s uncle. Matlock knew little about his new niece’s family. His situation was becoming precarious, and if he did not do something soon, he would be at risk of all of society discovering it.
Not only that, but this meant that Darcy had become suspicious, and any further attempts to gain information would likely be noticed. Matlock needed to tread carefully. His nephew had proven to be more vigilant than expected, and any overt moves now could backfire spectacularly.
Matlock stopped pacing and sat heavily at his desk; his mind churning as he tried to formulate a new plan. Covert manipulation had served him well for years, but now Darcy’s wariness had forced his hand. He needed to adopt a different approach, one that would allow him to gain influence without raising suspicion.
A strategic alliance with someone close to Darcy might be his best option, he reasoned. He had to subtly weave himself back into his nephew’s life, making Darcy believe that he was acting out of genuine concern for his well-being. If Darcy saw him as an ally, Matlock could regain access to the information he needed without having to rely on intermediaries.
His thoughts turned to Elizabeth, Darcy’s new wife. Perhaps she could be the key. Lady Julia had already expressed an interest in welcoming her into society, offering her guidance and influence among the ton . If they could position themselves as Elizabeth’s sponsors, it might grant them the access they required to Darcy’s affairs without raising his suspicions. The young woman was untested in society—vulnerable, in need of allies. If they played their cards right, they could convince her to trust them.
But the risk was high. Darcy would not have married someone unintelligent, and given how they married, it was likely the lady would be fiercely loyal to her husband. Any misstep could turn both Darcys against him, and that would be disastrous. He would need to be cautious, methodical, and above all, patient, even though he had little time to work with.
Matlock sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers, considering his next steps. First, he would need to fully support Lady Julia’s efforts to ingratiate herself with Elizabeth. They would make a public show of welcoming Darcy and his new wife into the family, ensuring society saw the union as a boon to both families. This would give him time to assess Elizabeth’s character more fully and perhaps find a weakness he could exploit.
At the same time, he needed to investigate the de Bourgh marriage. From what he had seen at church, his new nephew was quite young. Anne, having been isolated for so long at Rosings, might prove more easily manipulated than Darcy. The last time he had seen her, she had appeared naive and sheltered.
Uncertain of the details of her marriage settlement, Matlock wondered whether Anne had retained control of Rosings or whether she had ceded management to her husband. If she still held influence, she might be more useful to him than Darcy. Perhaps, between Anne’s inexperience and her husband's youth, Matlock could find an opportunity to gain enough advantage from them to save his own estate.
For now, however, the young couple remained an unknown—another potential threat to his plans. Matlock knew he would need more information before he could decide how best to use them in his schemes.
His mind settled on the delicate balance he would need to strike. He would not rely on brute force or overt manoeuvres like his sister did. Instead, he would need to build his influence through charm and subtlety, presenting himself as a well-meaning uncle with nothing but their best interests at heart. Only then could he regain the upper hand and ensure his position remained secure.
Matlock's eyes gleamed with determination as he stood, his resolve hardened. The game had changed, but he had no intention of losing. He would adapt, watch, and wait—and when the moment was right, he would strike again.
TUESDAY, 26 NOVEMBER 1811
While Matlock contemplated these matters, Elizabeth, Anne, and Georgiana were at the modiste with Mrs. Gardiner. Before leaving Pemberley, Elizabeth had written to Georgiana’s modiste and to her aunt, requesting that several gowns be created to suit her new status as Mrs. Darcy. Upon their arrival in town, they received word that the dresses were ready, requiring only final fittings for Elizabeth. Anne, who accompanied them, took the opportunity to request that her own trousseau be made.
At first, the dressmaker had been unwilling to take on such a large order for someone unknown in society, but once she understood the potential benefit to her to dress not only Mrs. Darcy but Mrs. Hargrove of Rosings as well, she agreed to hire additional seamstresses to complete Anne’s order as quickly as possible.
Since Anne had never been permitted to select her own clothing, the designs, not to mention the fabric and colour choices were at first overwhelming. Soon, the ladies who accompanied her, along with the modiste herself, helped her narrow the selections to a few colours she favoured, and pick out fabrics. Once that was done, the design choices were narrowed further. By the end of the afternoon, Anne had ordered several dresses, including evening gowns and one ball gown. Although their stay in London was likely to be short, Anne wanted to ensure she had all she needed and hoped to begin hosting small parties at Rosings once she returned.
By mid-afternoon, the group was thoroughly fatigued and stopped at a nearby tea shop to rest. While the footmen stood watch outside, the ladies entered. Georgiana Darcy’s presence attracted some attention, though none of the women were immediately recognised. As Georgiana had not yet debuted in society, most people only recognised her by appearance, and without formal introductions, no one approached her. The group enjoyed a brief respite in relative anonymity.
That changed when one of Georgiana’s former schoolmates entered the shop with her mother and aunt. Lady Margaret Blackwell and her daughter, Amelia, did not notice Georgiana at first. However, when Amelia spotted her, she quickly nudged her mother and whispered Georgiana’s name.
The group altered their course and approached the table where the Darcy party sat. "My dear Georgiana, how lovely to see you again!" Lady Amelia exclaimed, her voice loud enough to attract attention. "You did not let me know you were back in town, or I would have called on you at Darcy House."
Georgiana winced at the forced cheer in Lady Amelia’s tone. Like her mother, Lady Amelia was an avid gossip, and they had never been close. At school, Amelia had initially befriended Georgiana only in hopes of meeting her brother. When that did not work, Amelia turned on her. She and several other girls from prominent families had begun teasing Georgiana, causing her already small circle of friends to shrink even further.
Her discomfort palpable to those who knew her best, Georgiana hesitated before responding. She glanced briefly at Elizabeth, who offered an encouraging smile. Drawing a breath, Georgiana forced herself to reply with as much politeness as she could muster. “Lady Amelia, it is a surprise to see you as well. Our trip to town is to be short; I had not notified anyone of our intention to arrive.”
Observing the interaction carefully, Elizabeth noted Georgiana's tension and the falseness of Lady Amelia's greeting and decided that it was best to step in. With her foot, she nudged Georgiana to get her attention and nodded, silently indicating that the introduction should be made.
Georgiana immediately understood the cue. “Lady Amelia, might I introduce you to my party?” she asked. Upon the lady’s nod, she introduced the ladies of her party. Lady Amelia reciprocated by introducing her mother and aunt to the others.
“Mrs. Darcy, I am so pleased to make your acquaintance,” Lady Blackwell stated haughtily. “You simply must join us for a dinner party we are hosting in a fortnight.”
“Thank you for the generous invitation, but I must regretfully decline,” Elizabeth replied graciously. “Our visit to London is to be brief; my husband had urgent business to attend to. My sister and I accompanied him, not wishing to be separated from him, but we will be returning north as soon as his affairs are settled.”
“That simply will not do,” Lady Blackwell declared, her voice cutting through the quiet shop and drawing every eye in the room. “You must stay for the holiday season. It would be utterly improper for you to miss it. Balls, parties—society will be abuzz, and I can hardly imagine that Lady Julia would not wish to take you under her wing. Surely you would not deny yourself the chance to make the proper introductions and connections.” Her tone, dripping with condescension, implied that Elizabeth's departure was not only foolish but socially irresponsible.
“We are newly married, my lady. My husband and I wish to spend the winter at Pemberley with my new sister. Once his business is concluded, we will pay a brief visit to my family before retiring to his estate. Perhaps we will return to London for a part of the Season, but as I am sure you are aware, my husband does not care overly much for Town,” Elizabeth replied. It was growing more difficult for her to keep her composure at this lady’s audacity to reprimand her.
With an exaggerated huff, Lady Blackwell shifted her attention to Anne. “Mrs. Hargrove, surely you agree that Mrs. Darcy ought to spend some months in town acquainting herself with the society she has now joined. After all, your husband is the son of a baron, is he not? I would imagine the two of you plan to make a proper appearance in London now that you are married. Your mother kept you hidden away at Rosings for far too long—surely you are eager to finally experience the world you have been so long deprived of.” Her tone carried an air of superiority, as if she were generously offering advice to someone she presumed lacked understanding.
“Not at all, madam,” Anne replied, mimicking her mother's haughty tone when addressing those she deemed beneath her. “We are in town only briefly. Mr. Hargrove has his own business to attend to with my cousin Darcy’s assistance. Once it is concluded, we shall return to Rosings. Like my cousin, we may come back in the spring for a month, but neither my husband nor I have any desire to linger in town longer than necessary.” Anne’s cool, dismissive response carried all the weight of her mother’s typical imperious disdain.
Lady Blackwell was visibly taken aback by the firm refusals from both women, her haughty composure slipping for a moment. “Well, I must say,” she sniffed, attempting to regain her air of superiority, “it is rather unorthodox for women of your station to neglect their social duties. Society will expect to see you in town, particularly after such momentous marriages. One cannot simply vanish back into the countryside without making the proper introductions.”
She looked down her nose at Anne, her gaze narrowing. “Mrs. Hargrove, I would have thought you, of all people, would wish to make an appearance after so long in isolation. Surely, your new position warrants more visibility. As for Mrs. Darcy, society will not take kindly to such… eccentricities. The sooner you realise that, the better.” With that, the lady stalked out of the shop with the rest of her party, apparently forgetting that they intended to take tea.