Chapter 26
Georgiana had delayed dinner so that Elizabeth and Darcy had time to dress. At six o’clock, Darcy led Lady Catherine and Mrs. Hurst into the dining parlour; Elizabeth and Anne de Bourgh took the arm of Mr. Hurst, followed by Georgiana, Bingley, and his sister Caroline.
“You are to leave us soon, Mrs. Elizabeth?” said Miss Bingley, once they had sat at table and the soup had been served. “You will stay with your relatives in Cheapside?” Both she and her sister, Mrs. Hurst, sniggered.
“Yes, it is a convenient location for my uncle,” replied Elizabeth, ignoring their rudeness.
“It is nearer to the Thames than Lombard Street, where many of the banks are located, including the Bank of England, though Child like your father, there are several baronets in the neighbourhood who all attend.”
“B—but a vestry is only for farmers and the like. I cannot imagine a marquess mingling with such people.” Miss Bingley disdainfully dismissed the idea.
“Indeed not,” said Darcy. “The vestry is an important part of parish administration. Certainly, Lord Salisbury would attend—he cares greatly for his estate and neighbourhood. The roads thereabout are some of the best I have seen in the county.”
“Just as those of the Parish of Edensor, in which Pemberley lies, are the best in this county. Likely due to the Darcy interest,” said Elizabeth, smiling at some past recollection.
“Mrs. Elizabeth, there were several meetings of the local vestry whilst I was away. Do you know if Baxter attended?” Darcy looked inquiringly towards Elizabeth.
“At the time of the last meeting, he was unavailable. If you recall, he travelled to the Soho Mint to have more Pemberley Pennies struck,” she replied.
“Forgive my impertinence, but I attended in his place. Perhaps it was fortunate that Pemberley was represented—for the vestry was reluctant to replace rotten timbers on the Lambton bridge. With a little persuasion”—she chuckled—“they voted to do so. Unavoidably, the work was not completed before the recent great storm. Yet the bridge would have collapsed sooner were it not for the repairs already made. I believe, Mr. Darcy, that Lambton and the villages downstream owe much to Pemberley’s generosity. ”
Darcy gazed at her, a hint of pride in his countenance; blushing, Elizabeth returned her attention to the soup.
Miss Bingley, attempting to regain control of the conversation, found others little interested in her talk of London soirées and of people no one else knew, and reluctantly allowed the conversation to move onto other topics.
Bingley was distracted, a puzzled expression on his face.
Once the soup had been removed and a selection of hot dishes placed on the table, he turned to Elizabeth.
“I had not made the connection, Mrs. Elizabeth. But you appear well acquainted with Meryton. By any chance, are you related to or acquainted with the Bennets of Longbourn? For I spent many a pleasant time in their company.”
“Indeed, Mr. Bingley.” Across the table, Darcy felt the warmth of the room plummet ten degrees.
“I am well aware of that family. You were introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Bennet—my parents. And Miss Bennet—Miss Jane Bennet—my elder sister, with whom you danced three sets at your ball; then left the next day for Town, promising to return, and never did, with nary an apology or farewell to your neighbours.” Elizabeth’s voice hardened.
“I make no excuse for being in commerce, sir, and I align with the opinion of my sponsor, Lady Jersey. If you were intending to do business with the Bank, then it would be refused. For a man’s character is more important than his wealth.
Child’s would lend to a beggar if he showed himself steadfast, patient, and constant in his dealings. ”
All at the table looked at Elizabeth with astonishment, having only ever seen her in company—not in her dealings with the estate, with creditors, with recalcitrant tenants, nor dealing with boundary disputes and an indolent vestry.
Certainly, she assisted Georgiana with the household, but never usurped her position as mistress or that of Mrs. Reynolds as housekeeper; she was always proper, and, to her friends—those she respected—always accommodating.
Lady Catherine smiled—oh yes, this was the woman whom she had learnt about from her correspondence with Lady Matlock, a very good friend of Lady Jersey, head partner of Child that she was being pushed into the attachment by her mother. Caroline spoke of your family’s lack of connections; that you—the second sister—had been sent to London under some sort of a cloud. ”
“A cloud indeed! If you had asked, then Jane would have told you that I had declined an offer from Mr. Collins—surely you met the man—who is our cousin and will inherit Longbourn under the entail. You know my nature, Mr. Bingley; I could not have made that man happy. So I withdrew, for he had thought only that he should court the elder of my sister Mary and me, for my mother, in her wisdom, had put him off Jane. And truly, she would have made him a poor wife. My younger sister, Mary, is well suited for a clergyman, for she possesses an excellent command of the scriptures—likely better than Mr. Collins himself—yet would be prepared to guide him, rather than scold him, such as I would. Jane would never have contradicted him, which, though preserving the peace, would lead to greater embarrassment if he were found to be deficient in his sermons or guiding his parishioners. No, sir! There was no cloud, merely prudence on both my mother’s and my part. ”
“Oh, dear. I am a fool. Do you think she would receive me if I called?” said Bingley, wringing his hands.
“I know not my sister’s heart, sir,” Elizabeth replied.
“Yet you had an opportunity in London, some months past. My aunt Gardiner and Jane called on Mrs. Hurst and your sister. The visit was brief, and, from my aunt’s telling, uncivil.
Your sisters returned the call only after some three weeks.
Miss Bingley intimated that you knew Jane was in Town, but did not wish to renew the acquaintance. ”
“She was in Town? But I swear to you, Mrs. Elizabeth, I did not know.” Bingley’s countenance darkened.
“Thank you for being direct, ma’am. I must speak with my sister, as Hurst is speaking to Louisa at this moment, for they both have meddled in my affairs, as Caroline has done before.
It would be best if I were to remove myself from her society. ”
He paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
“No! It is she who shall be removed—perhaps a sojourn with my aunt in Scarborough will do her some good, for she believes herself above all of the society she meets in town—why, I do not know.
‘Tis likely the seminary she attended gave her airs and graces beyond our sphere.”
Bingley thanked Georgiana for allowing his visit—he was determined to depart with his sister early on the morrow. He extended his regards to Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh, clasped Darcy’s hand, and hurriedly exited the room.
“I know not how you achieve it, Mrs. Elizabeth,” said Lady Catherine, “but you might have instilled some spine in Mr. Bingley. What say you, Darcy?”
“Bingley is a good man, but often too easily led. Yet, I have never seen him so mortified—and there were times at Cambridge when he most certainly found himself on the wrong side of propriety. His embarrassment was acute.”
“Whether he calls on my sister—I cannot say,” said Elizabeth, a little wistfully. “Currently he is angry—Miss Bingley has cruelly used both him and Miss Bennet. Yet, he must confront his own heart, for he let himself be led—is that truly a man who loves, and wishes to be loved in return?”
“You speak of love, Mrs. Elizabeth,” said Lady Catherine. “I had supposed you were a hard woman, such as Lady Jersey. That is how she presents herself.”
“Perhaps she is,” Elizabeth replied. “But Lady Jersey will go out of her way to help any she believes worthy, even to the detriment of the Bank—though, please, never tell her that it was I who said it. She would prefer all of England to believe she takes herself for a goddess, ruling over Almack’s and the wealth of the City with scant regard for mere mortals such as us. ”
Elizabeth paused. “While it is not my place, for I am only a guest—yet, I would truly take pleasure if Georgiana were to play for us.”
“Oh, what a splendid idea!” cried Anne, clapping her hands. “And then you, Mrs. Elizabeth, must entertain us, for Georgiana tells me you play and sing delightfully, but I have never heard you perform, in all the weeks we have been here at Pemberley.”
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