Chapter 23
Elizabeth woke at dawn and was washed and dressed by the time a maid rapped gently on her door with the requested morning alarm and an unneeded offer of hot water.
While she could not make herself stay in bed any longer, she had no idea when Mr Darcy might rise.
They had agreed to leave for Brighton first thing that morning, but had not set an exact hour.
“Thank you, Nancy. I shall be going downstairs presently. Do you think I might have some tea?”
“Mr Darcy is already downstairs in the breakfast room, Miss,” the maid informed her. “There are fresh rolls and tea on the table.”
A wave of relief washed over her at both of these pieces of news. Elizabeth thought again with chagrin at how wrongly she had once judged Mr Darcy.
“Miss Darcy has risen too,” Nancy added before she left. “Mr Soames says that the carriage is ready whenever Mr Darcy gives the word.”
At this news, Elizabeth puzzled slightly, but then shrugged and began to make her way downstairs.
She had not imagined taking the girl to Brighton with them, supposing that Georgiana and Mr Darcy would prefer her to stay safely at home with Mrs Stark.
Still, perhaps Miss Darcy only wished to see them off.
Mr Darcy rose and bowed politely as Elizabeth entered the room, his face serious and alert as he greeted her and repeated what Nancy had said about the coach.
“Our driver today, Alfred Betterton, knows Brighton well, having relatives in that town,” he further informed her. “He tells me that he is familiar with the Hyperion Theatre, and we should have no trouble locating it.”
“That is good to know,” Elizabeth responded, pouring herself a cup of tea.
“I have only been to Brighton a couple of times as a child, and remember only the pebbled beach and a tea shop. The Forsters should be able to direct us, of course, but they too are new to the town, and I dare say my family has already put them to enough trouble.”
“I doubt Colonel Forster would grudge that. Nor should he, under the circumstances,” Mr Darcy remarked, shaking his head.
Before he could expand on any blame lying with the Forsters, Georgiana entered the breakfast room, fully dressed and with a cape over her arm as though ready to leave the house instantly.
“Are we almost ready to leave? Or do I have time for breakfast?” she enquired, taking a seat at the table.
Elizabeth and Mr Darcy looked at one another, the surprise on his face indicating that he had indeed shared Elizabeth’s presumption about Georgiana remaining in London.
“Georgiana, we will be calling at a theatre in Brighton, out of hours, and to discuss a very delicate matter,” Mr Darcy began to explain to her. “It is not a proper place for a young lady.”
“Nor is it proper for you to take an unrelated young lady to Brighton for the day without a chaperone, Brother,” Georgiana pointed out blithely.
At this remark, Elizabeth felt her cheeks flush hotly, and she saw consternation on Darcy’s face. This aspect of things had not occurred to either of them in the flurry of other considerations and the urgency of Lydia’s situation.
“I am a companion, Miss Darcy. No one could possibly think that…”
Taking advantage of Elizabeth’s inability to even say the words about what no one could think about her being alone in Brighton with Mr Darcy, Georgiana spoke up again.
“You are young and pretty and amiable,” she stated firmly to Elizabeth. “People might think very bad things about Fitzwilliam indeed if he is known to have taken you alone to Brighton, Miss Bennet. Then, what if you must stay the night there? It seems likely, does it not? No, I must come with you.”
Now Elizabeth’s cheeks were scarlet with embarrassment. Mr Darcy too was flushed, and he did not look at her. She saw him swallow before he responded. Perhaps he had not thought of her as a pretty and amiable young lady until Georgiana reminded him.
“I fear Georgiana is correct,” Mr Darcy said at last. “For propriety’s sake, she must travel with us. Forgive my oversight in suggesting otherwise, Miss Bennet.”
Elizabeth could only nod self-consciously.
“Yes, I must join the party for Brighton,” the girl said again.
“Still, you cannot accompany us to the theatre, Georgiana,” Mr Darcy said firmly. “I do not wish you to know any… theatre people. We will call first on Colonel Forster and hope that Mrs Forster can host you while we reason with Miss Bennet’s sister.”
“Very well,” Georgiana agreed, raising no objections.
Upon hearing the distaste and disapproval with which Mr Darcy spoke of actors, Elizabeth turned her face away and bit her lip.
But she could hardly fault him for the judgement, knowing this to be the common view of the ton.
If Lydia went through with her plan, the Bennet family could expect to be ridiculed at best and ostracised at worst. And as she had been holed up in the theatre’s boarding house without adequate supervision for most of a week, Lydia’s reputation would already be tainted.
They ate and drank quickly after this, making only small talk in the slightly awkward atmosphere that had now descended with Georgiana Darcy’s untimely reminder that Fitzwilliam Darcy was an eligible single man, and Elizabeth an attractive young lady, despite her profession.
Elizabeth was glad when breakfast was done and they moved together into the hallway, maids already waiting there to assist them with outdoor clothing.
“Your overnight bags are also in the coach,” Mrs Stark advised them after waving over a footman with a small hamper of provisions for the journey. “In case you cannot return tonight. This express message also arrived for you a few minutes ago, Mr Darcy.”
“Thank you, Mrs Stark,” Mr Darcy said, swiftly picking up the rather substantial packet and breaking the seal. “It is from Netherfield.”
The second sentence was spoken to Elizabeth and Georgiana, both instantly on tenterhooks as soon as the message was announced. After all, the letter could contain news of resolution or disaster, either potentially making their journey unnecessary.
Elizabeth saw quickly that the note from Mr Bingley was only a few lines, covering another, thicker, letter, which Mr Darcy immediately handed to her.
“Bingley says that all is as well as it can be at Longbourn,” he said briefly after reading his friend’s note. “Mrs Bennet bids you give this letter to Lydia when you see her. Your sister Jane wishes you to know that this is the seventh such letter that your mother has sent.”
This report was a small relief. At least Charles Bingley seemed determined to stand by Jane, no matter what happened with Lydia, and regardless of his sisters’ attitude. Or that of his future mother-in-law…
Elizabeth took the unsealed letter from Mrs Bennet cautiously and could not help catching sight of the flurry of pained expressions and heartfelt recriminations it contained. Closing her eyes, she sighed and slipped it into her pocket.
“Forgive me, I do not know whether or not I shall give this to Lydia. If the previous six letters have not shaken my sister’s resolve, I cannot imagine what else my mother might write now that could make a difference.”
Mr Darcy nodded, making no criticism or judgement.
“Well, then. There is no reason to delay. To the coach.”
Georgiana Darcy took Elizabeth’s arm and squeezed it as they followed him from the house.
“I am sure we shall get everything fixed in Brighton soon enough. We will be back here at Darcy House playing Mozart duets again before you know it.”
Elizabeth smiled vaguely, hiding the doubts still lurking in her heart. Knowing Lydia’s impulsive, mercurial and contrary nature, she had far less confidence about fixing anything, although she knew she must try.
If Lydia was determined to be an actress, then likely that is what she would make herself, attempting to reverse her course only once its harsh consequences made themselves clear to her.
By then, it would be too late. Once Lydia’s name was in public circulation, there would be a scandal that would likely spread through London, as well as Brighton and Hertfordshire.
Despite his kindness now, while some small hope of rescue remained, Elizabeth could not believe that Mr Darcy would really want the sister of a known-actress as companion to Georgiana once the news was in full circulation.
Connections with the Darcy family would likely be severed then, even if in a civilised fashion.
After Lydia actually appeared on stage and in advertisements, nor would any other family wish to employ Elizabeth. Her career would be as dead as her marriage opportunities.
“The sooner we go, the sooner we return,” Elizabeth told Georgiana, swallowing down her likely future sorrows.
∞∞∞
“Mrs Forster seemed content to have Georgiana’s company,” Mr Darcy reflected, breaking the silence in the carriage as they rolled towards the Hyperion Theatre after their call at Colonel Forster’s home. “I am glad of that.”
“Likely, after having endured Lydia’s company and its aftermath, Mrs Forster is pleased to meet a young woman of sixteen with more sense and better principles,” remarked Elizabeth, her anger at Lydia’s behaviour now rising with the prospect of seeing her in person so soon.
“Forgive me, Mr Darcy. I ought not to speak such thoughts of my own sister aloud, but I find I cannot help myself.”
“I am only glad that you hold Georgiana in such high regard,” he responded simply and seriously. “It means a great deal to me.”
“Georgiana has been raised well and kept safe from the world when she should have been,” Elizabeth told him, sensing that she did not entirely understand the full meaning of his words but too distracted to probe more deeply.
“She is a credit to you, Mr Darcy. I wish I had the same confidence in Lydia’s good sense and right feeling as I have in your sister’s. ”
“Do you consider your youngest sister beyond reason?” he asked, and Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders.