Chapter 15. Mr Darcy’s Happy Days
Georgiana Darcy was a particularly happy young woman during the long weeks of August. Mr and Mrs Banks discussed the number of letters the young woman received on alternate days of the week, first from her brother and then from Miss Bennet but kept their opinions to themselves.
The franking purse was emptied more than once with the number of letters received every day for Mr Darcy’s business so the letters for Miss Darcy were not an issue.
Mrs Annesley had few objections because her charge addressed her lessons with great enthusiasm.
Mr Banks and Mrs Annesley reached agreement that letters were not be delivered during meals but otherwise they merely observed the smiles and laughter Miss Darcy would exhibit after reading each one.
One afternoon after receiving a letter from Miss Bennet, Miss Darcy sought the butler in the kitchen of the townhouse. With the newly delivered letter in her hand, Georgiana asked, “Banks, do we have a pitchfork in the stables?”
Blinking with surprise, the stoic servant was speechless for a moment. He stumbled trying to respond, “A pitch…”
“A pitchfork,” Miss Darcy replied. “Never mind, I shall ask Hamby next time we go shopping.”
“Miss Darcy why are you asking about pitchforks?” inquired Mrs Annesley as she led her charge to Miss Darcy’s chambers on the second floor.
Handing over the latest letter from Miss Bennet for her companion to read, Georgiana explained, “Miss Bennet and my brother walk in the park at Rosings most days with a young boy from one of the farms as chaperone. The chaperone has explained the uses of a pitchfork to defend young women from old goats. She writes that he demonstrated the effectiveness of the pitchfork in the destruction of a particularly vicious boxwood the other day.”
Mrs Annesley’s mouth dropped open, but she said nothing before turning to the letter and reading it twice. She handed the paper back to Georgiana who sighed and said, “It sounds so exciting…”
“Miss Bennet is in mourning for her sister until October. She is not supposed to be having excitement or company,” Mrs Annesley reminded her charge.
“Miss Elizabeth does mourn the loss of her sister,” Georgiana retorted. “But she was too lost in her mourning and that is why her Aunt Gardiner sent her to Hunsford. Providence sent my brother there and they are walking with a chaperone each day.”
“A farm boy!” Mrs Annesley snorted. “He is hardly a suitable chaperone!”
Now Georgiana frowned and said, “My brother will not do anything improper! I believe Miss Bennet will be Mrs Darcy before many months and there will be nothing in the newspapers except for a simple announcement of their betrothal and marriage.”
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At Gracechurch Street, Mr and Mrs Gardiner discussed the serendipity of Darcy’s appearance in Elizabeth’s letters from Hunsford.
They worried for a moment but a letter from Mrs Collins emphasising the constant presence of the boisterous Henry Jones with the young couple and Elizabeth’s letters reassured them that everything was appropriate.
Additionally, Mr Gardiner received a letter from Mr Darcy that expressed the desire to form a permanent union with Miss Bennet in the new year once he received the young woman’s acceptance in October.
Holding Charlie before putting him to bed for a time, Mrs Gardiner prayed Jane would watch over her sister.
Mrs Simple would see to the babe’s needs overnight and Mrs Gardiner descended to the second floor where her husband read a story book to their other children in the nursery.
He glanced up and smiled as she prepared the small beds; Nanny had retired for the evening, and the Gardiners tucked their children into bed.
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In Kent, Colonel Fitzwilliam made his decision and invited Mr Lincoln to return to Rosings Park to be wed to Miss Anne de Bourgh after calling the banns for three Sundays at the church at Hunsford.
In a letter, Lady Catherine invited her brother and his family to attend, and at the dinner table, issued an invitation to her nephew, Darcy, to attend and bring his sister.
“Of course, you will need to provide an appropriate gift for the young couple,” Lady Catherine said as the ladies rose from the table.
‘Young?’ Darcy thought. ‘Lincoln is two-and-thirty and Cousin Anne is eight-and-twenty.’
“I thought the properties in Gravesend…the income will support…”
Colonel Fitzwilliam interrupted Lady Catherine saying, “Madam, perhaps you can restrain yourself until some other time to aggravate Darcy. You know he will never return the properties that cost him so dear.”
“So dear? What do you mean?”
“Aunt, you attempted to ruin my reputation with the bankers in the city,” Darcy reminded the woman. “I shall not forget or forgive your attempts to force my hand one way or the other.”
Lady Catherine frowned, “You always have been headstrong Fitzwilliam!”
“Careful Aunt, I might seek out George Wickham and pay him to move to Kent and sew discord hereabouts,” threatened Darcy.
Sputtering in anger, Lady Catherine stormed from the room. Darcy took a finger of bourbon. Colonel Fitzwilliam took three fingers of the drink and inquired, “Will you remain for the wedding?”
“No,” Darcy replied, not caring if Lady Catherine listened from the hallway or not. “Georgie will be disappointed, but I shall bribe her with a new dress or new books. And I shall select an appropriate gift for my cousin and her husband that does not cost me seven thousand pounds.”
“Three weeks after Mr Lincoln returns…that will put the wedding in late September,” Richard observed aloud.
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Walking with Miss Elizabeth and Henry Jones the next day, Darcy announced the plans for Mr Lincoln’s return and marriage to Miss de Bourgh in September.
“I hope they will be happy together,” Elizabeth said as Henry let out a yell.
“Will they give the farmers a holiday?” the boy asked with bright eyes. “Old Dragon Skirts hasn’t let us have a fall festival in three years! Says it costs too much…”
“Dragon…” Darcy asked with surprise evident in his voice as Henry turned red with embarrassment to have spoken about Lady Catherine in such a manner. However, Elizabeth’s giggles rescued the man and the boy.
Once her mirth was once again under control, the young woman said, “Mr Darcy, you must speak to the steward if someone has neglected to give the tenants a harvest home in September for several years.”
His face threatening to break out in a grin, Darcy turned to Henry and said, “Mr Jones, we must not speak aloud of Lady Dragon Skirts. And I shall speak to the steward and to Mr Lincoln about providing the tenants a harvest festival this fall to celebrate the marriage.”
“September…” Elizabeth said as they began walking again. “I shall return to London at the end of the month. I need to see…”
“Your new cousin will be two months now,” Darcy said. “I am certain the babe is well. Mrs Gardiner would have written with news otherwise.”
“Will you remain for the wedding?”
Darcy shook his head and explained, “No. I came to Rosings only to support Richard with the selection of Anne’s husband. I shall return to London as well. If Mrs Collins can arrange a suitable chaperone, I would be very pleased to return you to your Uncle Gardiner’s home in my carriage.”
“Once we are back in London, we shall not have our walks,” Elizabeth said sadly. “The month of September will be long.”
“Why won’t you see Mr Darcy in London?” the boy asked curiously.
“My sister died in June, and I cannot have company until October,” she explained.
“But you can write letters,” Henry said. “Miss Eliza writes letters every day, she tells me so.”
“Gentlemen do not write letters to young women.”
Henry shook his head and said, “You swells are hard to understand with rules about letters and keeping company.”
“I shall miss your company, Mr Darcy,” Elizabeth admitted. “I fear my letters to Miss Darcy will empty Mr Bank’s franking purse each week.”
“And I shall have to write to Mr Gardiner. Perhaps I shall invest in a warehouse.”
Elizabeth pursed her lips and shook her head, “No, we do not need another.”
Darcy laughed to have caught her off guard but then said, “I believe I would be a candidate for Bedlam if I had no news of you for an entire month!”
“Lord, he’s gone for you for sure Miss Eliza. Want me to find the parson what’s can marry you this afternoon?” asked Henry. “You don’t want him to change his mind.”
“Henry Jones, I shall not change my mind about the high regard I have for Miss Elizabeth though a hundred years were to pass,” Darcy declared.
“But before we wed, I must have permission from Mr Gardiner and then I shall ask the lady to be my wife properly. We shall publish the banns in the Gardiner’s church in London for three Sundays before we marry. ”
“That’s a long time!” declared the boy.
As they walked back to the parsonage, Elizabeth refused to let go of Mr Darcy’s arm and she laughed at everything Henry and Darcy discussed. At the house, Charlotte came out the door when she heard them approaching and the parson’s wife smiled to see her friend smiling.
“The gentlem’n makes Miss Elizabeth laugh, Mrs Collins,” Henry explained. “They’re getting’ married after he talks to her guard, asks her proper like, and gets banded in church.”
Elizabeth and Darcy exchanged smiles to hear Henry saying the words aloud so Elizabeth translated saying, “Charlotte, our plans are that Mr Darcy will speak to Uncle Gardiner in October, then propose properly and we shall publish the banns in church in London. My mourning for Jane will end in December so in the new year…”
“You will become Mrs Fitzwilliam Darcy,” Mr Darcy declared.
“Congratulations, Mr Darcy,” Charlotte said. “You have found a wonderful woman to be your bride.”
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