Chapter 21 #2
“I would not necessarily refer to the experience as a pleasure. It was crowded and hot and Miss Morrison was pretentious and cold. She has blonde hair, forty thousand pounds, a large bosom, and absolutely no sense of humour. My father liked her prodigiously.”
“And do you like her?”
“I have given her no thought whatsoever. She is not unattractive, but she is uncommonly dull.” Frowning, he scratched his chin.
“According to my mother she sings and plays the harp, but I have seen nothing of it. She did not exhibit that evening, nor any other evening I have been in company with her. In fact, she spends an inordinate amount of time devouring cucumber sandwiches and cake, followed by trips to the water closet. She is a terrible conversationalist. Truly, I do not think the lady knows any words above two syllables.”
“Miss Morrison sounds rather…”
“Lacking,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam with a theatrical sigh. “She is merely another lady—indistinguishable from the rest—who has been endorsed for the marriage market by the bon ton. She is tolerable I suppose, but she is no Miss Bennet.”
Darcy threw a piece of sealing wax at him. “Miss Bennet is mine. You must find your own wife. If I recall, you wanted a simpering lady with a large dowry, not a woman of sense with only a thousand pounds.”
“As the son of an earl it is my prerogative to change my mind,” Fitzwilliam said, smiling widely as he shifted his weight in his chair. “Let us speak no more of wives. It is all my mother talks of lately and I am beginning to detest the subject.”
“Very well. I trust you received my express?”
“I did, and I took the liberty of sending my own on to Newcastle. If anything is amiss with Wickham, my friend Colonel Whittaker will inform me, though it will take a few days for his reply to reach London. I never thought I would say this, but what Wickham claimed may likely be true—he could very well be on an errand for his colonel. It is a bit odd he thought to drag his wife with him all the way to Hertfordshire and attend Bingley’s wedding, especially if he is not overly fond of her society. ”
Darcy’s mouth twisted with distaste as he recalled the way Mrs Wickham accosted him in her mother’s drawing room yesterday morning, completely lacking in propriety and determined to have her way like a spoilt child. “He is not the only one.”
“I am sorry you were forced to see either of them while you were in Hertfordshire. I would have been tempted to run him through.”
“Believe me, I was sorely tempted, but my focus cannot always be directed towards Wickham. I had better things to do with my time.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam smirked. “I imagine you did. What are your plans for the day?”
“My only matter of business,” Darcy replied, reclining in his chair, “was to inform your father of my engagement. Other than that, I will pay a call to Miss Bennet in Gracechurch Street this afternoon and then see her to Park Street after tea.”
“Park Street?”
“Yes. Bingley has taken a house there. He did not want to spend his honeymoon in Grosvenor Street with Hurst and his sisters making demands of him. I cannot say that I blame him. He invited Elizabeth to join them for the duration.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam blanched. “What number?”
“I have no idea,” Darcy replied. “Why does it matter? Why are you suddenly interested in Park Street?”
“Darcy,” said his cousin, “have you no recollection the Harrows have also taken a house in Park Street? What if they are neighbours?”
“The Harrows? Are you certain?”
“Yes, I am certain. I have been there—to Chadwick House. It is where I was introduced to Miss Morrison.”
Rubbing his forehead, Darcy looked towards the window. He felt a headache coming on. “This is…most inconvenient.”
“I am inclined to agree, but perhaps it might end up working to your advantage.”
“How so?” he asked, his tone doubtful. “Lady Harrow does not comprehend subtlety any more than she practises propriety. I do not like the idea of her being Miss Bennet’s neighbour.”
“It is highly unlikely she will deign to pay Miss Bennet a call. Attend the theatre or go for a walk in Hyde Park with Miss Bennet on your arm and there will surely be talk. By the time calling hours are over and done with, the whole of society will know you are no longer on the marriage market. Lady Harrow will likely be so affronted by the business she may even spread the word herself. There is nothing she can do but grit her teeth and wish you joy should you have the misfortune of meeting with her.”
“There is plenty she can do,” Darcy said darkly. “She is spiteful and vindictive. She can disparage Miss Bennet.”
“So, what if she does? Do you think Miss Bennet cannot defend herself? She is as intelligent as she is attractive and has a tongue as sharp as a rapier. For heaven’s sake, she handled Lady Catherine’s remarks with unmitigated grace and aplomb.
Miss Bennet will be fine. I doubt she will allow some catty society mamma to best her, especially one who has set her cap at you. ”
“Lady Harrow did not set her cap at me,” Darcy replied irritably. “She wanted me for her daughter.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam laughed. “Tell yourself that if it brings you comfort, but we both know first-hand where that woman’s proclivities lay.
Had you indulged my mother and married Eliza Harrow, you would have found her ladyship in your bedchamber before long wearing nothing but her title, whether she was welcome there or not. ”
“Who is your letter from, Cousin Lizzy?”
“Emily,” her mother chided, “leave Elizabeth alone. She is entitled to her privacy, however little we can afford to give her.”
Emily swayed closer. “Is it from Longbourn? Is it from Cousin Jane? Is it from Mr Darcy?” she asked, batting her eyelashes innocently. “He is very handsome.”
“That is enough, Emily. You have your lessons to attend to, or have you forgotten? Perhaps I should send for your father and have him remind you of the necessity of your education.”
“Enjoy your letter, Cousin Lizzy,” Emily called, performing a hasty curtsey before quitting the room.
Mrs Gardiner shook her head at her daughter’s antics and resumed her fine work. “Who is your letter from, Lizzy?”
“Why, Aunt,” Elizabeth replied with a teasing lilt, “I was under the impression I am entitled to my privacy.”
“Oh, hush,” said her aunt, smiling. “Is it from Mr Darcy?”
“It is from Jane. She writes to say she and Mr Bingley will come to Gracechurch Street at nine o’clock this evening to retrieve me.”
“That ought to give you plenty of time to visit with Mr Darcy. I had thought to invite him to stay for supper again if he has no prior engagements. Perhaps Jane and Mr Bingley can join us as well. Why do you not write to her, and suggest the idea?”
Elizabeth had no sooner finished her missive to Jane than the Gardiners’ maid announced not only Darcy’s arrival, but Colonel Fitzwilliam’s as well.
The gentlemen entered the room and Darcy’s steady gaze settled upon her at once.
Elizabeth greeted him warmly and introduced Colonel Fitzwilliam to her aunt.
He had treated her with kindness and solicitation when they had met at Rosings Park last April, and she had thoroughly enjoyed his company. Her smile for him was as warm.
“It is good of you to call upon us, Colonel Fitzwilliam,” Elizabeth said to him. “Seeing you is a delightful surprise.”
“The pleasure is entirely mine,” he told her with a wide grin as he claimed a seat beside her on a small sofa, effectively preventing Darcy from doing the same.
“When Darcy told me this morning of your engagement, I insisted on accompanying him. I cannot begin to express my joy that you have accepted him. We are as close as brothers. I have always wanted a sister.”
Darcy snorted. “You have a sister, Fitzwilliam.”
His cousin waved his hand dismissively. “Josephine does not count.” He returned his attention to Elizabeth.
“She is my brother’s wife, Lady Emerson, and one of the most wearisome creatures in all of England.
Come to think of it, my brother is extremely tedious as well. I daresay they are well suited.”
Darcy looked disapprovingly at his cousin and shook his head. “Compared to you, Fitzwilliam, everyone appears dull.”
“It goes without saying that you can certainly use some liveliness, but I am well enough acquainted with our dear Miss Bennet to know that she does not. Certainly, you do not mean to say that you find your future wife dull, Darcy?”
“I implied nothing of the sort,” Darcy told him exasperatedly. “You are putting words in my mouth. It is a most unfortunate habit—one I recommend breaking yourself of else Mrs Gardiner begins to regret your acquaintance.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam chuckled. “Forgive me, Mrs Gardiner,” he said with a winsome smile.
“Where Darcy is concerned, I cannot seem to help myself. We have developed a dreadful habit of ribbing one another, as gentlemen are wont to do. In truth, his friendship is extremely dear to me, dearer than my own brother’s.
There is nothing I would not do for him. He is the very best of men.”
Mrs Gardiner returned his smile. “I have become well acquainted with Mr Darcy, Colonel, and cannot but share your sentiments. He has become dear to us as well. There is no better man I could have wished for Elizabeth. And if he needs a bit of liveliness from time to time,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eye, “he has come to the right place. I daresay my niece has enough liveliness for both. She is an excellent tease.”
Elizabeth felt a blush bloom upon her countenance but smiled despite it.
“Mr Darcy is no stranger to my incorrigible teasing and impertinent nature. Perhaps, if he is feeling generous, he might be so good as to impart a bit of seriousness upon my levity. I am confident we can instruct each other, for I have come to learn there is as much value to be found in gravity as there is in humour.” She looked to Darcy and was gratified to see a small, private smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he regarded her with a sincerity that made her pulse quicken.
“You are indeed an incorrigible tease, Miss Bennet,” he replied, “but I consider myself most fortunate in my choice of wife. I am confident our life together will not be the least bit dull.”