Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
The next morning, Darcy sent a note to his great-uncle and directed his staff to forward any response to him at Matlock House before he and Georgiana left to break their fasts with their family.
While they dined, they made plans for the day: the ladies would shop on Bond Street with Richard and Darcy escorting them, and Darcy would add Elizabeth to the accounts where Georgiana regularly shopped.
He hoped to accompany her to Hatchards and add her to his account there but doubted there would be time as he had errands of his own to accomplish, including meeting with his solicitor and having a particular ring from the Darcy collection cleaned and checked to present it to Elizabeth later in the day.
To her surprise, Elizabeth almost enjoyed the visit to the modiste, as Lady Matlock’s understated style and the modiste’s suggestions complemented Elizabeth’s colouring and figure.
She always dreaded such visits with her mother as they included a ridiculous number of measurements and pins and many arguments over lace and other nonsense.
However, she thought she would not mind repeating that day’s experience.
Rather quickly, Lady Matlock ordered quite a few dresses and gowns for Elizabeth, including partially completed gowns suitable for her wedding and the ball to be held in their honour.
They were part of another order that had been cancelled, and the colours and styles were perfect for Elizabeth.
The modiste promised to have the wedding gown ready for a final fitting the next morning and delivery to Matlock House in the afternoon.
Several other dresses from the cancelled order complimented Elizabeth very well and needed only minor adjustments; these would be delivered to Darcy House as they were finished.
With their shopping finished for the day, the ladies headed to the tea shop to meet the gentlemen before returning to Matlock House.
Elizabeth was about to sit at a table with the rest of her party when they heard the familiar and unwelcome voice of Caroline Bingley.
“Miss Eliza, whatever are you doing in London?”
She glanced at the ladies seated around her with a questioning gaze. At a nod from Lady Matlock, she returned the greeting. “Miss Bingley, I am shopping with friends this morning.”
“Oh, Miss Darcy!” Miss Bingley cried in a condescending tone.
“I did not see you there. It has been such a long time since I have seen you.” Then, looking between the two women, she spoke again in a disdainful voice.
“Since when did you become friends with Miss Darcy, Miss Eliza? How ever could you meet such elevated company in Hertfordshire?”
“We met recently in London and have become rather fast friends,” Elizabeth answered.
As Lady Matlock was now standing, Elizabeth saw Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam near the door and spoke again.
“You must excuse us, Miss Bingley; we are leaving now.” They all rose and began to walk towards the door, leaving Caroline behind.
Caroline recognised the Countess of Matlock and hoped Miss Darcy would introduce her.
It galled her that the detestable Eliza Bennet was in company with that lady while she, who possessed an education from the best seminary, could not even obtain an introduction.
Peering around to see Mr Darcy himself at the door, she hesitated, remembering he threatened to cut her if she approached him or his sister after her attempt to compromise him and his refusal to marry her at Netherfield.
She knew she risked a public cut if she spoke, but if he were keeping company with the likes of that Bennet chit, surely he would not cut her, would he?
After all, as a wealthy tradesman’s daughter, she was of a much higher station than Eliza Bennet, wasn’t she? She decided to risk it.
Following the other ladies, Miss Bingley arrived at the door just behind them and frowned when she saw Eliza Bennet on one of Darcy’s arms and Georgiana on the other, leaving no open arm for her to grasp.
“Mr Darcy! It has simply been an age…” she cried but stopped abruptly as he glared at her with contempt before deliberately turning his back to her.
She immediately heard murmurs at the direct cut on the street and in the tea shop.
She turned to re-enter the shop despite the stares and amused titters of the other patrons, but her sister, Mrs Hurst, who warned her against approaching Elizabeth Bennet, met her at the door, shook her head at her sister’s actions, and escorted her to their carriage.
Once home, she suggested to her husband they leave London for a time, and they determined to depart for his father’s estate the next day.
They would leave Caroline at an aunt’s home along the way, and Charles could determine what to do with her, as it was clear she could not remain in London.
Lady Matlock congratulated Elizabeth and Darcy for their handling of Miss Bingley.
She steadfastly avoided being introduced to Miss Bingley, but Charles Bingley had been a good friend to her nephew for many years, and she was as puzzled and upset as William by his participation in the compromise attempt that led to the termination of their friendship.
“I can scarcely believe the nerve of that woman,” Darcy growled as they entered the carriage.
“I cannot believe she approached me after what transpired with her and her brother. And for her to disparage you, Elizabeth, is ridiculous. The woman is a tradesman’s daughter; does she not understand that she ranks below the daughter of a gentleman?
Has she forgotten that her dowry is gone?
I certainly want nothing to do with her or her brother after what they attempted. ”
The group decided to return to Matlock House for refreshments since they left the tea shop before they could order.
The encounter with Miss Bingley soured the idea of continued shopping, although William still hoped to take Elizabeth to the bookstore soon.
Upon their arrival, the butler handed a letter to Mr Darcy.
“This is the note from my great uncle,” he said.
“If you will excuse me momentarily, I will read my letter in Uncle’s study. ”
A few minutes later, he joined them in the drawing room and accepted a cup of tea before sitting next to Elizabeth and whispering to her.
Her eyes widened, and then she smiled at him.
Knowing everyone in the room was observing them, he quickly answered the unspoken question.
“The licence will be messengered to Darcy House tomorrow morning so we may marry any time after that. The Gardiners should arrive at home this afternoon or tomorrow, and as soon as we speak with them, we can set a time and date for the wedding,” he said before turning to Elizabeth.
“My love, did you have a specific day in mind for our wedding?”
She blushed at the endearment spoken so easily in front of his family.
“The modiste had a dress ready that needed only minor alterations to be perfect for me. The order was cancelled due to the family going into mourning, and I feel terrible for whoever ordered it, although it will work out perfectly for us. It will be ready tomorrow afternoon. Would you prefer to marry on Saturday or wait until the following week?” Elizabeth asked.
“Let us plan the wedding to take place Saturday morning,” Lady Matlock interjected. “William, have you arranged for the bishop to officiate the ceremony, or is that a matter you have yet to address?”
He smiled. “I did not ask, but he assured me he would be happy to do so in his note. I will let him know once we have a definite time and date.”
They continued to make plans over tea and refreshments until William remembered that he needed to visit the Gardiners to find out if they had returned.
“Might I accompany you, William?” Elizabeth asked.
“I would like to see them to explain matters, especially Jane, and invite them to the wedding in person.”
“We do not know they will be there,” he said but then considered for a moment.
His eyes lit up when he came up with a solution that would allow the privacy he desired.
“We could take a phaeton, and I could drive us there. If they are not returned, we can leave a note. Do you foresee any problems with that plan, Aunt?”
She smiled at him and agreed with the plan. “How quickly can you return from Darcy House with the phaeton?”
He estimated he could return in half an hour.
Lady Matlock ushered Elizabeth upstairs to help her prepare for her ride across London with William and loaned her a bonnet appropriate for the open carriage.
The half-hour passed quickly, and William was in the entry waiting for Elizabeth when she arrived alone.
He greeted her as though they had been apart much longer than just half an hour, and they exited the house slightly breathless as Elizabeth adjusted her bonnet before she smilingly boarded the equipage.
She teased him as he helped her into the open carriage. “If you always greeted me that way, we would have been married long ago.”
“If I greeted you like that on our first meeting, you would have slapped me,” he teased, and she laughed out loud.
“You might be right about that,” she laughed, “but it would have been a very different meeting! You never know; I might have been tempted beyond my ability.”
He groaned at her teasing volley. “I love you, Elizabeth. You are incredibly handsome, the most handsome lady I have ever known, and if I told you how much you tempt me, you would slap me for sure.” He relished the light laugh and blush his comment caused.
William took the long route to Gracechurch Street, giving them more time to enjoy the other’s company.
As they made their way through London, Darcy and Elizabeth relished the opportunity to discuss their plans for the remainder of the season and their wedding trip.
Darcy would have taken her nearly anywhere she wanted to go (there was a war on the continent to be considered) and was pleased that, most of all, Elizabeth wanted to see Pemberley.
After seeing Darcy House and hearing that Pemberley was far more impressive, she could not imagine going anywhere else.
In plain sight of everyone around them, he leaned over and kissed her.
“I have dreamt of taking you home to Pemberley, my dearest Elizabeth, but I wonder, after some time at Pemberley, would you like to visit the Darcy cottage at the Lakes? I am afraid I will not be able to give you the attention you deserve at Pemberley; too many people need my attention there.”
She smiled up at him. “And you do not know how to ignore such demands on your time, do you, my dear man? You are very attentive to all your duties, and I admire you for such responsibility. Yes, I would adore a trip to the Lakes with you. Perhaps we can stay at Pemberley for a month before travelling to the cottage for a fortnight?”
He kissed her again. “That would be perfect, dearest.”