Chapter 29 #2
One morning, several ladies were visiting at Darcy House as they discussed upcoming plans.
Lady Matlock arrived accompanied by Mrs Gardiner, and Elizabeth was discussing plans with her aunts when Jane was announced, followed by Mrs Thornton and Mrs Ashford.
These ladies were married to friends of Darcy and had been introduced not long before the Darcys’ house party the previous autumn.
The Thorntons married only a few months later, but the Ashfords were still newly married.
“I do apologise if we have come at a bad time,” Mrs Thornton said as soon as she greeted all the women.
“I know this is not your normal day for receiving visitors, but ever since you wrote you were coming to town, I looked forward to seeing you and dragged Amelia with me.” She indicated Mrs Ashford.
“We have not seen you since the autumn, and I know you were unable to come to our weddings, but we were anxious to see you again.”
Elizabeth smiled graciously at the women.
“You are not interrupting at all,” she answered.
“Do you know everyone here?” After a brief introduction to Mary, who had not been at Pemberley in the autumn, the ladies began to speak of more general topics, although they continued discussing their plans for the coming weeks.
“I know you have only been in town a few days, but how long do you intend to stay?” Mrs Ashford asked. “My husband cannot imagine Mr Darcy being willing to stay longer than he must, but I suggested that you might be able to persuade him to stay longer.”
Trilling a laugh, Elizabeth replied airily, “I quite prefer the country to town as well, but we did want to give Georgiana and Mary an opportunity to attend a few events before participating in the Season in the spring. We have several outings planned while we are here—a few musical evenings and several theatre performances.”
The group spoke a bit longer before the butler brought several cards for Elizabeth to review.
After glancing at them and a slight nod from Lady Matlock, she permitted the butler to announce them.
“Ladies Grenville and Harcourt, and Mrs Sutton,” the butler intoned as the ladies entered the room.
The other visitors in the room stiffened somewhat as these women were known as inveterate gossips and were there to glean whatever gossip there was to be had.
“Mrs Darcy,” they greeted her insincerely, reminding Elizabeth of Caroline Bingley, “it is such a pleasure to see you again. You have been absent from London for much of the last year.” They greeted the other guests but turned up their noses at Mrs Gardiner and Miss Bennet.
“Well, I believe it was published in the paper, but Mr Darcy’s heir was born this spring, and that prevented our travelling to town during this time,” Elizabeth said carefully. “Alexander Darcy is a handsome child; my husband is thrilled with him.”
“How lovely,” Lady Grenville said. “When was he born?” She was an older matron of the ton, of a similar age to Lady Matlock, and her daughter was one of the ladies who sought to win Darcy’s attention for herself.
Both mother and daughter were disappointed when he married Elizabeth and still sought to discredit them by assigning a different reason for their hasty wedding.
“He was born in April, my lady, just after our anniversary,” Elizabeth replied, her smile tight.
“Oh,” Mrs Sutton said, clearly disappointed at the lack of scandal in this news.
She was also a gossipy matron, and while she did not have a daughter with marital ambitions dashed by Darcy’s marriage, she attempted to entice Mr Darcy to a tryst on several occasions.
She hoped that with him married, she could now convince him.
“How long will you remain in London? You have not been in town in a year, and we do hope you will remain.”
“We only intend to stay in town briefly,” she replied. “We were just discussing some of the events we hope to attend while we are here.”
“How wonderful,” Lady Harcourt cried. Lady Harcourt had been married for a few months; Lord Harcourt, the Earl of Bexley, was at least sixty but, having pursued Darcy for several seasons, had finally relented to marry a title.
Like Mrs Sutton, she was still hoping to entice Mr Darcy into agreeing to a liaison with her and subtly let Mrs Darcy know her intentions.
“I missed seeing Mr Darcy in town this Season and look forward to seeing him this autumn. I am certain once Mr Darcy realises how much all his friends have missed him, he will wish to remain in town longer.”
Elizabeth eyed the women warily and took a moment to compose herself.
She wanted to unleash her claws on these intruders into her peaceful afternoon, but her upbringing and the presence of other guests demanded a more refined approach.
However, before she could speak, Lady Matlock answered for her.
“Darcy is even less enamoured of town than before his marriage. He is very happy at Pemberley and only came to London for this short visit for his sister’s sake.
Once she is safely married”—she reached over to pat her niece’s hands in her lap—“I would expect him to limit his visits to town until little Alex has come of age or he has a daughter to launch into society. Marriage has made him extraordinarily content, and I believe he would spend all his days at home with his wife and family. Of course, he will always be willing to invite his friends for brief visits, and I am certain that Mr and Mrs Thornton and Mr and Mrs Ashford will continue to be frequent visitors. In fact, these ladies both met their husbands at the Darcys’ house party last year.
” She smiled at the two ladies she referenced as she spoke, who smiled back graciously.
Soon, Lady Matlock began to depart, taking the rest of the ladies with her.
Elizabeth hugged her friends and relations, whispering thank yous in their ears and inviting them to return soon.
Her other visitors did not receive the same warm farewells, and they took their leave unhappy at the lack of gossip they had gathered.
After a month in town, the Darcys began to prepare to return to Pemberley.
Darcy’s business was accomplished more quickly than he thought, and while they planned to stay for two months, they saw little need to extend their stay beyond what was necessary.
A month in town was enough for them all, especially Mary, who spoke with Elizabeth about her desire to know Mr Kingsley better.
Knowing of the conversation between the vicar and her husband regarding Mary, Elizabeth encouraged her sister to do just that, and she promised to invite him to the house often.
When the Darcy party returned from London, Mr Kingsley was more convinced than ever of his desire to marry Miss Bennet.
He asked to court her nearly as soon as he saw her and waited only a week before proposing.
The couple decided to marry in Derbyshire just before Christmas and visit the Bennet family the following spring.
Upon receiving the letter conveying this news, Mrs. Bennet expressed her discontent with it, perturbed by having yet another daughter marry away from home without her input.
“Mr Bennet, Mr Bennet,” his wife cried when she read the letter from her third daughter announcing her engagement and outlining her plans.
“You surely cannot approve of our daughter marrying so far from home. You must tell her to return home to Longbourn for her wedding.”
“Mr Darcy informed me of the gentleman’s intentions a month ago when the gentleman spoke with him to request his permission to speak.
I replied to that letter granting permission to act on my behalf, and they have determined it is best to marry in Derbyshire.
They will visit us in the summer when travel will be easier,” Mr Bennet told his wife.
“Why have you said nothing sooner?” Mrs Bennet demanded.
“The gentleman had a rather direct conversation with Darcy before the family departed for London but said nothing to our daughter then. He knew what he wanted, but wanted Mary to experience society in London before committing herself to life as a vicar’s wife,” Mr Bennet explained.
“Though, once they returned, he was determined to win her and acted rather precipitously. He barely began to court her and proposed only days later.”
“Oh,” she said as she began to consider that information, but it lasted only a moment as her outrage rose again. “But what is this nonsense of her marrying from Pemberley? This is that Lizzy’s doing. She has taken our children from us and is not even allowing me to plan Mary’s wedding.”
“It is Mary’s choice to marry from Pemberley.
Lizzy did not influence her, but it was a matter of practicality.
It is too much to expect the vicar to travel all this way for a wedding, and quite frankly, the fact that you have yet to apologise to your second daughter makes the whole situation more complicated.
Since Mary has lived with the Darcys, she has greatly appreciated both of her sisters there.
If she has to choose between the presence of her sisters at her wedding over that of her parents, she prefers to marry with her sisters present.
Also, as she is marrying a vicar, she feels it best to marry where those she will serve one day can watch the ceremony.
There is also the matter that travel will be difficult over the next several months, and neither wanted to wait until spring for a wedding. They will travel here in the summer.”
Mrs Bennet scowled. “Nothing is preventing Lizzy’s coming here if she wanted to,” she stated defiantly. “She is doing this to vex me. How can I tell my friends that yet another of my daughters is to marry away from home? Our neighbours will have never even met the gentleman.”