Chapter 6. Dinner with the Darcy Family
“I am pleased to be invited to dine with Mr Darcy,” Aunt Gardiner told her niece the next morning as they looked through Elizabeth’s trunk for a suitable dress for supper that evening.
“This is good for your uncle’s business connections, and you can further an acquaintance friendship with Miss Darcy. ”
“I have never met anyone so shy,” Elizabeth confessed. “I shall strive to make her feel comfortable and free to speak more.”
Pulling up a simple gown of white muslin, Mrs Gardiner held it to Elizabeth’s form and smiled.
“Let us visit the shops and find just the right shade of ribbon to place in your hair and around your waist with this gown. A new pair of gloves and you will be suitably dressed for family dinner with Mr Darcy and his sister.”
“Aunt, promise you will not write to my mother of this invitation,” Elizabeth pleaded. “She will rush to Lady Lucas and announce my engagement to the gentleman.”
Seeing her aunt laugh for the first time in three days, Elizabeth was cheered. “I think even your matchmaking Mamma would hesitate to link your name with Mr Darcy. I am certain his family will make a match with a lord’s daughter for the gentleman.”
“What if he discovers that Lydia had an unexpected visitor and had to marry Mr Hamilton?”
Mrs Gardiner drew her niece to the bed, and they sat side by side.
“Elizabeth Bennet, you must not be afraid that someone will discover the story of your sister. People will hear of Lydia but people who know you will value you for your own qualities.”
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With green ribbons in her hair and about her waist, the simple muslin gown was attractive with Elizabeth’s youthful figure that Mr Darcy had noted when her uncle helped her remove her wrap in the foyer of his London home.
The simple gown was appropriate for a family dinner, and he was gratified when Georgiana participated in the conversation with Mrs Gardiner and Miss Bennet throughout dinner.
And just as pleasing, at the other end of the table, Mr Gardiner allowed Darcy to guide the conversation into politics, the wars on the continent and general discussion of trade without any specifics of their business arrangements.
At some point in the dinner, Elizabeth shared the story of her oldest sister’s engagement.
“My sister Jane has become engaged to a distant cousin who will inherit our father’s estate.
I have never met the man–his first visit to our family occurred while I have been in London and my parents made the match. ”
“Such things happen in society regularly,” Mr Darcy replied. “It is even more common in our circles.”
“What is your cousin’s name, Miss Bennet?” asked Miss Darcy.
“His name is William Collins. I understand that he is a parson at an estate in Kent.”
“A parish named Hunsford,” Aunt Gardiner added.
“Hunsford? Are you certain?” Miss Darcy asked with even more animation than shown earlier.
“Yes,” Elizabeth replied. “The parish where Mr Collins serves is named Hunsford.”
Mr Darcy leaned forward and joined the conversation. “Miss Bennet, your cousin is the new vicar for our aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. The glebe supporting your cousin consists of the farms on my aunt’s estate, Rosings.”
“Brother, what can you tell Miss Bennet of her cousin?” Georgiana asked. “She has never met Mr Collins and learned of her sister’s engagement in a letter this week.”
“I have not met Mr Collins, Georgiana. But Miss Bennet, I can tell you that our aunt is a very determined woman that is used to having her way in every instance.”
When the two gentlemen separated from the ladies for a few minutes after dinner, Gardiner asked after Darcy’s opinion of different ports and cigars.
When they moved from the study to the parlour to return to the ladies, Darcy heard someone playing on the pianoforte and smiled thinking that Miss Bennet must be playing.
Stepping into the room he was very surprised to find his shy sister performing with Miss Bennet standing beside the bench and Mrs Gardiner sitting nearby on a sofa enjoying the performance.
“Your sister plays delightfully sir,” Mr Gardiner added.
“Thank you, but it is very seldom she will play for company.”
Shaking his head, Mr Gardiner assured the man, “My niece has a way of making anyone feel comfortable.”
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