Chapter 28 #2
“Janey, I will sit on the swing. I can see all of the park from here, that is except for the rear half of the little wilderness,” Lydia informed her sister as she took a seat on the swing.
It had been two years since she had sat on it.
Lydia felt greatly chagrined when she remembered she stopped enjoying the swing when she judged it too childish an activity.
She watched as Jane and her suitor walked along the perimeter of the park.
Before he spoke, Fitzwilliam wanted to order the words in his head.
He did not want to do what William did occasionally and open his mouth and insert his hessian.
There was an important question he needed to ask her—not an offer of marriage—yet—but her answer would determine if, and how, he proceeded to win her heart.
Fitzwilliam stopped walking and turned towards the lady he knew already owned his heart. “Miss Bennet, my attentions to you have been too marked for you not to understand my intentions,” he began.
Jane allowed it was so. She felt excited, but she hoped Colonel Fitzwilliam would not make a precipitate offer for her. It was too soon.
Seeing a look flash in her eyes, Fitzwilliam had an idea what had caused it.
“No, I am not about to propose to you. Although I do hope we will reach that point. I am not a man who will pursue a lady if her heart is engaged elsewhere…” He stopped speaking when she placed a dainty, but gloved finger on his lips.
This was not a time to be reticent and serene like she had been in the past. Jane knew she needed to reply in a way which encouraged the man opposite her to keep courting her.
“As you know, my heart was engaged by one who did not value it and nor did he deserve my affection. At this moment, I can tell you it does not belong to any man. At the same time, I can relate to you that it will not be long before it does belong to the man who is courting me unofficially.”
A surge of pleasure traversed Fitzwilliam’s body at her statement. “If that be the case, Miss Jane Frances Bennet, never has any woman inspired me to take this step. Will you do me the great honour of granting me an official courtship?”
“Yes, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, I accept your offer for a courtship without any reservation,” Jane replied with the greatest of pleasure.
With good wishes from Lydia, the three made their way back into the house.
Even though Jane, Miss Bennet, was of age, and notwithstanding what Bennet had said when he had asked the younger man’s intentions, Fitzwilliam said he would wait for her father to return from his meeting with the tenants, to receive Bennet’s blessing now that an offer for a courtship had been made, before making an official announcement.
Two hours later, a cold Bennet returned.
After a hot bath and changing into clean clothes, Bennet came down to the drawing room.
Fitzwilliam requested a few minutes of his time, and Jane accompanied the two men.
With Jane’s assurance it was what she desired, Bennet reiterated his blessing without delay.
On their return to the drawing room, where Mary and Kitty were now also present, Bennet made the announcement and good wishes for the future flowed.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The day after the Bingleys and Hursts had been excised from society, Darcy arrived at the Gardiners’ house with his sister. When the two Darcys were shown into the drawing room, he first bowed to the ladies. “May I have the honour of introducing my sister to you?” He requested.
Maddie looked at Lizzy who gave a quick nod. “It will be our pleasure to meet Miss Darcy,” she stated.
When they were introduced, Elizabeth noticed that Miss Darcy did not look up and her greeting was barely audible.
Even had she not seen and heard all of the proof regarding that man’s lies, seductions, and profligacy, meeting this painfully shy young lady who was anything but proud, would have told her not to believe Mr Wickham’s tales.
As such, Elizabeth invited Miss Darcy to be seated next to her.
Anna looked to William for permission to go sit next to Miss Bennet; he gave her an encouraging look while he took a seat close to their hostess. She sat, her eyes still looking at the rug.
“Do I have a terrible wart on my nose?” Elizabeth teased. She could see that was not the best way with the young lady who looked startled, like she wanted to cry.
Darcy saw Anna’s reaction to Miss Elizabeth’s teasing. Rather than rush over, he sat back and waited to see how the lady he loved would make his sister comfortable.
“You must excuse me, Miss Darcy, I dearly like to laugh, even at my own expense. I can see my tease was ill timed,” Elizabeth said gently.
Understanding that Miss Bennet had been teasing herself, Anna relaxed. She even allowed a ghost of a smile to form on her lips. “William told me you have forgiven him for his slight of you and behaviour in Hertfordshire,” she stated softly.
“Indeed, as he has forgiven me for my own misbehaviour and believing that miscreant,” Elizabeth replied. She saw a worried look form on Miss Darcy’s face.
“You know of my folly in Ramsgate, do you not?” Anna queried, her eyes slid down again. She looked up when Miss Bennet took and squeezed her hand, and then nodded. “Then how can you agree to be in company with one who almost did something so very bad?”
“Miss Darcy, you were manipulated not only by an accomplished liar, but by the woman who was supposed to protect you. Your excuse is that you were only fifteen, what was theirs?” Elizabeth asked.
She continued before the young lady could respond.
“I, too, fell for his honeyed tongue, and my youngest sister was almost ruined by that blackguard. We are, I am afraid, part of a long line of those he has fooled.” She looked up at Mr Darcy who was watching intently, a look she had seen in Hertfordshire which she now knew was not one of disapproval.
“Mr Darcy, is your sister aware of what that man did to Aunt Maddie’s cousin? ”
“She is not, because I was not sure that Mrs Gardiner permitted me to repeat it,” Darcy responded.
Maddie looked at Mr Darcy. “As hard as it is to relate, I have no objection to Miss Darcy being told. May I?”
Darcy gave his permission for Mrs Gardiner to proceed.
“Miss Darcy, I used to have a cousin who was many years younger than me, but she was almost like my little sister…” Maddie told the story in as sanitised a way as possible.
Elizabeth saw the way Miss Darcy’s mouth fell open, and then she covered it with her hands.
“So, you see Miss Darcy, those both older and younger than you have been taken in by the poison he likes to pour in his victim’s ears.
Hence, even if I were not one who was taken in by him, it would be rather hypocritical of me to blame you for something where that blame belongs to others,” she insisted.
“But I should have known better than to agree…” Anna stopped at her brother’s shaken head.
“By agreeing to his plan, you survived a much worse fate. I never told you this before because I mistakenly tried to protect your sensibilities rather than give you knowledge, which as Gardiner and Richard both say, is power,” Darcy stated contritely.
“The seducer has forced those who have had the temerity to refuse him.”
Anna’s mouth formed an ‘O’ as she understood to what her brother referred.
“Now, no more nonsense about us not wanting to be in your company,” Elizabeth commanded playfully. “I hope you will meet my sister, Mary. I understand you too love the pianoforte like she does and can spend hours at practise.”
“Is she the one of whom William wrote to me? The one who plays Beethoven’s Piano Sonata number 26 masterfully?
” Anna asked excitedly, forgetting her shyness for a moment.
She saw Miss Bennet nod. “Then, I would love to meet one so proficient on the instrument.” Anna paused as she remembered something else her brother had written.
“William also said that your playing and singing was amongst the best he had heard.”
“Then, Mr Darcy has perjured himself for some mischievous reason,” Elizabeth teased.
“Oh no, Miss Bennet. William always tells the absolute truth,” Anna claimed.
“In that case, the ideal older brother,” Elizabeth said. It was not a tease. It was not hard for her to see how attentive Mr Darcy was to his sister’s happiness. She was sure he blamed himself for Ramsgate and felt an inordinate amount of guilt even now, months after the occurrence.
“Yes, indeed. William is the best of brothers,” Anna insisted. She looked at her brother who nodded. “M-Mrs Gardiner, would you, your husband, and Miss Bennet join us for dinner at Darcy House the evening after next?”
“As far as I know we have no prior commitment so we will be happy to attend,” Maddie responded.
“I will only come on one condition,” Elizabeth jested.
Anna had an idea this was a tease. “And what is that?” She asked as she maintained her equanimity and did not feel like she was about to cry.
“When you address me as Miss Bennet, I turn and look for my eldest sister, Jane, to whom that title rightfully belongs. Please address me as Elizabeth or Lizzy. If that is too informal, then Miss Elizabeth will suffice.
“I would be happy to call you Lizzy, as long as you call me Anna, or Georgiana,” she replied happily, producing a genuine smile.
“Anna, it is. I have heard your brother and other guardian, Colonel Fitzwilliam, refer to you by that name. Will we hear you play when we come for dinner?” Elizabeth asked.
The question produced a blush, but Anna did not retreat within herself. “I will play for you, Lizzy, but please do not ask me to sing.”
“If you play, I will sing,” Elizabeth promised.
That vow made both Darcys very happy for different reasons.
Anna, because she had taken an almost instant liking to Lizzy, Darcy because of the way Miss Elizabeth put his sister at ease, and almost as importantly, by not hesitating to agree to come to Darcy House, it seemed that she had softened towards him.