Prospects
Chapter 24
Elizabeth was overwhelmed by the honour she had received. At the grand gala at the Palace she was clinging to Darcy for support, intimidated maybe for the very first time in her young life as peer after peer came with their wives to pay their respects to her.
Darcy stood proudly by her side, beaming at her. She was resplendent in her elegant gown of silver brocade, free of all the frills and embellishments which many of the ladies seemed to favour and which he so detested. Instead it showed off to perfection her lithe and exquisite figure. She looked small and delicate, especially next to him for although she was not an overly short lady, the top of her head barely reached his chin. He had noticed the appreciative looks the gentlemen gave her and his heart swelled with pride and joy that this exquisite lady was his. The fabled Darcy diamonds were adorning her throat and ears but they paled when compared with the brilliancy of her smile and the sparkle in her eyes.
The Prince Reagent opened the ball with Elizabeth, followed by Lord Wellesley asking her for the second set.
“You did well William” Lord Matlock approached Darcy where he stood at the edge of the dancefloor, watching Elizabeth gracefully turn in time with the music. “She is an exquisite lady and she does you honour.”
“I know Uncle. I am very fortunate that she chose me as I know for certain that she did so only because she loves me.”
“Aye, her refusal of even considering to marry her father’s heir proves that. Your father and mother would be very happy for you because they wished for you and Georgie to marry for love, just like they did. They would have loved her very much.”
“Thank you Uncle” Darcy said, indeed grateful that his uncle confirmed what he knew to be true.
“Say Darcy” Viscount Mortimer clasped his friend’s shoulder. “Wherever did you find this beauty?”
“On a battlefield” Darcy replied dryly. “Literally.”
“Is it true what they say that she singlehandedly rescued a battalion of solders making the toadeaters run for their lives?” Mortimer grinned.
“Hardly” Darcy grinned back. “But she did save the lives of hundreds of our lads, and that is the truth.”
“I know” Mortimer nodded more solemnly. “Lord Wellesley sings her praises and as you know, he does not dispense praise where it is not deserved. You are a lucky dog” Mortimer said with no little envy.
“That I am” Darcy admitted laughing. He was indeed the luckiest of men, ever.
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Jane and Mary were just as awed by the opulence of the ball as Elizabeth was, but even more so by seeing their sister thus honoured. Everybody wanted to be introduced to her, to chat with her, wanting to hear of her experiences and her opinions on the war.
“This is a long way from Meryton’s assembly” Mary laughed shakily.
“That it is, but I am not at all surprised that Lizzy rose like a bright star and conquered them all. You know how even at home everybody was clamouring for her attention, men and women, old and young alike.”
“Aye” Mary agreed. “She has a charm that few can equal and it is not only her beauty which attracts them, no matter what Mama says about the importance of it. Not that she is not breathtakingly beautiful…”
Jane looked at her younger sister with sympathy. “She hurt you badly, didn’t she? Mama I mean.”
Mary shrugged. “She always said that I am nothing to look at.”
“Well, Mama is wrong. You are very pretty Mary. And to add to that, you are the most like Lizzy among us all. You are kind and clever, just like she is.”
“I am nothing like her” Mary demurred. “I could never have done what she did.”
“Just because the sight of blood makes you sick and you cannot dress a wound does not mean that you cannot help others” Jane smiled kindly at her younger sister.
“Yes, I think you are right” Mary gave her sister a grateful smile as realization downed on her. “I think I shall ask Lizzy about doing some work at St. Raphael’s. Something that does not imply dressing wounds” she grinned.
It was with completely different feelings that Caroline Bingley watched Elizabeth Darcy’s complete success. The fact that she was present at this great gala only because Mr. Darcy invited her brother to attend while that insufferable chit was its guest of honour rankled her deeply.
Ever since she had been unceremoniously ordered out of Darcy House by the Darcys she did not manage to get into Mr. Darcy’s close proximity again. Although stung by his words, she soon after explained them away reasoning that he was probably only angry because she had unwittingly insulted his wife, although she still could not understand what he saw in that insipid and unsophisticated woman who, until very recently had not been known to anyone of any standing in the ton. Why, even now when the Prince Regent gave a ball in her honour and she should have been more resplendent than anyone else in the room, and God knew Mr. Darcy could well afford it, she found Mrs. Darcy’s gown scandalously simple, lacking in the refinement and true elegance she herself exhibited. She smoothed the cascade of golden lace of her own gown with a feeling of superiority.
“I see that Mrs. Darcy is very much enjoying the notice of so many important personalities” she approached Darcy who was standing by the edge of the dancefloor, looking at the dancing couples, Elizabeth and the Duke of Essex being one of them.
Darcy threw a displeased look at his friend’s sister who, not belying her atrocious taste, was yet again sporting one of the most garish gowns in the room. “It is the other way around Miss Bingley. It is Mrs. Darcy’s notice and company that is being sought after. Of course that is no big surprise, as it is quite obvious to anyone that she is a most extraordinary lady. And one of the most elegant ones in the room too. I am the most fortunate of men to claim a lady with such exquisite taste and natural elegance as my wife displays” he added with a pointed smirk at Caroline’s attire. “Many ladies would do well to learn from her the difference between tasteful and ostentatious.” With the slightest nod he turned his back on her and moved to a different spot, leaving Caroline Bingley speechless.
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Darcy wanted to give a lavish dinner party to celebrate the opening of St. Raphael’s. He was prodigiously proud of his wife and happy that now all the world knew just how special she was. Elizabeth however demurred, saying that she did not want to seem to be trying to be in the spotlight and suggested that they might give a great dinner in a month’s time, in the meantime having a much more intimate one to celebrate only with their closest friends and family present. Never one for big social engagements, Darcy heartily agreed.
It was only the Fitzwilliams and the Gardiners who joined Darcy, Elizabeth, Jane, Mary and Georgiana for dinner the day after the great ball.
It was a secret to no one that Fitzwilliam was head over heels in love with Jane and that she was not indifferent to him, seemingly very much welcoming his attentions, although she did it with her usual serenity.
“What are your intentions towards Jane, Fitzwilliam?” Darcy asked when the gentlemen were enjoying their brandy and their cigars after dinner.
“I am hesitant” Fitzwilliam swirled his brandy. “She deserves better than I. I am just a poor soldier and a second son. She could marry a titled man, or at least a wealthy gentleman like you Darcy.”
“Jane is not mercenary” Mr. Gardiner said seriously.
“But what can I offer her other than lodgings above the regiment’s stables?” Fitzwilliam shook his head despondently.
“Stokes” the Earl of Matlock said laconically.
“Stokes?” Fitzwilliam asked incredulously.
“It brings in about four thousand a year. Your mother inherited the estate from her uncle about a year ago, therefore it is not part of the Matlock estate. It was set aside for you in your great-uncle’s will until you are thirty or when you marry. I think that you are pretty close to both” Lord Matlock grinned, raising his glass towards his son.
Both Darcy and Fitzwilliam looked at the Earl in stunned silence. “You mean that…” Fitzwilliam stammered.
“Yes Son. Should you marry, Stokes is yours immediately. I have not mentioned it before because I did not want you to marry an insipid, simpering woman only to get your inheritance, but I like your Miss Bennet very much and I think that you are ready.”
“Does this mean that you will finally gather up your courage and ask her?” Darcy chuckled.
“As soon as you gentlemen are ready to return to the drawing room” Fitzwilliam grinned in return.
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Jane was indeed much taken with the dashing Col. Fitzwilliam. She very much admired her brother-in-law Darcy, but he was just a tad too serious and stern looking when Lizzy was not around to coax him out of his shell. He and Lizzy were the perfect match, perfectly complementing each other, but Jane felt a kindred spirit in Darcy as both of them were rather reserved and shy by nature. His cousin on the other hand, was just as lively and jovial as Lizzy was and he was making her laugh more often than she used to laugh, especially in the past few years since Lizzy left Longbourn.
She thought that the Colonel was paying her pointed attentions but she wondered if he was really attracted to her or was it only his sunny personality which made him pleasant and attentive to all around him that made him behave thus? She dared not hope as he was the son of an Earl and although she was Lizzy’s sister who now was the Colonel’s cousin and the wife of a gentleman of the First Circles, she herself was still only the daughter of a rather obscure country gentleman, not known to the ton.
After a few weeks with Lizzy in London, Jane opened her heart to her beloved confidante.
“Oh Jane!” Elizabeth beamed at her dearest sister. “I am sure that it will be hard to find a better man than him. I know that he is not the wealthiest of men and he is only the second son of an Earl and not a Duke like Mrs. Bennet expects you to marry, but he has a heart of gold and he is brave and honourable to a fault. I have seen him with his men and they all love him and would die for him without a moment’s hesitation, just like he was ready to die for them. He was wounded at La Bisbal because he would not cower behind his men but was leading them, charging at the enemy.”
“I know that and I admire him greatly for it, I assure you” Jane smiled. “I only wonder if he feels the same for me.”
“Of that I am sure” Elizabeth smiled confidently. “I have seen him with other ladies and I can assure you that his attention to you is not something I had ever witnessed before. I did not want to mention it because I was not sure of how you feel about him. You are very good at hiding your feelings, you know?” Elizabeth teased. “And I most certainly did not wish you to feel obligated in any way to favour him above others only because he is William’s cousin.”
“Oh, no!” Jane exclaimed “I would never do that. Even though I am not as sure as you are that he admires me, I can assure you that I most sincerely admire him. I think… I think that I love him” she confessed blushing.
“No regretting Mr. Collins then?” Elizabeth teased.
“Lizzy!” Jane exclaimed giggling. “Yet, he says nothing. The Colonel I mean” Jane sobered.
“I think he has the same worries as you do Jane. You have to make him understand that you would welcome his proposal, if that is how you feel.”
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Fitzwilliam was as good as his word and in less than two days after the dinner party, he and Jane were engaged.
“I shall ride to Longbourn and ask for your father’s consent” he told Jane after she happily agreed to become his wife.
“There is no need for that” Jane said coolly. “I am now under William’s protection and I am of age. Papa’s consent is not necessary, nor would he much care whether he is asked or not, I am sure” she said bitterly.
Ever since the Mr. Collins debacle, Jane looked at her parents with different eyes. She no longer was ignorant of their failings, especially since they hurt the best and kindest person whom she’d ever known. Her mother was selfish and cruel at heart, even though she lavished her and Lydia with praises. As for her father, Jane was not even sure that most of the time he was even aware that he had a family, he spent so much time closeted away from them.
“I still would like to talk to your father if you don’t mind. My honour demands it” Fitzwilliam insisted.
“Of course” she smiled at him sweetly. “I do not mind it at all. In fact, I still wish him to walk me down the aisle if he will be willing. I was only pointing out that whatever he might say is irrelevant, not that I expect him to actually refuse you. Just please do not be too upset if he shows his indifference or even worse, his biting sarcasm” she sighed.
“I know a lot about your parents from Bella” Fitzwilliam said quietly. “But even if she was rather… harsh to Bella, surely your mother loves you at least. This is what Bella said.”
“Mother liked me better because I look like she used to look when she was young and I am of a quiet disposition, never one to overtly contradict her, like Lizzy did almost constantly. She never tried to understand me or understand what my own wishes were. As much as it pains me to criticise anyone, most of all my parents, my mother only thinks of herself and we, all others are only relevant as it pertains to her wellbeing and how we can promote her own comforts. As to my father, he never tried to do anything to make my mother become a better person or to curb her unbecoming behaviour.”
“So you do not wish to marry from Longbourn then?” Fitzwilliam smiled understandingly.
“No!” Her vehemence surprised even Fitzwilliam. “I do not want to go back there ever again and I certainly do not want to be paraded around by my mother like a prize cow who won first place at a fair, which would be certainly what she will do were I to return to Longbourn before the wedding. Or even after it for that matter.”