15. Chapter Fifteen
Elizabeth sat on the edge of the bed near Jane, who handed her an envelope that contained a sheet of elegant, little, hot-pressed paper, well covered with a lady’s fair, flowing hand. At her sister’s urging, she began to read.
November 28, 1811
Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire
“You can be at no loss, Miss Hamilton, to understand the reason for this letter. I was informed after my brother’s ball that you declined an extremely advantageous offer of marriage from Charles. I must admit, my heart leaped with joy upon hearing this.
I have no doubt when a life of penury looms in your near future, you will regret declining his impetuous proposal. Given my brother’s immense fortune, I have no doubt he will marry a worthy woman who can elevate our status in society. It would be unwise for him to tie himself to a penniless, near-orphaned daughter of a clergyman.
Fortunately, my brother left for town as planned and Louisa and I decided to follow him thither. We did not like the idea of him being obliged to spend vacant hours in a comfortless hotel when we have a spacious townhouse on Grosvenor Street, and there is nothing in Hertfordshire to keep us here. Several of our acquaintances have also arrived for the winter season, giving Charles ample opportunity to meet eligible ladies.
Do not follow us into town. Do not attempt to call upon us. We shall not receive or acknowledge you. From this day forward the name of Hamilton shall not be spoken in our homes.”
Cordially,
Caroline Bingley
Elizabeth lowered the letter onto her lap and looked at Jane, the hubris of Miss Bingley causing a smile to dance across her face.
“Dare we hope she honors her promise about keeping our names off her lips, dearest Jane, or am I wishing on the wind like a dandelion fluff?”
She bumped Jane’s shoulder as she teased, knowing her beloved sister was not hurt by the catty woman’s diatribe, Still, no one liked being told how much they were loathed, and if they ever did meet up in London, Miss Bingley herself would be on the receiving end of a cut direct.
“Miss Bingley is a creature of the ton. She could no more keep our names off her lips than she could refuse an invitation to a society ball. Gossip is her currency and she will regale all her so-called friends with tales of her brother”s near escape.” Jane took back the letter and neatly tucked it into the front of the book she’d been reading. “What I find humorous in all this is the fact that once she begins spouting the name of Hamilton, society’s ears will perk up quite substantially. From there she will discover our illustrious roots and might send her brother back to tend the garden.”
“Thank goodness you already have a faithful gardener, one who is ready to fend off all manner of encroaching weeds.”
“Yes, I do.” Jane had a half-smile on her face as she contemplated her betrothed, then the corners of her lips turned down, and when she raised her gaze to Elizabeth, her expression was one of fierce determination. “I am not without my resources and shall not stand idly by if Miss Bingley comes extending the false hand of friendship. I have no intentions of following in the footsteps of Caesar, Cassius, and Brutus.”
“Good analogy, but Caesar always thought they were his friends. You and I have never held tender thoughts concerning Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst.” Knowing it would lighten the mood, Elizabeth arched a brow at her sister and said with a smirk. “However, let us avoid any functions that fall on the fifteenth of March – just in case.”
Both sisters devolved into a fit of laughter, stopping only when Mary entered the room.
Darcy looked up when his butler tapped lightly on the door to his study.
“Enter.”
“Sir, Viscount Ashton is here.”
“At least he waits to be introduced, unlike Richard.” His butler smiled slightly before smoothing his face into a practiced passivity. “Send him in and ask Mrs. Whittaker to bring up some light refreshments.”
“Very good, sir.”
A few minutes later, Ash sauntered into the room and sank into the closest chair to Darcy’s desk.
“Why are the days dragging by at the rate of a lazy slug?”
“Because we both want to be in Hertfordshire.”
“I do not know about you, Darce, but after Lady Kildair’s ball, I am walking out her front door into my carriage and heading straight back to Meryton. I can sleep on the way there.”
“No, you cannot.”
“What do you mean? Of course, I can.”
“Bingley dropped by yesterday.”
“Stopped in for a chat before returning to Hertfordshire?”
“His sister closed up the house and followed him to town.”
“Dash it all. Now what are we to do?” Ash shot to his feet and began to pace, furrowing a hand through his hair, destroying any work his valet had performed that morning. “It will be difficult to visit Jane from London. I will do it if I must, but staying at Netherfield was so much easier.”
“You cannot expect Bingley to house the man who stole his girl?”
“To begin with, she was never his,” Ash said with an elegant sniff of derision before resuming his seat. “She made that very clear the night of his ball.”
Both cousins sat in quiet contemplation before Ash mused out loud, “Do you think he would accept an offer to take over the lease? I cannot imagine he wishes to return to the scene of his humiliation.”
“You should let me approach him about the possibility. He has no trouble with my relationship with Lady Elizabeth and might entertain the idea of recouping some of his funds.”
“Before I forget, expect an invitation from Mother to dine at Matlock House this evening.”
“Your mother is not known for last-minute entertainments.”
“Richard is home, quite unexpectedly.”
“Truly? How is the old man?”
“A little worse for wear. He took a musket ball to the shoulder in Spain and the month-long sail back to England did not do him any good. Mother is already planning menus to fatten him up, starting with tonight.”
“I shall be there. I cannot wait to see him. It has been too long since he sailed off to defend King and country.”
“Those days are likely over. His shoulder is a mess and he will never be able to raise his arm above his shoulder. However, as he said himself, he can bend his elbow and enjoy a good port brady, so all is not lost.”
Darcy laughed at Richard’s sense of humor, which at times was quite dark. Given what he’d seen and experienced in battle, it was no small wonder.
“In some way, your mother’s expected invitation is a good thing. I was going to invite all of you here for dinner so I could tell them about Elizabeth.”
“Were you going to invite Aunt Catherine to your intimate dinner?”
“No.”
“You should. She still has expectations of you offering for Anne.”
“I have told her, more than a dozen times, I will not ask my cousin to marry me.”
“I am sorry to hear that. Does Elizabeth know about this stricture you have put upon yourself?”
“What are you blathering on about now?”
“Have you forgotten Elizabeth is your cousin? If you will not marry a cousin, she is back on the market and Richard requires an heiress—”
“Bite your tongue!” Darcy shot Ashton a dirty look. “Let me clarify my previous statement. I will not ask my cousin, who resides in Kent at Rosings Park and is a direct descendent of Sir Lewis de Bourgh and Lady Catherine de Bourgh, for her hand in marriage. I would rather marry my horse.”
“Thank goodness, Elizabeth can at least claim to have saved your horse from a fate worse than death.”
“Ha, ha,” Darcy muttered. “You have missed your calling as a court jester.”
“You are touchy this morning.”
“Blame it on Bingley. He believes Jane accepted your proposal because of your rank and his bitterness seeped into my happiness. I explained to him I was courting Elizabeth, which also took him by surprise and he left in a cloud of disgust.”
“He saw his sister as mistress of Pemberley.”
“Then he and his delusional sister were the only ones who did because I never once entertained the notion.”
Jane, reading some freshly arrived correspondence, pursed her lips. When her brow furrowed, Elizabeth asked what had caused such a reaction. With a sigh, Jane handed the elegant missive over.
“Our cousin Sophia has written some unsettling things about Miss Bingley. Given what she has heard, I am uncertain as to whom she is trying to deceive. Herself, or society.”
“Now I am doubly curious as to what she wrote.”
Elizabeth accepted the letter and began to read, skimming past family updates and a heartfelt request for them to come to London sooner than planned before settling upon the portion concerning Miss Bingley and her delusions.
“…it is obvious Miss Bingley has no idea the connections to which you and dear Lizzy can lay claim. Celia and I happened to be standing next to her and Miss Grantley and were surprised at her level of animosity toward not only your family but also the town of Meryton and Hertfordshire as a whole. This is not what made me pause, as I know you and Lizzy can hold your own when it comes to intemperate shrews. My concern was raised when she spoke of a growing affection between Georgiana Darcy and her brother. Unless I am mistaken, our distant cousin does not make her Come Out for another two years. As I had not been introduced to the termagant, I did not obtrude in her conversation, although I did explain later to my friends that I thought her delusional and not to give her wild remarks any credence.
“What balderdash! How dare Miss Bingley hint at a growing affection between her brother and William’s sister. This could ruin poor Georgiana’s reputation before she even makes her curtsy.”
“I must tell Edmund about this. He and his cousin need to know what Miss Bingley is saying in public.”
“I have a better idea, Jane. It is time I wrote Aunt Sarah.”
“Aunt Sarah, whatever could she do about this?”
“We are going to take up the sword and invite ourselves to a ball.”
“A ball…” Jane smiled. “Would this ball be slated for the tenth of December, hosted by none other than Lady Kildair, who happens to be a good friend of our dear Aunt Sarah?”
“It would.”
“And would there be two gentlemen we are intimately acquainted with attending this same ball?”
“There would.”
“Then, write away my dearest, brilliant sister.”
It was only a matter of minutes for a letter to be drafted and sent express to Lady Sarah Courtland and another couple of days for a response.
“Lizzy, you received a letter from your Aunt Sarah?” Mamma asked, having been told by Hill that an express had arrived from Lady Courtland.
“I did. As you know, Jane and I have made plans to travel to London and do some shopping for gifts and also surprise the viscount and Mr. Darcy at a ball we know they are both attending.”
“Are you going to keep them company or to ensure no other ladies catch their attention?”
Elizabeth looped her arm through her mother’s and walked with her to the family parlor.
“Jane and I trust our gentlemen; however, we have learned of some rumors that could prove harmful to Miss Darcy and wish to confront the source.”
“Miss Bingley?”
It was at that instant Elizabeth experienced a moment of clarity. Their mother may have a diminished capacity in some areas of her life, but reading the intentions of others was not one of them. Mamma had pegged Miss Bingley’s personality almost immediately upon their meeting and had treated her with cool politeness the entire time the Netherfield Park tenants resided in Meryton. How had she missed this?
Was it not Mamma who encouraged Jane to sideline the Bingleys the first time they attended Longbourn, which allowed her to greet the viscount and Darcy without the siblings learning of their shared history?
Was it also not Mamma who insisted they all take tea with Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst when their invitation so rudely excluded Mary’s eldest sisters? In hindsight, it may have been fun to see their mother take on the Netherfield ne’er-do-wells by unleashing Lydia on them.
Elizabeth chuckled softly at the mental image of her youngest sister going toe-to-toe with Caroline Bingley in a showdown of who could be more ridiculous in their behavior. The difference is, that Lydia was never mean-spirited, only self-centered as most girls of fifteen were.
“Well, Lizzy? What does your aunt have to say?”
So lost in her thoughts, Elizabeth had almost forgotten the letter in her hand. She quickly broke the seal and began reading. After a few lines, she read a few passages to her mother.
Lady Kildair, upon learning of your being in town the night of her ball, immediately proffered an invitation to you and Jane as she adores the two of you. How could she not? You are both so loveable.
Also, Trenton arrives with his friend Bertie on St. Nicholas” Day and these two fine young men are included in Lady Kildair”s invitation. Sophia has planned several excursions whilst you are in town. Tell your Papa to loosen his purse strings as she intends to take you to Madame Etienne’s and, to keep Elizabeth sane, allow a side-trip to Hatchard’s.
Give your mother our best wishes and tell her we are looking forward to seeing the rest of the family on the twenty-third of December. I have already put my maid on notice that my dresses may need some alterations – as in letting out the seams – after partaking in the culinary delights my sister is widely known for.
I wait impatiently for a reply with your date of arrival.
With much love,
Aunt Sarah
A letter was almost immediately dispatched, informing their aunt of their arrival on the second of December, giving Jane and Elizabeth time to have a ball gown made by Madame Etienne. A second letter was sent to their brother, apprising him of Miss Bingley”s delusions and cautioning him to remain on guard when in her presence. His letter back to them was a surprise and a delight.
Dearest sisters,
Although I have yet to meet the illustrious Miss Caroline Bingley, I have heard much about her from Bertie”s family. Without being cruel, I can safely say they do not like her. Not even a smidín, as my Irish friend Lord O”Donnell likes to say. By the by, his lordship sends his regard. I have yet to tell him Jane is betrothed. Let us hope he does not lead a delegation of Irish rogues to storm the coastland of England to kidnap a bride.
I must admit to some relief over the news of an engagement and a courtship. With my beautiful sisters safely attached to worthy men, I can hang up my sword and shield and enjoy life as a carefree bachelor. It is exhausting always looking into dark corners of parlors, withdrawing rooms, and ballrooms to ensure your joint safety. If I look closely in my mirror, I do believe I have a few gray hairs sprouting as I write of my tortuous trials and troubles of being the eldest brother of fair maidens.
Bertie and I plan to stay at Mr. Bingley”s townhouse for the first night of our arrival. I promise we shall arrive on time for Lady Kildair”s ball, whereupon I shall dance with both of my beautiful sisters, greet your suitors with much joy, and avoid the tentacles of Miss Bingley.
Always with much affection,
Trenton
”Given Trenton”s reference to Miss Bingley”s tentacles,” Jane began, smiling at their brother”s teasing letter. ”You must have told him what happened at Netherfield Park.”
”I did. The minute I became aware of his friendship with Bertie, I had to give him fair warning.”
”We have yet to meet his friend. I wonder if he looks much like his elder brother?”
”We shall find out at Lady Kildair”s ball.”
”We shall… Oh! Before I forget, we must start packing our supplies from the stillroom. Papa has promised to have his man transport the majority of our belongings to Twelve Oaks while we are in Town.”
”I cannot believe these are the last few days we will spend at Longbourn.”
”We always knew this day would come., and we shall visit often.” Jane slid a handkerchief out of her hidden pocket and dabbed the corner of her eyes. ”Besides, once Trenton is established, you and I can always return to Netherfield Park.”
”You, my dear, dear sister will not return to Netherfield Park with me in tow. You will arrive as Viscountess Ashford and set up house with your handsome husband.”
”And you, Lizzy?” Jane looked at her with tender regard. ”Is your future tied to a tall gentleman from Derbyshire?”
”I believe it is.”
”Does he know that?”
”He is cautiously optimistic.”
Jane shook her head at her sister”s teasing manner.
”You are as besotted as him and I give you leave to advise Mr. Darcy of this.”
”I may do that very thing at Lady Kildair”s ball.”