Chapter 7 #2
After dinner, the tables were set for chess and cards. Lady Kendal declined any activity; she was content to watch her grandson and Elizabeth. She had not seen her grandson nearly so happy since before the illness attacked him.
Bingley approached her hesitantly, standing near her, waiting.
“Do sit down, you are too tall to look up at you,” she teased him.
Gulping his wine he sat, seemingly reluctant to speak his mind.
“What is it?” her ladyship asked in earnest.
He finally spoke with much reticence.
“Lady Kendal, I was wondering… What if I ask Darcy? We may ask him to look over your holdings and give us his opinion. I trust his knowledge, and I know he will be completely honest. And discreet.”
She looked at him in utter surprise. “Mr Darcy? Why would you assume he would be willing to make such an effort for us?”
“Oh, of that I have no doubt. He is a good and generous friend. He would not refuse anything I asked of him. Besides, I know he would not hesitate to help Elizabeth.”
“But you said they had never been good friends. That their opinion of each other was quite poor.”
“True. That happened long ago, and their acquaintance has improved over the intervening months. Even Elizabeth has admitted that. Besides, she is my sister, and she is a good friend of Georgiana and Anne.”
Lady Kendal’s eyebrows rose in disbelief. “This is a delicate matter, and the effort is substantial. I hesitate to involve a stranger.”
“Darcy is not a stranger. And you must know that, even when he and Elizabeth were not on the best of terms, he would still not have hesitated to help her. He is that sort of man. Not the most jovial but of excellent character…despite refusing to dance with her and calling her tolerable.”
“Hmph! Mr Darcy sounds like a peculiar kind of gentleman,” Lady Kendal said. “So he called Elizabeth tolerable? And he refused to dance with her? I have never heard anything so rude!”
“Indeed. It is quite a story!”
“Well, do tell me.”
Bingley amused Lady Kendal with his narration for a while. She asked more questions, requested more details, and laughed openly at times, drawing the others’ attention.
Half an hour later, she returned to their initial topic.
“You might be correct. Mr Darcy could be of great use to us if he accepts. Here is what I propose. Let us not tell anyone yet. If he refuses, I should not like Elizabeth to feel offended. I do not want more pressure on her shoulders. Tell Mr Darcy I would like a private meeting with him. Elizabeth will return to the Gardiners’ tomorrow so you, Mr Darcy and I could meet here the day after tomorrow.
In the morning. Would that be acceptable? ”
“It sounds like an excellent plan,” Bingley said enthusiastically.
“Perfect. Please do not share this plan with anyone yet, including your wife. At least not until Mr Darcy agrees to meet me.”
“Your ladyship may count on my discretion,” Bingley promised solemnly.
∞∞∞
Only a few days had passed since Lady Kendal’s ball, but to Darcy it felt like a torturous eternity. The shock of seeing Elizabeth and the announcement that she was engaged had wounded his soul so deeply that every hour, every moment, was a bitter turmoil.
That she would never be his, he had long accepted. That his happiness—if he ever was to know some—would never relate to her, he had admitted. But the notion that she would marry another man—although such an event was possible and even probable—was unbearable as soon as it became palpable.
Throughout the entire evening at the ball, he had tried to read her thoughts, her glances, and her expressions.
Was she in love with that man? He was rich, to be sure.
Much richer than himself and with a much better position and connections in society.
And his grandmother looked at Elizabeth with almost the same adoration as Lord Alveston.
So the marriage did have the full acceptance and support of his closest relative.
Lord Alveston was also a handsome man, despite the strain of his illness, and from what he had heard, he was well educated.
Any woman could easily fall in love with him.
He was ill, that was a well-known fact, but there were many other men with failing health who were married and happy enough.
What did his illness imply? Was he contagious in any way?
Could Elizabeth be in danger? Doubtful. Surely Bingley would not allow his expectant wife to spend so much time in his house.
The gossip about the astonishing engagement had spread all over London.
Lady Catherine spoke of nothing else for the three days she remained in town.
The Matlocks—usually more sensible—allowed themselves to be drawn into speculation.
Even Colonel Fitzwilliam and his eldest brother, as well as everyone at their club, expressed wonder.
The engagement between Miss Bennet and Lord Alveston was mentioned—at length and in much detail—in several gazettes too. In short, it became the talk of the town, inducing Darcy to not venture much from his house, if at all.
If the decision had belonged to Darcy alone, he would have left London the day after the ball. But his sister and Anne—both staying in Georgiana’s townhouse with their own companions—needed more time to prepare for the upcoming journey to Brighton.
The doctors had agreed that the best medicine for Anne was the sea.
Lady Catherine, who used to accept any suggestion regarding her daughter’s health, had always been reluctant to leave Kent for long.
Her opinion of Brighton was severely expressed on every occasion, as she found it a place with questionable morals, despite being preferred by so many members of the ton and by the Prince Regent himself.
To Darcy, Brighton was only a small and quiet town—at least as far as he remembered. His mother had spent a few summers there, and Darcy had only pleasant memories of the place. Therefore, as soon as the doctors suggested it, he convinced Lady Catherine to accept it.
It was established that Anne and Mrs Jenkinson would join Georgiana and Mrs Annesley in Brighton and would remain there till late August. It was a beneficial change for everyone and readily accepted by Darcy.
It was also discussed that the wedding between Darcy and Anne might take place in the autumn.
A tall house on the beachfront was rented with a lovely view of the sea, easy access to the shops, and close enough to the Steyne.
He planned to take the ladies to Brighton, and the colonel offered to keep them company on the journey.
As soon as they were settled safely and comfortably, Darcy would return to Pemberley, where he hoped to find his lost peace.
Despite being occupied with packing, Anne and Georgiana found time to have tea with Jane and Elizabeth. Darcy was informed about the encounter but did not ask for any details. The more he heard about Elizabeth, the more painful his wound became.
Several days after the ball, at breakfast, Darcy received an unexpected letter from Bingley.
Darcy,
I am writing to ask you a considerable favour on behalf of Lady Kendal.
Her ladyship is in need of help regarding matters related to her estates.
As you can well imagine, she does have several people who are accountable, but she would like the opinion of someone else utterly trustworthy and knowledgeable.
I highly recommended you, as I know nobody more suitable.
I do not want to bother you or to interfere with your plans, and we would surely understand if you decline.
However, if you have time and if it is not too troublesome, could you meet Lady Kendal briefly at her house tomorrow morning?
I shall be there too. If you prefer otherwise, she is ready to meet you in any other place that is convenient for you. I hope you do not mind me asking you.
C. Bingley