Chapter 7
More Surprises
Darcy rode his horse around the park where he had encountered Elizabeth the previous week.
He did not catch sight of her despite circling the park several times.
After spending half an hour searching, he decided to make his way to his scheduled meeting and reached the Gardiner warehouse not long after Mr. Gardiner’s arrival.
“Good morning, Darcy,” the gentleman greeted him. “You are very prompt; how did your conversation with your mother go last night?”
“It went smoothly,” Darcy informed him. “I was pleasantly surprised by how readily she accepted my choice, even without meeting the lady. She has assured me of her support and revealed an inheritance I had been unaware of. Evidently, one of the stipulations of the inheritance was I would not be informed until I expressed an interest in marrying.”
“That is an interesting condition,” Gardiner said. “I presume the inheritance will make it easier for you to marry?”
“Indeed,” Darcy said as he explained what he learned from his mother the night before.
“Does what you learned last night change any of your plans?” Gardner asked after listening to his explanation.
“Regarding my career choice and those plans for the future, yes. Regarding Elizabeth, not at all. Mother’s acceptance of my choice and the news of my inheritance make matters easier.
I think Elizabeth will be happier knowing we will have a place in the country, and we can perhaps use some of my funds to purchase or lease a house in town for when we visit,” Darcy replied.
“How will you determine which estate you will receive?” Gardiner asked.
“I am not certain, although Mother seemed to imply I would be given a choice. She told me to speak to my uncle tomorrow since he is the executor of my grandfather’s will,” Darcy said.
Gardiner nodded at this. “I think you are right; Elizabeth will be pleased by this development. Now, let us speak of other things.”
Darcy agreed, and Gardiner explained some of the circumstances around Elizabeth’s family.
“My sisters are very unlike me—I think because I was sent to school quite early and not indulged as my sisters were. I was the youngest child, and my parents wanted me to rise above where they ended up and sent me to school toward that end. My sister Phillips had already married my father’s clerk, and he seemed willing to purchase the practice, leaving me free to pursue another career.
I only met Bennet when he was courting my sister and then only briefly.
Lizzy’s eldest sister, Jane, came only six months after their wedding, causing much gossip in our small town.
I finished school the following year, and by then, Frannie was already expecting a second child.
She was so confident this child would be a boy—the desperately wished for heir to break the entailment—and she could not forgive her second child for being born yet another girl.
I was home when she delivered this child, and Frannie refused to care for it when she learned it was not the boy she wanted.
Bennet was likewise disappointed and did not rouse himself on her behalf, and I think they would have left her to starve had I and her grandmother not stepped in.
We found a wet nurse to care for the child, and I paid for it myself.
I even named her when her parents could not be bothered.
We decided to call her Elizabeth Grace and prayed her parents would someday accept her.
She and her nurse lived in the dower house with the elder Mrs. Bennet, and she remained there until she was approximately six years old.
It was then that Bennet discovered Elizabeth, and realising she was a bright child who loved to learn, he began to take an interest in her and brought her back into the main house.
“In that time, my sister had given birth to three more girls, Mary, Catherine, and Lydia, but for some reason, she particularly resented Lizzy. Part of that was because when she came back into the house, Bennet paid attention to her, teaching her as he would a son. He allowed her free rein of his library and encouraged her to read as much as possible. Lizzy also had a particular affinity for her grandmother, having spent her first six years being raised exclusively by her, and my sister never did care for her mother-in-law. Even if Frannie could forgive Lizzy for being born a girl, the fact her grandmother had spent so much time with her and Lizzy took after the Bennet side of the family made Frannie dislike her more. It was silly and petty, but that, unfortunately, are two words that best describe my sister. Bennet spent more and more time with her and less and less time with the other girls and his wife, and Frannie grew to resent Lizzy more. Lizzy thrived from the attention her father and grandmother paid to her but could not understand her mother’s resentment.
“Regardless of what she did, it only caused her mother to resent her further, so she decided she would quit trying by the time she was twelve.
Her grandmother taught her to be a gentlewoman and to care for the tenants.
Her father allowed her to assist with the books.
If she had questions, she spoke to her grandmother, and despite living in the main house, she spent nearly every free hour with her grandmother at the dower cottage or out on the estate.
Mary joined them occasionally but could not go as frequently as Lizzy.
However, Lizzy had long before stopped asking for permission, sneaking out of the house before breakfast to return in time for supper, if at all.
Mary was less willing to assume permission and was frequently told no or reprimanded for daring to ask.
“Two years ago, the elder Mrs. Bennet passed away from a long illness: Lizzy tended to her through most of it. With her mother figure gone, Lizzy could no longer spend days with her and spent more and more time out among the tenants and walking the countryside. While inside the house, she would read or sew items for the tenants. She used her own pin money to aid the tenants—before the funds had primarily come from the elder Mrs. Bennet. She convinced Bennet to spend a little of the estate’s funds on necessary repairs, doing her best to hide this fact from her mother, who would not have approved.
“Following my marriage twelve years ago, my wife and I would also frequently invite Lizzy to London for a month or more at a time, and frequently, Jane accompanied her. We did not mind, as the two girls appeared close, but nearly all the effort was given on Lizzy’s behalf.
She helped with the children; she assisted Jane and allowed herself to be her sister’s foil.
Jane is beautiful and draws men’s eyes, but they never remain there as there is little about her to keep a man’s attention.
Jane has little dowry and has never bothered to learn any accomplishments beyond sewing and embroidery, but these were always done to benefit herself.
Lizzy has recently learned Jane was not what she thought—she was willing to be helped but rarely helped anyone else.
Mary’s letter opened her eyes to the reality of her ‘friendship’ with Jane.
“In the month Lizzy has been with us, we have had a few conversations with her about these things, and she has realised there is nothing for her at Longbourn. Her father echoed her mother’s sentiments that she would never marry and gave me her guardianship so she might act as governess to my children.
By giving Lizzy to us, we take on the mantle of her care, freeing up funds for Bennet to spend on his library.
Bennet’s letter in response to mine telling him of your calling on his daughter offered us Mary to take Lizzy’s place in our house if ‘by some miracle, Lizzy manages not to scare off her suitor with her impertinence.’ He went so far as to inform me he would not tell his wife or daughters until Lizzy married to minimise my sister’s exclamations over the whole thing.
” He explained more about how Mrs Bennet and Jane imagined this suitor and the shock they would receive upon seeing him and learning about his inheritance.
Gardiner finished: “Frannie will be livid to learn her mother-in-law designated her jointure for Lizzy and that, with my investments on her behalf, Lizzy will end up with a dowry of more than twenty thousand pounds. The rest of her girls will receive a fourth of Frannie’s portion of five thousand pounds.
I told Lizzy her grandmother had given her a dowry, although not the amount, and she informed her father in a letter she was giving up all claims to any of Mrs. Bennet’s funds.
He has not responded to that letter yet, and I doubt he will bother. ”
“It is amazing to me Elizabeth could suffer all you describe but still be the charming, warm, and caring woman she has become,” Darcy replied after a moment.
Gardiner agreed. “That was her grandmother’s influence.
She refused to allow Lizzy to give in to bitterness and enabled her to see the positives in herself.
If not for her influence, Lizzy would likely have believed all her mother said of her, and I assure you, little of it was ever good.
Lizzy learned to allow her mother’s complaints and insults to roll off her and chose to focus on the good she saw.
That is probably why it took her so long to see Jane realistically.
We saw it, but Lizzy seemed happy with the relationship, so we allowed her to continue to view her in that light.
However, when Jane began to mock her, Mary felt it was important to tell her, so my wife spoke to Lizzy about what we have always seen in Jane. ”
“I just do not understand how anyone who knows Elizabeth could not love her,” Darcy said.
“I have only known her a few days, compared to her lifetime with her family, yet they see nothing good in her, only ill. I am thankful she had her grandmother in her daily life at home, and since then, she has had you and your wife in her life to aid her.” Darcy stopped and paused for a few minutes, tapping his fingers on the arm of the chair as he thought about what he wanted to do.
“When I spoke with my mother last night, she came to the same conclusion you have, that my offering for Elizabeth is a foregone conclusion.
I would now ask for your advice—should I offer for her now or wait?
I know what I want, though I realise we have not known each other long.
We have spoken more in the last week than some courting couples would do in months.
We have had dinner together four or five times, attended the theatre together, gone on walks in the park, and spoken for hours in your drawing room.
“There is little question in my mind that I care for her deeply, and it is growing into a deep and abiding love. I know we suit, but does Elizabeth feel the same way? If I were to ask tonight after dinner, would she agree we are ready for this? She is young, only seventeen, and I am nearly twenty-five, and we will, by necessity, move far away from what we both have known. Based on what you said last night, I could obtain a licence, and we could marry in a month, which should allow her to obtain a trousseau. I am only uncertain about Elizabeth’s feelings in all of this. ”
Gardiner laughed at the younger man. “You do act fast, Darcy. This served you well when investing with me, but you may want to slow down and speak to Lizzy about all that is running through your head. You are already coming to dinner tonight, and my wife and I will allow you to speak to Lizzy after. You can share with her what you are thinking, including your inheritance, and then you can make some decisions together. I would give you this advice, son—speak with your wife about major decisions in your life. This is true of most women, particularly Lizzy, who will always expect to be included in your decisions. You will do well not to forget this and will be a much happier husband if you do so. Otherwise, she might make you miserable and will definitely make you regret deciding without speaking to her first.”
Darcy took a deep breath to calm his racing mind.
“My father often said something similar. I had briefly forgotten that in my hurry to determine my fate. My inclination is to head straight to your house and have this discussion right now, but it is probably best to wait, as you suggest. I will see you at dinner, Gardiner.”
“Come early,” Gardiner suggested. “Perhaps you and Lizzy can speak before dinner, and then we can plan together afterwards.”
“I will, Gardiner,” Darcy said, rising to leave.
He halted at the door. “Oh, I have a letter to Elizabeth from my sister. I warned her things were not settled between us, but I am fairly certain the letter welcomes Elizabeth to the family regardless. There is another note from my mother to your wife with an invitation for the ladies to tea and asking which night is best for dinner at Darcy House. Would you mind delivering these?”
“Well, if you were to deliver them on your way, you would have an excuse to visit with Lizzy for a minute or two. I would suggest you not mention all your plans in such a brief visit as delivering these letters requires,” Gardiner offered.
“Thank you, sir,” he replied. “I will do just that.” Darcy left Gardiner’s warehouse and mounted his horse to ride quickly for a brief visit with his lady love.