Chapter 17
As soon as Darcy and Bingley entered Darcy House, the butler handed a note to his master.
Recognising the handwriting as that of his aunt, Lady Matlock, Darcy excused himself to read it immediately, fearing there was some news about his sister. Instead, it was a coldly formal invitation to dinner that evening.
Bingley noticed the grimace of distaste and asked, ‘Is it bad news?’
Darcy raised his eyes to his friend and sighed. ‘It is an invitation to dinner but the way it is phrased I fear the worst. The angrier Aunt Matlock is, the more polite she becomes.’ He waved the missive. ‘This is so icily polite, it would freeze the Thames solid, were I to drop it into the river.’
‘Perhaps in this case I should leave you to get ready. It would not do to be tardy or present yourself in a less than perfect appearance,’ suggested Bingley with a sympathetic grin. He too had an aunt… ‘Shall I stop by tomorrow to see if you have heard from Mr Gardiner?’
‘Yes, thank you, Bingley. I will see you tomorrow.’
~T~
In the meantime, Darcy’s note was delivered to Mr Gardiner who was at work but planned to return early to ready himself for the dinner at Matlock House.
He read Darcy’s letter explaining the situation and the enclosure which made him chuckle. As soon as he arrived at Gardiner House, he found Elizabeth who was finishing tea with her aunt and sisters.
‘Lizzy, It seems Mr Darcy went to Longbourn yesterday to apologise to you.’
His niece’s eyes widened in shock. ‘He did what?’
Gardiner grinned. ‘It seems no one except your father told him that you are in town. Here, you may read his note and your father’s introduction yourself.’
Elizabeth read both documents aloud to a rapt audience. Darcy’s explanatory letter was concise and to the point without trying to excuse himself. Mr Bennet’s note was even briefer.
Dear Gardiner
Please tell my daughter that she may forgive Darcy… but only after giving him hell for a while.
Regards
Bennet
Elizabeth laughed out loud at her father’s idea of an introduction. ‘I wonder if that was also the reason why father sent Mr Darcy to Gracechurch Street? To test his resolve by having to go to Cheapside.’
‘I am afraid that was not your father’s doing. I may have forgotten to mention to him where we would be staying,’ Mr Gardiner said with a smile which was a mixture of equal parts contrition and amusement.
’I see,’ murmured Elizabeth as she turned thoughtful. ‘It speaks well of Mr Darcy’s basic character that without prompting he went to Longbourn and then to Cheapside to apologise,’ she mused aloud.
‘Indeed. It seems that his family and friends may have the right of it when they say that while he has fallen into bad habits, he is basically an honourable man,’ Mrs Gardiner was happy to agree since she had fond memories of the Darcy family from her time in Lambton.
‘I suppose I will have to wait and see.’
~T~
Lady Matlock was grateful that she had already extended the dinner invitation for this evening to the Gardiners and Bennets several days earlier.
All she had to do was to ensure the presence of her sons and Darcy to start bringing this unfortunate situation under control. She even took Richard’s last minute surprise guest in her stride.
There was only one issue which gave her cause for concern. She read the gossip column of the newspaper while her maid was fixing her hair and was dismayed to see the item mentioning her nephew.
It was now even more important that Darcy show up and apologise to Elizabeth. While Richard’s plan had been amusing, now the Fitzwilliam family reputation was on the line, unless the Bennet sisters could be convinced to counteract this pernicious although truthful rumour.
~T~
The Gardiners and the Bennet sisters arrived at Matlock House at precisely the time specified, where they were warmly welcomed by not only Lord and Lady Matlock, but also both their sons and Miss Darcy.
They had barely finished the introductions of the Earl of Matlock and Viscount Fanshaw, who had not met the guests before, when another guest was announced.
‘Mr Deveril,’ the butler said as Richard’s friend strode into the room.
‘Lady Matlock, I pray that Richard’s invitation of myself does not inconvenience you. Since he assured me that it would not, I simply could not resist but accept.’
‘Not at all… Mr Deveril,’ the lady replied with twinkling eyes when she stressed his title.
‘My son explained your connection to our guests and that you hoped to see Miss Bennet at your earliest opportunity after your arrival back in town,’ replied Lady Matlock graciously.
As she spoke, she noted peripherally how Jane’s face had lit up at the gentleman’s entrance.
It seemed Richard was correct in his estimation of their mutual attachment.
Jane had indeed been stunned when Deveril was announced and used the time while he greeted his hostess to bring her emotions and expression back under control.
Richard watched the greeting of his old friend and his new acquaintance with a satisfied smile.
A few days earlier he had heard at his club from mutual acquaintances that the elusive Deveril had declared an interest in a young lady.
While he was delighted that his old friend had met a lady whom he liked, he was even more pleased when he heard the name Jane Bennet.
Therefore, when he ran into Deveril just as the man arrived in town, he could not resist but invite him to dinner.
~T~
Greetings had just been completed when the last guest was shown into the drawing room.
Darcy, responding to the tone of the invitation, had indeed ensured to be impeccably presented in evening wear. As he walked into the room he was prepared to be just as coldly correct as his aunt. He was in the middle of bowing formally to the assembled company when his eyes fell on Elizabeth.
The shock of seeing the lady in such an unexpected location, caused Darcy to forget about his good intentions as he straightened up and blurted out, ‘Miss Elizabeth? What are you doing here? I looked for you in Cheapside. How did you get into my aunt’s house?‘
Darcy got no further before a fist slammed into his stomach, making him double over in pain. He had trouble breathing and his eyes watered.
‘Thank you, Colonel,’ said Elizabeth before turning to Darcy.
‘I am here to have dinner with the Countess of Matlock and her family, and I came into the house by the usual means… I entered through the front door. You know, like a welcome and invited guest…’ Elizabeth smiled sweetly as she responded but her eyes would have put icicles to shame.
Darcy managed to stand up again and catch his breath while Elizabeth spoke.
He also succeeded in at least partly gathering his wits.
‘I beg your pardon, Miss Elizabeth, for my poor choice of words. I only meant that having unsuccessfully looked for you in Gracechurch Street, where your father said you currently resided, I was surprised to encounter you unexpectedly.’
The icicles gradually melted during his speech.
‘Very well, Mr Darcy, I will pardon this faux pas since I understand from your family that your poor choice of words is a trait of long standing.’ She gave a tight smile.
‘And while I do not believe that I owe you an explanation, you could not find me earlier today because I am staying at an aunt’s house… a different aunt.’
Before Darcy could dig himself another verbal hole, Lady Matlock introduced him to the Gardiners and casually mentioned that they were the aunt and uncle of the Bennet sisters.
Darcy greeted them politely and privately thought that he was grateful not having to mingle with the tradesman relatives as they would not be able to behave in a polite manner.
It did not occur to him to remember that Bingley was also from a background in trade.
He also did not see the irony of the pot calling the kettle black.
~T~
Darcy looked around the room and realised with a sinking feeling that everyone here with perhaps the exception of Georgiana and possibly Deveril knew about his blunder in Hertfordshire and his invitation had been extended to give him an opportunity to apologise.
Since that had been his plan when he tried to find Elizabeth earlier in the day, albeit without this audience, he gathered his courage and addressed the lady.
‘Miss Elizabeth, since you were gracious enough to forgive today’s faux pas, will you also allow me to apologise for my poor behaviour at that assembly in Meryton. I was in a foul mood and truly had not thought to find anyone of consequence in that county.’
‘Of course, I accept your apology, Mr Darcy. After all, you could not possibly have known whom you were insulting… since no one of any consequence would ever live in the country… would they… Mr Darcy?’
Elizabeth responded with such arch sweetness that it took Darcy a full minute to enumerate the multitude of barbs in that brief acceptance.
He had the grace to blush, particularly when he noticed the bland smiles by every Fitzwilliam present.
‘As you mentioned earlier, I am often found wanting when it comes to the correct choice of words. But I am truly sorry for my attitude. I am currently attempting to reform not only my behaviour but also the misguided thinking which led me to behave in that fashion, but I am afraid that it will be a long process and I suspect I will not always be successful.’
‘You do improve with practice, Mr Darcy,’ Elizabeth said with a sigh. ‘That apology will do for the moment.’
While Darcy realised that the acceptance of his apology was not wholehearted, he was grateful for not being called out again by any member of his family or the lady herself.
But there was one more lady to whom he needed to speak.
~T~
Darcy’s chance came when he was seated next to Jane Bennet during dinner, as the lady was placed between himself and Deveril.
Having never before seen Bingley as enamoured as he was with Miss Bennet, Darcy was concerned that his own behaviour, which had caused his friend being evicted from Netherfield, had also caused a rift between his friend and the lady.
‘Miss Bennet, since your sister has accepted my apology, even though I suspect she has some reservations, I hope that you will not hold my faults against my friend.’
‘Mr Darcy, I never hold anyone responsible for the actions of others.’
Darcy smiled with relief. ‘Then you will not hold my words against Mr Bingley and give him a chance to continue courting you now that you are both in town?’
‘Yes and no. Yes, I do not hold your words against Mr Bingley, but no, I will not give him a chance.’
‘But why?’
Jane sighed. ‘Mr Darcy, it goes against my nature to be so blunt, but you must know that for weeks I had been hinting to Mr Bingley that his attentions were unwelcome. But nothing I said or did would convince him to find another prey.’
‘Prey, Miss Bennet? Surely that is somewhat harsh? My friend has never been a rake and has always acted with propriety towards ladies.’
‘I believe that while he may have acted with propriety it was not with consideration.’
When Darcy opened his lips as if to object to her words, she held up her hand and explained, ‘Mr Darcy, my sisters and I enjoy the study of characters and we suspect that your friend enjoys the chase. Although we did not know it during his stay in Hertfordshire, we have since learnt that the gentleman falls in and out of love on a regular basis. From the information we received, he falls in love with a lady and after a few weeks suddenly he falls out of love. We have wondered if that happens as soon as the lady starts to reciprocate his apparent feelings.’
‘You think he toys with the feelings of the ladies?’
‘Probably not deliberately, but yes we believe that he does.’ Her lips quirked in a brief one-sided smile. ‘I suppose that the only reason he thinks he is still in love with me after all these weeks is because I have not the slightest interest in him.’
Jane could not resist a final comment on the subject. ‘You may relieve Miss Bingley’s mind and inform her of this fact.’
~T~
Even though Jane did not mention it, she and her sisters had started to wonder about potential consequences of Mr Bingley’s behaviour in London.
They hoped that he had not been as obvious in his attentions as he had been to her in Meryton, since she knew how cruel society could be towards abandoned ladies.
At a time when such a lady had her hopes dashed and perhaps even her heart broken by an inconstant man, society put the blame for his desertion squarely on her shoulders.
It was most unfair that a lady’s reputation could be ruined because a man suddenly became enamoured with a different pretty face… or perhaps a larger dowry.
After her conversation with Mr Darcy, Jane felt somewhat reassured. After all, he was a gentleman and would not condone his friend endangering the reputation of innocent young ladies.
~T~