Chapter 7 #3
If Georgiana thought that answer strange, she did not say anything but invited Elizabeth to practise a duet with her.
She accepted the invitation and shooed William away, telling him to attend to his business so he would be ready to depart on Monday.
He laughed at her but left his ladies alone in each other’s company.
Back in his study, it took longer than usual for him to get started as he contemplated Elizabeth, but before long, he was engrossed in his work. Before he realised it, the bell rang, signalling that it was time to dress for dinner.
Dinner that night was pleasant, and Sunday passed by in a blur.
Monday morning arrived quickly, and luggage was loaded into the carriages.
Three carriages were heading south, one for the Gardiners and two for the Darcys.
The smaller one carried their personal servants and most of the luggage, while Georgiana and her companion rode in the larger one.
Elizabeth was to begin the trip with the Gardiners, and Darcy would ride alongside the carriages.
Several outriders travelled with them as well.
Elizabeth had written an additional letter for Jane and one for her father.
The one to Jane was congratulatory and spoke only of her happiness about her sister’s engagement and marriage.
Since her sister had hoped she would stand up with her, Elizabeth had said she would be happy to, but only if her father permitted it.
It would be handed to her by the Gardiners, but another one was ready to be posted to Bingley if that one was confiscated.
To her father, she had written yet another plea to be heard and asked him again to explain his objections to the match.
She idly wondered what her father would say to her family when she did not return with the Gardiners or how he would explain it if she did not return and married Darcy from London.
The Gardiners and Elizabeth chatted pleasantly about their trip and the sights they had seen in Derbyshire.
Her aunt and uncle were both exceedingly pleased with her fiancé and told her how much they had admired him and his generosity and hospitality at Pemberley.
Elizabeth enjoyed hearing such praise of the man she had come to love deeply and felt a sense of pride that he belonged to her.
Later, after a quick lunch, Elizabeth travelled until evening with the Darcys.
Elizabeth and William were permitted to ride sitting beside each other and surreptitiously held hands, hidden underneath her skirts, while the other two in the carriage pretended not to notice.
As evening approached, the conversation began to lag.
Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley slept with their heads against the side of the carriage.
Elizabeth grew tired herself, and Darcy, noticing this, encouraged her to rest her head on his shoulder.
She hesitated at first, glancing over at their companions, but eventually complied.
Elizabeth woke when she felt the carriage stop and heard a small giggle from across the carriage.
In their sleep, she and Darcy had become entwined, her resting her head against his chest and his head resting on top of hers.
His arm was around her, holding her close to him.
She stirred, and her movement woke him. He flushed, as did she, but their companions did not remark on their positions.
Darcy stepped out of the carriage first before handing out the three ladies. Elizabeth was last, and he took her arm to escort her and whispered into her ear. “I am not certain I have ever enjoyed a carriage ride more, my love.”
She coloured again and dug her elbow into his side. “Behave, William!” She whispered furiously, “Or I will be forced to ride the rest of the way with the Gardiners.” But she smiled up at him as she fussed and did not pull away. William sighed contentedly and smiled back.
“I must admit, it was an enjoyable ride for many reasons,” she continued. “And I am well rested from my nap. Travelling in your carriage has been most comfortable.”
He whispered back. “Our carriage, dearest,” and she flushed again. He grinned widely at her reaction as they entered the inn. Quickly, they were escorted to a private parlour, and supper was delivered. They ate and chatted as a group before heading to their separate bedchambers.
The next two days followed a similar pattern.
Elizabeth spent some time with her aunt and uncle in the morning, typically while Darcy rode, and then joined the Darcys in the carriage in the afternoon.
On the third night, just before the two groups were to part, the rider returned carrying letters.
Darcy and Elizabeth both had letters from Netherfield, while from Longbourn, there was just one slip of paper.
Their requests for an understanding of the antipathy toward Darcy’s suit was to be denied.
The note contained only a few terse lines.
Do not contact me again. I have no daughter named Elizabeth, nor will I recognise my wife’s brother. Your children will be taken to the Phillips on Thursday morning for you to pick them up. Do not attempt to enter Longbourn.
Both the Gardiners and Elizabeth were shocked at the brusqueness of the reply. Elizabeth cried softly into William’s arms for several minutes before anyone could speak.
“I cannot even begin to understand this reaction,” Gardiner finally spoke.
“Neither can I,” his wife responded. “What news from Netherfield? Perhaps they can shed some light on the situation.”
Elizabeth slowly removed herself from the arms of her intended and picked up the letter from Jane. Darcy opened the letter from Bingley, and they both read silently. Jane’s letter was brief, so she shared it first.
“Jane was shocked by my note, especially learning about my engagement to William. My father, or perhaps I should simply call him Mr. Bennet, had not said a word to anyone, and Jane has received none of my letters from Derbyshire. He has been hiding in his study even more than usual, not even joining the family for meals as often in the last fortnight. This behaviour started almost as soon as I left, well before our letters reached him. Clearly, there is something more to this story than we can know.” Elizabeth sighed as she finished.
“Mr. Bennet has informed the family that I will not return to Longbourn but has given no reason. Jane was terribly upset until Mr. Bingley gave her my letter explaining the situation.”
“Bingley gives similar information. No one understands the reason for the withdrawal, and Mr. Bennet has been remote and absent from the family any time he has visited,” William told him.
“Mrs. Bennet is too distracted by Jane’s wedding to have considered why Elizabeth will not return home, and the younger girls seem unconcerned.
Lydia has been called back home, apparently, and there are some whispers that she did something atrocious in Brighton to cause her being sent away, but nothing definite. ”
“Oh, Lord, Lydia,” Elizabeth burst out. “Will you ask Colonel Fitzwilliam if he can find anything out about her?”
“When we arrive in London, I will check with him. He did not mention anything in his letter, but he may have been unwilling to commit anything that could be even remotely scandalous to paper,” William said.
“But surely, Lydia doing something outrageous would not cause Mr. Bennet to react this way, would it? Surely, he would not think I had behaved scandalously in some way to warrant this type of reaction,” Elizabeth wondered out loud.
“We may never know all the answers, my dear,” William reassured Elizabeth.
She turned to him again. “I know, William, but I hate that my father could turn on me this way without provocation. I want to understand.”
“I know, and we can discreetly enquire, but I am not certain we will ever have the answer,” William told her.
“You are a good man, William,” Elizabeth told him quietly, causing him to look at his hands and his ears to turn pink. Louder, she said, “So, we separate in the morning, Aunt. I am for London and you to Meryton. Will you stop at Netherfield?”
“Yes, we do plan to stop there before picking up our children. I believe William told Mr. Bingley to expect us,” Aunt Madeline replied.
“We should arrive in the morning before luncheon. We will likely reach home before nightfall, but far too late to fetch you back from Darcy House, I would imagine.”
Elizabeth smiled at her aunt, but William spoke first. “Send word when you arrive tomorrow evening, and I will escort Elizabeth to your house Friday morning.”
“Take your time, William, and use Friday morning to show Lizzy the house and make your plans. Come for dinner on Friday evening and bring Lizzy and Georgiana with you. We will have just returned so the meal will be simple, but you are almost family, so I hope you will not mind,” Mrs. Gardiner offered.
“I imagine Georgina and Lizzy will spend Friday morning shopping.”
“I am delighted by your suggestion. And would return your hospitality by asking you to dine at Darcy House Sunday evening?” William offered.
The invitation was accepted, much to Elizabeth’s delight.
After the last weeks of being in William’s company almost constantly, she was beginning to realise how much she would miss him until they could wed.
As her intended, he could visit frequently, but she knew he would have other matters to keep him busy as well and could not spend all his time with her.
And she could not call on him since he was unmarried, but could she call on Georgiana?
She pondered these thoughts and more as she went to her bedchamber.