Chapter 11 #2
The Darcys arrived a few minutes after the Matlock party, along with the Gardiners.
Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, together with Georgiana, were gawked at as they made their way through the theatre entrance, and a few brave souls stopped to speak with them as they navigated the crowded lobby.
Most of those who stopped them were friends of Darcy, but a few were simply gossips who wanted to know more about the lady who had captured the elusive bachelor since the marriage announcement had shocked most of society.
Most of these were easily ignored, but a few did push too far, and Darcy quickly silenced them with his scowl and sent them scurrying away.
The party all met together in the Darcy and Matlock boxes and were soon settled into their seats to watch the play—the Gardiners and Matlocks sat in the latter’s box while the rest of the party sat with the Darcys in theirs.
On several occasions that evening, Anne had the opportunity to observe the antics of the newly married couple.
She had already decided she liked Mrs. Darcy, but she was delighted with the change in her cousin and attributed it to his being in love with this woman.
He appeared happier than she had ever seen him and was surprised at his frequent breaches of propriety as he seemed to touch his new wife constantly, and she even noticed them kiss when the lights went down at the beginning of the first act.
During intermission, the gentlemen left to get drinks for the ladies.
Many attempted to speak with the known members of the party, while only a few were granted an invitation.
Only a couple of close friends were invited to stop by later or were encouraged to call at Darcy House the following week; the rest were turned away.
Arriving back at their boxes with the beverages, they found their ladies surrounded by a few who had stopped to speak with Lady Matlock and to beg introductions to her friends.
Many were surprised to find Anne de Bourgh speaking so pleasantly with the new Mrs. Darcy, which ended much of the speculation about Darcy jilting his cousin.
Many believed the new Mrs. Darcy to be a pretty enough girl, although not as beautiful a lady as he could have married.
These also wondered what made him choose her over the well-connected, well-dowered, and, in some cases, titled, ladies that he could have chosen.
However, as they had watched him throughout the night and noted the frequent touches and mild breaches of propriety displayed by the couple, the least cynical among the crowd realised he had indeed married for love, while the more cynical decided she had entrapped him into this marriage somehow and were inclined to ask how quickly the babe would arrive.
The worst mentioned this speculation out loud.
When the play was over, the group departed for Darcy House for a late supper and some conversation, but Anne soon became tired and needed to return to Matlock House, ending their first entertainment as a married couple. Both were pleased with the events of the night.
Saturday and Sunday passed quietly for the couple.
Early Monday morning, Lady Matlock arrived at Darcy House with a full schedule of visits for Elizabeth to accompany her and invitations for evening entertainments for the next several weeks.
Nearly all were hosted by friends of Lady Matlock, and Elizabeth spent that afternoon penning notes for those invitations that had been accepted.
Every day that week found Elizabeth visiting the homes of her new aunt’s friends and becoming acquainted with the ladies of the ton.
Most of those introduced to her by Lady Matlock were interesting, although several, especially those with marriageable daughters, seemed to be watching her closely to see if she would stumble.
With those, Elizabeth held her head up slightly higher, but still was her charming self.
While some did find fault with her, many of those she first visited did not and were pleased to be acquainted with Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy.
Lady Matlock and Darcy were very delighted with her performance at these visits and at the balls and parties they attended.
For the next few weeks, the couple settled into a comfortable routine.
Matlock banished Lady Catherine back to Rosings, having arranged for a nurse to accompany her, and settled her into the dower house, allowing Anne to take control of her inheritance.
All the men of the Fitzwilliam family had been shocked to learn that Anne had inherited everything a little over a year ago when she had turned 25 years of age.
Lady Catherine had convinced the solicitors that Anne was too ill to take control, and they had allowed her to continue as its mistress.
Anne chose to stay in London for the time being, although soon enough, she would return to Rosings and start to learn to take control of her estate.
Lord Matlock and the Colonel would accompany her in a month or two and begin to teach her about estate management and ensure the steward and staff would remain loyal to the daughter rather than the tyrannical mother.
Lord Matlock toyed with the idea that Richard and Anne should marry, but after Catherine’s insistence on a similar marriage between cousins, chose not to mention it to see what might come of it after several months of them together in each other’s company.
The newly minted Mrs. Darcy was often in company with the new heiress Miss de Bourgh, which continued to surprise many in society, at least among the gossipy matrons who had heard Lady Catherine’s claims of an arrangement between the heirs of Pemberley and Rosings.
To their faces, the two ladies were much admired, although the more spiteful derided Mrs. Darcy privately for her audacity in marrying the man so many of them had sought for themselves or their daughters.