23. Darcy House—Wednesday 3 January 1810
Darcy felt satisfaction. Elizabeth and Jane would soon be arriving so Jane could meet Georgiana, Richard, and the countess—and of course because he desperately wished for an excuse to see Elizabeth.
Actually, in this case, it was his aunt who had come up with an excuse: she said it would not be proper for William to show the mistress’s bed chamber without a married woman from the family present, and yet it would be a good idea to know what changes Elizabeth wished to make while there was still time to attend her list of alterations.
Darcy was sceptical that Elizabeth would produce an entire list of changes, but he agreed to the idea of the visit, and he sent his own carriage so the Gardiners would still have access to theirs.
He impatiently consulted his watch. Should the carriage not be back by now?
Georgiana giggled and lifted her eyebrows at her brother. “As you know, Brother, it is anyone’s guess what time they will arrive, because there are so many factors that affect traffic and travel time. We will just have to be patient.”
Recognising his own words from a week ago, he murmured, “Touché.” However, he stopped pacing and concentrated on breathing.
It was not long before the carriage appeared, and Aunt Matlock looked up from her embroidery, humour twitching her mouth just a bit until the announcement was made at the door of the drawing room. “Miss Jane Bennet, Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
At that point, a smooth mask of elegance and unconcern covered his aunt’s face. Darcy chose to smile warmly instead.
“Welcome to Darcy House,” he said. He made the introductions with the strictest adherence to decorum, because that would earn him some approbation from his aunt, and he assumed he would need it to offset whatever she found wanting in his behaviour.
“You are sisters?” the countess asked. “I must say that your colouring is so different that it is difficult to see the resemblance, but…the shape of the eyes, their size and spacing… That is all the resemblance I see!”
Elizabeth’s bell-like laugh rang out, and she said, “Well, from the pictures William has shown me of his mother, your husband does not closely resemble her, does he?”
The countess smiled. “That, my dear, is an excellent point.”
Even though Jane was quite shy herself, Darcy was happy to see her approach Georgiana. “I have four younger sisters, and from all the wonderful things that Lizzy has said about you, I am very pleased to be gaining another.”
“Thank you,” Georgiana whispered. She shot a glance up into Jane’s eyes, then looked down again, but he noticed that, as Elizabeth warmly told them a few details about the upcoming double wedding, Georgiana stole a few more glances at Jane.
He was fairly certain that the reserved ladies would get to know and like each other…
but perhaps more slowly than Georgiana and Elizabeth did.
“Luncheon is served.”
Georgiana asked, “Is Richard not coming?”
Aunt Matlock said, “He is, yet he will apparently be late. I believe we should start without him.”
Darcy escorted his aunt and Elizabeth in, and the other two ladies followed; they left the chair next to Jane open for Richard.
People had hardly put food on their plates when the man came striding in with apologies and loud cries of appreciation for everything from the invitation to share a meal to Jane’s beauty, from the taste of the cold pigeon pie to the pleasure of seeing the young ladies enjoying one another’s company.
“Have you heard, Colonel, that my sister will be joining me in walking down the aisle? She and Mr Bingley are getting married alongside William and me.”
“Good God! A double wedding! Is that not a staple of novels, not real life?”
“Well, sir, you must have read ever so many more novels than I have,” Elizabeth said, laughing once again. “I have only read one novel with a double wedding, and one instance out of several hundred…that is not what I would term a staple!”
Richard’s booming laughter filled the small family dining room. Darcy chuckled and shook his head. “Can you not rein in your son?” he asked his aunt.
“I seem to have very little influence on any of my family.”
Darcy looked to Elizabeth to see if she was insulted, wholly ready to be insulted himself if need be.
But she was still smiling. “I suppose we all wish that others would do what we wish them to do and to say what we wish them to say. I imagine that is why some people become authors—that way, they get their wish, at least as it concerns the fictional characters in their books.”
Darcy was diverted to see how amused his aunt was.
“Darcy told me you have an original mind, Miss Elizabeth, and at this point I have seen quite a lot of evidence of just what he meant,” his aunt replied. “I could no more guess what you will say next than what Bonaparte will do next.”
After another peal of laughter from his intended, Elizabeth said, “I do not know if I like that comparison! My goodness, me offering a humorous comment on the topic of our lighthearted chatter, compared with a dangerous tyrant?”
Aunt Matlock raised a single eyebrow. “I did not compare you so much as I mentioned that you are as much an enigma to me as anyone in the world.”
“I am relieved, madam. Then I will beseech you to compare my paltry contribution to today’s conversation with the even more paltry contribution of your son.”
Richard said, “My paltry contribution? I demand satisfaction! Who is your second, ma’am?”
“I suppose I get to choose the weapon? Shall it be the pianoforte or the chessboard? Only after that is determined will I know which of your cousins I should call upon as my second.”
At some point, Darcy thought, Aunt or I will have to step in and stop all this nonsense, or we will never get to the mistress’s bed chamber.
However, the luncheon eventually ended, and the countess led the brief tour. By her orders, only Darcy, Elizabeth, and Jane would go.
Darcy was so pleased when the only changes Elizabeth asked for were a sturdier writing desk and a larger bookcase.
“All the colours are so perfect, and the furnishings are exquisite,” she said.
She looked utterly contented, but then her expression changed in a trice to puzzlement.
“You cannot tell me…” she said slowly… “that the wallpaper and curtains are more than a decade old—when they are so obviously brand new.”
“You are correct,” Aunt Matlock said. She shot a puzzled look at Darcy.
“Well, actually,” he said, “Georgiana and I refreshed it. Just in case the room would be needed. But if you wish for a different colour….”
Elizabeth shook her head. “As I already said, I think the colours are perfect.”
“You did this—” his aunt gulped a bit “—all of this because you wished to marry her? And before you knew if she would say yes, or what her wishes would be?”
“I chose what I felt Elizabeth would want. Perhaps Fate herself directed me.”
Jane clutched her hands to her heart. “That is so beautiful,” she murmured.
“Oh, dear,” Aunt Matlock said. “I must be getting old and crotchety, for none of this makes sense to me, and I can see that it does to you all.”
“Do not worry, Lady Matlock,” Elizabeth said.
“We use the words Fate and Destiny as metaphorical devices rather than literal beings or forces. Also, I wish to thank you for your support of William and me.” She lightly kissed the older woman on her cheek, and Darcy saw that Aunt was flummoxed—but also, he suspected, secretly pleased.
Leave it to Elizabeth to charm even the most reluctant supporter in the history of mankind.