Chapter Three #2
She hesitated. Jane was more reserved than she was, and certainly more than their cousins.
Elizabeth supposed that she would do better to speak to her sister privately, for she was rather of the same mind as Rebecca, and hoped that Jane might give Richard just a little trouble in his courtship.
She would spare her sister the Fitzwilliam inquisition, and so she coaxed Rebecca back to their room.
The topic was broached by Lady Catherine the next morning; indeed, the prospects of her daughters occupied her for much of the day. She, Jane, and Elizabeth met with Lady Anne and Georgiana, took tea with Lady Findlay, and then embarked on a shopping trip of epic proportions.
Lady Catherine was determined to display her girls to advantage at a number of occasions over the next month.
She ordered them each a dozen new gowns as she speculated on their trips to the opera and the theatre, the dinner parties they would attend and the morning calls they would make amongst her acquaintance, balls they would dance at, and walks in the park they would take with their inevitable plethora of suitors.
They would have a fine frock for every outing, and a great many new accoutrements besides.
Of course, Lady Catherine purchased a great deal for herself, as well, having not ordered any of them new clothes, shoes, hats, or other finery since before their several years of mourning.
This gave Elizabeth some opportunity to turn the teasing back on her mother with a conjecture that perhaps she was in want of a beau.
It was a necessary deflection, for Elizabeth could see that Jane was uneasy with the other ladies’ indiscreet manner of speaking about the match with Richard as if it were already a certainty.
Jane managed to conceal her blushes and sly smiles from everyone but her sister, who was growing impatient to speak with her sister privately.
They returned to Matlock House exhausted from a long day of shopping to find that Rupert, the young and decadently debauched Earl of Matlock had arrived in town from his estate in Derbyshire.
Dinner that evening, with the additions of Lord Matlock and Lady Catherine, was a far cry from the casual and carefree meal they had enjoyed the night before.
Tonight, Lady Rebecca had ample occasions to remind her cousin that she was right – their family was mad.
Quite simply, everybody was utterly themselves that evening.
Lady Catherine held court at her nephew’s table, while down at the other end, the dowager countess did her best to mitigate the young earl’s evident drunkenness.
Rupert Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Matlock, slouched back indecorously in his chair, leering at his cousins and sniping with Rebecca.
For her part, Rebecca was more restrained in her caustic address toward her brother, likely for the sake of their guests.
Rebecca had accomplished something devious in her steady stream of insolence to Rupert, delivered from the middle of the table – she was really seated a little too far from him to make their conversation private.
But she managed to insulate Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, who were seated near the earl and his mother.
They were not obliged to speak to him themselves, and were thus left to have another agreeable conversation as Lady Rebecca’s sauciness shielded them from what notice Lady Catherine could spare from her observation of Jane and Richard.
A modicum of sympathy shaded Elizabeth’s enjoyment of the supper, for she was sorry that Jane should face such scrutiny.
Even so, she appeared to enjoy herself well enough.
Both Richard and Mr. Bingley spoke to her a great deal and seemed to gratify her with their attentions, while Rose watched with a look of awe as if studying Jane for some secret means of inspiring admiration.
After dinner, Elizabeth no longer enjoyed relative privacy in conversing with Mr. Darcy as freely as she liked.
The gentlemen lingered longer over their brandy and cigars than they had done the night before.
While Jane played the pianoforte and the dowager countess listened obligingly with her daughters, Lady Catherine approached Elizabeth with a look of intent.
“My dear, I hope you were not obliged to waste your charms on your unfortunate dinner companions. But do not suppose I shall neglect you, once your cousin Richard has prevailed over his tradesman friend in captivating Jane’s affections.”
Elizabeth arched an eyebrow at her mother.
“I hope my services in diverting some of the unsavory element of the house were not unsatisfactory. Besides, Rebecca gave Rupert so much trouble that I was obliged only once or twice to agree with his belching nonsense. And Mr. Darcy – well, he is not at all objectionable, either in character or situation.”
“I shall grant you that, but until I have spoken properly with him, I cannot say more,” Lady Catherine said with an imperious set in her shoulders.
“He is no tradesman, at least, though one really ought to avoid being French, where it is at all possible. As to his character, you must let me be the judge, for I shall not be influenced by his appearance. There are plenty of handsome men in London, and some of them are even worthy of you – you simply have not met anyone more suitable yet.”
Elizabeth grinned and shook her ahead at her mother’s lofty aspirations.
“I shall draw the line at dukes, Mamma – I should make a miserable duchess, for I am far too self-indulgent to take such a station quite seriously. You must aim no higher than a marquess for me, though I know it will pain you.”
Lady Catherine swatted at her, pressing her lips together as she did when she did not want to admit Elizabeth’s humor had softened her strictures.
“Tease me all you like my dear, at least I am sensible of your worth! I hope you shall learn to be, for you and Jane are the finest girls in England! So pretty, so accomplished, and each of you with your own style of charm. Some may prefer Jane’s gentleness and serenity, and others may appreciate your lively wit.
But you both certainly deserve the very best. I promised Fanny, all those years ago. ”
Elizabeth squeezed her mother’s hand for a moment.
“You have already done so much. Jane and I are very happy, in our own different ways, to be in London – to content ourselves with family as well as to meet so many new people. But on only the second evening of our time here, surely we need not quarrel over anything serious. I only wish to meet new people and have interesting conversations.”
“I suppose it is all a part of your moving more in the world, as you ought to do.” Lady Catherine let the matter rest after this, and she had taken up a game of cards with Rebecca and the dowager countess by the time the gentlemen entered the room.
She at once bid Rupert to join them, repeating her request as he moved directly to Jane, and then louder a third time, until he obliged her.
Content to see Jane left with Richard while Rose assumed the pianoforte and Mr. Bingley turned the pages for her, Lady Catherine discreetly watched Elizabeth resume her conversation with Mr. Darcy.