Chapter XXVI
The following morning, Darcy’s note reached Gracechurch Street just as its inhabitants sat down for breakfast.
Its contents were brief. He proposed bringing Lydia to visit her father that morning. Afterwards, if agreeable to all parties, he wondered whether the ladies might enjoy an excursion to Kew Gardens.
The suggestion produced considerably more excitement than he had anticipated. By the time he arrived, Mrs. Gardiner had already decided that if one was to visit Kew Gardens, one ought to do so properly.
The four Gardiner children were to accompany them. Mr. Gardiner had laughingly surrendered all authority in the matter almost immediately.
When Darcy entered the drawing room, he found plans already underway.
“I see I have created chaos,” he observed.
“You have,” Mrs. Gardiner agreed cheerfully. “The children have been discussing nothing else for the last half hour.”
“I regret my recklessness.”
“No, please do not. It is a wonderful idea.” Elizabeth spoke for the first time.
“Although I do not believe you accounted for the Gardiners and their children, so you may come to regret it, but I assure you, they are lovely.”
The smile she gave him was enough to make him regret nothing. He returned her smile. “Lovely?”
“Well, they will behave because their favourite aunt is here.”
“You are a favourite, Miss Bennet, are you?”
“Of course, I am the best at making up stories.”
“Oh-ho, and can you make the voices?”
Darcy felt unexpectedly alive. The concerns lingering after Bingley’s departure slipped quietly from his mind. A man deserved a little oblivion himself.
Elizabeth laughed and crossed to embrace her sister. Lydia, meanwhile, was far too occupied by the prospect of seeing her father to contribute anything sensible.
“I do not know if I can face him.”
“Lydia, he is your father. No matter what you did, he loves you,” Elizabeth encouraged her.
Before Lydia could reply, Mr. Bennet entered. The room quieted immediately, and Lydia’s colour faded. Just then, she looked as though she might flee.
Mr. Bennet looked from one daughter to the other. Then he opened his arms. “Come here, child.”
Lydia crossed the room almost at once. The embrace lasted only a few moments, but when they separated, her eyes were already bright with tears. “I am sorry, Papa.”
Mr. Bennet closed his eyes briefly. “So am I.”
No one spoke.
Then, he offered her his arm. “Shall we take a turn in the library and discuss how thoroughly you have destroyed my peace of mind?”
A watery smile appeared. “Yes, Papa.”
They withdrew together.
The moment the door closed, everyone seemed to breathe again.
Darcy found himself looking towards Elizabeth. She was staring at the closed door. Relief, gratitude, and lingering anxiety all seemed to war upon her features.
Mrs. Gardiner discreetly dabbed at her eyes; she rose. “Miss Darcy, I believe four small people are becoming increasingly impatient to make your acquaintance properly.”
Georgiana looked pleasantly surprised. “The children?”
“Yes. They have spent the entire morning discussing Kew Gardens. I suspect they would be delighted to recruit another enthusiast.”
A smile immediately appeared. “I should like that very much.”
“Excellent. Come along then. Mrs. Annesley, perhaps you will join us?”
Mrs. Annesley turned to her employer. “Actually, it looks like I am not needed today. Mr. Darcy, if you do not mind, I would return to Darcy House. The ladies will be chaperoned.”
Her return was agreed to and arranged very quickly.
“Refreshments should be arriving shortly. Lizzy, please serve in my stead,” Mrs. Gardiner said, leaving with Georgiana.
Only Darcy, Elizabeth, and Mr. Gardiner remained. No one spoke for a few seconds.
Elizabeth glanced towards the closed door. “What will become of us?”
Elizabeth jumped at her own voice. Colour rushed to her cheeks. She looked first at her uncle, then at Darcy.
They had heard.
For a moment, nobody answered. Neither gentleman appeared entirely comfortable with her distress.
Elizabeth noticed and immediately regretted speaking.
Mr. Gardiner’s expression softened. “My dear, if there is one thing I have learnt in business, it is that the future rarely turns out precisely as one expects.”
“That is not especially comforting.”
“No.” He smiled. “But it is true.”
Elizabeth attempted a smile in return and failed.
Her gaze drifted back to the door. “I thought everything would somehow return to normal once Lydia was found. But it is foolish to think so.” She straightened. “I beg your pardon. That was not a very cheerful thing to say.”
“It was an honest one,” said Darcy.
She looked at him. He seemed about to say more.
Instead, he asked, “What would you wish to happen?”
The question surprised her. “I do not know.” She considered it.
“I should like Lydia to be happy. I should like us not to suffer for this. I should like my mother to stop crying. I should like my father to stop blaming himself. Well, perhaps he can take his time with that…” A faint smile appeared.
“And I should like society to discover a new scandal.”
Mr. Gardiner laughed. “Now that ambition may be beyond even Mr. Darcy’s considerable abilities.”
“I would not be so certain.”
Darcy looked at her.
She seemed suddenly aware that both gentlemen were listening. She shifted in her seat. “What Mr. Darcy has already accomplished would have seemed impossible to me a month ago.”
“Miss Bennet…”
“No.” She shook her head. “I mean it.” She searched for the proper words. Then, perhaps finding none entirely satisfactory, she smiled instead. “I am very glad you did not allow my past opinion of you to determine your conduct.”
That startled an unexpected laugh from Mr. Gardiner.
“That is not in my nature,” he said, “I am glad to be of service. To you and your family.”
The warmth in his voice made remaining in the room suddenly feel difficult.
Elizabeth rose. “If you gentlemen will excuse me, I ought to change before our expedition.” And before anyone could stop her, she escaped.
After Elizabeth departed, silence lingered for a moment.
Then Mr. Gardiner smiled. “My niece appears considerably happier than she was a few weeks ago.”
Darcy wisely chose not to comment.
The older man spared him further discomfort.
Darcy hesitated only briefly. “Mr. Gardiner, I should like your opinion on a matter concerning the Bennet family.”
Mr. Gardiner became attentive at once. “What sort of matter?”
“The future.”
The smile faded. “I see.”
Darcy considered how best to explain. Then he decided there was little point in disguise. “Miss Bennet is correct. Miss Lydia cannot simply return home and resume her former life.”
“No.”
“And neither can the family.”
Mr. Gardiner sighed. “No.”
The answer came so quickly that Darcy looked at him.
The older man shook his head. “I wish I could disagree.” He folded his arms. “Lydia has been found. Thank God for that. But the neighbourhood will not suddenly forget.”
Darcy nodded. “That is my concern.”
“It is mine as well.” Mr. Gardiner was silent for a moment. “Particularly for Jane and Elizabeth.”
“Exactly.” Darcy hesitated. “I thought of a solution.” He leant forward. “They could move.”
“Pardon?”
“They could move somewhere else. Somewhere they are unknown.”
“Move somewhere else…” Mr. Gardiner sat up. “Why did I not think of that?” Genuine enthusiasm lit his face. Then it vanished almost as quickly. “Oh, but Bennet would never agree.”
“Why?”
Mr. Gardiner laughed. “Because it is troublesome.”
Darcy frowned. “Not even for his daughters?”
“I should like to think so. But you do not know Bennet as I do.”
“Explain.”
“He would have to leave Longbourn. He would have to leave his book room. He would have to organise the removal of an entire household.” Mr. Gardiner shook his head. “He has spent twenty years avoiding inconvenience wherever possible.”
Darcy was silent for a moment.
“I own a house in Ramsgate,” he heard himself say.
That earned Mr. Gardiner’s full attention.
“They could move there. There is no need to search. It is far enough for the scandal not to follow them, if the ladies can be persuaded not to mention anything.”
Mr. Gardiner studied him carefully. “You would let it to the Bennets?”
“Let?” A look of surprise crossed his face. “Yes, let… Yes, I would.”
Mr. Gardiner looked at him thoughtfully. He shook his head. “Large enough?”
“Large enough for the entire family.” Darcy allowed himself the faintest smile. “Even a book room.”
The older man smiled. “That may be the strongest argument yet.” His amusement faded as he considered the matter more seriously. “He will not like the extra cost.”
Darcy bit his lip in order not to answer that.
“And Longbourn?”
“The estate remains exactly as it is.”
Mr. Gardiner’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
“Mr. Bennet could travel there quarterly.”
Mr. Gardiner nodded slowly. “He will not enjoy it. But as Elizabeth said, he should sacrifice something. He is the head of the household; he bears some responsibility for what has happened.”
“They would no longer be introduced as the family whose youngest daughter ran away.”
Neither spoke for some time.
Then Mr. Gardiner gave a slow nod. “It is an excellent idea.”
Darcy felt an unexpected sense of relief. Until that moment, he had not realised how much he had feared being told it was absurd. “You think so?”
“I do.” The answer came without hesitation.
“It changes nothing that has happened. But it changes what comes next.” He paused. “And more importantly, it would give the girls a chance to begin again.”
Darcy found himself thinking of Elizabeth.
Mr. Gardiner noticed. “The difficulty,” he continued, “will still be Bennet.”
Darcy almost laughed.
“He dislikes change. He dislikes being advised. He dislikes leaving Longbourn.”
The two men exchanged a look.
For the first time, the idea seemed less like a dream and more like a possibility.