Chapter 2 #2
Miss Darcy spoke animatedly, the sudden invitation taking Elizabeth, as well as her sister and aunt, by surprise.
Tea in Miss Darcy’s town house! Did Mr Darcy live there too?
While the invitation sounded genuine, and no questionable reasons could be suspected, it certainly required proper consideration.
How could Miss Darcy be so sweet-natured, so utterly different from her brother?
Then another thought arose in her mind. How could Mr Wickham proclaim Miss Darcy had turned out to be proud and arrogant, very much like her brother?
No statement could be further from the truth.
He had said he had not seen Miss Darcy in a few years, but she was still so very young.
When he last saw her and judged her character, she must have been yet a child.
Then how could she have been proud and disagreeable?
“Lizzy, my dear?” she heard her aunt’s voice.
“Yes? Please forgive me, I was distracted for a moment.”
“I was just telling Miss Darcy how much we regret declining her invitation to tea today, as we are expected at home very soon. However, we would be honoured to accept it another time. My niece Elizabeth will remain in London for at least another week, then she will depart for Kent.”
“For Kent? How lovely! My aunt lives in Kent.”
“I believe we face yet another coincidence,” Elizabeth answered, amused. “If the aunt you mention is Lady Catherine de Bourgh, we plan to visit my cousin, who is a clergyman. I was told his house is quite close to Rosings Park.”
“Truly?” Miss Darcy exclaimed. “This is undoubtedly a day of wonder. I cannot wait to write to my brother about it!”
Elizabeth found nothing to say in reply; somehow, she suspected Mr Darcy would not share his sister’s enthusiasm.
“Again, we are sorry we must leave now, Miss Darcy,” Mrs Gardiner said. “It was such a delightful surprise and an honour to make your acquaintance.”
“And such a privilege to be assisted by you after my silly accident,” Elizabeth added with a smile, nodding. Miss Darcy smiled too.
“I hope we can meet again,” Miss Darcy repeated, then she climbed into her carriage with her companion, and the two parties separated.
Once in their seats, there was a moment of silence before Elizabeth addressed her sister and aunt.
“This was a day of wonder, indeed. I never expected to fall in Hyde Park and to be aided by Mr Darcy’s sister, of all people.”
“Miss Darcy is exceedingly beautiful and elegant,” Jane whispered. “And so sweet and gentle. I know she is very accomplished too and plays the pianoforte exquisitely.”
“She does look to be all of those things,” Elizabeth answered harshly. “But she certainly does not seem to be busy keeping Mr Bingley’s company, as certain people falsely proclaimed. Miss Darcy appeared to have no idea of Mr Bingley’s whereabouts nor to care about him in any particular way.”
“I have long suspected Mr Bingley’s sisters of being as dishonest as they were impolite,” Mrs Gardiner declared.
“Their manners are nothing like Miss Darcy’s, but I expected as much.
The Darcys and the Fitzwilliams are among the oldest and most distinguished families in England.
Mr Bingley’s sisters surely lack a sound education and knowledge of decorum. ”
“Knowing all the subjects in our discussion, I dare assume it is not as much a matter of family, status, or education, as it is of character, nature, and disposition,” Elizabeth replied. “That is why Miss Darcy is so different from her brother and Mr Bingley from his sisters.”
“I believe you judge Mr Darcy too harshly, Lizzy,” Mrs Gardiner said. “As their parents died several years ago, Mr Darcy must have been a brother and a father figure for his sister. She could not have grown up to be such a lovely person if he was a dreadful one.”
“I am not sure how to respond to that, dear aunt. Mr Darcy has always puzzled me. I have heard so many opposing things about him that I could never sketch his character. What I do know is that he loathes dancing and was rude during assemblies and balls, and he has been cruel and unfair to Mr Wickham.”
“But Lizzy, Mr Darcy was not rude to you during the Netherfield ball, was he?” Jane enquired.
“He was not,” Elizabeth replied after a brief hesitation. “But he was not exceedingly amiable either, though he was a good dancer, I grant him that. Still, Mr Darcy is frightening and makes one uncomfortable even when he smiles,” she concluded with a laugh.
Eventually, they arrived in Gracechurch Street, still discussing their eventful day. The children welcomed them cheerfully, and Mr Gardiner was at home too. They enquired about Sir William and Maria, who apparently were keeping to their beds and taking their medicine diligently.
“Sir William is quite distressed,” Mr Gardiner informed them. “Not so much by the illness but by the letter he received from Mr Collins. Here, allow me to read it.
“My dear sir,
Your letter caused us serious hardship and inconveniently ruined our plans, but Charlotte and I are at least pleased your illness is not life-threatening. As Lady Catherine kindly stated, one should be very careful in this unpredictable weather in order to avoid such an unpleasant outcome.
It was a wise choice to prolong your stay in London; bringing a cold and fever to Hunsford, so close to Rosings, would have been unacceptable.
We are ready to welcome you all in our humble abode as soon as the doctor declares you utterly and completely recovered.
Upon your arrival, Lady Catherine insists that her physician examine you too, for obvious reasons.
Until then, we wish you all the best, and please keep us updated with your progress. Do not be concerned about the cost of correspondence; I am prepared to pay for every letter you send me.
Your truly,
William Collins.”
Mr Gardiner put the letter down, looking at his wife and nieces, who were momentarily speechless. Then Elizabeth began to laugh.
“Every time we believe Mr Collins cannot be worse, he proves us wrong,” she stated, and the others only nodded.
“I confess I greatly anticipate meeting Lady Catherine de Bourgh — she must be quite a spectacle herself. I wonder whether she resembles her nephew Mr Darcy, for she cannot possibly be anything like Miss Darcy.”
For the rest of the day and during dinner, the main subject of conversation was the Darcys and their relatives.
The doctor arrived and briefly examined the patients, declaring himself satisfied with their progress but still recommending no travel for several more days.
Elizabeth found herself content with the notion and wondered when they would be able to accept Miss Darcy’s invitation for tea.