Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Charlotte made a full apology when Elizabeth returned, then instead of her missed sea-bathing outing, accompanied Mr Bennet to the shops and the library. Jane and Mary accompanied Kitty and Lydia to enjoy the spectacle of a military embarkation.
Elizabeth rested in the garden with a book of poetry, considering everything that Lady Barry had said. Was it possible that Mr Darcy was worth considering? Was it possible that such a man was even interested in being considered?
Not long after Mr and Mrs Bennet returned from their shopping excursion, The gentleman himself arrived with his sister, bearing boxes of treats from the confectioners.
“My cousin told me what happened last night, Lizzy, and I could not imagine going out into public after such a scene, so Fitzwilliam and I decided to bring our confectionery adventure to you this afternoon.” Georgiana Darcy looked worriedly at her friend.
“That was kind of you, Georgie.” Elizabeth smiled at the kind young girl. “You are not wrong, I do feel unequal to such an excursion today, but I am grieved that you have altered your plans merely for me.”
“Nonsense. Our plan was to sample the wares of the shop with you as our companion. To alter it now would ruin our enjoyment, I assure you, Miss Elizabeth.” Darcy examined her, as if to assure himself that she was indeed unharmed.
“I was disappointed by the impossibility of enjoying your company for the supper set last night, but I am more concerned for your spirits today. We could hardly do anything other than see that you are well for ourselves.”
Elizabeth blushed as he presented her with a stunning bouquet of delicate pink hothouse roses.
“How lovely! What a kind gesture, Mr Darcy,” Charlotte exclaimed.
Turning, she instructed a maid to put the roses into a vase in Elizabeth’s room and have the cook arrange the sweets to be served with a pot of tea.
She gave Elizabeth an excited but worried look, obviously thrilled to see her receive attention from such a gentleman, but wary of Elizabeth’s contrary nature.
“Was the embarkation a spectacle worth seeing?” Charlotte asked as Jane and Mary entered with Kitty and Lydia, flushed from their excursion.
“It was! We encountered Mr Wickham, and he escorted us on the promenade! He said that he might call upon us for tea!” Lydia gushed. “Oh, good afternoon, Miss Darcy, Mr Darcy.”
“Charlotte, we saw Mr Lovett and Mr Painswick, and they have invited us for a drive and a picnic near the cliffs tomorrow. Do you mind?” Mary asked. “They are eager to show off their phaetons again.”
“Of course not, as long as you are in open carriages and travel as a party,” answered Charlotte agreeably.
“I wish Mr Wickham would invite me on a phaeton ride and a picnic.” Lydia sighed dreamily.
“I have more right to be invited than you, Lydia, for I am two years older,” Kitty argued.
“And yet your age would do you no good at all, Kitty Bennet, for you are not properly out, and you are not to associate with officers,” Mr Bennet drawled as he entered the room with his newspaper.
“I am eighteen! I ought to have been out last year!” Kitty objected. “I was out when Mama was alive!”
“You were and still are out in Meryton, which is not the same, and I am not confident you are ready to be out in wider society.” Mr Bennet bowed to Darcy and Georgiana in greeting, then turned to his daughter.
“You will not be properly out until one, preferably two, of your older sisters have married. If you proceed with this line of discussion, you will return to Longbourn tomorrow, and I will ensure you do not catch sight of another man in a red coat until you are old and grey.”
“Are you all right, Lizzy? I was so distressed when Priscilla told me of your experience. What a dreadful man Mr James is! I could tell you did not welcome his attention when we dined with you,” Georgiana whispered as Jane and Mary spoke animatedly of the young gentlemen that they would see again tomorrow.
“I am well, Georgiana, though nervous about the gossip such a scene might create. I walked out to visit Lady Barry this morning, but I have not been anywhere that I might encounter society yet,” Elizabeth answered.
“It is already known that Mr James left Ramsgate in humiliation this morning,” Darcy reassured her.
“He was strongly rebuked by the magistrate and his wife last night, in addition to your father. What we heard before we departed the ball after you suggests that the local matrons and fathers regard the man’s behaviour quite severely.
It was quite obvious that his attention was unwelcome to you, and that he did not have your father’s permission to address you.
Even if he had, no man would consent to his daughter being so publicly cornered. ”
“That is a relief,” Elizabeth replied as two maids returned with carts laden with tea and the offerings from the confectioner on trays.
“Though I am still mortified by the gossip about Lady Barry’s will.
There is no reason to suppose she would favour me in any way, and I am grieved that her name or fortune is being discussed so sordidly. ”
“Of course you are,” Georgiana said anxiously. “I would be positively mortified! But anyone who knows you must know that you are not privy to such schemes, and that you would never encourage anyone to think anything so improper.”
“Good heavens, Mr and Miss Darcy, you have brought us a veritable feast of sweets!” Charlotte exclaimed as the party surveyed the trays and platters piled high with cream cakes, iced biscuits, and other delights.
“My brother was unwilling to trust the choice entirely to my judgement, so we both made some selections,” Georgiana said shyly. “We intend to try something new at each visit, so I selected the cream cakes and the iced biscuits.”
“But Miss Elizabeth particularly enjoyed the marzipan and candied peel yesterday,” Darcy said with a twinkle in his eye. “I could not leave them behind.”
“Well, whatever the reason for this largess, I anticipate a dish of candied lemon peel with pleasure.” Mr Bennet’s voice was heard from behind his newspaper. “Mrs Bennet, you must enjoy a generous serving. Remember what Mr Jones said. You must nourish yourself with a variety of foods.”
“I certainly will not refuse,” answered Charlotte agreeably. “I believe any medicinal cure must be improved by great quantities of sugar. I do enjoy marzipan. What clever little sculptures!”
“But not too much for Lydia, who enjoys sugar until she becomes ill,” Mary said severely. “You must exert control, little sister. Charlotte, you have been out all afternoon with Papa. You must rest. Jane and I will pour and serve.”
Elizabeth observed their guests as cups of tea and dishes of sweets were passed about the room and enjoyed.
Lady Barry’s words rang in her ears as she perceived how Mr Darcy was solicitous to her without being intrusive or excessive.
Even after his unfortunate outburst the day they met, his sister clearly adored and trusted him implicitly.
His cousin Priscilla was a great deal more worldly than Georgiana, and even she agreed that Darcy was the very best of men.
What was it that she said? Oh yes. “The sooner you forget his silly outburst and bestow your good opinion upon my cousin, the better.”
Elizabeth was subdued as she listened to the conversations in the room and felt Darcy’s quiet attention upon her. She did not yet know if his notice would extend beyond obtaining her complete forgiveness and friendship, or if she would encourage him if it did.
Mr Wickham called during the visit, and Elizabeth could see that Charlotte received him grudgingly, eyeing Mr and Miss Darcy as if worried that she might insult them if she had him turned away at the door.
Darcy scowled as the young lieutenant was announced to the room, and Elizabeth noticed that when the young man had greeted everyone and headed for the youngest ladies as was his usual wont, her father followed him and seated himself between Mr Wickham and his most vulnerable daughters.
Her father inserted himself into their conversation, making it clear to Mr Wickham that if he was visiting, that he was there to visit Mr Bennet and not the young ladies.
Elizabeth wondered if this was only because of her father and Charlotte’s edict that Lydia and Kitty were not to socialise with officers, or if Mr Bennet had sensed something of Darcy’s warning in the man’s behaviour.
“We also came bearing some news,” Darcy announced to the room eventually. “My friend Mr Bingley has taken a cottage here in Ramsgate for the remainder of the summer, and I believe that his family will take up the empty cottage next door to you all.”
“That dull chap, Darcy? The arrival of Bingley and his sisters is hardly news,” Mr Wickham was heard to say from across the room.
Darcy ignored him entirely as Charlotte responded politely. “How pleasant to meet your friend and his family, Mr Darcy. Is he a married gentleman, then?”
“He is not, Mrs Bennet,” Darcy replied as if Mr Wickham had not spoken at all.
“He is a gentlemanly man, two years my junior, whom I met at Cambridge. He has been considering taking a lease on an estate before eventually purchasing one, which was his late father’s hope for him.
His family hails from Scarborough, where his father was in trade many years ago.
He comes with his married sister and her husband, Mr and Mrs Hurst, and his younger, unmarried sister.
Miss Bingley is of an age with Miss Bennet or Miss Elizabeth, I believe. Miss Bingley will act as his hostess.”
“How nice it will be to have the society of two more ladies just next door.” Jane refilled her stepmother’s cup. “I look forward to meeting them.”
Elizabeth noticed a dubious expression upon Miss Darcy’s face and wondered what sort of ladies Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst would be.
“If they have arrived by the early afternoon, I will be glad to introduce you, that is, if Miss Elizabeth is amenable to accompanying Georgiana and me on our next adventure to the confectioner’s,” Darcy promised.
“Say you will join us again, Lizzy. You cannot abandon our scheme because of one badly behaved gentleman,” Georgiana implored.
“I see no reason to refuse, that is, unless my stepmother requires me to chaperone my sisters somewhere.” Elizabeth looked to Charlotte.
“I would not dream of interfering with any plan of yours, Eliza.” Charlotte appraised Darcy and Elizabeth speculatively. “If Kitty and Lydia would like to go out tomorrow afternoon, they can accompany Mr Bennet to the library.”
“How fortunate am I,” Mr Bennet observed. “A trip to the library with my two youngest daughters? At last, my education will be complete.”
Kitty turned to Miss Darcy. “Since we have finished Sense and Sensibility, I will search for something new for us to read, Georgiana.”
“I would like that above anything!” Georgiana enthused. “Perhaps when we return, you could accompany me home to begin reading, if you find something interesting.”
“I cannot imagine anything more melancholy than spending a fine day amongst old gentlemen and even older books,” Lydia grumbled.
“Can you not, my dear?” Charlotte asked meaningfully, discouraging Lydia from saying anything more impolite.
“It is a shame the young ladies must be sentenced to spending a fine day at the library. I commiserate with you, Miss Lydia,” Mr Wickham drawled as the youngest Bennet daughter batted her eyelashes at him.
“I believe that we have quite overstayed our welcome.” Darcy stood as Mary rose and rang for the maid. “We look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Miss Elizabeth. Come, Wickham, you have also been here far too long for a polite call.”
As they left, Lydia and Kitty watched from the window for a last glimpse of Mr Wickham. “Well, is that not the rudest thing you ever saw! To demand that Mr Wickham leave with them, only to snub him and not offer him a ride in their carriage!”
“I knew that Darcy lad was intelligent.” Mr Bennet rose from his chair. “I hear my son waking from his nap. I believe I shall go and read to the boy.”