Chapter 6 #2
Lady Sedgewick frowned. “You appear to be honest, Elizabeth. Your neighbours in Meryton spoke very highly of you and your eldest sister. I do not doubt their sincerity, as my men’s identity remained undisclosed and all discussions were carried on as mere gossip.”
“Your ladyship’s diligence in sketching my true character is understandable.”
“I am glad you understand. You must be aware that your position will bring many advantages for your family and yourself. Aside from what my nephew offers you through the settlement—which, by the way, I would advise to be carefully read by a solicitor—more benefits will come to you from our side. You will have some additional pin money, several sets of jewels, and so on. Much more than a girl of your situation in life could hope for.”
Elizabeth listened, her eyes holding the lady’s severe scrutiny. There was nothing she could say that would not sound hypocritical.
Lady Sedgewick coughed a few times, drank some water, then continued.
“But you must keep in mind that everything will be on the condition of complying with your duties concerning the charities I am sponsoring. There is much to do, even for an older woman, more accustomed to running a large household. As I said, the trustees, as well as my solicitor, will clarify the requirements with you and will be at your disposal for any further support you might need. Properties cannot be sold without the approval of the trustees, and the funds attached to each charity cannot be diverted for a different use. The purposeful neglect of my demands would leave my nephew and his wife with only an allowance for him and one, much smaller, for her—for you. The rest of the money would be spread between church, charities and several other relatives who will surely pray that you will fail in your endeavour.”
The tumult of new information dismayed Elizabeth and defeated her attempt to keep her spirits high. Even more so, she began to suspect that more remained unknown to her. The hasty marriage—to her, of all the women in town—became even more intriguing and concerning.
It was too late to affect her acceptance, though. A broken engagement with Lord Barrington—based on her suspicions and fears—would be a disaster that would ruin her family forever, like a storm that leaves nothing behind. Her own life was worth the trade for her beloved ones’ safety.
“Also, I have a legal settlement for Cece too. She cannot inherit, but I have offered her some gifts of jewellery. I have purchased a little cottage for her, on a small estate. It is already in her name. She could have had a safe and comfortable life while I was still alive but she refused to leave me. After I die, if she wishes to leave, she should be free to take all the gifts I have offered her. If she chooses to stay in London, she must be offered a room in one of my two townhouses and be treated with respect and consideration. She has her own pianoforte—my husband purchased it for her when she was fifteen years old. She must not be treated like a servant but she might be of great help to you if you truly wish to keep her.”
“Keep her? She may stay or leave whenever she wishes, may she not? It is not for me to keep her,” Elizabeth replied, puzzled.
“She may. But a young woman like her cannot have an easy life in London, or indeed anywhere in England. She needs protection, to avoid falling victim to people’s evilness.
My nephew and my sister-in-law have always despised Cece.
They never accepted being in the same room as her, let alone dining with her.
But they are not alone. I can hardly remember a single formal dinner with guests that Cece attended. ”
“I promise you everything will be done according to your request, your ladyship.”
“Tell me the truth—are you not even slightly bothered that she is black?”
“My aunt and uncle have some neighbours who are people of colour. Some are from India, others from China. They own shops, and we often meet them in the park, with the children, who play together. It never occurred to me that I might be bothered by their company.”
“I am glad to hear that. Your uncle and aunt are cleverer than half of the ton.”
“Of that, I have no doubt,” Elizabeth declared with such honesty that Lady Sedgewick began to laugh.
“Oh well, the more I know of you, the more I imagine what a hard life you will have with your future husband and mother-in-law, as they are both ridiculously arrogant, disdainful and inconsiderate of those outside their circle.”
For a moment, Mr. Darcy’s hurt face, while listening to her accusations after his proposal, invaded her mind. Would she marry a man who was truly guilty of all the faults she had wrongly put on Darcy?
“Elizabeth, I can see you are overwhelmed by what I have told you. This shows me you are a decent girl, preoccupied with her future responsibilities and clever enough to guess the significance and difficulty of her new position. I hope that, although the reasons behind your engagement are mercenary, your marriage will be of benefit to those under my protection.”
Elizabeth breathed deeply; the chamber felt too small and too warm, although it was quite the opposite. She gulped a little tea, then finally answered.
“Lady Sedgewick, I shall not deny that I accepted entering into this marriage after such a brief acquaintance with Lord Barrington due to some peculiar and distressing circumstances. We have both admitted it and I believe fairness is a solid grounding for a relationship based on mutual respect. The advantages I will gain from this union are obvious; in exchange, I am ready to take on all the duties attached to my new position. Once I have committed myself to these arrangements, I shall do everything in my power to do what is required of me. Indeed, I am not accustomed to running large households, nor have I lived in one. But I am ready to learn and to work hard to do my part! Your ladyship does not know me well enough to trust my word, but I hope we will have enough time for me to prove myself to you.”
The growing perturbation increased Elizabeth's tone and her voice became more decided.
Lady Sedgewick’s eyebrow arched.
“Well, well, I enjoy seeing so much spirit and determination in a young lady. Quite a pleasant surprise. I doubt we will have much time left to spend together, but if you prove to be as you presented to me today, I might die at peace. Your marriage to my nephew might be a blessing for many people, after all. Now let us end this meeting. I am tired and I would say it has been enough for you too. I shall call for Cece to read me something. Good day, Elizabeth.”