Chapter Twenty-Four
Upon their arrival in London, Elizabeth and Jane had the leisure on the first full day to spend the whole of their time with the Gardiners.
Her lovely husband was to spend the morning discussing matters with his man of business—he had explained that he was putting substantial amounts into government stock each year for the sake of establishing dowries or an independence for the children they would have.
It was admirable of him to do so and kind of him to make the effort to ensure that she understood the arrangements.
Following that, Darcy planned to go to his club and see which of his acquaintances were already in London.
“You do not mind that we shall be apart for the whole day?” Darcy asked after he explained his plans.
Elizabeth gave him a small kiss. “As much as I adore your company, I believe that we can survive eight or ten hours apart.”
“It feels odd to not see you for so many hours. We have always been together these last months. Either in the same room, or I often walk down the hall to speak to you.”
He looked away with a touch of red in his cheeks.
“Do not fret.” Elizabeth kissed him softly. “I shall miss you as well.”
He grinned. “I hoped that you would say that.”
“But you have missed your friends—enjoy yourself. We plan to spend the whole day with my aunt and uncle Gardiner.”
“Invite them to dine during the next week, so that I can meet them.”
A thrill of pleasure went through Elizabeth at hearing him say that, and she promised she would. He knew full well that her uncle was in trade, and he did not even seem to mind.
Georgiana would spend the day with various musical masters, so after warmly parting with her, Elizabeth, Jane, and Emily were taken by carriage to the Gardiners’ residence in Gracechurch Street.
They were happily received, and when the children were all brought in, they jumped about in delight at seeing their cousin Elizabeth returned.
A great many drawings were given over, and the eldest Miss Gardiner, who was of an age to wish very much to be treated as a lady, proudly displayed her accomplishments at needlework and asked for a screen she had painted to be duly admired.
They then went out to the market across the street so they could buy meat pies, and as was her habit, Elizabeth climbed all the 311 steps to the top of the Monument to the Great Fire—the tall edifice was only a short walk from the Gardiners’ house, and Elizabeth always liked to make the climb on her first day in London so that she could see the whole of the city.
When Mr. Gardiner finished his half day of business and came back from the warehouses, he asked Elizabeth many questions about Pemberley and her life there.
The children then threw an impromptu play, in which Emily was allowed to perform a chief role, and during it Elizabeth found her mind at leisure to wander.
The happiness between Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner was so unlike the frustration, ironic detachment, and strain that continued between her own parents.
But seeing the contentment of her aunt and uncle made Elizabeth feel great warmth towards Mr. Darcy. Despite the way that he had promised her that he would be a difficult husband, Elizabeth could not imagine wanting a different man.
He had proved to be, in every significant way, exactly the partner she had always dreamed of, and even though she still feared that she held more affection for him than he did for her, his care for her, his liking of her, and his regular desire for her company were clear.
She admired him so dearly…it was strange how her life had worked out so well. The way that they lived together was a great deal more like the connection between the Gardiners than that between her parents.
They liked each other.
There were many ways that Darcy’s words, presence, and way of thinking helped her, and she believed that she made his life warmer and brighter.
As if he had been called by the thought, Darcy and Mr. Bingley suddenly entered the drawing room.
It was Mr. Bingley’s cheerful voice that announced their arrival. “Darcy met me at the club and told me that Miss Bennet and Mrs. Darcy were here, and I had to see you all. It has been too long.”
Elizabeth noticed that Jane immediately perked up, turning herself towards Mr. Bingley’s voice and smiling.
For his part, Mr. Bingley first approached Jane, gripped her hand, smiled, and talked about how much he had missed her company in the two weeks since he had arrived in town.
Then he cheerfully greeted the Gardiners as though they were old friends, which half confused Elizabeth until she recalled that he must have met them several times when they made their usual visit to Longbourn at Christmastide.
That was enough time for Mr. Bingley to become dear friends with anyone.
But all of that was insignificant next to Elizabeth’s happiness at seeing Darcy.
She had missed him.
She immediately went to him, though of course Emily ran faster and jumped into her father’s arms first.
Elizabeth smiled happily, and he smiled back at her with great warmth.
The introduction between Darcy and the Gardiners was made, and Elizabeth had the satisfaction of seeing that he liked them as much as she had hoped he would.
After some twenty minutes, Darcy announced that he had seen a poster for a performance of Macbeth when they had left White’s, and that he had sent a man to take a box for the evening.
“I hope,” he said to Elizabeth, “that this will make you happy. Mr. Gardiner, I would like very much if you all attended with us. Though I understand that you might already have plans.”
Mr. Gardiner waved that away. “Not of any importance. I would be delighted to see the Scottish play again. It has been five or ten years. You are most kind to include us.”
“Has Elizabeth invited you to dinner yet? I hope to see you at my home in the next week.”
Mrs. Gardiner said, “We had thought that the Tuesday would work best for us.”
“Then we shall see you on Tuesday.”
Elizabeth could tell that her husband was in a fine mood.
He glowed in her eyes, and she liked to watch as he moved about the room. She loved the way that he looked, the way that he thought, the way that he talked, and the way that he smelled.
Darcy began a conversation with Mrs. Gardiner about Lambton and the places they both remembered.
Elizabeth had several times called on Mrs. Gardiner’s old acquaintances, to pass on greetings from her aunt, and when Darcy asked whether she was interested in visiting the area again, her aunt confessed to liking the idea.
“If you and your husband have the leisure to do so this summer, you would have ample access to Lambton from Pemberley. Bingley means to join us for some weeks, to return the hospitality that he gave me in the past year and which proved to be most significant to my fate.”
“You do?” Jane asked Mr. Bingley in a delighted tone. “You know that I shall be with Elizabeth this summer as well?”
“I did know,” Mr. Bingley said with a touch of colour in his face.
Elizabeth frowned to see how they spoke to each other.
Jane frequently mentioned the gentleman, and the way that she blushed and always paid such close attention when he spoke made Elizabeth suspect that she was in love with him.
It was clear that Mr. Bingley paid a great deal of attention to Jane, too, and that he liked her a great deal.
However, Elizabeth had a strong notion, which perhaps might simply be the voice of her mother talking in her head, that said it was impossible for a wealthy bachelor to form serious designs upon a blind and scarred woman, no matter how well she looked under the scars.
Elizabeth studied how Mr. Bingley spoke to her sister, and annoyance with him began to build inside her.
It was his nature to be friendly, to be uncomplicated, and to not think about the effect that he might have on another. But surely Mr. Bingley ought to see that his present behaviour must lead in time to heartbreak on Jane’s part?
In the carriage back home, Elizabeth heard much that added to her concern.
Jane talked a great deal about Mr. Bingley, how happy she had been to see how much he liked the Gardiners, and how it had been most kind of him to call that afternoon.
Her sister spoke about Mr. Bingley in a similar way to how Elizabeth thought about Darcy.
When they arrived home, Darcy went with Emily to read a story to her, while Sarah worked upon Elizabeth’s hair to ready her to be seen at the play.
The maid said, “I wish the gentleman had announced it to me that you would go to the theatre tonight. It will be the first time that everyone in town will see you, and they will then judge me.”
Elizabeth laughed. “I do hope that they are chiefly thinking about the quality of my lady’s maid when they look at me.”
“Oh, the gentlemen will think about nothing but how beautiful you are.”
Elizabeth blushed to hear that. “You must do something for Jane as well as soon as you have finished with me. I wish her to also look her best.”
“She is in fine colour and spirits. The pockmarks are less prominent every season,” Sarah agreed. “I remember what she looked like as the illness receded. I never could have imagined that one might think her pretty again, but I dare say that she is.”
“Now be kind to my sister. I have always thought that she was as pretty as ever.”
“You have not. You knew that her face was excessively scarred at first,” Sarah said cheerfully. “I thought you and the master hated…what was that long word, dissimulation?”
Elizabeth laughed, defeated by her servant. “Do give her as much attention as you might.”
“You hope she’ll look good for that Mr. Bingley?”
“What do you mean?”
“All the servants at Longbourn talked about how they constantly spend time together. If she were not blind, everyone would be shocked that there was not already an offer of marriage.”
Although Elizabeth did not say it to Sarah, this further strengthened her resolution to tell Darcy that he must have a word with Mr. Bingley about her sister.