Memory: Volume 1, Lasting Impressions, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (47 page)

“Mmm, so he does.  It will be a very advantageous match.  It is a very good family, although there is a great deal of tragedy.  His sister’s marriage was a disaster.  They were hoodwinked into accepting a man who enjoyed his gambling and cards a great deal. One evening he did not come home, and the next morning his body was found in Hyde Park, the result of a drunken duel.  We never heard the exact detail of how it came to be.  The man who shot him naturally fled the country to avoid prosecution.  Mr. Harwick senior had died just after her wedding so at least he never witnessed this sadness.  She is a good girl though.”  She mused thoughtfully.  “I understand there is a plan afoot to bring your father to town?”

Darcy’s voice answered her as he joined them, taking a seat next to Elizabeth and smiling at her suddenly blushing face.  “Yes, we intend to show him precisely what his daughters will receive as our wives, and thought that an introduction to Uncle would not hurt.”

“Ah, scare the breeches off of him with a peer?”  Lady Matlock smiled.  “You are wicked, Darcy.”

“I am prudent, Aunt.”  He smiled and tilted his head to Elizabeth.  “And you agreed, Elizabeth.”

She startled when he addressed her so informally then smiled warmly.  “Yes, Fitzwilliam, I believe that it will do him a great deal of good.”

Lady Matlock looked between the two and glanced at Mrs. Gardiner’s raised brows before returning her gaze to Darcy.  “Perhaps we can have a family dinner one night at Matlock House?”

“I would not wish to put you out.” 

“You have no hostess yet.”  He immediately took Elizabeth’s hand and kissed it.  “No, I will be glad to host it.  It can be the Bennets, Gardiners, Harwick and the houses of Matlock, and Singleton.”  Lady Matlock nodded.  “Richard will undoubtedly welcome a good meal, so we can bring him home for the evening, and you, Miss Elizabeth, will help me to do all of the planning, from the menus to the flowers.  This will be an excellent opportunity to expand your education.” 

“Oh, thank you, I . . . I hope to learn a great deal.”  She felt Darcy squeeze her hand and smiled playfully.  “And I hope that I will learn your favourite dishes to include in the menu.”  

“You sound like your mother.” 

“Does that frighten you?”

“It does.”  He laughed to see her brows rise in mock indignation. 

“Just wait until I begin having fits of nerves!”  Elizabeth threatened him and he groaned.

“What else do I have to look forward to?”

“Hmm, perhaps I should leave that as a surprise.”  Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled and he drew a long breath while he smiled. 

“I believe that we have been forgotten.”  Mrs. Gardiner said to Lady Matlock.

“I am delighted to see it.”  She then cleared her throat.  “Now then Miss Elizabeth, we shall discuss redecorating your rooms and walk through the house making note of other changes that are necessary.  I am afraid that my brother rather neglected things after my sister’s death, and Darcy has not really had the time or interest to address decorations.”   She looked at her nephew.  “I am certain that you have work to do?”

His eyes narrowed as his aunt presumed to take charge again.  “Yes, it is walking with Elizabeth.”

“Do you really wish to talk about fabrics and wallpaper?”  Her eyebrow lifted in amusement.  “Even if it is in our company?”

Elizabeth saw his hesitation and laughed.  “It is fine, Fitzwilliam, I will find you when we finish.”  He nodded and they all stood.  She took his hand in hers and while the aunts spoke she whispered up to him.  “And my dear love, I have not forgotten your unhappiness when I came into your study.  I have learned that you will tell me in your good time, and when the moment is right.  Am I correct?”

Darcy’s face reflected his surprise then changed to a warm smile.  “Yes, my love, you are correct.  It seems that we are beginning to know each other well.”  He brushed her forehead with his lips, and laid his cheek on her hair for a slight embrace, looked down at their entwined fingers for a moment, then let go. 

As he walked from the room, he heard Elizabeth’s voice suggesting a little loudly, “Now then I have always been fond of a particular shade of orange . . .” He groaned loud enough for her to hear and was rewarded with her answering giggle.  Smilingly, he continued on his way.

“THIS CANNOT BE TRUE!”  Lady Catherine read the letter through for the fourth time.  “It cannot be true!  He was serious?”

“What is it Mama?”  Anne looked up from the cloth she was sewing.

“Darcy writes that he is engaged to be married!”  She dropped the letter and found Anne staring at her.

“He is engaged?  To whom?  He is promised to me!”  Anne stood and picked the letter up from the floor to read Darcy’s words.  “You told me he would come around!”  A note of hysteria began to creep into her voice.  Lady Catherine sent a sharp look to Mrs. Jenkinson who hurriedly ran to a sideboard and returned with a glass, stirring a liquid with a spoon.

“Take your medicine, Anne.  You heard the physician, it must be taken regularly.”

“I do not want my medicine!!  I want Darcy!  You promised me!!”  She clutched the letter and waved it in the air.

“TAKE YOUR ELIXIR!”  Lady Catherine demanded.  Anne shrunk down and swallowed the liquid.  Within minutes she transformed back into her colourless, passive persona.  Her mother sighed and looked at her companion.  “I expect you to administer this on time Jenkinson or you will find a new situation, do you hear me?”

“Yes, madam.”  The nervous woman said, and replacing the glass on the side board, took a seat next to her silent charge.

A man’s throat cleared.  “Pardon me, madam, Mr. Collins has arrived.”

Lady Catherine looked around the room, picked up the fallen letter, saw that her daughter was staring at her hands then turned to the butler. “Send him in.”

Her prospective pastor bobbed his way into the room.  “Ah, Lady Catherine, Miss de Bourgh, what a delight to see you this beautiful day!”

“What brings you to visit, Mr. Collins?”  She said icily and shot a glance at Anne, who was blinking slowly.

“I received some wonderful, unexpected news!”  He beamed and bounced.  “I have been identified as the heir to an estate, well after my father passes that is, it is called Longbourn and is located in Hertfordshire . . .”

Chapter 18

“C
ome along Darcy pay up, it will be an expensive evening so you may as well keep your purse at hand.”  Singleton laughed as Darcy provided the admission fee for the party of six.“You are not destitute, Cousin, I suspect you can buy us dinner.”

“He will need a king’s ransom for that, I am afraid.”  Harwick laughed.  “The prices are criminal, but it is our fault for not bringing a picnic.”

“I hear that the ham is sliced so thinly you can read through it!”  Elizabeth said excitedly as she clutched Darcy’s arm and looked around her with wide eyes.  “Look at all of the people!”

“It is fairly sparse tonight.”  Audrey observed.

“Sparse?”  Jane asked in disbelief.

“Oh yes, we nearly lost Laura Stewart one time.”  She smiled at Elizabeth, “Lord Moreland’s youngest daughter?  They are frequent visitors at Matlock.  I remember so well playing with her brother, Daniel.”  She bit her lip and looked away for a moment.  Elizabeth startled when she heard the name then studied Audrey’s blush, and could not help but wonder if her Mr. Stewart was Audrey’s denied love.  She recovered and continued, “You will have to meet her, she is just come of age and I think that you two would get along famously.  When we all came for the masked ball there were over sixteen thousand people here!”  Audrey laughed to see their mouths fall open and then glanced at Darcy whose face was the picture of discomfort.  “Come Cousin, relax; this is where everyone comes to play!”

“Well, I have not been amongst them.”  He said stiffly.  Elizabeth looked up and saw his face become expressionless except for his eyes, which registered contempt for everything he observed.  “Everyone indeed.” 

“Come along; let us try the Grand Walk.”  Singleton called.  “Even you cannot protest this avenue amongst the elms Darcy, it is the place to see and be seen.”  The group stepped onto the gravelled path, and joined the fashionable crowd as they paraded towards the Grove. 

Elizabeth was doing her best to imitate the behaviour of the well-dressed women around her, and Darcy’s quiet stateliness certainly helped her to maintain her dignity when everything inside of her wished to run and gawk at the wonders that she saw.   She glanced up to his stone-like countenance and hearing the sounds of an orchestra ahead, softly began humming the tune.  She felt his arm relax a little and looked back up to see his eyes were fixed on her face.  “Ah, there you are, Mr. Darcy.  I was afraid that you had taken leave of me tonight.”

He managed a little smile.  “What do you mean, I am right here.  Why are you humming?”

“Because I thought that it would embarrass you if I sang.”  She smiled and started humming again.

“But why sing at all?  I love your voice, but I would prefer to hear your thoughts of this place.  I have avoided it because I have heard stories from others that did not appeal to me.  I would like to hear the judgement of someone so innocent.”

Elizabeth blushed and then tilted her head to study him.  “I was under the impression that you disapproved.”

“No, I am very uncomfortable; I suppose that comes across as haughtiness.”  He heard his name and he nodded to some passerby, then looked back to her.  “I am on display, and you are the object of speculation.”

“Why?”  She gasped.

“These people are very fond of the society pages, Elizabeth.  Our engagement is ripe for gossip.  Everyone knows of you, and after the ball at Matlock, I know that our behaviour was discussed.”  She flushed and looked away.  “Dearest, do not be embarrassed, by the end of the evening the speculation was of our attachment, not your origins.  It was jealousy that fuelled much of the talk.  Everyone wonders what on earth you did to capture me.”  He smiled when she peeked back up at him and he saw a smile spreading over her face, and then she laughed.  “Ah and that sound
is
what captured me, I dreamed of a laughing girl named Lizzy until I finally learned your name.”  Darcy kissed her hand and put it back on his arm.

“That is the first time you have called me Lizzy.”  She said as she dealt with the feelings his kiss and confession inspired. 

“No dearest, it must be the millionth time I have spoken that name.”  Drawing a deep breath, he looked quickly about. He heard of the paths that existed in this garden meant for young couples to escape their chaperones, and returned to find her gazing at him, “What are you thinking?”

“Do you know how many times I whispered Fitzwilliam Darcy?  And talked to you?  So many conversations I had with this phantom man.  I conjured so many things.  I admit that I almost feared meeting you to have all of my imaginings disappear like smoke.”

“And have I lived up to the dream, my love?” he asked hopefully and felt his heart sink when she shook her head.

“No, you have surpassed it.”

“If I do not kiss you this instant I will surely die.”  He gripped her hand on his arm and leaned forward towards her mouth. 

“Darcy!”  Singleton called and started laughing.  “I see that you truly do need a chaperone!”  He looked at Harwick for his approval and instead saw a deep frown.  “I was just having some fun.”

“I am sorry that you derive enjoyment at the expense of others.”  Harwick said coldly.  Audrey glanced at him and smiled with a slight nod.  Harwick raised his brows and then nodded to her in understanding.  He saw her shoulders square as she looked forward and walked on her husband’s arm, then he looked down at Jane.  “Are you enjoying the evening, Miss Bennet?”

“Oh yes, I am afraid that the atmosphere is quite beyond anything I have ever experienced before.  Travelling performers do come through the county, but I have not seen anything such as this.”  She smiled at him and he nodded, smiling in return.

“Then I am glad that you are happy here.”

“Have you come frequently?”

“I did, Ellen . . . forgive me, Mrs. Harwick was fond of the music and exhibitions.”  He looked off in the distance to blink hard, then dropped his gaze to rest on Elizabeth who was looking raptly at a tightrope walker and laughing as Darcy bent to say something to her.  She turned to smile at him and clearly blushed when he spoke again.  Harwick took a breath and looked back to the ground, then noticed Jane’s silence.  She was staring at her sister as well. “Miss Elizabeth will undoubtedly demand that Darcy bring her back, despite his reticence.”

“Yes.  She should be careful of her behaviour, everyone is looking at her.”

“She is behaving no differently than the other visitors, Miss Bennet.  This is a place for frivolity; there is no shame in enjoying a laugh.  I notice that you are fond of smiling.” 

Jane blushed.  “I smile where my sister laughs; it has always been that way.”

“There are great variations among siblings, Miss Bennet.  It does not make one better than another, only different.”  He gave her a small smile and looked back to Elizabeth and his smile grew wider.  Jane looked from him to her sister who was gesturing ahead to the Rotunda and was speaking animatedly to Audrey about the wonders within.  The two women laughed together and Darcy was shaking his head, being stuck in the middle of the conversation while Singleton stared off to the side, seeing who was passing by and tilting his head to Darcy and exchanging knowing winks with the curious onlookers. 

Darcy heard his name called and was forced to stop, his smile disappeared and his body stiffened when introducing Elizabeth to a group of six people.   She performed perfectly, as Lady Matlock and Audrey had worked with her for just such a possibility.  They moved on and she smiled as she felt him relax.  “See, it was not so very bad.”

“Please do not laugh at me.”  He said softly.

“I was not, dear.”

“Forgive me, you were wonderful and I should have said so immediately.”  He smiled to see her look to the ground.  “I think that we both are shy about some things.”