Memory: Volume 3, How Far We Have Come, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (95 page)

“JANE.”  Lucas smiled and carefully lifting the baby from her, walked around the room with his sleeping daughter.  Jane was fast asleep in the same rocking chair his mother had used to nurse all of her children.  He leaned against a wall and looked down to the tiny bundle.  “I love you little Lucy, but oh you are making your poor mama very tired.”  He laughed softly when she yawned.  “Your poor papa, too.”  Carefully he placed her into the cradle, then walked over to the rocker and bent; picking Jane up, and carried her to the bed.  Her eyes opened and he kissed her.  “All is well, go back to sleep while you can.”

“Oh.”  She watched him get in and then curled up next to him.  “What happened?”

“She sleeps, do not ask.”  He kissed her and chuckled.  “Take advantage.”

“She is beautiful.”

Lucas sighed and put his arm around her.  “That she is.”

“How can Mama not love her as we do?” 

“Janie dear, why are you putting any credence in anything your mother says?  You just asked yourself, how could your mother not love her?  Well, easily, she did not love Elizabeth did she?  Or Mary?”  He bent his head. “They disappointed her.”

“I disappointed her.”

“Oh what a shame.”  He said sharply and she looked at him quickly.  “And how many has she managed to disappoint?  One husband, five daughters, her sister, her brother, who else?  The village of Meryton?  The county of Hertfordshire?”  Snorting, he laughed.  “I would say she is due for a bit of disappointment, and if it comes with the birth of our daughter, I say God bless her!” 

“Robert!”  Jane laughed and wiped her eyes all at once. 

“I am serious, Jane.  If we are stuck living beside a miserable woman like Francine Bennet, we will not let her words hurt us.  When she says something ridiculous we will tell her immediately.  When she says something hateful, she will be shown the door.  We will laugh at her and will not reward her ravings with attention.   Grandmother or no, if she ever makes you cry again, I swear she will never see our child.”  He nodded with finality.  “Do not attempt to change my mind.”

“I will not.”  She smiled as he glared.

“Robert?”

“What?”  He growled.

“I love you.” 

“Oh.”  He relaxed and his gaze softened, and he drew her close.  “Well then.  Go to sleep.”

“Yes, dear.”  She hugged him and he closed his eyes.  “Robert?”

“Yes, dear?”  He whispered and hearing nothing, he looked down to see that she was asleep.  He closed his eyes again.  “I love you, too.”  

“I KNEW THAT THE MOMENT we left, Jane would have the baby.”  Kitty sighed.  “Lucy Lucas, who thought of that name?”

“I think it was a little joke between Jane and Robert.”  Mrs. Gardiner smiled.  “When he was a boy working in his father’s business, there was a little girl who used to come by and admire him when he was sweeping the floors.  Robert would not tell her his name, so she started calling him Lucie . . .”

“And Jane has a sense of humour.”  Elizabeth laughed.  Hearing some commotion downstairs, she walked to the doorway.  Darcy was at the bottom of the stairs, sedately handing over his things to Foster.  “Look who I found.”

“Georgiana!”

“Elizabeth!”  Georgiana cried and ran up the stairs and threw her arms around her.  “Oh!”  She pulled back and stared at her stomach, automatically putting her hand over the baby.  “Look at you!”

“Yes.  Just look.”  She patted her belly and they hugged.  “Oh I have missed you so much!”  

“I have missed you, too.  I had no idea Fitzwilliam was coming, I thought that I was going to see . . . Kitty!”  Georgiana squealed and ran to hug her sister.  The two girls started talking over each other.  Darcy reached the landing and stood with his hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder.  She smiled up at him and he beamed at her. 

“She was completely surprised.” 

“He picked me up and spun me around right in front of the school!”  Georgina laughed.  “A few of the girls saw him and were sighing over the handsome man, I heard them wondering if you were courting me!” 

“Oh that is silly!  He is so . . .”  Darcy tilted his head at Kitty.  “ . . .obviously your brother.”

“Hmm.” 

“I think she was about to say old, Fitzwilliam.”  Elizabeth nudged him.

“I was not.”  Kitty declared and taking Georgiana’s hand, “Tell me everything!”

“Maybe you two should get caught up while you dress.  We will be leaving for Matlock House in an hour.”  Elizabeth smiled, “Go on!” 

“It is so wonderful to be home again!”  Georgiana kissed Elizabeth and hugged Darcy tightly.  He kissed her cheek and chuckled when she let go and took off with Kitty. 

Smiling, he turned back to the ladies.  “I do not know if I should be thrilled with her missing us or feeling guilty for sending her to school.”

“Thrilled.”  Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner said together.

“I suppose that is best.”  He looked around the room.  “Where is Mr. Gardiner?”

“Right behind you.”

“Oh.”  Darcy turned and offered his hand.  “I was afraid that you had chosen not to come.”

“I would not dare, I rather imagine that I will be looking after Mr. Martin all night.  The man is a nervous wreck, the home of an Earl!”  Mr. Gardiner shook his head.  “No doubt a singular event.”

“No doubt.”  Darcy said seriously.  “I remember him as rather . . . verbose.”

“That is putting it mildly, Fitzwilliam.” 

“I was being diplomatic, love.”  He smiled at her and looked back to Mr. Gardiner with a serious expression.  “Please . . .”

“I understand, just as my dear wife understands her role with Mrs. Martin.”

“You are invited as friends of the family, Uncle, not as foils for the Martins.”  Elizabeth reminded him.

“I know, my dear, but how convenient that we have bridged the gap between Mayfair and Cheapside?”  He winked and took a seat beside Mrs. Gardiner.  “I imagine that you two need to change?  Do not worry about us.  We will enjoy this handsome room and plot our course.” 

“It is dinner Uncle, nothing more, nothing less.”  Elizabeth sighed.

“I am not protesting his plans, love.”  Darcy took her hand and they headed off to their chambers.  “Although I honestly expect nothing worse than a raised eyebrow and amused stare or two.  Do you?”

She leaned on him and he put his arm around her shoulder.  “For Charles and Abbey’s sake, no I do not.” 

“ARE YOU FRIGHTENED?”  Bingley whispered to Abbey.  “They are rather larger than life, but they truly are very kind.”

“Now that frightens me.”  She sighed and closed her eyes.  “Are they more intimidating than the Darcys?”

“Definitely, but they have been at it longer.  Give Darcy and Elizabeth a few more years and they will likely scare anyone who comes near them, too.  Come dear, Elizabeth has always been welcoming to you, and so has Darcy in his reticent display of mirth.”  He laughed and shrugged.  She shot him a look and could not help but smile.  “Just remember what Elizabeth told you about Lady Matlock.”

“Be myself.”

“Exactly.”  He glanced across to Mr. and Mrs. Martin and barely spoke loud enough to be heard.  “I love you.”

“I love you.”  She mouthed and he raised her hand to kiss.  “Charles . . .”

“This is the world we will occupy.”  He looked at her seriously.  “You might as well start at the top amongst friends.”  The carriage stopped and they looked up at the brightly illuminated windows of Matlock House.  Cheerfully, Bingley smiled at the nervous occupants of his carriage.  “Well, here we are!”

“Oh my.”  Mrs. Martin’s hand went to her chest.  “August . . .”

“We will be fine, Mrs. Martin.”  He cleared his throat nervously, and jumped when the door was opened. 

Bingley climbed out first and handed down Abbey and Mrs. Martin, then waited for Mr. Martin.  They walked up to the house and stepped inside.  Upstairs they could hear the familiar laughter of a Fitzwilliam family gathering.  Immediately Bingley felt very much at home and was taken aback when he saw the wide eyes of his new family staring around at the splendour, and startling with the sudden onslaught of servants taking their things.  “Truly, there is nothing to fear.”  He assured them and took Abbey’s cold hand. 

“This way, sir.”  The butler directed.  At the head of the stairs appeared Darcy and Elizabeth, both smiling.  Immediately Abbey relaxed. 

“There you are!”  Elizabeth called and took Abbey’s hand as soon as they arrived. “Oh this is lovely!”  She looked over the pretty gown.  “I love this fabric!”  She squeezed her hand.  “I have met your father, Mrs. Martin?  I am Elizabeth Darcy and this is my husband.”

“Sir.”  Mr. Martin started to offer his hand then bowed low.  “An honour, an enormous honour to meet you again, I did not say this the first time but I must say now, your benevolence to my daughter, allowing her to visit your home and spend time with your family is the greatest joy of our lives!”

“Well,” Darcy looked at Elizabeth uncomfortably.  “I would hope that Miss Martin’s and Mr. Bingley’s marriage will surpass that a hundred-fold, sir.”  Immediately he turned to Mrs. Martin and bowed.  “Madam.”

“Oh.”  She stared up to him.  Darcy waited and cleared his throat, then turned to Abbey with a friendly smile.  “Miss Martin, my wife and I were delighted that you condescended to accept our friend.”

Abbey smiled at Bingley.  “I think that was the other way around.”

“Oh no, Miss Martin, I have no doubt that he has the bigger prize.”  Darcy assured her and offered his hand to Bingley solemnly, “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”  He laughed at the poorly hidden twinkle in his friend’s eye.  “Elizabeth . . .”  She opened her arms and he hugged her and kissed her cheek, then pulled back to hold her hands.  “Look at you!”

“Charles, you never tell a woman that she is not petite!”  Abbey chastised him.

“Did I say that?”  His eyes widened.  “Did I?”

“Well . . .”  Elizabeth laughed and smiled at Abbey with a shrug, and hooked her arm with Darcy’s, “You could have stared at my eyes instead of my baby.”

“But you are so . . .”  He laughed when the women stared at him.  “Stop while I am ahead.”

“I would.”  Darcy laughed and nodding to the Martins, led the way to the rest of the family.  “Everyone is here; I leave it to you to do the introductions.”

“How is the Earl?”

“Tipsy.”  Darcy winked.

“And the Countess?”

“See for yourself.”  Elizabeth waved her over.  “Lady Matlock, this is Miss Abigail Martin, and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. August Martin.

“Welcome to Matlock House.”  Lady Matlock spoke in her most imperious tone and watched them, particularly Abbey, sharply.  “We were most pleased to learn of Mr. Bingley’s engagement.  We are quite fond of this great friend of our nephew Darcy, and of course had to celebrate the news that he has decided at last to take a wife.  All last Season we watched him, waiting to see who would catch his eye.  My husband and sons were at the ready to help him along and make a suitable choice, but it seems he already had someone in mind and resisted the countless young ladies who courted his favour.  You are a very fortunate lady to have captured him so early, Miss Martin.  I congratulate you.”

Abbey was not sure if she should feel complimented or offended.  She looked at Elizabeth who had a small smile on her lips and was shaking her head, then feeling her silent encouragement to respond, gathered her courage.  “I . . . I thank you for your . . . kindness, madam.  When Mr. Bingley told me that you were giving this dinner in our honour I confess that I was quite overcome with apprehension.”

“That is understandable.”  Lady Matlock agreed and creased her brow at Mrs. Martin who remained standing still and staring at her.  “However Miss Martin, I must recommend that you never confess to anyone but your very closest confidants that you are apprehensive about anything, least of all about meeting anyone.”  Taking Abbey’s elbow, she led her off across the room.  “Now then when meeting new people, you keep your chin up, your eyes on theirs . . .”

“She stole Abbey!”  Bingley cried.

“Yes she did.”  Elizabeth agreed and squeezed his arm.  “She is about to receive a seriously condensed course of deportment from a master.  She relishes this, you know, and she is quite unstoppable.”

“You can stop her, love.”  Darcy smiled.

“I know.”  She winked.  “Mr. and Mrs. Martin, my Aunt and Uncle Gardiner are here; perhaps you would like to meet them?  Some familiar faces in the crowd while you become acclimated?  They know everybody and can fill you in as you gossip together.”

Mrs. Martin finally found her voice.  “Oh, yes of course, Mrs. Darcy!  I would admit apprehension, but I just learned that I should not.” 

“Well, you truly are amongst friends here, Mrs. Martin; your secret is quite safe.”  Elizabeth led them away, talking with them easily. 

Darcy smiled after her as already he saw the nervous parents relaxing under her care, and then laughed when he saw Bingley staring worriedly at Abbey, who was meeting Evangeline and Alicia.  “Aunt Helen truly is doing her a great favour, even if it is inconvenient to you.”

“I finally have a lady on my arm and she is taken away!”  He waved over to the other side of the room.  “That is not fair!”

“You have a lifetime for that business.”  Lord Matlock approached and held out his hand.  “Congratulations, Son, she is quite pretty.”

“Thank you.”  Bingley saw that Elizabeth had joined the group of ladies and relaxed to see her at Abbey’s side.  “I suppose they would have separated us eventually.”

“No doubt.”  Fitzwilliam grinned and shook his hand.  “Two days to the wedding?  Are you all aflutter?”

“Men do not flutter.”  Layton took his turn wringing Bingley’s hand.  “Congratulations.  What are your plans?  Rather a bad time of year for a honeymoon trip.”

“Yes, that is the bad thing, but we did not care to wait for spring, there is really no reason to wait at all.”  He smiled.  “If it was up to me, we would have married the day after I proposed.”

Fitzwilliam nodded over to the Martins.  “I doubt that her parents would have appreciated that.  You have to give a mother time to brag.”  Lord Matlock saw Darcy’s eyes roll and chuckled.  “Well unless it is Mrs. Bennet you are speaking of.  Any news from that quarter?  Still silent?”