The day began with Lizzy and Mr. Darcy assembling the servants and presenting them with gifts and bonuses. This was Lizzy's first time to be assisting Mr. Darcy with this particular pleasure, and the number of servants in all their forms were lined up in the great hall in order of their household status: Markles and Mrs. Reynolds, who were of equal footing, Mrs. Stewart, the cook, and all the other cooks who assisted her; ladies' maids, valets, footmen, chambermaids, kitchen maids, scullery maids; and the outdoor staff such as the coachmen, the stablemaster, the gamekeeper, grooms, gardeners, messengers and more. The steward, Mr. King, who helped Mr. Darcy with the running of the estate, had consulted with Mr. Darcy as to the amount of each bonus, and had prepared them for this occasion, but it was Mrs. Reynolds who had helped Lizzy decide on the various gifts for all the servants, and then had them wrapped and readied for her to present (though Lizzy had selected Mrs. Reynold's gift personally the last time she and Mr. Darcy had been in London and had it prepared by the shopkeeper there). The servants would all open them later, but it was a delight to see their faces as they received each item.
This activity took up most of the morning. Then, early that afternoon, two young visitors arrived at the doors of Pemberley. Kitty greeted them with great enthusiasm, she and her friend Mary Crawford kissing each other on the cheek, while she and Henry Crawford exchanged a bow and a curtsey. Her maid and his valet stood back near the door. Lizzy had been waiting as Markles the had answered the door and her sister had welcomed her friends, and now Kitty introduced them to her older sister.
"Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy," Kitty said with great formality, "I am pleased to introduce you to my dear friend Miss Mary Crawford." The two women curtseyed.
"You are most welcome in our home, Miss Crawford," Lizzy said.
"I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. Thank you so much for having me and my brother during the holidays. We are most honored."
She was obviously a well-mannered young woman. Lizzy judged her to be around twenty-three and wondered why such a pretty, refined girl was not yet married. Kitty had told Lizzy that Mary had twenty thousand pounds of her own so it wasn't because of a lack of money.
"And this is Mr. Henry Crawford," Kitty said, a blush creeping over her cheeks.
Mr. Crawford bowed deeply before Lizzy. "Madam," he said, "the pleasure is mine."
"I am very pleased to meet you, Mr. Crawford. I hope you will both feel at home here at Pemberley."
Mr. Crawford stood straight and looked about the impressive entryway with its soaring ceilings, chandelier, and marble floors. "I am both awed and delighted to make myself acquainted with your prodigious home. Its reputation is well known, yet all description falls short. It is, indeed, magnificent."
"Thank you, Mr. Crawford." There was no denying it or pretending his words weren't true. Lizzy was awed by Pemberley every day and was sure there were still parts of it she hadn't even yet discovered. "You will have to forgive my husband not being here to greet you," Lizzy continued. "He is out hunting with my father. My sister-in-law, Miss Darcy, is at her pianoforte…" The beautiful tones of a Beethoven sonata issued from within the depths of the building, "and her fiancé, Mr. Frederick Beaumont is also hunting with the men, which includes my sister Mary's husband, Colonel Fitzwilliam."
"It sounds like there are many people for us to keep track of," Mr. Crawford said with a laugh.
Mr. Crawford was not what you would call handsome. He was not tall of stature, and his physique was slight. His hair was very black, while his sister's was a deep, rich chestnut. They both had dark brown eyes, but she had certainly won the greater share of the family's beauty, with long lashes that practically swept her cheeks when she lowered her lids, a light golden complexion, and lips and cheeks pink with health. The color of Miss Crawford's eyes and hair were quite similar to Lizzy's, in fact, though Lizzy's own skin was paler, a complexion that Mr. Darcy often likened to an English rose. Mr. Crawford's skin, on the other hand, could almost be called sallow, but he had a bright smile and an intelligent expression which made his face pleasant to look at.
"And my mother is here," Lizzy continued. "My sister's family comes tomorrow, and some friends of ours will be here from Kent soon as well. We will be a merry group for certain."
"That is just what I like," said Miss Crawford. "There is nothing like bustle and activity. A house full of people, everyone going here and there, conversation, walks, music, and games…it is just what the holidays should be!"
"I quite agree with you, Miss Crawford," Lizzy declared. "Why are you not spending the holidays with your family?"
Miss Crawford's eyes grew solemn. "Sadly, we are mostly what is left of our family. My parents passed away when we were young, and we were raised by my uncle, an admiral." A sour expression flitted over her face for just a moment. "He is gone now. We do have an aunt and uncle in London whom we sometimes see..." Here, her voice trailed off.
"How nice," Lizzy said, at a loss over what else to say.
"Though when we leave here, we shall probably go to Bath," Miss Crawford continued.
"I hope you will not leave before my parents and I do!" Kitty jumped in.
Miss Crawford smiled, and Mr. Crawford said, "We are at your disposal."
Just then Mrs. Reynolds walked up to the small party still hovering in the entryway, and introductions were made to her. "Please," the housekeeper said, "won't you follow me? I shall show you to your apartments." To the maid and valet, she said, "come with me now, and then you shall know where to have the luggage delivered. And Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Fitzwilliam is asking for you. She is in the back parlor."
"Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds."
She nodded, and the visitors went with her, Miss Crawford squeezing Kitty's hand as she passed, and Mr. Crawford grinning at her broadly.
"Oh thank you, Lizzy," Kitty said to her sister after the others were out of earshot. "I am so happy to have the Crawfords here with us for the festivities."
Lizzy looked fondly at her little sister. "Am I wrong or do you have special…feelings…for Mr. Crawford?"
Her sister's face turned crimson.
"You don't have to say another word, Kitty; your face tells me all."
"I am not sure he feels the same way about me," Kitty said, gazing at the ground.
"Why do you say that?" Lizzy asked gently.
"Well, I haven't a fortune to bring to the match, and he's nearly ten years older than I."
Lizzy took Kitty's hand. "That matters not, Kitty, where there's real affection."
"Oh, Lizzy, I feel a real, true affection for him. He is all that I could want in a…." She hesitated.
"A husband?" Lizzy ventured.
"Yes," Kitty responded quietly.
"What is his fortune?" Lizzy inquired. One might as well know the realities of the situation.
"I do not know for sure, but I heard Miss Crawford implying he has something like four thousand a year."
Lizzy nodded. It was not an astounding amount, but would certainly make a comfortable life for Kitty, even with the little she could bring to the match. Lizzy knew her little sister didn't care about riches and finery. From Lizzy's own perspective, and that of Mr. Darcy's she was certain, what mattered most was that Henry Crawford was a good man, of sound moral character. What Miss Crawford had said about their family wasn't much to go on. Lizzy would write to her aunt to see what more she knew about them.
But first, she headed toward one of the smaller, less formal parlors, where Mrs. Reynolds had said she would find Mary. Lizzy discovered her there reclining on a sofa, covered with a quilt, her feet up, a cool cloth on her head, a cheery fire burning in the fireplace, and a variety of healthful morsels upon a nearby table that the cook must have supplied her with: sliced apples and pears, a plate of cheeses, some savory biscuits, and tea. Mary had a book propped on her stomach, but one arm fell loosely to her side, her eyes were closed, her spectacles askew, and she emitted a light snore. A lantern burned on another table just to the left of her head.
Lizzy did not want to disturb her slumber, but when she quietly turned to go, a floorboard creaked and Mary awoke. "Lizzy?" she murmured.
Lizzy turned back to her and pulled a chair near. "Yes, my love. How are you feeling?"
"Oh Lizzy," she uttered, straightening her spectacles and picking up a biscuit from the plate. "I am nothing more than a bundle of aches and pains. If only this child would come, but I am yet a month away."
"I was not sure of your traveling, so far along in your time. Was it wise?"
"The doctor said that since the distance is short, and I am still a ways off from my delivery, it would not be such a bad thing to do, and I so longed to see you, Mother, Father, and Kitty while they were here. I am hoping to entice Mother to stay until the baby is born and beyond, and help me for a while."
"I am sure she would love nothing more than that," Lizzy replied, while inwardly wondering how much help her mother would actually be. Mary, and Richard, Colonel Fitzwilliam's Christian name, lived only ten miles away, making for a happy convergence of the three sisters, Lizzy, Jane, and Mary, who saw each other often. However, Mary and Richard were not as wealthy as her two older sisters and their husbands, and though certainly employed servants, did not have as many hands at their disposal. Besides, Mary was determined to raise the child "naturally," as she'd said, which apparently meant suckling the child herself, and not relying on wet nurse or nanny. Lizzy admired her for it but wondered how long the determination would last. She could see that Jane's one child, Jonathan, was already a handful at three months, and Jane relied on all the help she could get. "Can I get you anything?"
"No. Your excellent Mrs. Reynolds has supplied me with everything I need and more."
"Would you like me to read to you?" Lizzy asked, indicating the book.
"Oh, no. It is nothing but a collection of sermons. It would not be to your taste. Neither is it to Richard's," she added with a laugh.
"What does he prefer?"
"Novels, would you believe it? A military man reading novels?"
"I see no harm in it," replied Lizzy. "I love a good novel so much more than true histories, which is what Mr. Darcy prefers."
"Yes, that does seem as though it would suit him."
"I encourage you to pick up a novel," Lizzy went on. "It would do you good to have some lightness in your life."
"Ah, Richard provides that," Mary said with a smile, closing her eyes dreamily. "He makes me laugh all the time." She opened her eyes again. "He has such a bright outlook on life; he often draws me from the pensive moods which you know I can fall into."
Just then the sound of footsteps and voices echoed through the mansion. Finally, the door to the parlor opened and Mr. Darcy and Richard entered.
"We were told we would find you here," Richard said. He went to Mary and took her hand. She curled her feet up, and he sat in the now vacant spot on the sofa.
Mr. Darcy went to Lizzy and kissed her on the forehead, then took a chair near her.
"How are you feeling, my darling?" Richard inquired of Mary.
"The usual," she replied with a smile. Richard wrapped his arms around her knees, and they cuddled together as best they could, given Mary's bulk.
Lizzy thought they looked like two turtledoves.
"And you, my love?" Lizzy asked her husband, "how was the hunting? Where is Father?"
"The hunting was excellent!" Richard responded before Mr. Darcy had a chance. "Pheasants, partridges, and grouse a-plenty!"
"Your father went to clean up," Mr. Darcy said. "He was most pleased with his kills. Our Mr. Beaumont is quite the shot as well. A capital day's hunting if I do say so."
"I'm so glad to hear it," Lizzy declared. "We've had some excitement of our own. Kitty's friends, the Crawfords have arrived, and very charming they are, just as she described them. I believe they will add nicely to our little party here."
"A little party that is growing every day," said Mr. Darcy with half a grin.
Lizzy hoped he didn't mind too much. He did prefer his peace and quiet after all.
"And Mary," Mr. Darcy said to her, "have you had a chance to rest up after your journey yesterday?"
"Oh, I've had quite the delicious nap," Mary replied. "And look how well the cook has provided for me. Please join me. I've certainly had my fill."
The men took to the food eagerly. It did Lizzy's heart good to see their little family group joined together, and she found herself slightly regretting she had planned such a large gathering for these twelve days of Christmas. She had to agree with her husband; the Darcys, the Fitzwilliams, the Bingleys, and Frederick would have made a sufficiently festive party. Then, she chastised herself for being selfish. How could she not want to spend Christmas with her parents? And if Kitty wanted friends of her own to join her while she was here, how could she have denied her? However, then she remembered that Charlotte and Mr. Collins would be joining them, too, within the week, and she sighed. She would always be glad for Charlotte's company. After all, they had been best friends nearly all their lives. Yet Mr. Collins was a boor of the first degree, and she did not look forward to having to put up with him for the time he would be at Pemberley. At least there were enough people gathered in the house that he might be distracted and leave her be—although, she had a feeling that he and Mrs. Bennet would likely not be able to get through their visit without a disagreement of some sort. Lizzy's mother loathed the man. He was a cousin of Mr. Bennet's who would inherit the Bennet home of Longbourn when her father one day passed away. Lizzy could hardly blame her mother for resenting Mr. Collins though it was certainly not his fault.
After dinner, during which the Crawfords were introduced to everyone, they all gathered in the main parlor for games. The first to be suggested, by Miss Crawford, was blind man's bluff. First, the women would play, then the men. Mr. Darcy at first declined, but, as there were only three young men available, besides himself, he was finally persuaded to participate. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, and Mary, of course, would watch.
Lizzy offered a silk scarf for the blindfold, and Mrs. Reynolds supplied straws from a broom, which each player selected. Kitty chose the shortest one, so Lizzy tied the blindfold around her sister's eyes, while she, Miss Crawford, and Georgiana tried to stay silent while moving away from Kitty's outstretched arms. It was impossible for the ladies to keep from laughing, which made Kitty's task all the easier. The men goaded her on, calling out to her to turn left or right or reach here or there. Once she caught hold of someone, she had to identify them by feel alone. "'Tis Miss Crawford!" she cried, and, sure enough, it was. Miss Crawford then had the blindfold tied around her eyes and tried to catch one of the others. Georgiana was soon tagged, and her identity guessed. One more round left Lizzy still uncaught and so she was declared the winner.
The men's game was more hilarious still. Lizzy thought she'd never seen anything so funny as her normally reserved husband lurching around the room after Richard, Fredrick, and Mr. Crawford, and having a difficult time catching any of them, as the men were all so quick and spry. Finally, it was Mr. Crawford who was declared the winner, causing Kitty to clap and cheer for him a bit too enthusiastically.
Lizzy then suggested they move into the card room. Cribbage was suggested and agreed upon, and a lively hour was spent with the group of eleven divided into three tables, betting modestly in good-natured competition.
"It seems to me," Miss Crawford said to Lizzy, who was seated at the table with her, "that we have quite enough musicians in the room to supply us with some music if we wanted to dance. And we have the right number of ladies to gentleman if Mrs. Fitzwilliam sits out, which I assume she will."
Lizzy glanced over at Mary who continued to nod off as the others kept on with their game around her.
"The problem is," said Lizzy, "that if Georgiana or I play, that will take one woman out of the dancing, leaving Mary as the logical choice as musician. However, I am afraid she is looking rather sleepy."
"I would gladly offer my services as musician," said Miss Crawford, "but I play the harp, not the pianoforte. Additionally, that would take me out as a dancer. Surely we can offer Mrs. Fitzwilliam a cup of tea and rouse her sufficiently to play."
Lizzy thought this was a bit unthoughtful of Mary's condition; however, her sister did like to show off her musical skills, and would probably rally herself if needed. Lizzy called to a nearby servant to ask that the furniture in the parlor be moved from the center again, for the ballroom would be too large, then went to tap Mary on the shoulder.
She jolted to attention. "I'm awake, I'm awake," she cried, as everyone laughed.
"My darling," Lizzy said to her. "It has been suggested that we dance. Are you too tired to play for us? We will not impose upon you for long."
"Play? Oh, no, I am never too tired to play," Mary replied, sitting up and blinking her eyes.
The party moved back to the parlor, where Mary took her seat at the pianoforte. At a private, and impromptu dance like this, even Mr. and Mrs. Bennet could be persuaded to take to the floor, and so the couples partnered off. Mr. Crawford asked Kitty to be his partner for the first set, while Richard danced with Miss Crawford. Lizzy was in the arms of her husband, the finest dancer she had ever known, in spite of the protests he had made early in their acquaintance about not much enjoying the activity. Georgiana partnered with Frederick, and thus the group of dancers was complete.
Mary struck up an Irish Air, and the couples flew through the steps. Lizzy was altogether thrilled. Nothing suited her quite like dancing, and she and Mr. Darcy had not had many opportunities since their marriage, other than for the few weeks they spent in London, where they had attended some society balls.
The assembly did not feel compelled to adhere to the convention of "sets," and so changed partners for the next dance: Lizzy with Richard, Georgiana with Mr. Crawford, Miss Crawford with Frederick, and Kitty with Mr. Darcy. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet declared themselves too winded to carry on, and went to sit and watch the others.
Mary next gave them a slower piece, and so Lizzy had an opportunity to observe the others as she danced, and to talk to Richard, who had become a dear friend.
"We must not tire Mary out," she said to him. "Perhaps one or two more songs and then we must let her retire."
"I agree," Richard replied. "She is being quite intrepid by supplying us with music for our enjoyment."
Lizzy had danced with Richard before, on earlier occasions, and found him quite the adept partner. She glanced at Georgiana and Mr. Crawford. He was engaging her in conversation as well, though Lizzy couldn't hear what they were saying. Miss Crawford was most animated with Frederick, who was beaming at whatever she was saying to him. Though he was thoroughly devoted to Georgiana, Lizzy was sure he had to be gratified at being the partner of such a lovely young woman, who Lizzy could see, was also a most lithe dancer. Kitty and Mr. Darcy did not speak, and Kitty had a very serious look on her face, finding herself the partner of the brother-in-law she held in such awe. Mr. Darcy looked over at Lizzy and winked. She smiled back at him. Oh, how she loved that man!
One more song gave another opportunity to change partners, this time Lizzy with Mr. Crawford, Mr. Darcy with Miss Crawford, Frederick with Kitty, and Georgiana with Richard.
"I hope our simple entertainment is not too dull for you, Mr. Crawford. I do not know if you are used to more grand affairs," Lizzy remarked.
"Oh, no, this suits me like nothing else," he replied. "As you know, my sister and I have just come from London, where it is a constant whirl of balls, theatre, concerts, and parties. I had tired of it all. To have been invited to your lovely home, amongst this charming company, where we can catch our breath a bit, is exactly what we both needed."
"I am happy for it," said Lizzy, just before the dance required them to part. When they came back together, she inquired. "Do you and Miss Crawford mostly reside in London?"
"We have, as of late, yes. My uncle, the admiral, left us his townhouse there. It is in Hill Street. Do you know the area?"
"Of course! It is a very elegant part of town."
They parted again.
"And what do you think of Derbyshire?" Lizzy wanted to know.
"I adore it. My sister tends to prefer the bustle of London to the quiet of the country, but I'm hoping this visit will cure her of it. It is so lovely here as to make one not care if one ever sees the city again."
Lizzy wondered what he meant. Was he hoping for an extended invitation? She merely smiled in response.
The dance continued and she couldn't think of anything more to say. Well, she'd have plenty of time while the Crawfords were there to get to know them better.
Mary sounded the final chords of the song, and the dancers bowed and curtsied to their partners.
"Mary," said Richard. "I am afraid I will have to insist that you stop now. It is time you went up to bed."
"Yes," Mary agreed with a wide yawn. "I think I am ready to retire."
"Oh, how unfortunate," Lizzy heard Miss Crawford say to Frederick, who was standing next to her. "We had just gotten started."
"Shall I take over at the pianoforte?" Lizzy offered.
"Or I," echoed Georgiana.
"But then we won't have an even number of partners," Miss Crawford lamented. "No, I think we had best leave off."
Lizzy did not think she was being very charitable toward Mary.
"Come, my love," Richard was saying. "Let me take you up."
"Goodnight everyone," said Mary with another yawn, and she lumbered out of the room, with her arm through her husband's.
"They are such a sweet couple," Miss Crawford declared. She walked across the room to her brother and said quietly to him, thinking no one could hear, "Being with child is so inelegant. I hope such a state never befalls me."
Mr. Crawford tittered.
Lizzy, passing just near at the moment, had heard her, and had a moment of troubled reflection. She did not appreciate Miss Crawford criticizing Mary's comportment. The poor thing could hardly help being tired or clumsy. Lizzy found herself thinking that, no matter how 'inelegant' a state it was to be expecting a child, she still longed for it with all her heart.
