Chapter 7 - An evening at Gracechurch Street
Mrs Gardiner and Lydia returned from their shopping expedition shortly after Darcy's departure.
Lydia was delighted to share with Elizabeth all the details of ribbons and lace that would adorn her wedding dress. Of course, she gloated, it was only to be expected that she would be the first sister to marry, despite being the youngest, for she was far the most beautiful and charming. She feigned sympathy for what she presumed to be Elizabeth's heartbreak at losing her former favourite to a younger sister, but chided Elizabeth that she needed to be a bit more agreeable and less clever.
"If you come to visit me when my dear Wickham and I are settled with his new regiment, I am sure I can get you a husband," she offered. Elizabeth thanked her for her kindness but said she did not much like Lydia's way of getting husbands. "Oh, lah! You would like it well enough if it got you such a man as my Wickham!" was all the reply she received, and rather than making an enemy of Lydia by saying what she really thought of George Wickham, or of Lydia's careless disregard for her family's reputation, Elizabeth bit her cheek and focussed on her embroidery. Mrs Gardiner, sensing the tension in the room, turned the conversation to a consideration of the likely weather for the morrow, and the remainder of the afternoon was passed in inconsequential chit chat until it was time to dress for dinner.
If Elizabeth took more care than usual with her appearance, she was not alone. Darcy had amused his valet by changing his mind no less than three times about what colour waistcoat he would wear. In the end, he settled on a plain forest green that suited him very well. He was prompt to his time, and found the three ladies and Mr Gardiner sitting in the parlour. He managed a creditable greeting to everyone present, even remaining polite to Miss Lydia despite her loud "La! What is he doing here?", but his eyes returned quickly to feast on the sight of his Elizabeth.
Mrs Gardiner had sat Darcy on one side of the table, facing Elizabeth and Lydia, while she and her husband sat in their accustomed places at the foot and head of the table. Darcy found the arrangement uncomfortable at first, as he felt Miss Lydia's curious gaze on him and could not talk comfortably with Elizabeth under her sister's scrutiny. After a few stilted efforts, he was rescued by Mr Gardiner, who engaged him in a conversation about the varieties of fish and game birds that could be found on his estate, and how that compared with what he had encountered at Netherfield Park. Darcy was gradually able to relax and enjoy the company.
Elizabeth had at first been quieter than usual. A combination of nervousness about what further disrespect Lydia might display, curiosity about the one subject they could not discuss in front of Lydia - whether terms had been settled for her marriage - and being distracted by the undeniably pleasant sight of her Fitzwilliam seated directly across the table from her, meant it was difficult to gather her thoughts. Nevertheless, by the second remove, her aunt and uncle's genial good manners had calmed her sufficiently that she was able to enter into the comparison of Hertfordshire and Derbyshire which, as a result of her recent travels, she was able to make several intelligent observations on.
The dinner passed pleasantly for all but Lydia. If she had been at home, her mother would have talked of nothing but her wedding preparations. She ought to be the centre of attention. After all, one is only an engaged woman once in one's life. Surely it was a time to glory in the affectionate care of family and enjoy being the envy of unmarried friends and sisters alike. How unfair to be stuck here with the boring old Gardiners listening to them talk about places she had never been with a man who had no connection with her family, but who had been ever so mean to her Wickham! She huffed and rolled her eyes, but as no-one paid her any mind, only served to work herself into a level of grumpiness which led her to retire to her room immediately after dinner. This, of course, suited the convenience of the remainder of the party, who were now able to speak freely.
Mr Gardiner and Mr Darcy between them laid out the state of play in negotiations with Mr Wickham. The wedding would indeed proceed on the following Tuesday. Wickham had agreed, in the end, for the settling of his debts, a commission in the regulars, two thousand four hundred pounds in his control and a further thousand pounds in trust for his wife. The total came to five thousand, eight hundred pounds, plus some small change for fripperies such as a trousseau and the hire of a carriage to take them to Newcastle where Wickham would take up his new post. While Elizabeth was appalled at the immense sum, Darcy was impressed that that Mr Gardiner had managed to keep it so low. "I had fully expected to part with a clear ten thousand," he said cheerfully. "Remind me not to attempt to cross you in business, sir."
A disposition was agreed upon between Mr Gardiner and Mr Darcy, and in absentia a share decided for Mr Bennet, as to how the costs would be met. Darcy took the lion's share - stubbornly repeating his mantra, "The error was mine. So must be the remedy." - but he did not deny Lydia's father and uncle their part, and dignity was preserved for everyone involved other than Lydia and Wickham themselves, who would have to content themselves with being far better provided for than they deserved.
Mr and Mrs Gardiner then fell into quiet conversation at one side of the room, giving Darcy and Elizabeth the opportunity to speak with relative privacy. Darcy bemoaned the fact that he would be busy for the next few days with securing Wickham's commission and a special license to enable the wedding to be held so soon, as well as catching up with his own neglected affairs. They reluctantly agreed that it was best not to raise Lydia's suspicions of his interest in Elizabeth. If by chance Lydia should speak to her betrothed before the wedding, Wickham was as like as not to seek better terms if he knew the deep pockets of the master of Pemberley were involved. They all planned to keep the errant couple apart until the wedding, but it was best not to tempt the fates.
So Darcy and Elizabeth reconciled themselves to being parted for near a week, and murmured many assurances of mutual affection to tide themselves over until such time as they could make their engagement public. As their interlude drew to a close, Darcy leaned close to his beloved's ear and whispered, "When I grow impatient to see you again, I will console myself with the memory of your appearance yesterday morning when you opened the door to find a besotted suitor standing before you." Elizabeth laughed lightly, saying, "Here I have gone to great lengths this afternoon to present myself as a respectable young lady ought, and you tell me you will rather remember me straight from the kitchens, dusty apron and all! How is a young lady to know what to wear?"
Darcy, recalling his own meticulous preparation for the evening, assured her she was everything lovely as she was, but mischievously added, "but I admit to liking you a little dishevelled from time to time. I hope you will find reason to appear dishevelled as often as possible once we are married." The deep timbre of his voice hinted just what circumstances he had in mind, and Elizabeth blushed a bright red before recovering sufficient composure to answer, "Indeed, sir, I fully intend to continue with my baking activities."
Noticing his niece's blush, Mr Gardiner called the evening to a close and Mr Darcy perforce had to take his leave from Elizabeth and his hosts.
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