A Family Issue
It was the Sunday that they had returned to Lambton, the bans were read. It had been two weeks, and Lizzie had been nothing but cold to him. She said hello when they met, she said good bye when he left. She responded to him in as little words as possible and she was, in as little words as possible; cold, distant, and passive. In other words, she was not herself. They were in the country now. He was at Pemberley, she was a few miles away at Garden Park. He took day trips several times a week and Georgiana was staying there for a two months while they prepared for the wedding. He was desperate. He wasn't even sure if she still wanted marriage. Gardiner was at his house helping him with his investments when he brought up news that surprised him.
"Lord and Lady Matlock are coming for a visit tomorrow." He looked over the document he was reading.
"Are they?" Darcy went wide-eyed. "I had no idea they were coming. I must have rooms-"
"No, my boy." Gardiner laughed. "They are staying with us. Georgiana invited them." He smiled happily. "I believe that she wants her opinions on the wedding. She has sent her a letter every day since her arrival."
"Oh." Darcy returned to his documents. Maybe his uncle would be able to assist him in some way with the problems he was having with Lizzie.
Lord and Lady Matlock, along with their son Richard, arrived at Garden Park just before mid-day tea. Lucille Matlock took great pride in her intuition. But when even her husband and son could tell that something was very wrong with Elizabeth Bennet, then it was obvious to anyone. She eyed her niece and when she gave a discrete nod, she set into action.
"Miss Elizabeth," she took the young lady by the arm, "this house is named Garden Park? I can only assume that it has wonderful gardens."
"Oh, yes, Lady Matlock." She said sheepishly.
"Oh, pish!" Lucille exclaimed. "Call me Aunt. Or Lucy. You are to be family after all. Now I insist that you show me the gardens." And she pulled her out of the house.
When they were well away from prying ears and safely nestled on a bench in a maze, Lucy began. "Now my dear, I would like to explain myself. Georgiana has written to me about you and she is worried. After seeing you today I can see why. Now, Georgiana would not explain why but I can only assume that it has something to do with my nephew. What has he done?" She kindly brushed a lock of hair back into place.
"It is nothing to concern yourself with." Lizzie bit her lip, not wanting to bring anyone else into the problem.
"That is a load of rot. But if you are lying to me, then it must be something very grand. Please, my dear. I know something is wrong. It will be much easier if you just tell me."
"William does not trust me." Lizzie took a shaky breath. "And he wants me to be more like Miss Bingley. She came to the town house. She was trying to get his attention. He went in to see her and I left. I did not want to be seen. Miss Bingley hates me so. So I went to the stables. I met his stable master, James Mason." She sniffled, realizing that she was starting to cry. "He was the first person I have ever met who was not family to be able to understand me instantly. He was so kind, and even though I could tell he and his wife do not have as much as I, he offered me some of his tea. We were talking about his family and William came in and he was so snappish and rude. He started ordering me about. He said that I was not allowed to converse with James. He hired a lady's maid without my knowledge from France. Then he tried to lie to me, saying that my maid was not up to the standards of town, even though he has never complained. And then he said 'at least Caroline Bingley knows how to appear in society'. She probably came to apologize to him, to show him how much she had changed in Scotland." She felt the tears falling down her cheeks. "He came by my aunt and uncle's house later that day to apologize. But it was all wrong. He said he didn't want to be commanding like his father. But then… he implied that he would allow my maid to come with me. That he would allow my friendship with James or any other friend I would make. But he didn't-" she took another shaky breath holding back the sobs, " he said that he would not be able to promise that he would understand or that this wouldn't happen again." She looked up at the older woman. "I was raised in a way that taught me that everyone is deserving of friendship. That class doesn't necessarily matter. That loyalty is important. I tried, but I cannot forgive. I thought I loved him. But if that is how he is then-"
"My dear, Darcy is stubborn, like most men. But he does know loyalty. He was raised differently. The class structure defines him. My father was a landed gentleman, he was not of the peerage." She sighed. "May I ask why your lady's maid is so important to you? And please," she took her hand, "know that I had an aunt growing up who had the same maid since she was ten because she was trample by a horse and she had a deformed leg."
"When I was young, my mother was very cruel to me." She dried her tears. "She always says that I am not a classical beauty and for much of my childhood I was forced into a metal corset. It has left me permanently ruined. "
"Oh, my dear." Lucille had heard of mothers doing such a thing to their children, but never had she met one. "I will help you." She soothed, holding Lizzie's head. She gently pushed Lizzie away so she was sitting on her own. "This is what we are going to do." She gave her hand a squeeze. "I will tell my husband and my son about everything but the maid. They will deal with my nephew. Then your aunt, I, Georgiana, and you will work on your trousseau. We will make sure that it's exactly what you want, with a little tweaking on my part to make sure that William has nothing to say about it. Then, tomorrow, I will join you and your maid and show you both how to do some simple hair styles and about tiaras and when to wear what jewels. And when all that is done, I will have several words with my nephew. When all that is done, you will tell him exactly how you feel."
"But what if he does not appreciate-"
"He will not appreciate you talking to him like that. But you will do it. And it will show him exactly how he wronged you. When you tell him, it will show him how to fix things." She smiled. "Lord Matlock and I went through something similar when we were to be married." She gave Lizzie's hands a pat. "Now how does that sound?"
"It sounds very nice." She smiled, teary eyed.
"Good." The two stood. "I like you. Should I have had a daughter, I would have liked her to be like you." She said sadly. "But enough. Would you like to come with me to talk to my husband and son?"
"Well… alright." She smiled.
"Good. If you were not engaged, I'm sure my son would be head over heels for you." She laughed.
"Which one?" She said hesitantly.
"Richard." Lucille sighed. "My husband cut my elder son off. We were not happy after that incident at dinner."
"I'm sorry." Lizzie said. "I didn't mean to come between your family."
"I know, dear. This was coming for a long time. His mistreatment o you was just the final straw. Now, enough of that! Let us talk about happier things. What is your wedding dress going to look like?"