Previously: Jane and Sir Charles adopt Lydia's child and two other children
Friday, April 16, 1819
The Great House, Pemberley, Derbyshire
Elizabeth's Lady Day letters from her aunt Gardiner, after whom her new baby, Madeleine, was named, her sisters, Mary and Kitty, and her friend, Charlotte, were primarily concerned with offering her congratulations on the birth of her daughter. None of those correspondents mentioned to Elizabeth that they had each attended a most extraordinary house party at Netherfield the Christmas just past. They each had thought to do so, but for reasons of discretion, not wanting to hurt Elizabeth, they (including Kitty, hard as that might be to believe) had not.
And so, had it not been for a letter received from a most unexpected quarter, Elizabeth would never have heard of the most glorious and joyful Christmas house party thrown by Sir Charles and Lady Bingley at their newly refurbished estate, Netherfield, nor had cause to repine same.
Lady Matlock wrote Elizabeth a very long and warm letter, which started, as might be expected, with effusive congratulations on the birth, and abject apologies for that disastrous party last August, but then evolved into a paean of praise for Lady Bingley. It seemed that Jane (for that is how Elizabeth thought of her, although Lady Matlock referred to her as Lady Bingley throughout the letter) in an effort to maintain the link between Rick and his grandparents, had invited them to spend Christmas at Netherfield; the Earl had refused but the Countess had accepted; arriving at Netherfield Lady Matlock had been overjoyed to not only see Rick, but also to be reunited with her nieces, Georgiana (now Mrs. Davidson) and Anne de Bourgh. Here in her reading Elizabeth furrowed her brow to such an extent to almost make a permanent mark. Reading on Elizabeth found that in Lady Matlock's opinion Jane's persona was so warm and serene, her hospitality so gracious, her manner so gentle, etc., etc., that she, the Countess, had prevailed on her husband, the Earl, to join her. That old mossback Tory (Elizabeth's gloss) had arrived at Netherfield on New Year's Eve and then stayed on until after Twelfth Night, and in doing so, had made friends with Sir Charles and Mr. Gardiner. By now Elizabeth's pursed lips had joined her furrowed brow in distorting her face. Lady Matlock closed by saying how disappointed she had been not to have seen Elizabeth at the party but of course her absence was understandable given her delicate condition; but she hoped to see her at this year's coming Christmas party, if not sooner. In a postscript Lady Matlock indicated that Jane had promised to invite her daughter-in-law, Lady Mintlaw, and her granddaughter, Lady Arabella, from whom Lady Matlock had been so regretfully estranged, and with whom she would to like to reconcile, to the party; families sticking together being so very important, didn't you know.
Mr. Darcy had watched his wife huff and snort through the letter, growing more and more alarmed at the increasing contortions of her face, to a point where he was going to demand that she share it with him, marital bliss be damned (a perturbed Mrs. Darcy not being one to lightly receive demands) when a breathless nursemaid burst into the drawing room saying "Miss Madeleine was having a moment …" and Elizabeth flew out of the room, the leaves of the letter fluttering down in her wake.
Relieved at not having to face his wife's ire, Mr. Darcy gathered up the letter and read it. As he did, he frowned, remembering the promise he had made to himself at Christmas to make things right with Elizabeth's family, a promise he had promptly forgotten. It was well and good he had been reminded of his promise; he would carry it out. It was clear that Lady Bingley was the key; he was due in Town in two weeks; he would seek out Sir Charles and ask for a meeting with her; he would apologize; she would forgive; and all would be well.
Tuesday, May 4, 1819
Gardiner House, Gracechurch Street, Cheapside, London
One of the first calls Mr. Darcy made on his arrival in London, as he always did, was on the Gardiners. The Gardiners were eager for news of Mrs. Gardiner's namesake and Mr. Darcy provided all the details that he, as a father, could be expected to know, although not nearly as many as a so honoured great-aunt might desire to hear. Mr. Darcy gave Mrs. Gardiner a thick letter from Elizabeth with the express hope that his wife had filled in the gaps in his knowledge. In turn, Mrs. Gardiner gave into Mr. Darcy's safekeeping a blanket for Miss Madelaine she had crocheted, crochet being a new type of knitting she had learned. She would have given a more technical explanation to Mr. Darcy had she not seen her husband roll his eyes at her; instead she promised to show Elizabeth how to crochet during their forthcoming summer trip to Pemberley.
After they had dined; after the Gardiner children had exhibited for their cousin Darcy (who had cast a gimlet eye on Jack Gardiner when that very young man had enquired after Mr. Darcy's very young daughter, Anne); after the gentleman had enjoyed their postprandial drink of now legally imported brandy; and after Mrs. Gardiner had returned from seeing the children to their beds; Mr. Darcy steered the conversation towards the past Bingley Christmas party.
"I understand that this past Christmas you had the dubious pleasure of meeting my uncle, the Earl of Matlock."
Mr. Gardiner, not being aware of the ladies' embargo on giving news of the Bingley's Christmas party to the Darcys, missed the significance of the look his wife gave him, laughed, and proceeded to regale Mr. Darcy with how His Lordship had come late to the Christmas party, acting very much put out and under his wife's thumb, but after having been plied with Sir Charles' fine brandy (legally sourced from France via Gardiner Imports), subjected to the Bingley's hospitality (and, interjected Mrs. Gardiner, Mr. Gardiner's common sense), and most importantly of all, graced with the company of his grandson, why by Twelfth Night his Lordship had quite come round. He found the bean in his slice of cake and played the role of king with great gusto, quite overwhelming his queen, Mrs. Dewey, who found the pea ("you remember her, she was Maria Lucas", Darcy did not).
"I'm sorry" said Mr. Darcy "but I don't know what you meant when you said Lord Matlock was graced with the company of his grandson."
Mr. Gardiner looked at his wife and it was she who answered. "You know that even though Rick was returned to Jane Lady Matlock was convinced that he was her grandson."
Mr. Darcy nodded.
"Well, when Lord Matlock arrived at Netherfield, he was shown into the drawing room. As it happened Rick was entertaining we ladies at our tea. He was reciting 'Lochinvar' and I must say he is already quite the charmer; it won't be too many years before fathers will be locking up their daughters when he comes to Town. Anyway, when his Lordship entered the room everything stopped, we all stared at him, and he stared at Rick. Rick walked up, gave a very proper bow, and said "How do you do, Grandfather." Lord Matlock said nothing, he just scowled at Rick. Then Jane did a most extraordinary thing. She went right up to his Lordship, closer than was proper really, reached up, grabbed the lapel on his coat, pulled his head down, and whispered in his ear. Not just a few words either, she went on for some time, then she let go and stood back. We all thought he would be angry but you could see he was stunned. He looked at Rick, then at Jane, then back to Rick, and then at the Countess. She nodded at him and you could see him start to tremble. I swear he started to tear up but not everyone agrees. Then he stuck out his hand as if he was going to shake Rick's hand but instead he pulled Rick into a hug. Jane then announced that his Lordship and Rick would take their tea in the library and she led them out of the room."
Mrs. Gardiner forestalled Mr. Darcy's question. "No one, other than maybe Sir Charles and Lady Matlock, knows what Jane whispered. Neither she nor Lord Matlock will say. After that grandfather and grandson were inseparable. His Lordship convinced the men to allow Rick to join them on their New Years Day shoot and he bagged a brace of birds. Lord Matlock actually spent a day with Rick and my boys building a castle with the several thousand little wooden blocks Sir Charles seems to think children require."
Mr. Darcy could only shake his head in disbelief. Lord Matlock had never played with his children. Never.
Mr. Gardiner took over the narrative. "After the children were abed, we men had several very productive discussions regarding both politics and business. I wouldn't say that his Lordship is ready to join the Whigs, but he is prepared to listen to us. Nor would I say we are friends, not yet, but he has had me to his club, and now that John Company's monopoly has been reduced we are discussing a joint venture trading for spices from India and the Dutch East Indies, a venture which you might like to consider joining."
Mr. Darcy nodded. He had much to consider.