Chapter 12: Particular invitation
Fitzwilliam had done all he could. He had written to Colonel Forester to let him know of Wickham's habits. He had delivered Darcy back to his townhouse to prepare for his meeting with Bingley. Now he just needed to wrap up his business in town and he could return to Pemberley and Georgie. His cousin had been without family for too long. Her companion was a wonderful woman, but it was not the same. Hopefully she would be feeling more up to traveling and to go to Netherfield if Darcy ended up there. London was a bit much for her right now but a soft "out" in a small community would be good practice for her.
"Fitz!" Fitzwilliam turned surprised to see Tom Bertram yelling for him from down the street. When they had spent time together in the fall their parting had not gone well. Fitzwilliam lost patience with the man and his lifestyle telling him off. His surprise was not for seeing Bertram but for Bertram's enthusiasm to see him. Great, with his luck the man had been too soused to remember the telling off. What a waste.
Sending his party ahead Bertram caught up to him. "Fitzwilliam, I am glad to have caught up to you. Might we have a moment?" Bertram nodded to the green area just off the sidewalk.
Fitzwilliam nodding joined him. Tom pulled a stack of bank notes from his billfold and handed them over. "Here, the money you fronted me in the fall to make it out of town."
Fitzwilliam took the money an eyebrow raised. "Find some good luck finally then?"
"Quite the opposite. I ignored the advice of a much wiser man and used his money to chase after people who were not my friends. I hit some very bad luck, and caught ill nearly dying. It gave me a lot of time to think on what you said about growing up. You were right, life does eldest sons no favor in not giving us some profession. But it is amazing what you can pay back when you live within your income and do not spend every night on the town. Thank you Fitz, for being a good enough friend to tell me what I needed to hear, even when I did not want to hear it. I already knew those things but hearing from someone other than my father was needed." Bertram unloaded his regret to his friend.
"I am glad to hear it finally made it through your thick skull. Lord knows it took long enough for my own brother to get the message. So if not running with the idle boys club what has you in town?" Fitzwilliam asked him.
"Little cousin Fanny is getting married. So with my father having business to attend to I am showing her town. She had never been. Shy little thing." Bertram answered
"I remember you speaking of her, did she find some quiet country parson to her fancy." Fitzwilliam joked with a raised eyebrow.
"Not quite, she managed to snag Crawford." Bertram smirked at him. Knowing the two traveled in the same circles.
"Crawford. Henry Crawford. Admiral Crawford's hellion of a nephew?" Fitzwilliam asked aghast at the thought.
"The very one, his elder half sister is married to Doctor Grant who took over the living at Mansfield." Bertram returned
"Putting aside the wonder this lady must be to have to have kept Crawford's attention long enough to propose. Has your Uncle lost the plot? To allow Crawford to marry his niece? Is he that desperate to be rid of her? I would not let that man within a mile of my ward. If he does not know what Crawford is, you certainly do." Shock was all over Fitzwilliam's face.
Tom let out a slow breath looking bashful. "Honestly, I saw nothing wrong with his behavior at the time and was glad of his and Yeats company last summer. Oh do not look at me like that I now know better. But to have thought ill of them would be to admit my own actions were wrong. So if he were still the man that toyed with my sisters I would have kept this from happening. But I was not the only idle elder son to get a hard set down." Tom laughed "though at least mine came from a friend. His came directly from dear Fanny. She faced him in all of his arrogant self assured glory and shot him directly down. Despite not having a dime for herself or any promise in the future she refused him outright and made it clear she could not even stand the man. Add to that a return to London when he got a taste of how prized his company was now that he was rumored off the market was a wake up call. We may not have the army to teach us to grow up, my man, but we are getting there. Henry would surprise you, I know he does me."
"Well I'll be. If the likes of your two rouges can become men, I will not give up on my idiot cousin just yet. But I have business to finish up. Good luck with the new leaf Bertram."
Jane had always found Lizzie too cynical and hard on people, but she was beginning to see that being the opposite had it's problems. She had trusted in the Bingleys, all of them. She had thought that Charles really cared for her, and that she had found a friend in his sisters. The way they all departed had upset her, but always the one to give people the benefit of the doubt she had assumed no ill will to it. Her time in London had shown how very wrong she was. Miss Bingley had finally returned her visit this morning. Her disdain for Jane's family and circumstances were clear. The friendship that Jane believed they had was clearly just Miss Bingley considering her the most tolerable person to break her boredom in the limited society of Merton.
Jane had always had the tendency to hide her feelings from those around her. She felt as the eldest she needed to not be a burden on those around her. The blow this morning of facing the disdain of those she thought had cared had even her façade cracking. Her aunt Gardiner had seen the pain and drug her out this afternoon as a diversion. It also had given them some time to talk away from the children or her uncle. Though the stops they made for her benefit lead to the rush they were now in to reach an appointment at the modiste that her aunt had. Just as they were nearing the shop a young woman looking rather pale seemed to stumble in front of them. Jane reached out catching her arm.
"Oh pardon me I am so sorry. It has just been a long day." The woman seemed to be looking around for a place to sit for a moment.
Jane steered her toward a bench a little further down the street, presumably for male escorts to linger instead of entering the modiste. "Think nothing of it, Miss.."
"Price, Miss Fanny Price." The woman introduced herself. "Really I am fine now, I am sorry to have taken up your time."
"Nonsense Miss Price, I am Miss Jane Bennet, and this is my aunt Mrs. Gardiner. She was just headed into this very shop. I was headed for this very bench myself." Jane assured Fanny. Seeming the girls comfortably settled Mrs. Gardiner headed into the shop to make her appointment. "Were you to meet a companion, is someone going to be missing you?" Jane returned her attention to Fanny.
"Not for a while yet. I was with my cousins. We are shopping for my wedding clothes." Fanny blushed at the mere mention, as if she could not believe she was talking of herself to a stranger. "Tom stopped to talk with a friend of his, an army fellow he had not seen in a long time. My other cousin Julia needed to catch another shop before it closed. She was to return to me here if she finished first, or I to her. So if I am delayed she will return to me."
"Well then we are finely situated until someone comes to retrieve us." Jane told her. Smiling at her. "Are you a London resident? I myself am from the country and find it all rather overwhelming." Jane started hoping to put her companion at ease.
Fanny perked right up, talking of her beloved Mansfield and how foreign everything in London seemed to her. Jane returned talking of Longbourn and the change to staying in Gracechurch street. The bustle and difference in manners. Even sharing general explanations of the mornings events without naming a person. Fanny could sympathize with the way Miss Crawford had been at first and the way her friends acted. They two women lamented time spent in cities and how much they wished to return to their own world in the country.
"Though I will admit the city does have some things home does not. I will be attending my first play tomorrow. I am nervous but so very excited as well." Fanny admitted.
"Are you seeing the Tempest? My uncle was given the opportunity for us to go by one of his contacts. I have been to the theater before but never such a large production." Jane responded
"Yes. I am very much looking forward to it. My Uncle got a box for all of us to go. It was very kind of him. He said it was gift for my engagement trip." Fanny again blushing, as if she was embarrassed by the kindness of including her.
Jane asked about her fiancé and was hearing the tale of meeting Mr. Crawford. As it was nearing an end two men came around the corner parting ways as they did. The taller of the two heading for them. He noticed Fanny, hurrying his pace.
"My dear Fanny, are you all right, where is Julia, she promised to stay with you?" He rushed to their side.
"I am fine, just a bit worn out from all of our shopping. Julia just ran ahead for a minute. Miss Bennet kindly agreed to keep me company while her aunt was inside." Fanny assured him.
Tom froze as Jane smiled at him, just now noticing her. She could not help but smile at him with all her power. The sweet concern he showed for his cousin, at the cost of even noticing anyone else, was more of the country sincerity she and Fanny had talked of.
Fanny broke the silence "Miss Bennet, allow me to introduce my cousin, Mr. Bertram. Tom this is Miss Bennet, she is staying with her Uncle and Aunt the Gardiners in town."
"Miss Bennet, it is a pleasure, and thank you so much for your kindness for our Fanny. She has never been to town before so we all worry." Tom shook himself realizing he was staring. "I am sorry to say I must steal her away if we are to make our next engagement. I hope we will all meet again before our stays are over."
Jane feeling more bashful than usual was hard pressed to answer and Fanny volunteered in an odd moment of boldness "Miss Bennet was just telling me they will also be at the play tomorrow night, maybe we will see each other there."
Bingley had opted out of going to the theater tonight to meet Darcy for dinner at the club. It was much easier to talk with him without the constant interruptions of his sister. Mrs. and Mr. Hurst had left for his estate earlier in the month. Leaving him alone with Caroline. It had not been fun. She paraded him around like a show pony trying to make connections. He had enough friends. He understood her wish to marry well but felt she took it too far. With 20,000 pounds to her name she could have married well, but well was never her aim, she wanted the first circle. Something that would have taken a much larger fortune than her own. Unless she wished to be the second marriage to someone already with an heir. Which she did not. She still had delusions of Darcy's social awkwardness and discomfort making him settle for her. Bingley had explained numerous times if he wanted a marriage of that type he had a cousin with a greater fortune. Caroline also seemed deluded that he would fall for Georgianna and move them up the food chain that way. The first time he was to travel to Darcy's home he had been taken aside and warned that Darcy cared for him greatly but if he ever attempted any designs on his sister he would not allow it and he controlled her money. Not that it had been necessary, she was still a little girl in his mind, and after knowing her so long as one she would always be little sister material.
His sister was much too like their father and he too much like their dear mother. It was one of the reasons he liked women more like his mother as well. He could not deal with the constant battle ground their home had been when his father lived. He was a tyrant, and living with Caroline had shown him that a woman could be just as much of one as his father. He knew there was wisdom to Darcy's advice about strong household management, but he just could not believe that many such women existed, and the few he did would have no use for him. An Elisabeth Bennet would find him dull and too soft. That is what drew him to Jane, she had made him feel the strong one, had understood the need to have peace at all costs in the home. In order to have her though he would have to learn to be the frim one to manage his household. He did not know if he could do that. He would most definitely never figure it out with Caroline pushing him around and making all the decisions.
"Bingley, so glad you could make it." Darcy joined him in the private room that had been booked for them. Looking more frazzled than Bingley had seen him except for his return from Ramsgate.
"Darcy, are you alright man. You look quite the frenzy." Bingley asked concerned.
"It has been an interesting few days." Darcy began. Pausing for them to be served drinks and a first course. When they were again alone he laid out everything that had happened at Huntsford and his realizations and what Fitzwilliam had to say.
"My god, Wickham was the man who tried to seduce Georgie. Why did not you say so? We have left him there to do god knows what. I do not know if Miss Bennet returns my affection but she is an amazing woman and I would hate for one of her family or the Lucas's to be harmed. I was thinking of returning to Netherfield anyway. It is time I tried my own way without Caroline. She can stay with our Aunt here in town or return to Louisa. I need to know if I can do what needs to be done even when it is unpleasant." Bingley confided in Darcy.
"Well, if you would not mind my imposition. I would like to return with you. Not to hinder your plan to stand on your own. Merely to deal with Wickham if needs must and to be on hand. It will give you time to see if you still favor Miss Bennet after some time apart as well. " Darcy related
"And for you to see if your infatuation has cooled as well." Binley returned laughing at his friend
Sir Thomas had concluded his business earlier that day for the most part but still waited to meet one more contact here tonight. He allowed Julia to proceed with the Crawfords to the box he had acquired. He would have sent Fanny as well but she appeared to need a rest before climbing the stairs. He felt awful for that. He should have considered the effect Portsmouth had on her health before sending her there. It all worked out for the best, but she needed to return to regular exercise when they returned to Mansfield.
He spotted Mr. Gardiner just as they came around the corner. Sir Thomas had taken the advice of Earl Fitzwilliam. While their politics did not always align, Thomas could see that trade was not going anywhere and that it was the way forward. He had met Mr. Gardiner on his return trip from Antigua. He was impressed by how genteel he was for a tradesman, the son of an attorney he had taken his intellect into textiles. Sir Thomas, a producer of materials saw the advantage. He had invited Mr. Gardiner and his wife, the daughter of a pastor, to join him. They were bringing their niece.
As they came into sight the overdressed peacock of a woman next to him piped up "Dear god, the woman just does not know when she is unwanted. Look at them coming over here. Ug, that must be her Tradesman of an Uncle."
"For people in textiles you would think they would dress her better." Another gaudy pile of satin and feathers next to her piped in."
They continued to mock Mr. Gardiners young charge loud enough for the girl to hear them as they approached. Sir Thomas could not believe the rudeness. He looked closer hoping to recognize the young women so that he might whisper a word to their fathers. He did not recognize any of them though. Which in itself was telling. He had done the circuit with Tom many times when he was introduced to society and none of these ladies had been included in those events. He felt awful for the girl. Tom had told him of their chance encounter earlier that day and her kindness to Fanny, laughing when he realized they really would see her at the theater as Fanny promised. Just as Sir Thomas was about to act, he heard Tom clear his throat to be noticed.
"Excuse me Miss Bingley." The woman spun at his voice, lighting up like a candle and plastering on a syrupy smile. Just as the woman was about to speak he added "might we pass, we need to greet our guests." He gestured to the Gardiners.
Sir Thomas watched the woman turn a green that did not go well with her coppery gown. Watching Tom step forward and past the girl to gesture for the Gardiners and Miss Bennet to come toward us.
"Mr. Gardiner. So glad you could make it. My Son Tom, and this is my Niece Miss Price." Sir Thomas took over.
Mr. Gardiner stepped up. "Wonderful to meet you all, this is my wife Mrs. Gardiner and my niece Miss Bennet. Though I hear the young people beat us to the introductions by meeting this afternoon."
Sir Thomas smiled "That they did, thank you Miss Bennet for your kindness. It is wonderful to meet you, I went to school with your Father. Quite the intelligent man, I was surprised when he did not stay to teach as he planned."
"He had planned to before my Uncle passed I believe, then he took over Longbourne. It is great to meet you as well." Miss Bennet acknowledged.
Tom stepped up to offer to escort her, brushing past the Bingley woman. Sir Thomas took up Fanny's arm leading her while he showed the Gardiners the way. He was surprised that the horrid woman was a Bingley. He had met her brother, a modest man who understood that their father was an industrialist. He did not understand where she got the notion to judge the daughter of a gentleman, for having relations in the more genteel trades when she herself got her money from manufacturing.
Once everyone was seated he was glad to see Miss Bennet looking happy again. It was wonderful as well to see Fanny come out of her shell so easily with the young woman. After he had Introduced Crawford and his sister, Fanny took over explaining to Henry her meeting with "her dear Miss Bennet." Fanny was so slow to warm to anyone it was wonderful to see her with a friend other than her sister. Tom seemed rather attentive to her as well. It is not as fine of a match as he had once hoped for, but the life Tom had led for the last half decade had made him expect much worse. Miss Bingley had just served as a fine reminder of what much of the ladies of London were like. He may have to encourage Miss Bennet to visit Mansfield. For Fanny's sake of course.
Caroline could not believe the indignity of this night. To be slighted for the sake of that country chit. Why could she not just go home before her brother saw her somewhere.
"Caroline, would you come in here a moment. I must speak with you." Charles stepped out of the door of his study into the hall.
Caroline froze for a moment, fearing he had heard of Miss Bennet's presence here in town and her deception. Realizing nothing was gained by delay she stepped in, taking a seat when he gestured.
"How was the theatre?" he asked distractedly, not really appearing to care.
"Interesting, as always. What is this about Charles" She lost patience snapping at him.
Something seemed to harden in him and he responded. "I am returning to Netherfield. I will not be taking you with me. I will escort you to Aunt's house, see you off to Louisa or help you hire a companion to stay here. I need time to be my own master without interference. I do not feel I can do that with you around."
Caroline was shocked, and angered. So this was about the country chit. He was rushing off to see her and Caroline was brushed aside. Well she hoped he enjoyed chasing her to the country when she wasn't there. This was perfect, she did not need to get rid of Jane, Charles would absent himself from her sphere. Jane had told her she would remain in town for several more months until her Aunt and Uncle vacationed this summer. It was perfect. Once Charles opened the house and discovered her gone it would take time to close it back up. Caroline smirked "Whatever you think is best brother dear, I believe I will stay with Aunt. I have been promising to come to her for some time."
"Really? Well I am glad to hear it. I leave tomorrow. Will that give you enough time to relocate to Aunts?" Charles asked relieved that there had been no fight.
"Oh, yes. More than enough. I really am tired though. Good night Charles." Oh yes, the sooner the better. She hoped he enjoyed his journey.