Chapter Seventeen
Elizabeth spent the weeks following Jane's departure keeping herself busy, and therefore distracted from her loneliness, by assisting her dear friend Charlotte with her wedding preparations. This only fuelled Mrs Bennet's ire and without Jane to calm her, and after their third argument, Elizabeth found it best to be away from the house as often as she could be.
Mrs Bennet and Elizabeth could see eye to eye on no subject. Lizzie was reproached for deliberately vandalising her clothing on her walks, encouraging her sisters to disrespect their mother and belittling her to their neighbours. Conversely, Mrs Bennet was accused of overworking the servants, mismanaging the younger girls' education and gossiping loudly and crudely about those very same neighbours in the market town's square.
The tension between the pair continued to boil over regularly and was not helped by Mr Bennet's determination to keep his favourite daughter close by. Upon Jane's first leaving the county, and in protest of her father's selfish decree, Elizabeth did not seek solitude from her step-mother with him as she once would have done; her chair in his book room remained empty. Each morning, Lizzie broke her fast before her family, left for her walk – uncaring of the increasingly cold winter weather – and made her way to Lucas Lodge. There she helped Charlotte with wedding plans, organising her trousseaux as well as sorting and packing her childhood memories and mementos.
Lucas Lodge could only serve as a hideaway for so long. Three weeks after her sister's escape to London saw Elizabeth waving farewell to her closest friend. Before departing from the church for her new home in Kent, the new Mrs Collins invited Lizzie to visit her later in the year. "Easter would be ideal," she told her, "that way you can combine it with your usual visit to Town."
When Elizabeth approached her father with the invitation, she was annoyed but unsurprised by his response.
"I see no reason why you cannot go to Kent. However, I cannot spare you for much longer than the duration of your usual trip to Town. You may choose how you split your time, if you wish to visit both London and Hunsford."
Elizabeth eventually managed to negotiate a holiday of six weeks away from Longbourn, rather than the usual three she would spend in Town each spring. Through coordination with her aunt and Mrs Collins, Elizabeth planned to travel to London where she would stay for a sennight before spending four weeks in Kent. She would then return, spending another week with her family in London before she was required to arrive back to Hertfordshire.
The price of her holiday extension was company, and whilst he did not state so explicitly, Elizabeth correctly inferred Mr Bennet's threats to cancel her plans entirely if she did not spend more time reading and debating with him. As such, she made sure to earmark an hour each afternoon to sitting in her father's book room. On some days she was even successful in hiding her growing resentment for the man.
The time before her trip passed slowly for Elizabeth, and in addition to her time spent with her father she employed herself as much as she could with long walks and visits to the estate's tenants. Elizabeth eagerly volunteered to assist with sewing and mending as well as watching children and fetching medicines. Anything and everything she could think of to do was done in an effort to keep busy.
Eventually, the day of Elizabeth's journey to London arrived. She had taken leave of her sisters the night prior and that morning, after an early tray taken in her room, was handed into the family carriage by her quiet father. As the distance between herself and her family home increased, Elizabeth felt the discomfort she had been feeling fall away. By the time she was turning through the streets of London, and nearing her destination, she was relaxed and excited for the weeks ahead of her.
Jane, despite knowing her sister would still be a few hours, had spent the whole of the morning in the Gardiner's street facing drawing room, perched on a window seat and eagerly awaiting Lizzie's arrival. Consequently, she was the first one to notice the carriage pulling to a stop outside and was out of the front door before the other occupants of the room had time to comment on her swift exit. Jane was so impatient to see her dearest sister that she barrelled past the waiting footman and, rather than help her sister down from the carriage, launched herself inside of it where she wrapped her arms tightly around the person she was most desperate to see in the world.
"Jane!" Lizzie exclaimed as the breath was squeezed out of her.
"Oh, I have missed you so much, Lizzie!"
"I can tell." Elizabeth replied with a laugh as she pulled back slightly to look at her sister. Jane was glowing. Whilst Lizzie knew Jane was excited to see her, nobody could claim otherwise after such a welcome, the happiness which radiated from her sister was more profound than that. She had always been beautiful, but her recently discovered freedom had clearly added to her loveliness. In that instant Elizabeth felt such a confliction of emotion; she was furious that her sister could have known this contentment earlier in her life had Mr and Mrs Bennet shown more consideration over the years. She was also thrilled to see that side of her sister and determined to never allow her father or step-mother to take it from her again.
"I have missed you also, my dearest Jane. How are you? You look well." Elizabeth said as she continued to hold onto her sister and inspect the changes in her.
As the sisters continued their reunion in the carriage, the other occupants of the drawing room watched with indulgent smiles from the window.
"I wish I had a sister to love me that much." Helena swatted Walker's arm from her place at the end of the line of observers.
He turned to her saying, "Why do you need a sister, when I love you that much?" Helena responded by pulling a face at her eldest brother before jumping away with a squeal when he launched himself to hug her.
"Children!" came the automatic reprimand from their mother.
Taking a seat at the end of a sofa Walker said to no one in particular, "We should come away, I imagine they will be a half hour at least getting themselves reacquainted."
None of those gathered to greet the arriving Elizabeth could argue with Walker's comment, though one or two did think he may have been a little too conservative with his estimate of half an hour. They were all pleasantly surprised, however, when only twenty minutes after her arrival at Gracechurch Street, Elizabeth entered her aunt and uncle's town house.
The sisters, walking arm in arm, came into the drawing room smiling widely, the new arrival was subsequently greeted warmly by her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner and the three Fitzwilliam's who had been patiently waiting for her. Elizabeth embraced them all with enthusiasm and as she was settling herself into a seat noticed one more member of the welcoming party who had done his best to remain hidden a corner until that moment.
"I hope you had a pleasant journey, Miss Elizabeth."
"Mr Darcy!" she replied, still attempting to overcome her surprise at seeing him there, "Yes, I did, thank you."
Elizabeth struggled after that to answer the questions which were directed at her from the others in the room, for her attention was often pulled back to the quiet gentleman in the corner far more often than she realised. Darcy, for his part, had to exert large amounts of control to keep his smile to a minimum each time he caught her eye. She was finally here. Finally, she was within reach and just as lovely as he remembered.
His heart felt lighter than it had done in a very long time.
Soon after her arrival, Elizabeth excused herself to go and refresh following the long, dusty journey. When she returned downstairs the group was preparing to move into the dining room for lunch.
"Do you have many engagements planned for this week, Miss Elizabeth?" Darcy asked once they had all settled into their seats.
"Aunt Rebecca has insisted I go with her to a modiste, although I am unsure which day –"
"Thursday, my dear." Lady Matlock informed her.
"On Thursday I shall order a new dress," she said with her endearingly playful smile, "and it shall be worthy of the opera – or so that is the brief I have been given. Other than that, I have no plans this week beyond spending time with my family.
"Oh," she said with a sudden thought, "I do need to go shopping at some point, but that remains unplanned."
"If your intent is to buy me a gift Lizzie, you had much better save your money." Jane warned without much hope of being listened to.
"That is advice I shall not heed sister. You have only one twenty-first birthday and I intend to mark the occasion."
"I really do not want a fuss, Lizzie." Pleaded Jane.
"That is unfortunate, for in your last letter to me – it is upstairs, I can fetch it as evidence if you require." Elizabeth offered, "In your letter, you said since you missed my birthday a few weeks ago that I may share your celebrations. How I wish to celebrate is by getting you a gift. Argue that logic if you dare!"
"I do not dare; you have clearly thought this through." Conceded the elder sister.
"Since Jane is in a somewhat accommodating mood," Lady Rebecca put in cautiously, "I think now is as good a time as any to say we should like to host a dinner party for your birthday Jane – for both of your birthdays."
"Elizabeth is only twenty, aunt. If the gossips or papers learn of you hosting a party in honour of some unknown young ladies, it is bound to end up in print."
"Oh, it shall only be a family dinner; there will be no gossip to report."
After those assurances, and once she had spied Elizabeth's eager smile, Jane conceded once more to a plan she did not entirely agree with.
With that settled, Elizabeth turned to Mr Darcy and said, "My diary is filling up rather nicely now, I do believe."
"It would appear so." He agreed with a smile.
By the time Darcy left that evening he had secured not one but two invitations to spend time with Elizabeth that week. Not only was he included in the numbers for the dinner hosted by his aunt, he had also been asked if he and Georgiana would like to join them when the Bennet's and Fitzwilliam's next walked in Hyde Park. He had accepted before he had even known the day or time.
So it was, on Wednesday afternoon the party gathered just inside one of the many entrances to the park. As they arrived, Richard made his brother's excuses before any of the others had even managed to say hello.
"He had to meet with Father. Walker wanted me to say he did try to put it off until later but Father is due in the House of Lords and apparently it could not wait."
They all knew the apology was directed towards one member of their group in particular, but to help conceal Jane's rising embarrassment Lizzie came to her aide with, "Our cousin is forgiven. I am sure there will be plenty of opportunities for us to catch up at a later date."
After Darcy had introduced his sister and Elizabeth to one another the small gathering set off to walk in the park. It was a sunny afternoon in London and despite it still being February the temperature was comfortable when one remained out of the shaded spots.
Quite quickly the group of six split into three pairs. Bounding ahead of the others with their girlhood excitement was Helena and Georgiana. They were trailed after and brought to heel by the far less energetic Richard and Jane. This left Darcy and Elizabeth bringing up the rear.
Not long after they had set off together, Darcy had offered his arm to his companion and, without thought, encased her resting hand under his gloved palm. The action felt natural and when he finally noticed his light grip on her, he could not bring himself to remove it.
Darcy was not the only one enjoying the small measure of intimacy the action afforded. Elizabeth felt a rush at his nearness after their months of separation. He was more charming that she had allowed herself to remember. Or perhaps it was only that he was more relaxed in this environment, surrounded by family and people he felt comfortable with. Elizabeth blushed as she considered that she might be amongst the limited number of people the shy Mr Darcy felt at ease around.
"I am curious about something, Miss Elizabeth," Darcy said to break the silence that had settled contentedly between them, "and I hope you will be able to help me."
"I cannot promise success, but I shall try. What do you hope I can help you with, sir?"
"I have noticed, since Miss Bennet's arrival here in town, that the Viscount shows attention to no other young lady like he does your sister." Elizabeth nodded for him to continue when she heard the uncertainty in his voice, "Has your sister noticed?"
Elizabeth laughed, "I doubt it. Jane is beautiful, and kind, and generous, but she is also modest and naturally introverted. It does not help, I am sure, that we do not socialise with the Fitzwilliam's outside of family events so she does not see the difference.
"I have noticed," she continued, "many times over the years, things that Walker probably has not even realised himself. Like how he will always champion our connection becoming public. I think it is more than simply his desire for honesty. I believe he wants Jane to be accepted by the ton for who she is sooner rather than later. If he asks the question which I suspect he has been thinking a great deal about, her acceptance by society will not be as easy for her as it could be. Right now, would a country girl no one has heard of be accepted as the bride of a Viscount, a future Countess?"
"Do you think she would accept him then?" Darcy asked.
"I believe so. We made a pact, Jane and I, when we were younger, that we would only marry for love. From her letters and what I have seen the past few days, I am hopeful that she has found a gentleman who will enable her to keep her end of the agreement."
"I had not taken you to be such a romantic, Miss Elizabeth."
"We have had this debate before, sir. It is difficult to accept the idea of a marriage of convenience when I have seen first-hand the long-term consequences of such every day at Longbourn. Throw into the mix tales of how devoted my parents were to one another and it is hard to be anything but romantic, I think."
"I do not judge you for it, I hope you have not mistaken me. My parents were a love match also and, rare as it is in our circles, it has always been a secret wish of mine to experience that also." Confessed Darcy to his companion.
Both Darcy and Elizabeth coloured at the direction their conversation had taken. They were prevented from having to find a new subject, however, by the shrill cries of a lady neither could claim to be pleased to encounter; Miss Bingley.