Chapter 30

The room upstairs is one Elizabeth hasn't seen before, it's at the end of the hall and clearly used as some kind of storage space. There is a mishmash of furniture and fabrics there, and some China. How much China can one household own?

'I like your father, Elizabeth,' Georgiana observes, 'he's been very nice to me the evening before you got married, and at your wedding.'

'That is more remarkable than it might seem to you, Georgiana. Most people dislike my father or fear him, because he usually isn't nice to people. He tends to find them boring or dumb, and then he can be very abrasive. He must like you a lot to be nice to you.'

'Fitzwilliam used to be a bit afraid of him, wasn't he? He held his own pretty well just now, I thought. Hunting in the city.'

'He must have been very pleased to hear that Bingley didn't allow Wickham to stay at Netherfield. I'm glad they thought of that, of course my sister may have had a hand in it as well, she wouldn't want you to run into him all the time.'

'And again I'm glad you confided in her. I would have, if I had a sister I loved so well. You must be very glad to see her again so soon.'

'I'm afraid it will not be the same, we're both married now, and we'll live three days apart for half the year. Do you think they'll come to London after the wedding?'

'Bingley usually stays at his town-house for a few months in winter, yes. It's pretty close to ours, you'll be able to meet with your sister every day. Can I join you sometimes?'

'Of course, Georgiana, we're sisters now, I'd love to visit friends with you. I guess we'll plan Kitty's visit when Jane's in town, she'll be able to go to Jane's sometimes.'

The piano seems dry enough, and they set to work, Georgiana hanging over the body of the piano, Elizabeth taking her place on the stool. Georgiana has already put the tools where they can reach them, and Elizabeth strikes the key that should sound the same as the tuning-fork.

It's not even close, and as Elizabeth plays a little melody they both burst out laughing, it's so awful.

'Let's tune the first octave, then leave it until tomorrow and if it's still in tune, try for the next octaves. Hopefully we can impress Eric. Can you hand me the muters?'

Elizabeth hands over the muters and the tuning hammer, holding on to the tuning-fork. Muters in place, Elizabeth strikes the key again, and sounds the tuning-fork. Striking the key while Georgiana is tightening the wire works really well, and Georgiana has it at perfect pitch pretty quickly. The other wires follow, and one key is tuned. Only seven to go this morning.

When they both agree that the next key is at the right pitch, they move on to the next, and the next, until one octave is in perfect tune. Then they quit, with the piano so old and the wood possibly still damp, they don't want to waste more time than necessary If it's out of tune again tomorrow, they'll tune it again and go for another octave, hoping it will stay acceptable until Mr Fielding can test it.

Lunch is very enjoyable with Mr Bennet present, Darcy cannot deny he had a bit of a shock when the butler came in and told him there was an elderly gentleman with a tired horse standing outside, asking for Mrs Darcy, but Mr Bennet soon explained he was only come to see his daughter.

His father-in-law is clearly not a very demanding visitor, once Darcy showed him his room and the library, it was quite difficult to catch his attention to introduce him to Simon and Mrs Annesley. Still, that was managed, too, and Darcy was free to write his letters of business.

And Georgiana is not at all shy towards the sarcastic gentleman, very strange and yet very encouraging. Apparently the two have struck some agreement to like each other instantly, which makes things a lot easier, not just here, but also at the coming wedding. Mr Bennet may have fled from Wickham's presence in his library, he will not hesitate to stand up for Georgiana if she is in any kind of trouble with his self-proclaimed favourite son-in-law.

After lunch Mr Bennet is back to the library, he was seriously impressed by its size and the number of books, realising this is just the tip of the iceberg compared to Pemberley. He is in for a fabulous surprise, come spring.

Georgiana is practising, her fifth or sixth hour in the company of a piano, and Elizabeth and himself are waiting at the dining-room table anxiously for Mrs Annesley to correct their behaviour in a matter of etiquette.

Actually, they are not anxious, at least, Elizabeth is not. She has never had a governess and is therefore not trained in taking them very seriously, as he is.

Mrs Annesley arrives, and seats herself on the opposite side of the table. She is not entirely at ease either, this must be bad, she must be very embarrassed to say this. Still she starts to speak.

'Mr Darcy, I've written to Mrs Reynolds on your request, to ask her to reserve a place for Fanny Baker as a maid this spring. I have taken the liberty to advise Mrs Reynolds to allow Fanny the chance to develop towards becoming a lady's maid, I have come to appreciate her immaculate appearance and her fastidious habits in the last few weeks.

Which is what I wanted to talk to you about right now.

I know Mrs Darcy and Miss Darcy are not used to having their own lady's maid to attend to their toilette, which is not exactly customary, but then letting one's valet and one's former lady companion share the position of housekeeper isn't either, and it works very well so far.

But, Miss Darcy is approaching the age where she would be expected to spend more attention to her appearance, and Mrs Darcy is the lady of the house, and while there is no objection to dressing simply and doing the work oneself in one's own household, I feel obliged to point out that at the coming wedding-party they will be expected to bring their own maid. If they don't, people will talk.

May I take the liberty to suggest that you, Mr Darcy, let Simon do his job as a valet for the duration of your stay at Netherfield, and that you, Mrs Darcy, and Miss Darcy, take one maid to at least present the right impression to the other ladies? And if you both agree, may I suggest you take Fanny Baker with you? She has a natural ability to fit into all kinds of company and an uncommon delicacy where talking about the master and the mistress is concerned. In short, she doesn't gossip, which I can assure you is a rarity among house-staff. Since you are both well-able to dress yourselves and only need help doing up your hair and accessories, Miss Baker will do very well.

If you then appreciate her services, we can have Mrs Reynolds school her in spring, and you'll have the perfect lady's maid next winter in London. What do you say, Mr Darcy, Mrs Darcy?'

Is that all? They should bring a maid to Netherfield to make a good impression? Well, if Elizabeth agrees he's fine with it, and Bob will be thrilled.

'Hair? Accessories?' Elizabeth seems quite put out, 'Mrs Annesley, Fitzwilliam, I totally forgot to plan what I will be wearing! I've three really good dresses, but they're country chic, not wedding-approved. I'm going to have to plan a hunt myself, Fitzwilliam, and get me something to wear to my sister's wedding. Where shall I start? There is so little time left!'

'I take it you agree to take a maid then, Mrs Darcy?' Mrs Annesley is not losing her calm, that is good, for Elizabeth looks ready to faint. 'Don't worry, Mrs Darcy, there are plenty of people in this household with a taste in fashion, you cannot take them shopping, but we can set them hunting for accessories within this house. With your permission, Simon and I will accompany you on your 'hunt', and maybe Miss Darcy as well if she's ready to embrace fashion.

Your country chic is actually rather fine, and very well-suited for the normal days at your friend's house, but I agree with you that you need something a little more city-like for the wedding, remembering a certain afternoon at Pemberley with Mr Bingley's sisters I would want to rub it in very thoroughly that you won. In fact, I wish I could see you do it, it would be my great pleasure.'

Darcy cannot help being surprised at Mrs Annesley expressing herself so ...bluntly? She never commented even once on Miss Bingley's behaviour, but apparently she did find fault with it.

'You look surprised, Mr Darcy, I suppose you may think because I never commented on Miss Bingley's behaviour I approved of it, but in fact you hired me to mind your sister, who showed surprising responsibility that morning, and in general. It was not my job to judge your lady visitors. Miss Bingley was generally rude to me, and very disrespectful to both Mrs Gardiner and Mrs Darcy, then Miss Bennet. I was glad to see her get her comeuppance from you that afternoon, and I'll be glad to help Mrs Darcy get some of her due by making sure she is better dressed and better attended to than any of the other ladies. Better loved she already was, even then, and I would dare advise the both of you to regularly exchange some tokens of affection in public, despite their being slightly indecent and possibly very painful for some guests to behold.'

Who would have thought Mrs Annesley would be so vindictive! Of course she is no longer in his service to teach his sister manners, but to run their household smoothly, which is exactly what she is doing now. And she is entitled to some feelings of her own, no-one likes to be ignored or slighted.

'Please spend some effort on Georgiana, too, but not so much that she feels conspicuous and overdressed. I'm glad you reminded Mrs Darcy of her oversight, Mrs Annesley, there is still enough time, I hope, to gild her as much as she can bear? Kissing her now and then is no hardship, I've grown so used to being intimate I would have to exert myself to refrain from exchanging the occasional caress or kiss.

How will we proceed, will you have Fanny assigned to the ladies already, to get used to the situation? I suppose she knows how to help someone dress and do her hair and all?'

'I know how to dress and do my hair, Fitzwilliam, same as you. At home we used to have one maid who helped us all, we always told her exactly what to do, she was not as smart as Fanny is. We'll manage. I don't want her in constant attendance, though, nor Simon following your every move, we'd lose every chance of being together. We can help each other out with a few buttons or a collar, this is mostly for show, right?'

She is so independent, his lovely lady, so unwilling to bow to conventions.

'If you let her in each morning when you're both decent, and Simon for his master, you can suit yourself whether you're already dressed by that time or not. You'll be riding out so Fanny will take care your riding dress is washed and dried, and your house dress ready for use. Then before dinner you can let her help you change, and before the wedding she can gild you a little extra. She actually knows how to do that, I asked and had her demonstrate to me.

Most couples use separate bedrooms, but of course there are limits to following conventions. Love must have room to flourish, and yours will demand the space it needs, it cannot be bound by any tradition.'

People just keep amazing you if you let them, and Mrs Annesley is certainly showing a side of herself Darcy has never seen before. She seems to truly value the love between himself and Elizabeth, and care less about form and manner than he expected.

They agree to let Fanny attend to Elizabeth and Georgiana for a few days to see whether it works out, and Mrs Annesley offers to scour the house with Simon for hidden treasures, accessories from times long past that may fit the current style of clothing really well. Of course they can go out and buy some, or Darcy can send for the diamonds once more, but Elizabeth actually seems to prefer jewellery with a long history.

The rest of the day passes quickly with a nice long ride in the cold, the washing and changing afterwards preceded by some inevitable loving, a quick test of the piano upstairs with Georgiana, still in tune, and long, satisfying talks with his beloved and his father-in-law.

After dinner, Elizabeth shows Georgiana her favourite stitches, and how to use them to liven up a scarf or a handkerchief. 'It's not Mrs Annesley's level, but it's entertaining and keeps the mind focussed on the conversation.'

Then Georgiana plays for Mr Bennet, and Darcy decides he dares to read the first adventures of Tom and Rose even with his father-in-law present, waking up from exhaustion to find the girl of your dreams at your side, both of you bound helplessly until you promise to join their crew, must even divert Elizabeth's easily-bored father, and indeed he laughs as much as any of them do.

'You are a great reader, Darcy!' he comments, 'I believed every single bit of it, even that there were actual women among the pirate crew who took that girl under their wings. Imagine those lady pirates being totally equal to the men, wearing trousers and guns and swords, I suppose had Lizzy known that, she wouldn't have married you but run away to join them, too.'

'Would you prefer to live in an equal society, Elizabeth?' Darcy asks his beloved seriously.

'I suppose I would, love,' she replies with a smile, 'but I can't swim, so I'd better stay away from the sea.'

'I could offer to teach you how to swim, at Pemberley this summer, it's a lot more decent than wearing trousers and a gun and robbing ships for a living, but I'm afraid you might run away to join the pirates after all once you've mastered the art of swimming.'

'Don't worry, Fitzwilliam, I'm quite happy with you. Fighting and killing sounds like quite a lot of hard work, as well as counting treasure. And you know, I'm sure Lady Catherine would not approve of it.'

'Hmm, now you mention it. We might join you, Georgiana and I. Do you still know how to swim, Georgie?'

'I suppose I do, Fitzwilliam, though I haven't practised for years. I'd like to learn to shoot and fence, and I suppose I'd get used to the hardships, but since there are no pianos on board a pirate vessel, and I'm sure Mr Fielding would not agree to teach me there even if there were, I have to regretfully decline. Though I quite like rowdy songs. Too bad, really.'

'Good,' Mr Bennet now comments, 'I'm glad you've decided to stay put, for I'm not done with your library by far. I find it very convenient to have a place to go when my wife invites my son-in-law into my own library. Your chairs are very comfortable and very nicely covered, Darcy. If you'll all excuse me, I think I'll bury myself in some books once more.'

'I'll come with you, papa, I have something I'd like to talk to you about. A father-daughter thing, you might say.'

'Fine, Lizzy, as long as it doesn't take all night, you know I'm a busy man.'

Mr Bennet is a droll man, and he must have missed his favourite daughter very much. It is so very clear where she has gotten her intelligence and her sense of humour.

If anyone can advise her on the matter of Wickham's true parentage, it must be her father, Elizabeth has decided. He is smart and very well-read, has no fancy illusions about people or the world, and he will keep quiet.

When they reach the library, her father invites her to sit down in one of the chairs and takes the one closest to hers. 'What was it you wanted to talk about, Lizzy?'

'If one had a suspicion of someone not having been faithful to their spouse, papa, how would one set to prove that without making a fuss?'

It is very funny to see him startled, then soothe her, 'Your Fitzwilliam would never cheat on you, dear Lizzy, he practically worships you. Why would you even think so?'

'I don't papa, it's not him. I think his father may have sired a son out of wedlock, and I'd like to know the truth of it. But all the people involved are deceased, would it be at all possible to find proof? Without anyone noticing?'

That does intrigue him, but he fortunately does not try to get more details about the identities of the suspects, he merely observes, 'You might find letters or entries in a diary, and most likely from the lady, men tend to destroy evidence, but a lady would hang on to a love letter or diary for sentimental reasons, risking exposure. So, dear Lizzy, find the personal effects of the love-birds, and find your clues. But be very discrete about it, my dear, you're part of a powerful family now, and your husband deserves your trust and your respect.

I'm so glad he persevered, Lizzy, you could not have met a better man. Nor he a better woman for that matter, but I'm very certain he appreciates that. I just hope you do, too.'

'I do, papa, and for his person, not for the life-style. It's generally very easy, but I'm very afraid to not live up to people's expectations at Jane's wedding. Being Fitzwilliam's beloved is something I'm really good at, but being Mrs Darcy in public...'

'Don't worry my dear, I have reason to believe that Mr Bingley's connections are not nearly as grand as your new family. I wouldn't be at all surprised if your husband is the most influential man among them. Though Mr Bingley has been entertaining a very likeable young gentleman recently, a Mr Manners, not at all bad-looking, well to do, and single into the bargain. Kitty was rather struck with him, I believe, but of course she has few charms to attract a rich man of some sense, he must be looking for someone a little more, more, let's say developed.

Still, Lizzy, I wouldn't worry too much. You look quite the lady and your husband is of course very striking. You'll do just fine.'

'Thank you, papa, and thank you for the advice. I will certainly make use of it, and if something spectacular shows up, I'll share it with you.

We'll have entertainment tomorrow, of the loftiest kind, Georgiana's teacher is coming to play his original concerto for us. He's very talented, I'm looking forward to hearing it very much, and I'm sure you'll appreciate it, too. Good night papa!'

'Good night, my dear. See you at breakfast.'