Chapter 31

After this, Georgiana and Elizabeth check the piano one more time, and then they all go to bed, to make sure they are well-rested and ready for the hunt the next day.

Elizabeth has other plans to ready Fitzwilliam for a long morning of separation. Thinking of Simon's pranks to wake his master up, she decides to wake her beloved up with a huge surprise, but not a cold or a noisy one, she's not a young lad after all, she has other means at her disposal.

Waking up early, she very quietly and carefully strokes him until he turns towards her, and holds him quietly until he falls into a deeper sleep once more. Then she straddles him very gently, to make sure he doesn't wake up, and taking care not to tickle him she strokes his manhood until it rises, hoping it is independent enough of its owner to answer to her caresses without notifying him of those slight touches. And it works, within seconds he has a nice, firm erection.

Sitting up a little, and then sitting down on it, feeling it slide inside her easily, is as titillating to her as she intends it to be to him, and slowly she starts to ride him, feeling her heat rise with every touch on her inside. And the surprise is a success, looking at his face she can see his expression change from deep sleep to bliss, consciousness returning to him very slowly, until he is fully awake, and very excited.

'Oh my love,' he moans, 'you're so full of surprises.'

They kiss with all the passion they feel, and take their love-play to its usual heights, until they both lie back on the bed, panting and laughing.

'That was incredible,' Fitzwilliam observes, still breathing hard, 'how did you do that without waking me? And what gave you the idea?'

'It was a matter of great subtlety, love, your member has a mind of its own, and when I asked it nicely to stand up for me, it did, without warning you. And it was your banter with Simon that gave me the idea, waking you with a wet towel seemed a bit crude for a wife, I thought that could be improved.'

'Improvement is an understatement for how much better that was than being slapped with a wet towel, believe me. And I'm just as awake. Let's get up early, we'll have some time together before we go out hunting with our respective parties.'

As they both dress, Fitzwilliam says, 'Shall we ring for Simon and Fanny to help us, since we promised Mrs Annesley?'

'If we must, love, by all means. But after the wedding we can have our room to ourselves again, can't we?'

'It's just for a few days, and the time we are at Netherfield, love.

I was planning to ask Bingley to come over to Pemberley this spring, love, but of course you'll have a say in it as well. I forgot to ask, I always used to decide those things myself. Do you mind having him over?'

'Of course I'd love to have Jane with me, but what about Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst? Frankly, I don't want them in my house for more than a week, they're my sister's new sisters so I should welcome them, but please not for weeks and weeks.'

'I suppose your sister will be ready to do without them for a few weeks, I'll talk to Bingley about it, he will understand it might be a bit embarrassing for me to be in Miss Bingley's company too long. But maybe having your sister at his side will make him less likely to entertain his sisters anyway. He'll be eager for some privacy I'd guess.'

'Let's have them, then. Do you have other friends you want to invite? Does the Colonel ever stay with you? And something very different, have you ever heard of a Mr Manners? Papa said he's staying with Bingley. A young bachelor, handsome and wealthy, and very well-mannered.'

Smiling at her answers her questions one by one.

'The Colonel does stay with me, yes, at least twice a year to fish and shoot, but I wonder whether he'll want to do so now. He really had a thing for you, you know, it might be painful to see us together. And I have other friends, but I'm not planning to invite them over this spring.'

His face blanks out a little, and he comments, 'Thinking of Mr Manners now.'

Then it clears, and the smile is back, as he says, 'No, can't think of anyone by that name, not even a rumour. But I've never been in society much, I dislike strangers. I don't think Bingley ever mentioned him, maybe Georgiana knows him.'

As Simon helps Fitzwilliam choose a pair of trousers fit to wear with low shoes, and Fitzwilliam kindly allows his valet to choose a shirt and a coat, too, Elizabeth has a bit more trouble submitting to Fanny's ministrations.

They are both very uncomfortable about this, Elizabeth feels forced by Mrs Annesley and propriety to submit to something she doesn't want at all, and Fanny feels worse. She is clearly not welcome here, and she feels unsure of what to do. Seeing the pretty, modest girl so uneasy, Elizabeth berates herself internally and forces herself to be nice. The maid can't help it after all.

'I'm sorry, Fanny, I have never liked people helping me to dress, and at home I could easily avoid it, so I have dressed myself all my life. But I don't mean to upset you, I'm just a bit upset myself. What did Mrs Annesley tell you to do?'

'She told me to start by brushing your hair for you, ma'am, most people like having their hair brushed. Then when we're both a bit more comfortable she suggested we leave it at that today, and take the next step tomorrow, when you know what your dress for the wedding will be like. We can think of a hair-style and accessories, and maybe shoes.'

'Let's get on with it then, Fanny, and I'm sure I'll get used to having a maid. How's Miss Darcy holding up?'

'She's very good about it, ma'am. She let me brush her hair and help her with some of her clothes.'

That does away with Elizabeth's resentment, the poor girl can't help it after all, Georgiana sure has the best approach here.

'I do like to have my hair brushed, so I'll be a good girl and sit still. I'll get used to it, never mind my attitude now. I'm so used to being independent, I don't like the idea of other people deciding what I have to do.'

Of course there is nothing sensible a maid can say about that, she has to do what other people tell her to all day, and live with it. Once again Elizabeth realises what a privileged life she leads, and she lets Fanny brush her hair without feeling further resentment.

When Fanny and Simon are ready to leave to do their other duties, Elizabeth feels a bit guilty for having been so stubborn, and she thanks Fanny heartily for her services. The girl seems much happier, and Elizabeth resolves to behave much better tomorrow.

'You really didn't like that, did you?' Fitzwilliam actually sounds a bit worried. 'You know you are my beloved wife, and you can do whatever pleases you without having to listen to anyone. If you don't want a maid, you don't have to take one, I really don't care what people say. I just want you to be happy.'

But Elizabeth knows she is being childish about this, and she will get used to it. 'Thank you so much, love, for being willing to indulge me in my every whim. But I'm going to do this, for poor Fanny's sake mostly. She would feel rejected if she was dismissed. She has to work all day, Fitzwilliam, I can sit still and let myself be attended to for half an hour a day for a fortnight. I have such an easy life as your lady.'

He doesn't reply straight away, but embraces her and kisses her face noisily.

'I love you, Elizabeth, and I think a bit more every day. If that is at all possible. Let's have breakfast and get the hunt over with. I suppose we will not have time to ride today, since you will be tuning that piano all afternoon to make a good impression on handsome Mr Fielding? I hope your father will spare him, he seems quite sensitive, those with a lot of feeling usually bear with sarcasm very ill.'

'My father generally makes fun of ridiculous traits in people. I see very little foolishness in Mr Fielding, and once he has played my father will have the same respect for his talent that we all have. No, Mr Fielding is safe from him. I hope.'

Darcy's morning turns out surprisingly entertaining, hunting shoes with his father-in-law. Since there is no time to have their shoes made to size, they only have the choice of a few stores selling the novelty of ready-made footwear. Of course, Darcy knows all of them, before he met Elizabeth he used to take his time shopping with Simon, and they saw this new practise start among the larger stores. Now even the smaller businesses offer a few pairs for hasty buyers, and Simon firmly believes that one day, most clothes will be ready-made.

'How could one ever buy a ready-made coat, Simon? It wouldn't fit at all,' Fitzwilliam objected when Simon told him, but Simon retorted, 'They already have stores for ladies that make dresses up front in several sizes, then have a seamstress present to adjust them on the spot. People in London are hasty, and seem to get hastier all the time.'

Though Darcy didn't want to believe that, Simon said it was really true, and this very morning Elizabeth will go to several of those with Simon to find a fitting dress at the very last moment.

Buying shoes ready made is fine, and he supposes dresses and accessories as well, but coats? As long as Darcy has the figure to wear a fashionable, tight coat well, he will always have it fitted, for a badly fitted coat would be a waste of money. And his trousers, especially those longer ones Simon insists will become the fashion more and more, how could one ever get them skin-tight without having them fitted?

But when he asked Simon, his valet just laughed and said, 'Dear master, do you think poor people can afford to have their clothes fitted? And do you think most rich people have their servants' liveries fitted? I know mine is, and I am glad for it, but I don't think Mrs Reynolds has all the Pemberley servants measured for theirs. She orders them ready made, then has a maid adjust them to size.'

In fact, Darcy has never thought about how poor people get their clothes, Mrs Annesley always looks perfectly dressed, though she of course is not poor by any means.

Anyway, thanks to Simon, Darcy knows the best stores for ready-made shoes, and he takes Mr Bennet on a tour of them. They start with two reputable stores, not too expensive, nor very cheap, but the shoes on offer are old-fashioned and almost gaudy, Darcy himself wouldn't wear them.

Next is a very expensive shop, where Mr Bennet clearly doesn't feel at ease at all. Two liveried attendants plus a clerk is just too many people to have looking on when trying out shoes, Darcy cannot but agree with that, and they quickly move on to his own favourite for buying new boots, a small shop with just a few models of the best quality.

An old man helps them find the right size, and Mr Bennet immediately likes a sturdier pair, great for daily wear, but suitable to a grand occasion, too.

Darcy tries an elegant model, very becoming with his longer but skin-tight trousers and the coat Simon chose to go with them. They are a bit tight, but the clerk assures him that is normal with ready-made shoes, they will adjust to his feet after a few days. Once he gets used to wearing them, he'll make a fine figure on the dance-floor with his lovely lady.

They both pay for their new shoes, and decide to stick with coffee, considering the time of the day. And after their celebratory cup, with a large slice of pie, of course, Darcy has a proposal for Mr Bennet.

'After fulfilling our duties, shall we conclude this hunt with a visit to a shop that will warm both our hunter's hearts?'

Mr Bennet, not used to London and very curious, assents, and Darcy takes him to the store that Elizabeth loved, the one that sells hunting gear from the middle of London.

That is a hit and no mistake. Where their hunt for shoes took them a little less than an hour, they stay in this store for nearly two. Guns, clothing, fishing rods, nets, hunting coats, trousers, boots, knives, even stockings, they have everything, and of the best quality.

Mr Bennet ultimately buys a new rifle and accepts Darcy's gift of a pair of sturdy riding boots of the same materials as the ones Elizabeth wears when they go out riding.

'Your daughter loves them, Mr Bennet, and you'll love them too. They're fine for riding in winter, but also very well-suited for walking.'

After they have seen everything and bought whatever they wanted, they go home, to see how the ladies have fared.

Of course they have Simon to help them choose, which is no mean advantage. On his advice they take a cab to a long street in the middle of town, which is actually one large row of individual shops, on both sides of the street. There are milliners, dress-makers, dress-shops, shoemakers, hatmakers, Elizabeth just cannot believe her eyes, there seems to be a store for everything a lady might want to buy, several actually.

They visit one shop after another, Simon leading, but wearing his livery to look like an ordinary attendant. Of course it is not common practise for a lady of one of the wealthy families to visit a store herself, usually they have their dresses made by expensive seamstresses, but time is really too short for that, and these stores may even be a tad more fashionable.

With Simon and Mrs Annesley to protect the ladies from overzealous clerks, they soon find a very beautiful dress for Georgiana, a lovely dark blue silk that emphasises her tall, womanly figure. Her figure is so ideal at sixteen, that the dress doesn't need any adjustments, which saves a lot of time, and embarrassment for Georgiana.

Remarkably, the store also has a set of beautiful white accessories to go with the dress, a scarf of finely woven Merino wool, and a turban-style hat with a pair of short but spectacularly coloured feathers. Simon takes a deep breath to discretely convince her to take them, but she has already decided she wants them.

Mrs Annesley arranges to have them sent to the house, while they walk to the next store, only few doors away.

Elizabeth is the next one to find a dress to her taste. It has rich bronze tones, is also made of the most beautiful silk, and is fitting to her new status as wedded lady, but still youthful enough for her age. It is cleverly made, with a sash to adjust the fit to most body-shapes. She decides to have a short coat with it, not a very common accessory, but so incredibly well-cut and beautifully decorated with embroidery and little bronze ornaments she cannot resist it. It looks a little like the kind of coat Fitzwilliam wears, but much shorter, entirely lady-like and very elegant, with slightly puffed sleeves and beautiful bronze buttons .

One of the clerks, a pretty girl with a sweet voice, commends her taste, 'It's our mistress' invention, Mrs Darcy, and she is convinced it will be the next high fashion. She got the idea in Paris, where most ladies wear these beautiful coats over their dresses. It is risqué to wear it in England already, only for the very brave.'

Elizabeth checks with Simon, and he beams at her and signals a decided, 'Yes!' and a look that seems to say, 'I'm proud of you!'

And Elizabeth is proud to have his approval, for Simon seems to be a walking fashion-magazine, he knows everything. And he cannot help himself, he is supposed to be along to carry purchases, and should give his advice subtly, but despite that he brings Elizabeth a little hat, the opposite of turban-style, a rather abstract, square shape, but also made of the finest fabric and decorated exquisitely, with two long, brown speckled feathers attached to it. 'Would you dare wear this, Mrs Darcy? It would totally complete this outfit, well, except for some jewellery, which we have found in one of the rooms with old stuff, I know just the thing to go with this dress.'

'Simon, I trust you. I like the hat, though it is a bit much of a good thing for me, but I'll take it and I'll wear it at the wedding. Are we done, Mrs Annesley?'

'Almost, Mrs Darcy. You both need a pair of matching slippers, and I'd like Miss Darcy to choose one other dress, she has grown so much she should really wear more lady-like dresses, she's no longer a girl and I suppose she wants to be treated like a woman. Clothes make a large difference in the way people see you.'

'Mrs Annesley, however much I hate buying clothes and wearing fine dresses, you are right.' Georgiana is determined to do the right thing. 'I want to get respect from the people I know, and therefore I will dress for it. You show me what is on offer, and I'll try it on.'

And they bravely move on to yet another store, and with the help of her three companions, she chooses another two beautiful dresses, in youthful bright colours, but with a womanly cut, very becoming to her tall figure and full shape. One of them is not fitted perfectly, and Mrs Annesley clearly objects to that, but Elizabeth likes the dress so much on her sister, and she knows she can improve the fit herself really easily, she used to fit both her own, and Jane's dresses after all.

'I can easily remedy that, Mrs Annesley, I'm very good at fitting dresses. If you want to, you can do the stitching, you're even better at that than I am, I bet you can stitch an invisible seam no problem.'

'You can fit dresses, Mrs Darcy?'

'We didn't have a good seamstress where we lived, so we learned to do it ourselves. I know I can fix this.'

'By all means, Mrs Darcy, I'm looking forward to seeing you correct that flaw, and I'll gladly do the stitching, if you pin the seam for me. Fanny should learn, too, if she is to be a lady's maid.'

Choosing accessories now falls to Simon, since both ladies have had enough shopping for one day, and at two different milliners he decides on another turban-style hat and a simple headband of crushed velvet with a beautiful blue stone in front.

'It's rich, but in very good taste,' he explains his choices, 'and very suitable to Miss Darcy's age.'

'I love them, Simon,' Georgiana observes, 'I'll look like a Eastern princess.'

With their willingness to shop down to zero, they take a little break with coffee and pie, then march on to find shoes. They settle on beautiful soft leather slippers, showing their feet off elegantly, as opposed to the sturdy half-boots Elizabeth wears outside.

Back home, they have lunch with the men, Fitzwilliam in an excellent mood after having spent the entire morning with her father, but nonetheless eager for a lengthy embrace and some kisses, and of course Elizabeth feels exactly the same.