Turnabout Chapter 14 - Strategies, a pride and prejudice fanfic

Hi, I'm back early, but I've been having trouble getting onto FF.

Does anyone else have problems?

Btw as many of you know (or have worked out) I also have a soft spot for Colonel Fitzwilliam. 😊

~~DGH~~

Strategies

As they approached the house, they encountered Mr Gardiner coming out and about to enter his carriage.

'Good morning, Mr Gardener,' Fitzwilliam greeted the gentleman.

Mr Gardiner smiled distractedly. 'Good morning, Colonel. I see you have safely returned my niece. I thank you, but you must forgive me. I have to be off. There is an emergency at the docks which needs my intervention. If you will excuse me?' He said politely but did not stop and wait for an answer. A moment later, Gardiner was in his carriage, which set off as soon as he closed the door.

As Fitzwilliam turned back to Elizabeth, he noticed the plaque proclaiming the name of the house. He stared at it for a minute while he readjusted his thinking.

Elizabeth broke into his thoughts. 'Colonel, I hope you were not offended by my uncle's curtness?'

Fitzwilliam blinked and shook his head. 'Not at all, Miss Elizabeth. I just realised that when the Carltons introduced you and your family last night at the theatre, I misheard your uncle's name.' He nodded towards the plaque.

'So…'

'I just had a most amusing realisation. Darcy mentioned that your family had relations in trade and the exceedingly pleasant gentleman I met must have been that relative.' He grinned at her.

'Your perspicacity does you credit, Colonel.' Elizabeth tilted her head. 'Does that knowledge change your opinion?'

'Not at all. It makes this situation even better. Will you be home to callers later today?'

'As far as I am aware we had no specific plans for today.'

'In that case, may I bring my mother to meet you, if she is available?'

'By all means, I would be honoured to meet the Countess.'

~~DGH~~

Fitzwilliam strode back to Matlock House, which was almost next door to the Carlton's residence, where he found his mother breaking her fast.

'Good morning, Richard, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?' the lady asked with a fond smile. Despite the Colonel's propensity to give her twice as much grief as her older son while they were growing up, she was particularly fond of her younger son.

He greeted her with a kiss to the cheek and helped himself to a plate of food from the buffet. 'There is someone whom I would like you to meet,' he said with a mischievous smile as he sat down to eat. 'A young lady…'

'Have you at last met the love of your life?' she teased.

'No, but I think I may have met Darcy's.'

'Darcy? You cannot be serious. He has never shown the slightest interest in any of the ladies whom I have introduced to him. Apart from that, he has been somewhere in the country with his friend Bingley for the last several weeks.'

'About that… he was only there for a couple of days. Just long enough to upset a whole town and get himself kicked out,' Richard said before taking another large bite of ham. He was pleased with the reaction his words had caused.

His mother sat in wide-eyed silence for several moments before she managed to say, 'How?'

Fitzwilliam grinned and between bites told her the story his cousin had related to him.

The countess listened attentively but with growing horror. When he finished, she exclaimed, 'That triple dratted fool. How did he become so very arrogant? I know his parents taught him better than that.'

'You do not even know the best or the worst part yet.' He paused to heighten the suspense until his mother gave him an impatient look. 'The lady he insulted is the daughter of a gentleman who has a brother-in-law in trade… Mr Edward Gardiner, who is also related to the Carltons.'

'So, the daughter of that poor and insignificant country gentleman is related to half the ton. Admittedly the relationship is via a tradesman and the black sheep of that family, but nonetheless, she has the connections.'

'Rumour also had it that Henry Carlton was an extremely wealthy man, yet his wealth seems to have gone into obscurity.'

'You think the Gardiners or the Bennets were the heirs to his fortune?' the countess asked.

'I would not be in the least surprised. The ladies whom I met yesterday were very elegantly dressed… your kind of elegance.'

Lady Matlock raised her brows and smiled in appreciation since her husband had been known to complain about the expense of her wardrobe. 'I can see your point.' She frowned as another thought occurred to her. 'So, this Miss Elizabeth is a gentleman's daughter, well connected and possibly wealthy, but what about her manners and accomplishments?'

'Her manners are excellent and unassuming. I cannot speak to her accomplishments as I have only met her twice and conversed with her but once. But I get the impression that she exceedingly intelligent and could be as well read as Darcy.'

'He thought her pretty and you think her intelligent. Yes, there are possibilities there.' The Countess hesitated a moment before she raised another point. 'What about her discretion. While I abhor Darcy's contemptible behaviour while in |Hertfordshire, I would not want his name dragged through the mud,' the countess asked in concern.

'I do not believe there is an issue on that score. She refused to tell me what happened. It was only after I told her what Darcy had related to me that she confirmed his story to be true.'

His mother smiled and said, 'Excellent.'

'Before you start matchmaking, please keep in mind that at present she is angry at Darcy for his insult and generally bad manners.'

'So, you think we should just give them an opportunity to argue?'

'It is called debating. But yes, that was my plan.' Richard wore a smug grin. While he was not averse to his mother's matchmaking ideas, he wanted to drive home the point with Darcy that he had insulted the wrong lady. It would be amusing to watch his arrogant cousin squirm.

'Very well.' The lady tilted her head and gave her son a searching look. 'But since you seem to appreciate the lady, why are you not trying to gain her interest?'

Fitzwilliam focused on his plate and mumbled something.

'Speak up, Richard. You know it is pointless to prevaricate.'

He raised his eyes to his mother and said with a sigh, 'She is all that is lovely and intelligent. But as you know I am not in the same league when it comes to reading. While I like a woman who is intelligent, I doubt that she would be satisfied with me. I think someone a little less highbrow would suit me much better.'

'You did say she has four sisters, did you not?' When her son nodded, the countess smiled happily. 'Perhaps one of them would suit you better.'

'Perhaps, but do not get your hopes up.'

~~DGH~~

At the same time as Colonel Fitzwilliam spoke to his mother, Elizabeth was having a discussion with her sisters over breakfast after she had related the gist of her discussion with the Colonel.

'Now, Lizzy. We have been patient long enough. We respected your need to consider what happened at the assembly. I think it is about time that you confided in us. I have never in my life seen you as angry as you were that night,' Jane said coaxingly.

Elizabeth blushed as she sighed. 'I have given it much thought,' she said as she toyed with a piece of toast.

'And…' prompted Mary when Elizabeth said no more.

'I suppose that I was mortified because I had thought Mr Darcy exceedingly handsome when he first arrived. There was something about him that attracted me. But later when he called me only tolerable, I felt such a fool. And I was furious, mostly with myself for having felt that attraction. Of course, I was also furious with Mr Darcy for his words.'

'How do you feel now that you know he did not actually mean what he said about your looks?' asked Jane.

'My vanity is satisfied, I suppose. I do not feel hurt anymore. But now I am even more angry with him for being rude, conceited and showing a selfish disdain for the feelings of others.' She glowered as she explained, 'Did that man not realise that he could have badly hurt my reputation?'

Jane looked stricken. 'I had not considered that aspect. No one in Meryton would think badly of you for being slighted by a stranger.'

'No, they would not, but Mr Darcy did not know that. He did not care about anything but his own comfort.' Elizabeth looked as woebegone as she felt. 'How could I have been attracted to someone as selfish as that?'

'He is very easy on the eye,' opined Mary. 'I could hardly blame you for noticing an exotic peacock amongst the chickens. At least you found out about his deficiencies before your heart was engaged.'

'Yes, but now everyone is telling me that he is a better man than what he showed in Meryton. Almost as if…' She trailed off. Now that she was thinking about it, the Carltons and the Colonel were trying to improve her opinion of Mr Darcy. No… they could not possibly be trying to matchmake. But she had received the impression from the Colonel that Mr Darcy was not often, if ever, complimentary about a lady.

Yet he wanted her to be argumentative with his cousin. Surely that was not the attitude which would attract a man. Her mother had too often commented on how to catch a husband, for Elizabeth to be in any doubt. Gentlemen wanted pleasant and agreeable wives, not women who would argue with them.

It was excessively confusing.

~~DGH~~

Notes were exchanged and a time for Lady Matlock's visit agreed after Elizabeth informed her aunt about her discussion with the Colonel.

The countess and Fitzwilliam arrived and were welcomed by Mrs Gardiner and the sisters. Once introductions had been performed and refreshments served, Lady Matlock asked their hostess, 'Did I not see you at the Foundling Hospital?'

'I do indeed volunteer there when time permits,' replied Mrs Gardiner, who had seen the countess at the hospital, pleased that the lady remembered her as well.

Lady Matlock was relieved that they had at least one interest in common and chatted politely about the charities they both patronised for a few minutes.

Once assured that Mrs Gardiner would not be a disgrace in any company, she turned her attention to the sisters.

'I understand that you had the misfortune to encounter a member of my family in less than ideal circumstances.'

Even though Jane and Mary looked discomfited by the comment, Elizabeth's lips twitched in amusement as she had wondered how the subject would be raised. 'If you consider the foyer of the theatre to be less than ideal, I would have to agree with you. Despite that, and the brevity of the encounter I found Colonel Fitzwilliam to be a charming gentleman.'

Lady Matlock was startled into laughter at how neatly Elizabeth side-stepped the issue. 'I am pleased that at least one man in my family made a good impression. I am sorry that my nephew did not.' She glanced at her son who watched the scene with a smug grin and made a decision. 'Miss Elizabeth, my son suggested that he would like his cousin to learn a lesson and that you would be the perfect teacher.'

'Colonel Fitzwilliam merely suggested that I might enjoy a spirited debate with his cousin,' Elizabeth replied with a bland smile to hide her astonishment that the lady should speak so openly.

'Would you humour me by telling me something of your education? I would be interested to know how spirited the debates are likely to be.'

'I believe I mentioned to the Colonel that I have four sisters but no brother,' said Elizabeth and was rewarded by a nod from the Colonel and his mother. 'Due to that fact, and because I have wide-ranging interests, my father saw fit to teach me subjects not generally taught to ladies. He claimed that in a house full of women, he wanted at least one person with whom he could have an intellectual debate.'

Elizabeth gave an impish grin. 'Although in recent years, Mary has taken on some of that burden by discussing current affairs with him, giving me a small amount of time to improve my more ladylike skills, to the great relief of our governess who had despaired that our father demanded most of my time.'

'So, you are not just a blue-stocking,' challenged Lady Matlock.

'I would not call my sister a blue-stocking. I believe that she is simply a lady with an extensive and well-rounded education,' Jane defended Elizabeth.

'I beg your pardon. I meant no insult.'

Jane blushed at her outburst. 'I too beg your pardon. I am overly sensitive to potential slights to my sisters.'

'You are very much the protective oldest sister. I commend you for it,' the countess said with a smile to reassure Jane before turning back to Elizabeth. 'You were going to tell me about your education.'

Being prompted, Elizabeth described the subjects her father had taught her, as well as the lessons she had received from their governess.

The countess listened with growing respect and when Elizabeth finished, she exclaimed, 'Goodness. My older son did not receive as comprehensive an education at Cambridge. No wonder you had no time to practice the pianoforte.'

'My father always claimed that Oxford was the superior school, although some people might consider him biased as he was educated there,' Elizabeth deflected the compliment.

'Ah, yes. I have heard the argument amongst several of our acquaintances. While there may be some merit to it, I think the results also depend on the student.' She glanced at her son and said with a teasing smile, 'As the saying goes, you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.'

The conversation became more general until Lady Matlock discovered that Mary was as passionate about music and the pianoforte as her niece Georgiana. 'Would it be a great imposition if I ask whether you ladies would permit me to introduce my niece to you. She is but fifteen and shy and has no friend her own age as she finds it difficult to relate to people, especially as she spends most of her time practicing music.'

Mary glanced at their aunt who nodded permission and suggested, 'We would be most happy to welcome your niece or visit her if she would be more comfortable.'

Lady Matlock agreed that Georgiana would be more relaxed meeting strangers in her home and invited the sisters for tea the following day.

After another half an hour, Lady Matlock asked, 'Mrs Gardiner, perhaps you and your family would care to dine with us one evening soon?'

Mrs Gardiner, conscious of the honour of the invitation, was happy to accept. Soon afterwards their guests left, very satisfied with the meeting.

~~DGH~~