"My dear, you will be most relieved to hear the news I just received by express from our nephew." Lord Matlock announced as he entered his wife's favorite sitting room.
"Georgiana made it to him safely?" His wife looked at him hopefully, making him let go of the idea of teasing her.
"She did indeed." He didn't get to say more, as even as she sagged in relief she continued talking.
"And I would assume they are on their way to Pemberley, and out of that grasping harpy's claws?" She seemed to think it was a done deal, and he was sure she would not have cared had he not answered, just assuming she was correct.
"Actually, they have remained in Hertfordshire," he paused for dramatic effect when she looked at him in shocked horror, obviously fearing having Miss Bingley as a niece.
"Though they have relocated to another house in the neighborhood for their stay. Apparently the family was visiting when our niece arrived, and when the mother overheard the tradesman's daughter trying to send her away without informing our nephew or her arrival she stepped in and had our niece whisked off to her home. According to Mrs Annesley the woman delivered quite the verbal cut before sending her four youngest daughters home with our niece and her companion." He watched as his wife's expression morphed into one of shock.
"Four daughters, does our nephew say if one is of an age for marriage. Perhaps, she is hoping to nab him for one of her daughters." She couldn't help but fear for what being used to promote a match with her brother would do to Georgiana's already fragile sense of self esteem.
"He does not say, though does indicate Georgiana took an instant liking to the woman's two youngest daughters who are of an age as her." He could see the worry in his wife's eyes, and it warmed his heart to see how much she cared for his youngest sister's beloved children. "Shall I ready the carriage so we can check these people out for ourselves?"
"Papa, you really need to try harder to curtail Mama's spending." Elizabeth spoke to her father as she looked over the budget for the household. Since she could first do her numbers her father and she would sit in his study every Wednesday morning and verify budgets for the estate and household together. As such, she had been after him for years to tighten his purse strings where her mother was concerned.
"You know as well as I that I can talk to your mother about economy until I am blue in the face, and she will not hear a thing I say." Her father spoke, looking up from his numbers. "Though you will be pleased to know, your idea to introduce crop rotation has brought forth a better harvest than either of us anticipated. Your uncle will be very impressed with what we are to invest with him this year." He said with a beaming smile.
He had been hesitant to give Elizabeth's idea a try when she came to him two years ago with it, as if it had failed to yield an equal amount of income as the previous years it would have put them in a very precarious situation. However, she kept returning with more and more research she had done for him to see, and finally a well produced plan on what should be planted and when. In the end they had broken even the first year, but this year, the second year, had seen a very pleasing profit. So much so, he had heard rumors of his tenants toasting his name in the local tavern once the harvest was in.
"I myself have just started crop rotation in the last few years, I would be interested in discussing what crops and schedules you use." Both jumped and Mr Darcy's voice, having forgotten about the man quietly reading in the corner while they worked. He saw Elizabeth blush, and knew it had everything to do with her comment about her mother's spending.
"I am afraid my Lizzy will have to compare details with you, as it is all her planning and research, I just followed her advice on what to plant where." Her father spoke proudly.
"I confess it wasn't just me, I found the task rather daunting, and Mary happened upon me one day. She helped me lay everything out, in such a way as to break it down and make it easier to compare. It was her that helped me narrow it down to what crops would be best." She saw the shock on her father's face, and knew this next part would shock him, and possibly break his heart. "Please don't tell her I told you, she was adamant of not wanting anyone to know." Quietly she added, "She was afraid you would discard the idea as being silly if you knew she had a hand in it." The project had brought her and Mary closer over the last couple of years as Elizabeth would report back to her younger sister, and share with her the fears and success of the venture. "I believe she is currently working on figuring out what winter crops would do well in the area of the tenants are amendable to it."
Her father did not have time to dwell his surprise, nor the blooming feeling of failure, for at that moment his butler, Mr Hill, presented him with a card. "Show them into the front parlor Hill, we shall be right there." Her father was clearly flustered by their guest.
"There is apparently a Lord and Lady Matlock here to call upon us...as social call at that." Her father said in shock, but it was Mr Darcy who surged to his feet and practically ran from the room, her and her father following in confusion.
"Uncle James, Aunt Susan, has something else happened?!" He asked upon entering the room, worry clear in his voice. Elizabeth couldn't help but feel for the man when she heard it, thinking of everything he and his sister had been through. It was strange to experience such feelings after disliking him so strongly.
"There is nothing wrong dear, we received your express yesterday and were concerned when we heard you had left the Bingleys, but remained in the area rather than returning to Pemberley." The lady spoke as she approached Mr Darcy, and took his hands in a comforting gesture. "Now, will you not introduce to your hosts." It was interesting to see the man who seemed so proud and sure of himself being treated as though he were a beloved child.
"Forgive me, Aunt, Uncle, please allow me to present Mr Bennet, and his second daughter, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Mr Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, may I present my aunt and uncle, Lord and Lady Matlock." The gentlemen and ladies exchanged bows and curtsies, though he seemed surprised by his aunt's reaction to hearing her name, while she had trouble understanding said reaction.
"Welcome to our home, I apologize for the absence of my mother and sister, they are out making calls with Miss Darcy and her companion." She spoke when she realized her father was not going to.
"Bennett? Are you by chance related to Lord Randolph Bennett, Baron of Godschnell?" The Earl asked, and Elizabeth saw her father's face harden at the name of her estranged uncle. She had found out at a very young age that her father had been a second son, and had been gifted Longbourn and its entail when he married her mother. She also knew her father had disowned his father and brother on the death of her grandmother, but was always told she was too young to hear the dark history that lead to such outcomes.
"Absolutely not! His surname is spelled with two T's, ours is just one." The venom in his voice when he spoke caught the rest of the room's occupants off guard, but she knew the hatred her father held for his older brother quite well, even if she didn't know the source of it.
Seeing this would not be an ideal topic of conversation, Lady Matlock steered it into a safer direction. "William, are you sure Georgiana is up to meeting new people?" The countess asked, motherly concern obvious in her voice.
"You are about to see for yourself." Mr Darcy spoke with a smile as movement from the window leading to the front of the house. This statement was followed by a cacophony of female chatter as her mother and sisters entered the home. The noise grew louder as the women relieved themselves of their outer garments and approached the sitting room. The doors were flung open, and seeing her husband and daughter were entertaining obviously wealthy guests, Mrs Bennet was about to address them when Georgiana squealed in delight.
"Aunt Susan, what are you doing here?" Georgiana asked as she rushed across the room to embrace her aunt. "Do you like my bonnet? Kitty and Lydia are teaching me to trim my own bonnets, they learned from their elder sisters. Mary is an excellent duet partner, we have been working on a piece together, and Lizzy is going to sing it for us, though we not asked her yet, but Mary assured me she will consent."
"Darcy, who is this creature, and where are you hiding my sweet shy niece?" Lord Matlock asked, the smile on his face so wide, Elizabeth was sure his face had to hurt.
"Don't listen to your uncle, I love your bonnet, and would love to hear the duet if it's ready before we have to leave. But first, would you do the honor of introducing us to your friends?" Georgiana happily made the introductions before pulling her aunt away to show her the new skills she had been taught by the two youngest Bennet daughters.
"I must say Bennet, you are a very fortunate man indeed, your women are positively lovely." She expected her mother to begin to wax poetically about the beauty and charms of her daughters at the Earls words, but instead the woman sat quietly next to her husband, subtly shifting closer to the man.
"I am indeed a very fortunate man." Her father said in response, and Elizabeth couldn't help but be surprised when that was all he said.
"I would be happy to host one or two of your elder daughters in London for a few weeks this season. As a thank you for your kindness to my niece and nephew." The Earl was being all that was friendly, but his kind offer did not meet with the response any one expected.
"Absolutely not!" Her mother's raised voice drew all of their attention, and Elizabeth was concerned by the distress she found on the woman's face, even as her mother began apologizing for her outburst.
"I apologize my lord, you will find my parents are rather leery of mixing with members of the ton." She spoke up, moving to sit next to her mother, hoping to alleviate some of the distress. "You see, we are all born and raised on the country, I fear we would embarrass you with your lack of knowledge of the inner workings of the ton."
"And my girls have been rather sheltered, they would be easy targets for the rakes and rogues commonly found there." Her father's voice was hard, and she saw understanding dawn in the earl and his nephew's faces, the she did not understand what it was the men understood.
The Earl then made a show of looking at his watch, "My dear, look at the time, we really must be going if we want to return to London before dark."
The countess smiled apologetically at her niece when the girl voiced her disappointment at their leaving. "You are more than welcome to stay if it would make Georgiana happy." Her mother spoke for the first time, though she seemed very unsure of herself, making Elizabeth wonder if she was in awe of the austere personages in their midst.
"We appreciate your kind offer Mrs Bennet, but there is business I left unattended in my hast to ensure my niece and nephew were ok when we received Darcy's express saying they were remaining in the area, and the kindness they had been shown by your family, yourself especially. We are forever indebted to you and your family." The Earl spoke to her mother, and while her mother looked pleased with the gratitude and kindness shown, she did not relax until the Earl's carriage was out of sight.
