Chapter 8
It took some manoeuvring, but Darcy and Elizabeth were able to make the arrangements for them to travel to London the following morning without too many lies having to be told. At Elizabeth's request, Mrs Hill sent a note informing Mrs Nicholls of Elizabeth's intention to travel to London. With Mrs Hurst's help, Mrs Nicholls invented an errand in London that required her to travel to London with Darcy. After that was done, Darcy arrived at Longbourn in the early afternoon to meet with Mr Bennet and offered to convey Elizabeth to her uncle's house. This offer and Darcy's knowledge of Elizabeth's travel were explained carefully enough that Mr Bennet never questioned the arrangements and soon permitted Elizabeth to be taken to London in a way that was least inconvenient to him.
While Darcy initially hoped to depart that very day, all the necessary arrangements made that impractical. Consequently, he arrived at Longbourn at eight o'clock the following morning. Elizabeth's trunks were swiftly loaded onto the carriage, and with Darcy's assistance, she took her place on the forward-facing seat alongside Mrs Nicholls. No member of the Bennet family was present to bid her farewell; at this early hour, only the servants and Elizabeth were typically awake, and the ladies of the house were never seen at such times. Mr Bennet was already up and ensconced in his study, unaware that Elizabeth had packed some of the estate's books in her trunk. If questioned, she would claim to be working on a project, but since she was the sole user of those books, she doubted Mr Bennet would notice their absence.
Darcy had already spoken to Mrs Nicholls about Elizabeth's situation. She was pleased the girl she watched grow would have a far better life than she otherwise might have at Longbourn. Both Mrs Hill and Mrs Nicholls thought well of Elizabeth and frequently commiserated together over the girl's treatment, which they never understood. They had been in their respective homes in some capacity long enough to remember Elizabeth's true parentage, and, in the case of Mrs Hill, she recalled the girl's mother as a child, though both women were afraid to speak of her situation to anyone since it was obvious the Bennets had hidden it.
Additionally, Mrs Nicholls noted the way the young man accompanying them referred to Miss Lizzy with an unexpected level of familiarity, given their brief acquaintance, but soon realised the two had met much more frequently than anyone knew. It was with a knowing smile that she settled in to watch the pair, but not before issuing a warning to the gentleman.
"Mr Darcy," she began as they left Netherfield that morning, "do take care not to injure Miss Elizabeth's reputation. She will be facing many changes in her life with this news, and while it appears you have come to care about her in this short time, things must be different in London." Her voice was cautious, though it held a similar note of scolding he had heard from Pemberley's housekeeper in the past. He smiled slightly, recognising how carefully this woman had spoken given their relative statuses, but he was impressed that she had not let that stop her.
"I admit that we have met many mornings atop Oakham Mount in the last weeks. Initially, it was by happenstance, but it became a habit, and through these meetings, we have come to know each other well. We have discovered and spoken of Miss Elizabeth's true parentage as I vaguely remembered her from the time our families spent together as children. If I were not a trustee of her estate, I would have asked her for a courtship already, and while I realise that our meetings have not been strictly proper, there was no other way for us to speak in Hertfordshire. I needed to be wary of the Bingleys, and Miss Elizabeth was uncertain how the Bennets would react to our desire to come to know each other, given their deception. We intend to seek the advice of the other trustee while we are in London, and since he and Miss Elizabeth believe the Gardiners to be trustworthy, we will ask for their assistance as well. However, I do appreciate your willingness to speak up in this matter," he replied gently.
"I've heard countless stories about her over the years from my sister. While the other Bennet girls are kind enough, I've always had a soft spot for Miss Lizzy. She deserves the best, and neither my sister nor I could fathom why the Bennets treated her so poorly. When they were younger, there was little less of a difference in their treatment, but I began to notice a change when Miss Lizzy was around twelve, I think it was. Then, when Miss Jane was introduced to society at the tender age of fifteen, Mrs Bennet couldn't stop raving about her beauty and how she deserved only the finest things. She started adorning both her daughter and herself in elaborate attire.
"A few years later, Miss Lizzy made her come out in Meryton, and initially, she was dressed well, albeit not as fine as Miss Jane. However, something shifted, and Mrs Bennet seemed to become almost envious of the girl. Miss Jane always had many dance partners, though the same was true for Miss Lizzy. I think Mrs Bennet didn't like that Miss Lizzy garnered equal admiration, especially when she began occasionally bringing home nice dresses from London. Mrs Bennet became even more critical in her dealings with the girl, frequently drawing comparisons between the two. Mrs Bennet would boast to anyone who would listen about how beautiful her 'dear Jane' was, emphasising that Miss Lizzy couldn't compare. As the younger sisters made their debuts, she continued to heap praise on her 'dear Jane,' and when the youngest, Miss Lydia, turned fifteen, she was thrust into the limelight, and Mrs Bennet began to sing her praises. Miss Jane and Miss Lydia received all the finest things, followed by Miss Mary and Miss Kitty, but Miss Lizzy never received even half of what the others did except from the family in London. It was evident to everyone in town that Miss Lizzy received the other girls' hand-me-downs, although she had a talent for transforming them into something beautiful." Mrs Nicholls grew increasingly indignant on behalf of her favoured Miss Lizzy as she continued her narrative.
Darcy extended his hand, gently covering the housekeeper's, which was moving erratically in her agitation. "I am committed to rectifying this situation for Miss Tomlinson and ensuring she receives what she is rightfully entitled to. She is an heiress in her own right, and when she reaches her majority, it will all be rightfully under her control. She will have her own estate to oversee, which is quite prosperous and a substantial inheritance, so her practice at Longbourn will be of great use to her. Her grandfather's will specifies that it is meant for her, not her husband and that no one else may lay claim to it. I do hold the hope that I may one day be her husband, and in that case, I will make certain she is well provided for. However, should she ultimately decide against me, I am still committed to ensuring her well-being as a trustee of her inheritance."
Mrs Nicholls beamed at the gentleman. "You are a truly honourable man, Mr Darcy," she declared. "I've heard of your attempts to aid your friend; though he does possess a gift for eloquence, he seems to fall short of actually doing anything. I can assure you that none of the local staff will ever breathe a word about the other night. They wouldn't want someone as decent as you tethered to such a difficult person, and they'd be even less likely to speak out if your courtship with Miss Lizzy were made public. I've observed how you treat the servants, and while a few may find you a tad reserved, you've always been kind to everyone."
"Thank you, Mrs Nicholls. I admit, you remind me of my housekeeper at Pemberley. You even sound like her—well, not your accent, but your tone," he teased. She responded with a grin, but they fell silent as the carriage had just pulled up at Longbourn. "And I am not presently courting Miss Tomlinson, though I hope to sort out matters so I may. There is the matter of my trusteeship that must be addressed."
The front door of the house opened just as Darcy disembarked, and several servants exited with a trunk. The coachmen had already jumped down, and together, they began to attach the trunk to the back of the carriage. Just after her things, Elizabeth rushed out, followed by Mrs Hill. Elizabeth was just tying her bonnet strings as she exited and smiled when she faced Mr Darcy. "Right on time, sir, as always," she jested.
"I do what I can," he replied dryly. "Mrs Nicholls and I are ready to escort you to London, and I do hope you will be able to remain with the Gardiners for some time."
She frowned a little. "At least until Christmas, as the Gardiners usually travel here for the holidays. I do not know if I would be permitted to return after," she said, a trifle sadly.
He squeezed the hand he held as he helped her into the carriage. "We will find a way," he whispered.
Elizabeth smiled sadly at him as she stepped into the carriage and patiently waited for him to follow. "I certainly hope so. Mrs Bennet was insufferable last night, but I believe she took some satisfaction in my being absent. It is strange; she sometimes appears to be half afraid of me, yet her disdain is evident. I can understand the fear to some extent, as her life will change considerably when they cease to receive the funds for my upkeep. What I do not comprehend is her animosity toward me or her failure to at least pretend to like me in order to remain in my good graces. The only explanation I can find is that she despises me because I will inherit my estate while Longbourn is entailed away from the female line. Yet, would it not serve her better to treat me kindly? Then, when Mr Bennet passes away, and she needs a place to reside, she could come live with me. You would think she would realise that her ill-treatment of me makes that prospect rather unlikely?"
"Angry people are not always wise, dearest," Darcy responded, once again causing Elizabeth to blush at his endearment. "She is undoubtedly feeling angry, frustrated, and perhaps a touch jealous. If the true extent of your inheritance were more widely known, you would be far more sought after than your cousin. Given that 'dear Jane' is supposed to be the most beautiful of all her daughters, or even in the country, she likely cannot bear the thought of someone else catching the eye of the eligible gentlemen in the area. Since you are at least as beautiful if not more so, she is determined to diminish your standing in the eyes of others."
He reached out to touch her hand, and she gazed up at him. "I was present at the assembly, as you will remember, and that night, she had much to say about her dearest daughter while undermining you. She also belittled her other daughters, emphasising Jane and offering a few flattering words for her 'lively Lydia.' However, she clearly promoted Miss Bennet to all within earshot. Yet, you were the one who attracted more attention, and I did observe that you declined several dances, directing those gentlemen toward other young ladies on more than one occasion."
Elizabeth extended her hand to touch his but abruptly withdrew it when she noticed their chaperone glancing towards her. Mrs Nicholls was ostensibly gazing out the window, but Elizabeth noted her watchful eyes on the pair through the reflection of the glass. Darcy observed both of these actions and responded with a tender smile, experiencing the thrill that she wanted to touch him while appreciating her cautious and innocent nature.
"Thank you, Mr Darcy," she said in a hushed tone. "I had not considered the possibility of her being jealous. Indeed, Jane is the most beautiful of my cousins, and I know I can never compare. I am far too plain and too much of a hoyden ever to capture a suitor, or at least that is what Mrs Bennet would have everyone believe." He started to object, but she raised her hand to halt him. "I have eyes, sir, and I am aware Jane is far more beautiful than I could ever aspire to be, but I am not envious. It's not just about the clothing—Jane possesses all the qualities a gentleman would desire in a wife. If I happen to garner more attention now, it will be because of my fortune. I know you said you wanted to court me even before you realised who I was, but few men think as you appear to."
Darcy inhaled deeply, carefully contemplating how to provide reassurance without upsetting her. "Some men do seek a wife based solely on her beauty, although few can afford to marry without at least some consideration to fortune. Not to sound arrogant, but I am among those who can marry as they please, and it would not harm me to marry a woman with no dowry—as I contemplated when I first considered pursuing a courtship with you. I was not concerned about your lack of wealth, and I am in earnest when I say the only reason I had not broached the topic with you sooner was my uncertainty about your family dynamics. I could not fathom why you were treated so differently and was unsure if your guardians would welcome my interest. I apologise for not discussing this with you before I did; perhaps we could have found a solution together."
Elizabeth grimaced. "I apologise. You have been very kind and have explained your reason for delaying already. I … I admit that I have a hard time believing that a man could be interested in me given how often I have heard that it was improbable."
"Allow me to convince you, dearest," he whispered. "I would have wanted you with or without the discovery of your inheritance."
She did extend her hand to lightly graze his cheek, though she promptly pulled it away, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment over her bold gesture. He took her hand to press a kiss to the back of it, and for a moment, they were lost in each others' gazes. They heard Mrs Nicholls clear her throat, prompting them to shift the conversation to more general and less emotionally charged topics.
The remainder of the journey unfolded in amiable conversation. Mrs Nicholls offered a few suggestions on how the couple might proceed in their courtship, circumventing the Bennets, and shared more information about the Bennet family, including the Gardiners, whom they would soon encounter. The Gardiners had a favourable reputation in Meryton, even though their visits were infrequent. The entire town was well aware of Mr Gardiner's prosperity as an importer. Having spent his early years in Meryton, many locals had known and liked him. He had been one of the few boys in the area sent away to school during his youth, and he never returned to live in Meryton after that. Regardless, he remained highly regarded by those who had known him as a child.
Mr Gardiner stood in stark contrast to his sisters. Perhaps it was due to his early schooling or a difference in how his parents treated him because of his sex, but he displayed amiability and intelligence where his sisters were frivolous and flighty. He and his brother Bennet shared several common interests, particularly their passion for books. However, while Mr Bennet was indolent and preferred to avoid family interaction in favour of his books, Mr Gardiner took an active role in his family's life. He had not only turned his business into a resounding success, amassing considerable wealth for himself, but also chose to reside near Cheapside to ensure he could spend ample time with his family when not occupied with work.
His wife shared a similar disposition, working diligently to be a gracious hostess to her husband and devoting herself to preparing their children for their futures. The couple married when Elizabeth was six and waited almost four years before welcoming their first child. During that period of waiting, they took a keen interest in all their nieces, including Elizabeth, and though they extended invitations to all the Bennet children, it was typically Elizabeth who was sent to London to be of aid. Jane occasionally accompanied her, but she was often kept at home as Mrs Bennet preferred not to be separated from her. The Gardiners had a unique bond with the girl they called niece, despite the lack of true blood ties.
Elizabeth had relished the opportunity to leave Longbourn, as it would give her a respite from Mrs Bennet. It was during these visits sthat she would receive the teaching from masters and would hear words of praise instead of censure. These visits seldom exceeded a month in duration, but during these times, the Gardiners imparted a wealth of knowledge to Elizabeth and provided a role model she had not had at Longbourn.
As Darcy listened to this narrative, he gained a deeper understanding of Elizabeth's upbringing and why she stood out from her cousins despite being raised under the same roof. It became evident that this aunt and uncle, though unrelated by blood, held a special place in her heart and were the family she cherished most as she looked to the future. While he typically would not associate with tradesmen—Bingley was in the process of entering the landed gentry, even though his fortune had its origins in trade—Darcy decided to hold this tradesman and his wife in high regard because of the influence they had on the woman he hoped to someday call his wife.
Likewise, he was interested to learn that Mrs Gardiner was the daughter of a vicar and had spent most of her formative years in Derbyshire. After her father's passing, the late Samuel Hobbes, she and her mother relocated to London, where she met Mr Gardiner. This connection to Derbyshire was of interest to Darcy as he vaguely recalled a Mr Hobbes having served in Lambton when he was a child.