Wednesday Darcy House Reception room
Anne was very pleased to be back at Darcy House. After a morning of too much excitement, she longed for tea, food and a rest. Lady Clara excused herself to, as she said, 'recover'. With Georgiana, who was learning how to run a household, Anne consulted with the housekeeper about rooms for the Bennets and a last-minute dinner party for ten.
The Bennet ladies were happy to all share one room but happily accepted a suite with two bedrooms separated by a sitting room. They were not in need of tea or food and opted to rest until luncheon.
After the housekeeper left, Anne considered Georgie, who was, she thought, looking a little down.
"What are you going to do before lunch?" she asked.
"I don't know."
"Are you all right, Georgie? It was quite a morning."
"I'm all right but what about you? This morning plus a dinner party. You won't be too tired?"
"I will rest now and this afternoon. I was so pleased that we rescued the Bennets and that Richard is back. I just felt like celebrating. Mrs O'Neill was very good about unexpected guests and a dinner party. I think she was pleased to have something different to organise. Hopefully Cook won't mind too much. Are you happy to be coming to dinner?"
"I too am very happy to see Richard. If it is all right with you, at dinner I would like to sit between Richard and Mary."
"Not next to Darce?"
"What was he doing there today?"
"I'm not sure" said Anne.
"I think he was going to give me away to Cousin John, give permission or whatever he has to do."
"Maybe. You know you can refuse, in theory at least."
"I do know that, but what would they have done with us, if they had kidnapped us, and we refused?"
"I don't know! It would not have been good."
"I am so grateful to the Bennet sisters" said Georgie "I heard Uncle threatening to lock them in a room."
"So did I. Georgie, we will have to be very careful, for a while."
"I know. I would so hate to marry John."
"Uncle Henry seems desperate. There are rumours of financial difficulties. I want to talk about our security with Richard tonight."
"Will you tell me what he says?"
"I will."
"I know Darce hasn't much time for me, but I always hoped he cared about me a bit."
"Oh Georgie. I don't know what it is with Darce. When you were little, you were his favourite thing in the world."
"I wish I could remember that."
"I have forgotten so much but I do remember some of the times at Pemberley and how he was with you. Then everything went bad, there was death and injuries. Darce was away at school, and we didn't see him for years. I believe the loss of your father affected him greatly."
"Now I don't know if I can trust my brother."
"If you sit with him tonight, you could ask him what he was doing there today."
"Ask him? I don't know…" mused Georgie
"Why not? It particularly concerns you, so you are entitled to ask."
"I may not get a satisfactory answer."
"No, you may not."
"I won't sit near him, Anne. I am tired of trying to attract his notice." She stood. "I think I will have a rest now."
"I am going to have tea and a rest too. Would you like tea sent to your room?"
"Yes please. Thank you, Anne. See you at lunch."
"See you then."
Wednesday, Darcy House, Bennets' suite
The interior of Darcy House was just as elegant as the exterior.
The Bennets were escorted to their beautiful suite by the housekeeper. On the way Mrs O'Neill briefly showed them some of the main rooms of the house.
Left alone, the three sisters explored their suite in various degrees of awe.
"Oh, this is too much" breathed Elizabeth "too much luxury. Jane, Mary, I don't think we should stay here too long. This is not our world…we don't belong here."
"I could get used to it" said Mary stoically "Did you see the music room… and the library Lizzy, the library!"
"I know, Mary," said Elizabeth "but having got used to it, how could we ever leave? I planned for us to share one room in a reasonably respectable boarding house, not this!"
Jane said "If this morning has taught me anything, it is that plans can be upended in an instant. A late post coach and a chance meeting meant everything changed for us. We had to take an incredible risk - I still cannot quite believe we did that!"
"Did I promise you an adventure? I am sorry Jane." Elizabeth smiled
"Don't apologise Lizzy. We survived. We are here. Yes, it is not what we expected or are used to. We helped Miss de Bourgh and Miss Darcy and they are helping us in return. I am looking forward to getting to know them. Setting is important, sisters. Today we met four gentlemen who will be here for dinner. How long is it since we met four new gentlemen in a day in Meryton?"
"Never" said Mary.
"Quite right Mary. Never! Now imagine Mama receiving any of those gentlemen in her parlour."
"It would be awful" cried Elizabeth "embarrassing, she would ask personal questions. I don't want to think of it!"
"Don't think of it. Instead, think of how much easier it will be for me to get to know Mr Bingley in this setting."
"Mr Bingley? You have your eye on Mr Bingley already? You only just met him!"
"True Lizzy, but I first saw him over a year ago, at the post stop."
"Your post stop man! Mr Bingley?"
"Amazing!" said Mary
"It is really too soon to say, but I tell you, dear sisters, if he turns out to be the kind of gentleman I believe he is, I will be very happy and honoured to marry him."
Wednesday, Darcy House Sitting Room
At lunchtime a footman escorted the Bennets back down to the entrance level of the house.
He opened the door to a lovely sunny sitting room, not overly large, but furnished with comfortable looking chairs and sofas. A fire warmed the room and in one corner was a table which could seat up to eight.
Dishes of delicious looking food were set out on a nearby sideboard. Miss de Bourgh, Miss Darcy and Lady Clara were seated near the fire. They rose to welcome their guests.
"I hope you all had a good rest," said Miss de Bourgh. "I can't believe it is only lunchtime. It's been quite a morning!"
"We were very comfortable," said Jane. Lizzy and Mary nodding agreement. "Thank you."
"It is our pleasure." said Miss Darcy "Please consider this your new home!"
They were soon seated and the footmen served food and wine. Conversation was general in front of the servants. They discussed their interests. Miss Darcy and Mary particularly bonded over a love of music. By the time lunch was finished the ladies were all on a first name basis. They sat in front of the fire and Georgie served tea.
"I am sure you must have some questions for us about ourselves and our wayward relations." said Anne.
"You must be wondering who on earth you have so kindly taken in to your home" said Jane.
"We do know who you are," said Anne. "My maid told me she'd recognised your cousin Mr Collins, the former Vicar of Hunsford"
"Oh, de Bourgh of course! I should have realised sooner." said Jane "Anne, please accept our condolences for the loss of your mother."
"Oh yes!" said Elizabeth.
Mary said "We felt like we almost knew Lady Catherine. Mr Collins was totally devastated."
"Thank you" said Anne "I was very sorry to hear you ladies lost your father so young, and your estate. Georgie and I are both orphaned. My mother's death was sudden and unexpected.
Over ten years ago we lost my father in a carriage accident, in which my mother and I were injured. We had just been to Pemberley as Georgie's father was ill, and he sadly died. My parents were named as Georgie's guardians, so she was with us but fortunately in a different carriage with her nurse. I have very little memory of that time."
"Pemberley" thought Elizabeth "Where have I heard that name?"
"Pemberley is your family home, Georgie?" she asked
"It is, we visit annually but mostly live at Rosings. Pemberley is my brother's main estate in Derbyshire."
"Oh, Mr Darcy, of course" thought Elizabeth "he was that very handsome gentleman, but what is it about Pemberley?"
Anne continued. "As the accident occurred near London, we were taken to Darcy House. My mother recovered well but it took me a very long time as I became dependent on my pain medicine. We came back to Rosings and my mother found Clara who helped me break the dependency."
Mother had an opinion on everything and was not afraid to speak it. She could stand up to Uncle Henry. She wanted a betrothal between Darce and I, but fortunately Uncle George wouldn't allow that while we were children."
Lady Clara laughed. "I'm afraid Catherine did you no favours, Jane."
"How so?" asked Jane
"I can still hear her making a pronouncement on the subject of the Bennets of Longbourn, do you remember, Anne?"
"Yes!" said Anne
"You will marry the eldest one, Mr Collins, it is the least you can do for those poor five daughters"
"Mr Collins was nothing if not obedient. He immediately pledged himself to do just that!"
Jane shuddered "I should have, it was my duty to marry him, but I couldn't"
"If our parents had saved rather than spent, it would not have been on your shoulders, Jane," said Elizabeth.
"It seems we have something in common - trying to avoid unwanted marriages with cousins," said Anne. "Uncle Henry always wanted me to marry Edmund, but my mother wouldn't hear of it. Luckily, my mother was my guardian and by her will she appointed a trusted friend, Sir Robert Beaumont, to take that role on her passing. Recently, I had my twenty first birthday and came into my inheritance.
Uncle Henry is very bad with money. He is a gambler at table and in investment and has lost significant assets including estates over the years. His two eldest sons are no better. Uncle Henry sees Georgie and I as a source of money he can use to keep up his wastrel lifestyle. I want none of it!"
Jane said, "Our guardian is abroad with his family, and we have not heard from them in over a year. It is possible that Mr Collins intercepted the mail."
"For the past six months I have walked into Meryton early to collect the mail," said Elizabeth. "I know there have been no letters from the Gardiners in that time."
"Mr Collins wouldn't allow us to stay at Longbourn, if I did not marry him. We would all have to move in with Mama's sister in Meryton which would have been hard on all. Lizzy made me see that if we left, only Mama and the two youngest girls would have to fit into the Phillips' house."
Elizabeth said "Yesterday Mr Collins ran out of patience. There was a nasty scene. We decided to leave."
"Lizzy of course had a plan," said Mary. "The three of us would escape to London. That's what we were doing this morning."
"Where were you going to stay?" asked Clara "Do you have friends in London?"
We planned to consult with Aunt Gardiner's Uncle Albert and Aunt May who live in London," said Elizabeth.
Anne said "Georgie and I are so grateful for your help this morning. Please allow us to help you for as long as you need."
"Yes please" said Georgie "It will be a pleasure having you stay with us."
"We are happy to accept," said Jane. Elizabeth and Mary nodded. "The truth is I was very worried about living and staying safe in London with so little experience of a large city."
"London with limited resources would be daunting. Of course, ladies can be at the mercy of unscrupulous gentlemen no matter how many resources they have.
"How terrible to be pursued for money!" said Mary. "Ladies can only rely on the integrity of the men in their lives."
"So true, we are too often chattels, objects of trade or dismissal."
Wednesday afternoon Darcy House Library
After lunch Georgie invited Mary to practice piano with her. Mary was excited to accept.
Jane and Elizabeth were encouraged to make full use of the library and took up that invitation that afternoon.
The library was a long, large room. At one end was a fireplace and comfortable lounges and chairs.
"This library is heaven" sighed Elizabeth as she chose a book of poetry. However, something marred the perfection of paradise - many gaps where a book once stood. "I wonder why so many books are missing?"
"They might be in the schoolroom" said Jane picking up a book on history.
They settled in comfortable chairs by the fire. Jane was soon lost in her book.
Elizabeth could not concentrate. Something she had heard did not make sense. Was it to do with earlier conversations with Anne and Georgie? Was it about Pemberley, or Mr Darcy?