Goodly Creatures: A Pride and Prejudice Deviation Page 5

  With her eyes even larger than normal, she gushed her praises of the house to her hostess. “Mrs Darcy, I have never seen anything like this room. How lucky you are.” Elizabeth gestured all around. “With this as a retreat, you would never have to suffer the doldrums of winter.”

  “Yes, Mr Darcy’s mother, my aunt, had this built, and a similar one at Pemberley when he was just a boy. They are very special places to him, and I quite like them as well. The house I grew up in seemed perpetually dark to me. It was a very grand house with beautiful grounds, but it did not have any place like this where you could make the most of even the tiniest vestige of sun. We had a conservatory for growing plants, but it was not integrated into the house.”

  Elizabeth continued to bubble over with enthusiasm. “My sister Jane loves flowers. She would be in heaven if we had a room like this where she could work. You will have to tell me about all the types of flowers, especially the ones that smell delicious. Jane and I make sachets and toilet waters as gifts.” Elizabeth noticed that Lord Wolfbridge was in the room and was introducing her aunt to an older couple. Lady Hughes seemed to know them.

  The Viscount joined her and his cousin. To Elizabeth his smile seemed to be competing with the sun’s rays today. He took her hand and her heart beat a little faster at his touch.

  “Miss Bennet, I am delighted to see you again. How fortuitous it was to meet one so refreshingly lively the other night at the theatre.” He captured her eyes just before he finally released her hand. “You are looking quite charming this morning. The light in this room brings out the best in you.”

  Mrs Darcy soon left her and Lord Wolfbridge alone. The man with the laughing eyes and beautiful teeth had her feeling quite at ease within minutes despite his elevated status. Though their conversation was only about it being a cold day, and on the probability of an early spring, he impressed Elizabeth with the belief that even the commonest, dullest, most threadbare topic could be rendered interesting by him.

  After a few minutes, he took her arm and directed her to the older couple she had seen him introduce to her aunt. “Miss Bennet, these are my parents, the Earl and Countess of Elderton. Elizabeth curtsied. Lord Wolfbridge continued, “Father, Mother I would like to present you to Mrs Gardiner’s niece, Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

  Elizabeth saw that Lord Wolfbridge had inherited his looks from his father… including those brilliant teeth. His mother was a pleasant looking woman who smiled sweetly at Elizabeth. She said, “What a pretty young girl you are. Your hair and eyes are quite unique.”

  Elizabeth returned her sweet smile and said, “You are very kind Lady Elderton. I rarely get compliments when I am home. Two of my sisters have similar hair and eyes to mine. It is my older sister, Jane, who is considered the beauty of the family. She is tall, fair-haired and serene, with exquisite features and quite the perfect figure. None of the rest of the Bennet sisters get noticed when she is around.” She gave the Countess her signature grin as she added, “I would have left home sooner if I had known that once out of her presence, I would receive such praise.”

  Lord Wolfbridge and Lord and Lady Elderton laughed at her humour. They talked for a few moments about the plants, but soon Anne came to bring her aunt back to the other ladies. Elizabeth was now left alone to fascinate a viscount and an earl. She imagined how envious the inhabitants of Meryton would be when she treated them to her re-enactment of this encounter.

  Lord Elderton said, “I asked your aunt if your family is related to Charles Gardiner. There is talk of his being elected a representative peer from Ireland. I understand he is a prominent member of the Protestant Ascendancy and has extensive estates in Ireland. Your aunt said she had never heard of their being any connection to any Gardiners in Ireland, even though she herself had relatives with estates there. Have you ever heard your mother or your grandfather mention Irish relatives?”

  Elizabeth grinned at the Earl and said, “No, my Lord, I have never heard of any such connection. My papa told me once that my grandfather Gardiner did speculate about his being related to Bishop Stephen Gardiner who had been Queen Mary’s Lord Chancellor. His father had come from humble beginnings in Suffolk—he was a cloth merchant like my uncle.” Elizabeth giggled nervously as she added, “His mother—the bishop’s not my great-grandmother—was the natural daughter of a Duke. Even this dubious connection I find improbable. My grandfather was but a country lawyer, and he lived until I was ten. He was prone to bragging, so I am certain had he known of such an important relative, he would have mentioned it. My father enjoys pointing out the foibles of his family and friends—including his father-in-law. He is oft time unserious in the things he says.”

  Lord Elderton smiled back, but inwardly considered her impertinence a bit disdainful of the aristocracy. He had expected her to fawn over a possible connection to the peerage—not find it a source of humour.

  Lord Wolfbridge turned to the Earl and said, “Father, Miss Bennet is a Jacobin. Darcy got her to confess she is always on the hunt for the heads of the aristocracy. You must be careful around her or she may try to take yours.”

  Lord Elderton gave her a forced smile. It was resplendent with beautiful teeth like his son’s, but he was unable to repress his animosity. He decided he would get back at this disrespectful little chit. He turned to his son and said, “As you know Edmund, it depends which head she is after. One I will guard with my life, but the other I could be persuaded to let her borrow.”

  Elizabeth was unnerved by the expression on his face—it seemed more like a smirk than a smile. Besides, she had no idea what he was talking about with his comment about two heads. She thought maybe he meant the heads of the father and the son. Believing they would think her slow witted if she let on she did not understand, she smiled sweetly and said, “Your son is teasing me, Lord Elderton. I am neither a Jacobin nor a Girondist. The confusion, I am sure, comes about because I am widely known for preferring mountains to flat land. Oakham Mount in Hertfordshire is my most favourite place. Rest assured sir, I am not out after either of your heads.”

  Lord Wolfbridge and Lord Elderton gave each other knowing looks and laughed heartily.

  Elizabeth blushed and felt they were laughing at her and not with her. She knew she had not understood their humour, but she was just as sure they did not comprehend her bon mot. Her confidence in being able to charm peers had vanished with the exchange. She quickly excused herself and went to find Mrs Darcy to ask questions about what was growing in the solarium. Learning about plants seemed a safe occupation. Her hostess was not that knowledgeable about the types of flowers, but she was able to identify the fantastical looking blossom she had seen in the arrangement in the entrance hall. Lizzy learned it was an orchid and was told that Mr Darcy collected them, and Mrs Darcy was thinking she might help him. Mrs Darcy promised someday to have her husband give Miss Elizabeth a guided tour.

  Over the next month and even after Lady Hughes had returned to Derbyshire, Elizabeth and Mrs Gardiner visited Darcy House four more times. Mrs Darcy reciprocated three times. She was very gracious and came to Gracechurch Street as though it was nothing unusual. She met David and Marianne and proclaimed them delightful children and said Susan was the prettiest baby she had ever seen.

  Elizabeth and her aunt both believed they were developing a particular acquaintance with Mrs Darcy. All signs indicated she was very desirous of deepening the relationship into a true friendship. Elizabeth was hoping she could continue her association with one so well positioned in society through letters once she returned to Hertfordshire, and Mrs Gardiner was keenly aware that a connection with the Darcy family could be advantageous for her husband’s businesses.

  They were never invited for dinner, nor had Elizabeth seen Mr Darcy since that night at the theatre. Mrs Darcy never arranged for him to give her the tour of the conservatory’s plants. According to his wife, he was busy with estate business. She also explained that the Earl and the Countess had only been in London for a few days which is w
hy they were never seen again. The Viscount, however, had twice been present during their visits. Their hostess said he was staying at Darcy House rather than at his parent’s townhouse. Lizzy still believed Lord Wolfbridge to be the most handsome man she had ever met, and her pride at seeming to please him had been restored.

  At night in the privacy of her bedchamber, she would frequently indulge in thinking about the tall, handsome viscount with those beautiful white teeth. These reflections on Lord Wolfbridge caused her to question whether she truly understood how he perceived her. She concluded that he enjoyed laughing at her wit but was troubled that his greatest pleasure seemed to be in seeing her blush. Most times, it was the peculiar questions he asked when no one else was near enough to hear that brought colour to her cheeks. She knew she was not of his sphere and so did not believe she was in any real danger of becoming infatuated. Still, these nocturnal attempts at sketching his lordship’s character most often resulted in the conclusion that he thought highly of her and that was the reason for his sometimes being attentive.

  4 ET TU, MRS DARCY

  Elizabeth awoke on the 15th of March to sunshine streaming through the curtains. Pulling a shawl about her shoulders, she took a quick glance outside. Though spring was still a week away, her first impression was that the day would be glorious. There was even a robin in the park across the street pecking about for worms. Seeing this harbinger of the most hopeful of all seasons somehow caused her to ponder the Ides of March. Was it truly a day that foretells disaster? Lizzy laughed at her nonsensical musings and concluded it was merely a theatrical illusion created by Shakespeare in Julius Caesar. She tended not to believe in superstition, but she was prompted to remember her own history with this auspicious date.

  A year ago on this day, she had gotten her courses for the first time. She had known to expect them because of her late night talks with Jane, but she had not been prepared for her mother’s reaction. Mrs Bennet chided her second daughter for being slow in achieving this—as she called it ‘momentous life transition’ and spoke of Lizzy finally being on ‘the threshold of womanhood.’ Despite her grand phrases, she mainly seemed elated that another daughter would very soon become a candidate for matrimony. This event had unleashed the conflict with her mother. The onset of her courses had been accompanied by cramping. Elizabeth would have liked some compassionate explanation of what was happening to her, as Jane had never experienced anything like what she had gone through. Elizabeth endured pain both the first time and several other times during the past year; but after listening to her mother’s initial discourse on the subject, she had decided to suffer in silence. Since arriving in London, she had been relieved to learn from her aunt that her experiences were not unusual. The former Margaret Davies had attended a school for young ladies in Derbyshire and was much more knowledgeable about such things than Mrs Bennet.

  Another trip to Grosvenor Square was planned for the day. But at breakfast, her aunt informed her that Susan was croupy. Aunt Gardiner felt it unwise to leave the baby, but encouraged Lizzy to visit Mrs Darcy without her. A note was sent to explain Mrs Gardiner’s absence and inform that Miss Elizabeth would still be available to attend if that was acceptable. The reply said that Mrs Darcy was most desirous of Elizabeth’s company and would come in a carriage to collect her. The affectionate tone of the communication caused Mrs Gardiner to express her confidence that Lizzy would be well cared for.

  Elizabeth dressed carefully. She chose to wear the new yellow muslin frock Papa had allowed her to have made in preparation for her visit to London. It had embroidered violets and lily of the valley at the neckline. The garment seemed perfect for the day’s promise of spring, and it also made her feel close to her sisters. All of them, even Mary, had chimed in with suggestions that day at Mrs Parton’s shop in Meryton. Practical Mary had suggested it be made so Lizzy could dress herself as she knew not whether her Aunt Gardiner could spare a maid to aid her when in London. Her logic had been impeccable when she said, ‘Without sisters to help, fastening your dresses could be quite difficult.’ In response, the dressmaker had suggested a gown with a bodice that crossed over in front and was fastened by buttons she could reach at her side. The idea for the embroidery to enhance the neckline had been Lydia’s. Kitty created the design while Jane, the most skilled with a needle, had done the actual stitching. Even though Kitty was only eleven, she was developing into a talented artist and Lydia seemed to be as obsessed with pretty dresses as her mother was with marriage. At ten, her favourite topic was imagining her first ball gown. For the second time that morning Lizzy broke out laughing when she thought of how Lydia changed her mind from day to day about what she would wear to her first assembly. It reminded her of Mrs Darcy’s inability to decide what colour pair she wanted to pull her phaeton. As a final touch to her toilet, Elizabeth decided to wear her new kid slippers. Looking at herself in the full length mirror, she was certain that her ensemble was perfect.

  Mrs Gardiner had been given some lemons and oranges from the townhouse’s solarium by Mrs Darcy, and Elizabeth had told her aunt she would give some of the fragrance items Jane made to reciprocate. The oldest Miss Bennet had turned to the occupation as an antidote for grief in the wake of Thomas Trent’s death. Her lovely sachets—dried blossoms enclosed in small squares of handkerchief linen on which Jane embroidered the flower of the scent, and toilet waters distilled from crushed blossoms were highly prized gifts in both Hertfordshire and Cheapside among family and friends..

  Mrs Darcy often complained of feeling anxious, so Lizzie prepared a basket of some of the lavender sachets, lavender toilet water as well as a special chamomile tea blend. It tasted quite pleasant, as Jane had added bits of dried apple and cinnamon. Once in the carriage, Lizzy presented her gifts and told her hostess how her sister had created the tea for their mother. Throughout their acquaintance, Lizzy had entertained Mrs Darcy with descriptions of her mother’s fluttering nerves and how they would come and go with spectacular speed depending on what was happening. The tea had always been quite helpful to calm her, but the best thing to dispel her mother’s anxiety was a visit from her Aunt Phillips with delicious gossip.

  As they began their journey toward Grosvenor Square, Mrs Darcy took the opportunity to propose that the two begin using their given names. “I have never had a young lady so close in age to me as a friend. Please call me Anne… and please tell me you have no objection to allowing me to address you as Elizabeth.”

  Elizabeth readily agreed and even added, “My family and close friends call me Lizzy.”

  A momentary lull in the conversation while Anne examined the contents of her gift basket, prompted Elizabeth to think more deeply about the threshold she and Mrs Darcy had just crossed. They had certainly become more than common acquaintances and for her part she enjoyed Anne’s company. Despite her position as a wealthy young woman from a distinguished family, Lizzy was moved to feel compassion for her—especially when she admitted she lacked confidence in social situations. As someone who rarely felt ill at ease in company, Elizabeth could not truly understand the young matron’s anxiety but determined to help her in any way she could. The gifts she had brought had been selected with that in mind. Though not a great beauty, Mrs Darcy was handsome and amiable enough. And in Lizzy’s evaluation, her appearance had been steadily improving during the past month. She had recently engaged a French maid who was very skilled in arranging her locks in the most modish styles. In contrast, the Bennet sisters dressed each other’s hair. While Anne’s looks were not as robust as hers, she did not appear to be of such a sickly constitution that she was unable to pursue those accomplishments expected of young women in her circle. Elizabeth wondered whether Anne would engage a master to teach her to play an instrument, or perhaps learn to draw, now that she was in London and away from her mother. Elizabeth smiled as she acknowledged her own mother’s most ardent desire when she admitted to herself that Mrs Darcy was very fortunate to have a handsome husband with an engaging sense of humou
r, although she had to admit he did seem a bit distant toward his wife. She recalled his kissing her hand that night at the theatre and knew not what to make of his gesture… or even if she believed marriages of convenience were wrong… or whether one should only wed for the deepest love.

  Anne reopened the conversation by sharing with Elizabeth the progress that had been made in finding a tiger to accompany her when out driving her phaeton. Mr Darcy preferred she engage a proper groom, but he did not seem determined to prevent her from realizing her most fervent wish. She reported that Lord Wolfbridge had begun asking around among his acquaintances for a suitable candidate, and he had purchased a pair of black beauties for her at Tattersalls. Her husband had immediately had them sent to Rosings so she could learn to handle them on familiar terrain. Anne enthusiastically promised Elizabeth she would take her for a ride around Hyde Park’s rotten row in her phaeton once she returned from her Easter visit.

  Thoughts of seeing her mother shifted the discussion to one of their favourite topics…whose mother was the most distressing. While the two young women had been together quite often in the past month, they had been forced to remain circumspect in their discussions of their mothers. Today they could be much more open out of the hearing of aunts, uncles and cousins.

  Lizzy knew her mother was just mildly obsessed with marrying off her daughters while Anne’s mother had felt the need to control every aspect of her daughter’s life. She had even refused to allow her to participate in the Season in London or be presented at court. Money was not the issue for Lady Catherine the way it was for her father. In truth, a debut and a Season for five daughters would have been an exorbitant expense for a man of his means. Anne had only been allowed to socialize with her family. Elizabeth was not sure love was the motive for Mrs Darcy’s mother’s behaviour. Somehow it just seemed she had a need to be in charge and cared not for her daughter’s happiness. Listening to her friend’s litany of complaints, Elizabeth realized Mrs Bennet’s preoccupation with marrying off her daughters had at its core love and wanting to protect them from a life of reduced circumstances.