Longbourn to London (9 page)

It is inconvenient for me to be shopping for both Lizzy and Jane at the same time. I cannot keep all of the details separated properly. Please say you will consent to providing such assistance, and think of it as practice for when your own dear Alyse and Sophie plan their nuptials.

Fondly and gratefully,
F. Bennet

Simultaneously, in the Longbourn library, the following letter was being composed.

15 October 1812
Longbourn, Hertfordshire

Dear Sister,

I shall safely wager you will find, in the next hours and days, your correspondence inundated with missives from Hertfordshire. Indeed, His Majesty’s Postal Service may have need of a new man just to handle the Gardiner volume. Yet, I find I must now add to the man’s burden.

You will certainly be receiving a letter from Lizzy, and likely one from Mr. Darcy if I have become any judge of the man’s character. They write about a situation arising in part from the officious and ill-natured attentions of my wife and her sister, though I would not doubt every married woman of Lizzy and Jane’s acquaintance had a hand in causing the chaos and misapprehension now lodged in their minds.

You may now well imagine where my thoughts tend. Lizzy and Jane have both, usually together, received the foulest warnings and slanders of what to expect of married life. They have spoken, or at least Lizzy has, to their betrotheds of the resultant fears that have developed, and as you may well apprehend, both men have expressed their alarm to me.

I have proved no help in the matter, as it must be further confessed that two books on the subject, which I had quite forgotten I owned—past tense as they are now both ashes—have been consulted by the girls under cloak of night.

I have prevailed upon Mrs. Bennet to retract what she has said of the matter, and at the behest of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, we at Longbourn will endeavour to separate Lizzy and Jane from their Aunt Phillips when necessary, and to avoid her society between now and the wedding.

Now you see what pandemonium awaits you and Edward upon your arrival. You and I have ever been Lizzy’s allies against the silliest elements of the Bennet household, and it will be, more than ever, thus from now until the wedding day. I am certain her mother will blame her for the current situation, when in truth, if Mrs. Bennet at least—there is no accounting for her sister—had been truthful and sensible with the girls about their expectations of living with a gentleman, this entire debacle could have been greatly diminished, if not avoided entirely.

This letter comes to you as something of a warning. I know Lizzy will apply to you for the comfort and honesty she will find in short supply from her mother. The men who love her best, and Jane and her Bingley, too, look to you for help and guidance.

Gratefully,
T. Bennet

Mr. Bennet carefully folded and sealed the letter, and stepped to the hall to call for Mrs. Hill. As it happened, she was bustling past him to answer the front door. The two gentlemen from Netherfield had arrived. Mrs. Hill took the letter and noted the address with wonder.

Mr. Bennet slipped into the drawing room to receive the betrotheds of his two eldest daughters, but they only had time to nod to each other in complete understanding before Mrs. Bennet entered, her haughty countenance looking as if her behaviour had never been censured in the whole of her life. Her actions were, however, somewhat changed for the better, and she showed an unusual deference for her husband that grew more pronounced once her two eldest daughters entered the room. This was much remarked upon by the gentlemen after their departure later that evening, and also by Jane and Elizabeth. Even Mr. Bennet told his wife he was proud of her before lodging himself in his own bedchamber for the night.

Chapter 7

Aunt Gardiner Saves the Day

“Pause awhile, And let my counsel sway you.”
William Shakespeare
Much Ado about Nothing

Mrs. Madeleine Gardiner was surprised to receive an express from Mr. Darcy. It arrived while the children were enjoying an outing in the park with their nursemaid; therefore, she had the opportunity to address its contents immediately. The topic—Elizabeth’s newly awakened curiosity about the particulars of marital relations—was disturbing to be sure, but Mrs. Gardiner also regarded Darcy’s unrest with amusement.
Men!
Darcy’s letter did not require a response, so she sat in wait for Elizabeth’s, and pondered whether to share this unlooked-for development with her husband.

When Elizabeth’s letter appeared a day later, accompanied by letters from both her parents, Mrs. Gardiner was alarmed until all the missives had been read, then she found herself highly diverted indeed. Before responding to any, she gathered them all and proceeded to her husband’s study.

“What in the world is happening in Hertfordshire, my dear?” Mr. Gardiner asked with a laugh after reading them.

His wife smiled. “I wanted you to be apprised of the circumstances surrounding our arrival on Saturday. Who knows what questions may be directed at
you
, by the gentlemen.”

“At me! Oh no, the men do not need help. I think
you
are the designated font of marital wisdom. If you can keep me out of it, I should be quite grateful.”

“You seem to have the reputation of keeping a sensible wife happy. You will just have to put up with it.”

“How little they know!” Mr. Gardiner was laughing as his wife deposited herself in his lap.

He patted his wife’s newly noticeable belly. They were content with the symmetry of their family—two girls followed by two boys— and had not looked for further blessings. After four conceptions and four unremarkable deliveries, Mrs. Gardiner thought she knew the counting of her months forward and backward; her tendency to fertility was greater midway between one course and the next. However, love
had
been in the air—and between the sheets— during their short stay at Lambton, and Mrs. Gardiner had simply lost track of time. To have been travelling so amiably out of their normal routine, and to have met the infamous Mr. Darcy and found him to be a charming and obliging man who appeared to be in love with their favourite niece, had been…exhilarating.

“Any quickening yet, Maddy?”

“Not yet, but it is just about time. I still think it would be a lark to name this child Lambton…”

“Not Pemberley?”

“I fear that would embarrass our soon-to-be nephew too greatly. Lambton would be bad enough!” They laughed.

“Well, I am just sorry you must travel during this time. I know you will be more easy in a rollicking carriage after another few weeks.”

“Yes, even though we are to spend Christmas at Pemberley—my, how well that sounds—and the journey is much farther, I look forward to it a great deal more than the few hours it will take to get to Longbourn. And now to act the part of mother-of-the-bride to poor Lizzy! The letter from Fanny concerns me greatly.”

“Then you had better answer it now. And Lizzy’s too. Feel free to send your responses by express, my dearest, I think the situation warrants it. I know my sister’s nerves.”

Mrs. Gardiner grew contemplative. “Edward…do you suppose we might not be aware of showing such marked partiality for certain of our children as Thomas and Fanny do? I cannot think it right, and would be offended to find I was behaving in such a manner.”

“I pray neither of us do, my dear. But I know to whom to apply for an answer. Our children love their cousin Jane. She would tell us, should we ask, whether any of them have remarked on any consistent preference shown by ourselves. As you say, we may be unaware.”

Mrs. Gardiner nodded. “If the topic arises during our visit, I shall ask Jane. I would be mortified to know I was behaving like Fanny.”

“I know you would. Now off with you; you have letters to write, and I must finish reading this contract from our shipping company before asking your opinion of it.”

Mr. Gardiner helped Mrs. Gardiner to her feet, and she kissed his balding forehead before withdrawing to her escritoire in the drawing room, where she produced the following two letters.

17 November 1812
Gracechurch Street, London

My Dear Sister,

Please rest assured I am prepared to take on whatever tasks you may wish to assign me to prepare Elizabeth for her wedding. How well I can imagine the confusion a double wedding might bring about. I recently saw some lovely fabric, and with your permission and subsequent approval, I plan to purchase a length of it and present it to Lizzy as a gift. If you do not like it, she may use it for something other than her wedding ensemble, but I believe you will approve. It is a sheer type of mesh of a unique colour called candlelight. The edge of the fabric has a wide band of embroidered leaf outlines in various shades of green, and I think this would do very well as a petticoat border under a solid-colour gown, or as the outer layer of a multiple-layered skirt. I shall secure it tomorrow morning, and you may judge for yourself when I arrive. If I can purchase enough, it would also be suitable as veiling. It put me in mind of Lizzy the moment I saw it.

This is a joyful time coming upon us, and your brother and I are looking forward to seeing Jane and Lizzy happily settled. We believe you will discover Mr. Darcy improves greatly upon further acquaintance. You may find this hard to believe, but we are convinced his affection for Lizzy is quite as long-standing as is Mr. Bingley’s for Jane. I shall speak more of this when we are together.

Fondly,
M. Gardiner

And to her niece, she wrote:

My Dearest Niece,

Of course, dear Lizzy, you find me more than willing to meet in private when your uncle and I arrive at Longbourn. We may certainly include Jane, if you wish it and she chooses. I own I am surprised by the topic of our discourse, but rest assured, I act as your advocate in all things with all of your family and acquaintance. I suspect you are not the first young woman to be sent into turmoil by rumours and unfounded tales of married life. While I do not wish to discuss any particulars herein, let me say that I am quite certain, knowing Mr. Darcy as I do, that you have nothing whatsoever to fear. My observation of him, and conversation with him, leads me to believe he adores you in just the way I would wish your future husband to, and I have no doubt that, on the occasion, his thoughts will only be for your pleasure and happiness.

But let me repeat, it is for your peace of mind that I am concerned, and I shall speak to you for your benefit alone, and not at the behest and prompting of Mr. Darcy. He will not know of the material points of our conversation unless you tell him. I am your instrument in this; make no mistake.

Your loving aunt,
M. Gardiner

The express was on its way to Hertfordshire by ten the following morning after Mr. Gardiner had reviewed, at his wife’s request, what she had written. “You always strike just the right tone, my dear.” Mr. Gardiner beamed at her over his desk.

***

The packet of letters arrived at Longbourn before four o’clock, and Elizabeth had just returned from a vigorous walk. The lanes were quite muddy from the previous stormy night, and she was changing her clothes when Mrs. Hill tapped at her bedroom door.

“An express from your aunt in London, Miss.”

“An express? Thank you, Hill.”

“There is one for Mrs. Bennet, too, Miss, but I brought yours first rather than wait for my mistress to return.” Mrs. Hill gave Elizabeth a knowing look.

Elizabeth nodded. “Ah, I see. I am indebted to you, Hill, indeed.”

She and the housekeeper exchanged wry smiles, and not for the first time.

Hill withdrew, and Elizabeth was able to read her letter in peace and quiet, as all the men had gone shooting, and her mother and Jane had not yet returned from Meryton. She wondered when she would suffer the affliction of shopping for wedding clothes with her mother.

Presently, Jane and Mrs. Bennet returned and rushed upstairs to begin their preparations for dining at Netherfield. When Jane entered the bedroom, Elizabeth was just putting on her evening slippers. “Jane, an express arrived from our aunt. You may read it.”

Jane took it from Elizabeth and began reading. At the mention of Mr. Darcy, she put the letter down, unfinished, and blushed. “There, Lizzy. She hopes to put your mind at rest. At least you may be calmer now just knowing she will hear you.”

Mrs. Hill’s appearance at their door prevented Elizabeth’s response. “Miss Elizabeth, your mother would speak to you. I gave her the express from your aunt when she came in,” she said with a sly smile.

Jane gave her sister a quizzical look, and as Elizabeth left the room, she whispered, “Mama does not know of my letter.”

“Ah, Lizzy,” Mrs. Bennet began pleasantly when Elizabeth entered her mother’s dressing room. The interruption did not hinder the maid’s preparation of Mrs. Bennet for the evening. “I have just had a letter from Mrs. Gardiner. It seems, my dear, that I am over-taxing myself trying to prepare two daughters for the same wedding. Your aunt has kindly consented to assist me with your arrangements. She says she will bring some fabric from London she thinks you might like, and the two of you can take it to Miss Cassandra’s in Meryton and see what you can make of it. Here, dear.” She handed Elizabeth the letter.