The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy (15 page)

When the carriage carrying Anne, Georgiana, and the still sleeping Mrs. Jenkinson pulled into the courtyard at Hulston Hall, Sir Geoffrey Hulston was there to greet them. Darcy had known Geoffrey since his schooldays at Eton when they were in the same house together and Darcy had been the new boy to his friend’s old boy, and they had been at Cambridge together as well. The Hulstons were first-rate people living in a third-rate house. Because repairs had been neglected by the two previous generations, the Hulstons found themselves picking and choosing which part of the manor house should be repaired first. It was only because of the extra money their property was generating as a result of the wars with France that any repairs could be made at all. But delayed maintenance was not on Darcy’s mind when he had written to the Hulstons. His purpose was to secure one night’s lodging for himself, as he would be leaving in the morning for Pemberley, and two nights for his party.

The house was nearly one hundred fifty years old and sprouted more chimneys than a street of terrace houses in London, and pigeons, nesting in every nook, descended at the least provocation. When Georgiana stepped out of the carriage, she looked around at a scene that was custom made to feed a fertile imagination, and to her mind, the best things about Hulston Hall were the thick, leaded-glass windows that blurred the images behind them, giving the illusion of ghostly apparitions moving through the house.

“Oh, my! Sir Geoffrey, your house is…”

“In need of repair, Miss Georgiana. I am well aware that it is nothing to Pemberley.”

“No, sir, I was going to say it was perfect.”

Mr. Hulston burst into laughter, and after he shared Georgiana’s remark with his wife, she had a good laugh, too. But to her brother, this was another example of what happened when a young mind was exposed to the gothic novels that were so popular in town. As soon as a new title appeared at Hatchard’s Booksellers, Mr. Pickering would send a runner to the townhouse to let Miss Darcy know of its arrival. Every place they visited that was old, vine-covered, or in need of repair became a possible setting for a novel, and Darcy knew that before Georgiana departed Hulston Hall, she would have the outline of a story rattling around in her head.

The Darcy party had not been inside the house for more than fifteen minutes when Bingley, on horseback, and the carriage carrying Caroline, Louisa, and Hurst arrived in the courtyard. Looking through the window, Caroline could hardly believe the Darcys would know anyone who lived in this gothic nightmare. Anne saw the look of horror on Caroline’s face as she scanned the courtyard with its multitude of pigeons being chased by a half dozen hounds. It was only when she saw Mr. Darcy that her demeanor had changed. No longer was Hulston Hall a dungeon, but a palace, where she was being greeted by Prince Fitzwilliam Darcy. Darcy had seen the same thing, and wearing an expression that would have been appropriate at a funeral, he had greeted Charles, Caroline, and the Hursts.

Anne had never met the Hulstons, and she was thoroughly charmed by them. Being the parents of four youngsters, while residing in a house with a leaking roof and falling brickwork, they believed that the only way to get through life’s rough spots was to laugh whenever possible. For Anne, whose whole world had narrowed to Rosings Park, the laughter, confusion, and energy of this close family was a source of wonder and amusement, but the Hulstons were not the only ones providing entertainment.

Because of the age of the manor, the rooms were small, dark, and boxy. Even with every flat surface having a candle on it, everyone was cast in shadows. From the far end of a smoky dining hall, Caroline had barely been able to make out Mr. Darcy. Even so, she was certain he had glanced her way on and off throughout dinner. She had squinted so much that Georgiana asked if there was something wrong with her eyes and remarked on how tired she looked.

The following day, after Will had left for Pemberley, Anne witnessed the unfortunate sight of Caroline attempting to befriend the girl she hoped would someday be her sister-in-law. But her behavior was so forced and unnatural that it was the same as watching an actor deliver a poor performance. You just wanted it to stop. Fortunately, for Georgiana, it did. Without Mr. Darcy there to observe her efforts, Caroline realized that engaging his sister required too much effort for too little gain and went to her room until summoned for supper. Citing fatigue, she asked to be excused from the evening’s entertainments, and Louisa and she took their leave.

Once Georgiana and she had retired for the night, Anne thought she should speak to her young cousin about Miss Bingley, because if she did not, Will would.

“Georgiana, I know Miss Bingley can be trying, and she is not the nicest person. However, she is the sister of your brother’s dearest friend and worthy of your kindness. You must realize that until Will marries, you are the mistress of Pemberley. All the duties required of a hostess now fall to you, and you are obligated to see that all of your guests enjoy their visit regardless of your personal opinion of them. With adulthood comes responsibility.”

“I do understand that things have changed now that I am an adult, but what about Caroline and her abominable behavior to the Hulstons? Her disdain for her hosts was so apparent, I was glad that the room was dimly lit so they might not see it.”

“I agree with everything you say about Miss Bingley, but you must be better than she is. Do not descend, but rise above so ill-mannered a person. And because I require your assistance in a personal matter, I need for you to be nice to Miss Bingley.”

For a moment, Georgiana feared that Anne was going to say she was unable to continue their journey. She did look tired, but not as much as one would have expected for someone with such weak lungs. In fact, Anne had mentioned that the farther she got from London the less she was coughing, so what assistance did Anne require?

“Tomorrow morning, as we continue on to Pemberley, I would ask that you travel with Miss Bingley and the Hursts.”

“Why? We had such an enjoyable time together, and you will have no one to talk to because Mrs. Jenkinson sleeps all the time. How have I offended?”

“My dear, you have not offended. It is that I do not intend to go directly to Pemberley, but instead to the inn at Lambton with Mrs. Jenkinson.”

“Oh, Anne! I don’t know about this. I really don’t. I have been testing Will’s patience quite a lot of late, and if I agree to this plan, I shall be guaranteed a rebuke.”

“I am going to ask you to test your brother’s patience one more time. I have arranged to meet a friend at the inn, and I want to visit in private.”

Georgiana found this to be very odd. Who could Anne possibly be meeting? It could not be a man because it was Anne’s intention never to marry. As far as she knew, Anne had no acquaintance in Derbyshire, except the Darcys, and then it came to her.

“Does this have anything to do with Miss Sonnet?”

“I am meeting a friend,” Anne answered, amazed at Georgiana’s ability to connect seemingly unrelated parts and merge them into a logical whole.

“Is your friend Miss Sonnet?” Georgiana repeated, giving every indication that she would keep asking questions until she got the answer she was seeking.

“I am not one hundred percent certain, but it is my hope that Miss Sonnet will be at the inn.”

Georgiana was so excited that she hopped on the bed and nearly catapulted Anne out of it.

“Is Will in love? I think he must be. He looks so forlorn, and what causes greater pain than being separated from the one you love? Please tell me about her?”

“That I cannot do,” Anne said, holding unto the bedpost. “Until I have actually been in contact with Miss Sonnet, I am very reluctant to say anything.”

“What if you do see Miss Sonnet? Will she be invited to Pemberley, so that I may meet her?”

“Georgiana, this requires patience—yours and mine. If all goes as planned, you will meet the lady, and if it does not, your brother will be none the wiser. It is best this way. I intend to leave early in the morning, and it will be left to you to answer our friends’ questions. All that need be said is that I have gone ahead to visit with a friend. Please do not encourage speculation, and say nothing that will make Miss Bingley suspicious.”

“Anne, I assure you I shall do nothing to interfere with the success of your bringing Miss Sonnet to Pemberley, and I shall worry about my brother later.”

***

After dinner at the inn, Mrs. Gardiner and Lizzy left Mr. Gardiner to prepare for his day of fishing with Mr. Darcy. Even though it was still two days off, his wife was unable to get him to talk of anything other than his upcoming excursion, and so she was abandoning him for more erudite company.

It was a beautiful evening and the air was filled with the scent of the blossoming fruit trees, and many of the merchants had filled their flower boxes with some of the earliest blooms. After they had been walking for a while, Aunt Gardiner finally broke the silence.

“Elizabeth, I do not usually pry into the personal affairs of my nieces; however, your performance this afternoon at Pemberley was so singular, I have to admit my curiosity has got the better of me. May I ask exactly how well you know Mr. Darcy?”

Since leaving Pemberley, Lizzy had been trying to decide how much she should tell her aunt. She had no concerns that she would repeat anything told her in confidence. It was the embarrassment of being so wrong on so many counts that caused her to hesitate.

“When I was in Kent, Mr. Darcy made me an offer of marriage.”

Mrs. Gardiner, who had been walking arm in arm with Lizzy, stopped suddenly, pulling Lizzy back with her.

“Am I to understand you refused Mr. Darcy?” Having spent her childhood within view of the Pemberley estate with all of its grandeur, Mrs. Gardiner thought it impossible that anyone would walk away from an opportunity to become associated with such a great estate and its family.

Lizzy knew there was no way to make her aunt understand her decision unless she acquainted her with the whole of the story, and during the course of the next half hour, she explained the reasons for her decision.

After hearing Lizzy out, Aunt Gardiner said, “Although your speech at the parsonage was intemperate, surely Mr. Darcy understands your reasons for refusing him. In Mr. Wickham’s case, you were deceived by a practiced liar and fraud, and in the other, you acted in response to the hurt Jane experienced as a result of his interference. If he was still angry with you because of your defense of Mr. Wickham, there was no evidence of it today. And I am both amused and touched by Miss de Bourgh’s scheme to bring you two together, but it is for nothing if you do not love Mr. Darcy.”

“I do not know what I feel for Mr. Darcy. I have not allowed myself to think about it because a man such as he would not make an offer of marriage a second time, so no purpose is served by dwelling on it. And there are so many other considerations. If I had accepted his proposal, would my family have been lost to me? Or would Mr. Darcy have accepted some family members, such as Uncle Gardiner and you, but not others, including Mama, Lydia, and Kitty? And what of his connections? Would he have been permanently banned from Rosings and shunned by London society?”

“My dear, you take too much upon yourself. If Lady Catherine de Bourgh refuses to see her nephew because of his choice of wife, that is entirely her decision, and she must live with the consequences. Seeing how you already have the friendship of Lady Catherine’s daughter should most certainly work in your favor.

“As far as your dear mother is concerned, Mr. Darcy would not be the first to find himself with a difficult mother-in-law, including your Uncle Gardiner, and from personal experience, I can tell you there are many ways to get around it. Either I went to visit my mother or my mother visited when Mr. Gardiner was away on business, and over the years, especially since the birth of our children, they have grown closer.

“As to whether Mr. Darcy will make a second offer of marriage, for a man of his position, it was an extraordinary thing to make the first offer, and given any encouragement, he might very well make a second. So it is a good thing we are to visit Pemberley tomorrow as you will have ample opportunity to observe him in a place where he is most comfortable, and since Mr. Bingley is also there, you may do some good on Jane’s behalf. I assume Mr. Darcy withdrew his objections to the match when you made him aware of your sister’s feelings for Mr. Bingley. This presents an opportunity for you to issue an invitation to Mr. Bingley to visit Longbourn. Such a visit might be enough to reignite the embers of their love.”

“Yes, you are right,” Lizzy answered. “I could do that. Oh, how happy Jane will be if Mr. Bingley does visit. But that will not sit well with Miss Bingley, and I shall see her tomorrow evening.” Then Lizzy smiled. “I wonder if Miss Bingley knows that I have been invited to dine at Pemberley?”

During breakfast, Lizzy was buttering her bread in the great hall at the inn when she looked up to see Mrs. Jenkinson. What on earth was she doing at an inn in Derbyshire? Lizzy immediately went to her, but when she gently touched her arm to get her attention, Anne de Bourgh’s companion nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Mrs. Jenkinson, I am sorry to have startled you. Are you a guest at the inn?”

“Oh, Miss Bennet, you are the very person I was looking for. Miss de Bourgh is in the carriage, but she did not want to come in until she knew you were here. She would like to visit, but it really would be best if you met somewhere where it was not quite so crowded.”

“Of course. We shall visit in our rooms.”

Ordinarily, Lizzy would have been surprised to encounter Anne de Bourgh at an inn in Derbyshire so far from Kent, but in consideration of what had happened the day before at Pemberley, she was not surprised at all.

While Anne and Lizzy waited for the servant to bring the tea, they did little more than exchange pleasantries, but as soon as the door closed, Anne took Lizzy’s hand and said, “Elizabeth, are you angry with me?”

Lizzy shook her head no, and while holding Anne’s hand, she wondered how someone so frail could be so determined as to execute such a complicated plan and at such a distance.

“Of course, I am not angry. However, I was greatly surprised to meet Mr. Darcy at Pemberley and embarrassed as well. When he came upon me, I was spinning around in circles. He must have thought I had lost my mind, but even so, he was brave enough to talk with someone who had lost her wits.”

“And this first meeting? Did it go well?”

“Very well, I think. He was quite gracious, and he invited my aunt and uncle and me to dine at Pemberley this evening.”

Anne clasped her hands together and smiled. “As I had hoped.” Then in a more serious tone, she continued, “I have never done anything like this before.”

“General Wellington could make good use of your natural talents for maneuvering in his campaigns.”

“You must understand that everything I did was on behalf of Will and Georgiana, or I would not have been so brave. I just wanted Will to find a woman who would love him, not for his position or his wealth, but for who he is. When he told me that you had refused his offer of marriage, I was stunned, thinking all the advantage was on your side. How wrong I was! You have touched his heart as no one else has, and I wanted you two to be together again so that he might touch yours.”

Anne rose, explaining she had to leave. “Georgiana has gone ahead to Pemberley. When Will finds out that we have separated, he may be very upset with his sister, or he might order his horse to be saddled and come straight here. But I shall see you this evening, and by that time, all ruffled feathers will have been smoothed and we may begin anew.”

***

Darcy had sent one of the footmen to stand outside on the portico so that he might be immediately notified of his cousin’s arrival, and if his cousin was not overly fatigued, he wanted to have a word with her about a certain person he had encountered in the gardens yesterday. But when the carriage arrived, Anne was nowhere to be seen.

“Miss Bingley, Mrs. Hurst, Mr. Hurst, welcome to Pemberley,” Mr. Darcy said, but in a distracted manner that showed his concern for his missing cousin. “Jackson, show our guests to their rooms. After you have settled in, we will visit in the music room,” and turning his attention to Georgiana, he continued, “I need to have a word with my sister—now.”

Darcy led Georgiana by the elbow to the office where the business records of Pemberley were kept.

“Where is Anne?”

“Will, do not be angry. It was not my idea. Anne is fine, but she insisted Mrs. Jenkinson and she depart from our planned route, so that she might visit with a friend at the inn at Lambton.”

Georgiana was waiting for the explosion. When Will had closed the door to the office, his face was all storm and thunder, and she had expected it to start pouring at any moment. But, instead of the deluge, Will started laughing.

“Our cousin has been very busy,” he said, shaking his head in amusement.

“Then you are not angry?” and her brother shook his head “no.” “Will, does this have anything to do with Miss Sonnet?”

“Miss Sonnet? Who in God’s name is Miss Sonnet?”

“The lady who told you that love could be driven away with one bad sonnet.”

“Georgiana, I am very glad your mind is put to use for purposes of doing good, because if it were not, you would be a power to be reckoned with.”

Georgiana waited for his answer.

“Yes,” he said, sighing. “Miss Sonnet is Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn Manor in Hertfordshire.”

“I knew it! Did you know her only in Hertfordshire?”

“No, I was with her during my visit…”

“…to Kent. I was right again. When you came back from Aunt Catherine’s, you looked like a tragic figure from one of Shakespeare’s plays.”

“Georgiana, I really must insist on some moderation in your speech. A coach with all of its passengers going over a cliff is a tragedy. Unrequited love is not.”

“Unrequited love?”

“Yes. At the moment, it is unrequited, but it is my hope to change that.”

“She does not love you? Then she must be a fool. I do not think I like her.”

“Well, you will be able to make up your own mind this evening as Miss Elizabeth will be joining us, and I shall tell you that Anne likes her very much. It was she who arranged for Miss Sonnet to be at Pemberley at exactly the same time as I was.”

“Oh, how very clever of her,” Georgiana said, returning to her former good humor.

“But, my dear sister, please remember we have other guests, and I am relying on you to perform your duties as hostess.”

“Of course. I shall be on my very best behavior, but I cannot guarantee the same for Miss Bingley.”