Page 18

Gracechurch Street

Friday, 6 th December, 1811

Bingley’s carriage rattled over the cobbled London streets. It was not quite as luxurious as Darcy's own vehicle, but it was comfortable enough and certainly finer than its surroundings, as the two gentlemen prepared to call on a tradesman. Not that Gracechurch Street was shabby, the quiet houses might be on the small side, the gardens were neat and the front steps carefully swept.

Darcy unhappily pondered the upcoming meeting. He was not at all excited about making the acquaintance of the Gardiners, but was a necessary step in his pursuit of the hand and heart of Elizabeth Bennet. Mr. Gardiner, being a man of business, had volunteered to join Bingley, Darcy, and Bennet in searching for a suitable house for the Bennet ladies. They would not be renting a great mansion, and Gardiner would know a fair price on a decent house for his sister and nieces.

Darcy respected the man’s desire to help, though he worried that Mr. Gardiner would prove even more vulgar than Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Phillips in Meryton. After all, the man lived within sight of his own warehouses! Apparently Gardiner was moderately wealthy and would doubtless wish to flaunt it, and Darcy took a moment to imagine a florid man, rotund, dressed in expensive suits of tasteless colors, jovial and loud, and he suppressed a slight shudder at the image.

Though truly, it did not matter how boisterous and off-putting Gardiner was. He was part of Miss Elizabeth's family and, furthermore, she had spoken with great affection of her aunt and uncle. For her sake, Darcy must conceal whatever contempt he felt and make himself agreeable to her relations.

He wished, mournfully, that Elizabeth was already in Cheapside. He had been in Town but two days, and already he missed her, just as Bingley must long for the presence of Miss Bennet. But Bingley's success with Miss Bennet was assured, while Darcy's own chances with Miss Elizabeth were far more precarious. He would do whatever it took to win her. Certainly, he could force himself to be courteous to uncouth relatives for a few hours.

Darcy and Bingley both swayed as the carriage halted, and Darcy gathered his cane and looked about curiously as the footman strode around to pull the door open. The house appeared much like its neighbors, with neat paint and shallow slate steps and green curtains in the windows. Darcy fell in a step behind Bingley, content as always to let his more outgoing friend take the lead in any new social situations.

They were not kept on the doorstep for more than a few seconds after the peel of the bell faded away. A clean maid in a trim lace cap opened the door and bobbed a welcoming curtsey as they stepped inside. Her colleague moved forward to take hats and canes and gloves and vanish down the hall, while the girl who had opened the door led them through the hallway to a drawing room.

"Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley," she announced and retreated.

Bennet stood as they entered, as did the man and woman with him. Darcy glanced about quickly, assessing the room. The curtains were clean and sensibly dark, and the furniture was an attractive navy blue that appeared to be sturdily made, unpretentious and of excellent quality.

“Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley,” Bennet said, striding forward and holding out his hand. “Thank you for coming. May I please introduce Mrs. and Mr. Gardiner? Brother, Sister, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley.”

Darcy bowed to the pair, and when he straightened, found himself regarding his hosts with surprise. Both of the Gardiners were dressed fashionably, though not ostentatiously so. Mr. Gardiner was obviously younger than his sisters in Meryton, and Mrs. Gardiner was younger still. She was an attractive woman with dark blue eyes and brown hair, and she was dressed in a blue dress which matched her eyes. The garment had lace at throat and wrists, but not too much, and the lady wore only her wedding ring as jewelry.

“It is an honor to meet you both,” Mr. Gardiner said courteously. “Many congratulations on your engagements.”

“Thank you, Mr. Gardiner,” Bingley said enthusiastically. “I know that Darcy and I consider ourselves two of the most fortunate men in all of England.”

The door opened at this moment to reveal two maids with tea service, and Mrs. Gardiner said, “I know that you gentlemen are eager to tour houses, but I hope you will enjoy tea for a few minutes before you set out? It is a chilly day.”

“We would be pleased,” Darcy said, lowering himself onto a surprisingly comfortable chair by the fire.

Mrs. Gardiner, after determining the preferences of her guests, poured tea and handed the cups around before saying, “Mr. Darcy, I am very honored to meet you as I grew up in Lambton in Derbyshire, which is, as you know, close to Pemberley.”

Darcy was inclined to be suspicious of this claim, but the ensuing conversation proved that the woman had indeed spent her formative years in the county of his birth.

She and her husband spoke intelligently about a variety of subjects and by the time they rose to begin their search for a rental house for the Bennets, Darcy was genuinely impressed by Elizabeth’s relations in Cheapside, and ashamed of his initial assumptions about the thoroughly genteel and charming couple.

***

Winston House

London

The Next Morning

Caroline Bingley stepped down from the carriage and tripped up the steps to knock on the door of Winston House. Now that she was back in London, it was important that she visit her friends who might still be in Town in order to garner invitations to various dinners and the like. Of course, it was not the Season, and many members of the upper classes were at their country estates, but the Winstons preferred London to the country, and she hoped she would find them in.

The door was opened by a butler, who welcomed her within and guided her to the drawing room where Mrs. Winston and her two daughters were waiting.

The elder Miss Winston, Pamela, rose to her feet and hurried forward with a delighted smile. “Caroline, how absolutely wonderful to see you again!”

Caroline smiled in return, curtsied to the Winston lades, and said, “It is wonderful to see you as well.”

“Do sit down,” Mrs. Winston suggested. She was a widow of some fifty years of age, with a handsome jointure, and two older sons who were well married. Caroline had met Pamela at finishing school, and she had carefully cultivated the friendship as the Winstons were well respected in society, and Mrs. Winston enjoyed hosting parties.

“Thank you,” Caroline replied, sitting down across from Pamela and her younger sister, Amelia. “Oh, what lovely needlework, Miss Amelia.”

Amelia, who was some sixteen years of age, blushed and said, “Thank you, Miss Bingley. I have been working hard on my stitching at school, and Miss Hampton says that I have improved substantially in the last year. ”

“You remember Miss Hampton, I am certain,” Pamela said cheerfully, and Caroline nodded. “Of course I do.”

The ensuing conversation was thoroughly enjoyable. Caroline, while she was proud of her finishing school education, had struggled socially at school because she and Louisa were the daughters of a man who had made his fortune in trade. Some of the daughters of gentry had been unkind to her because of that fact, and while she had carefully hidden her distress behind a rigid facade, she was grateful to Pamela Winston, who had been a good friend in spite of their disparity of social rank.

“But what brings you back to London?” Pamela asked a few minutes later. “I thought you were in Hertfordshire.”

“We were, until two days ago, and very tedious it was. I am thankful that we have returned to Town, though the reason for it is rather, well, I ought not to speak of it, I suppose.”

This naturally provoked eager looks from those around her, and Mrs. Winston set aside her own needlework and said, “My dear Miss Bingley, you cannot stop there!”

She hesitated just long enough to increase her friends’ curiosity and then said, “My brother Charles is engaged and her family will be arriving in London shortly to purchase bridal clothing and the like.”

“Oh my!” Mrs. Winston exclaimed. “That is startling news. I presume you do not approve of the young woman?”

Caroline knew perfectly well that she needed to speak carefully, so she took a moment to gather her thoughts and then said, “I like Jane Bennet very much, but yes, I had hoped for more in a sister-in-law. My brother Charles is, if I may so myself, an attractive gentleman, and could have reached higher into society than he has. But the engagement has been made and Miss Bennet is, at least, an honorable and virtuous young woman.”

“I have never heard of the Bennets,” Pamela remarked. “I hope that Miss Bennet is a lady, at least.”

Caroline turned to her friend and said, “Jane is the eldest daughter of a gentleman whose estate lies east of Netherfield Park, which Charles is currently leasing. She is incredibly handsome and gentle and kind, and I hope they will be happy together.”

“She sounds marvelous,” Mrs. Winston said in a slightly surprised tone.

Caroline wrinkled her nose and said, “She is admirable, but her mother is but a solicitor’s daughter, along with being vulgar, and the younger girls are … but I ought not to speak of it more. They will soon be my sisters by marriage.”

“How many daughters are there?” Amelia asked.

“Five daughters and no sons, which is a pity, as Longbourn is entailed away from the female line and will go to a distant cousin. Moreover, none of the daughters have a dowry to speak of.”

“Are any of the other daughters married?” Pamela asked.

Bile rose in Caroline’s throat and she took a moment to collect herself. “No, but the second daughter, Miss Elizabeth, is engaged to my brother’s friend, Mr. Darcy.”

This provoked a shriek from Mrs. Winston and a dramatic gasp from Pamela, who cried out, “Mr. Darcy of Pemberley? Caroline, you cannot be serious!”

“You know Mr. Darcy?” Caroline asked.

“I have never been introduced to him, but everyone in society knows of Mr. Darcy!” Mrs. Winston said. “My dear Miss Bingley, are you teasing us? It seems impossible that Darcy of Pemberley, nephew of the Earl of Matlock, would offer for a young woman without family, connections, or fortune. ”

“I am not teasing you,” Caroline said grimly and then could not keep from adding, “The truth is that there was an unfortunate experience at a ball and … but I ought not to say more. Suffice it to say that Mr. Darcy is an honorable man.”

“You are saying that Miss Elizabeth compromised Mr. Darcy,” Pamela said in a hushed tone.

“I am not saying that, no,” Caroline said carefully. “I am not certain what happened, exactly, and it may have been just an unfortunate confluence of events. In any case, Mr. Darcy has offered and Miss Elizabeth has accepted.”

Mrs. Winston and her eldest daughters exchanged glances and Mrs. Winston said, “I understand completely, Miss Bingley. Now, how are your sister and brother Hurst?”