Page 5 of Chivalry & Chauvinism (The Victorian Vagaries #2)
The next day dawned beautiful, although their night of making up for lost time together necessitated that they forgo an early morning ride. They broke their fast with Diane and Georgiana, who was looking forward to spending the morning getting to know Charlotte, who would join her after Georgiana bathed and removed to her sitting room. Contrary to the events of the morning before, Georgiana’s appearance was already much improved. She may not have what Elizabeth considered a healthy complexion, but the frightening grey tinge was gone from her face, leaving her shockingly pale, but not quite as dangerously ill-looking as when they arrived. Georgiana ate pastina and egg again for breakfast and Elizabeth teased her that she must be sick of it, but promised that she would have something different for lunch and dinner. Georgiana seemed to be tolerating food well, so Elizabeth felt perfectly comfortable with slowly expanding her diet.
After breakfast, Darcy climbed into his carriage and made the forty five minute journey to Pellham Court. He was announced to the drawing room, and instantly felt simply awful to burden this poor mother who had lost her child with more anguish. “Darcy! Simply cannot say how surprised we were to get your note. Everyone knows your sister is ill, and with the news of a new wife, the county thought Pemberley would be quiet for some time yet before you began socialising,” greeted Mr Pellham.
“Mr Darcy, may I say what an immense pleasure it is to see you again,” said Mrs Pellham. “I do hope Mrs Darcy is well.”
“Thank you Mrs Pellham, she is quite well. You and Mr Pellham are correct. It was my intention to remain at Pemberley quietly with my bride and my sister for a time, but it is incumbent upon me to seek out Mr Pellham’s attention due to a matter of business.” When they had passed a quarter hour making pleasantries with Mrs Pellham, the gentlemen withdrew to Pellham’s study, where Darcy regretfully related what he had to impart. “I came here this morning, Pellham, because I did not wish you and your poor wife to be taken unawares by the news when the magistrate comes to interview you.”
Darcy and Mr Pellham went over the details of what was known, and spoke quietly of the whole affair for a few moments. Mr Pellham soberly thanked Darcy, who took his leave of the grieving gentleman and his poor, unsuspecting wife.
The rest of the day was spent in work for both Elizabeth and Darcy. They had neglected much that needed their attention the past week. Darcy was needed by the steward for several hours for matters pertaining to Pemberley while Elizabeth had a mountain of correspondence from Montague delivered by Banks.
Thankfully, their family was now there, and were an enormous help. Charlotte stayed with Georgiana all morning, and Mary took over after luncheon, when Diane and Beau also visited for an hour. Richard went to speak to the magistrate, and offered his assistance in the investigation. Darcy returned from estate business after tea time, and ate dinner with the family, while Elizabeth ate upstairs with Georgiana and Charlotte. Charlotte entertained Georgie with stories of Elizabeth’s childhood summers and Christmases in Hertfordshire. The meal rotations would continue until Georgiana could join them downstairs, so that she would not feel isolated from the family.
Georgiana tolerated her meals very well all day, so Elizabeth would expand her diet even more the following day. The girl still tired quickly, but she reported that she was able to stay awake for slightly longer periods of time than the days previously, and she spoke animatedly about the time she had spent with her new family. She was aching to play the pianoforte with Mary, and take walks with Diane and Beau, and she missed her horse. Elizabeth decided that she no longer needed a relative to stay in her room all night. The crisis had passed, and Georgiana was going to recover. Until she regained her strength, Hopkins and Maud would sleep on cots in Georgie’s dressing room, a prospect the maids seemed amusingly excited about, Elizabeth thought. A footman would continue to be on duty in the hall, and her family’s apartments were close by in case they were needed.
The next day was the morning of Aunt Gardiner and Kitty’s visit. Elizabeth was full of anticipation. Even if it was only family visiting, this should be her first time receiving guests at Pemberley, and in consideration of Georgiana’s tentative turn toward recovery, there was much to celebrate. September was nearly upon them, and the weather was still quite lovely, so Elizabeth had planned a garden party. They would be just outside the library, in a small section of the rose garden that was quite near the house, and Georgiana would be made very comfortable on a chaise quite close to the door. Elizabeth always favoured buffet dining for daytime and garden parties, and envisioned it being quite casual and elegant, with the children and Beau playing in the garden, and everyone else able to wander in and out to keep Georgie company for the short time she would be downstairs. Elizabeth did not expect her to last longer than an hour or an hour and a half. It would be a lot of excitement for her first time downstairs in some weeks.
It proved to be a lovely day. Elizabeth and Darcy took Diane to Georgiana’s room to break their fast that morning. Georgiana did great justice to her breakfast of eggs and bacon, a small cut of beefsteak, fruit from the orangery, and a rich cup of chocolate. The poor girl could not finish a third of it, but she did great justice in her attempt. Once Darcy left them, Elizabeth, Diane, and the maids assisted Georgie in selecting a comfortable yet becoming gown for later, and then Elizabeth took Diane back to the nursery so Georgiana could rest until it was time for their cousins to arrive.
Elizabeth had decided to surprise Darcy by inviting Lord Matlock. She had been in touch with Lady Matlock since they had become engaged, when the lady wrote to welcome Elizabeth to the family. Lady Catherine was comfortably settled in her new home in Derbyshire. Lady Matlock was still in London with Anne and Richard’s elder brother, Viscount Maverley, with whose wife Anne got on surprisingly well. With Matlock being comfortably situated within two hours from Pemberley, his lordship could travel to Pemberley, and then home again the same day quite easily.
Richard carried Georgiana to the hall just before the guests arrived, and when they and their family finished the introductions and greeting one another, Darcy asked Mrs Reynolds to assemble the entire household, down to the last hall boy, in the great hall. He had warned her earlier, so she had the servants ready to file in and pass out glasses to everyone for a toast.
Once everyone had assembled Darcy raised his voice, “You are all probably wondering why we have assembled you here. I have a momentous announcement to make and we wished to wait until as many of our family were with us as possible before we informed everyone. Some of you may be aware that Mrs Darcy is a close friend to The Queen. Her Majesty has taken a great interest in the extraordinary success of Mrs Darcy’s investment and business affairs. We have been informed that when we return to town for the season, we are to be elevated to the rank of Earl and Countess Darcy.”
Pandemonium broke out as everyone exclaimed in surprise and congratulations. Champagne was poured and everyone, including the servants, lifted their glass as Lord Matlock toasted their good fortune.
“Brother, I am so happy for you! What wonderful good fortune for you and our family,” said Georgiana happily.
The gathering in the great hall broke up, and the family went together through the library and had a merry party in the garden. Georgiana ate a sandwich and some fruit, and nibbled at a slice of cake. She began to feel tired after eating, as she usually did. This was the first morning she had stayed awake until luncheon, and now she was tiring quickly. Darcy carried her up to her rooms, and Lady Rose followed them upstairs to ensure her granddaughter’s comfort.
Elizabeth enjoyed spending time with her family tremendously. Sadly though, Kitty had transformed in the few months since Elizabeth had seen her, from an almost sensible young lady, to a flighty and nervous girl, nearly a copy of Mrs Bennet’s former behaviour. Elizabeth could not account for it. Aunt Madeleine had been a marvellous influence upon Elizabeth, and Elizabeth had been certain that she would be on Kitty as well. Elizabeth had hoped to have Lydia find an opportunity to spend some time visiting Aunt Madeleine also. Elizabeth planned to speak with her aunt privately, to see what she knew about the change in Kitty’s disposition. She wondered how Kitty would rub along with Lydia, who had become very sensible indeed during her time in Kent.
Aunt Madeleine intended to return to London in two weeks. The work on the nursing school was complete and the school was well organised and ready to open; indeed, students were already arriving. Their last two weeks in Derbyshire were for their pleasure, for Aunt Madeleine had put much time into assisting the sisters, and was now looking forward to spending time with her friends and acquaintances in Lambton.
Her aunt had many plans for the following week with her friends, so Elizabeth invited her aunt and sister to stay at Pemberley for their final week in Derbyshire. She had missed the opportunity to see Kitty, and would enjoy their company, since she did not intend to venture south again until November. The invitation was accepted without hesitation, and Elizabeth was already thinking of activities to plan for her guests’ enjoyment.
They brought news that Evie was settling in well at the convent. Elizabeth planned to invite the girl to Pemberley for tea along with some of the sisters once she had the chance. If Elizabeth was to be Evie’s guardian, it was only appropriate that she was welcome to visit Pemberley. The nuns would see to the girl’s education, and she would receive classes in diction and also proper training in a very professional trade, an almost unheard of opportunity for a young woman of Evie’s background. Medicine was changing. Doctors no longer wished to work with slovenly, unhygienic, uneducated women for hire. As the study and practice of medicine advanced, doctors preferred genteel, clean, educated women for nursing and assistance with medical procedures. Elizabeth would provide the means and education. Evie’s choices would mould her into an intelligent and respectable woman who, in spite of her trade, would easily fit in among the minor gentry, and Elizabeth was happy to sponsor her.
The party ended just after tea time, and their guests departed with many embraces and happy congratulations. Diane enjoyed her cousin’s visit tremendously, and cried a bit at their farewell, but was comforted when she was told they would be coming again soon for a longer visit.