Page 11 of Done for the Best (Engaged to Mr Darcy #5)
CHAPTER ELEVEN
MILES OF GOOD ROAD
T o Elizabeth’s further relief, Charlotte did not let their quarrel stand. She came to her immediately after Darcy left, apologising and explaining it was merely disappointment at imagining them gone so soon.
“You cannot know how much I have enjoyed you being here,” she told Elizabeth. “I suppose I had it in my head that you would remain all summer, which is silly. Of course you would not wish to be away from home so long, wedding or not.”
Elizabeth had imagined it would require some days to arrange travel; it was what she was accustomed to, time spent considering post chaise schedules and when this man or that could retrieve them from here or there. How easy it was to merely climb into Darcy’s very luxurious carriage and wait to arrive on Gracechurch Street!
“I assure you that your wealth is not why I wish to marry you,” Elizabeth teased Darcy as the carriage rolled away from the parsonage, “but to travel with such ease, such comfort—that is well worth marrying a man for!”
It was just above thirty miles to London, according to Darcy, and his horses could do it in about four hours—in usual circumstances. “We will go slower than usual,” he told her. “I do not wish for you to be rattled and jostled about.”
It would prove a punishment to him, for evidently Mrs Bennet felt it would be an ideal use of the time to discuss each and every detail of their forthcoming wedding, from the sort of lace on Elizabeth’s gown to what foods would be served at the breakfast. Elizabeth knew not how Darcy felt about it, but for herself, the sound of her mother’s voice rapidly produced a headache. When her legs began to ache as well, she could bear the noise of it no more and begged her mother to stop.
“My father has not yet given his consent, Mama. We ought to at least allow him that before we present him with a bill for lace.”
She hoped it would be a matter Darcy attended to forthwith, once they were returned to town. She wondered that he had not written to Mr Bennet or done something of that sort, but she trusted that he would have his reasons and that they were good ones.
Mrs Bennet gave Darcy an odd, penetrating look that Elizabeth wondered about, then quickly turned the subject to something more pointed: Mr Bingley’s strange behaviour. She did not care that Darcy had not seen his friend in above two months; she was sure that he would know Mr Bingley’s intentions for Netherfield—and for Jane.
“He and Jane were so well-suited! And now with you marrying Lizzy… What could be finer than two friends married to sisters?”
“Nothing at all, madam, but I am not certain Bingley knows I proposed to Elizabeth,” Darcy assured her. Elizabeth noticed signs of impatience on his countenance.
Alas, mention of his proposal returned the conversation to the wedding. It was thus with great relief that Elizabeth recognised the familiar sights and sounds of Cheapside and knew Gracechurch Street was near. Inasmuch as she was delighted to arrive at the Gardiners’ residence, she noticed that Darcy appeared to withdraw into himself a little, appearing uneasy. Is Cheapside so distressing to him? Is it because my uncle is a man of occupation?
He glanced up and down the street as he helped her and her mother out of the carriage, saying nothing as the door to the Gardiners’ grand home opened, and Mrs Gardiner exited hard on the heels of her housekeeper.
“Oh, my dear Lizzy! You cannot know how I have worried about you!”
Concerns for Darcy were lost in the wash of her dear aunt’s affection, followed rapidly by the appearance of her little cousins, Elspeth and Grace with little Henry toddling unsteadily out behind them.
“Did you catch the snake?” Grace enquired immediately. “Or did someone shoot it?”
“Shoot a snake!” Mrs Bennet threw her hands up. “What a notion!”
Elizabeth laughed. “No, no one shot it, and I do not think anyone caught it.” Tweaking the girl’s button nose, she said, “I was too busy almost dying to ask about the snake, but in fairness, I must have intruded upon his home. He was only defending himself.”
“They have been eager to know the fate of the snake since the moment they learnt our Lizzy had been injured,” Mrs Gardiner explained. “But let us not stand here on the street! Come in, come in!”
Darcy had moved to the back of his carriage, ostensibly overseeing the footmen who were removing the trunks. When he perceived Elizabeth looking at him, he came near and said, for Elizabeth’s ears only, “Pray expect a note from my sister tomorrow or the next day. She will be eager to meet you. I shall send my carriage to bring you to Mayfair.”
He did not seem to wish for an introduction to Mrs Gardiner; indeed, he glanced at her only briefly before turning his gaze. Mrs Gardiner stood a beat too long, looking expectant, but she was too well-mannered to allow an awkward moment to continue. She quickly turned to move the children back inside, and to link arms with Mrs Bennet and guide her along behind them.
Elizabeth knew that her emotions had been somewhat mercurial since her illness, yet the surge of dismay that brought a lump to her throat seemed warranted. “I daresay my aunt’s carriage will do well enough for the journey.”
“As you wish,” he said and appeared about to say more but then did not. With a small bow, he entered his carriage again and left.
Elizabeth followed behind her aunt and mother, more than a little bewildered by his odd change in demeanour. She said nothing more of the scene to Mrs Gardiner. There was much to do, settling into rooms and refreshing themselves, then arguing over whether Elizabeth was strong enough to be in the drawing room as opposed to her bedchamber. Elizabeth adamantly believed she would do perfectly well without a nap, but her aunt ultimately prevailed, insisting that she lie down for a short time.
When Elizabeth descended into the drawing room an hour later, Mrs Gardiner was alone. “Ah, Lizzy,” she said on seeing her niece. “You do look better. You were so very pale when you stepped out of the carriage!”
“Was I?” Elizabeth laughed lightly as she took a seat in the chair next to her aunt. “I confess the trip was more difficult than I imagined it would be, despite Mr Darcy’s efforts to make me comfortable.”
“How surprised I was when your mother wrote and told me the happy news!” Mrs Gardiner nodded to the housekeeper who had just entered with tea. “And even more surprised when she told me I must say nothing of it to anyone.”
“Certainly you could have been no more surprised than I was to wake from the worst of my illness to learn the happy news myself.”
“He must have improved on further acquaintance,” Mrs Gardiner said with a knowing smile as she handed Elizabeth her cup.
“What do you mean?”
“Oh! Only that…well, I had the impression that…but never mind that. You are engaged! When do you think you will marry?”
“What impression did you have?” Elizabeth urged, leaning forwards. “Aunt, I cannot tell you how…dismaying it is to have been ill as I have and suddenly find myself engaged to a stranger!”
“You have nothing to fear on that account. He comes from an excellent family. His father was all that was good, and I am sure the son cannot be too far from his principles,” Mrs Gardiner replied. “You do know Pemberley is quite near Lambton?”
“The town where you grew up?”
Mrs Gardiner nodded. “Obviously we did not move in the Darcy’s circle, but the region owed its prosperity to the family.”
“I was a little taken aback by his behaviour outside. To my knowledge, he has not generally been so…” ‘Proud’ was what she wished to say but waited instead for her aunt to draw her own conclusion.
“It is the way of the world,” said Mrs Gardiner. “He is very high, my dear, and you will be too once you are married to him.”
Elizabeth nibbled on her lip while she considered that.
“In fact,” Mrs Gardiner said tentatively, “you might wish to…well, he may have some strictures on time that we spend together. I do not doubt, seeing him today, that he might well wish to forget you have relations in trade.”
“You are not merely relations in trade,” Elizabeth retorted staunchly. “You are the dearest people in the world to me, and surely the gentleman who has spent a month utterly devoted to my care would not wish to make me unhappy?”
“I should think not,” Mrs Gardiner said, reaching out to give Elizabeth’s hand a conciliatory squeeze.
“Likely he was only tired from the travel and wished to be home.”
“Very likely indeed,” Mrs Gardiner agreed, although her eyes did not speak the same.