Page 26 of Ever After End
CHAPTER 25
L ater in the drawing room, the ladies had tea while the men spent a half hour in the dining room. Elizabeth found that this was Miss Winslow’s and Miss Blackwood’s worst moment of the day. The ladies never showed themselves to advantage during that quiet half hour when it was only the women, and the men were not near to hear the worst of their bile.
“Miss Abernathy, wherever did you order that charming gown?” asked Miss Winslow unkindly. “It is so lovely to see how you make the most of your limited means. Such an inspiration.”
“Miss Penfield also shows such strength of character in her lack of embellishments,” said Miss Blackwood, immediately getting into the spirit of the scene. “I would never have the courage to wear something so simple. Miss Penfield must be so confident! What do you think, Miss Bingley? You seem to be able to afford a proper amount of embellishment.”
“Simple my attire may be, but at least I need not fear having my character overshadowed by my wardrobe,” answered Miss Penfield in the stern, unruffled way that she always used when responding to Miss Winslow and that lady's only friend at Ever After End.
Miss Bingley looked around at the other ladies, and for once in her life, decided not to fall in with the set she might have once called her friends. She had made a very determined effort since her conversation with Mr Darcy not to be snobbish or to disdain others. Miss Darcy never behaved thus; he and Miss Darcy had positively fled from Mrs Knightley’s acquaintance in Highbury. Miss Bingley had come to the realisation that the only reason Mr Darcy consented to know her was a deep respect for her brother, thus she had been endeavouring to behave more generously, using Miss Darcy as her example. She had already seen a difference in her reception in town last winter.
“I believe some ladies are fortunate not to require such adornment for their merits to be recognised,” she said. “The rest of us must gild the lily , and hope for the best.”
“Well said, Miss Bingley. Your dress is all that is lovely, Miss Abernathy,” assured Elizabeth. “And is it not convenient how plain attire is often surprisingly effective at repelling the company of those one would rather avoid?”
“One would think your younger sister was attempting to repel every man here, so simple are her gowns,” smirked Miss Winslow. “Not a scrap of lace!”
“Some ladies seek to eschew vanity, Miss Winslow,” bit out Elizabeth acidly. “How kind you are to remind us all that the worst of society value silk over substance.”
“Yes, yes, we know, Miss Winslow, you think you beat the dutch? 1 ,” interrupted Miss Dutton. “Must be hard to acknowledge the corn that with all your bells and whistles, Miss Mary Bennet still has more beaux than you. I would think a lady the men draw straws not to escort into dinner would know not to throw rocks in glass houses.”
The women all turned on the pair of cats, once again Miss Dutton having put them in their place neatly, even though none of them had even understood half of what she said.
When they were joined by the men, the ladies took turns displaying at the instruments. The harp and other small instruments were moved into the drawing room for just such purpose each evening. Miss Darcy’s courage was unequal to displaying in front of the entire house, but there was enough talent to keep the company entertained. Mr Darcy, Miss Darcy, and Miss Bates retired after a little while, Mr Darcy glaring at Mr Bingley, who was blissfully ignorant of his friend’s frustration. The carpets had been rolled back, and though tables were available for cards, the young people all enjoyed pairing up and dancing several sets before the company retired. Bingley was the last of the men to retire, not going to bed until he had seen Jane go up the staircase to the second floor, before turning down the hall to find the other staircase that led to the bachelors’ wing on the third floor.
Barnaby had been correct, Elizabeth thought the following morning. It was certainly going to rain that day. Elizabeth enjoyed her walk on her own. It did not appear that Captain Lytton’s interest in Mary had borne fruit, nor did it seem that Mr Cartwright’s attention extended to rain. Elizabeth had no objection to either man’s absence, and went out in the company of her footman, who came armed with an enormous umbrella in case the skies opened.
Elizabeth curtailed her walk rather more than she would wish, for though her footman John would keep her head dry, it was not right for her to force him into a drenching in order to cater to her whims. She walked only a half hour before she turned back, taking a different route home. She wondered if Miss Ashford and Mr Audley had gone out on horseback. They were the only enthusiasts as mad as she about their exercise.
Suddenly at the entrance to another path, a large black horse emerged, and nearly trampled her. She just about managed not to scream, for she understood that the last thing that would help the situation would be for her to frighten the horse further. She was still terribly shaken, and took a seat gratefully when Mr Darcy dismounted and led her to a large boulder.
“Miss Elizabeth, you have my apologies! I should have been going slower, but I thought that with the impending weather, there would be few guests about, particularly so early in the morning,” Mr Darcy said as he assisted her to sit.
“There are a few of us in favour of early morning exercise, though I may be the only one besides yourself mad enough to go out when it is certain to rain.” Elizabeth smiled at him.
“I was familiarising myself with the locations of the boundary problems my aunt has with her tenants,” Darcy explained.
“Ah, so you have a good reason and perhaps you are not so mad as I am, simply a good godson to Mrs Darlington,” Elizabeth observed. She then stood. “I am sorry to have frightened your horse, sir. I am well enough to return to the house.”
“Indeed you should before the skies open, Miss Elizabeth. May I escort you?” he asked. “It is the least I can do after I nearly trampled you.”
“Certainly,” Elizabeth agreed, taking his arm and they walked as his horse followed them. After some minutes, during which Mr Darcy seemed to wish to speak, but knew not how, she opened a conversation. “Mr Darcy, perhaps this might be forward of me, but I wanted you to know I saw your concern when your aunt suggested that your sister spend the day with me and my younger sister. I only thought that I would give you my assurance that I have four sisters, sir, and I know very well what it is to worry. My youngest sisters might be full young, but they are good girls with much growing up to do. My other two sisters who are here with me, we have spent our lives in observance of propriety, so our actions never negatively affect the others. We will not lead her into trouble and want nothing from her but friendship, which is probably your greatest concern.”
“I beg your pardon, but how could you know that?” asked Darcy, looking at her intently.
“Your aunt told me your sister is shy and very sheltered,” Elizabeth pointed out. “You are her guardian, so it has obviously been you who sheltered her. You are also very wealthy; your sister’s dowry must be generous, and she is full young. People must approach you with mercenary intent constantly, and it goes without saying that you must be careful who she associates with. I only seek to assure you that your aunt likely suggested the company of Mary and myself because we are accustomed to the company of younger girls. My youngest sister is Miss Darcy’s age, and we are none of us unkind, nor mercenary.”
“I cannot say that you are wrong, Miss Bennet, so I will only thank you for your acuity,” said Darcy. “I do worry for my sister.”
“Of course you do,” said Elizabeth, as they stepped around a small rut in the path. “My sisters and I cannot compare to your family’s wealth, but Jane and I experienced a change in fortune last year, and it caused everyone we know to treat us differently, or expect something from us, whether it was money or marriage. It did not take me long to learn what it is to worry that my sisters might be used by unscrupulous individuals in order to target my fortune, and my fortune is small indeed compared to many others. You must have a lifetime of such experience.”
“I appreciate your assurances, Miss Elizabeth, your instincts do you credit,” answered Mr Darcy.
They returned to the house just in time to escape the rain, and Elizabeth dashed inside as Darcy went to the stables to tend his horse. Later at breakfast, Mrs Darlington announced that the first rainy day of the season at Ever After End was always spent playing Hide and Seek.
“There are some rules,” the lady informed them. “Ladies and gentlemen must hide and seek in pairs of two, so that no one finds themselves alone with a member of the opposite sex. Only the public rooms on the ground and first floors may be hidden in or searched, and the doors of all of those rooms must remain open for the entire day. The chaperones will be all about the house. It is always a wonderful way to expend some energy on a day of poor weather, and my guests have always agreed it helps break any remaining ice between the guests admirably. Major Bartholomew is in charge of the house for the day. I shall be in my study with my godson attending to estate matters. The music room is off limits for the game, but Miss Marmaduke will be there with my niece if any ladies would rather practise than play. The game begins a half hour after breakfast.”
When breakfast was over, Jane accompanied Mrs Darlington and the two gentlemen to the study. It was amusing to Elizabeth to see all of the grown men and women running about giggling to play a game many of them had not played since childhood. Elizabeth and Mary played with their Gardiner cousins each year when they came for Christmas, so they did not feel left out when they entered the music room with Miss Darcy and Miss Bates.
Mary spent an hour with them, practising her harp-lute, then Elizabeth encouraged her to go and join the game. Mary had several admirers, and she ought to make the most of her opportunities here. Elizabeth spent the next hours playing, singing, and laughing a great deal with Miss Darcy, Miss Bates, and Miss Marmaduke. The ladies took turns playing duets, and experimenting with the numerous rare instruments Miss Marmaduke kept there that they had never played before. When the gong was rung in the afternoon, indicating it was time to dress for dinner, the ladies were by then fast friends, and on first name terms.
1 ? 19th century American slang for ‘better than others.’