Page 31 of Lizzie’s Spirit

Only a light breeze blew from the north, barely ruffling the waters of Sydney Cove.

Darcy stood to the rear of the poop, glad to escape the crush of bodies dancing on the quarterdeck and unwilling to go below to the Great Cabin where refreshments were laid out.

Yet another night of entertainment—all to bid farewell to the 102nd Regiment for England.

An occasion that produced a universal sentiment of regret among the inhabitants of the colony, with whom they had, for so many years, lived in habits of the closest friendship.

Idly, Darcy watched two Eora women fishing with lines and hooks, their bark canoe lying low on the water.

“Did you know they resent us?” Her soft, musical voice immediately caught his attention.

Miss Bennet had come up beside him, now leaning against the taffrail.

“Oh, undoubtedly for stealing their land—which we certainly are—but also for taking their fish. The women win fish one by one through skill and patience. But thousands of salmon can be taken by just one of our nets. It insults them; it diminishes their self-esteem.”

Miss Bennet turned her face towards him; shadows rimmed her eyes, and her lovely chestnut hair seemed dull in the light reflected from the lanterns suspended from the rigging.

“My apologies, sir, I’m out of spirits.” She turned and looked back towards the gangway, which gave access to the poop.

“Oh dear, they follow—I can find peace nowhere on this vessel.”

A group of young officers of both the 73rd and 102nd came onto the deck. Laughing and joking to themselves, they strode towards her.

“Gentlemen, a moment, please.” Darcy stood to his full height. “The lady seeks not your company; she is indisposed and under my protection.”

There were looks of indignation and some mutterings, but in the colony, none would gainsay a judge-advocate.

Reluctantly, casting glances towards both Darcy and Miss Bennet, they moved away.

In the spaces between the gunports, there were tables set with wine and other fare.

Soon their despondency gave way to a mulled-up camaraderie.

Occasionally, they would glance back at Miss Bennet, and some comment would pass between them, followed by raucous laughter.

At each such episode, Darcy saw Miss Bennet blush; there were tears in her eyes, which she would wipe away with a handkerchief clenched in her gloved hand.

“I’m afraid you’ve long been desiring my absence, but I’ll stay, if only to offer my protection. Would to heaven that anything could be either said or done on my part that might offer consolation to such distress as you so clearly feel.”

“Mr. Darcy!” Miss Bennet gave a heartfelt sigh.

“Oh, that you were my dear Papa, my beloved uncle, an elder brother able to offer comfort and succour. Can you imagine me as your young sister, as I’ve heard you talk of her?

Can we not forget, for one small parcel of time, that you are unconnected to me?

Then propriety would allow me to make some confession to you of my discomfort and wretchedness. ”

“My understanding, Miss Bennet, is you arrived in this country under the guardianship of Mr. Bent. Sadly, his infirmity is such that he must resign his commission as judge-advocate, though it’s not yet been announced.

As his deputy, I assume his responsibilities— ipso facto I am now your guardian.

Please, Miss Elizabeth, you may confide in me. ”

Elizabeth suppressed a sob, turned to Mr. Darcy, and placed her hand upon his arm. Again, a hint of sandalwood and amber. She shivered, but ‘twas not because of the night air, which was pleasantly warm from the northerly breeze.

“My story is not unusual…” She smiled up at him, their eyes met, and a blush spread across her cheeks.

“Oh, I’ve never—even with my father—engaged in such intimacy.

Truly, sir, I must think of you as my attorney or else I shall become addle-pated.

” Even at the height of her distress, she found space to inject humour into her speech.

Darcy loved her for it. Elizabeth looked across to the fisherwomen; they had moved away towards Bennelong Point.

“’Tis young men—why do they pester me so?

I try to show no favours, but I’ve no experience of them, apart from those I met on the Hindostan , where the officers and soldiers alike were kept well away from the quarterdeck, the cabins, and the cuddy, where I spent most of my time with the children.

Even when the regimental wives visited, their husbands were not permitted to accompany them.

The women preferred this, as they could talk to me in confidence, such as I’m talking to you now. ”

Darcy took a deep breath; all at once he felt the import of this: Miss Elizabeth was laying bare her heart to him. Here on the poop of a vessel lying at anchor some ten thousand miles from her home, from her mother, her family, and her closest friends. He was humbled beyond measure. She continued:

“In Meryton, I had yet to come out. The only young men I met were the children of our closest neighbours.

When I was a child, we played together with abandon.

Once grown, they were mostly sent to school, and we only met at neighbourly dinners where they were like as family, and I was still full young.

Many left for university or the army, some joined the navy as midshipmen, others as apprenticed clerks.

“There you have it, sir, my total experience of men. So I’ve come to Sydney: fleeing scandal, unmarried, midwife, in employment, singing opera, womanly.

And my accomplishments? I can manage an estate, keep accounts, converse fluently with foreign traders and captains, read law Latin and French, and have connections.

Do you see, Mr. Darcy, where I find myself?

On the one hand, I certainly must be easy with my virtue, for why else would an unmarried woman—with intimate knowledge of Eve’s custom house—sing opera?

On the other, a bargain for any merchant, settler, or ambitious officer wishing to increase his fortune through trade and commerce.

“You do not know that I’ve been importuned several times, for it’s kept very close.

Once, an officer of the 102nd pulled me outside during an evening soiree and attempted a compromise.

Sgt. Monogan, my ever-present protector, took him aside and thrashed him soundly.

But I’ve told no one, for the sergeant would hang for having struck an officer.

Another…” Elizabeth’s sorrow was palpable.

“…was by one whom I thought a friend. Is it not ironic that in England, with connections to trade and no dowry, none would even notice me?

“I’ve ambition. I dearly love my girls at the orphanage, and Mr. Thompson’s school will be a delight.

I’m not made for drawing-rooms, for taking tea with insipid officers’ wives, even those of barristers and governors.

You didn’t rest easy on your allowance from your father’s estate: you have become a great man—no!

do not deny it—by application, by diligence, by hard work, and by your will alone.

That, sir, is what I wish. Is it too hard to be such a woman in this world where men seem to believe they may take whatever they desire, even my hopes and aspirations? ”

Was there anything he could do for Miss Elizabeth?

She, so full of vigour, so vital, was being smothered by dullards extinguishing her brilliant flame.

They could not see beyond her obvious accomplishments, beyond her connections, beyond her fine womanly figure.

They did not appreciate who she was: her effervescent personality, her generous nature, and her precocious wit.

Later, he realised, this was precisely the right moment to have an epiphany.

“Miss Elizabeth, what thoughts have you on marriage?”

“Dear me—you engage my mind, sir, when it’s my heart that is breaking.

To what purpose is your question? No! Let me answer.

I’ve read much of common law when assisting my Uncle Phillips in his office—I possess a fine hand as a copyist. I’m not inclined to allow any man to be baron or lord over me, his feme under the law.

But under equity, as I’m sure you know being a Chancery lawyer, with an equitable marriage settlement and declaring oneself feme sole rather than feme covert , then I suppose it could be tolerable. ”

Darcy winced: merely tolerable . Was it true happiness in marriage was entirely a matter of chance?

He hoped not. He believed that if the dispositions of the parties were ever so well known to each other, or ever so similar beforehand, then it would advance their felicity; that they would contrive to grow sufficiently alike afterwards to enjoy a life of, if not bliss, then harmony and contentment. Like that of his father and mother.

“But you already know,” Miss Elizabeth continued, “that I’m fleeing marriage.

That Mr. Collins is a fool is without doubt, but I’ve contrived to blame the institution of marriage for my present predicament.

The court assumed Mr. Collins would be my protector and provide protection for my mother and sisters, but notwithstanding him being a clergyman, he would exercise his conjugal rights with or without his wife’s—my—consent.

Maybe it would be better to be dishonoured by a young, impoverished ensign than be raped by one’s lawful husband! ”

She gasped. “My apologies, sir, that was poorly done. I fear my contempt for such men has overcome my good breeding—please forgive me.”

Darcy took Miss Elizabeth’s arm and gently led her to the wooden landing attached to the ship, which was set up to enable the guests to easily disembark from the vessel.

They were taken ashore by a cutter, missing the supper, which was to begin at eleven—the dancing would continue until three in the morning.

He returned her to the orphanage, thanked Sgt.

Monogan for accompanying them, and then retired to his apartments.

***

Elizabeth woke early the next morning to the same thoughts and meditations that had at length closed her eyes.

She could not yet recover from the surprise of what had happened—she had had an intimate conversation with Mr. Darcy; that he was now her guardian.

It being impossible to think of anything else and totally indisposed for employment, she resolved to indulge herself in some extended exercise.

Loosely tying her hair, which was held in place by her bonnet, she proceeded directly to her favourite walk towards Bennelong Point.

When she recalled that Captain Antill—whom she did not have the presence of mind to converse with—sometimes came there, she stopped and, instead of descending to Sydney Cove, turned eastwards to cross the Governor’s Park towards the government stables.

As she walked across the lawns, heading past the stables towards Farm Cove, Mr. Darcy suddenly appeared, having just turned the corner of the building.

They were within twenty yards of each other, and so abrupt was his appearance that it was impossible to avoid his sight.

Their eyes instantly met, and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush.

He absolutely started and for a moment seemed immovable from surprise, but shortly recovering himself, he advanced towards her and spoke, if not in terms of perfect composure, at least of perfect propriety.

“Miss Elizabeth, I was about to ride. Will you accompany me? There’s a splendid gelding that, I know, would suit you admirably.”

Elizabeth blushed again. She was wearing her walking dress, perhaps modest enough to ride side-saddle. She wore her half-Hessians—she could cope. “It would be my pleasure, Mr. Darcy. I would enjoy a ride with you very much indeed.”