Page 56

On a Thursday, Fitzwilliam received a letter from his friend Charles Bingley with an invitation for Mr Darcy and his sister to visit Netherfield beginning as soon as the next Friday or Saturday, and the siblings were invited to remain through the whole of May.

A second paragraph from Mrs Bingley was included as a note to Miss Darcy with a particular invitation.

Miss Darcy, We should be ever so pleased if you will visit. I have four sisters who will be pleased to meet you. There will music on the pianoforte, books, sewing, and the thousands of things that young ladies must discuss outside of the hearing of the gentlemen. Your future friend, Jane Bingley

~~~

As the large carriage passed along the only street in Meryton, it caught the attention of Mr Jones, the local blacksmith.

The man noticed the coat of arms on the side of the coach, but he paid more attention to the matched teams of bay geldings.

He also made note of the two horses for hunting foxes and jumping pasture fences following behind the carriage.

Each of these powerful hunters were ridden by a stable boy.

When the carriage stopped at the local mercantile, Mr Jones left the livery stable in the capable hands of his eldest son and hurried up the muddy street to speak to the coachman and check over the horses.

A gentleman and a much younger lady descended the carriage step and hurried inside the store.

The blacksmith noted the valet and older woman who remained seated in the carriage, but he paid them no heed as he drew closer to the box at the front of the carriage to speak to the coachman.

“Jones! Good to see you man,” the coachman called out before he fastened the reins and climbed down.

“Jasper, you’ve come back to Meryton,” observed the blacksmith as the two men shook hands. They spoke about the team of horses harnessed to the carriage.

The Darcy coachman stated, “I will be bringing the team in some morning this next seven days to have their shoes checked.”

“I’ll give ‘em proper care,” Jones affirmed. “How are the shoes on the hunters?”

The two men spent the remainder of the time the Darcy brother and sister were in the mercantile discussing horses, wheels on carriages, and the state of the stables in the neighbourhood.

George Rockland, the proprietor in the mercantile, did not recognize Mr Darcy – he had met the man only once the previous autumn, but he was attentive to the gentleman and his young charge. The shy, young lady had to clear her throat before she could make her request known.

“A double portion of your best tea leaves please,” Georgiana said.

“Would you like them in a single paper or in two?” asked Mr Rockland.

“One paper please.”

The gentleman paid the cost of the tea leaves but allowed the young woman to carry the small parcel back to the carriage. The coachman quickly climbed back into the box but waited to hear Mr Darcy’s signal of rapping the head of his cane on the roof of the coach to set the horses in motion.

“Netherfield is just over three miles from Meryton,” the gentleman reminded his sister. “We shall be there before noon.”

Watching the carriage and passengers pass down the street with the two riding horses following, Mr Jones smiled.

‘ Good to see horses that get proper care and feed. Darcy…yes, I remember Mr Darcy and his fine steeds. I hope he stays more than a fortnight and brings other swells to Meryton with horses that need new shoes.’

~~~

It was early afternoon when Charles appeared at the door of the linen room above stairs. In this space, he found his bride as she revised the inventory of the Netherfield sheets and blankets with the assistance of Elizabeth and Mrs Hobbes.

“My dear, I need you to join me at the front door,” announced the young master. “Our visitors have arrived.”

With a sweet smile, Jane agreed to the request, “Certainly, Mr Bingley.”

Mrs Hobbes lowered her head but there was a smile on her face as well to hear the happy voices of her employers. But Elizabeth voiced her confusion, “Visitors?”

“Yes, Elizabeth,” replied Charles. “Fitzwilliam Darcy has come for a visit. My wife informed me that he brings his young sister, Georgiana, and I hope you will help Jane keep them here for a month complete.”

The trio hurried to the front of the manor house where Mr Darcy and his sister stood waiting with the footman. There were greetings and thanks for the invitation exchanged before Mrs Bingley said, “Mr Darcy, I am certain you remember my sister, Elizabeth.”

His eyes twinkling and a smile on his lips, Mr Darcy bowed and said, “Miss Elizabeth, I have long anticipated meeting you again at Netherfield or Longbourn.”

“Welcome Mr Darcy,” the blushing young woman replied as she blushed prettily and curtseyed.

Turning back to Jane, Darcy asked, “Mrs Bingley, may I introduce my sister to you and your sister?

“Please Mr Darcy,” Jane replied. “We should be glad to meet Miss Darcy.”

Turning toward the young girl who stood just beside Mr Darcy, the gentleman said, “Mrs Jane Bingley, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, this is my sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy.”

Jane stepped forward as the hostess and took Georgiana’s hand and drew her forward, “Welcome Miss Darcy. Allow the servants to carry your trucks above stairs and I shall send you up to refresh yourself before we serve tea in the parlour.”

“Thank you, Mrs Bingley,” Georgiana replied. “My brother has told me many tales about your home and his visit last autumn.”

“Georgie, there is one more matter,” Darcy reminded his sister as he handed the young girl the package from the mercantile.

“Oh, yes,” Georgiana replied. “Thank you, brother.”

Taking the package from Darcy’s hand, Georgiana curtseyed as she moved to pass the paper to Jane.

With a slight tremor in her voice, Miss Darcy stated, “Mrs Bingley. My brother and I thank you for the opportunity to visit with you and your husband here in Meryton. We hope to meet your neighbours and family often during our visit.”

Accepting the package and thanking the young heiress for her thoughtfulness, Jane sat the package on the table and with a pair of snips from a pocket, cut the string. Opening the folded paper, Jane and everyone caught the scent of new tea leaves.

“Miss Darcy, this is a welcome gift for our table. Thank you,” said Jane with sincerity.

Elizabeth smiled seeing her sister receive the gift of a double order of fresh tea leaves.

She glanced up to catch Mr Darcy’s eye and he reminded her, “Miss Elizabeth, our first meeting occurred at the same mercantile in Meryton where my sister and I purchased these leaves. It was last autumn, and you recommended tea leaves as a suitable gift for the hostess at that time.”

“Every household welcomes fresh tea, Mr Darcy,” Elizabeth replied. “It is always a thoughtful gift.”

“We enjoyed the tea for many weeks Darcy,” Charles replied. He turned to Jane and asked, “My dear, how many times does the cook reuse tea leaves in our kitchen?”

~~~

The next day, Charles and Jane brought the Darcys to Longbourn.

The Bennet family renewed their acquaintance with Mr Darcy before everyone was introduced to Miss Darcy.

While the gentlemen moved to the library for a few moments, the ladies gathered in the parlour to discuss the latest fashions, foods and beverages.

When tea was mentioned, Mrs Bennet discussed how her brother provided her family with ample tea.

“Our uncle gifts us with tea each year,” Miss Mary explained. “At Christmas, he gifts our mother with a new tea caddy directly from China stuffed full of leaves.”

Motioning toward the mantle over the fireplace, there were six porcelain tea caddies were displayed on the mantle.

The different colours and shapes of the jars were attractive, and Georgiana decided, ‘I shall have Mrs Jones place an empty tea caddy on the fireplace mantle in the breakfast dining room in London. Mrs Reynolds would ignore me at Pemberley.’

Mrs Bennet spoke of the economy of reusing tea leaves and how her household was fortunate to have an ample supply of fresh leaves throughout the year.

Georgiana observed that Mrs Bingley and Miss Elizabeth directed their mother to speaking about sewing and the latest fashions from London while the other sisters whispered and stared at Miss Darcy’s fine dress and bonnet.

In the library, Mr Bingley excused himself for a moment to speak to his coachman and Fitzwilliam found himself seated across from Mr Bennet without anyone to introduce new topics.

And for a long minute, Mr Bennet simply watched Darcy grow uncomfortable but then he took pity and asked, “Mr Darcy, was there anything in particular you wished to discuss before we join the ladies in the parlour?”

“I assure you that Jane and Lizzy will safeguard your sister from my younger daughters and their questions about her elegant gown, but Mrs Bennet will only wait a few minutes before she begins her interrogation of Miss Darcy’s preparations for her presentation to Her Majesty, the Queen.”

“Yes,” Darcy replied. He took a deep breath and in a single sentence declared his admiration for Miss Elizabeth and requested Mr Bennet’s permission to court and marry her.

Mr Bennet blinked and realised the tall, proud Fitzwilliam Darcy was nervous about being rejected. Recognizing his daughter would be displeased if he played his usual word games with the other gentleman, Thomas chose to simply ask, “Have you have stolen a march on me, Mr Darcy?”

Confused by the use of the idiom, Darcy asked, “Sir?

With a slight smirk on his lips and re, Mr Bennet asked, “Are you just beginning this courtship or does Lizzy anticipate an engagement this summer?”

Darcy immediately replied, “Miss Elizabeth knows my intentions and I believe she welcomes them.”