Page 68 of Obligation and Redemption
“You continue to persist in your belief of my trying to ensnare you.” Elizabeth locked eyes with him, yet he did not respond.
“I see; well then, if you will excuse me.” She stood and started towards the door.
She stopped as she put her hand on the knob and then turned back.
He had stood and was watching her with an indiscernible mien.
“I believe that I will be taking my dinner in my room this evening.”
“If that is your wish,” Darcy replied. Then Elizabeth opened the door and left him to ponder how he might most easily manage this new barrier to their marital felicity.
THREE DAYS LATER, an unsuspecting Elizabeth was shocked to be awakened in the morning by a maid completely unfamiliar to her.
She had been sleeping quite well since Mr. Darcy’s question about her being accustomed to the marriage.
He did not come to her the evening of his inquiry, which told her of his forbearance despite his wishes.
This revelation of his character comforted her, for she realised that although he was taciturn and difficult to bear at times, Mr. Darcy did at least consider her feelings on the matter now that the first night of their union was behind them.
Elizabeth finally felt as though she could relax when entering her bedchamber at night and so had slept a full night uninterrupted by strange sounds.
“Good morning, ma’am. My name is Janette, and I will be serving you. Mr. Darcy has hired me as your permanent lady’s maid.”
“What about Laura? I mean no offence, but I had become accustomed to her.”
“Oh, but Mrs. Carpenter cannot serve you any longer for she left this morning for the country estate.”
“Without saying goodbye?” Elizabeth wiped the sleep from her eyes, as she looked around puzzled. “I am sure she would have said something. She cannot have left.”
“But she has. I saw her leave myself. Mrs. Carpenter told me about your preferences and asked me to tell you that she thanks you for allowing her to serve you, and that it was her pleasure. But now that I’m here, there is no need for her attending you, so she left for the winter.”
Elizabeth was silent as her now fully awakened mind took in the news. How dare he send Laura away without a word to me, or a chance to say goodbye! How long must I endure his punishments? “Did Laura say anything else?”
“Not that I recall.”
So this is it? This is all I am to know on the matter. “Please pick a frock for me; I plan on going down for breakfast this morning.” Elizabeth was determined to give Mr. Darcy her own opinion. She knew this was his punishment for taking Laura to Cheapside with her, and she would have her say.
Darcy was stunned when Elizabeth walked into the breakfast room, a look of determination upon her brow. He stood quickly and performed a heedless bow. “Elizabeth…”
“Mr. Darcy, how are you this morning?” She continued to the sideboard and added a boiled egg to her otherwise empty plate. Darcy watched her as she crossed the room and then sat at her seat, head held high.
“I am well. Thank you for asking. This is a fine surprise having you join me. ”
“Do you like surprises? For I confess I do not, especially when those surprises are of the unpleasant sort.” Darcy began to realise that her purpose was not to enjoy an early morning breakfast in his company.
He had suspected that she would not take kindly to his interference in the selection of her lady’s maid, but he also suspected that had he not taken the initiative, Elizabeth would have desired keeping Laura on, who though kind and comforting to a new bride on her wedding night, could not possibly fulfil the role of abigail to a lady trying to impress the ton .
Also, Darcy did not care for the bond Elizabeth seemed to be forming with the woman.
He would not have his wife in close conference with a servant, no matter the association with her relations.
Darcy expected a backlash and was ready for her onslaught.
“I am sorry if you have experienced any unpleasant surprises while at Darcy House. I can assure you that none were meant to be so.”
Elizabeth chose to remain silent looking at the servant and back to Darcy to communicate her desire for some privacy. Darcy, also not desiring an audience, dismissed his servant with a nod of his head. “Did you wish to speak with me?”
Having not touched the egg before her, she gently put down her fork while saying with quiet determination, “How dare you send my lady’s maid away without consulting me or even telling me for that matter?
I always supposed that the wife of a gentleman, no matter her previous rank in society, at least had the prerogative of choosing or dismissing her own lady’s maid.
” Her eyes communicated the ire that her tone did not.
“I pay Mrs. Carpenter’s salary; she has been in my employ for many years now.
Of course I have the right and inclination to direct her responsibilities.
With Mrs. Johnson, I chose her to serve you as your maid until I found a replacement.
I believe you were told that she was temporary on that first day of your arrival.
” Darcy’s eyes unwaveringly held her own until she looked away.
“Well, I hired a replacement, so Laura joined a small group of servants who were destined for Pemberley just this morning. I saw no need to delay her departure, since there would be no other servants leaving until after Christmas.”
“I knew she was temporary, but I had decided that I would like to keep her on. Is that not my prerogative? On that first night, Laura said that she would be serving me until I chose a new lady’s maid. I have not done so.”
“I understand your desire to choose your own maid, but I knew that moving forward in hiring another would come difficult for you, so I took over the task and hired a woman with much experience and pristine references. You might not know how few skilled, reliable and discreet lady’s maids there are available to choose amongst. I found out about her availability and interviewed her while you were out shopping yesterday.
We were fortunate she could begin so quickly.
Within a few days you will have forgotten about Mrs. Carpenter and begun to see the practicality of this situation. ”
“But Laura has been the one light for me during this dark time, and you send her away without even a chance to say goodbye?” Elizabeth was becoming more impassioned as the conversation continued.
“I can see you are pleased with your interference in this matter. You suppose that you know better than my own mind what is best for me, even in such intimate concerns as which person will dress me.” Elizabeth’s eyes were hot with tears as she considered the justification for her anger.
“Your face betrays you, and now I can only wonder at my own surprise concerning your level of connivance in my affairs.”
“Elizabeth, I did what was best for you and Mrs. Carpenter. She knew that you were becoming too attached to her; you put her in an untenable situation.”
“All you see is a servant when you look at her. I see a person with a history, feelings, and hopes. I would never have caused her to feel any less than the kind woman that she is.”
“And I replaced her for you and your entrance into society. Elizabeth, do you suppose that there is a female in London who would not tear you apart at the first sign of inadequacy? Your friend does not have the experience or skill to prepare you for your introduction into society, considering the monumental hurdle you have to overcome on the basis of your origins. Even now, the vicious mamas and daughters, jockeying for their place in society, are sizing you up, ready to judge every article of clothing that adorns your body and every motion you make. And men will be even less forgiving in their assessment as they attempt to determine how you were able to ensnare the master of Pemberley. All of them will be looking for your every flaw, and as my wife, I am determined to circumvent their endeavours against you.”
“That is what this is all about – how you will appear in front of your so-called friends. You know, I bet you don’t even like those people.
You keep me tucked away from your family and social engagements while you go behind the scenes trying to prepare your connections for the undeserving Mrs. Darcy.
You have probably told them that your abounding goodness and great mercy constrained you to the exalted humiliation of joining yourself with a mere gentleman’s daughter.
And now they have only to see how your benevolence will prepare me to take my place beside you and your accomplished sister. ”
Darcy’s eyes darkened at her mention of Georgiana. “How dare you speak of my sister when you don’t even know her?”
“Yes, of course I do not know her; she is living not four blocks away and yet you have kept us apart, not desiring to even make the introduction. You are ashamed of your token obligation to the point that you refuse to even present me to your younger sister.”
“You can have no understanding of my motivations or desires on the matter.” He stood, dropping his serviette beside his plate.
“I will not continue this conversation while you attempt to put yourself at odds with me and my sister. You will thank me, Mrs. Darcy, when you make your debut, and until then there will be no more talk of Mrs. Carpenter.” Darcy then departed the room while struggling to maintain his composure in light of her ill-judged attack.