Page 15 of Reputation, an Easy Thing to Lose (Reputation Verse #1)

Chapter 14

Adding Injury to Insults

Gracechurch Street, Cheapside, Lo ndon

25 April 1813

E lizabeth was looking forward to the day with her family. This would be a whole day without having to deal with scheming ladies trying to win her husband’s money or mildly insulting questions about her family. She planned on finally interrogating Jane, in a nice way, about her relationship with Bingley and perhaps taking her young cousins to the park after luncheon to feed the ducks. As the carriage pulled up to the Gardiners’ residence, Elizabeth looked forward to her boisterous cousins’ greetings.

What greeted her instead was an overly familiar Andrew Tannerbaugh and a scowling Ed ward.

“Miss Lizzy , how wonderful to see you. It has been far too long since we have been in company.” Tannerbaugh managed to secure Elizabeth’s hand before she could respond, and bowed low. His lips made decidedly more than a brushing touch to the back of her knuc kles.

Finding her voice, Elizabeth responded with a mildly scolding tone. “Mr. Tannerbaugh, it has been barely a week since my uncle’s dinner party where we were initially introduced. I would say that is not long at all for persons of such little acquaintance.” Finally breaking from Tannerbaugh’s grasp, Elizabeth moved to Edward. “Uncle, I am so glad to see you. I have been looking forward to seeing my family for an extended visit. I was unaware that you had business associates to entertain today.” Elizabeth emphasized busi ness .

“Oh no, Miss Lizzy, I am not here to discuss business with your uncle. I have been invited by your aunt to spend the morning in the company of good friends.” Tannerbaugh tried again to separate Elizabeth from her recalcitrant uncle by taking her hand to lead her into the parlour, but Elizabeth was not about to be handled by this man.

“I am delighted to hear you have become so acquainted with my aunt in merely five days. Perhaps you should enjoy your friends without my interference. I shall speak to my uncle for a few moments.” Elizabeth and Edwards were about to head back to the study when Madeline finally came into the hall to stop her niece and husband from ruining Tannerbaugh’s p lans.

“Now, Lizzy, what nonsense is this? Mr. Tannerbaugh would not see your inclusion in our party as interference at all, I am sure. In fact, we were all saying the other day how much your lively presence would brighten the entire af fair.”

“Why, Aunt Maddie, how nice of you to include me. I see I must ask you for news of my mother, as it is obvious you have been exchanging letters with the lady. Tell me of the news in Meryton.” Elizabeth’s normally soft eyes were hard and cold as she sent the barb in her aunt’s direction. Both Jane and Mary cringed, but could not disagree that their aunt’s words sounded much like what their mother would say in the same situation. Perhaps it was as Mrs. Bennet had always said: finding good husbands for five daughters could change a pe rson.

Elizabeth made a beeline for the empty seat on the settee by Jane, that their aunt had recently vacated. She safely placed herself between her sisters and took each of their hands in her own. Edward, Madeline, and Tannerbaugh entered shortly after Elizabeth, and each was at a loss as to where to sit. All the other seating in the room was designed to be slightly separated from the settee and slipper chair where Jane, Madeline, and Mary had previously been sitting to provide Elizabeth and Tannerbaugh some private conversation. Elizabeth had immediately noticed the re -a rranged floor plan and was becoming more and more uncomfortable with the situation. Perhaps she should outright ask that her carriage be brought back around and invite her family to visit at Darcy House when they would be free from other social obligations. Jane and Madeline glanced at each other and inwardly sighed. This was not going well.

After a moment of awkward standing about, and overly enthusiastic questions from Elizabeth of her sisters, the maid brought in a lovely tea service. Jane hopped up to serve their guests and invited Tannerbaugh to take a seat. Never one to miss an opportunity, Tannerbaugh sat close to Elizabeth on the settee. Elizabeth’s alarmed expression caused Edward to ignore his wife’s invitation to sit with her on a sofa a bit removed from the young people. Instead, he dragged a chair across the floor to a position near his nieces and his guest. Madeline had to stop herself from stamping her foot in aggrava tion.

Mary was extremely confused, but could tell her sister Elizabeth was alarmed, her aunt was frustrated, her sister Jane was concerned, and her uncle was resigned somehow. Madeline had been so sure this morning that Elizabeth would welcome Tannerbaugh’s presence, and perhaps there would even be an understanding of some kind between the two. Mary reasoned that if there was ever going to be any understanding, the fewer people witness to it, the better. She excused herself to go and check on the Gardiner children in their nur sery.

Madeline also excused herself to check on the kitchen arrangements for dinner that evening. Jane decided to stay, since Elizabeth looked near a panic, but she placed herself on a seat closer to her uncle instead of taking the slipper chair, which had been vacated by Mary. Tannerbaugh decided that now was his opportunity to speak to Eliza beth.

“Lizz y, I…”

Elizabeth cut him off, immediately. “ Mr . Tannerbaugh, I am sure you are a welcome friend to my aunt and uncle, but I have never given you leave to address me so informally. Please remember that I am a gentlewoman and will not tolerate being disrespected in such a way.”

Some of the irritation of the morning seeped into Tannerbaugh’s facade, and it is well known that angry people are not always wise. “Miss Elizabeth, I believe you will find that you are no longer a gentlewoman, but simply a gently bred servant. I have been trying to change that situation, but I will not tolerate such insolence from you when you are my wife.”

“And when exactly do you believe that I shall be your wife, sir? So far, you have been barely introduced to me at a crowded dinner party, you have taken extreme liberties both with my person and my name on the second day we have ever been in company together, and now you have insulted me most grievously. I should like to never see your face again after this moment, and I can assure you that I shall never agree to be your wife!”

Elizabeth was shouting now, properly shouting. It was as if both the egotistical assurance from Collins’s proposal and the insulting barbs from Darcy’s first proposal were combined into one especially insulting moment. At least this delusional man had not taken forever to state his pur pose.

Jane and Edward stared open mouthed at the couple sitting on the settee. It was unimaginable that Tannerbaugh had said such a thing. Perhaps he had been given too many assurances of her acceptance. Jane doubted again whether she and Madeline were correct to introduce Elizabeth to eligible men, when Tannerbaugh suddenly reached out and struck Elizabeth across the c heek.

The next moment lasted an eternity. Tears formed in Elizabeth’s eyes as she held her palm to her face, but the ice and fire in her stare never faltered. Edward pulled the younger man to his feet roughly by the back of his cravat, choking him. Madeline, having entered the room just as Tannerbaugh’s hand connected with Elizabeth’s face, wheeled on her heels and opened the front door so her husband could throw the ruffian down the front steps without so much as one word.

Once her family was back in the parlour, Elizabeth spoke. “Aunt, if you will have a cold compress sent to me, I require a few minutes of rest before continuing with our visit. Perhaps, when I return, we can put all this scheming to rest. Uncle, I trust you to handle this in any way you see fit.”

Elizabeth ascended the stairs without even a cursory glance back to her fa mily.

Jane was nearly drowning in her own tears. “To think, we introduced Lizzy to that horrible man, not knowing his character! He struck her during their first conversation. Think what she might have endured had she actually been inclined to marry him!” Jane was shaking now and worrying a hole into her handkerc hief.

“Calm yourself, Jane. Elizabeth was never in danger of marrying that man. She does not desire a suitor, and perhaps it is time that you both begin to trust me on this matter. I know what is best for Elizabeth, and it is not a man like Mr. Tannerbaugh,” Edward gently chided his wife and n iece.

“Yes, Edward. It seems that Lizzy is better off as she is now. I will let you handle this from now on. Jane, would you take Lizzy a cold compress while your uncle and I retire to the study for a w hile?”

“Of course, Aunt. I will go now.”

Elizabeth was laying on the bed shared by Jane and Mary, silently weeping into Jane’s pillowcase. The elder sister came to sit on the bedside and laid the cold compress gently on her younger sister’s face. “Lizzy, I am so sorry for what has happened here today. I know that you have been unhappy about our attempts to find you a suitor, and we should never have encouraged Mr. Tannerbaugh against your wi shes.”

“No, Jane, you should not have. You know I have never wanted a husband simply for the sake of security, so why would you encourage one so much as to be expecting my acceptance?” The betrayal s tung.

“I am worried about your future happiness and feeling guilty about your choice to take a position to save me from such a fate. I am the oldest. I should have been the one to become a governess and lose my position in society for the sake of my sisters. Instead, I entertain a courtship with Charles while you have lost everything to save us all.” Jane couldn’t stop herself from shedding sympathetic t ears.

Elizabeth smiled at the inadvertent admission by her sister. “I have been hoping to hear confirmation of your understanding with Mr. Bingley. I am very glad for you! You will make a beautiful bride. If you do not think that the Pemberley garden is too far from London for the affair, I might say that the rose garden in the fall is quite picture sque.”

“Lizzy! You cannot offer the use of someone else’s house for such a thing as a wed ding!”

“You are right, Jane, and if I was merely Georgiana’s social companion, my offer would be highly inappropriate. But in truth, I am more than a servant in the Darcy household. I have kept this from you, believing it was better, but I can see I have only brought you pain.” Elizabeth took a deep breath and sat up on the bed. “You must never tell anyone else, but I am not Miss Elizabeth Bennet any lo nger.”

Jane’s confusion turned to astonishment. She sat heavily on the hope chest at the end of the bed and was unable to find any w ords.

Reaching for her sister’s hand to comfort her disquiet, Elizabeth continued. “William and I were married in a private ceremony in the Darcy family chapel on my birthday last. Uncle Edward signed the marriage settlement before we left London. Only he, Georgiana, Lydia, and the Darcy house servants know. We have come up with the story about my taking the position as Georgiana’s companion to protect Georgiana during her coming out season. I am sorry I did not trust you with this ear lier.”

Suddenly, all of Elizabeth’s, Darcy’s, and Edward’s previously baffling behaviour made much more sense. “Are you happy, Lizzy? Please tell me you have not sacrificed your own happiness still for our sakes. Especially after the regrettable events of this morning, I would have you do anything but marry without affec tion.”

Elizabeth smiled from behind her cold compress. “I am happier than I have ever been.”

A wide smile creased the corners of Jane’s usually serene face. “Then, that is all that mat ters.”