Page 1 of To India with Mr. Darcy

T he carriage rumbled over the uneven streets of Portsmouth, and Elizabeth Bennet leaned eagerly towards the window, her eyes bright with excitement. Beyond the narrow alleyways, the harbour stretched out before them—a lively, chaotic expanse of activity. Ships of every size and purpose bobbed gently on the water, their masts swaying like tall reeds in the wind, their promise of adventure calling to her. Dockworkers moved briskly among stacks of barrels and crates, while sailors called out to one another in voices made rough by sea air and salt.

“Oh, Jane, look at that ship! It must be the Belmont ,” Elizabeth exclaimed, her gloved hand resting on the window frame. “Is it not magnificent? Imagine all the places it has seen—the far-off lands it has touched!”

Jane leaned back against the seat with a soft smile, her expression more subdued. “I am sure it is very grand,” she said gently, “but it does seem rather far from home.”

“That is precisely my point!” Elizabeth turned to her with a broad smile. “Think of the adventure, Jane. We shall see more in a single year than many will see in a lifetime. You are surely as excited as I am.”

Opposite them, Mr Gardiner folded his newspaper and smiled at the sisters. “Elizabeth certainly has the spirit of a traveller. But this journey is not all adventure—it is also business. India is a land of opportunity, and I mean to make the most of it.”

Elizabeth’s curiosity was piqued. “Uncle, I know you have spoken of expanding your trade, but you have never told us precisely what your business entails.”

Mr Gardiner chuckled. “I suppose I have not. My warehouse in London deals primarily in imported goods—fine fabrics, silks, and leathers, among other things. The demand for such items grows each year, and I have long considered securing direct suppliers rather than relying solely on intermediaries. Besides, I seek to expand into spices, sugar, and teas. Thus, our journey to India.”

Mrs Gardiner nodded, her eyes warm with encouragement. “Your uncle’s ambition is admirable. The trade routes between England and India are flourishing. A successful arrangement could set his business apart.”

Elizabeth turned back to the window, gazing at the bustling docks. “And this Mr Bingley you speak of?” she asked. “I understand he is involved in trade as well?”

“Indeed,” Mr Gardiner said with a nod. “Mr Bingley’s family made their fortune in trade, and though he has plenty of men he could send on this journey, he takes a vested interest in his investments and enjoys seeing to the details himself. I met him through a mutual acquaintance some months ago and when he heard I was seeking to expand eastwards, he kindly offered to be something of a mentor to me, introducing me to the correct people, that sort of thing. We have been corresponding for some time, and he has expressed an interest in expanding into textiles. India is the perfect place for such an enterprise.”

“How very exciting,” Elizabeth replied, feeling the truth of it in her bones. It felt like a new beginning for everyone. She leaned forward eagerly. “And what of Mr Bingley’s companion? You mentioned he is bringing one. Is he part of your business as well?”

Mr Gardiner hesitated. “Not precisely. He is invested in several ventures but takes little interest in the finer details. I gather he is accompanying Bingley out of loyalty rather than any true passion for trade.”

Mrs Gardiner smiled. “And perhaps to see more of the world. Not all men of fortune care to stay in their fine houses forever.”

“And if all goes well, Uncle,” Elizabeth said, “you may return home with the finest silks and spices England has ever seen.”

Mr Gardiner laughed. “If all goes well, my dear, I may return home with far more than that.”

Mrs Gardiner nodded, her eyes warm with encouragement. “And it is no small thing to be invited on such an expedition. Few young ladies have the chance to sail across oceans and experience another world. There will be so much to learn.”

“But a year is a very long time,” Jane mused, her head against the cushioned bench as she gazed out at the dock. “I shall miss Longbourn—the gardens, the familiar lanes and, of course, our family. It has all seemed such a dream until now, and it is only just dawning on me how long we shall be away from England.”

Elizabeth reached for her sister’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “They will all be there when we return. And just think, dear Jane—what stories we shall have to tell them!”

The carriage came to a halt, and Mr Gardiner opened the door, stepping down first and then turning to assist his wife. Elizabeth followed eagerly, the sea breeze brushing her face and filling her lungs with its sharp, invigorating scent. The hum of the dockside life enveloped them at once—voices rising and falling in a dozen accents, the creak of ship rigging, the clatter of cartwheels over cobblestones.

She took in a deep breath and let herself absorb the moment. She had, for months now, been craving something bigger, something more. And so when Uncle Gardiner invited her and Jane to accompany him and his wife on a business expedition, Elizabeth knew she would not decline. This was her chance to be free, to explore and learn about life, far from the small Hertfordshire village in which she resided.

Beside her, she could feel Jane’s hesitation, and she reached out for her sister’s hand to squeeze it. Jane had never had as much of an adventurous spirit as Elizabeth herself, but Elizabeth was proud of her for joining them all the same. She was certain they would all have a marvellous time.

“A year is not as long as you think, Jane, and it might not even be as long as that,” Mr Gardiner added. “Four to five months at sea, a month in India, and then home again. If we secure our business arrangements quickly, we may even return sooner.”

Elizabeth shot Jane a teasing glance. “Why, Jane, you might even be sorry to leave once you have had a taste of the open sea.”

“I rather doubt that,” Jane replied with a soft laugh, though Elizabeth could see that her concerns had been, to some degree, waylaid. “I suppose if you are determined to convince me, then I shall do my best to be persuaded.”

Elizabeth laughed and slipped her arm through Jane’s. “That’s the spirit. Now, come along and let’s begin this greatest adventure of our lives! Who knows where it will lead us?”

“Well, to India, one should hope,” Jane teased.

The four made their way towards the waiting ship, the Belmont rising above them with its taut sails and sturdy hull—a promise of new beginnings, new places, and all the freedom the open sea could offer. They came to a stop amongst a large group of people waiting to embark onto the ship. Crew members darted up and down the gangway, shifting trunks and moving cargo. Just in front, a man sat at a makeshift table, checking off passengers and double-checking tickets.

“I shall inform them that we have arrived,” Mr Gardiner said, and as he left, Elizabeth allowed herself to take in more of her surroundings.

The harbour bustled around her, yet her attention was caught by two striking gentlemen standing a short distance away, deep in conversation. They seemed entirely absorbed in their own discussion, heedless of the clamour around them. She watched them curiously. She couldn’t help but wonder who they were and whether they would be joining them on the ship.

“Goodness,” Mrs Gardiner said, though Elizabeth only heard it in the background of her thoughts. “There are an awful lot of people here, aren’t there?”

“India is clearly a popular destination,” Jane agreed.

The taller of the two men stood with his arms crossed, his brow furrowed as though the very air around him was a source of vexation. His dark, handsome features were marred by an expression of unmistakable displeasure. Though finely dressed, there was nothing ostentatious about him—his coat neatly tailored, his cravat perfectly tied—but his rigid posture suggested a man for whom order and duty were paramount. His gaze rested on the ship with the air of one contemplating a necessary but unwelcome task.

The other man, fairer and younger in appearance, was his opposite in nearly every way. He gestured animatedly, his face alight with enthusiasm. His bright blue eyes sparkled with a kind of restless energy as he spoke, and every now and then, a broad smile broke across his face. While his companion’s countenance remained firmly set, this gentleman seemed almost incapable of concealing his delight in the scene around him.

Elizabeth edged a little closer, her curiosity piqued. Their voices, though low, carried just enough for her to make out a few words.

“I still believe this voyage will be of great benefit,” said the fair-haired gentleman, his voice light and cheerful. “The connections we shall make! The possibilities! How can you remain so unmoved?”

His companion sighed, a note of weary resignation in his tone. “Connections and possibilities are all very well, Bingley, but I would prefer they were made without the inconvenience of five months at sea.”

So that is Mr Bingley!

“Ah, Darcy, always so practical,” Mr Bingley said with a laugh. “But surely there is more to this than business? Think of the adventure! The people we shall meet—the stories we shall bring home! It will be an experience worth remembering. I, for one, have never been abroad.”

His companion’s expression did not soften. “Adventure, for some, is merely an unnecessary complication.”

Elizabeth stifled a laugh. What a dour fellow he is. He looked at the world as if it were a set of ledgers to be balanced, while his friend seemed to find joy in every line. The similarities between the two men and Jane and herself were not lost on her, but at least Jane’s reluctance was thanks to her trepidation, rather than misery.

Mr Bingley’s eyes swept the crowd, and for a moment, Elizabeth thought his gaze had alighted upon them. He nudged Mr Darcy, saying something she could not hear. Mr Darcy, however, merely gave a faint shake of his head and turned away, his dark gaze scanning the harbour with evident disinterest.

“Well,” Elizabeth murmured to herself, “if I were to wager which of the two will enjoy this voyage more, I would not hesitate for a moment.”

She glanced back at Jane, who stood quietly beside her, observing the scene with a calm patience. “Jane,” she said, “do you suppose there are many aboard the Belmont as full of enthusiasm as that delightful-seeming gentleman?”

Jane followed her gaze. “I daresay you will soon find out.”

Mr Gardiner had just arrived back at their little group when the cheerful man’s voice rang out above the din and right in their direction.

“Mr Gardiner!” Mr Bingley’s face lit up as he made his way towards them, his hand outstretched. “I do believe it’s you, is it not?”

“It is indeed! And you must be Mr Bingley.” Mr Gardiner’s face lit up in much the same way, and Elizabeth watched with great interest. Bingley was not a common surname, so she had surmised correctly that the very gentlemen she had picked out on the dock were the same ones that her uncle had told them about.

“What a pleasure to meet at last,” Mr Bingley declared. “How fortunate we shall be sharing this voyage. There is plenty of business to be had in India.”

“Indeed,” Mr Gardiner replied with equal warmth. “A very happy arrangement. I have been much anticipating the opportunity to speak with you in person.”

“And how fortuitous it is,” Mr Bingley declared, turning to Jane and Elizabeth with a bright smile. “Mrs Gardiner, may I introduce myself? Charles Bingley. Your husband and I have been in correspondence these past weeks. He has shown great promise in matters of trade, and I look forward to working with him.”

Mrs Gardiner inclined her head with polite interest, though Elizabeth could detect a trace of pride in her expression, pleased that her husband had been so well received. “It is a pleasure, Mr Bingley,” she said.

“And this is my dear friend, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy,” Mr Bingley added, gesturing to the tall gentleman beside him, whose expression remained as inscrutable as ever. “He is to accompany me on this voyage and afterwards to Netherfield, a charming estate in Hertfordshire, which I am considering renting for a longer term.”

“Netherfield?” Mr Gardiner repeated. “Then you must allow us to recommend the area most highly. It is a beautiful part of the country—peaceful, with a most agreeable society.”

“We should like to see it for ourselves,” Mr Bingley said, “though I must confess I am easily pleased by any prospect of green fields and fresh air. Darcy has been once and found it intriguing enough to warrant a return visit.”

“In fact, our nieces live near there,” Mr Gardiner added. “I’m sure they would be willing to talk to you about it. May I introduce Miss Jane Bennet and Miss Elizabeth Bennet? They hail from Hertfordshire, in fact, if I am not mistaken, they live very near Netherfield.”

Mr Bingley bowed deeply and with warm exaggeration while his companion merely nodded his head. “An unexpected pleasure to meet you both,” Mr Bingley said. “Already this voyage is shaping up to a wonderful one. And to think we may be neighbours one day soon. Is it true you live near Netherfield Park?”

Jane smiled at him. “We do. A short three-mile walk. It is a wonderful estate, you shall adore it.”

Elizabeth glanced at Mr Darcy, who had thus far offered nothing beyond a stiff bow. His dark eyes met hers for a fleeting moment before he inclined his head again in silence.

“How very polite of you,” she murmured to herself, unimpressed by his cold, impenetrable demeanour. For all Mr Bingley’s warmth and charm, his companion was undoubtedly his opposite—a man who had likely never uttered a word without calculating its weight first.

“Shall we board?” Mr Gardiner suggested, gesturing towards the gangway where passengers were beginning to file onto the ship. “It seems the hour is nearly upon us.”

“Indeed, we shall.” He turned his gaze to Jane, and added, “Miss Bennet, I shall have to find you soon so you can tell me all about Netherfield and its surroundings” Mr Bingley then turned back to his companion and said, “Come, Darcy—let us not delay our companions.”

The crowd pressed towards the ship in a great surge of movement, porters calling out instructions, families bidding hurried farewells, and passengers jostling for position. Elizabeth followed Jane, their arms linked as they wove through the throng, the excitement building once again in her chest.

As they approached the gangway, Elizabeth paused, casting one last glance over the bustling scene. This was truly the beginning of something remarkable. A year at sea and in distant lands—what adventures lay before them? What sights would they see, what stories would unfold in places so far from the familiar fields of Hertfordshire?

For now, the answers lay hidden beyond the wide, restless sea.

She turned back to Jane with a smile. “Come, Jane. Adventure awaits.”

And with that, they stepped aboard the Belmont , the vast ocean stretching out before them like a blank page, ready to be filled with whatever fate had in store.