Chapter 22

D arcy was hoping to see Miss Bennet after he arrived in London to meet with Gardiner on the pretext of needing to review his portfolio. Once he had completed washing and changing from his ride, he stopped at Matlock House. His first concern was to spend time with Giana. She had been playing music he had not heard her perform before, on the grand pianoforte in the music room when he entered the room. It was only when he applauded his sister's performance at the end of the piece she realised there was someone else in the room besides Mrs Annesley.

"William!" Georgiana enthused. As soon as she recognised how she had reacted, her eyes sunk to the floor again.

Approaching his sister, Darcy placed two fingers below her chin and gently lifted her head. "Are you still weaving that fiction to yourself that I am upset with you over Ramsgate? If you are, cease now. I am not. I have long blamed those who were truly culpable, including myself," Darcy stated firmly, but kindly .

Seeing his sister was about to protest his lack of culpability, Darcy proceeded before she was able to. "Giana, should you have known better than to agree to an elopement? Yes, you should have, and in fact did, which is why you confessed all to me as soon as I arrived. You have an excuse, you were newly sixteen at the time, and I had done you no favours by shielding you from the truth as I had."

Her brother's acknowledgement she had had a part in the almost debacle meant as much to Giana as his writing and being forthright about Miss Elizabeth Bennet. It told her he was ready to treat her as a young lady and not some dainty flower which would be carried away by the wind if someone looked at her too long. "It does my heart good that you are willing to speak of my part in what almost occurred," Georgiana declared, this time meeting her brother's gaze. "Why do you hold yourself partially responsible?"

He led his sister over to a settee and sat down facing her once she had taken her place. Darcy saw Mrs Annesley begin to stand to allow the siblings privacy. "As the one who is charged with her safety, I would like you to remain in the room, only close the door please," Darcy requested. The companion nodded and did as Mr Darcy had asked and then returned to the armchair where she had been seated previously .

He turned back towards his sister. "This is a conversation we should have had sooner, which is what Richard had advised. I still clung to my wrongheaded ideas regarding how to protect you. Our cousin is correct, knowledge is power, and how am I to expect you to make a good decision if you do not have the relevant information?"

Some tears of relief ran unbidden out of Giana's eyes. "You really do trust me, do you not?" she asked.

"I do, and I should have realised long before this that you are not the little girl you once were, but have been growing into an estimable lady for some years now. It may have been my attempt to hold onto the sister you used to be when you were younger," Darcy owned. "Other than not arming you with the information about Wickham, it was me who was too proud to question my own judgement and verify Mrs Younge's characters. Had I done so, those two would never have been able to work on you as they did. Next, the blame lies with the seducer who used his honeyed, but forked tongue to work on you with the aid of your faithless companion." Darcy paused as he thought of all which had passed in Hertfordshire. "It could have been so much worse. When I think of the pain I witnessed after the late Miss Bennet was called home to God, I realise just how what almost happened to you pales in comparison. The important word is almost. Nothing actually occurred. I was so afraid of Wickham spreading gossip when I should have realised no one would take the word of a disgraced son of a former steward over mine, especially as my word would be backed up by the Fitzwilliams' voices. The only power he had to ruin you, was in my head."

"I thank you for speaking to me like an adult rather than a child," Georgiana stated gratefully. "I enjoyed reading your candid letter about Hertfordshire, not because of your initial insult, but all which came after, especially the passing of Miss Elizabeth's sister. It was proof you saw me as more of an equal rather than one who needed to be wrapped in wool and protected. I am so sorry you will not be able to court Miss Elizabeth…Miss Bennet now, until her year of mourning is complete. I am beyond pleased you have finally found a lady who you think can be my sister."

Georgiana paused as she thought about whether to make a request of her brother. She realised the worst he could do was say no and would not be upset with her for the asking. "Wills, I would very much like to return to Pemberley. Like it is to you, it is a balm to my soul, and there is nothing better than Christmastide at our estate."

Even had he not agreed with his sister regarding wanting to be at their estate for the festive season, Darcy was disinclined to refuse her anything. He was far too pleased that he had seen her confidence begin to return before his eyes. "Allow me a few days to speak to Bingley as he is situating his younger sister. I will invite him and the Hursts. Whether they are inclined to join us or not, we will depart within a sennight," he told his sister.

Her whole countenance lit up at the pleasure she felt of their travelling to Pemberley. "Will you invite the Fitzwilliams?" Georgiana gushed .

"I will, actually, I will go speak to our uncle now. Thereafter I have an appointment to see Mr Gardiner… would you like to come? I know how much you enjoy Mrs Gardiner and the children's company." Darcy was secretly hoping his sister would meet Miss Bennet and Miss Mary. He was sure they would get along well together.

"Yes, thank you, Wills. I would love to accompany you to see the Gardiners," Georgiana agreed.

Darcy gave his sister a kiss on the forehead and went to see his uncle. He found the latter in his study, with Andrew, examining a ledger. "William, my boy," Lord Matlock boomed. "What brings you to London from the wilds of Hertfordshire?"

He explained he had planned to come anyway, but he was also supporting Bingley who was having his sister committed to St Mary Bethlehem Hospital.

"Richard told us the part that insane woman played in the death of Bingley's love," Lord Hilldale shook his head. "From what my little brother told us, Bingley has no other option than to commit the shrew. Do you have plans? If not you may accompany Father and me to White's this afternoon."

"Actually I, unlike others who attempted to meet with him, have an appointment with Gardiner at two," Darcy related.

"As he is back in town, we will join you seeing that we missed him last time," Lord Matlock decided.

He suspected his family's reason for a sudden need to see Gardiner had more to do with meeting a certain lady from Hertfordshire than verifying the health of their investments. Darcy would not, however, come out and say that to his uncle and cousin based on his own supposition. "I do not object to your joining me. Giana will accompany me as well. She is well known to Mrs Gardiner and the Gardiner children, and enjoys their company."

Before he left the study, Darcy related he and Giana would be at Pemberley for Christmastide and extended an invitation to all of the Fitzwilliams. Father and son told how they would speak to their wives and let William know when they had an answer, although they doubted the invitation would be refused.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

The three men and Georgiana greeted the Gardiners in the drawing room of the latters' house. While the men retired to her husband's office, Madeline called for tea and for her children to come greet Miss Darcy.

While they waited for the children, Georgiana expressed her condolences for the loss of Mrs Gardiner's niece. The latter was wearing a black mourning gown.

In the office, the two Fitzwilliam men who unlike Darcy had not seen Gardiner since his niece's death, passed on their deepest sympathies before sitting down and discussing business. As was expected, the reports Gardiner delivered showed steadily increasing returns.

"Gardiner, I realise your nieces are in mourning, but I did not see them with Mrs Gardiner," Darcy noted. As he had met the sisters before it was not untoward he would ask after them. "May I see them to pay my condolences and introduce my sister, uncle, and cousin?"

"If Lizzy and Mary were here, they would have been happy to see you and meet your family. However, they are in the country, where they are the happiest," Gardiner revealed.

As much as Darcy desired to ask where Miss Bennet and her next younger sister were, he knew that would be presumptuous of him. Unless Gardiner volunteered the information, it would have been very forward of him to enquire without any prompting.

For Gardiner's part, he had been distracted by the numbers, as he usually was, so he had not thought to expound on where his nieces were. He was sure had Darcy wanted to know; he would have asked.

In the drawing room, lost in enjoying the company of the Gardiner children, especially Miss Gardiner who was less than four years her junior, Georgiana did not think to enquire as to why the Bennet sisters were not present. Even though she was regaining some of her self-confidence, she was not at the point where she felt she would have been able to ask Mrs Gardiner such a question.

Hence, when the Darcy coach made the return trip to Matlock House, all four within were a little frustrated. None of them had gleaned any useful information about the location of the two eldest Bennet sisters. It was just then that the Earl remembered something of which his wife had informed him. In but a few days, there would be a board meeting of a charity chaired by his Elaine, and Mrs Gardiner was on the board. It would not be untoward if his wife made enquiries about the Miss Bennets.

On arriving home, it was discovered that Lady Matlock was beginning to come down with a trifling cold. Although not serious, she missed the board meeting, the last one before they would all decamp from London to the north.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

An hour after the Darcys and Fitzwilliams departed the Gardiners' house, Bennet arrived. Madeline had sent him a letter informing him she had found three possible candidates, all of whom would do well in the role he wanted filled for the education of his youngest daughters and, to a certain extent, his wife.

He would meet the three ladies on the morrow. The first one at ten, the next an hour later, and the third and hour after that. Bennet had been surprised Lizzy and Mary would not object to his being in London and seeing them. Then it struck him that they must have already travelled to Maddie's brother's estate, which explained his being invited to the house in Gracechurch Street.

After being shown to his room and washing, Bennet rested until it was time for dinner. "I thank you for your assistance in this, Maddie," Bennet stated after the soup had been served. "I know I should have begun to take up my duties to my family long before my inaction cost Jane her life, but now I am determined and will not be dissuaded from my course."

"What of my sister? Will she not undermine your efforts while you are here?" Gardiner enquired.

"I do not believe so. The day you and my daughters left Longbourn, I had a long talk with Fanny. I apologised for my neglect and proposed we work together to improve the lives of our daughters," Bennet revealed. "Since then, she is making an effort. It was extremely difficult for her to hear the censure of her friends, but she took my suggestion and acknowledged her mistakes, which as I suspected it would, blunted the attacks to where they are almost non-existent now."

Madeline and Gardiner were separately impressed with the tangible proof Bennet was sticking to his resolve to improve his family. "What are your plans for the future?" Gardiner questioned.

"I had been too indolent to do so when I married Fanny, but if you will accept me, I would like to invest with you," Bennet resolved, "I have a bank draft for the five thousand pounds of Fanny's dowry. I would like you to invest it, and anything you earn above the fifty pounds per quarter for my wife's allowance, I ask it be added back into the account to become additional principle. In addition, I have another draft of two thousand pounds. It is the money I had reserved to purchase more books I do not need and the best port I could find."

Gardiner's eyebrows shot up. He never thought he would see the day when Bennet finally owned his mistakes of not ensuring the future financial security of his wife and daughters. On seven thousand pounds, he would produce returns of at least ten percent per annum. After his sister's pin money was paid out, there would be at least five hundred each year which would go back into the principal. He was snapped out of his musing by his brother-in-law's next words.

"I have four trunks with me full of ridiculously expensive first editions I wanted, but never needed. Please sell them for as much as you are able. The funds, which should be above seven thousand pounds, should then be added to the rest I am entrusting to you."

Both Gardiner parents looked at their brother-in-law as if he had sprouted a second head. Of all of the things they had expected him to say, being willing to sell his most precious books was not at the bottom of the list; it was not even on it.

‘ I must send a note to Darcy, if not all, he will want to purchase most of Bennet's books, and once they are valued, he will not quibble over the price, ' Gardiner told himself silently. Aloud he said, "I believe I will be able to sell all, or a large number of them to a collector I have in mind. He is an investor of mine, and if anything, he reveres the written word more than you do."

"That they go to one who will appreciate them is more than I can ask," Bennet responded. "How are my daughters?"

The two Gardiners related what they could. "I received a letter from Lizzy today. If you would like to read it, you may as there is nothing in it which would preclude your doing so," Madeline offered .

Bennet nodded he would enjoy that. It would give him a connection to his daughters he would not otherwise have. His sister-in-law stood once she had finished her soup and returned within a few minutes. She handed him the folded paper.

"Go ahead, read, we will delay the main course until you have done so," Madeline volunteered.

"Thank you, Maddie and Gardiner, it is appreciated." He lifted the paper.

17 November 1810

Lambert Hills, Derbyshire

Aunt Maddie, Uncle Edward, and cousins,

Mary and I have been at the above estate for almost a fortnight now and we miss all of you. Do not get us wrong. Aunt Gwen, Uncle Tim, Addie, Henry, and Rory have been extremely welcoming, and we are very happy here. Even if I am not allowed to ramble or ride on my own. Yes, that is not an error. I truly did mean ride. being in the country again (regardless of the cold—no snow yet) is wonderful.

I am sure you are shocked that I mentioned riding with regards to myself. Our aunt and uncle explained the distances on the estate and how much of it would be too far for me to walk, so I agreed to allow Uncle Tim to teach me to ride. Mary, too, is learning. We are riding ponies to begin with. Mine is Belle while Mary's is Beauty. They were named by our small cousins, and we did not have the heart to point out they both have the same name, just one in French and the other in English. After my first few lessons, I am wondering what so scared me, so that I refused to attempt to learn to ride again, because of my fall when I was a tender aged girl. On the first day of my lessons, I soon saw there is nothing to be frightened of.

In honour of Janey, Lambert Hills and all within are in mourning for a month. It was very touching to us that even though the Lamberts are not directly related to us, they have done this.

We have not yet gone into Metting. Obviously, attending the quarterly assemblies they hold in the town is not even a question, but so far neither Mary nor I have needed anything from the town. Thanks to all of the clothing and other supplies you sent with us, it will be some time before we need to buy anything else .

When you come in the summer, we will of course visit the town with Kitty and Lyddie.

I will end here and allow Mary to relate some news when she writes, as she will write the next letter. We have decided to alternate. We both want to thank you for sending us to the country. It is aiding in our, especially my, recovery without seeing constant reminders of places we shared with Janey.

That does not mean I do not think of her; I do, all the time. When I am able I speak to her, if only she was able to answer me. Mary does the same.

Our warmest regards to all of you,

Lizzy

"Thank you Maddie, I needed that," Bennet stated, his voice thick with emotion as he handed the missive back to his sister-in-law.

Madeline inclined her head and rang for the butler to have the main course brought to the table.