16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Elizabeth stood by the open door of the carriage, waiting for her sisters. She had said her goodbyes to Charlotte the day before, and now she stood, gazing around her, feeling a strange mix of sadness and anticipation. She was leaving the only home she had ever known, and yet she was going to London, to new experiences, new people.

"Goodbye, Papa," she whispered, stepping up into the carriage. She was travelling in Mr. Darcy's carriage with Mary and Martha; Jane in Mr. Bingley's with Kitty and Lydia, and Mrs. Bennet with the Gardiners and Mrs. Hill. Every carriage was stacked about with trunks and boxes strapped down, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley' s valets riding with the coachmen, and another baggage cart following along behind with more servants and bags.

"Are we ready to go, Lizzy?" Mary asked, and Elizabeth nodded, sitting down beside her sister as Mr. Darcy came to join them. The carriage jolted into motion, and Elizabeth looked out of the window, watching as the countryside rolled past.

The sound of the carriage wheels on the gravel of the drive was loud, and the carriage swayed and rocked as they travelled. Elizabeth watched the trees and hedgerows go by, and reflected on the fact that she might not see her home again for many months…if ever.

Elizabeth looked back one last time as the carriage passed the end of the Longbourn drive. She could see the gates, the start of the avenue of trees that led up to the house. She could not see the house itself, but she knew it was there, just out of sight behind the ancient oak and beech trees, leafless now but still dense enough to hide the house from view.

Tears welled in her eyes, and she looked away, out of the other window. She blinked rapidly, trying to dispel them, but they overflowed and she had to wipe them away quickly with the back of her hand. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, and glanced towards Mr. Darcy. He was looking at her, and his eyes were soft, his head tilted slightly to one side, his expression one of sympathy.

Elizabeth looked away quickly, ashamed to have been caught in such a moment of weakness, but she could not help but be aware of his gaze on her. He said nothing, but she felt his concern as clearly as if he had spoken.

The journey to London took longer than usual because of the snow on the ground, and it was late in the afternoon when the carriages finally rolled to a stop in front of a large, elegant Mayfair townhouse. Elizabeth looked out of the window, admiring the graceful lines of the house, and then the door was opened and Mr. Darcy stepped out.

The house was tall, four storeys high, with stately columns flanking the entrance and steps leading up to a pair of gleaming black-painted doors, the brass knocker and handle polished to a high shine.

"Miss Elizabeth," Mr. Darcy said, offering his hand to help her down from the carriage, and she took it, stepping down to the cobbles. He released her hand immediately, stepping back, and Elizabeth looked up at the house again.

"Welcome to Darcy House," he said, and Elizabeth nodded.

"Thank you, sir," she said, as he turned to help Mary down from the carriage.

"We must be off, I am afraid," Mr. Gardiner said briskly, coming over to speak to Elizabeth, "I should like to get home to the children before nightfall, but we will call tomorrow and see how you are all doing."

"Thank you so much for coming quickly, Uncle, Aunt." Elizabeth embraced them both, but did not ask them to linger, and soon the Gardiner carriage was rolling away down the street.

The butler came out of the house to greet Mr. Darcy, who nodded, looking about at the Bennet ladies clustered nervously at the foot of the steps. "Hargreaves, please direct the footmen to take the luggage up to the rooms prepared for our guests."

"Of course, sir," the butler said, and turned to the assembled group. "Welcome to Darcy House, ladies. If you would care to step inside?"

Elizabeth followed her family up the steps and through the doors into the entrance hall, and stopped, looking around. The house was beautiful, elegantly decorated, but not ostentatious. The walls were painted a soft cream, the floors were polished wood with handsome carpets laid over them, and the furniture was elegant but not overly ornate.

"Georgiana," Mr. Darcy said, and Elizabeth looked up to see a girl standing beside a middle-aged woman at the foot of the stairs. She was tall, taller than Elizabeth, with fair hair and blue eyes, and she looked very young and very nervous.

"Good afternoon," she said, stepping forward. "I am Georgiana Darcy. Welcome to my home."

"Georgiana," Darcy said, stepping forward, "allow me to introduce you to our guests. This is Mrs. Bennet, Miss Jane Bennet, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Miss Mary Bennet, Miss Kitty Bennet, and Miss Lydia Bennet."

"Mrs. Bennet," Georgiana said, curtseying. "I am so sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Miss Darcy," Mrs. Bennet said, and Elizabeth was pleased to see that her mother was on her best behaviour, not fluttering at all.

"Miss Darcy," Elizabeth said, stepping forward and taking the girl's hands. "Thank you for your welcome. I am so pleased to meet you, your brother has told me so much about you."

"You must call me Georgiana," the girl said, and Elizabeth smiled.

"Then you must call me Elizabeth," she said, and Georgiana smiled, a little shyly.

"Elizabeth," she said, and turned to the woman beside her. "This is my companion, Mrs. Annesley."

"Mrs. Annesley," Elizabeth said, and the woman curtseyed.

"You must all be quite exhausted," Mrs Annesley said in a kindly, motherly way. "Rooms have been prepared for all of you, and I do hope you will find them comfortable. "

"Thank you so much," Mrs. Bennet said warmly. "My companion, Mrs. Hill…" she gestured Hill forward. Hill looked a little surprised to be presented for introduction, before obviously remembering her new station, and curtseying smoothly.

"Of course," Mrs. Annesley said. "Your suite will be quite adequate for you and your companion, Mrs. Bennet… if you'd like to come this way…"

"Miss Elizabeth?" A maid approached her, curtseying. "If you would allow me to show you to your room?"

"Of course," Elizabeth said, following the maid up the stairs. She was impressed by the deference shown by the servants, and the care that had been taken to make the house welcoming. She glanced back briefly, to see Mr. Darcy speaking with his sister. Both of them were looking at her, though Georgiana immediately blushed and looked away. Mr. Darcy smiled and nodded encouragingly, and Elizabeth offered a small smile in return before she rounded a turn in the stairs and lost sight of him.

"This way, Miss Elizabeth." The maid opened a door and stood back, and Elizabeth stepped inside. The room was beautiful, decorated in soft, soothing colours. The bed was large and comfortable, with a canopy over it, and there was a writing desk by the window, which looked out over a small garden at the back of the house.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, and the maid bobbed a curtsey.

"Your things will be brought up shortly, Miss Elizabeth. If there is anything you require, please ring the bell."

Martha popped her head around the door a few minutes later, eyes very wide. Elizabeth smiled and beckoned her in.

"Coo, this is a grand house and no mistake, Miss Lizzy!" Martha said, her voice hushed with awe. "Not even Netherfield is this posh! "

"And I'm sure this is nothing to Pemberley," Elizabeth said. "We are very grateful for Mr. Darcy's generosity."

"The most generous man as ever lived, methinks!" Martha nodded vigorously. "The housekeeper's very nice, a Mrs. Norton. Said as how I'll get a new uniform and I'm to sleep in your dressing-room."

"I have a dressing room?" Elizabeth looked about, startled, before noticing a small door in the side wall near the bed. "Goodness me." The dressing room was very nearly as large as the bedroom itself, with a neat little bed for Martha and another door which led to the servants' stairs down to the kitchen. There were closets, pegs, drawers and shelves for far more clothes than Elizabeth could ever imagine owning, and the few poor things she had carried away from Longbourn looked meagre indeed once Martha had hung them up.

Dinner was served in their rooms that evening, and Mrs. Annesley and Georgiana stopped in to visit each of the Bennet ladies to personally ensure they were comfortable and had anything they might require for the present. Even the most entitled guest could not have found fault with the hospitality extended to them, and Elizabeth and her family were far from that, only grateful for Mr. Darcy's exceptional generosity and his sister's kindly welcome.

The bed was warm and comfortable when Elizabeth lay down, and she asked Martha to leave the drapes open, so that she could see the snow still falling softly outside. She drifted off to sleep watching the white flakes whirling past the glass.

The following morning, Elizabeth woke earlier than her sisters and, after Martha helped her dress, made her way downstairs to begin a quiet exploration of Darcy House's ground floor. Assuming there would be nobody about, she was startled to enter an elegant parlour and find Mr. Darcy there, in conversation with an older woman.

Elizabeth stuttered an apology, blushing, and was about to retreat when Mr. Darcy immediately called out to her to join them. Both he and the older woman stood, all smiles, as she rather timidly entered the room.

"Miss Elizabeth," Darcy said warmly. "My aunt, Lady Matlock."

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet," Lady Matlock said. Elizabeth curtseyed, and Lady Matlock smiled at her.

"Lady Matlock," Elizabeth said. Lady Matlock was a tall, slim woman, her hair just beginning to silver at the temples, and she was dressed in an elegant but not ostentatious gown of dark blue. Her eyes were a lovely shade of blue, and Elizabeth immediately thought that Lady Matlock was a very handsome woman, who must have been a great beauty in her youth.

"I am so pleased to meet you," Lady Matlock said. "My nephew has spoken of you a great deal. But I must not keep you standing, you must be exhausted after your journey yesterday. Please, sit down, and let us talk. Darcy, dear, do ring for tea, and perhaps some toast and muffins, I am sure Miss Elizabeth has not yet broken her fast."

Lady Matlock was not only beautiful, she was exceptionally kind, it did not take Elizabeth long at all to discover, as the countess exerted every effort to put Elizabeth at her ease, followed by her sisters and her mother as one by one, they joined the group.

Mr. Darcy quietly took his leave, and Elizabeth suspected she was the only one who watched him go, as his aunt effortlessly led the conversation. She rather wished he would have stayed, but certainly he would likely have no interest in the topic of new dresses, on which Lady Matlock had a great deal to say.

The following day, a small army of seamstresses arrived at Darcy House, bustling in with their tools and materials. Large baskets and sewing kits were carried in, and a cart was unloaded with bolts of fabric delivered from Mr. Gardiner's warehouse. Elizabeth was sure she had never seen such quality cloth before. Velvets and silks and fine muslins, though of course the Bennets could only wear mourning colours for the time being.

"Ah, but the girls must have some pretty gowns made as well," Lady Matlock said firmly. "I will not have it said that they are not well-dressed when they come out of mourning. I am sure you will agree, Mrs. Bennet?"

"Indeed, Lady Matlock," Mrs. Bennet said, a little overwhelmed by the countess's managing ways. "We are so grateful to you for your kindness."

"It is nothing," Lady Matlock said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I am only sorry that I did not know you before. But we shall make up for lost time, my dear Mrs. Bennet, we shall make up for lost time. And I am sure you will agree, we must bring a little light into the girls' lives. This is a sad time for you all, but it is not good for young ladies to be sad all the time."

Elizabeth could not help but agree, though she felt a little embarrassed at the thought of Lady Matlock's generosity, not to mention Mr. Darcy's pocketbook which would be paying for all of this. Jane was quiet, but her eyes were wide with appreciation, and Lydia and Kitty were almost dancing with excitement. Even Mary wore a small smile, her eyes bright as Lady Matlock beckoned her over to look at boxes of gloves.

The seamstresses set up in a parlour which was given over to them for the duration, and the Bennet ladies were soon examining the fabrics, the seamstresses calling them forwards one at a time to take their measurements and begin choosing patterns for their new gowns.

"I am so looking forward to introducing you all to society," Lady Matlock said, smiling warmly at Mrs. Bennet. "I have already planned a ball in April, and there will be several theatre outings, and of course, my annual garden party at Matlock House. I am sure you will agree, Mrs. Bennet, that the girls must have some events to look forward to."

Mrs. Bennet's eyes were wide and her mouth slightly agape. "I... I... Lady Matlock, you are too kind," she managed, her voice quivering slightly. "I... I do not know what to say. I am sure that we will be delighted to attend any events you care to invite us to. The girls will be so pleased."

"And it is high time dear Georgiana began to attend a few society events too," Lady Matlock said with a warm smile for her niece, who had joined them and was examining some ribbons with Lydia and Kitty, smiling shyly at their giggling antics. "Indeed, I am delighted your girls are here to give Georgiana some friends her own age, Fanny; it is something she has been sadly lacking."

Elizabeth was beginning to feel quite at home in Darcy House, and she was already coming to love Georgiana. The girl was shy and timid, but so very sweet, and Elizabeth was touched by the way Georgiana was so eager to please.

Elizabeth smiled at her as the two of them sat side by side, sipping at their tea while the seamstresses busily measured Mary and Jane. "Georgiana, would you like to hear a story about my family at Longbourn?"

Georgiana looked up, her eyes wide and curious. "Oh, yes, please, Miss Elizabeth. "

"Please, call me Elizabeth," Elizabeth said. "Or Lizzy, if you prefer!"

Georgiana blushed and nodded. "Elizabeth," she said shyly.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said. "Well, let me see. I think I will tell you about the time my sister Lydia brought a frog into the house."

Georgiana's eyes widened. "A frog?"

"A frog," Elizabeth confirmed. "She was only about five years old, I think, and she had been playing in the garden. She found this frog, and she thought it was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen. So she picked it up and brought it into the house. She wanted to show it to our mother, so she brought it into the parlour where we were all sitting. I remember it so clearly. We were all sitting there, doing our needlework, and Lydia came in with this frog in her hands. She was so proud of it. She walked right up to our mother and said, ‘Look, Mama, look what I found!' And she held the frog out for Mama to see."

Elizabeth smiled at the memory. "Well, you can imagine what happened next. Mama screamed, and the frog jumped out of Lydia's hands and started hopping around the parlour. My sisters all started screaming and jumping up on the chairs, and my father came running in to see what was going on. He took one look at the scene and burst out laughing. He had to catch the frog and take it back outside, and it took him a good ten minutes to calm my mother down. I don't think Lydia ever lived that down."

Georgiana was laughing, a soft, sweet sound that Elizabeth was delighted to hear. "Oh, Elizabeth, what a wonderful story."

Elizabeth smiled. "Thank you. I miss Longbourn, but I am glad to be here with you."

Georgiana smiled shyly. "I am glad you are here too. I... I have not had many friends, Elizabeth. I was at school for a little while, but I did not like it, and I was very lonely. "

"Well, I am glad my girls are here now to be your friends," Mrs. Bennet said, taking a seat beside Georgiana. "Though I must caution you against following Lydia's lead too much - she can be a little silly. Indeed, I am hoping your grace and lovely manners will be a positive influence on my younger girls, instead!"

Elizabeth gaped at her mother, unbelieving. Was Mrs. Bennet truly acknowledging a fault in Lydia? Her mother caught Elizabeth's eye, and a slight blush rose to her cheeks before she looked away.

Miracles never cease , Elizabeth thought, slowly shaking her head. It seemed Mr. Collins throwing them out of Longbourn had woken up something in Mrs. Bennet, snapped her out of her oblivious silliness, and perhaps for the first time in her life, Fanny Bennet was taking a clear-eyed look at her life and her daughters.

Long may it continue!