Chapter 4

Know Your Place

T he next morning, Elizabeth, Jane, and Mr. Collins awaited the arrival of several ladies from town. The plan was to enjoy tea and discuss the happenings from the previous night’s assembly, an event universal to women across the kingdom. Elizabeth and Suzy always met the morning after an event to laugh about silly moments or share thoughts about fashion. Why Mr. Collins was in attendance, Elizabeth could not say, but the odd man seemed quite thrilled to discuss every occurrence of the ball.

“Welcome, welcome,” he called to the arriving Lucas family. Behind them a carriage followed, which included Mrs. Goulding, Miss Goulding, and Miss King. Finally, Mrs. Phillips arrived. Having no ready access to a carriage she had been forced to walk, which from the sour look on her face did not suit the lady.

“Jane, dear, you should have sent your man to collect me.”

Jane blushed in a becoming manner. “I apologize, Mama. You should have mentioned it last night.” The lady huffed her irritation, and then upon seeing Elizabeth, huffed once more.

Soon, everyone was settled in the drawing room. Elizabeth shared a settee with Charlotte, while Miss Goulding and Miss King sat on her left. “Tell me your thoughts of our newest neighbor. He was an agreeable sort, I dare say.” Mr. Collins wore a smug expression. He clearly wished the ladies to ask him more about his interactions with Mr. Bingley.

“I believe we can ask Miss Gardiner her impressions of Mr. Bingley, as she appeared to be well acquainted with the gentleman. Tell us, dear, how is that you know him, and is he as agreeable as he appeared?” Lady Lucas’ question did not please Mr. Collins or Mrs. Philips, and from the tight lines around Jane’s mouth, perhaps not her, either.

“I have known Mr. Bingley for several years, but I had not met his sisters until the assembly. I can say little of them, but I will say that their brother is a very good-natured fellow. His father was good friends with my own papa. Since the father’s passing, Mr. Bingley has been the one to discuss business with Papa. He has dined with us many times.”

“He seemed to be pleased with your attendance. He spent many minutes speaking with you.” Mrs. Goulding smiled at her daughter’s new friend. “And his friend, Mr. Darcy, honored you as well. You were the only one he danced with the entire evening. He did not even ask his hostess!”

Elizabeth blushed. “Mr. Bingley introduced us. Mr. Darcy is also an investor in Papa’s businesses, though I had never met him before. We did not speak much, but he did mention that he had arrived late and was very tired from travel. I believe he will be more amiable when he has had time to rest and settle in at Netherfield.”

Mr. Collins cleared his throat. “I must warn you, sister, to not reach above your station. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley are both gentlemen and you are naught but the daughter of a tradesman. Do not embarrass your hosts with your flirtations.” Charlotte touched Elizabeth’s hand to calm her after Mr. Collins’ unseemly insinuations.

Recognizing the tension, Lady Lucas felt a need to defend her daughter’s newest friend. “I must remind you, Mr. Collins, that Miss Gardiner is the daughter of a gentleman, she was only raised by a tradesman, same as your dear Jane.”

“And for that matter,” Mrs. Goulding added, “Mr. Bingley is not yet a gentleman. He is only leasing his estate. Until he settles, he is exactly as Miss Gardiner’s father… a tradesman.” Miss Goulding smiled approvingly at her mother’s addition to the conversation.

“I only meant to warn my sister away from the gentlemen. I would not like to see her with a beating heart.”

Miss King blinked in a confused manner until Miss Goulding leaned close and whispered, “Broken heart. He always confuses his words.” Elizabeth’s irritation fled in the wake of such a ridiculous comment.

“Let’s change the subject,” Jane suggested.

“Yes, let’s. There is no point discussing my niece’s prospects. She was not gifted the kind of looks that would interest gentlemen of Mr. Bingley’s or Mr. Darcy’s caliber, anyway.”

Charlotte turned to Elizabeth. “The day is fine and I would like to walk. Would you like to join me? We can discuss the assembly while we do.” She looked from Elizabeth to the two other young women. All agreed with alacrity and were soon removed from the frustrating conversation of Mr. Collins and Mrs. Phillips.

When they were safely out of earshot, Miss Goulding huffed. “I feel for you Elizabeth. Truly. To be stuck with such a family for the next eight weeks. I give you full permission to visit me at any time when you need an escape. And— ” Her eyes widened, “Oh, I have called you Elizabeth, but I never granted you permission to call me Constance. You simply must, especially since you have allowed me to call you by your given name.”

“And I am Mary,” Miss King added in her quiet way. Soon all the ladies agreed to call one another by their first names.

Miss Goulding wished to continue her commentary on the ‘odious Mr. Collins,’ but Elizabeth deftly turned the conversation to the evening before. “I believe, Mary, that I saw you dance twice with Mr. Johnson.” Miss King blushed at the observation, but after some prodding admitted the gentleman was ‘very nice to talk to.’ Soon, the irritations of the drawing room were forgotten, and the ladies laughed and tittered over remarks about the assembly.

∞∞∞

“I declare I have never met with nicer people or prettier girls as I did last night.” Though Darcy paid little attention to the looks of the ladies, he could not disagree with Bingley’s claims about the kindness of the attendees. Miss Elizabeth Gardiner had opened his eyes to that.

“Charles, you must be joking. I dare you to name one pretty girl from the entire assembly.” Caroline Bingley had been in a mood since they entered the carriage for home last evening, and it appeared a full night’s rest had done her little good.

“I can name several. Mrs. Collins is exceptionally beautiful.”

“She is a handsome woman, I will grant you that, but she is also married. And her dress was so provincial.” Miss Bingley raised her nose further in the air.

“Then I will mention her sister, Miss Elizabeth Gardiner. They are nearly identical, apart from their hair. And I doubt you can fault her clothing.”

Miss Bingley sighed. “She is tolerable, I suppose, but hardly worth mentioning in this conversation. Besides, she is the daughter of a tradesman.”

“Caroline, you are the daughter of a tradesman.” Miss Bingley’s face reddened, and she cast wary eyes toward Darcy. “Besides, Miss Gardiner is a lovely girl. I have known her many years and have dined with her family more than a dozen times. Father also dined with them many times on Gracechurch Street.”

“Gracechurch Street!” Miss Bingley physically cringed. “Why, that is all the way in Cheapside.”

Ignoring Miss Bingley’s screeching tones, Darcy addressed his friend. “She did seem a pleasant sort of lady. I enjoyed our conversation while we danced.”

“Oh, but how dreadfully high-handed she was to solicit a dance from you, Mr. Darcy, when it was obvious you did not wish to participate.” Miss Bingley fluttered her fan in what Darcy could only assume was intended to be seductive. It was not. “I was appalled by the way she stood and waited in front of you for such a long time.”

“You are mistaken, Miss Bingley. I willingly offered to partner with her. It seems we were both stuck behind the broken carriage yesterday afternoon. She arrived in Meryton only a little before I did.”

“No doubt she arrived by stage. I am surprised they did not make her walk the remainder of the way.”

“I very much doubt it,” Bingley said. “Mr. Gardiner is an exceedingly wealthy gentleman. He would have sent her in his own carriage. And likely with a footman and maid in tow. I know for a certainty that she came with her companion, as I spoke with the lady for a time.”

“How wealthy could he be?” Caroline sneered. “I wager she has less than five thousand pounds in her dowry. I was told her sister came to her marriage with that much.”

“I have heard it is fifty thousand. Her father has no other children yet, though he has been married many years. It is likely his business will also go to Miss Gardiner upon his death.” Caroline gasped. Darcy schooled his features to pretend disinterest. Fifty thousand was a tremendous sum, and Gardiner’s business was likely valued at double that amount. She would make someone an exceptional wife. She was rich, mannerly, beautiful, and an excellent dancer. It is too bad she is a tradesman’s daughter .

After many moments of silence, Darcy spoke. “How is that Miss Gardiner and Mrs. Collins are sisters, but were raised so differently?”

Mr. Bingley, having spoken with Elizabeth about that very topic the evening prior, answered. “When their parents passed away, they were left to their aunt, Mrs. Phillips to raise.”

“In case you are wondering, that was the vulgar woman with the ridiculously small feathers in her cap,” Caroline interrupted.

Darcy thought small feathers were no less ridiculous than large ones, but he chose to keep his opinion to himself. “Go on,” he prompted.

Bingley cleared his throat. “Yes, as I was saying… Mrs. Phillips was to raise them both, but she did not have the ability to keep two young girls. That is how Mr. Gardiner came to adopt Miss Gardiner. Her mother was his sister, as well. He took Miss Gardiner and Mrs. Collins stayed in Meryton, with her aunt.”

“But surely her aunt had room for both girls? Her husband appears to be a somewhat successful solicitor.”

“I wondered the same thing last night, Darcy. But no one knows a family’s true circumstances until they live them. Perhaps Mr. Phillips was not so well off at that time. Much can change about a person’s finances over the span of twenty years.”

Having recovered from learning of Elizabeth’s family’s great wealth, Miss Bingley once again raised her nose high. “If her family is so well off, then why have I not met her during the season? I cannot recall having set eyes on her one time in my life before last night.”

Bingley smiled in such a way that Darcy wondered what he was thinking. Hiding a smile, his friend answered. “I doubt you run in the same circles, Caroline.”