Chapter 4

The door to the dining parlor swung open, and Charles Bingley marched in and said, “Good morning, Darcy.”

Darcy looked up blearily from the breakfast table, vaguely irritated at the sight of Charles Bingley, who showed every sign of having slept well and risen early. Darcy himself had finally fallen asleep at three o’clock in the morning and had slept overlong, which always made him feel out of sorts. He liked early mornings and had planned to write business letters before breaking his fast.

“Good morning, Bingley,” he responded wearily, gulping down a mouthful of coffee, only to wince as the hot liquid scalded his tongue.

Bingley wandered over to the sideboard and poured himself a cup of tea, then sat down across from his friend. He waited patiently until Darcy had finished eating his ham and eggs before saying, “I have a favor to ask of you.”

Darcy lifted his head and regarded the other man with open distrust. “What favor?”

“I plan to call on Miss Bennet this morning at the house of her Gardiner relations, and I would like you to come with me.”

Darcy cringed and said piteously, “I doubt that I will be happily welcomed by either Miss Bennet or her sister.”

“Perhaps not,” Bingley said coolly, leaning back in his chair. “However, given that you deceived me by hiding Miss Bennet’s presence in London, it seems appropriate for you to help me make amends for my family’s discourtesy toward the Bennets. I wish to speak honestly to Miss Bennet, and think it likely that Mrs. Gardiner will make such a conversation impossible if you are not there to distract her.”

An image rose in Darcy’s mind of Mrs. Bennet, who was always loud and usually vulgar. It was likely that Mrs. Gardiner, presumably Mrs. Bennet’s sister by marriage, would be equally offensive. It would be exquisitely painful to expose himself to such a woman, but perhaps he deserved such a penance for having deceived his friend.

“Do you know where the Gardiners live?” he asked.

“Yes, because Caroline had my coachman drive her there. I consulted with him an hour ago to learn the Gardiners’ direction. So, will you come?”

“Yes,” Darcy responded reluctantly. “I have three letters I must write, and then we can depart.”

“Excellent,” Bingley said, suddenly cheerful.

/

“It is a fine house,” Bingley commented as he and his companion walked down the graveled path toward the wooden door of the Gardiners’ house.

Darcy mumbled something in agreement as he regarded the brick structure in surprise. It was a fine house – not nearly as large as Darcy’s home, of course, but well-built and sturdy. The grounds were covered with a glistening layer of snow, and everything was perfectly maintained. He had never been to Gracechurch Street and had not imagined that the area would be so genteel.

Bingley had, by now, reached the wooden door and was knocking on it, and Darcy hurried to catch up with his friend. The door swung open, and a neatly dressed maid invited them into the foyer, took their cards, and walked rapidly along the corridor to the back of the house.

Darcy found himself looking around with reluctant, growing admiration. He had expected a tradesman’s wife to decorate her home with gaudy inelegance, but the small mahogany table near the door was a lovely piece, and the painting on the wall, which displayed a small town much like Lambton near Pemberley, was utterly charming.

The maid appeared again and said, “This way, sirs.”

/

“Do I look well, Aunt?” Jane asked nervously, standing up and shaking out the wrinkles in her skirt. She had woken up hoping that Mr. Bingley would visit, but now that he had actually called, she felt incredibly anxious.

Mrs. Gardiner stood up as well, smiled affectionately, and patted her niece’s hand. “You look very well, my dear, I promise you.”

Jane managed an appreciative grimace just as the door to the sitting room opened and her aunt’s maid entered in with Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy at her heels.

“Miss Bennet,” Bingley said promptly, his eyes fixed on her lovely face, “would you do me the honor of introducing me to your aunt?”

“Of course,” Jane said, blushing at the gentleman’s intent gaze. “Aunt Gardiner, may I introduce Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. Gentlemen, my aunt, Mrs. Gardiner.”

Jane and Mrs. Gardiner curtsied, while the two gentlemen bowed. Once again, Darcy was surprised. Mrs. Gardiner looked to be less than five and thirty years of age, which was younger than he expected, and she was dressed with a charming, tasteful simplicity in a blue muslin morning gown with a delicate white lace cap on her head. Her expression was both calm and welcoming, and he felt himself relax a little. Perhaps the ensuing conversation would not be too onerous. He was disappointed to note the Miss Elizabeth was not present, but it was probably for the best; she was not a worthy bride for a Darcy, and the sooner his heart acknowledged it, the better.

“Please do sit down, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley,” Mrs. Gardiner said, gesturing toward the arrangement of two chairs and a sofa near the crackling fire and then turned to her maid. “Kindly bring us tea.”

“Yes, Madam,” the maid said, and promptly retreated.

Mrs. Gardiner sat down on a chair, and Darcy took the seat next to her, allowing Bingley to place himself next to Miss Bennet on the couch. Bingley promptly cast a pleading look at his friend before turning nervously toward the lady at his side.

“This seems a very comfortable house,” Darcy said awkwardly, determined to fulfill his task in keeping Mrs. Gardiner occupied.

“Thank you, Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Gardiner replied. “We are very thankful to have found such a pleasant home so near my husband’s warehouses. There is also a park a few minutes away, which is a delightful place for our children to play.”

“How many children do you have?” he inquired politely.

“We have four children, two girls and two boys, all under the age of ten. They sleep better when they are able to run around and burn off some energy.”

Darcy found himself nodding in agreement. “That is true enough. I can well remember how exhausted I was after a vigorous day of coasting and skating when I was a boy.”

“Yes, and Derbyshire has such lovely slopes for coasting, does it not? I appreciate London for its shops and entertainments, but the geography is dull compared to the hills and valleys near Pemberley.”

“That is true,” Darcy said, puzzled by Mrs. Gardiner’s knowledge of the topography of his home county.

The door opened, and the maid entered with the tea service. Mrs. Gardiner poured tea, mixed in sugar and milk as requested, and passed the cups out before saying, “I am very familiar with Derbyshire because I grew up in Lambton, which is, as you know, only a few miles from Pemberley. I joined many other boys and girls in skating on the pond east of the parsonage.”

“I know that pond well!” Darcy responded in genuine pleasure. “May I ask the identity of your family?”

“My father, Mr. Jeremiah Gregory, was rector at the parsonage in Lambton for nearly twenty years. My three brothers and I were all born and raised there, but when my father passed on, my mother took us to Meryton in Hertfordshire, where my uncle lives even now. I met my husband there, and we moved to Town some years ago.”

“Have you been back to Lambton recently?”

“No, though my husband and I hope to travel north in the next few years. I would enjoy seeing old friends and acquaintances in Derbyshire, and I look forward to journeying to the Lake Country itself, which is reputedly beautiful.”

“It is beautiful,” Darcy agreed fervently. “I have very fond memories of visiting the Lakes with my parents when I was but a child.”

“My older brother made a trip there a few years ago, “Mrs. Gardiner said fondly. “He said it is wonderfully wild, with the screes rising into the sky and the waters…”

She broke off at the sound of a loud thump against the window of the sitting room. Darcy looked up in confusion to observe a white splotch on the glass, and Mrs. Gardiner stood up and walked over to stare out of the back yard, her face creased with concern. A moment later, her expression cleared, and she turned toward the others. “My apologies, gentlemen; my three older children are outside playing, and one of them threw an errant snowball which hit the windows. My other niece is instructing them to throw future snowballs away from the house, so I do not think we will be disturbed again.”

Thirty seconds later, Darcy found himself standing next to his hostess staring out of the window toward the fenced back yard behind the Gardiners’ house. It seemed that while his mind was quite certain that he should avoid Elizabeth Bennet, his heart and limbs were not so easily convinced.

It took him a few seconds to recognize the object of his infatuation, as she was only one of two young women scampering around the back yard in pursuit of three young children. The other was no doubt a nursemaid, but his eyes fixed on Miss Elizabeth, warmly dressed with a pelisse over her dress, a shawl over that, long gloves, and a cap which was tied snugly under her chin. The girl’s face was rosy in the cold, and her beautiful dark eyes were glowing with exercise and pleasure as she helped the children roll large balls of snow, perhaps preparatory to making a snowman. The little children gamboling around her obviously adored their big cousin, and even through the glass, Darcy could hear their childish cries of glee. He found himself delighted at the sight, though there was a strange twinge of envy in his heart. How long had it been since he had been so carefree?

“Your children are charming,” Darcy said softly.

“Indeed they are,” Mrs. Gardiner answered. “Elizabeth is marvelous with them, and Jane too, of course, though Jane will openly admit she is not as fond of the out of doors as her sister.”

“I am aware of Miss Elizabeth’s enjoyment of nature,” Darcy said. “I well remember her marching a full three miles to Netherfield a few months ago when Miss Bennet fell ill while visiting Bingley’s sisters.”

“That sounds like our Elizabeth,” Mrs. Gardiner agreed with a chuckle. “She is a vigorous young lady, and she would allow neither snow nor mud nor fire nor earthquake to keep her away when her beloved sister was in need of her comforting presence.”

“Miss Bennet is fortunate to have such a loyal companion in Miss Elizabeth,” Darcy said genuinely. He had been rather disapproving last autumn when the girl had marched alone through mud on a cold day, but he recognized now that the second Miss Bennet would always succor, and if necessary, protect her elder sister. Given the hostile behavior of Bingley’s sisters and, to some degree, himself, it was no surprise that Miss Bennet had been in need of a beloved sister’s company while she was sick.

“Yes, I can only hope that when my own children are grown, they will be as close as Jane and Elizabeth are,” Mrs. Gardiner said, and laughed as Elizabeth fell over and was promptly jumped on by a small boy. Darcy watched with appreciation as Elizabeth rolled the little one off of her, leaped to her feet, swung the child around, and then suddenly halted, her own eyes fixed on the window where Darcy was standing. The lady’s cheerful countenance suddenly shifted to one of wide eyed astonishment which quickly morphed into obvious dismay. A moment later, Elizabeth turned toward the nursemaid, obviously giving her instructions, before hurrying away. Darcy lifted a hand to loosen his neckcloth, a strange unease twisting in his chest. Miss Elizabeth was not pleased to see him.

/

Elizabeth Bennet loved the cold and the snow, and she had been having a marvelous time with her little cousins who, with the exuberant innocence of youth, were enraptured by snowballs and snowmen and snow angels. It was the first significant snowfall of the winter, and Elizabeth was enjoying every minute of her time outside until she caught sight of the tall, unwelcome form of Mr. Darcy within her aunt’s sitting room.

Her heart skipped a beat at the sight, and her eyes shifted to her aunt, who was standing next to Mr. Darcy, a happy smile on her face. It appeared that Mr. Darcy was not being unpleasant, but still, she had best go inside and provide support as needed. Jane was far too gentle, and Mrs. Gardiner too genteel, to cause any problems, but if Mr. Darcy said one word against her beloved elder sister, Elizabeth would have something to say about it!