Chapter 17
May, 1812
Darcy helped his sister into the carriage, climbed up onto his seat, and rapped on the ceiling with his cane. A moment later, the horses smoothly shifted into motion, and he leaned back and stared out the window with satisfaction.
He was at heart a country gentleman, and in previous years he had found April a disquieting month because it was the beginning of the London Season, full of routs, balls, assemblies, and Venetian breakfasts. He had attended many such a squeeze out of a sense of social obligation, and he knew now, a faint, unconscious hope that he would one day meet a lady whom he could truly love and respect.
He had found that lady in the form of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and now that he and she were both in Town, away from the beady gaze and incessant speechmaking of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, they would have the opportunity to know one another better, to become more at ease with one another, to fall in love.
Well, for Miss Bennet to fall in love. He was madly in love with her already, but he knew he must take care and be patient, since Elizabeth had learned only a fortnight previously of his adoration.
“You look happy, Brother,” Georgiana said, breaking into his thoughts.
Darcy reached out, grasped her hand, and bestowed a smile on her. “I am very happy, Georgiana. Happy and hopeful.”
“I am happy as well,” the girl said. “I do not know Miss Bennet well, of course, but she seems very kind and pleasant. I felt comfortable with her in a short period of time. I look forward so much to having her as a sister!”
“She has not accepted me yet,” Darcy cautioned.
“Oh, but she will, for you are the very best gentleman in all of England,” Georgiana replied, sincerity shining in her eyes.
Darcy moved over to pull her into a warm embrace, with tears prickling in his eyes. He was incredibly blessed to have such a loving, gracious sister, one who was openly affectionate and readily forgave him for his various shortcomings. “Are you nervous about the visit today?” he asked her.
Georgiana scrunched her nose in thought and then shook her head decidedly. “Oddly enough, I am not anxious in the least. I have met the Gardiners, the Bingleys, and Miss Bennet before, after all, and they are all good-natured.”
“They are,” Darcy agreed happily, and the siblings lapsed into silence.
The wheels rumbled gently over the cobblestones, grand and stately homes of brick and stone and elegant facades lining the neatly-ordered street. Interspersed among the great houses were patches of green, parks and gardens for the nobility. Then they turned a corner into a different world – one much less sedate and elegant. Their carriage slowed to weave through carriages, phaetons, gigs, hackneys, and the occasional landau. Urchins and vendors ran in the streets or hawked their wares, and dogs slunk between carriage wheels or barked at horses.
Georgiana leaned back against the cushions to avoid being seen, only gazing out the window past the curtain. They proceeded past the many businesses and shoppers; well-dressed ladies accompanied by their maids or reluctant brothers and sons, courting couples, groups of gentlemen strolling together or merchants conferring. Darcy watched the activity outside with mild interest until they passed from the business district.
The streets they traversed now swayed and jostled them a bit more, the paving less maintained than near their own home, the houses small and clustered together. Housewives gossiped to each other on their stoops, and energetic children played in cramped front gardens and on gates. They turned another corner and arrived at Gracechurch street.
The vehicle came to a gentle stop, and the footman opened the door. Darcy stepped down onto the pavement and turned to help Georgiana descend. He gave a few words of instruction to the coachman and then, arm in arm, the Darcys made their way to the front door of the Gardiners’ residence.
A neatly dressed maid opened the door and welcomed them in. Darcy had to force himself to walk at a reasonable pace as the woman led the Darcys down the corridor into a warm sitting room, which was surprisingly full of people, many of them children.
“Miss Darcy, Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Gardiner said, picking a little boy up and carrying him over to them, “welcome! My apologies for the chaos – Jane and Elizabeth were kind enough to have tea with the children, and they just finished moments ago.”
Darcy heard his voice make conventional noises of understanding, but he had eyes only for Elizabeth, who was kneeling next to a little girl of some eight years of age. Elizabeth looked up at this moment, and while she continued to speak at her young cousin, her mouth widened in a delighted smile, and Darcy felt his heart thump faster in his chest. Oh, how wonderful it would be to wake up to such a smile every day.
The next few minutes were exuberant as a governess and nursemaid appeared and ushered the children out, a maid came in to clean up the children’s tea party, and Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bingley entered the room. When the whirlwind of humanity had settled, Darcy found himself seated next to Elizabeth on a settee which looked out over the back yard, where several rose bushes showed pale flashes of pink where the buds were beginning to grow.
“Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth said with a twinkle in her eye.
“Miss Bennet,” he returned. “I hope your journey from Hunsford was pleasant?”
“Yes, it was. I enjoyed seeing how much the scenery had altered in the three weeks that I was visiting the Collinses.”
“Did you happen to observe the apple trees in blossom some ten miles from London?”
“I did!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “They were magnificent, like banks of clouds receding into the distance. I saw some magnolia trees with great pink and purple blossoms a few miles from the parsonage. Did you see those as well?”
“I did not,” Darcy confessed, “but it is quite likely I was distracted by my cousin, who was trying to coax me out of a truly foul mood. As much as I will always treasure my time in Kent this year, there were aspects of the visit which were most frustrating.”
Elizabeth groaned comically and said, “I agree. There was far too much rain, and Lady Catherine was most insistent that she form a part of all of our conversations. Nonetheless, I believe, even in the midst of all the disruptions, that we learned important things about one another.”
“Such as?” Darcy asked in genuine surprise. They had spoken with one another in the stately rooms of Rosings, but given the presence of his aunt, cousins, and the Collinses, he had not thought that they had discussed anything of significance.
“You are always very courteous to the servants,” Elizabeth said seriously, “which I think of great consequence. We are called to treat those around us with courtesy and respect, and you always do so.”
“Thank you,” Darcy said, and found himself surprised and delighted once again by the woman at his side. Most ladies appreciated his fortune, lineage, and looks, but he had never been complimented on his treatment of the lower classes. “We are all one in the sight of Christ, after all.”
“Precisely,” the lady said with a glimmering smile. “Now, please do tell me about Pemberley, Mr. Darcy; not the house, but the land. How many tenants do you have? What kind of crops do they grow? Do you breed horses? Dogs?”
He chuckled and held up a hand in protest at this barrage of inquiries and began answering her questions in detail.
Georgiana, who was happily chatting with Mrs. Bingley and Mrs. Gardiner, cast a warm look on Miss Bennet; it was obvious, based on his demeanor, that her brother was having a wonderful time with the lady he loved.
“I beg your pardon?” Miss Darcy said a moment later, aware that she had missed a part of the conversation.
“We intend to go to Vauxhall Gardens in a few days,” Mrs. Gardiner said, “and we wondered if you and your brother would care to join us.”
Georgiana glanced at her brother again and, blushing, declared, “So long as Miss Bennet is coming, I am certain my brother will say yes.”