Chapter 14
The Golden Goose Inn
Baldock
Friday, 14th August, 1812
It had been decided to travel a short distance on this first day of their journey north, and Elizabeth relaxed as the carriage turned into the courtyard of the Golden Goose Inn. The Golden Goose was not on the main street of Baldock and did not service the post chaises or the stagecoaches. It catered more to the gentry, and Elizabeth was impressed with the sight before her.
The inn itself was three stories tall, built of solid brown brick with cheerful green shutters thrown wide to show the clean panes of glass within. Green ivy climbed high up the walls to curl onto the slate roof, and neat little beds of flowers added splashes of color along the front of the inn. The flagstones of the yard were coated with dirt where the carriages and the horses stood, but up near the entrance they had been swept entirely clean, and the door shone with fresh paint.
The carriage came to a halt, and a moment later, one of the servants opened the door. Once again, Darcy stepped out first and handed out Elizabeth, followed by Sir Christopher Harding, who helped Lydia and Mrs. Greenfield down onto the pavement. Lydia was smiling. It seemed that Sir Christopher had managed to entertain her well.
The yard was a busy place, with servants rushing from one spot to another. As Elizabeth watched, a trio of ostlers hurried forward to unhitch their horses and lead them into the stable for a well-deserved meal, drink, and brushing.
The other two carriages turned into the yard, and Elizabeth spied her father in the window of the middle carriage and waved a hand in greeting.
"Mr. Darcy," a voice cried out, and Elizabeth stopped as a middle-aged, plump man hurried forward and bowed deeply. When he came up for air, he continued, "It is a great honor to have you and your party here, sir! Would you care to come in to refresh yourselves?"
Darcy looked at Elizabeth and lifted an eyebrow. "Do you care to go within, Miss Bennet, or would you prefer to stretch your legs after our journey? I remember there is a charming wilderness behind the lodge."
Elizabeth nodded and said, "I would enjoy a walk, Mr. Darcy."
He held out his arm toward her, and she took it with a slight blush. Lydia, who had been watching with narrowed eyes, cried out, "I would like to walk as well! Sir Christopher, would you please escort me?"
"I believe it is my turn to visit with you," a voice said from the second carriage, and Lydia spun around as Commodore Quill stepped forward, his bright blue eyes fixed on the girl's pretty, if rather vacuous, face.
Lydia's face lit up, and she cast a smug look at Sir Christopher. "I do hope that you do not mind if I spend a few minutes with the Commodore? It is not fair that he has not been permitted any time with me."
Elizabeth struggled to suppress a wince at her sister's gaucherie. It was not, truly, that she was herself was any great prize, but Darcy's ten thousand pounds that caused the men to vie, courteously, for her affections.
Sir Christopher proved himself the model of tact, as he merely bowed and said, "But of course, Miss Lydia. That is entirely reasonable."
Mr. Bennet had descended from his carriage, and Elizabeth could see, in the set of his face and the slump of his shoulders, that he was tired.
"I would like to be escorted to my room," he said, and a female servant who had been hovering nearby stepped forward to escort him.
"Do you wish for me to accompany Miss Lydia?" Mrs. Greenfield asked Elizabeth, who, after cogitating, shook her head and said, "I think it is unnecessary given that Mr. Darcy and I will be with the other couple. Would you like to refresh yourself?"
"Yes, Miss Bennet, thank you."
/
Wilderness Behind the Golden Goose
Fitzwilliam Darcy relished the feeling of Miss Bennet's slender hand on his arm as the couple made their slow way down the paved path, which led in a meandering line down a short avenue of graceful elms. Beneath and around the trees, a profusion of white and purple flowers grew, carpeting the world in color and scenting the air. Sunlight dappled down through the leaves to hue the trail in gold and gentle green, imbuing the walk with a dreamy sort of quality. From somewhere up ahead came the soft splashing and tinkling of a small water feature.
Commodore Quill and Lydia, he noted, had chosen to walk on a parallel path, so while the couples were in sight and everything was proper, he could not hear what they were saying. Nor, presumably, could they hear what he and Miss Bennet were saying.
A soft sigh drew his attention, and he halted along with his companion, who was gazing thoughtfully at the fountain burbling in the middle of the garden. Elizabeth's face was grave, and her usually sparkling eyes were strangely dim.
"Are you well, Miss Bennet?" he asked with concern.
Elizabeth sighed again and, after a quick glance at Lydia and the commodore, she said softly, "I admit to feeling a trifle downhearted. I have long known that I cannot control my life, but this situation with Lydia is wrought with uncertainty. If she is not safely wed, and soon, our reputations will never recover."
"I promise you that your sister's situation will be resolved in an optimal way," Darcy replied.
She shook her head at this and turned to gaze up into his eyes, causing his heart to thud in his chest.
"Do not promise such a thing, sir," she said solemnly. "I know that as master of Pemberley, you are used to being able to manage the lives of those around you, and you do a wonderful job. But Lydia's prospects are doubtful, as she must accept one of the gentlemen here, and one of the men must accept her. The latter is, in my view, far more difficult. Yes, the money you have offered is substantial, but she is a tiresome creature, my sister, and I am not entirely certain that even your most generous offer will be enough to bring about a marriage proposal."
Darcy turned his head to regard the youngest Miss Bennet, who was now standing under a shade tree listening intently to the commodore, and he said, "She is not a vicious person, your sister."
"No, but she is flirtatious, boisterous, and while not precisely uneducated, she is certainly not learned. She hardly fits your example of an accomplished lady."
"As you know, my former views regarding the necessary accomplishments of a lady were entirely stupid."
She smiled now, a bit sadly, and said, "Whatever an accomplished woman is, my sister is the opposite. She has always been selfish and, of late, a hoyden. You know that is true."
"I do," Darcy acknowledged and then, picking his words with care, continued, "I do not wish to be disrespectful toward the man I hope will one day be my father by marriage, but I believe that Mr. Bennet bears at least some of the responsibility for your sister's character."
Elizabeth huffed and lifted her free hand to wipe an unruly tear. "You are entirely correct. How could Lydia know better? All she has ever known is my mother's shrill admonishment that we all must marry as quickly as possible, while my father has hidden in the library much of our lives and laughed at his family the rest of the time? I am dismayed and horrified at Lydia's situation, but I am not particularly surprised."
Darcy dared to pat the gloved hand on his arm. "With all due respect, Miss Bennet, there are no perfect families in the world. We all have our areas of weakness and sin, and Miss Lydia is still young."
"Yes," Elizabeth agreed and cast a frowning look on Commodore Quill. "I confess that while I have no reason to dislike the commodore, I am concerned that Lydia might choose him. I understand that he will be away serving in the navy much of the time?"
"True, but I know that Quill has a mother still living, along with younger brothers and sisters. Miss Lydia could stay with them."
"Perhaps," Elizabeth mused. "Perhaps."
/
"So, you would be at sea often?" Lydia asked, staring up into her suitor's weather-beaten face. "Would I be on board with you?"
"Definitely not, Miss Lydia," Quill responded promptly. "A British warship is no place for a lady. No, when I am on duty, you will need to stay with my mother and siblings or with yours."
Lydia tilted her head and turned to stare at a nearby bed of golden chrysanthemums. That could work, she mused, provided that she would be living in or near London.
"Where is your family settled?" she asked, turning back to gaze into the commodore's eyes.
"Yorkshire. My uncle is a gentleman but the…"
"Yorkshire?!" Lydia interrupted, her eyes flaring wide. "That is terribly far north, is it not?"
"It is quite a distance north from here, yes," Quill said repressively.
"How often does your mother go to Town?"
"She never goes to Town. There is not enough money for such a journey, and…"
"I do not think I would be willing to live with them, then," Lydia interrupted again, "but I could stay with my parents, of course, at Longbourn. They are close enough to Town that I would be able to visit my Aunt and Uncle Gardiner on occasion and go to the Theater and to parties. Mamma would be very pleased to have me at home. I, at least, will be a married woman, unlike my sisters! Oh, that would be delightful, being able to sit in Jane's place; she is three and twenty you know, and not yet married! Mamma will be so proud of me for capturing a husband!"
The commodore considered her for a full minute and then bowed a little. "Miss Lydia, would you permit me to speak with Mr. Darcy for a few minutes in private?"
"Of course," Lydia replied carelessly.
/
"Mr. Darcy?"
"Commodore Quill?"
"Might I have a few moments of your time in private?"
Elizabeth knew a courteous dismissal when she heard one, and she removed her hand, with some regret, from Mr. Darcy's arm and said, "I will go speak with Lydia."
The Commodore waited until Miss Bennet had moved out of earshot and then said, "I apologize for wasting your time, Mr. Darcy, but I am afraid that Miss Lydia and I will not suit. I understand that given how quickly I am giving up on the experiment, you may not feel the necessity of paying the three hundred pounds, but I will not waste my time or yours when I know that I cannot marry her."
"The money is yours," Darcy said politely, "and I honor you for sharing your decision with me immediately. May I inquire as to the particular issue or issues which make it obvious you cannot wed the lady?"
Quill bit his lip and turned to stare at the fountain for a moment, and then looked back at Darcy and said, "I will be at sea most of the time, and Miss Lydia informs me that she would be unwilling to stay in Yorkshire with my mother and siblings. Given that Mr. and Mrs. Bennet allowed her to journey to Brighton without sufficient oversight, I am not comfortable with the idea of permitting her to dwell at her father's home. Moreover, with the entail on Longbourn, she will eventually not have a home there. No, I cannot, in good conscience, marry a girl whom I cannot look after in any reasonable way."
"I understand completely," Darcy said, and he did.
"I can leave for Town tonight, if you like," Quill suggested.
"Nonsense," Darcy replied. "You have had a long day of traveling, and I insist that you stay here. I will provide you with a carriage so that you can return to London tomorrow."
"A horse will be sufficient, and thank you, Mr. Darcy."