Jane was embarrassed, for she could see what her mother was doing. However, she had always been obedient and so, when Mrs. Bennet urged her to sing, she allowed Mary to accompany her on the pianoforte. When she returned to her seat and Mr. Darcy complimented her, she thanked him and, waiting until her mother’s attention was directed elsewhere, quietly apologized to him.
“I am sorry for my mother’s behavior. She means well; she is worried, is all, and wishes for me to marry as soon as possible.”
Mr. Darcy smiled. Bennet’s description of this daughter was spot on, as well. “All is well, Miss Bennet. I understand your mother’s feelings; she is doing her duty to you, or trying to, and I cannot fault her for that. Were I a much younger man, I might allow her machinations to succeed, but I fear that I have no desire for a wife young enough to be my daughter.” His eyes twinkled in amusement as he spoke.
Jane was relieved, both at his words and his obvious good humor. “Thank you, sir, for I have no wish for a husband old enough to be my father. I do wish to do my duty, though.”
“And you will, never fear. There are many young men out there in the world. Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth will not always be at Pemberley; perhaps you might join them in town sometimes. They could take you to balls and introduce you to a whole host of young men of good fortune in want of a wife. As a matter of fact, Fitzwilliam has a very good friend by the name of Charles Bingley. You never know; he might catch your eye.”
“Sir, you are teasing me,” Jane laughed softly.
“No, indeed! Your sister and my son will be in town often, at least for the season every winter. It is their duty as members of the ton. It would be nothing for them to invite you along.”
“Please do not push me at them.” The lines around Jane’s eyes betrayed her anxiety.
“I will not, I promise,” Darcy assured her gently. “I would not be surprised, though, if they did not invite you of their own accord, and I hope you will consider accepting the invitation, once it is given. There is no better opportunity for you to find a husband than in London. Even your Uncle Gardiner knows many men looking for wives, if you would rather not marry very high.”
“Yes,” Jane looked at her hands. “They have had me to London often, and introduced me to many young men, both tradesmen and gentlemen. I cannot explain why I feel the way I do. It is not that I do not wish to marry, for I do. I simply prefer it to happen … in its own time, in my own time, even. Oh, I am probably not making sense. Never mind me.” She waved her hands for a few seconds, reminiscent of her mother’s handkerchief, but then rested them back in her lap, clasped tightly together. Her anxiety was clear.
“No one will push you, my dear, I can promise you that. Even should you come to town and visit, no one will be pushed at you, and you will not be pushed at anyone. You may stay in your rooms, if that is your desire, for the entirety of your visit.”
Relief suffused Jane’s face, and her smile returned. “Thank you, sir.” At that moment, Mrs. Bennet’s attention had come back to them, and they both retreated to silence, which, by the end of the evening, vexed the mistress of Longbourn mightily.
~~~***~~~
The next day was spent indoors, as the beautiful weather of the previous days had been replaced by heavy rain and thunder. The wedding was now ten days away, and the ladies were diligently sewing the few items that would make up Elizabeth’s trousseau.
“Lizzy,” Lydia began, as she practiced her recently-acquired skill with sewing seams on her sister’s new chemise, “are you not mortified to be coming into your marriage with this pitifully small amount of clothing? I should demand a whole new wardrobe, were I marrying in a week.”
Elizabeth patiently explained, for what felt to her like the tenth time, that new clothes were currently unnecessary. “I am in mourning. There is no point in spending hundreds of pounds on an entirely new wardrobe when it will all be black. When I get to town after the wedding, I will have three or four new mourning dresses made in the latest style, and that will do me for the rest of my time. Once I reach half-mourning, I can begin to buy more colorful gowns. Who knows, with all the pastries and biscuits that I am sure will be at my beck and call at Darcy House, I may need my dresses cut bigger by then.” Elizabeth winked at Lydia, who laughed, along with everyone who witnessed it.
“When you say it like that, it does make a good deal of sense,” Lydia acceded. “Still, it is a disappointment, for me, at least. I had hoped to go with you and persuade you to buy me a new gown, as well.”
“I doubt I would have. You must learn to live within your means now. Mama cannot go to Mr. Collins and ask for extra money like she could Papa, and she will have to spend her funds on living expenses.”
“She can ask you, can she not?” Kitty was just as unhappy as her mother to find herself with fewer pence and shillings with which to make herself pretty.
“I am certain Fitzwilliam and his father will help where they can, but you must remember that they must save for the future. I might follow in my mother’s footsteps and have only daughters. We must save money for their dowries.”
“I bet you give birth to a passel of boys!” Lydia nudged Kitty, who was sitting beside her. Both girls giggled.
“That is enough. Ladies do not speak so coarsely.” Elizabeth spoke sternly, and though her sisters stifled their laughter behind their hands, they largely ignored her instruction.
“Oh, leave them be,” Mrs. Bennet ordered. “Who is here to listen?” She looked up from the embroidery hoop in her hand and caught the red faces of the gentlemen. “Oh.” Biting her lip, she lowered her head again and industriously applied herself to her sewing.
“Since Lizzy’s warning was not heeded, I shall add mine.” Mr. Gardiner minced no words with his sister and never had. He intended to behave in the same manner with his nieces, who, in his opinion, needed a far firmer hand than their father had ever given them. “Ladies, which is what you are,” he pointed at Lydia and Kitty in turn, then at his sister, “do not speak of the bearing of children in mixed company. I trust, Sister, that Lydia is merely repeating what she has heard you say in an unguarded moment, and that she remains an innocent, with no understanding of how children come about.”
Lydia, hearing her uncle’s harsh tone of voice, shrunk into her seat. She understood that he was now her guardian, along with her mother and her other uncle, and that he had the power to punish her or deny her privileges as he saw fit. She knew without him saying anything further that he did not approve of her speech and there would be repercussions if it were repeated. She did not like being told what to do, but she did love her uncle and most definitely did not wish to have her movements restricted any more than they currently were. Kitty apparently equally understood, for she also attempted to make herself small. The girls huddled on the sofa together and listened. When he suddenly addressed them, both girls were quick to respond.
“If I hear such speech from you again, Lydia, I will treat you as I treat your cousin Emily, and you will eat your supper in your room, alone. You, as well, Kitty. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“Very good.” Turning to his sister, he added, “I expect you to teach these girls to be the gentlewomen they are. Jane and Lizzy turned out very well, and while they were with Maddie and me for much of their formative years, our training would not have stuck if you had not reinforced it at home. I know that you know right from wrong. Use that knowledge.”
“I am sorry, Brother. I do know right from wrong. You are correct; the girls will not be able to catch a good husband without proper training. I am just-,” Mrs. Bennet began to wail and wave her ever-present handkerchief. “I have been so overwhelmed with grief that I cannot think.” She gasped and clutched her chest. “Oh, I have such flutterings and spasms all over my body! Where are my salts? Hill! Hill!”
Though Gardiner rolled his eyes, he poured his sister a glass of sherry and did his best to soothe her until the housekeeper could arrive with the requested salts. Fanny had always had a dramatic bent, and it had only gained in strength with age. He wished she would control herself better, and made every attempt to convince her she should, but he knew as sure as the sun would rise every morning, Fanny Bennet’s nerves would eventually make an appearance.
~~~***~~~
Miss Georgiana Darcy and her governess arrived at Longbourn the very next day. Mr. Darcy and Fitzwilliam were there to greet the coach as it pulled up in front of Longbourn’s entrance. Mr. Darcy waved away the groom who had jumped off to open the door, taking care of the task himself and handing down first his daughter and then Miss Smith.
Georgiana was chattering excitedly. “Papa! Brother!” She hugged one and then the other. “I have missed you! What is happening? What is this house? I thought we were spending the summer at Pemberley? Did you change your mind? Who lives here?”
After accepting her hugs and kissing her head, Mr. Darcy tried to calm her down. “Georgiana, that is enough. We can only answer one question at a time. Come, let us go inside and I will introduce you to the residents, then you will know whose house it is and why we are here.”
“Yes, sir. I am sorry, Papa; I was excited, is all.”
Darcy chuckled. “So you were. It is understandable that you would be, but you must learn to control your emotions.”
Georgiana sighed. “I am sorry.” She rolled her eyes. “A lady never shows excitement or amusement.”
Fitzwilliam bit his lip and swallowed a chuckle. He had seen his sister’s impudent reaction and understood her frustration with the rules of society. He remembered very well what those years were like, when he was not a child but not yet a man, either. He followed his father and sister into Longbourn, hoping none of the residents would frighten the shy Georgiana—and that she would not borrow any of their wild behaviors.
Darcy entered the drawing room with his daughter on his arm and his son behind him. He found that he preferred to have his children with him at all times, and part of him despaired at Fitzwilliam becoming an adult. One of the things that delighted him most about the upcoming marriage between Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth was that his son would most likely remain at Pemberley much of the time, especially once he and the new Mrs. Darcy began having children. I just hope I live long enough to meet one of them, he thought.
“Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary, may I present to you my daughter, Miss Georgiana Darcy?” The pride in his voice was unmistakable, even to him.
The Bennet ladies curtseyed as Georgiana did the same.
“Welcome to Longbourn, Miss Darcy,” Jane greeted. “We are pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“Thank you, Miss Bennet.” Georgiana, faced with three unknown young ladies, turned red and kept her eyes glued to the carpet.
Darcy, seeing his daughter withdrawing into herself, endeavoured to ease her acclimation to this new situation. “Sweetheart, your brother and I and Miss Elizabeth have some news to share. Come, let us all get comfortable.” Leading Georgiana to a sofa, he settled her into a seat, before taking the one beside her. Once Fitzwilliam and the Bennets had also filled the adjacent chairs and settees, he turned back to his daughter.
“I had a friend that I met at University. His name was Thomas Bennet. Do you recall me speaking of him?”
A crease formed between Georgiana’s brows as she considered his question. “Is he the gentleman to whom you wrote so often?”
“Yes,” Darcy nodded, pleased she had remembered. “We corresponded weekly, at least. You often sat with me while I read and replied to his missives.”
“I do remember. He always has something to say that made you laugh, and he often wrote about one of his daughters.”
“Indeed, he did. He wrote to me about Miss Elizabeth.” Darcy gestured toward Elizabeth, who smiled.
Georgiana dared a glance at the young lady in question, but quickly turned her gaze back to her father.
“Do you recall that I received a letter the day we returned from Cambridge?”
“I do; you said you and Brother had to leave again the next morning and that it was urgent.”
“You are correct, and it was. As I said, my friend was Miss Elizabeth’s father. Well, he was Miss Bennet’s and Miss Mary’s father, as well, but Miss Elizabeth is at the center of the story I am telling you today. You see, many years ago, Bennet and I arranged for your brother to marry Miss Elizabeth, should one of us die.” Darcy watched Georgiana’s eyes go round, and her mouth form an “O.” “The day we returned to Pemberley, I received an express that informed me of my friend’s death in a riding accident. So, your brother and I immediately set out.”
Though she appeared confused, Georgiana nodded.
“Do you have any questions?” Darcy could see that she did but was uncertain about asking them.
Georgiana darted a look at her brother, then at Elizabeth. “Did Fitzwilliam know he was engaged to be married?”
“No, he did not. I informed him on the way to Hertfordshire.”
“Is he happy?”
Darcy chuckled. “You can ask him later, but as near as I can determine, he is. What else do you wish to ask? I can see in your eyes that you have more questions.”
“Did Miss Elizabeth know?” Georgiana leaned closer and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Is she nice? Will they live at Pemberley once they are married? Is she happy to be marrying my brother?”
“Miss Elizabeth did not know until her father’s will was read,” her father replied, as gently as he could. “She is very nice,” he added in a quiet tone that only Georgiana could hear. “You are gaining a wonderful sister. Do not be afraid, Sweetheart. They will live at Pemberley part of the year, just as we do now, and will travel to London with us during the season. As far as Miss Elizabeth’s happiness, you must ask her that question, just like you must ask your brother about his.”
Georgiana had listened with rapt attention, and now nodded. If her Papa said all would be well, then all would be well, and she would not concern herself with it. She did, however, have a final question. “Papa, what is a ‘will’?”
“A will is a document that explains a person’s final wishes to his family and friends.”
Georgiana accepted this bit of information readily enough, and so Darcy changed the course of the conversation. “You will have time to consider everything you have heard this afternoon. Mrs. Hill is the housekeeper here, and she has prepared a room for you. I will take you up now; I want you to wash the travel dust off your face and lie down for a while. Miss Smith will wake you up before supper. Her room is beside yours, and connects through a closet.”
“I should very much like a nap,” Georgiana replied. Travel always exhausted her. It was generally a very long and boring affair.
“Excellent. Say your farewells to your new acquaintances, then, and we will go up.”
The girl did just that, curtseying with a shy smile and accepting the Bennet ladies’ wishes for a good rest, and then following her father out of the room.