Darcy found that he no longer dreaded the call he’d promised to make on “the tradesmen” as Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle had come to be referred to when they rose in conversation over the dinner table. He knew, of course, that the event would be horrid. But there were a great many unpleasant things in life, and if he could make Elizabeth a little happy, that happiness would be a good recompense for a great deal more effort than tolerating Mrs. Bennet’s brother and his wife for the spare hour or two.
When the dawn had fully risen Darcy went out for a ride, wanting a little more time for himself before joining his family once more. When he came back, Lady Matlock approached him as he was coming back to the house from the stables, “Your Mrs. Darcy is not half so bad as I feared she would be.”
“Does that make her one quarter or one tenth as bad?” Darcy said with a smile. “I have come to think of her as not bad at all.”
“And you feared that she would be?” His aunt looked at him with that piercing look. “You have yet to explain the matter of how the engagement occurred.”
“It was a quick decision, but a decision,” Darcy said. “AndI am beginning to believe there is a virtue in such fast decisions.”
“Ah.”
When Lady Matlock made a humming sound, but did not say anything further, Darcy asked, “Might you venture to tell me what this indicates?”
“That you are in love with her. I am glad to see it.”
Darcy flushed.
And he realized it was true. He was in love with her.
“Of courseIam not.” Lady Matlock shrugged. “So my opinion of her can hardly be expected to be so high as yours is at present.”
“And what might you have to say against her?” Darcy said with a mix of defiance and anxiety.
“She does not listen to advice, and she is far too certain of her own opinions. Rather similar to you.”
Darcy raised his eyebrow.
“She is a proud woman, and she greatly dislikes the notion that we all see her as having married you for the material advantage of doing so, when thatmusthave been some part of what motivated her.”
He knew that, but he did not like to think about it.
Thatwas not a thought to give Darcy any warmth. It happened less often now, but he often saw that Elizabeth was not wholly happy about their marriage. But she was learning to see him and his real worth now that they had spent so much time close together.
He at least honestly believed that she was coming to desire him as much as he desired her.
“But the reason I approached you is that she is determined to make you appear ridiculous about clothing. Itwillbe talked about by everyone in my circle, and I’ll hear of it ten times if I hear of it once.”
“What do you mean?”
“She plans to rewear every dress twice a week — it is not done. Simply not done.”
“She is—”
“Donottry to defend her with some notion that she is being frugal, making her own choices, or being anything but ridiculous. I believe even she knows that she is ridiculous about the matter.”
“I will speak to her.”
“Especially if we are to have her presented to the queen, she must make a proper picture. To wear the same two or three dresses to every ball… especially when they are so cheap. Youmustsee that it would be insupportable.”
“I do.”
“Talk to her. Order her if you must. Convince her to dress according to her position, and not this… this… fantasy that she might be taken as caring nothing for your wealth.”
“She is not a fool.”
Lady Matlock pinched his cheek, which was something she hadn’t done for many years. “Perk up, dear boy. She may not be a treasure, but she is not dross either. Solid iron, workable, hard to shape, and not much of an ornament. Whatever foolishness actually convinced you to marry her didn’t damage us badly — just convince her to dress decently.”
After dinner that evening Darcy asked Elizabeth to step aside from the main group. Recalling that he’d been told once, probably by Bingley, about how it was best to begin a speech that would include an unpleasant topic with a compliment, Darcy said, “I have been delighted to see how much time you’ve been spending with Georgiana.”
