Instead, to my surprise, he merely nodded. “Ah, yes, of course.”
“In fact, I ought to be going. Jane and Charlotte do not share my obsession with bookstores, and I doubt not that they are waiting for me to satisfy myself so we may return for tea. As I only came to amuse myself, I may as well appease them now.”
His face seemed blank for a second, then he bowed. “Yes, of course.”
I turned to Miss Darcy to curtesy my farewell, but before I stepped away, my eyes fell to that book in Mr. Darcy’s hand. “You seem to have found what you came for, as well.” I gestured to the volume. “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage? A fine choice.”
He lifted the book, and a faint smile crept onto his face. “Indeed. A fortunate find—right place, right time, as they say.” He hesitated again. “Do you have any specific plans during your stay in London?”
“Oh, we are at the leisure of my aunt and uncle. I believe we have been invited to a few parties, but I am short on specifics.”
He nodded. “Well, I shan’t keep you. My sister and I must be going.” He paused. “Good day, Miss Elizabeth.”
I put on a serene smile. “The same to you, Mr. Darcy.”
6
6 December
“Charlotte,areyouwell?Should we turn back?”
I squeezed my friend’s hand in the carriage, and she turned to look at me—pale, holding her breath, her eyes blank and wide. “Turn back? No, no, in heaven’s name! It is just that I have never been to a party in London. Are you certain my gown is suitable?” She brushed down the front of her muslin—the lace that ought to have been made over, and the bodice that fitted her two seasons ago but now looked a bit loose.
“You look lovely, my dear,” Aunt Gardiner promised. “And I believe you will find that our host is an amiable sort of man who surrounds himself with like-minded friends. No one will slight you for your attire.”
“ButIwill personally drag you away if you frighten me again,“ I vowed. “No more of that ghostly look on your face.”
Charlotte giggled, then tossed a salute like a soldier. “Understood, Lizzy.”
“Have you met many of Mr. Van der Meer’s friends?” Jane asked. “What are they like? Who acts as hostess for him?”
“Some,” my uncle replied. “His aunt serves the office of hostess, but I have hardly spoken with her. I believe she was the daughter of a minor nobleman, and quite fashionable. Thus far, I have found him to be an agreeable man of good character. He has mentioned a particular loathing for some of the vanities of theton, which I found curious, as he has more wealth than half of them.”
“Having wealth and flaunting it are two very different things,” I decided.
“Oh, he certainly flaunts it,” Uncle Gardiner argued. “Wait until you see his house.”
Excitement and trepidation bubbled up inside me as our carriage pulled up in front of Mr. Henry Van der Meer’s home. From the outside, it presented a façade of elegance, but I disagreed with my uncle on one point, for it lacked the gaudiness that often accompanied immense wealth. If nothing else, Mr. Van der Meer had decent taste.
We were received in a drawing room that was alive with chatter, subtle laughter, and the warm glow of a myriad of candles. The muted golden light gave everyone a certain rosy hue—or perhaps that was the effect of the wine being circulated on silver trays by liveried footmen.
Before I could properly take in the surroundings, a figure bounded up to us. “Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner!” he exclaimed. “I am so glad you could come. May I beg an introduction to these lovely ladies?”
“Certainly, sir.” My uncle turned to us and gave our names to the host, who greeted each of us in turn as if we were duchesses. Jane blushed shyly at his open admiration. Charlotte forgot her own name for a moment, until he reminded her—but with such a charming manner that they shared a fine laugh over the matter. I was simply studying him.
Mr. Henry Van der Meer. Taller than Mr. Bingley, but not so tall as Mr. Darcy… not that those gentlemen were the standards of measure, but they were the first comparisons I could think of. His hair might as well have been crafted of gold, for the shade was right, and he probably had enough money to mint himself a wig. Heir to a shipbuilding empire, pockets as deep as the ocean his ships sailed on, and yet, for all his money, he possessed the subtle awkwardness of a man who knew he didn’t quite fit into the polished shoes of London’s elite. Not that it seemed to bother him.
“Misses Bennet, Miss Lucas, I must admit it is an honor to host such lovely guests. Especially those hailing from the charming countryside—traveling all this way in such weather, merely to refresh us poor Londoners by your presence.”
“Ah, yes. The ‘quaint and charming countryside’,” I replied. “Where the trees are too tall and the balls too few. But I am told we make up for it with our fresh air and delightful company.”
He laughed heartily. “Speaking of delightful company, how would you all say London’s grandeur holds up against Hertfordshire’s rustic charm?”
I drew a breath, readying a reply, but Charlotte stunned me by speaking first. “The architecture here is certainly grand, but in Hertfordshire, we needn’t worry about the ceiling caving in from the weight of too many chandeliers.”
There was a moment’s pause before he erupted in laughter, clapping his hands in delight. “Oh, Miss Lucas! That was wonderfully unexpected! A fair point made. London does have a penchant for… overindulgence.”
Jane’s eyes darted around the room, and I couldn’t help but suspect she was searching for a certain gentleman with sun-kissed hair and a charming smile. But she played along—better than I did, at least. “Indeed, sir, but perhaps there is something to be said for excess when done tastefully.”
