“I thank you,” she was smiling in that cheerful, yet dismissive way which seemed to beg off, “but that will not be necessary. We cannot stay long, and indeed, must depart before the greater share of the evening’s events.”
“Indeed, this is a travesty!” he declared. “For you simply cannot properly appreciate all without at least witnessing the Cascade, or the Ascents, or even sampling our delicious fare. And the fireworks! You must not go before the display. Pray, Miss Bennet, will you not alter your intent?”
She began to deny his wishes, but even as she opened her mouth, another voice interrupted.
“Miss Bennet? Did I hear Miss Bennet?” The voice came from somewhere behind Darcy, but it rapidly neared as a generously proportioned figure of a woman happened upon them. When her eyes found his Miss Bennet, she lifted her hands in the greatest joy, as if she had recovered a long-lost relation. “Itisyou, Miss Bennet! I thought I heard your voice, and I was certain of it when I overheard your name!”
Elizabeth seemed to start, and a curious expression crossed her face as if she did not at first recognise the voice or its bearer. Then her eyes cleared, and she smiled warmly. “Mrs Jennings, what a pleasure to meet you again!”
Then—God bless the woman!—she glanced quickly to him and raised an eyebrow in question. With the greatest relief, he was ableto shake his head very subtly. No, he did not know this woman; it was, therefore, safe for her to carry on a few moments’ conversation with her acquaintance in his presence.
“Miss Elizabeth, I cannot tell you what delight this happy circumstance gives me! Why, I was only telling my daughter Charlotte—that is, Mrs Palmer, the one I told you of last night—not half an hour ago of the delightful time we all had at the symphony. Did you not love it, my dear?”
“Indeed, I did,” Miss Elizabeth averred, “I always do enjoy music.”
“Oh, one does not go to the symphony for the music but the company! And how happily seated we were—why I never go but that I find myself beside the most agreeable new faces. I simply adored your Mrs Gardiner, and Miss Kitty was perfectly enchanting. As for yourself, I have never been so delighted to meet any young lady. I was just praising you to my dear Charlotte, was I not, my love?” She gestured to a plump younger lady walking beside her, who had not spoken but had announced her arrival with numerous quiet giggles.
“Indeed, Mama, you were saying that very thing. Miss Bennet, I am so pleased to meet you!”
Miss Elizabeth curtsied to the young wife, but whatever duty or pleasure she might have expressed was lost in the next moment, for Mrs Jennings was speaking again.
“Now, my dear, do you not agree with me when I said how handsome she was? And clever, too—why I cannot recall the last time I laughed so! We simply must exert ourselves on her behalf, for I shall not see such a young lady passed over.”
Miss Elizabeth looked confused and turned toward the daughter to make sense of the mother’s words. Her dismay was evident when all was explained.
“Oh, Mama is so droll, is she not?” Mrs Palmer enthused. “She always fancies herself the matchmaker, and she’s a ready eye for any young lady in need of a husband. A handsome girl and awealthy man, that is her prescription for bliss, and I daresay she is never wrong!”
“I—” Miss Elizabeth protested weakly, “I am sure I am grateful for your consideration, madam, but I have no need—”
“Nonsense!” Mrs Jennings laughed. “Oh, come now Miss Bennet, no need to be so missish. Have not all young ladies the same requirements? But never fear, for I have no intentions of setting you up with any man just yet. Why, I have only just met you! I’ve no idea the sort of man you would like, nor even if there are any you have set your hopes upon, but a half an hour’s chat shall suffice to know all. Let me see, is there such a young man who might have already captured your fancy?” She touched a finger to her lips and stared pensively, the better to divine what no properly brought up young lady would dare confess.
“No, indeed!” Miss Elizabeth shook her head, her cheeks flushing rather becomingly. “But I thank you for your kind interest, madam. As it is, I am afraid I cannot tarry half an hour.”
“Oh, now you may not brush me off so quickly. The evening has not yet begun, and we have all night to sit together and talk this over. Now I suppose your aunt and sister are here somewhere? Sure, taking another of the walks, no doubt. Well, no matter, they can find us when they come to the supper boxes. Come, you simply must join us, I will not hear any objections! Am I not right, Charlotte?”
“Oh, yes,” Mrs Palmer agreed. “It is a such a large box, and our company is so small this evening. I can scarcely abide not having a great variety of company, but we heard on the way here that Sir John—that is my sister’s husband—was taken ill and could not come. We’ve other friends we tried to persuade, but alas, they have only just married, and they are of no use whatsoever as companions just now. Pray, do join us, Miss Elizabeth, and Mama will be vastly pleased. Oh, and I simply must have you meet Mr Palmer, he is so very droll!”
“I am very sorry,” Miss Elizabeth shook her head, “I am afraid I cannot stay. My visit today was to be of very short duration, and I am expected home soon. As soon as we have completed our circuit of the walking paths—”
“Oh, no! I simply must protest, for you cannot go so quickly! Why, it is not even half dusk, and you know there is nothing to the Gardens when they are all lit up at night. Is that not true, Charlotte?”
Mrs Palmer shook her head vehemently.
“Now, I see you have a manservant to escort you, that is very good. He can certainly see to your safe return to your party if they do not arrive shortly, but you simply must dine with us for a little while, at the least. We are going to take some early refreshments, for my daughter’s condition demands such, and Mr Palmer’s humour is much improved by food and drink. No, no! Your modesty does you credit, Miss Elizabeth, but I will not hear another objection! Upon my word, if you are not so very much like a young lady of my acquaintance! Always trying to be so sensible, but even the sensible are often possessed of some deep feeling they will not confess. Therefore, I shall spare you the trouble of keeping up the pretence and insist that you join us until your party returns to the main square.”
Mrs Palmer giggled again, and Miss Elizabeth was left with no means of objection. Darcy watched her nibble her lips nervously, then glance at him to silently ask his approbation of the scheme. Darcy lifted just one brow as if to say that a small delay would be of no great consequence. It was not as if Mr Gardner would be ready to receive them quite so soon, and a little refreshment seemed harmless enough. Additionally, he could not help but believe their own presence, as a single lady and footman, would seem the less remarkable if they appeared to be a part of a larger group. And so, to take refreshments, they adjourned.
Richard Fitzwilliam had returned to the earl’s townhouse to resume the aborted call he had tried to pay on his mother. She would have considered it ill-bred indeed should he cry off entirely, and he had now some motive in asking for an audience with her. Miss Wakeford’s words alluding to her father had inspired in him the resolve to speak more seriously to his own family about certain matters.
Unfortunately, once again he was not the only caller to the drawing room. Only moments after he had settled by the hearth to await his mother, Lady Catherine was shown in. Her arrival had come as little surprise by the time he saw her, for her strident protests had echoed soundly in the hall for some minutes already. Accompanied by avowals of, “He shall hear my thoughts on the matter!” and “I intend to carry my way!” the lady herself blustered into the room.
Richard stood and bowed. “Good day again, Aunt Catherine.”
She turned accusing eyes toward him and pointed a recriminating talon directly at his heart. “And I shall have my satisfaction of you as well, Richard Fitzwilliam! I know very well what you have done.”
“I? Forgive me, Aunt, I was not aware that I had given any offence.”
At this moment, both the earl and countess arrived, and Richard felt himself the nexus of three very heated glares. “What have you done, Richard?” his father demanded.
