When they returned to their chambers, Darcy invited Bingley to spend an upcoming long weekend with him and his family in Town. Bingley told him that he would love to but would wait to give him a final answer after writing his father for permission.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The Darcys and Fitzwilliams’travelled in convoy to London in mid-September. Lizzy was excited as her mother and Aunt Anne had promised to take the three girls shopping a few days after they arrived. One of the stores that they would visit was the Gardiner and Associates warehouse near Cheapside as they had been most impressed with the variety and quality of the wares the last time they had visited.
Elizabeth hoped that the beautiful blond girl would be there again. She did not know why, but she felt some inexplicable connection towards the girl and wanted to know her name. Besides, when they had met, the girl had been nice and friendly. She reminded her a bit of a girl named‘aney she used to occasionally dream about. While it had been a long time since she had seen the girl’s features clearly in her dreams, the blond hair was almost the exact same colour as the girl in her dreams, though her dreams had become less frequent as the years marched by.
Soon enough they arrived at Matlock House while the Darcy carriages stopped in front of Darcy House opposite them on the square. Thoughts of shopping were forgotten as Lizzy rushed to get to her baby grand pianoforte waiting for her in the music room. She and Anne took each other’s hands and made for their chambers to wash and change so that they could then make a beeline for the music room. The Earl and Countess smiled indulgently as they watched the girls ascend the grand staircase and were glad they had the foresight to have a second one purchased for town at both of their houses.
Chapter 11
Mid-September 1798
Charles Bingley was awash in anticipation as he sat in the Darcy carriage that was bearing him, Darcy, and Fitzwilliam to London. As they travelled, he considered one portion of the reply from his father clearly.
…I have no objection if you want to spend time with your new friends in London, I wish you a good time.
Your sister Caroline seemed convinced that as you were invited, so was she. I disabused her of the notion but be forewarned that she is waiting with bated breath to make the acquaintance of your high-born friends…
He did not think that his friends deserved to be put upon by Caroline, his mother, or Louisa, and he could imagine the obsequious fawning that would occur when the inevitable meeting happened as he was obligated to extend a return invitation at some point.
The conveyance came to a halt at Darcy House, and they entered the most impressive town house that young Bingley had ever seen. They were met by both the Darcy and Fitzwilliam families in the largest drawing room; the only one missing was Andrew who had a long weekend at the end of the month. Bingley was in awe as he was introduced to the rest of the family. He had never met a peer of the realm or any titled personages besides the local knight in Meryton. While he was impressed to meet all, it did not take him long to realise that the petite Lady Elizabeth Fitzwilliam was far more intelligent and educated than he was.
She looked somewhat familiar to him, but he soon put the idea out of his mind after a scan of his memories assured him that this was the first time that they had met. What he did not consider, it is no wonder why he didn’t, was that she reminded him of Mr Bennet’s late mother whose portrait was hanging at Longbourn. If he had been more observant, he would have noticed that the cross that the girl wore was the exact replica of the one that late Mrs Bennet wore in the painting.
On seeing her brother Richard, Elizabeth flew into his arms.“Itch, I have missed you so very much,” she said as he lifted her and she planted a kiss on his cheek while wrapping her arms around her brother’s neck.
“I have missed you too, you scallywag,” Richard retorted as he hugged his little sister into himself until she laughed.
“Itch?” Charles Bingley asked.
“When my sister here,” Richard answered as he tickled his sister and was rewarded with girlish giggles,“was younger, she could not say Richard, so I became Itch. And even after she could annunciate my name correctly, my nickname was still used, by more than Lizzy,” he gave a mock glare to his assembled family.
Just then the nursemaid entered the drawing room with Alex holding her hand. As soon as he saw Richard he exclaimed:“Itch,‘allow Itch!” His outburst caused general laughter in the room as little Alex looked on very proud of himself that he had somehow caused the merriment before him.
William scooped him up.“This young man,” he said to Bingley,” is my brother Alex. Alex this is my friend, master Bingley.”
“Mas’er‘ing’ ‘allow,” Alex said in greeting earnestly.
Charles executed a bow toward the toddler,“Well met, master Alex.”
After enjoying refreshment, the Fitzwilliam family left to cross the square to their home. Charles Bingley was shown to a very spacious suite in the guest wing where a man who would act as his valet for the four days while they would be in Town had already unpacked his clothing.‘Yes,’he thought,‘I will have to keep my mother and sisters away from my friends as long as can be.’
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Mrs Carol Fitzpatrick had established herself as a quiet widow who kept to herself and did not give anyone in the area of Packwood cause to give her a second glance. The longer that she had to act the demure widow of no consequence the more her anger and lust for revenge built inside of her. She had sent one of her men to Derbyshire to glean some intelligence about the family, and the man had just returned with news that both the Darcys and the Fitzwilliams were in London, and he was not able to determine when they would return to their estates.
As his employer had warned him to be, he had been as careful as he could and had not asked too many questions about the family so as to raise suspicion. The former Lady Catherine suspected that her relations would be in Town for the little season, and that after the annual Christmas through Twelfth Night was spent at one of the estates, they would return to London for the duration of season.
Summer, the upcoming summer of 1799 is when she would strike, after the members of her former family returned from Town. Mrs Fitzpatrick had a lot of planning to do, for whatever it was that she would bring down on their heads she wanted them to suffer and suffer badly.
She had been angered greatly when she read about the notice and acceptance that the mongrel had received from the royals which meant complete acceptance by the Ton. She decided that she was the only sane one in the realm that could see what a degradation the interloper was. The great name of Fitzwilliam had been irreparably polluted when her fool brother had accepted the founding as a daughter and bestowed their name on her.
What angered her even more was that the girl was accomplished in every way that she was not. It was not to be born that a mongrel had abilities that the daughter of an Earl lacked. As she descended further and further into her delusions of grandeur, it became harder for her to keep up the front that she presented to the towns people, so she withdrew, allowing her maid/companion to let it be known that her mistress was taking a period of solitude and reflection when any in the town asked after her.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“How can this be?” Caroline Bingley, who had recently turned thirteen stamped her foot in anger as she vented her spleen to her mother.“Why did my father not understand that I was included in the invitation Charles received!”
