“You are nearly thirty, my son, and you may not always wish to wear the uniform. At least consider Anne’s gift—the doctors believe she may live for at least a decade yet, so you have time to consider your options. If nothing else, you can leave the estate to Darcy’s second son or a child of your brother’s, should the Viscount ever deign to find himself a wife,” the earl argued, convincing Fitzwilliam to agree for the present.
Lady Matlock refreshed herself, and then she and Elizabeth reviewed the plans for the house party. She praised Elizabeth’s efforts, suggesting only two or three minor changes, to which Elizabeth readily agreed.
Various entertainments were planned for the party, including picnics, rides, fishing, and games. Georgiana would not participate in many of these, particularly the evening entertainments, and Mary decided to keep company with her. Both girls were still somewhat shy in large groups and preferred to remain out of sight. Darcy and Elizabethagreed to this, although Lady Matlock attempted to persuade Georgiana to participate more since she was soon to be out.
“Aunt Helen,” Darcy said after dinner that first night. “Georgiana will not come out next spring; she has decided to wait until she is a little older before she is presented. My wife and I agree with her, and you will accept her decision.”
Lady Matlock was not happy, but after Elizabeth quietly informed her she and Darcy would likely not participate in the following season, Lady Matlock agreed to support their decision to delay Georgiana’s presentation.
The following day, Elizabeth, Lady Matlock, and Jane spent time with Mrs Reynolds finalising the preparations while Darcy, Lord Matlock, and Colonel Fitzwilliam met in the study to discuss business and plans for the harvest. Darcy shared some investment opportunities he learned from Gardiner, knowing Richard intended to sell his commission before much longer. Georgiana and Mary spent the morning in the library selecting books to read in their rooms in the evenings while the guests were in residence or in the music room practising the pianoforte.
After a light luncheon on the terrace with their family, Elizabeth and Darcy greeted the first guests to arrive, Lord and Lady Warwick and their son, at the door. “Welcome to Pemberley!” Darcy said as they exited their carriage. “We are pleased to have you join us. Our housekeeper, Mrs Reynolds, will show you to your rooms. We will gather in the yellow drawing room at four in the afternoon. Please let the staff know if you need anything.”
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the Warwicks were shown upstairs, and the rest of the family gathered in the drawing room to await additional arrivals. The last to arrive were Mr Thornton and Mr Ashford, friends of Darcy’s who attended Cambridge with several of the other gentlemen and owned estates in nearby Cheshire. Although neither estate was as large as Pemberley, both gentlemen had much in common with Darcy and were diligent estate managers not given to the more licentious behaviour of many in theton. They arrived with scant time to prepare for dinner and arrived in the drawing room only moments before the butler announced the meal.
Those introductions that were necessary were conducted, and when the meal was announced, Elizabeth cheerfully told the party they would forgo ceremony that night and encouraged everyone to select a dinner partner. Husbands and wives immediately partnered, leaving the eight single men and women to scurry for their partners.
Viscount Tremont, who was already near Jane, offered his arm to escort her to the meal. The others quickly paired off and followed the Darcys into the dining room. In a nod to formality, Elizabeth and Darcy were seated at opposite ends of the table, and the remaining chairs were quickly filled. The conversation around the table was lively and covered many topics, from the war with France and politics to books and music.
Everyone contributed to the conversation, with the exception of Jane, who looked around in wonder at these ladies of theton. She never participated in conversation quite like this at any other dinner party she attended. The longer she sat there, the more she realised she was quite unprepared for a life such as this and began to retreat into herself.
When the ladies withdrew, the conversation continued in a similar vein, and Jane felt quite out of her depth and, before the gentlemen returned, excused herself to her room, claiming fatigue. Elizabeth worried as she watched her sister depart from the room, intending to find time the following day to speak to her. She thought Jane looked forward to seeing Viscount Tremont but noticed her quietness at dinner and again with the ladies she had not previously met.
While Jane attendedall the entertainments and events of the house party, she remained quiet. Despite his efforts to engage her, Jane was standoffish with Viscount Tremont, and he eventually withdrew his attention. Mr Thornton and Mr Ashford invited Jane to participate in cards and lawn games, and while Jane participated in these activities readily enough, she contributed little to their conversation or the ladies’ conversation. She had never taken an interest in the activities of Longbourn other than to occasionally help Elizabeth with the tenants, although she did participate in the charity work typical of young gentlewomen. Therefore, the life these gentlemen lived at theirestates, regardless of how wealthy they were, simply did not appeal to Jane, and, with her lack of encouragement, the gentlemen turned their attention to the other ladies in the party, and Jane remained a largely silent observer.
Elizabeth was also unsuccessful in drawing Jane out but was unable to speak to her privately with so many guests in the house. This, along with her developing pregnancy, was wearing on Elizabeth. She was feeling exhausted, and when she received two disturbing letters—one from her mother continuing her disparagement and another from Mrs Hill telling of extravagant purchases her mother and youngest sisters attempted to make on the accounts Darcy set up—Elizabeth had enough. Marching into her husband’s study, she vented all her frustration and anger with her parents on him.
“Once again, Papa has failed in his responsibility to his family,” Elizabeth raged. “I have received yet another letter from my mother telling me what a horrible daughter I am for keeping Jane away from town and opportunities to meet ‘rich men’ and accusing me of ignoring her and my younger sisters’ needs. Not only that, but Mrs Hill reports she somehow convinced the dressmaker to charge your accounts to purchase silk dresses for her and my sisters. Papa allowed her to escort my sisters to the last assembly, and when they returned in their cups, he laughed at their antics. Lydia very nearly ruined herself, and the entire family is being shunned by the neighbours.
“Taking his books has not been enough. Papa will only change his behaviour if he suffers real consequences. I worry Mama will never change—she will always be foolish and has encouraged my sisters to be equally so. Lydiamustbe sent to school. Kitty ought to as well, but her behaviour will improve if she is separated from Lydia,” Elizabeth stated.
Darcy sighed and pulled Elizabeth into her arms. “Shall we throw him into the Marshalsea, then?”
“I am uncertain what we should do now. We have a houseful of guests who will remain for several more days yet,” Elizabeth complained. “What have you heard from my father or our other informants?”
Searching his desk, he picked up two letters. “I have one here from Todd and another from Mrs Martin,” Darcy paused as he opened both, handing Elizabeth the one from the governess. They read their lettersand then exchanged them. “At least your father appears to be doing his part on the estate,” he commented after reading both letters.
“Yes, but he is allowing Mama to limit Mrs Martin’s effectiveness. She reports that Kitty is doing well but would do better without Lydia’s interference. Even with Mama there, Mrs Martin believes she could help Kitty, but Lydia is beyond her ability. It would be different if Mama did not contradict everything the governess tells Lydia,” Elizabeth groaned. “There is nothing for it—Lydia must go to school. This latest incident should make that abundantly clear if he can trouble himself enough to realise it.”
“Your sister is unchecked and will not listen to instructions. Perhaps we should throw your father into the Marshalsea and allow them to fend for themselves. Cutting ties might be easier, Elizabeth, or they will continue to pester us forever,” Darcy complained. “Elizabeth, you know your family, at least most of them, are ignorant and foolish and will ruin even us if we do not do something about them.”
“Fitzwilliam Darcy, you cannot mean that!” Elizabeth nearly shouted. “They may be all of those things, but to suggest that we cut ties with them is unreasonable. My sisters are still young enough that if someone were to take them in hand, they could change. Lydia only acts as she does because my mother encourages her.”
“Exactly, Elizabeth, yourmotherencourages this behaviour,” he placated. “She will never get better as long as she is influenced by your mother in her improper behaviour. I know you see it too—you have not written to her in months.”
“But that does not mean that I want to give up on my sisters,” Elizabeth proclaimed.
“Elizabeth, as your husband, I am the one who will make this decision. With Georgiana coming out soon, it will be best for our family to limit contact with yours,” he insisted.
“You are the one who will make this decision? We should limit contact with my family to protect your sister?” Elizabeth asked, hurt and anger evident in her tone.
“When you married me, you promised to obey,” Darcy replied. “As your husband, I have the right to make this decision.”
“What happened to us being partners in all things?” she demanded. “I do realise that you have the final say in most things, but this ismyfamily. You would cut off contact with them over my objections instead of attempting to fix things first?”
“We have attempted to resolve the issue. I loaned your father the necessary funds, and he has failed to comply with our agreement. I am doing what is best for our family,” he stated again.
“You never wanted anything to do with my family. I know how you looked down on them when you were in Hertfordshire last autumn, but I thought you had changed, had accepted them because you loved me. But all this time, you meant to do this, did you not? You hoped for exactly this situation when you loaned my father the money,” she questioned.
