***
Back in the Lindsay carriage, Alicia’s mood was vastly improved. She thanked Caroline very sincerely, and asked if she might care to take tea at Lindsay House the following week. Caroline was delighted to accept.
At Bingley House, Jane was waiting to hear how Lady Alicia had managed in her first public appearance. She was delighted to hear that it had gone well, after a rather difficult start, and was astonished to learn that the Countess of Matlock had saved the day! She could not wait to till Lizzy.
Chapter Twenty-One
The Bingleys were invited to Darcy House for dinner soon after the Lindsay tea party, giving Caroline the opportunity to tell Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy the details of Countess Matlock’s timely intervention at Gunter’s.
“I am not surprised at all,” Mr. Darcy declared.
“Are you not?” Elizabeth asked. “For I confess that I am quite astonished!”
“My Aunt Eleanor’s younger sister had a mishap herself many years ago,” Mr. Darcy explained.
“I did not know that she had a younger sister,” Georgiana said. “Certainly I have never met her.”
“She died before you were born, Georgiana. Her name was Anne – my mother was named for her, in fact – and she attempted an elopement with the doctor who had been treating her for a prolonged bout of influenza.”
“Heavens!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “I presume she did not die from the influenza, if she eloped with her physician?”
“No; it was far worse. Aunt Eleanor’s father learnt of the elopement and rode after the couple. In their haste to escape, though, the couple’s carriage overturned and they were both killed.”
Tender-hearted Jane was now pale and teary-eyed, her hand over her mouth in horror.
“So that is why the Countess was so eager to support Lady Alicia,” Caroline said, softly.
“Precisely.”
“When you next speak with her, I hope you will tell her how very grateful we all were for her intervention,” Caroline continued.
“I certainly shall,” Mr. Darcy said.
Elizabeth changed the subject. “We still have to get through the presentation – and I will thank Heaven when it is over! – but I am beginning to plan for Georgiana’s ball. Jane, Caroline, are there any people you would like me to invite?”
Caroline demurred, saying that she would not want to impose on Elizabeth in such a way.
Elizabeth stared at Caroline in astonishment for a moment, but then said, “It is no imposition, Caroline. There will be hundreds of people here, and I think you will be ever so much more comfortable if you are already acquainted with some of them.” Caroline was properly dressed for a small family dinner, had not pushed herself forward in any way, nor had she bragged about her new friends. Now she was being ever-so-polite to Elizabeth. Was it possible that Caroline had really changed? Or was this a ruse of some sort?
Caroline finally said, “Well, Elizabeth, if you are certain, I would be delighted to have some of my school friends included. I know they would be grateful for the invitation. May I send you a list tomorrow?”
“Of course, Caroline. It is no trouble at all to include them.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
March 1815
The day of their presentation to the Queen, the sixth of March, arrived; both Elizabeth and Georgiana were so nervous that they could barely speak. The Countess came to Darcy House in the morning and supervised their dressing.
“Eat some toast, but have very little liquid,” the Countess advised. “It is impossible to relieve yourself in these gowns.”
Georgiana blushed at the mention of such bodily functions, but Elizabeth simply nodded.
Elizabeth’s court dress included a petticoat of white crape richly embroidered with silver thread; the border was embroidered in Pomona green. The dress itself was that same Pomona green, also embroidered with silver thread. She had a train of Pomona green velvet, trimmed with silver. Her headdress was green velvet, adorned with diamonds and ostrich feathers. The required hoops were enormous, resulting in a gown that was so wide that Elizabeth thought she looked like nothing so much as a walking bell. She had to turn sideways to leave her room.
Georgiana’s attire was similar; as an unmarried young lady, she wore white, but had chosen to embellish the yards and yards – endless yards! – of white with Celestial Blue embroidery. She, too, wore a headdress; hers was Celestial Blue velvet, adorned with pearls and ostrich feathers.
The cost of the gowns had been astronomical, and Elizabeth had protested again against the necessity of her own presentation, but she had been overruled by both the Countess and her own husband.
