Page 19 of Fortuitous Encounters

“She anticipated your… ah… scepticism, and gave me specific instructions in that regard.”

Elizabeth nodded suspiciously.

“She says that for once in her life she is right and you are wrong, but she will not compound your discomfort by gloating… yet.”

Elizabeth had to laugh which set Fletcher at ease. He honestly had no idea how Miss Bennet’s statement would be taken, so thought himself well ahead in the game.

“If I may?” he asked, giving her a speaking look. She nodded, though the effect was somewhat ruined by a shiver, so she added, “Pray, proceed, my good man.”

Without further ado, Fletcher reached into a valise Elizabeth had not noticed at his feet; pulled out a warm blanket and walking shoes. He settled the blanket around her shoulders and turned his back politely while she changed out the mangled dancing slippers for the shoes, which were fortunately only a bit too large.

“Follow me, if you please,” he said, and walked at a modest pace back through the alley, then through a circuitous route behind the smithy, the haberdashery, and several shops she did not know from the back. With a flourish, he finally approached a door to one of the shops and knocked four times in quick succession, followed by three slow ones, leaving Elizabeth feeling like she was living a gothic novel.

The door opened, and Elizabeth was slightly startled to see the face of Mr and Mrs Herbert, the owners of the circulating library, both of whom welcomed her with smiles.

“Come in, Miss Lizzy, come in. You are very welcome… welcome, my girl. Come, come, stand by the fire. You must be frozen half to death,” Mrs Herbert said.

With a smile at the fortuitous and heartfelt welcome, Elizabeth did as directed and presently had the four of them sitting by the fire, though still wrapped in the blanket.

Mr Herbert said, “This is a rum business, Miss Lizzy, and make no mistake about that… a rum business all around. You are welcome for as long as you like.”

“Are you not afraid of raising the ire of one of your best customers?”

Mrs Herbert laughed. “There never was, nor will there ever be a day when Mr Bennet intimidates us, but it makes no matter. You may rest easy, as all is well in hand.”

“Forgive me if I remain sceptical. I alone among the Bennets know how businesses work, and I am not sanguine about exposing you to risks to your livelihood to save me the inconvenience of thrashing it out with my father sooner rather than later or retreating to London.”

Mr Herbert nodded. “Understandable enough, and I applaud your reasoning. Shall I explain?”

“I would be obliged.”

“Two things are in play. First, you will have to hide here until you decide what to do about your parents’ ah—”

Frustrated with politeness, Elizabeth helpfully supplied, “—Intransigence? Stupidity? Cruelty? Will any of those do?”

“They are polite enough,” he replied with a chuckle. “I was working my way through worse, mostly involving farm animals and unlikely activities, trying and failing to come up with language fit for a lady’s ears, but those will suffice.”

The four laughed gaily, and Elizabeth’s tension reduced noticeably. If the usually serious Mr Herbert could make such jokes, things could not be all that terrible.

Mr Herbert continued, “Let us take one thing at a time. If you stay out of sight here for a few days, I doubt your father could find you with a dozen runners, and to be honest, such industry seems unlikely.”

Fletcher helpfully added, “You must admit that industry is not Mr Bennet’s strong suit. I judge him to be the sort of man to assume you will come crawling back sooner or later.”

“Both correct,” Elizabeth sighed. “He might even be right if I did not have your help. Running off to town without a guarantee of welcome might just be beyond me, especially if he sends a servant back to Longbourn to hide my money or bar me from my room. I would not even be surprised to learn he did that before we left, just in case. His personality seems to have… altered.”

Everyone frowned and Mr Herbert continued.

“With both our daughters grown and well married, we have wanted to retire for a while but could not find a buyer. Mr Darcy knows a young man who would like to own such a shop but lacks the funds. He is to act as a sort of banker, advancing the funds to be paid back over some years.”

“That is very admirable and generous of him,” she admitted grudgingly. She was starting to wonder if she had misjudged Mr Darcy—or if, in fact, she knew him at all, especially given Jane’s recent gloating.

Fletcher replied, “It is, but he considers it something between a duty and a hobby—somewhere between his business transactions and his extensive charity work. He enjoys it and likes the satisfaction of helping a few people out. You might say his pride enjoys predicting which young men will succeed and which will fail, or his sense of community, or perhaps just relief from boredom.”

Elizabeth laughed, “Mr Bingley said something like that,” then she deepened her voice to mimic, “I declare I do not know a more awful object than Darcy, on particular occasions, and in particular places; at his own house especially, and of a Sunday evening, when he has nothing to do."

Everyone laughed heartily. Mrs Herbert handed a few glasses of cordial around, then poured tea.

Mr Herbert continued, “We still love our books, and we should like to travel a bit. We saved for years, and with Mr Darcy’s help, we can do just that. He even offered us accommodation at any of his estates if we pass through.”