Page 23 of Pride, Prejudice and Prudence

On the fifth day after Mr Darcy and the Colonel’s arrival in Kent, Elizabeth, while out walking the grounds of Rosings, happened upon Mr Darcy. She gave him a polite curtsy and intended to continue on her way alone. Instead, Mr Darcy turned and walked with her for above a half an hour, until such time as Elizabeth said she needed to return to the parsonage. She was therefore vexed when she should meet him again the next day with the same outcome, and her vexation turned to annoyance when it became day three. Rather than risk meeting him a fourth time, she confined herself to the parsonage's gardens.

After a week of her remaining in the garden rather than walking further afield, her father questioned her unusual behaviour. She had laughed lightly and merely suggested that she had walked too much in the days before and was taking her ease. The next day, she ventured into Rosings Park again but took care to take a different route than before. She returned to the parsonage, happy to have not met with that vexing gentleman. Elizabeth had to admit, if only to herself, that although she did not care for Mr Darcy, he had been engaging, if confusing, company on their previous walks. He was many things, but he was not boring, and that was the only positive trait she was willing to assign to him. If thoughts of his handsome face or fine figure came into her head, she pushed them away immediately.

By changing the time and route of her walks every day, she did not meet with him once in the following week. Although she had managed to avoid walks with him, she could not avoid him at dinner. They were invited to dine in Rosings twice a week for the nearly three weeks since their arrival in Kent. And Mr Darcy sat close and spoke to her on every occasion, even drawing the attention of his aunt, who had enquired numerous times to know what they were speaking of. Her father had even teased her that Mr Darcy was turning so verbose in her presence. And the evening before their last day in Kent, he took the place, turning pages for her when she took to the pianoforte.

Elizabeth found herself unable to settle in the gardens the next day. Knowing that it was her last opportunity to explore her favourite walk, she decided to return to the area where she had met Mr Darcy before, hoping that he would be at Rosings, and not venture into the gardens. But she was to be disappointed, for she had barely begun her stroll when he appeared. The conversations she’d had with him on the previous walks had been peculiar, and this time was no different. He spoke of Pemberley, his home, as if he expected that she would visit it. Elizabeth could not think why Mr Darcy should speak thusly, she was about to point this out to him, when he stopped suddenly and turned to her, a look on his face she could not understand.

Chapter 37

“You are too generous to trifle with me,” he said, his words filled with an intensity which confused Elizabeth. “Tell me at once if you are attached to your cousin.”

Elizabeth was taken aback by both his words and his passion. She did not think he had the right to make such an enquiry, but as it was of no great import, she confirmed that they were not romantically attached, adding only that she did not know why it was of any interest to him.

Mr Darcy reached towards her as if to take her hand, but she stepped back before he could grasp it. “You need not act shocked; my feelings for you have been evident to all for some time now. I have tried to overcome my attraction, knowing well that your family is not the equal of mine, but it will not do! You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”

“Love me?” she said, her tone incredulous and her eyes wide in shock. “Love me?” she repeated. “How can you– who has from the very first looked down on my family, refusing even to consider me as an adequate dance partner– say such a thing? You even declared that you would never leg-shackle yourself to such a family, and even now, as you declare yourself, you disparage my family’s connections. You are a gentleman, and I am a gentleman’s daughter; we are therefore equal. I have never sought your affection, and you have bestowed it most unwillingly. I can therefore presume that this was merely a moment of madness, and you will, on thinking of it, be glad of my refusal.”

“This is the only response I am to receive?” he asked. “Near every interaction between us, I have made clear my interest in you, yet you now declare yourself unaware of my affection. Did it give you some perverse pleasure to see me thusly rejected because I once refused to dance with you?”

“If you think that the reason, you are mistaken. I only mention it to illustrate that from the very earliest point of our acquaintance you demonstrated your ill manners and lack of consideration for the feelings of others. But I have much greater issues that formed my feelings for you. Mr Wickham...” she said, and paused to form her thoughts; she did not wish to reveal anything which would harm her sister’s reputation. “You knew that Mr Wickham was not a man to be trusted, yet you chose to do nothing. It was only after he had left the neighbourhood that the true nature of his perfidy was revealed, but you knew it all, did you not?” she asked, and he confirmed he did. “And more than that, do not think I am unaware of your influence on your friend Mr Bingley. My sister Jane was heartbroken,” she tried to continue, but Mr Darcy interrupted.

“Heartbroken? She has not so much as even mentioned his name, when we met either here in Kent, or in town. Yet you expect me to believe that her heart was engaged?”

“My sister does not wear her heart on her sleeve, and she is a lady. She would not be so forward as to enquire after a man she had no understanding with, and who failed to even bid her adieu when he left the neighbourhood.”

“So this is your opinion of me?” he asked, and seeing that Elizabeth had nothing to add, he merely bowed and turned to walk back to Rosings.

Elizabeth did not even reveal to Jane that Mr Darcy had proposed. They said goodbye to their cousin the next day; it was time to return to Longbourn. But it would not be long before they would see Mr Collins again. For he was to come before summer to start to learn about estate management. Elizabeth was lost in her thoughts of Mr Darcy’s proposal as the carriage reached the road which led away from Hunsford. She was only drawn from her thoughts when, not far from Hunsford, a dark-haired man with wavy hair – on a horse that looked remarkably like Mr Darcy’s – overtook them, but Elizabeth knew it could not be he, for he had no reason to leave Kent in a rush.

Chapter 38

They next saw their cousin in Longbourn, and he was to remain some weeks with their father, as all the Bennet ladies were to remove to London for the season. The ladies of the household, including Mrs Bennet, remained but one night after his arrival, to see him settled before heading off in the family carriage. Mary, Kitty, Lydia, and Miss Farnsworth were accompanying them to London, for although the youngest girls were not yet out and Mary was not coming out in London this year, it was decided they deserved a treat. There was one other reason for the inclusion of the younger girls; the addition of Miss Farnsworth as a companion was a boon to Mrs Bennet as she managed the girls' coming out in London.

The Bennet carriage pulled up outside the house on Connaught Place. The grand five-story house directly faced Hyde Park, and Mrs Bennet looked well pleased with the property her brother had rented for them for their stay in London. Elizabeth was also pleased, and Lydia exclaimed that it was fit for the Prince Regent himself, which made the rest of the party laugh. The door was opened by a butler who had grey hair and an air of grave importance, which Elizabeth had to own was impressive. He bowed and introduced himself as Williams. Mrs Bennet acknowledged the introduction and introduced her daughters and Miss Farnsworth in turn.

Once inside the property, Williams introduced Mrs Kennedy, the housekeeper, whose Irish brogue was light and pleasing to the ear. She was in years a match to Mrs Bennet but was more rounded in figure than the lady. The interior of the property was no less impressive than the exterior, and the Bennet ladies did not await a guided tour; instead, they took themselves upstairs to select their own bedchambers. Mrs Bennet and Miss Farnsworth remained below, allowing the housekeeper to bring them through the reception rooms before asking her to provide a light meal for the party.

The first night in the house in Connaught Place was filled with discussions on plans for the morrow. The next day, their aunt Gardiner arrived to accompany them all to the modiste. All the Bennet ladies were in need of updated wardrobes for their London season. However, this was most true for Mrs Bennet, Jane, and Elizabeth, all of whom would be attending various assemblies and balls in the coming weeks.

They were a jolly group as they exited the carriage and entered the modiste, which their aunt had recommended, having purchased from the shop before. Lydia was the most impressed of the group. Madame Lanchester’s designs were regularly featured in La Belle Assemblée. Lydia had attempted to recreate some of her designs, and the Bennet girls never thought they would be in a position to purchase an original from the famous modiste.

Mrs Gardiner had made appointments for them all, as the famous modiste was in high demand. The extended size of the Bennet party and the fact that they needed numerous items for their London wardrobes, meant that they would require a large amount of time for their fitouts.

Madame Lanchester began the consultation with Mrs Gardiner and Mrs Bennet, taking details of the requirements for Mrs Bennet, Jane, and Elizabeth’s wardrobes first. Only when these were agreed were Kitty and Lydia considered. When Lydia’s turn came, Madame Lanchester found in her a knowledgeable young lady. Once she discovered this, she encouraged her to examine the materials and accoutrements herself, much to Lydia’s delight. Madame Lanchester’s staff then took over in measuring the ladies and selecting materials as per Madame Lanchester’s instructions. The ladies were above two hours in the shop when they heard the bell on the door ping, and two finely dressed matrons entered. It was evident by the fashions they wore and the jewels on their fingers and at their throats that they were a step above the Bennets in society, and all the ladies curtsied to them accordingly.

Chapter 39

“Madame Lanchester,” the dark-haired lady said. “Please introduce your patrons to us.”

“Of course, Lady Matlock, Lady Howard,” she said, and introduced the ladies in order of precedence, starting with Mrs Gardiner, as she was unaware that Mrs Bennet outranked her sister, and she was the lady she knew best in the group. The ladies all curtsied again as they were introduced, but Elizabeth was most curious to see how Lady Matlock would react to the introduction; she was, after all, Lady Catherine’s sister in marriage.

“Bennet,” Lady Matlock noted, “why is that name familiar?” she asked their mother, and when their mother looked to Jane and Elizabeth, Jane, as the eldest, replied.

“We have recently visited with our cousin in Kent. He is parson to Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and Lady Catherine hosted us at Rosings for dinner several times during our visit,” she explained.

“Richard!” she said. “That was it, my son, Richard, said that he had met two ladies of rare beauty and sense during his recent visit to his aunt’s, and so now I see that he did not exaggerate, your beauty, Miss Bennet, and Miss Elizabeth.”

“Let my companion have your directions,” Lady Howard said, and it was only then that they noticed a small lady holding a parasol. The lady was introduced as Mrs Whitney, and the Bennet ladies and Miss Farnsworth acknowledged the introduction.