Page 12 of Gold and Good Sense

Papa chuckled. “He wasn’t always a judge, you know,” he said. “When I was much younger, several years before I met your mother, I spent a couple of years in London to complete my education. I met Darcy there. At the time, he had just become a barrister, and he was making as many connections as he possibly could to fuel his rise in his profession.

“We quickly recognized a similar sense of humor in each other, and we have kept in touch over the years, though I never visit London anymore, and he never leaves the city. Still, his letters are among my favorite correspondence. Where else can you find greater human folly than in the courts?”

“I am glad to know you have reconnected with an old friend,” said Jane. “I am wondering, however, why he would invite all of us to dinner.”

“Well, I called on him to ask his assistance in finding suitable companions for you all,” said Papa. “However, he would not promise his assistance until he had a chance to meet you.”

“He wishes to judge whether we are worthy of his help?” asked Elizabeth.

“While I commend your cynicism,” said Papa with a wry half-grin, “it is nothing of the sort. Darcy has never been guilty of that sort of pride. Rather, he wishes to get to know you so that he can recommend someone that is most suitable.”

“I am sorry, Papa, for criticizing your friend without knowing anything about him,” said Elizabeth.

Papa waved it away with a chuckle. “No need. No need,” he said. “It was a natural assumption. Since being a judge means he automatically has connections to some of the highest people in the land, it makes sense to believe him to be unapproachable. Darcy, however, is one of the most gregarious people I’ve ever met, and he doesn’t stand on ceremony or even formality except in the courtroom. He attracts friends the way light attracts moths. There is no one in the city who would be more likely to know of two ladies who could serve as suitable companions for you girls, even with your rather unusual circumstances.”

“Unusual circumstances” described their situation perfectly. Such wealth as they had was sufficient to draw the attention of almost any man in the country, but their status didn’t even come close to matching it. Ladies with such a mismatch very often ended up in avaricious marriages, even when the lady thought she was marrying for love.

They would need to tread carefully in order to find men who would continue to be pleasant even after marriage, and to do so they would need companions who could warn them of potential danger.

Chapter 6

Wearing their best gowns, Jane and Elizabeth accompanied their father to a very elegant, moderately sized home on Grosvenor Street. At least it was moderately sized compared to the homes around it. They were shown into the drawing room where Judge Darcy awaited them.

He was a few years older than Papa with the hair on the top of his head noticeably thin. Elizabeth thought it was likely a good thing that he wore a wig when fulfilling his duties as judge, since that would make him far more imposing.

“Bennet, it is good to see you again,” he said jovially. “I haven’t seen you in ages.”

Papa rolled his eyes and responded, “Yes, that is exactly what you said this afternoon.”

Elizabeth smiled a bit at their little joke and felt herself relax. With such a greeting, it was clear that Judge Darcy did indeed share her father’s sense of humor, and this made her less concerned about whether he would judge them harshly.

Dinner with the judge was both pleasant and a little nerve-wracking. He asked plenty of questions about their hobbies and their lives in general, but he did so with kindness and genuine interest.

After dinner, Elizabeth and Jane were guided back to the drawing room by a maid and served tea while their father and Judge Darcy stayed in the dining room to enjoy a bit of port.

~~~~~

After Judge Darcy had given Thomas his glass of port, he leaned back in his chair and said, “Your daughters are quite lovely.”

Thomas felt his lips twist in a scowl. “That they are,” he said.

Judge Darcy chuckled. “You don’t seem particularly pleased about it.”

“Why should I be?” said Thomas. “My wife was perfectly lovely, and she turned out to be the greatest burden I have ever taken on without providing anything in return. Jane and Elizabeth at least have some sense about them, and my next younger daughter, Mary, is studious if not sensible. My two youngest daughters, however, are disasters waiting to happen. I have no idea how I will prevent them from eloping with the first man to compliment them without locking them away.”

“For one thing, it would be helpful to them all to make it clear how dangerous such a course of action would be,” said Darcy. “As for the rest, companions and footmen will go a long way. If it is too difficult for them to slip away, they may not even try. The right companion can also go a long way toward helping them understand their situation better.”

“And do you have anyone in particular in mind?” asked Thomas.

“I do,” he responded. “I happen to know a dowager countess who is currently in dire financial circumstances. Even with that, however, the Lady has her pride. Her services will not be cheap, if you can manage to convince her at all. It’s entirely possible that she would not wish to work for anyone without a title.”

“Can she teach my daughters the dangers of eloping and help them recognize those who hide their true nature behind good manners and flattery?” asked Thomas.

“None better,” replied Darcy. “She married a man she loved with all her heart, but rumor has it that her life with him was not easy. Since his death, it has become apparent to all. The man left almost nothing behind, since he had run his estate practically into the ground. Additionally, he left instructions in his will that his son was to be raised by his brother rather than his wife, so the Lady has not seen her son since her late husband’s funeral.”

“And who is this Lady?” asked Thomas.

“Lady Esther Canton, dowager Countess of Vintnor,” said Darcy.