"Of course, we shall have to invite all the Crenshaws," Mr. Darcy began.
"And Miss Bennet?" the Colonel asked innocently. Mr. Darcy stared blankly. "She is their houseguest, after all, Darcy." Mr. Darcy laid down his pen and turned his gaze to the window.
"Fitzwilliam, I believe I made a mistake in coming to London," he said as he stared out over the riot of lush blooms in the garden below. The intoxicating scent of lavender wafted up to him, instantly bringing back memories.... "I acted impulsively. My following her here can only damage my cause." The Colonel was inclined to agree with his cousin but resolved to hold his tongue. He observed Mr. Darcy closely. His looks had improved a good deal since he had last seen him in Derbyshire. Everything about him spoke of the Darcy of old, but for the pained look in his eye. The Colonel sighed once more. He was out of answers. He and Olivia had briefly spoken of ways to bring the two together but this latest development was beyond his ken.
"Fitzwilliam?" Mr. Darcy asked suddenly, "How did you court Miss Crenshaw? How did you make her love you?" The Colonel could not prevent himself from laughing at the question.
"I am no expert on courtship, cousin. I have yet to make Miss Crenshaw a proper proposal." Mr. Darcy was all confusion.
"I thought that you said--."
"Let us leave that explanation for another time," the Colonel urged, "And address the problem at hand." He stood and paced a bit, scratching at his head, trying to think of how to begin. "I hope the Little Colonel does not have fleas," the Colonel said absently, as he scratched his neck.
"What?" asked Mr. Darcy. The Colonel paused from his scratching and looked up.
"It was nothing important." Colonel Fitzwilliam ruminated for a moment. "I did have the advantage of falling in love with a woman who does not despise me..." he offered sheepishly. Mr. Darcy smirked at his cousin, but had to concede that to be an advantage.
"I suppose it would not hurt to choose as the object of one's affections a woman not predisposed to resent one's very existence,"" Mr. Darcy said sarcastically.
"You know, Darce, having had the opportunity to observe the two of you together in Kent, I must say that the two of you are very much alike."
"You are correct, Fitzwilliam. I am disposed to despise myself as well," Mr. Darcy retorted. "Now, have you anything of use to offer?"
"I am afraid not, cousin. All I can do is advise patience," said the Colonel, half expecting Mr. Darcy to reject the suggestion outright. His cousin, however, slumped in his chair, seemingly lost in thought. "Will you return to Hertfordshire?" Mr. Darcy glanced up.
"I do not think so. Not just yet, anyway." He laughed ruefully. "I am afraid Bingley will not let me pass through the front gate again until I have made my peace with Elizabeth Bennet. No. I will remain here awhile. I have some thinking to do, and I do want to celebrate your engagement. How are your parents taking the news?"
"I will know once Mama responds to my letter. It only happened this morning, Darcy." Mr. Darcy looked surprised. The Colonel picked up his things, preparing to take his leave. He clapped Mr. Darcy on the shoulder as he passed and Mr. Darcy mumbled something in farewell. As the Colonel opened the door of the study, his cousin called him back.
"Fitz?" The Colonel turned. "Who is the 'Little Colonel'?" The Colonel laughed and headed out the door.
"It is part of that long story I will have to tell you some other time," he called over his shoulder as he left.
• • •
The morning sun shone brightly as Olivia, Elizabeth, and Jane met outside Madame Jalabert's shop. Mrs. Gardiner had stopped in at Mr. Ferber's shop up the street to pick up her husband's newly repaired watch. The three younger ladies were too excited to wait for her and entered the shop amid giggles and squeals. Madame Jalabert greeted the ladies and congratulated Jane on her forthcoming nuptials.
"I am not the only one soon to be a bride, Madame," Jane said with a blush. "I have learned just this morning that Miss Crenshaw is also engaged."
"Ah! Then we shall have two brides to ply our humble arts for." Madame Jalabert kissed the cheeks of both brides, then turned to Elizabeth.
"And when shall some lucky young man claim your heart?" One look at Elizabeth's eyes made her regret her innocent question. Elizabeth immediately fled the shop in tears, nearly colliding with her aunt.
"Lizzy, dear! What has happened?" Mrs. Gardiner asked as she embraced the girl.
"Oh, it is nothing, Aunt. It was silly of me, I..." Elizabeth paused to dab at her eyes. Madame Jalabert, who had been given a hasty explanation by Jane and Olivia, came out of her shop to apologize.
"I am so sorry, mademoiselle. I did not mean to upset you." She embraced Elizabeth soothingly.
"Oh, you need not apologize. It was nothing, really. I have just been so..." Elizabeth could not think of words to explain her emotional state of late. The ladies soon re-entered the shop and returned to the task at hand. Elizabeth's misery was soon forgotten as she helped Jane and Olivia select fabrics and discuss options. Mrs. Gardiner and Madame Jalabert left them to amuse themselves and chatted as the three ladies poured over stacks of catalogues and magazines. Eventually, a few decisions were made, and the ladies decided to go to lunch. Mrs. Gardiner treated them to luncheon at a fine establishment near a little park, where wedding plans continued to be the main topic of conversation. The fact that Olivia and the Colonel had yet to establish a date for their wedding was no impediment to the flow of conversation. Elizabeth grew quiet once more, and Mrs. Gardiner began to grow worried about her. She suggested to the ladies that they all take a walk in the park, but Jane and Olivia pleaded exhaustion from the morning's exertions. They remained behind in the café with a second cup of tea, therefore, while Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth crossed the street and entered the park.
"You have held up remarkably well, Lizzy, considering what you have been through today," Mrs. Gardiner said as the two ladies made their way down a narrow path to a tiny pond where a pair of ducks was holding court. Elizabeth bent down to throw the remains of her sandwich to the ducks as she replied.
"Aunt Gardiner, I could hardly call bursting into tears and fleeing into the street like a madwoman holding up well," she laughed.
"Oh, I was not referring to that. I was referring to your putting up with those two," her aunt said with a jerk of her head towards the café. "Madame Jalabert and I considered fleeing into the street like madwomen ourselves at one point! I have not heard giggling like that since you and Jane were little girls and I caught the two of you playing in my clothes." Both ladies laughed at the thought as they linked arms and walked on.
A short distance away, a man stood observing the pair. He could not believe that he had been so fortunate as to witness what had appeared, like a beautiful apparition, before his eyes. Mr. Darcy's first instinct was to follow, but he forced himself to take a seat on a nearby bench. He sat for several moments with his eyes closed, savoring the memory of Elizabeth, standing not a dozen feet away, and laughing, completely at ease with her companion. He had not fully trusted his cousin's assessment. Now he had proof that she was all right. His Elizabeth was alive and well. The import of those words hit Mr. Darcy like a stone. She is well and happy because she thinks me fifty miles away. He sighed heavily, then, and rose to return to his home.
• • •
Back at the café, Olivia grabbed Jane's hand as soon as the other two in their party were out of the door.
"You must tell me all that happened in Hertfordshire," she demanded eagerly.
"Did Lizzy tell you nothing?" Jane was surprised. She knew that her sister confided in Olivia when she could trust no other, even herself. "Mr. Darcy came into Hertfordshire a few days ago. I saw him just after he arrived at Netherfield, Mr. Bingley's estate. We had a chance to talk...he asked to speak with me about an important matter. Olivia, he told me the most dreadful tale!"
"About you and Mr. Bingley?" Jane's mouth fell open.
"You knew of this?"
"Lizzy told me
of it when she came to London in the spring. She did not want to upset you, especially since everything worked out in the end..." Jane sat back, a bit put out. It took a squeeze of her hand to bring her back to Olivia's question.
"Mr. Darcy told me about his interference in our courtship and begged my forgiveness. He also told me that Lizzy knew of it--."
"..And thus refused to marry him," Olivia finished the sentence with a hint of impatience. "What happened then?" Jane bowed her head.
"I was so moved by Mr. Darcy's speech that I immediately forgave him, although I do not know that I told him so. I suddenly remembered that Lizzy was back at Longbourn packing for her trip to London, and I rushed home to persuade her to stay in Hertfordshire. I could tell from speaking with Mr. Darcy that he is very much in love with her, and although she has not spoken of him since I returned to Longbourn, I know that she still thinks of him." Jane shrugged. "I only wanted to help them. But it seems that I was responsible for this whole muddle."
"Jane," Olivia said slowly, for her patience was beginning to wear thin, "You are not making yourself clear. In what way are you responsible?" Jane's look was one of incredulity.
"Do you not see? It was my fault that Lizzy ran away! I begged her to go to Netherfield and see Mr. Darcy. Had I not done so, she probably--."
"She would probably have come to me as she originally planned, Jane. Do not blame yourself." Jane shook her head. "Is there more?"
"I let Mr. Darcy know that Lizzy had run off. I went to Netherfield to let Charles--Mr. Bingley--know that I was going to London, and Mr. Darcy overheard." Jane fixed her eyes upon the hand that Olivia held tightly. "I do not know what I was thinking, Livy. I allowed Mr. Darcy to assume more than had actually happened. I am certain that Mr. Darcy followed me to London." Olivia let the hand loose and sat back in her chair. She did not know whether to laugh or cry at this turn of events.
"Does Lizzy know about this?" Jane nodded.
"I made a point of telling her so as soon as I reached Gracechurch Street." The chime over the door of the café sounded at that moment, signaling the return of Mrs. Gardiner and her niece. Olivia looked at Jane, and the two ladies rose and joined their friends.
Seven
—
"Just how long do you expect us to stay in town?" Miss Bingley asked after a minute.
"As I told you before, Jane will be in town only for a few weeks, and I mean to remain in town as long as she is there. I also told you that you were welcome to remain behind at Netherfield," he said through gritted teeth.
"With those provincial savages? Pah!" Miss Bingley eventually quieted, and her brother closed his eyes. "Do you think we will see Mr. Darcy this evening?" Miss Bingley suddenly asked.
"The only person I care to see this evening is the future Mrs. Bingley. By the bye, we have an invitation to dine with her aunt and uncle tonight," Mr. Bingley replied without opening his eyes.
"In Cheapside?" Miss Bingley spat distastefully. "I do not want to be seen in that neighborhood."
"Caroline, you know as well as I do that the Gardiners do not live in Cheapside, and you certainly had no qualms about visiting the Gardiners when you hoped to prevent me from proposing to Jane," Mr. Bingley said, his eyes wide open and glaring at his sister. Miss Bingley immediately became quiet again and did not utter another word until the carriage entered London.
"Charles, do you think we could stop in _____ Street. I have nothing appropriate to wear to the Gardiner's tonight," Miss Bingley said beseechingly. Mr. Bingley cast a wary glance at his sister.
"I find that amazingly difficult to believe, Caroline." Miss Bingley pouted, but it was a gesture her brother was completely immune to.
"But I did not bring all my finery to town, Charles. I just need a few things. Please," she purred, knowing that Mr. Bingley would comply just to be rid of her. Moments later the carriage turned off the road leading to Mr. Bingley's townhouse and deposited Miss Bingley in front of an elegant row of ladies' shops. Mr. Bingley promised to send the carriage back for her as soon as it was unloaded, then he gratefully sat back and enjoyed the relative peace all the way to his abode.
• • •
"Good morning, Colonel Fitzwilliam," Elizabeth said with a warm smile. "Livy will be down in just a moment. She asked me to keep you company until then." She offered the Colonel a seat and laughed as the Little Colonel immediately jumped into his lap and settled himself.
"It has been some time since you and I have had any real conversation, Miss Bennet," Colonel Fitzwilliam said, absently stroking the dog's soft chocolate brown hair.
"Not since Kent--much has happened since then," Elizabeth said with a blush. Her smile faded briefly, and the Colonel felt uneasy, but Elizabeth immediately brightened again. "I understand that you are soon to marry my dearest friend. I congratulate you on your excellent taste, Colonel," she said with a radiant smile. The Colonel acknowledged the compliment with his usual good humor, but he had to stop himself from wishing Miss Bennet a similar fate.
"I consider myself the most fortunate and happiest man alive," he began. "I can only hope that you...." Elizabeth ducked her head and both parties were trying to recover from their embarrassment as Olivia entered the room. The pair welcomed the distraction and immediately turned their attention to Olivia, who was somewhat surprised at the effusiveness and enthusiasm with which both Elizabeth and the Colonel welcomed her. She reckoned that she had interrupted an awkward discussion. Elizabeth rose to leave the room, but the Colonel asked both ladies to join him in a walk.
"I am certain that you would rather have Livy all to yourself, Colonel," Elizabeth said with a twinkle in her eye. The Colonel returned her smile.
"I cannot deny that, madam," he said with a wink to Olivia. "But how I could never forgive myself for wasting such an opportunity?" Olivia and Elizabeth exchanged glances, then looked at the Colonel.
"Opportunity?" they said in unison.
"Yes," the Colonel said as he offered an arm to each of the ladies, "The opportunity to be seen with the two loveliest ladies in all of England." Olivia and Elizabeth rolled their eyes, and took the Colonel's arms. The Little Colonel, who had been given a real name that no one was inclined to use, joined the trio on their walk. They had not gone a block when Olivia remembered that she needed to make a small purchase to complete the ensemble she would wear to dinner that night at the Gardiner's townhouse. The trio returned to the house and ordered Miss Crenshaw's carriage. In a short time, it pulled up in front of Harley's, a venerable old shop where women of fashion had been buying fabric, trims, and accessories for over fifty years. The Colonel and his four-legged counterpart waited outside while the ladies went inside to select the perfect shade of ribbon to match Olivia's gown. As they examined samples, Elizabeth heard her name being spoken. She turned and saw Miss Bingley, conversing with an acquaintance in a stage whisper.
"I understand that there was some scandal that made her flee from her home in the dead of night," she said to her companion. "It was all over Meryton that she had gotten into some trouble with a man." She glanced in Elizabeth's direction, but by then Elizabeth had turned her back on the pair. Miss Bingley was certain that Elizabeth had heard her. The acquaintance, a Mrs. Greaves by name, was none too happy to find herself the recipient of such gossip, nor did she take any pleasure in being made a part of Miss Bingley's obvious scheme to embarrass Elizabeth. She hastened away from Miss Bingley as quickly she could and went to the far end of the counter where Elizabeth and Olivia were standing.
Elizabeth had half a mind to inform Miss Bingley that the man with whom she was allegedly in "some trouble" was Mr. Darcy, but she could not bring herself to do so. She blushed crimson, too mortified to speak, as Olivia selected three shades of silk ribbon and made her purchase. Olivia however, had also heard Miss Bingley's performance, and was not about to let it go unanswered. She casually made her way down the counter and stopped when she was standing next to Mrs. Greaves. Without taking her eyes from the showcase of e
legant hatpins, she addressed the woman.
"If you want to know the real truth, no man was involved in my friend's decision to flee the country. She practically begged an invitation to come to town simply in order to avoid Miss Bingley's tedious company," Olivia said matter-of-factly. The woman smiled.
"Now that I can believe," Mrs. Greaves said, and she winked at Elizabeth as she turned and left the shop. Elizabeth's mouth fell open, for she was unaware of what Olivia had said to the lady. Elizabeth was relieved to find that Miss Bingley was long gone when she had recovered enough of her composure to turn around. The ladies left the shop, Olivia smiling and self-satisfied, Elizabeth pale and slightly angry. But her anger was soon forgotten as the Little Colonel's effusive greeting restored her good spirits
Later that afternoon, Olivia dressed for their evening at the Gardiner's home. Elizabeth knocked on the door as Olivia's abigail wove the last few inches of ribbon into Olivia's auburn hair.
"Oh, Livy, you do look beautiful," Elizabeth said as Olivia stood and twirled to give her friend a full view.
"I believe the Colonel will like it," Olivia declared as she turned her critical eye on her friend. She pushed Elizabeth into the chair she had just vacated and began to fuss with Elizabeth's hair.
"That is an understatement," Elizabeth replied as she tried to fend off Olivia's attack. But Olivia was not to be gainsaid, she had her abigail fetch a length of pale green ribbon and bade her make repairs to Elizabeth's coiffure.
"Jenny just spent ten minutes doing my hair," Elizabeth protested good-naturedly.
"Jenny may be a wonderful maid, but she knows nothing about dressing a lady's hair to its best advantage," Olivia said as she directed her personal maid to pin back an errant ringlet. There was a knock at the door. Olivia took command of the ribbon while the abigail went to open the door.
"Father wants to know if there is the slightest possibility that you ladies will complete your toilette before midnight," Edward Crenshaw said, poking his head into the room. As expected, his remark was greeted with a hail of pillows. He retreated downstairs and was soon joined by the ladies.
So Long, Sentiment Page 16