by Suzan Lauder
***
The Bennet family stayed until the last dance. When they arrived home, Lydia and Kitty were still awake and allowed to join the rest of the family. They enjoyed a lively retelling of the events of the assembly, the opinions on their new neighbours, the descriptions of gowns and the antics of those who took too much wine. Mr. Bingley’s apparent preference for Jane and Mr. Darcy’s slight of Elizabeth were also discussed.
“Lizzy, why do you think Mr. Darcy would have said such a thing?” Lydia asked. “You may not have taken as much care with your appearance as did Jane, but you are quite pretty. Are the ladies of the ton so very beautiful?”
Before Elizabeth could reply, Mary interjected, “Perhaps Mr. Darcy is uncomfortable in such a situation where he does not know many people. He seemed rather quiet and shy when compared to Mr. Bingley, who is exceptionally lively. I know I would have difficulty maintaining calm in the face of such goading as I heard Mr. Bingley give Mr. Darcy!”
“But that is no reason to be so abominably rude to any lady, whether or not she is within earshot!” Mrs. Bennet protested.
“I knew Mr. Darcy’s father from university,” Mr. Bennet added, “and he was rather shy but always kind and generous. This Mr. Darcy seemed quite reserved when I spoke with him this evening, though he did agree to come by to play chess with me later this week. I am surprised to hear he was so ill-humoured towards you, Lizzy.”
“I suspect he is just too proud to dance with anyone from Meryton. That is of little matter. I have decided to believe he is not handsome enough for me also!” Elizabeth declared in a mock haughty tone, inspiring the family to share in a laugh.
“He certainly does not recommend himself to strangers,” her mother said thoughtfully.
“I hope you are not too disappointed, Lizzy,” said Jane.
“Lizzy had plenty of dance partners; she has no reason for discontent.” Everyone agreed with Mary, and Mrs. Bennet smiled encouragingly at Elizabeth.
“My darling, you and all my girls are truly beauties. Mr. Darcy is blind if he cannot see it is so. My Lizzy is too intelligent for most men, but at least our neighbours know better than to raise her ire. Mr. Darcy is bound to be in her company, and heaven help him if he becomes the object of Lizzy’s wit and teasing. Please, Lizzy, I implore you, do be kind.”
Elizabeth’s reply was merry. “Mama, you know I would not embarrass you with impertinence, even though Mr. Darcy deserves to be made sport of.”
“Well, I will endeavour to know these gentlemen better,” said Mr. Bennet. “I am pleased to have new company in the area and will make the best of it. Perhaps when Mr. Darcy has another look at you, Lizzy, he will regret his words.”
The Bennets agreed they would give Mr. Darcy a chance to redeem himself. Soon they realised it was quite late and some rest should be had after such an exciting evening.
***
The following day, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy called at Longbourn: Bingley to thank the three eldest Bennet daughters for their dances the previous evening, and Darcy seeking a game of chess. Mr. Bennet consented, and as he and Darcy played their game, the former was alert to the deportment and words of both visitors.
It was plain that Bingley had an inclination towards the company of Jane. Darcy was just as reserved as had been observed the previous evening. He said no more to the Bennet ladies than was required by good manners and was congenial, but rather quiet, with Bennet. He also seemed to be quite the observer, keenly attending to conversations even though he did not participate as actively as Bingley.
Elizabeth, who had been out walking with Lydia and Kitty when the visitors arrived, was annoyed to see Mr. Darcy had accompanied Mr. Bingley. The gentlemen politely rose and bowed their welcome, and after Elizabeth made her curtsy as good manners required, she introduced her youngest sisters. As the three young women took their places in the sitting room, Elizabeth frowned at Mr. Darcy and murmured her disapproval to Lydia. Lydia had some sympathy for Elizabeth, since her sister had essentially been cut by Mr. Darcy, but whispered to Elizabeth not to let the inconsiderate words affect her good humour.
Bennet made an effort to befriend Darcy as a kind gesture towards his late father, and the two agreed to weekly chess matches. He also mentioned Darcy might like to challenge any of the Bennet daughters, which surprised that gentleman greatly.
“Jane and Kitty are unlikely to be particularly interested in playing,” Mr. Bennet said, “but the other three have taken to the game quite well. Both Lizzy and Mary have bested me, and Lydia will also defeat me one day soon if she can keep her attention on the game.” Mr. Bennet smiled at his youngest, and she smiled back with a sparkle in her eyes.
Meanwhile, Darcy found himself quite admiring the second eldest Miss Bennet but was chagrined at having forgotten her Christian name. It was fortunate Bennet later referred to her as “Lizzy,” reminding him that her name was Elizabeth.
Darcy noticed all the Bennet ladies were quite pretty and genteel women, who attended to their work while enjoying lively yet proper conversation with Bingley and Bennet. He had observed the crudeness of some of the ladies at the prior evening’s assembly, speaking of the gentlemen’s fortunes and their potential as husbands and pushing their daughters forward. But Darcy did not discern any extreme tendency towards matchmaking from the Bennet family, although it was plain to see he would be an upward match for any of the girls. While marriage to a daughter of a gentleman such as Mr. Bennet would benefit Bingley, Darcy felt he owed it to his family to look for a partner from the highest circles in society and with better connections than the Bennets seemed to possess.
***
That evening, Mr. Bennet spoke to his wife as they sat in their private sitting room. “So, my love, what do you think of the young gentlemen after today’s visit?”
“Jane and Mr. Bingley seem quite taken with one another. I must admit, I am pleased with his manners and hopeful there could be a good match there. They are well suited in temperament, and if Mr. Bingley does indeed settle on Netherfield Park, he will be as suitable a gentleman for Jane as I could hope for. Mr. Darcy is another matter. He is very quiet but listens carefully to others. I cannot help but think something is troubling him.”
“I believe I know what that might be. After the assembly, I was somewhat worried he had recognised me. However, he seems to have abandoned asking me questions, so I am hopeful he will not make the connection. I believe there is a strong intellect there.”
“Yes, he bested you at chess, sir. That would impress anyone!” she said with a teasing smile. Her husband shook his head, smiling.
“The word will be out in Meryton before morning that George Darcy’s boy bested me at chess!”
***
May 1792
Derbyshire
Lord Shelton was in a very good mood. His business had kept him in Town for more than a week, but he impulsively decided to return home two days earlier than expected. Now his carriage was approaching the manor house, and he was quite excitedly anticipating the reunion with his family. This was the first time he and his wife had been apart since her confinement, and he missed her sweet comfort dearly. He planned to madly kiss his young family, and as soon as propriety allowed, retire with his wife to their chambers. He warmed with anticipation of their union.
He was fortunate his parents had always intended him to marry Lady Olivia. Her family were close friends, and she was a spirited and intelligent child with whom he fell in love as she became a young woman. It was a perfect match, bringing a good fortune for their future children and joining two esteemed families. Shelton was not one for patience; he had been impatient to become betrothed—officially announcing it at the end of her first season—and impatient to marry, as any young man deeply in love can understand. Likewise, he was now impatient to get back to the wife he continued to love passionately.
The manor house came into view. His spendthrift grandfather had reduced the size of the land holdings and neglected the estate, but
his father brought it back to prosperity. It was now well maintained compared to many other homes of the peerage. The tenants and staff had strong loyalty to the family who were generous and kind. The young master inherited three years previously; he had been well taught by his father, and he was proving to be equally esteemed.
The new mistress had been married to the master for more than four years. She was quite beautiful and had come from a similarly well-managed estate. Her generosity and easy manners made her a favourite with the servants and tenants alike.
As the carriage moved down the drive, Lord Shelton noticed the butler and housekeeper were there to greet him, but he could not see his wife. He had received her last letter three days prior and hoped she had not fallen ill while he was travelling back to her. Nearing his home, he became more concerned as he saw the despair on the faces of his servants. He leapt from the carriage the instant the step was lowered and immediately asked for Lady Shelton.
“Sir, the mistress is gravely ill and is being attended by Dr. Wilson in her chambers.” The butler’s voice broke towards the end of the news he dreaded giving. The housekeeper looked away as tears escaped her control. Lord Shelton paled.
“What has occurred in my absence? Has she a malady? Was there an accident?”
“Sir, she suffered a fall.”
“Good God! What happened?” Shelton asked as he quickly passed his hat and gloves to a waiting footman.
“Sir, Lady Shelton returned from her usual ride yesterday morn to find horses waiting at the front door instead of tended to in the stables. She asked the boy as to the circumstances, and he said there was a caller who was not intending to stay long. She went into the house, and Mrs. Scott informed her that the caller was waiting in the green drawing room. Mrs. Scott was arranging for tea when she was called away to a minor fire in the kitchens. She returned to find both the footman and the mistress badly hurt and unconscious.”
The housekeeper let a sob escape as her husband disclosed this last bit of information. Lord Shelton’s face showed alternately fury and anguish as he clenched his fists at his side. He started moving towards the stairs as he attended to the butler’s recitation.
“Sir, the footman regained consciousness this morning. He said that, when he attended to her ladyship’s calls of distress, the drawing room door was locked. He forced the door open and saw the mistress being most indecently attacked. When he ran to assist, her assailant released her, and she fell against the sideboard. He followed the man, but he was assaulted by his accomplice. The footman did not see the attacker’s face but said he was dressed as a gentleman.”
“Who did this? Has the villain been caught?” Shelton cried as he crossed the hall in three long steps.
“No, my Lord,” the butler called after him as he mounted the stairs. “But it is likely it was Lord Malcolm as he was the caller who was left with the mistress. He and his man departed on horseback while all hands were attending to the kitchen fire.”
“Good God, no! Malcolm! That licentious scoundrel! What has he done to my Livvy?”
Lord Shelton turned and leapt up the stairs to his wife’s chambers. The doctor met him outside as he rushed through the door, and taking Shelton aside by the arm, spoke in a quiet voice. “My Lord, I know you fear the worst, but my examination reveals it unlikely that Lady Shelton was violated. Her injuries appear to be from the fall and her struggle to protect herself.”
Shelton released a shuddering breath as the physician continued. “Lady Shelton has suffered a severe concussive injury and has not regained consciousness, and she may have internal bleeding. It is best she be left to rest. I will remain for her care as long as I am able and will leave instructions to my assistant when I must be away.”
Shelton moved past the physician towards his wife. She was lying abed with a severe cut on her head and angry bruises on her neck and arms. His face contorted in agony as he stood helplessly beside her. He reached a shaking hand to tentatively cover hers and whispered words of endearment as he struggled to keep his countenance in front of the servants. He remained that way for some time until he was seen straightening his back and turning to quit the room with a determined look upon his face. He strode resolutely to provide instructions to his man.
“Ready a servant to take an urgent note to Pemberley and remain to collect a reply.”
Chapter 3:
Mr. Bingley and his friends meet the neighbours, and Mr. Bingley becomes smitten.
October 1811
Hertfordshire
Over the weeks that followed, Mr. Bennet made true his intention to be sociable with the gentlemen residing at Netherfield. He was invited to join a shooting party and accompanied the gentlemen on a tour of Mr. Bingley’s property to assess needed improvements. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bennet found they enjoyed one another’s company as they were well matched in intellect and shared many similar interests.
Bingley and Darcy called a second time a week after the assembly ball, and the former quickly took up a position near Jane. When Darcy joined the lively discussion on books that Bennet was having with Elizabeth and Mary, Elizabeth was disgruntled that the man who had insulted her was so brash as to join their group. She abruptly made her excuses and left to sulk in the garden.
The gentlemen called again a few days later, and this time, Darcy and Bennet removed to the library to peruse the volume that was the focus of their discourse. Seeing the easy camaraderie between the two men, Elizabeth became jealous of Mr. Darcy. Her rising indignation led her to follow them under the pretence of finding a book. Her real motive was to insinuate herself into the conversation and make a defiant point to her usurper that she deserved to be a prominent participant in any literary discussion at Longbourn. Darcy did not notice he had offended her; he was rather pleased with her company and impressed by her well-informed mind and skilled application to the debate.
Unknown to Darcy, intellectual exchanges were common in the Bennet household. He found it refreshing to see the three elder Miss Bennets engage in lively debates on books and politics and was surprised to find they were as well informed as he.
However, Elizabeth was not interested in showing anything other than disapprobation of Mr. Darcy’s presence. She spoke to him in dismissive or taunting tones and was fierce in her arguments, endeavouring to demonstrate that her intelligence and knowledge were equal to challenging his. Darcy observed Elizabeth in her home as well as at several social occasions in the neighbourhood and had come to admire her unique beauty, wit and vivacity.
Bingley’s attention was fixed on Miss Jane Bennet. Not only did he consider her the most beautiful girl in the county, he also admired her quiet and calm demeanour. He learned that Mr. Bennet actively involved Jane in the management of the estate, making use of her aptitude for solving disputes and skill in adjudication. Just turned two-and-twenty, Jane had a good grasp of the financial and legal issues required of a gentleman farmer and often accompanied her father as he toured the estate. What Bingley did not know was that she had already turned down one very attractive offer of courtship, with both of her parents’ support, because her affection was not engaged.
Elizabeth was, without a doubt, the most intelligent of the girls. Many young men were not inclined to court her as they were intimidated by her intellect. She was unconventional and adventurous, a trait shared with her lively youngest sister, Lydia. However, she also had strong beliefs in compassion, loyalty and propriety that tempered her daring and kept her from reckless escapades. Mr. Bennet shared his interest in the newest discoveries with Elizabeth, and they read the latest scientific pamphlets, including The New System of Chemical Philosophy.
The middle girl, Mary, was also intelligent and, like Jane, reserved and calm. Although quieter in social settings, Mary Bennet was clearly the most accomplished musically, playing several instruments. She was dedicated to her own improvement by practice and extensive reading. Mary’s intellectual companion, Henry Lucas, the second son of the Bennets’ nearest neighbour
, attended Cambridge. Due to their mutual interest in religion and philosophy, they studied together when he was home from university. It was expected they would become betrothed once Henry graduated and obtained a situation to train as a barrister.
The two youngest girls, Catherine and Lydia, were not yet out in society, having completed only sixteen and fifteen years respectively. Catherine was creative and studied with an art master. She was frequently at her mother’s side offering advice on remaking gowns and bonnets, and her sketches were said to rival the fashion plates of the latest magazines from London. Easily influenced by others, Catherine pursued the interests of all her sisters and, since they were closest in age, had a preference for spending most of her time with Lydia.
Lydia was robust and handsome. She had a love of performing and a gift for memorization, word games, and languages. She enjoyed creating rebuses and charades for her sisters to solve, and she was considered the most entertaining when reciting poetry and acting in plays in the drawing room of Longbourn in the evenings. This talent was reserved for family since she was not yet out. Her vivacity made her a favourite with the young girls in Meryton, and though her imagination and impulsiveness sometimes led her into trouble, her exuberance was charming enough to excuse her. She was sometimes too outgoing, boisterous, and impetuous, and her sisters often had to admonish her for her forwardness. She and Elizabeth tamed their energy together with a daily walk in the countryside of a duration that would exhaust many others.
***
Mr. Bennet called his wife to his study to discuss a letter he received from the cousin who currently stood to inherit Longbourn. He watched Mrs. Bennet’s expression become more incredulous as she read the missive.