Mrs Darcy's Fine Eyes: A Pride and Prejudice Novella (A Blissful Marriage, Book 2 - Hot Mush Series)

by Lory Lilian

  Darcy tried to calm her, although he knew it to be a difficult task. He remembered her image from that day at the parsonage when she had been angry with him, and the memory was still vivid and painful.

  “How is Emily now? I did not come with you, as I noticed she seemed frightened by me.”

  “Thank you; it was very considerate of you. You cannot blame her—you are an impressive man to anyone until they become better acquainted with you. I am sure Emily will soon adore you,” she smiled.

  “I would be content for her to feel safe and comfortable.”

  “I am sure she will. She ate more than a starving man. She is still shy and restrained with me, but she grew attached to Sarah very quickly.”

  “I am glad to hear that. Sarah must be more like the women she is accustomed to. Did you decide which room she will stay in?”

  “She asked me to let her sleep with Sarah.”

  “With Sarah? Below stairs?”

  “Yes,” Elizabeth replied. “I did not want to even suggest otherwise, for the time being. She was already distressed by moving into a strange house, regardless of how kindly she was treated. And I feared that forcing her to sleep in a large, elegant room would make her feel rather lonely. Sarah seemed happy to have company.”

  “But is Sarah’s room large enough,” he asked, and Elizabeth smiled at their similar concern.

  “They will move together into the room that belonged to Mary and her husband. Mrs. Talbot suggested it. Do you approve of it?”

  “Anything Mrs. Talbot suggested, must be appropriate,” he replied. “I trust her implicitly when it comes to the household. If you agree, there is no need for further debate.”

  “Poor child…She looked so pale and thin and tired. I suggested she should sleep a little while and she was stunned by the notion of resting during the day. She cried in my arms…wholeheartedly…I cannot tell you how shattered I was by the bitter tears of such a young girl. And how furious!”

  “I believe it was a wise decision to allow Emily to choose her room and companion. And I am sure she will sleep, as soon as the pain and fear go away,” Darcy said. “As for your fury—we must find a way to dissipate it! All is well now, my love.”

  ***

  Elizabeth spent a full hour in her husband’s pleasant company, then allowed him to return to his business, and she went to look for Emily. In the kitchen, there was more agitation than usual, which ended with her arrival. Emily was on a chair, eating, but she stood the moment she saw Elizabeth. She had been bathed; her hair brushed, her clothes changed. She was holding a cake, which she tried to hide behind her back.

  “I have only come to see how you have settled, Emily. I do not wish to interrupt you. May I see your room?”

  “Of course,” Sarah answer hastily, leading the way. Emily followed her closely, as if fearing that she might get lost.

  Elizabeth had been below stairs several times since her marriage, but had never visited a servant’s chamber. She was pleasantly surprised to see a generous room, warm and pleasant, with a comfortable bed, a small table, two chairs and a closet. A window allowed enough light, and the entire chamber was neat and smelled clean.

  “It is a beautiful room! And I can sleep on the pillow,” Emily declared.

  Elizabeth stroked her hair. “I am glad you like it. Emily, please tell Sarah if there is ever anything you want. Will you promise me? Anything you see, you are allowed to eat; if you feel ill, or anything is bothering you, tell Sarah. Will you?”

  The girl nodded decidedly. “I do not need nothing, Mrs. Darcy. I am full! And I am warm. I do not feel ill; I fell very well!”

  Elizabeth caressed her again. “I am glad to hear that, my darling. Sarah, I would suggest retiring early tonight. Emily needs rest. There has been enough excitement for one day. Tomorrow I will show her the rooms upstairs. Miss Darcy might be home too, so I will introduce them.”

  Emily looked somehow nervous again.

  “Mrs. Darcy?”

  “Yes, my dear?”

  “How long can I stay here?”

  “How long? As long as you wish.”

  “A whole week?”

  “Do you want to leave, Emily?”

  “Oh no…I don’t want to leave!”

  “Then you will not, my darling. Not in a week, nor in a thousand weeks. Do not worry.”

  “I can stay forever?”

  “Forever, Emily,” Elizabeth answered, embracing the girl again. After the emotional moment, Elizabeth returned to the kitchen and enjoyed a cup of tea, talking to the staff, while Emily never took her eyes from her. However, when Elizabeth offered to take her upstairs, she refused, and Elizabeth did not insist.

  An hour later, before dinner, Sarah came to help the mistress change. With a smile, she informed Elizabeth that Emily had finally fallen deeply asleep, with a pillow in her arms, and cuddled under the blankets.

  “I believe she felt safe and warm for the first time in a long while,” the maid said.

  “I believe you are right, Sarah. Thank you for being so kind to her.”

  “Thank you for being so kind to all of us, Mrs. Darcy,” the maid replied with genuine gratitude.

  Chapter 7

  Madame Claudette delivered Elizabeth’s two gowns the next day, just after breakfast as scheduled, but she was too upset to even look at them yet.

  She was alone in her room, writing to Jane and to her aunt Gardiner while waiting for Georgiana and Lady Matlock to join her for tea. The night at the theatre was only two days away and she imagined Lady Matlock wished to give her some more pieces of advice.

  Darcy had gone to his club, to meet his uncle and two cousins. Mr. Gardiner had also been invited so it was expected that the gentlemen would not return until later that afternoon.

  Soon after the packages arrived, Sarah appeared to arrange them, bringing Emily with her. The girl was so stunned at the view of Elizabeth’s apartment that she did not dare enter until she was repeatedly encouraged.

  When Elizabeth took her hands, the girl slowly regained her spirit, still looking around with amazement. At Elizabeth’s enquiry, she seriously reported that she had slept and eaten “awfully much”.

  “Good,” Elizabeth smiled.

  “Now I am helping Sarah to do her chores,” the girl declared. “Sarah said I am not useless. I can do many things.”

  “I am sure you can, my dear. Let us take it slowly. We will find you some responsibilities appropriate for your age. And yes, Sarah is taking care of all my requests and I believe she might need some help,” Elizabeth said with pretend earnest.

  “Oh, I will do anything!” Emily declared.

  “Excellent. In the meantime, you will need some new clothes. We must take care of it urgently.”

  “New clothes?” the girl’s eyes opened with distress again. “Oh, no, ma’am. New clothes are very expensive!”

  “But you will work for them, will you not? Everybody in this house has proper clothes; you may ask Sarah.”

  The girl gazed at Sarah, who nodded, yet she still seemed dumbfounded by such a notion.

  “So, I suggest that Sarah and I go to purchase you some things today. Would you like to come with us?”

  “Come with you, ma’am?”

  “Yes. To the shop.”

  The girl panicked.

  “What shop?”

  Immediately, Sarah interjected. “Mrs. Darcy, I know a shop not far from here, from where I purchase for my siblings and myself. I am sure we will find everything we need there.”

  Again, Elizabeth understood that more would be too much for little Emily. Entering a fashionable shop would only bring back painful memories and intimidate the girl even more.

  “Excellent idea, Sarah. Let us be ready to go this afternoon. I am expecting my aunt and my sister Georgiana for tea now. Would you like to greet them, Emily?”

  “As you wish, Mrs. Darcy.”

  “It is your choice, my dear. I will ring for Sarah and if you wish, you may come with h
er.”

  The girl nodded, the distress apparent in her eyes.

  ***

  In the drawing-room, Lady Matlock and Georgiana listened to Elizabeth relating Emily’s story with complete astonishment. It was not uncommon for a lady of consequence to protect an orphan child, not even to hold the patronage of an entire school or orphanage.

  But everything had occurred hastily, at a time when they believed Elizabeth should be preoccupied with nothing else but her new marriage and her new husband.

  “I do not remember ever seeing that girl,” Lady Matlock declared. Elizabeth smiled bitterly.

  “She was the one who left the door open when Dido ran away… We all remembered Dido, but not Emily…”

  Lady Matlock took offence. “You must understand that I enter many shops and meet many people. You cannot expect me to remember everybody I lay my eyes on.”

  “I understand that, your ladyship. I am sure if you had noticed her you too would have held Madame Claudette responsible for her cruel behaviour. What else could it be called, not to feed a child properly and to overburden her with weighty tasks?”

  “Madame Claudette is excellent at her job, but she is greedy, stingy and rude to all her employees. This is why most of them leave her after a year, which is very foolish of her. She trains them to be good seamstresses and then they leave because of her coarseness. So you went there with Darcy and took the girl?”

  “Yes. As it happened, I saw her the evening before, when we visited my aunt. She was out in the storm, with two men, carrying some packages from the carriage inside. And then I saw her again the next day, and she broke my heart. I could not leave her there.”

  “So, I imagine Darcy paid a substantial amount to that ogre. I shall have a word or two for her next time I go there!”

  “I would be grateful if your ladyship did not mention anything to Madame Claudette. She is not worthy of your time. I beg you to not mind, but I intend to cease any future meetings with Madame Claudette. I shall take the gowns you ordered for me, as time is very short and I understand the importance of a proper image at my first appearances in society, but no more.”

  To her surprise, Lady Matlock shrugged. “My dear, do as you wish. I will look for alternative recommendations; there are several other good modistes in town. I might change her too, I am annoyed with her affectation already.”

  “Elizabeth, where is Emily?” Georgiana asked.

  “She is with my maid, Sarah. She became attached to her immediately.”

  “Oh, so you will prepare her to be a maid?” Lady Matlock enquired.

  “No, not at all. I am willing to allow her to be a child. I hope she will learn to read and write, improve her mind, learn manners … But mostly, be safe and healthy. However, I shall not force her to do anything now. She is more comfortable below stairs than in my company, and she is intimidated by Fitzwilliam. We will see what happens.”

  “I would have put her directly in a family room if you wish to educate her…”

  “We will see,” Elizabeth replied politely. “I will decide together with Fitzwilliam what to do in the next few days.”

  “Could we see her?” Georgiana asked.

  “I will ring for Sarah. I promised Emily that she can decide if she wishes to meet you today or not. She seems frightened of almost everything. I intend to purchase some gowns for her later today. She refused any new clothes, as she fears they are too expensive…”

  “Yes, I imagine Madame Claudette said that several times a day… Where will you purchase them from? I am not familiar with children’s shops.”

  “Sarah will take us to a place she knows. I believe it would be an appropriate place to start the change. Slowly.”

  Lady Matlock’s expression showed her disapproval of Elizabeth entering into such a place but she said nothing.

  Eventually, Elizabeth rang and soon Sarah appeared. Clutching her hand, was Emily. Elizabeth noticed that, compared with the previous day, the girl had already got some colour in her cheeks.

  Elizabeth smiled and stretched her hand out to the girl. She immediately made a shaky curtsey and with reverence, said, “Good day, Lady Matlock. Good day Miss Darcy.”

  “Oh, do you know me?” Lady Matlock asked.

  “No, I told her you would visit me,” Elizabeth explained, but the girl nodded.

  “I do know your ladyship. And Miss Darcy. From the shop…”

  “Really? I see. Well, how lovely. You are a pretty girl, Emily. I cannot imagine how I did not speak to you before,” Lady Matlock said kindly.

  “I am living here now. Mrs. Darcy said I do not have to return to the shop. I will stay here forever,” the girl whispered.

  “Good for you!” Lady Matlock answered, lost to other words in front of the child’s apparent torment. “And do you know what? I think I shall not go back to that shop either.”

  The girl paled.

  “Oh, Madame Claudette will be very upset.”

  “Frankly, my dear, we do not care about Madame Claudette at all,” Lady Matlock declared, and the girl quickly covered her mouth with her hand, a glitter of amusement in her eyes.

  Georgiana also exchanged a few words with the girl, then Sarah and Emily retired.

  When they were alone again, Lady Matlock suddenly began to laugh.

  “Oh dear Lord, do you know what would be hilarious? To take Emily to purchase gowns from Madame Claudette when she is a little older. And to make her behave horribly rudely, just to pay the woman back. Upon my word, if you will not do it, I shall! Yes, that would be hilarious indeed. Precisely because new clothes are so expensive!”

  ***

  Later, Lady Matlock returned home and Elizabeth, Georgiana, Sarah and Emily went shopping. Since they entered the carriage, the girl had been holding Sarah’s hand tightly, as though she was afraid she would be lost. After a short ride, they arrived at a small shop, hidden behind other larger ones. They entered; Sarah greeted the owner amiably. The man immediately noticed Elizabeth and Georgiana, inviting them in.

  “Mr. Dawson, these are my mistresses, Mrs. Darcy and Miss Darcy. And this is my friend, Miss Emily. We wish to purchase some new clothes for her.”

  “You are most welcome into my humble shop, ladies. What an honour for me. Please let me know how I may help you.”

  “We are delighted to make your acquaintance, Mr. Dawson,” Elizabeth replied. “We wish to dress this lovely miss with everything she needs. Gowns for inside and outside, nightgowns, shoes, bonnets. We trust your recommendations.”

  The shop was similar to those in Meryton and in Gracechurch Street, where her aunt Gardiner purchased her gowns. Elizabeth felt comfortable walking through it. Along with Georgiana and Sarah, they chose an array of clothes and shoes, while Emily barely dared to breathe. It was nothing expensive, nor of the latest fashion but things appropriate for a girl of her age, pretty and comfortable.

  Half an hour later, they returned to the carriage with several packages. Out of habit, Emily grabbed and carried a box until Sarah took it from her.

  Inside, Emily looked even more distressed, glancing from Elizabeth to Georgiana.

  “What is it, my dear? Has something upset you?” Elizabeth asked.

  “No… tis just… All the clothes are mine?”

  “Yes…”

  “But I do not need them all. Only one… I always had two dresses only. And one pair of shoes is enough…”

  She looked so troubled that Elizabeth took her hands and made her come near her.

  “My dear, may I tell you a secret?”

  The girl nodded tearfully.

  “I know you do not need so many clothes, but I bought them because I am so upset with Madame Claudette that I do not want to see you wearing anything from her… I want you to throw everything away, so I will not see those old things again. If you do not mind, I would prefer to see you wearing only new clothes from now on. Would you do me this favour.”

  The girl stared, disconcerted, trying to understand that
all those expenses were not her fault and that the clothes were for the mistress’s pleasure, not her own.

  “So, I can keep all the clothes?”

  “Yes, I would like that very much,” Elizabeth responded.

  There was silence for a few moments, as Emily seemed lost in her thoughts.

  “Mrs. Darcy, may I tell you something?”

  “Of course, my dear. Anything.”

  “I always prayed for Mama to return, or for an angel to come and take me. I thought God had no time to listen to me, but now I see He did.”

  Elizabeth looked at Georgiana, both tearful, not knowing how to reply. But Emily did not need an answer, her eyes were full of trust and her face serene. She had let go of Sarah’s hand. She was not frightened of being lost any longer.

  ***

  Georgiana had decided to return home only after the theatre opening, so Elizabeth stopped at the Matlocks, to drop off her sister-in-law. When the carriage halted, both of them climbed down to say their goodbyes. And both frowned.

  From the main door, Lady Catherine was exiting, together with Anne. On seeing Elizabeth, she darkened with anger.

  “Good day, Aunt Catherine, Anne,” Georgiana said. Elizabeth curtseyed silently.

  “Well, I see you have been thrown out of your brother’s house, just as my own brother rebuked me from his company. We all have to thank Elizabeth Bennet for polluting our lives and bringing shame to a family that has always been spotless,” Lady Catherine addressed her niece, ignoring Elizabeth completely. Then she entered the carriage. Behind her, Anne gave a little, embarrassed smile and shrugged slightly, in a shy excuse.

  “Elizabeth, would you like to enter?” Georgiana asked, caressing Elizabeth’s arm in comfort.

  “No, thank you. I prefer to return home—it has been a long day. And I have not seen Fitzwilliam since this morning.

  With one last embrace, they separated, and Elizabeth left with a heavy heart. She did not care about Lady Catherine’s offence, still, the accusation of shaming the family hurt her.