Mary Simonsen - The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy

“Do you think Elizabeth has feelings for Richard?”

“She likes him very much. But both are wise enough not to encourage the other, as his poverty is only exceeded by hers. And in my opinion, there was no spark on Elizabeth’s part. But why are we speaking of Richard? You say your feelings are unchanged, so what have you done in these four months to advance your cause?”

“I do have a plan, which is very sketchy at the moment, involving Charles Bingley. As I wrote to you, until recently, Bingley has kept his distance from me. He resented my interference in his affairs regarding Miss Bennet, thus my invitation for him to join us at Pemberley. Once there, I will admit to an error in judgment and will encourage Bingley to approach Miss Bennet for permission to renew his attentions.”

“Oh, I see what you are planning. Following this discussion, Mr. Bingley will proceed to Hertfordshire, where he will win anew the lady’s affections, and by virtue of your friendship with Mr. Bingley, you will find yourself in Elizabeth’s company once again. I think it is a splendid plan with one exception. It separates you from the object of your affection for several more weeks.”

“Yes, but I have obligations. I have recently become a venturer with George Bingley, Charles’s eldest brother. Along with other investors, I am involved in a scheme that will transform the Derwent Valley into a model for industrial development in England. A flannel manufactory is being built as we speak, and George insists on input from all the venturers. While I am in Derbyshire, he wants me to seek out other possible investors. I cannot complain as the man seems to spin gold out of straw, but I am a gentleman, not a man of business, and all of this is new to me.”

“But your plans to arrive at Pemberley in three weeks’ time remain unchanged?”

“Yes, you were very specific as to that date, although you have yet to tell me why we must be in Derbyshire exactly at that time.”

“Do you think you are the only one who has obligations?”

“No, of course not, but schedules had to be rearranged and…” Darcy went quiet. He could see he was at risk of hurting Anne’s feelings if he pressed the issue. But, good God, what obligations could she possibly have? By her own admission, she had a limited circle of friends, and her health placed restrictions on her activities. But he decided there was nothing to be gained by asking more questions. “I was more than happy to accommodate your request, and we will be there exactly at the time you have chosen.”

“Perfect.”

Jane was waiting for Lizzy at the top of the stairs and hurried her sister into their room. “What did Papa say? Is Lydia to go to Brighton?”

Earlier in the afternoon, Jane and Lizzy had returned from Meryton only to find the house in an uproar. Mrs. Bennet and Lydia were laughing, Kitty was crying, and Mary was pounding on the pianoforte in an attempt to be heard above all the noise. It was then that they had learned of Mrs. Forster’s offer to have Lydia accompany her when her husband’s militia regiment removed to Brighton. Lizzy immediately sought out her father in a vain attempt to have him forbid the excursion.

“Yes, Jane, Lydia is to go to Brighton. Papa would not be dissuaded. He said Lydia would never be content until she had exposed herself in some public place and that Brighton afforded her that opportunity and at such little expense to the family.”

“Oh, Lizzy. Please tell me he said that in jest. Even Papa, who turns a blind eye to the foolishness of his three younger children, must recognize Lydia’s behavior barely warrants her being out in society under the supervision of her parents and older sisters, no less being free to move in society in Brighton where the streets are full of officers.”

Lizzy repeated all that she could remember of their conversation. “I reminded him that it was his responsibility to check her more exuberant spirits, not Colonel Forster’s, but he insisted she is under the protection of the colonel, who is a sensible man.”

“But Mrs. Forster is not a sensible woman. She is very young, and although newly married, I am sorry to say that at the ball I noticed she continued to flirt with the young officers who are under her husband’s command.”

“Such strong words, Jane! How unlike you. But I agree. I saw the same thing and was embarrassed for both of them. But Papa insists that Lydia’s poverty will protect her as she has no fortune to be an object of prey to anyone.”

“We shall go and talk to him immediately. If he hears our combined voices in pointing out the danger of such a plan, he will reconsider.”

Lizzy shook her head. “It will do no good. He sees Lydia going to Brighton as a way for her to learn of her own insignificance.”

“How so?”

“To his mind, she will be of less importance even as a common flirt as the officers will find women better worth their notice.”

“And if he is wrong?”

“We are doomed.”

At that moment, Mrs. Hill knocked on the door, so that she might replace the candles. She could see both sisters were in distress because of Lydia’s news.

“Miss Lizzy and Miss Jane, I know you two are unhappy about Miss Lydia going off with Mrs. Forster when the regiment leaves Meryton, but it might not be as bad as you think.”

Both looked at Mrs. Hill with hopeful expressions. Whenever something happened at Longbourn, Mrs. Hill was always the first to know of it.

“Mrs. Forster has a bun in the oven.”

Jane and Lizzy exchanged glances before Jane asked, “How do you know that?”

“Because Sally Smart’s aunt did the Forsters’ laundry. You can tell a lot about a family from their laundry, especially the women. What I’m saying is Miss Lydia might not be going out as much as she thinks if Mrs. Forster gets the sickness. I don’t think she’d take kindly to Miss Lydia being out dancing while she’s eating pieces of dry bread to keep her dinner down. And if that don’t cheer you up, remember April showers bring May flowers, and it rains all the time in Brighton.

“And if I may say one more thing, Miss Lizzy, you sitting here worrying about Miss Lydia won’t change a thing. Remember what the reverend said, ‘Parents have to instill the right principles in their children, but then it’s up to the children to live up to those principles.’ So, Miss Lizzy, you go to Derbyshire and not worry about a thing. It’s out of your hands.”

After Mrs. Hill left, Jane asked Lizzy what she thought.

“Well, they’ve certainly been married long enough for Mrs. Forster to be with child, and if she is as selfish as our sister, then she will insist on Lydia staying with her, which should, at a minimum, decrease her outings and limit her opportunities to get into trouble.”

“I imagine it is the best we can hope for,” Jane said, but knowing Lydia, she was not entirely reassured. However, it might allow Lizzy to put Lydia out of her mind and think about her upcoming holiday with the Gardiners.

When the carriage pulled up in front of the London townhouse, Darcy could see his sister peeking out from the upstairs window. In the time it took for Anne to alight from the carriage, Georgiana had come through the front door. Without saying a word to her brother, she escorted her cousin into the house.

“Oh, I am so glad you have come,” Georgiana said, taking hold of Anne’s hand. “It has been such a long time since we have visited, and I have such good news. I will shortly finish at Mrs. Bryan’s Academy, and thanks to you, I will be released early. After that, we will all go to Pemberley, and after that, I will come out into society.”

“Georgiana, allow Anne to take off her coat and then show her to the parlor while I arrange for tea to be served,” her brother instructed.

After giving Georgiana sufficient time to bring Anne up to date on the most urgent of matters, such as the new bonnet she had ordered just that morning, Darcy came into the room followed by a servant bringing in a tray of cucumber sandwiches.

“Is your mother in good health?” Georgiana asked about her Aunt Catherine.

“Very much so. She is enjoying her visit with my father’s sister, Lady Hargrove. They are a quite a pair, very much alike.”

“Oh, dear!” Georgiana said.

Anne started to laugh, but her brother was anything but amused, giving her a withering look.

“Will, it is all right. Everyone knows what my mother is like. There is no need to walk on eggs amongst us three.”

After that remark, Georgiana quickly asked if Anne remembered her father as she had no memory of him.

“Oh, yes, dear Papa. I was sixteen when he died. Even though I did not see as much of him as I would have liked, since he preferred town while Mama wished to remain in the country, I have nothing but fond memories of him.”

“Are the de Bourghs more interesting than the Darcys?”

After Darcy rolled his eyes at her comment, Georgiana shifted her position so that she was not directly in her brother’s sight line.

“Yes, they are. They made their money quite dishonestly by smuggling goods in from the Continent. That was the foundation of their wealth.”

“Oh, how exciting! Is that why Rosings has turrets? To defend against rival bands of smugglers?”

“Georgiana, defend against smugglers? Smugglers do not launch assaults. When challenged, they run away,” her brother said, amazed at the ideas that came into his sister’s head.

“No,” Anne said, laughing, “the turrets are there because Rosings was built shortly after the Civil War. There was great concern that another such war might erupt, and because of that, defensive elements were included in Rosings’s design. But the de Bourghs are not the original occupants. The family’s name was Belifort, I believe, but their line died out. Because the de Bourghs remained loyal to Charles II, after his restoration, he transferred Rosings to my family. And I am sorry to disappoint, but it was never necessary for any de Bourgh to man the ramparts. And although Pemberley lacks turrets and arrow slits, it is truly lovely.”

“Oh, I know that, and although I dearly love Pemberley, it does not stir the imagination as Rosings does. You cannot imagine anything bad ever happening there.”

“Georgiana, would you please favor us with a tune?” Darcy asked. He was uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation, believing that Georgiana was being overly romantic—again.

After supper, the three played cards, and Georgiana told Anne of all the fine things that Madame Delaine and she had purchased in preparation for her debut. As far as Georgiana was concerned, that day could not come soon enough. Her brother was of a different mind.

The following morning, after Georgiana left for the academy, Darcy apologized for his sister’s overactive imagination.

“Oh, you should not apologize. She is like a breath of fresh air.”

“I am convinced she is writing a novel in her room after she retires each evening.”

“What is the harm in that?”

“None—as long as she knows it will never be published. I do not approve of the gothic novels she reads, and I do not understand why the fathers or husbands of these authoresses allow their publication. It is unseemly.”

“She is quite changed from our last visit at Rosings. At that time, I found her to be cautious in her conversations and reserved in her manners. That is obviously no longer the case.”

“I agree there has been a change in the last month. I believe the alteration is a result of our discussion of that sordid affair involving Wickham. She has convinced me that she would never have married him. Even at her young age, she was able to see through his façade. That conversation seems to have had the effect of clearing the air, and the exuberant Georgiana that lay hidden has emerged. But that is behind us, and it pains me to mention it. So let us talk of your visit.

“You must tell me what you want to do while you are in town, and we will do it. Georgiana has visited Vauxhall and has said that the gardens are ‘a riot of color.’ The Royal Conservatory has an exhibition, and Mrs. Colbert has asked that she be allowed to call. On the other hand, if you do not wish to do any of those things, we shall stay at home, play cards, drink sherry, and if Georgiana has anything to say about it, play charades.”

“We have three weeks, Will. I hope in that time I shall be able to do all you have suggested and possibly more.”