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Posted on Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Elizabeth Bennet sat on the edge of her seat. She leaned out and held tight to the rail of the theatre box. She was totally focused on the stage below. Her eyes sparkled and she unconsciously licked her lips like she was savoring something delicious. Her face was a panoply of emotions – smiles of delight, merry giggles, hearty laughs and occasionally she would even pant slightly with anticipation and intense pleasure. She was mesmerized by the performance of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Elizabeth had read the play numerous times and knew much of the dialogue. She had been thrilled when Lady Hughes, a school friend of her Aunt Gardiner, suggested she and her aunt and uncle join her and Lord Hughes for this performance.
One moment Elizabeth shivered in horror at the portrayal of Caliban and the next she was curiously drawn to him. She laughed at the drunken antics of Trinculo and Stephano but most of all she identified with Miranda. The actress playing Miranda was small in stature and had long chestnut curls like Elizabeth. Lizzy pondered Mr. Bennet’s similarity to Miranda’s father Prospero. Mr. Bennet had few expectations of Elizabeth but those he had she felt duty bound to honor. She should remain chaste and not be too silly. Like Prospero, Mr. Bennet never explained his past, the causes of his lackluster marriage and the families’ precarious economic situation in the event of his demise. He owned a prodigious library and allowed Lizzy to learn things that many other young women did not know but she had no idea how to apply the knowledge or how it helped her in her quest to remain chaste and escape silliness. She smiled as she remembered her father teaching her French while reading Perrault’s fairy tales at five. Le Petit Chaperon Rouge or Little Red Riding Hood contained the essence of her understanding of remaining chaste. Stay away from the big bad wolf.
Her father’s small estate, Longbourne in Hertfordshire was beginning to make her feel confined. She wanted something more but could not put her finger on what she desired. She wasn’t sure she wanted to rush into marriage just to please her mother and guarantee her economic security. Being in London and experiencing its diversions was at least allowing her to see other possibilities.
In December when Elizabeth turned fifteen, her mother began pressuring her to come out in the local, Meryton society and of course start the hunt for a husband. In Hertfordshire, she had chafed at her mother’s obsession with marriage but watching the performance she wondered whether there was a Ferdinand for her. Was she being silly when she dreamed of loving someone intensely? She could envision herself gazing on him with wonder as Miranda did. He would love her with extreme fervor and free her from the mundane life of gossip, embroidery and the four and twenty families that were Meryton society. The scenes between Ferdinand and Miranda caused Elizabeth to get a dreamy, far away look on her face.
The reality was that Mr. Bennet unlike Prospero knew no magic and Elizabeth was never going to become acquainted with or loved by a prince or even an earl. A baronet was a possibility. If Tom had not died, Jane would have married a baronet. Wasn’t she right now in the box of Lord Hughes who was a baronet?
Even though she would miss her long walks in the country, she could imagine a marriage like the Gardiners’ with a house in town and access to London’s cultural wealth. She would like being mother to lively, well behaved, attractive, intelligent children. A husband in trade with a prosperous business would definitely be tolerable. Her aunt and uncle seemed loving and content unlike her own parents.
Mr. Bennet locked himself in his library and seemed to take no responsibility for his children’s conduct or future. His pleasure came from his books, his port, his tobacco and his delight in making sly, cynical comments about the foibles of his family and friends. Deriding Mrs. Bennet and her nerves seemed to be one of his main sources of enjoyment. Lizzy had often found her mother exasperating and had developed a closeness with her father. He had taught her to read at three, play chess at four and over the years they had spent hours reading and playing chess together in his library. Sometimes they read to each other and often would discuss what they read. Lately Lizzie read almost exclusively to her father as his eyesight diminished with age. More and more he relied on her to help him with accounts and correspondence.
Mrs. Bennet’s one goal in life was to see all five of her daughters married. This single-minded pursuit did not seem to give her much pleasure as she was always complaining about her nerves. Mrs. Bennet’s nerves and her vexation with the unmarried state of her daughters even though most of them were too young to be married was one of the major sources of Mr. Bennet’s entertainment. Mr. Bennet’s estate was entailed on the male line and when he died his wife and daughters would have no security.
Mrs. Bennet had developed her obsession with marriage soon after her fifth daughter was born and it only became more urgent after the death of their neighbor’s son. She had hoped to be blessed with a male child and later was sure Master Trent would marry Jane and ensure some security. At least once a day since Tom’s death, she reminded her daughters of the need to make advantageous matches and they heard their mother’s admonition of their father, “How can you laugh at that which makes me weep?” Lizzy appreciated her father’s humor but as she became more knowledgeable about estate business she concluded that her mother’s concerns were real and should not merely be the butt of his jokes. She wished she could find a way to calm her mother and make her feel secure.
Her older sister Jane was already out and quite the most beautiful. She was blond, blue eyed, tall, statuesque with regular features and a serene countenance. Even with Jane’s looks entering into an advantageous marriage would not be easily accomplished. The Bennet girls were practically without dowries. They each had one fifth of Mrs. Bennet’s original five thousand pound dowry. They were all attractive but with such a small bridal prize they were not even going to be the first choice for local men in the marriage market. The local gentry usually needed an infusion of cash just like the larger estates to ensure prosperity. Thomas Trent would have been the exception. He and Jane had loved each other since they were practically infants. Nothing would have kept them apart except what did. He died of a trifling cold at fifteen.
Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle noticed Lizzy’s distress with her mother’s prodding when they were at Longbourne for Christmas. She clearly was not comfortable with being out and unlike her sister Jane at fifteen, Lizzy still looked childlike. Despite her girlish appearance, she was by far the most intelligent of the Bennet girls and the most resourceful in solving problems. Just as she had been writing letters about estate business for her father since she was thirteen she often helped him to resolve problems between tenants. She was the diplomat of the family. She loved her sisters and often was called upon to advocate on their behalf with her father or mother and she found ways to settle disputes among her sisters by using humor to dissolve the tension.
Elizabeth had long been a favorite of the Gardiners and they soon found a solution to the animosity between mother and daughter that pleased both Mrs. Bennet and Lizzy. They offered to have Elizabeth come to London for an extended period ostensibly to help Mrs. Gardiner with her two older children. Mrs. Gardiner had recently given birth to her third child and her other two children, seven year old Thomas and four year old Marianne, adored their cousin.
Lizzie read to them and was very talented at doing the voices of the different characters. Witches were her specialty and she even did a credible dragon. Marianne would bury her face in Lizzy’s lap during the scary parts but Thomas refused to even flinch when his cousin let out a cackle. She made up exciting stories of knights and princesses that had both her cousins enthralled. She was using Perrault to teach her cousins French. Both Thomas and Marianne liked Puss in Boots best and Elizabeth was a master at capturing the tricky cat’s personality. Despite his less than ethical actions, Thomas and Marianne thought Puss clever, funny and he certainly knew how to survive by any means necessary. Together Elizabeth and the children went for long walks in the park, built snowmen and made kites in anticipation of the spring. Elizabeth had taught Thomas to climb trees but promised her Aunt Gardiner she would not indulge in the activity in front of Marianne and that she and Thomas would restrict their tree climbing to Hertfordshire.
Edmund Fitzwilliam, the Viscount Wolfbridge, eldest son of the Earl of Matlock and heir to the earldom was in London for the winter. None of the rest of his family was in town so in the interest of economy...ah yes, the ever present need to economize...he was staying at Darcy House with his cousins Fitzwilliam and Anne Darcy. They were spending an evening at the theatre in the Darcy box.
The theatre was not one of Lord Wolfbridge’s favorite diversions but it did afford him the chance to peruse the spectators. As he looked out he was arrested by a sight that set his blood tingling. He could not take his eyes off the young woman practically hanging out of Lord Hughes’ box. She was oblivious to every one else in the theatre except the players. This was not someone from the ton hoping to be seen and admired. There was no coyness in her demeanor and she had the look of the country about her. The style of her gown was not the latest even though the couple with her was dressed more fashionably. The woman was too young to be her mother so he assumed she was not with her parents. Perhaps she was with an older brother or sister or an aunt and uncle hosting their country relative in London. She would be vulnerable with out the familiarity of her surroundings. He felt pleasure thinking of her look of mortification if she knew he was watching and the tingling he was feeling increased when he envisioned her look of panic if she knew what he was thinking.
Her facial expressions as she watched the play reminded him of women in the throes of passion but unlike most of those he had observed this one was very young. She was tiny with a mass of chestnut curls in a very girlish style and her figure was not at all womanly. The modest and girlish cut of her gown told him she was not out. Her countenance was dominated by large, expressive eyes the way children’s faces are before they grow into their features… eyes so appealing... he wanted to see them helpless. But he must be wary as there was intelligence in those eyes. Intelligence meant danger but then again danger made the game more enjoyable. Of course she was a female so how much of an adversary could she be. It had been a long time since he had seen such an exciting creature.
Lord Wolfbridge was bored with London but he did not want to go home to Matlock. His father the Earl urged his first born incessantly to get married and produce an heir. He ordered him to find a young woman with a large dowry. Lord Matlock did not care what kind of connections had produced the wealth he just insisted that she bring at least fifty thousand pounds. Their family was an ancient titled one and could stand money from trade as long as there was plenty of it. The Viscount had met a young woman through his brother Richard, Eleanor Harding, who fit that requirement. His brother seemed to be quite fond of her so she couldn’t be a harpy caring about nothing but improving her family’s connections. Richard preferred pleasant, amiable women who loved dancing and witty discourse. Yes, Eleanor would do nicely as a wife for him. She was even small, not very curvy and moderately pleasant looking.
Edmund at twenty six was resigned to please his father...that meant being resolved to pursue Eleanor when she came to town in April. Richard was not as handsome as he was and he was after all a second son. Edmund was sure with his charm, good looks and title he would be successful. Until then the little bird across the theatre could be a charming diversion. Maybe he could even smile and flatter her into being a diversion for a while after he married. The problem with all his fancies was they were short lived. Unfortunately little girls just get bigger all the time.
It was time to start planning his immediate pursuit. Lord and Lady Hughes estate was next to Pemberly in Derbyshire and it would be rude for the Darcy’s not to speak to their neighbors. He just had to be present when the introductions took place. He needed a beard and Anne would do nicely. It would be simple to encourage her to befriend the little country lass.
Anne was very susceptible to his charm and easy to manipulate. In an unguarded moment, she once told him she wished her mother was set on a marriage for her to him instead of Darcy. He had briefly thought about a marriage of convenience to Anne but Darcy acquiesced to Aunt Catherine’s wishes after only one season in the marriage market. Anne met some of Edmund’s physical requirements. She was tiny but her smallness was the result of lack of health and she just seemed sickly and not the child-like appearance he preferred. Also Anne would not have been as indifferent to a marriage with Edmund as she was to Darcy and that could have been trouble for him. Edmund did not need the family discussing his peccadilloes at every gathering. Of course Darcy was never going to commit any indiscretions. Darcy and Anne seemed to be moderately happy with each other although joy did not seem to be the most important commodity to Darcy. Very little seemed to elicit passion in his cousin except duty and honor. He was kind to Anne and very protective of his sister Georgiana.
Darcy’s attention was drawn to the same vision his cousin was contemplating. The vision made him smile with remembrance. The young woman’s joy was palpable even across the darkened theatre. She would occasionally mouth Miranda’s dialogue and her face expressed an amazing array of emotions. She obviously knew The Tempest well. He thought back to the first time he had seen Shakespeare performed. He had been thirteen and was in this very theatre and this very box with his parents. They had brought him to see Hamlet. He had also known much of the dialogue and he had identified with the brooding Danish prince and his obsession to uphold the honor of his family and expose the murder of his father by his uncle.
Darcy experienced something when he looked at this young woman that he could not identify. Nothing similar had ever happened to him before. He felt a kindred spirit. He was moved by her unaffected manner, her lively enthusiasm, her joy, the beauty of her eyes shining with intelligence. He wished he could know her better but was unnerved by his cousin’s fascination. He knew it was not stemming from an admiration for her love of Shakespeare. He was appalled to think that his feelings could stem from someplace akin to Edmunds. He was after all a married man and any breach of propriety or commitments was abhorrent.
She was sitting in the box of his Derbyshire neighbor, Lord Hughes. He wondered if he should talk to him of his fears for the young woman with regard his cousin. Yet the idea of exposing his families’ secrets and perhaps creating a scandal was unacceptable so he immediately rejected the thought. Surely the young woman had adequate supervision to protect her from rakes even if they were viscounts.
Darcy knew his cousin was by far the most handsome and charming of the eligible bachelors of the ton. As he looked out over the theatre he saw many a woman looking at his cousin behind their fans. Edmund could woo and wed any woman he wanted but instead he liked the sport of hunting women who were either safe or outside his circle. Darcy had only heard of his liaisons with married women and widows. He had always been discreet and resourceful in arranging the capture but the way he was looking at this young woman made Darcy cringe.
Darcy, Edmund, his brother Richard and Darcy’s friend George Wickham had played together as boys at Pemberly. Edmund had been the oldest with his brother two years younger and Darcy and Wickham three years younger. Edmund had been the leader of their group often deciding what they would play. He usually displayed a selfish recklessness that made Darcy uncomfortable. Over the years Darcy and Richard became closer than even Edmund and his brother. Their personalities were much more compatible even though to the outside they seemed opposites. Darcy was quiet and aloof and many thought him arrogant. Richard was amiable, perhaps even jovial and sometimes Darcy thought his openness bordered on the indiscreet. Richard had a similar charm to Edmund but like Darcy he was very serious about his obligations. Richard was now a Captain in the regulars and Darcy was married and the master of a vast estate. Mr. Darcy senior had passed over Edmund and the Earl and appointed Richard to share guardianship of Darcy’s twelve year old sister, Georgiana with his son
Darcy became estranged from George Wickham while they were at Oxford. He was a favorite of Fitzwilliam’s father and Mr. Darcy had paid for Wickham’s education. The rumor was that Darcy did not approve of George’s dissolute ways. Darcy neither confirmed nor denied the rumor but when Wickham came to him shortly after his father’s death, he paid him off for the living Mr. Darcy had promised. Fitzwilliam knew the man should not be a clergyman. Darcy knew Edmund considered Wickham a protégé and they had spent time carousing together over the years. While at Oxford they had shared a liking for young innocents usually the daughters of shopkeepers. Wickham was the son of Pemberly’s steward and his lack of consequence gave him more latitude. Edmund being the son of the Earl of Matlock had to be more careful about his liaisons than George but he had much more of an ability to impress and bribe than Wickham. Over the years they had shared more than once.
Darcy probably would have become estranged from Edmund as well except than he was family. Darcy was in agreement with his uncle the Earl that family harmony and unity was important to preserve. Concealing any whiff of friction was of the uppermost importance to the Fitzwilliam and Darcy families.
Anne felt a surge of jealousy when she noticed both her husband and her cousin were watching a young woman across the theatre. It did not surprise her that her cousin was watching since she was definitely his type. This one could not possibly be older that fifteen and she could be even younger. She was not sure what her husband saw in the young woman. He had never expressed much interest in any woman including Anne and avoided social interaction at all costs. He had been miserable the one season he had attended and at twenty he proposed to Anne just to avoid having to attend a second time.
At the time of his proposal, Darcy had been the most eligible bachelor of the ton followed by his cousin. Darcy was not titled like Edmund but he was much wealthier. He had also been seen by the matchmaking mamas as much more reputable than Edmund and consequently would be kinder to their daughters even if a trifle indifferent. The daughters actually preferred the Viscount because he was much more charming than his dour cousin. The cousins looked very much alike with dark curly hair and penetrating brown eyes but Darcy only measured up to Edmund’s looks when he smiled and his dimples were displayed. That was a rare sight...Darcy had been interminably serious for as long as Anne could remember and he had become more so with the death of his father six months ago. He had numerous obligations and was uncomfortable with all company outside of his family and close friends. This aspect of his personality was what perplexed Anne. Why was her husband expressing an interest in a totally unconnected young woman...a little girl really?
Anne really couldn’t complain about their marriage. She had desperately needed to get out of her mother’s house and out from under her thumb. She enjoyed living at Pemberly and Georgiana was a pleasant little girl. Her father-in-law had not said much about their marriage but Anne felt he did not completely approve. George Darcy had married her mother’s sister Anne because he was in love with her. He had pursued her until she agreed to marry. Anne always suspected that Mr. Darcy thought his son should have married for love rather that convenience.
Anne handled her responsibilities as mistress adequately but was beginning to have doubts about her ability to produce an heir. An heir was a necessity – more for her estate Rosings than for Pemberly. Georgiana could always produce an heir for the Darcy estate. Her mother was always reminding her about her duty to provide an heir for Rosings as well as to inherit the considerable wealth her father had left to Anne. Anne did not enjoy her marital obligations. Fitzwilliam was a gentle lover but Anne was petrified of giving birth. She refused her husband more than she should if she was serious about becoming with child. To her relief Darcy did not pressure her. He was too immersed in running Pemberly and being guardian to Georgiana. A year after his father had become ill her husband still struggled to keep up with all his responsibilities and she knew the grief he felt for his father weighed heavily.
Perhaps the young woman awakened a feeling of nostalgia for his youth. Both of Darcy’s parents had instilled a love of literature in their children. She often found Fitzwilliam and Georgiana in the library and Darcy would be reading one of Shakespeare’s plays to her. He was an excellent reader and even did voices for the different characters. Georgiana loved the voices he gave to the witches in Macbeth. Each one was different and more frightening than the last.
Anne was relieved they had come to London for the winter and was pleased her cousin Edmund was staying with them. Anne enjoyed his company. He was able to tell her all the gossip of the ton. He was adept at flattering and teasing Anne and he was willing to be available for visits from and to her acquaintances. Anne had very little experience making calls or accepting calls and Darcy was not much for participating in the social niceties. Edmund gave Anne confidence and while he was with her she became very popular among the ton.
During the break the Darcy party went to get some refreshment. As Edmund expected they encountered Lord and Lady Hughes, the unknown couple from their box and Shakespeare’s ardent fan.
“Lord and Lady Hughes are you avoiding the Derbyshire winter as Mrs. Darcy and I are?” Darcy said.
Lord Hughes gestured to the couple and said, “May I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Edward Gardiner and their niece Miss Elizabeth Bennet who is visiting from Hertfordshire. We are here in town because Lady Hughes is Godmother to the Gardiner’s new baby girl and we are here for the baptism. Mrs. Gardiner is from Derbyshire and went to school with Lady Hughes. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, these are our nearest neighbors in Derbyshire Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberly.”
Everyone bowed and curtseyed appropriately and Darcy said “It is a pleasure meeting you Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner and Miss Bennet. I would like to introduce you to my cousin the Viscount Wolfbridge.”
Edmund stepped forward and bowed and then gave all a spectacular smile. Elizabeth had never seen anyone as handsome as the Viscount. He was tall with an athletic build, dark curly hair, penetrating dark eyes and the straightest, whitest teeth she had ever seen. She immediately blushed. Mr. Darcy looked a great deal like his cousin but he seemed more severe and his looks were not enhanced by that brilliant smile.
Edmund was pleased he got to see the hoped for blush but felt he should not be too obvious in his admiration in front of the young woman’s aunt and uncle.
Darcy began the conversation by asking Mrs. Gardiner where she was from in Derbyshire.
“I am from Lambton. My father owns several shops, a haberdashery, a gun shop and he buys wool from the estates in Derbyshire. He does the washing, carding and spinning and sells the yarn to knitting workshops in Manchester and several places in Scotland. I was privileged to meet your mother once when she came into the haberdashery. She was a beautiful and elegant woman.”
“Thank you for your kind words. Lambton is not five miles from Pemberly. Is your father Mr. Davies?”
“Yes he is. Do you know him?”
“Not well but I do sell wool to him occasionally and your cousin, Mr. Wilder has recently become our family physician.”
Mrs. Gardiner was unable to discern whether Mr. Darcy was cognizant of her Cousin Jamie and Aunt Maddie’s history so she said very little. “That is right; I do remember my father mentioning Cousin Jamie had become the physician for the Darcy family. I believe it was Lord Hughes who recommended him. I also remember him mentioning that your father passed away recently. Please let me offer my condolences.”
“Thank you again for your kindness. Mr. Gardiner are you also from Derbyshire?”
“No, I am from Hertfordshire but now have my business here in London.”
“What is your business?”
I also supply yarn to those making textiles. I import linen, silk and cotton. I have just recently expanded my business and have begun importing indigo from the Americas and spices from Asia.
Mr. Darcy continued making conversation with the Gardiners and was impressed by their intelligence, taste and good manners. He finally turned his attention to the young woman who had captured his attention during the performance.
“Miss Bennet is this the first time you have seen Shakespeare performed by a professional troupe?”
Elizabeth’s face lit up and her eyes sparkled at his question. She breathlessly replied, “Yes Mr. Darcy and it has so far been one of the most extraordinary experiences I have ever had.” Her mouth broke into a lopsided grin as she gushed, “Of course I have been in Hertfordshire my whole life and have not had many experiences but I do so love Shakespeare and The Tempest is one of my particular favorites. I was ecstatic when I heard that Lord and Lady Hughes had extended an invitation to my aunt and uncle and me to join them in their box.”
Darcy was amused by her exuberance and candor and he was unable to help himself. He smiled at her and his dimples were evident to all.
Elizabeth now thought he was as handsome as his cousin. She blushed again and looked down at her feet for a few seconds but then continued the discussion in the hopes of seeing that smile again. “I hope to see more of Shakespeare performed in the future but my most fervent dream is to see Moliere’s Le Misanthrope performed at the Comédie Française in Paris. However with the situation between France and England I doubt I will get my wish anytime soon.”
Darcy smiled again and said, “What does one so young know about misanthropy and hypocrisy?”
“My father is a great studier of human folly and enjoys mocking other’s failings. I have enjoyed his barbs over the years and was struck when I first read Le Misanthrope and Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme at the similarity between my father’s and Moliere’s humor. The irony is that my father is a bit of a misanthrope and I even now and then see a bit of the misanthrope in myself. That is what I like about the theatre. It helps us all to become more self aware while indulging in an entertaining evening with friends – and not to slight my mother’s legacy – it gives me an excuse to dress up.”
It had been such a long time since Darcy had engaged in such stimulating conversation. He decided to challenge this young woman. In an almost conspiratorial voice he asked, “Do you feel comfortable with Moliere’s satirizing the hypocrisies of the French aristocracy considering the results of the French revolution?”
Elizabeth was enjoying her conversation with this man. She moved quite close to Darcy and was speaking directly to him as the others conversed around them, “In truth, he poked fun at both the bourgeoisie and the aristocracy. You are unfair to blame him for the Jacobins.” She glanced toward the Viscount as she said, “I have no connection to any aristocracy so I am free to be much more egalitarian in my outlook and hopefully still keep my head about me. The corruptness of the society created its critics even within the ancien regime or how do we explain Laclos or the duc d’Orléans?”
Darcy’s mouth dropped in amazement, “You have read Les Liaisons Dangereuses? How old are you?”
Elizabeth whispered, “I just turned fifteen and please be discreet. I would not like my aunt and uncle overhearing that I read one of the forbidden books my father keeps on the top shelf of his library. Besides the threat to my morals from the risqué contents, I almost broke my neck climbing. How delightful that would have been for the gossips in my village. Can you not hear their whispering about the young woman who died in pursuit of improper and lascivious reading material?”
Darcy threw back his head and laughed at this young woman’s delightful impertinence.
Edmund and Anne looked at each other and neither could believe that the dour Darcy had not only treated a stranger to one of his rare smiles but then proceeded to laugh out loud. Anne could not even remember the last time Darcy had smiled at her like that. She also was struck by just how handsome he was when he smiled.
The time had come for the two parties to return to their boxes.
Elizabeth Bennet was flushed with excitement as she reviewed the recent interactions with Lord Wolfbridge and the Darcy’s. She was pleased with her ability to converse easily with such important personages. She thought both the Viscount and Mr. Darcy very handsome. She hoped her Ferdinand could look like them. She thought about how tall they were...and oh, those broad shoulders, narrow waists and slim hips. Luckily it was dark in the box because she was sure she had turned bright red at the thought of their bodies. Elizabeth had watched them as they walked away and sighed at the elegance of both men. Oh my, she should not be thinking about this. She was sure it was highly improper. Elizabeth concentrated instead on Lord Wolfbridge’s smile and brilliant teeth and Mr. Darcy’s dimples and the fact that they had both seemed to be pleased with her...these men’s smiles made her feel special.
Lord Wolfbridge smiled lasciviously in the darkness. What an innocent. She admitted she had been nowhere beyond Hertfordshire. He liked her impertinence and would enjoy matching wits with her. Was she knowledgeable enough to pick up on any sexual innuendos he might throw into the conversation? He knew if she did he would get to see her blush but he needed to be careful. He did not want to scare her off. Who was this Laclos fellow she had read that she and Darcy were laughing about? He would have to find out. He was not totally fluent in French but was pretty sure the title translated to Dangerous Liaisons. And he probably should brush up his Shakespeare and get ready to start quoting him now. Ah there she was leaning out of the box again. This was going to be delicious.
Fitzwilliam Darcy was confused about what had just happened. He had never been so relaxed – not to mention charming – and charmed when talking to a total stranger. She had the most beautiful eyes he had every seen. They were green with flecks of gold and they sparkled as though they reflected an inner light. He could barely remember any other feature other than her delightful chestnut curls glimmering in the candlelight. Why was he fixated on a child? Yes she was a child – a very intelligent, literate and witty child with beautiful hair and eyes. He remembered her lopsided grin when she admitted she had climbed to the top shelf of her father’s library to retrieve Les Liaisons Dangereuses. She was so refreshing. There was no disguise of any sort. However, what did it mean that he found her so delightful? He was married. It would be totally inappropriate and he was sure gossiped about in great detail among the ton if he befriended a child who was not at all within his realm. He would forget her immediately after tonight but for the duration of the performance he would indulge himself and watch her reactions. Maybe vicariously he could gain just a bit of her joy. It had been so long since he had felt such joy.
Anne Darcy was intrigued by this young woman who had enthralled both her husband and her cousin. She seemed so at ease in conversation for one so young. Maybe they could become friends. Anne had never been allowed to have friends outside of her family. The only women she related to with any intimacy were her mother, her aunt the Countess and Georgiana. Her companion when she was growing up, Mrs. Jenkinson, was a very quiet sort of woman and not lively like Miss Bennet. Perhaps some of this young woman’s ease in social situations would rub off on Anne. She was currently relying on Edmund to help her in society while in town. Miss Bennet had almost no connections but perhaps through confidences shared she could understand how to gain assurance and élan. As Mrs. Darcy she garnered respect among the ton but always there was that anxious feeling that everyone knew that hers was a marriage of convenience and that he was indifferent to her. If she projected a more assured image perhaps she could quash the gossip and gain esteem in her own right.
Posted on Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Within days of the meeting at the theatre, Lady Hughes, Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth had been invited to tea with Mrs. Darcy. Lady Hughes picked up her friends at Gracechurch Street and they arrived at Grosvenor Square a short time later.
Darcy House was an imposing structure. Elizabeth was in awe the minute they walked into the entrance hall. It was larger than the drawing room at Longbourn and had a beautiful hexagonal table in the center with the most unusual arrangement of flowers. Lizzy had never seen such flowers…they looked tropical, exotic and more than a bit unreal. The flowers were on thin stems with large multiple blossoms on each. There were two different varieties displayed. One was white with a purple center and what looked like a tongue. The other was a beautiful purplish pink with just a hint of yellow at the center. Spiky green leaves and willow branches in their first buds augmented the blooms.
Once past the large entrance hall table, Lizzy noted the grand staircase and a series of three beautiful landscapes on the first landing. From there the staircase split with stairs going up both sides. One of the paintings was of a country town that reminded her of Meryton. Another used light in a most amazing way, and she felt the wildness of the approaching storm it depicted. The third painting was a watercolor of a town from the prospect of a hill. Lizzy would have loved to look at the paintings close up.
The room like the table was hexagonal with the staircase and the front door making two sides and arched entryways into other rooms were the remaining four sides. The floor was a beautiful white marble with a black and gray marble inlaid border. Above her head was the most beautiful chandelier she had ever seen. She was sure it held at least a hundred candles, and thought it must be amazing to behold the light reflecting off the lead crystal tear drops dangling from the three crown-like golden tiers. Her impression, despite the grandeur, was of an understated elegance highlighting the few extraordinary elements of the room.
The footman took the women’s outerwear, and the three women were shown into another unbelievable room. It was almost entirely glass, and housed an incredible assortment of plants. It ran most of the length of the house, but in the front of the room, furniture was arranged as in a drawing room. The fragrance wafting from the plants was intoxicating. She and Jane had been making sachets and toilet waters from flowers since they were ten and twelve respectively. Elizabeth was envious of this remarkable room and not being restricted by the seasons for blossoms. There were lemon trees and orange trees laden with fruit, and there were numerous other varieties of the same flowers she had seen in the entrance hall. One of the plants had very large blossoms with petals that looked like a spotted leopard with a white center and a purple tongue or lip. Jane would be in heaven in this room.
With her eyes even larger than normal, she gushed her praises of the room to her hostess. “Mrs. Darcy, I have never seen anything like this room. How lucky you are. With this room you would never have to suffer the doldrums of winter.”
“Yes, Mr. Darcy’s mother, my aunt, had this built, and a similar one at Pemberley when he was just a boy. They are very special rooms to him, and I quite like them as well. The house I grew up in seemed perpetually dark to me. It was a very grand house with beautiful grounds, but it did not have any place like this where you could miraculously escape winter.”
Elizabeth continued to bubble over with enthusiasm. “My sister Jane loves flowers. She would be in heaven if we had a room like this. You will have to tell me about all the types of flowers, especially the ones that smell delicious. Jane and I make sachets and toilet waters as gifts.” Elizabeth noticed that Lord Wolfbridge was in the room and was introducing her aunt to an older couple. Lady Hughes seemed to know them.
The viscount walked toward his cousin and Miss Elizabeth. He had his smile turned on full force. “Miss Bennet, I am delighted to see you again.” He took her arm and directed her to the older couple. “Miss Bennet, these are my parents, Lord and Lady Matlock. Elizabeth curtsied. Lord Wolfbridge continued, “Father, Mother I would like to introduce you to Mrs. Gardiner’s niece, Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Hertfordshire.”
Elizabeth realized that Lord Wolfbridge had inherited his looks from his father...including the smile. His mother was a pleasant looking woman who smiled sweetly at Elizabeth. She said, “What a pretty young girl you are. Your hair and eyes are quite extraordinary.”
Elizabeth gave the Countess her signature grin and said, “You are very kind Lady Matlock. I rarely get compliments when I am home in Hertfordshire. My older sister, Jane, is the beauty of the family. She is tall, blond and serene, with exquisite features and quite the perfect figure. None of the rest of the Bennet sisters get noticed when she is around. I would have left home sooner if I had known that once out of her presence, I would receive such compliments.”
Lord Wolfbridge and Lord and Lady Matlock smiled at her humour. Anne and Lady Matlock walked away toward Lady Hughes, leaving Elizabeth alone with the viscount and the earl.
Lord Matlock said, “I asked your aunt if your family is related to Charles Gardiner. There is talk of his being elected a representative peer from Ireland. I understand he is a prominent member of the Protestant Ascendancy and has extensive estates in Ireland. Your aunt said she had never heard of their being any connection to any Gardiner’s in Ireland, even though she herself had relatives with estates in Ireland. Have you ever heard your mother or your grandfather mention a connection?”
Elizabeth grinned at the earl and said, “No, my Lord, I have never heard any connection. My grandfather was but a country lawyer in Hertfordshire, and he died when I was ten. I am sure had he known of a connection, he would have mentioned it to my mother, my aunt or my uncle…and if there had been a connection, my mother and my aunt would have told everyone in Hertfordshire about it.”
Lord Matlock smiled back, but inwardly considered her impertinence a bit disdainful of the aristocracy. He had expected her to fawn over a possible connection to the peerage...even if it was through Ireland.
Lord Wolfbridge turned to the earl and said, “Father, Miss Bennet is a Jacobin. Darcy got her to confess she is always on the hunt for the heads of the aristocracy. You must be careful around her or she may try to take yours.”
Lord Matlock got a very odd smile on his face. It was beautiful like his son’s, but somehow seemed a little off kilter. He had decided he would get back at this disrespectful little chit. He smiled at Elizabeth and then turned to his son and said, “As you know son, it depends which head she is after. One I will guard with my life, but the other I may ardently consent to let her borrow.”
Elizabeth had no idea what he was talking about with his comment about two heads. She thought maybe he meant the heads of the father and the son. She was afraid they would think her slow witted if she let on she did not understand, so she smiled sweetly and said, “Your son is teasing me, Lord Matlock. I am neither a Jacobin nor a Girondist. The confusion, I am sure, comes about because I am widely known for preferring mountains* to flat land. Oakham Mount in Hertfordshire is my most favorite place. Rest assured sir, I am not out after either of your heads.”
Lord Wolfbridge and Lord Matlock gave each other knowing looks and laughed heartily.
Elizabeth blushed and felt they were laughing at her and not with her. She knew she had not understood their humour, but she was just as sure they did not get her bon mot. She was no longer as sure of her ability to charm peers or potential peers. She quickly excused herself and went to find Anne to ask for a tour of the conservatory. Learning about flowers seemed a safe occupation. Anne was not that knowledgeable about the types of flowers, but promised someday she would have Mr. Darcy give Elizabeth a tour. She did know that the flowers Lizzy thought were so beautiful and exotic were called orchids.
Over the next month, Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner were invited to tea at Darcy House five times. Mrs. Gardiner invited Mrs. Darcy three times. Mrs. Darcy was very gracious and came to Gracechurch Street as though it was nothing unusual. She met Thomas and Marianne and thought them delightful children and thought baby Susan was the prettiest baby she had ever seen. She expressed her desire to have children, but only she knew how frightened she was of the event. Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner both thought they were developing a true and close friendship with Mrs. Darcy. Elizabeth was hoping the friendship could continue once she returned to Hertfordshire, and Mrs. Gardiner was keenly aware that a friendship with Mrs. Darcy would be advantageous for her family’s businesses.
They were never invited for dinner, nor was Mr. Darcy ever present at tea. The earl and the countess were present on one other occasion and the viscount on two. Elizabeth still thought Lord Wolfbridge the most handsome man she had ever met, and was proud she seemed to please him. Sometimes she would think about him romantically in private but she also felt as though she did not truly understand what he was thinking. He made her blush a great deal, and he asked the most peculiar questions when no one else was close enough to hear. She knew she was not of his sphere and was not becoming infatuated, but she did think highly of herself because he would sometimes be attentive.
* The Jacobins were sometimes known as the mountain because they sat on the highest benches of the Legislative Assembly. La Montagne was a political grouping within the Jacobin Club led by uncompromising men of action such as Marat, Danton, David and Robespierre.
WARNING: This chapter has a rape scene.
Elizabeth and her Aunt Gardiner had been invited to Darcy House for tea on March 15th. The day of the engagement, Lizzy awoke thinking about Julius Caesar and the significance of the Ides of March. Was it truly a day that forewarns disaster, or was it just the stuff of theatrical allusion. She tended not to believe in superstition, but then again, she had her own history with which to contend.
A year ago on this date, she had gotten her courses for the first time. She had known to expect it because of her late night talks with Jane, but she was shocked by her mother’s reaction. Mrs. Bennet was elated that Lizzy could very soon become a candidate for matrimony – since she could now bear children. This was the beginning of her conflict with her mother. Elizabeth would have liked some compassionate explanation of this life transition. She endured severe pain both the first time and several other times during the past year. Jane never had pain as intense as Lizzy’s, but after her initial interaction with her mother, she had decided to suffer in silence. Since arriving in London, she had been able to talk to her aunt about such things, and she was mollified that her experiences were not unusual. The former Madeline Davies had attended a school for young ladies in Derbyshire and was much more knowledgeable about such things than her mother.
At breakfast, her aunt informed her that the baby, Susan, was croupy and teething. She felt it unwise to leave her, but encouraged Lizzy to visit Mrs. Darcy anyway. Mrs. Darcy had offered to come by to collect them. Mrs. Gardiner was confident Elizabeth would be well taken care of.
Elizabeth dressed carefully. She wore her yellow frock with the embroidered violets and lily of the valley around the neckline. The design was by Kitty, and Jane had executed the embroidery. Even though Kitty was only eleven, she was developing into a talented artist. Since Anne was picking her up in a Darcy carriage, Elizabeth decided to wear her new kid slippers. She looked at herself in the full length mirror and was pleased with her reflection.
Spring was still a week away, but the day was sunny and had the promise of the fine weather to come. Elizabeth felt her ensemble reflected that promise. She assumed they would take tea in the solarium and was quite looking forward to feeling the sun on her back as was wont to happen in that extraordinary room.
Anne had given the Gardiners some lemons and oranges, and Elizabeth had told her aunt she would give some of Jane’s sachets and toilet water to reciprocate. Jane’s sachets were a gift that all their friends enjoyed receiving. The sachets were dried blossoms enclosed in small squares of handkerchief linen. Jane would embroider the flower of the scent on the sachet and tie the bundle with the appropriate slip of ribbon. The two most prized by recipients were lavender and rose. They complimented the toilet waters Jane created by crushing the blossoms to release their oils and then steeping the mixture in spring water and a minute amount of the liquid Tom and her father used for killing beetles and butterflies for their collections. Jane had seriously occupied herself with this endeavor after Tom died, and it had grown steadily over the years. The products were much prized in both Hertfordshire and Cheapside as gifts. Lately their Uncle Gardiner had found a source for glass bottles with stoppers. Kitty had designed the image of the flowers that Jane embroidered on the sachets, and their uncle had the same image etched onto the bottles.
Anne often complained of feeling anxious, so Lizzie prepared a basket of some of the lavender sachets, lavender toilet water and a special chamomile tea blend. It tasted quite pleasant, as Jane had added bits of dried apple and cinnamon. Lizzy told Anne how Jane had created the tea for their mother. Throughout their acquaintance, Lizzy had entertained Anne with her descriptions of her mother’s nerves and how they would come and go with spectacular speed depending on what was happening. The tea was quite helpful to calm her nerves, but the best thing to dispel her mother’s flutterings was a visit from her Aunt Phillips with delicious gossip.
Anne and Elizabeth enjoyed comparing their mothers’ idiosyncrasies. They had been in each other’s company quite often in the past month, but had to remain circumspect in their discussions of their mothers when in company. Today they could be much more open out of the hearing of aunts, uncles and cousins.
Once alone together in the carriage, Anne told Elizabeth she could call her by her given name and asked if she could do the same. Elizabeth readily agreed. She felt Anne was already a close friend. She both envied her and felt sorry for her. She had great wealth and an incredibly handsome husband. On the other hand, her husband seemed a bit indifferent, and Anne seemed to lack confidence in her ability to win friends. Elizabeth was quite looking forward to corresponding with Anne once she returned to Hertfordshire.
Their discussion rapidly got on to their favorite topic…whose mother was the most distressing. Lizzy knew her mother was just mildly obsessed with marrying off her daughters while Anne’s mother had felt the need to control every aspect of her daughter’s life. She even interfered with what she ate and what she could learn. Anne’s mother had decided she was not healthy enough to learn to play the pianoforte, never let her attend the season in London and only allowed her to socialize with her family. Elizabeth was not sure love was the motive for Anne’s mother’s behavior. Somehow it just seemed she had a need to be in charge and cared not for her daughter’s happiness. Elizabeth realized her mother’s preoccupation with marrying off her daughters had at its core love and wanting to protect them from a life of reduced circumstances.
Elizabeth suddenly felt a surge of homesickness and wished she could hug and kiss her whole family. She realized that despite their financially precarious situation they were lucky girls to be so loved by both their parents and each other.
When they arrived at Darcy house, they did not go to the solarium, but instead went upstairs to a sitting room in the family quarters. For the first time, she was able to observe the three landscapes up close. Anne was knowledgeable about the artists.
“My husband inherited a love of art from his mother. She started a collection, and he continues to add to it. These are three recent additions. The one on the left of the country town is by Constable and the one on the right is by a man named Turner, it is Oxford from the prospect of a hill overlooking the city. The larger, middle painting of the approaching storm is by another man named Turner.
My father-in-law collected first edition books and Fitzwilliam also enjoys adding to his collection. I have not yet decided what I should collect. Do you have any suggestions?”
“My father collects beetles and books. He has a few first editions, but he is more interested in reading the books than preserving them. Thankfully he is very generous in letting his children share. Papa uses his beetles to illustrate his favorite theological point. When someone asks him what he knows about God. He always answers that the only thing he is positive about is that God seems to be quite fond of beetles since he made so many of them*. He then proceeds to tell them he is attempting to capture every species in order to ensure his entrance into Heaven. Most people do not know what to make of his reply. My sister Mary thinks his remark borders on the sacrilegious. She is very devout and collects sermons.”
Elizabeth got a nostalgic look on her face as she continued, “My childhood friend Tom, aided by my sister Jane, collected butterflies and moths before he died. I collect voices. I try to learn to imitate unusual voices I hear, and then I use them when I tell stories to children. I am particularly good at scary voices. My youngest sisters collect ribbons. I am sure you have realized by now that our collections are suited to people with limited funds. You have many more options than we.”
Anne laughed at her lively friend. “If you ever meet my mother, you will be able to collect a prime specimen with her scary voice. Lately I have been thinking I might help Mr. Darcy with his collections. You already know he collects orchids, and I might like helping him with that.”
Elizabeth looked at the painting of the approaching storm one more time. The way the artist used light made the storm both beautiful and menacing at the same time. She shivered with a feeling of something akin to impending doom as she looked at the painting. She wondered if it was a premonition that it was going to rain.
Anne and Elizabeth were served tea and chatted for a while. Anne was encouraging Elizabeth to accompany her the following week on a shopping expedition; thinking Elizabeth should buy a few gowns before she went back to Hertfordshire.
“Elizabeth, you must see this new gown I had made. I think the style will suit you well. I am just going to take your wonderful presents into my room, and I will return shortly with the gown. You will see what I am talking about...the fabric is luscious, and the cut of the gown is most flattering. I will only be gone a short time.”
Elizabeth thought it odd Anne left by the door to the hall, but assumed maybe the sitting room was not one that was exclusively hers. Elizabeth wandered around the sitting room while she waited for Anne to return. She noticed a pile of books on a table and decided to indulge her curiosity and see what the Darcy’s were reading. She noticed one was Les Liaison Dangereuses. She wondered who was reading it, since she knew Mr. Darcy had read it before. While she was wondering, she heard the door to the hall open and close. She turned around expecting to see Anne, and instead saw Lord Wolfbridge. Lizzy smiled, but suddenly became nervous. She had felt slightly uncomfortable around the viscount and the earl ever since their exchange about the French Revolution the first day she came for tea. She was not sure why she felt their remarks improper. What they said had made no sense to her, but she felt their laughter had somehow been at her expense. The viscount had also asked her very odd questions about whether her father had to punish her often. She wished Mrs. Darcy would return soon. She did not wish to be in the room alone with Lord Wolfbridge, but she also did not want to offend him.
The viscount smiled and said, “Miss Bennet, what a pleasure to see you. You are certainly very spring-like today. I hope you will be warm enough going home. The weather has taken a turn for the worse. It has gotten quite windy outside, and it looks like a storm is moving in.”
“You need not worry about me, Lord Wolfbridge. I have worn my cloak. I am experienced enough to know how changeable the weather is this time of year.”
“Oh yes, old enough...but you must promise me, Miss Bennet, that you will not get any older. You are quite perfect as you are.”
Elizabeth was determined to do something about the impropriety of her current situation. She continued to smile at the viscount but said, “Lord Wolfbridge, I think I must be leaving.” She cautiously, and she hoped casually, walked toward the hall door. Lord Wolfbridge continued to smile at her as though she were daft. However, he did not try to stop her. He seemed to be holding his breath, waiting for a desired reaction. React she did when she turned the knob and realized the door was locked. The look of panic on her face was worth the wait for Lord Wolfbridge.
Elizabeth was unsure what to do. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes, but she knew she had to stop them from flowing. He seemed to like her distress, and she was sure tears would make him even happier. She could not figure out what he wanted with her. He was a man ten times her consequences. Surely he was not planning to propose. Was this the way men seduced women? If it was, why did he seem to enjoy seeing her suffer? She would have thought the object would be to charm her into forgetting what was about to happen. He kept smiling at her with those teeth she had thought so beautiful. How silly she had been to think it was because he found her someone worthy of knowing.
“Lord Wolfbridge, why are you here?’
“I want you.”
“What do you mean, you want me? Surely you do not mean you want to marry me.”
“Oh silly girl, of course not. My situation in life, my title, my connections are entirely too substantial to consider marriage with someone like you. As I am sure you have noticed with your snooping, I am reading Les Liaisons Dangereuses, and I know you are aware that sometimes viscounts seduce young women. I want to be your first. You are a little girl in need of education and possibly punishment. I am just the man to do that for you.”
Elizabeth shuddered. “Please do not compromise me. I have four sisters and a scandal would be disastrous for their prospects. We have very small dowries. Please, I beg you, let me go home. I will never tell anyone what you just said. Please, I am only fifteen. Please, Lord Wolfbridge, I just want to go home. Please, I am afraid.” Lizzy realized immediately she had said the wrong thing. She saw the look of pleasure that crossed his...could she have really thought him so handsome...face.
The viscount came over to her and put his hand around her upper arm. His hand was huge compared to her arm. She smelled port on his breath. With practically no effort, he pulled her toward the connecting door. The door led to a bedchamber that smelled of pipe smoke.
Elizabeth realized Anne had not taken her to her own, but instead to Lord Wolfbridge’s sitting room. She thought Anne had been her friend. With that realization, she knew her situation was hopeless. She was petrified, and was struck by just how large he was. He was more than twice her size…perhaps even three times as large. She was afraid to try to fight him...she was afraid to scream. The Darcys’ servants would come to know she was alone with him in his bedchamber. Because of Anne’s role, she was positive they would think she had agreed to be here with him. She was still fighting back tears when she came to a decision. If she went along with him, perhaps an opportunity to escape might present itself. Her first priority had to be to ensure no one found out what was happening to her.
Lord Wolfbridge calmly sat down in a chair and proceeded to light his pipe and sip his port. “Now, little girl, I think it is time for you to disrobe. I want to see just how deliciously girlish you are.”
Elizabeth was horrified at his suggestion. Suddenly she realized there was an avenue of escape she had not explored. She ran to the hall door and turned the handle...it was also locked. She began to have trouble breathing, her knees felt weak, and she was afraid she was about to collapse.
A horrifying thought streaked through her foggy mind. For the first time, she became aware of what would happen if he ripped her gown. She had to keep her wits about her. Now that she was convinced there was no escape, she quickly changed her tactics. Her new priority became making sure no one learn of her violation. How could she leave without the Darcys’ staff seeing that her frock had been torn? How could she explain the state of her clothing to her aunt and uncle if he forcibly removed them?
Before acquiescing, she tried one last ploy. “Please sir, I do not want to remove my clothes. My body is not pleasing to men. My mother says I have not developed yet, and no man will have me.”
“What do mothers know? Oh no, little one, I like you undeveloped. You are most pleasing to me. Maybe I should disrobe you myself.” With that he walked over to her.
Elizabeth wished he would stop smiling and showing those teeth. Instead of thinking it the most beautiful smile she had even seen...she kept thinking of the big bad wolf. She was sure he was going to eat her or do something quite horrifying. She said, “I will help with the buttons. Please do not rip my gown.” The dress wrapped in front with buttons on the side. Luckily she could reach them. She quickly unbuttoned her gown and pulled it over her head. She carefully placed it on another chair. She stood before him in her chemise.
He had gone back to his chair, port and pipe. With a leer, he said, “Do you want me to help you with the rest?”
She hung her head and nodded, no. She proceeded to remove the rest of her clothing. She saw the look he gave her and heard the words he spoke to describe her when she was naked. She realized nothing she had ever read prepared her for this humiliation. She closed her eyes and began thinking about anything but her current reality. She thought of dawn on Oakham Mount. She thought of Jane...oh, how she wished she were at Longbourn with Jane.
“The time has come, Elizabeth, “Lord Wolfbridge said, “to move on to other things.”
Elizabeth thought about the impropriety of his using her first name and then choked back a hysterical laugh. What a ridiculous thing to worry about. She would allow him to call her anything...or say anything about her if she could just stop him from doing what she was certain he was about to do.
The minute he put his hand around her arm again and started dragging her, Elizabeth receded once more into memories of her life in Hertfordshire. She thought of her childhood…Tom, Jane, Charlotte and Becky...walking the fields...making flower wreaths...Tom teaching her to climb trees while Jane, Charlotte and Becky looked on in horror because they were sure she would fall. She remembered their teasing because she was afraid of horses and she focused as much as she could on the evening she and Jane caught the Luna Moth for Tom’s collection.
When he was finished with her, she was unaware of exactly what he had done. Her eyes had remained closed throughout her ordeal and she desperately tried to stay focused on pleasant images. She had felt tremendous pain occasionally and let out involuntary cries and moans. Somehow she had been conscious the sounds she made were pleasing to him. However, the most devastating thing was his running commentary on her body.
After it was over, she lay perfectly still for quite some time. She heard the door open and close. After a while, she opened her eyes and realized he was gone. She walked to the door to the hall and tried the handle. It was unlocked. She saw blood on the bed linens and realized she could see blood and something else on her thighs. She wished she could wash, but was afraid to go searching for water. Instead she quickly dressed and tried as best she could to tidy her hair.
When she got downstairs, she asked for her cloak. She was surprised the footman also gave her the basket in which she had brought Anne’s gifts. Once again she was struck by the complicity of Mrs. Darcy in the attack by her cousin. What kind of people were they? They were as depraved as the French aristocracy if not more so. Neither cared whether they ruined her life or her sisters’ lives…and probably assumed when they were thrown out in the hedge-rows and couldn’t afford to buy bread they could always eat cake. Lizzy let out an involuntary giggle. Lord, she sounded like her mother.
She managed to get out of the house with no one seeing her except the footman. She would walk home and never tell another living soul what had happened to her, and if she was lucky, never see anyone from this most despicable family again. Her most fervent wish at this moment was when he read the end of the Laclos he would feel fear. Elizabeth knew there was no one who would ever avenge her, but maybe some other young woman would have a loved one who would kill him.
*This is a paraphrase of a very famous remark made by the scientist J.B.S. Haldane more than a century later.
Mr. Darcy was just arriving home when he saw a diminutive figure with a red cloak coming down the steps of his townhouse. There was mist in the air, and the tiny woman pulled the hood of her cloak over her chestnut curls. It was the young woman from the theatre, but he could not remember her name. As she passed him, she seemed to be quite agitated. She kept mumbling to herself what sounded like, “beware the Ides of March”. She did not acknowledge him, even though he was standing beside his carriage. She began walking away from the house, and he noticed her shoulders would slump and then she would straighten herself as though a war was going on in her body between sadness and determination. He ran to catch up with her...he could not remember her surname but finally remembered her first name. “Miss Elizabeth, where are you going?”
She did not look at him, but in a voice that was barely audible said, “Home”.
“Is a carriage coming to pick you up?”
“No”
“Where is home?”
“Cheapside”
“You plan to walk from here all the way to Cheapside?”
“Yes”
“It is raining and very blustery.”
“I have a cloak.”
“But you are not wearing boots, only slippers.”
“I am a good walker. I will be fine.”
“Do you know the way?”
“I have made the trip five times, and I remember most of the directions. I will ask the first constable I see if I become unsure.”
“Miss Elizabeth, it is dangerous for you to walk by yourself. Where are your aunt and uncle?”
“My uncle is at his warehouse working, and my aunt had to stay home with baby Susan because she is sick. Mr. Darcy, please leave me alone. I do not want to talk. I just want to go home.”
“Let me take you home in my carriage.”
“No”
“Why not?”
“Because I do not want to...Why will you not leave me alone?”
“You are too young to be out alone in London.”
The young woman slumped once again and said in a profoundly defeated voice, “You are right. I am too young and too silly. I should never have left Longbourn. But please, I still want to be alone.”
Mr. Darcy followed behind the young woman who looked very much like Little Red Riding Hood. She was even carrying a basket. For a tiny thing, she could walk very fast. He caught up to her and asked once again, “Please let me take you in the carriage. I am very worried about you. At least let me walk with you.” He attempted to take her arm.
Her response was loud and fearful, “Mr. Darcy, do not touch me!” She paused as though she realized she had been too sharp in her reply. She continued with, “I am very dirty, and I fear I must reek.” She turned and looked at him. Her face seemed haunted and consumed with sadness. He could see tears pooling in her eyes, but there was some inner fortitude that stopped them from rolling down her cheeks. When he met her, she had seemed to have an inner light that gleamed out through her eyes. The light was gone...Where did it go?
What did she mean she was dirty? She didn’t look dirty, but there was a peculiar odor about her. He remembered when he had met her at the theatre, she had smelled of lavender, and that fragrance always reminded him of his mother. Her odor today was something he had smelled before, but could not quite place. One thing he discerned was the acrid smell of blood...and he thought he smelled tobacco smoke. He wondered if the blood meant she was injured. He would have liked to ask, but she had made it clear she did not want to talk. Had she been smoking? That would be very improper...a young woman of fifteen smoking. He dropped back and decided to follow her and motioned his driver to follow him.
For the next hour, they made a strange procession...A demented Little Red Riding Hood, trailed by a very tall, elegant man in black, holding on to his hat to keep it from blowing away, followed by a very fancy carriage with the Darcy crest. For most of the time she appeared to be having a conversation with herself. Her arms would periodically gesture erratically or she would smack her head. Oftentimes she hugged herself as if she was cold. He was very concerned that something terrible had happened. However, he had only met her that night at the theatre. He knew Anne had developed a friendship with her, but she had not told him much about the young woman. He had determined that his interest in her that night had been improper and had tried to excise her from his memory. Maybe she was unstable and Anne had not been in her company long enough to perceive her true nature. She looked back several times to check whether he was following her. Finally as they were getting quite close to Cheapside, she whirled around.
When he was in front of her she spoke, “I have changed my mind. I will take a ride for the rest of the way. It is only about five blocks. I left Gracechurch Street in one of the Darcy carriages… I should arrive back in one in order not to arouse suspicion. He had no idea what she was talking about, but decided to accommodate her. He motioned to the driver and opened the door to the carriage.
Darcy attempted to take her hand to help, but she quickly pulled it away from him. “I am perfectly able to get in without your help.” She scrambled into the carriage, holding on to the door and pulling herself up and through the opening. The maneuver was decidedly unladylike, but she seemed determined to have no human contact.
“Mr. Darcy, please stay here. I do not want my aunt and uncle to think I was alone with you in the carriage. It is only a few blocks. Your driver will be back very soon to pick you up and take you home. It is very kind of you to let me ride in your carriage for this last short distance.”
Once again he thought her behavior odd. She had walked from Grosvenor Square to Cheapside without any qualms...well not quite without qualms as she had seemed agitated the entire way. Now, after more than three miles, she was concerned about raising suspicion by being alone in a carriage with him. Did she not think her aunt and uncle would be suspicious at the condition of her slippers? She had been limping the last ten blocks or so, and he was sure she had blisters. Maybe Anne could shed some light on why she seemed so erratic today. More and more he was convinced she was an unstable young woman and it was probably the result of inheriting bad characteristics combined with improper supervision. She admitted she read forbidden books. He would never allow Georgiana to act so improperly. If Miss Elizabeth behaved like this in the future, something dire was sure to befall her. Hopefully this would be the last time he would ever see her. He struggled to remember why he had been so intrigued when they first met. He had thought about her quite often in the last month despite his efforts to forget her. This encounter should wipe her out of his mind and then he could get back to what his life was like before he met her.
Chapter 6 - PG 13 – Great Expectations
Chapter 7 – PG 13 – Lord Wolfbridge, Has Such Teeth, Dear…and He Shows Them Pearly White
Chapter 8 – Hey There Little Red Riding Hood the Man in Black is Following You