“I understand your sentiments, Your Ladyship, and mean no offense. Nevertheless, I am a man of business and am not accustomed to making negotiations without proper documentation. Considering the severity of this situation, a verbal commitment will not suffice.”
“As you well know, my nephew is yet in Kent with my granddaughter, who is gravely ill. If documentation is what you require, I have here an agreement which was drawn up by my own solicitor just this morning. It is there on the table, and you may peruse it to determine if it meets your satisfaction.”
“Lady Catherine, I believe you misunderstand me. The letter I received from Mr. Darcy indicated that he planned to return to Town and address our concerns at his earliest convenience. At that time there was no mention of a monetary offer; therefore, I shall stand by what I said and wait to hear from Mr. Darcy either by express or in person.”
“This is not to be borne! Time is of the essence when we are attempting to preserve the integrity of our family. I insist that we proceed this afternoon and put this entire affair behind us. For the inconvenience, I shall personally add another two thousand pounds to the amount previously offered by my nephew. Do we have an agreement?”
Gardiner rubbed his chin for a minute before responding. “I admit ten thousand pounds is very generous; however, at this point in time I shall have to decline.”
Lady Catherine’s eyes narrowed and she spoke through gritted teeth. “I should have known that you were not a person I could have done business with. I fear, Mr. Gardiner, you have made a grave mistake. There will be no further offers. You, sir, are dismissed.”
Having nothing more to say, Mr. Gardiner rose and, giving a slight bow, left the premises. From there he returned home.
Gardiners’ Residence
The Master Bedchamber
“Edward,” spoke Madeline Gardiner, having rushed into their shared bedchamber after learning her husband had arrived home and gone up to refresh himself. “Forgive me, but I must know what happened with Lady Catherine and what was in Mr. Darcy’s letter.”
“Mr. Darcy’s letter? I received no such letter. Did an express come from the gentleman?”
“Yes, I had Daniels take it on to your office so you could read it before your meeting with Her Ladyship.”
He rubbed his hands over his face saying, “I was unable to return to the warehouse before my meeting with Lady Catherine. If only I had known, perhaps it would have made my interviewmuch easier. As it stands, nothing was settled. Her Ladyship had no written instructions from Mr. Darcy confirming the offer, and everything was as Lizzy had said, barring the fact that she offered an additional two thousand pounds to be done with the matter this afternoon.”
“It is hard to believe she offered more money. Why, ten thousand pounds is an astonishing sum!”
“I agree. Forgive me, my dear, but I must return to my office and address this business with Mr. Darcy’s letter at once.” Mr. Gardiner retrieved the jacket which he had discarded minutes before. “Madeline, you and the children go ahead with dinner. I am not sure how long I shall be.”
Gardiner’s Warehouse
Since it was the beginning of the week, there was yet some activity at the warehouse by the time Mr. Gardiner returned. While there were several who wished to speak with him on arrival, he dismissed them saying he had an urgent matter to address, and went straight to his office. There, he quickly reached for his correspondence and saw William’s express.
Mr. Gardiner:
Please accept my humblest apologies for what I assume has taken place in my absence. I was stunned to learn that my aunt had left for Town early Sunday morning, no doubt with the intent of meeting with you and Miss Elizabeth. When I informed Lady Catherine of what took place at the charity ball and what my intentions were, she was not pleased. Recalling her words, I gather she has presented you with a monetary offer, hoping to release me from my obligations to your niece. Restassured; this is not something I would have considered. Believe me when I say, whatever action my aunt took with regard to our current situation was done without my knowledge. I trust you will reassure Miss Elizabeth that I do intend to marry her.
If it were not for Anna’s illness, I would be speaking with you in person instead of sending this inadequate response. Although my daughter has made a little progress, she remains quite ill. An express was sent to my personal physician requesting his advice, and I am happy to report he should arrive sometime Monday afternoon to attend her. To that end, I shall keep you updated of her progress, and as soon as she is out of danger will return to London so that we may continue to address our immediate concerns in person.
In that regard, I applied to my uncle, the Archbishop, for a Special License and have also sent a request to my solicitor to prepare the marriage articles to my specifications per your approval. I would also like to send a letter to Mr. Bennet informing him of my intentions and would appreciate it if you could forward me his direction.
Again, I hope you can forgive my aunt’s presumptions and accept my humblest apologies for the distress she has caused your family. Please extend my best regards to Miss Elizabeth.
Sincerely,
Fitzwilliam Darcy
On finishing William’s letter, Mr. Gardiner set to composing his response. He was gratified to learn William was not of the same mind as his aunt. In his letter to William, he related Lady Catherine’s offer. He also informed him that all of the Bennetwomen had returned to Longbourn and assured William he would forward his express on to Mr. Bennet, along with his own assessment. Per William’s request, he included Mr. Bennet’s direction and wished both him and his daughter the best.
After completing his correspondence to Mr. Bennet, Mr. Gardiner made arrangements for both letters to be delivered by express. His wife would be relieved to know the contents of William’s letter and learn that Lizzy would be married after all. It had been a long day, and he was eager to leave the office and relax in the comfort of his own home. As distressing as these events had been, at present there was little else he could do.
CHAPTER NINE
PATIENCE
The Carriage
Having left London early Monday morning, thus far it had proved to be an arduous trip for the Bennet women. While they were anxious to see how Mr. Bennet was faring, the aftermath of all that had taken place following the ball had definitely darkened their travel. Knowing what her foolishness had cost her family, every so often Mrs. Bennet would sigh, dabbing her eyes while looking forlornly at her four unmarried daughters.
