She would never miss Janey’s wedding, not for any reason, but she knew her wonderful sister would understand her need to be away from Longbourn for a while. Jane had shared with Elizabeth the previous night that she and Charles—as she called him now—had selected the eleventh day of December for their wedding, a little more than three weeks hence.
If she received permission to go, Elizabeth would be in London when Janey arrived to shop for her trousseau. Thus, as her sister had asked and Elizabeth replied in the affirmative, she would also shop for a gown to be worn as Jane’s maid of honour. The first step was to write to Aunt Maddie and Uncle Edward and request permission to come visit
Elizabeth realised Mr Darcy had been saying something to her and she had not heard a word. ‘I pray he does not think me rude again,’ Elizabeth thought. Aloud she said, “Please pardon my inattentiveness, I was deep in thought.” She blushed as she felt somewhat embarrassed.
“I wondered if you would allow me to reclaim my honour with another game,” Darcy repeated.
“There is nothing I would like more, but I need to write a letter and it cannot wait. Please excuse me for now. If it were not for that fact, I would have been ready to school you in the game once again,” Elizabeth teased.
Darcy was pleased she was being playful with him, so he did not take her need to do something else personally.
It took Elizabeth a little more than a half hour to scribe her letter. Rather than place it in the salver, she sent the groom to the Red Lion Inn to post the missive.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Thanks to the letter being dropped off at the inn, it reached the recipients the next day, not long after midday.
That evening Edward Gardiner came home from his warehouses, which were less than a mile from his very comfortable house, and after he had greeted their four children, his wife told him a letter from Lizzy had arrived and was on his desk in his office.
“What does our niece say?” Gardiner asked his wife.
“Read it and then we may discuss what she writes,” Madeline suggested.
Gardiner picked up the letter, unfolded the paper and began to read.
13 November 1812
Longbourn
Aunt Maddie and Uncle Edward,
Please give my warmest regards to my four cousins and tell them I look forward to seeing them again soon.
Of late I have come to see much of what my father has taught me regarding how to relate to, and behave towards people, especially as it pertains to the way to see, make sport of, and judge others, is fatally flawed. For the longest time I believed my father infallible and followed him in all things, including, I am ashamed to say, making sport of my mother.
I always consoled myself that Mama did not understand when she was being teased, and sarcasm went over her head. I now know she has always been aware of what has been happening and her nerves have been her way to protect herself from being hurt. I am so very ashamed of my part in this.
What I need more than anything is to be away from Hertfordshire so I can find out who I truly am. I need a good stable home, which you two have always provided, without my father trying to draw me back in for his own amusement.
There is much to speak of; most of which is not fit for a letterto be posted. If you agree I may come visit, then I will tell you all. If that is the case, please write to Papa and invite me to come to you. I will make sure he agrees, he will not want a mullish me here. Of course it will be my pleasure to assist with my cousins as is needed.
Hoping to hear from you soon. Your loving niece,
Elizabeth
“It seems that Lizzy finally sees Bennet for who he is and not who she wants him to be,” Gardiner mused.
“Yes, so it seems. Lizzy is too intelligent not to, at some point, have her eyes opened to the truth of who your brother-in-law is. We will invite her to come to us, will we not, Edward?” Madeline asked.
“Of course we will. You write the letter and I will send it express on Monday morning,” Gardiner decided.
Chapter 25
Taking a deep breath to steel herself for the upcoming confrontation with her father, Elizabeth answered his summons to the study. Hill had informed her an express had been received from the Gardiners.
Bennet, sitting and stewing in his study, was of a mind to deny the invitation for Lizzy to go to Gracechurch Street, but he was still having an internal debate. Things had not warmed between him, and the daughter who was supposed to provide companionship to him when he needed it. He thought about how dissatisfying the last few days had been.
On Saturday after he had witnessed how Lizzy behaved while she was involved in the game of chess against the man he was sure she hated, but now seemed to tolerate his company with equanimity, Jane’s fiancé had come to see him and presented a draft of the settlement. Bennet had given it a cursory glance and then pronounced it ‘adequate’ and dismissed his son-in-law-to-be. He would stir himself to sign the finalised settlement when Bingley delivered it. The truth was he had not paid attention to the numbers, but he assumed all would be well. When Bingley had told him the date in December he and Jane had chosen to marry, Bennet simply told him to speak to his wife. Bingley then had asked if he had permission to have the banns read, beginning on Sunday, which Bennet had provided, hoping he would be rid of the annoyance. He had invited Lizzy to come spend time with him that evening, after the guests left subsequent to dinner. She had demurred, making the excuse she was needed by Jane inher role as her sister’s maid of honour.
