“Do not tease Mr. Bingley, Anthony!” exclaimed Lady Susan.
“It is no trouble, Lady Susan,” said Bingley. “If your son wishes to try his hand, I have no objection, for I am confident in my ultimate success.”
“Trust me, Bingley,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam, “you may learn to regret your liberality.”
Lady Susan shook her head. “If Miss Bennet wishes to receive you, Mr. Bingley, I have no objection to your visits.”
“Thank you, your ladyship. I shall anticipate it very much.”
“Pardon me, Lady Susan,” said Elizabeth sometime later when Bingley had departed from the room to attend to his preparations. “I appreciate your kindness to my family. Having said that, my mother and Lydia can be...”
“Do you suppose I have never seen such ladies, Mrs. Darcy?” asked Lady Susan. She offered a kind smile. “Your motherand youngest sister both appear to have the groundwork of excellent comportment—they only need a little refinement. Your acceptance in society will be much easier ifallyour family can move in that set and provoke their acceptance, if not approval. Offering such guidance is not at all commendable, for I am happy to do it.”
“You should remember that you areourfamily now,” added the earl. “I have enjoyed these days with you all, such that I hope we may continue the association. Perhaps we may even lure your father to London once he has had enough solitude in the country.”
Elizabeth laughed. “If you can work such miracles, Lord Matlock, my father’s transformation will surprise us all.”
“Your fatherwillsurprise you, I think,” was the earl’s mysterious answer.
The following day, amid expressions of regret and the wish to meet again soon, the Fitzwilliams departed, first traveling to Longbourn to gather Kitty and Jane for the journey to London. Eager for their brief holiday, Elizabeth and Darcy left for London even earlier than the Fitzwilliams’ departure, reaching Darcy’s house in town four hours later.
Much like Pemberley, it was a far grander edifice than Darcy or Elizabeth was accustomed to, though Darcy’s time at Pemberley had mitigated his awe of such places. The house was only a block from Hyde Park, something Darcy knew would give his beloved wife much pleasure, and was on the corner of the block, a large house of three floors, boasting a portico, a long drive, a garden in the back, and a ballroom that was spacious, built to accommodate the cream of society. The Darcy family had not hosted such events in many years, for the previous master had been a bachelor and his mother perished many years before his coming out. Darcy was not enamored with such things, but he could well imagine his beautiful Elizabeth hosting such anevent, charming all those who came within the range of her allure.
Mrs. Mayfield, the housekeeper, and Mr. Monroe, the butler, were on hand when the Darcys arrived, and the servants gathered to make their acquaintance. Darcy was not fond of such displays, but he followed Elizabeth’s lead as the more open of the pair, greeting and complimenting those they met, and even accepting Mrs. Mayfield’s offer of a tour of their new home. This house was so much more than the other house he owned in town such as to make any comparison nigh impossible. So it was with all Darcy had seen as the new master of the main Darcy holdings, for his ancestors’ position in society was far above that he had previously inhabited.
“Well, Elizabeth?” asked Darcy a little later when they had completed the obligations to the staff and the house. “What do you think of your new home?”
“It is an impressive house,” said Elizabeth, “but I appreciate it feels like a home rather than a museum.”
“Aye,” said Darcy with a laugh. “One could not feel comfortable in a house built and decorated for nothing more than to be a display of the family’s power. Shall we host this year, do you think? Do you feel equal to hosting all of London in that cavernous ballroom?”
“I think, my dear husband,” was Elizabeth’s wry reply, “thatyouare not eager for such things.”
“No, I am not,” agreed Darcy. “Yet I will not deny that the notion of my wife astounding all of society with her wit and vivacity is pleasing.”
“Should I also anticipate all the young maidens who will sigh with regret that an upstart captured such a man of society?”
“Certainly not. I do not suppose you should do anything other than ignorethem, for they are of no consequence.
“Now, how do you propose we spend this one night in London before we make our way to Ramsgate?”
As Darcy expected, Elizabeth’s response was teasing. “Perhaps we should explore the wonders of Hyde Park? Or perhaps a visit to the Royal Academy would be preferable?”
Darcy leaned in close. “There is only one problem with your suggestions.”
“And what would that be?”
“Far too many people!”
With that, Darcy scooped Elizabeth into his arms and made his way into their bedchamber. For what Darcy had planned, all those other people were not only unnecessary but would be quite improper. Darcy had his wife to himself for that night and the next two weeks, complete, and he meant to make every moment count.
Chapter XXIV
It was not every day that one made the acquaintance of the wife of a peer. When Charles moved toward her, leading a woman of obvious quality, Caroline Bingley could not have been more surprised, for while she was no stranger to the activities of the upper levels of society, she had not made the acquaintance of Mr. Darcy’s relations. Aside from the infamous event between herself and Jameson Darcy, she had no acquaintance with the gentleman, and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, whom she had known a little, had not associated with the Fitzwilliam family.
“Caroline,” said Charles, motioning toward the woman in his company, “Lady Susan Fitzwilliam has asked me to introduce you to her acquaintance.”
“Of course, Charles,” said Caroline, cursing the sudden quavering in her voice, “I should be happy to accept.”
