Lady Matlock stoodin the formal drawing room at Darcy House as her nephew gravely presented his betrothed, Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn, and her aunt, Mrs Gardiner. As the formalities were observed, she examined the girl. She had a description of Miss Bennet from her younger son, of course, but words could not adequately convey the animation of her expressions or the sparkle in her eyes. She had often hoped that her nephew would find for himself a cheerful lady to lighten his habitually sombre demeanour, and was pleased to see that in this, at least, he had met her wishes.
Of course, although Richard said she has little else to recommend her as Darcy’s wife, he did admit she has a quick smile and is pleasant company,she recalled.
As they sat down to tea, Lady Matlock was reminded by the black trim on the young lady’s lavender dress of some information Darcy had conveyed. “Please allow me, Miss Bennet, to offer my condolences on the loss of your mother.”
“Thank you, my lady. She is much missed.”
“I understand you have several sisters.” The countess regarded the young lady with interest.
“There are five of us,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “Jane is my elder, and is recently engaged to Mr Charles Bingley. After me come Mary, Catherine, and Lydia.”
“I have been following the rumours which are circulating about you and your elder sister,” Lady Matlock commented, pleased to note that whatever the young lady felt on that matter, her pleasant smile did not so much as flicker. “There has been mention of your younger sisters as well, painting them rather as hoydens.”
“The younger two were a little rambunctious,” Miss Bennet replied easily as her aunt nodded. “Which is not uncommon for girls aged seventeen and fifteen. Both of them have matured a great deal these last months, as have we all. Their carefree girlhood is quite over, I am afraid, but they have shouldered their burdens in such a way as to make us all proud.”
“I can confirm that,” said Darcy.
“My eldest and youngest sisters were afflicted with the disease,” Miss Bennet continued quietly. “They are both very much marked by it, and Lydia, the youngest, has lost the sight in one eye. Their lives have been most materially altered. Even in the neighbourhood where they have been known from their births, they have not avoided a certain amount of disdain for their lost beauty, but they have not allowed it to make them bitter. They, and all our family, have overheard comments that it would have been better for them both—and particularly for Lydia—to have perished with my mother.”
Darcy looked at her sharply. His aunt suspected he had not been aware of these incidents. “And yet, they remain cheerful and loving despite these injuries,” he said, his eyes fixed upon his betrothed’s. “I have no patience for anyone who does not see their worth.”
Lady Matlock nodded to him and returned her attention to Miss Bennet. “And what of your father? He must feel quite outnumbered, with five daughters.”
“Oh, he certainly does!” she replied with a little laugh, her expression brightening. “Poor Papa is a quiet man who likes nothing better than a book. If he were more like Mr Bingley, we would vex him much less!”
The countess knew little of Miss Bingley’s brother, but joined Mrs Gardiner in laughing at the observation.
Her nephew, however, remained grave. “Forgive me for interrupting, but I must know—have you made any progress in determining whence these tales came?”
She gave Darcy a look of disapproval for his impatience. “Indeed. I have traced them to Lady Symonds. Interestingly, Miss Bingley has stayed with her daughter for some weeks, and Miss Symonds is known to be enamoured of Mr Bingley.”
“Miss Bingley,” Darcy groaned. “I ought to have known. She has pursued me relentlessly for years, and was in Hertfordshire with her brother. She took an instant dislike to Elizabeth before she fled to London to escape the epidemic.”
Lady Matlock watched as he gazed at his betrothed apologetically, and was surprised at the calm amusement she saw in the young lady’s expression.
“I wonder why!” Miss Bennet said in a mocking tone. “Her feeling of possession over Mr Darcy was made clear early in our acquaintance.”
The fondness in the smile she directed at Darcy heartened Lady Matlock, who said, “But it sounds as though she and her friend together have an interest in foiling both engagements, and a mother, desperate to marry off her unattractive and aging daughter, willing to be of assistance.”
“What are we to do to combat these lies?” Darcy asked.
“If you will allow me to get to know Miss Bennet a little better, perhaps I can think of something,” she told her nephew pointedly. His lips flattened at this rebuke, but he quickly turned to Mrs Gardiner and engaged her in talk of Derbyshire and Lambton. Lady Matlock bent her own attention to the young lady her nephew had chosen.
Within half an hour she was prepared to concede that either the girl was genuine, or the stage had lost a finer actress than it had ever known. “Miss Bennet, how long are you in town?”
“Another week, my lady.”
“Very good. I will begin correcting the story today by calling upon some ladies of my acquaintance who will be delighted to spread the truth, if only because they dislike Lady Symonds. I confess that I am of their number,” she added slyly.
Lady Matlock took some amusement in the astonished looks exchanged between Miss Bennet and her aunt. So many feared her power that to be the cause of such pleasant surprise was a novelty she found she enjoyed. She turned to her nephew, noting he had taken the young lady’s hand in his, and was gazing at her warmly. She cleared her throat and went on to explain her scheme.
“Darcy, you will place a notice of your engagement in theTimes, to run…three days hence, on Monday. That very day, Miss Bennet, you will visit Gunter’s with me, and I shall introduce you to any of my acquaintance we happen to see. I expect there will be more than a few, and they will all have read the announcement. After this, you and Darcy shall take a walk in Hyde Park, so that society may see how easy you are with each other. Mr Bingley and your sister ought to join you for this, if your sister can bear the scrutiny and probable unkindness of strangers. The night before you leave, Lord Matlock and I shall have Darcy, Mr Bingley, you, and your sister to dinner.”
She turned to the tradesman’s wife. “I can see you are an elegant, ladylike person, madam. I hope you will forgive me for not including you. We are trying to raise your nieces in the estimation of society, you see, and it is best just at present not to remind anyone of their connexion to trade.”
Mrs Gardiner inclined her head and replied with great composure, “I understand, my lady.”
* * *
