“Needless to say, I wield some influence in the matter of Mrs Bean. You need not concern yourself about the woman and can expect her to reclaim the surplus gowns at her earliest convenience. I shall see what I can do about the cobbler, silversmith, and milliner.”
“Mr Darcy cancelled the order of silver spoons, so that is no longer a problem,” Elizabeth informed her uncle.
“Do you know the total amount of the bills your Mr Darcy has received on your behalf?” Mr Gardiner enquired.
“Adding the bills I have seen, it was two thousand nine hundred and seventy-five pounds.”
“Mr Darcy must have been very angry,” Mary whispered.
“That he was,” Elizabeth confirmed with feeling.
Mary dared raise her head to study her. “Were you very frightened?”
“Of course not! Mr Darcy scolded me, but he is not a savage.”
“I hope this matter of your finances has not driven a wedge between you,” Mrs Gardiner said, her brow creased in concern. “It is not uncommon to have disputes with your husband—even Mr Gardiner and I have had our tiffs over the years.”
“I am well versed in the disputes of marriage,” Elizabeth said, picturing her parents’ almost daily quarrels over the years. “I shall endeavour to forgive his lack of trust in me, and for not allowing me to defend myself.”
“Dearest Lizzy, do not allow your resentment to fester. Mr Darcy has many qualities to admire. I find when counting my husband’s attributes, they far outweigh any flaws.”
“You cannot liken Mr Gardiner to Mr Darcy,” Mary protested. “Mr Darcy’s standing in society and excellent connections are not comparable.”
“Mary!” Elizabeth admonished in a firm voice.
Mr Gardiner chuckled. “I trust Mary to speak nothing but the truth. Rest easy, Lizzy. I am not offended by facts. But I must be off if I am to resolve the dress conundrum in a timely manner. But a word first if you please, Lizzy.”
“Certainly, Uncle.”
“Let us adjourn to my study.”
It was intriguing to say the least to be invited into her uncle’s sanctuary. Not even Mrs Gardiner was allowed to venture into that room.
He gestured for her to sit.
“I can guarantee that none of my associates will ever try to deceive Mrs Darcy ever again.”
“To think that I almost accused Lady Matlock of duplicity,” Elizabeth pondered.
“I would strongly advise you against harbouring any such notions. Lord Matlock is a powerful peer, and Lady Matlock wields considerable influence in her own right. I would not make an enemy of either if I were you.”
“I promise to heed your advice, Uncle. I am in no position to dispute my superiors.”
“Hmm. I have read the newspapers. Combined with what you have told me and what you have not mentioned, I have concluded that your introduction to thehaut tonhas not gone as well as one would hope.”
“No,” Elizabeth admitted, thinking about the dreaded Shang bowl, the huge stack of bills, and the derogatory whispers she had overheard at the ball. “What newspapers?”
Uncle Gardiner shoved a stack of morning and evening gazettes before her to peruse.
“This is beyond eerie.” Elizabeth studied the unflattering depiction of herself. “I mentioned the late arrival of my ball gown before Lady Matlock’s ball. It was accompanied by matching stays, chemise, and petticoats, but when I donned the dress, the stays were too low and the split in the skirts was indecently high. I had to pin a fichu over my bosom while my maid stitched the split. I was supposed to attend in the manner shown in this sketch, but I did not. Which means the mistakes were made by design and I have an enemy, with no conception of who it might be.”
Then she noticed something at the back of the drawing and strained to decipher the caricature. Behind her, the likeness of Darcy was depicted, drooling with the fall of his breeches unbuttoned.The promiscuous newly wedded Mrs D and her senseless husband,she read underneath the drawing and was too shocked to speak.
“This reeks of petty jealousy. Does your husband leave a spurned mistress, or has he jilted any ladies who had been vying for his affection?”
Elizabeth flinched at the word mistress and let out a gusty sigh. The thought had never entered her mind, but Darcy was a man of the world and was by no means lacking experience in a certain aspect of their married life. She shook off the unpleasant thoughts and concentrated her mind upon the possibility of her uncle’s latter accusation.
“There were expectations from his family that he would marry his cousin Miss Anne de Bourgh, and to a lesser degree, Miss Clarissa Darcy.”
