The gentlemen presented themselves at Rosings Park at six o’clock in the evening and were shown into the very comfortable and inviting drawing room and announced by the butler.
“Good evening gentlemen, you are very welcome,” Anne offered warmly.
“On behalf of Ashby and myself we thank you for your very welcome invitation. I am happy that I did not need to press my cook into action today as she is only now in the process of purchasing the victuals that the house needs. I spent the afternoon opening the needed accounts in Hunsford so my housekeeper and cook know that they can acquire what is needed without worry.”
“Please be seated, gentlemen,” Anne said invitingly as she waved her hand toward the many seats in the room.
Harrison sat in an armchair opposite his patroness while Ashby sat in one that was next to the settee where Anne was seated with Mrs Jenkinson. Once they were seated, the butler had a footman bring a tray with glasses of sherry and port as an aperitif. Not long after they finished their drinks, Mr Lipton announced dinner was served. Ashby offered his arm to Anne who gratefully accepted it, and Harrison escorted Mrs Jenkinson into dinner. The latter lady was somewhat surprised as she considered herself a servant and she was being escorted into dinner. If one considered the character of the new vicar who cared for the person not their rank or social position, she should not have been so startled.
Once seated and the soup had been served, Anne turned to Ashby who was seated to her right. “How long will you be here with your friend, Mr Ashby?” she asked inquisitively.
“I am to leave in three days, on Saturday, Miss de Bourgh. I am going to stay at my father’s townhouse in Mayfair and I will be attending the Bedford - Jersey ball. After that my schedule is not fixed. I am not needed back at Sherwood Park until early August,” he informed her, pleased that she wanted to know about his schedule.
“My plan is to head to Town on Monday to be hosted by my uncle and aunt Fitzwilliam, Andrew’s parents, and I will also attend the ball. While I am in Town, I will be visiting Chippendale as I have a whole house to refurnish. The man that Uncle Reggie recommended will be here on Friday morning to look over all of the ostentatious and gaudy furniture, decorations, and baubles that Lady Catherine wasted so much money on to see what can be sold to try and recover some of what was so liberally squandered,” Anne offered ruefully, not able to stop a small scowl forming at any thought of Lady Catherine.
“If it meets with your approval Miss de Bourgh, I will delay my departure until Monday so that I may have the pleasure of escorting you and your companion to Town. There was no set reason to leave on Saturday, so it would be my pleasure to travel with you ladies. I assume that you will travel with your maid and footmen so there will be ample chaperones for you, and I will be taking my own carriage so there is no need for us to ride in the same conveyance if that is your preference,” Ashby stated, trying to hide his hope she would agree to travel with him.
“As long as it does not cause you any inconvenience, I happily accept your offer. If you would like to, I would appreciate it if we ride in the same carriage. As you pointed out, both Mrs Jenkinson and my maid will be riding with me so there will be no question of impropriety.” Anne blushed, her heart racing at the idea she would get so much time with him.
“If that be the case, then we will travel together on Monday.” Ashby could not but grin.
Both were a lot happier than they were willing to admit to anyone but themselves. The look of pleasure on both countenances was not lost on the new clergyman nor on Anne’s companion, who shared a small smile as they both were happy for their friends.
Anne then offered herself a reprieve and turned to Mr Harrison. “I hope we will be seeing you often at Rosings Park. The late Mr Collins used to dine here three times a week,” she offered to her new parson.
“I appreciate the invitation, however, from everything that I have learnt of my predecessor, and as much as I dislike speaking ill of the dead, his example is one that I will not follow.” He stopped for a few seconds and then Harrison proceeded. “My intention is to invite parishioners to dine with me once or twice a week and accept invitations from them as I am able. No disrespect to your position, Miss de Bourgh, but I would like to stick to tea with my patroness on Sunday after services and an occasional meal, once or twice a month, not multiple times a week as was done,” he stated his preference and waited for her reaction.
“You have my wholehearted support and I understand your wanting the bulk of your time to be spent on your pastoral duties and with your parishioners. It is as it should be; you are here to serve the parish of Hunsford, not the mistress of Rosings Park. You have just proven once again why you are the perfect member of the clergy for this living.” She smiled warmly at him. Harrison bowed his head as he acknowledged the compliments that Anne had paid him.
The rest of the dinner, which was a lot simpler than the lavish dinners that Lady Catherine used to demand, was thoroughly enjoyed by all. A little after nine o’clock the two friends returned to the parsonage on foot. ‘Yes,’ thought Ashby, ‘I believe that the lovely Miss de Bourgh is definitely not indifferent to me.’ He sighed in relief. As he had not been captivated by any woman in a long, long time, he knew it was not a passing fancy.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
On Wednesday, the staff at Darcy House was moving hither and yon with frenetic energy and purpose. It did not need the butler and housekeeper to tell them that the dinner, albeit not a formal dinner party, to be held that night was of the utmost importance to the master. Georgiana escaped to Matlock House to go see her cousin Tiffany for some peace and quiet. When she informed her aunt how nervous William was about the dinner, Aunt Elaine had not said too much but gave a very knowing smile. Her nephew was head over heels in love. Richard had attempted to distract Darcy and take him to White’s but had met with little success.
Across the square, the residents at Bennet House were all calm, except for Lydia who was furious that she was again left out, and even more upset that she would be escorted to school on the morrow. Elizabeth sat in her chambers deep in thought. ‘How do I feel about Mr Darcy now? I am so confused. I know that I like him very well now, but do I love him? He has been so gentlemanlike, he has not pushed me or asked for more than that which I am willing to give. The stirrings and warmth that I feel when he is near, or when I think of him now—what do they mean? What does it mean that I think about him hourly now, and they are mostly positive thoughts?
‘After the way I delivered my set-down, I would have expected him to run as far away from me as possible, but he did not. Rather, he has openly acknowledged his faults to his friends, family, and to us, and I would be a prejudiced fool not to see that the changes he is making are real. I know that he loves me, and unlike Bingley he has proved that he has consistency and resolution in spades.
“If he were to offer for me, I am not ready to accept him, but I may be open to a courtship. Oh my, even that would have been abhorrent to me not long ago. Jane does not seem to suffer over Bingley at all. In fact, I believe another has caught her eye. Colonel Fitzwilliam is a man where Bingley was a petulant boy. If they come together, I will be very happy with a brother such as him.’
Elizabeth was roused out of her ruminations as her maid pointed out that it was time to dress for dinner. She dressed her mistress in one of her new yellow and gold silk gowns. The pins that Jacqui placed in her coiffure were tipped with yellow diamond chips. Most of her hair was piled up on her head, but there were some curls that hung down her neck. She wore an emerald choker that made the green flecks in her eyes stand out more than usual. It was a family dinner, but that did not mean that the dress would be casual.
The family met in the entrance hall where the Gardiners, who had just arrived, waited for them at ten minutes before the hour. Once everyone had donned their gloves and outerwear, accompanied by Biggs and two of his massive fellow footmen, the family made the walk across the square. As they departed Bennet House, the family noticed the Fitzwilliams heading toward Darcy House. Tiffany, on spying the four Bennet sisters that she was on first name basis with and counted as friends, walked to join the Bennets as fast as she could without any unladylike running.
The Bennets entered Darcy House a little ahead of the Fitzwilliams and were shown into the largest of the drawing rooms. The only people that needed introductions was the Countess to Bennet and the Earl and Andrew to Mr and Mrs Bennet. The Gardiners had been acquainted with the Fitzwilliams for a number of years.
Georgiana was in her element. There were five young ladies with herself all close in age and that had very similar interests. On the two or three occasions that she had been with the two younger Bennet sisters, she had become a lot closer to them. She, Tiffany, and Mary shared a love of music, and Bennet had retained the same music master for Mary as the other two. The bond with Kitty was over drawing and the Greenlake School for Young Ladies that both cousins had attended and where Kitty would commence on the Monday following the next.
The two older Gardiner children were to eat with the adults. Lilly at twelve and James at ten felt very proud that they were allowed to remain with the rest of the party.
Lord Matlock was speaking to Bennet about their brief acquaintanceship at Cambridge and they were discovering that they had many shared interests, not the least of which were books and chess as Gardiner listened. Lord Matlock had accepted a challenge and an invitation to Bennet House to test his wits against Bennet on the morrow.
The three matriarchs were furthering their acquaintance and quietly chatting as they sat on a settee in one corner of the room. The balance of the younger adults was in a group sitting and talking. It was no surprise that Darcy sat next to Elizabeth and the Colonel next to Jane while the married couple sat together.
Darcy’s butler, Killion, soon announced that dinner was served. It was an informal family dinner so there was no precedence observed. Darcy made sure that Miss Elizabeth was seated to his right. Jane Bennet sat to his left and his cousin Richard was very quick to take the seat next to her. The rest of the party sat with the two Gardiner children seated between their parents. After the soup, Darcy rose and welcomed the Bennets to the Square, the welcome was repeated and seconded by his uncle. Bennet answered the toast on behalf of his family thanking both the Darcy and Fitzwilliam families for welcoming the Bennet family so warmly.
Elizabeth Bennet sat watching the man that she used to think of as hypocritical, proud, taciturn, even arrogant. She saw no trace of that man in the one that sat next to her. He was smiling and for the first time she saw them displayed, his dimples. ‘Oh my, if he smiles at me like that it would be hard to refuse him. He does not realise how much more handsome he looks when he smiles. And good Lord above, when he displays those dimples…’ She did not realise it but she was blushing furiously when she thought about the man to her left. Her reaction was not missed by many others sitting at the table.
