How was it she knew Miss Elizabeth Bennet, the Bingleys, and himself and he did not remember her? He racked his memory and for the life of him he could not remember anyone with the name Gardiner in the area while he was there. To his shame, he had not been very interested in meeting the locals, so mayhap it was a family to whom he had refused to be introduced.
Elizabeth was a common enough name, but it was quite a coincidence Giana referred to her friend as ‘Lizzy,’ the pet name he had heard Miss Elizabeth Bennet called. He supposed it was a coincidence as he was sure there were many Elizabeths in the realm called Lizzy.
As he sat behind his huge oak desk, the one used by the masters of Pemberley for many generations, he opened and read his sister’s first letter about this wonderous friend who had brought his sister back to life.
19 November 1810
Matlock House, London
William,
I met the nicest young lady today. Guess what! She has heard of you and the Bingleys as well as the Miss Elizabeth Bennet you wrote to me about, as she used to live near Meryton in Hertfordshire. Before I ramble on too much, her name is Miss Elizabeth Gardiner.
Aunt Elaine and her mother are on some charitable committees together. As you know, Aunt Elaine has not found a companion for my cousin who fits her need to be active. Lizzy loves to walk and although she fell and broke her arm when she was learning to ride on her estate, she has agreed Tiffany and I may teach her to ride.
You were such a good teacher for me when I learnt to ride, so I will use what you taught me to help Lizzy. As you can see, we are all on familiar terms. Before I forget, I let it slip I do not like Miss Bingley and Lizzy agreed. She called her supercilious; I think that moniker fits the lady well.
Please say you will join us here for Christmas. Aunt and Uncle will not be returning to Snowhaven this year for Christmastide and Andrew, Marie, and Richard will all be with us here. I would hate to think of you all alone at Pemberley, rattling around in that big house while we are enjoying one another’s company.
I do not believe it will be a stretch to say the Gardiners will join us for part of the holiday. They used to go into Hertfordshire for Christmastide, but something happened and they will no longer be visiting that branch of their family.
We will see Lizzy each day this week and the Gardiners will join us for a family dinner on Friday.
Did you know Richard is interested in a lady he met when he went to deal with you-know-who in Meryton? She is a local knight’s daughter, Miss Charlotte Lucas. He says she has a very small dowry but seeing as he will be installed at Rosings this coming Easter, he does not need a large dowry from a wife.
I love you Brother. Please write soon,
Giana
It seemed Richard had not allowed improper pride to inhibit him when he decided to pursue a lady. If only he had not been so wrongheaded! He should have apologised to Miss Elizabeth at his first opportunity.
This Miss Gardiner sounded intriguing. That she had been able to draw Giana out so effortlessly was wonderous to Darcy. As his mind drifted back to Elizabeth Bennet, he remembered he had always believed she would have been the best of friends with his sister. He berated himself again for not acting in Hertfordshire. Now Miss Elizabeth Bennet was lost to him.
In addition to the letter from his sister, he received one from his Aunt Elaine, confirming much of what Giana had told him. He was relieved to see not only did his aunt and uncle approve of Miss Gardiner, but so did Andrew and Marie.
Like Giana, his aunt urged him to join them for Christmastide. She intimated that he would be sorry if he did not. That assertion made Darcy think. Aunt Elaine was not a matchmaker, especially not for him, as she knew how much he disliked anyone trying to push him toward some vapid debutante.
He could not understand what she meant, so he started to rethink his decision to remain alone at Pemberley. Even if he did not travel to London in December, he would still have to travel to Rosings Park for Easter. He would need all of his strength to see Elizabeth as the wife of that man.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Miss Bingley had written to her friend, Miss Lavinia Hampton-Downs, asking her to go to Gardiner Emporium and mock the shopgirl Eliza Bennet. Miss Hampton-Downs was as vicious as Miss Bingley; she took the charge happily and was prepared to spread gossip about the lady at Miss Bingley’s behest.
“I am looking for a shopgirl by the name of Eliza Bennet,” the nasty woman demanded the afternoon she visited the Emporium. Had she not been on a mission for her friend, she would have enjoyed shopping at the store as it had a wide variety of enticing goods.
“You have my apologies, Madam,” the manager bowed to the imperious lady. “I have no one by that name in my employ.”
Lavinia Hampton-Downs was not one to brook disappointment. “My unimpeachable source said the nobody worked here, so you must be lying.”
Elizabeth, Tiffany, and Georgiana happened to be shopping at the store that afternoon and Elizabeth, guessing who theunimpeachable sourcewas, decided to have some fun with the rude and pushy woman.
“May I assist you? I am the daughter of the proprietor,” Elizabeth approached the woman.
“What is your name, girl? I usually do not speak to those in trade,” Miss Hampton-Downs sniffed disdainfully.
“My name is Miss Elizabeth Gardiner, and I, unlike your source, am a gentlewoman. For one who does not wish to converse with tradespeople, you seem very close to one. I am sure your source is that social climbing daughter of a tradesman, Miss Caroline Bingley. I can assure you there is no Miss Elizabeth Bennet working here.”
Suddenly, the lady looked unsure of herself. “She told me they owned an estate near Pemberley and she was going to secure an introduction for me to the Darcys and Fitzwilliams,” the lady related.
