Page 3 of Elizabeth’s Choice

Darcy jumped up in utter shock and exclaimed, “Deal! I will agree. You will finally sell it to me? You cannot go back on your word now. I have been pestering you for it for years.”

Bingley rose up onto his feet and chuckled, “You agreed, right?” And Darcy rapidly nodded his head. “Good. I meant to sell it to you after Michaelmas in thanks for your guidance in estate management but you will help me with my immediate dilemma first. You know my father outbid your father only as a joke, do you not? We Bingley men are not known to be reading men and Father always meant for your family to have it. Come now, we must contrive a scheme to delicately disenchant Miss Bennet from capturing a handsome gentleman of five thousand a year.”

Darcy laughed in amusement and the two gentlemen discussed the following day’s plan to encourage the affections of one woman, while discouraging any ideas of grandeur from another.

~*~

Jane, who was the eldest daughter of Thomas Bennet and aged two and twenty, wrung her hands while her sister Elizabeth, who was two years her junior, was picking out a dress for her to wear the following day. “How am I supposed to meet a complete stranger to introduce myself? What was papa thinking to promise me to his friend’s son whom he had never met before? I cannot do it, Lizzie. I will just not go to the Monument and papa will have to lose the bet. Papa said Mr. Bingley passed away several years ago and it is more likely that his son does not know or forgot about the promise in any case so no harm done. I do not wish to make a fool of myself if he does not come, and even if he does, he might think I am mercenary, since papa said his friend was very rich after being a successful tradesman. Yes, that is it. I believe that young Mr. Bingley does not know about his father’s wager and we can all forget about papa’s silly games.”

Elizabeth chided her sister, “We know you are not mercenary and if he does not show himself tomorrow, he will be the fool who lost his chance at meeting the perfect woman, Janey! I know very few people know about it but papa has set aside more than enough for each of us and we have no need for wealthy husbands. Mama does not know about our true dowries yet since papa did not want their neighbours to find out, and she fusses that there are so few gentlemen in Hertfordshire and how much we despise coming to town to search for husbands. You already turned down several suitors, while I know she has completely given up any hopes for me. Meet this young man who has been destined for you for ten years and after I hopefully have done well at tomorrow’s archery contest, you and I will have no regrets, while you go back to Longbourn and I go to Ramsgate in two days’ time.”

“You have won so many times and will enjoy teaching your classes in Ramsgate. You are a true advocate for ladies to learn the sport!” Jane gushed proudly, "Even if you are wearing your disguise, people know you are a good person at heart and most do not bat an eye now at your appearance because of your skills. Did you not say that many gentlemen are now petitioning for ladies to officially join all the matches? If you win this next one, you will have more medals and arrows than anyone, as well as an actual rank, and perhaps you can make your true name be known instead of using an alias!”

“But there are still many harpies who look at me strangely and gossip behind my back, criticising my fashion choice and unable to see me beyond my looks,” Elizabeth replied. “Even if I win the next competition to gain the rank, it will only be an honorary title and I will continue to be Sabrina Fairfax in the public eye so that no one can judge my sisters’ reputations. I guard the name fiercely because I would hate for anyone to look down at our family, since I caused more than enough grief for all of you with my choices in life. I do love my clothes, though. It took some time convincing the man but Mr. Meyer is a genius and the best tailor in all of England in my opinion. He adores me and loves to try his new ideas with me now, and I am better dressed than most gentlemen and cannot imagine being comfortable in anything else. I do believe I look better now than I ever did in a dress,” she spun around in circles in her latest fashion choice.

Instead of the typical attire of a respectable gentlewoman, Elizabeth’s mode of dress was fashioned exactly like that of a gentleman’s wardrobe, from a lawn shirt of the finest materials to a neat cravat, as well as her waistcoat and matching jacket and loose-fitting trousers that coordinated perfectly with her Hessian boots of the highest quality. With her hair carefully tucked under a beaver hat, most would mistake her as a young gentleman from a distance but her natural beauty could not fool anyone up close.

She continued, “I still think I should have been born a son and have no intention to ever find myself a husband so I might as well dress comfortably,” she shrugged her shoulders.

“I thought you were going to find that one boy who rescued you and marry him,” Jane laughed. “Have you stopped looking for him?”

“Oh, I have looked behind nearly every crate between every alley in London for my William and have yet to find him. I cannot believe I was so naïve to think I would easily find him again. There are so many Williams in England and it was so long ago that I probably would not recognise him even if he were standing right in front of me. Alas, no man will ever be as perfect as my William.”

Jane held her sister’s hand and fretted, “Could you not go for me in my place tomorrow? Even if he should come to the appointed time and place, I would be horrified to meet a man I never met before and would like to make him understand that we kept our fathers’ pact but that no further acquaintance is necessary. He is likely married already or engaged and I would not like to raise my hopes in any case. I do not wish to meet a gentleman under such a circumstance and can wait to meet others when I return to town after Christmas and attend balls with Aunt Madeline.”

“You want me to be myself to crush any interest a gentleman might have, is that not right?” Elizabeth laughed loudly. “I suppose any Bennet daughter will do, since papa never named the daughter but only promised an unmarried one to Mr. Bingley, and I can take your place and meet him first. The timing is very tight but I will rush over and meet this gentleman. If I think you will like him, I will request that he meet my sister, but if I think him a horrible prospect, I will be sure to have him regret ever meeting me. I will agree to it because you are my favourite and will never let you marry someone unworthy. All right, dear sister. I will meet this Mr. Bingley for you tomorrow to weigh and measure his worthiness.”

~*~

Darcy stood by the Monument to the Great London Fire on the date and time that had been agreed upon ten years prior and took a deep breath to gather himself. He had arrived five minutes early to meet this woman who was to be Bingley’s destiny, but as he checked his pocket watch again, he could see that it was now fourteen minutes past and was unsure how much longer he should wait. He did not wish to lie about his identity to the lady but considered it a favour to his good friend who was close to proposing to Miss Grantley and the favour would be returned handsomely by being able to purchase Shakespeare’s book from Bingley.

He checked the time again and decided to give her five more minutes, when he heard loud gallops of a horse racing towards him and saw her. His jaw dropped slowly as he noted a woman seated astride a mare, wearing an unflattering high-neck dress with a full-skirt bottom that was obviously out of fashion, with severe, visible wrinkles, as if the dress had been balled up into the saddlebag, and beneath it, a pair of masculine Hessian boots. She was without a hat and her hair was dishevelled and falling out of place, and Darcy was astonished that a lady would step out of her house with such an appearance for such an important meeting. The woman stopped in front of him and smoothly dismounted, swinging her right leg over the horse’s hind most unladylike.

Darcy wondered from what kind of crass woman he was rescuing Bingley, and full of indignation, snapped, “Are you Miss Bennet? You are a quarter hour late.”

Elizabeth laughed, “Yes, I do apologise, Mr. Bingley. I thought I would be done earlier with my first engagement but it took some time to get here from Kensington. I rushed over as quickly as I could and yet I am still late,” she replied while fixing her hair into a simple bun. “I had to change out of my sui… Never mind that. Now that we are meeting, what are we to do next, sir?”

Darcy raised his eyebrow in surprise and enquired, “Kensington? What were you doing in Kensington? My cousin is… I mean to say, I thought I heard there were to be some events taking place there this morning, although I cannot recall exactly what.”

“Oh, nothing of true importance to a busy gentleman like yourself,” she replied. “What do you do for leisure, Mr. Bingley? A gentleman of your standing must have many interests, no?”

Darcy could not make sense of the petite woman before him who was the opposite of the demure ladies who usually fawned over him, and abruptly asked, “Why were you riding astride? It is not something a lady should be doing. Did your governess not teach you these things? Where is your companion? You were not possibly out alone all morning, were you?”

“You take a keen interest in my welfare, Mr. Bingley. I can ride both ways but sat comfortably so I could arrive here quicker. Do you believe all ladies should have the same education, no matter where one’s interests lie? Do you think it vulgar that some might actually desire to pursue their own wishes and dreams instead of what is forced upon them by society, only to meet men’s expectations without regard to their own preferences?” Elizabeth sharply retorted. “If a lady is not proficient in art and music and languages, if she is not primly netting purses or designing tables all day long, do you believe she is not a proper lady and deserves to become a spinster, since no man in his right mind would choose such a woman? What business is it of yours if I have a companion or if I have been riding alone? I am not in danger and you take an insufferable view on topics which are none of your concern.”

She glared at the tall man who appeared indignant that she spoke the blatant truth without any attempts to flatter him. “Well, if there is nothing else, I must be on my way. I have another appointment and our business is complete. Your father, God rest his soul, and my father wanted us to meet but I believe they were mistaken about our destiny. Good day.”

“Wait, Miss Bennet! I only meant… I thought… I thought perhaps we might speak a little longer.” Darcy suddenly found himself fascinated by the woman who spoke without guise who then easily mounted the horse without the minutest signs of a struggle, and asked, “I would like a bit more of your time to ask you a few questions. Do you not have a riding habit? Your dress is quite out of fash… That is, it is not something my sister would wear…” He flushed red in embarrassment for commenting on a lady’s mode of dress.

Elizabeth laughed loudly, "Does it shock you to see me in this dress? Believe me when I say that it shocks me, too! I wish I were wearing my usual clothes instead, since even in this dress, which is my oldest one with the fullest skirt I own, is still quite cumbersome, and I cannot understand how ladies are expected to sit side-saddle and not fall off the cursed contraption. I sit how I want and will wear what I want, as I am no slave to anything, especially to fashion and public sentiment. My father’s pact was honoured and our meeting is now concluded. Good day, Mr. Bingley,” and she turned her horse around and dashed away just as quickly as she had arrived.

Darcy stood still in place for a full minute to scrutinise what had just happened and scratched his head after taking his hat off and walking to his carriage. He could not understand how such a woman would be remotely considered to be a wife of any respectable gentleman and applauded himself for getting Bingley out of his predicament in honouring his father’s wishes. He only wondered why his heart seemed to lurch when she laughed and thought himself rather stupid that he found her eyes very pretty.

Chapter 3

“So, how did it go? What was Mr. Bingley like?” Jane enquired anxiously as soon as her sister walked in. “Do you think I made a mistake in sending you instead of going myself? I feel terrible for the deception!”

Elizabeth grinned as she pulled her gloves off, “Oh, I believe you avoided an absolute disaster, Janey. He asked if I was Miss Bennet and since I am Miss Bennet, there was no deception, and we do not have to think about him again. Uncle Gardiner thinks Mr. Bingley resides near Mayfair so he will never be in this area so close to Cheapside and our paths will never cross. Mr. Bingley was…” Elizabeth tapped her chin with her finger while she thought of the gentleman, “he was taller than I expected and very handsome, but he smiled not once and scowled at me most irritatingly the entire time and spoke to me angrily for my late arrival. You should have seen the displeasure on his face! A severe frown, his lips in a thin line the entire time, and the way he took notice of my clothes! He was in contempt of the way I was dressed and how I spoke to him, and I could tell that I was the last woman he would be prevailed to marry! He was haughty and ill-tempered and someone who would not be worthy of you, so it was a good thing you did not meet him. It is all over and you kept your promise to papa.”