First Impressions: A Tale of Less Pride & Prejudice (Tales of Less Pride and Prejudice) (22 page)

“
As you can see we have company, just this moment arrived. My Uncle and Aunt Gardiner join us every Christmas and this year’s festivities will be crowned by the added felicity of a ball and a wedding, two actually. You come upon us, Miss Darcy, at a terribly exciting time. Perhaps rather than enter the madhouse, you would first prefer to stroll the grounds so you may stretch your legs? Surely you must want the exercise after spending the whole of the morning in a carriage. Shall I just pop in and grab my bonnet and pelise?”

Mr. Darcy assented and Elizabeth scampered off, leaving the siblings momentarily alone. Darcy looked at his sister with concern, “Are you alright, Georgiana?”

“
Yes. It is just that I am utterly disgusted with myself!”

“
Georgiana!”

“
Why must I be overcome with timidity just when I so want to make a good impression? She is lovely Fitzwilliam. I could not imagine a more perfect wife for you.” She hung her head down sadly.

“
Just be yourself Georgiana and you and Miss Elizabeth shall be great friends. Of this I am certain.”

The reassurance was welcome. When Elizabeth returned and the trio set forth, she made a valiant effort to put Georgiana at ease. In turn, Georgiana did her best to engage in the conversation, a feat that proved far easier than she had feared. Soon all three were comfortably enjoying both the company and the stunning bleakness of the winter vista. As they returned to the house, now appearing as tranquil as it had previously seemed disorderly, Elizabeth commented, “Why, are we not charmingly grouped? Have we not fulfilled the picturesque? Surely we appear to my Aunt Gardiner to uncommon advantage.”

An elegant lady had exited the house and was walking forward to meet them. Elizabeth skipped ahead to embrace her. “Forgive me, Aunt, for such a sorry welcome as you have received from me this morning. I should not be disappearing so soon upon your arrival were my guests any others, but these are no ordinary callers.” She smiled at Georgiana, who smiled back. “It gives me great pleasure to introduce my companions. Mr. and Miss Darcy, may I present my aunt, Mrs. Gardiner. My dear Aunt, this is Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and his sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy.”

“
It is a pleasure to meet you both. I cannot express how thrilled we are to see our dear Lizzy so very happy.”

Darcy was struck. “Could this be Miss Bingley’s aunt from Cheapside?” he wondered. “Why, she has an air of complete refinement – can this woman truly be married to Mrs. Bennet’s brother?” His reverie was interrupted by Mrs. Bennet herself, who leaned from the doorway and called out that they must come inside and stay for dinner. Mr. Bennet exited the house, shutting his wife in, and extended a less exceptional invitation. Georgiana, much like her aunt, took an instant liking to the sardonic gentleman with the kindly eyes; he helped her to overcome the fear, that she had not yet managed to repress, of actually entering Longbourn itself. Seeing her willingness, Darcy accepted the invitation while buying her some more time to compose herself, pleading the need to return to the inn and dress for dinner. On the ride back they shared their impressions. Georgiana remained somewhat nervous but insisted quite fervently that the lively, eccentric family would most certainly do both Darcys a world of good.

--

That evening began Georgiana Darcy’s immersion into the Longbourn household. Everyone was on their most subdued behavior in deference to her. Kitty particularly went out of her way to make Miss Darcy comfortable, anxious as she was to please. Inevitably, Lydia asked some bold questions that caused Georgiana momentary discomfort, but overall she had a fine time and looked forward to the next morning’s call she had promised to pay. Mrs. Bennet took a motherly interest in Georgiana, keeping her excited matchmaking schemes for the girl safely to herself, and by Christmas she was thoroughly at home at Longbourn. When she entered Netherfield Hall for the first time on the evening of the ball, she felt up to facing even a dozen George Wickhams, ensconced as she was arm-in-arm between Kitty and Lydia, safe and secure amongst her new family.

The house was at its best bedecked for the holiday. Georgiana caught some of Kitty and Lydia’s expressive excitement as they passed into the festooned corridor. Mr. Bingley came immediately forward to greet Jane and her parents, who made up the front of the procession of Darcys, Bennets, Gardiners, and a Collins. He turned to introduce them to Mr. Wickham just as Caroline swooped passed them to greet Georgiana with all the warmth of a confidant while patently snubbing Kitty and Lydia. Mr. Darcy frowned and moved forward to intercede when he was confronted by Wickham himself.

“
Well Darcy! We meet again at last. I certainly have been looking forward to seeing you ever since I first learned you were in the neighborhood. I had almost taken it into my head that you were intentionally avoiding me.”

Darcy grimaced. He could not deny the taunt so chose a safer and more civil topic to pursue. For Bingley, for Georgiana, and especially for Elizabeth, he gathered every drop of his notable self-control and politely said, “Congratulations on your marriage, Wickham.”

“
Thank you Darcy, thank you! And I understand that you too will soon be depriving society of a most eligible bachelor.”

“
I have the pleasure of performing that theft. Society will just have to make do without him.” Elizabeth had come to Darcy’s side and taken his arm. He smiled at her and decided he did not care at all for Wickham – he would not allow himself to be goaded. Relaxing, he said proudly, “Miss Elizabeth Bennet, may I present Mr. George Wickham. Wickham, my intended,” and almost casually to his sister, still occupied with Mrs. Wickham, “Georgiana, you remember Mr. Wickham?” Coldly he reintroduced the two as if they had not seen one another since childhood. Georgiana held her head high, despite her discomfiture, while Elizabeth noted how much she resembled her brother the night they met at the Meryton assembly. Wickham quickly returned the Darcys’ icy civilities and moved on to greet the Gardiners, Mary, and Mr. Collins – the last of the party to enter. The confrontation was weathered: the worst surely behind them.

Darcy danced with Elizabeth, Georgiana, Jane, and even Kitty, whose performance much surpassed his expectations though she would blush furiously and giggle too much. Elizabeth danced with her uncle, Mr. Bingley, and Mr. Collins (an unfortunate debacle), so when Mr. Wickham approached her for the next set she experienced no pain in refusing, happy as she was to sit with Mr. Darcy for the remainder of the evening.

The Darcy’s were charged with depositing Elizabeth and Jane at Longbourn before returning to the inn. On the ride, Mr. Darcy topped off what all agreed to be a memorable evening by enthusiastically regaling his fellow passengers with a most amusing anecdote: “While you were dancing with Mr. Collins, Miss Elizabeth, the new Mrs. Wickham accosted me with the most extraordinary questions. She inquired if, now that marriage would surely do much to heal the breach between Wickham and myself, I would not reconsider giving her husband his due inheritance. At first I was affronted, thinking she referred to a living my father had set aside for him and he rejected, accepting my ample compensation instead. But no, I was mistaken. Mrs. Wickham had much more in mind.” Jane, Elizabeth, and Georgiana stared at each other in wonder, the last of these ladies especially surprised by her brother’s unfamiliar, mischievous grin.

“
She wanted not just a living for her husband, oh no! Not Mrs. Wickham. Somehow she has formed the notion that George Wickham is my – what is the most delicate way to put this – my natural brother!” All three ladies gasped and Darcy laughed at their response, quite impressed with his own sauciness. “To be sure I immediately informed her that her new husband is a precise replica of his father and that my father took a great deal of interest in the lives of all the estate workers.”

“
You did not!”

“
I did.”

“
Certainly she did not like to think of her husband as a laborer!”

“
I would not wish to bare witness to the scene that will surely transpire between the newlyweds tonight!” Be assured that all the occupants of the carriage enjoyed this mirth excessively, though both Jane and Georgiana would insist that they felt only compassion for the former Miss Bingley.

Chapter 24

Two days later Jane and Mary Bennet were married to Charles Bingley and William Collins, respectively. While Jane’s beauty far outstripped her sister’s, no one attending would dare be heard to call a bride plain on her wedding day, so all agreed that they had never seen either sister in better looks. Mrs. Bennet was triumphant and Mr. Bennet, some claimed, was seen to be making uncommon use of his handkerchief during the ceremony. A subdued Mr. and Mrs. Wickham stayed close to the Hursts and did not say much to anyone else. Elizabeth, Kitty, and Lydia all attended their sisters while Mr. Darcy stood up with Mr. Bingley, Mr. Phillips performing the honor for Mr. Collins. The day was crisp and clear, no accidents occurred in the kitchen: it was unanimously proclaimed the finest wedding Meryton had seen in many years.

Mr. Darcy, having already invited the Hursts to Pemberley for the wedding, felt it incumbent upon himself to acknowledged the rather subdued Wickhams so far as to extend them that same cordiality at the wedding breakfast. Happily they declined. Both were feeling rather put out by the other and looked forward to the diversions of London where they could indulge their one similarity – a shared desire to cut a dash. Darcy was pleased he would not be in town to witness it.

The Collinses departed the next day for Hunsford – Lady Catherine had been most adamant that her rector must not be absent for yet another Sunday, especially considering that she herself would not be in residence to steer the flock. Mrs. Bennet cried far more than she had expected when she said goodbye, lamenting now that it was too late that she wasn’t closer to her third daughter. Mary kissed each relative goodbye with precision, informed her mother that she should not give in to such excessive emotion, joined her new husband in the coach, and left Mrs. Bennet behind her, waving a handkerchief until they were well out of sight.

The following morning there was cause for more emotional goodbyes when the Gardiners departed, taking Kitty and Lydia with them. The girls were delighted with the prospect of school in Bath but all pleasures must contain some degree of pain – theirs came in the form of being unable to attend the wedding at Pemberley. It was to their great chagrin that the headmistress odiously insisted they begin a new term, as new pupils, on time. This was bitter indeed. The Gardiners kindly volunteered to take them to London to buy the remainder of their school clothes before Mrs. Gardiner escorted them to Bath. Though the promised shopping did much to soothe their rattled spirits, their departure was still marked by the shedding of a great many tears. Miss Darcy, who joined the family in seeing them off, was particularly touched at the affection shown to her and the many heartfelt declarations of devotion, mainly made by Lydia. It was Kitty, however, who requested that they begin a correspondence, one that was dear to both ladies throughout the remainder of their lives.

Darcy and Georgiana spent the last night of the year quietly at Netherfield, now vacated by the Hursts and Wickhams, before departing for Pemberley the following morning in the company of Mr. Bingley, his new wife, and Elizabeth Bennet.

--

As you will undoubtedly observe by the few remaining pages of this text, the following events are rather obvious but I shall, under the assumption that there are those who will be interested, attempt to summarize the details with a modicum of taste and style. Needless to say Jane and Elizabeth were appropriately astonished by the size and scope of Pemberley’s house and grounds. “Of all this I am to be mistress!” Elizabeth declared, awed by the thought. Fortunately Mrs. Reynolds was a practical, motherly women and did a great deal to make the future mistress at home. Elizabeth had only a few days with which to acquaint herself with the household before the guests began to appear but, as both Darcys were anxious to aid her in the daunting task, she received ample tutelage. By the time Mr. and Mrs. Bennet arrived, accompanied by Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth was almost convinced she managed to greet them with at least a semblance of the dignity expected from the future mistress of Pemberley. Mr. Bennet quickly made himself at home in the magnificent library while Mrs. Bennet enjoyed a thorough tour of the house and all its treasures.

The following day brought the arrival of Lady Catherine, Miss De Bourgh, Darcy’s uncle, the Earl of _______, and his youngest son, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Elizabeth could tell by their warm manner of greeting what great friends were her betrothed and the Colonel, to whom she took an immediate liking. Warm and friendly as his son was, the Earl was equally imposing. Just as he seemed determined to interrogate Elizabeth with a virtual onslaught of questions, which his sister had not yet managed to answer to his satisfaction, Lady Catherine pointedly interrupted him, “Enough for now brother. It is my turn with the future Mrs. Darcy.” The Earl, having a lifetime of experience with his sister, was compliant.