An Autumn Accord: A Pride and Prejudice Novella Variation (Seasons of Serendipity Book 4) (9 page)

“
We thank you, Mr. Bingley, for such hospitality with little warning. It is most kind of you to offer such amends.” Elizabeth said through clenched teeth, not caring for the effect of her words. The tips of Bingleys ears turned red and her husband made apologies for her exhaustion. Whisked above stairs to rest, Elizabeth Darcy pursed her lips as her husband fussed over her and gave instructions to her maid. The man’s officiousness was becoming quite clearly out of hand, but Elizabeth was not yet certain how to address it.

“
Charles says we are to dine in two hours. I suspect there shall be a toasting to Caroline’s engagement with Lord Bergamot who I understand is also in residence but not present when we arrived.” Darcy said, gazing down at his diminutive wife.

Elizabeth murmured a small noncommittal response, nodded to her husband and entered the chamber for her own use during her stay at Netherfield. While she would say she did not precisely close the door in Fitzwilliam’s face, the coldness of his wife was not unnoticed by Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Clenching his fists outside of the door, he only moved when his valet poked his head out of the adjoining chamber to check upon his master’s progress. With more matters on his mind than Elizabeth’s anger at staying at Netherfield, Fitzwilliam Darcy decided the best course of action for such a stressful day was to restore his own mood, and then seek out restoring the mood of the women around him.

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A timid knock on Catherine Bennet’s door interrupted the young woman’s preparations for one of her first formal dinners since Lady Matlock’s tutelage. She begged whomever it was to enter and continued to play with the one curl over her right ear that refused to cooperate. Spying her sister-in-law in the mirror’s reflection, Kitty turned around and made a mock face of delight as Georgiana took a spin in a powder blue frock recently purchased when they were last at the dressmaker.

“
Positively ravishing. Now if only it wasn’t such a dull dinner with nothing but our family and their friends.”

Georgiana walked further into the room and carefully rested on the large bed meant for Kitty’s use. “Can you believe in just six months’ time this will be nearly a nightly occurrence, a new dress, a new hairstyle? We shall receive invitations to the most selective dinner parties, wait until you see.” The younger version of her older brother, Georgiana Darcy possessed the same strengths of character as her brother, merely directed to different pursuits. She planted her hands behind her for support and leaned back to look up at the pale pink canopy over Kitty’s bed.

A small sting of envy stabbed Kitty’s heart as she noticed the glistening diamonds hanging from Georgiana’s ears. Turning once more to her own reflection, Catherine Bennet instead now saw a plain girl from a family of no consequence except save her sister’s marriage. Not wishing to put a damper on Georgiana’s excitement, Kitty busied herself with finding her one necklace of a simple gold chain and cross to wear with her dress in a pale buttercream. “Do you think your brother intended for us to practice our French today and to begin reading, or do you think it might be safe to assume our punishment begins tomorrow?”

“
I had no intention of asking any particulars about what my brother does and does not wish for us to do. If we merely wait him out, he will likely forget the entire matter. He won’t wish for everyone at Pemberley to become aware of our mischief.” Georgiana leaned forward on the bed to put her reflection behind her friend’s, who also happened to be her sister. “Besides, was it not you who taught me if both of us are naughty, they won’t punish us both.”

Catherine laughed, seeing a bit of her younger sister Lydia’s personality coming out more and more in Georgiana Darcy. Whether a bit of spunk had already dwelled in Georgiana’s chest, or Kitty had the uncanny ability to bring it out in another, she couldn’t say for sure. But the world around her felt like home the longer she had Georgiana for a confidante.

Kitty pursed her lips and pinched her cheeks, a trick her own mother had taught her to help bring some color to her pale complexion. “Come, if we do not wish any words said to us of reprimand, we ought to reach the dining room before Lizzie and Fitzwilliam.”

Georgiana giggled as she hopped off the bed, and twisted her head to check the back of her dress for any unflattering creases. “Agreed.” The two girls linked arms, and escorted one another down the grand staircase of Netherfield Park with their heads held high and smiles upon their faces.

The dining table was spread with no less than a dozen elegant dishes, displayed as a pure triumph of the cooking staff’s abilities. Realizing they had committed a social sin of presuming the evening’s meal to be less formal, the two girls laughed as Kitty stood in the anchor position to twirl them both around. They exited the dining room and crossed the entryway to enter the open parlor. A handsome man stood pensive, gazing into the fire as the two girls entered stifling their merriment over their mistake. The dark stranger turned his head and offered the girls a charming smile before setting his snifter on the mantle to perform a deep bow.

“
Lord Alphonse du Bergamote, at your service.”

The sheer gallantry of such an introduction stunned both Georgiana and Kitty from speaking, but they immediately curtsied deeply as their sister and brother formally joined the room.

Fitzwilliam Darcy did not appreciate the two younger girls being alone in the parlor with only the Frenchman, but said nothing as all appeared to be a happy accident. Pushing her own consternation aside, Elizabeth Darcy donned her official role as wife and guardian.

“
Have we arrived too early? I remember the Bingleys stating dinner was to be sharply at seven o’clock.” Elizabeth Darcy wondered aloud as the clock on the mantle clearly showed it was ten minutes past the hour.

Lord Bergamote reclaimed his snifter from the mantle and sipped a deep mouthful as he walked closer to the four visitors from London. “My Caroline heartily enjoys the concept of fashionably late. I believe Charles said something about ensuring this evening was not a repeat of the last time you dined at Netherfield, Mrs. Darcy.”

Elizabeth offered a polite response to the French lord’s explanation, wishing with all her might this place did not have such a painful history at every turn. This room was where she learned of the death of her father. The first time Mr. Darcy had shown her kindness. Of course the memories were not so painful for Kitty, and her eyes widened as she remembered the disastrous dinner party from last winter and happily recounted the details to Georgiana.

“
And the plates were in all the wrong places, you see, that we, all of us, picked up a platter and moved it ourselves!” Georgiana laughed though Darcy and Elizabeth frowned over both young girls. Caroline Bingley chose that exact moment to enter the parlor finally attired for dinner that she was hosting.

As Caroline employed her trademark glide with her chin slightly elevated, she sailed right through the visitors from London and attached herself to Lord Bergamote’s side. “Dear, I did tell that silly maid to hurry up, but I’m afraid good help is so hard to find in this backwater country. It is the same as it ever was since Charles took this lease. I hope I have not made you wait too long?”

“
No, Miss Bingley, we were only discussing what a lovely visit we had the last time you hosted us for dinner.” Mrs. Darcy smiled sweetly at her adversary, just as Bingley entered the parlor with visible perspiration on his forehead.

“
Cheers and salutations, you’re all here. I’m happy to announce dinner is served.” The affable Charles Bingley, seeing the other two couples already well matched, offered an arm to each of the two young girls to escort them into dinner. The Darcys moved to follow Charles into the dining room, when a slight cough could be heard behind them from Caroline Bingley. With the practice of decades of social manners, Darcy nonchalantly steered his wife slightly to the right so that the Lord Bergamote and his fiancée could take precedence over the untitled couple entering the dining room.

The sheer magnitude of Caroline Bingley’s airs and rude manners steeled Elizabeth Darcy to make this visit to Hertfordshire as happy and relaxing as she could possibly muster. Caroline had no idea that it was not only the Darcys of the ancient bloodline who possessed a stubbornness of will as deep as the oceans.

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Chapter 8

Sleep eluded Mary Bennet as she woke to the sounds of stirring servants at her aunt and uncle’s house on Gracechurch Street. She shivered as a delightful chill tickled her toes when she tossed and turned, trying to find a way back to her wonderful dreams, and the quilt slid up her person to expose her feet. Her rib cage ached in protest from her rolling over. She winced, remembering the swift kick baby Gardiner managed when Mary turned her attention to the nursemaid for just a moment yesterday afternoon.

With a sigh, she rolled back over and flopped her arms at her sides. The true reason she could not sleep rested solely on putting off a request to her uncle Gardiner. Unless she found her courage, Mary Bennet would most certainly lose the man who preoccupied her thoughts, heart, and nightly apparitions.

Grumbling to herself, Mary sat up in bed and purposefully placed her bare feet on the cold floor to rapidly endure the unpleasantness. Dressing herself in a simple frock, a lump in her throat formed for a moment as she spied the more lovelier gowns she had once donned around town in the company of the Fitzwilliams. With each passing day, those times of joy and flirtations with the Colonel seemed a lifetime away, and the old, serious Mary Bennet threatened to replace the blossoming young woman who had enjoyed her first true taste of the Season.

She heard the stairs creak with a heavy groan that could be none other than the limping gait of her uncle. Rushing through the rest of her toilette, Mary followed him to the dining room where the servants were still preparing platters of food for the household, mostly still abed.

“
My, my Mary. You are lovelier than ever, but this is an early rise, even for you.” Her uncle greeted her, and Mary pecked his cheek without hesitation she once held when she first left her father’s house after his untimely death.

“
Why is it men seem to compliment our dullest gown and hurried toilette as fervently as our more orchestrated efforts for large galas and events? I’m beginning to think any money wasted on a gown is mere frippery and I’m better served at turning my old ones.”

Her uncle raised an eyebrow at the tone and mood of his niece. Mary Bennet had the unfortunate circumstance of once being the overlooked Bennet daughter, but in the last six months a woman courageous enough to support her own opinions and at times, drastic actions, had emerged. Since the summer’s emotional outburst where she confessed witnessing a justifiable homicide and a deep love for the second son of the Earl and Countess of Matlock, Edward Gardiner felt a deep trepidation on every occasion in which he was alone with the young woman.

“
Certainly economy is to be praised, but I hardly think you or your sisters are in any position to require such harsh measures.”

As Mary selected from the fares available for her meal, Edward Gardiner sighed in relief as his wife joined them in the dining room.

“
Are my cousins not to join us?” The two eldest Gardiner children were not of an age one would expect them to dine with the adults, but Madeline and Edward Gardiner were unconventional parents. On a number of occasions, Mary had seen and enjoyed her younger cousins’ company when they were released from the nursery. She had anticipated the children would break their fast with the adults.

“
With a trip soon to Pemberley, I do not wish to raise their expectations at this time. I suspect the nursery is a more formal arrangement at such an estate.”

“
On Pemberley, Madeline I’m afraid –”

“
Edward Gardiner, you promised! There was no prayer of the Lakes this summer with the babe and your accident, and we agreed not to look the opportunity of a holiday askance again.”

“
Yes, and my business does slow in the winter months, but it does not stop. There are deals and arrangements I truly should be here in London to make for next year’s prosperity.”

“
And I’m sure you promise an excursion to the Lakes next summer, am I correct?” Madeline Gardiner placed her hands on her wider hips that were still recovering from the recent birth.

Edward Gardiner poured himself a cup of tea, and pretended to think before he carefully sipped. “Now that you bring it up –”

“
Edward!” Madeline Gardiner’s fury was interrupted by a fit of giggles from her niece. Both of the Gardiners stared at their niece. “I am pleased we amuse you.”

Hastily, Mary covered her mouth with her serviette and apologized once she had her manners under better regulation. “I am afraid though, that I agree with Uncle about his wish to remain in London. Perhaps if he works diligently, we may all enjoy the Lakes as well next summer, in addition to our winter in Derbyshire.”

Mary resumed her meal as her aunt and uncle communicated silently with looks only years of marriage could decipher. After a few moments, her aunt surrendered.

“
I see that I am outnumbered in my argument, so the children and I will enjoy the hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy without you, dear. Now, perhaps, Mary shall tell us whatever it is that she desires since she made all the effort to sit on your good side, Edward.”

Edward Gardiner’s silverware clattered to his plate at the shock of his wife’s perceptions. He had been so convinced that the morning would pass with a pleasant meal, and most importantly, no female histrionics. His hopes faded when Mary Bennet cleared her throat.