Memory: Volume 3, How Far We Have Come, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (71 page)

Bingley sat down beside Abbey and looked at her eagerly.  “Tell me, have you been enjoying yourself?  Did you have a tour of the house yet?  Of the gardens?  I would be glad to show you around.”  He looked to Darcy.  “Would you like to take a walk, Darcy?  You and your bride can continue whatever game you have going on and the adults can enjoy the picturesque diversion of the countryside.” 

“A game?”  Abbey finally recovered from the incredible display of Bingley’s unhidden happiness.  “What sort of game?”

“Heaven alone knows.”  He laughed.  “There, explain yourselves!”

“No, that is our secret.”  Darcy lowered himself to Elizabeth’s side.  “However, Mrs. Lucas’s presence is fortuitous.”

“It is?”  Jane laughed.  “That is a novelty!  What is this about?”

“The three of us,” Darcy waved his hand at the men, “have determined a most brilliant plan.”

“I will not own to it being brilliant until I hear the ladies’ opinions.”  Hurst relaxed and sat next to Louisa. 

“Ohh, now this sounds interesting.”  Elizabeth tilted her head.  “It also sounds like the brilliant plan was not hatched by all three of you.

“I am willing to share credit, my love.  If they do not wish to bask in the glow of your approval . . .”

“Oh please Darcy, quit your bragging and tell them!”  Bingley laughed and looked at Abbey.  “I wonder what you will say.”

“I do as well, please Mr. Darcy, do speak.”

“Jane, would your husband accept help to complete the renovations on your cottage?”

“Help?  In what form?”

“Monetary?”

“No.”

“Labourers, if available?”

“Paid for by anyone other than himself?  No.”  She sighed.  “I am sorry . . .”

“What if it was family doing the work?”

“Family?”  Elizabeth smiled.  “You?  A gentleman labouring?  What would society say?” 

“You know what I think of society, Mrs. Darcy, and if I am to hang, then add in Hurst, Bingley, and the de Bourgh brothers.  Perhaps Robinson.”  He raised his brow when he noted Bingley watching Abbey.  “Your sisters could come and visit, and . . .”

“Be here for the assembly!”  Elizabeth cried and turned to Jane.  “Oh that would be wonderful!”

“Robert mentioned wanting to have a picnic for you at the cottage, we could all gather there when they were finished . . . what did you plan on doing, Mr. Darcy?”  Jane stopped and stared.  “Surely you do not know how to build a home.”

“No more than your husband does, but we could all work on the floor and at least finish clearing it out, something to further it along?  Will he object?”

“No.”  Jane smiled.  “No, he will be shocked and embarrassed, and very grateful, so I think that it should be a surprise.”

“Ambush him!”  Hurst nodded.  “That was my thought.”

“I thought that you did not approve?”  Louisa smiled. 

“I never said that, I said I was waiting to see if you did.”

“I do.”  She looked him up and down.  “Very much.”  Hurst cleared his throat. 

“Good, then we ladies will make sure that you are sustained throughout.”  Elizabeth took Darcy’s hand and squeezed.  He leaned down to give her a gentle kiss.  Mrs. Long’s eyes widened with the display.  “We do not stand on ceremony when we are with family, Mrs. Long, please excuse us.”  She saw Bingley staring at Abbey.  “I wish that we could ask you to participate as well, Miss Martin.”

“I would like to, it is such a good cause, even if I do not really know what it is.”  She smiled at Bingley.

Mrs. Long looked doubtful.  “Mrs. Darcy is correct, these are all married couples, you do not really belong.  I would need to chaperone at the least.”

Bingley responded quickly, “I assure you, madam; Miss Martin is quite safe with us.  She has spent many hours visiting with my sister in town after all, on her own with her father’s consent.”

“I am one and twenty, Aunt.”  Abbey said softly and looked at her beseechingly. 

“Well.”  Mrs. Long looked at the roomful of apparently happy couples and saw the admiration in Bingley’s expression.  “I am sorry, but I must say no. This is a family party.”

“Mrs. Darcy and Mrs. Long are correct; we remain in mourning and cannot socialize so freely just yet.”  Louisa looked at Abbey sadly.  “I am sorry.”

“I understand.”  She smiled to see Bingley’s disappointment.  “I am flattered that you want me, but respect that you hold to your duty to your sister’s memory so faithfully.”

“Thank you.”  Bingley looked down then back up.  “What do you say to that walk now?  Darcy?”  He turned to him.  “You and Mrs. Darcy surely would like to take one?”

“I would.”  Jane got to her feet.  “My back aches and walking would feel good.  Perhaps you might accompany me, Mrs. Long?”

“Where is Lucas?”  Darcy stood and held out his hand for Elizabeth.

“Oh he will be along.  He heard of a small carriage for sale in Langley and dropped me off here on his way to look it over.”  She laughed, “With the baby and us having our own home, he thinks that we need our own carriage as well, I am not sure of the condition, but look he must.”

“He is taking care of his family, good for him.” Darcy nodded.

Elizabeth looked at him carefully.  “What is wrong?  And please do not deny it.”

“Not now.”  He kissed her hand.  “But we do need to talk.”

She touched his temple.  “Does it hurt?”  He shook his head.  “Should I believe you?”  Darcy kissed her hand again and entwining their fingers, followed the rest of the group out to the formal gardens.  No frost had come yet, but the last of the summer flowers would be gone before too much longer. 

Bingley looked at Abbey’s hand on his arm.  “What do you think?”

“Oh, it is breathtaking.”  She smiled and looked back at the house.

“Not Pemberley.”

“No, but would you want it to be?  Why would you want to imitate your friend?  This is quite enough house for anyone.”  She noticed Bingley’s smile and tilted her head.  “What?”

“My sister Caroline wanted me to buy an estate on par with Pemberley.  She would have called this far too small.”

“Did she ever see Pemberley?  If not, she was only desirous of the status, and never appreciated the beauty.  This place is enormous enough to satisfy any woman.”

“Is it too much?”  He looked at her worriedly and seeing her confusion he sighed.  “I once knew a lovely lady who felt very uncomfortable in such an elegant atmosphere; it was too much for her.  She preferred a simpler existence.  Although, now that she is married to the right man, perhaps she would manage such a place very well.”  He shrugged.  “Well, idle speculation never got me anywhere.  I just was wondering.”

Abbey bristled.  “Because I surely did not grow up with anything remotely like this.”

“Neither did I, so do not feel insulted by my question.”  He grinned and her raised hackles lowered.  “Ah, see, I knew you were choosing to be insulted.”

“I was not.”

“Liar.”  He laughed and squeezed her hand slightly.  “Miss Martin, we both have grown up with cotton lint floating around our homes, and we have both benefitted by our fathers’ businesses.  I guess that the question is; how far away from those businesses do you want to be?”

“You mean; the society that you enjoy now?”  She glanced over at Darcy and Elizabeth walking slowly and talking quietly.  “Would I fit in there?”

“Or with the Hursts?”  He watched her.  “I can be anywhere, I think.  I have benefitted enormously by my friendship with Darcy and his family, and I am accepted as part of them.  Where they are, I am welcome, and I look at Darcy as my brother.”

“I am not prepared for where they are.”

“Do you think that you would be capable or desirous of learning the ropes?  Mrs. Darcy was no expert when I first met her, she was an overwhelmed young girl.”  They looked again to see the powerful couple walking together, now silent and clearly lost in thought as they stared ahead at the path. 

“I cannot imagine her being anything but formidable from birth.”

“She would like to know that.”  Bingley sighed and looked down at his boots.  “Miss Martin.  Please tell me your feelings for Mr. Robinson.”

“Feelings?”  She searched his face.  “What do you mean?”

“Should I . . . should I step away and let your friendship develop?  I know that you care for Wallace, and I want Robinson to be happy, especially after the loss of my sister.”  He looked up at her.  “I cannot court you for two more weeks, not the way that I want to.  You have time to consider your feelings, and if he comes here, you may . . .”

“Mr. Bingley, your care and concern are heart warming, both for me and your brother, but he has never expressed any sort of opinion.  I feel his warmth and admiration, but I truly believe it is because I showed concern for his son.”

“Not him?”  Bingley asked softly.

“I like him.”

“oh.”

Abbey groaned.  “
Like
, sir.  You seem determined to be lost.  You forget that I could actually be married by now if I had encouraged my suitors.  Does that mean anything?”

“Of course it does!” 

“It does not seem to.”  She looked away and blinked away the blur in her eyes. “I do not know what else I can do.  For every step forward you take, you move away again.  I . . . I cannot say if I will be like Mrs. Darcy and . . . blend into that society.  I . . . I think that I will be very comfortable in the Hursts’ society.  I do not know what you want me to say.”

“Will you give me your first set at the assembly?”  He said gently.  She turned to look at him.  “And your second, and third . . .”

“Oh.”

Bingley smiled.  “I am a very simple man, Miss Martin.  You have to knock me over the head with a rock sometimes to wring some sense into me.  Speak plainly, do not worry about propriety, believe me, the examples I have before me have done very well with flouting the rules.”  He glanced at the Darcys, Elizabeth was leaning on his shoulder and his arm was around her waist as they walked.  They watched as he brushed his lips over her hair and offered her a handkerchief.  Bingley looked back at Abbey.  “When I am free of this mourning, will you accept my courtship?”

She smiled and sniffed.  “Truly?  No more guessing your intent?”

“No more.”

“And . . . if some more suitable girl comes along?”

“I have not met one yet.”  He produced his handkerchief and she took it to dab at her eyes.  “Have I an answer?” 

Abbey looked at the handkerchief and deliberately placed it within her reticule.  “So much better than a calling card.” 

Bingley laughed.  “I hope I might improve on a square of linen, one day.”

“I do, too.”  They smiled at each other. 

“So that is a yes?”

“I suppose.”  She looked up at the sky.  “If I must.  You will require a great deal of work, though.”

“No doubt.”  Bingley chuckled.  They both released long sighs of relief and looked at each and laughed.  “Now what?” 

“Who is that?”  She pointed. 

“Lucas.”  He grinned.  “And he is after Darcy.”

“You have to see it!”  Lucas grinned.  “It is only three years old, the man who is selling just married and his wife insisted on a new carriage!  I bought it for practically nothing!  Which is a good thing since it is all I can afford!” 

Darcy smiled at his enthusiasm.  “Is it outside?” 

“By the stables!”  He looked around.  “Let me fetch Jane and you can see!” 

“New gentleman’s toy.”  Elizabeth sighed and leaned on Darcy.  “You will of course tell him how brilliant his purchase is.”

“Of course, no matter how impractical.”  He kissed her.  “His first carriage, I think that Jane will look at him doubtfully for choosing a curricle.”

“I think that she will smile at him and roll her eyes at me.”

“Mrs. Hurst?”  A footman appeared.  “There are several carriages in front of the house with ladies disembarking.  Are they expected? Mrs. Nicholls was not sure how to respond to them.”

“No.”  Louisa joined Elizabeth and they peeked at the drive through the trees.  They watched the women talking and gesturing at the house.  “Oh no.  I am not feeling up to this.”  She unconsciously touched her baby and looked at Elizabeth.

Darcy turned to Bingley as the rest of their party joined them.  “Prepare yourself.”

“For what?”  He stood along with his friend and looked at the drive.

“The ladies will claim a desire to visit your sister, but they are here to see you.” 

“Why me?”  Everyone turned to stare at him expressively.  “Oh, I am in want of a wife.”  Blushing, he glanced at Abbey whose face turned just as red.

“Please have some refreshments prepared, some more tea, whatever is on hand.”  Louisa ordered the waiting servant then turned to Elizabeth.  “Please help me.”

“I am glad to, and the first thing you will do is tell your staff that you are not available.  You did not invite these people; you do not have to entertain them.  I suspect that they overheard at church that Miss Martin and Mrs. Long were invited today and thought that they should try to stake their claim to your favour.  Those brief introductions after services gave them supposed license to visit.”

“But I
should
greet them?”

“Do you truly want to?  You are hosting a great number of guests already, invited ones.”  Elizabeth raised her brow.  “Make a statement, Mrs. Hurst.  If you wish to greet them, limit it to a half-hour and be called by your staff to attend other business.  I will come with you if that is the case.”

“I will go with you, Elizabeth.”  Darcy bent to her ear.  “I can see that you are tired.  I would prefer that you refrain.”

“No dear, they do not need to gawk at you, and if you appear so must Mr. Bingley.”  She caressed his cheek. 

He sighed.  “I have travelled this road; it makes one grateful for reaching the end at last.”  Looking down to see her smile, he laughed softly.  “The road that brought me home.”  He kissed and embraced her.  “All or nobody.” 

“Louisa, you are too tired.  Send them away.”  Hurst declared and turned to the footman.  “Inform Mrs. Nicholls that we are not at home to visitors, but we expect to issue an invitation another time.  Take their names and see them out.”

“Yes, sir.”  The footman turned towards the house.