Mr Darcy's Fight for Love, page 3
Elizabeth and Jane exchanged a smile; they did not need words. If any of them was in that situation, a question would have instantly arisen—“Who was accompanying you and the gentleman all this time?”
For Mary, it was not necessary as she was unaware of being a young woman…but that state of things might have changed.
It was late in the evening when a message came creating a stir in the parlour as usually, only bad news travelled at night. Mr Gardiner took the letter but gave it to Mrs Gardiner, he did not want to spoil his perfect day, yet the exclamation from his wife made him take it back in haste.
“Incredible,” he said, handing the message to Elizabeth.
“Speak, in God’s holy name,” Mrs Bennet shouted.
“The Duke of Sommershire invites us all, your family and ours,” Mr Gardiner said, addressing Mrs Bennet, “to spend a week at their home.”
And he let himself fall into the armchair, incapable of restraining his excitement.
“What does it mean?” Mrs Bennet asked still not understanding.
“It means, Mama,” Jane said in a high tone, “that in a short time, Mr Bingley will not ignore my presence in London anymore!”
Everybody looked at her; it was her way of saying that such an honour will have consequences for all of them. For Mr Gardiner’s work—certainly—but also for them as a family and for their reputation. Being invited to spend time at Sommershire estate meant they were received in one of the most distinguished houses of London…of England.
“And Mary sleeps now like a baby,” Jane said with much tenderness.
They still thought of her like a girl not yet arrived at her maturity.
“My dears,” Mrs Bennet spoke, the first of them who was back on the ground, “we have to transform Mary into a young lady and unveil for her what life is for an adult. Jane, Lizzy, you are going to take care of her, and in the morning we will choose new dresses and outfits for her; she must look like an attractive young woman.”
“Mama!” Elizabeth cried with rapprochement.
“Not a word young lady!” her mother answered. “Mary is a young woman and that is what the duke has seen in her; they are not children anymore even if they still believe they are.”
“Maybe they are just friends,” Jane said, shocked by her mother’s intentions.
“There is never only friendship between a man and a woman,” Mrs Bennet concluded and Elizabeth had to agree.
She remembered Mr Darcy and their intricate relationship that certainly was not just friendship. She wondered as Jane said earlier if that new connection would influence Mr Darcy’s attitude. Would he be astonished that her family—one he openly despised—was now received in one of the best houses of the Ton? She understood so well Jane, whose first thought had been to Mr Bingley. It was so sad that love seldom mattered and regarding marriage, there were always other interests. For the two sisters, one thing was clear: Mary would never do anything their mother dreamed of unless she wanted to. But after that day, they were no longer sure what Mary wanted.
Chapter 4
Thomas could hardly sleep. Early in the morning, he came out of his rooms in search of his aunt, eager to find out how they were preparing for the visit.
The letter had departed less than an hour after Mary’s carriage left the Sommershire estate—so impatient was Thomas to have them back…to have Mary back. He would have invited the whole of London to have her among the people coming.
They sat on the small sofa, in Sophie’s parlour, the same place where they had spent so many sad days and grieving evenings.
“It is a year now since I decided to come back…I wanted to live, but I did not know what to do. I tried to speak to you, but I did not succeed.”
It was true, Sophie had seen a kind of change, but she could hardly hope—he smiled from time to time and asked about the renovation, he even visited the front park or the forest. Sophie always had an eye on him and her best day in years had been when he talked to a worker. But she never imagined this new development. In only one day, Mary Bennet made him live again.
“Mary arrives this afternoon,” he said for the tenth time as if Sophie would not have known. “I want to be sure she has the best room and she will find flowers and plenty of books.”
“My dear,” Sophie gently said, tapping him on his forearm, “You should let Miss Bennet choose her books.”
“She may, of course, I just want to offer her a few books, as a gift!”
Sophie tried to hide her smile but that young man, who had spent all his adolescence locked in his apartment, was less unskilful than she imagined.
“I am not offering her jewellery…they are just the books she could not have.”
“Of course, my dear, but be calm, she has the most beautiful apartment…”
“Next to mine!” Thomas interrupted her.
"Yes, close enough. You must understand that her mother accompanies Miss Bennet and there are certain rules regarding young men and women living under the same roof…"
“I know, Sophie; I will not burst in her rooms. I only want to imagine her close…”
Suddenly he blushed while Sophie tried to look elsewhere so as not to embarrass him. He was discovering he was no longer a boy. Unfortunately, she was not the most appropriate person to discuss the changes. All those changes, in fact, that had come so unexpectedly that she did not know how to react. She was not prepared for such a dramatic transformation in only a few days from a grieving boy to an adult.
“I am so nervous!” he said.
“It is normal and it is good to be nervous…you do like Miss Bennet,” Sophie replied, somewhat hesitantly.
“Yes, she is wonderful, so much more educated than I am. I will have to make a huge effort to be like her.”
“You only have to open your eyes and heart; as for education, you have had strong instruction even if you acquired it at home.”
“I know, but she lives among her numerous family, she knows so much more about life than I do.”
Sophie tried not to smile; she hardly imagined Mary Bennet to be much more evolved than her nephew. However, she was so happy that he finally found an interest in the real world and, maybe, a gate to escape his solitude. The peculiar girl was as unworldly as he was; her great advantage was her family who did not let her alienate herself permanently.
“Did she tell you about her family?” Sophie asked.
“Yes, about her sisters and her father. She likes her father a lot, but she is rather afraid of her mother; she is not mean… but she keeps on scolding everybody and continuously talks about marriage.”
Sophie had to hide a smile again. “If you invite them here, you will have to face her…after all, Mrs Bennet is Miss Mary’s mother. I doubt she would permit you to dine alone.”
For once, Sophie had an ally and she intended to take advantage of it. Sophie's wish to make a life for Thomas was so great that she was determined even to conquer Mrs Bennet for her purposes. Sophie of Sommershire had a secret dream: Thomas to have a life of his own—a happy one—while she would continue her life from the day the disaster interrupted it, seven years ago. There was a dear man who had waited for her all those years. Now that the Bennet family was invited to spend some time in their house she would also ask Andrew Kerr, the Marquess of Montrose…for at least a dinner.
“I asked Mary to tell me everything about her family. I find it interesting to know so many stories…I could never imagine that life is so strange.”
“You have to find it for yourself, my dear, and I think it is the right moment to begin.”
Her heart sang, listening to her dear boy speaking so happily.
“It is also my belief, I think I can forget the tragedy, I need to be the Duke of Sommershire. Papa would have wanted me to continue his work.”
“Yes, Thomas! It is exactly what your father would have wanted for you, to live, be happy and take our family’s traditions further. I am happy you decided to end your mourning.”
“Mary said the same that I am not guilty of what happened…”
“Of course you are not, my dear! How many times did I repeat that to you?”
He needed the young girl to tell him just once, like a spell and he believed all that she said. And it seemed she knew what to say to him.
"I told her old stories about my brother and sister. But they were little children’s stories while she told me real-life events…That Miss Jane, her elder sister, is sorrowful because a certain man appeared to love her while, in the end, he did not continue their relationship. That is why they came to London. But it seems—Mary knows for sure—that it was the fault of a friend of his who persuaded him that Miss Jane was not good enough to be his wife…What a strange story! I did not like it at all. How is it possible to let a friend decide in your place? And above all, how could a friend be so intrusive? When they arrive, please find out the name of that gentleman and invite him here. I will tell him she is wonderful…"
“Do you want to do a thing like that?” Sophie asked in amazement. Until a day ago he barely supported his tutor or the maids, and now he wanted to become a matchmaker.
“Oh yes, anything to make Mary appreciate me. I suppose she would be happy to see her sister happy again.”
“But maybe that gentleman did not like her. It is impossible to change one’s feelings.”
“No, I think Mary is right; she told me that gentleman is very kind and devoted to his friend.”
“And will you be present at that dinner?” Sophie asked, secretly hoping that her Marquess of Montrose could also be present that evening.
“I do not think so, but you will invite other people, and my absence will not be noticed.”
Sophie looked at him, she had to be very careful not to impose too many changes at once. He needed to pace his life at his own rhythms…or the ones Miss Mary would impose. She would be the only one capable of making him wish to live again.
“You are wrong, my dear, they are coming mostly to see you; your absence will be amply observed.”
“I cannot promise I will be ready in the next days, but I intend to live normally and to have friends and parties in our home.”
For Sophie, it was enough.
Chapter 5
In Gardiner’s house, preparations for the departure took almost all morning. First dressed and with little to do, Mary looked at the agitation with an amused eye. For once, she was not hidden in a corner. Her attitude was rather benevolent although she could not understand why her family endured considerable agitation for a twenty-mile trip. Happy to see Thomas, she dreamed of his apartment where they could be alone. She hoped he had the power to keep everyone out of his ‘realm.’
Between hurrying up the maids and complaining about how few dresses they had, Mrs Bennet tried all morning to tell Mary how to behave.
"Poor Mary," Elizabeth said, "I think she does not understand what is going on. In truth she had never realised what was going on around her and suddenly all the fuss is now because of her."
“Are you worried about her, about the way she behaves in society?” Jane asked.
Elizabeth was not worried about Mary but about Mrs Bennet. She remembered all the circumstances when her mother did not succeed in finding a way to communicate with strangers.
“We have never met such a grand lady as Lady Sommershire nor a duke,” she told Jane while trying on a dress.
“I know, I have the same worries,” Jane whispered. The two sisters were so close that a mere glance was enough to understand each other. “Maybe we should talk to uncle Gardiner.”
“I could not,” Elizabeth said. “She is, after all, our mother! Besides, our uncle is so delicate he would never intervene in such a situation, even if he were embarrassed. I hope that Mama understands the situation and she will not make any inappropriate remarks about marriage…or other subjects.”
“Unfortunately, from the first moment she found out about Mary, she imagined her already married to the duke!”
They smiled; it was difficult to picture their sister in any other circumstance besides reading in the corner of the house or park. Both Elizabeth and Jane looked amazed at the young lady—adequately dressed and with an elegant bun—who was waiting for them inside the carriage. The change was evident. The girl from a few days ago metamorphosed into a young lady ready to go on an unexpected adventure. Yet she did not seem anxious or afraid; she was well composed, smiling with an attitude that was also new.
It was a noisy ride. They all spoke at the same time sure that this was the highest honour the family had ever received.
“Till now,” Mrs Gardiner said, “the dinner at Pemberley has been the most memorable event for me, but now…it is beyond my imagination, and all because of Mr Gardiner.” She smiled and lovingly caressed her husband’s hand.
“Well, I should say that it is mostly to Mary’s credit; such an invitation means that he has strong intentions regarding her…” Mrs Bennet tried to speak more, but to the general amazement, Mary almost cried, “Stop, please stop! If you say those words or others like that in their presence I swear I will run away and you will never find me!”
They all looked at her, in one way or another everyone was worried by Mrs Bennet’s way of expressing things. However, they would never dare to be so direct and firm. “Please control every word you say to Lady Sommershire or the duke. The only reason we are going to Sommershire is that Thomas needs a friend. It is compassion, Mama, not marriage. We are going there, all of us, to help him overcome his solitude and pain and fears. It is an honour to do that not because he is a duke but because he is a human being who has suffered tremendously.”
Elizabeth took Mary into her arms and kissed her on the temple, “I am so proud of you, my dear!”
“Yes,” Mrs Gardiner said, "we all are, I confess that I did not know that under the quiet girl lay such a compassionate and dedicated person. Indeed we are going to Sommershire to help the duke and we will agree to behave the way Lady Sommershire will ask us.”
Mr Gardiner nodded with much determination.
“I will take this time to work on the house, and probably I will have to take some trips if you are going to stay there as long as the duke needs.”
But Mrs Bennet was hard to convince, “I did not expect you to speak to me in this tone!” she proffered with an offended voice.
“And I did not expect you to treat my kindness to the duke as if I did it for any other reason than compassion!”
Exasperated, Mrs Bennet, rolled her eyes while she almost cried, “I only want your happiness, and all I receive from you is this kind of treatment. Look at Lydia, she is married and living with her husband while you...all three of you!”
“My dear sister!” It was Mr Gardiner’s turn to temper her. “That is exactly what we would like not to discuss in their presence. Lydia’s story can hardly be considered a success! And let us pray that the news from Newcastle that forced your husband take that trip to the North is not disastrous…once again.”
∞∞∞
A month ago Kitty was invited to spend some time in Newcastle, where Lydia lived with her husband. Just arrived, she wrote a frantic letter to her father asking him to come and take her home. They barely understood what had happened as she gave few details, but Mr Bennet left in haste. They were still waiting for a letter with an explanation.
“Kitty is a whimsical young girl who does not even know what she wants. After begging us to let her go now, she wants to return,” Mrs Bennet said with a less determined tone. She was slightly worried but could not reveal that even before her close family.
“You treat me as if I do not know how to behave in society,” she continued.
Jane and Elizabeth looked at each other with a smile they tried to hide. Only Mrs Gardiner saw and she attempted a stern face, but then she smiled too.
"Mother," Mary said, "you know how to behave. You do not know what to say, and many times you put us in an embarrassing situation, with your marriage ideas."
It was such an accurate description of the situation that everybody was silent while Mrs Bennet exploded, “You, ungrateful creature! Are you complaining about me? What about you, a young woman who, most of the times, is dressed like a maid, who does not speak or dance or be kind to the people around?”
“Well, mother,” Mary said with a strange expression on her face, “that could change in a short while!”
And indeed the young woman who got out of the carriage was unrecognizable. She looked elegant in Jane’s dress and her smile was so happy that the duke nearly fainted. Fortunately, he was looking only at her, aware only of her presence. Otherwise, he would be terrified as it was the first time in many years for him to receive such a gathering. His presence on the palace’s steps was Sophie’s personal victory. After an endless discussion, that morning ended in the decision to receive the guests if Sophy would find a way to let him be alone with Mary until dinner.
Mary completed the few steps to him, while Sophie presented the others from a distance helped by Elizabeth and before they could proffer a word the two young people disappeared. Mrs Bennet wanted to say something. However, Jane discreetly took her hand while Lady Sommershire spoke with a slight blush in her cheeks, “His Grace’s tutor is waiting for them in the library.”
She was neither accustomed to lying nor to calling Thomas—His Grace. But she decided to call him that as a way to establish a sort of distance by which Mary and Thomas would have more liberty than usual. While the lie was a little one, the tutor was indeed in the library, but nobody knew he had an office there, separate from it, where he prepared his lessons. So he was in the library, but in fact, he was not present in the same place.
Mary and Thomas disappeared into the house long before the others finished the introductions. As soon as they entered the vast hall they started to laugh, unaware the people outside could hear them—they were just two happy young people together again.
On the palace’s stairs, they stood still for some moments before going inside. Lady Sommershire hid her emotion on Elizabeth’s shoulder in a gesture of confidence and friendship; it was the way they were received— like saviours.
