Mr Darcy's Fight for Love, page 8
“Not quite. Tacitly we decided to go slower towards a new relationship. It was more an allusion to my intentions. I was ready to tell him my feelings were changed and I accepted his courtship. But that never happened as the viscount literally dragged us from the glass hall to your parlour, telling us you were searching for me.”
“I was not!” Sophie exclaimed. “I asked your mother if she knew where you were, that was all. But it could be possible that the viscount heard our conversation.”
“Yes, but that means he had the intention to find us…This is the odd part, all evening long I was between Mr Darcy and the viscount, and they both tried to capture my attention. It was a fight, Sophie! In the beginning, I was flattered by their attention, but in the end, in the glass hall, I became worried. There was something out of control about this competition between them, as it was not just about me. The viscount was oddly eager to have us back in the parlour—an intruder wholly inconsiderate about our conversation. I did not like him at all, but on the other hand, I did not like Mr Darcy’s response, which became so angry that I was afraid they would end up fighting. My interest in either of them just attenuated and I am so sorry. I wanted so much to make progress with Mr Darcy.”
“But, Elizabeth, you still can. Do not judge Mr Darcy after just one meeting. Maybe he had motives to be angry.”
“This is not all. At the end of the evening, when we said goodbye, Mr Darcy told me—instead of any affectionate greetings—to take care because the viscount was dangerous. And again I did not like the way he behaved. He seemed a jealous man blaming a possible rival.”
“But that may be the situation. He loves you, and he feels he is losing you again.”
“I know, but in that case, he was not at all elegant in trying to defame his rival…He was just an angry man who saw his plans failing.”
Elizabeth was silent for a long moment, but the story was far from ended.
“What about the viscount?” Sophie asked. “Did you like him better?”
“I do not know…he is so different from any man I have met. I think that is the reason I enjoy being with him.”
“He certainly is, Lord Devonshire is a London bird. I doubt he ever leaves London, and these gentlemen are a different species. They are interested only in mundanities and fashion and gossip while people like Mr Darcy usually administrate their estates; they take good care of their employees, and are always travelling between London and their estates…”
Sophie stopped talking.
“Do not stop, Sophie; I am so interested in what you are saying, why did you stop?” Elizabeth asked in haste.
“Because this might be a misconception or prejudice. I do not know how London society is nowadays, and surely I do not have the right to judge based on my memories.”
“So you do not know anything about Lord Devonshire?”
“No, but we can find out!” Sophie said with a very determined voice. “We should go to my friend Lady Roxanne Russell, the one who was near me at dinner.”
Elizabeth did not remember at all the lady who stood near Sophie. She had been more interested in the adorable glances between Sophie and Lord Montrose, who was seated on Sophie’s other side.
“Never mind,” Sophie said, “it is not important to remember her. I will order the carriage and in one hour we could be ready to go!”
“Uninvited?” Elizabeth asked.
“My dear, at this moment you, or any of your sisters, can go to any house in London. They all have their doors opened to you.”
Chapter 15
Lady Russell received them with the broadest possible smile and a secret determination to find out as many details as possible about the duke’s wedding.
She lived in a new and beautiful house in St. James’s Square.
“Near Lord Castlereagh,”[1] she told them when Sophie complimented her on the house.
With each day that passed, Elisabeth was aware of the immense change that had taken place in their lives. Only some two months ago Bingley’s sisters were hardly speaking to them and now she or Jane could enter the most prestigious houses in London.
It was amazing but she was sometimes overwhelmed by this life. It was not the luxury or the wealth that scared her but the mere fact that they shared a different kind of existence. For Elizabeth Bennet from Hertfordshire, they were complete strangers. She remembered her father speaking with uncle Gardiner about Lord Castlereagh in the context of war. Still, she could not say anything about his family or the way they lived. And now she was just two houses away from his home meeting a lady who, most probably, often visited there. The Regent or Lord Castlereagh were not quite like real people as seen in Hertfordshire. She was afraid she could not handle the change. However, just as Sophie told her the people they met treated her like one of their own.
They sat in a cosy and intimate parlour, Lady Russel’s private room just near her bedroom. She was wearing an exquisite dressing gown with a long trail, more fitted to a ballroom. Cut from rustling silk it made her look like a princess and not like a woman who did not take her breakfast—as she said—while inviting them to join her in the dining room.
“Lord Russell departs in the morning at inconceivable hours,” she said like a sort of excuse that she took breakfast at noon.
“And the children?” Sophie asked.
“The boys are at Eton and Virginia is with her grandparents in Bath,” Lady Russell answered with an indifferent smile.”
“What about you, my ladies?” she asked. “How are you preparing for the great event?”
“Roxanne dear, I am so happy for Thomas’s return to the life that each day is a happy event. As for his wedding, it will take place in Saint Paul’s Cathedral,” Lady Sommershire replied cheerfully looking at Elizabeth who approved.
“What about the guest list?”
Elizabeth was also interested as few details were known even by the family.
“Thomas decided to have a small family gathering. Only close family are invited, but he promised that this season we will also have a party.”
Elizabeth admired the way Sophie was leading the conversation. She offered some insignificant details about the duke and Mary and only when they returned to the parlour did she attack the problem they came for. She began by talking about the people who attended the dinner. They chatted about one or another when, as by chance, she said, “Lord Devonshire was rather insistent to gain Miss Bennet’s favours.”
And she added at once, “Tell us more about Lord Devonshire. Miss Bennet and her sister are staying in my house and I want to know everything about the gentlemen who are courting them.”
It was meant to be an inoffensive conversation, but its result took Elizabeth and Sophie by surprise. They looked on in shocked astonishment at Lady Russell completely losing her composure. It was like a volcano had exploded in her chest, spreading incandescent lava. Even her ears were so red that Elizabeth feared she would faint on the sofa. She could hardly breathe but tried very hard to regain her senses.
After a long time, she whispered, “Please excuse me, I do not feel well, it is probably because of the breakfast.”
They left the house after a brief greeting, totally inappropriate for the previous friendship they displayed only minutes ago.
Just arrived in the carriage they looked at each other with unfeigned curiosity, “What was that?” Sophie asked. “It is the first time in my life to see such a reaction.”
They travelled in silence for some minutes, but the situation was too odd not to discuss further. The truth was apparent to them, but neither dared to name it.
“I hope I am wrong, but Lady Russell’s strange reaction was not because of a rotten egg…” Sophie said.
“No,” Elizabeth agreed, but she could not say more.
“It is about Lord Devonshire…” Sophie whispered although they were alone in a carriage on the streets of London.
They could not know the truth, yet they both guessed what had happened.
“I cannot believe it; Roxanne seemed a happy woman. She always talked about her husband with admiration…and she has three beautiful children…But of course, we do not know what is really going on in their house.”
“However, we had an indirect answer about Lord Devonshire,” Elizabeth said with a strange preoccupied voice.
“It looks like we did. You have to know that in London it is not so rare for a married woman to have a…” Sophie said, “you would be surprised…”
Elizabeth was surprised, she thought of her mother or her aunt, of all the women she had ever known, so committed to their families and husbands. But then she thought at Lydia and her certainty about wrong and right was shattered into thin air. There were all kinds of women and all sorts of circumstances. But Lord Devonshire was a man unlike any she had ever met before.
∞∞∞
“Lord Devonshire was here an hour ago, madam,” the maid informed Sophie while handing her some messages on a tray.
The first message was from the viscount, informing her that he had stopped to thank her and the Duke of Sommershire for last night’s invitation to the engagement party.
Sophie gave Elizabeth the message, “He is quite interested in us…or you!”
She rang again for the maid, “Who did Lord Devonshire ask to see, Maggie?”
The maid did not hesitate, “His Lordship asked to see you and Miss Bennet…Miss Elizabeth,” she said, looking at Elizabeth, “but when I informed him, you were not home, he asked to see His Grace, so I called for Scott who kindly refused to disturb His Grace.”
Scott was the duke’s butler.
“My God, the viscount is hovering around us. I do not know what he really wants,” Sophie spoke while looking at the other messages. “I have some messages for you, my dear,” she continued while they both sat to read.
The first was from the viscount and made Elizabeth slightly blush. Most probably the viscount was Lady Russell’s…lover. She had problems even thinking without blushing about that situation which happened more often than she could imagine. Yet in her inner self, she could not say that Lord Devonshire had entirely scandalized her.
Dear Miss Bennet,
It was an exquisite pleasure to be in your company last night.
I would be most honoured to see you again on an occasion of your choice.
As Sophie was looking at her with much curiosity, Elizabeth handed her the letter, “Is he inviting me to visit him?” she asked with an outraged voice. “What do you understand from that?”
Sophie read the letter and nodded, “Yes, I received almost the same message from him. He is inviting us to return his morning call. It is highly unusual to invite two unmarried women. I am not, yet, a venerable dame who does not need a chaperone.”
“He is audacious and disrespectful!”
“He is rather worried that he cannot come here uninvited so he hopes he will see you in other circumstances.”
“Me?” Elizabeth said.
“Of course, it is about you! The question is, do you want to see him?” And she showed the other letter that she held in her hand. It was from Darcy. Elizabeth had one too. Only, that afternoon, instead of opening Darcy’s letter first, she rushed to open the viscount’s message.
“Mr Darcy is inviting all of us to dinner, most probably your parents received one too. A formal, decent invitation, no question about.”
Sophie glanced at the letters in her hands, “One from the viscount the other from the man you liked…until yesterday.”
“I still like him, Sophie!” Elizabeth exclaimed, but her voice was less decided than the words. “But we don't know anything for sure about the viscount, yet.”
Chapter 16
Jane was so excited when she came back from Mr Bingley’s that from the door she cried to Elizabeth and Sophie, “It is official, my father also agreed, I will marry Charles!”
She sat down, incapable of restraining her happiness, “It was the most delightful breakfast in my life. We decided to marry soon, after Mary and Lord Sommershire, maybe two weeks after… and we will depart immediately for Netherfield.”
She continued to speak of her happiness, so adorable that she filled the room with her perfect state of mind.
“And Mama was so happy she nearly cried…as for Papa—you know him—he just looked at me. It was enough to feel how pleased he was.”
“His sisters were also present…” she stopped for the first time since her arrival.
“What is it, my dear?” Elizabeth asked, slightly worried. “Were they mean to you?”
“No,” Jane replied. “They were nice, even gracious about our marriage…”
“But then?”
“When I went to refresh, I overheard a strange conversation between Charles’s sisters. They did not know I could hear them. Caroline was saying to Louisa in an insinuating tone, ‘Did you hear that our dear Elizabeth was at the table near Viscount Devonshire?’ and they both laughed. I felt so angry they continued to speak about you, although I did not understand why they were enjoying the news. Then I thought that maybe he is a despicable person…ruining your reputation…” Jane stopped again and blushed, her eyes fixed on Sophie, “I am sorry,” she said, “I am sure that all persons who come to your house are respectable!”
Elizabeth and Sophie glanced at each other. Jane had to know their worries regarding Lord Devonshire.
“Let’s say, my dear, that I hardly know the people from the Ton. In the last seven years, we did not receive any important news from outside. People change and reputations are easily shattered.”
“But we suspect there is something peculiar about the viscount. We need to know much more about him,” Elizabeth said, “I agree that I liked him and envisaged meeting him in the future. But that was before my confidence in him was somehow challenged.”
Jane nodded, “I am sure Charles’s sisters know much more, their principal activity is gossip. Unfortunately, we cannot question them, but I can ask Charles as he will come this evening to see my parents.”
She was somewhat embarrassed; Charles Bingley came only for her. However, she did not dare to claim his interest.
“Do not worry,” Sophie said, “we will know much more this evening. Thomas invited Lord Montrose to spend some time with us and he will arrive before dinner.”
Mr and Mrs Bennet were hosted in a beautiful apartment in the west wing of the palace. They had a parlour and a dining room. The duke encouraged them to feel at home, to receive guests and stay as long as they wanted. “Perpetually,” he even said to Mr Bennet, who was becoming one of the few people who was invited to dine with him and Mary.
Mrs Bennet agreed that the duke needed time to return to life and they were eager to help him in any way they could. It was an indirect way of giving his consent to the peculiar situation that reigned in Sommershire Palace. Secretly he was not happy about his daughter and the duke spending almost all their time alone. Still, he decided to hide his anxieties and accept that Mary knew what she was doing.
“Do you see any harm in this arrangement?” Mr Bennet asked Mrs Bennet.
Mrs Bennet looked at her husband cautiously, for once she wanted to be sure that her answer would cause no harm. “What arrangement?” she asked, watching Mr Bennet attentively. She could see he was embarrassed and finally understood what his question meant.
“You are worried about Mary being too close to the duke before marriage?” she asked and saw Mr Bennet’s agitation but he did not say a word.
“Do not worry, my dear, they had never been alone in the house and the fact that they study and eat alone it is not such a problem.”
It was an excellent answer, still he just wanted to see Mary married and only then he would regain his peacefulness.
∞∞∞
With Lord Montrose also coming, Sophie invited all her guests to celebrate Jane and Mr Bingley’s engagement.
It was a joyful gathering meant to wish a happy life to the most adorable couple. Even the duke participated, proving the family and friend were important for him, too.
“Mary and I decided to spend our honeymoon in Bath and Brighton and to take Kitty with us—if Mr and Mrs Bennet agree.”
“What a good surprise,” Mrs Bennet exclaimed, happy that Kitty would finally be received at Sommershire Palace.
Only Mr Bennet did not look happy with such a proposition. Until Mary, who was seated near him, laid a hand on his arm and whispered, “Father, she will not embarrass our family; you can have confidence in me!” Her tone was so firm that Mr Bennet stared at her, astonished how little he knew his daughter. Every day she was becoming a determined young woman, fully prepared to assume her new role as Duchess of Sommershire. He kissed her hand in a sign of approval, relieved that Kitty also was on a safe way to a dignified life and, maybe, to a successful marriage.
His only worry was now Elizabeth, who had been unusually silent all dinner long. A day before he followed her glow seated between that arrogant Mr Darcy and a jovial young man, Viscount Devonshire, who had led her to the table. Mr Bannet wondered what could have happened to rip away the light from Lizzy’s face.
Elizabeth was restless; she barely waited for the dinner to finish and to meet Sophie and Jane—hoping that at least one of them would know more about the viscount.
And indeed it was Sophie to come with news, her red cheeks told a whole story about the emotion the Marquess of Montrose brought to her table.
“My dear, it is not about me,” she said in haste, “I am happy to have Andrew here, of course, but he told me some perturbing news about the viscount. In fact, we decided that he would select from now on the people we can meet. It seems the viscount is still received in many houses, but he has a horrible reputation when it comes to young wives or daughters…”
“Oh, my God!” Elizabeth exclaimed, looking at Jane. She still hoped Jane had better news. Mr Bingley said nothing about the present but told her a story that took place, years ago, between Darcy and the viscount. With his well-known delicacy, Mr Bingley said there was animosity—even hostility between the two of them.”
