A Constant Love: A Pride & Prejudice Continuation, page 18
Elizabeth had been waiting for an opportunity to release him from town, and here it was. It had the added benefit of perhaps easing his mind on the Corn Bill, which she knew would continue to wear on him until it was clear whether it would pass or not.
“Why do you not go to Pemberley instead? We can manage without you for a week or two. I am sure you would prefer to look in on the estate before the summer.”
The idea clearly appealed to him; his countenance brightened, and he said: “Are you quite certain? It would be very good to go, just for a little while. I could sit down with Richardson and settle our contingency plans, and I do not want my tenants to think I’ve become an absentee landlord.”
“Go, Darcy. Mrs. Annesley and I will be here, and we have plenty of friends in town. I will miss you, but we will be fine without you for a little while.”
They fixed on him leaving Tuesday or Wednesday next, dependent on the weather, and then Elizabeth settled back into the phaeton to enjoy the ride as much as she could. He could not relax, driving a team of horses with the park as crowded as it was, but Elizabeth was free to watch Georgiana, whom she had never seen ride before. The girl’s tall stature made her and Grace stand out among the other ladies as she rode, several horse lengths ahead of the phaeton in a small gap in the crowd of riders. Elizabeth watched as Georgiana was signalled by an acquaintance up ahead, and saw that it was Captain Stanton.
“Well that was quite fortuitous timing,” she said.
“What do you mean?”
Elizabeth pointed them out; they had moved off to the side of the path, among the trees, and were talking. Darcy attempted to steer the phaeton there, but there were too many riders in the way, and he had to circle back around in order to join them.
They all exchanged greetings and the usual civilities, and Georgiana filled them in that Captain Stanton, had, like them, seen the break in weather and determined it would be a good day for a ride; he had borrowed one of his uncle’s horses and come out to the park.
“I imagine it has been some time since you have ridden,” Elizabeth said.
“Indeed, I am fairly certain he gave me his most gentle mount, and I still find I am quite out of practise,” he said. “I have been giving some consideration to purchasing my own horse, now that the peace is here.”
“Charles Bingley and I were considering going to Tattersalls on Monday,” Darcy told him. “No particular reason; Charles and I just enjoy seeing good horses. Should you like to come with us, and perhaps give us a true purpose?”
“I would be honoured. I certainly would benefit from having two better judges of horseflesh with me,” Captain Stanton said.
“I am sure you are much more used to judging ships than horses,” Elizabeth said, pleased that Darcy had extended the invitation, although not sure that it would be the most enjoyable day for poor Captain Stanton. Aside from any manner of interrogation he would undergo, Charles and her husband could talk about horses for hours on end, if so indulged, which was why they were encouraged to go to Tattersalls periodically, to keep such conversation where it belonged.
“You are very correct there, Mrs. Darcy. Although I will note that Grace and your pair on the phaeton seem to be very fine animals.”
Georgiana could not help but think of Lord Alfred and Gambit at this moment. She wondered if he had taken the horse with him to the North; solitary rides would be considered acceptable while in mourning, and he would have few other opportunities to be out of doors. Did he go for long rides around the estate and survey the grounds that were to be his some day?
The party all agreed to continue on through the park, allowing Georgiana and Captain Stanton to ride together, ahead of the phaeton. She was pleased to discover that he had again been modest in his assessment of his riding skills; he rode well, particularly for one who had not been on horseback much in the last five years, although certainly he was not such a good rider as Lord Alfred.
There should of course be no doubt that the gentleman also noted the skill of the lady as they rode along. She sat Grace beautifully at the canter and even the trot, and although the horse was restive from lack of exercise and required a firm hand, Georgiana had no difficulty controlling her and conversing as they went along. The Fandango was again their topic of discussion, both were all excitement in discussing when Georgiana and Mary might be ready to play it for the musical club.
Chapter 26
They had not seen Lady Catherine for some time, as she had made a trip back to Rosings, but she was there at St. George’s on Sunday, striding up the aisle and taking a seat beside her brother, with only time for a few words to Lord Brandon before the service began.
Thus they all said their greetings to her after church was completed, but then the family group split into two – Elizabeth, Darcy, and the Fitzwilliams had not seen each other for a little while, and lingered behind at their seats, while Lady Catherine, Mrs. Annesley, and the young ladies made their way down the aisle and out to wait for the carriages.
“I have heard a most outrageous rumour!” Lady Catherine exclaimed, storming out of the church doors. “Viscount Burnley is to be married to some nobody, a Miss Foster. I had it from Lady Denham, and she knows all of the ladies in the country with a portion of ten thousand pounds or more, which this Miss Foster certainly does not have.”
They were all of them shocked, but only Georgiana felt a rush of the strangest feeling. She could not understand how he could come to be engaged while in mourning, how he could come to be engaged when he had shown her such attention, such partiality, and she felt her eyes filling with tears.
“If it is a rumour, then it is only that,” Mrs. Annesley said, firmly. “There is nothing this town loves more than a rumoured engagement, and a great many of those I have heard did not turn out to be true. The elder brother’s death drew a certain amount of unfortunate attention to the family. I would not be surprised if the rumour stems from that.”
“Lady Denham is an excellent source,” Lady Catherine said. “She is not one of your rumour-mongers, prattling on with idle gossip.”
“I understand,” Mrs. Annesley said. “However, he is in mourning; it would be terrible form to become engaged at such a time. I find it difficult to believe after what we have observed of the gentleman that he would behave in such an infamous manner.”
“Regardless, Georgiana, I shall take you to Almack’s again Wednesday next,” Lady Catherine said. “You must be introduced to more company so that we are prepared if the rumour is true. It will not take long for you to gain other suitors.”
Georgiana sighed at the thought of returning to Almack’s, although she knew she should go. She was readying herself to respond with some goodly amount of gratitude and enthusiasm, when Kitty instead spoke:
“Georgiana already has another suitor – Captain Stanton, of the Royal Navy.”
“Captain Stanton, of the navy?” Lady Catherine sniffed. “I do not consider some nobody of the navy to be a suitor for Georgiana. The navy is good for nothing but puffing up men of inferior birth, so that they think they stand higher in society than they should.”
“Aunt, he is the nephew of the Earl of Anglesey,” Georgiana said. “He is not a nobody.”
“And even if he was, I would beg you not to criticise the navy,” Kitty said, standing up straighter and speaking more firmly than any of them had ever heard from her. “Were it not for the Trafalgar victory, the French would have invaded. All of the land and wealth that you enjoy in your position in society would have been gone. You had best think about that before you say anything against our sailors.”
“Why, I – ” Lady Catherine visibly quivered, so angry was she. “I will not say I have never been thus spoken to, as your impertinent elder sister has come before you in that regard. However, I will hear no more of this. Georgiana will join me Wednesday next at Almack’s, and I have nothing to say to the rest of you.”
Without taking any further leave, Lady Catherine strode off to her waiting carriage, just as the rest of the family walked outside.
“What in the world was that about?” Darcy asked.
He, Elizabeth, and the Fitzwilliams were apprised of Lady Catherine’s news, her critique of the navy, and Kitty’s subsequent set-down, which seemed to amuse them all, although none could say so aloud. They returned to Lord Alfred’s rumoured engagement once in the carriage, all attempting to soothe Georgiana, who was visibly disturbed.
Darcy firmly agreed with Mrs. Annesley’s assessment that it was most likely a rumour, nothing more, and that it was most unrealistic that the young man should enter into an engagement while in mourning. Elizabeth had hardly been in town long enough to have a sense of how many rumoured engagements came to be true, but she did not think such a thing to be in Lord Alfred’s character.
This assessment by her brother and sister provided some comfort to Georgiana, although she found she could not turn her mind away from the thought of Lord Alfred, engaged, throughout the remainder of the day.
Chapter 27
The ladies saw nothing of Captain Stanton on Monday morning; Mr. Darcy took the carriage to the Hursts’s home to pick up Charles Bingley, and they were then to make their way to the earl’s house for the captain, and thence to Tattersall’s. The ladies all stayed home, and had the pleasure of both Lady Ellen and Jane as callers during the course of the morning.
Lady Ellen stayed a half-hour, and wished to know how her niece was getting on in the new Viscount Burnley’s absence; she gave no credence to the rumours of his engagement. Elizabeth was heartened to find that although Lady Ellen seemed pleased at the potential for Georgiana to be elevated in rank and marry into more fortune than would previously have been expected, Lady Ellen’s greater pleasure was in feeling it to be a great match in personality for Georgiana. Having seen them in company many times, and watched how Lord Alfred had drawn her shy niece out, she would have been happy to see them marry even if he was not to inherit the dukedom. She was aware of Captain Stanton, but had only just been introduced to him at the Haydn concert, and was surprised to learn that Elizabeth considered him to be a suitor.
When Mr. Miller showed Jane in, Elizabeth felt the usual stab of envy that came at the sight of her sister. Jane’s pregnancy was just beginning to show, and beyond the more notable physical symptoms, Jane had a happiness to her countenance that was beyond her usual serenity, as she talked about planning for the child. Charles had begun looking for a suitable party to take over the lease at Netherfield; they hoped to be free of the burden of living so close to Longbourn, and settled into an estate of their own well before it was time for Jane to begin her confinement. Jane mentioned that they planned to look near Derbyshire, and Elizabeth was mostly enthusiastic about this – if she should not have a child of her own, at least she could be a good aunt to Jane’s son or daughter. Her only hesitation was that it would be a regular reminder for Elizabeth and her husband of what they did not have, but this was not enough for her to express any concerns about the idea, and she offered the use of Pemberley as a place to stay while the couple were searching for their new home.
After Jane left, the mail arrived, and among it was a letter addressed as being from Viscount Burnley, which they were all eager to know the contents of, to see if it contained any reference to Miss Foster. However, the letter was addressed to Mr. Darcy, and while Elizabeth had opened his mail during his previous absence, and would once he again went to Pemberley, she did not feel right to do so while he was still in residence. The letter, therefore, sat in the tray in the entrance-hall, until Mr. Darcy himself returned.
They were also curious about how the morning with Captain Stanton had gone, and it was this event they learned of first. Captain Stanton had purchased a lovely black filly, Phoebe, who was of an excellent disposition and thoroughly approved of by both Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. They were not to have his company until the evening, however, although he had asked the gentlemen to communicate that he was looking forward to seeing them at the viscountess’s house. He had brought saddle and bridle with him in the carriage, should a suitable purchase appear, and as it had, was to ride Phoebe directly back to his uncle’s house.
This did mean that the letter could be read more immediately, however, and once the outing to Tattersall’s had been thoroughly reported, the letter’s existence was brought to Mr. Darcy’s attention, and he read it to them. It contained no reference to an engagement, or Miss Foster; Viscount Burnley was soothed by their family’s words of condolence, his family had been terribly shocked at the news and now passed many quiet hours in the mourning of Stephen Mallory, and Alfred Mallory did indeed take many solitary rides about the family estate on Gambit. He hoped their family were in health and that all was well with them. It was generally concluded by all that he had written as much as they could hope he would write, and yet it was not at all a satisfactory letter.
Elizabeth found herself thinking of what a disadvantage Viscount Burnley now stood in, with regards to Georgiana, and sympathising with the young man. He must lead a quiet life for now, he had no news to impart, no storeys of interest, and even if he did, it would not have been appropriate for him to share any such things while mourning. He could not write to Georgiana directly, and during his absence, Georgiana would continue to spend time in company with Captain Stanton. She only hoped that, as she had told her sister, once the newness of Captain Stanton wore off, Georgiana would be able to look at them both objectively, and, if Viscount Burnley was her choice, that she would be able to wait for him. But then, it was impossible to entirely ignore the possibility that he was truly engaged, and had no further interest in Georgiana at all.
+++
Captain Stanton had again arrived at the viscountess’s before them, although his uncle was not in attendance on this evening. He was tuning what looked to be his old cello, somewhat improved in appearance and far better in sound than anything they had heard from him in the last two sessions; he dashed off little snippets of Bach in very good form as he warmed up. Georgiana noticed the change in instrument immediately, and commented on it after they had exchanged greetings.
“Ah yes, Miss Darcy, I will not say that I have given up on the new instrument, but I determined that I missed my old cello too much,” he said. “I took her in for a thorough refit and we shall see if perhaps it is the best of both worlds.”
“It sounds very well to me,” Georgiana said, smiling gently.
Elizabeth observed them carefully, as she always did. They seemed to have a certain amount of comfort in each other’s presence, but they were still both of them very reserved. Georgiana’s shyness had improved much since Elizabeth had known her – with a great deal of the credit due to Viscount Burnley – but she was still quieter than other young ladies her age. Captain Stanton’s reserve seemed mostly to come from his being very serious at heart, but the overall effect was that they seemed to be two people who always wanted to speak more than they did.
Elizabeth herself inquired after his new horse, and he informed them that she had been fine in the ride to his uncle’s house, but she had been somewhat stressed by the noise and crowds of the auction, and so he had left her home this evening to rest. His uncle needing the carriage, and it being a nice night, he had come on foot, as he had on his first two such evenings.
Elizabeth and Mrs. Annesley went to take their usual seats in the back of the room, so Elizabeth only observed the animated discussion between Georgiana, Captain Stanton, and some of the other members of the club, as well as Mary, who was motioned over by Georgiana to join them, after Georgiana could be seen making strange gestures with her hands, which Elizabeth realized must have been pantomiming playing the castanets. When the playing began, Elizabeth was pleased to see that Captain Stanton greatly redeemed his previous few performances, and on this evening the quartet received rousing applause from the entire room.
Mary’s and Georgiana’s performances were also very well done, so that it looked to be a very satisfactory evening, up until they stood, waiting for their carriage. They waited and waited, watching all of the other carriages depart, and still the carriage did not come. Finally, their groom came to the door, and said that one horse was showing lameness; and the cause could not be determined.
There followed a discussion of how they should get home. They could send a groom back for another horse, and the viscountess offered to have her own carriage prepared. Elizabeth, however, was eager to get home to see Darcy, who had planned to depart for Pemberley in the morning, and she declared that they should need no such trouble made for them. It was a fine evening, and a short distance; they should easily be able to walk with the groom, while their coachman waited with the horses.
Captain Stanton, who had been standing with them while they waited, agreed that this was a solid plan, with one change – that he attend them home instead of the groom. It was hardly out of his way, and he could send someone for his cello in the morning. The groom was a small young man, not much older than twenty, if that, and although Elizabeth had no concerns about the walk, she agreed readily to Captain Stanton’s accompanying them instead, mainly for its benefit to Georgiana.
They set off pleasantly, still recounting the performances of the night, and particularly complimenting Captain Stanton on his improvement. It was not until they turned down Audley Street, which was not so well-lit as the previous street, that an event happened so quickly that Elizabeth was only able to piece it together a few seconds after the action had taken place.
A young boy, darting out from the mews, ran straight into Georgiana, knocking her down as he snatched her reticule and made to run away. He might have done so, but Captain Stanton brought him down by knocking the boy sharply in the knees with his walking stick. The boy fell, Captain Stanton kicked him so that he flipped over, and then the captain pressed the end of his walking stick into the boy’s throat, and this was the position they were in when the rest of the party realised what had happened.
