Darcy slowly released a breath. After all he had done to protect his heart from Elizabeth Bennet’s influence whilst in Hertfordshire, would he and his sister end up collaborating with her on this project?
Heaven help him! He must find a way out of it this year.
Chapter 2
“Come, children! It is time for your lessons,” Miss Smith called out from the doorway leading into the orphanage.
Elizabeth tugged the blindfold down to her neck. “Well, now that you have learned the game, tell me… do you like it?”
All seven children acknowledged they did.
“Good. Enjoy your lessons. We shall play again another time.”
The oldest girl, Betty, said, “Enjoy lessons?” she shook her head. “It’s time for mathematics.”
Some of the other children groaned.
“Ah, I see there are skeptics among you.” Elizabeth smiled. “You must think as I do. Learning is a challenge, not a chore, and we should never be intimidated by a challenge, for they only motivate us to better ourselves. Knowledge can make all the difference in our lives, but it is up to you to apply what you learn. For example, almost anyone can be a maid or footman, but if one wants more responsibility—and higher wages…” She wiggled her eyebrows. “…you must remember that only a person who can read, write, and do their figures can elevate themselves to become a housekeeper, shop clerk, or butler.” She looked around at the children she had been playing with. “Your teachers are doing you a great service by schooling you. If you are willing to learn what they teach, your futures can be full of opportunities.” She hesitated to let that sink in. “Now, off with you. And mind Miss Smith!”
The children rushed off towards their teacher, where the children to whom Jane had been reading already waited.
“That was a nice speech,” said Jane from behind her.
Elizabeth glanced up from untying the kerchief from her neck and raised an eyebrow. “Let us hope it is more effective with them than it was with Kitty and Lydia.”
Jane smiled politely.
Of course, Elizabeth had not included the servant references when speaking on the same subject to her youngest sisters. But… genteel society was so strange. Single ladies were expected to suppress any original thoughts and ideas they might have so they could be judged by prospective suitors on their appearance alone. Then, once they married, those same ladies were required to miraculously possess all the knowledge they needed to assist them in running a household.
Society was full of hypocrites!
Elizabeth refused to tolerate these concepts. She could never fall in love with a gentleman who preferred she should hide her intellect, and she would not marry without affection. However, since that was not the way the world worked, she also accepted she was probably destined to remain single, which only meant she would strive to become the best spinster-aunt her four sisters’ children could ever have.
As the children filed into the building, an older woman approached them and introduced herself as Mrs. Cooper, the orphanage’s headmistress. Jane and Elizabeth followed her inside for their appointment.
Passing through the door to Mrs. Cooper’s office, Elizabeth was surprised to find two ladies already seated. A gentleman stepped forward from a little library alcove behind the door.
“Mr. Darcy!” cried Elizabeth.
What on earth was he doing there?
Out of the corner of her eye, Elizabeth noticed Jane shift to peer behind the gentleman, into an empty space. Disappointment radiated from her sister as her shoulders sagged.
Really, Elizabeth could not blame her for expecting Mr. Charles Bingley to be in attendance, as well. All those months in Hertfordshire, the two gentlemen were rarely seen apart.
Elizabeth sighed. When at Longbourn, just a few hours prior to receiving their Aunt Madeline’s express letter asking them to hurry to London, Jane had received a missive from Miss Caroline Bingley. In it, Caroline announced her brother was to end his lease on Netherfield Park. Caroline also shared her suspicion that Mr. Bingley would soon marry Miss Darcy, his good friend’s sister. But Elizabeth had already determined that Mr. Darcy was ultimately responsible for these circumstances, since she knew Caroline could not have instituted a plan like that by herself, even with the help of her sister, Mrs. Hurst. In order to convince Mr. Bingley completely, she suspected it would also require additional urging from his good friend, Mr. Darcy.
After all Mr. Wickham had told her about Mr. Darcy—a man who would deny his own father’s final wishes—she could certainly believe him capable of doing everything in his power to separate two people in love when the match did not suit his expectations for his friend.
All of this would not have been a problem if Jane had not fallen so deeply in love with Mr. Bingley this past autumn. Ever since she had received Caroline’s letter two days ago, Jane’s constitution had been in a continual state of decline.
Elizabeth was pulled from her recollections when Mr. Darcy bowed.
The Bennet ladies curtsied in response. Elizabeth might loathe the man, but she would still follow the rules of etiquette, though she would do no more than what was strictly required.
Mr. Darcy said, “Mrs. Cooper, please, allow me…” and he went on to present his aunt, Lady Adelaide Fitzwilliam, with whom Aunt Madeline had previously explained they might end up working.
Lady Adelaide was a refined, attractive woman of about her mother’s age, whose graceful manner announced her status of Countess of Matlock with every look and gesture. At the same time, somehow, she did not project even the slightest hint of condescension. Her salt-and-pepper hair was intricately arranged and topped off with the most elegant-looking bonnet Elizabeth had ever seen.
Lady Adelaide said, “I am sorry to hear about Master Edward’s injuries. Please send my regards to Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner and ask your aunt to inform me if there is anything I can do to make their son’s recovery easier.”
With the reserve usual for Jane upon meeting someone new, she practically whispered her thanks.
Elizabeth said with gratitude, “You have done so much already, my lady. We had only just arrived in London yesterday when little Eddie received your basket, full of books and puzzles. I wish you could have seen his face light up with joy to receive his very own copy of the full set of volumes of Gulliver’s Travels. Whenever Eddie’s family or nurse have not been on hand to occupy his attention, Jane and I have been taking turns reading to our cousin to keep him amused.”
Lady Adelaide bowed her head, and then furrowed her brow. “What is the prognosis?”
“Eddie is a brave little boy,” Elizabeth said in a more serious tone. “The physician visited this morning and is encouraged by his progress thus far, but he will have a lengthy recovery.”
Once the conversation lagged, Mr. Darcy turned to introduce his sister.
Miss Darcy rose. The three young ladies curtsied and smiled politely as Elizabeth said, “Miss Darcy, it is a pleasure to meet you.”
She remembered from previous conversations in Hertfordshire that Miss Georgiana Darcy was about the same age as Lydia, sixteen. She was taller than any of Elizabeth’s sisters. Other than her height, she was quite dissimilar to her brother, and the opposite in colouring—blonde where his hair was a chocolate-brown, and his eyes were dark, whilst his sister’s eyes were hazel. A lovely girl, her features were enhanced with intelligence, innocence, and good humour. Her manners were perfectly unassuming and gentle, and there was a natural timidity about her. She appeared nervous to be meeting someone new, enough that she visibly trembled and could barely meet Elizabeth’s gaze.