The first to retrace her steps from behind the tall hedge, Miss Georgiana Darcy was curious to determine why Dust Bunny and Pug-Nacious had so suddenly bolted. Her eyes followed their pell-mell progress across the manicured lawn until four pairs of tall leather boots arrested both her vision and the puppies’ motion. As she glanced further upward, Miss Darcy saw a most incredulous and alarming blot on the landscape. She gave a little squeal, the colour drained from her face, and she lost her grip on the parasol and very nearly on reality. In spite of her angst, Georgiana stubbornly refused to give in to a missish swoon; instead she muttered an unladylike oath and quickly turned around to prevent the other three females from witnessing the humiliating and scandalous spectacle.
Miss Darcy was too late. When the elder Miss Bennet re-emerged, her gaze immediately came to rest on four damp and raffish ruffians frozen in front of her. “Good Lord in heaven,” she gasped and immediately lowered her eyes. A furtive second glance verified the wild green-tinged rogues were, indeed, not a figment of her imagination. There they stood, not moving one obviously well-toned muscle. Jane clamped down on her rising panic; and, face flooded with colour, she spun around to protect the two younger ladies from observing the jaw-dropping sight.
Miss Bennet was too late. Her sister gasped and blushed. To Elizabeth’s utter amazement, four handsome, earthy specimens of masculinity stood immobile on the lawn before her very appreciative eyes. My goodness! Perhaps the crass truly is always greener on the other side of the hedge. She was, of course, properly embarrassed; just the same, Elizabeth was also mesmerized by the way their revealing clothing clung quite indecently to rather impressive bodies. She knew it was wrong to stare; still, her only familiarity with the male form came from changing her baby brother’s nappies and from artwork and statuary. Although the specimens in front of her were as inanimate as statues, they were actual flesh and red-blooded full-grown men. She only looked, therefore, for purely educational purposes. Elizabeth did, however, have the presence of mind to try and shield the youngest member of their party from the scandalous exhibition; and she quickly turned to give a warning.
Miss Elizabeth was too late. Miss Anna stepped out from behind the massive hedge and wondered why the others had either grown pale or coloured up so quickly. A bizarre image caught her notice; she screamed, swooned and would have fallen had Miss Elizabeth not been instantly at her side. Anna had recently finished reading a Viking novel that caused her vivid imagination to run wild, so she thought the barbarians on the lawn had come to plunder and pillage Pemberley and perhaps to ravish young maidens. When the youngest Darcy regained consciousness, Georgiana whispered in her ear; and Anna’s reaction turned to chagrin when it was revealed she was actually well acquainted with three of the four brutes. She narrowed her eyes at the low-life hooligans across the way; and the awful truth was confirmed, for there stood the impeccable brother she had earlier boasted about to the Misses Bennet. For the first time ever, Fitzwilliam was shamefully scruffy, wretchedly rumpled, and most inappropriately attired for polite company. Her cousin Richard, the amiable Mr. Bingley, and another young fellow were in no better condition. Anna was miffed because her dear new friends were exposed to such impropriety on Pemberley property.
Dust Bunny and Pug-Nacious sat in front of their hero, their tiny tails and ears twitched whilst they waited for Darcy to play fetch. The puppies soon lost interest in being totally ignored, dropped the sticks, and bounded off in search of adventure. Fitzwilliam Darcy, still rooted to the spot, was absolutely horrified and mortified; and he knew there would be the devil to pay for his reckless actions. Nevertheless, he began to sheepishly speak, “Georgiana … Anna … ”
Georgiana abruptly overrode him. Although the young lady was neither timid nor reserved, she usually projected a very gentle and genteel mien; however, her rather infamous temper, once provoked, was both fearsome and fierce. She snatched up her parasol, marched toward the delinquents, stopped in front of her elder sibling, tapped her foot, and glared. Miss Darcy’s blue eyes flashed as she poked her brother in the chest with the point of her folded bumbershoot and launched a tirade.
“Fitzwilliam Darcy! Do you, by chance, have a maggot in that bacon-brained head of yours? How dare you arrive at our home so indecently attired? You must certainly be touched in the upper works to display such blatant disregard for propriety. You have incontrovertibly disgraced our family in front of my new friends while making a cake of yourself. I swear you have more hair than wit; and speaking of hair, I wonder what cork-brained whim resulted in this smelly green slime you are all sporting so prominently. Whatever the foul substance is, it must have seeped through your thick skull and addled your feeble mind.”
The victim winced at the warranted criticism and tried to raise his hands in supplication, but they were filled with hat, riding crop, wrinkled cravat, coat, and waistcoat. Darcy turned to his cousin for moral support before attempting an explanation. Georgiana noticed the fleeting look between the two and became suspicious. She shifted her glare, and her ire, to her cousin. “Richard! I might have guessed. You, Colonel Mud-stuffin must be behind this … this … this!”
The army officer’s military training instinctively kicked in. He stood at attention under her glower and eloquently gave his self-justifying defense. “He thought of it first, Georgie,” accused the soldier as he twitched his head toward Darcy.
Georgiana continued to seethe and fume. “Richard Fitzwilliam! I very much doubt that thought played any part whatsoever in whatever rowdiness you boys have been involved in. Shame on you!” She turned her scorn on a new victim, pointing her frilly pink weapon at him. “And you, Mr. Bingley! I would have expected better of you, sir.”
Charles Bingley hung his head in shame. In doing so, he caught sight of his form-hugging shirt and inexpressibles. The coat and waistcoat he had earlier flung off with wild abandon were quickly utilized to shield his torso from further scrutiny by the wide-eyed, innocent young women.
Ellis Fleming was entirely miserable, for he had so wanted to favourably impress Darcy’s esteemed family. He might have been somewhat mollified, however, to know his sculpted body and handsome face had actually already made quite a fine impression on at least one of the ladies.
Jane Bennet, whose face was still flushed, had modestly dropped her gaze to the ground; and she had endeavoured not to glance up again. Miss Bennet spared a quick sideways glimpse at her sister and caught Elizabeth staring, chest level, at one of the men. “Lizzy,” she hissed, “lower your gaze!” Miss Elizabeth obediently lowered her eyes, but not to her sister’s satisfaction. When Jane peeked at her once more, she scolded, “Lizzy, not there! I meant lower your gaze to the ground!”
During Georgiana’s dressing-down of her brother, Elizabeth was surprised to discover the male she had been ogling was, in fact, the always proper and impeccable Darcy heir. He certainly seemed far removed from the perfect specimen described by his youngest sister and more closely resembled a very good-looking barbaric buffoon; therefore, further observation was definitely warranted.
Fitzwilliam Darcy gradually regained his dignity and decided to also gain control of the situation. Determined to ignore the fact he and his companions were indecently attired, he squared his broad shoulders and stood proud and tall. Darcy noticed this slight movement again drew the attention of the pretty brunette’s fine eyes, but it could not be helped. “Fleming, please allow me to introduce my charming sisters to you.” He gestured with his riding crop and grimaced slightly as he said, “This dear, sweet, dulcet-toned gentlelady is Miss Georgiana Darcy.” He gave them time to bow and curtsey before he beckoned his youngest sibling and continued. “And here is Miss Anna Darcy. Ladies, this is Mr. Ellis Fleming from farther north in Derbyshire. He and I enjoyed many a friendly rivalry on opposing sides of chess, debating, and fencing matches at Cambridge.”
The visitor bowed again and said, “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Darcy and Miss Anna. Please accept my apologies for not gracing your presence with the decorum it deserves. We had truly expected to have ample opportunity to make ourselves presentable before being in such refined company.”
Miss Darcy blushed, smiled, and responded sweetly, “Mr. Fleming, I am heartily convinced the fault was in no way yours.” Again Georgiana looked daggers at her brother, thus providing her eyes a place to rest other than the direction to which they were involuntarily drawn, namely Fleming’s tantalizing indigo eyes, thick, feathery black hair, exposed neck, and clinging shirt that hugged broad shoulders, muscled arms and chest. “Welcome to Pemberley. I hope you will enjoy your stay, sir. Gentlemen, please meet our delightful new friends, Miss Jane Bennet and her sister, Miss Elizabeth, who are visiting from Hertfordshire with their aunt, a dear friend of Mrs. Reynolds, our housekeeper.”
Georgiana moved along the row of malodorous young men as she made each of them known to the Misses Bennet. Between each presentation, while those being introduced bowed, curtsied, and made polite small talk, she daintily took a whiff of her perfumed handkerchief to counteract the dank, fusty odour that permeated the air surrounding the gents. When she lastly introduced her brother, Miss Darcy emphasized the fact he had not been expected home any sooner than the evening. Georgiana shot her elder sibling an ominous look that unmistakably implied he was definitely not welcome in his present deplorable state. In his own defense, Darcy tersely explained he had received an express from their parents urging him to hasten the arrival of his party.
Indeed, whenever duty called them away from home, George and Lady Anne Darcy did not like to leave their two beloved daughters without the caring protection of their elder brother, albeit Georgiana was of age and quite capable of running the estate for a few days. Even though Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds were totally dependable and Pemberley had an excellent steward in Hugh Wickham, George Darcy was always more at ease when the strong, decisive heir was available to take over the reins in his absence.
The heir was predictably strong and decisive that very afternoon; and the strong odour, Fitzwilliam Darcy decided, would be washed away just as soon as enough hot water for four baths could be made available. He spoke on behalf of the other gentlemen when he said, “Please pardon us, ladies. We must repair to the manor and attempt to, uh, repair our appearances and, hopefully, our sullied reputations. We trust the damage is not irreparable.” He bowed, as did the other fellows, and they made their way across the lawn with as much dignity as they could muster.
Charles Bingley’s sullied reputation suffered further defilement when his cravat slipped from his bundle of clothing, wafted toward his boot, and wrapped itself around his ankle. As Bingley walked, the strip of white linen trailed through the grass, unnoticed by the men.
The four young ladies turned to watch the departure and one after another began to giggle. The menfolk immediately stiffened upon hearing the tittering but refused to be cowed by the offensive sound. They raised proud chins and strode toward the house without a backward glance. They proceeded without incident until Bingley’s vile neckcloth became entangled around his other foot, which caused him to stumble. Without so much as a glance or stutter in his step, Colonel Fitzwilliam grabbed the chap’s arm to steady him and muttered, “Shake a leg, Bingley.” The foursome stepped up the pace and could not reach the safety of Darcy’s home quickly enough.
Warm water, scented soaps, and crisp, clean clothing did much to restore the four gentlemen to rights. They did not give any thought to the number of servants sent scampering to see to their needs. Indeed, many heavy kettles of water had to be heated and lugged up flights of stairs by overworked chambermaids. Then their invaluable valets had to be summoned to assist with hair, barbering, and attire. Most employers tended to take such service for granted; however, these mannerly men were at least considerate enough to thank the workers for their efforts.
Darcy, Fitzwilliam, Bingley, and Fleming regrouped to lick their wounds and quaff alcoholic beverages in Pemberley’s delightfully well stocked library, which benefitted from the work of many generations. The first three gents wholeheartedly agreed Georgiana could be an out-and-out hellcat. However, Fleming defended the lady, saying, “She was quite rightfully provoked by our unseemly appearance and was merely being protective of her younger sister and new friends. I greatly admire Miss Darcy’s pluck.”
Bingley sniggered and said, “Hah! Pluck reminds me of a chicken, which is just how I felt while being berated by her. I say, Darcy, your sister is absolutely lovely. All the same, if she ever eventually sets her cap at someone, I shall undoubtedly pity the poor chap when she is in high dudgeon. Miss Darcy can definitely raise a breeze. That said, she cannot hold a candle to my sister Caroline for being a harridan.”
Darcy apologized on his sister’s behalf and added, “Georgiana is a dear girl, though I must admit she has frightened off an alarming number of eligible suitors lately. Nevertheless, those blokes ultimately proved unworthy by not possessing sufficient intestinal fortitude to withstand a bit of temper from a mere chit. Regardless, I rather doubt she will end up as a tabby. Georgie’s dowry, accomplishments, and beauty ensure her eventual marriage. Most importantly, she is a wonderful young lady; and I do not say so only because she is my sister. Truthfully, she is a treasure.”
“Oh, yes, indeed, Miss Darcy is absolute perfection,” Ellis Fleming was quick to agree.
The other three gentlemen shared amused looks; then Charles Bingley enthusiastically asked, “Speaking of absolute perfection, did any of you happen to notice her two new acquaintances?”
Fleming snorted, Darcy raised his brows, and Colonel Fitzwilliam replied, “We have eyes, Bingley; so how could we possibly not notice when so much beauty was before us? The Bennet ladies are undoubtedly diamonds of the first water, and I cannot believe I made such a complete mull of meeting them. I would have cut a much finer figure in my red coat than in the green slime I wore today, and you chaps would have been quite invisible to the ladies had I been wearing regimentals.”
Darcy rolled his eyes and said, “I rather imagine invisibility would have been preferable over our earlier indecorous appearances. Be that as it may, I happen to know for a fact that I was quite embarrassingly visible to the pretty brunette with the sparkling, intelligent eyes. Miss Elizabeth is obviously not shy,” Darcy said with a smirk. Although he grinned, Fitzwilliam Darcy silently reproached himself for the lapse in judgment that had resulted in such an improper encounter with members of the opposite sex. Anything less than perfection was unacceptable to the idealist, and he usually attempted to avoid situations in which he might appear to be flawed. Darcy felt the need to be above criticism; and although he would not admit it, Georgiana’s public censure had wounded him. He was quite resolved to do everything in his power to project the image of a perfect gentleman if ever again in the company of his sisters’ new friends.
Charles Bingley interrupted Darcy’s self-castigation when he said, “Miss Elizabeth may not be shy; however, her angelic sister is perfectly proper and demure.”
“And once again, Bingley, you are making a claim based upon a mere moment’s observation. Are you such an exceptional judge of character your first impression cannot be mistaken?”
“You saw Miss Bennet, Darcy; she is the most exquisite creature, and I think … ”
A knock upon the library door was answered by Darcy’s command to enter. A footman announced, “Mr. George Wickham to see you, sir.” Smiles lit up the faces of the four friends as the visitor appeared in the doorway.
“George! Come in, come in, you mangy scoundrel,” Darcy invited. “Gentlemen, look what foul vermin the accursed cat dragged into the house.”
With a swagger and a wide grin, Wickham entered the room and exclaimed, “Cripes, man! How could you thus pollute the shades of our beloved Pemberley with the likes of this trio of depraved reprobates?”
“Yes, sorry, old chap. As the estate’s future steward, I know you only have its best interests at heart. So we must see about having such unworthy degenerates evicted immediately from these hallowed halls,” Darcy bantered. Greetings and more teasing ensued as the quintet of comrades settled into the easy friendship of many years’ standing.
At five and twenty, the same age as Bingley and Fleming, the devilishly handsome George was the son of Pemberley’s steward, Hugh Wickham, a widower. He was also George Darcy’s godchild and namesake and had the privilege of being educated alongside the other occupants of the room. They had all attended Cambridge for one overlapping term and became quite a formidable coterie. Wickham was being trained by his father to take over the reins as Pemberley’s steward as soon as the elder relinquished the position later that same year after decades of service. Like his parent, the young man was of an honest and hard-working character; however, unlike his father, the son was a skirt-chasing roué.
“Would any of you chaps happen to know the identity of two gorgeous females, a blonde and a brunette? I noticed them stepping into a carriage out front over an hour ago and have been speculating on the purpose of their visit. I suppose they must be the latest conquests of two of you fortunate, although undeserving, blokes.”
Richard Fitzwilliam responded, “By coincidence, we were just discussing those very same gentleladies when your unwelcome carcass most rudely imposed itself upon our very refined presence here, Wickham. That the ladies have left already is unfortunate news, indeed. I had planned to impress them with my much-improved appearance before they departed.”
“Still making a valiant effort to live up to your ‘stud-muffin’ reputation, I see, Colonel Fitz. It must be quite an arduous struggle for you, but some things never change. Regardless, have you purposely evaded answering my query about the females? Shame, shame, you must share the wealth, you know, gentlemen. I assume the ladies were here because your parents are not, Darce.”
Pemberley’s heir shot out of his chair and glowered. “You know, one must never assume, George. And you are both disgustingly crude and very wide of the mark, my friend. Those genteel ladies are merely newly formed acquaintances of my dear sisters.”
“My apologies, then. But are these women of virtue, whom you seem reluctant to name, returning any time soon, perchance?”
Darcy sat back down, crossed his legs, flicked a nonexistent speck of lint from his knee, and nonchalantly replied, “I really have no idea whatsoever, Wickham; and honestly, I do not care a groat.”
Edward Gardiner’s carriage had returned to Pemberley for his wife and nieces shortly after the disastrous encounter on the lawn. While their aunt and uncle bade farewell to Mrs. Reynolds, Jane and Elizabeth took leave of their new friends. Georgiana and Anna whispered profuse apologies again and were relieved to receive assurances the incident had not tainted the visit. The four young ladies made promises to correspond faithfully and hoped to possibly meet in the near future in London, should their visits ever coincide. The Bennets renewed their invitation for the Darcy family to visit Longbourn the next time they found themselves in Hertfordshire.
On the nearly five-mile ride between Pemberley and Lambton, the sisters enthusiastically praised Georgiana, Anna, and their family’s grand estate. Jane gushed, “Oh Uncle, I know your fondness for little dogs, so I must tell you we saw Miss Darcy’s two adorable puppies, a Maltese and a Pug.”
Mr. Gardiner smiled and said, “Well, Jane, I daresay those fortunate pets, with such a rich mistress, are often sitting in the lap of luxury.”
“Now, Uncle, I happen to be aware that even your cat sleeps on a fluffy, down-filled pillow.”
“Yes, we have always had a soft spot for Mrs. Sourpuss.”
Elizabeth laughed appreciatively and then scolded Jane for mentioning the animals before alluding to the gentlemen they had encountered. She then told the Gardiners they had met the Darcy heir, his army-officer cousin, and two of his friends. Lizzy smiled and arched a brow as she added, “They were all very attractive fellows, were they not, Jane? Although the gents were, perhaps, a little rough around the hedges and a little less than formally attired.”
The two young ladies blushed and suppressed giggles whenever they looked at one another for the remainder of the trip to the inn; their aunt and uncle rolled their eyes and grinned at their nieces’ baffling and rather uncharacteristic giddiness.
The Darcy sisters wished desperately to atone for the embarrassment the Bennets had suffered at Pemberley, so a hastily jotted note was quickly dispatched to the inn at Lambton inviting and imploring Jane and Elizabeth to agree to return the next day. As their relatives had plans to visit an elderly cousin of Mrs. Gardiner, the recipients gladly sent their acceptance with the messenger and eagerly anticipated spending another pleasant day with Georgiana and Anna at their impressive estate.
So it was that the modest Gardiner carriage pulled up to the magnificent manor’s front entry for the second time in as many days. Jane and Elizabeth alit and waved goodbye to their aunt and uncle while Miss Darcy and Miss Anna patiently waited on the steps and their older brother surreptitiously watched from between the curtains of an upstairs hallway window.
“Jane, Elizabeth, welcome back. We are very happy you agreed to return, and Anna and I apologize again for the awkward situation that occurred here yesterday. Please be assured the debacle was the exception rather than the rule at Pemberley, and we shall have a perfect time today to make amends for the fiasco.”
Miss Anna added, “Yes, the sun is shining; and we have planned a nice ride around the park followed by refreshments. Perhaps we shall also have an opportunity to play the pianoforte for one another, if time permits. Does this agenda meet with your approval? If not, we can alter it to accommodate whatever activities you would prefer in order to make your stay here more enjoyable.”
Elizabeth laughed with delight and said, “Georgiana and Anna, please relax. Jane and I are not, whatsoever, upset over the previous afternoon’s … hmm … let us frivolously refer to it as entertainment henceforth, rather than fiasco. There may have been a modicum of embarrassment at the onset; still and all, we are resilient women and have recovered quickly. So you must promise to not think again on the incident.”
Jane agreed, “Oh, yes, please do not worry yourselves any further on our account. We are very happy to be here again and shall derive pleasure in whatever occupations and pursuits you have scheduled for our day together.”
The four linked arms and made their way to the sitting room, where they chatted and sipped tea while the landau was made ready for their afternoon outing. As Elizabeth brought the delicate teacup to her lips, a mysterious noise erupted from the direction of an overturned sewing basket on the floor next to her chair. She glanced toward the contents but was only able to distinguish spools of embroidery thread.
Purr, whistle, snuffle.
Her eyebrows lifted, her eyes widened, and she looked to her sister as if to ask whether she had also heard the peculiar sound.
“Lizzy, are you well?”
Purr, whistle, snuffle.
Elizabeth gracefully lowered the teacup to its saucer, smiled serenely, and calmly replied, “Yes, Jane, thank you. I am fine.”
Purr, whistle, snuffle.
On pins and needles with curiosity, Elizabeth placed her cup and saucer on a nearby table and then dropped her napkin as close to the noise as possible without being too obvious. “Oh, how clumsy of me,” she said. A footman started to cross the floor to assist, but she waved him away. The intrepid Lizzy Bennet crouched down beside the basket, peered inside, and inched her hand toward the back, hoping to discover the origin of the curious little sounds no one else seemed able to hear.
Snort, puff, grunt!
“Ouch! Eeek!” Lizzy promptly withdrew her hand and stood up with a startled, bewildered look on her face.
“Elizabeth!” Georgiana exclaimed and came swiftly to her guest’s side. “Whatever happened? Have you pricked your poor finger on a needle in my sewing basket?”
“I am uncertain. Does your pincushion happen to purr, whistle, snuffle, snort, puff and grunt?”
Miss Anna rushed forward. “Oh, thank you, Elizabeth! You have found Barbara Thorne. I spent most of the morning searching for her, but … Oh, I am sorry. Did she startle you? Barb is quite harmless, really. Does your hand require attention? Please allow me to ring for assistance.” The flustered girl began to turn away.
Elizabeth stopped Anna with a gentle touch on her arm and insisted she was fine. “Truly, my friend, I was merely startled.”
Jane joined them and looked at her sister with protective concern. “Lizzy, are you certain you have not been injured?”
“I am perfectly fine, Jane; and if I am not mistaken, your solicitude should be for a prickly little hedgehog by the name of Barbara Thorne, who is most likely very upset and frightened by now.”
Miss Anna retrieved a small ball of quills from the basket, held it gently in her hands and cooed soothingly to the little creature. She then excused herself to return Barb to its proper confinement in her bedchamber.
Georgiana’s apology for Elizabeth’s distress was dismissed as unnecessary. Just as Anna returned, a footman informed them the landau was ready and waiting. While the ladies donned their bonnets in preparation for the excursion, Fitzwilliam Darcy made an appearance that was remarkably different than the one a day prior on the lawn. The striking young man bowed elegantly and politely inquired about the ladies’ health and plans for the afternoon. He was immaculately attired in a soft white lawn shirt and cravat, tan striped waistcoat, nut-brown tailcoat, Nankeen breeches, and tall Hessian boots. Elizabeth was relieved to discover his hair was not actually green-tinged but was a rather alluring rich chocolate colour with thick tousled curls. So, here, obviously, is the dignified, impeccably dressed brother Anna had so loyally praised yesterday. Lizzy Bennet thought he just might not be such a barbaric buffoon after all; just the same, she soon came to realize the hooligan had actually been just as appealing as the formally proper, well-groomed, conventional gentleman who stiffly stood before her.
For his part, Darcy simply wanted to make a better impression than he had on their initial meeting; so he had donned his reserved public persona. As his father had taught him, a gentleman must not show his emotions; so Darcy’s handsome but unreadable face displayed total indifference, never allowing an iota of his attraction to the younger Bennet sister to be detected. He wished the ladies a pleasant afternoon and informed his sisters that he and his party were going riding and would return to the house later in the afternoon. Should he be needed for any reason afterward, they would most likely be found in the billiard room. Once that succinct information was imparted, Darcy bowed very properly and took his leave.
The ladies insisted the landau’s hoods remain folded down as they started their jaunt around the expansive park. Ninety minutes later, they returned to the house with rosy, laughing faces. A light repast of cold meats, bread, cheese, and fruit was enjoyed al fresco at a canopied table on the garden terrace. The two sets of siblings then strolled toward the stables to see a litter of kittens born several weeks previously. The feral striped mother cat flattened her ears and growled if anyone came too close to the babies, so the young ladies left the felines alone and walked in the direction of the orangery.
Unbeknownst to them, Rex and Regina, George Darcy’s two rambunctious Dalmatians, had also entered the barn, perilously close to the open stall where the cats had taken up residence. The outraged tabby arched her back, hissed a warning, and then attacked, which caused the spotted dogs to run away with tails between their legs. They raced pell-mell toward the winter-garden glasshouse on a direct collision course with the four women, who were by then headed back to the manor. When Miss Anna saw the Dalmatians barreling toward them, she warned the others. “Stand absolutely still, and the dogs will swerve away from us. Do not move until they have passed.” The young lady spoke from first-hand experience; she had once tried, unsuccessfully, to dodge the boisterous dogs.
Miss Darcy and Elizabeth heeded Anna’s advice. However, Jane was on the other end; she panicked and took a few steps to her left just as Rex veered off to his right. They collided, and Jane was knocked down and, in fact, knocked out. The impact knocked Miss Bennet’s shoe off her foot and sent it sailing through the air. Rex was instantly miserable, for he had not intended to hurt the poor lady; so, as his way of apologizing, he licked her face as she lay unconscious.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Reynolds, who was on a different route to the orangery, noticed an unexpected object on its glass roof. She stopped, with fists planted on hips, and stared upward. As Georgiana ran in her direction, the housekeeper began to question her. “Miss Darcy, do you have any notion why a woman’s shoe is up there or how it arrived at such a mysterious final resting place?” She pointed to the enigma but immediately became alarmed by the distressed look on the dear girl’s face.
“Oh, Mrs. Reynolds, it is in every way horrible. Please do not mention final resting place, for Miss Bennet is gravely injured and comatose. You must help us. Please make haste!”
Elizabeth knelt at Jane’s side as her sister began to groan. “Please, Jane, awaken. Tell me you are going to be fine. Wake up, my darling sister, please. Be well, I pray.”
Panic-stricken, Jane opened her eyes and cried, “Oh, Lizzy, I fear I am partially paralyzed. The entire left side of my face is stiff and numb.” Tears filled Jane’s eyes as she clasped her sister’s hand.
Lizzy at once realized what had caused the ‘paralysis;’ and, partly in reaction to shock but also due to the humour in the situation, she began to chuckle. When Mrs. Reynolds arrived with Georgiana, she found a very giddy Miss Elizabeth and an outraged Miss Bennet. The latter sat up, glared at her sister, and said, “Not funny, Lizzy! My goodness, was I unconscious long enough for dog slobber to actually dry up on my face like that? Oh, do stop laughing, Lizzy! My head feels funny and my funny bone hurts.”
The housekeeper, Georgiana, and Miss Anna were relieved Miss Bennet quickly recovered from the impact with the dog and the ground. Still and all, Mrs. Reynolds insisted they immediately return to the house so she could attend the lady’s injured elbow.
Miss Darcy felt it necessary to apologize, yet again, to the Bennets for another hair-raising chapter in what seemed to be a savage saga of dastardly Darcy family failings and faux pas. Once more, the visitors made light of the episode. Elizabeth said, “I am very thankful Jane’s injuries were no more serious than a scraped arm. Just the same, I cannot help but find the whole incident rather humerus.” That statement earned Lizzy another indignant glare from her elder sibling.
In the billiard room, Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, Bingley, and Fleming took turns shooting the colourful ivory balls across the green baize of the table that dominated the room. Darcy’s foxhounds, Romulus and Remus, were curled up and dozing beneath; and each time the balls clacked above them, the dogs raised their heads.
As the Colonel prepared to take a shot, he addressed his cousin. “Will the lovely Bennet sisters be joining us for dinner?”
“When I last saw the ladies several hours ago, Georgiana had not made mention of it, so I am uncertain.”
Bingley, who had been leaning against the wall, pushed himself off and exclaimed, “Darcy, do you mean to tell me now that the exquisite Miss Jane Bennet has been here all this afternoon?”
“I do not mean to tell you now, Bingley; for you have just already gained that knowledge.”
“But, blast it, you had concealed their presence from me!”
“I did not conceal the fact. I just never thought to mention it.”
“Really, Darcy, I thought I could count on your assistance; but with friends like you … ”
“Yes, yes, I know … who needs anemones. All the same, perhaps I was remiss, and I apologize.”
“Then I have your approval to become better acquainted with Miss Bennet?”
“Good God, Bingley,” interrupted Fleming. “Do you actually need Darcy’s approval for such a pursuit?”
The young man sheepishly replied, “Most certainly not! Nonetheless, I should like to know I have it all the same.”
Fleming rolled his eyes and said, “Oh, just go and get to it, Bungley.”
Bingley turned to one of the Darcy family’s ever-present footmen and commanded, “Bring me my coat at once. Quickly, man!”
Ellis Fleming put away his cue stick, glanced at Darcy, and said, “I daresay Bingley is right. We should all do the gentlemanly thing and pay our respects to the fairer sex. It might be unseemly for the rest of us not to do so while biddable Bingley makes an appearance.” Fleming did not seek assistance but pulled on his coat and hastily ran fingers through his feathery black hair.
“Yes, I do suppose it would be proper etiquette, my friend. However, that is the only reason I can think of for seeking out the young ladies.” Darcy hurried to don his coat, straighten his cravat, and check his impeccable image in the mirror over the mantle. The two burly bucks tried to exit the room at the same instant, and their broad shoulders were momentarily jammed together in the doorway.
Colonel Fitzwilliam snickered and shook his head. His cousin and two friends were obviously attracted to women currently residing or visiting at Pemberley. There was no question which lady held Bingley’s interest. Fleming had staunchly defended and praised Georgiana, and Darcy referred to Miss Elizabeth as ‘the pretty brunette with the sparkling, intelligent eyes’. Richard Fitzwilliam was thankful they were not all attracted to the same Bennet sister; nevertheless, he thought it would be interesting to discover if any real attachments would be formed. He calmly slipped his coat on and followed the others, who were already out of sight down the hallway.
The gentlemen found the fair ladies in the drawing room, and Charles Bingley was dismayed to learn angelic Miss Bennet had suffered an injury. In his opinion, she was the picture of loveliness stretched out on the sofa. At her elbow a bandage was wound round the wound on the creamy white skin of her elegant arm. Bingley fawned over the young woman, praised her bravery, and tried to dance attendance on her; but, of course, Miss Elizabeth, Mrs. Reynolds, Miss Georgiana, Miss Anna, and a houseful of servants were also available to cater to her every wish, if she had any, which she did not, save for everyone to stop making such a fuss.
The ladies chatted enthusiastically about the possibility of meeting in London before long; and promises were exchanged that correspondence would flow freely between Derbyshire and Hertfordshire as well as their residences in London, for each family had a townhouse there. Three of the gentlemen in the room paid particular attention to the location of the Bennet residence and were pleased to learn it was in a fashionable section. Because the ladies all played the pianoforte, they made plans to purchase sheet music from the new Chappell & Co. shop on Bond Street. A lively conversation followed on the merits of their preferred composers. But when talk subsequently turned to shopping for fashions in the city, the men’s eyes glazed over. They tuned out the female conversation and turned to a discussion about the Napoleonic War.
During a lull in the ladies’ discourse, Miss Elizabeth surprised the gentlemen by joining their debate. She caused utter astonishment by speaking of the expensive military investment in the Lines of Torres Vedras. Colonel Fitzwilliam was stunned any civilian, especially a woman, knew of the fortifications and fervently hoped the young lady was not a spy. Upon observing the men’s shocked expressions, Elizabeth explained she had a very good friend who was a Lieutenant-Colonel, which caused Darcy to wonder just how intimate that fortunate friend might be. The military officer was still unsure whether or not Miss Elizabeth Bennet was involved in espionage and was furthermore quite upset at and disgusted with a certain loose-lipped Lieutenant-Colonel.
The gents were again amazed when the young lady held her own as they conversed on a number of topics ranging from the Berner Street hoax, to the Prince of Wales, and then to the Luddites. Miss Elizabeth spoke eloquently, intelligently, and always with wit and an enticing sparkle in her dark eyes. Bingley and Fleming were out of their league and had joined Miss Bennet, Miss Darcy, and Miss Anna on the other side of the room, pretending to be utterly fascinated by a debate on short sleeves versus long sleeves, with Fleming in total agreement with Miss Darcy and Bingley defending Miss Bennet’s preference.
Just as the entire company started to discuss their favourite authors, Georgiana deflected another potential fiasco when her mother’s Italian Greyhounds bounded into the room, hard on the heels of Anna’s pet rabbit, Herr Stewart. Miss Darcy grabbed Geoffrey Canterbury Tail by the scruff of its neck and directed her brother to do the same with Chaucer Cantering Burybones. A harried servant rushed into the room and regained control of his recalcitrant charges, and Geoffrey and Chaucer were quickly marched out the door. Miss Anna captured the rabbit, Stew, and apologized for the ruckus while Miss Darcy flopped back in her chair and sighed. In Georgiana’s opinion, her precious, prestigious Pemberley had suddenly gone to the dogs.
Georgiana noticed her brother staring at something, or someone, rather intently; and she became occupied in observing his surprising attention to Elizabeth. Though he displayed no outward sign of attraction, such as a smile, heightened colour, or, heaven forbid, animated speech, Georgiana saw in her brother’s eyes the same affectionate look Fitzwilliam often bestowed upon family members; and she began to speculate. Miss Darcy was far from suspecting she was herself becoming an object of some interest in the eyes of one of her brother’s strapping young friends.
Further contemplation was interrupted by the announcement Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner had arrived for their nieces. The couple declined when their party was invited to stay for dinner, as they had to make an early start the next day for their return journey to London. The Darcy siblings and Charles Bingley protested their departure most vehemently; the Gardiners were insistent, and the carriage soon drove away from Pemberley.