After climbing into bed, I opened Beth’s parcel, which contained several pages of transcriptions from Elizabeth Garrison’s diary. In her note, she wrote that she wanted to take me back to the beginning of the story when Mr. Bingham had made his first appearance in Hertfordshire. “You will get a sense of the excitement his arrival caused in a neighbourhood lacking in eligible bachelors.”
17 March — While Jane and I were in Mrs. Draper’s shop this afternoon, we heard news that a young gentleman has taken a lease on Helmsley Hall. We are told that Mr. Charles Bingham is quite handsome and of good height. He is very fond of horses and is pleased with the fine pastures he finds at HH. We returned home to find this was old news to Papa, as Sir William and he had already met with the subscribers, and all have agreed that the assembly rooms should be opened and a dance held to welcome the gentleman and his party. Mr. Bingham wrote immediately to Sir William, saying he would be honoured to attend the assembly and looked forward to meeting his new neighbours. I wonder what the gentleman will think of our country dances.
The events that took place at the assembly were very close to those described in Jane Austen’s novel. Mr. Bingham had a great time, especially with Jane Garrison, Mr. Ashurst was a bore, and the two Bingham sisters tried to keep as much distance from the locals as possible. The only difference was that Mr. Lacey’s insult packed even more of a sting: “Mr. Bingham’s friend said within my hearing that the only thing worse than dancing with the present company would be the necessity of conversing with them.” Ouch! As in the novel, Jane did have lunch with the Bingham sisters at Helmsley Hall, but that was where any similarities ended. Jane did not get sick, so Lizzy did not have to nurse her sister, and there were no snappy exchanges between Mr. Lacey and Lizzy during Jane’s recuperation. But at that lunch, Jane learned who Charles’s dour friend was: Mr. William Lacey of Pemberley in Derbyshire.
31 March — Jane found the gentleman to be in much better humour as he commented on how pleasant the local countryside was. Apparently, he has a large estate in the country near Matlock and belongs to one of those ancient Norman families who arrived in England with William the Conqueror. He is very proud, but with his wealth and superior situation in society, I daresay he has a right to be. Jane suspects Mr. Lacey exerts a strong influence on his friend. Of that there can be little doubt.
In addition to Beth’s diary transcriptions were undated letters from Will to his cousin Anne.
Dear Anne,
I pay a high price for being Bingham’s friend. Each evening, Bingham and I must play cards with Caroline, Louisa, and Ashurst because, if I do not, I must listen to the sisters complain about the lack of society in the country or listen to Ashurst’s snoring as he lays sprawled on the sofa.
Bingham’s interest in Miss Garrison has grown, and he frequently rides over to Bennets End, the Garrison estate. I advised him that there was no harm in his visits as long as he recognized that Miss Garrison’s position in society prevented any serious attachment. He replied that it was comments like these that made him glad he had not been born a Lacey. He said, ‘It would require me to limit my circle of friends to those of my exalted rank.’ Sometimes Bingham spouts the same egalitarian nonsense we hear coming from France. I asked him if Miss Garrison’s ardour matched his own, and he replied that it did not. I believe this shows Miss Garrison to be a woman of good sense who does not encourage the affections of someone who is above her station.
Tomorrow, we are to dine with Sir William Ledger. Caroline and Louisa will not attend, and because of that, I will.
Yours,
Will
The next letter clearly showed that, despite his claims to the contrary, Will was finding it difficult to resist Elizabeth’s charms. It also contained the news that Mr. Chatterton had returned to Bennets End with the intention of proposing to one of his cousins.
Dear Anne,
I cannot remember what I wrote that would cause you to believe that, like Bingham, I have become captivated by a Garrison sister. I confess everything to you, so I will tell you Miss Elizabeth has many fine qualities. Her conversation is engaging and, at times, impertinent. At a small private party held at the home of Sir William Ledger, she asked if I often traveled into Kent. I acknowledged that I did, as I wished to visit with my aunt and cousin as often as time and business would allow. She responded: ‘I am sure you know that Mr. Chatterton, after receiving his ordination, was provided with a living by your aunt, Lady Sylvia, and I cannot imagine anyone more appreciative of such notice. We have heard such detailed descriptions of Desmet Park that I will never have to actually visit the estate.’
I asked Miss Elizabeth if she was aware that Mr. Chatterton came to dinner at Desmet Park on Thursday afternoons for the purpose of going over that Sunday’s sermon with your mother, to which she replied, ‘I am not surprised he seeks your aunt’s opinion since he holds her in such high esteem.’ When I asked if she had heard Mr. Chatterton preach, she said she had, ‘but not in church.’
Knowing she was fond of teasing, I mentioned that Lady Sylvia was encouraging Mr. Chatterton to take a wife, as she thought it important for the pastor to set the example of marriage for his parish. Miss Elizabeth turned to me in alarm and asked: ‘Has he indicated that this is his purpose in coming into Hertfordshire?’ I answered that I thought it likely since he had been much impressed by his Garrison cousins from an earlier visit.
I will be the first to admit I am not as clever as Bingham or Col. Devereaux, who can engage in this type of discourse, and now I was convinced Miss Elizabeth was annoyed by the subject. She sat there silently for several minutes before saying: ‘Mr. Chatterton is a good sort of man. From his description of the parsonage, he will be in a position to provide his wife with a comfortable home, and there certainly will be no lack of conversation. Yes, on reflection, I think an offer from such a man should be taken seriously, and why should he not choose from amongst those who have an interest in Bennets End?’
I do not know the lady well enough to say with absolute certainty that she was once again teasing me. Prior to joining Bingham in Hertfordshire, I had met Mr. Chatterton only that one afternoon at Desmet Park, and yet I know a woman as intelligent as she would never entertain an offer of marriage from someone of such meager intellect.
I admit that Miss Elizabeth possesses many fine qualities, but as to the matter of her family, other than her sister Jane, there is little to admire. As soon as I left Miss Elizabeth, her two younger sisters came running into the room, yanked a young man out of his seat, and demanded he dance with them. The quiet sister, I believe her name is Mary, played the pianoforte with a modicum of talent but lacked the proficiency necessary to perform in public. Their mother paid no attention to them, as if this was nothing out of the common, and their father appeared to be amused by it all. Mr. Garrison seems to be a man of sense, but he takes little care of his younger children.
Miss Garrison continues to draw Bingham’s attention. I believe she is flattered by his notice, but surely she does not expect something more serious to come of it. Bingham is to host a ball at Helmsley Hall for his neighbours. After that, I shall return permanently to London. Many of my friends are already in town, and my absence has been noted.
Yours,
Will
“Lizzy is intrigued by Will,” Beth wrote in her notes, “but I’m convinced she did not entertain any idea of his being attracted to her because of his elevated rank in society. However, you will see from Lizzy’s diary entries how much she writes about Mr. Lacey.”
8 April — Much to everyone’s surprise, Messrs Bingham and Lacey came to dine at Ledger Lodge, and Mr. Lacey chose to sit by me. He is quite handsome, with his black hair and gray/green eyes. Since he sought me out, I thought I should remind him that there was a time when he found such company beneath him. ‘If I recall, you do not care for dancing — at least not in Hertfordshire — but what stratagems will you use to avoid conversation?’ I thought my directness would drive Mr. Lacey away, but instead he told me he chose very carefully the people whom he sat next to. I cautioned him that he had chosen unwisely, and he accused me of teasing him, which was exactly what I was doing because it is obvious he has had little experience with it. But then he had his revenge by telling me Mr. Chatterton had come to Hertfordshire for the purpose of getting a wife. My discomfort was clear. So that he should not savour his victory too long, I pretended such a proposal should be given serious consideration. Then it was his turn to be alarmed. He thought I should not consider an offer from Mr. Chatterton. What a strange man he is! He looks at me with the most quizzical expression. His face was less difficult to read when Lucy and Celia ran into the room demanding that John Ledger dance with them. When I remarked that Mr. Chatterton was about to ask me to dance, Mr. Lacey quickly stood up and claimed the dance. He took me by the hand, and I cannot explain it, but I felt something unfamiliar, something that made me uncomfortable. The gentleman is handsome, intelligent, and carries himself with an assurance I have seen in no other man. I am sure he will soon leave for London, as I understand many of his friends are already in town.
Based on this entry, it seemed unlikely that Mr. Chatterton had ever made an offer of marriage to Lizzy. Her comments about the parson were confined to his long-windedness and the length of his visit, but it also included the interesting tidbit that Mr. Chatterton had been invited to dine at Ledger Lodge on two occasions.
In hopes of moving things along for Jane and Bingham, Mrs. Garrison extended an invitation to all the residents of Helmsley Hall to attend a dinner party at Bennets End. After dining at the Garrison home, Will wrote to his cousin summarizing that evening’s events. Jack called it an “after action” report, and it was not flattering.
24 April 1792
Dear Anne,
Bingham, Caroline, the Ashursts, and I were invited to dine at Bennets End. Mrs. Garrison, without embarrassment, praised her daughter, Jane, as the most beautiful girl in the county. Served with the second course were additional compliments about her daughter’s intelligence, ability to paint tables, embroider, etc., etc., etc. Miss Garrison was deeply embarrassed by this itemization of her abilities, and despite her sister Elizabeth’s best efforts to change the subject, her mother continued at every opportunity to add to her long list of her eldest daughter’s charms.
As for Mr. Garrison, he is well informed and a very agreeable man. However, he seems to find his wife’s undisguised pursuit of Bingham for their daughter to be diverting, and since it provides him with amusement, she is free to chatter on endlessly. The two youngest daughters announced that the militia were now encamped nearby, and it was their hope to meet every officer in the regiment!
Caroline Bingham made no attempt to disguise her contempt for Mrs. Garrison. She points out how the behaviour of the two younger sisters is an embarrassment to her family and anyone associated with them. It is rare that I find myself in agreement with Caroline, but even if you disregard Miss Garrison’s inferior position in society, you cannot turn a blind eye to the inappropriate behaviour of the mother and younger sisters.
It became painfully clear as the night wore on that Miss Elizabeth knew what a disastrous impression her family had made on their company. She rarely looked at me, but when she did, it was with embarrassment. I spoke briefly to her and then only to discuss political news from the continent. (She was aware of France’s declaration of war against Austria.) She informed me that Mr. Chatterton was dining with the Lucas family, which made me realize the evening could actually have been worse. I hope to convince Bingham to quit Hertfordshire after the ball. I have never felt so ill at ease as I have since coming to Helmsley Hall.
Yours,
Will
P.S. I attended the third bout between Richard Humphries and Daniel Mendoza, as did the Prince of Wales and his retinue. Humphries was no match for Mendoza, and it was all over in fifteen minutes with Mendoza claiming the heavyweight title. As instructed, I placed a bet of one guinea on Humphries for you, but because you are my dear cousin, you may keep your guinea.
I really liked Will’s postscript. It showed he had a loving relationship with his cousin and was capable of real tenderness. It almost made up for his obnoxious snobbery.
Also enclosed in the packet was a letter from Will to Anne written before the ball at Helmsley Hall. It showed just how aware Anne was of her cousin’s interest in Miss Elizabeth Garrison.
7 May 1792
Dear Anne,
Once again, you take Mr. Bingham’s side. The reservations I indicated in my letter regarding any possible marriage between Bingham and Miss Garrison are just. Your statements are contradictory. You write that these obstacles might prove to be insurmountable if I found myself in such a situation but can be put aside in Bingham’s. I take the position that a wrong decision is to be avoided whoever the person is. Is it not because of this type of situation that George Bingham asked me to keep watch over his brother in the first place?
Let me give you an example of Bingham’s poor judgment. The militia are encamped outside the village. The senior officers have been invited by Miss Garrison’s aunt to her socials. Bingham sees this, and as a result, he invites all the officers to the ball at Helmsley Hall. ‘The young ladies must have partners,’ he tells me. The invitation includes the junior officers — men about whom he knows nothing. Many of these young officers are new to the regiment, and little is known of them even by their colonel. I cautioned him that after the ball, he might find the silver has gone missing. His solution is to write to his brother and have him send some of his men from London. Of course, it would have been unnecessary if he had thought about the consequences in advance.
I have come to have a high regard for Miss Garrison and Miss Elizabeth. But I have no illusions as to how Miss Garrison would be treated in London society. You had only to listen to the comments made by Caroline after our return from dinner with the Garrisons. After a full hour of attacks on every family member, except Miss Garrison, her quiver was still half full.
I have become acquainted with some of the history of the Garrison family. Apparently, the estate, absent Mr. Garrison producing a son, is entailed away from the Garrisons to the benefit of Mr. Chatterton. This explains his visits to Hertfordshire. If he were to marry one of the daughters, it would solve the Garrisons’ problem, if you can view marriage to Mr. Chatterton as a solution to anything. This goes a long way in explaining the mother’s behaviour in promoting Miss Garrison so aggressively and why the younger daughters are all out before the elder sisters are married. But by allowing her younger daughters to be out in society without proper instruction, she risks the very thing she seeks. The Garrisons find themselves in an unfortunate position, but as Bingham’s friend, I believe my loyalty lies with him. I cannot concern myself with the financial misfortunes of others.
I have asked Bingham to go up to London with me after the ball, but he will not commit. We have already missed the opening of the exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art. I understand that is no hardship for Bingham, but he has also missed the first balls of the season. And you know how Bingham loves to dance! If it were not for this infernal ball, I would already be in London this minute.
Yours,
Will
It was obvious from all the crossed out words that Will was agitated when he wrote this letter. After reading it, I liked Anne Desmet very much. It seemed as if she wanted her cousin to marry for love and to be happy with his choice of wife. On the surface, it appeared that Will was making a real effort not to fall in love, but his actions didn’t match his words. He expressed his desire to return to London as soon as possible, but no one was forcing him to stay in the country.
10 May — The ball at HH was truly elegant. I wore my ivory dress and Jane put a wreath of white flowers in my hair and I was very pleased with the result. Many of the younger officers did not know all of the dances, but there were enough men available so that everyone who wished to dance had a partner. I danced all but two dances.
Both Mr. Laceys put in an appearance at the ball. The nice Mr. Lacey requested the second dance. There was little conversation while we waited our turn. After a prolonged silence, the gentleman talked about the weather. I said, ‘Mr. Lacey, surely you can do better than that,’ and lo and behold, Mr. Lacey smiled and said, ‘Actually, Miss Elizabeth, at the moment, that is the best I can do.’ At my prompting, we had a pleasant conversation, mostly about his sister, who is in London. Miss Lacey is learning the modern languages and is studying with a piano master. Other than business, this is the reason he travels back and forth to London so frequently. Even though he has all the advantages of elevated rank, I believe him to be a shy man, and despite his superior education, he has little talent for the light conversation one hears at these gatherings. Even so, I must admit I was very glad he had asked me to dance.
The ball had been in progress for about two hours when a group of four officers arrived. One officer, a Mr. Waggoner, had a brief discussion with Mr. Lacey, who was clearly surprised to see him, and his mood altered immediately. I danced with the gentleman, who seemed pleasant enough and is very handsome in his regimentals and well aware of it. Lucy, Celia, and their friends could hardly keep their eyes off of him. He told me he did know Mr. Lacey, as they were both from Derbyshire, but said no more.
The last dance went to Mr. Lacey, who spoke hardly a word. Instead of enjoying the dance, he gave every appearance of being annoyed. Exasperated, I asked him why he gave himself the trouble of dancing when he disliked the amusement so much. He said nothing and left the room. It is impossible to understand this man!
As I waited for our carriage, Mr. Lacey approached me. He led me by the hand to an area under the staircase and said: ‘I am returning to London in the morning. I noticed you were talking to George Waggoner. May I advise you to avoid this man and be wary of anything he may say.’
I do not know what to make of this. I also do not know what to make of the fact that, all the while he was talking, he was holding my hand. I am very fond of complex characters, but Mr. Lacey may be too complex, even for me. When he said he was returning to London, did he mean permanently?
There was nothing in Lizzy’s diary to indicate that anything was amiss with regard to Jane and Mr. Bingley. When Charles came by to tell Jane he was returning to London, no alarm bells went off. In fact, the big news was not about the ball, or Jane and Charles, but the engagement between Charlotte Ledger and Mr. Chatterton. Just as in the novel, Lizzy was stunned by the announcement, and because her circumstances were similar to her friend’s, she was feeling particularly vulnerable about her future. However, she was confident Jane would have no such worries because it was so obvious that Charles was in love with her.
20 May — Mr. Bingham called this morning and told Jane that he has been asked to return to London by his brother, George, whom she knows to be something of a father figure to him. He said he did not know when he would return. Poor Jane! How is she to survive without her Mr. Bingham?
30 May — Is it not always the way? The servants learn everything first. Mrs. Brown tells us the steward at Helmsley Hall has been in town paying all of the bills and informed the butcher that the ladies of the house have returned to London to join their brother. What does all this mean? Jane has not heard from Mr. Bingham, and he is now gone ten days.
4 June — Jane does not think I hear her crying at night. She says Mr. Bingham owes her no explanation for his absence and defends his behaviour saying he made no promises, and I am unfair to reproach him. How is it possible that a man so obviously in love with someone can disappear for two weeks without explanation? His sisters and friend must be behind this.
5 June — We have news from Mr. Glynn, who leased HH to Mr. Bingham, that he has been instructed to cover the furniture and shutter the windows. This means Mr. Bingham has no intention of returning to HH any time soon. I would not have believed him capable of such unkindness.
I agreed with Lizzy. Even though Charles had given into pressure from Will Lacey and his brother, he should have written to Jane to let her know he was leaving Hertfordshire for good. Instead, his lack of consideration left Jane listening for news in the village about Helmsley Hall or checking the post for a letter explaining his absence.
17 June — Everything is now as it was before Mr. Bingham came to Hertfordshire, except that Charlotte and Mr. Chatterton were married today in the parish church. Charlotte has already asked me to visit her in Kent. I agreed to visit but not immediately. I have had enough of Mr. Chatterton and his dissertations for a while. Aunt Sims has written to Jane to come to London. There is so much more to do in town that will divert her mind from other thoughts. When Jane goes to Aunt’s house, I will travel with her to London and then on to see Charlotte.
2 July — I have had a most enjoyable stay with Aunt and Uncle Sims, and I believe Jane’s mood has much improved. We went to the summer theatre at Haymarket and to a concert at Vauxhall Gardens, which was followed by fireworks. Sir Arthur Morton, a friend of Uncle’s, hosted a private ball where Jane and I were asked to dance every dance. Last night, we went with Aunt and Uncle to Ranelagh Gardens and heard Mr. Leonardi, an Italian tenor, sing selections from Don Giovanni. Today’s newspapers reported that, after we had left, the Prince of Wales arrived and was seen in the company of Lady Jersey, and that they stayed until dawn. Uncle’s man will see me to Kent in two days. With all there is to do in London, I wish I could delay my departure, but Charlotte writes for me to hurry.
These last items from Elizabeth Garrison’s diaries, along with the earlier ones that Beth had given to me when she was in London, were all in chronological order. Without the distraction of jumping around in time or from one story to another, what was becoming evident was that Elizabeth Garrison and William Lacey’s story was remarkably close to the events in Pride and Prejudice. I could not understand how the two stories could be so alike unless the parties knew each other, and if they had, surely Beth would have mentioned it. There had to be a reasonable explanation for all of this. I just couldn’t think what it was.