Posted on Monday, 3 June 2002
"I say Fitzwilliam, where is that cousin of yours, Sir George Steele asked as Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam came into the card room. I know I saw the Darcy carriage come into town more than a fortnight ago but haven't seen hide or hair of him. He stayed in town only ten days after his marriage and then ran off to Derbyshire without even a hello to anyone."
"Yes, Fitzwilliam, why has Darcy not been seen at any of his clubs since his marriage. Surely his bride does not demand all his time."
Richard laughed, he had been hearing the same thing at every club he entered this past week.
"Darcy wished to go to Pemberley in all haste after the wedding, he said. He had a little business to attend to here in town and as soon as it was finished he was off to Derbyshire."
"Surely you cannot expect a newlywed to leave his bride and come her to commute with a roomful of men."
"Why not, Sir Geoffrey Maxwell asked. I am newly wed but I don't let it keep me from my clubs.
"Ahh, Richard grinned, you have not met the fair Elizabeth I take it. If you had you would not question Darcy's movements."
"How could we meet her, he keeps her hidden away, Sir Geoffrey snorted. Why does he mot bring her into society, is he ashamed of his country girl wife."
"Indeed he is not, more he wishes to keep her from rakes such as you," Fitzwilliam laughed.
"At the moment I believe they are visiting her Uncle and Aunt Gardiner, or maybe it is her sister and Mr. Bingley. They have been the last sennight at Matlock Manor however."
"My mother is extremely fond of Mrs. Darcy and enjoys her company greatly"
"Very different from your Aunt Lady Debourg, Sir George said, slyly. I understand her Ladyship has cut all ties with Darcy."
Fitzwilliam ignored the remark about his Aunt Catherine and instead said, "If you wish to catch a glimpse of Mrs. Darcy you will be able to do so tonight at the theater. "The Taming Of The Shrew" is a particular favorite of Mrs. Darcy so they plan to attend tonight."
"Well, my Helen has been wanting a night out at the theater. Perhaps tonight will be just the time to go. She will be happy not only to see the play but to catch a sight of the young woman who captured Darcy."
"If she is half the beauty that her sister is, she will be a stunner. Bingley did well there. Not only is she a Greek goddess but she is a sweet girl too."
The gentlemen dispersed to tell their wives that they would be theater goers that night.
It was a fine night in London for the opening night of "The Taming Of The Shrew and the crowd mingled outside the theater enjoying the balmy March weather.
As those who knew that the Darcy's were to attend waited expectantly they watched each carriage disgorge its passengers.
At last the Bingley carriage was there and Mr. Bingley stepped out with a smile for all as he handed his lady, dressed in dark blue and looking lovely, from the carriage. Another young woman followed Mrs. Bingley. Lovely to look at but quite young.
"That is Mrs. Bingley's younger sister," Lady Abigale Farley whispered..
The Bingley's were followed by the Hurst carriage
Caroline Bingley swept from the carriage up the steps and into the theater followed by her sister and her brother in law.
Lady Alice Maxwell, sister of Lady Farley giggled, "Ahh Caroline, playing the great lady. I do believe she emptied her jewelry chest tonight. As usual she is over dressed, and overjeweled. At least she is not wearing orange."
"But puce, sister, puce, what and ugly color, but most fitting for Caroline I must say."
All attention was turned now to the next carriage as it pulled up before them. There was no mistaking the Darcy crest.
Fitzwilliam Darcy descended and with a look around for the Bingley's reached in with a kiss on her hand and handed out his bride.
A gasp went through the crowd as Elizabeth Darcy stepped out with a smile for her husband.
Posted on Tuesday, 2 July 2002
Lady Matlock smiled as she saw Elizabeth handed from the carriage by Darcy. Her smile broadened as he gently kissed his wife's fingers and tucked her hand firmly into the crook of his arm.
With a proud smile he started to lead his bride into the theater.
The theatergoers hurried inside where the light was better and they could get a better look at Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy.
As the Darcy's came up the steps all eyes were upon them.
With a wry smile on his face Darcy whispered to his bride, "I do believe we are on display, my love."
Elizabeth raised a quizzical eyebrow and smiled at her beloved she answered, I cannot believe that so many can be so interested in us. Why do they all stare?"
"It is because of your dazzling beauty, my love," Darcy grinned.
Lady Victoria Hawkins watched as the Darcy's approached her eyes smiling at the sight.
Mrs. Darcy was dressed in a silk moiré that swirled around her softly as she walked. A moiré which changed with each step from deep shining amethyst to a gleaming lilac with each step.
Her hair cascaded down her back, a deep glistening black with pearls and roses entwined within. Around her neck was a simple pearl necklace.
"Beautiful," she breathed, "absolutely beautiful. I wonder where she found that silk, I have never seen any like it before. I must ask her."
Caroline Bingley standing nearby snorted, "She probably got it from her uncle, he is a silk merchant, you know. I cannot see that she looks so beautiful. Look at her, she still dresses like a country bumpkin. The wife of Mr. Darcy should be wearing lace and jewels."
"I find her mode of dress disgustingly plain."
"Plain," Victoria laughed, "I would call it understated elegance. She is very elegant, don't you agree, Catherine," she turned to her twin.
"Indeed, I do Victoria, she is not only elegant but regal I would say. She is perfect for Darcy. You know how he detests ostentatious display."
"What lovely skin she has, so peachy. She would not, I say use makeup. Her complexion is too fine. Nothing ruins the skin faster than makeup."
Lady Valen went on, "Her eyes, Victoria, have you ever seen such beautiful eyes, I have never seen any like them before in my life. Amethyst, sister. I swear they are amethyst, and such lashes. Never have I seen such long thick lashes. I would kill for them."
Caroline stalked away to join her sister and Mr. Hurst. "I am sick of hearing what a beauty Mr. Darcy has married, Louisa, She looks plain and country like to me."
Lord Valen, watching, the Darcy's as they talked to Lord and Lady Matlock said to his wife, "Catherine, this is the young woman who Miss Bingley described as ordinary with a calculating look in her eyes, which, if I recall she said were not at all fine. How strange I find the young woman quite the opposite of what Miss Bingley reported."
Lady Catherine Valen laughed, "I do believe my dear that Miss Bingley was looking into a mirror when she told us of Mrs. Darcy. Especially about the eyes. If anyone's eyes have a cold and calculated look it is Miss Bingley."
As Sir Geoffrey Rhodes came into the circle he grinned and said, "Sugar and spice I do believe that is the description Colonel Fitzwilliam gave us of the Bennet sisters, is it not."
I would say Mrs. Bingley is sugar and Mrs. Darcy is certainly the spice. The air around her fairly crackles with energy. She will lead Darcy a merry chase, I tell you."
As the theaters goers milled around between the first and second act the twin sisters watched with pleasure Mrs. Darcy and Mrs. Bingley mingling with acquaintances laughing and talking.
"How lovely they both are," Victoria commented, so at ease with everyone.
"Look at Caroline Bingley, playing with her bracelets and smoothing her laces. Such a sour continence I have never before beheld. I would say she is not at all pleased at the popularity of either her sister in law or Mrs. Darcy. No one seems to be paying her any attention. That does not set well with Miss Bingley at all."
"Perhaps we could show her some attention," Catherine smiled wickedly, "would you like to have a little fun sister."
"Catherine, you are too cruel," Victoria laughed, "what do you have in mind ."
"We shall give her a taste of what she gave Clarissa Adderley last winter, surely you remember, Vicky?"
"Oh dear sister, that is cruel indeed, but it is no more than she deserves," Victoria laughed even harder.
"She had no scruples about taunting Clarissa about her silly, foolish mother scaring Darcy off into the wilds of Scotland."
"Poor Clarissa, saddled with such a mother. Three or four dances and a cup of punch for her daughter by Mr. Darcy and she was demanding that he take them to Derbyshire so that she could see what kind of home her daughter was to become mistress of."
"Poor Darcy, he fled town as if the hounds were on his heels. Off to Scotland so that he would not be followed by her ladyship dragging her daughter to Pemberley."
"Better the hounds and Scotland than Mary Adderley," Victoria giggled.
"I have gained the knowledge that it was Caroline Bingley who set Lady Adderly on him," Victoria whispered to her sister. "She accomplished just what she set out to do. She set Lady Adderly on his heels knowing it would send him far from here and open the chances for herself."
"Caroline, are you enjoying the play?" Victoria asked sweetly.
"No," Caroline snapped, "I find it quite stupid. I cannot see what is so wonderful about William Shakespeare."
Catherine said wistfully, "I do hope the Darcy attend some of the after theater parties. She is so lovely and so intelligent. Her wit is most pleasing, don't you agree, Mrs. Hurst, Miss Bingley."
"It must give you great pleasure to see your new sister and Mrs. Darcy so well received."
"I find her aunt and uncle so amusing too. My John says he is a very astute and honest man and a capital chess player. He likes him very much indeed."
"I find Mrs. Gardiner a pleasure to converse with too sister, her twin chimed in, and Lord and Lady Matlock are so very fond of all of them too. This should make you very happy."
"How wonderful to see Darcy so happy and so very much in love," Catherine said sweetly, "She is obviously mad about him too the way she looks at him."
"Yes," Victoria sighed, "Who would have thought our staid and taciturn would be so besotted. I don't believe he saw anything on the stage, his eyes were only for his lovely wife."
"I agree, sister, I expect them to leave before the last act is over. When a man looks at his wife like that it is not Shakespeare that he has on his mind."
The sisters had all they could do to control themselves and not burst into laughter as Caroline's mouth got tighter and tighter and her face became whiter.
"To think that a year ago we all thought her might marry Clarissa Adderley."
"It worked out well for both of them," Victoria, smiled. "Clarissa is to marry Sir David Arnold. It is a great match for both of them. He has the title and the estate and her fortune is great enough to pay off his rogue fathers debts and still have enough to live very comfortably."
"Clariss is all of 23 and would soon be forever saddled with the name old maid if she did not marry soon," Catherine answered with a smile knowing full well that Caroline was more than a year older than Miss Adderley.
"How do you like being on the receiving end, Caroline," she thought, "I have waited a long time for this opportunity and I must say I am enjoying it."
"Oh dear, Caroline, Louisa, you must excuse us they bell for the next act has rung. It has been such a pleasure talking to you." Lady Victoria smiled as they took their leave.
"How I detest them, Louisa, Caroline said angrily, almost as much as I despise Elizabeth Bennet."
"Elizabeth Darcy, Louisa corrected her sharply, She is his wife Caroline and you must resign yourself to it."
"I begin to tire of your abuse of Eliza and Jane, Caroline. I like both of them and I want to hear no more from you about how our brother and Mr. Darcy have married beneath themselves. Mr. Bennet is a country squire. If the truth be told Caroline Charles married above himself. Our father was a carriage maker, sister, a tradesman. as much as you try to ignore that fact it is so."
"Try to be a little more pleasant sister and perhaps you will find some happiness for yourself."
Posted on Friday, 16 August 2002
"Well, she certainly is a stunner."
"Who my dear, of whom are you speaking."
"Robert, who did we all come here to see tonight?"
"Ahhh, yes, Mrs. Darcy"
Caroline heard as they passed out of the box into the foyer.
"Come Louisa, Mr. Hurst, make haste. I am sick to death of Mrs. Darcy. I have a headache, I don't wish to go to Lady St John's party. I want to go home."
Louisa had had about all she could stand. Through the entire evening she had heard nothing from her sister but abuse of Elizabeth Darcy and how Mr. Darcy would live to regret marrying her.
"Very well, Caroline," she said sharply, "We will take you to the house and then go to the St John's."
"You would leave me home alone," Caroline gasped. "You would leave me and go on to the party without me."
"Yes, Caroline, we shall do just that. I am sick to death of listening to you rant on about what a mistake Darcy has made."
"It is none of your business sister. Elizabeth Bennet is Mrs. Darcy and I see no signs of any regrets on his part. I see only a great love and tenderness between them."
"I like her, Caroline, and I will no longer be a party to your abuses of them. She is a fine wife and mistress of the Darcy estates. Mr. Darcy takes great pride in her slipping into her duties as Mistress of Pemberley so smoothly and quickly. He told me that she knew the name of every servant, their place and their family status by the end of the first sennight and the same of each and every tenant before a fortnight was up."
"I would say that is quite an accomplishment, considering the number of servants that they have. I know that it would take me far longer than it has Elizabeth."
"It is about time you moved on with your life, Caro, there have been plenty of men who have shown an interest in you these past five months."
"Unless you want to live your life as a spinster living with Charles and Jane you had better start to take some of them seriously."
"Charles and Jane," Caroline snorted. "I would never spend my life under the aegis of Jane Bennet. It would be too humiliating."
"Well, Mr. Hurst and I will not have you. I am to have my first child in six months and I will not have you around with you anger and hate."
"Why do you not consider The Duke of ---. He has certainly made it apparent that he is interested in you. Can you not think what it would be like to be the Duchess of ---. How those who still scorn us would turn green if they had to address you as your grace."
"The Duke of --, Caroline snorted, he is interested only in my fortune. The man hasn't a pence to his name and is about to lose his estate to the creditors. Of what use would the title be if he loses everything."
"He went through his first wife's fortune in less than five years. Before her death he was asking his father in law for money. He would soon go through mine too. I cannot abide the man."
"I certainly would never consider marriage to him."
"Well, there is the Earl of Shandley. He has made his feeling apparent."
"Or, what of Sir James Fitzhugh, Mr. Darcy's cousin. He is handsome and has a large fortune and a fine house in town. I understand that his estate in Cheshire is quite beautiful."
"Lord Hampton," Caroline thought, "Darcy's cousin."
She smiled in the darkness of the carriage.
"Lady Hampton. Darcy and his dearest Elizabeth would have to call me Countess and always follow after me in line at court."
"Lady Hampton," she whispered, "yes, they would be after me at any family gathering or anyplace we might be."
"I cannot understand why he is so interested in me. I certainly have not given him any encouragement."
"He makes me so angry when he teases me about the Darcy's."
At once his words spoken after the wedding sprang to her mind.
"My condolences Miss Bingley. It would seem that you and my cousin had different thoughts about who should become Mistress of the Darcy estate."
How she had hated him then.
He had laughed at her scorn and continued to tease her at their every meeting.
"I have treated him much as Elizabeth Bennet treated Mr. Darcy," she thought.
"Could my mother have been wrong telling us that one must always cater to any man of wealth and position who showed an interest in us. Could there be those who did not want an insipid, stupid woman."
She smirked, "Well we shall see, Caro, we shall see. Lady Hampton, Mistress of Briarwood. Yes, I like the sound of that and Mr. Darcy shall see who is a gracious hostess."
"I think my headache is better, Mr. Hurst, tell the driver to turn around and go on to the St John's," she said.
The Hursts looked at each other in surprise. What was Caroline up to. She sounded so smug and self-satisfied.