Page 87 of The Cheapside Runners
“I suppose so. I have family and friends who use it, but it sits empty more often than not.”
“Exactly. My uncle and I have protected and educated dozens of ladies. Their guardians are grateful, so it requires little more than a few notes to get a box any time we need one.”
“If we wait until our courtship is public, we can use the Darcy box. It might even be a good opportunity tomakesome sort of announcement.”
“Perhaps,” Elizabeth said thoughtfully, not the least bit distressed by discussing the possibility of making their courtship known. After all, if they were not thinking it was likely to succeed, what were they even doing?
She added, “It will require some thought. It is one thing to make ourcourtshippublic, and quite another thing to make myschoolpublic. I am not entirely certain I want to do it all on the same evening. I do not believe I can keep the school secret for long, nor do I want to since I am proud of what I haveaccomplished—but the same night might be a bit much.”
Darcy chuckled. “The gossips of thetonwould fall into fits,” which elicited another giggle of agreement.
Kitty suggested, “Maybe you worry too much. We are all your friends, sisters, and future sister. Telling a few prolific gossips that it is just a family outing might put them off the scent… at least for a time.”
“That might work,” Darcy said. “Or it might not, but either way, I do not see any point in hiding the ladies if they will be all staying at my house soon.”
That statement was yet another one thatcouldbe considered just a touch presumptuous, but Elizabeth certainly did not mind, and the rest of the ladies had no opinion, since they would all be happy with anywhere that was not Longbourn.
~~~~~
“Tell me about your Christmas traditions,” Darcy asked on a visit a few days later. They were sitting together on a sofa after dinner, and if their hands happened to be touching under Elizabeth’s dress, nobody was the wiser.
Elizabeth looked to her sisters, so Mary answered. “To be honest, we do not do all that much. When we were children, we did all the usual things… hung greenery… gave gifts… plum pudding… wassail… carols… that sort of thing. Of course, we went to church and did boxes for the servants. The last few years though, my parents have found all of that to be too much bother, so we mostly have a slightly improved dinner and perhaps exchange a few small gifts.”
Darcy nodded. “We are the same. When my mother was alive, we did all those things you mentioned. I tried to keep it going after she died with modest success while Georgiana was little. The last few years, we have fallen into a bit of indolence. We sometimes go to my uncle’s, but I am not exactly in charitywith him these days.”
“We could have a nice celebration here,” Elizabeth suggested. “There is no need to be constrained by the past. I have traditionally spent the holidays at Longbourn, so no classes are scheduled until after the new year.”
“Oh, yes… that would be just the thing,” Lydia gushed enthusiastically (though in a mostly ladylike manner), to which the others added their own enthusiastic responses.
“Perhaps, if all goes well, it could be the first of many.”
“I have heard worse ideas,” she replied with a small squeeze of his hand that he did not dislike.
Jane said, “I believe we could manage to organise everything, so you need not lift a finger, Lizzy.”
Elizabeth chuckled. “You do understand that when I saidwe, I really meantall of you in general and Jane in particular,” which produced some half-hearted grumbling.
Both members of the couple were quite happy with the progress of their courtship, finding it neither too fast nor too slow. Whilst it was a big decision, and neither was quite ready to commit for life, or even to speak of love, the path in front of them seemed clear enough for the moment.
Mary gave the area between the couple a pointed stare, to which Elizabeth shrugged, believing she had given adequate explanations forincreasing intimacy, and wondering how she would react to her sisters’ inevitable romances.
Fortunately, unless Mr Bingley found a backbone forthwith, and somehow weaselled Jane’s location from Darcy, it seemed unlikely to be an immediate issue.
~~~~~
The Christmas decorations were going along apace, and the house was looking more festive than ever. Mrs Rose quite enjoyed the spectacle, as she had been alone the previous years.She had, of course, gone to visit the Gardiners and enjoyed her time with their children immensely, but it was nice to have some activity in her own home.
She, like Elizabeth, had not properly earned the title ofMrs, but nobody disputed it. She was about Jane’s age in years, but considerably older in wisdom. She had come to Elizabeth’s attention after she was put upon by a man and she refused to marry the brute. Her father was dead, and she still had a sister, not yet out, living with her stepfather, whom she had never gotten along with. They made the entirely reasonable choice to tell everyone she died of some vague fever, and she left for London with £100 to her name, feeling lucky to have even that.
She had joined the school, first as a sort of maid and assistant, and later as a full-fledged instructor. Elizabeth thought she should be married by then, but she did not seem to be in any hurry, since Elizabeth paid her a high enough wage that she need never marry if she chose not to. If she did choose to, she had saved a rather tidy dowry for herself, and Elizabeth was quite proud of her.
Elizabeth wondered if she would ever choose to enter the fray, but since it was not her business, she wondered silently and sporadically.
She had three other instructors, since the school ran year-round, even when Elizabeth was at Longbourn. Mrs Scarlet, Mrs Auburn, and Mrs Jade had actually earned their prefix the usual way by walking down the aisle. Mrs Auburn and Jade were widows who liked to work a week or so each month, but they both had their own households and did the work for a bit of extra spending money, and she enjoyed the work. Mrs Jade was similar to Mrs Rose in situation and worked just about full time, though she mostly lived with her aging mother.
~~~~~
Sunday the 22ndof December came, and Elizabeth took thoseof her charges who wished to attend to the local church, as she had the two previous Sundays.
