Page 64 of Miss Gardiner
“And I shall have to write to Mr Gardiner. Perhaps I shall invest in a warehouse.”
Elizabeth pursed her lips and shook her head, “No, we do not need another.”
Darcy laughed to have caught her off guard but then said, “I believe I would be a candidate for Bedlam if I had no news of you for an entire month!”
“Lord, he’s gone for you for sure Miss Eliza. Want me to find the parson what’s can marry you this afternoon?” asked Henry. “You don’t want himto change his mind.”
“Henry Jones, I shall not change my mind about the high regard I have for Miss Elizabeth though a hundred years were to pass,” Darcy declared. “But before we wed, I must have permission from Mr Gardiner and then I shall ask the lady to be my wife properly. We shall publish the banns in the Gardiner’s church in London for three Sundays before we marry.”
“That’s a long time!” declared the boy.
As they walked back to the parsonage, Elizabeth refused to let go of Mr Darcy’s arm and she laughed at everything Henry and Darcy discussed. At the house, Charlotte came out the door when she heard them approaching and the parson’s wife smiled to see her friend smiling.
“The gentlem’n makes Miss Elizabeth laugh, Mrs Collins,” Henry explained. “They’re getting’ married after he talks to her guard, asks her proper like, and gets banded in church.”
Elizabeth and Darcy exchanged smiles to hear Henry saying the words aloud so Elizabeth translated saying, “Charlotte, our plans are that Mr Darcy will speak to Uncle Gardiner in October, then propose properly and we shall publish the banns in church in London. My mourning for Jane will end in December so in the new year…”
“You will become Mrs Fitzwilliam Darcy,” Mr Darcy declared.
“Congratulations, Mr Darcy,” Charlotte said. “You have found a wonderful woman to be your bride.”
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Upon receipt of a letter with permission from Mr Gardiner, and with an elderly woman’s agreement to act as chaperone, Mr Darcy did escort Miss Elizabeth Bennet home to Gracechurch Street on the last day of August. That morning began with Henry Jones appearing at the parsonage and Charlotte was surprised to find the farm boy at her door.
“Miss Elizabeth will not be walking today,” she reminded him. “This is the morning she leaves us.”
“Yes, Mrs Collins, but I wanted to say goodbye to the Miss,” the boy replied.
“Here, here,” interrupted the parson coming to the door to see who was calling so early. It was almost time for him to walk to Rosings Park for his daily conversations with Lady Catherine. Seeing one of the local farm boys, his face showed his irritation as he asked, “What is this boy doing here?
“Mr Collins, for the last month, Mr Jones has escorted your cousin all through the parks and meadows,” Charlotte explained.
“Do we have to pay him?” asked the pastor nervously.
At that moment, Henry Jones took a step toward being an adult because he bowed to the pastor and said, “Mr Collins, sir, Miss Bennet paid me a penny ev’ry day t’ walk with her, show her th’ best paths and bring her back to your house safe. I chased th’ ducks and defeated th’ deadly boxwoods.”
“Ducks and boxwoods?” Mr Collins asked.
But before he could ask any more questions, there was a great deal of noise outside the parsonage as a large carriage arrived and stopped. The carriage door opened, and Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy stepped down to the gravel in front of the house. Mr Collins deserted his wife and Henry Jones to attend to Lady Catherine’s nephew.
“Mr Darcy! You do my house great honour by coming to call!”
“Good morning, Mr Collins. Are you not late calling on Lady Catherine this morning?” Darcy asked.
“No…I am never late calling on Lady Catherine,” Collins assured the tall man.
Charlotte lay one hand on Henry’s shoulder and asked, “Mr Jones, will you go with me to retrieve Miss Elizabeth and her trunk?”
“Sure, Mrs Collins,” the boy replied before climbing the stairs and dashing down the hall to the door he knew to be Miss Elizabeth’s chamber. Charlotte climbed the stairs without as much noise but with a smile on her face as her husband continued to explain to Mr Darcy about Lady Catherine’s plans for the forthcoming wedding.
Henry Jones and a chambermaid wrestled the single trunk down the stairs where Darcy’s footman took the trunk out the carriage.
“Mr Darcy? What is the meaning of this?” asked Mr Collins in confusion, seeing his cousin’s trunk being loaded onto the great man’s carriage.
“Collins, I am returning to London today and with Mrs Langton as chaperone, I offered to provide Miss Bennet with transportation to Mr Gardiner’s house in town.”
“Sir, you do my family a great favour!” Collins replied but Darcy paid little attention to the parson. He watched Elizabeth descend from above stairs in her usual day dress, with a bonnet upon her head, and a smile for him.
