Page 33 of Miss Gardiner
“Might I inquire as to the availability of your sister to call and then I can invite you to bring her for such as visit?”
“My sister…my sister will be returning to London later this month.”
Gardiner’s lips twitched as he fought a smile before continuing, “Perhaps it would be best if you came alone…in the beginning…to ensure that my niece is willing to receive Miss Darcy.”
“Ah… yes, an excellent idea,” Darcy replied. Gardiner continued looking kindly upon Mr Darcy before he took a deep breath and added, “But there is something you should know before you accept my invitation.”
“What?” Darcy asked, fearful that Gardiner would announce that his niece was engaged to some other fellow. “I beg your pardon. What do you wish to tell me?”
“The true name of my niece.”
“What? Miss Gardiner…”
“…is indeed my niece. She is my sister’s second child and has lived with my wife and I for several years now. Her father’s house was full of daughters and Elizabeth’s interests did not suit with the simple country life.”
Darcy agreed saying, “She is intelligent and appears to have learned much of books, art and even politics.
“Much of that is her own initiative,” Gardiner explained. “Last summer, when we began the endeavour to raise funds for your needs, I asked Elizabeth to oversee the creation of the inventory, but I had to protect her name from being besmirched with ‘trade’ or wages. She is a gentleman’s daughter, but her circumstances do not offer much prospect.”
Darcy waited as Mr Gardiner finally explained, “My niece is Elizabeth Bennet, the second daughter of Thomas Bennet of Longbourn in Hertfordshire.”
“She is the missing sister from Longbourn? Miss Gardiner is Miss Jane Bennet’s missing sister?”
Mr Gardiner nodded slowly, and Darcy sat back in his chair before saying, “Thank you for telling me.”
After only a moment, he sat forward and cursed, “God’s teeth! What you must think of me after that last conversation with Mr Bingley and his sister at my house!”
“Bingley is without honour, but I believed you to be honest. Elizabeth and I both believe you to be a forthright and honest man, Mr Darcy.”
Darcy stood and announced, “I tell you now that I cut most of my ties with Charles Bingley that day. I conduct business with him at our club, but my house remains closed to him.”
Relieved to hear these reassurances, Mr Gardiner asked, “So, would you care to call on Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Darcy?”
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In their room above the Gardiner’s offices, Elizabeth and Jane prepared for bed. With the cold weather, the sisters continued to share one large bed. Jane brushed her sister’s hair as Elizabeth worried, “Why would Mr Darcy wish to call? He is a rich and powerfulman, and I am…”
“You are a beautiful, smart young woman who has impressed him,” Jane insisted, refusing to allow her sister to doubt herself. “I tell you Mr Darcy was always polite and knowledgeable whenever he spoke with the other gentlemen last fall. He never asked any lady to dance even though Miss Bingley wished it often and loudly.”
“Even at the ball at Netherfield?” Elizabeth asked.
Jane’s sad smile appeared as she remembered the night that once was so sweet but now conjured bitter memories.
“I only had eyes for Charles, so it is possible Mr Darcy danced with Miss Bingley once. But I am certain it was only once because she was in a temper the rest of the night.”
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It was the next day that Mr Darcy called upon the Gardiner household in the afternoon. He arrived promptly at two of the clock and was ushered into the parlour where Mr and Mrs Gardiner waited for him. Seated beside Mrs Gardiner was Elizabeth Bennet. He smiled when he saw her eyes glance at him, but she looked away quickly. Fitzwilliam noticed that she appeared slightly pale as though she was not walking about much during the day.
“Mr Darcy, may I present my wife, Madeline Gardiner who was born and raised in Lambton near your home.
Darcy took Mrs Gardiner’s hand and dipped his head over her hand before saying, “Mrs Gardiner, I do remember your father and mother at Barnes’s Mercantile. It remains a favourite shoppe for my sister and I when we are in residence at Pemberley.”
“Thank you, Mr Darcy. I remember you as a boy with Lady Anne searching for toys among the shelves of my father’s shoppe.”
“And this our niece,” Mr Gardiner said. “Allow me to introduce Miss Elizabeth Bennet. We are blessed to have her living with us here at Gracechurch Street.”
This time when Darcy took the lady’s offered hand, he briefly touched his lips to the back of Elizabeth’s hand before he met her eyes and said, “I am most glad to meet you, Miss Bennet. For many weeks since we parted last fall, I have wanted to speak to you about matters. Let me begin by apologizing for the thoughtless words of Mr Bingley and his sister in my home. If I had known…”
