Page 62 of Miss Gardiner
“No, my dear. This is about Charles,” Geoffrey replied and saw the fear in her eyes. He moved to sit beside his wife on a sofa and placed one arm around her shoulders.
“There have been terrible revelations regarding Charles and Miss Bennet. When Charles left…when we left Hertfordshire last November…Miss Bennet was terribly compromised. He wrote her many letters professing his love and promising marriage. They anticipated their marriage vows but then he deserted her.”
“No,” Louisa cried, her free hand covering her mouth to keep her from crying aloud.
“Once her disgrace was made known to her father, Mr Bennet cast his daughter from his home, and she vanished. Somehow, she made it to London but died in June.”
“Poor Miss Bennet,” Louisa mourned. She looked up at her husband and asked, “What did Charles do?”
“He took the news badly; as a gentleman, his philandering is his responsibility. But since Miss Bennet has passed, he decided to leave England. In the last week he sold his holdings, boarded a ship, and sailed for the Americas.”
“Where? We must write him!”
“He is gone and does not wish any contact with anyone from his past life,” Geoffrey explained.
Silent for a few moments, Louisa’s tears began falling in greater numbers. “Poor Charles.”
Geoffrey held his wife and when a chambermaid entered the room, he sent the girl for some spirits. After a finger of brandy, Louisa asked, “What do we do?”
“We remain here in Bath for the time we planned before we return to London. Once she returns from her walk about, I shall tell Caroline the news. The letter sent by your brother states that he arranged with his attorneys to turn her inheritance over to Caroline. He pledges to be a better man but wrote that he cannot remain here.”
“May I read the letter?” Louisa asked. Geoffrey pulled the letter from his vest pocket and handed it to his wife. Her hands shook as she read different portions of the communication but completed it without more tears.
After receiving the news that Charles had emigrated, Caroline was bewildered for a day but then decided that Charles was at fault for deserting her. When Caroline attempted to speak ill of Charles, Louisa took her sister to task, shouting louder than Caroline and forbid her ever saying anything of their absent brother. Thereafter Miss Bingley became sullen and remained within thehouse in Bath.
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Chapter 15.Mr Darcy’s Happy Days
Georgiana Darcy was a particularly happy young woman during the long weeks of August. Mr and Mrs Banks discussed the number of letters the young woman received on alternate days of the week, first from her brother and then from Miss Bennet but kept their opinions to themselves. The franking purse was emptied more than once with the number of letters received every day for Mr Darcy’s business so the letters for Miss Darcy were not an issue. Mrs Annesley had few objections because her charge addressed her lessons with great enthusiasm. Mr Banks and Mrs Annesley reached agreement that letters were not be delivered during meals but otherwise they merely observed the smiles and laughter Miss Darcy would exhibit after reading each one.
One afternoon after receiving a letter from Miss Bennet, Miss Darcy sought the butler in the kitchen of the townhouse. With the newly delivered letter in her hand, Georgiana asked, “Banks, do we have a pitchfork in the stables?”
Blinking with surprise, the stoic servant was speechless for a moment. He stumbled trying to respond, “A pitch…”
“A pitchfork,” Miss Darcy replied. “Never mind, I shall ask Hamby next time we go shopping.”
“Miss Darcy why are you asking about pitchforks?” inquired Mrs Annesley as she led her charge to Miss Darcy’s chambers on the second floor.
Handing over the latest letter from Miss Bennet for her companion to read, Georgiana explained, “Miss Bennet and my brother walk in the park at Rosings most days with a young boy from one of the farms as chaperone. The chaperone has explained the uses of a pitchfork to defend young women from old goats. She writes that he demonstrated the effectiveness of the pitchfork in the destruction of a particularly vicious boxwood the other day.”
Mrs Annesley’s mouth dropped open, but she said nothing before turning to the letter and reading it twice. She handed the paper back to Georgiana who sighed and said, “It sounds so exciting…”
“Miss Bennet is in mourning for her sister until October. She is not supposed to be having excitement or company,” Mrs Annesley reminded her charge.
“Miss Elizabeth does mourn the loss of her sister,” Georgiana retorted. “But she was too lost in her mourning and that is why her Aunt Gardiner sent her to Hunsford. Providence sent my brother there and they are walking with a chaperone each day.”
“A farm boy!” Mrs Annesley snorted. “He is hardly a suitable chaperone!”
Now Georgiana frowned and said, “My brother will not do anything improper! I believe Miss Bennet will be Mrs Darcy before many months and there will be nothing in the newspapers except for a simple announcement of their betrothal and marriage.”
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At Gracechurch Street, Mr and Mrs Gardiner discussed the serendipity of Darcy’s appearance in Elizabeth’s letters from Hunsford. They worried for a moment but a letter from Mrs Collins emphasising the constant presence of the boisterous Henry Jones with the young couple and Elizabeth’s letters reassured them that everything was appropriate. Additionally, Mr Gardiner received a letter from Mr Darcy that expressed the desire to form a permanent union with Miss Bennet in the new year once he received the young woman’s acceptance in October.
Holding Charlie before putting him to bed for a time, Mrs Gardiner prayed Jane would watch over her sister. Mrs Simple would see to the babe’s needs overnight and Mrs Gardiner descended to the second floor where her husband read a story book to their other children in the nursery. He glanced up and smiled as she prepared the small beds; Nanny had retired for the evening, and the Gardiners tucked their children into bed.
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