Page 36 of Wickham Likes 'Em Young
She spent so many hours at the modiste’s shop, she jested that she must have already exceeded Darcy’s income.
The following day the Gardiners received a delightful array of sweets, enough for the entire family and the two Bennet sisters. Attached to the box was a note that informed Elizabeth of two appointments: one at a cobbler’s shop and the other at a milliner’s establishment.
Those appointments ate up most of that day.
Their final day at London, Elizabeth and Mary were treated to a visit to the famous bookstore, Hatchards, along with a pre-paid luncheon at Gunter’s, before they were taken home in a luxurious carriage, with their original luggage, many purchases for themselves, and a present for each of the Bennets.
Apparently the four days had been full of surprises for those who remained at Longbourn, as well. Mr Bennet knew all—had participated with the planning and had approved all decisions—but even Mrs Bennet was shocked to discover that, beginning the day after Twelfth Night, Lydia would be going to a well-respected school in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, and Kitty would be attending a finishing school in London. Mary would have her choice of master teachers or a sort of governess/companion. Mr Bennet would orchestrate the comings and goings, but Darcy had offered to pay all tuitions and even two day dresses per sister.
“How about Jane?” Mary asked in a whisper. She addressed the question to her father, but her eyes remained on her eldest sister.
Mr Bennet leant over to give his middle daughter a kiss on her forehead. He whispered, “She is too old for school and has turned down any assistance in the way of masters or companions.”
It turned out that there was a surprise brewing in Longbourn that had nothing to do with Darcy’s generosity and his plannedsurprises. On the morning of the day that Mary and Elizabeth returned from London, Mr William Goulding had arrived at Longbourn stating a desire to call on Jane. She was very welcoming, and he was extremely pleased. He stayed well past polite calling customs, remaining in the family circle even as everyone ran out to greet Mary and Elizabeth, giving and receiving enthusiastic hugs and greetings. He remained even when Mary and Elizabeth passed out the gifts they had chosen for each member of the family. As each meal was served—luncheon, tea, dinner—Mr Goulding was invited to join. Eventually he had to be politely shuffled out the door by Mr Bennet. “You can call tomorrow, if you like,” Jane’s father said, “but wait until polite calling hours, if you please.”
“Yes, sir; I will do that, sir,” Mr Goulding said, running one hand through his dark blond hair. “I…am very sorry, sir, if I….”
“Think nothing of it,” Mr Bennet said, flapping his hand dismissively.
A short time later, Jane and Elizabeth were readying themselves for bed, and Elizabeth commented, “Mr Goulding arrived back in the area a bit ahead of schedule, I see.”
“Yes,” was all Jane replied, but her tone was defensive, for some reason.
Elizabeth shot a glance at Jane, but her sister had the same placid smile she almost always wore, and Elizabeth shrugged, saying, “I did not mean anything by my comment, Jane. I just remember you had said he would begin calling in the middle of November, so he is early by half a week. But I am certain that his first promise was a rough estimation.”
“Certainly it must have been,” Jane said. Her tone was the usual sweet-Jane tone—which Elizabeth no longer trusted to actually reflect sweetness. She sighed over the distance she felt between them, but she supposed that it would make her transition to marriage a bit easier. Not that she would not missJane—she already missed Jane!—but it felt quite different to miss what you had never actually had. What she actually missed, she supposed, was her own belief in the illusory Jane….
“Did you enjoy London?” Jane asked. Even though there was nothing in her tone or expression that seemed jealous, Elizabeth felt a prickle of awareness that she likely was. She did not want to say too much about London, not if Jane was already feeling a pinch of envy.
“Yes. Our cousins are getting so big! Aunt and Uncle send you their love.”
“That’s lovely to hear,” Jane said. She glided over to the one mirror to brush and plait her hair. Elizabeth had a sudden memory of looking at her sister’s smooth, straight hair, the colour of spun gold, she had always thought. She used to feel so envious, and even ugly. Her own hair was so heavy and thick and wayward. But now…after hearing Darcy’s praises for her own hair, she felt a new appreciation for it.
She wondered if the insecurity she had always had for her hair, her figure, her colouring—were they just the natural insecurities of a young child? Had they been born from her mother’s criticisms and comparisons? Had Jane somehow fertilised Elizabeth’s self-criticism for her own purposes?
Elizabeth quickly took down her hair, giggling a bit at the mountain of hairpins she had to use compared to a small hillock of pins that managed to keep Jane’s hair up. She brushed her hair, feeling for the first time quite lovely with it down. Then she put in the effort to make two plaits—long experience had taught her that one would just not hold.
When she climbed into bed, her thoughts turned to Darcy. His hair was a lovely tumble of curls, too, and so dark brown, it was almost black. She remembered how it felt beneath her hands, and she smiled as she remembered other pleasurable feelings.
“What causes those smiles, Lizzy?”
She could not tell Jane. It felt too private to tell her about kissing her betrothed, and it felt too mean, as if it were bragging, to speak of her happiness with the match. She just said, “I do not know. I suppose I had a very nice day.”
“I did, as well,” Jane said. Again, the tiniest edge in her voice made Elizabeth wonder how she ever thought of her elder sister as selfless and loving.
“Good night.”
“Good night to you, as well.”
Every day Mr Goulding called on Jane, and the couple enjoyed quite a bit of privacy within the busy parlour, because everyone was working on Elizabeth’s wedding, scheduled for the fifth of December. Elizabeth wrote invitations and approved the ever-changing menu for the wedding breakfast. Mary, Kitty, and Lydia made over their best gowns so that they would look new and elegant for the wedding. Mrs Bennet met with Hill to confer about table linens, flowers, and borrowing chairs, and she met with Cook in regards to the huge wedding cake that was even now being baked, one tier per day.
On Mr Goulding’s fourth call in as many days, he asked for time alone with Jane “to ask a very important question.”
When the couple rejoined the family, Jane informed Elizabeth that he had indeed proposed, and that she had said ‘yes.’ Elizabeth was surprised at the speed with which her sister’s relationship had turned serious, but of course the Gouldings and the Bennets had known each other all of Jane’s and William Goulding’s lives.
She hugged Jane and wished her well with complete sincerity.
The same day that Mr Goulding proposed, an express from Pemberley arrived. Darcy addressed her as ‘Dearest’ and signed the missive ‘All my Love, F.D.,’ but he stuck to facts rather than feelings within the body of the letter. Elizabeth understood that he either feared or knew that his letter would be inspected and likely read by at least her parents.
