Page 12 of Saving Jane
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Chapter 4.Elizabeth’s Meeting in the Park
The morning following the arrival of Jane’s letter, Elizabeth found she could not rally her spirits, and she retreated to her room to write to Jane but could not find the proper words and rather than waste valuable paper, she withdrew further to a chair by the window where she could watch the traffic on the street. The sun came out in London, a rare thing in November, and by afternoon, the weather was warm enough to tempt Mrs Gardiner to take her children and niece for an outing in the park one-quarter mile from their Grace Church Street home. Mr Gardiner remained home after luncheon to accompany his family and so with their nanny and footman, the Gardiners set out for the park with their three children and their niece.
The sun was bright and improved everyone’s spirits, including Elizabeth’s. After a goodly time of play with her young cousins, Elizabeth approached her aunt and uncle for permission to walk the circuit of the park alone.
“I wish for a few minutes to consider our conversation last night as well as the letter I received from Jane,” she explained.
Nodding his head, her uncle gave his permission. “But there is one restriction; you must remain within my sight the entire time. That confines you to the pathway around the pond and the fountain.”
Smiling, Elizabeth thanked her uncle and began her walk at a pace that took her past other families and couples enjoying the November sunshine. She found herself watching the men and women; wondering if they were married couples who had fallen in love or if their families had arranged the marriage.
‘I understand that arranged marriages can be happy ones,’Elizabeth decided.‘My uncle and aunt have an arranged marriage, and they obviously love each other.’
Watching a man and woman walking arm in arm without saying a word to each other, she decided they were not a happily married couple.
‘If only I knew Jane had a chance at happiness with this Mr Collins,’Elizabeth decided.‘Mamma knew what she was about sending me to town. I am certain that Papa would never have agreed to this marriage if I had been at home.’
Turning the corner once again, Elizabeth approached the fountain where several benches offered respite for the footsorepedestrian. On one of the benches near the fountain, she saw a young woman–a girl only the age of Lydia–with her head in her hands crying.
“Whatever is the matter?” Elizabeth asked stopping and sitting beside the girl. “May I be of assistance?”
Wiping her nose on a handkerchief, the girl replied between hiccups, “My companion has deserted me! She left me here in the park!”
“Who is your companion? A friend?”
Shaking her head, the girl said, “She is my lady’s companion, hired by my brother to chaperone me everywhere I go. We were to go shopping for new gowns but after we left the house, she decided that we should come to the park, and she dismissed the carriage. My brother will be very upset when he learns the carriage returned home without us.”
“With the sunshine, the lady must have wanted to enjoy a walk here in the park.” Elizabeth looked around, “It is a pleasant afternoon and there are quite a lot of people here today. Perhaps she just got separated from you.”
Wiping her nose yet again, the girl shook her head and insisted, “My companion deserted me–she has not been satisfied with the position for several months since my brother decided that I should not have a vacation by the sea last summer. He kept me here in town and Mrs Young urged him several times to allow us to separate from him for a time, but he repeatedly responded that I am too young to have an establishment of my own even for a time.”
“I would think that means your brother cares a great deal for you,” Elizabeth responded. “My name is Elizabeth Bennet, and I am just twenty years, so I remain at home with my father, mother and four sisters. The notion of a quiet establishment is attractive, but I remain with my family.”
“I am Georgiana Darcy. My brother and I are all we have–our parents have both passed,” the young girl responded.
“There–he cannot bear the idea of you leaving him,” Elizabeth assured the girl. “How old are you–six-and-ten years?”
“I am five-and-ten years.”
“Of course, you are too young to have your own establishment. Now, why are you crying?”
“My brother will be very angry with me for losing Mrs Young. He insists that I keep to the appointments that we have agreed upon.”
Elizabeth squeezed the girl’s hand gently, “And your companion knows this as well, so I am certain she is searching for you this very moment.”
Now the blond head shook back and forth before she replied, “No, she is not looking for me. I saw her climb into a carriage with George and he kissed her.”
Elizabeth was shocked for a moment before she asked, “They kissed in public? Here in the park? Is George her husband?”
“Oh no, Mrs Young is a widow and George is ‘George Wickham’, son of the man who once was my family’s steward,” Georgiana replied. “I have not seen him in three years.”
“Are you certain the man was Mr Wickham?”
“Oh yes. George is beautiful–no woman can forget his face.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Is he a demigod from Greece?”
