Darcy in Want of a Wife

Chapter 17

Study

Darcy House

Fitzwilliam Darcy set down his quill and dragged his hand down his face, fixing an irritated look on the sheet of paper before him. Though he had devoted several hours of his afternoon to his pursuit of finding a suitable mate, it seemed that he was now no closer to his goal than he had been before.

It was not for lack of effort that Darcy struggled in this area. Indeed, he had spent many an evening over the past few weeks attending balls and dinners, mingling with the upper-class men and women of London’s high society. It was an activity that he loathed more than any other. Darcy did not enjoy making small talk, nor the complex and fickle rituals of high society gatherings. He did not like to dance, except with certain ladies, and found the majority of the eligible young women to be far too shallow and foolish to be considered for the role of his wife.

Darcy was sure of the qualities that he was looking for in a wife. He required a woman who was sensible, not simpering, and had a sharp wit, not like the girls who would titter and giggle at him from behind their fans. The woman’s appearance was of less consequence, but he would certainly be pleased if he could find an eligible lady whose countenance was pleasing to the eye. Finally, she must be of the same, or higher, social standing as he.

Despite his determination to adhere to this last requirement, Miss Elizabeth Bennet still plagued his dreams at night. She was beautiful, clever, and learned, and she could rival even Darcy himself in a discussion on literature. She would have been the perfect fit, if not for her family and her connections to trade.

Darcy focused on the sheet of paper in front of him yet again. Upon it he had written down the names and qualities of four ladies whom he had met during the course of his many ventures out into London society.

The first was a woman by the name of Miss Emily Storey. She was a handsome young lady with a fine dowry and good connections, and Darcy had learned from his interactions with her that she was an intelligent and well-read young lady. She was a pleasant conversationalist, and Darcy enjoyed her company well enough.

The second was Lady Audrey Galpin, the daughter of the Earl of Craiton. She was twenty-four years of age, and while she was not particularly good-looking, she had a considerable dowry. Her connections were excellent, and she was reputedly quite intelligent, having devoted a large portion of her time to reading and learning.

Miss Teresa Curtis was the third, an eighteen-year-old girl whose sharp eyes and brown hair rather reminded him of Elizabeth Bennet. Darcy wondered if that was what made her attractive to him. Despite her age, she was not as flighty and foolish as many of the other girls, though Darcy would have to spend more time with her in order to gain an accurate impression of her character.

The last was Lady Susannah Morgan, the daughter of the Earl of Greenstoke. She was radiantly beautiful, had a large dowry, and was reportedly quite intelligent. Beyond that, she was nobility and one of the Diamonds of the season, making her quite the sought-after prize. Darcy was uncertain if she would even give him a second glance, given that he was merely a commoner, but the appeal of the challenge was enough for him to list her amongst his considerations.

Four choices, none of them perfect, and Darcy felt that he could never be sure whether his potential bride would make a good mistress of Pemberley until after the marriage had taken place. Such a choice seemed impossible, but Darcy knew that he could not put off marrying forever if he was to sire an heir.

The door to his study opened, and Darcy looked up to find Richard Fitzwilliam entering the room.

“Darcy!” Richard said jovially. “A pleasure to see you working hard, as always.”

“As it is to see you.” Darcy stood, offering him a handshake. “What brings you here?”

“I came to inform you that I am now on leave,” Richard told him, “and I will be traveling to Kent in three days’ time. What is it you are working on there?”

He turned his head in order to read the contents of the paper on Darcy’s desk, then scoffed lightly. “Really, Darcy?”

“I am doing my best to make an informed decision on whom I attempt to pursue,” Darcy told him, somewhat defensively. “Is that so wrong?”

“Perhaps so, but why must you be so…” Richard gestured to the paper. “…impersonal about the matter? Is it not enough for you to choose a respectful young lady who catches your fancy?”

“It is not, and you know that.” Darcy sank heavily back into his chair, drawing a hand down his face again. “If that were the case, then I surely would have wedded Miss Elizabeth Bennet already, for she captivates my thoughts even still. But she is not right for me, and not right for Pemberley. Thus,” and here Darcy gestured to the paper before him. “I must endure an endless rotation of dinner parties and balls, where gaggles of young women make doe-eyes at me from over their fans.”

Richard chuckled. “You, my dear cousin, are the only man I have ever met who is not thrilled to have attractive young ladies dogging your every step.”

“Perhaps I would find it more alluring if they were not interested only in my money,” Darcy responded darkly.

“Possibly,” Richard agreed, and he stepped over to the window to gaze out upon the placid street in front of Darcy House. “Do you know if Miss Elizabeth Bennet is in London?”

Darcy was quiet for a moment before answering. “As far as I am aware, she is not. I have not seen a great deal of Bingley of late, due to his recent marriage.”

“Of course.” Richard replied. “Now, why do you not take a break from all of this foolishness? Join me for a drink; I will not be in London much longer.”

Nodding wearily, Darcy stood and guided his cousin next door

The two of them enjoyed a glass of wine before a roaring fire, discussing matters other than Darcy’s search for a suitable wife. They discussed Georgiana, who currently resided at Pemberley with her companion, and her continued progression with the pianoforte. Georgiana was not a prodigy, but she was a dutiful and gifted student.

They also spoke of their aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, whom Richard would be visiting a few days hence. Darcy had yet to inform his aunt that he had no plans of marrying his Cousin Anne and indeed thought that the two of them would make a very poor match. He was not looking forward to the fit that his aunt was certain to raise over it.

His time spent with Richard was a welcome distraction, but Darcy still could not shake the unease and distress he felt over the matter of finding himself an appropriate bride.

/

Trowbridge House

London

Dinner Time

The Trowbridge’s butler was old and respectable, and the three footmen, dressed in matching livery, took Elizabeth and Jane’s wraps, and Mr. Bingley’s hat and cane. Elizabeth looked around with bright-eyed interest as the party was shown down the front corridor and into the large drawing room, which was occupied by some seven people, only two of whom were familiar. It was a chilly day, and the crackling fire in the fireplace was most welcome. Even more welcome was the obvious pleasure on Miss Storey’s face as Mr. Bingley guided his wife and her sister within.

“Good evening!” Mr. Trowbridge said, rising to his feet. He was of medium height, and while not handsome, neither was he ugly. His most remarkable characteristic was his black hair and equally black eyebrows, which would, Elizabeth thought, make him look fearsome if it were not for his genuine smile.

“Bingley, will you not introduce me?” Trowbridge continued, gesturing at Elizabeth.

“Of course,” Bingley replied. “Elizabeth, my friend, Mr. Trowbridge. Trowbridge, my sister-in-law, Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

Elizabeth curtsied and Mr. Trowbridge bowed, and then the master of the house turned to introduce her to the others in the room. The unknowns were a married couple, Sir Archibald and Lady Genevieve Hunter, and Lady Genevieve’s sister, Lady Audrey Galpin. Last, but not least, were a pair of sisters, Miss St. John and Miss Madalene St. John.

The niceties completed, Miss Storey took Elizabeth’s arm and gently pulled her into a corner of the room where a group of comfortable chairs were clustered. It was a little colder in this part of the room but not terribly so, and in any case, Elizabeth was a hardy soul. Within the next minute, the other unmarried young ladies took their own places nearby, resulting in a most charming grouping.

“Miss Bennet,” Miss Storey said eagerly, “I am so glad you were able to come to dinner this evening. I very much wished to introduce you to Lady Audrey and the Misses St. John. As I told them before you arrived, I am confident you are just the sort of friend we want during the Season.”

Elizabeth suppressed an inclination to raise a skeptical eyebrow and managed an entirely courteous tone. “Thank you very much, though I admit that I do not know why. I am a newcomer to London, of course, and my first ton party is a few days away.”

Lady Audrey waved an impatient hand and said, “Oh, Miss Bennet, it is not that at all! Emily tells me that you are a great reader, and we need more intelligent young ladies to speak to during the Season.”

Elizabeth felt her body relax, and she said, “I am not certain that I would describe myself as a great reader, but I certainly love to read. As you may know, I met Miss Storey at Hookham’s Library, and think it a little taste of heaven. Good company, and thousands of books as well!”

The St. John sisters, who were dark-haired and dark eyed, laughed at these words, and Miss Madalene said, “Miss Storey tells me that you enjoy Gothic novels? My brother always teases me that they are entirely improbable, and perhaps he is right, but I find them enjoyable.”

“So do I,” Elizabeth replied, “though I confess I think Evelina a little tiresome at times. Not that she is to blame for her lack of understanding of societal mores, but she certainly manages to find herself in a great many embarrassing situations!”

“That is true enough,” Miss St. John agreed, and then turned to Lady Audrey. “Did you locate your copy of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage yet?”

“I did,” Lady Audrey declared, her eyes sparkling. “Would you believe my brother stole it?”

This provoked a look of confusion on Elizabeth’s face, and the lady turned and said quickly, “Not truly stole it, in the sense of sneaking something out of a shop. I managed to purchase a copy of the second run a few days ago and was annoyed when it went missing from the sitting room when I had not yet read it. My brother had gone out of town for a few days and taken it with him. Can you believe that? He brought it back yesterday morning, and I hid in my bedchamber so that I could finish it last night.”

“Is it wonderful?” Miss Storey asked eagerly.

Lady Audrey wrinkled her nose and said, “It is unusual and very well written. I did not adore it, but it was certainly fascinating.”

“I understand that Lord Byron based it on his wanderings through Portugal, the Mediterranean, and the Aegean Sea,” Miss Storey remarked.

“It would be quite wonderful to be able to travel so much, do you not think?” Lady Audrey said enviously.

This provoked a discussion of France and Portugal and Italy, based on books and the reports of various relations, and Elizabeth was pleased to discover all four young ladies to be thoughtful and intelligent in their remarks.

When the butler entered to announce dinner, Elizabeth cheerfully followed her new acquaintances to the dinner table. To her pleasure, she found herself between Miss Storey and Miss St. John, and the conversation during their meal proved to be as excellent as the food itself.

She was impressed and grateful to know such women, who did not merely focus on fashion and the pursuit of an eligible marriage. They were level-headed, well-informed young ladies, and their acquaintance would make the upcoming events of the Season far more pleasurable.