Sudden Awakenings (The Other Paths Collection)

Chapter 32

Elizabeth did not see Jane again until the night of the opera. She called again at Berkeley Street a few days prior, in hopes Jane might accompany her to the modiste, but was told Jane was not at home. Jane did not return the call, but merely sent a note expressing her regret that she had missed Elizabeth.

Elizabeth’s new gown was a vivid blue silk with a demi-train, adorned with lace, pearls, and sapphires. Elizabeth had never owned anything so fine in her life before, but Mr. Darcy insisted no expense should be spared, and Lady Matlock, who had accompanied her for the choosing of the gown, declared this was the latest fashion and was certain this style would soon be featured in La Belle Assemblée, though how she could know such things, Elizabeth was uncertain. Rather than a turban or feathers, Elizabeth chose to wear a sheer lace cap adorned with ruffles. Miss Walters, the modiste who crafted the gown, assured her it was exceedingly fashionable this season. When paired with a set of white kid gloves and a gold lace fan, Elizabeth did, indeed, feel en vogue.

Mr. Darcy’s eyes widened as she descended the staircase to meet him in the hall. “Mrs. Darcy, you look exquisite,” he said. “That color suits your complexion exceedingly. ”

Elizabeth blushed as she thanked him, taking his arm so he could lead her to the carriage. Darcy stopped before they reached the doors.

“Before I forget, there is something I wish to give you.” He released her hand and went to a side table, where a beautifully wrapped little parcel lay. He handed it to Elizabeth who took the wrappings off. Inside was a small opera glass, elegantly shaped from ivory and carved wood, with a brass monocle on the end. Elizabeth found she could extend the lens, much like a spyglass used at sea.

“How elegant!” sheexclaimed.

“For your first opera,” he said, “so that you may better see the performers.”

“You are too generous!”

“Nonsense! I wish for you to have the best experience, and this will surely assist you.”

“Then, I thank you, sir.” She smiled as she took his arm once more.

S

Covent Garden was a crush of people when they arrived, as if all the beau monde had turned out for the evening. Elizabeth felt less spectacular when she observed the multitude of painted peacocks in their shimmering gowns and feathered headdresses. But her appearance still turned their eyes. Self-consciously, she wished she had chosen to wear a turban or add a feathered bandeau.

“They are all looking at you,” Mr. Darcy whispered, “and wondering who is this stunning woman that has become the new Mrs. Darcy.”

Elizabeth felt a flush of pride at his words .

They located Lord and Lady Matlock in their box. In the next box, Lady Catherine de Bourgh sat, accompanied by a distinguished couple who were introduced to Elizabeth as Lord and Lady Linnington. Elizabeth made her greetings, then began scanning the other boxes with her new opera glass, until she at last spotted Jane beside Mr. Bingley in the box directly opposite theirs. A portly man in a pink coat, whom Elizabeth assumed must be Mr. Rushworth, sat on Jane’s other side, next to Mrs. Jennings.

“If you’ll excuse me, I see my sister across the way,” Elizabeth curtsied to their party. “I shall greet her and return to you all before the performance begins.”

“My legs could use a stretch as well, before the performance begins,” Lady Matlock said, rising from her seat. “Shall we promenade together to find her, and you may introduce me?”

Elizabeth nodded.They reached the other side of the theater just as Jane emerged from the boxes into the gallery, followed by Mr. Bingley and the other two Elizabeth had seen.

“Lizzy!” Jane exclaimed. “I thought I spotted you across the way. How wonderful, that we are all here tonight! I am sorry I did not receive your message in time to accompany you to see Miss Walters about your gown. My, you look stunning, though!”

The portly gentleman behind her cleared his throat. Mr. Bingley quickly introduced him as Mr. Rushworth, as Elizabeth had suspected.

“And this is my daughter and her husband,” Mrs. Jennings said, as another set emerged from the next box over. “Lady Matlock, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Palmer to you?”

“It is monstrous good of you to come all this way over here to meet us,” Mrs. Palmer beamed.

Mr. Palmer, meanwhile, said nothing, but let out a barely stifled yawn.

Before Lady Matlock had time to recover from the shock of such introductions being thrust upon her without warning, their party was accosted by Mrs. Ferrars and Miss Steele. The two ladies rushed towards them, the ostentatious plumes of their headdresses bobbing vigorously as they caught their breath. Behind them, another gentleman walked at a slower pace.

“Oh, La! But we had such a terrible time locating you all!” Miss Steele exclaimed. “Franklin drove us to the wrong entrance. Can you imagine, thinking we should be sitting in the pits! So there we were, crushed on all sides by scores of ruffians, and unable to make our way up the stairs to reach our boxes, until finally, Mr. Ferrars was able to ask the people to make way for us so we could get through. And then, wouldn’t you know it? We found we were on the opposite side from our box! La! What a joke!”

“Ho, ho, ho!” Mrs. Jennings chuckled. “Lord bless you, Nancy! But you’re here now, so all’s well that ends well.”

Mrs. Ferrars cleared her throat, prompting Mrs. Jennings to make the introductions. They appeared to be in awe of Lady Matlock.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Ladyship,” Mrs. Ferrars gushed, curtsying deeply.

“La, I’m so starved, I declare I could eat a horse!” Miss Steele exclaimed. “We a’nt ate since morning, on account of the opera. Lucy said t’would be a shame if we couldn’t fit in our gowns!”

Mrs. Ferrars promptly rapped her sister’s knuckles with her fan to silence her. “My sister seems to be finding herself a wee bit peckish. We shall pay a visit to the refreshment room and rejoin you all soon.”

“I shall accompany you, for I believe I am as hungry as you are.” Mrs. Palmer piped up.

“Let’s all go!” Mrs. Jennings suggested. “The performance will begin soon, and I should like to enjoy it on a full stomach. Will you not join us, Lady Matlock, Mrs. Darcy?”

“We must return to the rest of our party, but thank you for the invitation,” Lady Matlock answered graciously .

S

Lady Matlock and Elizabeth returned to the other side of the theater. They found their party assembled in the antechamber adjoining their boxes. Elizabeth noticed a gentleman and lady had joined their party.

“Jamie, there you are!” his mother said, greeting him with a kiss on each cheek. “This is Mrs. Darcy, your cousin’s wife.”

“A pleasure to meet you.” The gentleman bowed low. The lady beside him drew closer and wrapped her arm around his possessively.

“Likewise, my lord. My lady.” Elizabeth said with a nod and a curtsy to each, presuming the lady to be his wife.

A murmur came from Lord and Lady Linington and Lady Catherine, who were within earshot.

The viscount’s ears turned pink. “Ahem, may I present to you Signorina Valentino, the acclaimed opera singer. She will be performing tonight.”

“Oh, I beg your pardon,” Elizabeth said, realizing her mistake. “I shall look forward to your performance this evening, signorina. Which role will you be performing?”

“I will be appearing as Zerlina,” the singer replied.

In her peripheral vision, Elizabeth noticed Darcy had approached.

“A favorite role of mine,” Darcy said, addressing the performer with a bow. “I especially enjoy the aria Vedrai, carino in the second act.”

Signorina Valentino and Viscount Fitzwilliam returned Darcy’s courtesy with a nod, then excused themselves, promising to rejoin their party before the end of the act.

Lord and Lady Linington also declared their need for refreshments, and left with Lord and Lady Matlock .

Seeing Lady Catherine coming towards them, her expression livid, Elizabeth braced herself.

“Did you not realize that person was his mistress?” she leveled at Elizabeth. “How could you countenance speaking to such a person?”

Elizabeth blinked. “Your Ladyship! I realized I erred in my assumption of her being his wife. But the shame rather ought to belong to the viscount, if indeed he brought his mistress, instead of his wife.”

“The viscount’s marriage is understandably undergoing difficulty at present. But your assumption has drawn undue attention from the Linningtons. Now, there will surely be talk of this tomorrow. It might even make The Tattler !”

Darcy stepped in to defend her. “If the gossip rags should choose to report on the status of the viscount’s marriage, it shall not be Elizabeth’s fault, but Jamie’s own. But I daresay that most in attendance will presume he merely wished to introduce us to our star performer, and will not speculate on the unholy relationship between the viscount and Signorina Valentino.”

Lady Catherine huffed. With a swish of her skirt, she departed from them to locate her seat. Darcy began heading towards their own seats, but Elizabeth tugged on his sleeve.

“I did not realize she was his mistress. I feel ashamed for having assumed she was his wife, by the intimate way she clung to him.”

“As I told my aunt, the shame is not yours to bear, but my cousin’s. I should have acquainted you with the state of the viscount’s marriage prior to our coming here. In December, his wife left him along with their children, on the pretext of visiting her parents in Dorsetshire. Family acquaintances were told that Jamie had gone with them; however, he spent some months at Fitzwilliam Castle in Scotland in an attempt to let the rumors die down… But now that the Season is in full swing, he has returned to his residence in Town, and has, apparently, resumed his affair with Signorina Valentino. ”

“How awful! No wonder your aunt wished to silence me on the matter. I am deeply sorry for having said anything to her at all. Had I known, I am sure I should have declined to speak a word to Signorina Valentino.” Elizabeth shook her head soberly.

“That would have made matters worse. You did nothing wrong by speaking to her, and it will certainly not be your fault if my cousin features in The Tattler tomorrow,” Darcy reassured her.

The Matlocks returned with the Linningtons, and they all took their seats for the performance. In the pit below, they could hear the orchestra tuning their instruments.

The opera began. Viscount Fitzwilliam did not return until well into the second scene. His clothing was rather more rumpled than before and his cravat was improperly tied, but no one dared to remark upon it. Signorina Valentino appeared in the third scene, as the bride of Masetto, whom Don Giovanni tries to seduce. Her singing was excellent, but Elizabeth found she could not enjoy the performance after what she had learned.

She fixed her gaze instead on Jane, making good use of the opera glass, but did not like what she saw. The flirtatious behavior she displayed was entirely unfit for a lady to exhibit in public. Jane laughed loud and hard over something Mr. Bingley said, bending forward so much that she gave the gentlemen beside her a good view of her décolletage . Then she leaned close to Mr. Rushworth’s ear and whispered something to him, before bursting into laughter again. She teased alternately between the two men, giving each of them coy glances, but mostly to Mr. Bingley. Several times, she placed her hand upon his shoulder, his hands, and even, briefly, his leg. Elizabeth felt sickened and could watch no more. Mrs. Jennings did not appear to pay any mind to her charge, being too engrossed in talking with her daughters, who had come over from their own box to converse with their mother .

Jane’s behavior drew remarks from Lady Matlock, who whispered to Elizabeth. “Your sister appears to be quite familiar with Mr. Bingley. Do they have an understanding?”

“I am unsure, Your Ladyship,” Elizabeth replied, fighting back the tears swelling in her eyes. “If they have, it has not been communicated to me.”

“I think if they have not, an engagement will surely be forthcoming,” Lady Matlock said.

Lady Linnington, who had been listening near, and watching the audience with her opera glass, chose this moment to join their conversation. “They will need to form an engagement after tonight– such shocking behavior!” She used her closed fan to point across the theater.

Elizabeth turned her own glass back to Jane. To her horror, Jane had wrapped her arm around Mr. Bingley’s waist and was leaning her head upon his shoulder. Then, to make matters worse, she lifted her head and planted a kiss on his cheek!

“Young couples ought to be more discreet in their affection,” Lady Linnington continued. “If they wish to carry on in such a fashion, they ought to withdraw to the antechamber and draw the curtains, rather than expose us all to such vulgarity.”

“I quite agree, Lady Linnington,” Lady Catherine interjected, leaning her head around the partition from the second box to speak her mind. “Mrs. Darcy ought to reprimand her sister for such behavior.”

Elizabeth could hear no more. She left her seat and hurried to the antechamber, where she found a sofa and promptly burst into tears upon it.