The Darcys and the Sirens' Songs Page 3

  “I am pleased.”

  “Elizabeth sent me a tentative agenda for our week with them, subject to our approval. The ball is the high point, the culmination of a week well-spent, on December twenty-eighth, the evening before we leave for Kent.”

  “What a fine gesture from Darcy. It probably cost him something of value to the duke and duchess in return.”

  “Most likely. That ball is the crème de la crème. Most of the gentry are at their country estates, spread out all over England. But many are coming to town in December to attend the duke’s ball and then will probably celebrate New Year’s in the city, before returning home.”

  “Hmm. Now I understand why White’s is throwing a New Year’s Eve gala,” George said. “I got an invitation last week. They usually save their balls for the season, February through June, when the debs are coming out and the House of Lords is in full session I didn’t mention it because we won’t be in town. We’ll be in Kent.”

  “I sent out twenty invitations for our Christmas Eve party at Park Lane, and ten for the twenty-seventh. If you have any one you wish to include on the twenty-seventh, let me know soon. I can even pen the invitations after lunch today. Here are my two lists. I think twenty is the maximum for the twenty-fourth, but we can add ten more the second evening.”

  “And your luncheon?”

  “It’s full. You are not invited,” Caroline teased. “And Eliza did mention shopping in her letter. I was teasing you.” They clasped hands. Life was better. And in the week coming up, it should be the best.

  *****

  Over at the Fitzwilliams, Kitty and Lydia were busy organizing the linens for the Christmas Eve party that Kitty and Richard were hosting for family and close friends.

  “I guess there will be enough people that I can avoid that harridan, Caroline Bingley,” Lydia said.

  “Caroline will not be attending. The Wickhams are entertaining their own friends that evening at #4 Park Lane.”

  “Really! Elizabeth is going to allow that horrible witch to use her house and staff,” Lydia said with disgust.

  “Why should you care one way or the other? Fitzwilliam wishes to accommodate George. And Elizabeth wants to make Fitzwilliam happy,” Kitty retorted.

  “Harrumph!”

  “I am rather surprised you are so rude to Caroline, Lydia,” Kitty stated in an emphatic tone. “Since speaking of entertaining, Caroline sanctioned the intrusion of you and Maria at #4 Park Lane about this time last year. She and Wickham were living there for three months as Darcy’s guests. He had no idea that you and Maria were imposing on the couple that he had personally accepted as residents.”

  “I . . . “

  “Actually I would say that is quite exceptional of Caroline to countenance such a precipitous invasion of their privacy,” Kitty continued. “And I’d be very cautious if I were you, Lydia. Darcy and Wickham decided to forget the past and renew the friendship of their youth. Darcy will not appreciate any unpleasantness from you, a woman he already discounts as having much value as a friend or a sister.”

  “Oh?”

  “Why are you surprised? You have seldom, if ever, acted like a sensible lady around Fitzwilliam. You diminished Mary’s wedding with your senseless elopement. Then you invited yourself and three other uninvited people to a Pemberley house party, on which occasion Fitzwilliam learned that you had already imposed yourself as an unwelcome guest at Park Lane. Put yourself in his place. How would you feel?”

  “Hmm,” Lydia answered. She was not capable of understanding that she was not the center of everyone’s universe.

  “Now,” said Kitty, “let’s fill the salt cellars and the pepper mills.”

  *****

  Jane and Charles at that precise moment welcomed Louisa and Gilbert Hurst and the ten month old Gil to #10 Park Lane.

  “We are so glad you are here,” Jane said. “Come in and meet Louisa number two, and then we have lunch ready in the breakfast parlor.”

  “I appreciate your choosing my name,” Louisa said, tears in her eyes.

  “It is a beautiful name, Sister,” Charles said. “Two beautiful ladies, one beautiful name.”

  Mr. Bennet, not wishing to lunch with the Wickhams, showed up unexpectedly, having told Lizzy that he needed the exercise of a two block walk.

  “Father, come join us in the nursery and then for lunch,” Jane said. “You remember Master Gil.”

  “Delighted to. Hello, young man.”

  A few streets over, the Garvin Masons drove up in front of the Henry Mason townhouse. Their arrival had been delayed by poor weather, but they were here now and eager to enjoy their new granddaughter. They would stay in London through the New Year’s Eve ball at White’s.

  The Phillips were expected at the Gardiners’ home on Gracechurch Street the evening of the twenty-third, so everyone would be in town for the Richard Fitzwilliams’ Christmas Eve party and the Fitzwilliam Darcys’ Christmas Day party of food, drinks, dancing and companionship. Both the Phillips and the Gardiners planned to welcome the New Year at the White’s ball. In fact with the exception of the Wickhams, who were off to a celebration in Kent, the entire family intended to drink a salute to the next year at midnight at White’s.

  *****

  Darcy stood at the front window of the parlor, staring at the ice cycles dropping from the trees. “Warming up,” he called across the room to Elizabeth. “Oh, here they are.” Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth went to the front hall, just as Mr. Chambers, the Park Lane butler, opened the door to the expected guests.

  The Wickhams, blowing breaths which clearly showed signs of the cold, patted their hands to warm them as they entered with large smiles, which almost seemed frozen in place.

  “George!”

  “Fitzwilliam!”

  They two grabbed each other by the shoulders in a hug. Elizabeth and Caroline nodded at each other with a smile.

  Curtseying, Elizabeth said, “ Caroline and George, we are very pleased to have your company for the next week. Mrs. Chambers is awaiting your ideas and orders for your three parties. Let’s have lunch, and then we can convene with the Chambers in Darcy’s office, so they can get everything perfected, just the way you wish.”

  “Meanwhile,” Darcy said, “the lads will carry your trunks to your suite. You have the same one as last winter. You will of course know most of the staff. Just ring them when you require their assistance.”

  The footmen took their wraps and Wickham’s top hat and cane. Darcy led the guests to the breakfast room. “It is warmer in here,” he explained. “The fire actually makes a difference.”

  During lunch, the Darcys explained the details of the week’s agenda, beginning with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons tonight at the British Museum.

  “Then tomorrow while the ladies shop, we shall go to White’s for some whist, George. In the evening we are joining the Bingleys and the Hursts for dinner at the Ritz. We thought Caroline would like to see her brother and sister as soon as possible.”

  “Sounds positively divine,” Caroline said, even if with a slight tinge of sarcasm.

  “Next you have your party here at #4,” Elizabeth continued. “Fitzwilliam, Father and I will join the rest of the family at Kitty’s that evening. You will have the townhouse all to yourselves. Then next day, we will entertain everyone here at Park Lane for the whole day of Christmas.”

  “Our trip to Drury Lane to see what I understand is a monumental performance of Macbeth is the twenty-sixth and on the twenty-seventh, you Wickham’s have the opportunity to host your friends,” Darcy elaborated. “We are going to Jane’s to visit with Louisa and Gilbert. The twenty-eighth is your luncheon, Caroline. Elizabeth is helping Lydia move from Kitty’s to Jane’s that day. I shall take George off for some whist or billiards at the club. That night is the grand ball at the home of the Duke and Duchess of Sheffield.”

  “Then the next day you can sleep in before you wend your way to the Wyatts in Kent for more partying,” Elizabeth said.

 
“Sound quite wonderful, Fitz! Thank you,” George said.

  “Now, George, you and I will have time to fit in some fencing at my fencing club, because Mary wishes Caroline to come over the twenty-sixth for lunch with the Garvin Masons and the newest little Mason, Sarah Francine. You will meet them here Christmas of course, but that will be a madhouse. Mary’s will be sane,” Darcy said. He laughed at his imagery.

  “Is she calling the baby girl both names? Did you say Sarah Francine?” Caroline asked.

  “Yes, as a tribute to the mother she lost and the mother she still has,” Elizabeth explained.

  “And your Tommy is named for your father?”

  “Yes, and Fitzwilliam’s. He is Robin Thomas George Darcy.”

  “Oh, and the Robin?” George asked.

  “A bird.”

  “Of course. I am glad that both great men, Mr. Bennet and Mr. Darcy, got a namesake,” George added, without further inquiry. “Where is Mr. Bennet? I thought he was staying here at #4 also.”

  “He is. He walked over to Jane’s to welcome the Hursts. He will be back to welcome you also,” Elizabeth answered.

  The soup arrived. “Speaking of welcome, the soup is certainly welcome. It is nice and warm,” George commented.

  “After lunch and the session with the Chambers, Fitzwilliam, I have three more invitations to send for the twenty-seventh. George has some military friends he would like to include,” Caroline said. “Could one of your footman deliver them or could Simon borrow a horse?”

  “Either. Your choice.”

  “Now as for the rest of the day, we thought you might like to relax and settle in. We’ll meet for cocktails or tea at four. Dress for dinner at 5:00. Dine at 6:00. The Vivaldi begins at 8:00, so we should leave no later than 7:20,” Elizabeth said.

  “Excellent. I just love the Four Seasons.”

  “Yes, one can almost feel the heat of ‘Summer’,” George said.

  “Certainly,” Fitzwilliam agreed, “and the visions of icicles almost chill one’s core, listening to ‘Winter’.

  The two nodded at their apt descriptions, smiling across the table, good friends again at last.

  Elizabeth loved what she saw for her husband’s sake. He was so pleased to have his friend back. She determined to be very nice to Caroline. “I can do it,” she reminded herself. “Fitzwilliam and George deserve my effort.”

  So at that moment, she turned to Caroline, saying, “After the trip to the shops in the morning, I thought we would lunch at the Parisian Café. Would you like some of your friends to join us at one o’clock? My treat.”

  “Why, yes, what a splendid suggestion. I will see them later in the week of course, but I would so like for Lady Sylvia and Cynthia Ashley to come shopping with us and then to lunch,” Caroline happily replied.

  Elizabeth was secretly happy. She would not have to entertain Caroline, after all. The three friends would keep each other company. She could sit and nod now and then. Aloud, Elizabeth replied, “What a fine idea! Send a note around seeing if they can meet us at the Madame de Pres shop at ten twenty. If not, ask them to lunch at the café at one.”

  “Good! By the time I write our requests, confer with Mr. and Mrs. Chambers and unpack, it will be time for tea.”

  “Yes. I will ask one of our young footmen to deliver the invitations to the barracks. That will leave Simon available to deliver your invitation to the ladies. They can each wait for a response. Time is of the essence,” Elizabeth planned.

  “A fine idea, Eliza.”

  Elizabeth cringed, but she did not show it. Darcy looked startled. Elizabeth beamed at him. George frowned at Caroline, but said nothing.

  *****

  Lady Sylvia and Cynthia Ashley happily met Caroline and Elizabeth at the famous Madame de Pres dress shop. The others chatted, while admiring and analyzing bolts of silk and damask, but Elizabeth drew Madame de Pres aside and described her newest Elizabeth Darcy dilemma.

  “Tres bien, Madame Darcy. Monsieur Darcy sent over a note yesterday. I saved back our best fabrics. You know how I favor the gorgeous monsieur. Shall we?” Madame asked, bowing Elizabeth into her private office.

  “Oh-h, so exquisite! Priceless!” Elizabeth exclaimed at the sight of the magnificent materials. “But they aren’t, are they?”

  Madame smiled. “Mais non. They are definitely not price-less, Madame Darcy.” They laughed in unison at such a thought.

  Elizabeth chose seven bolts, explained her needs, got measured and was promised a dress for Christmas Eve dinner at Kitty’s, her own Christmas dinner and the Sheffield ball. She also ordered two day dresses, a gown for the Drury Lane outing and another ball gown for the New Year’s Eve dance at White’s.

  When she exited Madame’s office, she found the others still finalizing some purchases. So with a little time to spare, she asked Madame de Pres to select two more bolts of the supreme fabrics and make her two additional day dresses.

  “Oui, Madame. I will have them delivered in two days. You are our priority.”

  “Merci beaucoup, Madame,” Elizabeth said.

  “Your pronunciation is improving, Madame Darcy,” Madame de Pres said.

  “Merci. I practice fairly often. Fitzwilliam is fluent. He insists often that we speak only in French. I have read it for years, of course.”

  All went well with Elizabeth and Caroline shopping and lunching at the Parisian Café. Lady Sylvia and Cynthia Ashley were both charming companions. The two regaled Elizabeth and Caroline with the latest gossip. All ladies like a little gossip now and then. Then that evening the Darcys entertained the Wickhams, the Bingleys and the Hursts with dinner at the Ritz. Caroline, thereby, got to interact with her brother and sister without the whole Bennet clan in attendance, as would be the case Christmas day at #4 Park Lane.

  Hence when Christmas Eve morning arrived sunny, but brisk, all seemed to be going quite well. Fitzwilliam and George enjoyed their revitalized friendship immensely. They decided to go to Darcy’s fencing instructor for a fencing lesson and then take each other on for a round or two, They promised to arrive home in time to help with the finishing touches on the Wickhams’ gala dinner festivity. Elizabeth had arranged a sumptuous meal and a quartet to play after dinner for dancing. They were returning tomorrow evening for Christmas Day dancing after dinner.

  After the gentlemen left for the fencing adventure, Caroline and Elizabeth headed to the butler’s pantry to arrange flowers for the table, the hall, the parlor and the ballroom.

  As they shaped the bouquets, a letter arrived from Kitty.

  It read:

  Lizzy:

  Glad you are coming tonight . . . and glad the Wickhams are not. Lydia grows more impossible every hour. I cannot wait for Jane to take her in – oh! no! – four more days. I’m not half way through. Love, Kitty

  Elizabeth sent a return message.

  It read:

  Kitty:

  Reading between the lines, I ascertain that you have not taken Lydia shopping, but have made her iron and polish. I would commiserate a little more if I did not have Caroline. Sometimes I think they are two SIRENS propelling us toward the rocks (and not with songs of love.)

  Love, Lizzy

  The notes cheered both ladies up immensely, and they both had a fine afternoon anticipating communing together tonight, Christmas Eve.

  And so at five-thirty, a half hour before the Wickhams expected their guests, Elizabeth, Fitzwilliam and Mr. Bennet boarded a carriage for the four block ride to #34 Park Lane. Kitty welcomed them quite literally with open arms. “Thank God, you are here,” Kitty whispered.

  “That bad?” her father, frowning, asked.

  “Let’s put it this way – next year I am going to suggest that the earl and the countess join Richard, Nell and me on a cruise of the Greek Isles for our Christmas celebration, the viscount too, if he wishes.”

  “Oh, THAT bad!”

  “Yes, I’m leaving the country.”

  “If I didn’t have Caroline . . .” br />
  “Of course you would. And if Mary weren’t entertaining her in-laws, the Masons. And Jane is taking her later, so I cannot possibly request she take over now. Anyway, she is entertaining the Hursts.”

  “I have an idea,” Elizabeth said, her face lighting up.

  “You do?”

  “Ask Aunt Maddie tonight if the 26th you can switch with her—you take the Phillips, while she takes control of the Lydia predicament. Aunt Maddie is strict, and it would only be two days. Lydia is scheduled to move in with Jane the twenty-eighth.”

  “I believe Madeline would be happy to help,” Mr. Bennet said. “And fortunately tomorrow we will be at Lizzy’s from lunch until midnight. And tonight we are all here. We’ll take turns entertaining or containing, as the case may be, the willful Lydia.”

  “Tomorrow all will be very organized,” Elizabeth said. “I do not want Caroline and Lydia anywhere near each other. We will have one group playing dress up charades. That should suit Lydia. Another contingent will be singing around the piano. Caroline and Louisa play the piano like professionals. I think whist in one room and checkers and backgammon in another.”

  “Yes, keep the two sirens apart,” Kitty said, laughing.

  “We end up with small gifts, dinner and dancing. As you know, I have informed everyone to bring two presents, one for the gents and one for the ladies. The maximum expense is two pounds. These are presents for fun. We will draw a number from our hat to receive our present.”

  “It actually sounds like a lot of fun,” Kitty said. “And the little ones?”

  “Their nannies can take them home or to the nursery after we have admired them for – hmm – shall we say an hour?” Elizabeth answered.

  “Perfect! Good thing we have wet nurses and nursery maids.”

  Lydia screeched over the bannister, “My stockings ripped.”

  “Go barefoot,’ Kitty said under her breath.

  “I’ll go,” Elizabeth offered. “Where are your stockings?”

  “Lost as always,” Kitty answered with a grin. She was renowned throughout the family as always needing to borrow stockings. “I think I have a pair hanging in the bath. They may still be wet.”