Pride Prejudice and Prodigy

The Blight of the Beauchamps

Chapter 15 ~ The Blight of the Beauchamps

One morning, a week after the arrival of Lady Beauchamp's alarming letter, James Darlington was shown into the morning room where Elizabeth and Georgiana were sitting.

“To what do we owe this unexpected pleasure, Mr Darlington?” asked Elizabeth.

“To Lady Beauchamp,” he replied, grimacing. “She is lately arrived at The Grange, and this morning her ladyship and Miss Beauchamp came to wait upon my mother at Kympton.”

“Mr Darlington, what have you done? Surely you could not have been so rude as to flee in the face of visitors?” demanded Elizabeth, in contrived shock. “How could you so offend Lady Beauchamp and her daughter? I would never have believed you capable of such an offence. It seemed in London that you were very fond of her ladyship.”

James Darlington smiled. “Indeed I am fond of the esteemed lady – in London; but not in Derbyshire. You may, however, rest assured that I neither slighted nor offended either her ladyship or Miss Beauchamp. I did nothing worse than disappoint them, for upon observing their carriage entering the parsonage, I quickly took my writing book and departed by the back entrance, requesting my sister to inform her ladyship that I was out walking in parts unknown, in the pursuit of inspiration for my writing, and would most certainly be devastated at having missed her and her lovely daughter, etc. etc.”

The ladies were much amused by his tale. “But perhaps it was unwise of you to abandon your poor mother to Lady Beauchamp's overtures?” observed Elizabeth. “For though Lady Beauchamp is well-bred and a paragon of propriety, she will not be above hinting at her daughter's hopes; nor opining upon the inarguable desirability of the match, for all parties concerned. She will almost certainly press your dear mother, and even your sister, for their opinion on the violence of your passion for Miss Beauchamp. She might even solicit their views upon the number of days they anticipate it will take for you to come to the point, and throw yourself at the young lady's elegant feet.”

James Darlington laughed at this satirical sketch. “If Lady Beauchamp chooses to prevail so upon my mother and sister, then she will be sadly disappointed. They would, with the utmost delicacy and charm, decline to answer any such questions; not only on account of propriety, but also as an act of kindness and consideration to their visitors. My mother and sister are well aware that Lady Beauchamp's hopes for her daughter are doomed to failure; for although it has never been spoken of explicitly amongst us, they well know to whom my heart belongs.” Sensing he had spoken too hastily, and too heatedly, James Darlington quickly rose to his feet.

Since he would not meet the eye of either lady, Elizabeth and Georgiana looked at each other questioningly. The same question was on both their lips: did Mr Darlington refer to the Countess de Namur, or to Georgiana… or to some other lady entirely, of whom they were in complete ignorance? Feigning nonchalance, as if he had spoken nothing of great import, Mr Darlington politely asked if he might find a sunny seat in the garden, where he could carry on with his work; and enquired if Georgiana would care to join him.

Georgiana readily acceded to his invitation, and Mr Darlington chatted casually as they strolled together in the garden, enjoying the beautiful spring morning. They talked easily, as was their habit, about writing and music, and the blight of the Beauchamps, as James Darlington would have it. Eventually they settled on a bench near the rose garden, where they opened their writing books and fell silent, each one to their own work.

They were thus engaged for above an hour, when they were disturbed by the sound of an approaching carriage. Jumping up and standing upon the bench, James Darlington caught sight of the carriage before it disappeared from view. “Miss Darcy,” said he, dramatically, “it is my sad duty to inform you, that the blight of the Beauchamps is visited upon Pemberley.” Closing his writing book, he made a quick survey of the grounds before saying, “I shall flee to your delightful wilderness; surely there I shall be safe. Will you join me, Miss Darcy?”

Much as she would have loved to seclude herself in the wilderness with Mr Darlington, Georgiana felt it incumbent upon herself to assist Elizabeth in entertaining their visitors. “Was Lord William with his mother and sister when they arrived at Kympton?” she asked anxiously.

“You will be relieved, Miss Darcy, to learn that he was not.”

Georgiana gave a sigh of relief. “Much as I would wish to do otherwise, I shall do my duty, and join my sister in entertaining our guests.”

James Darlington smiled at her affectionately. “If you should happen to be wandering in the garden with your visitors, pray be good enough to give the wilderness a wide berth, if at all possible.”

Before turning back towards the house, Georgiana assured him that he could continue his work in perfect peace, in the wilderness; and that not a word would be spoken to their visitors of his presence at Pemberley.

***

Georgiana found herself happy to be in the company of Gwendolyn Beauchamp, and even Lady Beauchamp – when she was not engaged in forwarding some scheme or other. Her ladyship spoke nostalgically of the beauty of Pemberley, recalling visits with her late husband in the lifetime of Georgiana's parents.

“Do you know, my dear Georgiana, I can recall when you were but a little baby. You were such a pretty little thing. I remember telling your dear mother that you would one day grow into a great beauty – and now everyone must agree that I was right,” said Lady Beauchamp, smiling fondly at Georgiana. “My dear, it is such a glorious day; too lovely for a pair of young ladies to be sitting inside. Why do you not show Gwendolyn your beautiful grounds? I especially used to love the rose garden; you must show it to her.”

As soon as the young ladies had left them, Lady Beauchamp wasted no time in getting to the point. “Mrs Darcy,” she began, smiling purposefully, “you can be in no doubt concerning the purpose of my coming into Derbyshire. My son, Lord William, is determined to press his suit with Miss Darcy, and I have given my wholehearted approbation to the match. I cannot think of a more suitable wife for Lord William, nor any who could make him happier. She is an angel,” gushed Lady Beauchamp.

Elizabeth smiled slightly, and nodded in acknowledgement of the warmth of the compliment, but remained silent.

“Please, do not imagine for a minute, that I would ask you to speak for Miss Darcy… that privilege shall be hers, alone, when Lord William pays his addresses. What I wish to know, is how you and Mr Darcy would view such a match?”

“I can assure your ladyship that I have the very highest opinion of Lord William. Any young lady would consider herself fortunate, indeed, to be his wife. And I can state, explicitly, that Mr Darcy shares this view; and would not hesitate to bless the match.”

Lady Beauchamp smiled with great satisfaction; it was exactly what she had wished to hear. “I am very pleased to hear it, since Mr Darcy must be his sister's guardian, and stand in the place of a father in such matters.”

“In fact, that is not quite so,” replied Elizabeth. “I believe that my husband shares the role of Miss Darcy's guardianship with their cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam. However, I am quite certain that the colonel would find not the least fault with Lord William, nor raise an objection to any gentleman of whom Mr Darcy approves as being worthy of his sister.”

Lady Beauchamp, who had at first appeared a little concerned at the news of the shared guardianship, quickly recovered her ease. “I am acquainted with Colonel Fitzwilliam. He is a very fine young man. In fact he is on the list I drew up some years ago, of eligible young gentlemen who might make a good match for Gwendolyn. He has no fortune to speak of, but he comes from a noble family – his father was an earl, I believe. My daughter, as you are very probably aware, has a considerable fortune settled on her, so money is not an object. It would have been a very good match for Colonel Fitzwilliam, also, I believe. But I have seen nothing of him about town these past two or three seasons; it is almost as if he were in hiding. I have been hoping, for some time, to introduce my daughter to him. But all of that is no longer to the point, as you must no doubt be aware, Mrs Darcy.”

Elizabeth smiled quizzically, but remained silent.

“But surely you must have noticed in town, that Gwendolyn is inconsolably in love with James Darlington? And I have not the least objection to her choice – so long as he does not take forever in coming to the point. In fact, it was I who recommended him to Gwendolyn in the first instance. He is prominent on my list of eligible young gentlemen. But as to the ardent feelings he has provoked in her, I must give the gentleman all due credit. Gwendolyn is absolutely wild for him; not that any young lady of intelligence and refinement could long resist Mr Darlington's charm. He is really several cuts above the common run of young gentlemen, I believe. Would you not agree, Mrs Darcy?”

“Yes, indeed, he is quite exceptional,” replied Elizabeth.

“Of course, I have known his mother, Lady Darlington, since we were naïve young girls in town for our first season. We were drawn together on account of our common love of music. She is such a delightful lady, and she bears her present misfortunes so bravely and with so much dignity. Of course, when the happy event takes place, and her son and my daughter are married, her material circumstances must be greatly improved. Their match seems almost providential, it will bring such happiness to so many,” she opined happily.

Fortunately, Elizabeth was not required to speak very much; only to nod or smile, or occasionally assert her agreement. It was something she had long been accustomed to in the company of her own mother when she was in a similarly ebullient mood. It amused Elizabeth to consider the similarities between the two ladies, despite the disparity of their social position. Though Lady Beauchamp was far more refined, and much better informed than her own mother, they shared the gift of being able to talk endlessly of their concerns, and they were both of them, to be sure, skilled and enthusiastic players of the matrimonial game.

When she was finally able to get a word in, Elizabeth invited Lady Beauchamp to dine with them two days hence. The invitation naturally included Lord William and Gwendolyn, and the Fortnums also. She was able to satisfy Lady Beauchamp's polite enquiry regarding other guests, that the Darlingtons – all of them, including Mr Darlington – would be present.

“Mrs Darcy, on behalf of my son, may I politely request that in the course of the evening, he is favoured with the opportunity of a private conversation with Miss Darcy?” she asked, with a meaningful smile.

“I shall be pleased to pass on Lord William's request to my sister.”

***

While her mother was thus engaged in pursuing the matrimonial interests of her brother, Gwendolyn Beauchamp was occupied in pursuing her own. She was far more interested in soliciting what information she could from Miss Darcy, concerning Mr Darlington, than in appreciating the beauty of the gardens and grounds of Pemberley. She scarcely looked at the roses in what was acknowledged to be one of the finest rose gardens in the country. It was encircled by a high hedge, broken by the four entrances; from each of which, a path led to an ornamental sun-dial at the centre of the garden. Since Miss Beauchamp did not wish to wander between the circular beds to admire the beautiful roses, they found a bench against the hedge on the northern side bathed in warm sunshine.

Georgiana was distressed at finding herself subjected to all manner of questions concerning Mr Darlington. She always avoided speaking of him for fear of betraying her feelings; although she need not have worried herself unduly on that head in the present circumstances. Miss Beauchamp was far too pre-occupied with her own dreams and fancies concerning that gentleman to be very much aware of what Georgiana was presently feeling.

Georgiana attempted to end the interrogation by pleading ignorance concerning Mr Darlington; a claim her friend was obliged to accept, for she had not the slightest suspicion of them being anything other than general acquaintances. It was not an entirely deceitful ploy, for while Georgiana possessed a good deal of information concerning Mr Darlington, it was not of the variety that would very likely interest Miss Beauchamp. She appeared to be almost exclusively interested in Mr Darlington's views and inclinations regarding marriage, and whether he was known to have shown a preference for any particular ladies in the past, or, more especially, the present; and if so, who they were, etc. etc. And of course, she wished to know Georgiana's opinion on the degree of desperation of Mr Darlington's love for herself; a question that she continued to ask over and over, in various guises. Although it was a question Georgiana could answer with a fair degree of confidence, she chose not to; for fear of causing pain to her friend.

“Oh, I do so wish he would come to the point and pay his addresses as soon as may be. This waiting is quite intolerable,” said Gwendolyn, with an air frustration. “Do you not think it exceedingly unfair, my dear Georgiana, that it is left entirely to the gentleman to initiate a proposal of marriage, while a young lady must wait patiently in hope, and is limited to ambiguous smiles and oblique hints. And until the gentleman comes to the point, she must pretend to have not the slightest thought of marrying him; for if she is explicit, and he does not pay his addresses, then she is viewed as a fool in the eyes the world!”

“Yes, I agree, it is unfair; and more than that, a young lady is obliged to endure the embarrassment of receiving the addresses of any young man who may choose to pay them. And if she does not favour his suit, she is required, none-the-less, to provide some acceptable reason for declining him.”

“Oh, I cannot agree with that,” replied Gwendolyn smiling. “I must confess I find it rather delightful to have a young man professing his love, and attesting to my beauty and other perfections.”

“But do you not feel awful at disappointing an earnest young man who declares his love for you?” asked Georgiana. “Does it not trouble you to think it might cause him pain?”

Gwendolyn laughed. “Young men are not such fragile creatures as you would have them, and they must know when they pay their addresses that they risk being refused. Of course I always endeavour to be gentle – unless they are plainly fortune hunters.”

“Oh yes, what a curse it is to possess a large fortune which must inevitably invite the interest of deceitful and avaricious suitors. For such a young lady, how is it possible to distinguish those who are sincere from those who are merely accomplished actors?” asked Georgiana. “I do not see how one can ever be certain.”

“Happily, my mother has a nose for fortune hunters,” replied Gwendolyn. “But it is sometimes not so simple a matter of a suitor being entirely one or the other. An honourable gentleman without a fortune, such as a younger son of good family, is obliged to marry a woman of some wealth. It necessarily limits the circle from whom he may choose; in much the same way as social position. But within that circumscribed circle, he may well develop a sincere preference for a particular young lady.”

“Or he might cynically pay his addresses to the wealthiest young woman with whom he believes his suit may have success. And, if he is sufficiently artful, she might be entirely deceived,” said Georgiana.

“Yes, I suppose it is possible. But, Georgiana, surely you do not believe that James Darlington could be such a man?” asked Gwendolyn anxiously.

Georgiana thought about it at length before replying. “I would have thought not. I would have said that he was the last man who would act in such a way. But then I knew a gentleman once, and I believed I knew him well; and yet I was totally deceived by him. I have decided that it is not possible for a wealthy young woman to ever be certain, unless her suitor is himself wealthy.”

“You shall not have that problem,” said Gwendolyn, smiling slyly. Georgiana looked away. If she was afraid of the conversation turning towards herself and Lord William, she need not have worried, for Gwendolyn was far too preoccupied with her own prospects at the present time to concern herself with those of others. “Certainly Mr Darlington must consider money when marrying, for sadly he has none. But I think him an exceedingly honest and sincere young man. I do not believe he would propose marriage simply to gain a fortune. My mother, who has excellent instincts, is of the same opinion.”

They sat in silence for some time, each of them lost in their own private thoughts concerning the same gentleman. At length, Miss Beauchamp spoke upon the subject that had been troubling her since her visit earlier in the day to Kympton. “Georgiana, do you believe that Mr Darlington might possibly be in love with the Countess de Namur?”

“How could I know?” responded Georgiana quickly. It was the very question which had been troubling her own mind a great deal, of late.

“Mama was exceedingly surprised to discover that the countess has been staying at Kympton with the Darlingtons since her departure from London; where, I must tell you, Mr Darlington was very often seen in the countess' company. And they appeared to be on the most intimate of terms. Mother is certain, from what she was able to learn this morning, that Lady Darlington and her daughter were not previously acquainted with the countess. Her presence at Kympton must be entirely on account of Mr Darlington. Mama suspects that there must be something between them… if you take my meaning.”

“I am quite certain that Mr Darlington would not behave improperly in his mother's house, if that is what you are suggesting; he would never be so disrespectful.”

“Oh, dear,” said Gwendolyn, evidently disappointed.

Georgiana was stunned. “Gwendolyn, you speak as if you wished that there were something improper between the countess and Mr Darlington – I cannot comprehend you at all!”

Gwendolyn sighed. “You know that I am desperate to marry Mr Darlington. Yet clearly, there is something between him and the countess. Mother suspects that their acquaintance precedes her recent arrival in England – and may indeed be the reason for it. If Mr Darlington is in love with the countess, and wishes to marry her, then all my dearest hopes are dashed. But, as you must know, French ladies have a different code of conduct from English ladies. It is not at all uncommon for a French lady – particularly a widow – to have a lover without them marrying. But even if it were so: if they are lovers, even though they intend not to marry; then, again, all my hopes are for nought.”

“I see,” was all Georgiana could offer. She was finding the conversation exceedingly vexing.

“But there is yet a third possibility,” said Gwendolyn. “If there is something between them – as now seems certain – then it is the circumstance I must fervently hope for. But your opinion that they are not presently engaged in anything improper at Kympton would tend to negate that possibility.”

“What is it?” asked Georgiana. “I cannot think of any other possibilities.”

“Can you not?” asked Gwendolyn, smiling knowingly. “It may be nothing more than a brief affair, a dalliance. After all, she is French; and mother tells me that some French ladies make a kind of art or career out of love; first with one gentleman, then with another.”

Georgiana gasped, she was completely shocked. “I have become somewhat acquainted with the countess since she came into Derbyshire, and I cannot believe her to be so unprincipled and immoral. No, I cannot believe it of her,” said Georgiana, shaking her head emphatically.

“That which constitutes principled behaviour and morality are measured differently in France. And you must admit that if the countess wished for such a career, she would be exceedingly successful. Men seem to fall at her feet; they seem entirely incapable of resisting her beauty and charm – especially when she performs. No, it would be entirely unreasonable of me to blame Mr Darlington if he had fallen under her spell – if it was nothing more than a brief liaison de l'amour – just so long as it is now over! And as you rightly say, he would not be so disrespectful as to carry on such a liaison beneath his mother's roof, so I have good grounds for believing it to be ended.”

“But even if it were ended, would it not trouble you that it had occurred at all? Gwendolyn, how could you be happy to marry a man who had behaved thus?”

Gwendolyn laughed and shook her head. “My dear Georgiana, you are such an innocent! Given the opportunity, any young man would take it. It is not at all uncommon for young men to behave in that way before they are married – and sadly, in the case of the worst of them, afterwards also. Virtue is required only of young ladies; and perhaps it is not an entirely unfortunate thing if young men are allowed a little latitude in that regard.”

“Whatever can you mean?” demanded Georgiana.

Gwendolyn giggled. “Surely you understand the obligations of a wife?”

Georgiana looked at her friend uncertainly.

“I am meaning in the boudoir, my dear. But if you do not understand my meaning, I am certain Mrs Darcy will explain it all to you in good time. An explanation, however, is not the equal of experience; which is why I say, it may not be entirely a bad thing if the gentleman, at least, is not wholly inexperienced. And if that experience be gained from a French lady, such as the Countess de Namur, so much the better. I think she would be a most proficient teacher of l'arts de l'amour.”

Georgiana was utterly shocked; these were subjects she had never discussed, or even contemplated. “But… if there has been such a dalliance in London, as you suggest, it will surely get about. Would it not be humiliating to be married to a husband who was known to have…”

“No, not at all; on the contrary it would be something of a distinction, I believe. Almost every man who sees and hears the countess is utterly smitten; and every lady is filled with admiration and envy. The reputation of the gentleman whom she has chosen from the many who vie for her affections, cannot suffer – on the contrary, his desirability, especially to the ladies, must be greatly enhanced. And to steal the heart of that man from so formidable a rival as the countess, would be seen as the greatest of conquests.”

Georgiana was entirely discomposed at everything Gwendolyn had said regarding Mr Darlington; and was greatly relieved when Lady Beauchamp and her daughter departed. She immediately set out for one of her favourite places in the woods – one that was a good distance from the shrubbery; for she had not the least desire of encountering Mr Darlington, who had lately been disturbing her peace of mind with increasing regularity. It was time, she decided, to calmly and rationally consider her thoughts and feelings towards that gentleman, rather than continually avoiding them.

He had been an object of fascination to her almost from the start – certainly from that day when he painted her in the conservatory. She was immediately attracted by his intelligence, his enquiring mind, his refusal to accept conventional truths, and his determination to make up his own mind based upon rational analysis and his own observations. It attracted Georgiana because she had herself been covertly engaged in similar patterns of thought for some time; and although she had recognised a kindred spirit in her sister, Elizabeth, the rigour and energy with which James Darlington pursued that independence of mind stunned her. She could hardly believe such a person existed. And then there was the extensive knowledge he had gathered in his studies, which so completely eclipsed her own reading. She recalled thinking to herself that day in the conservatory, here is someone from whom I can learn.

For his part, there appeared to be a recognition of their likeness of mind. He seemed as eager as she, during his long Christmas visit to Derbyshire, to spend many an hour together, talking of their shared interests. They very soon became firm friends. When Mr Darlington returned to London, Georgiana discovered a strange emptiness and a longing in her heart, which she refused to think about, or to name. But now she admitted to herself, that from their close friendship, a deep emotional attachment had developed on her side, at least, and she had been miserable without him, and thus decided to accompany her brother and sister to town.

When did I fall in love with him? she asked herself. Was it at Christmas in Derbyshire? Or was it in London? She had so delighted in being in his company again when she arrived in town; but it was tempered by the distress of seeing him as the object of attention of other young ladies, and most especially the designs of Miss Beauchamp and her mother. Georgiana had not wished to be his wife – nor anyone's wife – she had wished only to continue their intimacy and friendship. And then there was the Countess de Namur, of whom Mr Darlington was in such obvious admiration. Her fears and misgivings concerning the French lady caused her great unhappiness. And to make matters worse, there was Lord William, gently, but persistently pursuing her… it all became too much, and so she fled to Derbyshire. This time the pain of separation from James Darlington was almost unbearable – until he eventually arrived, himself, at Kympton.

But he came in the company of the Countess de Namur, which was almost more painful to Georgiana than his previous absence. She felt so plain and dull and meagre in talent beside the extraordinary French woman. Although Mr Darlington's behaviour towards her was unaltered, she could not believe it possible that he might one day return the feelings that had grown in her breast. Then, there was that exquisite moment in the garden, when they were discussing novel-writing, and he had said something which seemed to speak of his feelings for her – their eyes had locked in that magical moment. And yet afterwards, it all seemed like nothing more than imagination and fond hope.

Following her recent conversation with Gwendolyn, Georgiana could no longer deny to herself the certainty of a liaison between Mr Darlington and the Countess de Namur. The only question was with regard to its nature. She considered the three possibilities that Gwendolyn had identified; and, like her friend, hoped very much that it was merely a dalliance – and one which was now over. Though she was unable to view such a prospect with the same levity as Gwendolyn, she knew she could not disavow James Darlington over such a transgression – one, which it seemed, was not out of the common way for young gentlemen. She must forgive him, because the severance of their friendship would be unbearable to her. For as she now admitted to herself, it was much more than friendship: it was unalloyed love, as all-consuming as anything she had ever read of in any romance.

But what if it was not a mere dalliance? What if Mr Darlington was truly in love with the countess – regardless of their intentions regarding marriage? It would be the end of all hope, the end of everything; the end of every possibility of happiness. And in that moment, the truth dawned on Georgiana: despite all her past protestations to the contrary, she did wish to marry James Darlington – more than anything else in the world. She wanted desperately to marry him, but she was entirely powerless to bring it about, or to hasten it in any way. It was just as Gwendolyn had said: the initiative was all on the gentleman's side… or was it?