Page 17 of Cousin Elizabeth
“No, I will not! Beth will be there and all of her cousins! I cannot wait to meet them!”
“We should trade off carriages at every stop so you can get to know my cousins before we even arrive at the seashore.” Beth suggested with a wry grin at William.
William just grimaced. He did not do well with strangers. He never knew what to say, nor did he catch the tone of their voice and whether they were being serious or teasing. It took him awhile to become comfortable around new people. Maybe he should just ride his horse the whole way?
“That will be pure torture for Darcy. Maybe you should just ride that evil stallion of yours the entire way.” Richard slapped him hard on the shoulder.
“I am sure…..” just as he began his answer, a loud knock was heard at the door. They had not even made it out of the foyer yet.
“Express for Mr. Darcy!” was what everyone heard. Radison handed a very disheveled rider some coins and took the missive. Darcy took it right out of his hand and ripped it open.
“What is it man?!” Richard shook his arm when Darcy did not answer right away.
“There has been a fire at the steward’s house. There were also two barns that caught fire. Vetter says it might have been set a purpose. I need to go now. Richard, would you be able to escort Georgiana to Ramsgate?”
“I should be able to take a couple of days. I will go now and talk to the General.”
“There will be plenty of people to escort Gigi if Richard cannot. You go on cousin. We have things under control. All will be well.”
Darcy actually hugged Beth all on his own and ran up the stairs to get his things yelling orders all the way.
Georgiana looked a bit worried, but walked Beth and Mamie to their suite, and left John with a footman to show him to his room and told him to meet them for tea in the blue parlor in half an hour. Jackson had gone off to the kitchen after taking all the small luggage up. The trunks would be stored in a locked room in the mews overnight and then loaded back onto the carriage in the morning. Since there was not much spare room at the Gardiner’s house, the maid and footman the Bennet’s brought would stay the night at Darcy House. They should arrive shortly, and Mrs. Radison would see to them.
Darcy was ready to go about the time everyone else was meeting for tea, so he said a quick goodbye to all at once. “I will write you as soon as I know anything. I am riding Zeus, so both carriages will still be available to you Georgiana. Do as John and Mr. Bennet tell you. I trust John to have good sense, and even though I havenot met Mr. Bennet, he has daughters and will know things. Really, I must go. Write me often cousin… Gigi.” He gave both his sister and cousin a hug, shook John’s hand, and bowed to Mrs. Russell. He did not notice Mrs. Young was not in the room.
All were quiet and drank their tea for several minutes. Mamie looked around the room with some confusion. “Where is Mrs. Young?”
“Oh, I was to give her regards and excuses. She has a megrim and hopes she will be well in the morning. She has taken to her bed and wishes not to be disturbed.”
Which would have been a fine excuse if she actuallywasin her bed, but during the pandemonium of the guest’s arrival, she managed to sneak out without anyone noticing. She walked several blocks before hailing a hack to take her to a small inn near Cheapside. Since she had walked the opposite direction she had the driver take her, she was fairly confident if anyone was following her, they would have lost her along the way.
She walked up the rickety stairs and knocked softly on the last door in the hall. The door was ripped open by a handsome blond. Bernice held up both hands, “All is not lost, I assure you! Do calm yourself.” Her compatriot stepped back and let her in the room.
“Our original plan will not work. How will I ever get Georgiana on her own?”
“It may take a bit more time than we planned, but we have all summer. It is a small, seaside town. The servants will become lackadaisical. The girls will become bored and rebellious. The youngest Bennet sounds like she has a chip on her shoulder, from the letters I’ve read sent to the brat by the American. I might be able to work on her. We will likely have many more opportunities for your revenge than we originally planned. You know howloyalandhonorableDarcy and the colonel are. I have high hopes.”
“I hope you are right. Unfortunately, I need money now. I do not have enough to spend all summer in Ramsgate waiting for my chance.”
“Tut tut. I brought you these. The brat will never miss them. She has more jewels than sense, and her maid isn’t much brighter. You should be able to pawn these for more than a hundred pounds. If you behave, that should last you for the entire summer. I alreadyconfiscatedenough clothing to last you for quite some time. The Darcys have so much, they will never miss anything.”
“Too true. Thank you, Bernice. I will see you in Ramsgate within a sennight. You will write me at your cousin’s.”
Mrs. Young was able to sneak back into her room and send for a tray right around the supper hour. No one would be the wiser that she had been out most of the day.
Chapter Fifteen
The colonel was as good as his word. He was at Darcy house near sunrise to escort the caravan to Ramsgate. Mrs. Young’s megrim was resolved, and she seemed happy enough to be leaving London. She was not as happy to be relegated to the coach with the maids and Longbourn’s governess. Gigi wanted to start off the trip with her cousin Elizabeth, Miss Elizabeth, and Miss Bennet. Mr. Bennet rode with Mrs. Russell and his three younger daughters. The Colonel, Mr. Smith, Jackson, and two of Darcy’s larger footmen would be outriders. Since they did not want to change out horses, they would overnight in Faversham along the way.
“Miss Darcy, it will be very confusing if you address either our cousin or me as Elizabeth, will you not call me Lizzy as my sisters and Beth do?”
“Only if you will call me Gigi, as my family does.” Georgiana looked down shyly. She very much wanted to be friends with the Bennet ladies, but it was difficult for her to speak without stumbling over her words. She had only really made one friend while at school and had very little experience in conversing with anyone other than family.
By the time they made it to their first rest stop, Gigi was comfortable with the ladies. Jane was so sweet and soft spoken. Lizzy was very witty and made everyone laugh. Cousin Beth had very little sense of decorum, which Lizzy teased her about relentlessly. “We are all family here, why should I watch my words? You English are very prim and proper, but must you be atalltimes?”
Lizzy chose to answer, “No, not all the time. My sisters and I rarely watch our words with each other, but only when we are assured of being alone. Servants talk, you know. We rarely have complete privacy. There always seems to be a maid or a footman about. Our servants at Longbourn are more discrete than most, but why take the risk? Also, it is part of the English way to attempt not to hurt each other’s feelings. We are simply careful with our words.”
“You have not spent much time around theton, Lizzy. Neither have I, really, but my Aunt Camile and cousin Marie tell such stories! The slings and arrows and barbs sound quite devastating. My brother’s friend, Mr. Bingley, has two sisters who never have a kind word to say of anyone. They quite frighten me.”
