Revelations an adaption of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 126

It's always difficult to part with Elizabeth but it won't be for long, just two days and one night. He will survive, though it will be harder now Georgie is married. Married, at seventeen. And tonight they will go out in public for the first time after their wedding. Darcy need not accompany her anymore but to stay in all by himself is not a pleasant prospect. Oh well, no need to decide, yet. And remembering the last time he had to sleep alone things aren't that different at all: though not yet acknowledged, the intimacy between Fielding and Georgie had already been rather profound at that time. But tonight, they will be together and he will be alone. Even Manners will not sleep alone, nor Bob, nor Anne. Well, provided they'll dare roam Mr Collins' humble abode in the depth of night. Imagine the fellow catching them at it, that would make a right scandal!

But Elizabeth will be as lonely, and she will undoubtedly think of him and long for him.

'Come on, Darcy, no moping! They're not even around the corner, yet.'

Manners is in an excellent mood, well, of course, he's had his way in everything, engaged to Miss de Bourgh, Anne happy with her retainer, all of London celebrating for their favourite master of entertainment.

'Before you retreat to brood, Darcy, may I claim an hour of your time today? I have an important document to sign and I'll be indebted to you if you'll be my witness. And of course you'll come to the concert tonight, won't you? It'll make for great entertainment, the two ardent lovers bemoaning the absence of their sweethearts.'

Curious, Darcy agrees, and finds himself in Manners' carriage with its owner and Simon, of all people. Simon is not comfortable at all to be in public with his lover, months of secrecy have taken their toll.

'Relax, Simon, you're my valet now. Even an engaged man can have his valet accompany him on a little stint of business. Better get used to it, my man, we'll be doing this a lot.'

Not being called by a pet name does quiet Simon quite a bit, but he behaves like a servant and keeps his mouth tightly shut.

The carriage halts before a modern building in the middle of town, and Darcy's curiosity mounts. What are they doing out here? Now Manners leads him, and Simon, straight into one of the most ostentatious hallways Darcy has ever seen, marble, not white but pink, not just on the floor but also covering the wall higher than Simon's head. It has been polished until it mirrors his own face back at him. Simon is getting more and more uncomfortable, he knows what is going to happen here, it has something to do with him. The lamps and the doorknobs look like polished brass, but Darcy fears they may be plated with gold instead. Doors are solid oak, probably because they couldn't get marble hinged or they would have used that. Most people would be impressed by this hall, but Darcy is not most people. He finds it overdone and in rather bad taste, it's just too much of everything, there is no balance, it's all over the top like his aunt's furniture, supposed to impress but failing in his own case. And Simon is not impressed either, not by their surroundings at any rate, he is nervous because of what is going to happen.

There are no staircases in the hall, though he knows the building is at least four stories high from seeing the outside, and it's obviously not someone's house, there are liveried attendants at every door and two on the outside door, but they look more like guards than like house staff. Though broadly built and haughty looking, Darcy guesses these guards are more for show than anything else, he doesn't see them hiding a slapjack under their liveries, let alone be able, and daring, enough to use one.

'I'm afraid I'm going to have to find myself a new lawyer, soon,' Manners comments in a low voice. 'I think too much of my money is being spent on trappings by my current man. And it doesn't even work, it's too much, as if they expect to make better deals by showing off. It's hard work I want from them, not an effort to outclass their customers. What do you think, Simon? I can see what Darcy thinks of the decor without asking.'