and stay to dinner, adding his views to the conversation or his excellent voice to the singing, with Kitty to accompany them on the pianoforte. Elizabeth noticed that Mr Jenkins was there more often of late and believed him to be rather lonely and glad of the company.
Mr Bennet was so enjoying himself, that he had no desire at all to go up to London; he expressed a preference for accompanying Dr Grantley, Georgiana, and Kitty on a drive to the Peak District. He had heard a great deal about the area from Lizzie and the Gardiners, when they toured there last summer, he said. Elizabeth was surprised that Kitty preferred to stay but was later not quite so surprised, when it was revealed that young Mr Jenkins, the Rector, had been invited to join their party.
Completing her letter to Jane, briefly, for there were preparations to be made, Elizabeth mentioned the interest that Kitty was showing in the work of the little church at Pemberley. She added that the Rector was perhaps as great a source of interest as the rest of the Rectory. "He is a very well-mannered and thoughtful young man, and Mr Darcy likes him," she said, but she urged Jane to keep her counsel on this, "until we meet and can speak privately." To Charlotte, Elizabeth was particularly cordial, since she felt she owed her oldest friend some special consideration. Their friendship had been shaken, when Charlotte chose to marry Mr Collins, and Elizabeth felt the need to make amends.
She wrote:
I am looking forward very much to seeing you, dear Charlotte. God willing, we shall meet in May, before your baby is born, and have the time to talk as we used to in days gone by. God bless you,
Your friend, Lizzie.
C HAPTER F IVE
Relations and friends
I
N THE SPRING OF 1816, London was a thriving, exciting metropolis and a political, mercantile, social, and cultural centre. Many people came there to do business, to make political or social contacts, or simply to see and be
seen in the right places, with the right people.
For Darcy and Elizabeth, their visit to the big city meant much more than this. While Darcy did have business to negotiate and Elizabeth intended to do some shopping in the fashionable emporiums recommended by her aunt, their main interest was the opportunity to enjoy the company of the Gardiners, with whom they shared a most satisfying relationship. Whether talking of matters pertaining to business or attending some entertainment in one of the numerous venues around London, both Darcy and Elizabeth were completely at ease with Mr and Mrs Gardiner. On matters concerning themselves or their families, they were able to speak frankly and openly, because there was between them a strong sense of trust as well as an affectionate concern for one another.
Darcy and Mr Gardiner needed to discuss a proposal to extend their business, based on reports from Fitzwilliam on the opportunities involving the trade in Tea and Spices from the Eastern colonies of India and Ceylon.
While Darcy had little experience in the business of trade, he was wise enough to see the direction in which British commerce was moving, and being no longer hobbled by snobbery, he found working with the practical and amiable Mr Gardiner rewarding and engrossing. He was content to leave the actual organisation and administration of the business in the hands of Mr Gardiner but took a lively interest in its progress. Darcy was also aware of the other consequences of the great expansion of industry and commerce that was taking place in England. It had been troubling him, and Elizabeth knew he felt strongly about it.
After dinner one night, he mentioned the subject of the new industries that were spreading across the country. "Are you aware," he asked quietly, "that there are factories being opened up in places such as Sheffield and Birmingham, which employ young children? I've had a letter from Fitzwilliam, who speaks with some horror of child labour in the Colonies; I wonder if he knows that it is
Mr Bennet was so enjoying himself, that he had no desire at all to go up to London; he expressed a preference for accompanying Dr Grantley, Georgiana, and Kitty on a drive to the Peak District. He had heard a great deal about the area from Lizzie and the Gardiners, when they toured there last summer, he said. Elizabeth was surprised that Kitty preferred to stay but was later not quite so surprised, when it was revealed that young Mr Jenkins, the Rector, had been invited to join their party.
Completing her letter to Jane, briefly, for there were preparations to be made, Elizabeth mentioned the interest that Kitty was showing in the work of the little church at Pemberley. She added that the Rector was perhaps as great a source of interest as the rest of the Rectory. "He is a very well-mannered and thoughtful young man, and Mr Darcy likes him," she said, but she urged Jane to keep her counsel on this, "until we meet and can speak privately." To Charlotte, Elizabeth was particularly cordial, since she felt she owed her oldest friend some special consideration. Their friendship had been shaken, when Charlotte chose to marry Mr Collins, and Elizabeth felt the need to make amends.
She wrote:
I am looking forward very much to seeing you, dear Charlotte. God willing, we shall meet in May, before your baby is born, and have the time to talk as we used to in days gone by. God bless you,
Your friend, Lizzie.
C HAPTER F IVE
Relations and friends
I
N THE SPRING OF 1816, London was a thriving, exciting metropolis and a political, mercantile, social, and cultural centre. Many people came there to do business, to make political or social contacts, or simply to see and be
seen in the right places, with the right people.
For Darcy and Elizabeth, their visit to the big city meant much more than this. While Darcy did have business to negotiate and Elizabeth intended to do some shopping in the fashionable emporiums recommended by her aunt, their main interest was the opportunity to enjoy the company of the Gardiners, with whom they shared a most satisfying relationship. Whether talking of matters pertaining to business or attending some entertainment in one of the numerous venues around London, both Darcy and Elizabeth were completely at ease with Mr and Mrs Gardiner. On matters concerning themselves or their families, they were able to speak frankly and openly, because there was between them a strong sense of trust as well as an affectionate concern for one another.
Darcy and Mr Gardiner needed to discuss a proposal to extend their business, based on reports from Fitzwilliam on the opportunities involving the trade in Tea and Spices from the Eastern colonies of India and Ceylon.
While Darcy had little experience in the business of trade, he was wise enough to see the direction in which British commerce was moving, and being no longer hobbled by snobbery, he found working with the practical and amiable Mr Gardiner rewarding and engrossing. He was content to leave the actual organisation and administration of the business in the hands of Mr Gardiner but took a lively interest in its progress. Darcy was also aware of the other consequences of the great expansion of industry and commerce that was taking place in England. It had been troubling him, and Elizabeth knew he felt strongly about it.
After dinner one night, he mentioned the subject of the new industries that were spreading across the country. "Are you aware," he asked quietly, "that there are factories being opened up in places such as Sheffield and Birmingham, which employ young children? I've had a letter from Fitzwilliam, who speaks with some horror of child labour in the Colonies; I wonder if he knows that it is
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