P&P: Behind the Scenes – Gardiners Compare Opinions of Mr. Darcy

Behind the scene palladian bridge for banner

 

 

Elizabeth and her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner have made their second visit to Pemberley – Mr. Gardiner to accept Mr. Darcy’s invitation to fishing and the ladies to wait on his sister. Elizabeth and her aunt talk over the day’s events on their return drive to Lambton, but neither of them is bold enough to open the topic that “particularly interested them both” – Mr. Darcy (end of chapter 45). Don’t you suppose Mrs. Gardiner would be champing at the bit for the next best thing, a private conference on the subject with her husband? Here is that scene.


August 6, 1812

 

the Gardiners“What a day we have had!” exclaimed Mrs. Gardiner to her husband when they climbed into their bed at the inn that night. She had barely been able to contain herself until they were alone, until they could discuss the events of the day in private, but even now she had to be careful to keep her voice down lest her niece should overhear through the thin walls. “What say you about Mr. Darcy, my dear, now you have spent more time in his company?”

“I say he has some of the finest fishing in the country. I wish you had seen today’s catch, my love – some of the best specimens I have ever had the pleasure of pulling in, I can tell you. There was one in particular that put up a heroic fight…”

Here Mrs. Gardiner impatiently interrupted, giving her husband’s arm a vigorous shake for emphasis. “Not the fish! It is your opinion of the man I am far more interested in. What say you about your host Mr. Darcy?”

“Oh! Well, my opinion of him is equally high, I should think. He is as fine a fellow as ever I have come across, and a great deal more civil than your average rich man.”

“No false pride, then?”

“None that I could see. He is perhaps a little reserved, but he could not have been more accommodating and more obliging to me. That speaks well of his character, I think, especially when you consider that there could be nothing in it for him. There is no reason Mr. Darcy should have gone out of his way for somebody like me. I am in no position to do anything for him in return. I am certainly not his equal in wealth or position, and I have no influence or acquaintance that could possibly interest him. Yes, I thought it the most positive proof of his generous character. But you had opportunity to observe Mr. Darcy’s behavior today as well, when he joined you and the other ladies. What is your own opinion?”

“Oh, I quite agree with you.”

“Very well, then.”

Mrs. Gardiner lay quietly for a moment, reviewing in her mind all she had seen and heard that afternoon. Her senses had instantly been called to high alert when Pemberley’s handsome proprietor had unexpectedly entered the saloon, and it had been the same for all the others – Miss Georgiana, Elizabeth, Miss Bingley, Mrs. Hurst, and that agreeable, genteel Mrs. Annesley. Every female eye was drawn to Mr. Darcy at once, which was not surprising considering his fine tall person and commanding presence. She herself, Mrs. Gardiner recalled, had noticed an involuntary flutter within her own breast. Then the maneuvering had begun. Miss Bingley had clearly been eager to impress him, and even Miss Darcy. Yet, there was something else…

“I must beg to differ with you on one point, however,” continued Mrs. Gardiner.

“Indeed? In what respect?”

“On your presumption of having no influence or acquaintance of value. I believe your niece may be of very particular interest to Mr. Darcy, in fact.”

“Elizabeth? That hardly seems likely. Their past acquaintance was only trifling, and you know the decided dislike she has expressed for the man.”

“First impressions are not always accurate, you must admit, and they are not always immutable either. I think a change may be at work here. Anybody who watched the two of them together this afternoon – how solicitous he was, how anxious to promote a friendship between his sister and our niece – must suspect there is more to the connection than Elizabeth has admitted.”

“Perhaps you are right, my dear. Now that you mention it, Mr. Darcy could not get away from the river quick enough once I told him that you and Elizabeth were calling on his sister. That was the end of fishing! Clearly, what was going forward at the house was more pressing in his mind, the company there more intriguing.”

“Imagine!” said Mrs. Gardiner, her hands raised to press against her cheeks and her eyes wide with wonder. “Our niece mistress of Pemberley!”

“Do not you think that may be leaping forward too far,” cautioned her husband, “or at least too rapidly?”

“I am impatient to know the truth of it, if only Elizabeth would begin the subject. You noticed how she talked all round the idea of Mr. Darcy after we came away – his sister, his house, his grounds, and even his table – everything in favorable yet guarded terms. Not one word did she venture on the interesting person at the heart of it all, the man himself, though I could have sworn she was near to bursting out with it one time and then another. That must mean something.”

“You seem a bit dazzled by the man yourself, my dear.”

“Nonsense. He is an impressive gentleman, you must admit, and not in an off-putting way either, not now we have seen him for what he really is. I am thinking only of Elizabeth, though. I truly believe her happiness would be safe in Mr. Darcy’s care. Yes, I would be very pleased to see her married to him as soon as may be. What a fine establishment it would make for her!”

“And what a fine thing for us if we should be welcome to visit her at Pemberley as much as we like thereafter. One cannot overlook that advantage to the match either,” Mr. Gardiner, propped up on one elbow, said with a conspiratorial wink.

Mrs. Gardiner muffled a laugh and blew out the candle. “That is quite true,” she whispered, nuzzling in close to her husband. “Remember how we were forced to abbreviate our walking tour the other day, and I am sure I shall never be completely happy until I have been all the way round the park by some means or another.”

“Ten miles, we were told! Perhaps next time a carriage of some sort – a phaeton with a pair of sturdy ponies.”

“Oh, yes, my dear! That would be the very thing!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24 comments

1 pings

Skip to comment form

  1. Really enjoyed this scene, Shannon. I love Mr. Gardiner’s clueless praise of the fishing!! Hehehe! You also bring out the warm relationship between them very nicely.

    1. Thanks, Monica. I love the Gardiners, so it was fun to write, especially the fishing bit!

    • Deborah on October 6, 2015 at 6:43 am
    • Reply

    I loved this. I could see the Gardiners having this discussion and, typical for his species, Mr. Gardiner is totally oblivious to what was happening right under his nose. All he could think about was….fishing. But, oh so sweet. Such a different relationship than Lizzy’s parents had. A beautiful example for Lizzy. Thank you so much for this missing chapter.

    1. So glad you enjoyed it, Deborah! And, yes, how lucky Lizzy has the Gardiners’ beautiful example. Their’s is the one happy, functional marriage in the book. Your comment reminds me of the opening line of chapter 42:

      Had Elizabeth’s opinion been all drawn from her own family, she could not have formed a very pleasing picture of conjugal felicity or domestic comfort…

    • Glynis on October 6, 2015 at 7:45 am
    • Reply

    Thanks for this Shannon. I love reading these extra scenes so much. Perhaps someone should reissue P&P and include all of them. I really like how the Gardiners are so caring of Elizabeth especially when Mr Gardiner is put in the picture!!!

    1. You’re very welcome, Glynis. I enjoy writing these extra glimpses so much – an excuse to spend more time with the people I know and love so well! And we, the authors here at Austen Variations, do have plans for these extra scenes. Stand by!

    • sharon on October 6, 2015 at 12:02 pm
    • Reply

    very well done shannon,i have 25 copies of every book and every movie version excellently done

    1. I keep an extra copy of the ’95 version to loan out, but 25 copies? That’s true devotion, Sharon!

    • melanie on October 6, 2015 at 12:13 pm
    • Reply

    Shannon, your portrayal of the Gardner’s is perfect, I have always thought that should they have been Elizabeth’s parents how her life would have been different, having a quieter home with an positively attentive mother. Mr. Gardner is a good hearted mad, but a bit single minded about the fishing and missed an opportunity to observe the goings on between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy below the surface. I would like to know what he thought of the behavior of Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley towards Elizabeth.

    Thank you for this chapter, and I agree with Glynis a reprint of P&P with the additional insights would be interesting.

  2. Thank you for your comments, Melanie! An interesting thought. Elizabeth might have been a very different creature if she’d grown up with the Gardiners as parents. I wonder if we would have liked her as much.

    • Julie Rakowski on October 6, 2015 at 12:54 pm
    • Reply

    Oh Shannon,
    How many times must we all have thought about what conversations would be going on behind things. This and all of then are wonderful. !

    1. Yes, Julie, I’m so lucky to get to write these conversations, not just imagine them!

    • Sheila L. M. on October 6, 2015 at 12:55 pm
    • Reply

    Lovely! And I am attempting to ponder if Elizabeth could still overhear the conversation despite the couple keeping their voices low. I always did love Mrs. Gardner – her insight and wise words keep flustered emotions under control. Lizzy is blessed to have them in her corner. Thank you for this excerpt.

    1. I’m delighted to hear so many people have a deep fondness for the Gardiners, you included, Sheila! I have plans to feature them in an upcoming book.

        • Sheila L. M. on October 6, 2015 at 4:24 pm
        • Reply

        OH, that will make for a great book. I don’t think I have ever read one which featured them. Although one author had Aunt Gardiner, like her sister-in-law bent on marrying Lizzy off to her idea of a perfect situation.

  3. What a delightful conversation!! I quite enjoyed Mr. Gardiner’s report of Mr. Darcy rather abrupt abandonment of the fishing expedition the very moment that Mr. Gardiner mentioned that his wife and niece were calling at Pemberley!! 😀

    Thank you, Shannon, for a lovely scene!! 😀

    Warmly,
    Susanne 🙂

    1. Thanks for your comments, Susanne! I so enjoy the challenge of taking what JA has given us and expanding on it, not deviating from it – in these segments as well as my books. The inspiration for the part you refer to is found in chapter 45:

      He [Mr. Darcy] had been some time with Mr. Gardiner, who, with two or three other gentlemen from the house, was engaged by the river, and had left him only on learning that the ladies of the family intended a visit to Georgiana that morning.

    • Carol on October 6, 2015 at 3:25 pm
    • Reply

    Love this Behind-the-scenes chapter. Oh Lizzy is so loved – the Gardiners and Darcy. Lizzy and Georgiana are already forming a bond, and poor Darcy, his eyes and face says it all. Edward Gardiner is a typical male answering his wife with the remarks about fishing. Sly man, he knew what she asking. Love these two. Jane and Elizabeth were lucky to have them growing up. It would be horrific to have five Lydia’s running around Longbourn.

    1. We do love our P&P, don’t we, Carol! And I like your idea that Mr. Gardiner wasn’t really that clueless after all, that he was really just teasing his wife by going on about fishing when he knew she was eager to hear about Mr. Darcy. Entirely possible!

    • Julie on October 6, 2015 at 3:40 pm
    • Reply

    Perfect! I’ve always loved Mrs. Gardiner, especially. She comes prepared to like Mr. Darcy in spite of Elizabeth’s stated objections, and she is not disappointed. Love this scene where she observes so astutely what is happening! I know once she has that tour of the gardens by phaeton, all will be right in her and Elizabeth’s world! I liked the “First Impressions” nod, as well.

    1. Yes, Julie, I think Mrs. G. would have been predisposed to like Darcy because of knowing his father by reputation, and especially if there were any chance he might be falling in love with Elizabeth!

      It is a lot of fun to drop in those “insider’s” references – first impressions, the phaeton and ponies, etc. – when I write. 😉

    • TLeighF on October 7, 2015 at 9:43 pm
    • Reply

    Wonderful chapter! I can imagine how hard it was for Mrs. Gardiner to hold it all in until they were alone. And the. To have Mr. G talk about the fish and prolong her agony…Brilliant! I loved this portrayal of the Gardiners and the references to canon as well as your own work. Thank you!

    1. Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for commenting! Did I allude to my own work? I’m not sure where, but maybe I couldn’t help it. 😉

    • Muskan fatima on December 1, 2017 at 6:15 am
    • Reply

    I didn’t understand the opinion of Gardiner about darcy

  1. […] all started in October when I published an amusing little post about the Gardiners at Austen Variations for our Behind the Scenes of Pride and Prejudice series, where we write “missing […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.