Page 73 of A Life Diverted
As the Bennet and Phillips families were disembarking from their coaches, another coach arrived behind theirs.
It was the largest of the Darcy travelling carriages.
Elizabeth recognised the adults from the wedding breakfast, and it seemed the lady was staring at her again.
She became self-conscious, wondering if she had dirt on her person or outfit.
She was about to move to where Uncle Paul and Aunt Edith were greeting her parents when she saw him .
Without thinking, she forgot what her mother had said regarding allowing an apology first and marched up to the frozen lad and kicked his shin.
As she was wearing slippers and not half boots, it was not painful, just surprising.
“Why did you follow me to Uncle Paul’s?” Elizabeth demanded. “Did you come to be rude and hateful to me again?” When her parents reached her, her mother gently drew Elizabeth to her.
Robert Darcy and Richard Fitzwilliam both guffawed, and Lady Anne just stared at Elizabeth, as from close up there was no question in her mind the girl looked exactly like Priscilla. Not only that, but she also sounded like her friend.
“Lizzy, a young lady does not kick anyone, regardless how much he deserves it,” Fanny admonished her daughter, though she was fighting the urge to smile, then looked directly at William Darcy, who did not know where to look.
“Your daughter has my blessing to kick William anytime he behaves as he did to you the other day at Pemberley,” Robert Darcy assured Fanny Bennet when he managed to control his laughter.
“Should we all repair to the drawing room and I can effect introductions and hear why William deserves to be kicked by our little Lizzy?” Lord Holder asked.
The Darcys were the last group heading indoors. “You are right, my dear. I only met Priscilla after I started to court you, but my goodness, the one they call Lizzy could be her daughter,” Darcy said softly to his wife so no one else could hear him, and Lady Anne simply nodded.
Her emotions were in turmoil; how could it be that the daughter of one she never met look so much like her friend? Hopefully, she would glean some answers during the sennight the Darcys were to be at Holder Heights.
In the drawing room, the Earl introduced the arriving parties one to the other.
The two youngest Bennets were taken up to the nursery.
Before any could talk, William cleared his throat.
“Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, and Miss Mary, please allow me to proffer my most sincere apologies for my unconscionable rudeness to you at Pemberley the day you were touring the house. My presumptions were arrogant and based on assumptions with no facts to support them.” He turned and addressed Elizabeth directly.
“Miss Elizabeth, you are correct. I was rude and hateful, and even worse, I did not behave like a gentleman. Your kick was well deserved. Please know that I deeply regret my actions and beg your, and your family’s, forgiveness. ”
Elizabeth looked to her mother and father, both of whom nodded. “In that case, Master William, you are forgiven,” Elizabeth allowed.
“Miss Elizabeth,” Lady Anne addressed Elizabeth, “any time you happen to be at Pemberley, you and your sisters are more than welcome to play any of the instruments you see.” Lady Anne bent down and made like she was whispering conspiratorially to Elizabeth.
“I too love to play the pianoforte and I heard you are an extremely good pianist. Will we hear you play while we are here?”
Elizabeth felt a strange pull to the kind and pretty lady. “If Mama and Papa allow me, then yes, Lady Anne, I will play for you. Jane is even better than I, and Signore da Funti is teaching her the harp as well,” Elizabeth informed Lady Anne.
Lady Anne looked at the Bennet parents with surprise. “Your daughter’s music master is Signore Alberto da Funti?”
“Yes, your Ladyship,” Fanny replied and then told Lady Anne about the Signore’s teaching schedule.
“I was happy your kind housekeeper asked if I wanted to play your pianoforte, Lady Anne. It is the same as the one we have at Netherfield Park. Longbourn only has an upright,” Elizabeth reported.
Lady Anne froze as she had when she first caught sight of Miss Elizabeth.
Netherfield Park! That was her Priscilla’s estate!
Fanny knew Lady Anne was one of Pricilla’s friends who had tried to correspond with her after the divorce.
Priscilla had meant to start writing to her friend again but had been taken before she was able to follow through on her intent.
Fanny knew she might not be keeping to the spirit of her promise to Priscilla, but she had to talk to Lady Anne—alone.
Lady Edith suggested everyone go wash and change, as her housekeeper was ready to show them to their chambers.
As they walked up the stairs, Fanny touched Lady Anne’s arm and held her back a little, waiting until the others were ahead of them and out of earshot.
Both husbands were relieved, as it seemed their wives would handle whatever it was that caused them both tension.
“You have questions about Priscilla, do you not?” Fanny asked quietly. Lady Anne did not trust herself to speak at that moment, so she just nodded. “Meet me in our private sitting room in an hour.” Lady Anne nodded again, and they proceeded up the stairs.
When Robert Darcy saw the look on his wife’s face as she entered their suite, he was concerned. “Anne, what is it?”
“Did you not hear what Miss Elizabeth said when she named one of their estates, Robert?” Lady Anne asked.
“She mentioned Netherfield Park. She did not mention the shire, but I have a feeling it is Priscilla’s Netherfield Park.
There is no evidence to support my conjecture, but I pray the Bennets have not imposed on my kind-hearted friend when she was at her lowest after the King ripped her soulmate from her. ”
“Do not make the same mistake William made, my love. Find out the facts before you jump to conclusions,” Robert Darcy calmed his wife.
“Do not let your worry for your friend cloud your judgement; try to speak to the Bennets. If you do not get enough information from her, I will ask Mr. Bennet to talk to me, for he seems to be an honourable gentleman. He would not be a close friend of Holder’s if he were anything but. ”
“Mrs. Bennet invited me to come talk about Priscilla; she saw my worry in the drawing room,” Lady Anne informed her husband.
“There you go, Anne. Ask as many questions as you need to so you can feel at ease, just try not to be accusatory,” Darcy suggested.
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“Your judgement is sound in talking to Lady Anne, for you know she was a true friend to Priscilla who did not drop the connection after the divorce. I suggest both her husband and I should be present for the disclosure of Priscilla’s death,” Bennet opined.
“It has been more than five years, and you are about to inform her that her friend is dead.”
“Your suggestion is logical, Thomas; I agree with you,” Fanny stated. “Will you go and ask Mr. Darcy to join us for the first part of the discussion?”
“With pleasure, my wife,” Bennet replied. He kissed his wife then made the short walk to the Darcys’ suite and knocked on the door. It was opened by Robert Darcy.
“Mr. Bennet, how may I be of assistance?” Darcy asked.
“First, as we will be together in company from time to time, please call me Bennet. Second, will you please join your wife, at least for the first part of the discussion our wives need to have?” Bennet requested.
“Yes to both, and please call me Darcy,” he replied easily, grateful he would be there to support and temper his wife.
“We will see you at the top of the hour, Darcy. Thank you for your understanding,” Bennet extended his hand, and the men shook.
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“You did not, Wills!” Jamey Carrington had tears streaming down his cheeks from laughter after William and Richard explained the kick that necessitated the apology William had made in the drawing room.
“He most certainly did,” Richard confirmed with much mirth.
“And you will be working in the stables, mucking out stalls?” Jamey declared. William nodded sullenly. “I cannot say you do not deserve it, William. You were getting far too haughty and presumptive, just like…”
“My Aunt Catherine,” William cut his friend off.
“Thank you, Jamey. That has been pointed out to me once or twice lately. The truth is, I did not see I was becoming like her, but now that I know and can see the error of my ways, I will be correcting my behaviour, and hopefully Father will not leave me to languish in the stables too long.”
“It will build character—and muscles,” Richard informed his cousin.
“Do you still want to join the army when you graduate Cambridge, Richard?” Jamey asked affably.
“I do. Some of us have to work for our daily bread as we do not have the luck of being born first sons like you two fortunate sods,” Richard ribbed his friend and cousin.
“Hopefully, you will learn to follow orders before you join the army, cousin of mine,” William stated.
“You begin at Eton in September do you not, Richard?” Jamie asked.
“I will be in my first year, and Andy will be in his final one. You will join me the next year, and William will join us the year after,” Richard pointed out.
Soon the three were talking about one of their horses—but not before Lady Cassandra Carrington, who was almost seven and called Cassie, invaded her brother’s chambers wanting to play, and had to be evicted.
She had been bored and impatient, as a girl of her age was wont to be, waiting for her friends to wash and change.
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