Page 9 of Chivalry & Chauvinism (The Victorian Vagaries #2)

Elizabeth gave an enormous and very well attended dinner before they left town. To their excitement, she allowed Mary and Georgiana to plan it, making liberal use of her household journals with the housekeeper, though Elizabeth looked over the plans each day to ensure all was in hand. Elizabeth was an excellent hostess, and kept immaculate records of decor, tradesmen, costs, and plans. The dinner went off perfectly and both girls attended, which Elizabeth insisted on when Darcy argued about Georgiana. “She shall never learn how to be in company if you do not allow her into it. She is in her own home, and you are aware that she knows her manners.” Elizabeth placed Georgiana between Lady Matlock and one of Lady B____’s daughters who had just come out the season before.

Darcy was ready to have an apoplexy when he saw that young lady’s brother chaperoning his sister since all the men of that family were known to be notorious rakes. “Nonsense, Will. They may be rakes but they are honourable rakes. He has four younger sisters, and his father has been dead for many years. Georgiana could not be safer in his presence. The B_______ men do not dally with innocents, preferring courtesans. In truth, he will provide our sister with protection from predators just by being in his proximity, for no man would dare importune a young girl in his presence. His sister is older than Georgie, but she is an estimable young lady, and will make Georgie a superior friend,” Elizabeth pointed out, and Darcy grudgingly could not argue with her. “We are going to be here the entire time, Will. This does shine a light on how useful a companion can be, however. I should look into hiring a new one; it is just a position which I would prefer to hire from my own intimate acquaintance, rather than a stranger. I would prefer to trust someone I know well with my girls.”

The dinner was exceedingly successful and Georgiana and Mary acquitted themselves well. Georgiana did not even trip over her tongue when the aforementioned brother of Miss B_______ skillfully asked about her interests in an effort to draw her into conversation with his sister. Georgiana learned the other young lady enjoyed penning letters, an exchange that immediately led the two ladies to agree to begin an intimate correspondence. Richard, who was spending the month in London, rarely left Mary’s side during the evening. He stayed in Darcy House, which he and Darcy agreed that Richard would use as his London home until Darcy’s heir was ready to occupy it.

Anne was keeping de Bourgh House, and hoped to live in it when she had her independence and visited town in the future. Mary and Georgiana visited de Bourgh house a few times a week, assisting Anne to redecorate. Elizabeth’s Uncle Gardiner sent clerks to catalogue the furniture and have the gaudy decorations that had long reflected Lady Catherine’s questionable taste stripped from the house for auction.

Anne also attended the dinner with her aunt and uncle and became much healthier since leaving Rosings. She had acquired a stylish new wardrobe and looked lovely, and stylish. Lord Matlock said she was still found purging occasionally, but they managed to avoid much of that by keeping a lady’s maid with her at all times when she was not with a family member. Lord Matlock made it clear that he would put up a tremendous fight if she attempted to move to Bath before the family could be sure she would not revert to her old behaviours. She kept fifty thousand pounds of the de Bourgh fortune before turning Rosings over to Richard, but she would only collect the interest. The principal would return to the estate upon her death. She was currently very friendly with her cousin the Viscount’s wife, and her friends. She had also consented to be presented at court in the upcoming season now that she looked healthier and felt stronger.

*****

The solution to the problem of a new companion came from Lady Matlock. She informed Elizabeth of a close friend from her childhood, the daughter of the parson on her father’s estate. Mrs Annesley had been educated with Lady Matlock, and made a good match to a naval captain. Unfortunately, her husband and young child died in an epidemic when the boy was only five years of age. Captain Annesley left his wife with enough prize money to live comfortably, which she did for many years. But as she got older, she became lonely for younger companions. She was fifty-three years of age, and still quite able to keep up with young ladies. She shared with her friend Lady Matlock that she would enjoy being part of a happy and busy household.

Mrs Annesley previously served as a companion to three young ladies whose families had given glowing recommendations. Lady Matlock assured Elizabeth that she had remained close friends with the lady all of her life, and considered her eminently trustworthy and suitable for the position. And so, liking the idea that there would be several young ladies who would eventually be brought out, but that they did not all currently reside with the family at once and would only debut one or two at a time, Mrs Annesley accepted the position and came to Pemberley. The lady was quite content in the knowledge that if she was happy there, she could stay with the same family for a number of years and be reasonably close to her friend Lady Matlock.

Elizabeth met with her jeweller before leaving London. As she told Darcy before, she was rather fond of jewellery, particularly pearls. Since they had last been in town, the man whose expedition she had funded had returned after a long journey to both Africa and India. His arrangement with Elizabeth was that she paid for all of his expenses and a talented and formidable security detail (employed as much to prevent the man from absconding with all of the jewels as to protect him), and was entitled to half of what he obtained on his journey. Additionally, she might purchase anything more she liked from his share, if he were willing to part from it. Darcy accompanied her, intrigued and wondering exactly how much his wife planned to spend on jewels, but interested to observe the unique transaction. He had heard of a few exceedingly wealthy noblemen who invested in jewel scouts, rather than just purchasing jewellery from a jeweller in London, and the wives of such men usually possessed collections to rival that of the crown.

There was a mountain of diamonds and jewels. Elizabeth selected a great number of them in many sizes, but her main interest was the pearls obtained in India. And what pearls they were! Elizabeth was so enamoured that she claimed nearly all of them. Some were incredibly large, and there was a collection of large pear shaped pearls that would make a stunning tiara. When her transaction with the jewel scout was complete, she and Darcy sat at another table and discussed what to do with the hoard, while her jeweller negotiated with the jewel scout to purchase a quantity of his share before he offered it to other buyers. Because he had the opportunity to have the first chance at such a collection, the jeweller gave Elizabeth a lower price to set her jewels. Elizabeth had made a highly successful investment, Darcy observed. The jewels she claimed from the expedition were worth hundreds of times over the expense, which was not particularly considerable.

The one thing that was missing from the Darcy jewel collection was tiaras. Elizabeth felt that any decent family collection ought to have at least one or two. Tradition dictated that the Darcy jewels would be gifted to the new bride on her first Christmas Eve with her husband. However, one evening Georgiana and Lady Rose were laughing about the one hideous tiara in the Darcy collection, and Darcy had brought it out for inspection. Lady Rose admitted that she had detested the thing, and had never worn it. The metal was yellow gold, the jewels citrine, and the style was slightly mediaeval. Elizabeth agreed the tiara was not attractive, but asked Darcy to wait before having the stones reset. She had an idea for a new tiara with the same stones, and was extremely pleased when there were a number of additional citrine stones of various sizes among the hoard from the expedition. The jeweller’s assistant helped Elizabeth sketch an example of the new citrine tiara she had in mind, and a parure of matching jewels.

Darcy was impressed by her ideas, and the assistant’s skill in bringing them to life. It was certainly a more modern style of jewellery than he had ever seen. The tiara was modelled as a spray of yellow gold and citrine wildflowers. Though he had never seen anything like it, he acknowledged that Elizabeth would turn heads wearing it. She designed a parure of citrine and gold jewellery with a large citrine and diamond honeybee as the centrepiece of the necklace, and citrine drop earrings to match. It was hard to picture how it would look once made up, but Darcy realised it would be a very exciting and important set of jewels that all the women of the ton would speak of and envy. He was amazed at what Elizabeth had envisioned from the ugly little citrine tiara that his grandmother and mother had both detested.

Next, Elizabeth designed three more tiaras. When Darcy inquired as to why, while the assistant was getting a fresh pencil, Elizabeth told him that if one’s jewels were going to be nearly as impressive as the Queen’s, that she had learned that it was prudent to occasionally mollify The Monarch with a significant gift. Elizabeth planned to make Her Majesty an impressive tiara for her birthday, and assured Darcy that she would pay for it herself. She also wished to make one special tiara as a gift for Lady Rose. Elizabeth declared that since Lady Rose had not possessed a tiara she liked during her reign at Pemberley, Elizabeth wished to design her a lovely pearl tiara of her own, as a gift for her birthday, which was approaching in the late summer. They had just missed it when Elizabeth came to Pemberley the previous year, and she was keen to observe the event this year. She also planned to make herself the most stunning tiara imaginable in platinum, with the pear shaped pearls, and a number of diamonds, as well as a triple strand pearl and diamond choker that could accommodate an enormous interchangeable pendant.

Darcy insisted that he would pay for all but the Queen’s tiara. Elizabeth protested, but he was adamant that he understood her need for independence, which was why he would not argue over Her Majesty’s tiara. However, the Darcy citrine set, the gift for his grandmother, and the set for Elizabeth must be at his expense and he wished her to be as decadent with them all as she liked. He had not paid for the pearls or jewels, which would make setting it all relatively inexpensive considering how much they were having made. He also suggested having a pearl choker made for Kitty and something for Georgiana, to be gifted before their debut the following year. Georgie had inherited her mother’s pearl choker from her youth, but Darcy wished to mark the occasion with a special gift. Elizabeth stopped protesting when he told her that if she disagreed, he would also insist on paying her half of what the man’s expedition had cost.

Elizabeth gave in, and when they finished with the assistant, they had designed several very beautiful pieces indeed. Then they left a very heavy velvet pouch for the jeweller of uncut stones that they had not made plans to set yet. The jeweller would cut and polish them, in preparation for them to be added to the Darcy jewels for future jewellery. The jeweller assured them the tiaras for Lady Rose and Her Majesty would be finished in time for the prospective birthdays. Darcy recognized the value of Elizabeth’s endeavour. and made his own arrangement with the jewel scout to fund his next expedition. In truth, they had no need for more jewels. The current Darcy collection, plus Elizabeth’s private one was extensive, not including the small mountain of jewels not yet set. But the cost of the expedition was not excessive, and Darcy liked the idea of leaving a chest filled with unset jewels, like a pirate hoard, with the Darcy collection for the benefit of future generations.

Their weeks in town came to an end when the Darcy party made their way to Hertfordshire for a week before returning to Pemberley. Elizabeth came prepared to celebrate Christmas early, bearing gifts for her family. Mrs Bennet and the young ladies came for dinner, as did the Lucases and the Longs. Miss Long related to Elizabeth that she believed the young ladies, particularly Miss Maria Lucas, were excelling in their studies, although Kitty was still resistant.

Elizabeth and Kitty had a talk one afternoon while Lydia was giving Diane a French lesson. Kitty was upset that Elizabeth had brought her no bonnet nor was she to be allowed any of Elizabeth’s dresses to work on until her disposition improved. “Kitty, early this year you were ready to work hard and improve yourself and you did. Why abandon your improvements now?”

“What is the point of self improvement if I am not allowed to employ it to find a worthy gentleman?” Kitty replied sullenly.

“Kitty, it was your self improvements that led the gentleman to notice you, but I cannot call him worthy when he made no attempt to call upon you when you were with your family, or write to your father or brother, and we have never heard from him again. I am not saying he is a bad man, but he has not shown himself to be constant. You are both very young. You will visit Derbyshire again, and he will return to his estate; at some point he may call upon you again. I am certain Mary will be married by this time next year, and then it will be your turn to come out, and you will take Mary’s place, and reside with us until you make your debut. You will meet many worthy gentlemen, when you have your season.”

“It is silly that I have to wait a whole year for my turn when Mary will probably never marry. Why would anyone be interested in her when she is so dull. It is hardly fair that I shall have to moulder away in the country until I am twenty so that she can have a turn. If I must wait for Mary to marry, I will never have my turn because you are all jealous that I am being courted by a Viscount when you have given up your title, and Mary will likely never marry. Certainly none of you shall ever be married to a duke,” said Kitty critically.

“Kitty, this conversation is finished! Why should I be jealous of a viscount, when you are aware that Darcy is to be elevated this upcoming season! Furthermore, I gave up my title to marry him most willingly. I will not tolerate you being so cruel about your sister when we all agreed that you would all be kind to each other from now on. I refuse to sit quietly while you punish everyone around you for the fickle and capricious nature of an immature and thoughtless young rake who hardly seems worthy of any regard ,and who certainly is not courting you. No one has prevented him from pursuing you, yet he stays away. You hardly have anything for anyone to be jealous of. You sound like the Lydia of a year ago, crowing over our jealousy over that worm, Wickham. This is pathetic and makes me ill.

“You will receive no bonnet or dresses during this visit, and nor will you until you can learn some kindness and regain your composure and your manners. It certainly won’t be Mary’s fault if you never come out in town. You will have done it all on your own, because I will not bring such poor manners amongst my friends and acquaintance.” Elizabeth said firmly, getting up to ring for a footman. “Please send for my carriage to return Miss Kitty to Longbourn. Miss Lydia can return later when she has completed her visit.” Elizabeth left Kitty in the drawing room and went upstairs.

*****

Elizabeth had one last dinner just for the Bennets the night before they left. Mr Bennet did not attend, which surprised no one since he almost never did. Elizabeth surprised her family with a lovely Christmas dinner, featuring a fat goose, fig pudding, and all of the holiday trimmings. After the meal, the sexes did not separate, since the only gentleman was Darcy, and everyone went together to the drawing room. In that room, stood a lovely evergreen tree about four feet high, placed in the middle of the room upon a table and decorated beautifully, with all the gifts under the tree. It was a tradition Elizabeth had seen at Buckingham House, and thought it charming and enchanting for the children. The party played snapdragon, find the thimble, and charades for hours. The Bennets went home exceedingly late and content, even Kitty. She may not have a new bonnet or a dress, but Elizabeth was never deliberately cruel, and gave her sister a fine set of art paper and charcoals, a book of poetry, and a lovely pair of leather gloves.

Lydia also received leather gloves, two novels written in French, and two plain bonnets, with a pile of ribbons, lace, and silk scraps to trim them, for Lydia still enjoyed trimming bonnets herself and was quite skilled. Elizabeth would not be surprised if Lydia made one of the bonnets into a gift for Kitty. Mrs Bennet received a lovely silk shawl, and a promissory note to the dressmaker in Meryton for any sort of dress she liked, and another to the milliner for a bonnet to match. She also returned to Longbourn with a valuable first edition of a book Elizabeth knew her father would prize. He did not deserve a gift, but, again, Elizabeth was never deliberately cruel.

The family returned to Pemberley, bearing packages marked do not open until Christmas from the Lucases for Charlotte and young Master William, who had thrived and grown quite strong and lusty while they were away. Georgiana and Mary were quite taken with the squalling babe, and would become a great help to Charlotte and the nurse. Charlotte had declined a wet nurse, preferring to nurse William herself. Elizabeth had nursed Diane as well, and planned to do so again with her future children. Although it was a lot of work, Elizabeth felt it was worth it and healthier for the child.

*****

Charlotte thrived in her first weeks as a mother, in the nearly empty house. Under Lady Rose’s guidance and combined with the support of Mrs Hayes, her ladies maid, and the nurse, she found the peace and tranquillity she needed to regain her strength, as well as gain confidence and develop a routine in her new role as a mother. She was vibrant and animated as she held the baby upon the steps next to Lady Rose after word of their impending arrival reached the house. Together the two ladies welcomed the family back to their home.

Elizabeth found the three day journey from Hertfordshire to Pemberley exhausting, particularly with Diane and Beau in tow. After greeting Charlotte and Lady Rose, she went up to her rooms, declaring that she had not had a proper day of complete rest in far too long. She wished only for a long hot bath, a bowl of pastina and egg, a cup of chocolate, a book, and to be left alone for the entire night and all of the next day. Georgiana and Mary, giggling at such a decadent idea as spending an entire day lounging in the bath, reading books and drinking chocolate or wine, declared they would do the same, and all of the ladies retired to their rooms to rest after the long journey. Mrs Hayes knew Mrs Darcy’s ways well. She had been on the receiving end of many of Elizabeth’s long journeys, and had all prepared and ready.

Elizabeth did invite Charlotte to take luncheon alone with her in her private sitting room the day after she returned to Pemberley. So much had happened since they came to Pemberley that they had very few of the private talks that they were used to from their girlhood. Charlotte had bloomed at Pemberley as she recovered from childbirth. Her figure was recovered already, and she had left full mourning behind and begun her half mourning. Elizabeth was happy she was using the lavender and grey gowns Elizabeth gave her, but insisted they make plans to have Charlotte fitted for an entire wardrobe in half mourning colours. Charlotte needed warmer attire for the cold Derbyshire winter, which Elizabeth’s London and Kent gowns would not provide, and she would be in half mourning for another six months, so proper attire would be necessary.

Charlotte was not destitute; Richard and Lord Matlock had given her a very handsome settlement to assist her after the loss of her husband. Five thousand pounds was settled upon her by Anne from Rosings Park, and another twenty-five hundred pounds by Lord Matlock. Surprisingly, Mr Collins had not been entirely penniless when he died, he had funds that were left to him upon his father’s death. He left his wife and child with an additional fifteen hundred pounds. This left Charlotte with some nine thousand pounds when all was said and done. Elizabeth persuaded Charlotte, with difficulty, to allow her to invest a portion and let the rest build up in the five percents rather than to take an income from the funds. Charlotte instead allowed Elizabeth to provide her with a quarterly allowance for a time. Charlotte eventually understood that Elizabeth would be truly hurt if she were not allowed to treat Charlotte as an equal member of her family, because that is how Elizabeth saw her, and Charlotte did not wish to hurt Elizabeth’s feelings by rejecting her loving support. So Charlotte agreed to an allowance and a visit from the dressmaker in Lambton.

The visit would be very necessary, Elizabeth was sure. Her cousin Elinor’s letters sounded very intelligent and sensible, and Elizabeth doubted the ladies would have spent any of their meagre funds on mourning attire. Their home was also in the south, which would make their attire quite inadequate for the Derbyshire winter. Elizabeth told Charlotte all about the impending arrival of her aunt and cousins, whom Charlotte remembered quite well from their youth. Charlotte thought it was very good of Elizabeth to agree to take so much on, when she already had so much to manage. But she had always known Elizabeth to be generous and helpful, and she expected nothing less from her dearest friend. Charlotte agreeing to have the dressmaker come out to fit her would make it a bit easier for Elizabeth to persuade her cousins and aunt to accept some new gowns.

While the others were gone, Charlotte had received calls from the Merriweather sisters, the rector’s wife, and a number of genteel ladies and landowner’s wives from the villages of Lambton, Kympton, and the surrounding neighbourhood. She was beginning to make a few friends in Derbyshire, which pleased her greatly because she had been accustomed to a great deal of country socialising in Meryton. Still being in mourning, she did not go out into society, but relied on callers to come to Pemberley.

It was very kind of the rector’s wife to make certain that a parson’s widow who was new to the area received some visits from the local gentlewomen. Charlotte did not expect to receive any visitors while the Darcys were away, but she appreciated the kindness of the local ladies. She also came to know some of the local Dowagers who visited Lady Rose. She expected she would have another quiet six months before her, and then it would be enjoyable to enter society again.

Charlotte was grateful to have a home as lovely and peaceful as Pemberley to mourn her husband and raise her son, as well as her dearest friend’s companionship. Elizabeth had invited her to come to London with them for the season. She of course would not go out to balls or dinners, but she could attend any dinners that were held in their home, and she could also attend the theatre and opera in half mourning, and she could receive visitors at home with Elizabeth and the young ladies, which she anticipated might be quite enjoyable. She could also spend part of the season in Meryton visiting her family if she so chose.

Elizabeth enjoyed her day in bed reading immensely. Hazel sent up a steaming bowl of pastina and egg with a cup of chocolate for luncheon. Elizabeth read, napped, and rested to her heart’s content. Mary and Georgiana did the same, but much like Elizabeth and Charlotte, could not help but spend a few hours giggling together in Georgie’s room during the afternoon. Elizabeth also had Diane and Beau visit her room for some quiet playtime and a long nap. The ladies of the house spent the day delightfully while Darcy spent it with his steward, and they all declared it would become a new tradition for the ladies when returning home to Pemberley from a long journey.

*****

The following day, Elizabeth and Darcy toured the tenant farms to oversee the work that had been ordered before they left. There were crews working upon four houses at a time, and then moving onto the next four, followed by the plumbing crews. Darcy was astounded when Elizabeth planned not only an addition of another room on each floor of every tenant house, but also a small water closet on the ground floor, a water pump, a large tub, and a boiler in every kitchen. It was the talk of all the county, and it was speculated that Pemberley’s tenant cottages might be the first in the kingdom to receive such privileges, which made the Darcys determined to see the same renovations were made at all of their estates.

Elizabeth insisted the farmers’ homes were overcrowded, and the health of everyone on the estate would improve just by the families having more space for their children and proper sanitation in their homes so they could keep properly clean. Elizabeth believed that people of all classes would benefit from and prefer the dignity of being clean and respectable if only they had the means.

Additionally, Elizabeth had every house freshly painted inside and out, and slate roofs added. She set up one widowed cottager in beekeeping, and another with a large flock of hens, so the women who needed it the most would have something to sell or trade with their neighbours. The tenants were so enthused by such notice that all of the families on the estate began working harder to improve their farms. Everything from barns, to chicken coops, to new clotheslines, and gardens were spruced up and made to look their best.

Darcy marvelled at all she had accomplished so far on the estate on their way back, and Elizabeth gave him a mischievous smile. “The accommodations your tenants had were perfectly acceptable, but I had to spend my money on something. Now Pemberley is ready for the modern age. Updates and renovations should not be necessary for many decades. Sadly, I have yet to spend even ten thousand of my dowry on the estate yet!” then spurred her horse and raced away, leaving him to give chase.

*****

The Dashwood ladies arrived three days after the Darcy’s return home, escorted by Mr Banks, whom Elizabeth sent to see to their welfare and safety on the roads. The young ladies had grown up just as lovely as Elizabeth expected they would, and though Miss Marianne seemed rather impulsive, they were all exceedingly good natured ladies, but were understandably sobered by their recent bereavement. Elizabeth and the family all made an effort to make the Dashwood ladies feel welcome and safe.

The ladies were intelligent and well educated, Miss Marianne very accomplished on the pianoforte and particularly fond of Shakespeare, while young Miss Margaret was quite interested in geography, lamenting the loss of her father’s atlas. Darcy immediately led the thirteen year old girl to the library, and gave permission for her to study the atlas and books there as much as she liked. The eldest, Elinor, was quiet, though sensible and genteel, and Elizabeth could plainly see she was carrying all of the worries of the small family upon herself. Elizabeth undertook to take Elinor aside at the earliest possible opportunity, and, without making specific promises, reassured her that under no circumstances would they be allowed to go in need. Elizabeth and Darcy did not and would not have impoverished relations, believing it improper and undignified. Her cousin thanked her, but Elizabeth saw that it would take some time for the young woman to feel quite secure again.

The weeks until Christmas passed, and Elizabeth and the other ladies threw themselves into decorating the house. There were Christmas trees in every room, greenery, holly, and mistletoe everywhere as well as elegant, festive baubles that Marianne, Margaret, and Georgiana enjoyed creating themselves. The ladies and Mrs Hayes made extra effort with the boxes for the tenants, adding as many useful items for the families as they could think of, and making sure that each family received a lovely quilt from the Merriweather sisters with their box.

Elizabeth was generous with the servants’ boxes as well. Elizabeth preferred her staff to be far better dressed than what she saw in other houses, including their personal attire that they wore on their time off, because she considered them to be representatives of her house at all times. She made sure those costs were covered by the estate. She wished her staff to feel privileged to work for her, and liked them to appear in genteel, skillfully made clothes, so instead of just giving them fabric to make their own clothes, Elizabeth gave each a promissory note for the local tailor or dressmaker, for a number of uniforms for working, and two dresses or sets of clothes for Sunday, to be divided between winter and summer. Each servant could go in and select their own fabrics and style of attire within a previously agreed upon price, and the merchants would bill the estate. There were also notes for quality boots and hats. This was good for the local tradesmen, and also for the servants. Their boxes also contained personal items such as gloves, shawls, flannel and linen to make more nightwear and undergarments, personal care items, candles for their rooms, and books.

Christmas was as wondrous for the family as Elizabeth could make it. There were gifts for everyone, and they celebrated happily with their guests. The Matlocks had arrived with Anne as well as the viscount and his young family, and they would stay until Twelfth Night. Elizabeth had inquired, but Lord Matlock did not believe his sister Lady Catherine was ready to travel from her new home yet. Elizabeth decided she would begin to write to Lady Catherine of the goings on at Pemberley, and encourage Will and Georgiana to do so as well. Lady Catherine was not a kind woman, but Elizabeth felt that she should not be completely abandoned by her family. Richard came from Windmere, where he had been overseeing the work on Rosings.

*****

Elizabeth and Lady Rose had an unexpected tender moment on Christmas Eve. In the morning after Elizabeth finished dressing, Will and Georgiana visited her in her rooms with several large boxes. As they opened them and began spreading jewels out on the bed, they shared with her the history of the Darcy family jewels that were passed to each Mrs Darcy upon her first Christmas Eve with the family, and that were now hers to wear. At Elizabeth’s protest, Georgiana assured her that she had been left the largest portion of her mother’s personal jewellery, and that these items had always been intended for Will’s wife. Georgie smiled at her brother and stroked a familiar brooch, saying, “I shall find it strange not to see Granny wearing this one though.”

Elizabeth was instantly distressed. “Will, you cannot mean to give me your grandmother’s brooch! Why is this here?”

“Do not fret, darling. It is the family jewellery. My grandmother gave it willingly, for it is your turn to wear it,” said Darcy.

Elizabeth shook her head. “Will, I have a tremendous amount of jewels of my own already, not even including what was gifted to me by Christopher, which as you know, is all in my vault in London waiting for Diane to be old enough to wear it. I am already a connoisseur of jewels. You know, darling, of the funded expeditions to Africa and India, and what incredible pieces we are making with what was brought home from the last trip.” She opened a vault behind her vanity table and pulled out several velvet pouches and showed them a King’s ransom in jewels.

“The Darcy jewels are precious and beautiful, Will, and I cannot wait to appreciate them as they deserve, but you must understand that with all that I already possess, I cannot accept the favourite everyday jewels of a woman who has earned the right to wear them more than anyone. A woman whom I admire, and respect, and esteem. It is just not right. Georgie, please take the pieces out that Lady Rose wears with any regularity, and return them to her. Tell her that I am sure she will be happy to loan them to me at any time I wish, and so will I do for her regarding any of the other Darcy jewels she may wish to wear. Or even my own personal jewels, for I am not in the least bit mean. Please tell her that I wish for her to continue to be the caretaker of these particular pieces until she has no further need for them, and to borrow any other pieces she likes as she desires.”

Georgiana misted with emotion a bit as she gathered her grandmother’s favourite pieces and took them downstairs to the new ground floor apartment. Lady Rose had quietly moved into it after Elizabeth told her privately how much she and Will both hoped she would stay with them rather than move to the dower house. The older woman made the move downstairs quietly while they were in London, and never made any announcements about moving to the dower house when they returned. She did have to admit, Elizabeth’s ground floor apartments with their lavish bathing chambers and modern chamber pots were exceedingly comfortable, and she was happy to have a quiet part of the house to reside in while keeping her grandson’s new family so close to her and avoiding Pemberley’s endless stairs.

Darcy and Elizabeth had an amorous interlude after Georgiana left them. Eventually he assisted her to select a set of jewels from the Darcy collection to wear that evening, and in due course they went downstairs. Later that day, Lady Rose shocked her with a warm embrace when no one was looking. “If you ever tell anyone I did that, I shall deny it. But I will tell you how very happy and proud I am to call you my granddaughter. Will you call me Granny?” Elizabeth agreed warmly, and the family proceeded to have the happiest Christmas Granny Rose could ever recall at Pemberley.

A large package arrived, addressed to Miss Margaret and the Dashwood ladies, from a Mr Edward Ferrars, who had liberated Mr Dashwood’s atlas, and was returning it to its rightful owner, Miss Margaret. Mr Ferrars was the brother to Mrs Fanny Dashwood, and Elizabeth sensed that Elinor might be pining for that gentleman. Margaret made it abundantly clear that the gentleman was to have delivered the atlas in person, but she was quickly shushed by her sisters. Elizabeth herself had met him in town once, and the man was thankfully nothing at all like his sister, so perhaps there was some hope for Elinor. Young Margaret hardly put her father’s atlas down for weeks, so keenly did she feel its return.

Later the following week, there was a small Servants’ Ball to celebrate the New Year. Elizabeth, Mrs Hayes, Mrs Pottinger, and Mr Farinacci, assisted by the ladies of the house, decorated the ballroom and prepared mountains of appetising dishes and confections. Mr Farinacci attempted to take over the old kitchens as his personal domain, but Elizabeth put a stop to it. She informed him that he was there to work with the existing kitchen staff and could not do so if he separated himself from them. There were many disagreements downstairs, but Mrs Pottinger and Hazel were becoming adept at Italian cookery and finally Mr Farinacci was becoming competent at English puddings.

The night of the ball, the family took over from the servants, the viscount pouring champagne, and his wife passing about tidbits of food. The gentry from the local village were invited, and Darcy opened the ball with Mrs Hayes, while Elizabeth danced with his valet, Mr Mason. Lord Matlock danced with Sarah Smith, and everyone laughed when Richard simply must dance with Mary, even though he ought to have opened the ball with a member of the staff, and so should she. The family, servants and villagers spun about the ballroom, the young ladies of the household dancing with the footmen and the maids alike. The Dashwood ladies attended, for it was a special event for the servants, and not a society ball. It was a grand night for the staff to enjoy themselves, and the family promised to make it a tradition whenever they were at Pemberley for the New Year.

When the servants’ ball was over, the real work commenced for Elizabeth, which was to throw her first formal ball for the county on Twelfth Night. She was torn about doing so. She would rather wait until after their elevation to do any important entertaining, but the neighbourhood had been patient, given Georgiana’s illness, and then Charlotte’s confinement. It was long past time for Elizabeth to host a grand event. Their corner of Derbyshire had not enjoyed a Twelfth Night ball since before Lady Anne passed, and her balls were famously well attended and successful. Elizabeth and the young ladies threw all of their efforts into the event, sparing no expense or luxury, and the ball was a success. Every important family in their part of the county attended, and the ladies of Derbyshire would speak of the event for months. The Dashwood ladies remained upstairs, feeling that their bereavement was too fresh to attend such a celebratory social event.