Page 27 of Great Uncle Henry (Pride & Prejudice Vagary)

C harles Bingley called on Darcy House without his younger sister.

The past few times, having been told Darcy was not home when he arrived with Caroline in tow when she had not been invited, Bingley had finally realised that Darcy was serious about not accepting his sister in any of his homes unless she had been specifically invited.

It was the second-to-last day of April, a little more than a fortnight after Easter, and Bingley, knowing that Darcy would have returned from seeing his cousin at Rivington a few days past, had sent a note to Darcy House requesting that Darcy meet with him.

He needed his friend’s advice, and he could not make a momentous decision like this without consulting him.

When his parents had been killed in a carriage accident some six years past, Bingley had inherited close to one hundred thousand pounds along with a controlling interest in his late father’s carriage works.

The business had started in Scarborough, but by the time Arthur Bingley met his maker, he had expanded to fifteen counties as well as a large concern in the Cheapside neighbourhood of London.

His mother had wanted the family to purchase an estate, and before his passing, Bingley’s late father had begun to explore doing that.

Due to the untimely death of his parents, it was now up to Bingley to realise the dream.

Some months ago, Bingley had found Lord Hilldale, Fitzwilliam, and Darcy at White’s when he had spoken of instructing his man of business to find estates for sale, preferably, according to his younger sister, in Derbyshire.

All three cousins had recommended he lease first so that he could discover if estate management was something he truly desired to do.

No matter what his sister had said, they all pointed out that she loved society, so if he sought a lease, it may be a good idea to be close to Town.

Bingley had known they were right. Caroline would become bored in the country, especially if Darcy was not accessible to her, and she would then berate him that they were so far from the culture of London society.

Not only that, she would not let him live it down if they had to travel three days to reach the capital.

With that advice in mind, he had charged his man of business in London to search for an estate for lease which was no more than forty miles from Town.

About three weeks later, his man had come back to him and informed him that there was an estate, Netherfield Park, for lease, and it was barely twenty miles from London.

If he had followed his instincts, Bingley would have signed the lease for the estate sight unseen. However, knowing Darcy would berate him again for being impulsive had led Bingley to his friend’s door on this day.

Mr Killion, Darcy’s butler, opened the door, and as the gentleman was alone and the master had told him Mr Bingley was expected, he stood back and allowed the man entry. After divesting him of his outerwear, he drawled, “Mr Darcy is expecting you; he is in the study.”

Bingley inclined his head and made his way up the stairs to the first floor where, among other rooms, the study and library were located.

“Welcome, Bingley,” Darcy stated as he extended his hand .

After shaking Darce’s hand, Bingley noticed Fitzwilliam seated on the settee between the tall windows which gave a view of the green in the centre of Grosvenor Square. “Fitzwilliam, well met. I did not know you were in London,” Bingley enthused as he extended his hand.

“I returned to London with William after Easter. My parents, their ward, and my brother are all in London as well, so I decided to attend at least part of the season,” Richard explained.

Along with never having been introduced to the Earl and Countess of Matlock or Viscount Hilldale, Bingley was aware because of Caroline’s whinging on the subject that his younger sister was most put out that she had never met Miss Darcy.

She seemed to forget that due to the fact the young lady was a ward of her aunt and uncle, who had never permitted Caroline to be presented to them, her meeting Miss Darcy was all but impossible.

Additionally, Miss Darcy was not out yet and would not be able to receive callers.

“Fitzwilliam, it is good you are here as well. I followed the advice you gentlemen gave me at White’s, and I have discovered an estate to lease.

Best of all, it is in Hertfordshire and only twenty miles from London,” Bingley enthused.

“I have an appointment to meet the agent on the first Friday of May. Would you two join me and give me your opinion of the place? If you recommend it, Caroline will be much more apt to think it a good idea.”

“You know, Bingley, you need to stop allowing your sister’s whims to guide you. We both have,” Richard cocked his head towards his cousin, “warned you that due to the way your sister behaves, she will ruin herself one day. If you are not careful, you will partake in her ruin.”

“I have tried to speak to her…” Bingley began to say.

“It should be more than an attempt,” Richard insisted. He wished William would say something, but for some reason, William had never been brutally honest with Bingley. “Are you, or are you not, the head of the Bingley family?”

As much as he wanted to be able to refute what Fitzwilliam said, Bingley could not. Hence, he rather changed the subject. “Will you two be able to join me?”

“We have nothing scheduled for Friday, so we will accompany you,” Darcy responded.

“I thank you. I will collect you here in my coach at sunup on Friday morning. My man told me they have riding horses in the stables at the estate if we want to ride the fields.” With that, Bingley was off.

“Why are you so easy on him? William, you do Bingley a disservice when you do not treat him as a man full grown,” Richard growled after Bingley departed.

“You are so quick to distance yourself from those you deem below you; yet you will not set Miss Bingley down. It is little wonder she thinks you will offer for her.”

Darcy was a little taken aback by the vehemence of Richard’s harangue.

He remembered when his cousins had called him a hypocrite because of the difference in the way he related to Bingley and his late father’s friend, Mr Bennet.

Was what Richard said true? Why had he not been able to reconcile his treatment of Bingley with the disdain he felt for Mr Henry Bennet?

Was it some sort of misguided way of showing loyalty to his late mother?

If so, was he not then being disloyal to his late father?

These were questions which had plagued Darcy for some years, and he was no closer to answering them.

He was brought out of his thoughts by Richard’s voice.

“Based on something Father said, depending on what part of Hertfordshire this unnamed estate is located, it may be close to Mr Bennet and his family. You know he went to live in the dower house on his nephew’s estate, do you not?” Richard stated.

“So he is no longer a landowner?” Darcy asked triumphantly.

“William, are you trying to justify your hypocrisy with that question? Mr Bennet does not live at Sherwood Dale full time, but it is still very much his. You also seem to want to ignore he was born a gentleman while Bingley was not. Remind me which estate has a higher income. Mr Bennet’s or yours?

You are such a stubborn nodcock at times,” Richard responded forcefully.

“You do know that he is a very good friend to my father and that Anna is quite close to some of his great-nieces, do you not?”

“How do you like your new steward?” Darcy asked in an attempt to change the subject. “He seems quite competent for one close to our own age.”

“Mr Wickham was well trained as a steward by his father, who has been at Sherwood Dale for well over twenty years. I am completely satisfied with him.” Richard was well aware William was trying to introduce a less contentious subject, so he allowed it…for now.

When the Rivington steward had announced his date to retire, Richard had begun to search for a replacement for him.

His father had mentioned that Mr Bennet had three under-stewards at his estate.

Richard interviewed one of them, the son of the head steward and by far the most suitable candidate.

He had come to Rivington and worked with the retiring man, and a little more than a year past, George Wickham had been made the permanent steward of Rivington.

Richard had observed his steward at local assemblies. The ladies were drawn to his charm and good looks, and he could imagine had Wickham not been such an honourable man, he could have wielded his charm, but not for good.

Darcy did not remark about the estate where Richard’s steward formerly worked. Not too long after, they prepared for dinner at Matlock House.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~ ~

“You asked to see me, Uncle Henry?” Elizabeth said as she entered her uncle’s study at the dower house.

As he approached the age of two and seventy, Henry’s eyes were all but useless.

He could see light and shapes, but not much else.

Rouse had observed that his master’s eyes had begun to cloud over, which indicated the presence of cataracts.

Even though Jacques Daviel had pioneered a surgical procedure in Paris in 1747, as he aged, Henry chose not to attempt the surgery.

There were too many complications, especially infections.