Page 43 of He Taught Me to Hope (Darcy and the Young Knight’s Quest #1)
I t seemed to young Ben as if everywhere he ventured in the grand halls of Pemberley, he had been met with the commotion of people as they ran back and forth in preparation for the wedding.
The auspicious occasion was days away. What joy he felt when first told of the pending nuptials!
What excitement! His mama and his best friend were to be married!
Mr. Darcy would no longer just be Mr. Darcy, King Arthur, his best friend in the world. He would be his father.
After a day or two, all such talk of the exciting prospect the future held had made little difference to the young fellow who had grown accustomed to being the centre of attention.
His sense of feeling left out of things had hardly gone undetected.
Thus, Darcy, Elizabeth, and Ben set out for a day of adventure amidst the Derbyshire countryside.
It was meant to be a simple outing comprised of only the three of them, not counting the carriage driver, a footman, and Elizabeth’s maid.
Although the news of the master’s engagement had spread throughout the land, it would not do for Elizabeth to be seen by the locals, unescorted in the company of two handsome young gentlemen, even if they were her betrothed and her son. People talked .
Elizabeth rode along in the open carriage with her parasol cast aside, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her face.
Darcy took advantage of the open stretch and raced ahead in the field with Ben nestled closely in his saddle.
Ben spread his arms and glided in flight with his eyes closed tightly as the wind blew through his hair.
As much as Ben enjoyed their countryside excursion, concern over Miss Georgiana’s absence persisted. Once again, as they sat on a blanket spread over the lush green under a towering tree, he sought reassurance there was nothing amiss.
“This outing is for the three of us, alone. Miss Georgiana understands. Your mother and I wish for us to spend time together, before she and I are married,” Darcy explained. “We will depart soon afterwards for our wedding journey.”
“May Miss Georgiana and I come with you?”
“I am afraid not, son,” Elizabeth responded as she drew Ben close.
“Why not, Mama?” Ben implored.
Darcy offered an explanation. “Ben, it is not as though either of us would wish to be parted from you. Your mother and I would do anything in the world for you, except in this case. When a man and his bride are married, they take a honeymoon journey where they might spend some time alone, solely the two of them.”
“But my mama and I have never been separated for so long, except the night she spent apart from me to care for my Aunt Jane. I was asleep most of that time.”
“I understand your anxiety of being separated from your mother for the first time, which is why I shortened our travel plans by half. We will return before you know it, and Miss Georgiana will care for you in our absence.”
Ben drew himself even closer to his mother’s side and clung to her.
“Mama, it is not fair. You and I have never been apart for so long. I am young, and I am small. You would hardly even know I am around. May I come along, please? Moreover, Miss Georgiana might come along, as well. We shall have a grand time. ”
Elizabeth’s eyes drifted towards her intended. His countenance spoke volumes. She gazed down at her son, into the sweetest eyes. His face spoke volumes, as well. “Please, do not leave me, Mama.”
Sensing his intended might give in to her son’s irresistible heartfelt plea, Darcy stood and extended his hand to the lad. “Come, Ben. Walk with me so the two of us might talk, man to man.”
Ben accepted Darcy’s proffered hand without reservation.
The two walked towards a small, shallow pond.
Darcy bent and picked up a few pebbles from the pond’s edge.
Ben did likewise. The two skipped the tiny pebbles across the water.
After a spell, Darcy sat on the ground and recommended a spot for Ben.
“Tell me, Ben. What is this about? You and I have spoken of my marriage to your mother often of late. I thought we agreed this match was a good thing for all of us. We will be a true family, at last.”
“Indeed, sir. But now it seems clear to me that not only am I losing my best friend, I am losing my mama, as well,” Ben expressed sadly.
“You are mistaken. You are not losing your mother. That would never happen. She loves you more than anything in the world.”
“It will not be the same. Already things have changed. You and my mama spend far more time together now than ever before, and now you are talking of taking her far away from me.”
“Ben, I understand your sentiments, truly I do. You have had your mother all to yourself for as long as you can remember, and now for the first time, you are expected to share her time and attention, even her love with someone else.
“You must trust me. It is true—our lives will not be quite the same as before. Our lives will be better. Your mother and I will be husband and wife. You and I will be father and son. Just think, in time, you will have brothers and sisters, as well. Will that not be wonderful? ”
Ben pondered the matter. “I suppose so. I have always wanted a baby brother. Can I have all brothers? I am certain I do not wish to have sisters.”
Darcy chuckled. “No sisters? Why not?”
“Sisters are girls!”
“Indeed. What would the world be without little girls?”
“Girls are nothing but trouble,” Ben spoke from his limited experience with the fairer sex.
“Oh! What about Miss Georgiana? She is a girl, you know.”
“That is not the same thing. Although she is a girl, she is not just a girl!” Ben explained. He thought but did not say, She is a fairy princess, an angel.
“Indeed. She is not just a girl. She is my sister. I love her dearly. I cannot imagine life without her. One day, you shall feel the same way I do towards my sister, towards your own little sister. Trust me.”
“I trust you, sir. Moreover, I love you dearly.” Ben embraced Darcy. “I can hardly wait to call you papa.” Ben reflected for a moment on his chosen appellation. “Shall I call you father, or shall I call you papa, or perhaps even Pa?”
“I addressed my parents as father and mother. That said, it is entirely up to you. I shall find whatever suits you agreeable.”
“Then, I think father is pretty formal. I think I shall call you father when I am particularly vexed. What say you to that?”
“I say it is good to be forewarned,” Darcy jested. “What shall you call me when you are exceedingly happy?”
“Oh! You shall find out.”
“I can hardly wait.”
“Nor I, to be sure,” Ben said. “Look after my mama and take good care of her on your wedding journey. I shall look after Pemberley, as well as Miss Georgiana, in your absence.”
The history between Lord Matlock’s only nieces could never have been described as anything akin to cordiality. Far from it. The unfortunate fact was borne out by Georgiana’s reaction to the footman’s ushering in a dark cloud, with his entrance into her favourite room in all of Pemberley.
“Miss Anne de Bourgh,” he announced.
Georgiana could not have been more displeased, as the unmasked look of dismay on her countenance surely attested. In keeping with her station as hostess in her brother’s home, Georgiana arose from the pianoforte and walked over to greet her cousin.
“What are you doing here, Anne? Why have you come all this way, uninvited? Should you not be at Rosings Park on your deathbed feigning illness of some sort in a desperate attempt to lure my brother back to Kent?”
“I have come all this way to confront my intended—to put an end to this nonsense once and for all,” Anne bitterly retorted.
“I suppose the better question might be what are you doing here, or is your presence required to lend an air of legitimacy to the presence of his mistress living under his roof?”
“Poor deluded Cousin Anne. If only you knew,” Georgiana smirked.
“From what my uncle conveyed in his missive to me, you have been a party to this sordid affair from the start,” Anne accused as she brushed her cousin aside and walked about the room.
“Have you no shame? Accepting your brother’s mistress, first in your home, and now here!
For crying out loud, that the shades of Pemberley are thus polluted. ”
“You are your mother’s daughter, are you not? You sound exactly like her. How did you manage to come all this way without her?”
“You never mind that. The whereabouts of my mother is none of your concern. You need not pretend with me, young lady. You have never looked on me with favour since it was made clear to you that despite your objections, your brother and I were to be married.”
“I confess there is no love lost between us, but that has nothing to do with your misapprehensions that you and my brother are intended for each other. Had my brother expressed any desire in the slightest to go along with that foolish notion, I would have made every attempt to welcome you with open arms.”
Anne looked at the large mantle clock she had admired for so many years. “Where is Fitzwilliam? Surely, you do not suppose I came all this way to waste time pontificating with you.”
“My brother is out. I do not expect his return for hours. Are you staying at the inn in Lambton? Shall I inform him upon his return that he might find you there?”
“Do not be ridiculous, foolish child! I shall stay here, as I have always done when in Derbyshire. I believe Pemberley is as much my home as it is yours. I daresay it is certainly destined to be.”
“I would not hold my breath whilst waiting for that to come about, if I were you. On second thought, do hold your breath, dear cousin,” the younger woman suggested derisively.