Page 105

A little more than three and twenty years later…

Darcy had been working hard to make the changes he had sworn to make.

And he had made real changes, as he had promised her, he would four months earlier in the Duke’s study in Hertfordshire.

He had made amends, taken his lumps, and continued to make choices to prove to himself and others that he had changed.

Even though he was not fully restored with all his friends, at least most of the hurdles that had been placed between him and society had been removed.

The very lady that he had insulted in Hertfordshire now occupied his heart.

How he loved her, even if she did not like him much yet.

She was magnificent, especially when those fine eyes of hers showed her emotions so clearly.

He would do anything for her, even die for her if need be!

Some weeks before, she had finally acknowledged that he had made meaningful changes, not just paid lip service to the idea of bettering himself which had led to the restoration of his position in society.

A benefit from the whole affair was that his dear mother and sister had been accepted into the Bennet’s circle of friends, and Georgie was included almost like another sister; she was awfully close to the twins, Ladies Mary and Catherine, and looked up with adoration and respect to the vivacious and gorgeous Lady Elizabeth.

His sister, Georgiana, his mother, Lady Anne Darcy, and her brother, the Earl of Matlock, his wife the Countess, and his mother’s older sister, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, had all told him how proud they were of the man that he had become, one that was worthy to be called a gentleman.

‘ What a shock to me when Aunt Catherine said that she recognised her former behaviour in the way that I used to be. We have that in common, that we were both pointed down a better path and took the second chance that we were given. Praise the Lord,’ he thought .

As happy as he was that Lady Elizabeth had recognised that he had made such real and meaningful changes, the approbation of his family was deeply felt.

The friendship with the Bennet’s had an added benefit for Georgie; they knew all the details about her near elopement and accepted her, without judgement or censure.

Their friendship, and especially the guidance from Lady Elizabeth, had restored her self-confidence, and his sister was now better, happier, and more confident than she had ever been.

As she saw her daughter flourish with Lady Elizabeth’s help, guidance, and friendship, an especially strong bond had been built between his mother and the middle Bennet daughter.

Two months previously his cousins Andrew and Richard had married the eldest of the Bennet siblings, the classically beautiful Ladies Marie and Jane, respectively.

He had been invited, but not yet fully forgiven by Lady Elizabeth, he did not want to detract from the festivities, and politely declined.

His mother, sister, Lady Catherine, and Anne de Bourgh had all attended, and from their reports, a good time was had by all at a wedding attended by more peers of the realm than one could imagine.

Prince Edward and Princess Elizabeth had represented the royal family and been gracious, keeping the focus on the brides and the wedding party.

Even though he would not attend the nuptials, he had offered to help both cousins with their wedding trips.

The Viscount and Viscountess Hilldale had used his house near Brighton, Seaview Cottage, while Richard and Lady Jane Fitzwilliam had stayed at the house that he owned in the lake district.

It overlooked Lake Windermere, the largest of the lakes, and had a good view of both the small Esthwaite Water and the larger Coniston Water.

He had done none of this to impress the lady that unknowingly owned his heart, he had done it because he loved his cousins dearly and wanted them to have a place, they would be able to celebrate the loves they had found.

It was ironic that he was now a cousin of the lady that he had so insulted.

It was a warm and clear spring day, so he decided that a walk in Hyde Park was in order.

He left his study and requested that Killion, the butler at Darcy House, fetch his hat, coat, and gloves.

Once he had donned his outer clothes and taken his walking stick, his late father’s favourite, he started his walk across Grosvenor Square.

Darcy noted the nameplate on the house opposite his that read, ‘Bennet House,” he couldn’t help but be swept up in his reverie, thinking about the past three months as he headed to the park’s entrance and his destiny.

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

A little over four months ago…

As he had promised that he would, Darcy was in his carriage on his way to join Bingley at the estate that he leased in Hertfordshire by the name of Netherfield Park in early November of 1811.

The estate was less than four and twenty miles from town, and his particularly good friend, Mr. Charles Bingley, who was five and twenty and had a large fortune from trade, had taken the lease on a good-looking estate near the town of Meryton.

Although he was but two years younger, Bingley relied heavily on Darcy’s council.

On the one hand, he knew that it would be better for his younger and more na?ve friend to stand on his own two feet, but Darcy quite enjoyed the feeling of control it gave him when he directed others.

Bingley’s parents had died some two years previously in a carriage accident.

His father had been a minor partner in Gardiner and Associates, a company that Darcy and his uncle both invested in.

The company ran a phenomenally successful import/export business, owned a few ships, and invested heavily in new and emerging technology like the steam turbines being used in some cloth mills.

Bingley had two sisters who would be there with him.

The oldest of the siblings, Louisa, had married a minor country gentleman, Harold Hurst, a few months before the tragic loss of Bingley’s parents.

Louisa Hurst was a pleasant lady, albeit easily led by her younger sister, Miss Caroline Bingley.

Charles was the middle sibling. When Miss Bingley, now one and twenty, had seen Pemberley, Darcy’s vast estate, for the first time, she had set her cap for Darcy and was determined that she would be its next mistress.

Darcy had sat her down with her brother and older sister and explained as gently as he was able that she would never be more than the sister of his good friend, stating clearly that he would never offer for her.

He had pointed out, in no uncertain terms, that he would never countenance any use of his name to gain access to the Ton.

She had been terribly upset, more so by the loss of social standing and wealth that she never had.

Thankfully, his dearest Mama had sat the young woman down and had a private tête-à-tête with her.

No one would ever know what Lady Anne Darcy said to Miss Bingley, but it worked.

It was the influence of her late mother that had made Caroline Bingley as she used to be:

Mrs. Maude Bingley had always believed that she was destined for greater than being the wife of a tradesman.

She had filled Caroline, her younger daughter, with all of her delusions about joining the first circles.

She had drummed into her youngest’s head that it was her duty to rise above their roots and propel the family to the top echelons of the Ton.

The unhappy lady had been very envious and coveted that which she did not have.

Charles Bingley Senior worked day and night, which meant he hardly ever saw his children.

No matter how hard he worked, no matter how much he increased their wealth, it was never enough for Maude.

She was not a demonstrative woman, so the only way she had shown Caroline love is when Caroline emulated her mother in looking down her nose at those in their own circle, even those above them.

The only ones good enough were in the circles to which they would never be admitted.

It was Maude who put the idea into her daughter’s head that if there was an opportunity for such a match that she should do anything and everything to secure him, regardless of his desires.

Even after Maude and Charles Senior died in the tragic accident, Caroline behaved as her mother had taught her and kept the delusional dream alive, right up until that afternoon with Lady Anne Darcy.

Darcy had joined his friend to inspect the estate a month earlier where they had met the agent and local solicitor, a Mr. Frank Phillips.

During the tour, neither man saw anything of concern as the house was large and very well maintained.

There was room for thirty to be accommodated easily, and the housekeeper, Mrs. Claire Nichols, and the butler, Mr. Bernard Darling, were well spoken and seemed most efficient as the house and the estate appeared well run and was, in truth, well maintained.

As they rode along the fields of the estate as part of the tour, Darcy noticed a group of riders at a distance.

They were riding very good-looking thoroughbreds, flying across the fields at full gallop.

It was a large party and Darcy noticed that three were ladies; some of their hair had escaped their coiffure and he could see that two were blonde and one raven-haired.

He did not ask Mr. Phillips about the group he saw racing across the fields; if he had, it may have altered the trajectory of his life.