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“Yes, Biggs and Johns have the men well trained. They will not allow her to come to any harm. My hope is they will not be needed, but if they are, they will do what they need to, so she and her sisters are kept safe,” Hertfordshire replied.

“I would not like to make those men angry.” Anthony shook his head at the thought.

He paused to collect his thoughts. “You know, Uncle, rather than be upset if you sire a son, I think I will be relieved.” He noted his uncle’s questioning look.

“My father does not say it, but he would much prefer to know that I will be his heir and one day, if He grants me a son, my son after me. It is not only my father; I think I would prefer that as well. If it falls to me, I will execute the duties of the office to the best of my abilities and make you and those who came before me proud. That is if .”

“I suppose I can understand that. As the bard wrote in Henry IV , uneasy is the head that wears the crown . So many only see the advantages of rank and the wealth that goes with it while ignoring the duties and responsibilities to all of those dependent on the dukedom. If blessed with a wife and then a son, I will teach him his responsibilities; if not, I am completely confident you will be a good steward of the title. If I were only to have a daughter, then her son would be the next duke.”

“Thank you for your confidence in me, Uncle. None of us mere mortals know what the future holds; it will all unfold according to His plan.”

Hertfordshire poured a small measure of wine for each of them.

He handed his nephew a glass, keeping one for himself.

“I will drink to that.” They clinked their glasses and threw back the dark, burgundy-coloured madeira.

He recalled the note he had received from Darcy.

“The Darcys and Fitzwilliams will stop here on their way to London. We can expect them about a fortnight after your parents arrive.”

“How is Fitzwilliam doing in the army?” Anthony asked. He was between the Fitzwilliam brothers in age and had always enjoyed his time with them. He did not know the Darcy heir as well as he knew the Fitzwilliam brothers. He was rather taciturn and not very approachable.

“According to Matlock, when we last spoke, he had been promoted to captain already. Not that I doubted it, but he is evidently an excellent officer.”

“I remember when we were all younger and played together, along with the Portnoy boys, Richard Fitzwilliam was always good when a game called for strategic thinking. Wait, did the Darcys not have a daughter as well?”

“Yes, Georgiana, she would be about eleven now if I am not mistaken. Last time I visited with the Darcys, she played the pianoforte for us. She was nine or ten at the time, but she played as if she had been doing so for more years than her age. Lady Anne states that Gigi, as they call her, is better on the instrument than she is, and she is an excellent pianist.”

“Hilldale is courting our cousin’s daughter, Marie Russell; I will wager they will be engaged before the month is out.”

“That could be why the Fitzwilliams are on their way to London now. I know John and Georgiana are pleased Marie has found a man who excites her interest. She has one older and two younger brothers, so Hilldale will have to be on his best behaviour, not that he would not be.” The Duke grinned.

He was well aware of how protective Francis, George, and John were of their sister.

Luckily, all three were friendly with Andrew Fitzwilliam.

“Unless you need my assistance on the morrow, I will be arriving at Lucas Lodge as soon as calling hours begin,” Anthony informed his uncle.

“Go to it,” Hertfordshire stated.

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

“How can this be! That plain spinster is being courted by a man who will be a duke, while my Jane is still single! The world is upside down that my beautiful daughter has not attracted a rich titled man like that!” Fanny ranted.

“I do not know about that,” Mrs Middleton, the wife of the man who had purchased the haberdashery from the now Sir William Lucas, said evenly.

The woman before her could wear down a saint’s patience, and she was no saint.

“If you would like to purchase the ribbon, it is sixpence; if not, I have other customers to which to attend.”

“Well, I never! What is this town coming to?” Fanny spun on her heel, leaving the ribbon behind, no matter how much she wanted it.

She stopped as she saw a line of coaches pulling away from her traitorous sister’s house.

As they passed her, she did not miss the face framed by dark hair at the window.

She knew who this was; she would recognise those devilish emerald-green eyes anywhere.

The unnatural one had been described to her more times than she cared to remember.

Even if Miss Lucas had succeeded in entrapping a man, Fanny was as sure as she was breathing that the wilful, disobedient, ugly thing would never find a man willing to have her, not even if she compromised him.

“Uncle Edward, who is that woman staring daggers at me?” Elizabeth asked as she pointed.

“I am sorry to admit that is my sister. Remember I told you she blames anyone except herself for her bad choices. I am afraid that when God shared intelligence with the Gardiner siblings, by the time it was Fanny’s turn, he had no more to give,” Gardiner related.

“Is that a nicer way of saying she is mean of understanding?” Mary enquired. She would be fifteen later that year.

“Yes, add to that completely vain and self-centred. And those are her better qualities,” Gardiner related.

“We will keep well clear of her. From what I am aware of, it is very seldom she comes to Meryton because it is about a two-mile walk, each way, and unlike you, Lizzy, she does not enjoy walking.”

“Does she not have a horse to ride, or a trap, or some other small carriage?” Elizabeth enquired.

“No, if she wants to leave her cottage, it is on foot,” Gardiner replied.

A few minutes later the conveyances came to a halt at Purvis Lodge. As soon as they all exited, Madeline went to the nurse and relieved her of the babe she was carrying in her arms.

May Gardiner had been born in August of the previous year.

Madeline was beyond pleased that she had five children now.

The days when she used to worry that she would not be blessed with children of her body were long gone.

If that were not enough, like he had promised to do, Edward had employed a manager.

Since Mr Bosworth had begun, it had untethered her beloved from his business which had been wonderful for all of them, especially herself.

Although they had only travelled a mile with their older sisters, Cathy and Lydia accompanied Lizzy, Mary, and Lilly, who was nine, upstairs so they could wash and change.

When she entered the drawing room, Elizabeth was excited to see Charlotte present. “Charlotte!” she exclaimed excitedly and hugged her friend to herself. “I am so pleased to see you.”

“As I am you, Eliza, and Mary as well. Cathy and Lydia, it is good to see you again. Maria enjoyed the afternoon you passed with her at Lucas Lodge yester-afternoon,” Charlotte said in greeting. “I have news,” she whispered to Eliza as soon as they sat.

“Is it connected to Mr Barrington?” Elizabeth guessed with a sly smile.

“You were always perspicacious. He requested a courtship on Monday past, and I granted it. Papa could not bestow his blessing fast enough. He is residing at Netherfield Park with the owner of that estate. You know the man,” Charlotte stated cryptically.

Elizabeth’s eyebrows were almost knitted together as she tried to puzzle out who Charlotte meant.

“You like to be impertinent around him, you know, Mr Barrington’s uncle,” Charlotte revealed. Eliza’s deep blush told Charlotte she was not indifferent to the Duke. “They have been in residence since before Easter, and very few know what his rank is.”

“I am sure we will see him in the area now that you are being courted by his nephew. That means you are to be a future duchess!” Elizabeth realised.

“Possibly,” was all Charlotte would say. “How has your correspondence been with Miss Millar, I suppose you call her Jane now? I have not seen very much of her since she tried to put herself in Mr Barrington’s path and realised he had no interest in her.”

“She did not!” Elizabeth hissed.

“To her credit, I believe, that she had no way to know we had a prior acquaintanceship nor that we were on our way to an understanding,” Charlotte explained. “Since it has become public knowledge in the neighbourhood, she has not attempted to attract his notice again.”

“That is not so very bad then,” Elizabeth decided.

“Mary’s mare, Aphrodite, is in the stables with Jamil , but we have the cob Mary used to ride here as well, if you would like to ride with us on the morrow.

We will watch the sunrise from Oakham Mount and afterwards, a ride across the fields and go pay our respects at Longbourn.

Aunt Maddie, Uncle Edward, our sisters, and cousins will arrive there about the same time we do. ”

“Anthony will be calling. Are you sanguine with my inviting him to ride with us in the morning?” Charlotte wondered.

“Of course, I am. We found him very pleasant, so he is welcome,” Elizabeth agreed. She did not say it, but she would not object if Mr Barrington’s uncle was one of the party as well. She chastised herself. Surely His Grace had no interest in a silly girl.