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“N ow that I have well and truly met my future sister, I understand your decision to marry her,” Lady Leticia told her brother after the dinner which had just been held at Netherfield Park.

“Loretta and Marjorie wholeheartedly approve of Anthony’s choice of wife, not that I doubted they would after we met Charlotte during their rather short courtship period. ”

“He takes after his father and uncle; when he knows what he wants, he works towards achieving his goals as expeditiously as possible,” Hertfordshire stated.

They were seated in the family sitting room after the Bennets, Gardiners, Phillipses, and Lucases had returned to their respective homes.

The Darcys and Fitzwilliams had retired after the guests left, giving the Duke and his family time alone to speak of what they will.

The aforementioned families intended to make for London on Monday morning.

“I was most impressed with all of the Bennet sisters,” Lady Leticia mused. “Given the horrendous parents they came from, they are such good girls.”

“Do not forget, my dear,” Barrington, who had been listening while he slowly sipped his one finger’s worth of brandy, drawled. “They were never raised by those two, rather by the Gardiners and Phillipses. Both couples are people of character and good sense.”

“That is very true,” Lady Leticia acknowledged. “It is hard to conjure up two worse parents.”

“At least the father never attempted to physically harm them like that horrendous woman and her awful daughter did,” Loretta Hampton noted. The elder Barrington daughter had married Gilbert Hampton some eight years past. They had a son, six, and a daughter, three.

“Yes, but his neglect allowed that woman, of whose absence from this mortal world I shall not repine, free rein to plot against her daughters,” Marjorie Portnoy observed.

The youngest of the three Barrington children had married Lawrence Portnoy four years prior and had one son, who was two.

Thanks to her mother-in-law being Robert Darcy’s sister, she was his and Lady Anne’s niece.

“And that Miss Millar’s punishment may yet teach her something. ”

“What you say about the late Mrs Bennet is a sentiment shared by all of us, Little Sister,” Anthony added. “According to the report Uncle Archy received since Miss Millar arrived at Greenfield, she is working as hard as any maid and has not attempted to shirk her duties. There is hope for her yet.”

“I agree with Anthony’s assessment,” Hertfordshire announced, “however, it is far too soon to see if the change she has made is temporary and only an attempt to impress me and have me bring her back from the estate. We will see how she behaves over a much longer term before any consideration for commutation of her punishment is considered.”

“That is wise, Brother,” Lady Leticia agreed. “She was granted opportunities to change before and only used them to hide her true intent.”

“On a different subject, Lizzy told Marjorie and me that she would never expect us to address her as Aunt . She told Charlotte the same thing. It would have been strange to address her as such given how much younger than us she is,” Loretta noted.

“I have yet to meet anyone, man or woman, as intelligent as she. She seems so much older than her physical years, and Papa, it is good you heeded what Uncle Archy and Anthony said regarding her prowess at chess. I am not sure Gilbert would have believed she had those abilities before he challenged, and severely lost to her.”

“My Uncle Robert was not so wise, so he accepted her challenge. I heard him state that regardless of Lizzy’s sex, he had never played against anyone with better skills in the game,” Marjorie added.

“Did you survive the meeting with Mr Collins at Phillips’s office today?” Anthony enquired. “Was he as impressed with your rank as we suspected he would be?”

“He was, but I see no harm in him. To tell the truth, I find him to be a good man who has been struggling to find his footing after his cruel, abusive father’s passing,” Hertfordshire responded.

“The deed is done. He began his return journey to his seminary a much richer man than he was before the meeting. I gave him one of Gardiner’s cards with advice to invest with him. I think Collins will do so.

“The entail on Longbourn is no more. We just need to wait for the Court of Chancery to issue the new deed and acknowledge the end of the entail. It will be done within a fortnight.”

“Speaking of estates, you need not give Anthony and Charlotte this one,” Barrington told his brother-in-law. “As he is the final one of our three to marry, Leticia and I intend to retire to the dower house. We want to be able to visit the children and enjoy our grandchildren whenever we desire.”

“Firstly, do not forget that Lizzy and I may never be blessed with any children, never mind a son. Anthony is still my heir presumptive. Even if they live at Rivington, that will not change my determination to present this estate to them,” Hertfordshire said firmly.

He turned to his nephew. “In that case, lease this estate out, and one day, if and when you are blessed with a second son, or if you are not so blessed, your eldest daughter, this estate will be here for her or him.”

“That is a good suggestion,” Anthony agreed. “I will discuss it with Charlotte on the morrow.”

“I assume you two,” Hertfordshire looked at his sister and brother-in-law, “will continue to use Barrington House for yourselves, and Marjorie and Lawrence?”

“That is the plan,” Barrington confirmed.

“As you may or may not remember, I intended to have my late wife live at Chamberlain House on St James Square once she delivered an heir.” His family members all nodded their heads.

“And you are aware I sold it and renamed the previous Hertfordshire House on Grosvenor Square as Chamberlain House once the new house on Russell Square was ready to be occupied?” Again, there were nods all around.

“Uncle Archy, if you intend to gift that house to Charlotte and me, I, we, will refuse it. This estate was more than enough already,” Anthony interjected firmly.

“If I thought you would accept it, I would give it to you. However, I will not put you in that position. What I intend is for you and Charlotte to use it until, hopefully decades from now, you inherit from my brother and sister, or if we are blessed with a second son, he reaches his majority, whichever comes first. You would be doing me a good turn to keep it occupied.”

As his uncle had tied him in a neat knot, making objection impossible, Anthony could do nothing but accept on behalf of Charlotte and himself.

“Now that is settled,” Hertfordshire grinned smugly. “When will you and your families arrive at Falconwood? We are for London next week so Lizzy can see her London homes, and we can order anything she needs.” He looked at his nephew. “Are you and Charlotte intending to be in Town?”

“Charlotte is uncomfortable with me purchasing her anything before we are wed, so we did not intend to join you. However, I am sure she will see the logic in doing so in order to view the house in Grosvenor Square,” Anthony replied.

“Unless you object, Brother, Hubert and I will follow you to Falconwood after London. Sarah Lucas and her family will arrive by the first Wednesday in May, allowing a full fortnight before the wedding for anything which still needs to be organised. What of an engagement ball, and do you know which of your friends you will invite? And what of the royals?” Lady Leticia mentally ticked off all the items which came to mind.

She turned to face her daughters. “And you two and your families? How soon will you be at Falconwood?”

“We will be able to arrive around the time the Lucas family intends to arrive,” Loretta stated.

“About the same for us,” Marjorie added.

“What of the Gardiners and Phillipses?” Lady Leticia asked.

“The former will accompany us to London and to the estate as soon as we have done what we need to do in Town. Once we arrive at Falconwood, a rider will carry a note to Phillips and his family, and they will join us shortly thereafter,” Hertfordshire responded.

Not much later, everyone made for their suites to prepare for sleep.

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

On Saturday, the day after his return from Meryton, William Collins could still not believe that he, while not even considered a gentleman, had been in the company of a duke.

In addition, once His Grace married his distant cousin’s daughter—he had not had the pleasure of meeting the future duchess or her sisters—then he too, albeit very distantly, would be related to a duke.

He was well pleased that he had turned over the draft to Mr Gardiner, based on the Duke’s recommendation.

That man had told him to expect more than two thousand pounds per annum as his return on investment.

As he needed a fraction of that to live on, Collins had agreed to only accept five hundred pounds per annum—one fourth to be sent at the start of each quarter—and the remainder of his dividends to be added back into the principal.

Messrs Gardiner and Phillips had assisted him in creating some safeguards so that some unscrupulous person could not take advantage of him.

One of the best protections was for him—who usually shared everything about himself with anyone—to not mention the fortune and only mention, if he felt he had to, that he had a legacy which paid him a little each quarter for a few years.