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The truth was that Collins knew he was singularly unprepared to be the master of an estate, just like his late father had been.

On the other hand, he felt a calling to study and become an ordained clergyman.

In his daily prayers, he gave thanks that his maternal grandfather had crafted the settlement on his mother in such a way that her two-thousand-pound dowry had been beyond his father’s reach.

The money had remained in the four percents, and by the time he had followed his mother’s dearest wish for him to become educated, there had been more than enough to pay for his schooling.

His late father had railed against his wasting money on education, but had no legal recourse to claim the funds for himself, as the money had been administered in an irrevocable trust his late grandfather had set up.

Knowing he was fulfilling his mother’s dream for him, Collins had not given in to his father regardless of the verbal or physical abuse the man had inflicted on him.

It was why he had worn a black armband for no more than a fortnight after his sire had succumbed to the French disease he had contracted in one of the brothels he had been wont to visit.

As things had been, if he found a woman he wanted to marry, Collins had been aware that he did not have the income to marry—at least not until at some point he was fortunate to be preferred to a living after his ordination.

That was no longer an impediment. It would be a few years, following his graduation, ordination, and work as a curate, before he could even consider looking for a wife.

Nevertheless, his new financial stability was a great blessing.

Unlike his dear mother Ophelia, he had survived his father’s cruelty. Hence, Collins was aware that, in many ways, God had been very good to him.

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

The day the Darcys and Fitzwilliams departed Netherfield Park for London, they did so minus one. Georgiana Darcy had been invited to remain with the Bennet sisters at the Gardiners’ estate until she would travel to London with those who would make their way there in a few days.

Lady Anne and Robert Darcy had never been so happy to leave anywhere without their much-loved daughter. The transformation from a deathly shy girl into a much more confident one was worth all the treasure in the realm to them.

The four rode together in the Matlock coach for the twenty-mile journey. The Darcy conveyance and the one used for the personal servants followed behind. The Darcys alighted at their house first before the Earl’s carriage went around the green to stop before Matlock House opposite.

Mr and Mrs Killion, the new butler and housekeeper, were waiting for the master and mistress on the step before the large, oak front door. “Welcome home, your Ladyship, Sir,” Killion intoned.

“Where is our son?” Lady Anne enquired.

“At his club meeting with Mr Bingley,” the butler reported. “We have not often seen Master William since he arrived here the previous week.”

“Has he been with his friend, Mr Bingley often?” Darcy asked.

“According to Carstens, that is with whom Master William has been meeting,” Killion confirmed. The former was the Darcy heir’s valet.

“We will have tea in the yellow drawing room in an hour,” Lady Anne instructed before she accepted her husband’s arm and made for the master suite. Neither spoke until the door was closed.

After a quick wash and change of clothing, Darcy dismissed his valet, Snell, while Lady Anne did the same with her maid, Kemp, as soon as they had completed their respective toilettes, telling them, at the very latest, they would be summoned before they needed to dress for dinner.

“You said you wanted to have a discussion in private?” Lady Anne questioned when she joined her beloved in the shared, private sitting room.

“Indeed, I did, my love,” Darcy agreed as he kissed his wife’s lips.

“It is William. I think we made an error not correcting his arrogant behaviour before now. Here he is quite sanguine with spending time with Mr Bingley, the son of a tradesman, whom, as you know, I do not object to because of his roots, while disdaining other people in trade—even those above Mr Bingley socially. The time has come for William to learn the paucity of his pretensions.”

“You will not hear a word of disagreement from me, Robert. Just one thing I would suggest. Let us wait until after Lord Archy’s wedding. There will be much to do. Especially as Anna has been so happy with her new friends, I do not want to upset her by seeing William sulking.”

It was agreed; they rang for their personal servants and told them they were free to move about the suite once again, and they went downstairs for their tea and seed cake.

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

“You know I do not love being poked, prodded, and measured, do you not?” Elizabeth reminded her aunt with a huff. They were in one of the carriages in the convoy on the way to London.

Elizabeth’s fiancé, Uncle Gardiner, Anthony, and Charlotte were riding in the Hertfordshire coach ahead.

In the Gardiner conveyance, Elizabeth was with Aunt Gardiner, Mary, and Anna, along with her governess.

When the youngest Darcy had learnt that Cathy and Lydia were not to come to London, she had wanted to write to her parents and request leave to remain with her friends in Hertfordshire until they made their way to Falconwood.

Mrs Annesley had reminded her charge how she had given her word of honour that she would arrive in London on this day. Anna had been somewhat placated when she understood it would not be too many days until her friends would be at Lord Hertfordshire’s primary estate.

With little good cheer, Anna had not written to request additional time with the two youngest Bennet sisters and Miss Maria.

“Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of shopping for clothing with you is fully aware of that fact,” Madeline replied with a smile. “However, if you want to marry your betrothed wearing one of your old gowns, that will be your choice.”

“In that case, I will go to the dressmaker’s shop and subject myself to being measured,” Elizabeth decided.

“Lizzy, do you not enjoy shopping?” Georgiana asked with wide eyes. “I love going to Madame Chambourg with Mama. Each time she allows Madame to create at least one dress for me.”

“That is an understatement,” Mary stated with a smile. “Our Lizzy only likes shopping for books and the like. She can lose herself in Hatchard’s for hours.”

“Just like Papa and William. They both love books. When Mama and I are at the modiste, if there is no business to which they need to attend, they are either playing chess or looking for more tomes in Hatchard’s for Pemberley’s library,” Georgiana reported.

“The modiste Anna mentioned is the one you, Elizabeth, will be seeing to make your wedding gown,” Madeline revealed.

“Mary, you too will not escape, as you will need a gown befitting your role as maid of honour.” Their aunt smiled at the look of distaste her second eldest niece displayed.

For all of her teasing of Lizzy, Mary did not love shopping any more than her eldest sister.

Miss Darcy and Mrs Annesley were taken to Darcy House before the Gardiner carriage carried on to Gardiner House in Portman Square, where the Duke’s conveyance and those within would be.

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

William Darcy watched as his sister and her governess alighted from an unknown equipage. He could not see who was inside, but he was certain whoever was inside was not appropriate company for his sister based on the absence of a coat of arms on the door.

Even though the carriage was of good quality, he judged them below his notice due to the lack of arms emblazoned on the doors. He forgot that Bingley had no such thing on his coach.

He was about to go confront his parents about whom they allowed Anna to consort with, when he remembered their reactions on the way from Derbyshire.

Why is it that no one understood that he had the right of it?

He did not desire his mother and father to become angry with him again, so he chose to be silent on the subject… for now.

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

When Lady Catherine de Bourgh saw the announcement of the Duke of Hertfordshire’s engagement to some unknown, and worse, untitled, country miss, she was seriously displeased.

She should have been the Duchess of Hertfordshire, not some country hoyden! When she was invited to the wedding, of which she had no doubts she would be, she would put this chit in her place. She would show the Duke what an error he had made.

The fact she was past the point she could provide him an heir was not important to her.