Page 27 of Lizzie’s Spirit

Robert Campbell’s house sat behind his wharf at Dawes Point on Sydney Cove and was approached from the land side by a driveway of paving stones coming off Sergeant Major’s Row.

The home was large—a nineteen-room dwelling, finished elegantly with colonnades and two fronts.

Entering the building, Miss Bennet and Mr. Darcy were shown into a smart drawing-room decorated in an Indian style, with a richly coloured carpet of intricate weave and panelled walls decorated with neo-classical roundels.

Darcy was surprised that Miss Bennet and he were the first guests to arrive. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were already in the room. Introductions were made, and Mr. Campbell took up conversation with Darcy.

“My apologies, Mr. Darcy,” said he, “but I requested you arrive a little early as I’ve a confession to make.

I wish to separate the commodore, the former Governor Bligh, from his daughter, Mrs. Putland—they tend to engage in fiery discussion.

Moreover, I’ve asked Judge-Advocate Bent to attend, as he’s third in government, but he finds Bligh an unpleasant man, so I’ve seated him high on the table, near my dear wife, Sophia, who wished to be better acquainted with Mrs. Bent.

To this end, I’ve been forced to separate you and Miss Bennet—if that does not cause too much inconvenience.

Miss Bennet we have placed next to my dear friend Mr. John Palmer, who, with his lady, is seated opposite to the commodore; adjacent to him are Mr. William Broughton and his lady; both are well acquainted with the commodore and understand his ways. ”

Darcy was only indifferent to his not being seated next to Miss Bennet; after seeking her reassurance, he agreed to Mr. Campbell’s plan. Darcy detected some dissembling in Campbell’s seating arrangement, but it was too inconsequential for him to complain.

As soon as the remaining guests arrived and introductions were made, dinner was announced. The company was to proceed into the dining-room as couples.

“Miss Bennet,” announced Mr. Campbell, “you’re the greatest stranger amongst us. Will you do me the honour of showing us in?”

She—Lizzie Bennet, scarcely come out herself—to lead such distinguished company into dinner!

Elizabeth felt a strange nervousness as all eyes turned to her.

Most of those attending were well known to each other, having been together in the colony for many years.

They understood John Campbell’s idiosyncratic ways and read nothing more into his request. Darcy merely smiled, knowing little could intimidate Miss Bennet.

Both Mrs. Bent and Mrs. Putland, Commodore Bligh’s widowed daughter, did not have the experience of Campbell’s quirky nature and were affronted that they must go lower to Miss Bennet.

“It would be my pleasure, sir.” Elizabeth took Mr. Campbell’s arm and walked with him into the room.

The table was set with all the articles of cutlery and plate that would adorn an earl’s table in London.

She found her place, which had been labelled for each guest; the ladies and gentlemen were seated alternately.

The table was narrow, not of the French style, and would enable easy conversation both with one’s neighbours and those across the table.

“I understand your father has an estate, Miss Bennet?” Mr. John Palmer, seated on her right, inquired of her. He was an older gentleman, very distinguished looking. Elizabeth understood him to be the Commissary General.

“Indeed, sir, we’ve an estate in Hertfordshire, north of the town of St. Albans.

There are some two thousand acres of leasehold and a home farm of one hundred and eighty acres.

Perhaps one hundred and fifty acres of the estate is wood, mostly mixed trees: oak, ash, and sycamore predominating—all providing valuable timber. ”

Palmer was surprised: “You show great depth of knowledge of the farm, unusual for a gentlewoman such as yourself.”

“Of late, fortune has not smiled upon us—my father suffered a serious infirmity. Thus, my mother and I run the estate. With five daughters and no son, there was naught else but to learn the ways of farming rather than netting purses and embroidering screens.”

“My dear Miss Bennet, when you tire of being matron to those troublesome girls at the orphanage, come see me and I’ll appoint you steward of my farm; but a mere three hundred acres would not grant you much significance!” Palmer laughed, such that others nearby turned towards him.

“What is that you are saying, Mr. Palmer? What is it you are talking of? What are you telling Miss Bennet? Let me hear what it is.” Mrs. Putland rudely interrupted from across the table, where she was seated diagonally opposite Elizabeth but one remove further from the foot.

She was small and rather pretty but appeared extremely affected and proud.

Her late husband, Lieutenant Putland, had died of consumption two years before.

“We were speaking of farming, ma’am,” said he. “In England, Miss Bennet manages an estate some ten times the size of my farm in the Hawkesbury.”

“Oh, only farming! Pray don’t speak of it here. My father and I are not farmers, though had he ever wished it, he would have been a great proficient. Indeed, he has a copy of Dickson’s A Treatise of Agriculture in the library he brought to this place. ”

“An excellent text,” said Elizabeth, “particularly the first part where he explains the different ways by which vegetation is promoted, mentions the impediments to it, and points out the proper methods of removing these impediments. We applied his methods with great success to the home farm and kitchen garden.”

Darcy, who was seated next away from Mrs. Putland, gave Elizabeth an arch smile.

“You mean to frighten us, Miss Bennet, with your knowledge of agriculture while we, none of us here, had the benefit of your upbringing. As a second son, I found little incentive to learn estate management; ergo, I’m merely a barrister. ”

“And I, sir,” responded Mr. Palmer good-humouredly, “was brought up—whipped, I should say—in the navy from the tender age of nine years. Though I seem to possess some talent for working the soil, having reduced my expenditure on labour from a hundred souls to just fifteen whilst increasing yields.” He turned to the commodore, who sat nearly opposite him next to Mr. Campbell.

“Sir, I understand from Mrs. Putland you have Dickson’s Agriculture in your library.

Would you be so kind as to sell the same to me before your departure for England? ”

The conversation moved on, but Mrs. Putland turned to Darcy. “Miss Bennet has nothing to recommend her but being a farmer’s daughter. And the trim of her petticoat, so covered with dust from the road.”

“That’s understandable since she walked with me the mile from the orphanage to this house, and the roads are not paved.

Being accommodated on the Porpoise lying at anchor, you benefited from landing on the wharf, which is all stone.

” Darcy glanced towards Miss Bennet, now in animated conversation with both Mr. Broughton, seated opposite her, and the young Mr. Stephen Campbell to her left.

Her fine eyes were brightened by the repartee with the gentlemen and their wives.

Mrs. Putland was determined to press her point. “But to boast so of her father’s estate. It shows an abominable sort of conceit.”

“I do not believe Miss Bennet intended any such comparison with the estates here in the colony. Her family has settled their land for some one hundred and fifty years; here it’s just twenty years.

She’s all praise for the work done by the settlers, under the proper guidance of governors such as your father, to bring what was improvident into useful production. ”

To this speech, Mrs. Putland made no answer, but she continued to glare at Elizabeth, feeling the slight of having been sent lower into dinner and that Miss Bennet was born of the gentry, whereas her consequence was only due to her being the daughter of a governor.

She was jealous of Miss Bennet’s genteel birthright.

Her position in society as hostess to her father granted her precedence over all other ladies—save now, she must give way to Mrs. Macquarie, the governor’s wife—but surely not to Miss Bennet. This was not to be borne.

“Mr. Darcy, I understand from Mr. Bent you and he attended a dinner with Viscount Castlereagh?” He was addressed by Mr. Thomas Arndell, a prominent magistrate, surgeon, and landowner.

“Indeed, my esteemed father, Mr. George Darcy, hosted a dinner for the Viscount, my uncle Earl Matlock, my cousin Viscount Milton, Mr. Bent, and myself. A very enjoyable evening. Though not in government, my father is close to the Viscount and the Earls Bathurst and Liverpool. He’s also acquainted with Sir Joseph Banks, who, unfortunately, was unable to attend the dinner due to a prior engagement. ”

The table was immediately silent. There being only nine persons a side, and Darcy being at the centre, his conversation was easily heard by all.

The cabinet ministers spoken of by Darcy were those intimately involved with the affairs of the colony.

In particular, the approval of Earl Bathurst, as President of the Board of Trade, was critical to their trade with England, bypassing the need to seek approval from the East India Company and landing their cargoes without penalty.

Here, in their midst, was a man with the highest connections to those overseeing British trade around the world.

In correspondence with his father, Darcy would name those attending the dinner and thereby bring them to the attention of government in the most favourable light.

They immediately saw Mr. Bent had overstated his connections.

Whilst clearly well thought of in London—he was, after all, appointed judge-advocate—the dinner with Castlereagh was through Darcy’s agency, not his.