Page 31

The Darcy brother and sister remained at the Matlock home until after Boxing Day.

The next morning, they travelled to Pemberley, a journey of just four hours.

They left Matlock early and stopped at a tavern halfway to Lambton to rest the horses for a short time.

Once their carriage and four drove through the streets of Lambton and turned onto the long drive leading to their home, Georgiana grew excited.

“I always enjoy the ride through the woods before we reach Pemberley,” she confessed.

Fitzwilliam explained to Mrs Annesley, “These woods were planted and planned to provide an excellent view while hiding the fields and pastures of our farms. We have been on Darcy lands for more than an hour, but the scenery of these last miles was designed to please our senses.”

The coachman halted the horses at one spot along the road where the great manor house could be seen at a distance. Brother and sister descended from the carriage and were joined by Mrs Annesley to view the house while walking about for a few minutes.

“Was this stopping place planned as well?” Georgiana asked.

“I am certain it was designed by our grandfather or his father for two purposes.”

“What purposes?” the young woman insisted on knowing.

Her brother explained, “The view impresses visitors with the grandeur of our home and the park’s beauty.”

Gaining a better understanding of the wealth and power of the Darcy family, Mrs Annesley agreed, “The view does take one’s breath away.”

Georgiana pressed her brother and asked, “What was the second purpose of this stopping place?”

“To allow travellers a moment to stretch their cramped legs and allow the blood to move about. When the older persons arrive at Pemberley without the chance to move about a few minutes from the door, their limbs are stiff and cramped. Stretching at this spot allows them to move more freely when they arrive at our door.”

“Brother, you are making up a story to entertain me.”

“No, I am being truthful,” he replied. “I understand that Lady Catherine complains that there is not such a spot before arriving at Matlock. Every April, when I visit with Cousin Anne to review her estate, I stop in Hunsford, four miles from Rosings, to ensure my legs are awake.”

“But we must not stay overly long,” Fitzwilliam told his sister. “Mrs Reynolds knows to expect us today; I am certain that a footman or scullery maid was posted at a window on the topmost floor to watch for the carriage at this point in the road.”

“Why?” asked the young woman, paying close attention to her brother.

Grinning, Darcy continued, “At this minute, throughout Pemberley, the footmen and maids are scrambling to finish their current tasks. Fires are being lit in our rooms to dispel the cold before we arrive, and Mrs Reynolds has summoned everyone to the entry hall so they can greet us when we arrive in another quarter of an hour.”

“Is that how they know to appear when we arrive?” Georgiana asked. “It is even more impressive in the warm months when the footmen and maids are lined up outside the house when we arrive.”

“The Darcy family greets and speaks to every servant when we arrive,” Fitzwilliam told his sister. “You are old enough to join me in speaking with the staff.”

“Of course, brother. I must introduce everyone to Mrs Annesley when we arrive,” Georgiana said.

Many minutes later, safely inside the front door of his home, Fitzwilliam Darcy was content for the moment as he watched his sister introduce her new lady’s companion to Mrs Reynolds, the housekeeper and Mr Chesterfield, the butler.

In the line of servants, Darcy noticed footmen and chambermaids who had served in the household for many years.

For a moment, he imagined introducing these same servants to Miss Elizabeth Bennet…

to Mrs Fitzwilliam Darcy. His thoughts quickly denied the idea, ‘Can I be so fortunate as to win her hand? I must not obsess over this. There are many cold weeks until spring weather returns. There are enough letters to read and write, but I shall not forget her.’

~~~

Among the many letters on his desk, Darcy found one from Charles Bingley. His friend had begun a formal courtship with Miss Jane Bennet and reported the events at the wedding of Miss Charlotte Lucas and Mr William Collins.

Charles wrote:

‘George Wickham attended the wedding, was thanked by Mr Collins for attending, and allowed to sell a thousand pounds of the stock in his New World Tea Company to the gentlemen attending the wedding. Mr Bennet explained that our neighbours had collected rents from their tenants at Christmas and were flush with cash. They cannot collect additional funds until the next quarter, Lady Day in March. Even Mr Collins used two hundred pounds to purchase stock. Miss Bennet and her sister, Miss Elizabeth, worried that their friend Charlotte Lucas would have a bare pantry before March because there would be no funds for flour, sugar, or tea.’

~~~

Darcy smirked , ‘And how will those gentlemen pay their taxes? Mr Bennet will have to support the parson there at Longbourn from his purse alone. Meryton will be rife with tensions concerning money this winter.’

And he wondered, ‘How will Elizabeth deal with this?’

~~~

As snow fell and closed the roads into Derbyshire, the number of letters on Darcy’s desk dwindled away.

His secretary spent time organising folders of the previous year’s letters.

Darcy met with this steward for the Pemberley estate several times to review the accounts regarding horses, fleeces, and fields.

In late January, Mr Chesterfield and Mrs Reynolds approached Mr Darcy in his office about the calendar for this new year. Most urgently, the pair wanted to know the scheduled summer visits by members of Parliament, his friends and family.

“Last year, we expected you to have visitors in July or August, but you remained in London and then visited with Mr Bingley for the whole of the autumn.”

“I anticipate spending this summer in London as well,” replied Mr Darcy without any heat in his voice.

“But sir, Pemberley always hosted guests while the master worked with business, shooting, riding, and influencing the other gentlemen,” insisted Mrs Reynolds.

“And I am doing things differently.” This time, there was a stern tone in his voice.

“But Old Mr Darcy insisted on the summer visits!” declared Mrs Reynolds.

Now, Fitzwilliam Darcy stood and addressed the housekeeper sternly, “Mrs Reynolds, my father has been dead for seven years. Have you not noticed that I am not he? I do not bring a mistress into my family home. I do not order the servants to lie about such arrangements.”

The woman tried to justify the deception saying, “We tried to protect you, sir.”

Darcy frowned and explained, “Then you should have cut the tongue from George Wickham’s head.

As soon as he joined me at school, Wickham made certain I heard every detail of Mrs Cleary’s residence in my mother’s rooms at Pemberley.

As soon as I left each year for school, she moved in.

I knew that her bastard son was born in the same room where my sister and I were born. ”

The servants blushed as the master of Pemberley continued speaking, “George congratulated me on having a new brother when someone sent him the news in a letter. Everyone in Lambton was aware of Mrs Cleary’s presence in Pemberley.”

“And I remain disappointed that neither of you discussed this matter with me after I inherited Pemberley. I learned later that my mother’s belongings were used by my father’s woman.”

“The rooms were cleaned per your instructions, sir,” the housekeeper replied, thinking of the bare walls in the rooms once used by the master and mistress.

Young Mr Darcy had ordered the furniture removed from both sets of rooms and had the walls stripped of their wallpaper.

The rich draperies were used to make clothing for children in the tenant farms. The carpets were used in guest rooms on different parts of the house.

In both sets of adjoining rooms, dark curtains covered the windows.

Chesterfield asked, “Mr Darcy, did some member of the staff gossip about Mrs Cleary using the rooms?”

“No, but when I could not locate several pieces of my mother’s jewellery and several pieces of the Darcy family jewellery, my secretary explained what had occurred.

He wrote letters to the woman and demanded the return of my mother’s jewellery, but the Darcy jewels are lost. My father could grant those items to his mistress. ”

“Old Mr Darcy was adamant that we allow Mrs Cleary free use of the house,” Mr Chesterfield explained.

“I understand, but you should never assume that I shall be the same man as my father,” Darcy insisted. The housekeeper looked away and curtseyed before leaving the man’s office. Mr Chesterfield remained a moment longer to hear Mr Darcy’s requirements for the evening.

Fitzwilliam’s mind was in disarray after the unpleasant interview with the butler and housekeeper. To relieve his distress, Darcy walked through the halls of his manor house–he remembered running along the long hallway as a child.

‘Will my children play here someday? Shall I walk with my wife along these halls?’ he wondered. ‘My wife…’

Only a single vision of a young lady came to his mind. The only face that appeared was the young woman with dark eyes glittering with life and excitement when they discussed a book, dancing, or tea.

~~~

During the same week, Louisa Hurst spoke to her sister about marriage prospects in the coming year among the eligible men in London society.

Louisa was blunt and to the point, “Caroline, you are a beautiful woman, but there will be many young women introduced to the queen when the season begins. You are five-and-twenty!”

Hissing, Caroline refused to allow her sister to say those words aloud, “Sister, do not say such. Mr Darcy will never ask for my hand if he thinks I am old and wrinkled.”

“Wrinkled? At five-and-twenty? Caroline, Mr Darcy will not ask for your hand this summer or any other season.” Louisa asked, “Why cannot some other man be your husband? You must know Mr Darcy would never be amenable to your wishes for a constant stream of parties and reviews.”

Caroline replied, “Darcy has lovely homes, and his wife will have unlimited monies for gowns and parties.”

“But the man spends his winter in Derbyshire and does not entertain,” pointed out Louisa. “He never goes to Bath to attend the glittering parties you wish to haunt.”

“If I were his wife, he would allow me to do as I please,” Caroline said without a great deal of conviction in her voice.

“Caroline, Charles learned that you were too spoiled, and he limits your allowance very carefully now. You no longer do as you please. Why would you think Mr Darcy would allow you to do as you please?”

Caroline remained silent as Louisa continued, “The man avoids you. Did you not notice Darcy turned his carriage in the opposite direction of London when he learned that you planned to return to the city?”

Embarrassed, Caroline Bingley asked, “What do you suggest?”

“There are several gentlemen at Geoffrey’s club in the city who need wives to manage their households. They are respectable men with children away from home at school, and they enjoy the season.”

“From the side lines!” argued Caroline. “None of them attends the grandest parties or reviews.”

Louisa frowned and counter-argued, “Neither do the old maids who live in quiet rooms above stairs or rented rooms in the homes where the persons never attend any party or review.”

Displeased with this conversation, Caroline remained silent for a time, until Louisa ventured to say, “We are invited to a family dinner this week with a suitable gentleman in attendance. Make yourself pleasant with him and speak about his home and family.”

~~~