Page 75 of Succession
M indful of the comfort of the ladies in the party, Mr. Darcy was happy to spread the journey back to Pemberley over four full days. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth slept together at the inns, unlike their previous journey to Pemberley, and they were in no haste to rise early each morning.
Elizabeth recognised the final rise that led to Pemberley, and said to her husband, “Oh, do show Mary the best view of Pemberley – the one that you showed me when I first came here!”
Smiling at her eagerness, Mr. Darcy rapped on the ceiling of the coach with his walking stick, and the coachman obediently stopped the carriage.
“Mary, come and see,” her sister urged her.
Mary, though not generally known for her appreciation of natural beauty, could not contain her gasp. “That – that is Pemberley?! With the lake and the gardens?”
“Yes; is it not wonderful?”
“I have never seen such beauty,” Mary breathed. And she thought again that she had not, even after her experience in London, realised the extent of her brother-in-law’s wealth. Mr. Bingley’s was nothing to it, though she would never say so to Jane or Mama.
When the carriage pulled up in front of the house, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth were astonished to see all the servants lined up to greet the master and the mistress. Elizabeth turned to her husband, eyes shining. “You did this,” she said, softly.
“Yes; this is what was supposed to happen when we first came home to Pemberley.”
Mr. Darcy formally introduced his wife and her sister to the servants, just as if Elizabeth was arriving at Pemberley as a new bride. Elizabeth noted a number of new faces; doubtless these servants had been hired to replace those who had taken Lady Anne’s guineas. She noted, though, that Mrs. Reynolds seemed worried. Oh, she had greeted Elizabeth warmly and curtsied, as was expected of her, but she had held Elizabeth’s glance in a rather meaningful way. Elizabeth knew immediately that something was wrong.
Elizabeth took her housekeeper’s arm as soon as everyone was inside. “What is it, Mrs. Reynolds?”
“Oh, Mrs. Darcy, it is Miss Darcy! The child has scarcely eaten a mouthful of food this past week!”
“Is she ill?”
“She is in a fine way toward making herself so, if you ask me.”
“But why? Was she unhappy to learn that I was returning? I had rather thought she and I were becoming friends.”
“Oh, no, it is because her mother is gone. Poor thing, no matter how it has been explained to her, she cannot understand it.”
“Gone? Lady Anne? But where?” Elizabeth’s astonishment could not be mistaken.
“Why, to Cresston Hall, of course.” Mrs. Reynolds was as astonished as Elizabeth.
“But she was to wait until she and I had spoken! Mr. Darcy sent her a message!”
Mrs. Reynolds shook her head. “Lady Anne did not receive it, Mrs. Darcy; she left Pemberley with Hannah more than a week ago.”
Elizabeth did not quite know how to feel; she could not be sorry that her nemesis was not in residence, but she had planned out in some detail what she would say, and she was rather sorry not to have the chance to say it!
“I will speak with Mr. Darcy,” she said. “But I must see to our guests’ comfort first.”
Mrs. Reynolds replied, “I will take care of them. The Colonel has his own room here at Pemberley, but where did you wish to put your sister?”
“I thought the Emerald Room.” The Emerald Room was a lovely suite in the family wing, decorated in a soft green and cream with gold accents. “Kate is to be my lady’s maid; I want her to have a room of her own.”
“I will take care of it, Mrs. Darcy.”
Leaving the arrangements in Mrs. Reynold’s proficient hands, Elizabeth went in search of her husband. Upon hearing the news of his mother’s absence, Mr. Darcy immediately sought out Barton. “I sent a message to my mother some ten days ago, Barton; what became of it?”
Barton eyed his master gravely. “A message arrived for her, sir, but she was no longer in residence. I placed the message upon your desk in the study.”
Mr. Darcy felt like growling in frustration, but none of this was the butler’s fault; he thanked Barton and returned to his wife to explain what had occurred. He found her in Georgiana’s room, where she was listening to Georgiana say how glad, how very glad, she was to see Elizabeth again, but how very desperately she missed her mother.
“Brother!” Georgiana gave a cry upon seeing him. Bursting into tears, she flung herself into his arms. “Mother is gone!”
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth exchanged glances over Georgiana’s shoulder. “Yes, I have heard, Georgiana.”
“Bring her home, Brother! You brought Lizzy home, now you must bring Mother home!”
Mr. Darcy tried to explain the situation to Georgiana, but stopped when Elizabeth shook her head at him, mutely. Upon garnering a promise from Georgiana that she would join them for dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy repaired to their bedrooms.
“I think I neglected to mention how very much I approved of your decorating skills at Darcy House, as well as your rooms here at Pemberley.”
“I am glad you approve.”
“Do not hesitate to work your magic on any rooms at Pemberley that you think require it.”
“I shall, I thank you! Come, what shall we do about Georgiana?”
Mr. Darcy hesitated. “Well, my mother has left; while I think myself an undutiful son, perhaps it is for the best.”
“Of course, there is a part of me that thinks so as well, but seeing Georgiana so very broken-hearted, I think that surely something must be done.”
“My mother is at Cresston Hall by now, I do not doubt.”
“How far is it from Pemberley?”
“About two days, I imagine.”
“I will journey there myself,” Elizabeth said, stoutly.
“You! Alone? You will do no such thing!” Mr. Darcy was horrified at the very idea of it.
“I will take Mary.”
He argued vehemently against it, saying that such a journey could hardly be safe.
“How could it not be safe? I will have the coachman and take two additional manservants as well. William, this quarrel is between your mother and myself, to resolve or not to resolve as we see fit.”
“I am a hindrance, then?” Mr. Darcy could not keep the outrage from his voice.
“Yes, frankly, you are. Oh, not because of anything you do, but simply because she is your mother. She can make you feel guilty – no, do not argue, you know it is true – and that guilt forces you to behave in a certain way. I know that my own mother can twist my feelings every which way.”
They had still not reached an agreement when it was time to go downstairs to the drawing room before dinner. The Colonel, Georgiana, Mary and Mrs. Annesley were already in the drawing room when the Darcys entered. The Colonel had performed the introductions, and a discussion about music was already underway. Georgiana’s eyes were a little swollen, mute testimony to her grief, but she was managing to hold up her end of the conversation. She and Mary agreed to play a duet after dinner.
Elizabeth took advantage of a momentary lull in the discussion to say, “I plan to travel to Cresston Hall to speak with Lady Anne.”
Georgiana gasped. “Yes! Oh, thank you, Lizzy!”
Mr. Darcy looked grim. “This is all very well, but she wishes to go by herself.”
Elizabeth said, quickly, “No, indeed; I said I would go with Mary.”
Looking at Darcy, the Colonel said, “Do you not wish to accompany her?”
Mr. Darcy replied, with some heat, “She does not want me there! She says this is a discussion to be held between the two principal parties, namely my mother and herself.”
Elizabeth added, “And Mary is a calm, rational woman who sees both sides of the issue; she will be the perfect moderator.”
The Colonel nodded. “I see your point. Surely, Darcy, with enough manservants in the party, what can be the issue?”
Mr. Darcy threw his hands up into the air. “Very well; I see that sentiment is against me here. But I will select the biggest, burliest footmen at Pemberley to accompany you!”
Elizabeth laughed. “I would expect no less! But listen, all of you – and Georgiana, particularly you – I am in no way guaranteeing that Lady Anne will return with me. I am willing, and have always been willing, for her to serve as my mentor in becoming the best possible mistress of the estate, but I will not cede my role to her. If she is not willing to abide by my requirements, then she shall remain at Cresston Hall.”
Everyone hastened to agree with her and to offer comments and suggestions as to how Lady Anne might be persuaded; Elizabeth listened to everyone, but kept her own counsel.
That night, as Kate prepared Elizabeth for bed, she said, “Are you concerned about your meeting with Lady Anne?”
“Concerned? No, not at all; I have the upper hand. If she cannot convince me that she is truly repentant, I will leave her at Cresston Hall. I cannot manage Pemberley if I am tripped up at every turn. But enough about Lady Anne! Kate, will you be happy here? Is your room adequate?”
Kate assured her mistress that she had never been more comfortable, and she was certain that Pemberley had been modeled after the Garden of Eden. They both thought – but did not say – that perhaps it was just as well that the snake had left the Garden.