Page 58 of The Countess and Her Sister
The whole family, which had grown larger in five years’ time, gathered at Matlock Hall, as they did every summer.
Each year seemed to hold something new to celebrate.
Seven babies had been born, Mary and Kitty had wed honorable gentlemen who loved them, and the Gardiners had come to reside at Montrose after Lady Rebecca and Henry Tilney quit the house to take possession of Northanger Abbey.
This summer brought Georgiana Darcy’s besotted fiancé north, and the gentlemen were inclined to give the lad a great deal of trouble to be sure he was up to snuff.
They also celebrated Lydia Bennet reaching the age of one and twenty without marrying, which earned Lady Rebecca an enormous sum from all of her siblings.
Lydia had become the darling of the ton in her years divided between Pemberley, Matlock, and London.
She had become more accomplished than any of her sisters, and was known for her singular fashion sense.
Eligible beaux had fallen at her feet since she first came out in society, but by then she had learned to require all that her sisters had found in their husbands, and began to speak as Rebecca once had done, of never marrying, for she lived a life of luxury and diversion already.
Their large family party was in high spirits one afternoon at Matlock, where they carried on in disorganized revelry in all of the downstairs rooms, which were no longer recognizable to Jane as the home of her first marriage.
As Jane left the parlor to retrieve a doll her young niece was crying for, the housekeeper ran toward her in a flutter of excitement.
Mrs. Hannah Barnes had been promoted the year before, when the old housekeeper retired, and she ruled the other maids – including three of her own sisters – like a generalissimo.
Her husband, who was still sometimes called Johnny Brick by the staff at Matlock, had taken over the cook’s duties, his aging mother now retired, though from time to time she returned to her former domain to terrorize the kitchen during especially grand events.
Jane looked at her old friend in surprise. “What is it, Hannah?”
“Oh, your ladyship, I know the house is supposed to be closed to visitors while the family is in residence, but you will never, ever guess who’s come!”
“Tell me,” Jane said with an indulgent smile.
Mrs. Barnes ran down the corridor and disappeared around the corner, only to return with three wonderfully familiar faces.
“Now there’s a countess I cannae forget,” boomed a jovial voice.
“Accosted any redcoats lately, lass?” Mrs. Ferguson stretched her arms wide as Jane hurried into her embrace.
“I thrashed my brother soundly this morning for teaching Thomas a most unsavory word,” Jane laughed. “But it is so wonderful to see you all! What brings you to Derbyshire? But you must come and see – everyone is here!”
“Oh, bless me, is it not an imposition to you? We’ve come down on a holiday, Duncan has just finished at the University of Edinburgh, and Fiona’s wed to Mr. Murray, who runs the inn – we finally built it like I always said!
And with everything well in hand, I told Mr. F we would have a good long holiday!
We toured Pemberley yesterday, and they said the family was away, but they didnae say they was all here or we’d not have come. ”
“Nonsense, you must know how welcome you shall always be,” Jane said, regarding the family who had saved her with tears of joy in her eyes.
Mrs. Ferguson was stout as ever, and her red hair was beginning to go gray.
Mr. Ferguson sported eccentrically wispy whiskers and was rounder about the middle now.
Duncan was a man grown, and a rather handsome one now.
Lydia ran out into the corridor laughing, and came to a halt at the sight of the visitors – perhaps at the sight of one, in particular. She cocked her head, studying them with vague recognition.
Duncan Ferguson bowed. “I remember ye, we danced at your sister’s weddin’ and ye gave me the yellow ribbon from your hair.”
Lydia stood up a little straighter and smiled. “I shall wear another like it tonight, for it is my birthday.”
“The Fergusons are touring Derbyshire,” Jane said, sharing a look with Mrs. Ferguson. “Shall I invite them to stay for your party, Lydia?”
“I am sure we shall have a hundred people! La! We have not all been this merry since that summer in Gretna, I am sure! What fun!”
Jane and Mrs. Barnes showed the guests into the parlor, where they were met with many warm salutations.
Jane, Lizzy, and Lady Susan all had the pleasure of showing off their children.
Lady Susan had a daughter, the apple of her father's eye.
Elizabeth had given Mr. Darcy a son and a daughter, and had a third child on the way.
Jane had four more sons after Thomas – Richard, William, Edward, and little Charlie were all the very image of their father, and shared his high energy.
And then Jane presented her ward, a precocious girl of four.
“This is Amelia Tilney, my ward. Lady Catherine and the General died this past winter, and Henry and Rebecca offered to take her, as well as their sister, Mrs. Franklin, but I have always wanted a daughter. Eleanor Franklin has three of her own, and Henry and Rebecca are content enough without any children at all.”
“Lord, the woman who….” Mrs. Ferguson wore a look of astonishment.
Jane smiled with pride at little Amelia. “I mean to raise her to be a far, far better woman.”
“And I shall take her shopping twice a year, and spoil her as much as the rest of the little goblins,” Rebecca laughed. “I shall always have a niece or nephew with me, and Henry is surely their favorite uncle.”
When Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson had sufficiently admired all the children born of the marriages they had brought about, they were invited to join the party at Matlock.
“Whatever inn you are staying at, send for your things to be brought here. I have just had all the guest rooms done anew, and we have two to spare.”
The Fergusons eyed their son, who was charming Lydia with his tales of Edinburgh, and then readily assented to be of the party.
The celebration of Lydia’s birthday was just what had become customary when they were all together in the country.
They dined well, conversed merrily, played rowdy games, and danced until late into the night.
But this birthday, for Lydia, was the last occasion where she could boast of being happily unattached, for ere long the ever-growing family soon included a more lasting bond with the Fergusons… .