The Harvest Ball

by Lily Bernard

  After the three men entered the study, Darcy spoke first. “What brought you to Pemberley, Uncle? I did not know that Richard had successfully implemented his mysterious plan without my knowledge.”

  “On the contrary, he did not know we were coming. I will give you the details in a few minutes but let me first tell you that the threat to your family and mine seems to be over.”

  “Over? How can that be?” Richard asked his father.

  “Two days ago, three men were captured near Matlock. They had a bagful of money and some jewelry they had just stolen from the Northam’s estate, not far from Matlock Manor. The local magistrate was informed of their location by someone the robbers had met in a local tavern. After several rounds of drinks, one of the thieves began boasting that they were celebrating their new found wealth; they had recently inherited some money and jewels. The next morning the man in the tavern called on the magistrate and told him everything he had heard the night before. Finding and capturing three hungover men was easier than they thought, and they are all being held in the local jail.

  “I suppose that after their failed attempt to capture Lizzy, they turned their sights from kidnapping to robbery. To be cautious, we brought Georgiana here with several armed guards riding in front of and behind our carriage, as well as two armed men riding on top with the driver. Although the magistrate in Matlock felt that the threat to our family is over, I was not going to take any chances. I suggest you keep your guards on for a few more weeks, by then we can be sure that the danger has passed.”

  “Thank you for bringing my sister and Mrs. Annesley safely back to us. I would like to think the magistrate is correct, but I will rest easier knowing that armed guards are still protecting us.”

  “So, I suppose my plan will not see the light of day and I could not be more pleased,” said Richard.

  “You may tell me all about your plan at another time. Right now, I would like to rejoin the ladies. I wish to look at my wife and sister knowing they are no longer in danger. Uncle, I hope you and Aunt Patricia will join us for dinner and be our guests tonight.”

  “I believe your aunt has already spoken to Mrs. Reynolds about our usual accommodations.” The three men left Darcy’s study smiling and rejoined the ladies in the drawing room for refreshments.

  Later that afternoon, Darcy and Elizabeth went to their chambers to change for dinner. Before going downstairs to rejoin their guests, Darcy knocked on the door to his wife’s chambers and after he was admitted, he asked Hannah to leave them. “I will ring for you when I am preparing for bed.”

  “Yes, Mrs. Darcy.”

  After Hannah was gone, Darcy and Elizabeth sat down on the settee in front of the fireplace. “I know you well enough that I will have no peace until I tell you what my uncle, Richard and I discussed earlier in my study.”

  “You do know me well, my dear husband,” she said as she took her husband’s hand in hers.

  “It will not take long. In essence, before Richard’s plan could be put into place, three criminals were arrested near Matlock after they robbed a nearby estate of money and jewelry while the residents were away traveling. Apparently, the men were watching the Northam’s estate and when the observed that there was little or no security, they entered and ransacked the house. The magistrate did not expect there were any other men still on the loose.”

  “How were they captured so quickly?”

  “Evidently, once they got their hands on the money and jewels, they went to the nearest tavern and drank more than enough to loosen their lips. One of the men who overheard their boasting, went to the local magistrate the next day and fortunately, they were easy to track down. It seems that they had so much to drink, they were all still sleeping in their rooms at a nearby inn.”

  “Are we now safe?” Elizabeth was happy but felt that she would not feel entirely free of the threat until much more time had passed without incident. “Will you tell Georgiana?”

  “I do not see any reason to tell her about a threat that no longer exists.”

  “I agree with you, and now we must go and join our guests.” As they walked toward the staircase, Elizabeth added, “I am trying to be happy about this news but..”

  “I know how you are feeling and I will keep the armed guards on for the time being. When we are sure we are completely safe, we can return to our normal security measures.”

  The following morning, Lord and Lady Matlock returned to Matlock Manor after sharing breakfast with the Darcys and Richard. After their departure, Elizabeth joined the men in Darcy’s study while Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley went to the music room. “So, Lizzy, did you sleep well last night knowing the threat is over?”

  Elizabeth rubbed her stomach and said, “I have not slept well for some time. This little one tends to practice kicking when I am trying to sleep. But I know what you are talking about and I am happy, but we will not let our guard down until we are quite sure we are out of danger. Richard, we do not believe Georgiana should be told of any of this.”

  “I agree with you both. I suppose it is now safe for me to get back to Rosings. I thank you for your hospitality.”

  “Will you not stay for the Harvest Ball? It is less than a week from now; we love having you here and we both appreciate you coming to Pemberley to warn us. Please tell us you will stay and then you can travel back to Kent directly after the Ball.”

  “How can I say no to such a lovely invitation? I will send a note to Rosings and my steward can handle things for a few more days. I would like to spend more time with Georgiana, I rarely see her now that I am in Kent. I will depart after the party.”

  “Wonderful, I will let Mrs. Reynolds know you shall remain with us. You know you are one of her favorite people; she always asks Mrs. Covington to serve your favorite foods when you are here,” Elizabeth said with a smile.

  After speaking with Mrs. Reynolds, Elizabeth encountered Georgiana leaving the music room. “Lizzy, is there anything I can do to help you with the Harvest Ball?”

  Although everything was planned, Elizabeth knew her sister wished to be part of the festivities. “Georgie, I do need help organizing the games for the younger children and the gift baskets for the tenants are not yet assembled. I would be very relieved if you could take some of the responsibility off my shoulders. The baby is very active at night and I have not been sleeping well. Shall we meet after my afternoon rest and discuss your ideas?”

  “Yes, I will go to my sitting room and write down all my thoughts. I will speak with you later, and Lizzy, thank you for including me.”

  “I believe the true meaning of sisterhood is always being available to help your sister in whatever she needs. I thank you for your kind offer. Now, I am off to my chambers for some rest.”

  “Sleep well, Lizzy.”

  Meanwhile in his study, Darcy was finally in the frame of mind to ask Richard about his plan to trap the kidnappers. “It hardly seems to matter now; Georgiana is home safely, Elizabeth was unharmed, and my father believes the threat is gone. It seems Lord and Lady Northam being away from their estate and being robbed by Wickham’s men eliminated the need for any subterfuge.”

  “I am certain it was a clever plan, but I am glad it was not needed. I told Elizabeth that we will keep the armed guards on alert for the next few weeks and then return to our usual security if the kidnappers fail to resurface.”

  “That is a very good plan, cousin. Now tell me who you have invited to the Harvest Ball.” The men went over the guest list and were enjoying the relaxing time they were spending together.

  Chapter 5

  Later that afternoon, Georgiana joined Elizabeth in her sitting room and they discussed their plans for the Harvest Ball. Elizabeth was impressed by many of her sister’s ideas and she expressed her appreciation. “I think the children will be delighted with the games and activities you have planned for them. The staff will be happy to put together the baskets for the tenants, but I would appreciate you checking on their progress. I know Mrs.
Reynolds will also be happy to hear your suggestions. It will not be long before you are presented at Court and make your debut into London’s society. Although William and I are in no hurry for you to leave us, you will fall in love with a wonderful man one day and you will be a wonderful mistress of your husband’s estate.”

  “I am grateful for your confidence in me but the thought of my presentation at Court is giving me nightmares. And my coming out Ball is not something I am looking forward to. I wish we could just decide on a certain date that I am out and then I could start attending parties. The idea of being the center of attention for an entire night is not something I am comfortable with. The way I feel now, I can hardly imagine myself as a wife.”

  “I can understand your feelings but William and I both feel that your debut has been postponed long enough. We will be with you when you have a question or need some encouragement. Aunt Patricia will also be on hand to help us get through all the happy occasions. Now let us join the men for dinner.” Elizabeth reached out her hand and the two Darcy sisters walked side by side until they entered the drawing room and greeted Darcy and Richard.

  While they were having dinner, they were all excitedly talking about the upcoming Harvest Ball. Elizabeth mentioned to Richard and Georgiana that the new vicar at Kympton had been invited. “Mr. Carter is a young, handsome man who is very well liked by William and me. All his parishioners seem very happy with their new spiritual leader.”

  “I am sorry I forgot to mention it, but I heard from Mr. Carter. He has regrettably declined our invitation to the Harvest Ball because his sister will be visiting him.”

  “Do you have any objection to inviting Mr. Carter’s sister to attend such an informal event with him? I would hate for his parishioners to miss the opportunity to spend some time with Mr. Carter in a relaxed social setting.”

  “I think it would be lovely if Mr. Carter and his sister attended our first Harvest Ball in so many years,” added Georgiana. “And Richard, I am so glad you will be staying with us until then. It will be so much fun to have you, as well as William, as my dance partners.”

  “You know I find it very difficult to say no to you. I am very happy to extend my visit until the Harvest Ball; but I must return to Rosings directly after the festivities.”

  “I suppose this matter is now settled. Richard will remain at Pemberley until the Ball and I will send Mr. Carter a note in the morning. I propose we forego our port tonight. Let us enjoy our time listening to Georgie playing for us, and, perhaps we can even convince my lovely wife to sing.”

  “I cannot think of anything better!” Richard rose and escorted Elizabeth to the drawing room while Darcy walked his sister to the pianoforte. As she sat down on the bench, Darcy looked at his beautiful sister and said a silent prayer of thanks for her safety. Before he left her seated at the instrument, Darcy leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

  “Thank you, brother. It seems like the happiness we have been missing since our dear parents left us is once again surrounding us.”

  “I am thankful that we are all safe and happy. However, when you become an aunt, we must be prepared to lose some of the peace and quiet we presently enjoy.”

  “Yes, I know, but even the sound of a baby crying is a joyful sound. Do you not agree?”

  “I could not agree with you more.”

  Pemberley

  September 1813

  Dear Mr. Carter,

  We are pleased to invite your sister to accompany you to the Harvest Ball on September 23rd. We are looking forward to meeting her and introducing you both to some of the local residents you have not yet had the opportunity to meet. I look forward to your reply.

  F. Darcy

  Kympton Rectory

  September 1813

  Dear Mr. Darcy,

  I appreciate the kind invitation you have extended to me and my sister, Emily. We will be very happy to attend, and I thank you again for thinking of us.

  P. Carter

  Shortly before the Harvest Ball, Josiah Harris, the magistrate from Lambton came to see Darcy. As he entered the manor house, his eyes met those of a footman, who immediately turned his head the other way. After he was shown into his study, Darcy asked, “to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Mr. Harris?”

  “Mr. Darcy, your footman, the man with the very dark hair, I could swear I have seen him before. Has he been in your employ long?”

  “No, in fact, I just hired Sanders and another man, a Mr. Johnson, a few weeks ago. I knew I would be busy with Bethel all day and I insisted that Mrs. Darcy be escorted on her daily walks. Do you know him? He came with good references.”

  “I know I have seen him before; I could never forget his dark hair and eyes. Mr. Darcy, I do not know why, but I think you should keep a close eye on Sanders. If you have any suspicions about his behavior, please send for me at once.”

  “He was injured by the would-be kidnappers while he was escorting Mrs. Darcy. Do you think his head wound was a ruse?”

  “If he is up to no good, he could have easily pretended to be hit on the head. Was he examined by a doctor?” Darcy shook his head in response. “I will try to figure out where I have seen him and if I think there is any threat to your family, I will notify you immediately. If I need to see his references, I assume you still have them.”

  “I trust your judgement and your education, even though you were an Oxford man.” Darcy grinned at the magistrate, “I will look for his letters of recommendation later today and have them delivered to your office. Thank you for the warning, Mr. Harris but there must have been another reason for your coming here.”

  “I came to give you some good news. I received a note from Mr. Irwin, the magistrate in Matlock. He told me the three men he apprehended in connection to the robbery at Lord and Lady Northam’s estate, confessed. They said they originally came to Derbyshire in order to kidnap a member of your family and hold them for a very large ransom. They admitted their guilt in an effort to have their sentences reduced from hanging to transportation.”

  “At least, there is that good news. We will all sleep a little easier knowing we are no longer threatened by those men. I thank you for coming here yourself to deliver the good news. May I offer you some brandy?”

  “I thank you, but I must be getting back to town. I noticed a few of the extra armed guards you have stationed around the house. I no longer believe their services are needed. I know you maintain an excellent security force at all times. Mr. Darcy, keep your eyes on your new footman. Good day, sir.”

  “Thank you for taking the time to deliver the good news in person. I will do as you ask regarding Sanders.”

  Darcy did not wish to worry his wife or sister, so he said nothing about Mr. Harris’s warning about the newly hired footman. He planned to speak to Richard about the magistrate’s concerns at the first opportunity. He would also speak to Mrs. Reynolds and ask her to make certain she did not ask that Sanders escort Elizabeth or Georgiana. Mrs. Reynolds knew Darcy well enough not to question his request.

  Darcy entered his wife’s chambers after they had prepared for bed. “Why are you walking with your hands behind you? I know you are hiding something.” She was trying to peek behind her husband’s back, but he teased her and kept turning away from her until she stayed in one place.

  Darcy approached his wife and bent to kiss her head. “Do you know what today is, Mrs. Darcy?”

  “Today?” She paused and tried to think. “Oh, my goodness, today is September the seventeenth, our first wedding anniversary. With all the worries about the kidnappers and planning for the Harvest Ball, I suppose I completely lost track of the date. Happy anniversary to you, my dearest husband.”

  “Happy anniversary to you, my beloved wife. And now, here is the part where you get to see what I am holding.”

  “William, I am so sorry I have no gift for you. I feel terrible about forgetting the day we were joined in marriage; the happiest day of my life.”

 
Darcy showed Elizabeth the small box he had been holding behind his back. When he handed it to her he said, “You need not think of this as an anniversary gift; it is just something I thought you would like to have.”

  “Well, you have certainly piqued my interest.” Elizabeth removed the ribbon and opened the box to find a beautiful gold locket nestled in the silk lining. “It is so beautiful. Thank you, William, I will treasure it always.”

  “It has today’s date engraved on the back and if you open it, you will see there are spaces for several pictures. I thought that when the baby is old enough, we can have a portrait done and a miniature can be placed in your locket. And if we are so blessed, there is room for several more miniatures.”

  “What a wonderful idea from my wonderful husband. I will cherish it and I look forward to adding our child’s portrait and, I pray, several more.” Elizabeth handed the locket to her husband and lifted her hair so he could close the clasp. “I still feel terrible that I have nothing for you.”

  “Elizabeth, you should know by now, that having you in my life; every day, every night, as my wife, my friend, my partner and the mother of my child is all that I will ever need. Your love for me is the only gift I will ever want.”

  Elizabeth reached up and caressed her husband’s face. “You shall always have the gift of my love.” She took his hand and led him to the bed where they spent the remainder of the night, celebrating their anniversary by expressing their love for each other.

  The following day, Darcy asked his cousin to join him in his study after breakfast. When the two men were seated, Darcy rose from his desk chair and opened the study door and looked into the hallway. He closed the door firmly and looked at Richard, “perhaps we should speak outside.”

  “My my, you are being quite mysterious!”

  “Just cautious cousin, just cautious.”