The Harvest Ball

by Lily Bernard

  When they were far from the house, Darcy began, “Richard, I need your help. Mr. Harris, the magistrate in Lambton was here yesterday. As he walked toward my study, he thought he recognized one of our new footmen. He said he knew he had seen him before but could not remember where. Mr. Harris warned us to keep an eye on Sanders and let him know immediately if we see anything suspicious. I did not tell Mrs. Reynolds why, but I asked her not to ask Sanders to escort Elizabeth or Georgiana when they leave the house.”

  “You think that Sanders was involved in the kidnapping scheme all along? Why are you keeping him on? Why is he not already with his friends in gaol?”

  “He has a right to work and came with good references. Until we know otherwise, we should just keep our eyes on him without letting him know that we suspect him.”

  “Darcy, you have given me an idea. What would you say to setting a trap for Sanders? If he is innocent, we will soon know it. If he is guilty, he should be in irons as quickly as possible.”

  “You were an accomplished military strategist, I will do whatever you think is best.”

  The Harvest Ball was scheduled for September twenty-third, the day that Elizabeth had been assured by the groundskeepers would also bring the Harvest Moon. They explained to her that because the moon rises so soon after sunset, the brightness of the Harvest Moon enables the farmers to continue to harvest their crops until well after sundown. The Harvest Moon can last for several days which is another reason it is celebrated by the farmers. Elizabeth had learned from Mrs. Reynolds, that according to tradition, the party was also a celebration of the food grown on the land and a successful harvest at the end of the farming year. Elizabeth and Georgiana liked the idea of having the musicians play many of the local folk songs. The festivities would also include games for the children and food and dancing for everyone.

  Mrs. Reynolds, Cook and the entire kitchen staff had prepared an impressive feast for their guests; friends, members of the local gentry and the tenants alike. Elizabeth hoped it would be a high-spirited occasion, one that would mingle the partygoers’ expression of gratitude with jovial good cheer. Georgiana had helped fill and decorate the baskets of fruit and food which all the tenants would be given at the end of the festivities. Elizabeth and Mrs. Reynolds found an idea they liked among the notes describing many of the previous Harvest celebrations. They decorated the room with various symbols of the harvest: corn stalks, bales of hay and baskets overflowing with pumpkins, gourds and other seasonal food.

  Chapter 6

  The Harvest Ball 1813

  The night of the Harvest Ball arrived at last. Darcy and Elizabeth stood near the front door and happily received all their guests. Elizabeth had come to know most of the tenants in the past year and she was very happy to welcome them all to Pemberley. When Mr. Carter arrived, he was accompanied by his sister whom he introduced as Lady Emily Howard. Lady Emily was a very attractive young woman who was dressed in a simple lavender gown. When the Darcys greeted her, she explained that she hesitated before accepting their invitation because she was in mourning for her husband. She had not planned to join them, but her brother encouraged her to attend even if she could not dance. “We are very happy you are here with us, and you have our sincere condolences.” Peter left his sister talking with the Darcys and walked toward the ballroom to greet his parishioners.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Darcy. My brother told me I would like you as soon as we met.”

  Elizabeth smiled at the compliment and asked, “Will you stay in Derbyshire long, Lady Howard?”

  “Mrs. Darcy, please call me Emily, or Lady Emily if you must. I have never felt comfortable with being called Lady Howard. I believe I will remain in Derbyshire for the foreseeable future. Upon my late husband’s death, his younger brother quickly moved his family into the Howard estate in Surrey. I am hoping to remain on good terms with the family, so I quickly moved my things out of there as well as Howard House in London.”

  “In that case, we welcome you to Pemberley and hope we will see much more of you while you are in Derbyshire.” Lady Emily was still speaking with Elizabeth when Richard came out of the ballroom and walked toward them. He did not recognize the beautiful petite blond woman Elizabeth was speaking to. “Richard, I would like you to meet one of our guests. Lady Howard, allow me to introduce you to our cousin, Richard Fitzwilliam; Richard, may I present Lady Howard. Lady Howard is the sister of Mr. Carter, the new vicar at Kympton.”

  “It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Howard. May I escort you to the ballroom?” Lady Emily thought the tall, dark-haired man she had just met was very attractive. He has the most beautiful blue eyes. He certainly looks like he has done a great deal of physical labor; he fills out his dinner jacket quite well. Stop it Emily! Try to remember you are in mourning.

  “Yes, but only if you call me Emily or Lady Emily.” He smiled and nodded his agreement with her request before offering her his arm. As they walked together toward the ballroom, Richard silently cursed the painful souvenir of the war which he carried with him. Although his leg might suffer from the activity, he gathered his courage and asked, “May I have the honor of dancing the second set with you, Lady Emily?” She was a very beautiful woman, but Richard wondered if she was kind enough to dance with a man with an occasional limp.

  “Mr. Fitzwilliam, I regret that I must decline; I am still in mourning for my husband.”

  “You have my sincere condolences for your loss, madam.” Although they would not be sharing a dance, Richard was immediately taken by this lovely young woman and her penetrating green eyes. After he escorted her to the ballroom, he sat beside her at one of the many tables set up around the dance floor.

  After speaking about the décor and number of people in attendance, Richard was baffled by what he should say next so he asked, “Lady Emily, may I bring you some lemonade?”

  “Thank you, I would enjoy having some.” When he returned with their beverages, he sat beside Lady Emily and they spent the first set chatting. He told her about his close relationship with the Darcys and that he was the co-guardian of Georgiana. She told him a little about growing up in Suffolk with her two older brothers but never said a word about her late husband.

  Elizabeth was anxiously awaiting the Bingleys’ arrival; she had not seen her dear sister in many weeks. Jane was kept very busy with her daughter, Maddie, and she was quite busy planning the Harvest Ball. Elizabeth did not venture from the confines of Pemberley due to an overabundance of caution on her husband’s part. He did not want his wife to be jostled around the inside of a carriage unless it was absolutely necessary.

  Finally, the Bingleys’ coach pulled up to the house and the Darcys stepped outside to greet them. They were quite surprised when, after Charles helped Jane from the carriage, he turned back to help his sister, Caroline. As Jane embraced Elizabeth, she whispered in her ear, “Lizzy, I am so sorry, we did not know Caroline was coming to visit us. We were shocked when she showed up at our door this morning and we could hardly leave her home. She is so well acquainted with you all and we did not wish to miss your party. I hope you and William do not mind too much.”

  Caroline Bingley was well known to the Darcys from the time the Bingleys resided in Hertfordshire. She had also visited Birchwood Manor while Elizabeth was residing there. Caroline was an attractive woman when she was not wearing a sneer or looking down her nose at the people around her. She was tall and thin and had the same reddish-blonde hair as her brother. Her sister, Luisa Hurst, married for several years and living in London, was dark haired and shorter in stature than her siblings. Elizabeth did not answer her sister but turned away from Jane and walked to where Caroline Bingley was nearing the front steps. Elizabeth smiled and said, “Miss Bingley, welcome to Pemberley. We are delighted you could join us.”

  Elizabeth’s kindness surprised Caroline and she simply curtsied and said, “I thank you for the welcome, Mrs. Darcy,” she smiled as she entered Pemberley. I should have been the mistress of this grand estate
and the likes of that country chit, Eliza Bennet, would never be permitted through the door. Well, maybe the kitchen door, she could always work here as a maid. All the time I wasted chasing after Mr. Darcy and in the end, he married a woman with no accomplishments, no sense of fashion, no social skills and no connections to London’s high society. The next thing you know, she will allow horses to graze in the music room!

  Darcy and Elizabeth remained in the entry hall to greet their late arriving guests. When they entered the ballroom, he smiled at his beautiful wife when he saw that every aspect of her meticulous planning had come to fruition. All their guests were busy chatting, drinking punch and lemonade and partaking of all the delicious food Mrs. Covington and the kitchen staff had worked so hard to produce. The musicians were beginning to tune their instruments when Darcy and Elizabeth walked to the center of the dance floor. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention for a moment.” When the people gathered in the ballroom noticed their hosts attempting to gain their attention, they all quieted to listen to the master of Pemberley. Just as Darcy began to speak, a ball rolled across the floor in front of him, followed by two laughing boys. Darcy picked up the ball and handed it to one of the children. The boys knew who stood before them and tried to bow as best they could. Everyone laughed at the boys’ lack of inhibition and their feeble attempt to show respect to the master of the estate.

  “As I was saying, Mrs. Darcy and I are very happy to welcome you all to the Harvest Ball. Most of you know that we have not held this happy event at Pemberley for many, many years. Now is the time for us all to look ahead.” Darcy looked down at his wife and her very large front and smiled. “We thank you all for your hard work which has resulted in a very successful harvest and we look forward to welcoming you all to next year’s Harvest Ball.” All the guests began to clap and cheer for the return of this happy event and the joy and optimism which now pervaded Pemberley. When the cheering died down, Darcy continued, “before we begin the dancing, I would like to ask Mr. Carter to lead us in a prayer of thanks.”

  Mr. Carter walked toward the Darcys and said, “friends, let us bow our heads. This harvest celebration reminds us of all the good things God gives us. This gratitude to the Almighty moves us to share with others who are not so fortunate. Many dishes have been prepared tonight which will be distributed to those members of our congregation who are most in need. We thank all of you for your labors in the past growing season and we thank God for a most successful harvest. Let us all say, amen.”

  Looking around the ballroom, Caroline could hardly believe her eyes; the room was decorated with straw men and pumpkins! Pumpkins! She was appalled by the lack of fashion and proper decorum that she was accustomed to in London. I cannot believe that Pemberley, one of the grandest estates in all of England, has sunk to this undignified level; no doubt the work of that country bumpkin who is now mistress. If I had married Darcy, none of this riffraff would ever be allowed to enter through the front door. Although I was quite impressed by the words and confidence of the handsome young vicar. Still, the total lack of fashion, decorum and manners is truly shocking!

  While in London, Caroline attended services almost every Sunday, but she had never been interested in what the man in the front of the church had to say. She was always too busy looking around to see if there were any eligible men or members of the nobility attending the service. Several minutes later, she was standing with Jane and Charles still musing about how low the Darcy family had fallen when Mr. Carter walked by. “Pray excuse me for the intrusion but are you not Mrs. Darcy’s sister and brother? We met once before, I am Peter Carter, the vicar at Kympton.”

  “How lovely to see you again, Mr. Carter. We appreciated your prayer. Allow me to introduce my sister, Miss Caroline Bingley,” Jane said. “Caroline, may I present Peter Carter, the vicar at Kympton.” Peter Carter bowed, and Caroline curtsied while trying to take a measure of the attractive, tall man before her.

  “Miss Bingley, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Thank you, sir, I am happy to meet you, as well.”

  They could hear the musicians warming up when Peter Carter said, “I realize that we have just been introduced but may I ask if you are available for the first set?”

  “Mr. Carter, I would be delighted.” Caroline could not refuse his offer and she placed her hand on Mr. Carter’s arm as the couples were lining up for the dance. As Caroline and Mr. Carter walked away, Jane and Charles smiled at each other, each silently praying that perhaps Caroline had finally met someone to marry and start her own life. Jane thought, as much as we would like her to meet someone, we must be honest about our sister. It is highly unlikely that Caroline would consider anyone without a large fortune and a title.

  As they were dancing, Caroline admired his fine clothes and his calm demeanor, but she knew that a vicar must live simply. She had never heard his name while attending London society events, so she knew he must be a person of no significance in the ton. Although he could never be considered as a candidate to become her husband, she decided that dancing with a tall, handsome and well-dressed man was better than standing with her brother and Jane watching everyone else having a good time.

  After their dance, Peter escorted Caroline to the refreshments table. Although she did not know why, she was intrigued by the vicar. He was very good looking and seemed to be very happy with his lot in life. He was also an excellent dancer and easy to converse with. While they sipped their lemonade, she asked, “if you do not mind me asking, how did you come to the Church?”

  “I do not mind at all. My older brother has been groomed his entire life to take over my family’s business interests. I never had a taste for financial matters, but I have always felt a calling to serve God. I attended Cambridge and shortly after finishing there, I took orders. As part of my training to be a vicar, I first worked as a curate in a parish near my family’s estate in Suffolk. When I heard that the living in Kympton was available, I came to Derbyshire and met with Mr. Darcy and Mr. Hatcher, the retiring vicar.

  “Several weeks later, I received a letter from Mr. Darcy offering me the living at Kympton. I moved into the parsonage in August and my sister, Emily, I should say, Lady Howard, came to stay with me earlier this month. As I am not married, she has been acting as my hostess and has been very helpful. She has chosen some lovely pieces of furniture to replace some of the worn out items and has helped me hire a small staff.”

  So, his parents have their own estate in Suffolk, and I have to meet the second son. When will I meet the oldest son of a wealthy family?

  “Your sister is Lady Howard?”

  “Yes, she is now a widow, Lord Howard died several months ago, and Emily is still in mourning. She came to Derbyshire to have some peace and quiet after living in London. She accompanied me here tonight.”

  “I am sorry to hear of her loss, my condolences.”

  “Thank you for your kind words.

  Certainly, no one has ever thanked me for being kind before. I remember meeting Lord Howard once or twice at parties in London. He had quite a reputation as a gambler, heavy drinker and a womanizer. I wonder what drew him and Lady Howard together?

  Peter escorted her back to her family and before he left her he bowed and said, “It was a pleasure meeting you Miss Bingley and I enjoyed our dance and conversation.”

  Caroline curtsied and said, “Yes, it was very pleasant.” As she looked around the room, she glanced at the Darcys standing at the side of the dance floor and watched them while they were quietly speaking to one another. I will never know what arts and allurements Eliza Bennet used to trap Mr. Darcy into marriage. They do appear to be happy together and will obviously be welcoming a child very soon. Darcy was always drawn to that hoyden, even in Hertfordshire, he could not take his eyes off her. Heaven knows why!

  While Richard was dancing with Georgiana, his eyes kept returning to where Lady Emily was sitting on the outskirts of the ballroom. She was rarely alone; at various times she
was joined by Elizabeth, Peter Carter and many of her brother’s parishioners stopped at her table to welcome her. I suppose I am not the only one who found Lady Emily engaging and pleasant to speak with.

  When Elizabeth sat with Lady Emily, they discussed some of the many changes they both experienced when they moved to Derbyshire from warmer portions of England. “I hope you were not upset when Mr. Fitzwilliam asked to escort you to the ballroom so shortly after you were introduced. He is a very dear member of our family and we do not see him as often as we once did since he moved to Kent. We are so happy he was able to join us tonight.”

  “I was very happy to meet him. When he asked me to dance, I was sorry to disappoint him. He appeared to understand that my refusal came from my adherence to the customs of our society.”

  “Yes, I am sure you are correct. Richard is one of the finest men I have ever met.” The two women smiled at each other. “Lady Emily, I hope to speak with you again this evening, but I must greet some of our other guests and speak to my husband.” Both women rose and curtsied and Elizabeth turned to greet some of the tenants.

  The musicians were warming up for another set when Elizabeth glanced up at her husband with a pleading look in her eyes. “We spoke about this. No dancing for you tonight, my love. I do not wish our babe to be born in the ballroom.”

  “I know I agreed to stay off my feet as much as possible, but you know how I love to dance.”

  “Next year, I promise you I will dance you off your feet while our beautiful child sleeps upstairs in the nursery.”

  “I am looking forward to that, sir.”

  Darcy raised his wife’s hand to his lips and said quietly, “I hope you know that I love you very much, Mrs. Darcy.”

  “Your secret is safe with me, Mr. Darcy.”

  Later in the party, Richard was walking toward the terrace for some fresh air when he heard a child crying. When he turned around, he saw that Lady Emily was kneeling down in front of the little boy and was attempting to comfort the child. She was evidently successful; the young boy was smiling when he raised his arms to be held and was quickly in her embrace. A moment later, the boy’s mother came to claim her child and thanked Lady Emily for caring for her son. While watching the interaction between Lady Emily and the child, Richard felt a stirring in his heart which he had never felt before. At that moment, he knew he would be spending a lot of time thinking about the beautiful but guarded Lady Emily.