The Harvest Ball

by Lily Bernard

  Lord Matlock found his nephew standing alone and frowning while watching the dancers; more precisely watching Elizabeth dancing with someone he did not know. “Darcy, I am glad to find you alone; I wish to speak to you about my sister.”

  “Of course, let us move to a more private space to discuss this topic.” The men moved to an alcove where they could not be overheard.

  “Well, my boy, you were absolutely correct. My sister has completely lost her mind. She is so full of hatred for everyone and everything that she stares at the walls and talks to herself all day. I spoke with her maid and housekeeper and they confirmed what I saw myself.”

  “Do you have a plan to deal with her? I will never allow her to come near my family again. Her behavior is nothing but hurtful and I will have no part of her.”

  “I have taken care of everything. Your aunt and several companions have already left London. Patricia inherited a small estate near the sea in Dorset from her aunt and Catherine will live there for the remainder of her life. After examining her, Dr. Dawson, my physician, has sent along several cases of a tonic that should soothe her nerves.”

  “Do you think we will ever see Lady Catherine again?”

  “It saddens me to say that I do not believe we will.” Lord Matlock paused before continuing, “I thank you for bringing her behavior to my attention. Since coming to London, she has sequestered herself and did not respond to any of the invitations we sent her. We thought she was still mourning Anne, but obviously it was much more than that.”

  “I am sorry my coming to you has brought you so much pain, but it will be better for everyone this way.” He and his uncle embraced and walked back toward the party.

  Darcy introduced his wife to Viscount Paxton, the son of Lord and Lady Townsend. “Mrs. Darcy, what a great pleasure to meet you. Many of Darcy’s friends sincerely doubted he would ever marry.”

  “Viscount Paxton, it is a pleasure to meet you. William has told me a great deal about your days together at school. As to him not marrying, when you last saw him, he had not yet met me.” Everyone laughed and continued to enjoy each other’s company.

  After Richard and Emily’s set, he walked her back to her parents. When she removed her hand from his arm, he bowed and walked away with a big smile on his face.

  The following day, Darcy, Elizabeth and Georgiana were sitting together at the breakfast table, each reading the letters which had arrived that morning. Elizabeth was reading a letter from Jane and was unconsciously shaking her head. “What has you so puzzled this morning, my love?”

  “Puzzled? Why would you think I was puzzled?”

  “Lizzy, we both saw you shaking your head as you were reading Jane’s letter,” Georgiana added.

  “Let me tell you what my sister wrote, and I am certain you will both be shaking your heads. She writes that Caroline has not left Derbyshire since arriving before Christmas. She told Jane and Charles that she has no interest in returning to Town for the Season. It seems that she frequently takes their carriage to Kympton to help distribute food and clothing to the neediest in the parish. She has also been called on by Mr. Carter on a regular basis. She has spoken to Jane more than once about her feelings for him and asked Jane how she knew she was in love with Charles. Jane feels that Caroline is not the same woman she was before she came to the Harvest Ball.” Elizabeth looked up to see two very perplexed faces listening to her recount Jane’s message.

  “Caroline Bingley is in love with Mr. Carter?” Georgiana was incredulous. “She chased after William for so long, I cannot imagine she would ever settle for a vicar. He is a fine man but not the type of person any of us could imagine Miss Bingley being attracted to. In the past, she has only thrown herself at very wealthy or titled men.”

  “I agree with Georgie, and if I were reading Jane’s letter, I believe I would have been shaking my head as well.” They all laughed at Darcy’s observation.

  “Whatever happens, I hope both of them will be very happy. I am going up to the nursery for a few minutes,” Elizabeth said as she rose from the table. She wanted to spend more time with her precious son before callers, once again, began arriving at Darcy House.

  Later that morning, Richard walked the short distance between Matlock House and the Carter’s townhouse on Grosvenor Square. As he neared his destination, he saw someone with whom he was acquainted leaving the Carter’s home. So, Lord Hedley, is now courting Lady Emily. Hedley, the degenerate womanizer and gambler whose parents have always lived too lavishly. They probably insist their son marry wealth to shore up their depleted family coffers and produce an heir. I am sure that Lord Hedley’s mother and Mrs. Carter believe Lady Emily would fill the role well. Now I understand why her parents were so short with me last night – they are saving their sacrificial daughter for another miscreant with a title. I always hoped that I would have a good relationship with my future in-laws but maybe I need to take a page out of Darcy’s book. Keep my in-laws as far away from Rosings as possible. We will see them only on special occasions and at the birth of our children. Slow down, Richard - that was a big leap – from calling on Lady Emily for the first time to celebrating the birth of our children. I cannot stop myself, I feel a warm contentedness come over me just thinking about a happy future with my lovely Emily.

  Richard waited until Lord Hedley was far out of sight and he was quickly admitted to the Carter’s home. As he entered, he encountered Lady Emily donning her outerwear. “Lady Howard, I am very happy to see you today. Has my arrival kept you from leaving for an appointment?”

  “I was hoping to take in some fresh air and walk in Hyde Park. Would you care to join me?”

  “Thank you, Lady Howard, I would be delighted.”

  As they left the house, she took Richard’s proffered arm; the footman accompanying them was thoughtful enough to walk a good distance behind them. They walked in silence for several minutes before Lady Emily began the conversation. “Last night, you told my parents that you live on an estate that you recently inherited. May I ask what you did before taking over the estate?”

  “As a second son, there were few vocations open to me and unlike your brother, I knew I was not cut out for the Church. I was a member of His Majesty’s Army for many years and planned to spend my entire career in the Army. When I enlisted, I refused to allow my father to purchase a commission for me; I believed the men under my command would respect their leader more if they knew that I had earned my rank. I entered the army as a young recruit and through my work as a regimental leader while engaged in battle, in time I was fortunate to earn the rank of Colonel on my own.”

  “Did you leave His Majesty’s Army when you inherited your estate?”

  “Not exactly. Two years ago, I was seriously injured by a bullet in my leg. While still in Spain, the Army doctors determined that my injury was too serious to allow me to return to the battlefield. Shortly after returning to London, my cousin, Anne, died and left her family’s estate to me. I had always thought of myself as a soldier; leading my men into battle and fighting beside them. When I was here in London to recuperate, my commanders confirmed what the Army doctors had diagnosed; I was finished with the war. When I was well enough, I would be assigned to training recruits, a position which held no appeal to me. When I came into my inheritance, I resigned my commission and have been learning how to be a gentleman farmer, a role I never thought I would play. My only connection to my time in His Majesty’s army is my damaged leg which still aches terribly when it rains or I attempt to walk too quickly.”

  “Thank you for sharing your story with me, Colonel.”

  “That is a title I no longer hold; I am Mister Fitzwilliam now. I never thought it would happen, but I have come to enjoy a life where no one is trying to shoot me.” Richard laughed and looked at Lady Emily, who was smiling.

  “I am very happy that you are out of harm’s way.”

  “May I call on you tomorrow and perhaps walk in the park, again?”

  “Yes, Mr. Fitzwillia
m, I look forward to it.”

  Chapter 17

  The next morning Richard arrived at the Carter’s townhouse hoping he and Lady Emily could once again speak openly as they walked together. When the footman opened the door, Richard was delighted to see her standing nearby as if she anticipated his arrival and they quickly left the house. He was encouraged that Lady Emily cared enough about him that she wanted to protect him from any interaction with her parents. As they exited the Carter townhouse, again followed by a footman, Lady Emily took Richard’s arm before he offered it and he was heartened by her action. She looked up at him and asked him, “May I speak openly, Mr. Fitzwilliam?” He nodded his acquiescence. “I believe that you hold me in some affection, and I must tell you I feel affection for you as well.” He smiled contentedly as he placed his other hand on top of hers. “However, I wish to be honest when I tell you that I have never been in love. I fear I do not know if I am capable of loving you or anyone else. I would like you to know the truth about my marriage. May I tell you my story?”

  He stopped walking and looked at the woman on his arm. “I wish to know everything about you my dear Lady Emily. If telling me of your marriage will bring you pain, I pray you would spare yourself.”

  “If I ever cared for my husband, perhaps it would be a painful story. Since that is not the case, pray allow me to proceed.” Again, he nodded his agreement and they resumed walking. “Ours was a marriage in name only. Lord Howard needed an heir and a wife with a large dowry. His parents presented many eligible young women of the ton to him, but he was not attracted to any of them. We met several seasons ago and since I was not interested in him, he decided that I would be perfect as his wife. Marrying me would allow him to continue his wastrel ways using my dowry money. He told me that he only needed me to produce a son and then he would no longer come to my bed.

  “I was miserably unhappy, he barely said ten words a day to me while we were living in the same house. A few months after our marriage I realized that I was with child. I was elated that I would have a baby to love and love me in return. Sadly, before I felt the quickening, the child was lost. My husband was disappointed, but he quickly recovered from his melancholy and resumed his nightly drinking, gambling and visits to his favorite brothel.

  “Leaving a gambling hall one night, he was walking back to our townhouse when he was confronted by some criminals. He had had too much to drink and when he refused to give them money, one of them pushed him down. He was quite drunk and easily lost his balance, falling and hitting his head on a paving stone. The robbers left him there on the sidewalk to die but not before taking all his money and his gold pocket watch.”

  “Thank you for telling me the truth.” Richard paused before saying, “you have been terribly mistreated by the very people who should have been caring for your welfare.”

  “I thank you for saying that Mr. Fitzwilliam.”

  He looked at her face and simply smiled for her to continue. “I was forced to marry Lord Howard despite my protestations to my parents that there was a total lack of affection on both our parts. My parents insisted that I marry him, bear an heir and then we could both go our separate ways. When I asked my mother, ‘what of love? I wish to marry for love or at least some mutual affection.’ My mother told me that very few marriages are a love match, and most unions in the ton are marriages of convenience. She added, ‘do some arranged marriages ultimately lead to love? I suppose some do, but when dealing with the nobility, marriages are arranged to benefit the families involved.’ And that is how I became Lady Howard.”

  “I appreciate you sharing your story. I believe that you and I can marry for love and have a wonderful life together. It is too soon for me to ask for your hand but rest assured that I will do everything necessary to have you as my wife.” Richard turned to Lady Emily and gazed into her eyes. He was now certain that she looked at him with affection and maybe even love. He took her hand and raised it to his lips. Richard saw a small smile on her face when he kissed her hand.

  He looked back and saw the footman a good distance behind them, but he wondered if the servant would feel obligated to tell Mr. Carter that Richard had kissed his daughter’s hand. “I must ask you something before we return. I saw Lord Hedley leaving your house shortly before I arrived yesterday. Must I challenge him to a duel to eliminate his pursuit of your hand?”

  She laughed, “no duel will be necessary, sir. My father had Hedley investigated and learned that his Lordship is deeply in debt. He would not only require all my settlement money and what is left of my dowry, but much of my parents’ money, as well. My father has worked hard his entire life and is now a successful exporter of farm products. My parents will stop at almost nothing to have another son in-law with a title except lose a farthing of their hard-earned fortune. You need not worry about Lord Hedley ever darkening my door again. I heard my father instructing the staff that he was not to be admitted to our home under any circumstances.”

  “I am delighted to hear that I shall not have to challenge him to a duel. Shall we walk back now?”

  “Yes, we should; I have most certainly been out too long. I do not wish to give my parents any reason to keep me from spending more time with you.” Lady Emily smiled at Richard as they slowly walked back to the Carter’s home. “Shall we walk again tomorrow morning? Now that the fog has lifted, I would like to enjoy as much fresh air as possible.”

  “I would like to, but I must return to Kent on the morrow; I have obligations to my estate. I only came to London for my cousin, Georgiana Darcy’s debut, and planned to leave soon after. Since seeing you at the Townsend’s Ball earlier this week, I have remained in Town in the hope of spending more time with you. I would like you to visit Rosings someday, someday soon. The house is too big by half, but the grounds are quite beautiful.”

  “I would like to see Rosings,” Lady Emily blushed as she responded.

  “And so, you shall, my lady.” Richard and Emily both smiled as they walked up the front steps of her parent’s home. “May I write to you? There must be a way that we can communicate.”

  After thinking a moment, she said, “I have a good friend from my finishing school days who lives in Kent. Her name is Mary Greenley. If you write to me using her name, my parents will not think to examine your letters.”

  “I could have used your keen skills of subterfuge while I was fighting Napoleon,” Richard said with a laugh. “Farewell, Lady Emily, until we meet again.”

  “Please call me Emily and may I call you Richard?” Richard nodded his agreement and smiled and then she added, “farewell, Miss Greenley. I hope to hear from you soon.” Emily turned and walked through the front door as Richard strode away whistling a happy tune.

  When Richard returned to Rosings in March, he told Mrs. Elkins about his desire to communicate with a friend and asked his housekeeper to address his letters to Lady Emily. Mrs. Elkins was happy to comply and Richard’s letters to Lady Emily were never looked at with anything but happiness by her parents; Mary Greenley was really Lady Mary and the daughter of a peer.

  He received a letter from Lady Emily shortly after he returned to Kent. He wrote back telling her of his plans for the spring planting and some improvements being made to the tenants’ homes. In his first response, Richard did not want to write of anything personal in fear that his letter might be intercepted. In turn, Emily wrote of some parties she had attended at the homes of various friends and she described who had called on the Carters and with whom she drank tea.

  During the remainder of the Season, the Darcys attended a few well-chosen social events and in April, they happily returned to Pemberley. Bennet was almost six months old and they wanted their son to get to know Pemberley as he became more and more aware of his surroundings. They were all relieved that Georgiana’s successful entrance into London society was behind them. She told her brother and sister that she enjoyed dancing and speaking with the young men who sought her out at the parties they attended. These same young men o
ften called on her at Darcy House, but she told her brother and sister that she had not met anyone special.

  Shortly after returning to Derbyshire, Catherine and David were very happy to greet them all at Winthrope Hall. Their new baby, Jane Elizabeth Brooks was a beautiful blonde baby who always seemed to be smiling.

  The day after they arrived at Winthrope Hall, Elizabeth and Georgiana were walking together in the gardens. Georgiana kept looking at her sister, “Georgie, is something wrong? Do I have something on my face?”

  “I do not know how to say this but, how could you ever imagine yourself married to Lord Winthrope? He is so different from William. Lizzy, I am so glad you married my brother.”

  “I believe I have already explained to you how sad and lonely I was. David Brooks came into my life when I was vulnerable and filled some of the void in my life.”

  “He is married to your sister! Does that bother you?”

  “Catherine and David are very much in love and I am so glad they found each other. Brooks is married to someone who loves him the way a wife should love her husband. If I had married him, I know neither of us would be as happy as we are now.” Elizabeth stopped walking and faced her sister. “Georgie, I am the happiest woman in England because I married your brother. He is the very best man I have ever known, and I am thankful every day that I have William, Ben and you.” Elizabeth embraced her sister with tears of joy in her eyes. “You need not worry about any of the choices I have made. Everything has worked out precisely as it should.” Elizabeth and Georgiana walked arm in arm to join the others in the house.

  Richard and Lady Emily wrote each other regularly throughout the spring and into the summer. In May, he received another letter from Lady Emily telling him of her summer plans. She was returning to Suffolk with her parents in May and she was looking forward to spending the summer at her family’s estate near the sea. Richard enjoyed hearing from Emily but was somewhat frustrated by the lack of anything meaningful in her letters until a message he received in July.