Georgiana’s eyes shadowed for a moment as if recalling some sad memory but it was fleeting, giving Elizabeth the feeling that something had happened to cause a rift between the two. Changing the direction of the conversation, Elizabeth proposed the idea of a school.
“A lady’s college?”
“Not really a finishing school, but that might be how we can encourage families to allow their girls to attend. I hoped for academics as well as vocational opportunities. Running a household is all well and good, but of no value without the ability to do mathematics and accounts. Even if a person is comfortable and has servants, they should know how to do their tasks if necessary. At Longbourn, we had a cook, housekeeper and two maids, but the assistance of myself and sisters was sometimes needed. It did give us a better appreciation for their work.”
“I feel terribly spoiled, but I must admit to having never really thought about it that way.”
Elizabeth did not comment, but as a person who had grown up without fortune, yet accustomed to comfort, the possibility of needing a means of income had always been present. Unfortunately, she had also been lacking the educational requirements to obtain anything beyond being a companion to some elderly or infirm person of means. Now, with the opportunity to change that for other women, she had not the slightest idea of how to begin.
“There are many aspects to be considered, ones in which I fear that we both are terribly ignorant. But I believe that Maura Runnymede may be able to help us. Teachers will need to be found, as well as a facility. It must have enough space for living accommodations and school rooms.”
Georgiana’s brows furrowed in thought for a moment as she contemplated the situation. Hiring teachers was easy. Posting the positions in the papers was simple, or they could use an agency. Mrs. Reynolds would know where to go, but an actual building was another matter. Only one place in particular seemed appropriate… and it was already vacant.
“There is an old dower house that is empty. If Fitzwilliam agrees, it could be perfect.”
“Dower house? I was not aware there was such at Pemberley. With so much space here, I thought the elders simply remained here.”
“Usually, but a few generations ago there was a second marriage… My paternal great-great grandfather. His new wife was considerably younger and outlived him by nearly twenty years. She never felt comfortable with the family. It was an equitable solution, but the house has not been lived in for years. It may not even be habitable.”
“Where is it? Until this week, I thought I had seen everything at Pemberley… apparently not.”
“That is the best part. It is near where you said Rosamund is staying… about a mile or so away, nearer to town. Do you recall seeing a smallish two-story house just beyond the road? It has an unusual gabled roof, in the Dutch style…Grandmother Agnete was Dutch.”
“I do… but you are right, it does look rather decrepit. Perhaps an inspection is in order.”
“Well, I am agreeable to anything that relieves my boredom! If you are well enough, we can arrange to go this week... that will give you time to convince my brother.”
Elizabeth smiled and felt accomplished, but irritated that her husband’s consent was still needed. Although it was unlikely that Darcy would ever deny her anything, the circumstance remained. Wasn’t there anything that she could do without a man’s approval?
~Twelve~
It was not until the following week that Elizabeth was able to discuss her idea with Darcy. Having been called away on business to a distant leasehold property of the Darcy family, he had been surprised when she declined to accompany him.
“I thought you wanted to learn more about estate management? Cedarton is certainly not on the scale of Pemberley, but there are many things that are of a similar responsibility and require regular attention.”
“I know, and this may sound trivial, but I have an absurd desire to test my authority at the bank. I was not impressed with the air of dismissal displayed when presented with a woman client.”
“I am afraid that they are not accustomed to dealing with women.”
“Well that must change, or I shall consider another establishment.”
When Elizabeth and Darcy had gone to deposit the newly discovered funds, they had been met with great cordiality, until it was expressed that SHE would have complete control of the account.
“Sir… If I may… this is highly irregular,” Mr. Edwin Siddons whispered to Darcy.
As manager of the nearest branch of the Britannia Bank, he did his duties with precision and care, but to Elizabeth this was no better than treating her as if she were a child… and a simple one at that. Frowning, Elizabeth reached forward to where the packet of notes for deposit lay.
“If you are unable…. or unwilling to accommodate this request, I shall find someone that is. Perhaps our family will be better served by another?”
Her tone had been icy, and sounded quite strange even to herself, but a simmering anger was threatening to boil over. However, an emotional outburst would not serve any purpose. To this, an immediate apology was made, but the precedent had been set and it was one that Elizabeth would have to change. Only with Darcy’s absence would she be able to assert her authority and have the added benefit of allowing her to inspect the old dower house for its potential. For if it was deemed acceptable, she wanted to purchase it from him. Any gift or permission of use somehow tainted the idea of an independently supported institution. If she were to fail, Elizabeth wanted to failure to be her own, and if successful, evidence that women were just as capable of business ventures as men. With this in mind, and the expectation of his return on the morrow, she dressed demurely, stylish yet subdued, before meeting Georgiana for breakfast. As she donned a smart dark blue gown, Elizabeth noticed for the first time, a tightness across the chest and waistline. Fortunately, the mode of present favored higher loose-fitting styles, but soon, none of her garments would fit. Sighing, she resolved to inform her husband upon his return. A secret such as this was difficult enough to keep, more so when she knew how much it would please him. Taking one last look in the mirror, she was satisfied and went below but upon arrival in the breakfast room, her normal appetite vanished.
“Elizabeth, you look very professional,” Georgiana said by way of greeting, but changed her pleasant expression to one of worry as she noticed the green tinge to Elizabeth’s features.
“Oh, dear! Are you unwell? Perhaps we should wait until another day?”
“Absolutely not! It will pass…it is just the smell of egg…ugh…once I make my condition known, I may ask Mrs. Reynolds to forego egg dishes in the mornings. Perhaps a bit of tea and toast will set me right, then we can leave. I must admit to having not slept for the excitement of going.”
“Are you sure?”
“Oh, yes… just allow me a moment,” Elizabeth insisted and soon, with the assistance of some sustenance of a bland nature, was feeling recovered enough to travel.
Taking the same small carriage that she had used to visit Maura Runnymede, Elizabeth drove carefully, avoiding the ruts and puddles left by the previous night’s rain. It was a short distance, but one that could easily be missed by those who passed for the dense overgrowth of foliage that nearly obscured the property. Only the red gabled roofline, unusual for this part of the country, gave evidence of its existence.
“I must have only noticed it in the winter, when the trees were bare. It is quite private, but with some trimming, the grounds can easily be restored,” Elizabeth commented as she followed Georgiana’s instructions and circled the house to a rear courtyard containing a carriage house and equally overgrown gardens.
Of the house itself, first opinions were that of it being in a general good repair, but upon entering, there was clearly much to do.
“It looks as though the house simply went to sleep,” Georgiana observed as she wiped away a tangle of cobwebs that clung to the woodwork.
“Died is more accurate, but I do approve of the layout. The r
eception rooms are large, and would make fine classrooms. The kitchen probably needs improvement, but I would consult with our cook and Mrs. Reynolds before beginning any restoration in that area. They will know far better than we as to what is needed. Shall we go above? I should like to see the bedchambers and if we are truly in luck… there just might be a bathing room. If not, something will need to be sorted. It was difficult enough growing up with four sisters and just one…I cannot imagine an entire school doing without at least three.”
“I had not considered that… Elizabeth? How many girls do you think we could accommodate?”
“I don’t know, I suppose two per bedchamber…perhaps three if large enough. We must also have rooms for the teachers and necessary staff.”
“This gets more complex every minute.”
“That is what makes it so terribly exciting,” Elizabeth laughed and linked her arm through Georgiana’s before mounting the curving stair.
As a central architectural and functional piece to the entry hall, the staircase served to split the house down the middle. The lower floor had both parlor and sitting room, a library vacant of books, dining room and kitchen. This was linked by a covered veranda to a small servant’s wing, with its own sitting room and chambers for a housekeeper and several lower servants. While this was pleasing, it would be the accommodations for students that would keep the place filled. Going above, the level of dereliction increased. Sounds of rodents, scurrying at the sound of their footsteps, sent a shiver of revulsion through both women. Sneezing from the clouds of disturbed dust, Elizabeth made mental notes as they explored.
“Seven in all, and we have not dared the attics. I suppose there are more, but only one bath chamber. One of the bedchambers would need to be sacrificed, but twelve girls to start would be wonderful. And not overwhelming. I believe, that with some repairs, and a good cleaning, this place is perfect, don’t you agree?”
Georgiana, easily distracted, had wandered into the last chamber, and was idly tracing her initial on a dusty windowpane. This room had been designated as a nursery; a row of three cots lined one wall opposite cupboards still housing long abandoned toys.
“What is it Georgie?” Elizabeth ventured. Something about the chamber had made her sister-in-law take on a sad expression.
“Oh, nothing, I was just remembering… Childhood can be very lonely if one does not have companions. I hope you and my brother have a dozen children.”
“A dozen? I truly hope not!” Elizabeth choked in amusement and went forward to comfort the younger woman. Her footsteps made the old floorboards creak loudly, rendering a giggle as she rocked back to repeat the sound.
“Gaining baby weight already?” Georgiana teased and put forth a slippered foot in an attempt to join in the childish fun. However, the added weight was too much for the fragile wood. A loud cracking could be heard just before Elizabeth was sent crashing through the rotten boards. Her fall, mere seconds, seemed endless as her throat caught in a scream of terror that was cut short by the lifeless sound of her body hitting the floor below. Only then did the screaming begin, but it was that of Georgiana, as she peered down through the jagged hole to where Elizabeth lay unmoving.
~Thirteen~
Several hours later….
Fitzwilliam Darcy rode at a leisurely pace as he neared the outskirts of Pemberley. Having concluded his business faster than expected, he hoped to surprise Elizabeth with an intimate dinner. While he understood the frustrations she felt over the limited control women had, there was little he could do besides offer what freedoms he could. The law was solidly in support of men, even if they were incompetent. This very thing had made him overly cautious with those who desired to court his sister. No matter how much he tied up her inheritance against those who would seek her hand to control it, the law almost always favored the husband. This predicament severely limited Georgiana’s options to those who held similar financial status and it was a small pool of choices. He wanted her to have stability as well as happiness, but it seemed to be an impossible wish. The future of Pemberley was always at the back of his mind for the same reasons. While he loved Elizabeth more than life itself, the longer they remained childless, the greater the possibility remained that Pemberley would go to a distant relative, unless Georgiana married and had children. He hated to think of such things, but it was necessary to plan for the future, even if it was an unhappy one. This had consumed his private thoughts so much recently that the idea of adoption had taken root. Would Elizabeth consider accepting a child that was not her own? Take it in, raise it… love it? Shaking his head, Darcy knew that Elizabeth was not the problem, he was. He desperately wanted a child of his own; a son upon which to bestow Pemberley. One that would love and care for it as much as he did, someone else’s child, however carefully raised, may not have that. Even if their parentage was not disclosed, eventually some selfish person would have it out. In the past, he had seen the resentment towards adopted children by those who wished to claim inheritance by blood. Some had even resorted to legal action to take monies left behind. This was not the fate he wished for any child that carried the Darcy name. Forcing aside his morose feelings, Darcy tried to be positive and nudged his horse into a canter.
“Perhaps we just need to practice more…” he muttered with a smile.
Hoping to speed his way home, he took a detour off the main road, cutting through a side lane that passed by Maura Runnymede’s place. Not planning on stopping, he was alarmed to find one of the local farmers waving to him frantically from the middle of the road just beyond a break in a wall covered in overgrown ivy.
“Mr. Darcy! I am so glad it is you! Did you see my boy Allen along the way? I sent him as fast as he could run to Miss Maura’s for help.”
“No, I must have missed him… whatever has happened!”
“It’s your missus… she’s fallen through the floor.”
“Floor? What floor? Where is Elizabeth?”
“Just up there, in the old dower house. I was afraid to move her… Miss Georgiana is with her.”
“God man! What the devil were they doing there!” Darcy demanded, but did not wait for a reply as he kicked his horse into motion, leaving the farmer to chase after him. The sound of his arrival had sent Georgiana from the house and she ran down the steps to meet whatever assistance had come. Dirt and bits of plaster clung to her gown and hair, but aside from the tears that ran down her cheeks, she was unharmed.
“It’s Elizabeth…Mr. Miller sent for a conveyance, but…”
“Is she….” the words faltered as Darcy feared the worst, but a negative shake of his sister’s head did little to alleviate his rising panic.
“Take me to her.”
“We…we were just exploring, and then the floor just gave way.”
By now, they had entered the lower sitting room. Elizabeth, her eyes open, squinted at them from where she lay. Pieces of wood and plaster lay piled up where Georgiana had done her best to free Elizabeth. Upon seeing them, she tried to raise herself into a sitting position, but a searing pain in her shoulder halted the attempt.
“No, don’t move. You may harm yourself further, we must wait until help arrives. You should have never been here in the first place! What possessed you to come here? The place is practically in ruins, should have been pulled down years ago!”
“Don’t you lecture me! I am well aware of my situation...treating me like a child doesn’t…” Elizabeth snapped, but pain caught the final words in her throat, preventing further venting of her frustrations.
“It was my idea… for a school,” Georgiana insisted, but Darcy dismissed her excuse.
“A foolish notion. You could have been killed.”
By now, the sound of others arriving silenced his chastisement. There would be further discussion of this escapade, but not now, not for the ears of strangers.
Having gone directly to the home of Maura Runnymede, the rescue party of two farmers and a midwife, managed to lift Elizabeth onto a make
shift stretcher despite her protests of feeling much improved.
“I wish to walk on my own. Other than my shoulder, I feel fine. Just got the breath knocked from me.”
“Perhaps so, but it is best to be cautious, injuries can be not immediately apparent, then surface later. We should bring you to my place. I can examine her there, but I assume you will want a physician as well?” Maura queried innocently of Darcy, but directed her eyes to Elizabeth for approval.
“Yes, immediately!” Darcy insisted and began to give orders to the farmer’s son.
“No…I don’t want a doctor. Maura is perfectly acceptable.”
“Now Elizabeth… dear…while I agree that Maura is infinitely qualified in specific areas, it is still best for a physician to examine you.”
Elizabeth sighed, she had not wanted Darcy to discover her condition in this fashion, but there was no other recourse at the moment. Smiling through the pain in her shoulder, she shook her head.
“No… in my case, Maura is most definitely the best person. You are going to be a father.”
~Fourteen~
In the end, Elizabeth conceded to her husband’s demand that she be examined by a doctor as well as the midwife. The pain in her shoulder nearly matched the level of protest Darcy had made over her refusal. She would remember forever the dumfounded appearance of his countenance at the announcement of her pregnancy. It was as if someone had offered a present to a child only to have them discover that it was not a much-desired toy, but practical stockings. His faced had altered between elation and what she thought was fear, before resuming its usual premise of calm reserve. Unfortunately, the alteration in her circumstance had instantly instilled a protectiveness of her person that was stifling.
“You simply must put this “school” venture on hold. It is too much to take on in your present state, and I insist upon Dr. Evanston being present for your lying-in.”
A Child for Elizabeth Page 5