by Wells, Linda
“Oh, no, I … Rosings is the estate, I understand, Mrs. de Bourgh?”
“Yes.” Mrs. de Bourgh studied Caroline and had her pegged in moments. She and Elizabeth exchanged glances. “I look forward to Mary becoming its mistress next month.”
“Of course, I heard of the engagement. Captain de Bourgh was a much-sought suitor.”
“I would not know, he pursued me.” Mary lifted her chin. Elizabeth and Mrs. de Bourgh smiled at Mary approvingly and Caroline looked her over curiously, then startled with Elizabeth’s voice.
“May I offer my family’s congratulations on your safe delivery? How is your son?”
“Oh …he is …” Her brow furrowed. “I imagine that he is well. I have not seen him today, but they will bring him down for a few minutes this afternoon.” She smiled knowingly at Elizabeth. “I am sure that you do the same.”
“No, I do not.” Elizabeth said coldly.
Bingley had risen to his feet and stood next to Abbey. “Caroline, may I introduce Miss Abbey Martin? She was at Louisa’s dinner party. Miss Martin, this is our sister, Mrs. Harris Robinson.”
Abbey curtseyed. “It is a pleasure, Mrs. Robinson.”
“Miss Martin.” She nodded and looked between her brother and Abbey, noting how he moved to take a seat next to her. Caroline assessed her dress carefully, trying to determine her place. “I do not recall hearing of you before Miss Martin.”
“I met Miss Martin at Pemberley, we both did.” Louisa smiled at Bingley. “She was visiting with the Darcys.”
“You …you are acquainted with the Darcys?” Caroline looked at Elizabeth who was smiling at Abbey.
Seeing the twinkle in Bingley’s eye and the jealousy in Caroline’s, Abbey caught on to the game very quickly. “Yes, they are the most gracious hosts; and their home, it is incomparable, do you not agree?”
“Oh, well I have not seen it as yet.” She shot a look at Elizabeth and noted her lips twitching upwards.
“Incomparable.” Bingley nodded. “Truly magnificent, I can only hope to have an estate half so beautiful one day. You will be returning there, Miss Martin?”
“When I am next in the area, I am sure that we will visit.” She smiled when he winked at her.
Elizabeth nodded. “Well in the meantime, I am sure that you will be satisfied with visiting Darcy House when you have the opportunity to come our way. You will be welcome.”
“Oh, well thank you Mrs. Darcy, I did not want to impose myself.” Abbey smiled and noticed Caroline’s envy.
“Not at all.” Elizabeth looked over the room and took charge. “Perhaps we should satisfy the proprietor and order some tea?”
“Will you be holding an engagement ball for your sister, Mrs. Darcy?” Caroline hinted.
“No.” Elizabeth smiled at Mary. “Neither she nor Captain de Bourgh want that sort of attention. Neither do they want to attend teas nor dinners held in their honour by people they do not know. We are celebrating the happy news of their engagement within the family party.”
“No dancing at all?” Caroline gasped.
“Well I would not say that, we will attend a few affairs. We missed a few that we had hoped to attend, but we will dance before the wedding.”
“Yes, I missed you at the Wycroft’s ball last week. The Simkins family was there.” Bingley said with a thoughtful nod.
“Did you dance, Mr. Bingley?” Elizabeth asked Abbey’s unspoken question.
“Oh yes, you know that I love to dance, I did have lessons at your home after all!” He grinned at Mary. “And de Bourgh has certainly improved with his.”
“He no longer steps on my toes.” Mary smiled and the ladies laughed.
“You are a most graceful dancer.” Elizabeth smiled at him.
“I am not happy seeing a lady sitting at the side if I can do something about it.” He nodded, and noticed Abbey who was studying her hands. He looked to Elizabeth worriedly.
“You rescued me once, long ago, Mr. Bingley, you are always a gentleman. I believe that was the first night we met, the night that I met you, Mrs. Hurst and Mrs. Robinson. Of course we hardly knew of all the tangled connections we had then. You were simply a kind stranger, and I was a girl accompanying her relatives to a small ball. Who knew that so many tradesmen and gentlemen could mix so amicably?”
Abbey turned to Elizabeth and listened. “My father mixes well with anyone I think, even gentlemen.”
“He is in trade?” Caroline’s eyes narrowed, finally pinpointing Abbey’s background.
“Yes.” She lifted her chin. “And he does very well. There is no shame in that; is there Mrs. Darcy?”
“Not at all.” Elizabeth acknowledged. “You certainly do not think less of my uncle for his profession.”
“You have family in trade!” Caroline remembered.
“Yes, just like you.” She smiled. “And my husband cared for me despite it. I imagine that everyone in this room has some taint that would lower them in others’ eyes; I would rather judge an individual on his own merits.”
“That is how I would like to be judged, Mrs. Darcy.” Mrs. de Bourgh nodded. “But it seems that we must bear the burden of everyone who touches our lives, no matter our individual accomplishments.”
Abbey spoke up. “I find that I do well living within the expectations of my society, but I choose the people I call friend for who they are rather than what they have.”
“I have learned that both are necessary since I have married Mr. Darcy.” Elizabeth looked at Bingley. “With it comes great responsibility, but also, the pleasure of discretion.”
“What could possibly taint Mr. Darcy?” Louisa laughed. “According to some,” she glanced at Caroline, “he is nearly a deity.”
Elizabeth flicked her eyes over Caroline then turned to Louisa with a tired grimace as the others laughed. “Do not get me started on the fools who wish to fawn over him to gain access to our time and our homes. We can spot them miles away and avoid them as much as possible.” She saw Caroline’s face turn crimson as she realized the cut. “No, my husband’s inadequacies are few, however he has no title.”
“With a name as old as his, what does it matter?” Mrs. de Bourgh asked.
“It does to the ones with titles.” Elizabeth’s eyes twinkled.
“And what is your husband’s fault, Mrs. Hurst? He is simply a gentleman.” Abbey smiled.
“Ah, but not as rich as he should be.” She laughed.
“There are more important things than riches.” Elizabeth noted.
“I find that incredible, Mrs. Darcy.” Caroline snapped. “You have everything.”
“What do I have that you do not?”
“Touché, Mrs. Darcy.” Bingley said softly and nudged her.
“I have had enough of this conversation. Charles, Louisa, it is time to go home.” Caroline spun and headed out of the door.
Louisa sighed. “It is easier to just humour her. I will see you soon.”
Charles watched her go and shook his head. “How you have changed, Mrs. Darcy.” He chuckled. “I will just see them home, please tell Darcy that I will soon be along. Ladies?” He bowed and rose to smile at Abbey. “I do hope that my sister has not put you off from my family, Miss Martin.”
“I would still be willing to dance with you should you ask, sir.” She smiled and delighted in his laugh.
“I will be honoured to dance with a lady from the fine family of Martin.” Still chuckling, he went out the door and Abbey watched until he disappeared into the carriage.
“How do you do that, Lizzy?” Mary whispered. “Where did you find this confidence? Mr. Bingley is right, you are so changed.”
“And like Mr. Bingley I am proud of my family. It is pride in all that my family represents. If you care for the name, the respect follows.” She smiled at Mrs. de Bourgh and gave her sister’s hand a squeeze. “You will see soon. Trust in your instincts, and you will be fine.”
“HMM?” Darcy looked up from the journal he was studying when he
felt Elizabeth nudge him. She lifted a finger and pointed to the blanket where Rosalie was playing. “What is she doing?”
“Well from this angle, I would say that she is pulling weeds.”
“I think that Alger would disagree with that. She is destroying his careful gardening.”
“She is gathering leaves and putting them in a bucket.”
“But the leaves are still attached to the plant, love.” Darcy smiled and raised a brow.
Elizabeth sighed in exasperation. “Did you ever break the rules?”
“Never.” Laughing, he leaned over to kiss her. “I was a model of good behaviour.”
“I will have to ask Richard and Stephen about that.”
“They will not break my confidence.”
“Then I will ask Mrs. Reynolds!” Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled. “She has known you since you were …”
“Hush!” He leaned forward to gaze at her. “Unfair.”
“I will make use of the resources that are at hand.” Elizabeth resisted the pull of his warm eyes and instead looked at the book in his lap. “How are you coming along with your research?”
“Not well at all. I have not cracked the mystery yet.” He smiled and shrugged. “It is not a terrible occupation.”
“No, I cannot complain, but I would be glad to help if you would ask me.”
“I think that I would like to solve this on my own. Do you mind?” He saw that she was disappointed. “I just …this is my father speaking to me.”
“I know.”
“I promise I will happily tell you what I learn.”
“May I have a clue to chew on?” Darcy shook his head and grinned. “Selfish.”
“That I am. Possessive, too.” Darcy kissed her cheek.
“Will you tell me what Lord Matlock wanted with Peter today?”
“Oh, yes.” He laughed. “He is receiving the talk.” Seeing her confusion, he whispered in her ear. “How to be a good and gentle husband.”
“Oh my!” Elizabeth smiled and blushed, then whispered in his ear, “Not too gentle, I hope.”
“Lizzzzzy.” Darcy’s mouth found hers and his book fell to the ground while they kissed. He pulled her close and their arms wrapped around each other as their lips and hands eagerly explored.
“Aha!” Rosalie cried and they startled. Breathing unevenly, they looked to their daughter who was clutching an entire plant, roots and all, and waving it in the air.
“Rosa!” Elizabeth cried. “No!”
“Bye!”
“No, not bye.” She sighed and looked at Darcy. “Oh well.”
“We really have to stop kissing when she is present. It is not good for either of us.” He glanced at his lap.
“But kissing you is …” He smiled and waited. “Irresistable.”
“Hmmm. Naptime is coming.” Darcy caressed her cheek with his finger and softly nibbled her lips.
“So is Mr. Bingley.”
“What of us?” He murmured softly.
“Mama!” Rosalie shook the plant, sending soil flying.
Elizabeth sighed while he laughed and turned to Rosalie. “All right Miss Impertinent, shall we play with your ball?”
“Ball!”
“Ball.” Elizabeth rose from her comfortable seat. Darcy tugged her hand and she turned to give him a smile then ran her hand over the tent in his breeches. “You will not miss me, you have your journals.”
“It is not the same.”
“You are so absorbed; I doubt that you will notice.” She watched his brow furrow and walked away.
Watching her go, he did not relax until he saw her laugh at his worried expression. “You are teasing me.” He said as she took a seat on the blanket, and began rolling a leather ball back and forth with the baby. Contented, he looked up at the sun as it disappeared behind a cloud, then back down to his father’s journal. I hope that Anne will be pleased with this gift. She cannot bear to visit the graves. “Just like Georgiana, she could not bear to visit your grave, Father.” He said softly and stared at the page. “What is this gift?” Looking up when Elizabeth cheered and clapped, he smiled and watched for a little while, then noticed the denuded stems of the flowers. Their gardener, Mr. Alger, would be beside himself when he next came to tend the plot. Thinking of Pemberley’s head gardener, Mr. Green, he concluded that he would likely be a little more tolerant. “He certainly put up with me galloping through the lawn and tearing up the grass enough times.” The thought of the lawn brought back another, and picking up the journal, he paged through eagerly. “There it is!”
Little Richard and our joke brought this idea to mind. I will have to tell Fitzwilliam of this all one day. Those pearls lost in the grass, what a wonderful inspiration they were! I have yet to see that boy not wander around that patch of earth, searching in vain, but always remembering that they were there. Just like our little pearls. Anne is so happy that we can remember them in our special place, our place of peace.
“What is this place? Is it …the graves, the pearls … You speak in riddles, Father! You never told me of this, did you?” Closing his eyes, he searched his memory but for the life of him, he could not figure it all out.
“There you are!” Lucas and Jane walked out of the house. “We were wondering what became of you.”
“We just wanted to enjoy the pleasure of the garden.” Darcy smiled and looked to Rosalie. “She will be sleeping soon, and we did not wish to miss spending time with her.”
“I have to ask, Darcy. Were your parents so attentive?” Lucas moved the journals out of the way and sat down beside him while Jane joined Elizabeth on the blanket. “My parents certainly were not. Of course at Rosalie’s age, I was probably strapped into a high chair in the back of the shop. Or maybe a maid had my charge.”
“Your parents were working to feed you and keep your home. They did not have the luxury mine did.”
“True, but your parents could afford to have any number of staff looking after you; they would not have to bother with you at all.” Seeing Darcy’s eyes widen, he spoke hurriedly, “Not that I was implying that they would … I just …”
“No, I know what is usual.” Rosalie tipped over in a fit of giggles and his lips quirked up. “But I prefer what we have.”
“Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley has arrived.” Foster announced.
“Ah.” He smiled at Lucas and stood. “Come along.”
“This is private, I think.”
“It is about his brother’s estate.” Darcy picked up the journals. “We will be in the study, love.”
“Take care of him.” Elizabeth smiled and looked at Rosalie. “Tell Papa, bye!”
“Papa?” Rosalie asked and got to her feet. Smiling, Darcy handed the books to Lucas and walked over to pick her up and give her a kiss. “Papa.” Her head rested on his shoulder and she sighed.
Darcy kissed her forehead. “No, no sleeping, my girl. Play with Mama and Aunt Jane.” Rosalie clutched his neck cloth and he looked at Elizabeth. She just smiled and did not move. “Elizabeth.” He said pleadingly.
“What would you do if I was not home?”
“I would carry her around with me.” He sighed. “Rosa, let go.” Prying her fingers loose, he put her down on the blanket and patted her head, and started to walk away. Rosalie immediately began to cry. Darcy spun around and Elizabeth shook her head, pointing at the door.
“Go.”
“Are you sure?”
“Show no weakness.”
Darcy glanced at Lucas and they walked into the house, Rosalie’s wails grew softer as they advanced inside. “That was difficult.”
“I bet that she will stop as soon as she realizes you were not bending to her will.”
Stopping his progress, they stood still and listened. “It seems you are correct.”
“Little sisters and brothers.” Lucas smiled and shrugged. “All children have their tricks.”
“I just do not want her to feel abandoned …”
“To Elizabeth and Jane?
” He said incredulously.
“That was foolish of me.” Darcy admitted. “I am a little extra possessive of my ladies of late.”
“I think that is entirely understandable.” Lucas said softly.
“Thank you.” They entered the study and Bingley came over to greet them. “I hope that you do not mind Lucas being here?”
“No, no, not at all. Three heads are better than one.” They shook hands and took their seats. Darcy put the journals into a neat stack, glanced at the landscape of Pemberley for a moment, then sat back and looked at his friend expectantly. “Now then, this estate business, let us hear all about it.”
“I tell you Darcy, I was overwhelmed.” Bingley got up and paced the study, walking past Lucas and back to Darcy’s desk. “There I was, listening to my brother planning out this incredibly foolish journey and how I was to forego my plans, my very long anticipated plans, to look after his home!” His hand went up to run through his unruly hair. “I did not know what to say! I daresay my mouth hung open for the greater part of his presentation.”
“Was he demanding?”
“No.” Bingley sighed and dropped into a chair. “No, not at all, that was the disconcerting part. He was … I could almost describe it as … Humble?”
“Is that a question for me?”
“No, no.” Bingley waved him off. “I just do not understand why. I do not read the papers closely, but I do read. And listening to everyone yesterday and their shock …” He looked up, “I said that I would give him a decision in a few days.”
“He plans to leave soon?” Lucas asked.
“I do not know.” He sighed. “Overland is impossible so it depends on if Robinson can find a ship to take him, let alone provide accommodations that would suit both him and Caroline. He said he could get along with a hammock but, I do not see Caroline tolerating that for weeks. I cannot even begin to fathom the toileting accommodations. It is a fool’s errand, Darcy. I wonder why he risks it.”
“He has said nothing?”
“Only that he has worked hard and wants to protect what he has. He has not been to his groves since the war made travel dangerous, and I get the impression that he feels he is being increasingly lied to by those he hired as his surrogates. He seems to think that his physical presence will make a difference. You know, I offered him a place in the mills. With his experience, he could do well there. Of course that would be back in Scarborough, and there is no possibility of Caroline liking that idea.”