by Wells, Linda
I have written too much, once again. Elizabeth will be shaking her head over this entry. I cannot wait to read her perspective of the night, the view from the ladies, and I cannot wait to see the family tomorrow, and hear Aunt Helen praise the mistress of Pemberley and Darcy House. I could not have survived this night without you, my love.
Darcy looked up to the wall and wound the lover’s knot around his finger, feeling the familiar ribbons sliding over his skin, and gazed upon the countless sketches and portraits representing moments of their marriage. So many dear faces smiled down at him. Putting the knot carefully back into his journal, he dabbed at his eyes with his handkerchief and sat up straight, inwardly cursing the whalebone in his waistcoat and the fashion for cinched waists. He brushed off his trousers and closed his eyes, and listening to the sounds of the house, willed Elizabeth to finish dressing and come rescue him from his thoughts.
“Ahem.” He heard a soft voice. A little smile appeared on his lips. “Ahem.” He opened his eyes only to draw in his breath at the sight of the woman before him. “Lizzy …”
“No, Papa, it is me! Did I fool you again?” Rosalie laughed and bent down to kiss the dimple in his cheek. “Do I truly look like Mama?”
“How many times have I mistaken you for her when you surprised me?” He stood to hug her, enjoying the little joke they had shared for so long. “Although, little love, it is true, you look so much alike now. You are both so very beautiful.”
“Oh Will.” Elizabeth leaned on the doorway and smiled shyly at him.
“There is my love.” He smiled and admired her from head to toe. “Yes, you are beautiful. And always will be.”
“Well I am certainly pleased to hear that!” Elizabeth laughed and trying to hide her blushes from him, entered the sitting room to stand side by side with her daughter. “You look lovely, dear.”
“Thank you, Mama.” Rosalie swayed and the bell of her skirt moved with her. “I do love this gown. Although the sleeves are so puffy …”
“I would like to see them up over your shoulders.” Darcy glared at the bare skin and Elizabeth laughed, and took off her shawl to expose her shoulders. “Oh.”
“You cannot be a hypocrite.” She rose up on her toes and kissed his nose, and handed him a box.
Darcy shrugged and smiled, then turned to Rosalie. “This is for you.”
“Oh.” She bit her lip and looked from one parent to another. “Pearls?”
“How did you know?” Elizabeth’s head tilted.
“Are they Grandmother Darcy’s?”
“A few of them.” Darcy smiled and entwined his fingers with Elizabeth’s. “We are holding on to the last ones.”
Rosalie opened the box. Inside was a strand of pearls, interspersed with rubies. A bouquet in the shape of three roses was at the centre, each containing one of the precious pearls. “Ohhhh.” She looked up and blinked back her tears. “Oh Papa!”
Smiling, he took the necklace out and carefully clasped it around her neck. “I love you, Rosa. I am so very proud of you.” He kissed her cheek and looked to Elizabeth. She squeezed his hand and standing in front of her daughter, she fixed the position of the roses and then took a box from a pocket in her gown, containing matching earrings. When they were in place, she took Rosalie’s hands. “I love you, sweetheart. I was so happy the day that you were born; I so wanted a little girl to love. And now we have to let you go.”
“No.” Darcy instantly objected and claimed one of his daughter’s hands as if she were about to take flight.
“I agree!” She sniffed.
“I am not sending you to the hedgerows!” Elizabeth laughed at them and held both of their hands. “I am just acknowledging that everything is new for you. Who knows where life will take you now?”
“Well that is not so very bad.” Rosalie sniffed, and her voice cracked. “I love you both so much!”
A knock came to the door and hastily the three of them wiped their eyes and straightened. A younger version of Darcy appeared, his soft deep voice belied his age. “Father …” Rosalie put her hands on her hips, waiting for him to begin his plea. He stared at her menacingly and back to Darcy. “Father, please may I attend the ball? I am sixteen now; I should not be relegated to the nursery during parties anymore!”
“I thought that you liked playing in there.” Rosalie teased.
“Quiet, Whoa.” He growled.
Following closely behind him a younger boy cried, “Oh, come on Ash!” Michael’s voice cracked and instantly Rosalie started to giggle. “You know that we would …” He looked up to see his father’s intense interest. “Um.”
“Would do what, precisely, Michael?” Darcy’s brow rose and he clasped his hands behind his back.
“Father is angry with you!” John whispered from his side.
“Papa?” Thomas trailed behind and looked up at him worriedly. “Are you angry?”
Darcy scanned over the faces of his children and let his eyes rest upon Elizabeth, who had remained beside Rosalie and was dwarfed by Asher. They exchanged a silent conversation. He bent and lifted his youngest son. “No, I am not angry, but I am disappointed.”
Hearing disappointment expressed quietly from their father was as effective as a tongue lashing to the Darcy children, and instantly they all turned to look at him. “Tonight is exceptionally important for your sister. She is nervous and worried about an endless list of things.” He looked at Rosalie and Elizabeth took her hand to squeeze. “I know that she has been teasing a little more enthusiastically of late, but her mother and I knew that it was to cover up for how frightening this Season is for her, so we have overlooked it.” He saw Rosalie blush, and turned back to the boys. “You four have a responsibility to help her through this time. Asher, I know that it is very difficult to no longer be a child but not yet a man; and that is why we gave you your own bedchamber upon your birthday last month. However, I am relying on you to look after your brothers while the house is full of people tonight. And I know that you and Rosalie are far too close to argue over such petty subjects as attending a ball that you are too young to enjoy.”
“I wanted to attend so that I could look after her, sir.” Asher looked down at his shoes.
“Oh, Ash.” Rosalie went over and hugged him. “Thank you. Papa will take care of me, and you know all our cousins and uncles will chase anyone unsuitable away!”
“I know. But that is my job. They have their own daughters to look after.” He looked at his elder sister and Elizabeth tried valiantly to hold back the tears that flooded her eyes.
Darcy cleared his throat. “Son, I misunderstood your motivation for attending tonight. Protecting your sister is very admirable and certainly reflects all that I have tried to teach you. But the fact remains that I need you to look after your brothers. Next year you will enter Cambridge and may begin attending the dinners we hold at home, and joining us for visits to the theatre, but there will be no balls until you are of age. The rules are different for men. Are we agreed?”
Asher stood straight and met Darcy’s eye. “Yes, Father. Forgive me for not speaking more clearly.”
“You come by that honestly, dear.” Elizabeth touched his face and kissed his cheek, and winked at him.
Again Darcy cleared his throat but this time he saw a mischievous twinkle in his wife’s eye and worked hard to hide his own. He turned to his middle children.
“Michael and John, if I catch either of you sneaking downstairs, I will have you mucking out the stables every day for the remainder of the summer.” He looked at them pointedly.
“Yes, sir.”
“What about me, Papa?” Little Thomas whispered and hung onto his neck.
“You mind your nanny and Asher, and you will be fine.” Darcy kissed his son’s cheek and gave him a hug. Then setting him down, he looked at them all. “Understood?”
“Yes, Father,” came the chorus. “Very well then. Rosalie,” He held out his hands and hugged her to him tightly, “You have disobeyed me t
erribly.”
“What did I do, Papa?” She whispered.
“You grew up.” He drew back and tried to smile. “Far too fast.” He swallowed hard and Rosalie turned to her mother for help. Elizabeth took her place and wrapped her arms around Darcy’s waist. Embracing her fiercely, he kissed her. Around them their children exchanged knowing glances and laughter at their parents’ familiar behaviour, and it took Thomas, squirming his way between them, to break the lovers apart. Darcy sighed and played with his son’s hair.
“Are we not allowed to kiss, Tom?” Elizabeth knelt and hugged him.
“I wanted a kiss, too.”
“You always do, especially when I kiss your papa.” She kissed him and Darcy helped her to rise. “Now then, you all heard your father.”
“Yes, Mother.” The chorused; and each boy stopped to give Rosalie a kiss before filing out of the room.
“Good luck, Rosa.” Asher hugged her.
“Thank you, Ash.” She sniffed and whispered. “I am so scared.”
“Don’t be,” he whispered back, “You are wonderful. None of them deserve you.” He kissed her cheek again and lifting Thomas up to perch on his hip, walked out the door.
Michael’s voice was heard, “I wager that the first waltz the man steps on her foot!”
“You are on!” John cried.
“The Fitzwilliams have been a terrible influence.” Elizabeth sighed when Darcy started to laugh. “Perhaps Asher should come to the ball.”
“No dearest, his motives are admirable and make me proud, but I will not subject him to the torture of being the object of attention before he must. It will come soon enough, and ultimately he will be happy to have been spared a little longer. Besides, no debutante wants to be courted by a boy.” He gently caressed her throat and the curls that lay against it as he spoke, wishing so much to kiss the silky skin beneath his fingers, but Rosalie by his side made him stop. And sigh. Again. Elizabeth knew exactly what he was thinking and reached up to take his hand, and they settled for a tender kiss.
“Pardon me, sir.” Porter, the butler, bowed. “Lord Matlock, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Mr. Singleton await you and Miss Darcy in the drawing room.” He turned to Elizabeth. “The ladies wait for you in the parlour, madam.”
“Thank you, Porter.” She smiled and kissed Rosalie. “Now, this is just a dance, once you descend those stairs, I want you to have a wonderful time. This is not like that miserable curtsey you had to do. Keep your chin up, smile in the face of intimidation, if any of the matrons who are sizing you up for their sons say anything rude or too nosy, what do you do?”
“Smile sweetly, change the subject, and walk away.”
“When in doubt, plead ignorance and suggest that they speak to me or your mother.” Darcy raised his brows.
“Well that should scare them off!” Rosalie laughed and they both laughed with her. Elizabeth kissed Darcy once more and caressed his face.
“Relax, love.”
“I will.” He smiled. “Tomorrow.”
Elizabeth laughed as she walked from the room and Darcy sighed. “I love that laugh.”
“Do I sound like Mama?” Rosalie asked as they strolled down the hallway to meet the others. “Asher sounds almost like you.”
“Does he?” Darcy tilted his head. “Well, you still sound like a young girl, your mama’s voice is mellow and warm. Listening to you, I hear the sweet woman I fell in love with.”
“The little girl you …”
“Rosa.” He looked at her seriously.
“Yes, Papa.” She smiled and leaned on his shoulder.
“It is about time!” Fitzwilliam looked out of the sitting room. “Where have you been?”
“It is not your business is it?” Darcy laughed when his cousin handed him a glass of port and Rosalie let go of his arm to go join Annabel, Margaret, and Grace. “What is this?”
“That is my business.” He chuckled and watched as Darcy sipped it. “Well done! Not so nervous, after all?”
“I hate this as much as you do. How is Lord Matlock holding up?” Darcy nodded at Stephen, who was staring out at the park.
“Utter mess. Poor Margaret, she will have a time calming her father. Singleton seems right though.” He smiled as his brother wandered over. “The big night has arrived. I tell you, it is a good thing the estate is productive and Father left me hefty inheritance, or I could never afford to launch two girls.”
“You are no pauper, Richard. At least you do not have to worry about the three boys! It is peace time; the young ones will be off to the army without a moment’s hesitation.” Singleton laughed. “And you Darcy, only one girl in the lot! And you have an estate for each of the boys.”
“Well, my father made some purchases that were never needed,” he paused and seeing their discomfort, he lightened his voice, “And I have the talent for finding a good bargain.” He smiled when they groaned. “I do not hear any complaining from any of you with my investment advice.”
“No, honestly I think that you saved Matlock with it.” Stephen joined them and took up the remaining glass. “Father was sure that the land would take care of us forever, he never could quite grasp the industrial age, at least the scope of it. Thank you for twisting his; and my arm.” He sighed. “All those years that I was anxious to be Lord Matlock. I’d give it up in a second to have Father with us again.” He raised his glass. “To Henry Fitzwilliam.”
“To Helen Fitzwilliam.” Fitzwilliam added softly. “I would love to see her here tonight; she so loved sending girls out!” His eyes brightened and he drew out his handkerchief to blow his nose. “Look at me.”
“Are you well, Papa?” Annabel asked worriedly, and came over to hug him. “You heard Mama; you are not to get all sentimental until we are home.”
“I will try to remember that, dear.” He kissed her cheek, then smiled sheepishly at his friends. “I imagine you all have heard something similar?”
“Quite.” Darcy admitted. The sound of the bell caught their attention and en masse, they moved to the window. Carriages were lining up and people were exiting, dressed in their finest. “Here we go.”
Mary watched as the ballroom filled. “I think this was a brilliant move.”
“What is that dear?” De Bourgh tucked her hand onto his arm and scanned over the waves of milling guests. “Inviting most of London to this event? I will never become used to this sort of thing.”
“Neither will I, but the point is that by combining the four girls’ ball into one, they do not have to invite essentially the same people to each home, four times over.”
“Ah, that is brilliant.” De Bourgh laughed. “Well, let’s see … Jane!” He called. Jane and Lucas walked over to join them. “What say we share Lucy and Rebecca’s coming out in a few years, be tortured together?”
“Well I like the sound of that.” Lucas agreed. “Neither of us want something this elaborate. Do we?”
“Lucy will come out in Meryton, Robert, not London.” Jane smiled at Mary. “The daughters of Rosings will have something like this, I am afraid.”
“Oh Jane, they are cousins, I have no issue with them coming out together.” Mary looked to her husband. “Do you, Peter?”
“No, not at all.” De Bourgh shook his head. “I am but a simple farmer …” Lucas snorted and he grinned. “All right, you are a simple farmer …”
“Hush you two!” Jane poked Lucas. “Here they come.”
“Should we bow?” He whispered.
“Oh no, save that for the papas, and perhaps toss them coins, they have to pay for this spectacle.” De Bourgh whispered.
“Are you kidding? They will leave it all on Darcy!”
“Well that is not fair!”
Mary turned and glared at her husband. “Are you going to behave?”
The men looked at each other and laughed. “No.”
“This evening is ripe for commentary, my dear.” De Bourgh took Mary’s hand and kissed it.
“I will remember th
at when it is your turn.” She lifted her chin and turned around. “And will be sure to tell Lizzy.”
“And she will be glad to comment on you.” Jane’s eyes sparkled at Lucas. “As will the rest of your band of brothers.”
“Janie …”
“Hush.” The sisters warned and turned to watch the evening begin.
Elizabeth, Audrey, Evangeline, and Alicia finished greeted the last of the arrivals and hooking their arms together; walked into the ballroom and took their places. Elizabeth nodded to Porter, who had closed the doors behind them, and with a flourish, he opened them again. Each father and daughter were introduced, and the couples walked through the parted crowd to take their places. As if choreographed, the fathers simultaneously took their daughters’ waists and clasped their hands, and with Elizabeth’s nod, the music began. They swayed and stepped off together to begin the waltz they had collectively refused to practice for weeks.
“Look at how grim they are.” Alicia whispered.
“Now I know how Richard looked when riding into battle.” Evangeline smiled to see Fitzwilliam’s intense eyes fixed on his mesmerized daughter. “Poor Annabel does not recognize this warrior!”