Mr. Darcy's Daughter

by Rebecca Ann Collins

  The funeral, which was held at Pemberley on a cold January afternoon, was a sad, difficult occasion. Mr and Mrs Darcy looked strained and wan. The news coming so soon after Julian's optimistic letters had them stunned and bewildered.

  The Tates were desolated and neither was able to speak without weeping. Poor Becky Tate, who had at all times encouraged her daughter in her ambitions and hoped for great things from her marriage to the young heir to Pemberley, could not absorb the blow that had been dealt them, while her husband was left to wonder at the value of his material success and political influence. His favourite child was gone and his life, for all its wealth and power, was empty.

  Not everyone knew the details of Josie's death.

  The younger people in the area, who had known her as a girl, wept, confused, unable to comprehend the circumstances that had destroyed such a vibrant, young life. Few could believe that Josie Tate, their childhood playmate, was dead.

  Not long afterwards, while Richard and Cassy were still trying to come to terms with the swift reversal of fortune that had taken them in so short a time from hope to despair, Julian, who had spent the last few weeks with his parents at Pemberley, arrived to see his sister and brother-in-law.

  Cassandra was shocked by his appearance. He looked and sounded like a man resigned to his fate, already aware that it had little in the way of happiness to offer him. Refusing any refreshment, he thanked them for all they had done for Josie and revealed that he had decided to renounce his inheritance in favour of his son.

  As Cassy gasped in disbelief, he explained,"Anthony will succeed as the heir to Pemberley directly from his grandfather. I have asked only for a modest income from the estate, which would enable me to continue my research work in Europe, where I will live for most of the year. I am well paid there and do not wish to draw upon the estate for anything more. Such resources as may accrue to me will flow on to my son and can be used for his upbringing and education, as well as the improvement of the estate.

  "While I do not intend to sever my ties with Pemberley, I have no desire to live there permanently; there are too many deep scars and painful memories for me," he said, as Richard and Cassy listened, unable to say a word.

  Julian went on, in a voice that suggested he had made up his mind a long time ago,"My work in bacteriology is now the centre of my life, and I shall devote most of my time to it. You will understand, Richard; it is an absorbing and important field, and I am committed to it."

  He pleaded with them to understand and forgive him for what he had done.

  "I am well aware that I will be condemned by some, who are ignorant of my motives, for letting my family down, by not taking on the role and responsibilities of the future Master of Pemberley. But, I am convinced that it is not a role which I could carry out with distinction as my dear father has done these many years."

  As his sister sought to protest at his words, denying that he would be so censured, he held up a hand, and continued,"Hear me out, Cassy, please; it is true, though it is kind of you to attempt to defend me. I need no such defence, for I know I am not the man to fill my father's place. I hope, however, that with his great example and advice, my son will do so with the same degree of dedication and success. I think you will agree, Cassy, that Pemberley and its people deserve the best master our family can give them."

  Seeing the tears that had filled his sister's eyes, he went to her and embraced her. Richard, he was sure, would agree with him; in time, his practical wisdom would prevail and Cassy would be comforted, when she came to understand that he was right.

  Julian had seen his attorney and, with his advice, drafted the necessary legal instruments renouncing his rights, together with a brief letter explaining his reasons for so doing; he handed copies of these documents to his sister.

  Relinquishing all his rights to the estate in favour of his son, Anthony Fitzwilliam Darcy, whose care he entrusted to his sister, Mrs Cassandra Gardiner, Julian had written:

  That my son, when he attains his majority, will live chiefly at Pemberley, where he will receive such training and further education as he may need to fulfill his future role as the Master of Pemberley, unencumbered by any obligations to myself.

  Should he be required, by an untimely event, which I hope with all my heart does not occur, to take up his inheritance at an earlier age, I ask that he be guided in the task by my sister Cassandra and any other person whom she may appoint to assist her in this regard.

  Until Anthony is considered ready to assume full responsibility for the estate, he will, in all matters concerning the estate, be advised by my sister Mrs Gardiner and my brother-in-law Dr Richard Gardiner, or any person they may appoint to advise him.

  Placing the letter in his sister's hands, he said,"Cassy, I have already spoken to Mama and Papa. They understand my reasons. My father has been most generous with my allowance; he has granted my request, though he could not hide his disappointment. I know he will realise soon enough that it is for the best—for myself, for Anthony, and for Pemberley, which he loves so dearly.

  Richard, I shall never forget how much I owe you both, and my dear little Lizzie, too," he said, turning to her as she sat a little apart, tearful and silent."Josie was especially grateful for your kindness, Lizzie. She spoke of you often and wished you would be very happy. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart; I wish I could have been as devoted to my duties as you have been to my family. God bless you."

  And with that, he embraced them all and bade them farewell.

  Two days later, having said his farewells to his parents and the many men and women he had known at Pemberley, Julian Darcy returned to France.

  MR DARCY'S DAUGHTER

  Part Three

  WHEN CASSANDRA WENT DOWNSTAIRS to her husband's study, it had been with the hope of finding him there alone. It being Sunday, she knew he would not go to the hospital, unless of course, there was some dreadful emergency; consequently, she had resolved to speak with him about their daughter Lizzie.

  Everything that had happened since New Year's Eve, when she had returned home from Pemberley determined to broach the subject with him, had conspired to prevent her doing just that. Each time she had decided this was the moment, some unforeseen circumstance had arisen and embroiled them in a series of events that made any rational discussion of Lizzie's future impossible.

  This time, however, she was quite single-minded about it. She knew Lizzie and Laura were gone with Anthony, James, and their new governess to church and were unlikely to return before midday. Her husband, having returned from his morning ride, had changed and gone down to breakfast, after which, he would, as always, read his papers in his study for an hour or so.

  When she arrived at the door of the room, she heard voices within, Richard's and their son Darcy's. Vexed at being frustrated again, Cassy retreated upstairs, but only as far as the landing, from where she could hear the door open and shut as Darcy left the room. She was about to go downstairs when the door to the study opened again and Richard came out; he was coming upstairs himself.

  Determined not to let this opportunity slip, she approached him, as he reached the top of the stairs."Richard, I really must speak with you; there is something that has been on my mind this last fortnight, about which I need your advice. I should have spoken earlier, but with the sorrow and the shock we've suffered, it never seemed to be the right time."

  Her husband had in his hand a letter. As she stopped speaking, he said,"You are quite right, my dear. I have had much the same problem; an important matter has come up, on which I must have your opinion, and for the very same reasons, it has been held in abeyance for some ten days or more. I know I should have responded earlier, but it is, as you have said, a matter of the appropriate time. Besides, I did have to make some related enquiries, which I have now completed, so perhaps we could resolve both questions at the one time."

  Cassy was confused—she had no idea what problem he had been attempting to resolve, but before she could ask, he
said,"Why do you not begin, my love? Tell me, what has been troubling you for a fortnight?"

  "It's Lizzie," she began.

  Her husband appeared astonished.

  "Lizzie? Why, what has she done?"

  Cassandra interrupted him."There, you see, you did not know either. Here was I, berating myself for not noticing what was going on in my daughter's life…"

  He stopped her and asked gently,"Noticing what, Cassy? Has Lizzie done something untoward? Has she displeased you in any way? If she has, it must have been unwittingly done, because that is certainly not like our Lizzie."

  He sounded concerned and Cassy was rather put out by his questions.

  "Well, I do not really know, Richard, that is the problem," she began, and he took her by the hand and sat her down, realising she was by now becoming unusually agitated.

  Cassandra rarely became angry with him or her children. She was by nature calm and well tempered. Her husband was keen to discover what had caused this extraordinary state of disquiet."My dear Cassy, hadn't you better start at the beginning and tell me what it is that's causing you such distress? I find it hard to believe that Lizzie can have done or said anything so bad as to upset you in this way."

  When she did tell him, however, going back to New Year's Eve at Pemberley, of the remarks of her mother and Aunt Jane, as well as her own observations of the pair on the day the news came of Josie's death, her husband's initial expression of mild confusion deepened to one of bewilderment. When she had finished saying her piece, he was silent for a few moments, before taking up the letter he had brought upstairs and setting it down upon the table before her, with the comment,"I think, my dear, you had better read this letter. It may explain many of the things that have been troubling you."

  She looked at the letter and, seeing it had been written more than a fortnight ago, said,"But Richard, this must have reached you weeks ago."

  He nodded,"Yes dearest, a fortnight ago, to be precise. I do apologise; I should have told you of its contents earlier, but as you have said, there was always some circumstance in the way. It did not seem appropriate to be discussing it while we were in the midst of preparations for the funeral. But, it has to be answered, so please read it."

  Cassandra picked up the letter and read it through quickly, then more slowly again, with care. It was from Mr Carr, written on New Year's Eve, informing Dr Gardiner of his happiness at having been accepted by his daughter Lizzie and asking for the blessing of her parents upon their engagement.

  It set out also, in detail, his current circumstances, his business affairs, and income, and assured Dr and Mrs Gardiner that he not only loved their daughter dearly and hoped to make her happy, but that he had more than adequate means to do so, in a material sense as well.

  As to his character and credentials, he referred them to two very reputable gentlemen in the city, one of whom was his attorney, a well-known lawyer of impeccable integrity, and to their own son Darcy, who had been his friend and companion for some years and knew him as well as any man in England, he said.

  The letter was well written, though couched perhaps somewhat less formally than most, which Cassy put down to his being an American.

  She handed it back to her husband, with a look of resignation on her face, and said,"It reads well," to which Richard replied with some enthusiasm,"It certainly does, my dear. I am impressed. It is a modest, courteous proposal, without presumption or self-praise and pleasantly devoid of sanctimonious hypocrisy."

  Cassy could not help feeling some annoyance and frustration; her eldest daughter Lizzie, whom she had cherished with love and affection, to whom she had felt so close, had fallen in love and accepted a proposal of marriage from a man who had been a complete stranger to their family until a year or so ago. Yet Lizzie had never once sought to confide in her.

  It would have been inconceivable, Cassy thought, that she would have acted in this way. She recalled, with some nostalgia, how she had entrusted her mother with her secret, confessing her love for Richard and borrowing her special jewels on the night of the Pemberley Ball, the night she had hoped he would propose.

  She even remembered the excitement they had shared in the cold corridors of Pemberley House when, after all the guests had departed, she had gone to tell her mother that Richard would call on her father on the morrow. Cassy could not believe that things were so very different between herself and her daughter.

  What could possibly have gone wrong?

  Not wishing to interrupt her reverie, Richard had moved away to the window. In the distance, he could see a group returning from church. Anthony and James were running on ahead, followed by their governess and Laura Ann.

  Much further back, two figures, whom he could just make out, came into view, Lizzie with Mr Carr, who had dismounted from his horse to walk with her.

  Even at this distance there was no doubting from their attitude and manner, his head inclined towards her, her arm through his, that they were much more than casual friends walking home from church.

  His wife's voice broke in upon his thoughts."What do you intend to say to him?" she asked.

  Richard turned to look directly at her, seemingly puzzled by her question.

  "What should I say? I have made some enquiries through my attorney and it appears that all his claims here are perfectly true. He is well educated, well spoken, very well regarded in the city as a businessman, and has substantial means. Indeed, he has not included here the inheritance he can expect from his father in America, which, Darcy tells me, is probably in excess of what he already has in this country.

  It seems he has established himself in business, quite successfully.

  "Darcy, who knows him well, speaks of him with affection and respect.

  "Clearly, he is not seeking to marry our daughter for her money; he has more of it than any one of our five children can expect to have from me.

  "So, from all accounts, Mr Carr would seem to be an eminently suitable person, to which, of course, one must add the not unimportant fact that they are in love and Lizzie has already accepted him," he replied.

  Cassy frowned; she had not expected him to be so sanguine about the matter of his daughter's engagement. While she had no reason to disapprove of Mr Carr, she had expected her husband to have some reservations. Apparently he did not.

  "I shall speak with her, of course, before I respond to his letter, but if they are already pledged to one another…" Cassy interrupted him."But Richard, is it a suitable match for Lizzie? Have you considered that she is only nineteen? Can we be sure she knows her own mind? Besides, he is much older than her and he is an American, of whose family and background we know nothing, save what he has told us."

  At that, he smiled."Ah, what we do know, of course, is that his grandfather was a stable boy on the Fitzwilliams' estate in Ireland."

  He paused and came around to where she was seated and, standing directly before her, asked gently,"Are you sure, my dear, that your anxiety about his background has not been brought on by that little discovery, one that Mr Carr cheerfully revealed to us himself?"

  Cassandra was completely taken aback. Shocked by her husband's question and its implications of snobbery and worse, she was silent for a moment, unable to answer him and he continued.

  "I might remind you, my dear, that when Mr Carr arrived in the district and expressed his interest in purchasing a property in the area, you were very keen for him to do so. You urged me to recommend him to Will Camden. You thought he would be an excellent neighbour. You did not question his connections then." His voice, though gentle, left her in no doubt of his opinion on the matter and she felt very uneasy.

  Cassy looked at her husband and, realising how very well he knew her, said,"Richard, that was quite different. I do not deny it, indeed he is a very good neighbour; I can think of none better and he has been helpful and generous with his time when we needed help. I cannot fault his conduct in any of these matters. But to marry Lizzie? I need to be sure he is right for her. I
have been so worried, especially after the disaster of Julian and Josie's marriage, which has been such a harrowing experience for all of us. I would feel I was not doing my duty if I did not pay close attention to it. He is a charming and amiable man and I fear that Lizzie, at nineteen, may not know her own mind," she looked at him, hoping he would understand her concerns."You do not really believe that I am the sort of woman who will condemn a man for his humble forebears, do you?" she pleaded.

  Seeing her distress, Richard put his arms around her, reassuring her of his faith in her."Of course not, my love, or you could not possibly have married the grandson of a man who began trading as a barrow boy!"

  He laughed as she pulled away and looked at him, all astonishment at his words. Then, he nodded, and said,"Did your Mama not tell you? My father always told us the story to remind us that a man was to be judged not by his humble beginnings, but for himself and what he made of his life. So you see, it would not be fair or right to look down upon Mr Carr, because of his grandfather's occupation. Indeed, on my part, it would be gross hypocrisy."

  As she listened, he went on to explain."I did, however, have some concerns about his associates in the city; I am no admirer of the gentlemen of the stock exchange. But, I have, by my enquiries, satisfied myself that he is, as he appears to be, a decent, unpretentious fellow who makes an honest living through commerce; he has a few good friends and no obvious enemies."

  Cassy looked at her husband and smiled for the first time in their conversation."And you believe he is the right man for Lizzie?"

  "I do and so does her brother. Darcy assures me Mr Michael Carr is a prince among men; he trusts him implicitly. But we shall wait to hear Lizzie's side of the tale before I write to him. If, as I think she will, she tells me she loves him and has made up her mind to marry him, I cannot see that we would do ourselves or Lizzie any good by objecting to her choice. She is a good sensible girl, Cassy, very much like her mother was, though not quite as beautiful. I doubt she will do something as stupid as marry the wrong man. She has your excellent example, after all."