Mr. Darcy's Daughter

by Rebecca Ann Collins

  "Lizzie, my love, you sound exactly like your mother," he said, adding that in her case, it was a compliment of the very highest order, and Lizzie did not need to disguise her pleasure at his words.

  * * *

  An invitation to dine with Mr and Mrs Darcy, a fortnight later, took all the Gardiners and Mr Carr to Pemberley. There they found already arrived Jonathan Bingley, his wife Anna with their two young sons Nicholas and Simon, as well as Cassy's aunt Jane and her husband Mr Bingley, who was as amiable as ever, despite having been laid low with the influenza for a week. Their lovely daughters Sophia and Louisa were with their husbands, in London, he explained. Mr Bingley was exceedingly proud of his beautiful wife and daughters.

  Cassandra was especially delighted to see Anna Bingley, for whom she had a great deal of affection and her husband, Jonathan, an intimate friend of both Richard and Cassy since childhood. They were to spend a fortnight at Pemberley and the two women looked forward to having more time together.

  "I shall need your advice on our preparations for Lizzie's wedding in November, Anna," warned Cassy, and Anna Bingley responded with her usual generosity, offering her time and skill whenever she was needed.

  The arrival of Colonel Fitzwilliam and Caroline, together with their son David and their niece Jessica Courtney, whose time was now mostly occupied with the parish school at Pemberley, completed the party.

  Unhappily, Mrs Gardiner was not well enough to attend and Emily Courtney and her husband Reverend James Courtney were gone to Oxford, to visit their son William and stay with the Grantleys for a while.

  To Mr Darcy and Elizabeth, their absence was a disappointment, for Emily was a very special friend.

  Despite this, the occasion was a happy reunion of the families, as the first dinner party given at Pemberley since the death of Josie and the subsequent departure for France of Julian Darcy. There appeared, at first, to be no special purpose for the gathering, beyond an understandable desire on the part of the Darcys to re-establish their close relationships within the family, after what had been a period of some turmoil.

  The talk at dinner was not all about domestic matters, however, with the financial problems and social unrest in the cities being the chief topics of interest. Fearsome rumours were abroad of the possible collapse of more investment houses and the descent into bankruptcy of many previously thriving businesses, bringing more unemployment and unrest around the nation. Colonel Fitzwilliam railed against the incompetence of the government, and Mr Bingley groaned about the greed of the bankers and stockbrokers. Mr Darcy, for the most part, appeared quite sanguine.

  Pemberley had escaped the worst of the gloom, thanks to a good harvest and the investment made by Mr Darcy in Mr Gardiner's successful trading company. This enterprise was now, to all intents and purposes, managed by Caroline Fitzwilliam, with the help of her son David, who had been persuaded by the large parcel of shares left to him by his grandfather to finally abandon dreams of glory with the cavalry and turn his mind to the more practical business of commerce. It appeared from all reports that he, advised by his mother, was managing very well indeed.

  Amidst all the congratulations, however, Caroline succeeded in introducing a note of caution, warning everyone to be less complacent.

  "While the business is doing well, it will take very little, no more than rumours of a bank collapse, another mutiny in India, or an attack upon one of the British Colonies in Africa or the Far East, to cause a collapse in trade. Much of our trading success depends upon prosperity and peace in the nations with which we do business," she said, and as Cassandra listened in astonishment, she reminded them how the profits of several companies, who had put all their eggs in one basket, had disappeared when the Duchies of Schleswig-Holstein had been annexed by Bismarck.

  Cassy had always admired Caroline's knowledge of the world of business and politics, and the obvious confidence with which she held the attention of the men at the table amazed her.

  "Even the hint of such a problem is sufficient to create the kind of senseless panic that causes customers to close their order books and put their money back in their wallets," said David, while his proud father nodded sagely. Colonel Fitzwilliam was immensely pleased to see his son so keenly involved in the business. Years of anxiety for his mother, while David had pondered upon a military career, had finally ended. While neither Fitzwilliam nor his wife had tried to change their son's mind, their relief when he did had been immense.

  It was at this point that Mr Darcy, who had been listening with interest, intervened to say that this was perhaps an appropriate time to give them all some good news.

  He had decided, he said, in view of the prevailing uncertainty in the country and his own inability to travel more often to inspect them, to sell his properties in Wales and reinvest the proceeds in the Camden Park Estate, which had recently come up for private sale.

  "And I have since made a gift of the property to my dear daughter Cassandra and her husband, Richard," he said.

  Cassandra, who was sitting next to her father, looked across to her husband, who was safely ensconced beside her mother and she could not make out from his expression, whether he had known of this impending announcement or not. For her part, she was completely astonished, for while she had known of her father's intention to purchase the Camden Estate, and had prior warning that he would like them to live there; of his intention to gift the property to them, she had had no indication at all.

  She looked up at her father, who had by now proposed a toast to her and her husband, thanking them sincerely for their help and comfort during what had been quite the worst year in a decade or two.

  "I can say without the slightest fear of contradiction," he said, placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder,"that without the support of Cassy and Richard, my dear wife and I would have been hard put to survive the tribulations of this Summer past." Cassy touched his hand, as he continued,"And while this is in no way to be regarded as a reward for their efforts, for nothing will ever repay their kindness, affection, and sheer hard work, it certainly is a token of our love and gratitude."

  Looking directly at Cassy, he added, gently,"I know my daughter is disinclined to move to live there at present; she has an understandable attachment to her own beautiful home, but I hope that one day in the future, while I am still here to see her, she will decide that Camden Park is a worthy home, of which I know she will make a charming mistress. Meanwhile, it is theirs to do with as they choose."

  By this time, Cassandra could not hold back her tears and rose to embrace her father and thank him, to applause from around the table.

  But, as she sat down, Mr Darcy continued.

  He had more to reveal and his next announcement astonished them all, well, maybe all but one or two of them. Reminding his family that young Anthony was now the legal heir to Pemberley, he pointed to the obvious difficulties associated with a very young person inheriting an estate.

  "Even if Anthony were to be fourteen or sixteen years old, should I live that long, he would need to have competent and trustworthy advisers to manage it for him. You are all aware that Cassy, as Anthony's legal guardian, has been given this onerous responsibility and we feel it is unfair that she should have to carry the burden unaided. While Mr Grantham handles the routine business of the estate very well, there are matters, which require greater family involvement, chiefly those relating to tenants' concerns and legal matters.

  "There is also the investment in the Commercial Trading Company, which has to be handled with discretion and care. My wife and I have discussed these matters at length and I have decided to offer the position to a person, who will, I think, have Cassy's complete confidence and approval."

  Turning at this point to look at Darcy Gardiner, he continued,"My young grandson Darcy has agreed to accept the position and will commence his training for the job, immediately."

  "Darcy!" a chorus of voices echoed Lizzie's as they turned to the young man seated to the left of his grandfather and
delighted applause broke out around the table.

  Young Darcy stood up and took a bow, embraced his grandfather, his mother, his father and grandmother, and proceeded to do the same to all his relatives, probably because he had no idea what else to do. As everyone around her looked delighted, Cassandra struggled to contain her feelings.

  This had come as a complete surprise;neither she nor Richard had guessed that her father would choose Darcy. Cassy was proud of her son. He had proved in the last few weeks that hews possessed of sound common sense swell as compassion; she prayed he would also have sufficient endurance to stay the course. The management of an estate as large and as complex as Pemberley was no sinecure.

  Clearly, Mr Darcy had observed his grandson and spoken seriously with him before offering him the position. Cassy was certain it would not have been lightly done. Her father was too careful of the reputation of his estate to act upon a whim.

  The ladies withdrew soon afterwards and, in the drawing room, where they partook of coffee, tea, and sweets, their talk was all about young Darcy Gardiner. He was, they all agreed, a fine young man, handsome like his parents, entirely agreeable in his manners, well educated, and sensible; they were convinced he would make an excellent job of managing Pemberley.

  But his mother, ever vigilant, unwilling to have her children overburdened with superlatives and unrealistic expectations, was cautious. She urged her family to remember that Darcy had no experience in the management of an estate; he would need to learn everything, and there may be some difficult lessons along the way. Not too many of the others were as concerned.

  In an age when many young men seemed to prefer to fritter away their time at gaming tables, theatres, and clubs of dubious repute, the Gardiners had been fortunate in both their sons. While Edward was such a model of professional practice and rectitude as to be almost dull, Darcy, in spite of the opportunities for lax living that London provided for a good-looking young man with an adequate allowance and pleasing ways, had retained an enviable reputation for honour and integrity. His parents had occasionally been concerned that he might not be working very hard at his studies, but never had they had any reason to question his conduct.

  On returning home and retiring to their bedroom, Cassandra, though tired, was feeling elated. She could find no logical explanation for her mood, except that it had been one of those very special days when she felt that everyone she loved had been happy and content. Well, not everyone, she thought, recalling her unhappy brother, Julian, in France, alone, immersing himself in his research to blot out the anguish of his loss.

  When her husband came to bed, she asked him if he had known of her father's offer to Darcy and whether he approved of it. He told her truthfully that he'd had no inkling of Mr Darcy's plans until they were announced at dinner.

  "I was as surprised as the rest of the company, except Darcy and your Mama, of course, they knew all along," he said."But now it is generally known, there seems to be genuine pleasure and goodwill among the family and I think it seems like a very sound scheme," and then, in a voice that was rather more serious than usual at this time of night, he continued,"I will admit, I have had some concerns, with which I have not wished to trouble you, Cassy, that Darcy was uncertain about his future. I know he is very keen on going into Parliament, but he is very young and may not get endorsement at this stage.

  "Moreover, with the Tories in government, I cannot see him wanting to stand, at least until there is some chance of his beloved Mr Gladstone winning an election and becoming Prime Minister. That being the case, I have felt that for most of this year, our son has been somewhat at sea about his future. It is surely time he settled into an occupation."

  Cassy confessed that, while she had not been too concerned, she also had noticed her son's interest in standing for Parliament waning in recent times. With the return of the Tories, something of the excitement had gone out of politics for young Darcy.

  "In which case, do you believe that Papa's idea of having him manage Pemberley will be beneficial for him at this time?" she asked and Richard replied with undisguised enthusiasm,"Indeed, I do. I have no doubt that is how your father sees it, too. If Darcy does plan to enter Parliament, sometime in the future, he will do his chances of success no harm at all by serving out his time in waiting managing a property like Pemberley.

  "It will teach him many skills, especially the ability to see both sides of an argument; he will appreciate the concerns of both landholders and tenant farmers. Better still, it will keep him in contact with the concerns and aspirations of ordinary people, instead of sitting aroundWestminster merely listening to fine speeches or frequenting bars and coffeehouses."

  Clearly Richard was as pleased as her father had been with the situation. His wife had to agree that her husband's arguments were convincing and, though it had never occurred to her as the sort of work Darcy would want to do, she now saw all the good that could come of it.

  When, some days later, she wrote to her cousin Emma, telling her the news, she expressed her pleasure in no uncertain terms…

  Dearest Emma, I know you will be as happy as we are about this arrangement, though perhaps James will miss him at Westminster. He may not have as much time to spare as before, but I do know he is so devoted to Mr Gladstone and the Reform Movement, that it will not be possible to keep him away when the next election comes around.

  Meanwhile, I must confess I am looking forward to seeing him at home for more of the time, though as my father has planned it, Darcy will be spending most of his time at Pemberley.

  Tonight, however, having set that issue aside, there was yet another matter that needed resolution. Though it was very late, Cassandra decided that she was going to raise the subject. It had been on her mind for a while and she wanted her husband's advice.

  "Richard, do you not think, dearest, that we ought, at the least, to visit the Camden Estate? If we do not, Papa may be hurt by our lack of interest in his generous gift," she said, in a complete change of mood that surprised him, following her strong opposition to Mr Darcy's plan.

  "Mama has mentioned that they had been to dinner at Camden House, a week before the deal was done, and she thought the recent refurbishments made by Sir Thomas were of the very highest standard, he had clearly spared no expense. Mama said she thought it was a great pity, because he was not going to enjoy it for long, but then, Papa had said, he hoped we might do so, one day. Perhaps we should at least pay a visit?" she suggested.

  Her husband had been about to extinguish the light, but on hearing her words, stopped and turned to look at her, with a smile.

  "Cassy, my love, you must be blessed with second sight.Why, I was going to tell you tomorrow at breakfast; your father has already given me the keys to the house. He told me as we were leaving that he had arranged for the steward and the housekeeper to show us around the property. It being Sunday tomorrow, I thought we might drive over after church, just the two of us in the curricle, and have a guided tour of the estate. How would you like that?" he asked.

  Cassandra was pleased beyond measure.

  Since her father's announcement, she had begun to feel that she had been rather churlish and ungrateful, like a spoilt child refusing to play with a present because it did not suit her at the time. She was still unsure that she would everwant to move permanently to live at Camden House, but she did not wish to offend her parents, who were clearly overjoyed at being able to gift it to them.

  And so it was settled; they were to go to Camden House tomorrow.

  Sunday brought one of those Autumn mornings in England that inspire poets and painters to great creative heights. Mild and mellow in every respect, it was the right sort of day to be visiting Camden Park, where the sweetness of nature predominated without and was only enhanced by the art within. Though less than half the size of Pemberley or Chatsworth, the great estates which dominated this part of the county, the Camden Estate occupied one of the prettiest sites in Derbyshire. It lay in a fertile, alluring little dale,
at the confluence of the Rivers Derwent and Wye at Rowsley, which then, together, formed the boundary between Camden Park and Pemberley, before flowing through several gorges and woodlands on their way to join the Trent near Derby.

  Originally owned as one estate by the two Camden brothers, it had later been divided into the Rushmore Farm and Stud and the Camden Park Estate. While William Camden had taken on Rushmore Farm from his father and subsequently sold it to Mr Carr, Sir Thomas and his second wife had been childless and the unentailed estate was sold by private agreement to Mr Darcy, who was well aware that his long friendship with Sir Thomas had helped him obtain a most valuable property.

  Aside from its worth as an asset, however, it had a singular charm, which could not fail to captivate anyone with an appreciation of such places. Cassandra Gardiner was no exception; she was enchanted.

  The housekeeper, Mrs Wills, was a youngish woman, not much older than Cassy herself. She was the daughter of Mrs Bolton, who had held the position for thirty years. Together with the steward, she showed the new owners around every part of the property they wished to see. And of everything she saw, Cassy had to approve, for it was all so pleasing, so tastefully appointed and well cared for. Every aspect of Camden Park seemed intended to increase her pleasure. Not only did its grounds, with the vistas of mountains in the distance, and its delightful park and rose garden bring joy to her heart, the house itself was a treasure.

  Nowhere as magnificent as Pemberley in scale, it was everywhere as pleasurable to the discerning eye, with windows affording superb views of the grounds and the surrounding countryside and each well-proportioned, handsome room, elegantly furnished with appropriate pieces and accessories. Nothing grated, everything was in harmony.

  The housekeeper had informed them that the late Lady Camden had been both a painter and a pianist of some proficiency, with a great love of the fine arts, which fact was demonstrated, when on going upstairs, they were admitted to the music room. As Cassy entered the room, it took her breath away. Nowhere, not even at Pemberley, was there such an exquisite room, where the beauty of both nature and art had been so sweetly married.