Legacy of Pemberley (The Pemberley Chronicles; Pride and Prejudice Sequel Series)

by Rebecca Ann Collins

  Chapter Three

  Caroline and her daughter, Rachel, were in Colonel Fitzwilliam’s den, which he had never dignified with the words study or library, although it had served as both of these, sorting through a motley collection of books and documents.

  Caroline’s grief at the death of her husband was profound, but with her sister Emily gone and her daughter Isabella having moved away from Matlock after her marriage to Mr Bentley, she felt unable to impose her sorrow upon the only one of her children still at home. Her daughter Rachel was now her chief companion, and the two were very close.

  There were many things that needed doing, and it was best that they proceeded as expeditiously as possible, which was why Caroline had decided that they would spend most of Sunday on the difficult task of clearing out her husband’s room and putting its contents in some order.

  Despite the anguish both mother and daughter suffered as they sorted and disposed of the colonel’s papers, each seemed determined to spare the other any further pain, taking care not to dwell upon those items that might heighten and prolong their distress. But, try as they might, they could not restrain their sorrow when, in a leather portfolio in the bottom drawer of his desk, they found a collection of letters from his wife and children dating back many years. There were loving letters from Caroline written before they were married, a handwritten piece of music, brief affectionate notes from the children, and scraps of poetry or little sketches done in the schoolroom, all fondly collected and placed safely in a writing case, more securely held than many more important documents.

  Both Caroline and Rachel wept, and as their tears fell, they embraced and held one another in an outpouring of grief like they had not experienced since the day of the colonel’s death. After some time, Caroline rose and announced that they could do with some tea.

  “Cook and Molly are both gone down to the village for the afternoon; I’ll make the tea if you prepare the tray, and there is some fruit cake in the pantry,” she said. Rachel went at once to do as she asked. They took the tea tray into the sitting room and had settled into their chairs when a vehicle was heard approaching. Rachel went to the window to look.

  “It’s Aunt Cassy!” she cried, clearly delighted, and went to open the door.

  Caroline followed her and greeted Cassandra as she entered, but even as she did so, inviting her to take tea with them, she realised that this was no casual visit. Cassandra appeared distinctly ill at ease and could scarcely contain her disquiet until they were in the sitting room. She apologised for arriving at what must be an inconvenient hour, only to be assured that this was far from being the case. She then proceeded to pour out her concerns about the extraordinary goings-on at Pemberley since the arrival three days ago of Georgiana Grantley and her daughter, Virginia.

  As Rachel poured Cassy a cup of tea, Caroline listened, amazed, almost unable to believe the preposterous tale. However, when Cassandra reached the point of Virginia’s declaration that she intended to move to live with her brother Frank’s family at the Kympton rectory, Caroline cried out, “Oh no, no she must not. It is not fair! Amy could not possibly cope with someone like that. She has her hands full with the children anyway. Besides, they have not the room to accommodate her.”

  “Which is why I thought I had to come and warn you, Caroline,” said Cassy. “Jessica tells me that Virginia was determined to go, indeed she was busy packing her things and demanding to be taken to Kympton directly.”

  Caroline’s distress was palpable. Amy was the gentlest of her children and her husband, Frank, the kindest of men; she could not believe that they were about to be imposed upon in this way.

  “Cassy, what on earth shall we do?” she asked helplessly.

  “Perhaps we could invite Virginia over here,” Rachel suggested. “There’s plenty of room; she could have Bella’s room, or mine and I could move into Bella’s. We’d hardly notice her presence.”

  Cassandra looked sceptical. “I would not count on it, Rachel. Virginia is hardly the sort of person whose presence would go unnoticed! I am not sure that your mother and you could, in your present state of mind, put up with Virginia.”

  “But at least she is unlikely to be in the way here; there is room enough for the three of us. At the rectory, she would be under Amy’s feet all day and she would upset the children and the servants!” said Rachel.

  Caroline was inclined to agree with her daughter.

  “Perhaps we should go directly to Kympton; if she is already there, as she may well be, we could pretend we were visiting Amy and Frank and invite Virginia to spend some time with us,” she said.

  Cassandra was not entirely certain that this was the right course of action, but she had no alternative to offer. Richard had absolutely refused to have Virginia over to Camden House.

  “By all means invite Georgiana,” he had said to her the previous night, “I should be perfectly happy to have her to stay, but I will not agree to Virginia coming here. She will probably disrupt our household just as she has done at Pemberley.”

  Caroline hurried upstairs, while Rachel quietly cleared away the tea things. Watching her, Cassandra could not help wondering why Rachel, whose gentle disposition complemented her appealing looks, was as yet not spoken for. Perhaps modern young men were less appreciative of simple, good-natured girls, she thought, which was certainly a pity, for Rachel Fitzwilliam would make some fortunate gentleman a very good wife.

  By the time Caroline came downstairs, ready to drive to the rectory, Rachel had everything tidied and was ready to depart.

  She was unfamiliar with Virginia Grantley and asked, “Do you think Virginia would think it odd that we would invite her to stay?” To which Cassy replied that she could see no reason at all for that.

  “What I meant was,” Rachel continued, “since she is not very well acquainted with either Mama or me, is she likely to feel awkward and perhaps refuse the invitation?”

  Cassandra shook her head. “I doubt it very much, Rachel. From what I have seen and heard of Miss Grantley, feeling awkward is not an experience familiar to her. My belief is she will accept any invitation if she is convinced it is in her own interest to do so. If she understands that she could be more comfortable and less constrained by rules at Matlock, she will have no hesitation in accepting your mama’s invitation.”

  Caroline, who had just entered the room, heard her remark and said, “Well then, we shall have to make quite certain that she understands how much more comfortable she will be here and what freedom she will have, for we have no rules at all, except no one must go into the farmyard and frighten the animals.”

  They all laughed at that, and Cassy assured them that she could guarantee that Virginia would not set foot in the farmyard. “She is far too fastidious a lady for that!” she said.

  * * *

  The journey to Kympton rectory did not take long. When they arrived, they were surprised indeed to find Amy and her children in the garden with their nurse and no sign at all of Virginia. Obviously delighted to see them, Amy came at once to greet her visitors, inviting them into the house for tea.

  “I am sorry you have just missed Frank; he is gone to church to take Sunday school. But, if you can stay awhile, he will be back straight after evensong. He would be very sorry to have missed you,” she explained, but both Caroline and Cassandra did not appear to be listening.

  Looking around, they seemed rather puzzled, and Amy asked, “What is it, Mama? You seem preoccupied. Has something happened?”

  It was her sister, Rachel, who said, “Amy, has not Frank’s sister Virginia been here today?”

  Amy looked puzzled. “Virginia? Oh yes, she has been and gone, all in the space of one hour. She arrived this morning, very early indeed, with all her things and a maid in one of the grand carriages from Pemberley, and asked Frank if she could stay for a while. Before he could answer, she went upstairs as if to inspect the accommodation and came down again in a very short time, to say that she did not think the spare room
could hold her trunks let alone herself in comfort,” she said, and the others gasped.

  “Frank was rather upset, but I did point out that the rectory was only a modest dwelling for a clergyman and his family, and had never been designed to accommodate distinguished visitors with lots of luggage. I did apologise for the size of the spare room and told her she was very welcome to stay, but it seems she had already made up her mind. I offered her a cup of tea, which she refused, and very soon afterwards, she left to return to Pemberley. It was fortunate that the man had not unloaded her trunks; it would have been such a waste of time and effort to have done so, since she was hardly here above half an hour,” Amy explained cheerfully.

  “Oh Amy, my poor child,” said Caroline, but Amy did not appear to have suffered at all as a result of Virginia’s extraordinarily brief visit.

  She laughed, “Oh Mama, there is no need to feel sorry for me; I was so relieved I almost wept. Jessica had warned me about her, and I was apprehensive that she might stay. Poor Frank, he felt so wretched; he was appalled by her rudeness, but I told him to say a special prayer at evensong, thanking God for our very small spare room! I do love that little room and shall never complain about it ever again,” she said, her laughter filling the room, and the others could not help laughing with her.

  When they had all sat down and partaken of tea, and the nurse had taken the children upstairs for their bath, Frank Grantley arrived home. His pleasure at seeing them there was diluted by his considerable embarrassment at the conduct of his sister, for which he felt the need to apologise to his mother-in-law as well as his wife.

  “I am unable to explain it, except to say that she is probably so upset at my father’s death, she has become deranged. I have no recollection of seeing her behave in this manner when we were at home. But then I suppose she would not have done so; my father would not have tolerated it, and she had more regard for him than for me.”

  It was not an explanation that either Cassy or Caroline could accept, but out of consideration for Frank, neither said anything to the contrary.

  “Did she say what she intended to do?” asked Caroline. “I understand she has declared that she does not wish to continue at Pemberley.”

  Frank said he had gone out to the carriage as his sister had prepared to leave and had heard her say that she was sure Anne’s house in Hampshire had more suitable accommodation.

  “Does that mean she intends to travel to Hampshire?” Caroline asked.

  Frank was unsure. “I’m afraid I cannot say for certain; she revealed nothing of her intentions, and I was so dismayed by her remarks that I was pleased to see her depart and asked no further questions. I have to confess that my sister Virginia and I have never been very close, which is probably my fault, because I was never at home long enough to be much of a brother to her,” he said, by way of explanation. It was an explanation that was not very fair to him, Caroline thought.

  Cassandra and Caroline decided on leaving Kympton rectory to proceed to Pemberley, which was but twenty minutes’ drive from Kympton. There was still plenty of light in the sky, and Caroline thought they could gain some advantage by meeting Georgiana, and if Virginia was not to be seen, she could leave the invitation with her mother.

  “Georgiana may well be able to persuade her that it would be simpler to move to Matlock than to travel alone across the country to Hampshire.”

  “It would mean travelling on the trains, too, unless Mr Darcy can be coaxed to let her have a carriage for the journey,” said Rachel.

  “I cannot believe Papa is in any mood to be coaxed to offer Virginia the use of a carriage. To transport her to the railway station, yes, but not to Hampshire, I don’t think,” said Cassy with some confidence. She knew her father well and was certain he had no time at all for spoilt and selfish young women like Miss Grantley.

  When they reached Pemberley, the slanting rays of the setting sun were striking the windows, which glowed in the evening light. Rachel gasped at the beauty of the place, and even Cassy, who was so familiar with the view, caught her breath as they drove towards the entrance. Mr and Mrs Darcy were sitting on the terrace with Georgiana, and they came across to welcome them as they alighted from their vehicle. Inviting them in, Elizabeth asked the servants to bring out more refreshments for their visitors.

  Having done so, she turned to Caroline and whispered, “You are come at a most auspicious moment indeed. Virginia has a headache and has withdrawn to her room. We are not likely to have the pleasure of her company for the rest of the evening.”

  Caroline was well pleased. This circumstance suited her plan very well. Seating herself beside Georgiana Grantley, she waited a few minutes before asking after her family in general and Virginia in particular. It was an entirely natural question; both women had been recently widowed and both had unmarried daughters of almost the same age. While the two young women hardly knew one another, their mothers were friends, and when Caroline asked if Virginia would like to spend some time with them at Matlock, there was nothing but sincerity in her voice.

  “We have plenty of room and with just Rachel and I; Virginia would almost have the place to herself,” she said.

  Georgiana, clearly surprised, turned to look at her face and after a moment of bewilderment said, “Oh Caroline, that is so very kind of you. I am sure Virginia would love to come to you at Matlock. Indeed I shall tell her about it tonight,” she said with such an excess of enthusiasm that Caroline was convinced it was a sign of immense relief.

  Sitting next to her mother, Rachel sighed; there was no escape now.

  Back at Matlock, Caroline and Rachel determined that they were going to make the very best of this visit, however difficult it was going to be.

  “If she does accept, we have to ensure that she is pleased and happy, else she will leave and impose herself upon poor Amy and Frank, and we cannot have that. Rachel, my love, I am counting on you to do your very best,” Caroline warned.

  Rachel laughed. “Have no fears, Mama; her every wish shall be my command.”

  “Oh my dear child, even I shall not hold you to that promise,” said her mother, and they went upstairs together, content with their achievement.

  Now, everything would depend upon Georgiana’s powers of persuasion.

  Chapter Four

  Meanwhile at Pemberley, Mrs Darcy was not entirely satisfied that Caroline’s invitation to Virginia had been the right thing to do.

  “What if she should create dissension and unhappiness there, too?” she asked as she and Mr Darcy sat taking tea in their private sitting room. “It seems she has a talent for it, and poor Caroline and Rachel, having only recently lost the dear Colonel, how would they cope with such a situation?”

  Her husband’s countenance was grave, but there was also a twinkle in his eye as he tried to reassure her. “Dearest, I believe you need have no fears on that score. If anyone in this family can set Virginia down, it will be Caroline. She is both forthright and sensible, with a determination that enables her to deal with the most vexing situations.”

  “She will certainly have her fair share of those with Virginia making a variety of demands upon her. I worry that with only Rachel and a couple of servants to help her, Caroline may well be driven to distraction. Perhaps I should suggest that Virginia take their maid with her. I am sure Georgiana will not mind sharing my Susan,” Elizabeth said.

  Mr Darcy felt able to endorse that idea, and Elizabeth decided she would look in on her sister-in-law before going to bed. It would give her an opportunity to discover whether Georgiana had succeeded in persuading her daughter to accept Caroline’s generous invitation to Matlock.

  To her amazement, when Elizabeth entered her room, Georgiana was smiling. It was not something she had done much of recently.

  “It is such a pleasure to see you like this, Georgiana,” said Elizabeth as they embraced. “May I assume from your happy mood that Virginia has agreed to go to Matlock?”

  “Indeed you may, Lizzie. I was quite
surprised myself; she welcomed the offer and asked that a message be sent to Caroline thanking her for the invitation. I am sure Virginia realises it is far preferable to travelling to Hampshire. Perhaps we can arrange to send one of the men over tomorrow morning with a note for Caroline?” she asked tentatively, and Elizabeth was in no doubt that it could be arranged.

  “Of course, my dear, that would not present a problem at all, and when Virginia wishes to go herself, Mr Darcy will let her have one of the carriages so she can transport her things and your maid conveniently. If you do not mind sharing Susan with me, it will be best for Virginia and Caroline if Annie went, too.”

  Georgiana did not wish to trouble anyone, she said, but Elizabeth insisted, “It will be no trouble to anyone, and if Virginia is content to stay awhile at Matlock, just think, it will give you a chance to spend some time with your brother and me. We have longed to have you here at Pemberley.”

  “And, Lizzie dear, I have long wished to come back. I have missed the happy times we used to spend together and look forward to recalling some of those days with both of you as well as Julian and Jessica,” she said.

  Recalling the events of their first evening at Pemberley, she continued, “Lizzie, I must apologise for Virginia; she has always been rather headstrong, and it hasn’t been easy for me to control her, but with Dr Grantley it was different…” And here she could not help the tears that flowed down her cheeks as she sobbed. “He always counselled her, and she would take more notice of him than of me. Oh Lizzie, I do miss him so.”

  Elizabeth felt for her sister-in-law; married young, to a man she loved and esteemed, Georgiana had never sought the independence of mind and spirit that Elizabeth, Caroline, and Cassandra prized so highly. Suddenly, it was as though the years had rolled back and she was facing the same diffident young girl she had first met at Pemberley. Elizabeth’s generous heart was moved, and she held Georgiana close until her sobs ceased.