A chuckle was heard from the young lady. “Yes, Papa, he has. I expect he will come to speak with you soon.”
“And will that make you happy, my girl? Do you love him?”
Emmy nodded her head. “Yes, Papa, I love him dearly. He is all that a young man should be.”
“When will he take over Mr York’s practice?”
“In a month. Mr York is utilizing Mr Armitage’s vast knowledge to set up the hospital in Lambton. Once the hospital is finished, Mr York will spend more time there, while Mr Armitage will see patients outside the hospital.”
Darcy nodded his head. “Your young man is intelligent, and is a forward thinking man. I am pleased to see the improvements in medicine he has brought to the neighborhood.”
“Mr Armitage was pleased to see Mr York was the sort to discourage old practices, such as leeches and bleedings.”
As the pair entered the drawing room, he heard a group of people cry out, “SURPRISE.”
Looking about the room, his eyes locked on those of his beloved wife. They had been married for twenty years, and he had learned to love her more each and every day.
“What is happening?” He asked.
“You have been so busy of late, that you have forgotten your own birthday, Papa.” Edith said as she walked across the room and embraced her father.
“My birthday? Is it truly my birthday?”
“Yes, Papa, it is.” Bennet Richard Darcy said as he stepped to his father. He was the heir to Pemberley, the first of six children with which Elizabeth gifted her husband.
Each of the children stepped forward, in order of their age, oldest to youngest. After Bennet came Helen Jane, Georgiana Anne, Charles Edward, William Gerald, and the baby of the family, five year old Thomas James.
When the children were finished welcoming their father to his birthday party, Elizabeth stepped forward. Placing a chaste kiss on her husband’s lips, she whispered, “The children have been planning the party for a month. They are so excited, especially since you did not catch on to their surprise.”
“I have been so caught up with work that I have forgotten everything else. Forgive me, my love, for neglecting you.”
Receiving another kiss from his wife, she replied. “I have not been neglected, especially just last night.”
Darcy’s cheeks turned red, as he hoped his children had not overheard their parents’ conversation.
Next to wish him joy was his cousin. Richard Fitzwilliam gave his cousin a manly hug. “Happy birthday, old man.”
“You are older than I am, Richard.”
“Yes, so I am well versed as to who is an old man. And you are, Cousin.” Richard laughed.
“It is good to see you, Richard. How are you fairing? Your arm is recovered, I see.”
“Yes, well that stallion has been a challenge, and one of the only horses to ever throw me, but he is incredible. I am planning to breed him with the mare I purchased last year.”
“I want to place an order for a foal from the pair.” Darcy stated.
“For that, you will have to speak with Richard Jr. He is beginning to assist me with the horse breeding, and has claimed the first foal from them.”
“Well then I wish for the second.” Darcy laughed.
Richard and Millie had been blessed with three sons, all of whom were much like their father in stature and personality. Poor Millie was forever enduring snakes, frogs, insects and a menagerie of animals her sons brought in the house.
“We are charged with wishing you a happy birthday from Gerald. He had exams this week at school, so he was not able to make the journey back.”
“How is his schooling coming?”
“He has developed a taste for agriculture, so his science classes are his favorite.”
“Then he will be able to teach you all the new methods of planting and improving your estate’s yield.”
“And when he is done at Willow Hollow, Gerald can come here to advise you. Of course, I am sure there will be no hardship on his part, seeing as he has long been in love with Georgiana.”
“Not until she is officially out next year. Though we do not hold to a debut in London Society, we do set an age when the girls are considered old enough to accept young men who call on them. And for Georgiana, it is next year, when she is sixteen.”
“It does not seem possible that our children are as old as they are. The twins are almost twenty one. Where has the time gone?” Richard asked.
“I am not sure, but I wish it would slow down some. Emmy is likely to soon be engaged. Edith is to marry in a month. Ben has spoken to me of his desire to court Miss Farris. They are all rushing off into their new lives, rushing to be adults and have families of their own.”
“At least we have wives we love, so even with the children grown and moving on, we have someone at home to care for us.” Richard smiled as he looked about the room.
Bingley approached the cousins, the men he called his best friends. “Happy Birthday Darcy. You do not look a day over thirty.”
“Bingley, you look cheerful, as always. How are you today?”
“I am wonderful, my friend. Clarice informed me just this morning that she felt the quickening. Our fourth child is well on its way.”
Bingley had married Clarice Pendleton, niece of Jonathon Pendleton, the Duke of Pennington, two years after Jane Bingley had died. By then, he had doubled the size of his estate and was becoming well known as a member of the landed gentry. Their first child, William Richard, was the heir to the Duke, as the Duke’s son had died two years previously, and William was the next in line. After William, the Bingleys had two daughters, Elizabeth Rose and Martha Anne. Elizabeth, or Eliza as she was called, was smitten with Richard Jr and he was quite taken with her in return. Everyone in the family had expected them to marry since they were young, as the two had always been close.
“Are you hoping for a boy this time?” Richard asked.
“I will take whatever the good Lord sees fit to give me, but a son to inherit my estate would be nice. William will have his hands full with the dukedom and the estate with which it comes.”
“You can always leave the estate for your girls. There is no entail, and you can always split the estate into sections.”
“We will see what happens. Clarice has some property in Scotland that was left to her by her mother’s father. If we have three daughters, we can split Cutherford in half and, with the Scotland estate, each would inherit a property. I am still hoping for a son though.”
The men stood together for some time, discussing many topics which revolved around their families.
In the past twenty years, many things had changed. Mrs Gardiner had moved to Pemberley, after her husband died just five years past. Their eldest son had taken over the family business, and moved into the house near the warehouse in Cheapside. The young man had learned well from his father, and was now exceeding his father’s income from the investments.
The Gardiner children had flourished, each marrying for love and had wonderful homes. Mrs Gardiner was a grandmother, and doted on her grandchildren whenever she had the chance. The Darcys enjoyed having their beloved aunt living with them, and welcomed her family to visit Pemberley whenever they wished. The invitation was accepted often and the families all felt at home at the grand estate.
On the other side, Lord and Lady Matlock were never allowed to visit Pemberley or Darcy House. Lord Matlock pleaded with his second son for the rift between them to be repaired, but Richard ignored the pleas. Matlock suffered from the gambling debts of the eldest Fitzwilliam son, and it became necessary to sell the estate. Lord and Lady Matlock remained in Town at Matlock House, while their son took control of Rosings.
Lady Catherine never regained her senses, and had to be placed in an asylum two years after her daughter’s accident. Five years later, Lady Catherine died in her sleep, having been abandoned to the asylum staff, as no one from her family ever visited.
Anne de Bourgh lived for ten year
s, surprising everyone in the family. Though she was alive, she was a quadriplegic and remained in her bed constantly. She was a bitter woman, spewing her anger and frustration with anyone who entered her bedchambers. Needless to say, it did not take long at being abused by Anne’s verbal attacks, before no one visited Anne. Only those who were paid to tend her came in the bedchambers, and they frequently were replaced when one servant after another left for friendlier employment.
With Lady Catherine and Anne incapable of running Rosings Park, Lord Matlock took control of the estate and the wealth his sister had amassed. Even that was not enough to save the estate of Matlock, as his heir spent much of the de Bourgh fortune behind his father’s back. By the time Lord Matlock realized what was happening, it was too late. The fortune was gone, and so, too, was his ancestral home.
The Darcys were rarely in Town. They were not fond of Society, and chose the comfort of their estate to that which Town had to offer. But once a year, the family would journey to Town, usually in late fall, to take in some shopping and some entertainment at the theater or a concert. The townhouse was commonly used by many in the family, including Richard and Millie and their boys. Bingley decided to sell his townhouse, as he did not require one after his marriage. The Duke of Pennington had a grand townhouse in Town, and it would be Bingley’s son’s home when he inherited from Clarice’s uncle. Her uncle was always pleased to have the Bingley family stay with him when they came to Town.
As for the remaining Bennet sisters, Mary and her husband were well suited for each other. Mr Poe, Mary’s husband, became a partner with Mr Phillips, and when the elder man died, Mr Poe took over the practice. Mrs Phillips moved in with the Poe family, which included two children. Though Mary held the belief that Darcy and Elizabeth should have sent the twins to live elsewhere, as their births had been outside of wedlock, Mary did not despise the children as Jane had. Mary was friendly whenever she saw the Darcy family, which was rare.
Kitty Bennet reached out to her sister Elizabeth, only months after their mother passed away. Kitty had always been afraid of incurring their mother’s wrath if she had been closer to her second eldest sister, so Kitty allowed hostility their mother held to come between them. Kitty had decided that she wished for a better life than following her younger sister’s example. The second to the youngest of the Bennet sisters requested to visit Pemberley, and once she was there, became close to Elizabeth and the Darcy family. Kitty married the son of Pemberley’s steward, who was training to take over for his father. They lived in a cottage on Pemberley’s land, and Kitty spent her spare time teaching reading, writing and arithmetic to the tenant children of the estate. Their daughter was nearly twelve and she spoke often of her desire to one day become a nurse.
As for the youngest Bennet sister, Lydia surprised everyone. She was wild, especially in the year that she should have been in deep mourning for her mother. Lydia was constantly flirting with any young man she saw, and made a fool of herself. After Kitty left for Pemberley, and then announced her decision to remain with Elizabeth’s family, Lydia disappeared for a few days. No one ever discovered where she had gone, or what she had done. A week after her return, the militia returned to Meryton, after being gone for the summer at Brighton. With the return of the militia came the return of Lieutenant Denny, who had become Captain Denny. Denny asked Lydia for her hand in marriage, and the young lady accepted. She became an upstanding woman, having learned to control her silliness and outrageous behavior. Lydia gave her husband three children, two sons and a daughter. All were loved and were taught proper behavior by their mother. Though she did not know her second sister well, having always believed Mrs Bennet’s foolishness, Lydia did make an effort to know Elizabeth. Though they did not spend much time together, as the Denny family moved about frequently, Lydia and Elizabeth corresponded often.
~~ ** ~~
The next day, Mr Armitage arrived to call on Emmy Darcy. “How was your father’s party? Did you surprise him?”
“We did. Papa was thrilled with the entire day. We had all his favorite foods served throughout the day, played games, put on a show for him, and more. Mamma even had a fireworks display for Papa last night.”
“I saw them from a distance as I arrived at Lambton. It was exciting.”
“I wish you could have been here for the day. Papa and I spoke of you.”
Mr Armitage was surprised. “And just what did you and your father have to say about me?”
“He asked if you were going to talk with him anytime soon.”
“And your reply was…?”
Emmy smiled. “I told him I was certain that you would be speaking with him soon, and that I would be pleased to accept your attention.”
The edges of Armitage’s lips curled up. “You welcome my attentions, Miss Darcy?”
“Indeed, Mr Armitage. You are everything of which I could ever dream.”
Mr Armitage knelt before Emmy, holding her hands in his own. “In vain, I have struggled. I must speak my mind. I love…love…love you. You are my heart and soul, my other half. Would you do me the honor of making me the happiest of men, by accepting my hand in marriage?”
A tear began to trickle down from the corner of Emmy’s eye as she nodded her head, unable to find her voice. Mr Armitage stood quickly, gathering Emmy into his embrace. “Dearest, loveliest Emmy, I will love you always.”
~~ ** ~~
Darcy welcomed Mr Armitage into his study. “I had a feeling I would be seeing you today, Sir.”
The men shook hands. “Yes, I returned home last night. I am sure that Miss Darcy, Miss Emmy Darcy that is, told you I had made a trip to Town to place an order for supplies my uncle will need for the new hospital. He is grateful for the generous donation you made to the project. It will be a modern, well-equipped hospital.”
“I have no doubts. Mr York told me all of your plans. The neighborhood will be well taken care of by you and your uncle. York is very proud of you and your accomplishments. No uncle could be prouder.”
Armitage smiled. “I beg to differ. I believe you are as proud of Miss Emmy and Miss Edith as my uncle is of me, if not prouder. You took them in as your own, adopted them, and loved them dearly. Never once have you treated them as the children your sister, born out of wedlock. My uncle has told me of all Society has said of you over the years, and you ignored them. I find that I must thank you for standing your ground, and keeping the sisters with you. If you had not, it is most likely I would never have met Miss Emmy and would not be here, now, asking for your permission to marry her.”
“You love her, despite her origins?” Darcy asked, watching the young man’s behavior.
“Indeed. It matters not from where she came. In truth, her mother was your sister, her great grandfather was an earl. And what happened to her mother, at the hands of that scoundrel, was not Miss Emmy’s or Miss Edith’s blame. They, and your sister, should not share in the scorn of society, as they have. I know that it was the reason you hired masters to come to Pemberley to instruct all of your children, as you wished for them a better life than one of bitterness from people of no consequence to yourselves.”
“Do you know who fathered Emmy and Edith?”
Mr Armitage nodded his head. “Miss Emmy told me that it was the son of your father’s steward, a George Wickham. She also told me that he had been hired to ruin your sister, and later to abduct the twins.”
“Emmy must think highly of you to disclose all of our family’s history.”
“She said that she did not wish for me to enter into any sort of relationship without my knowing the truth. It was her fear that I might come to regret my choice, if something were to be said by someone in Society. To be honest, I care nothing about Society. All I have ever wished for is a loving wife, children, and being able to tend to my patients to the best of my abilities. And Miss Emmy is the young lady who has taken hold of my heart. Anyone who is an important part of my life will see Miss Emmy for who she is, not her origins. Besides, th
ere have been far greater exploits in high society that outweigh the significance of Miss Emmy and Miss Edith’s births.”
Darcy was surprised, but asked about the exploits of which the young man spoke.
“Lord Densmore caught his wife in a tryst with Lord Whitcomb. Walked into his wife’s bedchambers and found the two in her bed. With Lady Densmore being in a family way, it calls into question whose child it is. Being their first child, it could be Lord Densmore’s heir. The talk is that his lordship is planning to ask for a divorce and rid himself of the woman, and Lord Whitcomb is supposed to marry Miss Florence Holden. The wedding may be cancelled, as her father is furious. So, you see, your nieces are quite ordinary in comparison, when compared with the scandal level of this adventure.”
Darcy chuckled. “Another reason I dislike being with those who think themselves above everyone else.”
“I agree with you. Might I ask you, how everything came about? Miss Emmy has told me what she knows, but she was not sure about where you were when Wickham had her mother. She thought you were in an accident, but that is all she knew.”
“Very well. We have been open with all of our children, including Emmy and Edith. We want them all to know that we love them, and that we do not think of the girls as any sort of shame. The story all begins with my sister, Georgiana, staying at a house we had leased in Ramsgate. I arrived, unexpectedly, to find my sister and her companion had left, with none other than George Wickham. As I raced back to Town to find my sister and rescue her, I was in an accident. A terrible storm had begun just before I left Ramsgate, and it led to my carriage striking the carriage of my wife and her father, who were on their way to holiday with the Gardiner family. So you see, much of this tale begins on the road to Ramsgate.”
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melanie Schertz is a devoted Jane Austen fan, especially of Pride and Prejudice. She is also a mom, with one daughter by birth, two daughters and a son by choice. Melanie has furry children, both cats and a service dog named Darcy (of course). Writing privately for most of her life, Melanie surprised her family less than 3 years ago when she began sharing her stories. Having taught herself how to overcome her own dyslexia, Melanie encourages everyone to push past their “disabilities” and try things that they never thought possible.
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