MR. DARCY'S FIRST ELIZABETH

by John Edwards

  CHAPTER 10

  A TRIP TO PEMBERLY

  Young Fitzwilliam Darcy saw the carriage arrive and he and his friend, George Wickham, dropped their fishing poles and hurried to the house. They had been fishing near an hour and had not had a nibble. “I bet it is my cousin, it looks like his carriage.”

  “No Darcy, it looks to be two ladies; how boring.”

  Soon they came into the house and saw the two ladies talking with the housekeeper. Something about the voice of one of the ladies drew Darcy’s attention and as he looked at her, his mother entered the room and greeted the ladies as Wickham went off to the kitchen, leaving his friend alone. “William,” his mother called. “Please come here. These kind ladies have come to see Pemberly. This is Miss Charlotte Winstead and her friend, Miss Elizabeth Watkins. Charlotte’s brother, William, attended Cambridge with your father. They live at Hunting Hills, near Hampshire. Hunting Hills is a beautiful estate, much like Pemberly.”

  He was now standing close to Elizabeth and she turned and extended her hand to him, “Mr. Darcy, I am very happy to make your acquaintance.” She was close enough to him that he lost his countenance and could not reply. Why is she looking at me so hard? He was as if in a trance. Whether it was a beautiful summer day or the sweet scent of her perfume or those lively smiling eyes or something else that he did not understand, he was most definitely affected. Though only nine years young, he felt himself in love.

  “William, do you not have a reply?”, his mother asked.

  “Oh yes, excuse me Miss Elizabeth and Miss Charlotte, I am happy to meet both you ladies and hope your trip here was a good one.”

  “Yes, Charlotte replied. It was quite a pleasurable trip. What a good boy you have Mrs. Darcy.”

  “And let me add, quite a handsome young gentleman,” said Elizabeth. “Why I imagine you have many young ladies after you Mr. Darcy, do you not?”

  “I suppose Miss Elizabeth there may be a few that are tolerable, but none handsome enough to tempt me.” All soon laughed but young William was quite serious.

  “Well then, Mr. Darcy, there is much more to a young woman than looks, but you shall learn all these things later. You seem to be wise on women though, so I will say you cannot be younger than seventeen.”

  “Miss Elizabeth, I am but nine years.”

  “Then I am surprised, you act so grown up. Do you think you would mind making the tour with me Mr. Darcy? That is, unless you have other things to do?”

  “Yes, Miss Elizabeth, I would be honored.”

  After that was said Elizabeth asked William if she could hold his hand as they walked. She sensed the young boy was drawn to her but she saw in him flashbacks of her younger brother when he was nine years. How she wished that he were here with her.

  Mrs. Darcy delighted in having guests. She met the Winsteads a few years ago when they attended a function in Hampshire and they went to an assembly together. Though she had never visited Hunting Hills, they had been invited to stay over but were pressed for time as they had to leave for London after the visit to Hampshire. “Pray tell me Charlotte, are you staying close by?”

  “We are to stay in Lampton tomorrow night, I have a cousin that lives there.”

  “Then you have not secured a room for the night?”

  “No, but it should be no problem, we.”

  Soon she was interrupted, “Charlotte, Elizabeth, you shall both stay here tonight and tomorrow night too if you desire. My husband is in London on business and I am alone and would enjoy your visit very much.”

  Charlotte then replied. “That is very kind of you Mrs. Darcy, we do accept.”

  Mrs. Darcy called for the servants to accommodate her guests. Soon she locked onto Charlotte’s arm as her son did the same to Elizabeth and they started the tour. Elizabeth noticed Mrs. Darcy sneak a look at her son and grin back at her. Elizabeth thought the lad very affectionate and quite innocent and knew he would be the object of many a woman when he grew to be an adult.

  Elizabeth was impressed with his quick wit and his deep understanding of the history of Pemberly. As for the house, it was more fine than Hunting Hills, though Elizabeth later thought the grounds of Hunting Hills were more grand. Still, Elizabeth relished her time there. While Charlotte spent most of her time with Mrs. Darcy, her son took long walks with Elizabeth. She thought him quite handsome and wondered if he had a crush on her, as she had read that boys of that age often develop a crush on an older female, so she waited to observe more, as they sat on a bench along a trail that looked down upon Pemberly Manor.

  Elizabeth looked to take the measure of the young lad and in so doing found him easy to engage but he had too much pride and once he had established a position on a subject he would not alter it easily.

  When she asked him about why he described the girls as tolerable but not handsome enough for him, he would not give up a ready answer. “Mr. Darcy, one day you will meet a young lady and you will feel differently. She may not look beautiful to all that see her but you will see things in her, be it her physical looks, her mannerisms or her personality, that will make her, in total, very special to you. What do you say to that?”

  “I do not know, Miss Elizabeth, these girls are like strangers, and I do not meet many strangers so I do not know how to act.”

  “You know, I am a stranger, and you have acted as a gentleman, certainly one that is older than your seventeen years.”

  “No, Miss Elizabeth, I am nine years.”

  She now looked at him with a big smile, admiring his manner and his friendly smile. “That is right, you are but nine but appear older because you are serious.”

  “Serious?” Wickham jumped from the bushes as if to scare them. “Miss Elizabeth, this is George Wickham, my friend. We were fishing when you arrived.”

  “That is right Miss, but Darcy had to run to meet his new girlfriend.”

  “Shut up Wickham, you should not talk to a lady that way, and you have embarrassed her.”

  “Then why are you blushing Darcy? Are you in love?”

  Wickham then skipped away singing about “Darcy has a girl friend,” over and over.

  Elizabeth tried not to take note of Darcy’s red face but it was definitely bothering him, so she and he walked some more and she asked him many questions of what his opinions were on different subjects and she engaged with him with much bantering between them but he held his own, and made some points well in defending his positions. That evening at dinner, his mother kept winking at Elizabeth as she noticed how her son had favored Elizabeth so much. Out of nowhere, he said, “Mother, I would like to see Hunting Hills, do you think we can do that soon?”

  “We may be able to make that trip next year, but soon Miss Charlotte and Miss Elizabeth will be doing Charlotte’s coming out. They will be in London and Charlotte will be introduced into society at balls and parties and other dances.”

  “And what about Miss Elizabeth?”

  “Mr. Darcy, I will go with Miss Charlotte as her companion, and we will be friends.”

  “Are you looking to meet men?”

  “Well, one of the purposes of the coming out Season is for young ladies to be welcomed into society, and of course, to meet eligible men for courting.”

  “And marriage? Do you want to be married?”

  “Not soon, Mr. Darcy, you see I have a special friend and he is my cat. His name is Rascal and he sleeps on my bed each night. No, I will only be married if I am convinced of my deepest love for the man. So I will probably be single for a long time.”

  That evening young Darcy knew himself to be in love but he could not tell anyone. He hoped Elizabeth would stay at Pemberly another day, and she did, as Charlotte’s cousin in Lampton had become sick, so they planned to stay a second night at Pemberly. The second day Elizabeth spent most of the afternoon with young Darcy and before they came back into the house he handed Elizabeth a beautiful red rose he had picked. As she took the rose, she smiled a heartfelt smile from her heart and told him she
would never forget him. She meant it.

  The next morning, after breakfast, Elizabeth reached in her bag and handed William a new handkerchief that she had embroidered with the name Elizabeth on one corner and Mr. Darcy on the opposite corner. She had sprinkled a dab of perfume on it as well. “This is for my new special friend, Mr. Darcy. William, thank you for being so kind to Charlotte and me, and thank you for the rose.” Then she kissed him on his cheek. Charlotte and Elizabeth again thanked Mrs. Darcy for her kindness and as their carriage left, Elizabeth noticed the boy waving at them for as far as she could see.

  On returning to the house, the mother asked the son if he liked the ladies?

  His reply was to give a sly smile and examine the sweet scented handkerchief and then he skipped away whistling a tune. His mother laughed.

  Charlotte and Elizabeth stopped in Lampton to see Charlotte’s cousin but stayed only a few minutes. Because the cousin was early into a dreadful cold, the friends did not venture close to her and soon set off for Hunting Hills.

  “How did you like Pemberly, Elizabeth?”

  “My Charlotte, it is indeed a grand manor. I believe the grounds at Hunting Hills are more appealing than those at Pemberly. The house there is larger, than Hunting Hills, but I feel like it is a museum. It is most certainly not as comfortable a home as your own.”

  “Thank you, Elizabeth, still, it is quite grand and the home has been in the Darcy name for many decades. Since your young friend is the sole male heir to Pemberly, can you imagine all the women that will be after him when he grows up?”

  “That will be sooner than you think, Charlotte, after all, he is seventeen years.” Both Charlotte and Elizabeth looked at each other and laughed.

  “You were taken in by the young lad and he seemed to be affected by you.”

  “Yes, he reminded me of by brother when he was that age. Did you hear what he said about the girls that he knew were tolerable at best, but not handsome enough to tempt him?”

  “That I did,” said Charlotte. He is already a handsome man; I should like to see him as an adult?”

  “But Elizabeth, I fear you have stolen his heart. His mother as much as told me that before we left. I feel that he may never find a woman as handsome as he fancies you to be. Indeed, they will all be tolerable, at best.”

  “Then he must wait until I can grow younger as he grows older and we are of the same age. But no, that would not work, so he will have to find another Elizabeth.”

  “Now, we know that is impossible.”

  CHAPTER 11

  MORE BUSINESS IN LONDON

  The next day, at about the same time that Charlotte and Elizabeth arrived back at Hunting Hills, John Winstead was visited by a neighbor of his in London, who relayed the news that one of John’s friends from Cambridge had been hurt seriously on a ship he had been assigned to. First Lieutenant Raymond Ellis had joined the Royal Navy upon his graduation. Lt. Ellis had been moved to a hospital in London not two miles from Mr. Winstead. Hearing of this, John Winstead immediately left to visit his friend. After speaking with several people he was directed to ward eight, on the far end of the hospital. There John found his friend. He was told that his friend had suffered a broken back from a fall aboard his ship as he had climbed part way up the mast to inspect what was thought to be a structural defect and had grabbed hold of an unsecured piece of the ship’s rigging and fell many feet to the deck below. The accident happened one week earlier, but his doctor left little hope for him to recover from such an injury. John visited with his friend. “Well, Ray, what have you done to yourself this time?”

  “John Winstead, old chum, I am glad to see you. Perhaps you can coax one of the prettier nurses to attend to me, for I feel very lonely.”

  “Same old Ray Ellis, I see your injury has not affected your manly desires.” John Winstead softly chuckled but he was affected. Ray, can I do anything else to make this better for you? Just say the word and I will try to help as best I can.”

  “No, my friend, a doctor has already confided to me that I am dying. My family, such few as remain, are being advised of my injury, but most are elderly and not all will be able to visit me. Pray tell me, how are you? Are you married yet? I last saw you at William’s funeral. Why do we meet under such stressful situations?”

  “Let us pray that you will recover. As for your questions, I am fine and I am single. My sister will have her coming out in a few weeks and she will visit me here in London in a few days. When she arrives we will visit you. In the meantime, I will stop in on you each day.”

  “Thank you John, but I need to rest now.”

  John Winstead returned to his town home and immediately penned a missive to Charlotte asking that she and Elizabeth should come to town immediately and he explained that his friend Raymond Ellis was in the hospital and in a very bad way. He went on to say that they should plan to stay a week. Other than that, he welcomed Elizabeth to Hunting Hills and said he looked forward to seeing both of them in a few days. Two days later the post came and Charlotte immediately made plans for her and Elizabeth to depart early the next day.

  Early the next morning the Winstead coach pulled in front of the great house and the servants and footmen carried the belongings to the coach. Elizabeth had never rode in anything with as much luxury for the seats and other appointments and the door and inside panels were covered in a soft red velvet while the woodwork was full mahogany. This was as grand a coach as Elizabeth had seen but she noticed that, to Charlotte, it seemed just commonplace. Nevertheless, the journey was made in comfort and the coach pulled up in the circular drive in front of the Winstead town home before eight that evening.

  Mr. Winstead was there to meet his sister and Elizabeth, and two footmen in livery appeared to help the friends down from the coach and to carry their luggage into the house. Once inside, John Winstead apologized to them both for his absence from Hunting Hills, and he welcomed Elizabeth to London. He also inquired concerning their trip to see his cousin and of their visit to Pemberly. Charlotte delighted in telling her brother of Elizabeth putting her spell on young Mr. Darcy. “Then you are already out seeking other young gentlemen? What do you have to say for yourself, Elizabeth?”

  “He is a fine young man, sir.”

  “But you must not tempt him with your charm; you shall break his heart.”

  “He will not have long to dwell on me, sir. There will be many women after him as he grows into a man.”

  “Yes, but a young boy never gets over his first infatuation with a woman.

  He will pine after you for a long time. Alas, he will eventually be reconciled to find his own Elizabeth.”

  “Now Mr. Winstead, is this something that you have read, or have you experienced this yourself?”

  “Yes, brother,” Charlotte entered in, “Are you also looking for your own Elizabeth?”

  “I believe that I have never really known well any woman named Elizabeth. But I have seen her many charms and now she has visited young Mr. Darcy. He may be planning to marry you soon Elizabeth?”

  “Should I wait for him?” Elizabeth chuckled.

  “No, he will have to find his own Elizabeth, one more his own age,” John said.

  After that lighter side of the discussion, John explained what had happened to his friend and they planned to visit him the next morning. After a good meal and some good conversation, all went to bed. Elizabeth’s apartment was quite elegant and had a neoclassical look and she noticed the touches of finery with the furnishings. Elizabeth was introduced to her own personal maid, a smallish girl of seventeen named Doris, and she would also be her maid during Charlotte’s coming out in London and at Hunting Hills as well. After everything was all settled, Elizabeth lay down and within minutes was fully asleep.

  After a delightful breakfast the three went to see Lt. Ray Ellis. Mr. Winstead noticed Elizabeth staring at the sights she had most likely never seen, but he did not interrupt her eye’s wanderings. Finally they arrived at the hospital which inclu
ded a main building and at least ten one story brick buildings of about seventy feet in length. Each was separated by an expanse of lawn with trees and gardens. As they went into Lt. Ellis’ ward, they could see that many sick and injured men were being treated. The men’s beds were set side-by-side in two long rows, separated by a wide single path for the support staff. Soon they saw a doctor and he told Mr. Winstead that Lt. Ellis now had an infection and he was down to his last days, and that he had gone in and out of sleep. Charlotte had never been exposed to this and its’ affect on her was duly noted by her brother, but Elizabeth, he thought, was quite composed.