by C. P. Odom
As a result, he had spent many hours in the dark and narrow alleys of East London. From the first day, it had been clear that traveling to the east side by coach would not work. Neither Darcy’s coach nor his carriage could easily maneuver those narrow, twisting streets, so they traveled on horseback.
The problem remained that a pair of fashionably dressed gentlemen were far too attractive to some of the more nefarious denizens of the area. Darcy had insisted, even on their first visit, on a pair of armed footmen accompanying them, and Brown, the footman he had almost shot the previous September, had volunteered quickly and forcefully to be one of the pair.
“I’ll not allow any harm to come to ye, Major,” he had said.
While that seemed reasonable to McDunn, he nevertheless tucked his own pistol and a pair of spare magazines in a shoulder holster under his fashionable outer coat.
Brown had seen its outline and nodded in approval. “Best safe than otherwise, sir.”
***
Arriving downstairs, McDunn found Darcy speaking with a young man and an attractive young woman.
Bingley, I’ll bet, thought McDunn as all of them rose when he entered. And that’s probably the infamous Caroline Bingley, she of the supercilious smile. I believe his other sister is older and married.
Darcy motioned to McDunn as he walked in. “Bingley, may I present my friend, Major McDunn?”
“Honored, sir,” Bingley said.
“The honor is mine.”
“And this is his sister, Miss Bingley. Miss Bingley, Major McDunn.”
“Honored, Miss Bingley,” McDunn said, bowing. Darcy’s eyebrows furrowed as Caroline’s only response was the merest nod of her head.
McDunn saw the same thing, but he was amused rather than offended. It was predictable that Miss Bingley and I would never have a friendly relationship. A cool, distant relationship is about the best I could hope for, and even that seems unlikely after her greeting.
Bingley, seemingly unaware of the cut, turned to Darcy with a smile. “I have good news. Louisa is engaged to be married.”
Ah, she’s not yet married, McDunn thought.
“That is wonderful news, Bingley. Give her my best wishes.”
“She would have come, but she came down with a splitting headache and remained in bed.”
“How unfortunate!” Darcy said, though McDunn thought his friend seemed unsurprised.
“Once Louisa is married to Mr. Hurst, Caroline will assume the task of managing my household. I am still interested in finding a suitable residence, hopefully in the country.”
“As I have told you before, you must not become discouraged. Finding a suitable estate can be a lengthy endeavor and requires careful investigation. Far too many families in financial straits try to dispose of an estate for more than it is worth. Be patient and keep looking, but be careful.”
“Just as a point of information, Darcy,” McDunn said, “do I assume this is not a proper time to shake hands? Your English stiff bows seem so lacking in warmth to me.”
“As I mentioned, despite our handshake on first meeting, shaking hands is rare in society.”
Turning to Bingley, Darcy explained. “The major is an American, you see, and Americans seem to be mad about shaking hands.”
“It’s what I’m used to,” McDunn said with a shrug. “Bowing seems so sterile.”
“A colonial!” cried Bingley. “You are the first of my acquaintance, Major. We must, by all means, shake hands.”
He thrust out his hand, and McDunn judged his grip to be quite adequate, though by no means as robust as either Darcy or Fitzwilliam.
“What brings you to London, Major?” Bingley asked with an enthusiasm McDunn recognized from Austen’s depiction. “Are you visiting?”
“It’s more in the nature of a permanent relocation.”
“Wonderful! Let us have a seat and you can tell me about yourself. May I interest you in a glass of Darcy’s excellent brandy?”
McDunn found Bingley an entertaining and warmhearted fellow, and Bingley’s interest appeared stimulated when he learned of the business association between him and Darcy. McDunn had to choose his words carefully as he described what he hoped to accomplish since Darcy had understandably decided not to include Bingley in their secrets. Now that he had met him, McDunn had to agree. He thought the man would be an excellent dinner guest and a good friend, but keeping secrets would never be one of his strong suits.
At one point before Bingley and his sister departed, McDunn overheard Caroline urgently whispering to Darcy.
“He cannot be a gentleman,” she said, almost hissing. “I am certain of it, not with his atrocious speech.”
“That is merely the accent of his home country,” Darcy said with seeming composure, but the hairs on the back of McDunn’s head stood up as he recognized Darcy’s displeasure.
“And he is completely ignorant of the proper conduct demanded of a gentleman!” she continued, seemingly heedless of the effect she was having. “Look at him! Wanting to shake hands instead of exchanging a proper bow!”
Darcy said nothing but listened as Caroline went on to say she had been informed of this strange guest of Darcy’s almost as soon as she returned from the north.
“It is going to be a scandal if you do not banish him from your house, Mr. Darcy. I tell you this because of my brother’s regard for you, and I—”
“Major McDunn is my friend,” Darcy said icily. “A good friend. And he is a guest in my house for as long as he wishes to remain.”
Clearly, Caroline was taken aback by the tone of Darcy’s voice, but she continued nevertheless. “I was only thinking of your benefit, having been informed that some tradesman had infringed on your good nature to—”
“Miss Bingley, I repeat that Major McDunn is my friend. And if he has committed the unforgivable offense of being a tradesman, then I too must be in trade since he and I are partners in our business enterprises. So you have my leave to consider us both beneath your station even though trade was the profession of your father, the reason for your family’s fortune, and the basis of your present status.”
With the merest bow, he came over to sit with Bingley—who had heard none of this—and McDunn, who had heard every word.
Ouch! That had to hurt! McDunn thought, and soon after this most interesting incident, he made his excuses and returned to his room and his drawings.
***
Wednesday, January 24, 1810
Darcy Townhouse, London
In accordance with his decision at Pemberley to find a companion and tutor for Georgiana, Darcy had spent more than a month in search of an appropriate lady to oversee Georgiana’s wider education. In light of her involvement in McDunn’s ventures, he had decided to provide her with an education similar to that of a gentleman at university. While he had made sure Georgiana met each lady, he kept his counsel until he had finally made his choice.
It was then that he sent for Georgiana to meet her new companion and decided to include McDunn in the invitation. While he would not allow Georgiana’s support of McDunn’s work to overrule her education, he needed to make all parties aware of the need for occasional accommodations.
When McDunn arrived, Darcy said cordially, “Ah, I am pleased you had not already left for the day.”
As soon as McDunn saw the tall, handsome lady of middle years sitting beside Georgiana, Darcy made the introductions.
“As you have likely surmised, Mrs. Sturdivant will be assisting Georgiana with her more extensive studies. She will also act as her companion when you and I are absent.”
McDunn nodded his understanding, and Darcy continued. “She is the widow of a naval captain with two sons who also serve. And she has a quite unusual spread of knowledge since her father was a professor of natural philosophy at C
ambridge. He had a special interest in mathematics, and he instructed one of my classes in that subject as well.”
“He still remembers you, Mr. Darcy,” Mrs. Sturdivant said. “He informed me of it in his letter after I learned of your interest in securing a tutor. He said you were an excellent student.”
“Unfortunately, I did not have an affinity for the subject he taught,” Darcy said dryly.
“Still, he did say you studied hard, and my father is rather chary with his compliments.” Looking at McDunn, she continued. “As Mr. Darcy knows, my husband was captain of a frigate and evidently a brave and skillful one as his fellow captains attested in their letters of condolence after he died. But he was not a lucky officer, and he made little prize money. A widow’s pension was not sufficient to provide anything to my two boys, so I was pleased to learn of this opportunity and delighted to secure it.”
She looked intently at McDunn. “Mr. Darcy explained that Miss Darcy often aids you in your work, Major. I thought your rank meant you were a military man, but he said you were also an engineer, as he termed it. He went on to say you and he were involved in some kind of business, but I confess I am not familiar with the term ‘engineer.’”
“It’s a course of study from my country, the United States, where I went to university. It’s a bit different from someone like your Sir Isaac Newton, who was what we would call a scientist. Rather, it refers to someone like the Scotsman, James Watt, who had so much to do with the steam engine you may have read of.”
“Ah, I see,” Mrs. Sturdivant said. “I have indeed read of his steam engine. And my father taught me mathematics, including the calculus invented by Mr. Newton.”
“Does Darcy want you to teach Miss Darcy calculus?” McDunn asked in both surprise and interest.
“No, no, McDunn,” Darcy said quickly. “Not at first, at least, unless she shows a special interest in the subject. No, Mrs. Sturdivant will give instruction in history and the basics of natural philosophy as well as mathematics. Georgiana will also study languages. Mrs. Sturdivant speaks three fluently and several others with a bit less facility.”
“I learned languages while I was at home at Cambridge,” Mrs. Sturdivant said. “They seem to come naturally to me.”
“But I will still be able to help the major, will I not?” Georgiana asked with concern in her voice.
“You will, but you must also learn what Mrs. Sturdivant has to teach you. I encourage all three of you to try to accommodate your needs and interests.”
“No problem, Darcy,” McDunn said, nodding cheerfully to Georgiana’s new tutor.
“I warn you, Major, I am a very forthright woman, and I shall make sure Miss Darcy pays due attention to her studies.”
“That forthrightness is one of the reasons I engaged her,” Darcy said dryly. “I have no doubt she will not hesitate to stand up to even a stubborn fellow like you.
“On the other hand, Mrs. Sturdivant, what the major is doing is important, and it was my sister’s wish to work with him that convinced me to seek a tutor for her instead of continuing a drawing room education. We all need to cooperate.”
“Hey, I said no problem, and I meant it,” McDunn said. “I’m used to having to balance various tasks. But that means we’ll have to talk to each other. Right, Mrs. Sturdivant?”
The new tutor looked at him closely, but eventually her determined look faded, and she nodded back.
Chapter 10
Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.
— Alfred A. Montapert, American author
Wednesday, September 5, 1810
Pemberley Estate, Derbyshire
Edward McDunn, one-time officer of Marines from a far-distant time and place, firmly ordered the butterflies in his stomach to stop performing their Olympic-level gymnastics.
Everything’s ready, he told himself. Virtually nothing went as planned, but I suppose that’s to be expected when you hand-make all the components. Still, everything’s built, tested, and installed, and we’re ready! So there’s no reason for these butterflies! Stop!
The butterflies, as usual, refused to obey.
“How can you be so blasted calm, McDunn,” Darcy hissed at his side. “I am ready to bolt for the woods and rid myself of that poisonous breakfast weighing on my innards, and you stand there in perfect serenity.”
“What could possibly make you think I’m calm?” McDunn said out of the side of his mouth.
Where they stood, they watched the caravan of coaches approaching the large tent in a meadow near the entrance to Pemberley. The tent sheltered the various components of one end of their telegraph system. The other end was twenty miles away—and the coaches were delivering a contingent of gentlemen from the military and government to both ends to see a full field demonstration of their telegraph.
“I expected perhaps two or three officials and maybe a pair of military or naval officers,” Darcy said, the unusual anxiety in his voice quite clear. “But I never expected this horde!”
“Nor did I, but it’s actually a good sign. If there were no interest, they wouldn’t be here. If it helps, remember we’ve been passing messages over these lines for two months.”
“And fixing those same lines daily as the wires broke in the wind.”
“Only in the beginning. It’s the price we paid for saving money by stringing the lines through the woods instead of on poles as I first planned. But we’ve found all the weak points and fixed them. We haven’t had a break in almost a month now. And we had the demonstration to the admiralty. You’ll have to admit that went off perfectly.”
“True, true,” Darcy said with a sigh. “You are most likely right, and I should not be so worried. But there were a lot more difficulties than I expected.”
“That was my fault, Darcy. Book learning versus real-life experience. It’s like Murphy’s Law as I explained—”
“Do not remind me. My life was so much easier before we discovered you in my field.”
“But a lot less exciting, I’ll bet.”
“Your presence provides all the excitement I can tolerate.”
“I hope your cousin is holding up well with all these high-ranking officers and bureaucrats,” McDunn said. “I’ve never seen so many different and splendiferous uniforms in my life.”
Darcy groaned and McDunn knew it was because of his choice of word. He hadn’t intended to say it—the word just popped out of his mouth instead of splendid.
But there was no more time to do anything else because the first coach had come to a stop, and Fitzwilliam bounded from it, his face displaying a broad smile.
Then the attendees entered the tent, and it was time to begin the demonstration.
***
Thursday, September 6, 1810
Pemberley Estate, Derbyshire
It was mid-morning of the following day before the last of the attendees returned to town. As soon as the dust of the last coach settled to the ground, the three gentlemen lost no time in adjourning to McDunn’s room where Georgiana awaited them.
“I’m glad that’s over!” McDunn said.
“Now to wait for Parliament to vote their approval,” Darcy said softly, to which the others only nodded silently.
“After which the real work can begin!” McDunn said. “While it’s good to have this ordeal completed, it’s even better to have it successfully completed.”
“From what I overheard, it certainly sounded as though everything went well!” Georgiana said. She had rather grumpily stayed behind at the house despite wanting to be a part of the demonstration, but it would be most unseemly for a girl of her youth to be present among all of those male officers and officials.
“You are eminently correct, Miss Darcy. Everything went perfectly.”
“I w
ant to know all the details!”
“The demonstration went as our tests have, and you were present for those. Rather boring, actually, but sometimes boredom is a good thing. And your cousin, the good colonel, was magnificent. He was in complete command of all the technical aspects, and his answers to the blizzard of questions popped out of his mouth without the slightest hesitation. If you ask me, the man has a future in politics.”
“Truly?” Georgiana asked, though they had all heard Fitzwilliam practicing his presentation before the test.
“Do not say such things, even in jest, McDunn!” Fitzwilliam said firmly, suppressing a shudder.
“Why not? Field Martial Wellesley was in politics before his successes in the Peninsular War. And he’ll go back into politics afterwards and will even become prime minister for a couple of years. Why not you?”
Fitzwilliam regarded McDunn dubiously, but his friend only grinned crookedly.
“I looked it up, Fitz. Trust me.”
“Trusting a Yank is not without risk, especially one as clever as you.”
“But tell me more!” Georgiana pleaded. “I stayed here in the house just as you asked, did I not? I want to know everything!”
McDunn looked at both Darcy and Fitzwilliam for help. When neither of them offered any, he sighed.
“I was really nervous as I watched all those coaches heading for our tent, but your brother and your cousin were both as cool as cucumbers, and…”
McDunn was not even perturbed by Darcy’s groan and continued cheerfully.
***
“And that’s just about how everything happened, Miss Darcy,” McDunn said in conclusion. “It was my first experience with something like this, and everything, from beginning to end, was quite a learning experience. I’m sure we’ll have similar problems when we start fabricating our steam locomotive.”