The Cumberland Plateau

by Mary K. Baxley

  “The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Reynolds,” Elizabeth said.

  David stepped forward with Cecilia. “Mrs. Reynolds, allow me to introduce my fiancée, Miss Cecilia Lawton of Charleston, South Carolina.”

  Mrs. Reynolds turned to greet them. “Miss Lawton, it’s a pleasure. I’m very glad to see my boy finally settling down, and I know he’s happy. It’s written all over his face,” said the housekeeper with genuine warmth.

  “Indeed I am, Dorothy. I’m the luckiest man I know.”

  “And Miss Georgiana, too!” She greeted the younger woman as she stepped forward. “It’s so good to have you home—all of you.”

  “I’m glad to be home, Mrs. Reynolds,” Georgiana said, giving the older woman a hug and a kiss.

  “Now let’s go into the house and get you situated.” Mrs. Reynolds gave final orders to the servants concerning the luggage and all the other things to be brought into the house.

  Walking down the corridor, Mrs. Reynolds continued. “Mrs. Darcy, I have prepared the nursery as you instructed, and I have two nursemaids in case you need them.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds. We’ll settle in, and then Fitzwilliam and I will go into Lambton to buy the personal things we need.”

  While the servants took their baggage to their rooms, David and Fitzwilliam gave the ladies a tour of the house, which was more massive than any either Cecilia or Elizabeth had ever seen. Fitzwilliam explained that it was partly Elizabethan with 18th and 19th century additions. It contained ninety-four rooms in total, all elaborately decorated in four centuries of period interiors.

  After concluding the main floor, Fitzwilliam led them up the staircase to begin the tour of the family rooms. When they reached the picture gallery, Fitzwilliam pointed out the portrait of the original Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy.

  “Look, Elizabeth. That is the man whose life I told you about. Do you notice a resemblance?”

  Elizabeth stood before the portraits, transfixed by the images. “Yes, you and David strongly favor him. It’s as if he was your father, and the lady is a beautiful woman.”

  Fitzwilliam chuckled. “Look at her closely. Examine her eyes and hair color. You resemble her. It’s evident there’s a relation.”

  “Yes, Elizabeth, there is. Who is she?” Cecilia asked, glancing between the portrait and Elizabeth.

  “She was the niece of my ancestral grandfather, John Thomas Bennet, from the late 1700s. I apparently carry her name just as Fitzwilliam carries her husband’s.”

  “Hmm…well, all of the Darcy men are very handsome, especially that one. Who is he?” Cecilia asked.

  “That one? That is Edward Darcy, and those around him are his brothers. Alexander and his wife and children are to his left, with Charles and his family to his right, and George with his is next to Charles,” David answered.

  “That woman looks vaguely familiar,” Cecilia said pointing to the portrait next to Edward Darcy, “but I can’t place her.”

  “Hmm,” Elizabeth said. “They were all very handsome, and their wives were beautiful.”

  “Yes, they were.” Placing his arm around his wife, Fitzwilliam responded, “Elizabeth, I intend to have your portrait, along with those of all our children, added to the family collection, but let’s move along for now. I have more that I want you to see.” Guiding her down the corridor, he continued. “Over there are David, Georgiana, and me along with my mother and father.” Turning to his brother, he said, “David and Cecilia’s portrait and any children they have will be added to this gallery, isn’t that right?” Fitzwilliam smiled fondly. David only laughed and nodded in agreement.

  Walking a little further, they came the oldest part of the gallery. “This is the other section I wanted you to see.” Placing his hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder, he pointed to a selection of paintings. “There are the pictures of our Medieval ancestors—Thomas, Richard, George, William, Henry and their wives and children—the ones I told you about when we first discussed our family histories. The rest are a little further down. We’ll explore those portraits at another time once you’ve had a chance to read about them in the library annex.”

  “I’m looking forward to it. You never did tell me about The Hundred Years’ War,” Elizabeth said.

  “All in good time, my love, all in good time.”

  Once they finished with the gallery, the brothers took Cecilia and Elizabeth to the music room, the saloon, guest wings, studies, and finally, concluding the tour with the family rooms, they each settled into their own quarters.

  ~*~

  When they were unpacked and settled, David and Cecilia took a stroll in the garden while Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam went to do the needed shopping. After lunch, both couples decided to ride out over the estate. David and Cecilia had already left in one direction while Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth prepared to go in another.

  Saddling her mount, Elizabeth said, “I never imagined Pemberley being so vast. How much land do you own?”

  Chuckling as he checked her cinch, he answered, “We own about six thousand acres. Much of it is pastureland and woods. Although it has been a long time since my family made their living from agriculture, we have kept a lot of it for pleasure. Even though we raise and sell cattle, sheep, and horses, it’s more of a hobby now. We have about five hundred head of cattle, two hundred head of sheep, and around fifty horses.” Glancing over at her while placing the bit in her mare’s mouth, he replied, “I’ve acquired some chickens and a dairy cow for you and the children. I have several hunting hounds and shooting dogs, but I’m afraid there are no Black and Tans in the group.” …yet

  “If I can find the time, I’m going to play around with the farming aspect. That short time I spent helping your uncle was one of the best times I’ve had since I lived here as a boy. I find farming rather relaxing.” He smiled. “Mr. Tillman, the manager of that aspect of Pemberley, is very old and wishes to retire, so I’ll have to find someone else by autumn.” Rubbing his stallion’s mane, he continued. “I’d like to replant the orchard, and if you would like, you can have a garden and berry patches much as you did at Longbourn. We’ll hire some additional help for you, and if you want, you can preserve food, dry herbs, and bake as you did all the years you were growing up at Longbourn. In fact,” his lips curled, “I think I would rather like it if you did. You have a lot of wonderful memories from those years, and I would like for our children to have memories like that, too.”

  “I’d love that very much. It would remind me of home.” She smiled.

  Mounting their horses, they headed out across the field in a full run.

  Pulling his mount in the direction of a wooded copse, he shouted, “Do you think you can jump that fence?”

  “If the horse can, I can.”

  “I assure you the horse can.” He kicked his charger in the side with Elizabeth following, and they easily jumped over the dry-stone wall, heading out into the open pasture.

  When they came to where he intended, he slowed, continuing on into the heart of the cove at a gentle gait. Pointing in the direction of an opened area, he said, “See there. It’s Pemberley’s cove. There’s a waterfall and stream coming down from the hills, forming that natural pool. David and I spent many hours here swimming and playing. The stream cuts across the estate, flowing into one of the lakes. This is what I was telling you about when we toured the one at Longbourn.”

  “Yes, it’s very similar to the cove at Longbourn, and every bit as beautiful. We should have a picnic here someday, just the two of us. We never did go skinny dipping, you know,” she said with a sly smile.

  The thought of her naked here in his special place was too much. Watching her eye him closely, he knew she was very much aware of his state.

  “It doesn’t take much, does it, Fitzwilliam?” she asked, cocking one brow.

  “No, it doesn’t,” he replied. With a soft sigh, he dismounted and tied his horse to a nearby low branch. Then he reached up to help her down before he tied her horse as well.<
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  “I hadn’t exactly planned this, but now that I think about it, I believe we will become well acquainted with the area,” he said, unfolding a blanket he had brought with him and spreading it out on the thick moss-covered ground. When the blanket was in place, he reached for her and began to unbutton her blouse while she unbuttoned his shirt. With their clothes discarded, he took her hand and gently guided her to sit down, folding her into his arms.

  “You don’t know how often I have dreamt of you—of us—in this very place,” he murmured.

  Her emerald eyes flashed. “Take me,” she said. “Fitzwilliam, if you want me, take me.”

  Gathering her even closer, he whispered with tenderness, “I love you, Liz.” Closing his eyes, he bent down and touched his mouth to hers in an embrace that was meant to be warm and loving. But, as soon as their lips touched, his restraint broke as she kissed him back with an ardent desire that instantly set him ablaze.

  With the sound of the crashing falls and the birds calling in the distances, he made passionate love to his wife in the wilds of the outdoors. When their breathing returned to normal, he rolled over, taking her with him, holding her close to his chest. They lay there perfectly satisfied, having done what he had wanted to do since the first time he had seen her in the cove at Longbourn.

  “Welcome to Pemberley, Mrs. Darcy,” he said with a contented smile.

  Reaching over to brush a damp curl out of his eyes, she caressed his face. “It’s a pleasure to be here, Mr. Darcy.”

  After lying in one another’s arms a little longer, they finally dressed to return. A chill had settled in and the temperature had dropped since they’d left the house, but neither of them felt cold.

  “Do you think we’ve been missed?” Elizabeth asked.

  “I’m afraid so. We should be there by now for tea, but frankly, darling, I don’t care. This means more to me than proper protocol. Tea can wait!”

  “Do you think David and Cecilia will suspect something?” she asked as she picked bits of moss and debris from their hair.

  “So what if they do? We’re married, and I plan many more such encounters in several of my childhood haunts. I’ve wanted to do this since that day you showed me the cove at Longbourn.” He cut his eyes across at her with a bemused smile. “If you hadn’t been a virgin, well, who knows what might have happened back then. Besides,” he said, giving her a mischievous grin, “don’t be surprised if David and Cecilia are late themselves.”

  Catching his meaning, she smiled.

  “Oh!”

  As they were about to mount their horses, she turned and asked, “Fitzwilliam, did you really want to do this before we were married? It was cold then, or have you forgotten?”

  “Yes, it was cold, but I distinctly remember starting a blazing fire in the cabin. We almost went too far. It took all the willpower I had not to take you right then and there,” he laughed, “for I almost thought you might’ve let me.”

  “Well, you never tried, so we’ll never know.” She grinned.

  “No, I suppose not.”

  He smiled, looking at her in amusement. Even though he knew things might have turned out differently had he pushed it, he wouldn’t have changed a thing, even if he could.

  Chapter Seventy-five

  … Good night, Mum and Dad…

  Returning from Pemberley Chapel, Fitzwilliam glanced back at his two sleeping children. He couldn’t have been more pleased with the morning’s event. Alex and Emily’s christening service had been beautiful and touching. The local parish had decorated the church in pink, white, and pale blue carnations mingled with baby’s breath. Candles were lit throughout the church, completing the atmosphere, and the children had been surprisingly cooperative. They hadn’t cried once, not even when the vicar sprinkled them with rose water. Yes, it had been beautiful. He glanced over at his wife and smiled as the car pulled around the manor to the back entrance. …We’ve come a long way, Elizabeth, a long way indeed. Perhaps in a couple of years we can do this all over again.

  ~*~

  Later in the afternoon, David and Fitzwilliam relaxed in the study while Georgiana visited a neighbor and Cecilia and Elizabeth played with the children in the drawing room. As they sat together, Fitzwilliam brought up the subject of the family heirlooms. “I think it’s time we entered the library annex and open the safe. Cecilia needs to choose her jewelry, and I want Elizabeth to take what she would like. I also want to get old Fitzwilliam’s original journals. I’m curious about a great many things concerning him.”

  “Sounds good to me. Cecilia has expressed an interest in viewing that room, and I wouldn’t mind seeing it again myself. However, I have something I want to discuss with you before we go there. If you recall, the last Christmas Mother was alive, you, Father, and I went to Garrard’s to select a ring for Mum. Do you remember?”

  “Yes, I do.” Fitzwilliam laughed. “Because we couldn’t agree, Dad ordered two rings to be made—one from each of us. I chose a tsavorite garnet with a sapphire cluster set in gold and you chose a sapphire with diamonds set in platinum. Father bought her the ruby they had on display. It cost him over £200,000, as I recall. He said someday the sapphire should be given to your wife, and the tsavorite was to be given to mine.”

  “That’s right. The rings were replicas of the Princess of Wales’ engagement ring,” David said with a smile. “Today, I want to claim the sapphire ring for Cecilia. It will go perfectly with what I’ve already bought her.”

  “Yes, it will indeed. Let’s go and get the ladies. I think they will be pleased.”

  Entering the drawing room, David found Cecilia and Elizabeth and escorted them to the library after the children had been given to the care of their nannies. Fitzwilliam removed a book and took a key from his pocket. He unlocked the door and swung the bookcase open to reveal a hidden room. Turning on the lights, they entered the library annex, a room lined from wall to wall and floor to ceiling with bookcases filled with family histories and shelves still available for future volumes.

  When they stepped into the room, Cecilia gazed at the treasures revealed within. The room was welcoming, simply furnished and immaculately clean. Walking around, she brushed her fingers over the leather-bound volumes. They were ancient, yet perfectly preserved with nameplates below to indicate the owner and dates. Every journal from five hundred and fifty years ago to the present was neatly filed, with a place reserved for Fitzwilliam’s when his time came.

  Fitzwilliam moved to a different bookshelf and removed yet another book where a second key fit securely into a lock. The door swung open and an old combination safe was revealed. Turning the lock, he opened the safe and pulled three large boxes and a slim leather volume from its confines, handing them to David.

  “Set them on that table and open the appraisal registry. You’ll need to sign for the pieces you take,” Fitzwilliam said, motioning towards the round table in the center of the room. “Oh and here, David, these are Mother’s rings.” Fitzwilliam handed three black velvet cases to his brother. “Cecilia, one of those is for you. David will show you which one.”

  Cecilia wrinkled her brow as David set two aside and held out one marked with his name. She took it from him and opened the box. Her breath caught. Inside was a brilliant oval sapphire with a circlet of diamonds set in platinum mounted upon a diamond channel-set band.

  “David, it’s gorgeous, but…”

  “It was my mother’s,” he beamed, “and now it’s yours. The sapphire is fourteen carats with sixteen small diamonds. The other two are identical to it and belong to Elizabeth. I’ll tell you the story behind the rings later. This ring matches the sapphires I bought you. You can wear them to our next reenactment ball,” he said with a broad smile.

  Cecilia lifted the ring from the soft velvet and held it up to the light. “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful. I will treasure it always.” She reached forward and gave him a hug.

  Fitzwilliam picked up the boxes with his name inscribed and op
ened them for Elizabeth. Her eyes widened and went directly to the green garnet. With trepidation, she reverently took the ring from the case. Green and blue shards of light sparkled and danced about the room. It was like Cecilia’s except it was a tsavorite surrounded by sapphires mounted upon a diamond channel-set gold band. “Fitzwilliam,” she breathed out, “it’s magnificent. You picked this out when you were…how old?”

  “Fourteen. I fell in love with the design when I first saw the ruby version, and knew the tsavorite with diamonds and sapphires would be stunning. Since none of us could agree upon the stone selections, Father bought the ruby, which was what he wanted all along, and had the other two made for us to give to Mum. I had no idea back then, but it was as if I had selected it for you. The green matches your eyes, and the blue complements your coloring. I want you to wear it to our next ball. I’ll have a matching tsavorite and sapphire ensemble crafted for you. The ruby is yours also. It matches the ruby set I bought you for the Middleton Ball. You can alternate the rings.”

  “Oh, Fitzwilliam!” She placed the garnet back in its case and then removed the ruby. “These are the most beautiful rings I have ever seen. I can only say thank you.” She reached up to give him a hug and whispered in his ear, “I’ll properly thank you tonight. I love you.”

  He pulled back and gave her a mischievous grin. “I’ll be sure and hold you to it, Mrs. Darcy. Now,” he said, turning to his brother, “let’s explore the rest of the jewels.”

  David and Fitzwilliam went about arranging the chests chronologically. The boxes, like the bookshelves, were labeled. From each generation of the Mistresses of Pemberley, there was a collection of jewelry. The brothers began opening each box. There were diamonds of every color, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, garnets, blue and gold topaz, pearls, and opals—all of them of exquisite quality the likes of which are rarely seen in a private collection. Most had been custom-made.