by Kate Speck
Mr. Bennet readily consented and departed with a smile on his face. He was impressed with Mr. Darcy and his son, who had been respectful and highly intelligent. Finding that the master was investing with Edward Gardiner had affirmed his belief that his own ventures would work in his favour to increase his income. He placed a mental note to ask the elder gentleman for advice on crop rotations and tenant management when the chance presented itself. About ten years older than himself, Mr. Darcy appeared to be a very competent landowner and a good father to his two children.
~*~
“It is wonderful to meet you at last, Mr. Darcy!” Lizzy exclaimed. “Miss Darcy, you are so tall! I thought your brother was the tallest person I had ever met but I see all the Darcys are giants!” She stood in front of the shy girl and measured her height against hers. “You are only five years old? You are as tall as my sister Mary, who is eight years old! You are nearly a lady, Miss Darcy.”
Georgiana Darcy giggled happily at Lizzy’s antics to make her feel welcome and replied, “I’ll be six in September. Call me ‘Georgie’, Miss Elizabeth. Can I call you ‘Lizzy’? William told me so much about you. He said you made him laugh more than he could remember in years.”
Lizzy immediately hugged her new friend. “I would be offended if you did not call me Lizzy, Georgie.” They sat down to be introduced to everyone. Several minutes later, she turned to her father, “Papa, may I show Georgie the new piglets? They’re the cutest things in the world and she will enjoy them. Can we go now?”
Mr. Bennet laughed as he nodded. “Do not take too long, though. I will ask Miss Carter to accompany you both.” He watched the young girls leave with Miss Darcy’s governess.
Mrs. Bennet blew out her breath, “That child, she will return with her petticoats covered in mud, I tell you, but she certainly knows how to put a smile on her friends.” She eyed Fitzwilliam Darcy who sat calmly next to his father and nudged Jane to take a look at the handsome young man.
Mr. Bennet chuckled, seeing that his wife, in essentials, was ever the same; wishing to match their dear daughters with rich young men. He coughed and turned her attention to converse with the Darcy men.
Mrs. Bennet commented, “Your daughter seems a very good young lady, Mr. Darcy. She must take after her mother.”
Mr. Darcy smiled, “All of your daughters are also very well-behaved, Mrs. Bennet. It is not surprising, having heard of your brother Edward Gardiner’s reputation and he is an exceptional businessman and runs a very prosperous company, even if he is only one and thirty. He has a good mind for finances and with his successes these past ten years, I shall be more than happy to have my son continue our investments after he completes his studies.” Mr. Darcy looked at his son proudly. “Fitzwilliam is eager to grow up but he still has much to learn before he is ready to carry the responsibilities of a gentleman. There is no rush, I continue to remind him.”
“It is true, Master Darcy,” Mr. Bennet responded. “You will suddenly wake up one day in your old age and wonder where the time has gone and only wish to be young once again.” They laughed, “Marriage and children are wonderful, as your father will agree, but all older men wish for youth while the young wish for respect. No need to grow too fast, as I keep reminding Lizzy as well.”
Lydia, being only four years old, soon grew restless and tugged on her governess’ sleeves. “I’m tired. Can I go back to the nursery? I want to hear that story again.”
Mr. Darcy smiled seeing the young child. Georgiana was slightly older than the youngest Bennet daughter but she had been accustomed to having a much elder brother as a companion and did not tire as easily.
Mrs. Bennet nodded and the governess took Mary, Kitty, and Lydia back to the nursery. After asking about Lady Anne’s health and hearing about their home in the north, Mrs. Bennet kindly offered, “If there is anything I can do to be of assistance to Lady Anne, please do not hesitate to ask, sir. I did not grow up on an estate but have been learning more about the duties of a mistress and my Jane and Lizzy have been learning with me. I have lived in the area all my life and if there is anything we can do to help with your household, we will be happy to alleviate her concerns so she can focus on her recovery.”
Mr. Darcy was grateful for the honest gesture of the kind family. Having been pursued for his wealth and status in town, he found this hamlet in Hertfordshire to be very peaceful and the townsfolk that he had met so far, which included the Bennets, the Lucases, and the Kings, to be genuinely welcoming and generous.
“Thank you, Mrs. Bennet.” He answered. “I am thankful for the friendships offered and I look forward to my wife meeting you all tomorrow evening. Now, I know we have taken up too much time. Fitzwilliam,” he turned to his son, “perhaps you can find your sister and...”
Suddenly, there a raucous noise coming from the hallway as the door burst open and the two girls ran into the sitting room.
“LIZZY BENNET!” Mrs. Bennet shrieked. “What in the world has happened?!”
Lizzy sheepishly walked to the centre of the room, with Georgiana and the governess covering their giggles behind her. While Georgiana remained pristinely clean in her ivory dress, Lizzy was coated from head to toe in mud, her face completely covered with grime and only the whites of her eyes and teeth were visible. “Well, mama, I was showing Georgie the piglets and one of them escaped the pen when I tried to hold two at the same time but then the mama pig came and bumped me from behind, causing me to fall flat forward. When I tried to stand up, I slipped and fell backward as well.”
“Good lord, Lizzy Bennet. You are giving me grey hairs.” Mrs. Bennet chided. She looked around and saw that Mr. Darcy, young Darcy, and Mr. Bennet were uncontrollably laughing with their hands over their mouths and she began to giggle as well.
The entire room erupted in laughter and Lizzy relaxed her shoulders and smiled. “Did you know that it was once believed that mud baths cured leprosy? People soaked in mud on purpose to be cured of ailments and it’s supposed to be good for the skin. Perhaps I’ll test it out and take a weekly mud bath to experiment its effects.”
“Lizzy Bennet,” her mother commanded, “go outside and I will have Mrs. Hill pour several buckets of clean water over you to wash off the mud then you must go and change your clothes immediately.” She stood and curtseyed at her guests. “Please excuse me. See you tomorrow evening.”
She ordered the petite girl back outside while the Darcys took their leave with smiles on their faces.
~*~
“You were right, Fitzwilliam. It would be impossible to keep a straight face when that young lady is in the room. She is bright and caring and humorous, to say the least.” Mr. Darcy acknowledged. “The Bennets are respectable neighbours and your mother will be very pleased to make their acquaintance. Lizzy will be a good friend to you both.”
“Oh, I wish she were my sister, papa.” Georgiana dreamily commented. “Jane and the younger girls were nice but Lizzy is so fun.”
Mr. Darcy stroked his daughter’s hair, “We will be here for several months and you will have many young ladies to befriend, Georgiana. The Lucases have three daughters and Mr. King has a niece living with him as well. You will be surrounded by girls near your age and if everything goes well with your mama,” he beamed at his cheerful daughter, “perhaps we might invite Lizzy to join us at Pemberley when we return home in the Spring. I have a feeling Mr. Bennet might be persuaded to have Miss Carter teach her additional subjects, as Lizzy has such a thirst for knowledge and endless energy, that she can do much if given the chance.”
Georgiana smiled, “That would be wonderful, papa. I promise to work hard and learn as much as I can, too.” She smiled at her governess. “Miss Carter is good with languages and the pianoforte and I know she can teach Lizzy lots of things.”
The Darcy men smiled tenderly at the girl and kissed her head. Once arriving at Netherfield, they told Lady Anne all about their nearest neighbour and of the most muddied girl they had ever seen in all of their lives.
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Chapter 5
“Oh! You are the prettiest lady I have ever met, Lady Anne!” Lizzy exclaimed as she curtseyed to the pale woman on the settee. With Mr. Bennet’s permission, William had brought her to Netherfield after her riding lesson the next day. The Bennet family would be attending dinner that evening but Lady Anne had wished to meet the spirited girl first.
“Thank you, Miss Bennet. It is quite a compliment and I am positively blushing from it.” Lady Anne smiled at the petite girl who was nearly the same size as her daughter.
Lizzy responded, “I saw some ladies in London last year when I went to visit my uncle Edward and they had on beautiful dresses with lots of laces and jewels. Uncle said they were headed to the theatre and were all made up to look their best and I thought they looked very well, but truly nothing compared to you, milady.” She bowed as if to royalty. “I don’t think one should be judged by the cover but you have shining eyes and I’ve read that the eyes are the window to the soul. William told me that you are a Lady and I have not met any nobles before. Shall I walk backwards when I take my leave so you do not see my back-side, milady? I’m afraid I don’t know the rules on how to behave with someone of your eminence.”
Lady Anne burst out in laughter, “Come here, child. Please allow me to hug you in thanks for your kindness. No need to bow, Miss Bennet. I do not prefer being addressed as Lady Anne, as titles mean nothing to me and I was only fortunate to be born a daughter of an earl, and I would be honoured if you will call me Mrs. Anne. It most matters to me that I am Mr. Darcy’s wife and mother to our children, and you are delightful and only my closest friends call me by that nickname. You are already so dear to me, Miss Bennet.”
Lizzy smiled and embraced the frail woman, “Please call me Lizzy, Mrs. Anne. William and Georgie are so kind and I can see why.” She sat next to her and observed her new friend closely. “You are very pale, Mrs. Anne. What kind of illness do you have? How long have you been ill? You must be old but not as old as Mr. Darcy appears. He is very handsome and William looks just like him and Georgie looks like you.”
William snickered from the other chair hearing the young girl’s statements. “I told you, mama, Lizzy does not mince words. She is blunt but not malicious.”
Lady Anne laughed, “It is most refreshing, indeed! It is exhausting to smile and nod and sit quietly without knowing what someone is thinking, and Lizzy is honest and artless and I appreciate it very much.” She turned to the girl and continued, “I became ill after Georgiana was born, with bleeding and stomach problems and have been very slow to recover, Lizzy. I have been ill for over five years now and the doctors have not been able to find a cure.” She looked at her son and was glad Georgiana was still at her lessons. “It is a gift that I have one more day when I awake in the morning and I feel loved and treasured every day.”
“Did you know that in the Bible, there was a woman who had bleeding problems for twelve years and she had to only touch the Lord’s hem and she was cured? What have the doctors done for you to try to cure you? I will be praying for you, Mrs. Anne.” Lizzy kissed her cheek.
“Thank you, Lizzy,” Lady Anne embraced the young girl once more. “The doctors bleed me every few weeks and when ice is available, cold baths to freeze the bad blood inside me.” She saw the girl furrow her brows and smiled. “What is the matter, child? It is not painful, I assure you.”
“No, Mrs. Anne. I was just thinking,” Lizzy paused, “Well, if you are bleeding and they are making you bleed more, it is rather stupid to take away what precious blood you have, isn’t it? It is like telling someone poor to throw away all of their money so they will be rich by giving up what they have. The arithmetic does not make sense. They should be giving you things to keep the blood inside of you rather than take it out.” Lizzy tapped her chin in deep thought. “I heard drinking blood will cause you to be sick so perhaps other things that used to have blood in them? Maybe meats? Papa likes to eat his haunches a little soft and sometimes his pieces are bloody. He does not sick himself after, so perhaps that is worth a try?” She looked at the frail woman and carefully poked her pale cheek with one finger, “You need more blood inside you, not out.”
Lady Anne nodded, “I will consider it, Lizzy. You are very intelligent and your logic makes more sense than those foolish doctors who have not been helpful for years.”
Lizzy became distracted by the bottles of tonics on the table next to her as she lifted up several bottles and looked at the colour and consistency. “These are very pretty. This one reminds me of the pond near Lucas Lodge that looks like jewels when the sun shines on it. Mr. Jones, our town apothecary, told me a story of a woman he cured by making her stop drinking tea. Can you believe it? No more tea? He said that the woman kept being sick to her stomach and told her to take nothing but one fruit or vegetable per day to see what she could tolerate and found out that tea was the culprit. He is very clever and I asked papa if I could become an apprentice but he said I had to be a lady and drink lots of tea. I like fruits and chocolate drinks instead. Tea is only tasty if I sneak in more sugar than mama will allow. I tried marzipan in London and I loved it so much that my uncle always brings me some when he visits. Do you like strawberries? They are my most favourite fruit in the world.”
William abruptly stood and bowed, “I will return shortly, mother, Lizzy,” and departed his mother’s room quickly.
“Lizzy,” Lady Anne stroked the young girl’s hair, “I believe Georgiana will be done with her music lesson very soon. I will have my maid take you to her now and Miss Carter can give you a language lesson. You just might have saved my life, my precious girl. I am going to order some hot chocolate drinks for you as a special treat. You are a blessing to us all.”
Lizzy blushed, “I talk too much, Mrs. Anne, and I know I am a hoyden, and I have no idea what I said to you because I kept blabbering on, but if I can help you in any way, I am glad I could be of assistance. Mama says I have my head in the clouds but it’s more fun than sewing and embroidering.”
“I agree with you completely, Lizzy.” Lady Anne answered. “I will rest a little before your family arrives this evening and I will have William show you the library. You may take any volumes you wish and I am sure Mr. Darcy will not mind if you keep them in return for your great friendship with me. Go on, Lizzy. Susie will take you to Georgie.”
Lizzy hopped up and gaily skipped to see her young friend while she inspected her surroundings. Netherfield was a grand mansion and she was in awe of the paintings and tapestries hanging within. After joining Georgiana, she sat with Miss Carter to participate in Italian lessons and thoroughly enjoyed learning a new language with Miss Darcy.
Mr. Darcy ran into his wife’s room, “Is it true? Do you also believe Lizzy might have found you a cure?” He knelt next to his wife and kissed her lips. “Fitzwilliam said this Mr. Jones might have a remedy for your stomach ailments.”
“That young lady is not only a breath of fresh air, but she is a blessing to our family. She brings hope to my heart, dear George, and she probably cannot recall what she had said because so much is going through her brain. She is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.” Lady Anne beamed.
“No more bloodletting? You are in agreement with me now?” Mr. Darcy kissed his wife’s hand. “I always thought it did not make sense to me, either, but it took the logic of an innocent child to finally convince you. Fitzwilliam is writing to Mr. Jones to come and see you at his earliest convenience. Whether he finds a cure or not, I am going to reward Lizzy for the hope she has given us, Anne. Georgiana wishes her to be her sister and it would be my heart’s deepest wish if Fitzwilliam were to marry her as soon as she comes out in society. I cannot imagine a better young lady for our son.”
Lady Anne laughed, “She is only ten, George, and William is far too young to think of marriage! Lizzy is wonderful and I would love to gain her as a daughter but I wish for William and Georgie and also for Lizzy to marry for love. Marriage without deepest of love would make them mi
serable and full of regrets later in life. You need only to look at my sister Catherine!”
Mr. Darcy laughed and easily lifted his wife to allow her to rest in bed. After a tender kiss, he left his wife to return to his study to write a letter to Mr. Stone at Gardiner Enterprises and hoped Mr. Bennet would approve of his gift.
~*~
The gentlemen sat in the library during the separation of the sexes. Mr. Bennet, Mr. Darcy, and William sat together to discuss the gift that Mr. Darcy had planned for Elizabeth Bennet.
“It is too much, sir!” Mr. Bennet argued. “That girl has so many facts and stories inside her head that she does not know what she is saying when she is spewing information out of her mouth. For you to offer £100 for her advice is far too generous.”
Young Darcy chuckled and wiggled his eyebrows as his father smiled at their neighbour. He knew his father’s generosity was far above the paltry amount that was first offered.
“Bennet,” Mr. Darcy turned to his new friend, “do you know how much I have spent on my wife’s treatment so far?” Mr. Bennet shook his head in the negative. “I have been trying to convince Anne to cease the bloodletting treatments for the past two years but all the doctors had been insistent that it was the only way to help her. Anne did not wish to give it up, given no other options, and I had spent over £3,000 these past five years to help my dearest wife. I assure you, my gift to Lizzy is a mere pittance compared to my gratitude.” He poured a glass of port for Mr. Bennet. “I have written to Mr. Stone at Gardiner Enterprises and with your consent, I would like to begin an investment account in her name to see if we can get something started for her future. It is but a small show of my gratitude, Bennet.”
Mr. Bennet smiled, “I suppose for Lizzy, I cannot deny her anything. All right, Darcy, I will accept your generosity under one condition.”