“Elizabeth, I am all astonishment!”
“About which part?” Elizabeth laughed.
“All of it,” Caroline laughed. “No, that is not true. I knew you had attracted Fitzwilliam’s attention early on in our acquaintance. And yes, I was jealous. He commented about your fine eyes once and I thought he looked at you a great deal whilst we were all in Hertfordshire. By the time I saw you at Pemberley, it was clear that there was a partiality on BOTH sides. How it took you two a few months to settle that, I know not!”
“Well, as you are about to learn, my friend, matters of the heart are sometimes more complicated than they need to be. I am very happy that you and John have come to an understanding about his calling on you. Fitzwilliam, Georgiana, and I like him very much and are happy that you can see his appeal as well.”
“Elizabeth, did you kiss Fitzwilliam before you were engaged?”
Elizabeth laughed and blushed. But she said, “No, I did not. We kissed for the first time after our engagement, but before our wedding.”
“Thank you for the trust you have placed in me. I can easily confess to you, I think I want John to kiss me!”
“You and I were not in similar circumstances and I was substantially younger then than you are now. But I would suggest you wait at least until he is courting you, Caroline!”
Georgiana and Fitzwilliam entered the breakfast-room thus interrupting all shared confidences for that morning.
John arrived later that morning to convey Caroline and Georgiana in his carriage to his office in Upper Wimpole. It was a tasteful, but modest neoclassical stone building in a quiet business district. He escorted them in and showed them the reception area and several conference rooms. There were secretaries, clerks, an architect, and an attorney going about their work. Lastly, he escorted them to his private office. One wall was taken with book shelves that were filled with many books. There was a modest desk in the center of the room. And in the corner near the window was a large impressive drafting table. Several drawings were strewn about and a book on architecture was on the drafting table.
“This is where you spend the bulk of your time, is it not?” asked Caroline pointing to the drafting table.
“Well, here and at the building sites.”
“Can you tell me about this book?”
“It’s a pattern book. Most of our architecture today has its origins in Greek and Roman architecture. As you know, it’s called neoclassical design. Modern day architects have reinterpreted the Greek and Roman architecture found in Italy and publicized it in these books so that builders can use these designs in their projects. The problem is that these designs do not always comply with British building laws or with what my clients are asking for.”
“We heard my brother speak of that! He says you come up with designs that join together fine architecture and British law.” Georgiana enthused.
“That is a recurring problem in my line of work.”
“You are using this book are you not?” Caroline asked.
“I am, but there are many others.” He showed her on the book shelves where the other pattern books were organized by date of publication.
She spent a few minutes carefully selecting two. “May I take these with me?”
Chapter 46
Richard sent a note around to Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth that he would like to visit and update them on his progress. They eagerly invited him over for an afternoon brandy. He arrived in a dark well-cut coat, shirt and neckcloth, waistcoat and breeches; his regimentals nowhere to be seen. He looked the part of the gentleman rather than the soldier. His health appeared to be continuing to improve, as he had put on some weight, but he still walked with a slight limp and moved with some hesitancy. It was a good sign however. Fitzwilliam mixed some water into Richard’s brandy and the three sat down comfortably in the study for their visit.
“Are Georgiana and Caroline out this afternoon?”
“Yes, although they were here this morning. Georgiana has been writing letters all morning and Caroline has been studying architectural pattern books that she borrowed from John. It is unusual that she has such an interest in it, but as she has been indispensable in helping Elizabeth with fitting up Pemberley’s rose garden and saloon, I suppose architecture is a related interest. You should know that Caroline has consented to having John call upon her here formally. All three are touring his office together this afternoon. They should all be back for dinner, I presume. And you are invited to join us for dinner, Richard.”
“Thank you, I’ll consider it. I have two bits of good news. Although, it took several interviews, including meeting with First Viscount Hill, one of Wellington’s aids, I have been offered a salaried civil servant position with the War Office to serve as a liaison with the Home Office. I will be a primary point of contact for Pensioners to report their whereabouts, help them reconnect with one another, and to seek out employment and needed medical treatment. I don’t know yet what resources will be made available beyond the meager pensions our government is going to provide these men. The Royal Chelsea Hospital sleeps less than five hundred men! But I am excited there will be someone in London, me, to receive and respond to the incoming correspondence.”
“Richard, this is wonderful news! May I offer my heartiest congratulations?” exclaimed Fitzwilliam.
“Thank you. Thank you both for your encouragement over these last weeks. I cannot tell you how much it has meant to me or how much it has helped me through my trials. My parents are very appreciative as well. My second piece of good news actually involves Father and Mother. They have been most distressed about my situation and my health. They have been calling in political favors all over the country and have secured for me a government sinecure. This political appointment is within the Home Office and pays very handsomely for very little if any effort on my part. My most recent promotion actually helped my case. Not the promotion itself, but the fact I am now prohibited from selling my commission was a point in my favor as were of course my family connections. The caveat is that Father must vote in Parliament the way the Prince Regent tells him to vote. I have told Father I will accept the sinecure if he promises to notify me the moment he is placed in an untenable position and then I will resign it. I will keep the salaried civil servant position in the War Office as long as it permits me to help my brothers in arms.”
Fitzwilliam immediately shook his hand. “Well this is a cause for celebration! Richard, I think you are amply qualified for the civil servant position and amply deserving of the sinecure. I trust Uncle will inform you if undue pressure is placed upon him in his voting to allow time for your resignation.”
“As do I. But I also wanted to consult with you both about my new financial situation. I was hoping to speak with you about your proposal to split the profits from the one day investment and if that may enable me to buy one of the estates I looked at.”
“We would be delighted to discuss both.”
“My retirement from the Army is effective immediately, so my Army pay will cover up to this week. My parents have always paid for my army supplies and uniforms, but that assistance will no longer be offered. They have invited me to continue residing at Matlock House. The income for the civil servant position is two hundred pounds a year, but the income from holding the sinecure is one thousand a year.”
“Richard, that sinecure is most lucrative!” Elizabeth enthused.
“It is and I must not get too accustomed to it. There are strings attached as I mentioned, but it may also be rescinded due to Parliamentary inquiry. I am hoping to invest it entirely in the Funds for as long as I am able to hold it. I have also been awarded four thousand pounds in prize money from our victory over France, which I shall invest in the Funds for another 200 pounds a year.”
“That is excellent news about your prize money! So for now you will have an annual income of fourteen hundred a year. I agree that with your largest source of income being so uncertain, you are wise to invest it for as long as you
are able to receive it. That sinecure may be rescinded at any time whilst Parliament is seated. Have you made a decision on which estate has captured your interest?” inquired Fitzwilliam.
“That is what I was hoping to discuss next with both of you. I have not made a final decision as of yet, but I am still most interested in Lexington for the reasons I mentioned in my letter. The income from the estate is nearly two thousand a year. I asked Smith to write to you summarizing his views on all three properties. Have you heard from him?”
“Indeed I have,” replied Fitzwilliam replied, pulling a letter out of his desk. “He included the rents and his observations on the evidence of title with his information. He says that all three are fine properties, with well-built houses and highly experienced stewards. He indicates you will need to do some refurbishing with all three properties, but nothing out of the common way. He agrees that Lexington in Stanton in Peak has the smallest of the three houses, but has the largest stables. It will also have the best shooting and fishing. The trout stream is very fine. And it also has a surprisingly large number of cottages on the property. Cavendish in Over Haddon is indeed a larger estate, with a larger house, more acreage, higher rents, and a higher asking price. Whilst closer to Pemberley, it is outside of Matlock proper which would rule out your standing for Parliament from Matlock. Youlegreave is between the two in size and location. It has more industry and less agriculture and is also outside of Matlock. Smith’s information looks to be complete to me. None of his information contradicts my prior knowledge of the three estates. So it really comes down to what is most suitable for you.”
“Richard, surely you know,” said Elizabeth, glancing at Fitzwilliam for confirmation, “surely you’ve been informed that Longbourn’s income was also two thousand a year. This is smaller than other estates you are familiar with such as Rosings Park, Pemberley, or Matlock. The estate of Longbourn that you saw the week of our wedding in Hertfordshire supported five single daughters all out at once, but managed no savings. It supported my mother’s energetic entertaining and my father’s disinterest. Longbourn shares its steward with two other estates. You saw the house, the stables, and the paddock. I know we did not have the opportunity to tour the entire estate together, but you saw how my family of seven lived and employed eight servants. Since our marriage, Fitzwilliam has suggested several improvements which have increased the income of the estate and commenced my father on a path of saving some of his income, without my mother’s knowledge. I should imagine with just yourself to support for now, your more active interest in managing the estate, and your other sources of income, you should do quite well with even the smallest of the three estates under your consideration.”
Richard paused to consider what they both had said. “Both of your comments are very reassuring, and I thank you. I am still leaning toward making a purchase offer on Lexington. But I have a condition before accepting half the profits on our one day investment.”
“Proceed,” replied Fitzwilliam.
“If I should ever inherit the Matlock title, estate, and town house from Father or Brother, or if I die with no wife or children I would want Lexington to revert to your family. But I do NOT want it enjoined with Pemberley. I want it to go to all of your children that don’t inherit Pemberley whether it is Catherine or a second daughter or a second son. And I want to include Georgiana in this, if she does not marry.”
“Richard, you are the brother I never had. I accept all of your terms.” And the two men embraced while Elizabeth looked on with tears of joy on her face.
A letter was drafted and sent by express to Mr. Smith who was instructed to travel immediately to Lexington Estate to present the purchase offer and negotiate the transaction. Richard would remain in London to hire a solicitor and a banker. Arrangements were made by letter to transfer funds to Richard. Richard was to meet with his solicitor to draft a will.
Chapter 47
Caroline and Georgiana were happy and relieved to see Richard and admire the visible improvement in his health. They both teasingly admired his elegant sense of fashion. Mr. Buckworth cordially greeted Richard and congratulated him on the victory over France. Elizabeth brought Catherine down so she could see her Godfather again. Catherine smiled at him and sat upon his lap until dinner. Dinner that evening was a festive affair. Richard shared his good news as well as his intention to make an offer on a small country estate in Derbyshire near Matlock. Sincere congratulations were offered by all and there were many toasts. Before his departure, Mr. Buckworth invited Caroline to join him for a ride in his landau four days hence.
The morrow a bouquet of yellow roses arrived for Caroline with a note attached.
Dear C.,
I am sorry that I cannot be with you on your birthday. I hope it is an enjoyable day.
Knowing your love of citrine, I could not resist these golden blooms, called Mutabalis and famously painted by Redouté, as they remind me of you. I hope that by the time of my next call these roses will remind you of me.
Yours, etc.,
J.
Caroline, Elizabeth, and Georgiana were all in quite a state about the roses. It was very romantic. But they could not quite decipher the meaning of the note. If she could have secured an answer quickly enough from Thomas, Elizabeth would have written to him at Pemberley to inquire about the history and significance of the roses.
Richard soon received word by express from Mr. Smith communicating the successful conclusion of the negotiations. The agreed upon price had been lower than they had dared to hope for and much of the estate’s furnishings would remain. Mr. Smith had done very well indeed! The papers were quickly drawn up by his solicitor so the purchase of Lexington estate could be finalized. A new survey was also ordered to be made. Richard now had much to do. Richard left word with the War Office that all of his mail should be forwarded to Lexington and then he departed from London to travel to Derbyshire.
By the day of John’s return to call upon Caroline, the golden roses had turned a lovely shade of pink and were continuing to darken into a deeper reddish pink. Caroline couldn’t look at the roses or John’s note without blushing and was grateful she had kept them in her bed-chamber! John arrived in good time at Darcy House and was announced and escorted into the drawing room. This time the footman properly waited for instructions and was asked to remain in the hall. Caroline was wearing a new elegantly trimmed dusty pink carriage dress and a simple chignon styled by Clara. Clara had cut one of the roses from the flower arrangement and added it to Caroline’s hair. Caroline had both of his pattern books out and was drawing an illustration of some kind. She curtseyed and offered her thanks for the lovely roses.
“I enjoyed selecting them for you.”
“I have enjoyed the surprise of watching them change color. They are currently about the same pink as my dress. I did not know you cared for this color.”
“I care for you.”
There was an awkward silence whilst they looked upon one another and Caroline felt her face flush.
She attempted to quickly put the books and papers away so that John could sit down. He stopped her and inquired about her project. Caroline hesitated, but with some encouragement finally admitted she was working on a problem she had heard him discussing with Fitzwilliam about his work. A specification of his client had contradicted a building law and John had been required to refuse the client’s request. The client had been quite angry. But Caroline had been inspired by an idea to combine two unrelated styles thus satisfying all parties. John looked at her drawing and then over to the pattern books and back to the drawing.
“May I keep this?” he asked of her drawing.
“Of course, it is just a scribble, you know. I wasn’t quite finished.”
“Will you finish what you were doing?”
Caroline modestly assented and spent a full fifteen minutes applying her final touches and referencing repeatedly back between the two pattern books. John sat silently and could not take his eyes off of her. W
hen she was finished, he studied her drawing again for a long time and thanked her.
They made their departure and John escorted Caroline outside before assisting her into his landau. His driver had already been instructed on a general route within Mayfair, that it should be picturesque, and that the couple be allowed to converse without interruption. She felt very happy and looked forward to spending the afternoon together. She thought she would enjoy touring Mayfair from the perspective of the open landau. There were many ladies and gentlemen about and it was quite enjoyable to see and be seen! Caroline and John pointed out different establishments where they enjoyed shopping and which houses they most admired. John pointed out several that he had built. He reminded himself to give his driver a tip for thinking of including them on the route! Caroline enjoyed beholding these homes especially. She was struck with a thought and boldly asked him if he would consider living in Mayfair. They had not ridden past Stafford Manor, but it was on her mind as it was still for sale. He admitted that he would consider living in Mayfair, but he did not want to move his office. It was the first property he had ever purchased and he was rather sentimental about it.
By Charm or by Choice Page 31