Mr. Darcy's Little Sister (28 page)

…Virtue solely is the sum of glory,

And fashions men with true nobility.

—Christopher Marlowe,
Tamburlaine the Great

As the week neared its end, the Darcys were beginning to prepare for their return to Pemberley. There was much to do in the way of packing and planning after such a long stay in town, and Elizabeth and Georgiana were kept busy supervising the servants. After several days of bustle they were finally ready to depart and planned to leave early the next morning. Georgiana was rather downcast to be leaving her fiancé, who still had some unfinished tasks, but she was trying to keep her spirits up by anticipating how beautiful it would be at Pemberley this time of year and how many lovely walks she would be able to take with Elizabeth and Pilot and Lucky. On their last evening they were engaged to dine with the Bingleys, who would also be leaving town in the next day or two and taking Kitty with them to Netherfield for a visit. The colonel was, of course, included in their invitations and arrived at Ashbourne House an hour before dinner. He was announced to Darcy, who was in his library reading, and said, “I am sorry to interrupt your plans to leave, Darcy, but the Prince Regent wants to meet you tomorrow at one o’clock.”

“Whatever for? We have no further business to conduct since I last saw him,” Darcy said shortly.

“I know only what I have told you, Cousin,” he said, holding up his hands in submission. “I am, once again, merely acting as a messenger.”

Darcy sighed and said, “All right, I will be there. I can hardly refuse, can I?”

***

Georgiana and Elizabeth were disappointed that they were to put off their departure, but they would have an enjoyable dinner with the Bingleys that evening. They then would all leave London on the same morning.

Georgiana spent her evening tête-à-tête with her fiancé while he whispered the usual sweet flattery in her ear. Miss Bingley, on the other hand, was a picture of vivacity as she fawned over the count, who was also present, until even Elizabeth’s good-humoured countenance became rigid with boredom.

The next day was spent in waiting. Darcy left the house in good time for his engagement at the palace and was gone for more than three hours. All of their trunks were packed and ready to go on the carriages, but they must await the pleasure of the Prince Regent. After she had played her pianoforte until her fingers hurt, Georgiana finally came down to the drawing-room with Lucky in her arms and plumped herself on the settee discontentedly. She was hard put not to comment on the prince’s rudeness in waiting until they were almost in the carriage before he demanded to see her brother, but Elizabeth, correctly interpreting her sister’s expression, just shrugged silently.

“Would you like to play a game, Georgiana? It might keep our minds off our grievances.”

“I suppose. What would you like to play?”

“Backgammon?”

“It requires too much attention. How about draughts?”

“Perfect. I will set up the board if you will order tea.”

They both played badly, but the game at least gave them something to do with their hands.

***

When Darcy returned to Park Street, accompanied by the colonel, the door was opened by Burton himself instead of one of the footmen. He bowed deeply and murmured, “Welcome home, my lords.”

Darcy stopped in astonishment and stared at the old butler as Fitzwilliam burst out laughing.

“How did you know, Burton?”

Burton just smiled smugly.

“Does everyone in the household know?”

“No, my lord! Of course not!” the butler said, shocked, “I would not say anything until I had your permission! I sent the footmen to the kitchen when I saw you returning.”

Elizabeth and Georgiana were in the music-room practising a duet after finishing their unsatisfying game of draughts when Darcy came in with the colonel. Georgiana looked up and saw that they were each holding a piece of paper in their hands, and her brother had a rather odd look on his face: a combination of amusement and chagrin.

“What in the world is the matter?” she asked in surprise.

Darcy merely handed her the paper, and Elizabeth and Georgiana read it together. It was a letter of patent renewing the title of Earl of Winslow and bestowing it upon Fitzwilliam Edward George Darcy, “for his support and assistance to the Crown.” Elizabeth’s mouth dropped open for a moment and she was unable to speak while Georgiana stared at the letter. Darcy obviously noted the rapidly changing expressions on their faces as they comprehended all of the ramifications of his title, for he started laughing, but soon controlled himself and gave them the details of his afternoon.

“The Prince Regent evidently felt that he owed me a debt after this spring, and this particular gift costs him nothing—there are no lands with it or other benefits beyond the title because they all devolved to the king when the title fell out of usage, and he is not giving them up.”

He paused for a moment, looking over their shoulders at the letter and then added with a crooked smile, “In fact, I am sure that he particularly enjoyed giving me this, since he knows that it means that I will have the duty to become a member of the House of Lords and come to London when Parliament meets and he knows me well enough to know that I will not shirk my responsibility, however repugnant I find London society. I believe he also means it as a snub to my aunt, Lady Catherine, since she will be absolutely livid to find that, instead of being ostracized by society, we are moving up to the nobility—particularly so since the title was originally her father’s. Fitzwilliam tells me that the Prince Regent is not very fond of our aunt’s domineering nature. He knew her husband well and always felt pity for the poor man’s being attached to her, however noble her birth. Because of her respect for his title, the Prince Regent has, fortunately for him, been relatively safe from her personal criticism of his behaviour, but he nonetheless finds her a trial.”

“But why did he give the title to you, Brother?” Georgiana asked, a frown creasing her brow.

“I am afraid, my dear, that I cannot tell you that.”

“It has something to do with that time you were gone, before my presentation, does it not?”

He kissed her on the top of her head, but did not answer.

Elizabeth finally overcame her shock and breathed, “I am… absolutely astounded.”

“There is more. Georgiana, this concerns you.” He pushed the colonel forwards and said, “He made the colonel a baron and gave him an estate not five miles from Pemberley.”

“Truly? That is wonderful! Where is it?” She could not understand the odd looks on their faces.

“It is the Walker estate.”

She was startled, thinking she had misheard him. “I beg your pardon?”

“Yes. This is, I am afraid, very shocking,” the colonel said, his face grave. “As you both know, young Walker has mortgaged the entire family estate to try to keep up with his debts while he looks for a rich wife. Apparently, things came to such a difficult pass that he decided to take more direct action to relieve his financial distress and joined a group which was smuggling English arms to the French and their supporters. When the government agents caught them, his estate was confiscated.”

“But it did not really belong to him yet… his father was merely letting him run the estate,” Elizabeth protested.

Colonel Fitzwilliam shrugged. “I presume that, since one of the charges in this case was treason, they had the powers necessary to take it. Ultimately, that is for the courts to decide. It is possible that the elder Walkers could make a claim to have it returned to them, but they are absolutely destroyed by their son’s actions and have retired to a small cottage near Derby, where they can hide their shame in anonymity and still see their daughters and their grandchildren. They will have to disown their only son to save some semblance of their good name and a future for their grandchildren in even the lowest level of good society. It is a tragedy.” He shook his head regretfully.

Elizabeth shivered and said, “Those poor people. I never did like their son; he reminded me too much of another worthless young man of our acquaintance, although less bad in a way. His face smiled, but his eyes were cold and calculating—unlike Wickham, he was unable to dissemble well enough to hide his true nature, which was beneficial to the rest of us since it allowed us to detect his schemes more easily. The elder Walkers, however, always seemed very friendly and forthright.”

“At any rate,” Darcy said, picking up the thread of the story, “my cousin is now Lord Lambton, and the estate was given to him. I will have to think what I should do about his creditors and about the elder Walkers.” He turned and grinned at his sister. “Georgiana, I had thought to find a country estate near Pemberley for the two of you for a wedding present, but this has saved me a great deal of money.”

Georgiana looked at him indignantly, but he went on, pointedly ignoring her glare, “The house could, I believe, be made very charming with some modernisation and, of course, the location could not be better.” He walked around the room, tapping his leg with the beaver hat which he still held in his hand, having forgotten in his astonishment at Burton’s greeting to give it to him when he came in.

Georgiana spoke again, sadly, “I feel very bad that my good fortune is at the squire’s expense.” She paused for a moment and then her eyes opened wide and she said, “What about Miss Blake?”

“I do not know what will happen to her. Presumably she will break the engagement. Thank God they had not yet married. They seemed to be in a hurry when they became engaged, but Sir Robert was apparently able to discourage too precipitous a marriage after our conversation. Do not worry, my dear, I will do what I can to assist the elder Walkers without offending their pride, but if the colonel refused the estate it would merely go to someone else, and you and Fitzwilliam would have no income to support the responsibilities that come with his title. Also, even if the Walkers applied to the Crown for the return of their property, it was mortgaged for its entire value, and they would never be able to pay it off.”

“I suppose that is true, but I still do not feel quite right about it.”

“Perhaps if I approached them and said that I know that they could probably obtain the return of their property—but that I would like to buy it, not wanting my sister to be uncomfortable in her home—they would sell it to me. I will want to pay off those that hold the mortgages, at any rate, so you do not have any problems with them in the future and can enjoy your home in good conscience.”

“You are so good, my dear brother!” she said, embracing him, “I would feel much better about it if you could try to do that.” She turned to her sister-in-law. “Elizabeth, could we go see Miss Blake as soon as we get back to Derbyshire? I assume they will be home soon.”

“Of course, Georgiana, we will go as soon as we can.”

Darcy kissed Georgiana on the forehead and escorted the two ladies upstairs so that they could all dress for dinner, while the colonel settled himself in Darcy’s library with a book. Jane and Bingley were coming tonight with Kitty, so they would have one last evening together before both parties left town. The colonel had managed to finish all his duties and so would also stay for dinner and would travel north with them as well, allowing him to delay as long as possible his separation from Georgiana. They would have an early evening since everyone was travelling at first light the next morning.

Later, when Burton announced the Bingley party in the drawing-room, Bingley burst out as soon as the door had closed, “So it
is
true, Darcy! I heard just before we left the house that you had received a title this afternoon! Burton looked as if he could die from happiness when he said, ‘I will announce you to his lordship and her ladyship.’”

The Darcys and the colonel joined him in his laughter and spent the rest of the evening telling the Bingleys that part of the story which was open for discussion. Their enjoyment was tempered by the sad tale of the Walkers and their son, told without, of course, mentioning his criminal behaviour towards Georgiana. Eventually, Georgiana confessed that she was becoming interested to see the house and what work would need to be done on it.

“I already know one thing that absolutely must be done; we must get rid of those horrible yews that are overwhelming what might otherwise be an attractive house. They are so dark and dank looking! I suppose we shall have to find another name for it once the yews are gone, however.”

Darcy and Elizabeth both laughed but agreed that cutting them down was a good first step towards making the house their own. They stayed up later than any of them had planned since this news did not wear out its interest quickly, but eventually their guests left and the inhabitants of Ashbourne House retired for what rest they could get before they must rise and travel.

***

They made the trip to Pemberley in three days, travelling at an easy pace. The weather was warm but not too uncomfortable, and Georgiana could feel the tension of the last months gradually leaving her as they drew nearer and nearer to home. They arrived in the early afternoon of the third day and were greeted enthusiastically by the staff, who had already heard from Burton of their master’s elevation to the peerage. Smithfield was smiling proudly as Darcy and Elizabeth led the way into the hall, while Georgiana and the colonel paused to speak to Mrs. Reynolds and receive her congratulations on their engagement and his new title and estate. When she finally entered Pemberley House, Georgiana gave a sigh of relief. They were home.

How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is

To have a thankless child.

—William Shakespeare,
King Lear

The summer was in full bloom in Derbyshire, and Georgiana was happy to breathe the fresh country air after the coal smoke that hung like an eternal fog over London. She had almost forgotten how clear and green the hills were in Derbyshire. The first two days they were home Darcy needed to catch up on the estate business, and Georgiana and Elizabeth rode over to Coldstream Manor with the colonel to see Miss Blake. In the carriage, Georgiana said to her fiancé, “I would like you to take Sir Robert out of the room if I am able to see Miss Blake. I hope that it will not embarrass you if I tell her about my stupidity with Wickham, if I think that it will help her.”

He smiled at her. “You may do as you see fit. I trust your judgement, my love. Indeed, I am hardly in a position to question it, am I?”

“I hope not, my dear,” she returned with an affectionate smile.

When they arrived, the butler told them that Miss Blake was out, so the colonel asked for Sir Robert. They were shown into the drawing-room and Sir Robert came almost immediately. After greeting them he started to apologise for his sister’s absence, but Georgiana stepped forwards and gently held up her hand to stop his awkward speech.

“We came, Sir Robert, to give Miss Blake our sympathy for the distress which she must be going through. If there is some way that we can help her, I hope you will please tell us.”

He gave her a bleak smile. “I am most grateful for the friendship that you have shown my sister, Miss Darcy, but she has refused to see anyone since we returned.” He thought for a moment and then said hesitantly, “I believe, however, that if you do not mind waiting I will take advantage of your visit and see if I can coax her downstairs. I do not think it is healthy for her to shut herself away from all those who might comfort her.”

“We would be most happy to wait,” Georgiana said with a gentle smile.

Sir Robert left the room, and was gone about fifteen minutes. When he returned he gently supported his sister on his arm. Her face was pale and thin, and she sat on the sofa next to Georgiana and looked down at her hands in her lap. Sir Robert looked at them in mute appeal, and the colonel said, “Sir Robert, perhaps you could offer me a glass of wine.”

“Of course, of course.” He escorted the colonel from the room with patent relief.

Georgiana took Miss Blake’s hand and said, “We are most concerned about you, Miss Blake, and we hoped that we could bring you some comfort in your hour of distress.”

Miss Blake abruptly put her hands over her face, her shoulders shaking with her violent sobs. Georgiana put her arms around her and let her cry, patting her shoulder and crooning soothingly. When the young woman’s tears had abated somewhat Georgiana said, “You must not let this overcome you, my dear. In time, the pain will fade a little and you will be yourself again.”

Miss Blake said, with a voice that was harsh with grief and tears, “I suppose so. I am so humiliated to have not seen what kind of man he was. I did not know about his criminal activities, of course, but I find now that he probably only wanted my dowry to pay off his debts. It is very unlikely that he cared about me at all, and I did not see it. I was so eager to have a husband that I blinded myself to his character.”

She sobbed again, and Georgiana looked at her keenly for a moment then said, “You are not the first woman who has been taken in by a scoundrel, my dear. I myself almost made the same mistake two years ago, except my fault was much worse than yours. I actually considered eloping with him, as he wanted me to do. Fortunately, my brother saved me from myself. I can look back now with amazement that I ever thought that I loved that blackguard.”

Miss Blake looked up, surprised. “Does the colonel know about this?”

“Oh yes. Perhaps you do not realise that he has been my guardian along with my brother since my father died. He knows every detail, as does Elizabeth. She nodded at her sister-in-law and then smiled at Miss Blake, who gave her a watery smile in return.

“Thank you. Thank you for coming and thank you for telling me this.” She looked back down at her hands. “It is good to know that I have some true friends.”

Georgiana patted her hand and stood up. “You probably have more than you realise. I will leave you now, but I will come see you again in a few days if you will allow me. My dear sister has acted as my confidante on many occasions, and you may trust her absolutely, as you may trust me, if you wish to speak confidentially with either of us.”

“Oh… yes, please do come, and thank you again.” She managed a more genuine smile as she dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief.

While they were riding back to Pemberley, the colonel put Georgiana’s arm through his and patted her hand.

“So what was the result of your visit?”

“I told her about my sordid past.” She smiled ruefully at him and then added, “I believe that she felt somewhat better when I left.

“Did you tell her about your kidnapping?”

“No, I did not see any point in blackening Walker’s name further. I thought the episode with Wickham illustrated my point sufficiently about recovering from stupid mistakes. I feel better now about owning the Walker estate.”

“Shall we go this afternoon and look it over?”

“I would love to. Would you like to join us, Elizabeth?”

“Thank you, but I believe that I will rest this afternoon.”

“That is an excellent idea.” She smiled at her fiancé, the dimple in her right cheek appearing briefly. “I believe we will be able to cope with only Lucky to chaperone.”

***

“The house seems in good condition, but I would like to have you look at it with me,” the colonel said to Darcy after he and Georgiana had examined the house from attic to cellar. “Perhaps you could recommend a builder who can check its structural integrity for us.”

“Of course, Fitzwilliam, I would be happy to. I know a builder in Kympton who is a capable fellow and, just as importantly, is reasonably honest. I will send him a note to meet us there tomorrow and he can inspect it with us.”

Georgiana added, “All of the Walkers’ furniture and belongings are still there. Is there some way we can determine if they wish to have them?”

Fitzwilliam answered, “Legally everything in the house belongs to us, but I would prefer to clear the place out before we redecorate. I doubt if you want to use Mrs. Walker’s silver hairbrushes, Georgiana, and we will need more space for your pianoforte in the parlour. Darcy, perhaps you could write to the Walkers and see if they would like any of their possessions returned.”

Georgiana shuddered. “It would be like having the Walkers’ ghosts creeping around our house having everything unchanged from when they lived there.”

Darcy nodded thoughtfully.

Georgiana broke the resulting silence by turning to Elizabeth. “There is the sweetest little parlour at the back of the house. It is connected to the drawing-room where we sat when we visited by a double door so we can open the two rooms when we have company, but when I just want to practise by myself I can close it off and have complete privacy. It is just big enough for a pianoforte and my harp.”

Elizabeth smiled. “It sounds delightful, Georgiana. I cannot wait to see it.”

***

Several days later, the weather was beautiful and Elizabeth and Darcy were visiting some friends, so Georgiana suggested to her fiancé that they take a short rest from their planning for their house and have a picnic. They set out just after noon, Fitzwilliam carrying the picnic hamper and Georgiana a rug to sit on. They walked slowly and stopped frequently to look at the beauty of the changing views. She took him up a path that led in easy stages over the ridge in back of the main house, following the stream until they lost it into a curve of the hills. The gravelled path was wide and smooth, but the way was ever upwards, requiring that Georgiana stop often to catch her breath and cool herself with her fan. When they came to the top of the ridge, she could see down into a little glen adorned with a small, rocky stream that formed a pool below a tiny waterfall. In the summer heat the glen was very shady and cool looking.

“I have always loved this place,” Georgiana remarked. “It is so close to civilisation and yet so isolated. It has always been my special place.” She gave her fiancé a sidelong glance and said, “This is where I would always go to hide when you and my brother would not let me play with you, except, of course, when I secretly followed you… Perhaps I should not have shown you where my refuge is.”

“Your secret is safe with me, Miss Darcy.” Fitzwilliam put down the picnic hamper and drew her to him. He brushed back two stray curls and kissed her on the forehead. After a few minutes, he whispered in her ear, “Shall we walk down to the stream, my love?”

She sighed contentedly and turned down the path.

There was a small clearing next to the stream that was flat and dry and would make a fine place to sit and eat. Georgiana spread the blanket on the ground and then knelt down and looked into the hamper to see what the cook had sent them to eat. There was a loaf of new bread, sliced thin, cheese and apples, a bottle of wine, and tiny fruit tarts for dessert. As they ate, Fitzwilliam commented, “I feel very decadent sitting here eating in the woods. I fear that Zeus will send down his thunderbolts from Mount Olympus to punish us for our audacity in having a picnic next to his sacred pool. There is definitely something uncanny about these woods—or perhaps it is the unusual sensation of the two of us being totally alone.”

“So, I take it that you want to go back to the house?” She pretended to start to her feet.

“I think not yet, Miss Darcy,” he said with a laugh.

They finished eating, and Fitzwilliam settled himself against the bole of a tree at the edge of the glade, patting the blanket next to him. Georgiana took off her bonnet and curled up beside him in the crook of his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. The woods were very quiet except for the sound of birdsong. They might have been a hundred miles from the nearest settlement instead of a mere quarter mile.

After a few minutes, Georgiana said, “This spot does not remind me of Zeus so much as Shakespeare. I had almost forgotten until now:

“And this our life, exempt from public haunt,

Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,

Sermons in stones, and good in everything.”

“That is quite appropriate; this could be the Forest of Arden. ‘Are not these woods more free from peril than the envious court?’”

She lifted her face to smile at him and he kissed her again on the forehead, moving slowly down to linger on her lips. Eventually, they somewhat breathlessly resumed their enjoyment of the verdant scene and listened to the quiet chuckling of the water as it trickled over the rocks and into the pool. When they had been sitting in this attitude for most of an hour, Fitzwilliam gave a gusty sigh and said, “I suppose that we should gather up the remains of our alfresco party and make our way back to the real world.”

Georgiana echoed his sigh and said wistfully, “It
is
wonderful to be alone with you, even if only for a few minutes.”

Fitzwilliam raised his brows in mock surprise. “You admit to preferring the company of your future husband to the gaieties of society? I am quite shocked.”

“To such depths have I fallen,” she admitted ruefully.

“Well, in that case I must make sure that we return to this idyllic spot as soon as possible. We will do so on the next sunny day.”

He helped her up and repacked the hamper while she put her bonnet back on. Hand in hand, they made the climb up the ridge and stopped for a moment at the crest to look down at Pemberley House. They saw the carriage far down the gravelled drive, returning Darcy and Elizabeth from town, and started slowly down the path. By the time they emerged from the woods the elder Darcys were in the drawing-room having a cup of tea and discussing their purchases, so the colonel and Georgiana joined them until it was necessary for Darcy to withdraw for a meeting with his steward.

***

Elizabeth dozed on a chaise longue set in the shade of the folly that afternoon with Pilot lying in the shade of her chair. She awoke to see her husband approaching, an unopened letter in his hand.

“It looks as if you have received a letter from your friend Charlotte, my dear.”

“Oh, how nice. You did not need to bring it yourself, my darling,” she smiled up at him.

“It was my pleasure, my lady.”

She opened her letter while he settled himself on the bench next to her chair. After a few moments’ reading she gave a sharp gasp.

“What is it?” Darcy asked, sitting up abruptly.

“Charlotte writes her congratulations to us and says that they are all well and little Catherine is now five weeks old.” She raised her brow and added, “I won’t sport with your intelligence by explaining why she is named Catherine.” Darcy rolled his eyes heavenwards and she continued, “She then goes on:

…We have been rather lively in Kent in the last few weeks as Mr. Darcy’s cousin, Lord St. George, has been visiting his aunt, Lady Catherine. He is very pleasant and seems to be much taken with his cousin, Miss de Bourgh. We have been called to make up the table at cards several times since his arrival (as you are aware, Miss de Bourgh does not play whist), and we have found his lordship most amiable…etc.

“So… Lord St. George is in Kent, happily ensconced at Rosings Park and playing up to Lady Catherine for all he is worth while his relations are all worrying themselves sick about him.” She said, with a sudden frown, “I hope that my suspicions about his motives in going to Rosings are incorrect.”

Darcy looked very grim. “I am very much afraid that my suspicions echo yours. He must be making a play for my cousin Anne’s hand so that he can have the Rosings estate.”

“Poor Miss de Bourgh. Do you think he would go that far?”

“I would not be at all surprised. Lady Catherine is probably not aware of what went on in London this spring, since my aunt and uncle would not want to have the news of their son’s ill behaviour bandied about. And even if she was aware she might overlook it for the chance of a titled husband for Anne.”