Chapter 25 #2
“It is nothing less than I expected. Jane has told me of the character of her parents and her other sisters,” Hilldale related. “She made a point to inform me of your brother-in-law’s penchant to seek amusement in the follies of others.”
“As he will be meeting Lord Hilldale and not Mr Hillman, my brother’s rapier wit may remain sheathed,” Gardiner opined. “Enough about Bennet. If my wife and Lizzy are not already aware, I have an announcement to make, though I am certain it will be superfluous.”
Gardiner was proved correct. As soon as Jane floated out onto the veranda, her aunt and sister knew. They had not needed any word from Jane in her dreamlike state to confirm what they believed. The look on her face was all they needed to see.
“Welcome to the family, Andrew,” Maddie said as soon as the men walked into the sunlight.
“It is about time Jane gifted me with a brother,” Elizabeth jested. “I am truly pleased for both of you. However, if you ever hurt my sister, Andrew, your life will not be worth living.” She was only teasing…partially.
“Making sure Jane is happy and content will be the most important thing for me to do for the rest of my days,” Andrew vowed.
“That is no less than I expected from you,” Elizabeth retorted with a smile.
“I need to write to Mama and Papa,” Jane observed. “Andrew, will you write to inform your parents?”
“With the Sabbath on the morrow and our departure the day following, I think not. We will arrive at Snowhaven within a day of the missive,” Andrew explained.
“Also, this way I can surprise them with their new daughter-in-law. Mother and Father have been wanting to meet you for some years now. I must apologise if Mother hints about having grandchildren sooner rather than later.”
“I would by no means suspend any pleasure your mother finds in dreaming of her future grandchildren,” Jane replied. “Given your advanced age, I can understand why Lady Matlock would be pining for grandchildren to spoil.” She said the last without allowing her smile to break through.
“Advanced age indeed! I am but one and thirty.” Seeing the look on Jane’s face, Andrew realised she had been teasing him. To all of her other perfections, he needed to add a sharp and dry wit.
“I take it that you would like to join us in the coach on the return to Derbyshire,” Gardiner verified.
“As long as there is enough room for the rest of you to be comfortable, then yes,” Hilldale confirmed. “Trunks and the like can be conveyed in my carriage. Did I see a conveyance for your personal servants?”
“You did. Between the three vehicles, we will have more than enough space. You and I will sit on the rear-facing bench, which will give the three slight ladies more than enough room on the opposite bench.” Gardiner thought of something. “What of your house? How long is the lease?”
“It was on a per-month basis, so it will cost me an additional fortnight’s rent until the end of July. It is a small price to pay so that we may travel as one,” Hilldale related.
It was with reluctance the newly affianced couple separated after dinner that evening. They would meet at church on the morrow.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
On Saturday morning when Charlotte joined Anne and Mr Fitzwilliam in the breakfast parlour, she was wearing a pale-yellow day dress. Her days of mourning the man who she had not felt deserved to be mourned had ended.
“Good morning, Charlotte,” Anne greeted. “That colour suits you very well. Is it not a pleasure to not have to pretend you mourn Mr Collins’s passing any longer?”
“As loath as I am to cast aspersions on the dead, yes, I am much happier the charade is over. I must admit that no longer having to pretend I am unhappy to be free of him is very liberating. At least, marrying him is not a mistake that I will be forced to repine for the rest of my days,” Charlotte replied.
“Was he so very bad?” Fitzwilliam enquired.
“He never lifted a hand to me, however…” Charlotte related a condensed version of her late husband’s attempts to make Eliza jealous and how bitter his failure made him.
“So, he was a petty, sycophantic, pompous, and vindictive man,” Fitzwilliam opined.
“He was,” Charlotte confirmed. “If it is all the same to you, now that I do not have to continue the pantomime that I was mourning him, could we speak of other topics?”
“With the greatest of pleasure,” Richard agreed. “This morning, I am to see the Andersons about the problems they are having with their tenancy. As you are familiar with them and their situation from when you were married to the parson, would you agree to join me in my visit to their farm?”
“It is my pleasure to be useful, Mr Fitzwilliam,” Charlotte responded.
‘If only he saw me as more than of use about the estate. I must put that out of my head and my heart. I have no one but myself to blame that I have fallen in love with him. He can have his pick of pretty, high-society ladies,’ she thought sadly.
“If you have nothing else this morning, we will take Anne’s phaeton at ten. I am aware you are not a horsewoman,” Fitzwilliam replied.
“The only reason I do not ride is that I never learnt. By the time my father purchased Lucas Lodge. I was already sixteen. Neither my father nor my brothers took the time to teach me,” Charlotte explained.
“In that case, Richard, you must teach Charlotte to ride,” Anne commanded.
“If Mrs Charlotte is not averse to my teaching her, it would be my pleasure,” Fitzwilliam agreed.
“As long as it is not keeping you from your regular duties, I would like that,” Charlotte stated. It would be exquisite pain to be so close to him, but yet so far, during her lessons.
‘There will be a footman riding close to the phaeton today, and it is the first day she is out of mourning. Due to that, I will wait to speak until Monday when I begin to teach her to ride. If she will have me, Charlotte is perfect for me,’ Richard thought.
He wiped the corners of his mouth with his serviette and then stood.
“I will go make sure the ponies are hitched to the phaeton, so we will be prepared to depart. When you are ready, the carriage and I will be in the drive next to the front doors.” After a bow, Fitzwilliam made his way to the master’s chamber to change into his work clothes.
Anne was of the opinion that now that Charlotte was out of mourning altogether, it would not be long before Richard acted on his admiration of the widow.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Darcy had been counting the days since Miss Elizabeth—no, now he could think of her as Elizabeth—had replied to Gigi’s letter in which he had taken a chance to include a page written by himself for her.
Until the reply had been delivered by the courier, he had been nervous that he had overstepped and pushed her away.
Seeing that she had inserted an epistle for him inside of her reply to Gigi removed all doubts. This was Monday, the day the Gardiners, Miss Bennet, and Elizabeth would be departing their house on Lake Windermere’s shore.
They would be in the area by Wednesday at the latest. He could not wait.
As he had not a few times since the letter was received, Darcy stood and unlocked his safe, which was located behind a bookcase at his back.
Something as dear to him as her note deserved to be kept as safe as was possible.
He removed the paper he valued above anything of monetary value from the safe.
He gently unfolded the page, and as he did each time, he admired her neat, feminine script.
He took a deep breath and read the words he already knew by memory.
30 June 1812
Lakeshore House
Bowness-on-Windermere
Mr Darcy,
Considering the impertinence of my questions, you take no liberties by the reply you sent me.
As we have decided to speak plainly one to the other, I must tell you that the words in your reply occasioned much joy for me.
The reason is that my feelings are quite the opposite of what they were when you proposed to me at Hunsford in April.
It is very gratifying that your love is constant, and you did not allow a little thing like my vociferous rejection to dim your feelings for me.
If, as we both seem to want, we come together, we need to pledge to never allow misunderstandings to come between us. For my side, I vow to speak plainly to you so that you will know how I feel. If you do the same for me, we will not have to labour under wrongheaded assumptions.
We will be back in Derbyshire, in your area, about the 15th of July. My fervent hope is that we see one another then.
You, William Darcy, are the owner of my heart.
Your Elizabeth Bennet
Each perusal brought to light some new delight as he discovered the depth of his love for her.
He returned the most important keepsake he owned back into the safe.
He had just locked it and replaced the bookcase when there was a knock, and upon being bade to enter, his butler proffered him the salver. It was a note from Aunt Elaine.
“The Matlock courier awaits your reply,” Douglas intoned. Before he bowed and withdrew. Darcy broke the seal and read.
13 July 1812
Snowhaven
William,
Your Uncle Reggie and I require your and Gigi’s presence at this estate on the morning of the 16th of this month before 11 o’clock.
It is for family business. Your uncle said to tell you that attendance is not optional.
My love to you and Gigi,
Aunt Elaine
Even though it would delay his seeing his Elizabeth, Darcy did the only thing he could after such an emphatic summons; he sent an affirmative reply.