Chapter 11
“Miss Bennet?”
Darcy rose to his feet at the sight of the slim man dressed in parson’s clothing standing at the entrance to the drawing room. He was roughly Darcy’s age, dark haired, not particularly handsome but with a firm jaw. At the moment, he was looking extremely suspicious.
“Mr. Kendall!” Elizabeth cried, rising to her feet as well. “May I introduce you to Mr. Darcy? Mr. Darcy is an old friend ...”
She blushed at this, and Darcy felt a compelling need to explain the truth, “A friend and former suitor, Mr. Kendall.”
If anything, the clergyman’s expression grew even more suspicious, “A suitor, Mr. Darcy?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth replied, mopping her eyes with the handkerchief and smiling brightly. “The good suitor, thankfully. He has brought me a letter from my sister, Jane, with such wonderful news; Jane is married to the man she loves, Mr. Charles Bingley.”
Darcy was relieved to see the frown fade away and a moment later, Mr. Kendall smiled, “That is wonderful news, Miss Bennet. I am thankful to hear it.”
“Here are your letters from your aunt and uncle Gardiner as well,” Darcy added, hastily handing them over.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Mr. Darcy, perhaps you could join me in my office? I believe luncheon is still not quite prepared?”
“No, it is not,” Elizabeth agreed, carefully stowing her letters away in her dress. “I must help Sarah in the kitchen and the meal should be ready in twenty minutes. Would you be willing to allow Mr. Darcy to have luncheon with us, sir?”
Darcy looked at her with horror. Elizabeth was preparing the meal? Were the Kendalls taking advantage of her?
Elizabeth did not notice his look of disapproval as she was looking at Mr. Kendall, but the clergyman observed his visitor’s outraged expression.
“Certainly,” Mr. Kendall said with a slight bow. “I hope you are able to join us, Mr. Darcy?”
“Yes,” Darcy answered in a clipped tone.
Elizabeth nodded in a pleased fashion and walked out of the room toward the kitchen. Kendall gestured for his guest to follow him; the men silently walked through a rear door of the drawing room into a study with two large windows facing a verdant courtyard.
The study, like the rest of the house, was simply furnished. Mr. Kendall sat down on a chair behind a wooden desk which was bare save for a copy of the Bible. Darcy sat down across from him, glowering slightly.
“Well, Mr. Darcy, this is certainly a surprise,” the parson commented. “It is obvious that Miss Bennet is pleased to see you, but I hope you will not take it amiss if I question your presence here. Mr. Gardiner did leave Miss Bennet in my care.”
Darcy’s outrage grew as he observed Eliza ... Miss Bennet step into view of the windows with a pail in her hand. She threw water onto the ground and then retreated out of his line of sight.
“And it appears, Mr. Kendall, that Mr. Gardiner’s trust in you was misplaced. How dare you make a gentleman’s daughter your servant?”
Kendall gazed into Darcy’s flashing eyes and leaned back in his chair with a weary sigh. He reached out a hand and adjusted his Bible so that it lined up more pleasingly with the edge of the desk.
“I do not believe any of us understood how difficult this transition would be, Mr. Darcy,” the man stated in a thoughtful tone.
“My wife and I are devoted to the service of God and felt called to the Anglican congregation here at St. Croix, but it has been a challenging experience. The culture is a confusing one to a man who never left England before, and I find myself a proverbial fish out of water when interacting with the peoples of this fair island. Mr. Balfour, my predecessor, brought three English servants with him when he traveled here many years ago; in retrospect, we would have been wise to bring at least one servant along as well, but the cost of passage has increased in the last decade and we felt it sensible to search for someone here. All three English servants left with the Balfours, and thus the parsonage has only one full time servant in residence, the young woman Sarah. We also have two dailies who come in to help with some of the rougher work, but we need more help, especially given that purchasing and preparing food requires different knowledge and skills than in England.”
Darcy frowned at this, “Surely you can hire more servants? Or is the expense a bar?”
Kendall sighed again, “We are searching for additional servants, yes, but thus far have been unsuccessful. There are relatively few individuals seeking a full time position in service. Buying a slave is, of course, not an option.”
Darcy flinched openly at this and shook his head, “No, no, of course not.”
He hesitated, his natural courtesy coming to the fore, “Forgive me, sir, but is your wife ...”
He trailed off at the look of anxiety on the other man’s face.
“Mrs. Kendall is carrying our first child, Mr. Darcy, and has had a very difficult time of it thus far. We all hoped she would improve when we reached solid land again, and to some extent she has improved, but if she tries to do very much, she quickly grows ill again. She spends most of her time in bed, though I hope she will be well enough to join us for a simple meal. I understand your concern and care for Miss Bennet, sir, but I must insist that you refrain from upbraiding my wife. She feels dreadfully about her incapacity. Miss Bennet has been uniformly cheerful and encouraging and hard-working, and I thank God for her every day.”
“No, no, of course not,” Darcy assured him hastily. “I do apologize, sir. Obviously I did not understand the situation, but it was very rude of me to attack you without ascertaining the facts.”
“It is quite all right,” Kendall said with a casual wave of the hand.
“I am pleased that Miss Bennet has a loyal protector. I am also certain she will sleep easier knowing that her eldest sister is well cared for by her new husband. Now, as Miss Bennet is a member of my household, I must ask you, what are your intentions towards her?”
Darcy took a deep breath and let it out slowly, “I wish to make Miss Bennet my wife, sir, though of course that is her decision, not mine.”
The clergyman nodded thoughtfully, “Do you believe that Miss Bennet is inclined to accept your suit?”
“As to that, I confess I do not know,” Darcy admitted. “We had a rather difficult interaction the last time we met. I am pleased that she considers me a friend, but would not care to claim anything more than friendship, though I long for more.”
This was an extremely honest statement on his part, but he felt it wise to be open with this young man with surprisingly old eyes.
“Very well,” Mr. Kendall responded, laying his clasped hands on the desk. “You seem an honorable man, Mr. Darcy, but I beg you to remember that Miss Bennet has had a traumatic and difficult time of it these last months.”
“I am aware.”
“I am certain that the news of her sister’s marriage will lighten her heart significantly.”
There was a soft tap at the door and a moment later it opened to reveal the face of the young maid.
“Meal is ready, sir.”
“Come, Mr. Darcy.”
/
Mrs. Kendall did indeed look unwell. She was a striking woman, though not a particularly handsome one, with very dark hair and blue eyes, but her face was pale and there were dark shadows under her eyes.
Elizabeth was, to Darcy’s relief, seated at the table with them. The young woman, Sarah, was serving them a simple meal of fruit and fish, and Darcy realized that she too was with child. It was clearly a difficult situation here in the parsonage with insufficient domestic help.
“Do you have somewhere to stay here on St. Croix, Mr. Darcy?” Mrs. Kendall asked in concern.
Darcy cleared his throat uncomfortably, “I have a letter of introduction to the British governor, and believe I will be able to find accommodation at Government House or one of the other governmental abodes on St. Croix.”
The Kendalls looked startled and glanced at Elizabeth, who chuckled.
“Mr. Darcy is the nephew to an earl and very well connected,” she commented with a return of her arch manner. Darcy smiled at her in relief; it appeared that the loss of father, home and country had not quite extinguished her spark.
“That is wonderful,” Mrs. Kendall replied with relief.
She carefully forked a bite of an orange fruit into her mouth and smiled.
“I do hope you will try some of the mango, Mr. Darcy. We do not have access to the breadth of food options in England, but there are some wonderful treats from the island’s bounty. ”
“Yes, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth said as she fixed him intently with her bright eyes. “You must try a bite of this.”
She handed him a dish of the orange-colored fruit and watched him with interest.
Darcy stabbed a glistening piece with his fork, noting that Elizabeth was still watching him. Apparently his opinion of this was important to her, so he focused carefully as he tasted the food.
He could not help but smile as he chewed and then announced quite firmly, “This is indeed a treat. It is called ‘mango’?”
Elizabeth nodded, and without hesitation reached for another dish, this time containing something more pinkish-orange, but also clearly a fruit, and one that Darcy had never before seen.
“Now try this one,” she said, again looking and sounding quite serious, but with just the slightest hint of playful mischief.
He dutifully, and with proper seriousness, sampled the newly offered fruit. The flavor was acceptable and not unpleasant, but difficult to describe. It also seemed it might be overripe because of how soft it was.
Darcy jumped slightly when Elizabeth suddenly exclaimed. “It is papaya!”
“I despise papaya,” Mrs. Kendall interjected, turning her gaze away from a small dish of diced orange fruit. “Not the taste, but the texture. It is too soft.”
Elizabeth again assumed an air of seriousness, with her lips firmly pressed together. She handed him another dish.
Darcy was unsure of this one. After staring at it for a few moments, he asked, “Is this also a fruit?”
Elizabeth replied, “Yes, these hard, white chunks come from the inside of a coconut.”
He took a bite. A thoroughly odd fruit, this one, which again defied comparison to those he knew from England. This tasting game of exotic foods was thoroughly pleasurable, especially considering the company.
“It is most interesting,” he stated thoughtfully, “but I do not particularly appreciate it.”
“This is the final one,” Elizabeth said as she handed him a dish with cubes of a yellow fruit.
The smell was sweet and succulent. Darcy took a bite and his eyes widened with delight.
“Amazing!” he breathed. “Incredible!”
Elizabeth could no longer hold her contrived seriousness and her face lit up as a joyful laugh escaped her, “Mr. Darcy, I am so pleased that you have also been able to try these magnificent foods. They have such amazing flavors, but I must say that the pineapple, the last of the dishes I gave you, is my very favorite.”
Darcy gazed back, relishing the glow on her beautiful face. “It is certainly my honor and privilege to enjoy them with you.”
Elizabeth nodded and asked, “Would you care for some fish, Mr. Darcy?”
He was staring at her now, full of wonder that he had found her and she was healthy and safe.
She was still playful despite her recent trials, and he admired her more than ever.
He wanted nothing more than to protect her and guard her and love her, but he must also respect her wishes.
However, he could and would do what he could to succor her now.
/
“How can I help, Mr. Kendall?” Darcy demanded.
He had followed Mr. Kendall to the church, ostensibly for a tour of the building, but in actuality so that he could have more private speech with the rector.
The clergyman looked at his guest in surprise, “Help, sir? What do you mean?”
“I crossed the ocean in the hopes of winning Miss Bennet as my bride, and even if I cannot have her as my wife, I will at least serve her to the best of my ability. It is obvious that there is work to be done, and while I have no skills in the kitchen, I do have a strong back. Is there anything I can do for you here at the parsonage or at the church, sir?”
Mr. Kendall frowned, “Mr. Darcy, you are clearly a gentleman of great wealth and connections. I can hardly ask you to haul water.”
Darcy metaphorically pounced, “Do you need water?”
The other man tilted his head and regarded him before smiling reluctantly, “In truth, we do. The well is some distance from here and it is not appropriate or safe for Miss Bennet to go. Sarah and her husband fetch water for us on occasion, but Jacob must fish and Sarah is with child. I have been going for water every evening but …”
“I will do it,” Darcy said promptly. “With pleasure. What else may I do?”
“Are you a scholar, sir? Do you enjoy reading and writing?”
“I graduated from Cambridge and reading is one of my greatest delights. I am also the administrator of an estate which requires frequent letter writing and the like.”
Mr. Kendall’s face relaxed suddenly, “In that case, yes, I would greatly appreciate your help. My predecessor did an excellent job as vicar, but I am sure you can understand that with my fresh eyes on the church and her people, I see much that needs to be done. I have not had time to address concerns with the parish rolls and the church library. I find myself torn between the needs of the congregation and the needs of my wife, which makes it difficult for me to assist Miss Bennet and Sarah as much as I would like.”
“I would be honored, sir.”
“There is one other thing, Mr. Darcy. I have only been able to escort Miss Bennet to the ocean twice in the last weeks and while she has not complained, I know she greatly longs to visit the beach again. Indeed, I fear that if she does not receive some respite from the duties of this house, she will grow ill. Perhaps you would be willing to escort her in my stead?”
Darcy beamed with delight, “I would be most pleased to escort Miss Bennet wherever she is pleased to go, Mr. Kendall.”