Chapter 5
Chapter Five
The guest suite at Pemberley was a haven after the long journey.
From the large sash windows, Elizabeth gazed upon the formal gardens and then to the rugged hills beyond.
Woodland circled the gardens to the east. Amongst the leafy branches, she spotted the chimney belonging to the steward’s cottage.
In vain, Elizabeth had hoped that the building had been destroyed, so the memory of what happened there might be erased from her mind, but from her elevated position, it looked just as she remembered it.
How she longed for her notebook and pencils; drawing would be the best relief for her frayed nerves.
Mrs Reynolds mentioned on the way to our rooms that the present steward’s name is Mr McKinnon, she reminded herself.
There is no one here that will disturb your peace apart from your meddlesome aunt.
She heard Lady Acaster’s voice, enquiring as to what she was regarding so intently. Thinking quickly, Elizabeth replied, “There is the oak I used to climb when I thought no one was watching. I would take my drawing book to make sketches of the nesting birds.”
“And to think I took it upon myself to recommend you as a playfellow to Miss Darcy! Your exploits have provoked a blush upon my cheeks. You sound half wild.”
Elizabeth laughed, despite her subdued spirits. “In that case I suppose I should not reveal what mischief I found at Mr Soames’s wood store.”
Lady Acaster attempted a scolding look, which did not last above three seconds. She took a seat on the sofa and rang for a maid. “Mr Darcy and his sister are not at all what I expected.”
This opening remark was so typical of her aunt.
Nothing pleased Lady Acaster more than to voice her opinion regarding members of their acquaintance.
Leaning her hands on the windowsill, Elizabeth decided to indulge her dearest relation.
“Whatever can you mean? I find them little changed since last I saw them.”
“What makes you say that? Miss Darcy is taller than you, Elizabeth. You cannot convince me that she has not grown! She looks more like a woman than a girl. And Mr Darcy is far more handsome than I anticipated. Admittedly, it should come as no surprise as his father was a remarkably good-looking man, but there is a fullness in Mr Darcy’s lips that is very like his mother.
I imagine when he smiles he will greatly resemble Lady Anne—” She caught herself.
“I shall have to be mindful of my observations—Mrs Reynolds indicated that Mr Darcy does not like to talk openly of his parents.”
Elizabeth came to sit by her aunt. “We must be careful not to upset our hosts. However, to your initial point I must agree—Miss Darcy is a lovely young woman. As for Mr Darcy, I shall concede that his looks have improved with age. But, to my eyes and ears, their temperaments are very much the same. Miss Darcy’s natural shyness persists, and her brother remains as uncommunicative as ever.
I daresay he was displeased to see me. And did you notice his frown when I greeted Mrs Reynolds?
I am sure he would never condescend to speak to a servant in such a friendly way. ”
“I do not think he looked at you in displeasure,” Lady Acaster countered mildly. “I thought he appeared surprised.”
Elizabeth shrugged, trying not to relive the prickling discomfort she felt in Mr Darcy’s presence.
“I am grateful for his hospitality, but I do not expect to see much of him while we are here.” She brightened.
“But I am excessively happy to become reacquainted with Miss Darcy! We were once dear to one another.”
Lady Acaster opened her mouth to say something else but was interrupted by a maid’s arrival.
“Hannah!” Elizabeth exclaimed at the young servant. “How wonderful to see you again!”
Her aunt gave her a chastising look that communicated with perfect clarity her views on overfamiliarity with the servants.
Elizabeth paid her no mind and began to ask Hannah all manner of questions regarding her life since they had last met.
Hannah was only a year or two older than Elizabeth and had been of invaluable help to her when she first stayed at Pemberley.
In her soft Derbyshire accent, Hannah answered Elizabeth’s enquiries as she attended Lady Acaster.
She spoke of her family and of her work.
Little had changed from the last time they had spoken, but Elizabeth found a comforting reassurance in all the commonplace details in Hannah’s uneventful life.
Suddenly, Elizabeth recalled that Hannah had not been the only member of her family employed at Pemberley.
“What news do you have of your cousin—Martha I believe her name was?” she asked, thinking of a pretty little scullery maid of about seventeen who had been so kind to her when she first arrived.
Hannah’s face paled. “She does not work here any longer, miss,” she said, her expression closed. “She went away.”
Before Elizabeth could ask her another question, Hannah addressed Lady Acaster. “Is there anything else you need, your ladyship?”
Lady Acaster’s bracelets clinked as she waved her hand. “No, you may go.”
Her gaze firmly on the floor, Hannah departed before Elizabeth had a chance to enquire about anything else.
Elizabeth glanced around the formal drawing room as she and her aunt joined their hosts.
She had only ever been permitted to enter once before.
How different this room was from the soft, floral furnishings of Lady Acaster’s house in Mayfair.
Although elegant, the atmosphere was sober: polished side tables of the darkest walnut were placed under formal, unsmiling portraits; no books were to be seen dotted about, half read; no baskets of incomplete embroidery were tucked under the sofa as they were in her aunt’s residence.
Indeed, Elizabeth could find nothing that would reveal anything of the preferences of the people who lived there.
She shivered. For all its grandeur, this was not a welcoming space.
Her aunt had settled next to Mr Darcy and was attempting to engage him in conversation.
His answers were brief and distracted. At least he is attempting to speak to my aunt.
He has scarcely spoken two words to me. Apparently he is the same proud man that he ever was.
Once, Mr Darcy glanced in her direction, and she made sure to smile.
He frowned and gave a curt nod before continuing his conversation with Lady Acaster.
Smarting from this dismissal, Elizabeth’s attention turned to Miss Darcy, whom she was sitting beside.
The sweet girl of Elizabeth’s memory had grown into a beautiful young woman.
What a shame she is so quiet! Miss Darcy’s childhood shyness had intensified to a point where she seemed almost scared to speak in front of another.
Compassion tugged at Elizabeth’s heart, and she decided that if the girl did not wish to speak then she would do enough talking for them both.
And so Elizabeth commenced the strange task of putting her hostess at ease in her own home, regaling Miss Darcy with anecdotes from her childhood or from her time in London.
“And what did you do next?” Miss Darcy whispered, her expression a touching mixture of horror and admiration.
“The only thing I could think of—I tucked the wretched thing into my reticule and hoped no one would notice the dreadful smell.”
A scandalised giggle escaped from Miss Darcy, causing Mr Darcy and Lady Acaster to look over.
As usual, Lady Acaster took exception to being left out of any merriment. “What is the cause of all this amusement? I hope I am not too advanced in my years to be excluded from your fun.”
Elizabeth gave Miss Darcy a sly glance and replied mischievously, “A woman of your wisdom and experience would find our conversation trifling and inconsequential. I am surprised you wish to be part of it.”
Lady Acaster gestured towards Mr Darcy with a tilt of the hand. “My niece has mastered a neat little trick of giving an indirect answer when she does not wish to reveal her true thoughts. You must beware, Mr Darcy, lest you are hoodwinked.”
“Your advice will be committed to my memory.” The warmth in Mr Darcy’s tone took Elizabeth by surprise. She looked over at him; he was regarding her with interest.
Heat rose to her face at the impression her aunt had sketched of her character. “Lady Acaster will have you believe that I am some kind of trickster. I only ever utter my truthful opinion.”
Lady Acaster snorted. “Take care not to enter any kind of debate with my niece. It is a labyrinthine experience that scarcely leaves one unscathed.”
“Aunt!” Elizabeth could not contain her laughter. “You portray me very badly.”
“Tell me, what was Elizabeth like when she stayed here? Please reassure me that she conducted herself with more decorum than she does now.” Lady Acaster’s eyes twinkled wickedly. “Even if it means her manners have worsened with age.”
Mr Darcy hesitated. An uncomfortable heat swept up Elizabeth’s neck and shoulders.
Suddenly, she was transported to the cold ground behind the steward’s cottage.
Surely he would not speak of her shame in front of others?
Desperately, she steered the conversation away.
“You do not have to answer that, sir. Indeed, I pray that you do not—for it would only encourage my aunt to partake in her favourite pastime, which is to tease me mercilessly.”
At her words, Mr Darcy grinned, his face transformed before slipping back behind his more formal mask.
“As a chivalrous gentleman, the only reply I can provide is that Miss Bennet was a very agreeable guest.” His lips twitched.
“Though I am not sure that my gardener, Mr Soames, would be of the same opinion.”
His compliment left Elizabeth speechless. She had always believed he considered her to be something of a nuisance; this praise was wholly unexpected.
Apparently unaware of her niece’s astonishment, Lady Acaster continued in a mock-despairing vein. “The fateful log pile has already been made known to me. I am fearful of what other transgressions I might learn.”
Elizabeth searched Mr Darcy’s face, looking for any trace of condemnation, but to her amazement, his dazzling smile appeared again.
“Remarkably, the summer of Miss Bennet’s visit was marked by an inundation of small birds making their way into the house.
Interestingly, this phenomenon has never happened since. ”
I always thought I was beneath his notice. Confused, Elizabeth opened her mouth to move the conversation to safer topics but was stopped by a voice next to her.
“Perhaps now is the time to reveal that Elizabeth was telling me about her daring rescue of an injured hedgehog.” All of them looked at Miss Darcy.
With surprising boldness, she threw her shoulders back, and her mouth curved into a tentative, playful smile.
“At this point in the conversation, it could hardly be a shock.”
Lady Acaster burst into laughter, soon followed by Elizabeth and Miss Darcy. Mr Darcy remained silent, an expression of quiet awe on his face. His sister’s saucy remark had clearly been unexpected, but by the glow of his eyes as he looked upon Miss Darcy, it did not appear to be unwelcome.