Chapter 4
Despite Darcy’s worries, Elizabeth could not be convinced to stay abed for longer than four and twenty hours and two days after the twin’s births, she was bounding down the stairs to join Darcy and Jane in breaking their fasts.
Jane could only admire her sister’s energy and verve.
She hoped that she could bounce back from her own future pregnancy as quickly; even her dress was one of her pre-pregnancy gowns.
“Lizzy! You look wonderful!” Jane exclaimed, rising to embrace her.
“I could not stay in my room for another moment,” Elizabeth laughed, accepting her hug. “I was ready to climb the walls. I feel wonderful! I can breathe again and eat what I wish. I see no need to languish in the dark to satisfy some archaic idea of femininity.”
“Just promise that you shall not over do, love,” Darcy pleaded as he held out her seat for her.
“I shall rest when needed, William. I promise.”
Bingley joined them just then, surprising them all as the clock had yet to strike the half hour.
“I just received a note from the steward at Ivy Well in Staffordshire. Well, it was delivered last night but I found it this morning and— Anyway, he says that we can tour the property anytime today! Would you join me, Darcy? I should like your opinion.”
“It is only twenty miles from Pemberley,” Darcy explained to the ladies. “Though if you travel over field, I believe the houses are less than an hour apart. Incentive for you to practice your riding skills, my dear.”
“If you like it, perhaps we might create a more permanent track for a small phaeton and ponies! Then the children would be easily transported to see their cousins!” Elizabeth exclaimed, clapping her hands.
“It would be lovely to live within such an easy distance of one another,” Jane agreed happily.
The gentlemen agreed to leave within the hour, and they began to discuss the things to look for in the land and house.
It was agreed that the ladies would take a carriage and arrive in two hours to look over the house, while Darcy and Bingley would ride the faster route on their mounts and look over the land on their way.
Darcy sent a note with a fast rider asking for the steward to meet them, and they left the breakfast room to change into travel clothes before departing.
∞∞∞
Darcy kissed Elizabeth’s hand as he handed her into the carriage after assisting Jane in as Bingley had already mounted his horse and was vibrating with excitement, completely oblivious to anything else.
Jane fought back tears, smiling complacently at her sister as she settled beside her.
Unfortunately, Elizabeth knew her better than anyone else in the world and saw through her attempted nonchalance.
“I do not understand what goes on in your husband’s brain!” she growled. “His neglect is unacceptable, Jane.”
“He can be forgetful when his mind is preoccupied…”
“Jane.” Elizabeth shook her head in exasperation.
Jane colored and looked away to stare out the window. “It is not—” She trailed off not knowing how to justify her life, especially as she was attempting to come to terms with her own roiling feelings.
Instead of pushing, Elizabeth reached for her hand, and they sat silently for a time until Jane had regained her equilibrium and made an innocuous comment about her hopes for the house. Elizabeth allowed the new discussion and pulled out several sheets of parchment from her reticule.
“I mentioned your search to Mrs. Reynolds when we first discussed the options and she was kind enough to write a list of the most important things which ought to be inspected no matter the property that you choose,” Elizabeth announced, holding out the lists so that they could read them together.
“I should never have thought of checking the chimneys for draw, at least not in the summer.” Jane observed, pointing to one near the bottom. “I thought to look over the kitchens, of course, and to see that the windows are solid as possible.”
“She has those on this page.” Elizabeth nodded. “Oo, here is a good one. To ensure that there are no leaks in the roof you should be sure to check the attics and ceilings of the servants’ rooms for stains.”
Jane nodded and bumped Elizabeth’s shoulder with her own. “I hope that the property is in good heart. I would love to live so close to my dearest friend and sister.”
“Do you think Caroline will allow it?” Elizabeth raised a brow. “I have to believe that anything which would make you happy would immediately be denied if she had a choice.”
“Perhaps we shall allow her to think that it was her own idea,” Jane replied with a quiet smile making her sister laugh in surprised delight.
Their conversation was far-ranging as that of close siblings often is, and time passed quickly.
Much sooner than expected the carriage passed through a smallish town, much like Meryton, the town they had grown up near, and their attention was caught by the wide variety of shops and establishments available in the area.
Ivy Well was only three miles further and they drove down the tree lined road for another quarter of an hour before they turned in at an antiquated iron-arched drive with a dilapidated gatehouse beside it.
“That shall need to be replaced,” Elizabeth observed wryly, pointing at the collapsed roof on the gatehouse.
“Or torn down entirely. It is not as if Ivy Well is one of the great houses,” Jane murmured.
Both ladies gasped as they left the trees and saw that while the house was not of a size with Pemberley, it was much closer in size to it than to Netherfield.
It had an almost storybook quality with deep eaves, leaded glass windows, and several tall turrets.
Made of local stone, likely from Pemberley’s quarry, it shown in the bright sunlight and had a large, covered veranda at the entrance to protect visitors during inclement weather.
“Oh my,” Jane breathed. “It is certainly large. Surly it is too much. How could we possibly afford it?”
“There would be plenty of room for house parties in the summer and hunting parties in the fall,” Elizabeth chuckled.
“Charles would be pleased to host his friends and family, unlike William who mutters whenever we hold even a dinner party. When Georgiana comes out the year after next, I believe he shall go bald from all of the hair pulling.”
“That would be a shame, for he has such lovely thick hair,” Jane laughed as they pulled to a stop under the portico.
The Pemberley footman hopped down to set the step and assist the ladies to the ground where they were met by a wizened old woman dressed in a housekeeper’s uniform from the last century.
She welcomed them in a shaky voice and led them about the main rooms, easily answering questions with her years of knowledge and experience.
“How long have you worked at Ivy Well, Mrs. Toole?” Jane asked as she assisted the elderly woman down the steps to the kitchen.
“I began as a scullery maid at age five,” she declared proudly.
“I have seen four masters come and buried each of them. Mr. Harold did not have any children and left the estate to his nephew, Master Rodger, his sister’s boy, but he inherited his father’s estate when his older brother died, and did not wish to manage two large properties.
Sadly, Ivy Well has not been loved as she should.
I am sure you noticed the sadly out-of-date rooms, and I shall tell you that the roof in the kitchen leaks something awful.
Poor Margaret has quite a time of it producing an edible meal when it is raining over her table.
I shall be pleased to retire once she is in safe hands once more.
But don’t you worry that you shall be left high and dry, I have spent several years training up my granddaughter, Francis, to take my place. ”
“That is very good of you.” Elizabeth observed, looking up at the water-stained ceiling with a frown. “There are several thousands of pounds worth of work needed here, but it is not unsalvageable I would think. Does the estate still have a carpenter?”
“No, Ma’am. Old George died, oh, ten years back, or so, and was never replaced. Mr. Harold did not like change you see, and noise and dust were even worse.”
The storerooms were surprisingly well stocked and were robustly built and dry.
There was a large wine and liquor collection as well, which Jane declared would please Bingley immensely.
They were handed over to the housekeeper’s granddaughter, and she showed them about the family floor, which included seventeen suites with several large sitting rooms and a private music room for practice, and the visitor’s floor which had a further twenty suites with ten single rooms for bachelors to one side.
The third floor had ten additional suites along with the family nursery and visitor’s nursery, as well as a large, well-lit school room.
Though there were some timeless pieces of furniture scattered about, every fabric, cushion, and wall hanging would need to be re-done.
Much of the art, too, was dark and dirty and would need to be cleaned before Jane could determine if they were something which she would like.
Luckily, unlike in the kitchen, all of the plaster was in good repair, though Francis informed them that most of the windows on the east side of the house were in some need of work as the storms often came from that direction in both summer and winter.
“What do you think?” Elizabeth whispered to her sister as they descended the stairs.
“Oh, Lizzy, it is so much work! I do not know if I could accomplish all of this. And could you imagine the cost?” Jane fretted. “And even the skeleton staff required here is bigger than the full staff at Netherfield! Could I be mistress over so much?”