Chapter Four #4
“Oh dear, this can be a problem,” the elder Mr. Darcy said with a chuckle.
“As I anticipate we will be much in each other’s company, we should resolve the Mr. Darcy dilemma.
Our usual solution of calling my son simply Darcy is obviously not appropriate here.
I am afraid you will have to muddle through Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy whenever you must address this one,” he nodded to his son.
“As I claim all rights to being THE Mr. Darcy.”
“As you should, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth answered.
“In the alternative—Miss Elizabeth could address you as old Mr. Darcy?” Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy offered, his tone and affect entirely serious.
“She certainly will not, you rascal,” the father replied, and they all laughed. At that moment, someone new entered the room. She curtsied to the group, and the Mr. Darcys rose. Before either could perform the introduction, Miss Darcy rose as well.
“Miss Baxter, may I present my dear friend Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Miss Elizabeth, this is my governess, Mrs. Baxter.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Elizabeth. I have heard a great deal about you.”
“I am pleased to meet you as well.”
“Please, come and partake, Miss Baxter. There is so much.” Georgiana guided her governess to the food trays, and the two spoke together for a few moments.
“Let us return to the matter of Gulliver’s Travels, Miss Elizabeth. When shall we schedule our discussion?”
“I am at your disposal, Mr. Darcy,” she assured him. “I am certain Miss Darcy will want to join us as well. Or have you two already canvassed the book together?”
“You will be unsurprised to find that she did not want to discuss it until you could participate,” he told her with an indulgent smile at his daughter, who had rejoined them.
Miss Baxter took a seat to the side of the party and seemed content to enjoy her food and observe.
Elizabeth guessed her to be her Aunt Gardiner’s age—somewhere between five and twenty and thirty.
Her lovely auburn hair must have been rather long, as the tight braid she wore it in was wrapped several times around itself on the back of her head.
Her eyes were a light blue, and she stood little taller than Elizabeth’s diminutive five feet.
The dress she wore was simple and modest, the collar was high and the fit was not tight.
As she observed the governess, Elizabeth was struck by how lonely her position might be in the house.
Not quite a servant but not part of the family.
She was prevented from any deeper musings on this peculiarity when Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy addressed her.
“I wonder, Miss Elizabeth, did you perchance read the book my father gifted you last summer?” he asked. “I confess it was my idea and, in retrospect, may not have been quite the thing for a young girl. I apologise if it was not of interest.”
“Not at all, I did enjoy it.” This was true. She had enjoyed the reading of it, if not the material itself.
What she did not mention was that she spent a month asking her father to read it with her so she could understand even some of it.
He insisted it was too advanced, and she was unwilling to open herself up to his teasing by explaining why it was so important to her, so she had to rely on her powers of persuasion and his love of books.
Eventually, he gave in. In the end, she treasured the weekly sessions her father offered her, just the two of them, discussing the book, but also the estate, the family and sometimes the current happenings throughout the British empire.
Even if she was still not quite sure how much she understood Thomas Hobbes’ theories on the nature of man, she was glad she had insisted on reading it with her father.
After they finished it, he had his own suggestions, and they read two more books together before she left for Barlow Hall.
“Perhaps you can share your thoughts on it with me sometime?” he offered, and before Elizabeth could agree, eagerly agree, suggest they do so right now, Georgiana spoke.
“Brother, we mustn’t force Miss Elizabeth into discussions of books for the entirety of her stay in Derbyshire. She and I will be far too busy riding and walking and visiting Lambton together.”
Though Elizabeth was loath to give up the potential for one-on-one time with her Mr. Darcy, she conceded in the face of Georgiana’s enthusiasm.
A few more minutes were spent in general conversation regarding summer plans, the delicious food and beautiful views before Mr. Darcy asked if Elizabeth was ready to start her first lesson.
“I believe I am,” she answered a little hesitantly, then added with more force, “Yes, let us go.”
The five of them made their way, not towards the front door where Elizabeth had entered, but down a hallway, with intervals of doors on either side.
They emerged into a space that seemed similar, but on a smaller scale, to the grand entryway she had seen on her arrival.
Beside the double doors stood Mrs. Reynolds and two young girls dressed in sharp and crisp housemaid attire.
The girls held bonnets, wraps and coats which they quickly handed to the ladies and Mr. Darcy.
As they donned their outerwear, Elizabeth wondered at the absence of additional attire for her Mr. Darcy.
“Will you not be joining us, sir?” she asked, hoping she sounded merely curious.
“I am afraid not, Miss Elizabeth. I have business which requires my attention.”
“You are in good hands,” Mr. Darcy assured her.
“Of course,” Elizabeth responded, eager that none of her disappointment be evident. “Will you be superintending my lessons?”
“Only in the sense that I will be present,” Mr. Darcy told her. “Miss Baxter will take charge. She is an accomplished horsewoman.”
The party bade the younger Mr. Darcy good day and made their way on a path that wound down a sloping hill away from the house.
Nestled against the woods on the edge of a stream, Elizabeth could make out a large stable building with several small outbuildings and a fenced area surrounding it.
The structure was red brick and looked worn in places and new in others.
Elizabeth imagined it was quite old and had been added to over the years.
Taken as a whole, it looked to be bigger than Longbourn’s manor house.
It took them a few minutes to reach it, and when they arrived, a smiling older man greeted them.
“Good morning, Mr. Darcy,” he said with a tip of his head. “Miss Darcy, Miss Baxter.”
“Good morning, Mr. Branson,” Miss Darcy responded. “We are here to teach Miss Elizabeth to ride!”
“Allow me to present Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Branson,” Mr. Darcy said.
The older man offered a nod to Elizabeth, who liked him immediately.
He was the first grown man she had encountered who was shorter than herself, and for some reason, she found this charming.
His brown eyes crinkled with his broad smile, which revealed a missing front tooth.
“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Bennet,” Branson said. “The little Miss was down here first thing this morning helping me prepare for your lessons.”
“I am,” Miss Darcy declared without apology.
“We all are,” Mr. Darcy agreed. “Is everything ready?”
“Aye, sir.”
As the group made their way to the paddock beside the stable, Elizabeth realised something.
“None of you are dressed for riding?” This made her nervous.
“We will not ride today, Miss Elizabeth,” Mr. Darcy explained before looking to Branson, who continued.
“That is right, Miss. The others will just be watching you, and I do all the work. But they won’t be far.”
“Oh, here he comes,” Miss Darcy exclaimed. A young stable hand led a large grey horse into the paddock.
“Oh, he is beautiful,” Elizabeth said, moving to the fence to get a closer look.
“He is at that, miss. This here is Hephaestus. He’s a right gentle animal, smart and strong, too. Perfect for a new rider,” Branson explained.
“Fitzwilliam has been naming our horses since he was just a boy. At the time we first allowed him to pick a name, he was quite taken with Greek mythology, and after that, he thought it only right that he continue in the same vein even after his horizons expanded a bit,” Mr. Darcy told her.
Elizabeth loved having this small detail about her Mr. Darcy and loved even more to learn they had something in common.
His philosophy books might be somewhat beyond her, but she had a deep love for and knowledge of Greek mythology thanks to Mr. Bennet’s interest. She thought it a lovely tradition and was eager to know if Zeus, Hera and Aphrodite were even now cavorting inside the stable.
Elizabeth eagerly moved to be close enough to pet the majestic Hephaestus.
Reaching into the pocket of her riding habit, she pulled out the large carrot she had grabbed from the kitchen at Barlow Hall.
Mr. Branson nodded when she looked to him for permission.
Hephaestus did not hesitate. He consumed the offering in one large chomp.
“You have made a friend for life,” Branson told her.
“Should we move into the paddock?” Miss Darcy asked, coming up beside her friend.
“Perhaps you and I could go visit Hera and give her the treats I know you brought,” Mr. Darcy suggested.
“But I want to help Elizabeth,” she protested.
“And you will, but why don’t we let Branson and Miss Baxter take charge for the time being?” her father said, offering her his arm.
“Fine, I suppose,” she pouted. “You will be all right without me?”
“Of course not,” Elizabeth insisted with a smile. “However, I think the adults have a plan, and perhaps we should let it play out.”
“Very well, you are in good hands,” Miss Darcy told her before giving Elizabeth’s shoulder a pat and taking her father’s arm. They strode into the large open doors of the stable.