Chapter 22. Christmas in Derbyshire #2
In the parlour before William and Georgiana arrived for dinner, Earl Matlock, the Countess and Viscount met before the bright fire with tumblers of whiskey in their hands. The countess watched her husband swirling his liquor and waited. Lyndon was quiet and waited for his parents to begin.
“The boy will be difficult to manage,” Matlock finally said. “He has his father’s temper for certain.”
“I believe we can cajole him to accept Abby and betroth Lyndon to Georgiana before Christmas breakfast,” Lady Edith said. “They are both still in mourning and if we play upon the sentiments of family, they will agree to our suggestions.”
Lyndon shook his head. “You underestimate William and my brother. I believe Uncle George names Richard as guardian along with William and my brother will not agree to the betrothal.”
“Richard will do as I wish if he wants his allowance to continue,” Matlock announced.
“No, I shall not,” announced a new voice from the doorway. Looking around the three seated individuals saw Colonel Fitzwilliam striding into the parlour. “And it is damn cold here in the north.”
“Richard you should not be eavesdropping.”
“And you should not be plotting, Mother,” her second son scolded.
“The Darcys will best the Fitzwilliam family this Christmas as they have for the last twenty-five years. Once Uncle George discovered that his bride was as faithless as her brother and sister to their spouses, he stepped back and allowed you to ruin yourselves.”
“Richard, we are almost bankrupt,” Lyndon explained. “If William married Abby and I married Georgiana, we would be flush again.”
“Until Father gambled it away or you spent it on your horses,” Richard said. “No. The Humphries family no longer receives any Fitzwilliam, and your eldest daughter is a prisoner until she bears a son to carry on the family name.”
“What are we to do?” asked the countess.
“My father can stop gambling; my brother can sell his horses, and you can relinquish your position as a leader of fashion. Work your estates–Lyndon do you even know how many acres are planted each spring?”
“It matters little how many fields are planted,” Lyndon replied.
Richard shook his head as the door opened once again for William and Georgiana’s entrance.
This ended the unpleasant conversations, and the family adjourned to the dining room.
After the first course completed, footman opened the door of the room again to allow Lady Catherine, Anne and Mrs Jennings to enter.
“You sat table without us?” the lady asked in genuine surprise.
Darcy rose to his feet and motioned to the table, “As you were told, the meal began promptly at eight. It is now half past, and you have missed the first course Aunt. It was the white soup you so enjoy.”
“This is most irregular William,” Lady Catherine said. “My room is barely acceptable, Anne is cold, and the food is not at all what I can digest.”
“Adams, make certain my cousin’s room has a good fire and bring her a shawl to wear.” Darcy directed his cousin to an empty chair nearest the fireplace. Then he returned to his seat, leaving Lady Catherine to be assisted into her chair by a footman.
“William, we have been talking during our journey to Pemberley,” Lord Matlock said as the second course arrived. “We wish to strengthen the bonds of family between us.”
William remained silent, cutting his meat and chewing.
“Yes, the bonds of family must be renewed after the loss of one member,” Lady Edith agreed with her husband.
“Our good friends from Hertfordshire sent this ham as gift for Christmas,” William mentioned to his cousin Abigail who sat beside him though she said little. “Is it to your liking?”
“It is good,” the young woman replied carefully watching her father and mother. “I think your home is beautiful William.”
He stopped eating to look at his cousin and then quickly at his sister seated between Lyndon and Richard. Georgiana leaned toward Richard and Lyndon tried without success to capture the girl’s attention.
“Lyndon, if you cannot behave at table, you are excused to your room,” William said coldly as if his older cousin was an errant boy caught throwing his peas under the table. Richard rose and switched places with Georgiana at the end of the course, placing her beside her companion Mrs Annesley.
“William, we should speak plainly,” Lady Catherine intoned. “Your elders will advise you on the proper path forward with your life and with Georgiana’s future.”
Richard leaned over to Georgiana. “Do not worry Georgie. William and I will stand firm.”
Georgiana smiled back at her cousin and whispered, “I am not worried Richard. You do not know all but shortly William will set them to rights.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam frowned but returned his attention to his meal. He had not had food this well prepared in many weeks of army camp and then his father’s bankrupt home.
While the servants prepared the final course–spotted dick for dessert–William signalled for the wine glasses to be filled once again.
“My father kept his wine cellar filled with fine vintages,” he commented.
“How is that possible?” asked the earl. “With the war with the Frogs, how did he get wines?”
“There were occasional years of peace and good men of business slipped in and out of French ports in mere days with holds full of wine.”
“Business!” Lord Matlock said in a disparaging tone and Lady Catherine sniffed significantly while William ignored both his aunt and uncle.
“We must speak of family, nephew,” Lady Catherine began to say before her brother interrupted once again when the footman placed the dish of pudding before him.
“William, do you not offer something other than this peasant’s dish?”
“Raisins are quite expensive sir. They come all the way from Italy with the war in Spain.”
Georgiana tackled her dish with glee as the adults continued to attempt compliments while William ignored them all. The gentlemen did not separate from the ladies after dinner, and everyone retired to the parlour for brandy or sherry.
“I say William, these are good spirits!” Richard exclaimed complimenting the brandy offered up by the butler.
“Thank you,” William replied. “It was a Christmas gift from good friends.”
“Nephew,” Lady Edith said. “We must talk plainly.”
William took a seat beside his sister with Richard on her other side to protect her.
“Shall we dismiss the companions and send Georgiana to bed?” asked Lord Matlock.
“Dismiss Anne’s companion if you wish but Mrs Annesley remains,” William said. “She advises my sister well on manners and serious matters; and I depend upon her knowing all events in our family.”
When she realized that no one would be leaving the room, the Countess of Matlock made her pronouncement plainly, “Your uncle and I propose betrothals between Abigail and yourself, and between Lyndon and Georgiana.”
Georgiana said nothing while William slowly blinked once and simply said, “No.”
“No? Is that all you can say?” the earl asked.
“No, but it is all that is necessary to be said.”
“William will marry Anne!” insisted Lady Catherine though no one paid her any attention and Anne signalled for a footman to bring her another thimble of brandy.
“William, it will strengthen the family for these marriages...”
“No,” the master of Pemberley said with a tired finality, cutting off his uncle.
“Why not?” demanded Lady Edith.
William stood and glanced to his sister for a moment.
Georgiana smiled shyly before her brother addressed his extended family.
“My father is explicit in his will–I am his heir only as long as I do not marry either of my cousins. And my sister cannot marry and receive her dowry without the approval of Richard and myself. I assure you that I shall never give my approval for a marriage for Georgiana to Lyndon. She would be thirty years before she receives her dowry if she marries without those approvals.”
Glancing at Lyndon he added, “You would be five and fifty before her dowry came to you Viscount Lyndon. Your creditors will not wait that long.”
“Damn George Darcy!” Matlock cursed.
**++**
The next day, William and Georgiana were joined by Richard for their ride across the frosted fields. They found a few pheasant and tracks of fox and deer aplenty.
“Shall we have a hunt cousin?” Richard asked. “Some venison would taste good with the goose.”
William grinned at his cousin nodded his head, “As you wish. The politicians do not come until Tuesday so Monday we shall hunt.”
“You must take Lyndon and our uncle on the hunt,” Georgiana insisted. “Mrs Annesley and Mrs Reynolds can assist me with handling Lady Catherine and Lady Edith, but Lyndon ignores the wishes of women, and the earl is worse.”
“How is he worse?” asked William noticing that Richard blushed.
“Mrs Reynolds has barred all maids from the earl’s room.
He attempted to seduce one maid, and the girl screamed until Lady Catherine came to her rescue.
Then Aunt Catherine threw the episode in Aunt Edith’s face when they gathered in the music room.
Abigail and Anne were horrified, and Mrs Annesley spoke sharply to Aunt Catherine about discussing such things in my presence. ”
“I can only imagine Lady Catherine’s reply to such a statement.”
Georgiana nodded, “Aunt Catherine threw out the name ‘Mrs Murray’ and mentioned ‘natural child’ in the same breath. Whereupon I closed the pianoforte and forbad the footman to serve the tea.”
“Aunt Catherine did not get tea?” Richard asked. “She was very hungry at supper last evening.”
Nodding Georgiana finished her tale, “For the remainder of the visit, Mrs Reynolds escorts the maids with all their work in the guest wing and none of the maids work alone anywhere in the house.”
“My uncle fumbling a chamber maid,” Darcy said with scorn. “And my aunts discuss it in front of my sister!”
“Christmas is Wednesday, and everyone leaves on Friday,” Richard said. “You shall have your peaceful home again at Pemberley.”