Chapter 12
Richard, Elizabeth, and Will rode their horses from Pemberley while the Darcy parents and Thomas and Tammy Bennet rode in one of the two carriages, with Aggie ensconced in the second carriage accompanied by the servants.
Elizabeth’s mother had remained at Snowhaven to be with Marie.
The trip to Rivington was just a little over two hours.
The estate was in a valley at the base of the Cloud Peak, close to the intersection of the borders of Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Cheshire.
Even though it was so close to the Peak District, there was a fair amount of flat land which the estate claimed.
The River Wheelock ran through the valley and was a tributary of the River Dane, itself a tributary of the River Weaver.
The river was fed by water draining from the peaks, so there was never a water shortage at Rivington.
From the gates, there was a two-mile ride to the floor of the valley, across a stone bridge over the River Wheelock, and then the drive rose until it reached a plateau where the manor house was situated.
The house, built in the Tudor style, was three stories tall and seemed to be about the same size as Longbourn.
The senior staff was waiting to meet the estate's new owners as the carriages and horses were brought to a stop.
Will introduced Elizabeth to the steward, Mr Hector Belle, the housekeeper, Mrs Beatrice Ralston, and the butler, Mr Hubert Ellison.
All three were long-serving staff at the estate and for the Darcys.
The rest of the servants were lined up in the entrance hall, where each one received a few words from the new mistress-to-be.
Mrs Ralston showed those at the estate for the first time to their suites.
The Bennets, Richard, and Elizabeth were on the guest floor while the Darcys were on the family floor.
After washing and changing, everyone except Aggie met back in the entrance hall, where the housekeeper commenced the tour.
The dog decided on some much-needed sleep, so she stayed lying on the soft rug in her mistress’ chambers.
The house was very well maintained. The Darcys used to be in residence for a few weeks a year, but the master and his son still visited a minimum of once a quarter to ensure their tenants’ needs were addressed and to handle anything that might have come up.
After they toured the public rooms on the ground floor, including the formal and family dining parlours, Elizabeth turned to Mother Anne.
“I do not see anything that I desire to change. Like the décor at Pemberley, I find what you have done here much to my tastes.”
“I could not agree with Lizzy more, Anne,” Tammy added. “Just like Pemberley, everything is comfortable and inviting; I would call it understated elegance.”
“It pleases me that you both feel that way; I think that you and Will shall do well here, Lizzy,” Anne responded.
The mistress' and master’s studies were on the first floor.
A small storage area separated them, but the master’s study was a huge space.
“What say you, Lizzy, if we move your desk into this room, so we share the space and are not parted when we work at our desks? The study has enough size that we would be able to place your desk next to mine, and we would still have room between the desks and the walls to reach our seats comfortably,” Will suggested.
“That is a good idea; I will enjoy working alongside you, Will,” Elizabeth responded.
“That is more than enough, you two,” Richard teased.
“Just you wait, Itch, soon Retta will be here, and then let us see who walks around like a besotted puppy,” Elizabeth scoffed with a smile.
Also on the first floor was a rather well-stocked library, which, as Bennet pointed out, was no comparison to Pemberley’s, but still more than enough to tempt him.
The family sitting room and the school rooms were also on the first floor, the latter rooms connected with a door to the east side of the library.
The second floor was the family floor that had ten suites, in addition to the master suite. The nursery was next to the mistress' chambers with a connecting door on one side. On the other was a private sitting room, and beyond that was the master’s suite.
The mistress' chambers were the only rooms that Elizabeth asked to be redecorated. The furniture was to her liking, but the colour scheme in pastels with a fair number of pink flowers was not. Elizabeth chose greens, some blue, and a touch of light yellow for the wall coverings and drapes.
When they walked through the master’s chambers, Elizabeth looked with expectation at the huge bed within and hoped that Will would not want to spend their nights in separate chambers.
Will had not put his stamp on his chambers yet, having just become master of the estate, but he was happy with the colours of hunter-green and browns used last time the room was redecorated.
Last, they walked about the third floor where the Bennets’ and Elizabeth’s chambers were. There was a total of twelve guest suites and a sitting room on the floor. Mrs Ralston explained that the male servants had rooms in the attics while the female servants’ rooms were near the kitchens.
The cook proved her worth to the new master and his fiancée that night when they all enjoyed a very well-cooked meal.
Elizabeth, Lady Anne, and Tammy took turns entertaining in the music room after dinner, where there had been no separation of the sexes.
Before everyone retired, Elizabeth expressed her approbation of Rivington and her belief that they would be content and happy starting their lives together there.
After a restful night’s sleep, where both Elizabeth and Will had fallen asleep wishing they were already married and in each other’s arms. They wished Richard a safe ride to Brookfield; the party began the return journey, though not all returned to Pemberley.
The Bennet parents and Elizabeth had been invited to Longfield Meadows to look in on Jane, Perry, and Lady Rose.
It seemed like the ideal opportunity, as the Rhys-Davies estate was less than three hours away.
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Jane welcomed her parents and sister warmly as she reclined in her sitting room. Elizabeth was happy to see her sister looking so well, even if she could not stay on her feet too long at a time.
“There my babe goes again,” Jane stated as she placed her hands on her belly, “This little one never rests and is already practicing dancing on my insides.”
“That is how Marie was before she joined us,” Lady Rose remembered, “Mayhap, you have another active young lady in your belly Jane.”
“How did you like Rivington, Lizzy?” Jane asked, changing the subject.
“I liked it very well indeed. It is situated at the base of Cloud Peak and could not have a prettier prospect of the Peaks. It does not have as much forested area as Snowhaven for me to explore on my rambles and rides, but there is more than enough space for both, and Will and I are looking forward to long rides up to the crest of Cloud Peak,” Elizabeth informed her sister.
“I cannot but agree with Lizzy, Jane.” Tammy added, “It is a good situation, and there is almost naught that Lizzy needs to change in the house.”
“Jane, has any progress been made on finding a location for the clinic, school, and home for children in Bedford yet?” Elizabeth asked.
“Yes indeed,” Jane responded. “Mother Rose has been leading the effort given my girth and how hard it is for me to walk too far at any one time, so I will leave it to her to inform you of the progress that has been made.”
“Working with Bedford’s vicar and physician, we found structures to be used for all three. The buildings for the school and clinic are being refurbished as we speak, and we just purchased a house that will be able to house up to twenty children to start,” Lady Rose reported.
“That is wonderful!” Elizabeth exclaimed.
“We have found facilities in Hilldale-on-Derwent, Matlock, Lambton, and Kympton. The project is exciting a lot of interest. Not only will it help the local populace, servants, and tenants of the surrounding estates, but it will offer several well-paying jobs that in turn will help support the town’s economies. ”
“Are you still looking for land to build a house like the one Mama and the Meryton committee built where the Black children reside?” Jane asked.
“We will start the project after Will and I return from our wedding trip,” Elizabeth informed her sister.
“I have spoken to my mother, Mother Tammy, and Mother Anne, and I am going to request about fifty acres. I plan to create a mini-estate so that the children can help in any area that interests them, and then they can study in that direction as well. It will allow the children, who are already traumatised by losing their parents, to live the best lives that they can. In addition, we should try and place as many children with loving families who would like to adopt and make sure that siblings are not separated. The other ladies feel it is a sound plan. What are your thoughts, Aunt Rose and Jane?”
“Your plan has my full support,” Jane stated.
“As you have mine too, Lizzy,” Lady Rose stated. “Are you still considering moving the Black children to Derbyshire once the new facility is built?”
“As much as I would like to, I realise that it was my own selfish desire to have them near me that drove me to want them to be uprooted again. Unless I am told that they are not completely content with their new situation, or if they talk of wanting to move without my prompting, I will not ask to have them moved,” Elizabeth explained.
“That is a very wise way of approaching the situation, Lizzy,” Tammy agreed with the logic, as what is best is not always what one wants, and it took someone special to accept that.
“Jane, are you sure you will be well to attend my wedding?” Elizabeth asked, concerned for her older sister.