Chapter 2.18 #2
“But, Lizzy, why can I not come with you? I am very small, and I will stay quietly in a corner. I promise I will not even speak,” Becky pleaded with her cousin.
Her mother frowned and sent her a sharp gaze. “Miss Rebecca Gardiner, have we not spoken about this many times? You will travel with your parents and siblings in six weeks—and only if you all behave until then. Did we not agree on this?”
The girl shook her head energetically. “No, we did not agree. You decided alone, Mama. I hoped you would change your mind by now. I will go and ask Mr Darcy himself.”
“You will do no such a thing! We will proceed as we discussed, and I will have not another word about this,” Mrs Gardiner concluded severely.
Then she softened her voice and took the girl onto her lap.
“My dear, please remember what I told you. Mr Darcy, as well as Lord and Lady Matlock, are among the most illustrious families in the country.”
“Mama, is ‘illustrious’ good?”
“Yes, Becky, it is very good. And it is quite an honour for us to be their guests. Therefore, all of us must behave accordingly. We do not want to upset them with unreasonable requests.”
“Very well, Mama, but I am heartbroken, you know.”
The girl sat beside her sister Margaret, who took her hand to comfort her.
Becky continued solemnly. “I am sure Mr Darcy will never be upset with me. He is always kind to me. I will have a pony at Pemberley. I am his favourite!”
“I think you are Mr Darcy’s third favourite after Lizzy and Miss Darcy,” Thomas corrected her. “And he is always kind to all of us because that is how a gentleman behaves. I know because I am a gentleman too.”
Becky frowned in displeasure at her brother’s contradiction, but she found no good reason to contradict him. Eventually, she had a reply.
“If you are a gentleman, why are you here with us and not in the library? Men should stay with men and girls with girls.”
“Because mama did not allow it.”
“That is because you are not a gentleman but a boy,” Becky crowed triumphantly.
Young Thomas remained disconcerted for a few minutes, looking at his sister and searching for a sharp reply. He then felt the ladies’ gaze upon him—especially the lovely eyes of the beautiful Miss Darcy—and he straightened his back, answering with dignity.
“But I am a gentleman even if I am boy. And someday, I will be just like Mr Darcy. You will see.”
Becky shrugged her shoulders, not quite impressed with her brother’s statement. “And I will be just like Lizzy. Only I will not marry you because you are my brother. And anyway, I will not marry anyone—ever. And you have blond hair like Mr Bingley not like Mr Darcy.”
“Mr Bingley is a most excellent man. I would like for you to grow up like him,” Jane intervened.
Elizabeth laughed. “I am very pleased to have two young gentlemen and two young ladies as my cousins. As for the matter of marriage, let us talk again in about fifteen years or so. In the meantime, you should finish your biscuits because we will all go to sleep very soon. Even the strongest gentlemen and the most courageous ladies need rest.”
∞∞∞
On the last day of April with dawn barely upon the town, two carriages filled with people and luggage left London and headed north. One held the Darcys and the other Molly, Miles, Maud, and two other servants.
Elizabeth decided to take Summer—the beautiful mare bought by her husband—to Pemberley.
Secretly, she hoped they would not return to Town for the rest of the year, and she could not bear to be separated for so long from the beautiful horse that helped her improve her riding skills.
Darcy told her that they had other horses at Pemberley, but he supported her decision and made the travel arrangements accordingly.
The journey to Pemberley was as beautiful as it was difficult for Elizabeth.
Her joy and eagerness to reach her new home was overshadowed by her illness, which turned worse from spending so many hours in the carriage.
Even more distressing for her was the attempt to keep her condition secret from Darcy—the man with whom she used to share every thought and feeling.
Their first stop was Oxfordshire where Maud reunited with her family. It was unlikely that Maud confessed the whole truth to her mother except that her present employers offered them the chance to move to Derbyshire and make a living from tailoring.
The flood of gratitude and tears bestowed upon them by Maud’s mother and four siblings was overwhelming.
Darcy announced that in three weeks’ time a carriage would fetch them with all their belongings and move them to Lambton where a house would await them.
He tried to avoid their thanks, insisting once again that it was a decision made to favour all the parties involved, especially Mrs and Miss Darcy, who would be the main beneficiaries of the alliance.
However, Maud repeated that they had saved her life and now were saving her family’s too, and the emotions became difficult to bear.
Eventually, they took their farewell and continued the journey, spending the night at an inn in Oxford.
Despite Elizabeth’s efforts, Darcy noticed that she was unwell and lacked an appetite.
She insisted she was only tired and fell asleep very early.
Most of the night, he watched her sleeping, and from time to time he touched her forehead to be certain she was not feverish.
He blamed himself for not worrying more about the small things he observed when they were in London and for not asking Dr. Harris’s opinion on the matter.
The second day, they travelled through Warwickshire.
Elizabeth felt better, and she was delighted to admire all the beauties that passed before them.
They stopped every two hours for rest, tea, and refreshments and took a longer break to visit the Castle of Kenilworth then remained overnight in an inn on the border of Derbyshire.
The third day started at dawn, and Elizabeth’s spirits rose with every minute that brought her closer to Pemberley. Darcy and Georgiana also grew more animated, sharing memories of their past journeys and stories from bygone years, to which Elizabeth listened with interest and delight.
On the way, they passed by Chatsworth and the Matlock estate—of which Elizabeth grew fond immediately. She was in awe at seeing Matlock Manor—one of the most beautiful places she ever beheld—where the elegance of the building matched the natural beauty that surrounded it.
“It is so perfectly fit to Lady Matlock,” Elizabeth said. “Just beautiful.”
“True,” Darcy agreed. “Besides Pemberley, I believe it is the property I admire the most. Of course, I might be biased because Chatsworth—and several others—are also remarkable. As soon as the Matlocks are settled for the summer, we will visit them.”
“Oh, yes—the entire trip from Pemberley to Matlock is a delight,” Georgiana said.
Elizabeth smiled. “My soul is already so full of beauty and joy that I wonder how I can bear more.”
“Just wait a little longer until we reach Pemberley,” answered Georgiana. “I still wonder at its beauties every time I return to it. As Becky said, I might seriously consider never marrying and never being forced to leave Pemberley.”
Darcy frowned then answered in earnest.
“I cannot be opposed to that idea. Having you married and leaving Pemberley is not something I am pleased to consider.”
Elizabeth laughed and took her husband’s arm. “As I told Becky, let us discuss this matter of marriage in a few years. First, we must organise Miss Darcy’s coming out. I am sure it will be an event to remember among the ton.”
“My coming out?” Miss Darcy panicked at the mere prospect of being the centre of attention in London, and Elizabeth laughed again.
“I wonder how it is possible that both of you are so reluctant to attend balls and parties. From what I have heard, Lady Anne Darcy was one of the most admired ladies of her time and a perfect hostess for exquisite entertainments.”
“She was indeed,” Darcy agreed in a light tone. “And Georgiana resembles her very much. But certain traits we surely took more from our father.”
“I would wish to have learnt more things from our mother, but I was not old enough. I barely remember her at all,” Georgiana whispered.
Elizabeth’s heart ached, and she gently took her sister’s hands in hers. “I am sorry if I saddened you, my dear. I should not have brought up this subject.”
“Please do not apologise, Elizabeth. It was not your fault. I am always a little sad when I speak of my parents.”
Darcy covered their joined hands with his.
“I believe we should talk about our parents as often as we can—and with no sadness but with love and gratitude. Let us bring joy back to Pemberley. There were so many things our mother wished to do, and she had not the time for them. I know she left a book with all her notes. If you agree, I believe you should read it together. She would certainly be proud to see you both following in her footsteps—including the balls and parties.”
Elizabeth and Georgiana were both tearful while they struggled to smile.
“William, I think Mama and Papa would be happy to meet Elizabeth.”
“I believe the same, dearest. And they would certainly be happy to see you only one month before your sixteenth birthday.”
A short pause helped him regain his composure, and he suddenly changed his tone.
“I hope you are prepared for an enthusiastic reception from Mrs Reynolds because we have just entered the Pemberley grounds.”
Georgiana sighed, Elizabeth gasped, and both leant toward the small windows. Darcy asked the coachman to slow the pace of their carriage while the other one continued on its way.
Elizabeth looked out, mesmerised, her heart racing while she waited for the first appearance of Pemberley. She felt her husband’s arm encircling her shoulders, and she enjoyed his comforting presence.
As if guessing her eagerness, he whispered, “Pemberley Manor is still far away; we have about half an hour of travel yet.”