Chapter 13 #2
Fitzwilliam joined them and asked, “Are you well, Jane?”
“Yes, I am just overjoyed to be with Lizzy again, as well as to meet you. Where is my uncle?”
“He was concerned about being away from your aunt when she was unwell, so he returned to Lambton. One of our carriages will take you back to the village whenever you wish.”
* * *
The following day
The Bennet sisters were seated together in the drawing room while the Gardiners visited friends in Lambton. “Would you consider remaining in Derbyshire when our aunt and uncle return to town?” Elizabeth asked, recalling her discussions with her husband before her family’s arrival.
“I know they love me, but I have nothing but an irritating mother and two silly sisters awaiting me in Hertfordshire. But where would I stay? There is not enough room for me here in the cottage.”
“Darcy owns many properties in this area, and we would like you to consider living at Stockton Hall—a small estate that is unoccupied. Mrs. Reynolds will have it thoroughly cleaned and hire the necessary servants, and Mr. Bethel, our steward, will take care of any needed repairs.”
“Is it far from here?”
“That is the best part—it is less than an hour away and you will have a carriage at your disposal. My husband is the most thoughtful man—he knows how much we love being together, but we both realize how important your solitude is.”
At that moment Fitzwilliam entered the room.
“I have no words to thank you both for your offer to stay nearby,” said Jane. “For the first time since Papa died, I have something to look forward to but how. . .how can I ever repay you?”
Fitzwilliam held out his palms. “There is nothing to repay. You are my sister too, and we take care of our family.”
“Well, I suppose it is all settled, then. I shall tell our aunt and uncle when I go back to the inn, and I shall write to Mama with the news. The Gardiners plan to return to London in a few weeks. How soon do you think I can move in?”
“Let me speak to Mrs. Reynolds and my steward and I shall let you know. It was occupied until last year so it should not be more than a few weeks. I believe you will be able to move in before your aunt and uncle’s departure.”
Elizabeth was so overjoyed, her cheeks hurt from grinning. “Oh Jane! To have you living so close is the answer to my dreams.”
“And mine as well.”
* * *
Elizabeth was proud of how well the gardens now looked. She guided her uncle Gardiner along one of the many gravel paths. He had always been interested in plants and flowers, and he marvelled at what had been accomplished in the relatively short time since the fire.
She had to stop herself from continuing in the vein she had started.
Otherwise, she would have said, “One day, my husband found me in the rose garden cutting away the burnt stalks and asked me what I was doing. I told him how Mama showed me how to trim the roses at Longbourn after a frost.” She would always keep her time in service a secret.
Uncle Gardiner stepped up to her. “Lizzy, I have never seen you so happy. Darcy seems like a fine man. While we were fishing, he and I had an interesting discussion—he has many creative insights for the future. We are both forward thinking and will join together to invest in steam power and other modern innovations. You have both been very generous in offering Jane a home. I am certain your Papa would have approved of your husband.”
“Thank you. I too believe he would have.” She was quiet as she recalled her memories of the man she loved. “Now, let me show you some of the other areas the groundskeepers are working on.”
* * *
“I am delighted to see how contented you and Lizzy are. Pray call me Aunt Gardiner.”
“My family calls me Fitzwilliam or Darcy.” He was relaxed speaking with his new relative and was eager to hear what his new aunt had to say.
“Your wife spoke to me about some of the difficulties you experienced during your engagement.”
“Due to my injuries and losses, I had a great deal of rage and guilt after the fire, which prevented me from expressing my love for Elizabeth. I feared she would reject me and wished to spare myself the humiliation. Looking back, I cannot understand how I did not see how beautiful my wife was until after we were married. My scars are gone, and my leg no longer pains me.”
“I grew up in Lambton, and while I lived there, I often heard stories about the enchanted cottage on the Darcy estate. It was said that anyone who entered the cottage in love would find pleasure and beauty within. I can see those stories are true—you see each other through the eyes of love.”
“Mrs. Reynolds told us the same thing. As a rational man, I do not understand it, but we are too ecstatic to question it.”
“My dear man, there is no need to make sense of it—just enjoy it every day. As a child, I knew of your family. Before your wedding, I assured Lizzy that if you are anything like your parents, she was marrying the son of very kind and generous people.”
“Thank you, Aunt Gardiner. To be compared to my parents is the highest compliment anyone can give me.” He would love the Gardiners as his wife did.
“I am being sincere, Darcy.” After a pause, she continued, “Lizzy wrote to me and told me how severe the damage to the manor was. Do you know how the fire started? If it is too difficult to speak of, I shall understand.”
“Until recently, I was in so much pain both physically and emotionally, I could not talk about it. Since I have found such happiness with your niece, everything before our marriage seems like a terrible nightmare. We have learnt that the fire was intentionally set by a man named George Wickham, the son of my father’s steward.
The fire was a distraction—he stole everything from the safe to make himself rich and wreak revenge on me after I foiled his plot to elope with an innocent young woman.
After a long search, he was apprehended in London and confessed to his crimes.
Through my uncle’s intervention, he was spared the noose and transported to Australia.
He died in a fight on the ship and was buried at sea. ”
Aunt Gardiner shook her head. “I heard many stories of George Wickham when I lived in Lambton. He was caught by almost every merchant in town trying to steal something or the other. I remember while still quite young, he was discovered being inappropriate with young maids on several occasions.”
“As Lizzy said when she heard his fate, ‘such is the unfortunate ending of the wretched life of Mr. Wickham.’” They were both quiet for a moment.
“Shall we join the others? My wife is quite proud of her garden.” Darcy stood and helped her rise.
He took Mrs. Gardiner’s hand and kissed it before placing it on his arm.