Memory: Volume 1, Lasting Impressions, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (68 page)

“I am not sure.”  He spoke softly.  “I am not sure.  We will see what our physician can do for Anne, and see if we can find a way to contain this news. It will not be easy.  Three days have passed since these letters were penned.  It may be too late already if this Collins fool has been loose with his tongue.”

“But . . . Does that mean that Fitzwilliam must marry her?”  Elizabeth said fearfully.  “Surely that cannot be so!”

“It would be the simplest solution.”  Lord Matlock mused and rubbed his chin.

“NO!”  Elizabeth cried and stood.

“Henry!  Do not frighten the girl any more than she already is!”  Lady Matlock put her arm around Elizabeth.  “My husband does not know to curb his thoughts.”  She glared at him.  “Think of something else!”

“Let me get this note off to Richard and I will.”  He glared back, then stood to pat Elizabeth’s shoulder.  “No dear, Darcy will most certainly not be marrying his cousin.  He is very publicly engaged to you.  Your parents would be well within their rights to sue him for breach of promise if he left you now.”

“He would not do that.”  She whispered.

“Well there is no sense continuing this speculation.  I will go to Rosings as soon as possible, taking Richard and Mr. Clarke with me.  Then we will see what we can do.  There is no point in writing to Darcy about this until we see Catherine.  He will want information.”

Lady Matlock left him to write his notes and sent for the physician with a letter of her own.  Elizabeth went to join Alicia.  Audrey was with her and had been apprised of the events.  The three women were sitting together and discussing the situation in low voices when Georgiana appeared.  “Elizabeth!  I did not expect to see you today!”  She sat down and looked at them in anticipation.  “Are you planning a shopping trip together?  May I join you?”

Elizabeth looked helplessly at the ladies and was saved an answer by Lady Matlock’s voice.  “Yes, Georgiana, we will be shopping today.  We have many places to visit to expand Elizabeth’s new wardrobe.  I am afraid that the future Mrs. Darcy’s closets remain shockingly bare.”  She looked at her daughters pointedly.  “I want to make it very clear that Darcy’s betrothed is shopping with us.”

Audrey smiled and looked at Elizabeth.  “Oh yes, come Elizabeth, you need to wear something else if we are going shopping for
the future Mrs. Darcy’s
clothes.  You must have something that would do, Mama?”

“Yes.”  She nodded.  “Come Elizabeth.  Let us visit my closet, then spend a great deal of my nephew’s money.” 

12 JUNE 1809

Far too many things have happened in such a short time.  I have spent hours in the company of the women of Matlock House, shuttling from one fashionable venue to the next, and being introduced in very clear tones to all who were near as Fitzwilliam’s bride.  The attention was nearly unbearable, but of course I understood the purpose, if this gossip about Fitzwilliam and his cousin is reported in the papers, many important women will be able to state positively that I was seen in Lady Matlock’s company purchasing my trousseau.  A preemptive strike, as the colonel called it.  He will accompany Lord Matlock to Rosings tomorrow.  I wish that I was with them so I could indeed take on this horrid woman and give her the piece of my mind that Fitzwilliam feels I would.  I wish that he were here!

And then there was Jane.  The predictions came true; Mr. Harwick came and spoke to her, and ended the courtship.  He apologized for giving her false hope.  I cannot be angry with him; he was honest from the beginning.  The fault for this failure is our parents’ and Jane’s.  She knows that her assumption of easy acceptance was due to Mama’s teaching, but her jealousy of my love with Mr. Darcy was entirely her own.  Mr. Harwick was kind in his rejection, and Jane wished him well, but it is still a bitter truth to swallow.  I hope that both he and Jane find what they need.

“THERE IS COLLINS.”  Fitzwilliam pointed as the carriage swept up the drive to Rosings the next day.  “He has an unerring sense of when a visitor is arriving.”

“He is probably watching for Darcy to arrive so he can lick his boots.”  Lord Matlock snorted. 

Mr. Clarke looked at him with interest.  “Not much to him is there?” 

“Just a big mouth.”  Fitzwilliam muttered.

The carriage stopped and into the house the three men went.  The footman at the door saw their angry faces and stuttered out that Lady Catherine was in the process of being moved to the dowager’s house per the orders of Mrs. Darcy.

“What?”  Lord Matlock exclaimed and turned to his son.  “She is entertaining the delusion this far as to be willing to leave?”

“She is not pleased to leave, sir.  She states that she will not depart while her daughter is ill.”  The footman intimated, “But Miss Anne, Mrs. Darcy, is most insistent.   Do you know when Mr. Darcy will arrive, sir?  She is very anxious to see him.”  He looked hopefully out to the empty carriage and back to Lord Matlock.

“He will not be here in the foreseeable future.”  Lord Matlock said dryly.  “Now, Mr. Clarke is a physician and is here to examine Miss Anne, Yes,
MISS
Anne.  She is
NOT
married.  Please take him to her.  Where might we find Lady Catherine?”

“She is in the green sitting room, sir.”  The footman stuttered and led Mr. Clarke upstairs.

“Can you believe her?”  Fitzwilliam said angrily as they strode forward.  “Perpetuating this myth?  And with a staff with lips as loose as that man’s it will surely be in the papers before the week is out!”

“I know that my sister has a great deal of gall, but this is beyond the pale.”  Lord Matlock stopped before they reached their destination, and looking around, pulled his son into an empty room and closed the door.  “Would you be willing to marry her?”

“What!”  Fitzwilliam stared at his father.   “Is that why it was so urgent that I come with you?”

Lord Matlock grabbed his shoulders.  “I wanted you with me because you are my son, and this is your family.  If Mr. Clarke reports that she is indeed near death, and she can be convinced to accept you, would you be willing?”

“Why?  So that Darcy’s reputation would be saved?  He has done nothing!” 

“Yes but word of insanity in the family does none of us good.”  He sighed and admitted his other thought, “And it would give you Rosings.”

“And no hope for a future tied to Anne.”  Fitzwilliam said bitterly.  “I admit to having this conversation with Darcy recently, and he thankfully talked me out of it.”

“It would do us all good . . .”

“I would be a vulture.”

“That is exactly what Darcy would be if he followed Catherine’s plan.  It is your best chance for an estate, Son.”

Fitzwilliam turned and walked to a window to stare out at the precisely manicured garden. “And what of Mrs. Carter?” 

“You have only just met; you have not even paid a call yet.”

“You said that you would support me if I tried.”  Fitzwilliam reminded him.

“How likely is it that she would accept you, Richard?”  He met his son’s hurt look and sighed.  “She may not wish to remarry.”

“I will not know that at all if I pursue this plan of yours.”  He strode to the door and opened it.  “Now let us go see the former mistress of Rosings.”

Together they continued to the end of the long hallway until they at last arrived in the appropriate sitting room.  “Catherine.”  Lord Matlock barked.

“Henry!”  She looked up with a smile and then frowned to see Fitzwilliam.  “Where is Darcy?”

“That is no concern of yours.  What is the meaning of this?  How dare you attempt to force his hand to marry Anne?”

“She has decided that she is his wife, there is nothing I can do about that.  Do you wish to see her in shackles in some dungeon of an asylum?”

“Of course not, but being married to Darcy . . .”

“Marrying Darcy will stop any gossip that may get out.”

“Thanks to your servants and your idiot parson, it may already be out!”  Lord Matlock declared.  “You are trying to hurt this family?”

“No, not at all, I am merely securing my daughter’s future, as any good mother should.”

“You have no more interest in Anne than you do in the content of the scripture you spout with authority.  You know that she is dying and you do not wish to lose your home.”  Lord Matlock bent over her and snarled.  “I understand that Anne has ordered you out.  I will not stop that from moving forward.”

Mr. Clarke appeared at the doorway.  “Excuse me, sir.  I have completed a cursory examination.  I believe that Miss de Bourgh’s fever, if it does not break soon, will take her life before too many days pass.  She has been bled twice, I cannot advise more.”

“Is she coherent?”  Lord Matlock asked.  “Is she sensible?”

“She demands her husband to come to her.  She speaks of their unborn child.”  He looked to Lady Catherine.  “Madam, I am sorry to bring you such disturbing news.”

Lord Matlock turned to his son.  “Even if you wished it, you could not marry her.  She would not be able to give her consent or sign the registry.  She would demand Darcy.”

“I know that Father.”  Fitzwilliam said quietly.  “I will not take an estate that belongs to the de Bourghs falsely.”

“You . . .you would be willing to marry her?”  Lady Catherine rose from her chair.  “Now?”

“No, Aunt.  Not now.”  He sighed and turned to his father.  “Do we know the name of the heir?”

“Yes, I found him recently.  He is a naval officer.”  Richard smiled and Lord Matlock nodded.  “His mother will be very happy.”

“But . . .” Lady Catherine sputtered.

“You sister, will spend the rest of your days in the dowager’s house.  I will speak to Captain de Bourgh and make certain of that.” 

“STEADY DARCY, WE ARE ALMOST THERE.”  Layton spoke softly as the carriage turned from the muddy rutted public roads onto the solid gravelled drive of Pemberley.  At last the pace increased and the interminable journey through three days of rain was nearing an end. 

Darcy said nothing, only staring out of the window in silence as he had for most of the trip, twisting incessantly the gold ring containing Elizabeth’s braided hair under glass, as if touching it brought him closer to her.  The carriage began to climb a steep hill, and both Darcy and Layton sat up, looking intently out of the windows.  They gained the rise and suddenly there was a break in the trees, and the vista below revealed . . .Pemberley House. 

Darcy murmured, “Thank you, Lord.”  Layton reached over to grip his arm.  The carriage continued and Darcy contained his thoughts that the great stone walls could very well be serving as a shell to devastation inside.  They would know soon enough.

“It is stunning, Darcy.”  Layton spoke softly.  Darcy swallowed and nodded, unable to say more. 

The carriage at last arrived and servants were waiting for them.  Mrs. Reynolds appeared and without hesitation grasped Darcy’s arms.  “Oh sir, thank you for coming so soon!  We were so worried for you!”

“I came the first moment I could, Mrs. Reynolds.”  He looked up to the house.  “It appears to be intact, please tell me what lies within.”

“The kitchens took the brunt of it, sir.  Fortunately the stone floor and walls contained the fire, but everything that could burn, did, I am afraid.  Mr. Nichols can tell you the particulars.  He had beams brought in to shore up the supports that suffered the greatest harm.”  They entered and she led the way, the lingering odour of the fire became more potent as they advanced.  “The damage to the rest of the house is the smoke, sir. Most of the house was closed up with you absent; and the doors being shut and the furniture covered helped a great deal, but there is much washing to be done, as you see.”  She indicated servants up on ladders with cloths, cleaning the blackened ceiling and taking down draperies.  “I think that the new mistress might want to consider replacing some of the fabrics and rugs, and perhaps paint in the rooms closest to the kitchens.”

“How are the bedchambers?”  He asked as they passed more blackened rooms. 

“They are remarkably fine.  When this rain ends we will open every window to air out the house.  That was a stroke of luck there sir, all of the windows were closed to keep out the rain and that kept the smoke from creeping in that way.”  Darcy nodded and they descended the stone stairs to the kitchen area.  The stench of the fire was heaviest here, and Darcy took in the destruction as stoically as he could. 

Layton placed a hand on his shoulder.  “It is not so bad.”

“Really?”  Darcy turned to see if he was serious.

“Really.  Our neighbours lost a wing about ten years ago when a footman fell asleep and kicked his lantern over.”  Layton looked around the empty room.  “I can see that your home is far stronger than theirs was.”  He continued, “Pemberley has burned before, has it not?” 

“Twice, according to the history I have read.”

“I imagine that after the last, significant measures were put in to contain fire to small areas.  It is good that your kitchens are almost an outbuilding.  You might want to study the history again when you have the opportunity.”  Layton smiled to see Darcy’s incredulous look.  “Will
you
be doing the cleaning?”

“I . . .I had not thought of it.”  He looked around again and watched as men appeared with wheel barrows and filled them with the debris.  He noticed that a cart was in place to receive the mess.  With so many working, the room would soon be clear.  Recognizing his steward outside, he approached.

“Nichols, thank you for your efficient work.”

“We jumped on it as soon as the room was cool, sir.”  He watched another load dump into the cart. “I wrote to the man who redesigned the stables for you last year, I expect to hear from him soon.  The staff is using the old kitchens for now.”

“And the servant quarters?  How were they affected?”  Darcy walked along with him as they looked up to the sooty walls. 

“The smoke went up, and the door separating their rooms was shut fortunately, other than a residual smell, you would never know there was a problem there.” 

“Well that is something.”  Darcy sighed.  “I think that we should settle in and then . . . perhaps take a tour of the entire building, and note everything that must be repaired in each room, address the structural damage and rebuilding of the kitchens first, then move on to the cleaning, and finally the replacement of damaged textiles?”  He looked at Layton who nodded.