Memory: Volume 3, How Far We Have Come, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (34 page)

“Your parents were working to feed you and keep your home.  They did not have the luxury mine did.”

“True, but your parents could afford to have any number of staff looking after you; they would not have to bother with you at all.”  Seeing Darcy’s eyes widen, he spoke hurriedly, “Not that I was implying that they would . . . I just . . .”

“No, I know what is usual.”  Rosalie tipped over in a fit of giggles and his lips quirked up.  “But I prefer what we have.” 

“Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley has arrived.”  Foster announced.

“Ah.”  He smiled at Lucas and stood.  “Come along.”

“This is private, I think.”

“It is about his brother’s estate.”  Darcy picked up the journals.  “We will be in the study, love.”

“Take care of him.”  Elizabeth smiled and looked at Rosalie.  “Tell Papa, bye!”

“Papa?”  Rosalie asked and got to her feet.  Smiling, Darcy handed the books to Lucas and walked over to pick her up and give her a kiss.  “Papa.”  Her head rested on his shoulder and she sighed. 

Darcy kissed her forehead.  “No, no sleeping, my girl.  Play with Mama and Aunt Jane.”  Rosalie clutched his neck cloth and he looked at Elizabeth.  She just smiled and did not move.  “Elizabeth.”  He said pleadingly.

“What would you do if I was not home?”  

“I would carry her around with me.”  He sighed.  “Rosa, let go.”  Prying her fingers loose, he put her down on the blanket and patted her head, and started to walk away.  Rosalie immediately began to cry.  Darcy spun around and Elizabeth shook her head, pointing at the door. 

“Go.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Show no weakness.”

Darcy glanced at Lucas and they walked into the house, Rosalie’s wails grew softer as they advanced inside.  “That was difficult.”

“I bet that she will stop as soon as she realizes you were not bending to her will.”

Stopping his progress, they stood still and listened.  “It seems you are correct.”

“Little sisters and brothers.”  Lucas smiled and shrugged.  “All children have their tricks.”

“I just do not want her to feel abandoned . . .”

“To Elizabeth and Jane?”  He said incredulously.

“That was foolish of me.”  Darcy admitted.  “I am a little extra possessive of my ladies of late.”

“I think that is entirely understandable.”  Lucas said softly.

“Thank you.”  They entered the study and Bingley came over to greet them.  “I hope that you do not mind Lucas being here?”

“No, no, not at all.  Three heads are better than one.”  They shook hands and took their seats.  Darcy put the journals into a neat stack, glanced at the landscape of Pemberley for a moment, then sat back and looked at his friend expectantly.  “Now then, this estate business, let us hear all about it.”

“I tell you Darcy, I was overwhelmed.”  Bingley got up and paced the study, walking past Lucas and back to Darcy’s desk.  “There I was, listening to my brother planning out this incredibly foolish journey and how I was to forego my plans, my very long anticipated plans, to look after his home!”  His hand went up to run through his unruly hair.  “I did not know what to say!  I daresay my mouth hung open for the greater part of his presentation.”

“Was he demanding?”

“No.”  Bingley sighed and dropped into a chair.  “No, not at all, that was the disconcerting part.  He was . . . I could almost describe it as . . . Humble?”

“Is that a question for me?” 

“No, no.”  Bingley waved him off.  “I just do not understand why.  I do not read the papers closely, but I
do
read.  And listening to everyone yesterday and their shock . . .” He looked up, “I said that I would give him a decision in a few days.”

“He plans to leave soon?”  Lucas asked.

“I do not know.”  He sighed.  “Overland is impossible so it depends on if Robinson can find a ship to take him, let alone provide accommodations that would suit both him and Caroline.  He said he could get along with a hammock but, I do
not
see Caroline tolerating that for weeks.  I cannot even begin to fathom the toileting accommodations.  It is a fool’s errand, Darcy.  I wonder why he risks it.”

“He has said nothing?”

“Only that he has worked hard and wants to protect what he has.  He has not been to his groves since the war made travel dangerous, and I get the impression that he feels he is being increasingly lied to by those he hired as his surrogates.  He seems to think that his physical presence will make a difference.  You know, I offered him a place in the mills.  With his experience, he could do well there.  Of course that would be back in Scarborough, and there is no possibility of Caroline liking that idea.”

“Does he need to work?  Is the estate not enough income?”

“Not to be in your circle.”  Bingley smiled when Darcy rolled his eyes.  “Forgive me.  He is comfortable where he is but he is ambitious, and ambition requires the income from both the trade and the land.”

“And Mrs. Robinson?  She truly wishes to leave her child and travel?”

“Wallace was an obligation fulfilled to her, not a gift from heaven.”  Seeing Darcy’s eyes narrow, he continued.  “I am glad that they go for the boy’s sake, Louisa will love him.  Caroline barely acknowledges him.”

“Yes, Elizabeth told me her conversation with Mrs. Robinson today.  How can a woman be so cold?”  Darcy said softly and looked at Elizabeth’s small portrait on his desk.  “I cannot fathom carrying a child for nine months and then forgetting him.”

“Perhaps this trip is not so much for the oranges as it is to separate the boy from his mother?”  Lucas offered as the men stared at him.  “Just a thought.”

“Ramsgate would do for that.”  Darcy disagreed.  “He could even send her off to the estate if he was that concerned about her behaviour.  No, I imagine that his business concerns are quite legitimate, then again perhaps . . . Now this is an enormous speculation on my part, but perhaps he sees your sister’s neglect and
wants
to place the baby with the Hursts?”

“What an idea!”  Bingley cried.

“If he grew up that way, he might have hoped for better with his children.” 

“And was disappointed when no motherly instinct appeared in his wife.”  Lucas mused.  “Rather like Mrs. Bennet.”  Darcy startled and looked at Lucas, then nodded. 

“Rather like my mother.”  Bingley said quietly.  “I had not considered it.”

“Why not just ask his reasoning?”  Darcy offered.  “He will likely not wish to admit his concern for his son, but at least some compassionate staff might be hired and told to report to him and no other.  If our conjectures are correct, surely he can take charge of his household; tell his wife what he expects.”

“Unlike Mr. Bennet.”  Lucas murmured.

“You are drawing some frightening parallels, Lucas.”  Darcy said uncomfortably.  “I certainly know what neglect has done to that family.”

Bingley nodded slowly.  “I will speak to Hurst and see what he thinks before approaching Robinson.”

Darcy refocused his attention.  “In the meantime, there is still his request to consider.”

“I want to help, but I also want to continue my plans for Netherfield.”  Bingley glanced at Lucas.  “You see I want that experience and I . . . should like to know the neighbourhood.”

“Ah.” Darcy smiled.  “The neighbours of the neighbourhood.”

“Who?”  Lucas asked.

“What did Elizabeth say to you?”  Bingley demanded.

“About what?”  Lucas looked between them.

“She said that you were very kind and mentioned that you danced with another.”

“WHO?”  Lucas bellowed.

“Miss Martin.”

“Miss Simkins.”

“Miss Simkins?”  Bingley’s brow creased.  “Did I mention her name?”

“Obviously Elizabeth thought that you at least referenced her, as did Miss Martin.”  Darcy chuckled.  “Were they incorrect?  Is Miss Martin the girl for you?  Your plans seem to be taking into account her presence in the neighbourhood.”

“I do not know, but I cannot very well find out if I am caring for Robinson’s estate can I?”  He got up to pace.  “He has a perfectly good steward!”

“Then why not just visit the estate, meet this steward, and if something arises that requires a decision, then he can easily contact you.”

“So this estate is near Pemberley?”  Lucas asked quickly.  “It is just in need of occupation?”

“Not this summer, it is leased out.”  Bingley said as he passed by.  “It will be empty this autumn though, especially if I am at Netherfield.” He stopped.  “Why?”

“Oh, a foolish idea of offering to look after it for you.”  Lucas smiled.  “I am spoiled in this house of freedom and crave more of it.”

“Lucas Lodge will be less two nosy boys very soon.”  Darcy reminded him.

“I know.”  He sighed.  “And we will have been away long enough, I shudder to think what Father has done in my absence.”

“Well then, forget that idea.  I like yours though, Darcy.”  Bingley sighed and finally sat down.  “And whatever the reasoning is for Robinson taking this journey, his son will be safe, and I will assure that his future home is as well.  How extraordinary if this all comes down to parenting.” 

“TWENTY MAY, 1811.”  Darcy read out loud.  “I once said that I can think of no better occupation than kissing Fitzwilliam Darcy.”  Elizabeth blushed and walked from the sitting room into the master’s chamber.  She climbed up onto the bed and he followed her, journal in one hand as he gestured with the other.  “And I have come to the conclusion that I was absolutely brilliant when I made that statement.”  He looked up with a grin and came to sit on the edge of the bed.  “After spending the day making up a list of my duties for Mary to follow when she becomes mistress of Rosings, by far the most important item, the one at the very top of the list, was loving my dear husband.  And that duty includes kissing him, soundly and often.”  Darcy beamed at her and scooted over to sit cross legged beside her, kissed her firmly, then continued.  “Does that make me a terrible mother?  My child is not first?  I do not think so, since what is my child without her happy parents?  And we are happy, very protective of each other, and very happy.  Where is my dear husband?  I think that I have been neglecting my duties today!”  Closing the journal, he set it down on the bedside table. 

“Oh dear.”  Elizabeth held her burning cheeks in her hands.  “I am so embarrassed.”

“Why?”  Darcy pulled off his nightshirt and flopped down beside her, and hugging her, nuzzled her neck while tugging off her gown.  “I loved it.”

“You did?”  She turned to him and kissed his smile.  “I am not a horrible mother for thinking of you first?”

“No.”  Darcy said seriously as he caressed the curls from her face.  “If you only dwelled on Rosalie first, we would never have been able to recover from the loss.  I could not have done it without you.”

“Three weeks.”  Elizabeth said softly and looked down. 

“Three challenging weeks.”  He rolled over and Elizabeth settled against him, resting her head on his shoulder.  “It occurs to me that we have had many lessons in parenting over the course of this time.”

“Oh?” 

“Mmm.  Mary and Mrs. de Bourgh have slowly established a friendship and de Bourgh can be angry with his mother now for taking Mary’s time instead of us.”  Elizabeth laughed.  “De Bourgh has been thoroughly embarrassed by not only Uncle Henry, but now Mr. Gardiner.”

“And I am sure that the rest of the men will do so at some point.”

“Most likely.”  He kissed her forehead.

“Those were the good examples.” 

“Almost all.  Mrs. Robinson is certainly a bad one, and the jury is out on her husband.”

“Any word from Mr. Bingley on their decision yet?”

“No love.  Not yet, not a hint of his reasoning either, but he has been at home more often than not.”

“That is interesting.”  Elizabeth looked up at him and he shrugged.  “And my mother.”

“Your mother who has sent Mary a letter every day with advice and requests to send a carriage to bring her here and shop for her gowns.”

“Perhaps she is trying to make amends.”  Elizabeth said hopefully.

“Do you believe that?”  Darcy smiled.

“Not really, but without hope, we have nothing.”

“Which brings me back to the good parents.”

“Who have we forgotten?” 

“Us.”  He kissed her cheek, then her ear, and moved around to her lips.  “Just as you said in your journal.  We have a happy, well-loved baby, because she has happy, well-loved parents.”

“Who have not had time to do any loving in far too long.”  Elizabeth began playing with the dark curls of hair on his chest.  Darcy’s eyes crinkled as he watched her fingers.

“I am not a puppy.”

“No, you are fully grown.”  She smiled up at him and received a kiss.  Her hand traced down his stomach, following the trail of hair to caress the curls between his legs.  Darcy groaned and spread his thighs a little wider.  She laughed and stroked all over him while she thought about the evening.  “What do you think of your cousins as parents?”

“They are all fine, but not as good as we.”

“Of course not.”  Absentmindedly her fingers curled around him and he sighed happily.  “You like this.”

“I would be the greatest fool alive to say no.”  He murmured into her hair, and lowered his hands to run over her skin. “Please do not stop.”  She suckled his nipple and he immediately laid his head back and moaned.  “More, Lizzy.”

She crawled up onto his chest and her dark curtain of hair surrounded them as she looked down and smiled.  Darcy lifted his hands to hold her face and drew it down to kiss.  “What do you wish for?” 

“Everything, anything.”  He begged and laughed when her eyes lit up.  “Surprise me.”  Elizabeth’s brow rose and his hands caressed her smiling cheeks as she waited to hear his desire.  At last he admitted what he wanted.  “Kiss me, love.”  As her face disappeared and he felt her tongue slowly torturing his skin, he held his breath until . . . “ohhh, heaven.”  Darcy groaned.

Elizabeth started laughing and sat up to smile at him.  “Mr. Darcy.”

“mmmmmmm.”  He said contentedly, with his eyes closed.  “More.” 

Looking over his relaxed form, Elizabeth ran her hands up his thighs, over his belly to his chest, and back down.  Darcy opened one eye.  “Do you know how big you are?”  He closed his eye again and sighed.  “Just look at you.”  Again her hands travelled up and down.  “Soooo much to touch.”