Recollections of Rosings (30 page)

    Or was it possible that she was making too much of it?

    Perhaps he had taken the drawing because it had struck him as an elegant piece of work—she recalled how he had praised Dr Harrison's sketches and he was well versed in the appreciation of the arts. The picture of her, seen through her husband's eyes in the early years of their marriage, was quite an appealing work in itself, accentuating her best features—the brow, eyes, and mouth all skilfully drawn. Perhaps, she thought, Mr Burnett may have liked the portrait, quite apart from the identity of its subject.

    Why then did he fail to tell her of it? He had pointed out the qualities of others in the folio—drawings of the children and one particularly sweet grouping of her with two of the children, whose composition and character he had openly admired; there had been no awkwardness there.

Catherine could not comprehend it at all.

    Sleep did not come to relieve her wandering mind till the very early hours, and when she awoke, it was well past her usual breakfast time. Though she had arisen with the same nagging thoughts that had occupied her mind the night before, she was determined not to let them overwhelm her.

    Dressing quickly, she went downstairs to find a letter waiting for her from Mrs Darcy. She opened it hurriedly and read it through even before sitting down to breakfast. Letters from Lizzie were always welcome. But, apart from the customary courtesies and reports of family matters, this one brought some unwelcome news.

    Elizabeth was writing specifically to inform her that the third trustee, Sir James Fitzwilliam—Lady Catherine's eldest nephew and brother of the Colonel—was unwell and was sending his daughter Mrs Rose Gardiner to attend the meeting in his place.

    
I think you will not mind my cautioning you, dear Catherine,
wrote Elizabeth,
to beware of this lady.

    The arrival of Caroline Fitzwilliam and her maid lightened considerably the somewhat tense atmosphere and that evening, as the guests gathered for dinner, Catherine's confidence grew.

    Caroline was especially supportive. "I believe you need have no fears, Catherine," she said, exuding the kind of assurance she had gained over years of working with and for her husband in the promotion of a range of worthy causes. "I am aware that Sir James is unlikely to support you, but with the rest of the trustees on your side, I believe you need only convince the attorneys that your cause is not only just and good but also practical. Lawyers are not renowned for their altruism and it would be futile to appeal to their generosity or charitable instincts, for I am willing to say they have none. However, put before them a practical proposition with the prospect of a successful enterprise and they will listen."

    Catherine thanked her for her sage advice and prayed that the material she had to put before them would suffice to convince them.

    Frank Burnett arrived, bringing with him the notes he had prepared for her, and Catherine, on reading them, was greatly encouraged. His well-planned paper was couched in clear, simple language, eschewing all verbosity and placing the facts directly forward for consideration.

    She was very pleased and did not conceal her appreciation. "I cannot tell you how grateful I am, Mr Burnett. With this to assist me and Caroline's support, I am now a good deal more confident of success."

    Jonathan Bingley arrived almost together with the rector, and they went in to dinner by eight. It was a most satisfying party and Catherine's pleasure increased as she saw how easily her guests mingled together and made conversation, even those who were but recently acquainted, as though they were all lifelong friends. Especially pleasing to her, as it was to Lilian, was Caroline's attention to Mr Adams, who had charmed her during the meal with his stories of life in France, while Jonathan was quite clearly enjoying the company of Frank Burnett.

    It mattered not to Catherine that she was left to entertain Mr Jamison the rector, so pleased was she that everything had proceeded so well.

    By the time the gentlemen had joined the ladies in the drawing room for coffee, it was clear to Catherine that both Caroline and Jonathan would support her at the meeting and Caroline intended to go further. She proposed to approach one of the attorneys—a Mr Parker, who had recently done some work for Colonel Fitzwilliam.

    "Mr Parker is a decent sort of gentleman, I am sure he can be persuaded, and if possible I shall try to sound him out discreetly before the meeting," she promised.

    When Jonathan and Mr Burnett joined them around the coffee table, Caroline returned to the topic. "Jonathan, do you believe Rose Gardiner will stand against the school project, in spite of the support of the other trustees?"

    Jonathan confessed he knew little of Mrs Gardiner's intentions, but added, "My aunt Lizzie certainly believes that to be the case. I have received a cautionary letter from her on the subject."

    "And I," volunteered Catherine. "Lizzie is convinced, as is Mr Darcy, that Rose will, on the instructions of her father, obstruct our plans for a school. It is difficult to believe that a woman of intelligence, widely travelled and well read, can be set against the very idea of a school for girls less fortunate than herself."

    At that, Caroline laughed, a light sardonic laugh.

    "Ah Catherine, you are mistaken in believing that they would wish to see all young women educated and helped to improve their lot in life."

    "Why would they not? What can they possibly have to lose?" asked Catherine, shocked by the prospect.

    "Why, who then would cook and clean for them all day long? Rose, like her mother Lady Rosamund Fitzwilliam, must fear that educating poor country girls will result in a dearth of chambermaids and skivvies!"

    While Catherine did not contest this, Mr Burnett spoke up to agree with Caroline, pointing out that where he grew up, education for the poor was generally regarded as dangerous.

    "There was a genuine fear that educated men and women would forget their place in society and seek to usurp the roles of their superiors," he explained.

    "Sounds very much like high Tory philosophy!" quipped Jonathan, but Catherine had to ask, "Yet, many enlightened landowners have established schools for the children on their estates—Mr Darcy and my own brother-in-law Anthony Tate, for example."

    "Indeed, Mrs Harrison, if only more of them could be persuaded that it is in their own interest to do so," said Mr Burnett, and Jonathan, seeing the anxiety on her face, urged her to have confidence.

    "I am very confident of success tomorrow, Catherine; your keenness and the excellent plans drawn up for the late Dr Harrison as well as fine work done by Mr Burnett in discovering them will surely help us win the day," he said, and she was grateful indeed for his reassuring presence.

Catherine came downstairs to breakfast quite early the following morning to find Caroline there already. Always an early riser, she had been reading the newspapers. She put them away when Catherine joined her at the table and poured out more tea.

    "I do like your Lilian's young man, Cathy," she said. "Mr Adams is such an amiable gentleman, with the most charming manners; if I did not know better, I would have said he was French. He puts me very much in mind of my sister Emily's late first husband, Paul Antoine."

    Catherine agreed. "Yes indeed, he is a very likeable young man and you are right to some extent, Caroline, for his mother was French and he spent all of his childhood in France," she explained.

    Caroline's eyes sparkled. "I knew it; he has that very particular manner, a natural charm without effort or pretension, that is quite irresistible. And he is educated and well spoken, with a good income. Your Lilian is a very fortunate girl."

    Catherine had to agree once more, saying without wishing to sound boastful that she believed Lilian had made a good match and she knew it would be a happy one, too, because Mr Adams loved her dearly.

    Before she could continue, Caroline added in a softer voice, so as not to be overheard by the servants, "And so is your Mr Burnett."

    When Catherine looked to see if she was teasing, she added, "Such a distinguished-looking man, so knowledgeable, yet so modest in his general manner. I was quite astonished when Jonathan told me Mr Burnett has worked for the British Museum and is an authority on the preservation of artworks and antiquities."

    Once again, Catherine could not but agree. "Yes indeed, Mr Burnett is an eminent scholar in his field and is dedicated to his work," she said.

    "And clearly devoted to you, I think, Cathy," said Caroline artlessly.

    "I beg your pardon?" Shocked, Catherine put down her cup with a clatter.

    Caroline seemed unmoved. "Why, have I surprised you?" she asked. "Come, Catherine, you are far too modest yourself, else you could not have failed to notice how he looks at you and speaks to you with a distinct partiality; the tone of his voice is quite unmistakable." Then seeing the look of complete incredulity with which Catherine regarded her, she added, "You are not aware of this? Ah well, I suppose it is understandable, one does not at this time of life expect to notice these things. But mark my words, my dear, Mr Burnett, if he is not already in love, is in grave danger of being so and unless you wish to break the poor man's heart, you had better give some thought to the matter and decide what you intend to do about it."

    Catherine was left speechless with astonishment. This was something completely unexpected. She had had no idea that Mr Burnett's regard for her could have attracted the notice of anyone else. Indeed, she had scarcely paid any attention to it herself, and except for the chance sighting of the framed picture in his office room, the question would not have crossed her mind.

    It surprised her to discover that Caroline had noticed anything significant at all. She was aware that Caroline had a reputation in the family as an incurable romantic and she wished she had been able to provide an immediate denial of her suspicions. But their conversation ceased abruptly when the door opened and Lilian came in to join them at the table. Lilian was delighted to hear Caroline say how very highly she thought of Mr Adams, and Catherine was glad indeed of an excuse to leave them together to finish their breakfast and retire upstairs to prepare for the meeting of the Rosings Trust later that day.

    James Fitzwilliam had never been a particularly strong character; indeed it might have been said that, apart from the one occasion on which he had defied his aunt and married Miss Rosamund Camden, he had never made a stand on anything at all. His aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, had never liked her nephew very much and had liked him even less when he had failed to oblige her by falling in love with a lady of means and fashion whom she had selected for him. Instead, he had chosen to marry the daughter of a north country farming family, a young woman who had never been out in London society and was distinctly beneath Her Ladyship's notice.

    For some years, whilst they were plain Mr and Mrs Fitzwilliam, the couple had been very much out of favour and not included in the Rosings circle. However, when it became clear James would succeed to the family title, his rehabilitation had begun and his wife, understanding the value of Lady Catherine's patronage, had set out to please her in every way possible, which is how Sir James had come to be one of the members of the Rosings Trust, together with his younger brother Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr Darcy.

    So accustomed had the Fitzwilliams become to the ways and views of Her Ladyship, they adopted them as their own and became increasingly distant from the rest of their family and friends. Their daughter Rose, who was married to Caroline's brother, Robert Gardiner, had been deeply influenced by the same outmoded ideas espoused by her mother and nothing, it seemed, could move her to abandon them. Mother and daughter were invariably of one mind on most matters and equally unshakable in their opinions.