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Pemberley Part B
The next day the entire party set out for a picnic. Sir Andrew and Lady Grace Darcy weren't due to arrive till the next day with the Philpots. Mrs Gardiner couldn't wait to see Lady Ag again. It had been many years since they had seen each other.
The picnic took place in one of Darcy's favourite spot. Lover's glen. It was a secluded part of the estate which had some of the best views around. It was there where Darcy sat to mourn Hannah. He could stare at his house and his land just thinking about her. Deep down he knew that Hannah didn't appreciate it as much as he. He was sat under a tree staring at Miss Elizabeth who was holding a parasol looking out at the view. She was sat on a log away from everyone else. He'd brought some paper and a pencil for the occasion. He loved paper games at picnics or it was just for Hanneli, who was running around testing the patience of the Countess. He quickly sketched her. He knew that he would use this sketch in a new piece he was working on.
Darcy noticed that Elizabeth always wore something white. Whether it be a parasol or an apron. White made her skin glow. He got up and sat beside her. They were perfectly chaperoned.
"Miss Bennet." He said as he sat down next to her.
"Mr Darcy."
"Are you well Miss Bennet?"
"Yes very. Thank you. It is a beautiful day is it not?"
"Yes it is." The sun was high in the sky. Elizabeth was wearing a beautiful buttercup yellow gown which he'd never seen before. There was a little lace detail around the neckline which matched her white shawl and bonnet.
"Do you like the view Miss Bennet?"
"I have never seen anything more beautiful than Pemberley. I wonder how you can ever leave it."
"It is hard to leave. I found solace here when my wife died."
"I can see why. There is effortless beauty here. I would never want to leave it. I could happily spend the rest of my days here without ever wanting to venture into town."
"Do you enjoy town?"
"I enjoy the theatre and the book shops. I can do without the dress shops. I have enough skills to make sure that my wardrobe never goes out of fashion but I never follow it. I'd rather have 4 gowns well-made and durable than 20 which would wear out easily and I could only wear once."
"I wish that my wife and sister would have agreed with you. They were forever in the milliners. My wife could sometimes not wear a dress twice. Even her indoors dresses."
"I wear aprons to cover my gowns from spoiling and sometimes pinafores. I know that it is not right to talk about clothes in such manner."
"It is not. Is this dress new? I've never seen it on you?"
"It is Jane's. She let me have it. I've always wanted a yellow dress but couldn't justify the expense of it. Jane knew this. When she bought her trousseau I inherited most of her old gowns. I had to take it up a little but the off cuts have been used in Miss Hanna's new dress and Lady Roberta's. You will not tell on me will you Sir?"
"Of course not. You're very thrifty aren't you Miss Bennet."
"I have to be Mr Darcy. My mother lives beyond her means. We have to save somehow so myself and my sisters aside from Lydia make do and we mend. The first thing I remember making was a patchwork quilt for my bed. I still have it somewhere. I add a new patch every year on my birthday. With your permission I might make one for Miss Hanna."
"She would love that Miss Bennet. It could go on the wall of her bedchamber. I am thinking at her age she should have a room of her own. She can't continue to sleep with her crusty, old, grey Papa. She should be able to decide how she would want her room to be. What do you think Miss Bennet?"
"I think that she should have her own room. It is her sanctuary. Somewhere where when she is older she can hide and calm down after an argument with her parents. If she is ever ill it is a place where she will be able to get well. A place where her suitors can climb up into her room. If I may say Mr Darcy you are not old, grey or crusty."
"I joked with my daughter that I will lock her up when she comes of age for suitors. How would you decorate your room Miss Bennet?"
"I shared my room with Jane for most of my life. We had similar tastes but I always liked Lavender and Honeysuckle which surprises most people as I wear dark colours most days. I used to love making soft furnishings, having my toys about. On rainy days I sat at the window seat and dream of the freedom."
"You make your room sound idyllic. My childhood room was dark and dingy. It had been my Uncle Andrew's room before I was born."
"Didn't your father let you change it?"
"No he didn't. When I was 18 I was married and I had moved into the Master's chamber's with Hannah. My father took another room in the house. Hannah re-decorated the master chambers to her taste and not mine. I never had a room to call my own other than my study. The library is not something that I want to touch."
"That is a shame it is your house and you should do with it what you wish. Especially in your own rooms."
"I admire your thinking Miss Bennet. Come I want to play a game of cricket against my cousin if he will keep his hands of your sister. Her reputation will be ruined before he gets her down the aisle."
"It is not just your cousin's fault. She encourages him." Elizabeth got up and then turned to face him.
"Come. I would like to see a cricket match." She added. They both went back to where the picnic was taking place. The Countess, Lady Roberta and Mrs Gardiner hoped that they might have an announcement but they didn't. Darcy decided to challenge Richard, his Uncle Matlock, Mr Gardiner and the Ladies to cricket. The Youngbloods vs the Oldcodgers.
Darcy, Richard, Elizabeth, Cathy and Roberta vs The Earl, The Countess and Mr and Mrs Gardiner.
Unsurprisingly the Youngbloods won despite Hanneli 'helping' them. She just ran around the pitch picking up the ball then throwing it about the field.
The adults were happy to see Hanneli running about as a young girl should. She didn't have much time to be free.
The next day The Philpots and the other Darcy's came to Pemberley. Mrs Gardiner was happy to see her old friend Ag again.
"How are you Maddie?" Lady Ag went up to her old friend.
"I am well thank you Lady Agapanthus." Mrs Gardiner replied giving her a quick hug.
"Ag please. We may be older and wiser but we are still friends and as such should break down the barriers that class puts up. I am Ag and you are Maddie. You've met my husband Philip?" Lady Ag introduced her husband Philip.
"No I haven't had the pleasure and you haven't met my Edward." They shook hands and Mrs Gardiner indicated her husband.
"Philip this is my old school friend Madeline Gardiner nee Fraser."
"A pleasure to meet you Mrs Gardiner. I have heard many stories about you." Lord Philip kissed her hand
"And you your Lordship. This is my husband Edward."
"Philip please. Mr Gardiner I am trying to get a party together for fishing. Will you join me and the other me? The Earl and Andrew are going but I fear that the Colonel and my nephew are otherwise engaged with the ladies."
"I love to fish and it would be an honour to join the party. The ladies need some time to gossip and share stories. My daughters despite their ages are worse than my nieces but not as bad as my own sister. Gossip feeds a woman's soul."
"On that I agree. Well ladies we shall depart. Come Mr Gardiner." The gentlemen went off to fish. It would be a bad day for the fish on the estate.
"You have 6 children do you not Maddie?"
"Yes I do. Edward, Benedick, Rosalind, Margaret, Ophelia and Andrew. You haven't been as blessed."
"No I haven't. We haven't been as lucky with children as you have. My husband's heir is a tiresome little man. A parson of all people. We had to go down the scale. All the males in my husband's family were wiped out at Waterloo."
"That is sad. I am sorry for it."
"The parson is named William Collins and I pity the woman who marries him. He's been institutionalised by Lady Catherine De Bourgh my nephew's aunt unfortunately."
"Mr Collins has married my niece Mary. You need not fear Mary she's as hard as a rock when it comes to her husband. He's also the heir to my brother in law's estate of Longbourn."
"That man will be very rich. Is Longbourn your nieces' estate?"
"Yes their father is Mr Thomas Bennet my husband is his wife's sister. Cathy is marrying your nephew's cousin we will almost be family."
"Yes we will be. Is my nephew courting your niece Elizabeth? They seem to be together a lot. I think he is showing them the views from Marple Mound."
"Not that I know of. My niece is very secretive of her private life."
"I understand that. My niece Georgiana is the same."
Over in a corner Georgiana Darcy was reflecting on her situation. By the age of 16 she'd lost both of her parent's and her sister in law. She'd been seduced and compromised by Mr Wickham. Ran away with him, almost married him. Been rescued by her brother. Then decided on a life of solitude with her brother here at Pemberley and her niece. She saw by the way that he looked at Miss Elizabeth Bennet that he would not be alone for long. She wanted him to protect her and not have another woman to take him away from her. She knew that her brother was in love and that he deserved to be happy after his wife had died but she wished that she could be enough for him. She didn't want him to take another bedmate. She had nothing against Miss Bennet. She was a nice person who brought out qualities in her brother that she hadn't seen in her life. He was jolly and more playful. He laughed. He had been sketching more. He'd never sketched and painted so much in her life.
She knew that she had to make more effort if her brother's happiness was at stake.
The days that followed were ones of peace for the party. They visited Lambton, Chatsworth, Matlock and Buxton to sample the water. They practised the play to perfection. Darcy practised what would be the most important speech of his life. His proposal to Elizabeth.
Next up- The Midsummer Night's Ball.