Chapter 23
Elizabeth had not broached the subject of Miss Fischer during her call on the female Houltons. She had considered it, but it seemed strange to propose the poaching of Miss Houlton's governess with the young lady in the room. Somewhat guiltily, therefore, she left it to Darcy, who had the added advantage of being better-acquainted with Mr. Houlton, an acquaintance that had deepened since they had found themselves the two remaining responsible landowners in the near vicinity.
Darcy returned with the news that Mr. Houlton had gladly granted permission for the Darcys to interview Miss Fischer and hoped they would like her, for Mr. Houlton thought her too young for a pension but did not wish to see the woman distressed over needing to find a new position. He gave her an enthusiastic character and thought his children would be delighted as well, to know she would remain within the neighbourhood.
The gentlemen had fixed it that Miss Fischer would come to see the Darcys in two days' time, and by the time she arrived the Darcys had the relief of knowing she was interviewing to take on three immediate charges, not two. A brief letter came from Mrs. Nichols's brother with a few expressions of blotchy grief, and the lines that made Elizabeth burst into tears of relief: "I've got a good enough job here at a manufactory, but I can't afford to take the boy, and I don't have a wife or the like who could care for him. I reckon it's better for you to take him in over me, so I'd be glad if you did."
Elizabeth had proposed that the children be present for the interview, thinking they would be far more amenable to Miss Fischer if they had some introduction to her before she began her service with them. They held the interview in a bedroom down the hall from the nursery, but not the one in which Mrs. Nichols had died; that room remained closed off and was likely to be for some time, given the mistress of the house could not set foot inside without recalling the horrors that had occurred there. The Georges both waited silently, while James occupied himself with hopping from foot to foot and asking who Miss Fischer was, what a governess was, why a governess was needed, and why they needed to learn things. The Darcys were in the process of explaining the latter when a knock came at the door and Miss Fischer was shown in by Parker. All of the boys stared silently at her as she curtseyed to the Darcys and then to them. George Nichols thought to bow, the twins followed him, and then they all returned to staring.
"I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, and I see you have already learned some deportment, boys, which is excellent," said Miss Fischer. Elizabeth liked the warmth in her voice and countenance. The governess had a plain face with greying hair, and a slight plumpness that had likely gained on her over the years; her eyes were her best feature, both kind and intelligent.
"Miss Fischer, please meet our sons James and George, and our – our ward, George Nichols," Darcy said, motioning to each of the boys.
"I am very pleased to meet you, boys."
They were all seated, and although Elizabeth had thought the boys were there merely to meet Miss Fischer, it was James who asked the first question. "Are you gowing to learn us?"
"I hope that I am going to teach you, Master James, and you are going to learn. A governess teaches boys and girls about subjects like history, and geography, and arithmetic. Boys and girls learn history, geography, and arithmetic."
"Oh," replied James. "What's histowy and geogwaphy and a-a-awithmijick?"
"History is the study of what has happened in the past. We learn about what happened in the past because it helps us understand our heritage and teaches us lessons we can apply to the future. Geography is the study of where things are. We learn about it because it is important to know about the land we live in and the world beyond England. Arithmetic is the study of numbers and sums, and we learn about it because we must know how much money we have spent and how much we still have."
"What's England?" was James's reply.
"England is the country where we live."
"No we don't. We live in Dewbishiwe," said George Darcy, quietly but with assurance in his voice. "Papa says so."
"You live in both Derbyshire and England, Master George," replied Miss Fischer. Using her hands to gesticulate, she proceeded to explain the relationship of Derbyshire to England, to the satisfaction of all of the children. By the time she was done, Elizabeth was quite decided in her opinion that Miss Fischer was absolutely the right match for the boys, so long as Miss Fischer thought herself ready to take on three such charges.
Fortunately, the boys continued to mull over the notion of England versus Derbyshire for some time after Miss Fischer concluded her explanation, leaving the Darcys an opening for questioning of their own.
"Are you quite certain you are ready to take on three young boys?" asked Elizabeth. "I must imagine they are some contrast to a young lady about to be married."
"I would like it very much, ma'am. Children are most fun at the curious age, although I'm grateful I had a chance to see all of the Houlton children grow up. I've had a good long rest and I'm – I'm ready for a new challenge."
"A challenge they will likely be. Are you prepared for three young boys who can be as rambunctious as they are curious?" asked Darcy. "They all have rather a lot of energy at this age."
"I can still recall those days with the Houltons," said Miss Fischer. "I find that if the lessons are kept short and mixed in with more active tasks, it's more productive. Games and horseback riding, of course, and if you will allow it the Houlton children and I managed a portion of the kitchen garden for many years. Children feel a sense of accomplishment when they help make things grow, and I think it's good for children born on estates to have some understanding of the land."
"I entirely agree," said Darcy. "Mrs. Darcy had our conservatory made over as an indoor kitchen garden when the poor weather began some years ago, and she has started the boys on it. At present it is a rather messy activity, however. I do not know that they have made anything grow, but they are exceedingly effective at scattering dirt."
"Ah yes, Mr. Darcy, but how much of that is done by them, and how much by their mother?" queried his wife, with no expectation of a response.
Miss Fischer smiled, her eyes letting on a deeper amusement.
"As for horseback riding, we often take the children out ourselves, but if we are not available, we would be pleased to have you do so on any day the weather is amenable. We keep a variety of mounts in the stable and can certainly find one to suit you. I had intended to start them on fishing, as well, once they have the patience for it."
They conversed for a little while longer on the sort of curricula she would begin the boys on, and when the Darcys were both satisfied with Miss Fischer's answers, Elizabeth turned to the boys and said, "Boys, do you have any more questions for Miss Fischer?"
They were silent until George Darcy whispered, "Is you going to go to Heaven?"
God bless Miss Fischer, she got down on her knees so she was at his height before looking him in the eyes and saying, "All of us who are good and obey God are going to go to Heaven someday, Master George, but for most of us it will be a very long time from now, and I hope that is so for me. But that is why we should be good Christians and go to church and honour God, and also why we should be thankful for our lives and appreciate every day that we have with our families and friends."
Rather than being mollified by this, poor George burst into tears and said, "But I didn't go to chuwch!"
"You are still very young to be going to church, Master George. God understands that little boys and little girls need to grow up before they go to church."
"And you did worship God, George," said Elizabeth, joining Miss Fischer in kneeling on the floor before him. "Remember how we went to the chapel and prayed?"
George nodded, and buried himself in his mother's embrace. His outburst had prompted tears from George Nichols, as well, and Elizabeth murmured, "You will need to start them out gently, I think. They are all still grieving and confused by their grief."
"I understand completely, Mrs. Darcy."
Miss Fischer was ready to begin right away, and the Houltons were willing to let her go to her new family, with only the stipulation that she be allowed to attend Miss Houlton's wedding in Derby when the time came. The Darcys were perfectly amenable to this, and so Miss Fischer started three days after her interview. Miss Sawyer was promoted to the position of head nurse and Martha – now to be called Browning – to that of under-nurse, both of them showing gratitude sobered by the circumstances. This allowed the rest of the household maids to return to their normal duties, which in turn allowed Sarah Kelly to be spared to go to Derby to look at fabric for her mistress.
Elizabeth dutifully took up Ackermann's Repository in Sarah's absence, perusing the pages featuring furniture and finding that Sarah had been right: some of the most modern items were the ones she preferred. She took to leaving little strips of ribbon to mark her favourites: the light, shapely chairs; the Grecian sofas and chaises; the polonaise beds utilising a sort of domed canopy tent rather than four posts to house their curtains. When she had paged through them all, she took up a pencil and paper and began sketching out where the items might go. The bed would go on the far wall, but since it would be turned sideways compared to the big old four-poster, it would not make sense to put a chaise at its foot. She would put one in the dressing-room instead, amidst some new wardrobes, and instead the bedroom would receive a sofa by the fireplace, as well as two window benches. On the wall against the hallway would be a new secretaire, and opposite the sofa a table and two chairs, for Elizabeth had intentions of enticing her husband to remain abed with her occasionally so they could break their fasts more intimately than they usually did. It alleviated – a little – the thought of losing all of her boys to school, of it truly being just the two of them again for much of the year.
Sarah returned with five swatches of fabric, but knew her mistress so well that the one she gave over first was the one Elizabeth loved. It was a yellow silk, embroidered with deep green vines, and Sarah gave it over with a cautious countenance. "It's the most expensive of all of them by far," she said, "but it's good quality and it sounded like exactly what you described, ma'am."
"Oh Sarah, it's perfect," breathed Elizabeth, for once heartened that she need not worry herself over the expense. She made a quick study of the rest of them, more to acknowledge Sarah's efforts than anything else, and then took up the fabric again, walking over to her window and holding it up. "I want to at least start on having the curtains made with this. Jasper will need to remove the panelling and I'll need to decide on wallpaper and all, but at least it would be a start – to help inspire the rest of the room."
"I quite agree, ma'am, and I'd be glad to send for samples of wallpaper."
Sarah's enthusiasm over the redecoration scheme was such that Elizabeth was surprised to find her countenance tense and nervous the next evening, when she came to change her mistress. Given her recent interactions with Sarah had been about her clothes and the redecoration of her chambers, Elizabeth wondered if the latter was the cause of Sarah's unease, that perhaps Sarah had discovered an error in the price she had named to her mistress. Elizabeth still had every intent to buy the fabric if this was so, and to assuage Sarah's guilt over it. Once she coaxed Sarah into speaking of her concerns, however, she learned they had nothing to do with clothes or furnishings, and were instead family.
"I – I don't wish to concern ye, ma'am, but while I was in Derby, Bernard went down a'Lambton, to the inn. He and some of the other lads of the village and thereabouts like to go once a week or so, for a little ale. Nothing more, I promise ye – no gin, nor even any whiskey – and he was walking back to the farm round about ten, and he heard a gun shot. He thought it was odd, and then t'was another, and someone shouted at him that he'd be shot for trespassing and stealing game if he didn't move along. Ma'am, he admitted he was cutting through a field, but it was Hale's farm – Pemberley land – and we're on good terms with Mr. Hale. And beyond that, I didn't think that was the Pemberley way."
"It is not the Pemberley way – not at all," replied Elizabeth. "Hodgson's patrols are allowed to fire their guns in the air to ward off a true threat to the birds, but surely they can recognize that a farmer's son walking home is no threat. Bernard is certain it was Hale's farm?"
"Yes, ma'am. My family knows the land of old Stonebridge very well."
"Of course. I'll speak to Mr. Darcy of it," said Elizabeth, fairly certain that whoever had accosted Sarah's brother had come from the Berewick Estate, not Pemberley. "Bernard should be allowed a little innocent amusement from time to time without fear of being shot as a poacher."
When queried on the subject later in the mistress's bed Mr. Darcy reaffirmed Elizabeth's expectation that the watch for poaching must have come from Berewick, not Pemberley. Indeed, the notion that such a watch had threatened the son of one of his own tenants – on his land – caused a rather stormy response.
"The nonsense he has erected at Berewick is one thing," he rumbled, "but to even think he should be placing his watches and air-guns and man-traps on my land is quite another, and if he is confused as to the boundaries, I will certainlyenlighten him. Bernard Kelly was not harmed, was he?"
"No, he was not."
"I am glad at least for that – he's a good young man, as are all of the Kelly sons. I will speak to Laurence Sinclair of it – Houlton and I are nearly done with the accounting for the collection, so I shall bring him two unpleasant topics, rather than one."
"Thank you, my love. I am sorry that it so often falls to your lot to deal with him, when his predecessor was so amiable."
"I appreciate that – it is my duty, of course, but it is nice to have one who recognises how difficult the duty is with the son when I was always so well-aligned with the father," he said, his eyes glassy. Apparently seeking to change the subject, he then added, "I noticed some swatches of fabric over by the window. Could it be you are finally beginning to redecorate these rooms?"
"I am. I thought I could use a little distraction just now, and the more time I spend in these rooms the more I feel they are not suited for me in their present style."
"I am glad of it," he said, pulling her closer and stroking her cheek. "I must admit it always troubled me a little that you were not eager to redecorate them, that – well, that perhaps you were not entirely comfortable here in your home."
"Oh please, do not say that! There are a thousand things that make Pemberley my home and the decoration of some few rooms is but one of them. You, our children, your own chambers, all the other rooms, Flora, the stream, the woods, Hanson Edge – "
He interrupted her listing with a kiss, and when they had finished, she whispered, "It is you, more than anyone, that makes this house my home. Wherever you are, that is home, regardless of any gilt or lack thereof."
Elizabeth did not get nearly as much sleep as she should have, that night, for she stayed up later than usual enjoying the amorous attentions of her husband, and then Charles had awakened early in the morning wishing to be fed. She could not manage to fall back asleep after this, and finally decided to rise and get about her day. It was well she did, for Abigail called upon her at the earliest possible hour, quite surprising Elizabeth since it should have been Mrs. Darcy's turn to call at Berewick.
Her friend's intentions for the call were unclear, as Abigail spent her first few minutes in the saloon gazing about nervously and making inane little comments about the décor and the weather, the last of which was, "Maybe – maybe since it's so fine we could take a turn in your gardens? I – I think it would be nice to be out of doors."
"Yes, of course," said Elizabeth. "You shall never find me in opposition to such a scheme. Why do we not have a walk in the rose garden? It is just behind the house. Or would you rather a longer walk?"
"Oh no, the rose garden sounds as though it would suit perfectly," replied Abigail. "I love roses ever so much."
Abigail gasped, upon sighting the garden, exclaiming that it was the prettiest thing she had ever seen. As she opened the gate, Elizabeth informed her it had been Repton's creation for Lady Anne Darcy. They were not but a few strides down the gravel path when Abigail turned to Elizabeth, wringing her hands together and whispering, "I thought you'd want to know, the Brown boy, he – Laurence had him arrested for poaching last night."
"Jemmy Brown?"
"Yes, I think so, they – they said his name but I'm not so good at remembering names."
"Dear God, what happened?"
"I don't know much – only that he was caught with a bird near the lane to our estate, and Laurence was quite happy to see his efforts against poaching bearing fruit. Only, I've heard something about the collection and that Laurence won't give over the money, and it's dreadfully unfair that the boy should be taken up when the debt we presently hold to his family is far more than the cost of one partridge. I – I tried to speak to Laurence of it, but he would not listen. He – he – "
Elizabeth waited for her to continue, but in vain. Although it was still early, the present weather was fine and sunny, and feeling quite warm due to both the sun and her own vexation, Elizabeth removed her shawl and draped it over a nearby bench. "May I take your shawl, Abigail?"
"No! I mean – no, I am still a little chilled," replied Abigail, but at that moment her shawl slipped down on one of her arms and revealed the true cause of her vehement refusal: there was a sizeable bruise on her upper arm that was most likely the shape of a man's hand, and if that was so, it was surely Laurence Sinclair's hand.
"Abigail – " Elizabeth reached out to her.
"Please, please don't speak of it. Please – I was impertinent. Please, just, if you can help the Browns without Laurence learning it was I who told you, I would be grateful."
"I can call upon Mrs. Brown today – surely she will tell me of it and then we can bring all possible help to bear for Jemmy."
"Thank you," whispered Abigail. "Will he – will he hang for it? Laurence said he deserved to."
"I – I do not know. No-one has been prosecuted for poaching in this neighbourhood since I have lived here, and in the only case I can recall from my old neighbourhood, the poacher was transported, not hanged."
"Oh, I hope that is the case here, then," gasped Abigail.
The only difference between hanging and transportation here, thought Elizabeth, would be a mother's heartbreak: with either, the loss of Jemmy's labour would leave the family even more destitute. Destitute at the hands of the man who had put them in this situation by withholding the collection that had been rightfully meant for the boy's family. She remained sympathetic for Abigail and concerned to know that Laurence had clearly committed some manner of violence upon his wife, but once the young lady left, Elizabeth's temper took over. She wished to see Mrs. Brown as expediently as was possible, and assessing the time required to prepare a carriage versus saddling a mare, ordered Parker to have Flora saddled and brought around as quickly as possible. Parker gaped at the request but still saw to it, and in the time required for this, Sarah hurriedly changed her mistress into a riding habit.
Alfred the groom was to be her attendant, and he held both his own horse and Flora as Elizabeth strode down the steps in front of the house. She slipped her hand beneath Flora's girth, found it correctly tight, and then put her foot on Alfred's proffered hands, to be given a leg up into the saddle. She situated herself as the groom swung himself up onto the back of one of Pemberley's hunters, nodded to him, and then set Flora off at a brisk trot towards Lambton. Once she felt the mare sufficiently warmed up, she urged her on to a canter and held that pace until they reached the village, where she reined in and found herself the recipient of many curious gazes, for although it was surely known by those in the village that she rode, she had previously always come thither by carriage.
At a little jog-trot they reached the Browns's house, Elizabeth jumping down without even time for Alfred's assistance as she strode up to the Browns's cottage door and knocked. Mrs. Brown opened the door immediately and cried, "Oh Mrs. Darcy, it's right terr'ble!"
Nothing that Elizabeth was told in the next quarter-hour was a surprise to her, for it was precisely as Abigail had said. Mrs. Brown's telling of it, however, was even more agitated, in her fears for her son's fate and in her explanation of what had prompted him to take such an action in the first place, which was the illness of her youngest child, Robbie. "'Eeee needed med'cine, from the 'poth'cary, an' I tol' Jemmy not'a take what weren't ours, but 'eee said in a way it were, since the new Mr. Sinclair wouldn't give o'er what wus collect'd in our name. I tried 'n' tried 'a talk 'im outta it, but Jemmy wouldn't listen, and now what of it? 'Eeee'll be hang'd, my poor baby."
"Mrs. Brown, I promise you that Mr. Darcy and I will do all we can to ensure it does not come to that, nor even transportation. I do wish you or Jemmy had come to us with your troubles before this, though – it would have been a great deal easier to aid you before it all came to this."
Mrs. Brown's eyes filled with tears, and she said, "I know, m'lady, and for that I'm right sorr'. Ye Darcys've been kinder to us'n anyone d'serves. We didn't want'a trouble ye."
"I wish you would have!" cried Elizabeth, but as soon as she did so she knew there was nothing to be gained from it. What had happened had happened, and what was important now was ensuring that Jemmy was restored to his family.
"So do I, m'lady, an' I only 'ope my poor baby don't pay with 'is life for it."
"I will do everything in my power to ensure he does not," promised Elizabeth. She handed Mrs. Brown more than sufficient money to purchase anything that might be needed from Mr. Oakes and to feed the family for the next few weeks, then took her leave.
Aware that her precipitate ride through town had turned heads, Elizabeth endeavoured to maintain a cooler head as she rode back to Pemberley, for it was critical to her to protect Abigail Sinclair. She was of hopes that she had made a favourable impression upon the village, but not long after she had crossed onto Pemberley lands, she sighted a horse and rider on the horizon, approaching at a rapid clip. It was not long before she resolved they were Darcy and Peregrine, the filly sweeping across the field at a hard blow, her ears pricked forward in pleasure at being allowed her head.
This pleasure changed to displeasure, of course, when she was pulled up snorting before Flora and proceeded to dance in mincing little steps as her rider said, "Elizabeth, whatever is the matter – I was told you had gone tearing off on horseback."
This description compared to the reality of her ride gave Elizabeth some seconds of amusement – rare on this day – before she said, "Yes, Flora and I paced a most blistering canter on the way to Lambton. Are we to be entered at Doncaster?"
Her wit seemed to bring him some relief as he gazed over horse and rider, appraising their condition "Still, my love, you rode to the village on horseback, which it not at all usual for you."
"I – yes – there is something I need to tell you of." Quickly, Elizabeth detailed for him all she knew of Jemmy Brown's arrest for poaching, which resulted in Darcy's becoming more and more agitated. This, in turn, resulted in the agitation of his mount, for such a creature was sensitive to the mood of her rider, and when he indicated his intent to ride to Berewick immediately to confront Laurence Sinclair, Elizabeth insisted he take Alfred with him, to mind the filly. This, of course, resulted in his protestations that he could not let his wife return to the stables unattended,
"I understand your concerns," said she, "but it is truly nothing for Flora and I to make our way back. However for you to approach the house of our enemy on such a creature – do not give me that look, Darcy, for if he was not before, that man is surely our enemy now – without someone else in your quarter I do not think wise. With his love for blood horses I am surprised Laurence Sinclair has not recalled you to the promise you made to his father, to sell him Peregrine or Gannett. Let us hope he was never made aware of it."
"Good God!" he cried. "I would never let that man have either."
"Then better you never let her be held by one of his grooms, or worse still walked back to his stables, for he has already withheld one thing not rightly his," replied Elizabeth. "Flora and I will be just fine, I promise you – I would gladly ride her across the county, and as you know what a reluctant horsewoman I am, so you must know how well you have chosen a mount for me."
"You are certain?" His gaze was strong, and she held it.
"I am."
Thus Alfred was directed to follow after his master, and Elizabeth and Flora continued on alone. True to her promise, they reached Pemberley's stables without any incidents other than the consternation of the stable staff that the mistress should be returning without the groom assigned her. This she explained to them as she was assisted in dismounting, then she patted Flora and began the walk back to the house.
She went to Darcy's study to await him, absently thinking that when she was done with her bedchamber and dressing-room, she ought to move on to redecorating her own study, the room beside this one. She was less inclined to broach changes to that space, however, more because she enjoyed spending time with her husband in this one. It was a working room, lined with bookshelves containing the estate's financial books, a great vast map hung on one wall showing its present boundaries, and Darcy's equally vast desk placed before it. If there was a room that was the heart of the estate, Elizabeth thought, it was very likely this, or perhaps it shared that status with Mr. Richardson's study. Elizabeth never went in that study, but she did retain her own little secretaire here, and when she was not using that liked to sit in one of the large chairs near the fireplace.
She was thus when Darcy finally returned, looking as unsettled as ever she had seen him. He seated himself in the chair beside hers, exhaled very slowly, and laid his head in his hand, taking a long time to collect himself before he finally said, "Jemmy Brown was taken to Derby already, to await the quarter sessions. With no gaol in Lambton – with no need of a gaol in Lambton – Laurence Sinclair claims there was nothing else to be done with him. I recalled him to the collection, to the ethical quandary of his prosecuting a boy for poaching when he was in truth indebted to him. But that man has no notion of ethics, of what is right. He did hand over the collection, but only after I had threatened to take the debt to the law with the accounting Houlton and I have prepared. Good God, Elizabeth, how I wish I had done as you mentioned after his dinner and simply gave the Browns more than what I thought was owed to them. It would have prevented all of this."
"Oh Darcy, none of us could have known this would happen. And though I hate to say it, Jemmy does bear some responsibility here for taking matters into his own hands, rather than coming to us for assistance."
"True, but we should not expect a boy of his age to react in a mature manner to what befell his family."
"No, of course not. What should we do for him, until the quarter sessions?"
"I've sent Richardson to Derby, to see him. He has ample funds to ensure Jemmy is gaoled comfortably."
"Darcy – if – if the worst happens, will he hang?"
"No, I expect he will be transported. Not that such a punishment would make matters any easier for his family, but at least he would live. I do not intend it will come to that, though. I will fight this, Elizabeth. God help me, I will fight this with everything at my disposal."
"Thank you for that, my love. Can we even be sure that it was one of Laurence Sinclair's birds he took? Mrs. Brown indicated that was his intent, but after the incident with Bernard Kelly, I wonder if it was another case of Sinclair overstepping his bounds."
"I cannot be sure, but you may be certain that I will bring up that incident at quarter sessions. Laurence Sinclair has a right to prosecute any crime occurring within the county, of course, but I have rights as a landowner to bar his men from operating on my land. If any of his men attempt to set foot on my land again, I informed him they would be considered trespassers, and prosecuted thoroughly. He did not take this seriously, considering he is the nearest magistrate, but I reminded him that he is not the only magistrate in Derbyshire, and I have a goodly acquaintance with the others. They will back me, I think, against such a man."
"I pray they shall," she said. "And Darcy, God bless you for trying, for fighting." Elizabeth gazed at him, her heart swollen with love. Somehow, despite her many errors and misunderstandings, she had been so blessed as to have this man for her husband. How fortunate had she been, to have his love, his protection? Never once had she feared speaking up to him; never once had she seen him use either his physical dominance over her nor his legal position to bring about his preferences. She respected her husband and he respected her, and she thanked God in that moment that she was in the very opposite of poor Abigail's position.
Overcome still more by her thoughts, she rose to kiss him, to find herself pulled into his lap as they both sought comfort, love, those touches and caresses that could only come from two people who had been together for so long as they had, and who had been together in such a strength of love. They had weathered many a storm over the last few years, and they would weather this one, Elizabeth thought, with hopes for a future in which Jemmy would be returned to his family.