Note: I am posting an extra chapter today in celebration of the Netherfield Ball day.
Chapter 6 Warm Summer Days
In the rarely used hunting tower at the top of the hill, there was a grand telescope that had been the pride and joy of the late Mrs Darcy. The new mistress had no interest in gazing at the stars while the master thought it a too painful reminder of what he had lost and rarely ventured up into any of the four turrets.
From the top floor's west turned turret, you could see the magnificent view over the estate's back lawn and formal gardens. To the north was the river Derwent, to the east there were pastures and to the south, you could see Pemberley's woodland and if you were so fortunate, a flock of deer. None of these views held any interest to the current occupant. He had the telescope trained on one person, in particular, the interloper that had usurped his rightful position in life. Leaving him as an outcast of polite society, fighting for his existence by any means available. Cut off from family, friends and his birthright. He harboured no doubt that there would be nothing for him the day Mr Darcy drew his last breath and that blasted bastard of a son he had, took over the reins. His name would not be mentioned in the will, he would not be summoned by the executors but that little horse shit playing on the lawn would have it all.
He did not deserve it!
He frowned while he watched the display, a sneer formed on his lips. That bastard had everything that should rightfully have belonged to himself.
He adjusted the telescope so that he might get a better look.
The douchebag had proceeded to the next step in life. A young lady rested her hand daintily on his arm, laughing up at the interloper like he was some kind of hero when all he had done in his life was being born. Hardly an admirable feat...
Yet, nothing could be done, or could it? He rubbed his stubbled chin, his long hair fell in front of his eyes, he threw his head back to clear his view. He needed a ribbon to tie it up in a queue but he had none.
Leaning into the telescope, he noticed the dark-haired lady had an ample number of ribbons tied in her intricately adorned curls.
What if he could get back to the son even if the mother was unreachable? She never ventured outside without an army of footmen accompanying her, nor did her little daughter but she was a shy and timid little thing of sixteen. He could get no closer to her but the brother was out and about alone or with a friend. Pampered and mollycoddled their whole life, he was sure he could take on the two or perhaps... A plan of revenge started forming in his mind. A culmination of years of embitterment and loathing.
#
With June came the warm summer days and their games could be moved from the card tables to the out of doors. Battledore and shuttlecock, bowls and nine pins, blind man's bluff and the occasional archery competition were played out on the lawn.
The latter quickly proved Elizabeth's favourite simply because she was a decent player. Mr Darcy even preferred her as his companion as they played each other in pairs of one female and one male opponent. Both were sore losers though...
When the gentlemen were not around, the ladies played the game of graces, throwing a small hoop made of ribbon at two sticks their partner held up in the air about four inches apart.
More guests arrived, first and foremost Georgiana's dreaded Mr William Elliot the second. He descended upon Pemberley with his mother the baroness of Kellynch, Lady Wilhelmina Elliot, a great friend of Mrs Darcy.
In the meantime, the romance between Jane and her Mr Bingley played out quietly in the background. No one seemed to pay them much attention besides Elizabeth. Even Miss Bingley was too engrossed in chasing Mr Darcy to interfere too much.
An early June evening, Jane came running to find Elizabeth. Mr Bingley had proposed during a stroll watching the sun set behind the hill. It was in every way a romantic and happy tiding but Mr Bennet's consent must be gained before the word spread too much.
"I will apply to Mrs Darcy if an express rider could be sent to Longbourn."
"Yes, would you please do that for me? I find the lady somewhat intimidating."
"Who does not? She is a formidable lady but blessed with good sense, I believe. She is very forward but nothing that comes out of her mouth is untrue or mean spirited. I believe she means well... I will go directly."
"Thank you!"
"You may find your Mr Bingley and coax him into penning the letter while I find Mrs Darcy to request a horse and rider."
It was too bad Mr Darcy was in Derby for the week because he might have been the right person to address such a request but that could not be helped.
Elizabeth guessed she would find Mrs Darcy in her favourite parlour, the red one, with her friend Lady Wilhelmina. Approaching the red parlour, voices floated through the ajar door, mostly Mrs Darcy's. Elizabeth suddenly wished the rug was not as soft or that her slippers had heels that made some form of sound because what she heard while she approached the door made her halt her steps...
"I should have chosen more wisely, Wilhelmina. Mr Darcy is too old to be governable, yet he is too young to cock up his toes[footnoteRef:1] anytime soon. If my daughter was not the greatest simpleton and my husband, not such a stubborn mule, she would have been engaged to your dear son Mr Elliot by now. Georgiana is too much like her father, you know, reserved to a fault and timid to boot. [1: To cock up one's toes – Regency cant for to die.]
"I have high hopes Miss Elizabeth shall manage to boost her confidence though, I have seen signs that she is on the mend although the progress is painstakingly slow.
"Miss Elizabeth is too outspoken, thinks too well of herself and her intellect but when it comes to gentlemen, she is utterly clueless, thank heavens. Imagine if she had vied for the attention of the colonel or worse, my son?
"I think she actually might have a very slight tender for my son which I have no scruples in utilising if she gets homesick before her task is accomplished. Fortunately, she is too sensible to pursue him. I even had to invite her beautiful but insipid sister to our party as I sensed Miss Elizabeth's reluctance to come growing by each letter she penned to my daughter. She is pleasant to look upon, Miss Bennet I mean, as Miss Elizabeth is rather plain.
"You need not fear for the safety of our sons, the girls have not a penny between them. I am more worried about that vulture Miss Bingley. Horrid woman, entirely deranged if she believes I would allow her to marry my son. She does have a fortune but her ancestry has the stench of trade just one generation removed. I could not countenance it if her fortune had been fifty thousand pounds. I would have told Mr Bingley to leave if I had not suspected that George would follow. I cannot stomach leaving him in the clutches of Miss Bingley without my supervision. The mere thought makes me shudder."
Poor Miss Bingley, Elizabeth thought while she tiptoed away. At least, she knew where she stood with Mrs Darcy. She was being used which was hardly a surprise but only for as long as she would allow it.
Her aunt and uncle Gardiner were heading north to visit The Lake District at the end of the month. They had promised to come to meet them at Pemberley as they had family and friends in Lambton, a village only five miles from the Pemberley estate.
Elizabeth found a footman and enquired after the whereabouts of Mrs Darcy. She chatted incessantly with the footman to alert the ladies they were approaching; he must think her a simpleton but she had been labelled worse.
"Miss Elizabeth to see you, mam."
"Miss Elizabeth, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"
"I wanted to enquire if you had a rider available for an express to Longbourn."
"Why? What is the matter?"
"Mr Bingley has a request to make of my father. I was hoping we could have an urgent reply to the happy tidings."
"Am I to congratulate you?"
"Yes, on the behalf of my sister."
"Your sister is of age; she does not need her father's consent."
"She would like to have it regardless, as would Mr Bingley. Netherfield abuts Longbourn after all, it would not enhance neighbourly respect to overlook propriety in this instance."
"No, I suppose you are right. Write the letter and leave it with the butler. I will arrange for a rider to take it to Longbourn."
"Thank you, Mrs Darcy, it will bring great pleasure to my family when my sister's happiness become known."
#
A week passed before glad tidings arrived from Longbourn. Since they were both residents of Meryton, Mr Bennet had spoken with the vicar to have the banns read. A postscript from Mrs Bennet urged both her girls to come home at their earliest convenience but another letter arrived, making the journey more cumbersome.
Mr Gardiner business had forced him to delay his journey north with a fortnight. They would travel north in mid-July but their tour must be cut short and would only include the Peak District. Elizabeth knew how much her aunt loved the Peaks as she had grown up in the area but she also knew how much she had been looking forward to visiting The Lake District.
It also meant that if Elizabeth and Jane wanted to go home before the first week of August had ended, they had to travel by the post, chaise or overlook propriety and travel with Mr Bingley and his unwed sister. Neither option held much appeal to the sisters. August was agreed upon, provided that her aunt and uncle approved of the scheme.
#
Summer days at Pemberley was pleasant enough and at times ridiculous. Georgiana avoided Mr Elliot as he was beset by the plague. It also became clear that Mr Darcy did not approve of his wife choice of husband for his daughter. Why was not revealed to Elizabeth but he frowned at the young buck whenever he entered the room. Elizabeth guessed he would have thrown him off his property if he had not been the son of Lady Wilhelmina but one summer morning let her have a new insight into the man that was so difficult to sketch.
Elizabeth was on her usual morning rambles when she came across the Darcy family's mausoleum. The old marble building was overgrown with ivy, even the door was covered.
It was not there she spotted Mr Darcy senior but behind the building where a single headstone towered higher than the mausoleum. He sat hunched by the stone, resting his forehead against the cold granite, mumbling to himself.
Elizabeth needed not read the names on the headstone to know who was resting there but she did anyway after Mr Darcy had left. Beloved wife, precious son... She wanted to cry even though she had not known the poor souls. It was, unfortunately, a rather common occurrence that the perils of childbirth bereaved a family of both mother and child. Why this particular mother and son touched her so deeply, she could not explain but the words on the stone were heart-wrenching.
The world is a lesser place without you in it.
It was strange though, the names. Annabel Emma Cassandra Fitzwilliam Darcy and Fitzwilliam George Alexander Darcy. The son had been named for the mother's family; it must be a northern tradition. It also meant that he must have been born and had lived for a little while since he had been named and buried in sanctified ground.