Not So Silent Service

by leavesfallingup

In the P&P universe, servants were supposed to be silent and all but invisible as they cater to their masters' every whim. What if a few decided that timely intervention was necessary? How might the story change?

4. Always an honest answer

Note: Each story is stand-alone and not tied to the previous unless otherwise noted.

Chapter Four – Always an honest answer

Sometimes the most honest person is the one who serves from the sidelines

Hiring Ryan Matthews was the first decision that Fitzwilliam Darcy made while off to college. In the intervening years he had never regretted that decision once.

Mr. Stewart had been Darcy's valet and man-of-all-service as a youth. The man had been two decades his elder, appointed by his father, and more of a minder than a servant. Darcy hadn't given it too much thought at the time. After all, most of the other wealthy boys at Eton were in the same situation. Mr. Stewart was a good man, but Darcy always knew that the man worked for his father, not him. Darcy had never even known Mr. Stewart's given name.

Darcy had only been four months at Cambridge when Mr. Stewart, looking unusually worn and discomfited, asked to speak with him after helping him to choose his wardrobe for the day. "Yes, Mr. Stewart? What can I do for you? You do not look well."

"I am well, Sir... it is only... I have just received an express from my sister. She married a man of property, a sizable farm. They had two children, a boy and a girl, both still young."

"And what was the occasion meriting the expense of an express? Please, Mr. Stewart, speak freely."

"Mr. Palmer... her husband, had an accident on the farm, Master Darcy. He lingered for a day, but then passed. Bess... my sister... cannot run the farm on her own and her son is not yet ten years old. She asks me to come and serve as Master until young Robert comes of age. I should write your father, but he is away overseeing your estate in Scotland and..."

To his credit, Darcy did not hesitate even for a moment, "Of course you must go, Mr. Stewart. Family must always come first. I will write you a note on my account to collect any wages owed plus an additional amount to see you set up properly. If you ever require books or advice on farm matters then I am certain that my father, our steward Mr. Wickham, or even I would be pleased to assist."

Mr. Stewart was quietly grateful to the young man who he had seen through his formative years. He proudly believed that the young Mr. Darcy would be an even better man than his father. His only concern was the void his own departure would leave, "Sir... about filling my position...?"

"Do not concern yourself, Mr. Stewart. I am certain that there are any number of potential candidates in this area. None could fill your shoes, but surely a competent candidate will present himself."

oOo

Four days and seven interviews had taught Fitzwilliam Darcy the foolishness of his words. There were certainly any number of men applying for the position, but each one had something about him which set Darcy's teeth on edge. Some were too meek. Some were too aggressive. Two displayed such slovenliness in their own appearance that they could have no idea about how to advise him on his own apparel. One made it painfully clear that he found the idea of being close to the handsome Mr. Darcy quite attractive.

This afternoon he would conduct yet another interview and he dreaded the idea. Still, since current fashions made it nearly impossible to be presentable without assistance, he must persevere. This young man, Ryan Matthews, was the son of a tailor, so it was reasonable to assume that he at least understood men's apparel. The rest remained to be seen.

The interview went well, though Darcy remained tentative in he approval until he asked his final question: "Why do you wish to work as a valet, Mr. Matthews?"

"I do not wish to work as a valet, Mr. Darcy. I wish to work as your valet." Darcy cringed. Please, not again. Then the young man continued, "I could have secured a position with any number of young gentlemen or even lords at this college, Sir, but their behavior was unacceptable to me."

This caused Darcy to sit straighter and to raise his brows, "Explain please."

"I left my home and my father's business because I desire to make something better of myself. My father's shop is small and my older brother will inherit, so I have no chance to attend a fine school such as this. I came here to Cambridge in the hopes of attaching myself to a young student. I would serve him to the best of my abilities and in turn I would have opportunities to learn by proximity. Sadly, I was disappointed by what I found.

"Most of the young men attending this institution see it merely as a lark; a place to lay their heads until another better opportunity presents itself or their fathers die and they come into their fortunes. Many are not content to just live the easy life. They instead have become wastrels, depoiling the local female population, gambling away their fortunes, and generally making scourges of themselves.

"You, Sir, have been here since the beginning of this term and have applied yourself diligently to your studies. You have attended several parties out of social obligation, but have neither gambled nor visited a brothel. You are the heir of a fortune comparable to some of the highest peers in our country, but you remain attentive and hard working."

Darcy almost blushed at this candid and flattering appraisal. He asked, "How is it that you know so much of my activities?"

Ryan Matthews allowed himself a small smile, "I confess that Mr. Stewart spoke with me prior to his departure. He suspected that you might experience difficulty finding a suitable replacement. We had met on several occasions socially."

Darcy hired Matthews that day. It was one his better decisions. Ryan Matthews was a serious young man, highly intelligent, and with a deep desire to learn and better himself. Darcy was generous with his books and school materials. He was impressed with how diligent the man was without ever neglecting his duties. Soon Matthews became Darcy's study partner as well as his valet. Like most young men, Darcy still had his needs and desires. He was just as attracted to a beautiful woman as anyone. Ryan Matthew's moral compass kept Darcy from making a poor choice on more than one occasion.

Darcy also benefited in that Matthews had both a nose for fashion and an understanding of his master's personality. Darcy was always "in fashion," but could never be described as a "fop" or a "beau." Matthews served him well in other ways.

Darcy truly was one of the wealthiest young men in his circle. Unlike many of his peers and their forefathers, the men in his family had behaved with intelligence and circumspection. There was little scandal and much industry in the Darcy history, so their properties and influence had grown. Additionally, unlike many of their peers and even "betters," the Darcy's had begun to see the value of investing in commercial ventures long before. Though there was no taint of trade on them directly, much of their income was invested with the most promising of those in that category. The result of this was that Fitzwilliam Darcy, the heir of Pemberley and the Darcy fortune, was considered a prime catch even without a title.

The unfortunate side of this was that any number of fathers, mothers, uncles, aunts, and young eligible misses might be willing to do whatever might be necessary to "catch" young Mr. Darcy. Since Ryan Matthew's assumption of his duties, he had kept his ear to the ground and his eyes open. By his own hand he had prevented six clear attempts at compromise. He had also been instrumental in stopping as many as twelve potential entrapments. Whenever Darcy traveled, Matthews always slept in his room or an adjoining closet. He kept Mr. Darcy from ever being left alone with a young lady. He even invented a rather clever door jamb which made it impossible for a door to be opened from outside whenever Mr. Darcy stayed in a strange home.

One time when George Wickham dishonored Miranda Watts, a very young lady of a wealthy local family in Cambridge using Darcy's name instead of his own, it was Matthews who unraveled the case. The father, Mr. Watts, persisted in refusing to allow Darcy to speak with his daughter while demanding that Darcy marry the girl. Matthews was able to obtain a description of the "Mr. Darcy" who promised marriage to the young girl from the servants and the girl's best friend. He quietly sent an express writer to obtain the miniatures from Pemberley of both young men. He had learned of their existence during a holiday visit. When both portraits were presented without identification to the girl, she immediately identified her "beloved Mr. Darcy" as none other than George Wickham.

Mr. Watts was livid. He had been more intent on tying his family's fortune to the Darcy's then repenting the loss of his daughter's virture. He actually tried to force the marriage anyway, but his case was lost.

What might have happened when the elder Mr. Darcy learned of Wickham's behavior was never known. He passed away in his sleep after a long bout of sickness and depression while his son was matriculating and before anything could be done concerning his godson.

Ryan Matthews was a quiet support to young Mr. Darcy as he assumed the daunting role of Master of Pemberley and the family fortune. Only he truly knew how overwhelmed Darcy was and he assited him often in many small ways to survive the first few trying years. His greatest task, which he fulfilled with fierce loyalty, was to continue to prevent the almost feverish efforts of the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Ton to attach their daughters to him. Nobody else knew how shy and hunted Darcy felt. It saddened Matthews to see the man his considered a friend becoming more and more closed off.

Others interpreted Darcy's behavior as arrogance. Matthews knew it for what it was.

Ryan Matthews was also with Mr. Darcy when he made an early surprise visit to his sister in Ramsgate and learned of George Wickham's attempted elopment. All that followed was horrible and exhausting. Matthews watched the man withdraw further and further into himself and it hurt to watch.

But nothing compared to what was happening now, as Fitzwilliam Darcy attempted to drink himself into oblivion and built a wall to block out all around him.

It was time for his trusted valet to step in.

oOo

"What!? What!? How DARE you...!?" Darcy spluttered as he was woke to find ice-cold water pouring over him. He tried to rise from his seated position only to realize that he was tied to a chair with his arms tied behind. Even through his rage and bewilderment, he recognized that he was in the hunting cabin on his Pemberley estate.

"I dare, Mr. Darcy, because I will no longer stand by and watch you destroy yourself. It is time for the man who I used to know to toss aside his self-pity and start repairing his mistakes," Matthews declared with firm finality.

"You are sacked as of this moment!"

"As you wish, Sir. I was going to resign anyway. But I am still not leaving this cabin and neither are you until you cease this stupidity."

"You... You... You have no idea what I have endured! And how can you just leave? Do you seriously believe that I will give you a good reference after you tied me up and tried to drown me?"

"I will answer your second question first: I will not be seeking other employment. Since joining your employ, Mr. Darcy, I have invested almost my entire wages. You have paid me more generously than most. I have also been near you when you made your own investments. I learned from you and have managed to grow a tidy sum in order to go into business. But enough about that.

"Mr. Darcy, I know precisely why you are in such a condition. In fact, I suspect that I understand your situation better than you do yourself."

Darcy tugged at the ropes and glared murderously at the man he thought he could trust. Oddly enough, he continued arguing with Matthews instead of demanding his release, "How can you know?"

"What I know is this: you proposed to Miss Elizabeth Bennet..." he saw Darcy flinched and pushed down his feelings of pity for the man, "... and she rejected you... not a surprising outcome, I might add."

"NOT A SURPISE!? How can you say that!?"

"Because, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, you did everything you could to insult the young woman and then reinforce her poor opinion of you."

"What?" Darcy asked in bewildered surprise, too shocked to bluster, though even in his fuzzy state the word "... had you behaved as a gentleman..." came back to haunt his memory. He flinched and croaked, "Explain."

"Do the words 'She's tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me' bring anything to mind? Or perhaps 'I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men'?"

Darcy felt a vague but increasing unease as those phrases, so oddly familiar, danced around in his mind. And then he remembered and groaned, "Oh Lord! She heard that? Wait, how do you know about it? You weren't even there."

"Mr. Darcy," Matthews answered almost sadly, "Miss Elizabeth did hear it and others must have as well, because I doubt that there is a person in Meryton who does not know what you said about her that night. I heard about it from the servants at Netherfield. It was poorly said, Sir. If you had heard any man speak so of your sister, you would have laid him flat."

Darcy slumped back and closed his eyes. Then he finally sighed and said, "Please untie me, Ryan. I will listen to the rest."

Matthews hesitated, "I would never question your integrity, Mr. Darcy, but you have refused to allow any discussion about what I need to say next."

Darcy stared at his valet for a long, long moment before he finally nodded. "You have my word, Ryan, that I will speak on whatever you feel the need to address."

Thus resolved, Matthews untied Darcy's wrists from each other and the back of the chair. Then he immediately put his employer's assurance to the test, "Ever since Ramsgate and Mr. Wickham, Sir, you have become a different man."

Rage almost overtook him, but Darcy forced it down this time. He paced, ignoring his sore wrists and his wet clothes. "Say what you need to say. I will listen."

"You have always approached others with caution. Now you begin each new acquaintance with the assumption that they are evil and beneath notice."

Darcy stopped pacing and looked into the eyes of the man he had trusted for many years, "Do I really do that?"

"Sir, let us begin with Miss Elizabeth and her family," he saw Darcy tense and smirked. Darcy nodded for him to continue. "You went into Hertfordshire determined to look down upon everyone and everything there. It is a country community, no different than Lambton or Kympton, yet you were fixed upon the idea it was a pigsty. You would have never behaved so poorly before Ramsgate... and I believe that I understand why."

It took a minute for Darcy to respond, so caught up was he in recollections of his feelings about Meryton, Longbourne, and the world in general. Finally his valet's words reached his conscious mind, "Please enlighten me."

"Your father gave a hand up and preference to someone from the lower circles. You yourself befriended George and considered him the best of friends. As time went on, you became aware of his true character, but his ultimate betrayal of you, Miss Darcy, and your father's memory at Ramsgate was devastating." He paused to allow that to sink in before adding, "Some portion of your mind concluded that it was wrong and dangerous to give consequence to those beneath you. That same part believes that it will always end in pain."

The two men who had been, in many ways closer than brothers, faced each other across the cabin floor. The rapid way in which Mr. Darcy's eyes went back and forth seemed to display the even more rapid thoughts passing through his mind. Then, suddenly, he stiffened and looked up at Ryan Matthews in shock, "I did that to you, didn't I, Ryan?" Darcy had finally realized that he had ruthlessly squashed the easy camaraderie that he and his highly intelligent valet had built during those early years. "I somehow concluded that you would eventually do what Wickham did and I began treating you like nothing more than a lowly servant."

The pain in the eyes of his friend answered the question and Darcy reached out a hand, "Whether you choose to go or stay, know this: you will always be a man who I call friend. Please forgive me?"

They shook on it. Men being men, they rather forcefully pushed down their personal emotions and Matthews declared, "And now I believe that we need to do whatever it takes to make you back into the man who is deserving of Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

oOoOOoOo

The staff of Pemberley in Derbyshire and Darcy House in London would never know about the drastic measures that had been taken to restore their master. All that they knew was that Mr. Darcy gradually returned to his old self... and then continued to improve from there.

Of course there were three people who did know: Mr. Matthews and his accomplices, Mrs. Reynolds and the Bob, the largest footman at Pemberley. It had been a frank and worried discussion between Matthews and Reynolds which had led to the even, though Ryan Matthews had insisted on taking all of the blame on himself to protect the aged and beloved housekeeper. One night after Mr. Darcy had drunken himself asleep, the three had surreptitiously bundled him up and taken him out to a wagon that was hitched and waiting for their arrival. The bed of the wagon had been padded heavily to make it comfortable. Cloths had been wrapped around the wheels of the wagon and the hooves of the horses for the same reason.

After the slowest journey anyone had ever taken in a wagon, they reached the cabin, carried the drunkard inside, and left Matthews to his self-appointed task.

They all breathed a sigh of relief when it all worked out.

Ryan Matthews vowed to remain until his friend earned his lady-love's hand or gave up the fight. Meanwhile he remained brutally honest and acted as Mr. Darcy's mirror, always letting him see any poor behaviors, attitudes, and expressions.

Fitzwilliam Darcy did improve in many ways, even restoring his crumbling relationship with his dear little sister. Concerning Miss Elizabeth, however, he held out little hope until the day that he, his sister, and the Bingley family were hying off to Pemberley for the summer. After one day of Miss Caroline Bingley's cloying attentions, he made excuses and prepared to ride to Pemberley ahead of the rest. Naturally Matthews rode along.

When they reached the estate, Darcy peeled off to have a quiet moment and a quick dip in the lake. Matthews rode on, turned over his horse to the stable hands, and went inside to speak with Mrs. Reynolds. As soon as she saw him, Mrs. Reynolds, in an uncharacteristic maneuver, grabbed the valet's hand and dragged him over to a window, "It is her, Ryan! It must be! Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Hertfordshire!"

Ryan Matthews looked out to see the familiar pleasing figure of Miss Bennet walking away from a distinguished and stylish older couple. Mrs. Reynolds almost cut off his circulation when she saw a very drenched Mr. Darcy stepping around a hedge and right into Miss Bennet's path. Ryan groaned, "Oh! Why did he have to jump in the water now of all times! He wanted to make a good impression!"

Mrs Reynolds giggled, something she hadn't done for many years and the valet looked down on her in confusion. She blushed and said, "You don't understand a young lady at all, Ryan. That is an image that Miss Bennet will not soon forget. If she is inclined toward him at all, it may have just been the tipping point."

Still confused, Ryan shook his head and suddenly felt the urgency of the moment, "He'll need to change, Mrs. Reynolds. Please have maids rush up hot water as soon as possible. I will go now and prepare his best suit."

Mrs. Reynolds smiled, "The green jacket, Ryan. She loves the outdoors and Mr. Darcy looks quite dashing in the green." Still shaking his head, Matthews rushed up the stairs.

The rest is history. The Gardiners and Miss Elizabeth spent a pleasant few days visiting with the Darcys and enduring Miss Bingley before two startling letters prompted their hurried journey back to London. Mr. Darcy followed, along with his trusted valet. And Mr. Wickham was found and persuaded to marry Miss Elizabeth's foolish little sister.

Despite his best efforts, Matthews could not persuade Darcy to make the trip to Longbourn to reclaim his lady-love. The man had lost all his confidence where Elizabeth was concerned and was terrified of being rejected again. Ironically, it was the shrill and discordant complaints of his horrible aunt, Lady Catherine Debourgh, which finally spurred Darcy into action. It seemed that she had somehow heard about Darcy's possible engagement to Miss Elizabeth and had rushed to Meryton to dispel the rumor. Instead Miss Elizabeth had refused to promise that she would refuse Mr. Darcy's proposal.

They were on the road to Meryton as soon as the screeching matron left to visit her brother.

oOo

Ryan Matthews was there to help him dress and arrange his cravat on the day that Fitzwilliam Darcy became a married man. He was there at the wedding breakfast to wave away the carriage as the joyous couple rode away toward their new life together.

Then, once he had insured that everything belonging to his Master and the new Mistress of Pemberley was in a cart and headed for London, he turned his attention to Mr. Gardiner. Over the past few days leading up to the wedding, the two men had spoken often. Ryan Matthews questions and his history had impressed Mr. Gardiner, so much so that the young man would be joining Gardiner and Sons in London in order to try his hand at business.

oOoOOoOo

Mr. Ryan Matthews entry into the world of trade was blessed with success one might expect of a man who approached every aspect of his life with such determination. It was only three years after he joined Mr. Gardiner that he was offered a position as a partner.

Mary Bennet, by that point the only daughter still living at home, found that she could not endure so much personal attention from her mother. She asked for and received permission from the Gardiners to come for an extended visit. Ryan and Mary sat often at the Gardiner table of an evening. They had many frank discussions and even an argument or two.

Mrs. Bennet demonstrated her complete conviction that servants were invisible when, on a cool February day, she watched with perfect happiness as her last daughter married a wealthy young man who, according to her brother, was "going places." She passed eleven years later without ever realizing that one of her daughters had married a former servant.

The place that the happy couple went was the Canadas, where Mr. and Mrs. Matthews set up the Canada branch of Gardiner, Matthews, and Sons. Eventually the former valet could have boasted a wealth comparable to his former Master if he wished to boast... of course, since Fitzwilliam Darcy was his greatest investor in every enterprise, neither man had any cause for complaint.

Author's note: Sorry, I have not had the time to read any reviews. Nevertheless, thank you for reading,
reviewing, etc. I promise to read them when this day finally slows down.

I've been on the road all day. This was written in my car in a series of parking lots. I have reviewed it, but might have still missed some errors,
so I apologize in advance. BTW, is the editor on the site working as screwy for others as it seems to be for me?

This story began near the end. I've always thought that Darcy must have been a quick-change artist to
go into his house, change, and get back out again before Elizabeth and the Gardiners could leave. From that, I began imagining what might have happened. It might also explain why Mrs. Reynolds was so over-the-top in praising her Master. If she suspected a certain young lady's interest, she might have extra motivation. Hope everyone enjoyed the reference to what my mother-in-law labels "wet-shirt Darcy."

Well then, until the next installment. LFU