Note: The reviewer Levenez suggested I write a second chapter with Mrs. Reynolds as the lead, focusing on her praise for her master during the Pemberley tour. I hope this satisfies.
Chapter Five – As close as any mother
If you spend more time with a boy than his mother did, is it wrong to love him like a son?
She was here! Mrs. Reynolds was certain of it! It had to be her! And the Master will not arrive until tomorrow!
Mrs. Reynolds had been broken-hearted to witness the crushed man who had limped back to Pemberley the week after his yearly visit to Rosings Park. Her immediate reaction had been to instinctively blame Lady Catherine Debourg... a more arrogant, greedy, and grasping woman there never was... but she soon suspected something more.
One of the unwritten duties of a head housekeeper was to protect her master's reputation from the servants and to protect them from his or her sour moods. Suspecting that young Mr. Darcy's current state might be severe and of long duration, she immediately assigned only her most loyal and trustworthy footmen to remain within calling distance of the Master. She also took care that only she or her own married daughter Sophia had the duty to clean up after the man. She had a thick skin should Mr. Darcy lash out verbally and Sophia had grown up with him. She was more than able to handle her childhood playmate.
In fact, when Fitzwilliam Darcy was born, Mrs. Reynolds had delivered her Sophia only days before. She had not yet returned to her work when Lady Anne went into labor. It was a surprise when Mrs. Freeman, the head housekeeper, appeared at her door while Reynolds was feeding her newborn girl. The older woman's hesitant manner made"Maggie, I need to ask for a favor. It isn't right to ask this of you, with you being in training to take my position when I retire, but we are in a pickle." It was the only time that Reynolds had seen this sheepish mannerism from the normally stern woman.
"Mrs. Freeman, you know that you can ask anything of me. I owe you for choosing me over others to train and I am forever grateful."
"You earned that, Maggie. This is different. You see... Mrs. Parker who was to be Master Darcy's nursemaid took sick. The doctor says that we can not expose the child to her... but there are no other new mothers to be found at the moment and Lady Anne is fair bedridden from the birth. Mr. Darcy is fearful for her."
"Please do not worry, Mrs. Freeman. I will be pleased to care for the young master. My Sophia does not eat much yet and I am afraid that I make more than is comfortable. So please bring him to me."
Maggie Reynolds continued to feed the baby alongside her Sophia until they were both weaned. It had slowed down her training and some of the other staff looked at her askance, but she did not care. He was such a dear boy that she fell in love with the child instantly.
The boy's parents were good people, but they were much devoted to each other and to their interests. Mr. Darcy was focused on growing and improving his estates while Lady Anne was quite devoted to her social calendar. For much of his first six years, Mrs. Reynolds had been as close as a mother to Fitzwilliam. As he grew, his father and mother took more of an interest, but the deep bond of near-familial affection would always exist between the young man and his dear housekeeper.
So when he was in trouble or difficulty, Mrs. Reynolds could not sit idly by.
Ryan Matthews was Mr. Darcy's valet, and a better young man never existed in Mrs. Reynold's view; excepting the Master himself, mind. It was not entirely proper for her to encourage discussion of the Master's personal life, but like in many households a trusted few would address any issue when the information might help the Master's comfort or safety. Upon witnessing the drunken and lost condition of the man, Reynolds deemed this as one of those occasions.
Matthews must have agreed, because he told the housekeeper everything he knew and suspected. Mrs. Reynold's first instinct was to hunt down this Elizabeth Bennet and tear the girl to shreds. Mr. Matthews calmed her long enough to deliver a truly unflattering description of Mr. Darcy's behaviors toward the girl, beginning with their first unfortunate meeting. By the time that he was finished, the housekeeper momentarily entertained the thought of turning her foolish master over her knee.
For the next month, she and Matthews did all that they could for the man until frustration and disgust overcame sympathy. Though Ryan Matthews was ready to take all of the blame afterwards, it was Mrs. Reynolds who first suggested a more forceful intervention. She experienced an involuntary shiver now as she remembered the night they had slowly carted Mr. Darcy off to the secluded hunting cabin. She also recalled the sleepless, tense night and day she had spent awaiting the result of their very perilous actions. Nobody was more relieved than her when a tired, uncomfortable, but repentant Mr. Darcy returned that same afternoon.
And no mother could have been prouder as she watched the young man strive diligently to improve his character. If any man deserved a young woman's love, it was Mr. Darcy. Mrs. Reynolds was sure of it.
Imagine her surprise when the distinguished older couple introduced their niece as none other than Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
The housekeeper's first reaction, although well hidden from the visitors, was disbelief. Certainly, the girl was pretty enough, but far from the classically perfect beauties on offer among the Ton. Yet even as this thought passed through her head, Miss Elizabeth laughed softly at something her uncle said and Maggie Reynolds saw the sparkle in the young lady's intelligent green eyes. Oh yes, I see it now. There was something infinitely more powerful than mere physical beauty in this one.
Mrs. Reynolds was determined not to reveal anything as she began the tour of her beloved Pemberley. Through carefully leading descriptions and firm attention to every nuance, Mrs. Reynolds gleaned a great deal of information. First, though the young miss was very favorably impressed with the manor, she did not seem to be cataloging the items in each room to determine their monetary value. She appreciated the decorations and design of each room, but looked at them as a whole and commented with genteel restraint on the tastefulness of each space. She spent as much time looking out on the grounds through windows as examining the rooms. Underneath Miss Bennet's pleasant expression, Maggie sensed an uneasiness and a sadness. Perhaps the lady is not indifferent to our Master as we believed?
Next, Mrs. Reynolds began to notice a trend as Elizabeth Bennet studied each room. Her eyes seemed to be searching for something each time, and then her feet would carry her to certain locations in each room. Invariably, those locations were the place in that room which the young master tended to favor. There was a wistful expression on the young woman's face, for example, as she walked to the very chair in the front parlor where Mr. Darcy liked to sit in the morning and read before going on to his duties. As Maggie watched, the young lady's hand lifted and lightly touched the spot where his head often rested. It was an innocent and yet strikingly poignant gesture.
The housekeeper experienced a moment of disquiet when Mrs. Gardiner exclaimed in recognition on seeing George Wickham's miniature. She immediately interjected, "That is a portrait of George Wickham, the old Master's godson. He is now gone into the army, but I am afraid that he has become quite wild." The aunt seemed curious, but Maggie was please to watch the younger woman's easy indifference to the man.
She led their attention instead to a miniature of Mr. Darcy, "And that is my master, and very like him. It was drawn as the same time as the other – some eight years ago."
Mrs. Gardiner looked on appreciatively and responded, "I have heard much about your master's fine person. It is a handsome face. But Lizzy, you can tell us if it is like or not."
This was her moment! Maggie Reynolds looked at the young lady who looked startled to be called out on such a question. She had been gazing at the painting with a troubled brow. "Does the young lady know Mr. Darcy?"
Despite the obvious restraint, the girl could not hide a blush, "A little."
Keeping her face from revealing too much, Maggie prompted, "And do you not think him a very handsome gentleman, Ma'am?"
"Yes..." her answer was louder than clearly intended and seemed to shock her, so she added in a softer tone, "very handsome."
Despite the thrill in her heart, Mrs. Reynolds took pity on the young lady and turned to the elder, "I am sure I know none so handsome; but in the gallery upstairs you will see a finer, larger picture of him than this. This room was my late master's favorite room, and these miniatures are just as they used to be then. He was very fond of them." As she led them on to the next room, she pretended not to notice how Miss Bennet's head looked up toward the direction she had indicated for the gallery. Oh yes, she is not indifferent at all.
The tour continued. Mrs. Reynolds found the Gardiners to be a most pleasant and genteel couple. Knowing of her master's attitudes toward the young lady's relative, she wondered if he had ever met this pair. Surely he could find nothing wanting in them! Perhaps it was well and good that Miss Elizabeth's rejection of his proposal was reshaping him into a better man. Still, since there had been no contact since Rosings, how was the young lady to know of the changes? She needed to find a way to let her know!
Mr. Gardiner gave her the lead she needed. They had been discussing the amount of time that Mr. Darcy spent away from Pemberley when the man said, "If your master would marry you might see more of him."
Normally she might have responded that she could not think of any young lady worthy of him, but that would strike the wrong note. Instead she responded, "I know that he wishes to... but at the moment he is studying on making himself into a man worthy of the woman he chooses."
Maggie definitely saw Miss Bennet start at her words. Carefully, so as not to overstep propriety, she noted, "His parents marriage was a love match, as was his grandparents. With his wealth and handsome appearance, he might easily choose any woman, but he wishes to have what his parents and grandparents enjoyed: a marriage of love and respect. So he would never offer to a young woman he did not hold in great affection. I only pray that he finds her soon."
She deliberately led them on towards the stairs. There had been several more rooms she might have shown them on the first floor, but now she wanted to place the young woman in front of Mr. Darcy's portrait. It was large, recent, and done very accurately by one of the best painters of his time.
Mrs. Gardiner commented, "It is very notable that you care so much for his welfare. You speak very highly of him."
"I speak no more than is the truth, Ma'am, and everybody hereabouts who knows him will say the same. I have known him since the day of his birth and I have never known a man who treats those in his care with such respect and devotion."
"His father was a good man," Mrs. Gardiner replied. She had already mentioned that she grew up in Lambton, not five miles distant.
"Oh, that he was. And his son will be just like him. The best master and the best man," her eyes met Miss Bennet's for a moment but Maggie did not let them linger as she added, "Certain circumstances made affected him for a while, but now he had recovered and is striving to improve himself every day. We could not be more pleased."
They stopped now in front of Mr. Darcy's large portrait. While the Gardiners were appreciative, it seemed that Miss Bennet was almost fixated. On a whim, Maggie distracted the older couple and led them on, leaving the young miss to continue to search the portrait for answers.
Miss Bennet had rejoined them and the housekeeper was showing them the former mistress' personal study when a footman stepped in and stood in a manner that called for her attention. Excusing herself, she stepped over to the man. He quietly said, "The flag went up. Including the penant. Mr. Darcy is riding here now." The estate had a gate house at both entrances to the property. Whenever someone entered the property, a flag was raised to indicate that fact. Additional smaller flags would provide important details. The penant indicated that the Master was on the property.
"And was he alone?"
"No ma'am. There was one other rider, a servant. I believe that must be Mr. Matthews."
Feeling a thrill of impending destiny, Mrs. Reynolds quietly said, "Pass on my instructions to Mrs. Seally: have the staff quickly and quietly tidy the estate, but do not alert our guests about the master's arrival. I want to keep them here for as long as I can, so I will be tied up extending the tour."
The footman's glance toward the pretty Miss Bennet indicated that he suspected the reason. Maggie did not scold him. If he talked and the staff were therefore extra-polite to the young miss, then all the better.
Mrs. Reynolds extended the tour for as long as she could, even showing them the library, a room not usually included. She noted, however, that Mrs. Gardiner was tiring. When that lady expressed a desire to see the gardens, Mrs. Reynolds passed the trio off to Mr. Mudge, along with carefully whispered instructions to provide the extended tour.
When Ryan Matthews entered alone some minutes later, Maggie's nerves were on edge. She forgot herself and all but dragged the young man over to the window to point out Elizabeth Bennet... and then gasped when she saw Fitzwilliam Darcy stepping around a hedge and walking right into the young lady's path. He looked like he had just jumped into the lake for a quick swim... in riding clothes. For just a moment Maggie cringed at his obviously disheveled appearance, but then she saw him through the eyes of the young maiden that she had once been herself. His wet shirt clung to the sculpted muscles of his chest, shoulders, and arms. His dark hair was made curly by his soaking and looked quite endearing. And his breeches revealed a little too much of his muscular legs.
Beside her, the valet groaned at the man's appearance, but Maggie only giggled. Oh yes, girl. Take a good look at the man who wants to make you his wife. Ignore that image if you dare!
oOoOOoOo
One day, nearly a year after their fateful first meeting, Mrs. Reynolds was walking companionably alongside Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy in the gallery. They had been discussing certain rearrangements to be made, but now they were finished. Normally, Maggie might have hurried back to her duties, but the sun was striking the windows just right and the long corridor had an ambiance that made both ladies linger.
After several minutes of comfortable silence, Elizabeth turned to the housekeeper she was coming to appreciate almost as deeply as her beloved Mrs. Hill, "Mrs. Reynolds, that first day that I came here, while we were taking a tour, I almost felt as if you knew who I was. Did you?"
Maggie blessed her new mistress with a sunny smile. She had never regretted the day that she devoted her attention to altering this young woman's impressions concerning her master. "I did know who you were, Mrs. Darcy. And I was determined to do everything I could to change your way of thinking about my master. I knew how much he cared for you and how completely he had botched his first attempt to win your hand. So I was hoping to help win a second chance at your regard..." She giggled.
Having never heard such a sound from the ever-proper Mrs. Reynolds before, Elizabeth looked at her with bewildered expression and asked, "What makes you giggle, Mrs. Reynolds?"
Unable to contain herself, Mrs. Reynolds burst into laughter. When she finally gained a modicum of control, she said, "Had I known that all that was needed was for the dear boy to go jump in the lake, I could have saved myself a great deal of effort."
When Mr. Darcy joined his wife and housekeeper in the gallery some minutes later, he was shocked to discover the two ladies clinging to each other and laughing so loud that tears were running down their faces. If he didn't love them both so dearly, he would have been quite put out when they refused to explain the source of their humor.
Author's Note: Levenez, I hope that this offering meets with your approval. It was a great suggestion.