Chapter 10
Dear Aunt Madeleine,
The first week of the house party has gone well overall. I was not sure what to expect, having never been to a house party before, but it is far more dull than I would have expected. The gentlemen have their outdoor sports, riding, hunting, shooting; but the ladies are mainly left indoors to embroider, write letters, or talk. Jane and I have spent time together, seeing that Mr. Cranfield is gone from her side for most of the day until the evening.
Dinner is always a grand affair. I feel that if I were not getting exercise every day, I would soon grow quite fat! It is always tasty and luxurious.
The first night I was seated next to an empty-headed fop named Mr. Althorpe. Now, do not be harsh with me, Aunt. I know you will say that I am being unkind, but in this case I feel I could use even harsher terms to describe him. He is the heir to a barony, which he will not let anyone forget, and clearly thinks that he is superior to everyone else because of it. He spent that whole first dinner criticizing Mr. Darcy, which quite put me out, I can tell you. Fortunately, I have not had to dine next to him since then; but unfortunately, he seems to have attached himself to my side. I am not sure what his aim is. Jane asked Mr. Cranfield about him, and Nicholas said that Mr. Althorpe is in debt and seeking to wed an heiress. I only have £10,000 so I am not certain he has matrimony on his mind. Surely he would seek a lady with a larger dowry.
Lady Dunmore is very busy with her guests and her hostess duties, but fortunately Mr. Darcy has been at my disposal for some diversion. The first morning he showed me the gardens of Dunmore Manor and we walked for over an hour. We have met several mornings since then for similar walks; for it is surely not possible to see all the gardens in one morning! He has the habit of rising early, as do I, so we often walk before we break our fast. Our conversations encompass all sorts of topics. The first morning we discussed Greek mythology, and since then we have veered into Gothic novels, poetry, botany, the natural sciences, and even drainage systems! (Apparently Pemberley has a new system that Mr. Darcy has just had installed).
Mr. Darcy has told me that when he was a young man he was quite proud, and he said that he looked down on others. Had you heard of any such thing when you were living in Lambton? I thought you said he was a fair and generous landlord. Something does not seem to fit there.
Poor Mr. Darcy has been persecuted ever since he arrived by the widowed sister of his friend. Mrs. Parkinson always seems to be at Mr. Darcy's side, flirting or flattering him and Miss Darcy. She wears gowns that are more fit for a lady twenty years younger, and do not become her at all. Forgive me if I sound unkind. But I do feel for Mr. Darcy. He mostly ignores her, but I cannot help feeling some amusement at the situation.
Lady Dunmore has been planning a birthday celebration for Miss Darcy, who turns ten tomorrow. I offered to help her, and it has been a nice diversion to the otherwise mostly dull routine here. We have devised games as well as a picnic for the children. You would be surprised by the number of children here, Aunt! Not only are Lady Dunmore's two children and Miss Darcy here, but Mr. and Mrs. Bingley's three children, the Sedleys' four, and those of several other of the guests. There must be fifteen children here! I am looking forward to seeing how Miss Darcy likes the gift I made for her. Please thank Uncle again for his help in preparing it.
It seems the ladies are to head outside to play some lawn bowling, so Jane and I had better join them. I will write to you soon to tell you how the birthday celebrations go!
Your loving niece,
Elizabeth
The next day was full of excitement. Elizabeth was up early again to help Lady Dunmore finish the preparations for the birthday celebration. The gentlemen, seeming uninterested, went out for their daily sport, but Mr. Darcy stayed behind. He apparently joined his daughter in the nursery for the special breakfast that had been prepared for the children, and then all of them came downstairs, accompanied by their nurses, for the festivities. Several of the ladies who had remained in the sitting room, offered their birthday wishes, and Melody seemed to be simply glowing from the attention. Elizabeth wondered, as she watched her, where the girl had gotten her blonde hair. Clearly from her mother. Her father had both dark hair and eyes.
Fortunately it was a bright, sunny day, and the children spilled out on the lawn for a game of cricket. Elizabeth had never played before, or she would have been tempted to join them. The oldest of the children, Charlie Bingley at age fifteen, became captain of one team, while the Sedleys' oldest, a girl of fourteen, captained the other. In the meantime, some of the adults sat down on the lawn to watch, and Elizabeth saw Mr. Darcy sitting next to Lady Dunmore on a blanket. She headed over in that direction as if drawn by a magnet. Both brother and sister looked up when they saw her approach.
"May I sit with you?" she asked, and both looked delighted by the idea.
"Of course. Please sit, Miss Elizabeth," said Mr. Darcy. He moved over so there was a corner of blanket for her to sit on, and she reclined next to him as they watched the children play.
After a few minutes, Elizabeth leaned over to speak to her friend.
"Mr. Darcy, I have a question for you."
"Yes, Miss Elizabeth?" He turned to her.
"I have a gift that I made for Miss Darcy, but I would rather not give it to her with all the other presents. Is there a time I might give it to her privately?"
Mr. Darcy looked surprised. "That is very kind of you to prepare a gift for her. I assure you neither she nor I expected it."
She smiled. "I was happy to do it."
"In that case, perhaps this evening when I tuck her into bed? She will doubtless be tired after a busy day, but I think a special surprise before bed will not impede her ability to sleep."
"That sounds perfect. Will you join me?"
He smiled, and the corners of his eyes crinkled attractively. "I would not miss it."
Neither of them noticed when Lady Dunmore discreetly disappeared to order the servants who were to set out the picnic baskets for lunch.
"Do you play cricket, Miss Elizabeth?" Darcy asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence watching the game.
"Alas, no. I never had any brothers to play with. It does look entertaining, however. Have you played?"
"Yes, quite often when I was a young sprig. My cousins and I, as well as my father's godson all played together. Then, when I was in school I became a champion cricketer." He gave a little half smile.
"Have you always been fond of sport?"
"I like to ride, of course, but I also enjoy fencing."
"So do I," she said unexpectedly.
"You fence, Miss Elizabeth?" he asked in apparent surprise.
She gave a smile. "My father felt that it was a worthy pursuit for ladies as well as gentlemen. It is a good form of exercise, after all."
"It is," he agreed. "Your father seems to be a very open-minded sort of man."
"I believe he is, when it comes to most things," Elizabeth conceded.
"How did you fence in skirts?" he asked, as if the idea had just occurred to him.
"My father had us fence in skirts and in trousers."
His eyebrows rose. "You fenced in trousers?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Have you tried fencing in skirts, Mr. Darcy? It is not at all easy."
He gave a quiet chuckle. "I am sure it is not," he said.
They discussed the different techniques in fencing, until the cricket game was over. Charlie Bingley's team apparently won, for all the children piled on him with cheers and screams of delight, and he rolled about with the younger ones in the grass.
Just then Lady Dunmore called out that it was time for lunch, and the footmen approached with large baskets in their hands.
"Would you like to join us in our picnic, Miss Elizabeth?" Darcy asked as Melody ran toward them.
"I would be delighted, Mr. Darcy," she responded.
"Papa! We won! Did you see?" Melody cried as she flung herself down onto her father's lap.
"I did, my dear," he said, tousling her blonde hair. "You did a marvellous job."
She beamed.
"Are you ready to eat lunch?"
"Oh yes, I am ever so hungry." She looked over at Elizabeth. "Miss Lizzy, will you eat with us?"
"Thank you, I will," Elizabeth replied with a smile.
"Let us find a special place to eat," said Darcy, and he took Melody's hand. With the other hand he took one of the baskets and headed out over the lawn. "Where shall we sit?" he asked them.
"How about over under that tree?" Elizabeth suggested.
"Perfect," he said.
Over by the lake was a tree that was surrounded by wild daisies. Elizabeth thought it was a charming scene.
Darcy spread out a blanket, and they sat amid the flowers. He opened the basket and pulled out fresh bread, a hunk of cheese, a bunch of grapes, strawberry tartlets, and a jar of lemonade. All three ate heartily while Melody chattered about the cricket game. Darcy had to remind his daughter several times not to speak with her mouth full, and at last she fell silent to finish eating.
Once she was finished, she started fiddling with the grass, and Elizabeth had an idea.
"Miss Darcy, have you ever made a daisy chain?" she asked.
Melody looked up in interest. "No. What is that?"
"Let me show you." She plucked a daisy so that its stem was nice and long, and then another one. "You know how to make a knot, yes?"
"Yes, Papa taught me."
"Well, what you want to do is take the stem of this one," she held out one of the daisies, "and carefully make a knot it in, around the head of this second daisy." She demonstrated the technique.
"Then what?" asked Melody.
"Then you continue with a third daisy knotted onto the second. Like this." She did it again. "Then you do that until you have enough for a crown, or a bracelet, or a necklace." She finished the one she was working on, and then laid it as a crown over Melody's blonde head.
Melody squealed with delight when she understood what she was to do, and began her own daisy chain. She broke many stems to begin with, but with Elizabeth's help soon learned the trick of it. While she made a crown for Elizabeth, Elizabeth worked on a bracelet for Melody.
Melody finished her crown, and laid it over the rim of Elizabeth's bonnet. All three of them laughed at the sight. Elizabeth set the bracelet around Melody's wrist, and then began to pick flowers and layer them picturesquely in Melody's light hair.
When Melody finished another crown, Elizabeth leaned over and whispered a suggestion to her. With a giggle, the girl got on her knees in front of her father, and put the daisy chain on his head. Both ladies laughed to see Mr. Darcy in such a state, but he smiled and began to make his own daisy chain to put around Melody's neck.
After Elizabeth had finished adorning Melody's hair, she plucked a flower and reached forward to put it behind Mr. Darcy's ear. He remained still as she did so, watching her, and her fingers tingled when they touched his ear. She quickly drew back and blushed in confusion. He smiled at her, and then put the necklace around Melody's throat. Melody took up Elizabeth's idea and began placing flowers among her father's dark curls. Elizabeth laughed to see him decked out like Oberon, but she also felt something soften in her heart. She had never thought a father, let alone one of high birth and great wealth, would behave so for his daughter's sake. She knew her own father would not have put up with such absurdity. Mr. Darcy simply sat with flowers in his hair and around his neck, and continued making daisy chains with his daughter until all the flowers were gone. That was when she realized she truly admired this man. She had realized, before, that he was intelligent, that she enjoyed his company; but she had never recognized how much she esteemed his character and nature. She thought, with a pang, that she might be in danger of falling in love with such a man.
But why would a man of Mr. Darcy's maturity, of his experience in the world and in life, fall in love with a girl as young and immature as she? It was altogether impossible.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of Lady Dunmore, as she called from the house for all the children to gather together near the manor doors. Darcy stood, shaking the flowers from his hair, and Elizabeth was sad to see them go. Melody kept her flowers on, and together the three of them walked back, Darcy carrying the blanket and basket.
There was a new set of games. First Lady Dunmore had arranged for a three-legged race. Since there was an odd number of children, Elizabeth volunteered to pair with Melody; but because of her long legs and Melody's short ones, they fell over repeatedly with peals of laughter, and struggled back up to plod onward. Fortunately, Melody was not disappointed when they came in last; she had a bellyache from laughing so hard.
Elizabeth observed the grass stains all over her skirts. Her maid would certainly not be happy to have to get those out.
After the three-legged race, they played a ring toss, and after that lawn bowling.
Finally, it was time for presents. Melody received a pair of new slippers, an atlas, a puzzle painting, a doll, a hand-knitted blanket, and a book of etiquette for young ladies (from Mrs. Parkinson).
"For it is very important for young ladies to begin learning these things early, you know, Mr. Darcy," she said.
Elizabeth could almost swear she saw him roll his eyes.
After that, it was time for supper, and all the children, weary but happy from the busy day, trundled upstairs to the nursery to eat. Lady Dunmore had her duty as hostess, so she had to preside over dinner for the adults, but Darcy and Elizabeth sat upstairs and ate with the children. When it was time for bed, Elizabeth excused herself, saying that she wanted to retrieve Melody's gift from her room.
While father and daughter were alone, Darcy tucked Melody into bed, and then presented his gift to her.
"I have two gifts for you," he said. "The second you will have to wait until we get to Pemberley to receive. But this one is from both your mother and me."
He held out a little box, and Melody excitedly unwrapped it. She opened the box and inside was a necklace, a gold chain on which rested a single pearl.
"This belonged to my mama?" she asked, taking it out.
"It did. It was one of the de Bourgh jewels that she inherited. She wanted you to have it one day."
"It is beautiful," said Melody. "May I put it on?"
"Of course. Turn around."
Melody turned and Darcy moved her hair to the side as he fastened the necklace around her throat. Melody touched the pearl with careful fingers.
"Thank you, Papa," she said, and threw her arms around him.
"You are welcome, sweetling. But you must remember, with this gift comes a responsibility."
Melody saw his serious expression and listened carefully. "You have become a young lady now. This is an expensive necklace, and so you must guard it and be careful with it. Can you do that?"
She nodded solemnly. "Yes, Papa. I can do that."
"Keep this box with it at all times, and put it somewhere safe."
"I will."
He leaned over to kiss her forehead.
A moment later, Elizabeth returned with her gift. Darcy scooted over so she would have room to sit on the edge of the bed, and Elizabeth presented the package to Melody. It looked to be the size of a book, and Darcy wondered what she had purchased for his daughter. He hoped they did not have it already; both ladies would be disappointed if that were the case.
Instead, he was surprised when Melody tore open the paper to reveal a book that looked as if it had been hand-bound by an amateur.
"I have never seen a book like this," said Melody.
"Open it," said Elizabeth, and Darcy, looking at her, perceived that she was nervous.
Melody opened the book, and Darcy looked with her at hand-drawn and painted pictures of animals, flowers, and woods, surrounding hand-written verse.
"You made this?" Darcy asked in awe.
"I did," Elizabeth said nervously.
"Read it to me, Miss Lizzy!" Melody exclaimed.
Elizabeth took hold of the side of the book, and read:
"There once, and long and long ago,
In an ancient land beyond the seas
When time passed slower than now it flows,
A kingdom flourished 'mid the groven trees
A knight there dwelt among the verdant lees.
He lived there from his childhood, I suppose,
His father was a nobleman at court,
Which I suppose that everybody knows.
He hunted animals of every sort.
He loved to kill with arrow, knife and bow.
And paid no heed to any other's cares.
His loving father wanted him to know
That pure and spotless love that marriage bears.
But this young knight, Ambrose, had no desire.
To be entrusted with a useless burden
Was worse than being scorched in flaming fire.
He only wished to hunt with hounds and men."
Surrounding the words were drawings of a young knight with golden hair, encompassed by a verdant forest. He held a sword, and foxes, rabbits, and deer were fleeing from him. The dark lines had been enhanced with watercolour to make it appear bright and alive.
Elizabeth continued to read the story, as the knight was confronted by a fairy, who, wanting to teach him a lesson, turned him into a bear. The knight went on many adventures in his ursine form before he rescued a lovely princess. In the process of saving her life, he was given a mortal wound. As he lay dying in his bear form, the fairy transformed him back into a whole and healthy man. The knight and the princess were married and lived happily ever after. Each page was filled with exquisite drawings, and Darcy marvelled at the wonder of it. Had Elizabeth done this all by herself? Had she written the verse, drawn the pictures? It was incredible.
"You did all this?" he asked her when she had finished reading the story. "How long did it take you?"
"I suppose about a month altogether. I worked on it the whole time I was in Hertfordshire, after your sister told me about Melody's birthday."
"It is wonderful! I think it is the best present I have ever gotten! Thank you, Miss Lizzy!" Melody reached up to give her a hug.
"Have you made many books like this?" asked Darcy, remembering that she had said she liked drawing, that he could see her pictures someday.
"I have made several," she admitted. "Mainly for my young cousins. They seem to like them," she said embarrassedly.
"This is incredible," he said. "This could be published, it is so exquisite, both the drawings and the verse."
"Published?" asked Elizabeth doubtfully.
Darcy saw Melody yawning, and reached over to kiss her brow. "Good night, my dear. Have a good sleep."
"You too, Papa, Miss Lizzy."
She turned over in her bed, and Darcy motioned that they should leave.
"I would like to discuss this further with you," he said when they were in the hall. "Would you get your other drawings and we can meet in …" he thought for a moment. "The morning room? No one will be there this time of night."
"Very well," she said.
After she had departed, Darcy paced the morning room, waiting for her to return. Her talent was absolutely incredible, and it was wasted on hand-bound volumes for her cousins. He wagered she could make a tidy amount of money publishing her books. Not that the money would matter to her; he was sure it would not. But talent such as hers should be shared with the world.
She returned about ten minutes later, her arms full of parchments. He motioned to the table and she set them down there. She looked at him doubtfully, but Darcy encouraged her with a smile.
"I do not have the books that I made for my cousins with me, of course. They have them. But these are some other stories I have been working on."
He spread out the drawings in front of him. Most were pictures of animals and the outdoors. Many of the stories encompassed wildlife in some form. He saw a watercolour of a small estate. It was a quaint building surrounded by wildflowers and bushes bearing gardenias.
"Is this your father's estate?" he asked.
"It is. Longbourn," she said.
"It is a lovely place," he said.
He continued looking through her drawings and saw some portraits. He saw one of Jane, one of an older man who must be Mr. Bennet from the similarities in their faces, one of Mr. Cranfield, one of Georgiana, one of Melody, and one even of himself! He looked at that one most carefully. She seemed to have drawn him to look younger than he was, with a sparkle in his eye that he was sure was not there. He looked up at her to find her blushing. "I like to draw my friends and acquaintances, or new faces that I find interesting," she said as if in explanation.
"You are extraordinarily gifted," he said, laying the parchments down. "I think you could be published at a reputable printing house and make a lot of money, Miss Elizabeth."
She looked incredulous. "For these scribbles?"
"They are not scribbles, Miss Elizabeth," he said earnestly. "The book you made for Melody is one of the most extraordinary works for children I have ever seen."
She blushed again. "Thank you, sir. You are very kind. But as for getting it published, I would have no idea even where to begin."
"I do," he said. "I have a friend who went into the publishing business. I could send him some of these as examples of your work, and he could give you an idea of how much you could make off of these. I am certain he would wish to publish them."
Elizabeth looked flabbergasted. "Mr. Darcy, I could not ask you to do such a thing."
"You do not need to ask me. I wish to do it. I think you need to share your talent with the world, Miss Elizabeth. It is an extraordinary one."
She still looked doubtful. "Are you sure these are good enough to be published? I do not think –"
"Miss Elizabeth, I have been in the world much longer than you have. Would you agree about that?"
She gave a half smile. "I would."
"Then you must trust me to have the world experience to know these things. I have a young daughter, to whom I have read hundreds of books. I know talent when I see it."
She heaved a sigh, but smiled. "Very well then, sir. You have convinced me. You may send some of these to your friend."
"Thank you, Miss Elizabeth. You will not regret it."
They spent the next few minutes picking out which would be the best examples to send to his friend, a Mr. Jonathan Pritchard in London. Darcy took the parchments carefully in his hands.
"I will send these to him. We should hear back from him within the next couple of weeks." He looked at her and his face softened. "Thank you for your very thoughtful gift for my daughter, Miss Elizabeth."
She smiled. "I am just glad she enjoyed it."
"Did you make the binding on it yourself?"
"No, my Uncle Gardiner did it for me. I am not talented with that sort of thing."
"Soon, you will have professionals binding your books, Miss Elizabeth."
She still looked uncertain, but bade him a cordial night and left the morning room to return to her own chamber.
Darcy retired to his room too, and sat, once again looking through the pictures she had given him. They truly were extraordinary. What would it be like to have a wife with such a wealth of imagination and willingness to exercise it? He found himself dreaming of Elizabeth as his wife more and more as the days passed. He was afraid he was inextricably in love with her.
What was he to do?