Chapter 137

As Frederick sat at the breakfast table with Anne, Georgiana and Eric, he still wondered why he was all ready to go to church when he could still be lying in a comfortable bed, warmed by the most wonderful and most beautiful man in the world. Why bother, since his soul could not be saved anyway? And he couldn't blame Anne for his own religious observance, after all, he had started to join the family service before she had even accepted his proposal.

And where were Darcy and Elizabeth? They were never late, something must have happened yesterday. He felt responsible but not guilty, one just didn't say no to the Heir Presumptive. Besides, he still couldn't believe Elizabeth falling for the Prince's charms, and if she hadn't yet returned Darcy would have been still awake and sitting in the bay window, waiting.

'I'm pretty sure there is nothing to worry about, Frederick,' Georgiana observed, 'she must have been very late and they know what time church starts. They'll be here. I just hope there will be time to tell us what happened.'

He really had to watch himself, what was happening to him that anyone could read his expressions?

Not just right now, yesterday Nick had pointed out quietly that he was simpering over Simon in his smart coat, he couldn't afford letting people know his true feelings. If he could no longer control his facial muscles his role as a leader of society was over.

'Don't scowl, Frederick, you'll frighten me. You're at home with your friends and your fiancée, you are allowed to show your feelings. In fact, since I am to be your beloved wife I insist on knowing what is going on in that intricate mind of yours.'

Anne was a true delight, and she was right, he was among true friends here.

'I'm sorry, my dear, I'm afraid I've never had the blessing of being able to show my true feelings, of just being myself. I'll get used to it. And to going out with Simon in public. Kick me if I simper over him, he decided to join the other staff to church, I suppose I may meet him in the aisle.'

They definitely had a different sense of humour, his college friends would have been diverted by such a wry remark, had he been able to admit to his forbidden love to them. This little group of soon-to-be relatives looked at him with feeling. Though Anne was in a similar situation, and she didn't seem to feel sorry for herself at all.

'At least you and I get to walk down the aisle at all, Frederick, Simon and Nick never will.'

'Do you actually want to walk down the aisle? I don't suppose we have to if we're to be married in a small, private ceremony.'

'You're right, I'd rather meet Nick there today. I'll throw him one look of love, and hope he'll dare to reciprocate.'

She was not serious, she would never risk their involvement getting out. And then the door to the breakfast room opened, admitting the missing master of the house and his lovely lady.

'Elizabeth, you came back!'

Not very subtle, Georgiana. Of course she was just seventeen, and her sister didn't seem insulted by her exclamation. Elizabeth merely laughed mysteriously.

'You have no idea how close a call I had, dear Georgiana.'

'You're not serious!'

'I most certainly am.'

'I cannot believe Mrs Fitzherbert would allow her man to seduce a much younger woman in her presence!'

Frederick could not either, she must be making fun of them.

'That she did not. Instead she was the instigator. Invited me to spend the night with both of them. Intimately.'

She was deadly serious. Well, it was starting to become a habit, being stunned into utter silence. Darcy! Most likely he was ready to rush over and challenge the Prince of Wales for this depravity.

But no, Darcy didn't seem at all angry but rather incredibly happy.

All the others' thoughts had apparently taken the same direction and he looked at all of them in turn, seriously, then observed mildly, 'I'm merely very glad they accepted her polite refusal. I'm not Don Quixote, charging at windmills! I know when I'm outclassed and I hope moving four days' travel to the north will cause them to forget all about her.'

'But three people, really? Is that even possible?'

Poor Eric might be the true innocent among them, though why he should be shocked at the thought of three people together and not by two men was something Frederick had trouble understanding.

'You've read Pierre's exploits, haven't you?'

Well, at least Elizabeth wasn't shocked, whatever a guy named Pierre had to do with it. Nor did Georgiana seem to be.

'We read all of it. I suppose Eric thought that was the writer's fantasy, not something people really did.'

'Do you mean all of that is real? People actually do that? And also in a maze, and the temple in the garden? And in a stables?'

Judging from his reaction, Darcy had done at least one of those. Probably the last, they had spent a mere two weeks at their estate so far, in fall, and though Frederick supposed Darcy had a temple somewhere at Pemberley, even if it was most likely inherited from his father, he doubted Pemberley had a maze, they cost a fortune to keep up and were way too unsophisticated for a man like Darcy, whose grounds were reputed to be nature at its best.

Elizabeth did not show self-consciousness, but she did reply.

'I suppose the story has been made up, Eric, but I for one am no longer surprised by the things people apparently do in private.'

All right, now Frederick felt a little left out. He supposed they were talking of the book Elizabeth had gifted Georgiana with on her birthday. Something must be rather funny for Georgiana started laughing, and then she addressed Frederick himself!

'I'll lend it to you, Frederick, don't worry, we will not leave you wondering what we are talking about. I suppose it's not entirely useless for you, either, people will think you're married, at the very least you need to know what you're supposed to be doing with Anne.'

She could really read him like a book! Blast, he was not used to people being able to do that. And besides, he might not ever have been with a woman, he was twice her age and a former member of a rowdy college clique: he could tell her a few things!

'I appreciate the offer, dear Georgiana, and I will certainly accept it and enjoy reading your book. But I assure you, while I have indeed not engaged in those acts, I've certainly seen my share of them, remember, I used to throw those parties for my friends.'

Why did he have to say that? Why did he behave like a boy towards Georgiana, trying to prove himself a man of the world? They knew he was not an innocent, any allusion to his college clique could only damage him in Darcy's and Elizabeth's eyes.

But it did have the desired effect, Georgiana was finally shocked, her large blue eyes really looked at him, plain, boring Mr Manners, with a mixture of distaste and fascination and she blurted out, 'You mean they didn't do that in private? You actually saw what they were up to?'

Instantly checking the expressions of the others to see whether he'd answer that question or evade it, and finding mostly curiosity and no outright disgust, he elaborated airily.

'Grenfell liked to flaunt his prowess, yes, and not with a single lady of sin either, he preferred to be well attended. And the others did seek out a private space, but they sometimes needed me there, or I preferred to keep an eye on them when they'd had too much spirits and I didn't trust the girl in question. Some of them like to gather some extra income from a customer's person or property, you know, silverware, watches, jewellery. The guys didn't mind my occasional presence, we were very intimate, you see.'

What a subject for breakfast on a Sunday, just before church, but it was clear that though his companions disapproved of hiring low women for amusement, they did want to know what was going on in the world around them.

'Very enlightening, dear Frederick,' Anne said with what he was almost certain to be irony, 'I'd like to hear more some day soon. After I've borrowed that book as well, I'm very curious. But now I want to hear what Carlton House was like, I've read so many speculations about its grandeur, was it really like that?'

And Elizabeth was pleased to describe every room she had visited, the gist of her conversation with Prince George and his lady, how she'd played a magnificent piano in a room with the best acoustics she'd ever heard, and how the older couple had proposed they'd all spend the night together in the Prince's very own bedroom. Too bad Elizabeth hadn't, for if she had, would she have had a story to tell! Of course he understood her refusal, he wouldn't want to be with anyone else but Simon now he'd found him.

When Elizabeth's tale was finished it was time to go to church, but Frederick was certain very few of them would be totally concentrated on that day's sermon. Darcy would thank his Lord for letting his beloved return to him unharmed, Elizabeth would pray to be forgotten by the Prince of Wales, Georgiana and Eric would consider playing for the him again in that magnificent round room Elizabeth had told them about. And whatever would Anne be thinking of? She was so beautiful and her conversation was starting to become as informed and as entertaining as Elizabeth's. Maybe she was sorry to have agreed to their engagement so quickly, when here was an opportunity to meet a lot of very highly ranked single men.

But no, Anne wasn't like that. She wanted respect, and some excitement, but not at all like the amusements Mrs Fitzherbert's ladies-in-waiting enjoyed, as described by Elizabeth not half an hour earlier. Partying from dusk until dawn, in a large group of like-minded people of widely different ages but all from the uppermost layer of society. No music or dancing, few servants, no cards or other games. Just talking, drinking potent spirits, sometimes even smoking opium, and all the inevitable baser amusements intoxication and a feeling of privacy were wont to result in. Despite having provided very similar entertainment for his former clique, Frederick disapproved. Not in principle, but in execution, for the newspaper reports on Prince George proved that the few servants attending these occasions talked. Of course they did, even the most privileged servants would try to make a few bob extra if one didn't take proper care of them. Things would come out, time and time again.

Elizabeth had even mentioned the Prince being very alert to this possibility. And wanton fornication, it was just so...debasing, especially for the young ladies involved. Frederick infinitely preferred professionals. Though he realised what Elizabeth and Anne, and even Georgiana, would say if he mentioned this in their presence, he could not help it: whilst he had lost very little respect for his college friends due to their eagerness for baser entertainments, he valued his new lady friends ever so much more for being faithful to their own partners. If they would spread their favours he'd respect them less, which was a heinous thing to think when he was committing an even worse sin himself.

But wouldn't he be disappointed in Darcy and Eric as well, if they were to be unfaithful? And even Nick, despite his past, had gained Frederick's approval mostly through his dedication to Anne. Maybe he wasn't as much of a hypocrite as he thought. Still, only a lady involved such debauchery could pay the ultimate price, to bear a child out of wedlock, or to a man she was not wedded to.

Still in his church bench, though a luxurious one in the Darcy's private pew, he found himself glad after all that Elizabeth had not fallen for the Prince's charms. And he also hoped the older couple would forget about her, and about Eric's music, sooner rather than later, so none of their own party would be tempted to join those goings-on at Carlton House or some other town house or estate where the Prince's friends or confidants lived.

Driving through the countryside with their party divided between their own carriage and Manners', Darcy discovered Saturday's events were very easily forgotten. Though not as intimate as travelling by themselves, sharing a carriage was rather entertaining as well. They mostly had Georgie and Fielding riding with them, but at the end of the first day of travel Anne had asked to join them, and of course Nick Fowler came with her, the other couple enjoying a few hours with Simon and Manners.

The only personal staff they had left among them were the two ladies' maids, and Fanny of course chose to sit with her husband, Dora preferring to squeeze in beside them over riding with Manners' driver on a much larger box seat. Darcy wasn't surprised, he could not approve of such a young girl sitting unchaperoned with a man like Bates, it just didn't feel right. Of course he knew Dora was not a lady, but she was a kind and well mannered and she deserved to be protected from the sort of man Bates was reputed to be. Neither Simon nor Mrs Annesley had been able to recommend his behaviour when asked for their opinion, and Darcy didn't need to ask anyone's opinion to know the girl shouldn't travel with Hugo either. The Pemberley stablemaster was leaving the next day with a team of hired horses to return Darcy's ornate carriage to Pemberley, where it would most likely be stored in one of the large barns. It was taking up too much space in town, the slow team had their own carriage, which was much more suitable for a busy town with narrow streets. Daisy and Darcy's black would accompany Hugo, but Darcy did not want to rely on whatever help Hugo had hired for the trip to keep Dora safe. Two men and one shy maiden, that was even worse than Dora sitting on the box with Bates. Fanny and Bob would have a whole week to themselves once at Pemberley, as long as they were travelling they would make Dora feel welcome by day and enjoy their time together at night.

During the course of their four-day journey, it was as if Nick Fowler was starting to change. By the time they neared Pemberley it happened that Anne and her guard were sitting opposite Elizabeth and himself, trying very hard not to touch each other and succeeding admirably.

Fowler's usual servility seemed much diminished, he was describing a scene from his youth in London, proving himself a talented storyteller. Darcy had no trouble imagining a serious boy of about fourteen learning how to defend himself and his younger siblings from local bullies. He did wonder why Fowler's parents never intervened when their son started to sneak out at night, to join his older friends from next door in their excursions to add to their family's meagre income. They probably never knew what their son was doing.

'When I realised they were breaking into homes it was too late to back down, they had told me too much to just let me go back to being the neighbours' kid. Fortunately they let me stand watch, of course it would have gotten me hanged if I'd been caught, but they were always careful, staking out a shop until the owners left, or breaking into a rich home when the people had fled the city in the heat of summer. I think even they eventually ran afoul of a rivalling gang or the watch, for one day they were gone from the house, fled or caught I still don't know. But I decided there and then to end my career in crime and find myself a proper job with the skills they'd taught me. Even at that age I realised I could protect things from the likes of me as well as risk my neck stealing them.'

Elizabeth loved it. She always loved hearing people's stories, and Fowler was from an almost opposite walk of life, being a city boy from very humble origins. He was a charmer, though, and totally devoted to Anne.

'Is it my imagination, Nick, or do you talk differently?'

His beloved was perceptive, more than anyone else. Nick's thick London accent was indeed lessening. She even managed to keep from sounding insulting, which was a miracle since the burly guard seemed almost proud of his background.

And indeed, instead of being insulted the fellow beamed at Elizabeth and said, 'Thank you for noticing, Mrs Darcy! Anne and the others have been working on my accent, I'm glad our hard work is paying off. I've been living among a different class for years now, I know what it's supposed to sound like. But it's da...pretty difficult to keep up. Not just the accent, but avoiding certain words and expressions and finding different ways to say things.'

Darcy couldn't help laughing at Nick's near blunder, but even as a common servant he would have had to adapt at Pemberley, Mrs Reynolds would never tolerate such language in her household.

'It'll become easier at Pemberley, Fowler. No-one will have a London accent, and you'll rarely hear those expressions you are trying to avoid using.'

His courage had also risen, before their trip being addressed by Darcy would have silenced the fellow instantly, would almost have caused him to hide behind Anne's slender shape. But not anymore. An overacted difficult look was replaced by a genuine smile, transforming the burly guard's plain face to something approaching attractive. Even to Darcy, who still considered him decidedly beneath Anne, and not just because of his birth.

'I never considered that. I'm glad you told me, Mr Darcy, or I'd have started off at the wrong foot entirely. I'm Mr Manners' servant, of course, so they cannot hurt me, but being warned is better than trying to make up for a bad start.'

Now Darcy felt himself deadly serious as he answered, a bit too much so, maybe, he knew his staff and he knew Fowler could defend himself. He'd recently heard every detail of his education after all, Fowler was not in any danger, if anyone the others would have to watch out.

'You may have heard stories of bullying among my staff, Fowler, and I know you've been the victim of worse, but please do not think I tolerate anything of the kind. As soon as I found out I took measures, and the staff at Pemberley has always been above suspicion.'

Well, except Bruce, but he seemed suitably chastened and besides, Fowler could teach the young pup a thing or two about fighting.

'If anyone bothers you, do not hesitate to speak to me in person. No-one should live in fear of another human being.'

Darcy hadn't liked fearing the Prince of Wales' power, still didn't like that man's interest in Elizabeth, for the first time in his life he understood what it was like to be delivered to someone with more power and he didn't like it, not at all. No-one should feel like that, not even the despicable Will Collins. Elizabeth had told him some of her cousin's past as she'd heard it from Mrs Collins, and it had caused his hair to rise. Finding a parish with suitably traditional tenants to stomach Collins' sermons was on his list of things to do on a rainy day while in the country.

'Thank you, Mr Darcy, I will. Though I have heard nothing but good about your staff at Pemberley, I am certain nothing like what happened to me or to Bob could ever take place there.'

Of course he knew about Bob as well, servants talked to each other about their own lives, and Fowler had easy manners, was easy to talk to. He had spent hours in their servants' quarters and was rather intimate with Simon. Manners didn't even consider him a servant but a friend. Well, that was all for Anne's benefit, for Manners wasn't generally sentimental with servants. Bates certainly didn't have any privileges, and still he didn't seem discontented. And Fowler did learn quickly, his general appearance was already much more gentleman-like, and not just because he was wearing a fine coat instead of a livery. He also knew not to dominate the conversation and merely listened attentively as Anne and Elizabeth talked of Mr and Mrs Collins and their cute baby. Apparently he'd given his host in Kent some practical advice on how to deal with unfavourable circumstances at the work place, and Darcy suspected Fowler was right in his view on Elizabeth's cousin's situation. Well, if Mr Collins managed to find a way to make working for aunt Catherine bearable so much the better.

They were already on his own lands, and Darcy felt a twinge of excitement rising up inside him: finally they would be free from reporters and demands on their time! The explorers' rooms and their communal space had been readied to his precise instructions, the furnishings and décor had been left undone so Anne and Georgie, and Elizabeth, could enjoy themselves with the first mission together: the exploration of the attics. And once those rooms were in use he and his beloved would have their own part of the house to themselves, like those heavenly two weeks of honeymoon. No public appearances, no social calls, no entertainment until their relatives and friends arrived in April. Of course they would have meals together and spend some days and some evenings in each other's company, but hopefully the others would spend at least one day out of two in their headquarters on the second floor.

'These are your grounds already, aren't they, Darcy?' Anne asked. 'That church looks familiar. I always adored the little bell tower on top.'

Watching Fowler as Anne pointed out the true extent of Darcy's grounds, he was surprised to find the guard not unduly impressed. That was remarkable, for even Darcy himself was impressed by the acreage he might call his own. Though he sometimes felt the responsibility for so many farms and villages and inhabitants as a burden, they all contributed to his income, and he saw it as his duty to make certain everyone on his land had the ability to live, if not well, then at least adequately.

Of course there were some who owned their own farms, Peter's father-in-law the most important one of those, but Darcy generally had a really good understanding with them: Darcy used their services wherever possible, and in return they respected his influence on their friends and neighbours. All in all Darcy dared state his tenants were well cared for, with few really poor families depending on charity. Everyone went to church regularly, and he attended the yearly harvest activities in each village. Having Elizabeth with him would make this year's effort so much more gratifying. Last year he had been suffering from a broken heart, and he had leaned on Georgie's rare presence to keep his tenants from noticing. This year he would bring his lovely wife, who would show an interest in prize cows, pigs and poultry, be stunned over giant pumpkins, potatoes, carrots and leeks, and who actually knew about embroidery, crocheting and other crafts, so her praise would be ever so much more valuable to the goodmen and wives of his various villages.

'Yes, that is one of mine, if you like the church you should see the sawmill and pond, so picturesque you'll think you've landed in a happy, innocent girl's dreams. We can visit if you want, but it's about half an hour's drive from Pemberley.'

'You own all the land from here to your estate and that is half an hour's drive, yet?'

Of course, Fowler didn't know how far Pemberley still was. Now he was impressed all right.

'Yes, I own most of it, some farmers own their own steadings but not many. And from Pemberley it's another ten minutes to the northern border of my grounds.'

The city-born guard could not picture so much property, that much was clear. For a few moments his former humility seemed at the verge of returning, but then Anne unobtrusively took his hand and she said gently, 'I'm heir to a similar acreage and I suspect Frederick has about the same. It's not that uncommon.'

Of course it was a rare privilege to own such extensive lands, but somehow her touch restored Fowler's self-confidence, and he merely nodded politely and looked out the window as if to trying to conceive of the value of what he saw there. A single man possessing so much acreage, when this city-bred man's parents and siblings most likely didn't even own their own house.

Darcy was wrong to suppose that Nick was not unduly impressed by his new host's property and obvious wealth. Anne's support had merely enabled him to hide his awe better than he had managed at first. Nick was indeed only now starting to realise the true difference between a wealthy trader like Mr Blackwood and the people in whose company he now found himself, and rather intimately. Of course he had known that Mr Darcy and Mr Manners were much more esteemed than his former employer, but he had not truly realised the extent of their riches and their influence. He now understood Mr Blackwood's respect towards Mr Manners, and something more like deference towards Mr Darcy, though that was mostly due to the latter's reticence. Mr Manners did not have a lower standing than Mr Darcy, but his easy familiarity towards people of all walks of life meant that no-one really felt the need to show him much obeisance. And, he realised, that was how Mr Manners wanted it. He'd have to try even harder to be familiar with his new employer, whereas Mr Darcy would actually appreciate being treated with respect. He would never forget Nick's humble beginnings, though he had clearly voiced his appreciation of Nick's efforts to adapt a manner of speaking more fitting to his current company.

Though his interest in the view originated in a studied avoidance of a difficult situation, Anne had after all warned Nick against appearing servile towards Mr Darcy, there was plenty to feast his eyes on outside the fast-moving carriage. The landscape was supremely beautiful, the road flanked by venerable old trees with either green meadows or ploughed fields on both sides. Small patches of wood could be seen in the distance, and hedges of blooming shrubs and small trees separated the fields from each other and from the farmhouses. The occasional villages looked prosperous, the houses well-kept and very neat. Roofs were generally thatched, but some were tiled or slated. Livestock, mostly cows but also a few scattered sheep and horses, were sleek and placid, Nick knew nothing about any kind of animals, but he could see these were in perfect health and fed exactly right. Mr Darcy's tenants were obviously doing quite well, there was no sign of poverty wherever Nick looked, though some of the houses were small, and all the people he saw, in the fields, in their garden plots or around the buildings, were hard at work.

They were all silent for some time, except when one of the others pointed out something remarkable. Anne was reminiscing, often discovering places she had frequented as a child, a shaded walk beside the road, several large horse chestnuts in a tiny village they passed through, another church, an orchard which she was certain would bear the loveliest plums in fall. Of course the trees were merely in bloom now, the number of blossoms promising a good harvest. When they crossed a decently sized river she exclaimed, 'Look at that little gravel beach beside the river! We used to play in the stream there, didn't we? I can't believe it's still here, it hasn't changed a bit!'

'It hasn't, has it? I never thought much of it, but if there had been a flood even once that little beach would have washed out. I suppose it's been there for at least fifteen years.'

Mr Darcy's face was a study in emotions watching his cousin digging up memories. He seemed to have mostly conquered his guilt over having left Anne to fend for herself when she was stuck at Rosings under deplorable circumstances, of which Nick had gotten quite an impression a week ago, but her reminiscing did bring some of it back, mixed with pleasure over her acute memory and obvious enjoyment seeing Pemberley again.

'How long since you were here, Anne?' Mrs Darcy asked softly. She was not untouched by Anne's eager comments, either.

Anne took her time making an estimate, then looked at Darcy, 'I'd say at least a decade, do you agree, Darcy?'

With a pained look he replied, 'I suppose you are right, Anne. Aunt Catherine visited regularly, at least once a year, but she never brought you along. Nor did I ask for you to come. I'm still so sorry, Anne, I never wondered whether you might have wanted to.'

'Never mind, Darcy, I couldn't have come, four days of travel was too much, even one hour was. I couldn't face it. Besides, how often did Uncle Spencer drop by?'

'Not more than once or twice in all that time, I'm certain. Nor did Spencer. Fitzwilliam stayed with me for a few weeks each year at least, in the hunting season.'

'I suppose we were just not that close as a family then, Darcy. Mother dropped by regularly to keep an eye on you, I'm sure. She had such grand designs on you. I suppose you'll miss her terribly, maybe I can make up for her desertion just a tiny bit.'

Good, Anne's remark seemed to pull Mr Darcy out of his sad mood, he smiled from ear to ear, a funny sight since he was usually so serious, and spoke with feeling.

'Imagine being with a true family party, Anne. It has taken me that same decade to find someone to start my own family with, and now I have you and Georgie as well, and so many new relatives and friends. I often wondered why the house was so large, you know. And still when everyone is here come April there will be rooms to spare.'

And so Nick started to see more and more that Mr Darcy was just a man, despite his dignity and his reticence he needed other people and love as much as anyone. He loved his wife, he loved Anne, he treated Nick with absolute fairness despite not really agreeing with his seeing Anne, and Simon adored him.

They ascended a sizeable hill with beautiful woodland on both sides, no sign of habitation here. Used to a city of millions, Nick felt a bit strange, just a handful of people in the middle of the wild woods. No-one else seemed to mind being all alone, they were used to it. But then the carriage started to go back down hill and the most incredible sight lay before him: a lovely green valley with a stream feeding a larger stream right in the middle of it, and on the opposite bank, quite high up the next hill, a magnificent house. It was huge, and Nick knew it was further away than it seemed, so it had to be even larger than it looked from here. Just incredible!

Anne was also impressed, even though she grew up in a house this size and stayed at this very place regularly in her early years. But though Rosings was grand enough, Pemberley was just unbelievable, not merely the house, it was also how it was situated right in the middle of a gentleman's dream of wilderness. A real wilderness would probably not be as beautiful a composition of lush meadows sprinkled with trees and shrubs, it was like Mr Collins' garden but on a huge scale. Imagine this place in full summer, with the trees in leaf and the meadows riddled with flowers! In comparison, Rosings was a mere square lump of stone squatting in an old-fashioned French formal garden.

Imagine him having an opinion on Rosings, Nick thought. A week ago he hadn't even known such places existed, and now he presumed to find Mr Darcy's abode much more impressive than Lady de Bourgh's, even before he had seen so much as a square inch of its interior.

'I take it you like the looks of my estate, Fowler?'

As kind as that sounded, Nick still had to suppress an inclination to bow or at least look away from his soon-to-be host, but he knew Mr Darcy didn't like his cousin being with a servile man, so he forced himself to meet the gentleman's eye.

'Very much so, Mr Darcy. Even a city boy can recognise the perfect blend of nature and your family's accomplishments.'

That was a point scored for Nick, Mr Darcy was obviously impressed with his observation, and Anne's look of approval sent a shiver of delight and anticipation right through Nick.

'Better keep an eye on that fellow, Anne, or he may turn into a poet,' Mrs Darcy observed in her usual pert manner. She was quite a few notches over any lady Nick had ever met before, excepting only Anne, and apparently Mrs Darcy did not come from a respectable family like Anne's or Mr Manners'. But she made Nick feel a little more at home in this company, and Mr Darcy's love for her made that gentleman seem a lot more human.

Anne was surprised to recognise Mrs Reynolds from the last time she visited. She was much older of course, weren't they all, and she looked tired and thin because of her illness last winter, but she was still unmistakeably the calm and competent housekeeper she'd always been.

'I hardly recognised you, Miss de Bourgh, you used to resemble one of your cousins most of all, sunburnt and with your hair blown about, and your hands and clothes covered in mud and the likes. But now you're every inch a lady, and engaged to the charming Mr Manners!'

Mrs Reynolds had never seen Frederick before in her life, but he was certainly charming now, and she'd probably read all about him in the papers, like everyone else seemed to have.

'Let's seek out all our old haunts, Anne,' Darcy offered, 'I can think of quite a few right off the top of my head.'

That would be very nice, if they found a way to include Nick. He and Simon were feeling more than a little uncertain, Simon had greeted some of his former colleagues and introduced Nick to them, but now he was clearly uncertain what to do. Anne didn't know either, she supposed it would be easiest for them if they went to the common-room, but she felt they would do better to separate themselves from the Pemberley staff straight away, to avoid falling under Mrs Reynolds' strict regime.

Georgiana had disappeared into the house right after their arrival, eager to explore the second floor where they would be staying, like the adolescent she still was, pulling along her husband who certainly wasn't. Anne wished she could follow, but she was an adult, and she couldn't leave Frederick and most of all Nick and Simon standing there.

'Why don't you let me handle the niceties and take Simon and Nick to our new quarters, Anne? Have them arrange our luggage to your satisfaction?'

She could do that, yes, though Simon didn't need her help. But then, Darcy and Elizabeth didn't need Frederick's help either, it was their staff, not his.

'Don't you want to go exploring? I thought all young people did.'

That did it. Why was Frederick always pretending everybody else was younger than himself?

'You're not that much older than I am, Frederick. If you want to be an explorer, you will have to come with us and actually do some of it. You don't need to talk to Darcy's staff, he has become pretty good at it. Come!'

Bossy Mr Manners melted and bowed, taking her hand and kissing it.

'I'm yours to command, my dear Anne.'

And he turned towards Mrs Reynolds and said, 'It was a pleasure to meet you, my lady, I am looking forward to actually talking with you. Now, I have my duties towards my fair fiancée.'

After he'd bowed and was walking off with Anne she could hear the elderly housekeeper sigh, 'Was that gentleman really the Mr Manners from the papers, Mr Darcy?'

Darcy sounded amused as he replied, 'It most certainly was, Mrs Reynolds.'

'He does look like his description in the papers, but I just could not believe he'd really come to Derbyshire. Such a well-bred man, he certainly lives up to his name with his perfect manners.'

Anne turned her head towards Frederick to hide a smile, and of course he noticed.

'What did she say? I hope she wasn't insulted with my leaving before we'd talked a little?'

Why would Mr Frederick Manners care what a housekeeper thought of him? It was rather endearing, and Anne felt obligated to tease him with his one weakness, his need to be universally liked, but it was hard with the image of his vulnerable moment in the London church garret still before her mind's eye.

'Have you ever been teased with your name, Frederick?'

'Of course, who hasn't? Only those without friends I suppose.'

He had no idea how right he was. No-one had ever teased Anne, mostly because she'd never had anyone in her life to tease her. A strong hand took hers and squeezed just the tiniest bit, undoubtedly to remind her she had friends now. Without acknowledging his hold on her hand, just like a real fiancée would, Frederick continued.

'Come to think of it, it was often those with little humour who used my name to make a point. Teachers mostly, the elderly kind, telling me to mind my manners. You can imagine how entertaining that was. Though I admit I was more than a handful. We all were. We only respected those who could force us to behave by being stronger or more powerful. The only one who ever understood was my wrestling tutor, he could floor me but he never did to prove anything. Because he was faster and stronger I actually listened to him. Of course there were no women involved in my education from my seventh birthday, in hindsight I guess a little more subtlety might have saved me from at least half the foolish things I did.'

Anne was thrilled to have Frederick tell her about his youth, but all too soon he stopped short, saying, 'But you asked for a reason. Something to do with Mrs Reynolds, I suppose.'

'She said you lived up to your name with your perfect manners.'

Instead of the 'I told you so' look Anne had expected, Frederick was quite obviously pleased. Another soul won, and if an elderly housekeeper didn't have the right to make threadbare comparisons, who did?

'Now if I'd had a Mrs Reynolds to raise me, things might have been different.'

And Anne hadn't a clue whether he meant that or was making fun of the old lady lacking sense of humour, but by now they had reached the top of the stairs, two flights of them, and were beyond Anne's knowledge of Pemberley. Time for some serious exploring, Anne had no idea what to expect.

'So no-one of the regular staff ever comes here?'

'That is what Mr Darcy told me, Nick. Apparently our new master wants to try out whether you and I can take care of two married couples abroad. We can, but for the sake of propriety we'd really need a lady's maid as well. Though I suppose Fanny will take care of Dora for the time being.'

'I'm afraid poor Dora will feel very bad about that. She has done so well, never saying anything she shouldn't, but she gets shut out all the time.'

Nick really felt that, but he obviously hadn't meant either Anne or Frederick to hear. When Frederick turned towards Nick to address his observation the latter almost cringed.

'I'm sorry, Mr Manners, I know it's not my place to criticise.'

Seeing her beloved behave like a browbeaten servant hurt Anne almost as much as it did Frederick. He had never given Nick any reason to fear him, he had been nothing but kind and respectful towards the man he regarded as a kind of fiancée, like Anne did Simon. But she couldn't blame Nick either, he had grown immensely the last few days under the constant attention of such superior company, but he was still at the mercy of others, and one couldn't just lay aside years of servitude as if it were a garment no longer needed.

As gentle as he would approach a skittish horse, Frederick now addressed Nick, hiding his disappointment as only an English gentleman could hide his feelings.

'I know we're not being fair to Dora, Nick. If I promise to make it up to her will you believe me?'

'I'm sorry, Frederick, I suppose I'm a bit overwhelmed by all this, I don't know what came over me. I felt very small all of a sudden. You've always been kindness itself to me and I react as if you're about to box my ears.'

'Fair is fair, I do remember clouting the very breath out of you, Nick.'

Good, he had his sense of humour back, that was the way to handle poor Nick.

But Nick didn't find it funny, he hung his head and looked altogether irresistible. Anne practically threw herself at him, and as his strong arms closed around her she could feel his body strung like a wire, and not with heat.

'Let's go exploring, I've been here only rarely myself,' Simon said, ignoring the whole situation. Frederick looked as if he was going to protest, he wanted to talk about what happened, he wanted to be liked, not feared, but Nick just wasn't up to it any more today. He needed a little time to adjust, and Simon knew. Showing the three of them, including Nick, that he was not always bossy and in control, Frederick did accede to Simon's suggestion. Simon in front, Frederick right on his heels, and Anne holding hands with Nick, they started with the hall to their left, trusting to Simon to show them the way.