Author's note

Despite having written quite faithfully during quarantaine, this is the last chapter I have ready to publish. Which means there will probably not be a new chapter next week. If there isn't, please don't worry, I'm fine, just trying to work out the rest of this story as I have it planned. I hope you are all able to stay at home and stay safe, with a good book to (re)read or a good series to (re)watch.

Love, Kirsten

Chapter 187

Fortunately, Ben had no idea of what was going on behind the scenes in this house, he was merely very happy to see Fowler among the staff gathered in the common room for a short break, and this enthusiasm was obviously mutual since Fowler immediately came to greet him.

'Ben! Your mother really performed a miracle on my arm, it feels as good as new!'

And now Hugo could clearly see why Mr Brewer thought Ben might aim for more than merely stepping in Caitlin's footsteps, he was just ten but he was not like other boys.

'I'm glad to hear you feel better, Mr Fowler, and I'm also relieved to see you still wearing a sling to properly rest it. I hope you won't get bored and decide you're well enough.'

Fortunately, Fowler wasn't offended, nor did he laugh at Ben for acting like a little adult. Though he replied with humour, it was as to an equal, not as if he was making fun at Ben's expense.

'No fear of that, young Ben. Your mum has told me a few hair-raising stories of what might happen, and if I were tempted anyway, my master and mistress are keeping a close eye on me. Mrs Manners especially can be very impressive when I disobey her.'

Hugo was sure that last remark was meant for him, and remembering the morning he spent with Fowler, guarding the church where Miss Darcy married Mr Fielding, he knew Fowler meant it humorously, hinting at Hugo's shameless bragging about his conquests in London when, according to Mr Manners, Fowler had already been snared by a beautiful heiress. Hugo still didn't know why he'd done that, somehow he had wanted Fowler's respect, but he didn't want to be his confidant now!

Of course, Ben didn't pick up on any of this, he merely expressed his relief at Fowler not planning to endanger the healing of his arm.

'And how is my Liquor coming on, have you seen Mr Hugo riding him?'

'Oh, yes, every day, it's incredible what Jean can do with a horse. I'll be glad if I can learn to ride some day, but Jean can make your big black horse do anything he wants, even walk backwards. He is teaching him to trot whilst not moving forward an inch right now, it looks so strange but the horse just does it for him. Our neighbour says he is the best horseman he ever saw, and he used to work in the stables here when he was a young man, before he got his farm. Will you come see Jean ride, if your mistress lets you? You can't guard her anyway, not with your arm. Say, did you know we have a dog? To guard mum? Since Jean cannot be with her all the time?'

Fowler really did love children, hearing Ben talk like a child for a change, firing away questions, his face went very soft and not because he noticed the dog lying at Hugo's feet. At least Hugo didn't think so.

'So you have! He's so calm and quiet, lying there! That is a very handsome dog, and I can believe your mum feels safe with him, I bet he can be fearsome as well. I'd love to come visit, Ben, I'd like to see Liquor again and how Mr Hugo rides him, but also your house, and your goats, and your village. I'll ask my mistress, she'll ask my master for his carriage, and then maybe your mum and Mr Hugo can choose a day when I can come.'

Then he looked at Hugo, who didn't know what else to say besides, 'I think you'll be pleased to see Liquor's progress, Fowler. I've really rediscovered my love for riding, everything I learned years ago is starting to come back to me. Even the best horse can take a fall, but by the time you are back in the saddle it will take more than a little mud to bring Liquor down.'

'Thank you, Hugo, all's well that ends well. I'm just glad your lady was there to save my arm. And I will take all the time I need to heal, my master and mistress have assured me my position is safe and they'll do everything that is needed to see me back to full strength. Though I do worry about my muscles, I can see them melt away daily.'

Much to his own surprise, Hugo heard himself saying, 'I wasn't a sergeant but I know how to drill. If you're prepared to put yourself at my mercy I'll have you back into fighting shape in no time. Safely, but we'll find and test your limits every day. I do warn you, though: I know my staff call me a taskmaster, but they ain't seen nothing yet, so to speak.'

Why did he behave as if he was still trying to impress Fowler, like he had when they'd first come to know each other? Was it really because Fowler was involved with a lady of true blue blood? Hugo had seen him at his most vulnerable, and he had treated Hugo like a true friend even when unable to pretend due to the opium.

And Hugo wasn't lying, he could do what he offered, he just didn't know why he had. Fowler believed him, of course, he so obviously hated to feel helpless, Hugo guessed he would go through quite a lot to regain his former strength as quickly as possible, which was what Hugo respected about him. He'd also be back on a horse as soon as Caitlin allowed him to, even if he might be afraid the first few times. Nothing had changed about his respect for Fowler's hardiness, and yet Hugo did feel different about him, which really bothered him for Fowler wasn't doing anything worse than Hugo had done himself in the past. Nor did Fowler act any differently, he was sitting here in the back with the other staff, he hadn't changed a bit.

Still, what could Hugo do about this feeling? It would probably fade after a few weeks, there was no way Hugo was going to be able to talk to Fowler about it or to anyone else. Sometimes, ignoring things did make them go away, and this time it had to suffice.

But that evening, when Hugo snuggled against Caitlin's warm shape under their blanket, she turned towards him, kissed him and asked outright, 'Do you mind my being so involved with the people in the front of the house? I can find patients in Witham, you know, if it makes you uncomfortable. It was why Mr Darcy offered me the cottage in the first place, to give his tenants a chance to see a healer, not for me to serve as the family doctor.'

Hugo couldn't help kissing her, she smelled so good in the dark, he was so happy to have someone who truly cared about him. And he admired her for caring about different kinds of people equally, not just the villagers but Mrs Darcy and her sister as well. The world might consider them too far above a mere village healer but they were with child for the first time and undoubtedly had all sorts of fears for their babies and themselves. They trusted Caitlin and they needed her, it was not up to Hugo to decide they had to do without her competence because he was afraid to find out even more secrets being kept by Mr Darcy's guests.

She answered his kisses with passion, and they spent a few moments relishing their love and their physical closeness. Then Hugo felt he had to say something, and it had to be the full truth.

'I think you can do both, when all's said and done Mrs Darcy is just a young woman having a baby, she needs you as much as the people of Witham. And no-one could have set Fowler's arm better than you did, imagine a doctor from town witnessing what we saw.

But that is what has been bothering me, my love. I was raised to be one of them, but circumstances forced me to lead a much harder life. Maybe I avoid them to not have to face my own loss. And there is Fowler, who was raised on the London streets, being treated like a respected guest. I feel as if I am about to lose someone I consider to be a friend, and part of me fears I'm jealous of the privileges he enjoys.'

'Mr Fowler still considers you his friend, remember, what we saw is not for anyone else to know, he will still be Mrs Manners' guard to the outside world. And he's not pretending, he takes that role very seriously. But he told me he feared you were angry with him, for keeping up his reputation about his philandering towards you when he had fallen for someone way above him before you two even met. Are you? Angry with him? He said you were friendly and polite, but different somehow.'

'He is a born guard to have noticed such a slight change in my attitude, he should have been an army officer with his instincts. I have indeed behaved differently towards him but I don't exactly know why. Maybe I am jealous of the company he keeps, people of education instead of stable boys, of the music that surrounds him, or the books he can access freely. Though not of his love, Caitlin, for he doesn't have you. And he can never be married to the woman he loves, and she has to deny him in public and pretend to love another.'

'I don't think you are jealous, Jean, I don't think you have it in you. You always knew your brother would come before you in everything, why else would you have devoted yourself to horses like you did? I think you resent Mr Fowler for laying his secret on you unasked for, for forcing you to be untruthful to your staff.'

Hugo instantly knew this was the real reason, and as he did he also realised there was no problem, no-one would ever suspect, as he hadn't for a single moment. He could be himself around Fowler, no need to prove himself tough or worthy of respect. And as long as they kept their conversation to horses and dogs and, possibly, children, all would be well.

Caitlin couldn't see his face in the dark, so he whispered in her ear, 'I think you are right, and I will try to let my doubt and my resentment go. It's difficult enough to sit still for six weeks, I would find that hard as well.'

'And you can talk to me whenever you need to, we can share everything now. I am very glad you were there with me, Jean, even though you saw something you didn't want to. You made me feel safe when I needed it and you helped me set his arm. I feel perfectly fine up there now and, like you, I will miss the music and the company once Mr Fowler is altogether cured. But we have each other, and Mrs Reynolds and Mrs Eliot are excellent company, and I guess Darren and his lady will prove to be as well.'

Yes, she was right. He knew things would change for her though hadn't realised how much, but he hadn't even considered that his own relationship to the people around him might change. Well, there was nothing to be done about it, they couldn't very well have let Fowler suffer, and it wasn't all that bad to have people know that Mr Jean Hugo had been of a different class in his motherland. He'd get used to it, and making new friends was always a good thing.

'I hoped I'd forget what I'd seen but of course that didn't happen. Next time I'm having problems with something I'll confide in you straight away, it's a real relief to have done so.'

'I was all alone for way too long as well, my love, we'll both get used to sharing feelings as well as a bed, our possessions and ideas soon enough.'

Then she straddled him and kissed him, and he relished the love he felt for her until she sat right on top of his eagerly awaiting member and lust took over.

After spending a whole week with Jean on their new farm it was difficult to see him ride out the next day to Pemberley, just past dawn on Mr Fowler's black horse, with Ben sitting in front of him to attend his daily lessons with Mr Brewer and his two boys. Ben would walk home later in the day, by himself for the first time, which didn't worry Caitlin at all since they had walked the route together some evenings ago and Ben never got lost. Jean would return early that evening, but in time for dinner with his new family.

Being by herself most of the day would be lonely at first, but Caitlin had her own work to do, starting with taking care of the animals, feeding the chickens and moving the goats' stakes to a new spot on the lush grass of their meadow. They were planning to make the fence goat proof but that was quite a task which both neighbours had promised to help with, right after Jean and Ben had helped Mr Christian clear out his little patch of trees between their cottages. A lot of the shoots Mr Christian had neglected to uproot due to age and ill health had grown into veritable small trees, and these they would use to weave a flexible hedge around the smallest field to restrain those pesky goats. Until then, they would have to make do with a long rope, but Caitlin suspected the lush grass made up for their lack of freedom. Personally, she was afraid to lose some of her own freedom living in a village: she felt she might come to resent having to do a woman's work in the house whilst the men were out doing some creative task in the sunshine, but she knew Jean would encourage her to help chop down those trees and clear out the brambles, then help her do the laundry and the dishes afterwards.

If demands for her services were to keep up from the big house, she really should hire someone to do those boring chores for her, like they bought their bread already baked, and Mrs Wright had arranged for fresh vegetables and milk to be delivered to their door.

But whatever happened, she would still be free to explore Mr Darcy's woods a lot of the time since she needed the herbs for her medicine. She would go out right after the morning work was done to gather some plants and roots she'd spotted last week, and with Rover now settled as their very own dog she did not feel the slightest fear to go all by herself. And when she'd harvested the herbs she needed, she would check on the goats and have a bite to eat, then go out again to an entirely new part of the forest to find a few plants she needed to treat several villagers' ailments which she hadn't come across so far.

As she made her way through the fresh spring forest, basket on her arm and Rover exploring ahead of her, Caitlin suddenly felt incredibly happy. Happy to have gained Jean's love, happy to have a safe home, happy to have Ben work on better prospects for the future than he'd ever had, and happy to be valued for her skills. But also, happy to be free to spend time here, among the trees, with birds singing all around her and a light breeze rustling the new leaves. How much easier it was to appreciate life's gifts when one knew they couldn't be taken away instantly. To have money coming in and being able to save some for later, for the winter that would inevitably come, but also further ahead, when she and Jean would grow old and could no longer work. Life seemed so easy for the ladies of the big house, who were assured of every comfort for as long as they should live, but Caitlin knew she wanted more from life than just be warm and well-fed. However much she had come to appreciate excellent conversation, good music and also the delicious pies and coffee Mr and Mrs Darcy served to their house guests, she felt a real need to make life better for others and not just live for herself. Maybe Jean had that, too. He could have lived an easy life on his uncle's, what did he call it, chateau? But he chose to serve his country, until the nobles in charge of the legions stopped serving their own people and started to support their countries' enemies to benefit themselves.

Maybe taking care of oneself and helping both the poor and the rich was the perfect way to live for Caitlin, for the moment at least she certainly felt the advantages.

As she crossed a mixed forest with very little undergrowth to reach a certain clearing where they had discovered several plants she needed, she realised the exposure and angle of the slope she was on would be ideal for truffles. It was too early in the year for truffles, but it never hurt to remember a place where they might be found, truffles were very valuable, and though she couldn't dig them up and just sell them for profit, this was Mr Darcy's land after all and she only had permission to use it for medicine that would benefit his tenants, she was certain Mr Darcy's cooks would be pleased to have truffles for their master's table. Especially if Prince George visited again, as Hugo had told her he'd done not two months ago.

'You should have seen his horse, Caitlin, he looked like molten gold. Not much in the way of brains or spirit, but beautiful paces nonetheless, and one wouldn't want the crown prince to risk his life riding a more spirited stallion.'

Well, if he decided to visit again at the end of summer, Caitlin might be able to secure a delicacy for him that his own cooks possibly couldn't get hold of even in London, due to war brewing with France. Mrs Darcy most likely wouldn't care about the luxurious delicacy, when Mrs Bingley had told Caitlin about her trouble keep her food down due to her pregnancy, Mrs Darcy had admitted to disliking rich food in the first place. Fortunately, neither lady was fond of wine, or Caitlin would have had to warn them against indulging too heavily. As it was, she had advised Mrs Bingley to eat bland food that was easily digestible, and with the added help of the tea Caitlin had mixed for her Mrs Darcy's sister would hopefully find her appetite improving quickly. Remembering her own pregnancy on the run, Caitlin would have been glad to have had proper food in the first place, instead of gathered roots and poached rabbits, hastily cooked over a tiny fire. How her life had changed, and how easy it was to get used to abundance now the tide had turned in her favour.

To Hugo, going back to work was not much different from what he was used to, except for the ride over with Ben on his saddle bow. Liquor was surprisingly reasonable about the extra weight, of course Fowler was a broad man and heavier than slight Hugo, and the rather fractious horse had reacted so well to a more experienced and able rider that Hugo had judged him safe to ride double with Ben. Tuesday they would drive the cart to Mr Garrick's, where they would probably buy those two little ponies and bring them to their cottage in Witham, imagine what the neighbours would say when they heard of two extra horses coming to live with them, though these were just ponies at first glance, not elegant gentleman's horses like Liquor.

Ben sat the horse as if it wasn't his third or fourth time riding, he'd walked Liquor to cool him a few times, but only after Hugo had worked the black horse hard enough to drain off some of his seemingly endless potential to do mischief. Not that he'd try to fool Hugo, Liquor knew his rider and adapted his behaviour accordingly. But Ben didn't know that, he trusted his new father to keep him safe, and Hugo trusted his own knowledge of horses.

All too soon they could see Pemberley approaching. With a long stretch of road ahead of them, Hugo asked Ben, 'Do you want to try a canter until we reach the bridge?'

'Can you hold onto me? If Liquor won't abuse your having only one hand on the rein?'

'I can hold both reins and you as well. Just yell if you're afraid.'

Ben was much braver than he looked, and he had a very adult sense of humour, though spending time with boys his own age had helped him learn how to behave like one as well. Hugo hoped he would get the opportunity to play with the Brewer boys the coming summer, growing up on an estate the size of Pemberley had to be magnificent, so much forest and a real river to play in.

Off they went, not very fast but faster than Ben had ever gone on the back of a horse. And this was not a tractable cob, this was a hot-blooded gentleman's horse capable of developing quite a lot of speed in a short time. Ben's hands clutched Hugo's arm but he did not call out in fear and his seat was steady enough, so Hugo saw no reason to slow down until Liquor's hoofs clattered on the bridge. A subtle change in his seat slowed the black horse to a trot and then to an energetic stride, he wasn't tired at all, once the feeding was done and everyone was at their appointed task, Hugo would saddle him again and set him to work. Starting Tuesday, Liquor would most likely have to share stable space and Hugo's attention with two small ponies, better make good use of their time together now.

Ben's lessons didn't start until after the Pemberley staff's breakfast, but he didn't mind helping with the feeding and the sweeping afterwards. And when the entire stable staff flocked towards the common room for a well-deserved morning meal, Ben already seemed part of the group of men and boys chatting whilst strolling along.

'How is your dog, Ben?' Peter asked.

Despite having spent his first ten years mostly alone with his mother, Ben wasn't shy at all towards other people.

'Very well, Mr Norman, we have all spent a lot of time with him and he knows he is our dog now. He follows us everywhere without a leash. Mum is glad to have him, she is gathering herbs today and Rover can keep an eye on her and explore the forest around them at the same time.'

'I'm just Peter, Ben, no need for formality among friends.'

'You call Jean Mr Hugo. That's formal, isn't it?'

'True, but Mr Hugo is the stable master, he is due a little more respect than the rest of us.'

'He said I could call him Jean everywhere. But he is my father now, so I suppose that is different.'

'It certainly is, Ben. I'm glad you all like Rover and he likes you, he is a beautiful dog and very bright. A good dog is an even better friend than a good horse.'

Ben nodded, then happened to look in the direction of the main road that led to the front door.

'There is someone coming from the front, a tall gentleman.'

And indeed, a tall gentleman was approaching beyond the new rose garden, where one of Mrs Brewer's iron-and-glass statues had a place of honour among old Mrs Darcy's beloved roses. It was Mr Darcy himself, which was rather extraordinary at this early hour, and he waved at the group of stable hands to intercept them. They all waited until he had spoken.

'Good morning all, I have excellent news, the new carriage is coming today, they finished it early. Hugo, can you help me find a good place to hide it? I am hoping to have it out of sight before Elizabeth finishes her breakfast, they will be here in less than half an hour.'

And he dismissed all the others to their breakfast, leaving Hugo behind, and Ben in doubt as to what to do, follow the rest or stay with his new father.

'Ah, you must be Ben,' Mr Darcy addressed him, 'why don't you come with us, if you're not too hungry? I want you to see the new phaeton as well, since you will be saddled with the ponies for a whole week. If I am to steal Mr Hugo's attention away from you and your mother, at least you'll be in on the secret. Let us go to the barn.'

As the three of them turned to walk back to the large barn where the carriages were kept, Mr Darcy held out his hand to Ben.

'I'm Mr Darcy, but I suppose you'd already guessed that.'

Now Ben was a little impressed, but it didn't make him speechless or less polite.

'I'm Ben Brennan, sir. Thank you for letting us have such a beautiful house, it's so warm and snug and the neighbours are very kind.'

'I'm glad to hear that, Ben. I've been hearing good things of you, Mr Brewer says you are very smart and almost a healer yourself already. He thinks you have an excellent future ahead of you. And my sister, Mrs Fielding, tells me you have an excellent taste in music as well...'

Though Mr Darcy said this with humour, not reproach, Hugo couldn't think of any other way in which Ben could have come to Mrs Fielding's attention than by being somewhere in the house he wasn't supposed to be. And to strengthen this suspicion, Ben coloured bright red and stammered, 'I'm sorry, Mr Darcy, I didn't mean to snoop around. But the music was just so beautiful, I couldn't help listening at the door.'

Oh, dear Ben, he was a young boy with no idea of his place in the world. Mr Brewer's kind attention to his education would remedy that, but he hadn't been out in the real world for more than a week!

But before Hugo could excuse his boy to Mr Darcy, the latter laughed kindly and said, 'No need to feel bad about it, Ben, Mr Fielding's music does that to people. My sister said he was playing a new composition and how she was afraid it would bring back Prince George all the way from London with its beauty. She said she wasn't surprised at all that it lured you to his door from the upstairs hall, and how you hardly noticed her, you were so caught up in the music.'

Now he looked at Hugo to keep him from rebuking the boy and continued.

'She didn't tell on you to complain, she just wanted to know a little more about you since you had such a nice little chat together. But it turned out she'd learned more about you than I knew. She said to tell you you are welcome to come in to listen when you hear them playing in that private room. It's where Mr Fielding sometimes does his composing, when he doesn't want his friends to hear what he is doing until it is finished.'

He'd had a little chat with Mrs Fielding as well? What had that boy been up to? He'd better seek out his employer later to hear whether he needed to rein Ben in a little tighter. One just didn't disturb Mr Darcy or his relatives and friends, and the front of the house was no place for Mr Darcy's tenants. There was not a hair on his head that even considered asking in front of Ben, the boy had been through a lot in his life and Hugo didn't want him to feel hurt, Ben trusted Hugo implicitly and he was not going to betray that trust. If he had to be rebuked, Hugo would do that somewhere private, and with Caitlin present, or possibly let Caitlin handle it altogether: it wasn't as if he was Ben's real father, Caitlin had raised Ben just fine without him.

For now, they had reached the barn, and though Hugo hadn't expected the phaeton to be delivered for at least a week from today, he had already formed an idea where Mrs Darcy wouldn't accidentally lay eyes on it.

He took Mr Darcy and Ben to a dark corner behind the former's old carriage, a large, stately contraption with plenty of gold leaf and ivory inlays. In hindsight, it had been a tad heavy for the thoroughbreds to pull, and Hugo was glad Mrs Darcy's taste in carriages tended towards smaller and less ornate. She would probably love a phaeton, though the gig with which Hugo was going to school the ponies for at least another week was even smaller and cosier.

'If we move the phaeton behind this carriage and cover it with a large canvas, we won't even notice it ourselves, sir,' Hugo said. 'Though I may have to recall the men to move the carriage, it's too heavy for one man.'

'I expect the carriage maker to have a helper with him to return the horses. We'll get them to give us a hand moving that beast. Thank you, Hugo, I hope they'll leave you and Ben some breakfast. This might take awhile.'

Hugo had to leave Ben with Mr Darcy to fetch a large canvas, but Ben had accepted Mr Darcy's kind words at face value, he no longer felt guilty about his transgression in his landlord's mansion. He probably had no idea what he had done, he was after all still a very young lad.

When Hugo returned, the new phaeton had just arrived, and Mr Darcy seemed as excited as Hugo had ever seen him. And rightfully so, since it was a magnificent piece of work and Mrs Darcy would love it.

Hugo felt free to inspect it, since Mr Darcy was doing the same with Ben by his side.

'I had it made the smallest that was possible, since Mrs Darcy wants to explore all the narrow roads and paths of Pemberley, and some of the bridges won't allow a larger vehicle to pass.'

It was indeed small and very elegant, with smaller front wheels and larger hind wheels, and the body of the carriage suspended between them on an elegant metal frame. There was just one seat, large enough for two people to sit side by side comfortably, or three squeezed together. The seat had a hood that could be folded down if the weather was fine. The precious wood showed its natural grain, varnished to a high sheen, and the metal was ornamented in Mrs Brewer's typical style, with life-like leaf shapes that seemed to be growing all over the main construction of the carriage. The coach maker had outdone himself, and Hugo would be very surprised if he didn't order some of the metalwork done by Mrs Brewer in the future, it was so original and so ornamental whilst still functional.

Of course Hugo wouldn't be worth his salt as stable master if he didn't also carefully check the construction and the harness for faults, and Mr Darcy watched him do this with outward patience.

'How do you like it, young Ben?' he asked the boy, who was watching his father examine every single joint, seam and buckle.

'It is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, sir,' Ben replied with enthusiasm. 'I've never seen metal quite like that, in Ripley people only had useful carts, and your large carriage has metal bits but they're much thicker and not so pretty. It's like the faeries made this, not men with hammers and iron.'

'It's Mr Brewer's wife who made that faerie metal, as you call it. She is not large and she does have some otherworldly quality or her metalwork wouldn't look like plants and flowers. But I do believe she uses a large hammer and a red-hot forge, just like a normal smith.'

'Begging your pardon, sir,' the coach maker said proudly, 'but Mrs Brewer indeed must be the strongest woman I have ever known. You couldn't tell it by seeing her since she's so small and slim, but she can handle a forge and a hammer like the best man. There is nought of magic in this carriage, but a lot of hard work and craftsmanship.'

Mr Darcy did not take the coach maker's comments amiss.

'I, too, think it is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, Mr Porter. It is a stunning piece of work, and though I know hard work made it, I agree with young Ben that it looks like it was made by some other being than mere mortals. Thank you very much for doing your best for me, as always.'

'Well, Mr Darcy, sir, I have to admit I didn't fancy a woman putting her oar in my work, but you were right, she made the iron do what was in her mind, and it turned out right special. I wish she could see Mrs Darcy's face when you first show her the carriage, she'd be mighty pleased I think. Maybe Mr Hugo can lead the horses to where you want to store it until the reveal?'

That would indeed be best, let the horses back it into place. But first, they'd need to push the large carriage aside a few feet to make some room.

When the beautiful little phaeton had been carefully hidden behind the large carriage, the coach maker and his man left with their ponies. Hugo expected Mr Darcy to return to his own breakfast as quickly as possible, but instead he turned back with them towards the back entrance.

'Manners offered his team to pull the cart, they're a little more seasoned than Bingley's new team, and at least as strong in just a pair. I thought we'd take Bob as our driver, and maybe you'd like to bring Bruce to help you mind the ponies? We'll need Peter to take your place with so many visiting staff and everyone wanting to ride out together.'

He seemed a bit lost in thought, then looked straight at Hugo and offered, 'Or maybe you'd like to bring Ben? To mind one of the ponies? If you're not afraid of horses, Ben?'

Ben's eyes lighted up, and he straightened his little shoulders.

'I'd love to, Mr Darcy, we moved our goats that way and I handled all three of them to let mum sit beside Jean for the trip. I knew she loved him, and she was very upset about having to move.

I'm not afraid of horses, sir, Jean lets me walk Liquor dry sometimes after he has worked him hard. And we came here together, though I was glad to be held while we cantered down that hill.'

And he pointed at the long slope on the other side of the river.

'When I was your age I already had my first pony, but he was nothing like Liquor, he was a placid old thing. When I could ride well my father got me a small hunter, I think I must have fallen off ten times the first week I had him. But I didn't care, I didn't see the danger. I suppose you do, with your mum a healer.'

Ben nodded, and said wisely but not untruthfully, 'I've seen some bad things when I still had to come with my mum to house calls because I was too small to stay by myself, but as you say, I didn't see the sadness or danger in people being sick, it was normal to me. Though Mr Fowler breaking his arm so badly did make me sad, he was so kind to me. And I was afraid of riding a horse the first time.'

'You're very wise for your age, Ben, I can see why Mr Brewer loves to teach you. If you want to become a doctor let me know, I'll help you get ahead. So you want to go with Mr Hugo and me to fetch the ponies for that phaeton we just saw?'

'I'd love to, Mr Darcy, and I do think I'd like to be a doctor, not a farmer or a stable hand. I like animals but I want to help people, like my mum.'

'Good, I'm always keen to help young people better themselves, though I suppose you'll have plenty to learn right here for now. Don't be surprised if you meet Mrs Fielding again, soon, in the hall. She did urge me to tell you to feel free to drop in on her and Mr Fielding if you hear them playing in that particular room.'

Ben nodded eagerly and his eyes lit up at the expectation of hearing more of the beautiful piano music. Becoming a doctor was probably too distant an ambition for a ten year old to properly value Mr Darcy's promise of assistance, but Hugo knew how many more doors would open to his employer, making his offer one of immense importance, and thanked him heartily.

When they reached the door to the common room, Mr Darcy did take the quickest route to the front of the house, but not before taking leave of Ben very kindly.

'I'll see you Tuesday then, Ben, and I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of the new ponies.'

As soon as Mr Darcy had disappeared behind the door to the front, Ben looked at Hugo and said, 'I'm sorry I got into trouble, Jean, I really didn't mean to. The music was just so beautiful, I'd never heard anything like it. I should have told you. I promise I will never do it again, even though Mrs Fielding didn't mind.'

Again Ben proved he was more like a little adult than a boy, and Hugo felt bad to have even considered berating him over it: boys did naughty things, and Ben really had the right to be a boy instead of a small man. He had carried more responsibility than a boy should, and Caitlin knew it but couldn't help it, but now things would change and Hugo would be the one to share the responsibilities with her. Ben would get his chance, yet, to be young and foolish, even if he only used it once or twice.

'Never mind, Ben, Mr Darcy really didn't seem to be bothered at all, and Mrs Fielding is still a girl herself, she'll understand. And even if they had minded, you're a child, you're allowed to make mistakes now and then. I won't forbid you to listen to their music when they have invited you to do so, just take care you aren't found roaming the halls of Pemberley for any other reason.'

'I promise, Jean. I'm glad you aren't angry with me, I'll behave beautifully, you'll see.'

He didn't even fear angering Mr Darcy, his every thought was with Hugo, his adored new father. Hugo silently vowed to trust Ben and take care of any problems he inadvertently caused without bothering him about it: he wanted the boy to become more free and behave like a child his age, not repress his spirits for fear of doing wrong.

A spontaneous bear hug did Ben a lot of good, his eyes sparkled and he smiled from ear to ear, and together they entered the common room to see what the others had left of breakfast. Ben needed good food to be able to grow and learn diligently, and Hugo didn't mind a cup of the cook's excellent coffee one bit after his early start.