Mrs. Bennet arrives at Pemberley. And meets Mr. Darcy...

Chapter 24: Pemberley Arrivals

Derbyshire, Pemberley, Sunday evening.

"Mr. Darcy, Mr. Darcy..."

Young Hawkins was on his horse shouting from the alley outside the master's study.

Fitzwilliam who had sent the young lad with a few others who where as good riders as him on the road to Derby was immediately at the window.

"Yes?"

"A group of riders. Coming from South. We've seen three of them but there are more. We saw a dist cloud coming from Netwick Alley. Could be a carriage and horses or a large group of cavalrymen."

Fitzwilliam looked back into the study and nodded towards Charles Bingley and Edward Gardiner.

"Could be them... We ride immediately. Please arm yourself and meet me at the stables."

Both men stood up immediately and hurried toward the hall.

Fitzwilliam went back at Hawkins.

"Hawkins, go to the stables and give orders to prepare enough horses for me, Mr. Gardiner, Mr. Bingley and ten foresters and then go to the forest house and summon everybody. I want every able bodied huntsman on a horse in less then ten minutes! Go!"

Ten seconds later, Hawkins was disappearing behind a cloud of dust.

Mr. Gardiner looked with a lot of misgivings to the double barreled rifle young Fitzwilliam has given him. He was not much of a hunter and even less of a soldier. But there was no choice there. He was now one of the men of the family and it was his duty to be ready to fight to defend the estate where he and his family had found refuge.

His wife gave him a last kiss.

"It's the children, I feel it..." said she. "You won't have to fight. You'll have to survive their assault but nothing more..."

He shook his head and hugged her a last time.

"I pray you're right, dear. I would hate to have to learn to kill in my old years."

"We do what we have to do, dear," answered she. "I cannot guarantee that you will escape fighting during this war, but I'm sure, it won't be today..."

Charles Bingley was quite happy that Jane would not be on the carriage. He really did not know if he would have found the courage to face her immediately. Knowing her safe at a few hundred miles in the south was quite a relief. He knew he was a coward but he couldn't help it.

He could not just walk towards her and greet her. He knew he couldn't. He would be more ridiculous than ever before in his life. He would stammer and tremble and perspire and...

No. It would be much safer to write first. To ask for forgiveness and to humbly appeal to her understanding.

Meanwhile he would have found the strength within himself to face the awful blunder this episode was for him.

But without te perspective of seeing Jane he was quite determined to do his duty and defend Pemberley. He was a master shot and his rifle was his own and one of the finest workmanship of England. He could behead a thrush at hundred paces with it and he would, without a doubt, use it if there was need to.

They had all their horses and finally Fitzwilliam Darcy came trotting with his two head foresters towards the stables.

"Sorry for the delay, but we had to decide which way the second group would use. We, of the first group will await the riders at Munchford Crossing. While Jessup and the foresters of group two will

come from behind. With any luck it won't be necessary to fight but if it comes to that, I want a element of surprise and the best cover possible."

He made a last sign to Jessup and climbed up his horse.

"Gentlemen, let's go!"

"You're Darcy," said the black haired man with the four pistols, two rifles and sword...

"That I am," agreed Darcy. "And who are you?"

"Kennedy, Joss Kennedy. I'm the escort hired by Mr. Bennet to accompany his wife, daughter and family to Pemberley, Derbyshire. Now that we have the journey behind us, I'm paid to deliver them to named Fitzwilliam Darcy..."
The man spoke a typical Irish brogue. But his speech was intermingled with typical army slang.

Fitzwilliam could not help bu ask.

"You were soldiers?"

"All out of the 95th rifle. We served together in Holland under dear Prince Freddy. After being dismissed we took more profitable jobs. Escort duty is the last of them. Never did it before but then it was really never necessary in the past. That changed quite heavily with the French invasion and so..."

"Irish?"

"All and one, sir. After Holland and what we are not allowed to call a rout we decided that soldiering for the British Crown no longer interested us. We looked for other jobs and we found quite a great deal of business in want of experienced fighters... As a matter of fact we still work for Englishman but now we are paid quite decently..."

"Have you been paid?"

"Yes, in advance. No charge for the addressee..." His smile blossomed. "But, of course, if you are satisfied with the job done, we won't complain if there's a bonus falling in our directions."

He looked at Darcy.

"We wouldn't have accepted without forward payment. It's too risky a job and since Mr. Bennet was going south to get his other daughters, there was a risk we would never see him again. And, as said, with the froggies marauding in the country, we would have found jobs aplenty. He accepted and, as you see, we did our job with speediness and efficiency..."

Mr. Gardiner came nearer.

"Where are they? I would like to see my sister..."

Kennedy showed them the road he and his three comrades had just followed.

"Three hundred yards south. Near a little creek where the rest of my group has established a little camp. Not very much fortification but enough to repel a group of highwaymen... The place is ideal for such a stand..."

Fitzwilliam could only nod. If they had to assault it they would have to pay for it.

"As for seeing the ladies and the kids, no problem. But no more than three persons and you'd better be recognized by the ladies or there won't be a delivery..."

Mr. Gardiner looked at Fitzwilliam and Charles Bingley who nodded their approval.

"My men stay here with your hunters," said Kennedy. "I'm going with you. Better that my buddies seen that we have found an understanding. It will be more peaceful..."

Three minutes later, a horde of overjoyed children was trying to smother their father under their weight. Weight said father seemed not to notice overwhelmed as he was with happiness and pleasure.

Mr. Bennet had been awaiting this moment with dread and could not help but ask immediately.

"Mr. Darcy," said she curtsying her most gracious curtsey, "forgive my harshness but could we know if Elizabeth has..."

She hesitated and bit her lips.

Fitzwilliam bowed and smiled at her.

"I do believe that within a week I will be very happy to call you mother, Mrs. Bennet."

So happy and proud was she that she took the news with serenity and nothing more than a joyous 'Indeed!'.

"Thank you that you took the burden to come out and greet us in the middle of the country..."

"We could do no more," said Darcy. "Mr. Gardiner was so impatient to see if the carriage we were awaiting had finally arrived that we could do nothing but come with him."

Fitzwilliam gave her his most charming smile.

"And if it was the right carriage, there was also my mother to greet. I wouldn't have missed such a pleasure..."

"Pleasure we share," said Mrs. Bennet.

Fitzwilliam smiled gracefully and he was quite surprised with himself that he really felt pleasure to be with Mrs. Bennet. She was not the ideal stepmother he would have chosen but she was what he got and even if she had a few flaws, not being able to love her children was not one of them. And he had seen too much great ladies forgetting their offspring the second they had overcome the aftereffects of birthing that he could only be glad for it.

She was too enthusiastic a husband seeker? So what? She had no other choice and having the entail hanging over her head like a never ending threat had done nothing to give her a mean to distance herself from said threat.

So what would it bring to complain and cry that she was entering his family?

He wanted her daughter more than anything in the world and if she was included in the package he would do with the whole and never belittle his wife's mother.

Since he had lost his own, he would welcome her as a substitute.

And, since he had no choice in the matter, he would not rejoice in her flaws but happily take what she brought with her!

"How was the journey?"

"Tiring but very fast," answered Mrs. Bennet. "We cannot complain, with the escort everything went without a glitch. With two nights in hostels and one night, the last one, in a barn, it will not be my best memory of a trip, but it will be far from the worst. Never have we been in any danger." She smiled towards Kennedy. "Mr. Kennedy and his men have been perfect as guides, as guards and as company. That was quite a fine idea of my husband..."

Her smile disappeared and a worried look came to her.

"I must confess that a few other ones were not quite so extraordinary. As you see, I'm here only with my daughter Catherine. My other daughter are lost somewhere between London and Brighton and I'm quite anxious to get some news..."

"I think we can help you there," said Fitzwilliam. "Your husband seems to have got news about them. They have been last spotted in Kent, in Hunsford. Lydia included... Your husband should be, at this time with them..."

At everybody's amazement, the news were taken with joy and relief but with neither hysterics nor public display.

"I'm so glad they are safe," said she. "I was worried to death not to be able to do anything to help them..." She looked at her brother. "But I couldn't send your children only with Kittie. She would have been diligent and efficient, for sure, but four children for only the one of her would have been too much. It was my duty to bring them safely to you and sister Gardiner. And Edward was going after the girls. He would do his best. I knew it..."

At this moment, she saw Charles Bingley and her face was immediately covered with a welcoming smile.

"Mr. Bingley? You're are in Pemberley with Mr. Darcy? I'm so sorry that Jane is not with us. She would have been overjoyed to have the possibility to speak with you again. I do believe she never quite was able to overcome the feelings she had for you..."

The smiel disappeared and a worried pout took place of it.

"Having no news from you she was quite unable to guess if you were unconcerned or just too busy to call. We would have been better if we would have known what you really had decided. So, with just your disappearance, we had quite a few difficulties to decide what to do. I, for my part, did believe that you were no longer interested in her. She, on the other side was very reluctant to agree with me. For a long time, she hoped for your return... When she went out with Mary to gather her sister, she still did..."

Charles could only nod.

He didn't know what to say. He had made a failure and he could see no way to correct his past behavior. He was perhaps not entirely responsible but at the end it was Charles Bingley who stopped calling on Jane Bennet, nobody else.

He had had no irons at the feet and he was not locked up in a cell.

At some level he agreed with what was happening. He agreed with what he was doing to Jane...

"I hope, I'll have a chance to speak to her," said he finally. "I owe more than an explanation, I owe her apologies and I'll give them as soon as I can. I'm very sorry if my behavior has been a source of unhappiness for her..."

"It has," said Mrs. Bennet. "But I'm sure Jane will never hold a grudge against you because of what you did. She's not that kind of woman. She's all openness and forgiveness, you'll see. Let her just be in your presence again! I'm sure it's all you need..."

Fitzwilliam has listened to the exchange with increasing uneasiness. Here was a situation where he was directly responsible. He could not let it drift away without intervening.

"Mrs. Bennet? Could I have a few minutes of your attention?"

Mrs. Bennet looked at him with surprise in her eyes.

A little worry too...

"Nothing to do with Elizabeth and me," said he immediately. "We are quite sure we want to marry and nothing could, if you agree, prevent us from becoming husband and wife. No, what I have to confess has nothing to do with our future wedding. But it is important nevertheless..."

She nodded her agreement and he invited her to walk a few yards away from where Mr. Gardiner was listening te the excited story his children were telling him.

"I just heard what you said to Charles had I must say that he is not the principal culprit in this affair. I fear I must admit my whole responsibility, Mrs. Bennet. It is only my fault if Charles vanished out of your daughter's life..."

She looked at him and nodded.

"Because of me, I suppose... You didn't want him to be encumbered by an old hag like me..."

Fitzwilliam was quite surprised by these words. And in a horribly awkward situation... How could he agree without being the most boorish of all boors?

"I..." stammered he. "I..."

"Don't deny it, Mr. Darcy. I'm well aware of my faults. I know that in certain circumstances, I tend to be a little immoderate in my behavior. And stress does not fit well with me. I can understand that you had scruples to let your friend becoming the stepson of one like me..."

Fitzwilliam could do nothing else but say the truth...
"I fear, even if it is true, that my fault is much more unforgivable, Mrs. Bennet. I pushed Charles to break with Jane out of spite. I was already loving your daughter and I couldn't accept the fact that, if he married Jane, I would have to encounter Elizabeth at each and every of my visits. And I would have visited them often. If only to see Elizabeth..."

He looked at his feet.

"The truth is that I couldn't accept you in my family, Mrs. Bennet. And in order to rule out even the slightest possibility to ever be in a position where my love for Elizabeth would have won over my prejudice against you and your family, I did what I could to part Charles and Jane. Charles believed in me and I misused his trust in such an awful manner that I can no longer hope he being my friend..."

He stopped and looked Mrs. Bennet directly into the eyes.

"I must beg you for forgiveness, Mrs. Bennet. I accused you of being unworthy of my family, and, in hindsight, it seems that it's me who is unworthy of yours..."

A smile came on her lips.

"Than please be sure that I forgive you! And thanks for your frankness. All the time we have known each other, you have always been so perfect and so unreachable that I was rather coy and unsure of how you could accept me. I was quite afraid to be seen at your side..."

Her smile blossomed and her eyes sparkled.

"I'm glad you are not perfect Mr. Darcy! It would have been difficult for me to adapt to perfection. Since it appears that neither of us has reached such heights, we will be able, I'm sure, to find ways to meet at mid way..."

He answered with a smile of his own.

"I'm quite sure of it, Mrs. Bennet. And I thank you..."

"No thanks needed, Mr. Darcy. You'll soon be my son and you must know that I'm a very easy mother. I don't remember something I haven't forgiven to a loved one..."

Next chapter: Pemberley dinner