Pride and Prejudice FF

NOTE: I edited what Lady Rhy says about the size of her family in Ch. 11- if you wish to read that part you may.

Unbreakable Bonds

Previously:

Mr. Bennet was shown past the carriage house and up to a small, red-stone home with an office attached to it. He surmised it had to be the residency of Mr. Hartung; Mr. Bennet was correct.

Suspicions Told

Ch. 13

Mr. Hartung's office was a space of utility, not designed for the leisure of friends but for the practical matters of estate management. Upon entry alongside Miss Rhy, Mr. Bennet's attention was drawn to the groundkeeper, who sat behind a skillfully crafted, sturdy wooden desk at the room's heart. This new desk bore no marks of use, unlike its predecessor, which Mr. Bennet surmised must have been well-worn from years of service.

The desk was a landscape of activity, with various papers, an open estate map, and a ledger spread across its surface. Surrounding this central piece of furniture, the walls were lined with bookshelves laden with volumes on botany and other subjects, providing Mr. Hartung with the knowledge necessary to maintain the Rhy estate.

Thomas's gaze then shifted to the tall, narrow windows that bathed the room in natural light and offered a view of the lawns and hedges under the groundkeeper's care. A sturdy coat rack stood in one corner, accompanied by a designated spot for gardening boots. The room also housed a fireplace, which promised warmth in the winter months, complete with a plain iron grate and a nearby stack of logs.

"Mr. Hartung," Miss Rhy began, drawing the groundkeeper's attention away from his books. "My grandmother wishes you to speak with Mr. Bennet. Once your discussion concludes, he will return to my grandmother's home. We shall converse later."

With the door closed behind them, Mr. Hartung expressed his admiration for Miss Rhy. "She is indeed remarkable," he remarked. "Many underestimate her due to her reliance on a cane." His expressive eyes conveyed a depth of feeling.

"I differ from the majority," Mr. Bennet replied, acknowledging the information Mrs. Julia Rhye had confided in him about Mr. Hartung—a secret kept from her granddaughter. "I have no intention of causing her harm."

"That is reassuring," Mr. Hartung responded. "Otherwise, I might find myself compelled to take action for I promised her oldest son, Lord Rhy who lives on their estate in Kendal, and her daughter who lives there too I would keep an eye on their mother and Mahalia."

With mutual understanding established, Mr. Bennet addressed the purpose of his visit. "My presence here is not solely due to Miss Mahalia. Mrs. Rhy suspects something amiss at the main house and believes additional vigilance is necessary. She desires my discreet assistance, without disclosing my financial status."

"I can see her doing that, I am doing my best. However, I am but one man and have many duties."

"I understand. Now, what about those suspicions?"

"I cannot honestly tell you exactly what is going on. I know there is a gentleman by the name of Mr. Wayne Tyler; you cannot miss the man. He is a walking beanpole who likes to wear his hats just as tall. His eyes are beady and dark. Mr. Tyler never showed up here until Mr. Rhy married the new missus, and even then, only comes to the front door when the master is not home. He often brings a small group of friends with him, mixed group. He insists the men and women are couple; I question that. He also is adamant their schedules do not match Mr. Rhy's own and it cannot be helped. The woman by his own side is way too quiet. When she speaks it is only to Mrs. Rhy."

"Too quiet?"

"I have had a knack for… sensing… when things do not sit right. And that woman is too quiet. Mrs. Rhy...in my opinion...if people were to really pay attention...leans towards to being more of a friend to that young lady than all the others put together." Mr. Hartung continued. "And at the beginning of last year, my senses were alerting me when the relations between Mr. Rhy and his own mother became strained."

"That happens many times; it does not mean anything is going on that requires an extra set of eyes."

"I realize that, and if it were not for Mr. Tyler, I might tend to agree," Mr. Hartung leaned back in his chair, tapping his finger on the edge of the chair's arm. "Lady Rhy -as you know by now moved to the guest house of her own accord. I thought they were for obvious reasons." The man began to chuckle. "Praise be, Mrs. Rhy—intelligent as the woman can be on certain things—has not figured out the reason for that one. Though I suspect her husband did right off the bat."

"What makes you say that?" Thomas's mind had already figured out the woman had done it to allow her to watch the main house without raising eyebrows.

"He came up with valid 'reasons' for cutting down two trees that partially blocked the view of the main house's door."

"Mr. Rhy must suspect one of his servants is up to something if he did that."

"Personally, I think…" The groundskeeper lowered his voice. "It is those friends of his wife's, I used think it was Mrs. Rhy herself, but I am now in agreeance with Lady Rhy; it is not Mr. Rhy's wife. She has her problems, admires things in Mr. Rhy's own place a tad too much, or things brought into her home, but even she does not extend once they leave her property as Mr. Tyler's eyes do. I have seen him in other situations; his turn in ways hers do not."

"So it is Mr. Tyler's actions that makes you say that?"

"That, and the instincts which I chalk up to getting from my Welsh mother."

"There might be something to that," Thomas churned Mrs. Julia's request over in his mind. "I will sleep on it. If I decide to stay longer than I intended, is it safe to send letters from here?"

"If you are asking if Mrs. Rhy would read your letters, then the answer is no. She does have a that good quality. She may have a horrid habit of reading her own husband's mail—something he has continuously gotten after her for—but the woman has not touched anyone else's. I am positive it had to have been drilled into her head as a youth that you do not mess with anyone else's mail. Well, other than one's spouse- whoever was teaching her respect had to have slipped up on that point.

Mr. Bennet and Mr. Hartung talked a bit more over details, all concerning Mr. Hartung. Thomas then went to stand up just as a knock came at the door. It was Mahalia and she had come to show Mr. Bennet to another smaller building on the property.

The two did not retrace their steps towards her grandmother's place of residency but to an old building that was more of a workshop with an unused room in it. "This is the old groundskeeper home. My grandfather built it."

"And your grandmother wishes me to stay here, why?"

"Because you can see the main back entrance through this window." The lady nodded her head towards a window over one of the workbenches. "If anyone saw you sitting here they would assume you were simply helping Mr. Hartung on a project but wished to do it without interference."

"Why not bring someone in other than me?"

"Grandmother has kept silent about your late wife's request to other people. She has not mentioned how she deceived you. They only know we met in London, that you have now come to help her with her books and to court me. My father's mother is also worried about the current issues. Yet, she wants to give us time. She hopes we will fulfill your late wife's wishes and form strong bonds... an unbreakable bond." She paused to clear her throat. "I will leave now. You are not bound to agree to any of this. If my grandmother is right as to trouble any men have brought, we will find another solution. I promise to keep Mary out of trouble. If necessary, I will chaperone her as far as Meryton." With these words, Mahalia rushed out. She missed Mr. Bennet's intrigued expression. He admired her speed despite her cane. He noted her courage in offering him an escape from any promises made by him to his late wife. More pointedly, one that had been intertwined with the more obvious one of waiting for two years.