Chapter 6
Mrs. Smith asked the butler to let Jane know that she and her nephew were waiting for her in the study. The previous night, before retiring home, Andrew spoke to his aunt and told her that he had spoken with Jane and that she intended to help them.
For her part, Jane awoke early but stayed in her room reading the long letter that Elizabeth had sent her. Although she knew that her dear sister would try not to worry her, she understood that Elizabeth was well and that she enjoyed Miss Darcy's company. Maybe the girl was not proud like her brother and would not be prejudiced against Elizabeth and her family.
When one of the maids told her Mrs. Smith and Lord Norton were waiting for her in the study, Jane put away Elizabeth's letter and immediately went there. She was eager to speak with Andrew and reach an agreement with him.
When Jane entered the study and saw Mrs. Smith, she was a little surprised but assumed that his nephew had probably told her what they had discussed the night before. Besides, Jane thought it was good to have an intermediary to serve as a witness for the agreements that were reached.
"Come in, dear. Before you talk to my nephew, I want you to know that I am here to help you with everything you need and that I shall never forget your noble gesture and helping us solve this painful problem." Mrs. Smith hugged Jane, and she could only smile at her.
"Miss Bennet, please sit and let me explain my situation," Andrew told Jane all about his stepmother, a cold woman who had been cruel to him and his brother. "After my mother died, my father left us on the estate with that woman, and we saw very little of him. When my father died, my brother took over as head of the family, and we both worked alongside Uncle and Aunt Smith to make our estate prosperous again."
"My nephews worked hard despite everything they suffered because of that woman and their irresponsible father; they were always exemplary children," Mrs. Smith said proudly.
"My brother was fortunate to meet a good woman who sincerely loved him. They had two daughters, Clara, six, and Matilda, four. When my brother died, my stepmother assumed custody of them. I tried to recover my nieces, but it was not possible. The judge said a single man could not ensure the welfare of two little girls. Miss Bennet, I do not want Agnes to do to my little nieces what she did to me and my brother. I cannot allow that," Andrew said, his voice breaking with emotion.
"I understand, my Lord. In your place, I would not allow it either," Jane said compassionately.
Mrs. Smith and Andrew told her more about the girls, the family, and the beautiful family estate. Jane listened to them carefully and could not help but feel sorry for those poor girls. She had lost her father, but at least she still had her mother. Furthermore, she and her sisters were almost adults and could care for themselves and work.
"I imagine, Miss Bennet, that you understand why I need a wife and think you are the ideal candidate," Andrew said nervously.
"Yes, my Lord, I thought exactly that, and as I told you yesterday, I am willing to help you if you help me with my family." Jane took a deep breath and told Andrew everything she needed. "My mother and my younger sisters will live in a house my uncle plans to rent in the town where we grew up. But the money my father saved is not enough to pay their expenses, and that is why my sister and I had to look for employment."
"I comprehend, so do not worry. I have an income of close to six thousand pounds a year, soit will not be a problem for me to cover the expenses of your mother and sisters. If they want, they can spend as much time as they want with us in Somerset."
"But that is not all, my Lord. I want my sister Elizabeth to live with me until she marries, and if she does not want to get married, I want her to live with me forever."
"Of course," Andrew said. He was surprised because Jane had not asked for anything for herself; everything was for her family. "Also, I want you to know that I shall agree on a good marriage agreement with your uncle to protect you if something happens to me."
"It is very considerate of you, my Lord."
"There is one more thing I must inform you before you decide. Miss Bennet, I need an heir... I... I do not want you to think that I intend... Miss Bennet, I want you to understand that I shall give you time so you can know me better and get used to my presence. But eventually, I hope to start a family with you," Andrew explained awkwardly. He noticed how Jane blushed, making him feel like a scoundrel.
"Do not worry, my Lord. I understand you need children to maintain the family legacy. And I thank you for your consideration, but I know that if I marry you, I shall support you in everything and start a family with you."
"Thank you for understanding. For me, it is essential that we are both clear about what this marriage will mean and how it will change our lives. Finally, I request your absolute discretion. We shall get married in two more weeks, but we shall not be able to announce it in the press or have a big celebration. Agnes has many friends who keep her informed of my steps. If she knows that I plan to get married to take away control of the girls, she is capable of taking them far away where I can never find them."
"If my mother and sisters cannot be present at my wedding, I think I shall tell them the news after we are married," Jane replied sadly.
"Dear Jane, I know it is unfortunate that you cannot have your family by your side, but Madeline and your uncle will be able to accompany you," Mrs. Smith said to animate Jane.
"Once we are married, we shall immediately travel with my aunt to Parkland to retrieve my nieces. Afterward, we shall return to London and organize a big celebration for our families, and I shall personally arrange for your sister Elizabeth to come live with us."
"Thank you very much, my Lord."
"Well, that is all I had to tell you, Miss Bennet. Of course, you do not have to give me an answer immediately; I can wait until tomorrow for you to tell me your decision."
"It is not necessary, my Lord. I accept everything you have proposed and give you my word that I shall do everything I can to be a good aunt for your nieces and a good wife for you. My mother and sisters are the most important things to me, and I know you will help me so they never lack anything."
Andrew and Jane shook hands like two traders who had just closed a business deal.
"I am glad you could have clarified everything. Tomorrow, we shall start putting our plan into action. Now we should go to breakfast; we can continue talking while we eat," said Mrs. Smith.
Andrew was pleased with his decision. He had thought it would be more challenging to speak about all that with a lady he knew very little. But something about Miss Bennet inspired trust, and he felt that her future life would be much more satisfying than he had ever expected.
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"Finally, my dear Georgiana wrote to me. I have sent her about five letters in the last month, and he has not responded to any of them," Caroline said as she sat for breakfast with her family.
"Caroline, it is impossible for Georgiana to respond to all your letters, considering that you write to her daily. Besides, she is in Pemberley now, and the letters take a few days to get from here to there," said Mr. Bingley as he spread butter on a piece of bread.
"Charles, you should have told Mr. Darcy and Georgiana that we could travel with them and spend part of the winter at Pemberley," Caroline said.
"I am sorry, Caroline, but I prefer to spend the winter in London. There are many amusing activities here. We have already lost several months in Hertfordshire to spend more time in a dull place like Derbyshire," said Mr Hurst as he put some ham on his plate.
"Please, Arthur, you cannot compare Derbyshire with that place full of savages. Without a doubt, Pemberley must be the most beautiful estate in all of England," Caroline replied indignantly.
"Hurst is correct, Caroline. You do not like life in the country, and that is why you should stay here in the city. Besides, when Darcy is at Pemberley, he always has a lot of things to do, and we would be bothering him. Finally, let me remind you that a few weeks ago, you were telling me with great emphasis how entertaining London was during the winter season," Mr. Bingley said, laughing.
"Caroline, I forgot to tell you that Miss Spencer invited us to her house for tea tomorrow afternoon. She told me that her aunt, Lady Beatrice, had met the new Baron Norton and that he was a handsome young man," Louisa said to distract her sister and prevent her from continuing to argue with their brother and Mr. Hurst.
Caroline and Louisa immediately began speculating about who the new Lord Norton would marry, and Mr. Bingley and his brother-in-law planned what to do that afternoon. Mr. Bingley wanted to keep himself busy to avoid thinking about his angel. He was sure he had never fallen so much in love with a young lady before, and he estimated it would take him a long time to forget her.
When Louisa asked her husband a question, Caroline opened Georgiana's letter and read it without much interest. She wanted to know what Mr. Darcy was doing, and she was not interested in what the last piece of music Georgiana had learned or whether she had embroidered a handkerchief or a tablecloth. But when she read the last paragraph, she could not contain her surprise and indignation. "ELIZA BENNET?"
"What happened to Miss Elizabeth?" Mr. Bingley asked worriedly.
Caroline realized that she had spoken too loudly, and although she tried to divert her brother's attention, she could not. Therefore, she had no choice but to explain why she was so astonished.
"Will you explain why you mentioned Miss Elizabeth?" asked Mr. Bingley angrily.
Caroline looked at Louisa and resignedly answered her brother's question. "Charles, Eliza Bennet is working as our dear Georgiana's companion. You should write to Mr. Darcy and tell him he must hire someone more suitable. What can that woman teach a refined and elegant young lady like Georgiana?"
"Walking through muddy fields," Louisa said, laughing.
"Or how to be impertinent," Caroline added, also laughing.
Mr. Bingley was processing the information and could not understand why Miss Elizabeth was working with the Darcys in Pemberley, especially because his friend had not told him anything. Meanwhile, Louisa and Caroline tried to jest about the situation to prevent Charles from asking them more questions, but they were unsuccessful.
"Caroline, can you tell me why Miss Elizabeth is at Pemberley?"
"Charles, I already told you. She is working as Georgiana's companion."
"And why is she working?"
"Because even though she is a gentleman's daughter, she is poor, I suppose."
"If you do not give me a straight answer, I guess I shall travel to Hertfordshire tomorrow to find out what has happened."
"I do not have the details because Georgiana did not tell me much. But, from what I understood, Mr. Bennet passed away, and his daughters now have to work to eat."
"WHAT? Mr. Bingley exclaimed in horror. "How long have you known this information, and why did you not tell me."
"Charles, please, that is no way to talk to Caroline. It is obvious that she just discovered what happened," Louisa said to help Caroline, who did not know how to explain the situation.
"Yes, I just read about that poor girl's misfortune, and I am as stunned as you are," Caroline added.
"I am sorry, but I have something urgent to do," Mr. Bingley said and got up from the table.
Caroline and Louisa were quite anxious but did not know what to do, while Mr. Hurst ate without any further concern.
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After dinner and singing, Elizabeth went to her room to rest. A few minutes after being there, she heard someone knock lightly on the door, and she thought it was one of the maids who wanted to know if she needed anything. All the employees at Pemberley were amiable and had much respect and admiration for their Master and Miss Darcy. Elizabeth had noticed that Mr. Darcy treated his staff with great deference and seemed like a different person from the one she had met in Hertfordshire. She was more accustomed to her new life every day and knew that the money from her salary would help her mother and sisters greatly.
Elizabeth covered herself with a shawl, opened the door, and was surprised to see Georgiana. She invited her to enter, and they talked for several hours. From that conversation, Elizabeth was able to conclude that Georgiana and her brother were very lonely people and did not have many friends.
"Lizzy, I love your hair. It is a shame you cannot wear it down all the time; it is so pretty," Georgiana said as she braided her friend's hair.
"It is a blessing for me to be able to wear my hair tied up. Otherwise, I would have to spend hours brushing it, "said Elizabeth.
"Lizzy, this is the first time I can share and talk about so many things with someone I consider a friend. Thank you very much for agreeing to be my companion," Georgiana said and hugged Elizabeth.
"The pleasure is all mine. Imagine I was looking for employment, and instead, I found a friend," Elizabeth said. She felt content that Georgiana was so affectionate towards her. "I think I have already told you almost everything about myself, my mischievous sisters, and my mother. Now it's your turn to tell me more about yourself."
"My life is not as amusing as yours, Lizzy. As you know, my mother died when I was very little, and I have no memories of her. But my father was always very loving and affectionate with me. That is why it was heartbreaking for me when he died."
"I understand you perfectly. I was also very close to my father," Elizabeth said, taking Georgiana's hand.
"Well, and the other important person in my life is my brother. He has always been by my side despite the age difference." Georgiana thought and added, "Lizzy, I have always thought that my brother was very affected by our mother's death. Mrs. Reynolds says they were very close. My father also loved William very much but was always a little harsh with him. He always said William should be a strong, honorable man, prepared to make difficult decisions and do his duty. My father said that this is how his father raised him and that the Darcy heir must be an exceptional gentleman that his employees and tenants must admire..."
While Georgiana spoke about her brother, Elizabeth understood some things about Mr. Darcy's character and behavior. She wondered if perhaps she had been too harsh in her judgment and should try to understand him better. She always thought people were too hard on Kitty and Lydia because she always thought her parents were responsible for their behavior. Perhaps Mr. Darcy was a product of his father's harsh upbringing.
"I see you admire your brother very much, Georgiana."
"Yes, he is the best brother I could have. He loves me unconditionally and has always supported me in everything. Sometimes I think I do not deserve it because I do not always…" Georgiana was about to discuss her story with George Wickham but changed her mind. A young lady like Elizabeth would want to befriend someone who had behaved as she did.
"I am sure your brother loves you unconditionally, too," Elizabeth said encouragingly. She did not understand why Georgiana got so sad sometimes. "And is there anyone else in your family who is close to you?"
"Yes, my cousin Richard Fitzwilliam. He is one of my tutors and the funniest, kindest, and friendliest person in the world. I love him like a brother. Whenever he visits us, I am delighted, although I must say that he always jests and tells my brother that he should not be so serious. Although William pretends it bothers him, deep down, he laughs. Richard is William's best friend; they are like brothers. I think Richard has a very similar temperament to yours, Lizzy…"
Elizabeth had never heard of that cousin, and she took the opportunity to inquire about the man who had broken her sister's heart. "I always thought Mr. Bingley was your brother's best friend."
"My brother esteems Mr. Bingley, and I believe he feels a duty to protect and guide him. He always says that his friend is too innocent, so people take advantage of him."
"I understand," Elizabeth said. She had always suspected that Mr. Darcy had interfered in Jane's relationship with Mr. Bingley, but she supposed that was no longer important. "Are you very close friends with Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst?"
"No, but they are always very affectionate and kind to me."
Elizabeth preferred not to continue discussing the Bingley family because it did not bring back good memories. Besides, she did not have anything good to say about them. To avoid continuing to talk about personal topics, Elizabeth told Georgiana about her favorite places in London and her favorite desserts.
After almost three hours of talking, Georgiana returned to her room and slept through the night happily and peacefully. Talking to Elizabeth had filled her with joy and she was full of ideas and plans to do with her new friend.
P&P
Mr. Darcy finished reviewing some documents from his solicitor in London. A few years ago, he had begun to invest money in certain business ventures. His father had managed the family estate impeccably. Still, he never understood that working the land did not always produce enough, and it was necessary to modernize the production sources. All the money he had earned by investing in trade had allowed him to improve wool production and irrigation of the land. In addition, he had been able to repair the tenants' houses and provide help to his tenants. That way, many families wanted to work the Pemberley lands, and the estate did not have labor problems like other lands.
Mr. Darcy could not help thinking about dinner the night before. He saw his sister happy, eager to talk and laugh. Georgiana had always been a shy and solitary girl, but everything had gotten worse after the incident with that scoundrel. Without a doubt, Elizabeth's presence had been very beneficial to her.
Mr. Darcy could not deny that Elizabeth had also impacted his own life. The previous evening at dinner, they had talked about art, the nature that surrounded Pemberley, and the many beautiful places that Derbyshire had to offer. After dinner, Georgiana and Elizabeth sang and played the piano, closing a perfect evening. He was so happy and cheerful that it took him several hours to fall asleep thinking about things he knew he should not think about.
Once he finished writing the letter to Mr. Arnold, Mr. Darcy thought about reading a book. The day was too cold to go riding or walking. He sat in front of the fireplace, and although he tried to read, he could not. He knew Georgiana was in the yellow room beside the art gallery teaching Elizabeth how to draw. He knew he should stay in the study, but his desire to spend time with Elizabeth and Georgiana was stronger. Then, he left the book on the table and left the study.
"I thank you very much, Georgiana, for starting with something as easy as drawing an apple," Elizabeth said, laughing. "I suppose you do not trust my talent."
"Lizzy, the important thing is that you learn to observe. To draw well, you must capture details and shapes. Although this apple looks easy, it is not. If you look closely, you will notice that it has a different shape than this apple. That is what you have to grasp."
"I understand, dear. Now I know why drawing has always been so difficult for me. If you have not noticed yet, Georgiana, I find it difficult to sit still for very long, and looking at an apple for more than ten seconds seems almost impossible," Elizabeth said, laughing.
"Then you should try drawing landscapes, Miss Bennet. I imagine you have no problem looking out that window at the forest surrounding the lake," said Mr. Darcy, smiling.
Elizabeth and Georgiana were a little surprised when they saw Mr. Darcy enter the room smiling.
"William, will you help me teach Lizzy to draw?" Georgiana asked excitedly.
"I can if Miss Bennet has no objection," said Mr. Darcy, looking at Elizabeth.
"Of course, I have no objection, sir. Although I must clarify that drawing an apple does not seem complicated, but the forest seems impossible, especially in my first lesson. You had the opportunity to appreciate one of my best drawings, and I have the impression that you did not appreciate my talent."
Mr. Darcy could not help but laugh and said to Georgiana, "Miss Bennet refers to the drawing of the animals. Well, the first thing we should do is move these chairs and sit near the window to appreciate the landscape."
"Did you learn to draw in Cambridge, Mr. Darcy?" Elizabeth asked curiously.
"No, my mother taught me. The painting of Pemberley that is at the entrance to the gallery was painted by my mother."
"And the painting where William is with me in his arms was also painted by our mother," Georgiana added.
"I understand. Lady Anne was undoubtedly very talented," Elizabeth said a little awkwardly. She was not used to conversing in such a relaxed manner with Mr. Darcy, and for a reason she could not understand, she found him fascinating but dangerous at the same time.
Once the three of them sat in front of the window, Mr. Darcy began to explain to Elizabeth what she should focus on. Georgiana had passed her sketchbook to her brother, and Elizabeth had hers. "William, I shall go to my room to get some paper and return immediately."
Georgiana ran out of the room to look for drawing materials. It has been a long time since she spent time with his brother in such an amusing manner.
Mr. Darcy explained several things to Elizabeth, telling her what central points she should focus on and what lines she should draw.
"So first, I must make a horizontal line that divides the lake section and the garden, and then a circular one that represents the lake," Elizabeth said as she traced both lines.
"Precisely, although you have to be careful with the proportions. If you make the horizontal line too high, you will have a lot of space here and not enough there. It also depends on the perspective and what you want to give more emphasis to in your drawing."
"I understand. Yes, I draw the line here will have a lot of forest, but if I do it here, I shall have a big lake and some tiny trees," Elizabeth said, laughing.
"That is right," said Mr. Darcy. "Well, Miss Bennet, now it is time for you to draw what you have before you," said Mr. Darcy.
Elizabeth began to draw the lines, and Mr. Darcy started drawing in his sketchbook to avoid looking at Elizabeth. Once Elizabeth finished the lining, Mr. Darcy showed her how to add details. Elizabeth concentrated for five minutes observing the landscape and drawing, and when she concluded, she was pleasantly surprised by the result.
"What do you think, Mr. Darcy?" Elizabeth asked a little nervously.
"Very good, Miss Bennet. You are a good student. Besides, I knew you would be more interested in drawing a landscape than an apple."
"May I see your drawing, sir?" Elizabeth asked curiously. She noticed that while she was trying to make the best drawing possible, the gentleman was also drawing.
"Of course, it is not very good because I did it quickly," Mr. Darcy replied, showing Elizabeth the drawing.
"Mr. Darcy, how could you do that in five minutes?" Elizabeth asked, surprised. "Now I understand why my drawing seemed so ridiculous to you. Sir, you are an artist," Elizabeth added, laughing.
"Do not exaggerate my talents, Miss Bennet. My mother taught me well, that is all. She was an artist."
"Have you ever painted?" Elizabeth asked.
"When I was a boy, with my mother," replied Mr. Darcy.
"And why did you not continue painting or drawing?"
"I always draw; it is a great distraction when there is not much to do. But I have not painted since my mother died... My father thought it was a pursuit for women or men with little to do. Miss Bennet, I am the head of this family, and I cannot waste my time painting," said Mr. Darcy.
Elizabeth remembered what Georgiana had told her the day before and could not help but look at Mr. Darcy affectionately. She had always thought that he was a harsh and heartless man. However, at that moment, she saw an eleven-year-old boy who had lost his mother and was forbidden by his father to do the activity he enjoyed most because it was not worthy of the heir of Pemberley.
As Elizabeth looked at him, Mr. Darcy could not help but look into her eyes. At that moment, he would have liked to draw them. They were so beautiful and full of life that he could not help but appreciate them. When he was at Netherfield, he had tried to draw them but had been unable to capture the shape of her eyelashes and the outline of her eyebrows. He remembered that Miss Bingley had once jested about it, and he had told her that it would be very difficult to capture the beauty of Elizabeth's eyes in a painting.
Elizabeth noticed how Mr. Darcy was looking at her and could not help but blush. She had never realized how handsome he was; his face was very masculine, and his eyes were an intense blue and full of mystery.
"Lizzy, show me your drawing," Georgiana said as she entered the room.
Mr. Darcy stood, and Elizabeth took a deep breath to hide her nervousness. "Here it is is. It's not perfect, but it is my first lesson."
"Very well, but now we need to add trees and flowers…"
Georgiana could not stop talking, but Elizabeth could not focus on what she said. She was trying to understand what had just happened and why she was so nervous. Furthermore, she realized that Mr. Darcy had approached the window and was looking at the landscape, lost in his own thoughts.
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Many thanks to everyone who leaves supportive comments and follows the story with enthusiasm.
Once again, I want to remind you that notifications are not working, and please remember to check this site periodically. Once I have finished the story, I will take it down, and I don't want you to miss the ending.
In the next chapter, Jane will make an important change in her life and Mr. Darcy will receive a very interesting letter from his friend Bingley.
See you soon!
Saludos,
Yo
