Chapter 7

"Are you sure, my dear, that this is what you want? If you have any doubts, we shall support you in everything," Mr. Gardiner said to his niece before entering the church.

"Do not worry, Uncle; I know this is the best for me, my sisters, and my mother," Jane replied. Then she kissed her uncle's cheek to reassure him and let him understand she was happy with her decision.

Andrew was inside the church, a little nervous, waiting for Jane. Mrs. Smith had asked a clergyman friend to officiate the wedding in a small church in the middle of a business district early on a Saturday morning. There were only the priest, Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Gardiner in the church. After the ceremony, Mrs. Gardiner prepared a wedding breakfast for everyone in attendance.

Mrs. Gardiner and Mrs. Smith felt sorry to be in an empty church. They deserved a beautifully decorated church wedding surrounded by family and friends. However, the circumstances and urgency of the wedding prevented them from organizing anything better. Andrew wanted discretion, so no one would know about his plans and notify Agnes.

When Jane entered the church with her uncle, Andrew finally felt relieved. The night before, he could not sleep well, thinking she might change her mind. Furthermore, he noticed that his future wife looked quite pale and probably had not had a good night either. Despite that, Jane still looked beautiful.

Andrew had met many beautiful women, especially since he had assumed the title of Lord Norton a few months ago. But all those women were cold, while his future wife was sweet but looked sad. He took a deep breath and promised to make her happy. For some reason, Andrew wanted Jane to be content and knew well how to achieve that.

The ceremony was brief, and in less than twenty minutes, Jane became the new Baroness Norton. From that day forward, her life would be very different, and she knew she had to be strong to help her husband raise his nieces and protect her own family.

Mrs. Gardiner prepared a delicious meal, and the newlyweds looked pleased. After an hour of conversation, Jane, Andrew, and Aunt Amanda left for the Smiths' house. Andrew preferred that Jane stay at his aunt's house. He did not trust some of his servants because he thought they were still loyal to Agnes. Andrew asked Jane to accompany him to the studio because he needed to tell her his plans for the following days.

"Jane, I imagine that now that you are my wife, you do not mind me calling you by your name. Also, I hope you feel comfortable calling me by my name," Andrew said a little nervously.

"Of course not. I think that is appropriate," Jane replied. She wanted to maintain a good relationship with her husband, trying to be his friend before being his wife. She had always been timid and discreet in her relationships with gentlemen, but now she wanted to be more open and transparent with him.

"I am glad. I know everything will be easier between us if we communicate well."

"I agree."

"Well, let me tell you what we shall do in the next few days. The day after tomorrow, we shall travel to my estate and stay there for no more than a week. Then, we shall travel back to London and visit your mother and sisters. I do not want them to learn about our wedding by a letter. Also, I want to invite them to spend a few days with us. I want you to have time to remodel our house in London so my nieces can meet your family and, above all, resolve the matter of your sister, Elizabeth. Furthermore, I shall give my stepmother time to leave our estate and settle permanently in the dower or her house in London. After that, I want to spend part of the spring and summer in Parkland if that is fine with you."

"It is a great idea. Thank you very much for including my mother and sisters in your plans, Andrew."

"Tomorrow, I shall go to my solicitor's office to settle the final legal matters regarding the custody of my nieces. So, I want you to tell me about your sister Elizabeth so I can contact her employer and coordinate the best way to end her contract."

"I truly appreciate your concern, but my sister is unique. Furthermore, we are very close, and I doubt she wants to learn about my wedding from someone else. I need to talk to her personally, for her to get to know you and for her to see that I am happy with the life I have chosen."

"I understand, and it seems reasonable. So when we return from Somerset, we shall leave the girls at my aunt's house with your mother and sisters and travel to look for your dear sister. I am sorry, but I have had so many things on my mind that I forgot where she works."

"The estate is in Derbyshire, I think about two or three days' journey from London."

"And what is the name of the family she works for? I do not know many people from the north."

"She works on an estate called Pemberley for the Darcy family. She is Miss Darcy's companion. Although she has spoken very well of her, I do not trust... Well, I shall not be in peace until she is with me."

Andrew was a little perplexed by that comment and asked in the most subtle way he could. "Jane, I know Darcy, he was my classmate at university. I cannot say we are friends or anything like that, but I have a high opinion of him. In our circles, there are always rumors, and I can tell you that he is considered an exemplary and honorable gentleman."

"It could be... I do not doubt his honorability, but rather his way of seeing life and his opinion of those who do not belong to his social circles." To be clear, Jane decided to tell Andrew the whole story of Mr. Darcy and the Bingleys in Hertfordshire and the way Mr. Darcy behaved towards his neighbors. In addition, he told her what his mother had heard and the derogatory manner in which those people spoke about the Bennets. "I imagine you understand that I cannot rest easy knowing that my sister lives under the same roof as a man who must probably consider her nothing more than a servant."

"I understand and totally agree with you. Apparently, Darcy is honorable and polite only to those he considers to be worthy of his respect. Well, Elizabeth is my sister now, and I shall not allow her to continue working for someone capable of speaking that way about the Bennets," Andrew explained.

"Thank you, Andrew," Jane replied. She felt deep admiration for her husband and his desire to protect her. At that moment, her husband seemed like the most handsome and wonderful man in the world.

P&P

… I feel deeply disappointed in you, Darcy. I still cannot believe that you kept Mr. Bennet's death from me and that Miss Elizabeth is working for you. Darcy, I need you to explain why you did not tell me what was happening and inform me of everything you know about my dear angel...

The letter contained paragraphs that could hardly be read, so Mr. Darcy concluded that his friend had written them in a hurry and was probably very angry.

… I ask you, please, and in the name of our friendship, to tell me everything you know and to send me your response in an express mail after reading this letter.

Mr. Darcy was a little angry with his friend for harsh words and demanding explanations. Although his letter was very long, he repeated the same idea over and over again so his response would be short, precise, and straight to the point.

Bingley, although it may be hard for you to believe, I withheld the information of Mr. Bennet's death to protect you. I thought it was best for you at the time. You tend to be impulsive and often make decisions without thinking...

Mr. Darcy wrote all the reasons why he, Mrs. Hurst, and Miss Bingley had advised him to stay away from Hertfordshire. As he wrote about the Bennets' lack of fortune, connections, and vulgarity, Mr. Darcy paused and began to think. In recent days, and especially at night between his dreams, he had contemplated on more than one occasion joining his life with a Bennet.

'It is absurd that I want to protect Bingley and think about making the same mistake. I cannot continue deceiving myself and creating expectations that I shall never be able to fulfill.'

After a few minutes of reflection, Mr. Darcy continued writing the letter to his friend. This time, he decided to be as honest as possible to close the matter forever.

I understand that you are angry, and I must admit that I should have mentioned the matter concerning the Bennet family. For that, I sincerely apologize, but there is nothing more I can say about it. I have very little information about the Bennet family because Miss Elizabeth Bennet says very little about them. I only know that Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth have looked for employment, and Mrs Bennet and her daughters still live in Longbourn. In a few more months, they plan to move into a house that Mrs Bennet's brother must buy or rent.

Mr. Darcy sealed the letter, called the butler, and told him to send it immediately to London.

That afternoon, the sun was out, and Mr. Darcy needed some exercise. So, he told a servant to prepare his horse.

After lunch, Georgiana told Elizabeth that she wanted to rest. She had stayed up late the night before reading the book she had recommended.

Elizabeth was not feeling very well. In recent days she had missed her family a lot, and especially her father. The day before she had received letters from her mother and Jane and had been very uneasy. Mrs. Bennet seemed like a different person, sadder and much more realistic, and therefore much more aware of the situation in which her daughters found themselves. For her part, Jane had been very brief in the letter and only told her that she would be traveling in the following few days with Mrs. Smith.

Although Georgiana was very affectionate with her and Mr. Darcy had behaved kindly, Elizabeth could not help but feel alone. Although she tried to animate herself that day, the melancholy had won. She walked towards the stable. The horse keeper was sociable and had a very friendly dog and a cat.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Turner. May I play for a few minutes with Oscar and Nora?" Elizabeth asked.

"Of course, dear lady. Although my beloved pets are already a little old and do not always want to play." Mr. Turner knew that when Miss Bennet was sad, she liked to be around animals. Although the Pemberley workers were respectful and discreet, most of them knew that Miss Darcy's companion had lost her father not long ago. In fact, she was still wearing half-mourning clothing.

Elizabeth sat on a bench and looked towards the immense forest surrounding the mansion. Nora, the cat, was on her legs, and Oscar, the dog, was resting his head on one of her feet. Those old animals unintentionally provided her affection and helped her remember those moments at home and with her beloved family.

After half an hour and when a cloud covered the few rays of sun, the temperature dropped drastically and Elizabeth had to return home. She said goodbye to Mr. Turner and his pets and took the path around the gardens to enter the house through the back door. As he turned around the southern part of the garden she came face to face with a horseman approaching the stable. Upon closer inspection, she noticed it was Mr. Darcy, so Elizabeth stopped to greet him. However, Mr. Darcy turned around and took the path that ran along the lake.

'What have I done now that this man is angry with me?' Elizabeth asked herself and continued walking.

P&P

"It did me good to sleep for a few hours this afternoon," Georgiana said cheerfully. "Lizzy, after dinner I want us to practice a new duet. I found some new sheet music in the music room." Georgiana could not stop talking while she had dinner with her brother and Elizabeth. She felt pleased because dinner seemed like another opportunity to share and talk.

"Of course, but you have to be patient with me. I have neither your talent nor your ability for music."

"You are very modest, Lizzy. You have a lovely voice and I think that if you practice more, you will be able to play the piano very well. William after dinner, Lizzy and I shall sing for you."

"I am sorry, Georgiana, but I have many unfinished business to take care of," Mr. Darcy replied and continued eating.

"But you could interrupt your work for about twenty minutes and listen to us," Georgiana insisted.

"No, I cannot; I am sorry, Georgiana."

Elizabeth noticed that Georgiana became very nervous. Her brother's abrupt and curt response made her feel insecure, so she tried to intervene with the best intentions to lighten the conversation. "Perhaps in another opportunity, Mr. Darcy can accompany us. That shall give us time to practice. I imagine your brother must be very busy…"

"That is right Miss Bennet, I am busy," Mr. Darcy interrupted. He believed that Elizabeth wanted to jest and would not allow it. They were not friends and never would be.

"I understand… sir," Elizabeth replied nervously. She did not understand why that man had spoken to her that way, but she preferred not to provoke him. She felt fragile and preferred to avoid problems.

When Mr. Darcy saw that Elizabeth was not saying anything, he thought it was time to clarify some things. "Miss Bennet, my family's legacy, the lives of hundreds of tenants, the staff of Pemberley and Darcy House, plus all local businesses depend on the production of the land and the wool of this estate. I am in charge of everything and often have to make difficult decisions; for that, I must be informed and, above all, study. I take all my responsibilities extremely seriously, and I understand my duties and obligations. Before any personal consideration, I must consider my commitment to the Darcy legacy, which today depends on me."

Elizabeth did not know what to say; that speech sounded like a reproach, and she did not understand what she had done to deserve it. "You certainly feel great pride in your family's legacy, sir."

"Yes, Miss Bennet. The history of this land is closely connected to my family's history. The Darcys have been admired because we have always done our duty and acted honorably,"said Mr. Darcy and ended the conversation.

As Georgiana listened to her brother speak, she wondered if she would ever be worthy of being a Darcy. She had no unique talents, could barely talk to people she did not know well, and had almost ruined her family's reputation by running away with a scoundrel who only wanted to take advantage of her.

For her part, Elizabeth preferred to remain silent. For some reason, Mr. Darcy was angry, and she did not desire to give him reasons to take out his anger on her. Furthermore, she noticed that Georgiana's mood changed after listening to her brother, and she did not speak for the rest of the dinner anymore.

When dinner was finally over, Georgiana said she had a headache and would retire early to rest. Mr. Darcy retired to his study, and Elizabeth did not know what to do. It was still too early to sleep, and she thought that reading would entertain her until it was time to rest. Therefore, she decided to go to the library, which had a tremendous collection of books of every genre imaginable.

After skimming several shelves, she noticed a collection of two volumes of books that seemed quite old. Looking at them closer, she realized that they were about the history of the Darcy family.

'If Mr. Darcy is so proud of his family, it must surely be for good reasons,' Elizabeth thought. Then she took out volume one of the books and sat in an armchair before the fireplace to read with great interest.

P&P

Fortunately, the trip from London to Parkland had been uneventful, and they arrived at their destination before dusk. As soon as the servants saw the new Baron Norton get out of the elegant carriage, they became very nervous. Agnes had expressly told them that Andrew could not enter the house, but the servants knew that he was the rightful owner of all that. But the Taylors' faithful housekeeper would not obey any more orders from that horrible woman and ordered the servants to prepare the rooms for the new arrivals and took charge of the trunks with their luggage.

"My dear Baron, you do not know how pleased I am to see you," said Mrs. Parker excitedly.

"I am happy too, but please tell me how the girls are," Andrew replied.

"They are well, although a little sad because of everything that has happened in recent months. The good thing, my Lord, is that that woman is not here and will surely return late because she was invited to dinner at the Mitchells' house."

"Excellent; please take the girls to my mother's drawing room. Before dinner, I want you to gather all the staff in the main hall because I have some announcements to make."

"I understand, sir," said Mrs. Parker, looking at Jane. Then, she greeted Mrs. Smith and went to do what her master had ordered.

Andrew offered his arm to Jane, and together with Aunt Amanda, they entered the house. Jane observed everything around her without saying anything. Her husband's home was very large and beautiful although the decoration was not to her taste. It reminded him of the halls of Netherfield.

After a few minutes Clara and Matilda entered the room. They looked terrified, but when they saw Andrew, their faces lit up, and they ran to hug their uncle.

"My dear girls," Andrew said as he kissed and hugged them. He could not help but shed some tears. He had spent so many hours thinking the worst that when he had his two beloved girls in his arms he could not help but get excited.

"Are you sad, uncle? Why are you crying?" Clara asked, distressed, while Matilda looked scared.

"These are tears of happiness, Clara. I am so delighted to be with you."

"Do not go, Uncle. We want to be with you," Clara said, also crying. The loss of her parents and Agnes's ruthless treatment greatly influenced little Matilda, who spoke only a few words.

"From today on, you will live with me and my wife. Jane, dear," Andrew said to his wife.

Jane had been watching closely and was also very excited to see Andrew's unconditional love for those girls who looked so helpless. Andrew introduced her to his nieces, and she said, cracking with emotion, "It is a pleasure to meet you. I am very excited to know that I am now your aunt."

Clara and Matilda could not stop looking at Jane with admiring eyes. Uncle Andrew's wife was so pretty and seemed very loving. Both girls bowed and then greeted Aunt Amanda. Afterward, everyone sat together to talk. After ten minutes, Clara sat on her uncle's lap, and little Matilda nestled in Jane's arms.

"From today on, my dear nieces, you will live with Aunt and Jane and I," Andrew said.

"Girls, it is time to eat and sleep," Mrs. Parker said.

Mrs. Smith saw the girls get nervous and added, "Uncle Andrew and Aunt Jane have some things to do. But I shall accompany you."

Seeing that Aunt Amanda was with them, the girls calmed. Andrew offered his arm to Jane, and they walked into the main room, accompanied by Mrs. Parker. Once they entered the room, Andrew spoke in a firm voice to all the staff.

"The first thing I want to do is introduce you to my wife, Mrs. Jane Taylor, Baroness Norton."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Jane said as everyone looked at her in shock.

"The second thing I want to tell you is that starting today, I shall assume control of this house, the estate, and all of the Taylor family assets. As the new Baron Norton, I shall be the master of all this. Finally, I want you to be clear that I shall not accept any lack of loyalty or respect towards me and my family. If any of you prefer to work for my father's wife, you can move with her to the dower house."

All the servants bowed and expressed their desire to work for the new Baron Norton. Finally, when everyone retired Andrew and Jane were able to settle.

"I think everything is happening as planned," Andrew said.

"I am so glad your nieces are safe and can finally be with you… with us," Jane said, taking her husband's hand.

"I could not have done any of this without your support. Thank you very much for everything Jane."

"It has been a pleasure to help you, and your lovely nieces."

Andrew and Jane sat down to talk more quietly when Agnes entered the room and interrupted the harmony that reigned there.

"How dare you come to my house without invitation. You know very well that you are not welcome here. I shall not let you see your nieces again if you do not leave now. I believe I was very clear: if you dare to take Parkland from me, I shall take those two little girls to a place where you can never find them."

"Agnes, you know very well that you have no right over my property, much less over my nieces. Legal custody of Clara and Matilda is with me and my wife. I am sorry, my dear, for my rudeness. Jane, this is Agnes Young, my father's widow. Agnes, this is Jane Taylor, the new Baroness Norton," Andrew said with a triumphant smile.

P&P

Mr. Darcy left his study tired and frustrated. He had attempted to write a letter to the magistrate explaining how to resolve a dispute between two of his tenants but was unable to make much progress. All he could do was study the maps and drink a glass of brandy. He had not slept well the night before and was fatigued, so he decided it was better to rest. The following day, he could get up early and finish pending work.

However, when he left the study, he saw that the library door was open and some lights were still on. He suspected who could be there and could not resist the temptation to see. When he got there, just as he had supposed, he saw Elizabeth Bennet sitting in one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace, reading a book with great interest. Without realizing it, he stood there for more than a minute watching her.

Elizabeth was amused reading the history of the Darcys, especially Eustace D' Arcy. Apparently, Mr. Darcy's great-great-grandfather had been a not-so-severe gentleman like the current Mr. Darcy. He was widowed several times and married a few more, eventually having almost twenty children. Suddenly, Elizabeth felt that someone was watching her, and when she looked towards the door, she saw Mr. Darcy looking at her.

"What are you reading, Miss Bennet?" Mr. Darcy asked to hide his nervousness. Elizabeth had caught him staring at her and he felt foolish and embarrassed.

"It is a book about your family history, sir. Today, you spoke with great pride about the Darcys, and since I was not tired, I wanted to learn a little more about…"

"That book is part of my family's heritage. In the future, Miss Bennet, please refrain from removing books from that section. Those books are only for the use of the family and no one else." Mr. Darcy approached Elizabeth and asked her to hand him the book.

"I am so sorry, sir... I did not know I should not... I offer you my sincere apologies and you have my word that it will not happen again."

Mr. Darcy only listened to Elizabeth's words. The moment he spoke, he regretted it. He noticed Elizabeth's broken voice and how nervous she was.

"If you will excuse me, sir, I think I should retire to rest."

Mr. Darcy turned to say good night to Elizabeth, but she was already leaving the library. He was sure she left so he would not notice the tears rolling down her cheeks.

'I should never have allowed my aunt to convince me... What shall I do now to prevent this from happening again?' Mr. Darcy asked himself, sitting in the armchair before the fireplace while watching the fire.

For her part, Elizabeth ran as fast as she could to her room and threw herself on the bed to cry uncontrollably. Since her father passed away, she had not had time to cry thinking about everything she had to do to help her family.

'Georgiana is a lovely girl, but these people are not my family. I am just a servant in this place, as are Mrs. Reynolds, Mr. Moore, Mr. Turner, Billy, Rose, and all the boys... I must never again forget my place in this house. I am here to help my family; if I think about my mother's and sisters' well-being, I can endure anything…" Elizabeth thought as she cried.

P&P

Thanks to everyone who leaves comments and follows the story with enthusiasm. This chapter was a little, but I wanted to finish with the first phase of this story. In the following chapters there are many new details and I think the story will become a little more entertaining.

I'd like to remind you that this site is not working properly, so if you like the story, check FF frequently.

In the next chapter Mrs. Bennet will meet his son-in-law.

See you soon!

Saludos,

Yo