Darcy & Elizabeth: A Season of Courtship (Darcy Saga Prequel Duo)

by Sharon Lathan

  As for Miss Darcy, Rothchilde knew Mr. Darcy’s sister was riding her horse, but with the immense size of the estate grounds, delivering the letter was impossible until she returned from her pleasure jaunt. Thus he was forced to maintain his assigned post hovering near the door, keeping one eye on the table where the letter to Miss Darcy was safely stowed. If he had suspected the momentous nature of the pages, he might well have saddled a horse and ridden out to find her.

  Instead, it would be later that afternoon before either woman tore through the wax seal, and by happenstance they were reading the news of Darcy’s engagement to Miss Elizabeth Bennet at the same time.

  Mrs. Reynolds,

  As always, madam, I open my correspondence with the warmest of greetings and sincerest regards. I am confident all is well with Pemberley, pray your health is superb, and trust Miss Darcy is thriving under your gentle, guiding hand. My faith in the validity of these three factors arises from my earnest desire, to be sure, yet is also due to the news I am writing to impart. The momentous, superlative nature of my announcement will undoubtedly be appreciated to the unparalleled degree it is worth if nothing is amiss at home. And now that I have, I hope, sufficiently piqued your curiosity and heightened your anticipation, it is time to communicate my joy—if it is possible to adequately do so in words etched onto paper without diverging into poetry. I shall attempt to remain sensible.

  I suspect you have already leaped ahead to a conclusion. You have perceived my inner thoughts since a child and instantly perceived my sentiments toward a certain young lady upon meeting her at Pemberley some weeks ago. Indeed, I speak of Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Hertfordshire, the most exceptional lady who captured my heart once and forever. Now I am pleased beyond measure to report that Miss Elizabeth has acknowledged her heart is equally captured, and furthermore, to my continuing astonishment and thankfulness to God, she has accepted my proposal of marriage.

  Such joy is unprecedented, my dear Mrs. Reynolds! To you I can uninhibitedly shout of my rapturous happiness as I can to few others on this earth. Long have I yearned for a relationship such as my excellent father and mother possessed. Only you, who knew them long and intimately, can fully appreciate this yearning. Rare it is in our world to find one’s perfect match, and I know it is not a revelation to you when I confess that I was beginning to lose hope. My dearest, loveliest Elizabeth has fully restored my hope and renewed my heart. This alone would be a miracle and a gift to be treasured. Yet, in Miss Elizabeth—she who will ere long be Mrs. Darcy—it is not only me who will reap the bounty of hope and renewal. Pemberley, and all that the word conjures, shall be touched by the miracle. Not a particle of doubt exists within me that Elizabeth will be a fine mistress for Pemberley, and that our mutual love and devotion will be a boon.

  Poetry surely is the only way to adequately express my feelings on the subject. Rest assured, madam, that as easy as it would be for me to pen a missive replete with nothing more than exaltations, I shall restrain myself. As you likely have surmised, much needs to be done to prepare the manor for Mrs. Darcy. Our engagement transpired yesterday, so the benefit of time and reflection I do not yet own. However, I wanted you to be informed immediately, for the obvious reason of our shared affection and also because I trust your judgment in proper necessities for my wife—a topic I am currently woefully ignorant of. I am confident your leadership, working in concert with Mr. Taylor and the servants, will accomplish what must be done before we arrive together in late November.

  The remaining paragraphs covering the two sheets of paper contained instructions for cleaning certain chambers and rearranging furnishings, warnings to anticipate frequent messages and shipments of merchandise, and permission to spend estate funds liberally on anything deemed essential or desirable for his future wife. Mrs. Reynolds’s smile broadened with each passing sentence. True to his pledge, Mr. Darcy restrained himself, writing in his typical straightforward manner with an economy of words. A person minimally familiar with a letter from Darcy of Pemberley might not have noticed the subtle alterations, but Mrs. Reynolds readily detected a relaxed style to his sentence structure with cheerful and optimistic word choices. While he never crossed the line into pure romanticism, stray phrases of love were numerous.

  She read the letter through twice. Additional readings would be done, methodically, while taking notes to formulate a concise agenda for the weeks ahead. Discussions with Mr. Taylor and Mr. Keith and others of the senior staff were requisite and not to be unduly delayed. Already the housekeeper’s businesslike mind was creating lists and plotting strategies. She wiped the moisture from her cheeks and tucked the folded papers into her pocket.

  The butler was in the dining room, as he had been for most of the past week, overseeing the polishing and inventory of the silver. Like Mrs. Reynolds’s task with the linens, it was during periods when the master was away that they were able to carry out time-consuming projects and perform extensive deep cleanings. Nicely coincidental considering they were now ordered to do precisely that!

  “Mr. Taylor, a moment of your time, please?”

  The butler, a distinguished man of roughly sixty years, accompanied her into the hall, saying nothing until they were alone. “The letter from Mr. Darcy contained news of substance, I take it. Was it the favorable report we hoped for?”

  “I am most pleased to say that it was, Mr. Taylor. Mr. Darcy has secured the hand of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and on twenty-eight November, they are to be wed. We shall soon have a new Mrs. Darcy.” Mrs. Reynolds attempted to speak composedly, but her emotions could not be repressed.

  “This is excellent news and a tremendous relief.” Mr. Taylor’s tone remained bland, despite his sentiments closely paralleling those of Mrs. Reynolds.

  Mr. Taylor had worked at Pemberley since a young boy, rising through the ranks to the top rung as butler, a position he had flawlessly executed for over thirty years. While never establishing an intimate relationship with the family he served, as Mrs. Reynolds had, Mr. Taylor was fiercely loyal. Nothing was more important, to his way of thinking, than the prosperity of Pemberley, and that, naturally, depended upon the prosperity of Mr. Darcy. Having never married nor being a particularly romantic person by nature, Mr. Taylor had spared scant time considering his master’s preferences on marriage. Mr. Darcy would do so eventually and produce the required heir to continue the Darcy lineage, was his opinion on the matter.

  When Mrs. Reynolds confidentially told him that her suspicion as to why the master was distressed to the point of being ill during the past summer was due to a romantic heartbreak of some sort, Mr. Taylor had brushed her speculations aside. Surely they were the fancies of a sentimental female who was far too emotionally involved with the family. After witnessing Mr. Darcy’s curious behavior while entertaining Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner and their niece Miss Bennet, Mr. Taylor started to believe the housekeeper’s claims might have validity.

  The concept of a man’s happiness being wrapped wholly around a single woman was bizarre to the pragmatic butler. That being said, he had watched the previous Mr. Darcy mourn his wife, Lady Anne Darcy, until death was the only escape from the unrelenting pain. Despite his tendency to ignore the private lives of the Darcys, or his own staff if he could avoid it, he was not a fool. There was no denying the facts that pointed to young Mr. Darcy being akin to his father. As with the love between Lady Anne and James Darcy, apparently the love of Miss Bennet was critical to the wellbeing of Fitzwilliam Darcy.

  Like it or not, and he assuredly did not like it, Mr. Taylor had spent the past several weeks anxiously praying for positive news.

  “I presume Mr. Darcy has instructions for us?” he asked.

  “He does. I need to speak with Miss Darcy, and then we can gather the staff to make a formal announcement. Perhaps you can come to my office at eight to discuss and plan?” Mr. Taylor inclined his head. “I think a glass of punch is in order, after dinner, of course.” Mrs. Reynolds smiled at the butler’s raised brows. “It is news w
orthy of celebrating, Mr. Taylor.”

  “As you wish, Mrs. Reynolds.”

  She saved her chuckles at his dry reply until around the corner.

  Now, I must see Georgiana.

  “Miss Darcy was given her letter and went straightaway into the main parlor,” Rothchilde reported, directing his gaze toward a set of closed doors visible on the balcony level above the massive grand staircase where they stood. “Mrs. Annesley was already in there, and still is I believe. No one has exited the room.”

  Mrs. Reynolds tapped on the parlor door, and then laughed aloud when it flew open before her knuckles left the solid surface.

  “Oh, Mrs. Reynolds! Is it not the most amazing and wonderful news? I am dancing with glee!”

  “She means this quite literally,” interjected an amused voice. “Your timely interruption has undoubtedly saved the carpet from being worn to threads by her twirls.”

  Mrs. Reynolds crossed the threshold, her laughter lifting at Mrs. Annesley’s teasing remark.

  Georgiana blushed but continued to grin and bounce on her toes.

  “I only twirled once,” she started, and then, at her companion’s raised brow, laughingly amended, “or maybe thrice, but how could I not? William is to be married, and to Miss Elizabeth! My happiness is uncontainable! I cannot imagine how he must be feeling, although his letter reveals much.”

  She scanned the pages in her hands. “Listen to this: ‘My heart is now whole and liberated, dearest sister, and my joy immeasurable. God has granted me a miracle, a divine gift in gaining Elizabeth’s love and being entrusted with her heart. It is a fearsome responsibility, this I know and shall never forget. Ensuring her happiness, every day of the life God gives us together, is now my supreme purpose. In striving thus, my life shall be enriched and heart secure.’ Is that not lovely?”

  The response was a duo of sighs.

  “There is more: ‘This morning it appeared as if the sun had risen with brilliance unmatched at any other time. Or perhaps, with the awakening of my heart, my eyes now see the simple beauties of the natural world with a keener light.’ Who knew my brother was so poetic?”

  Mrs. Reynolds opened her mouth to affirm, but Georgiana barged on.

  “This is my favorite, where is it? Oh, here, ‘…peace and contentment washed through me, Georgie. Hours after her acceptance, in a place unfamiliar to me, surrounded by people talking and plates of food, I experienced a profound flood of tranquility every time I met Elizabeth’s beautiful eyes. I can only liken it to how I feel when at Pemberley, yet it was deeper still. I tried to envision gazing into her eyes while dining at Pemberley, as we once did, only this time as my wife, and the euphoria was too intense.’”

  “Mr. Darcy certainly writes as a man in the throes of passionate love,” Mrs. Annesley murmured, her expression wistful.

  Mrs. Reynolds wondered if the poetic sentiments sparked memories of the deceased Mr. Annesley. Heaven knows she was not immune from remembrances of new-love fervor, and she was twice Mrs. Annesley’s age!

  “I cannot claim to know him well,” Mrs. Annesley added, “but I would not have suspected his romantic nature.”

  “Mr. Darcy is a dichotomy in many respects.” Mrs. Reynolds sat across from Miss Darcy’s companion, poured a cup of tea, and explained as she stirred the sugar. “Always a serious person, even as a boy, yet possessing a sensitive soul and playfulness as well. Ofttimes the balance between the two has been unequal, I fear.”

  “William needed someone to bring out his softer side, and who better than Miss Elizabeth? She is wonderfully lighthearted, compassionate, and beautiful too. Do you not agree, Mrs. Reynolds?” The housekeeper concurred, although her words were lost as Georgiana rushed on. “Oh, but it was evident how strong his feelings toward her! When at Pemberley, she must have noticed how he stammered and blushed, as I have never seen him do, and the expressions on his face were altogether tender. Quite revealing. I would have deduced his preference for her even if he had not told me.”

  “Yes, you have said this before, with the suggestion that Miss Elizabeth did not initially return his affection. Fortunately, her heart was swayed. The trauma of unrequited love is harsh.”

  “Indeed it is.” Mrs. Reynolds conceded as her eyes darted to Georgiana, who was reading the letter again with an elated smile on her face.

  Mr. Darcy had never divulged the finer details of what happened at Ramsgate, Mrs. Reynolds informed of the barest generalities only. Miss Darcy had never confided fully either. What she knew was deduced from offhand comments and reactions to the words of others. That Mr. Wickham had harmed her young lady’s heart was evident, and such pain can be tortuous to overcome. Observing Miss Darcy’s joy for her brother, and aware of the pleasant personality of Miss Bennet, Mrs. Reynolds was doubly thankful for Mr. Darcy’s engagement. The benefits promised to ripple through all of them at Pemberley.

  “Miss Elizabeth may not have instantly fallen in love with William, Mrs. Annesley.” Georgiana flopped onto the settee beside her companion, clasping her hand. “I, of course, think William the handsomest, smartest, wittiest, kindest man on the planet, and believe every woman mad for him! I shall confess that I am extraordinarily prejudiced, however. Mrs. Reynolds, you agree with me, yes?”

  “I do, naturally. That is not to say he is without some flaws, however minor.”

  “You do tease, Mrs. Reynolds! I suppose it is true, although I cannot name a one,” Georgiana declared pompously, and then winked at Mrs. Reynolds.

  Mrs. Annesley feigned wide-eyed shock. “Not even one flaw? My word. How is it Miss Elizabeth Bennet was able to withstand the lure? I would think no woman alive strong enough to resist such a supreme specimen of manhood.”

  “I cannot fathom it either!” A fleeting frown wrinkled Georgiana’s brow, revealing to Mrs. Reynolds that underneath the dramatic fun was a hint of seriousness. “Whatever the reasons, Miss Elizabeth’s feeling for William were crystal clear during her visit this summer. If her stay in Derbyshire had not been cut short, I bet their engagement would have happened then. William was hopeful, I know, and then terribly distressed. Something happened within her family, although I do not know the details.”

  “I only saw Mr. Darcy briefly during those days, before he left for London.” Mrs. Annesley squeezed Georgiana’s hand. “He was quite distraught. Praise God the obstacles were overcome and now the desired happy ending will soon occur.”

  “Yes! As they both deserve!” Georgiana sang merrily. “Oh! I cannot wait! Twenty-eight of November seems so long from now.”

  “The time will pass swiftly, especially since we have much to do to prepare for a new mistress. The staff, that is.”

  “Oh! Please allow me to help, Mrs. Reynolds!”

  “I am sure Bonnie and Colleen would appreciate another strong arm beating the carpets. Thank you, Miss Darcy, for the kind offer.”

  Mrs. Annesley chuckled at the amazed expression that crossed Georgiana’s face before she also laughed. “I suspect you are teasing me, Mrs. Reynolds. But if beating carpets or washing drapes is how I may best serve my new sister, then I will gladly do so.”

  “I am sure you would, my dear. Nevertheless, your unique talents are more valuable. I prefer your guidance in regards to decorating and stocking the new Mrs. Darcy’s private chambers. Your taste and elegance are superior to mine, of that there is no question. The shelves of La Belle Assemblée, The Lady’s Magazine, and Ackermann’s Repository, the pages of which I believe you have memorized, qualify you for this assignment.”

  Georgiana flushed prettily at the high praise. “Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds. I accept the assignment. When do we start?”

  “Right away, if you wish. Mr. Darcy is requesting a concise inventory of the contents and description of the rooms, as well as a list of furnishings in the manor that may do for Miss Bennet. Your skill in drawing might prove beneficial, Miss Darcy, and the more help I have in note taking, the quicker I can deliver the information to Mr. Darcy. He wants the lis
t before he travels to London.”

  “My brother shopping for home furnishings and womanly things? Now that I would like to see!”

  Chapter Five

  Frosts of Jealousy

  “Do not dare slam the door, Lizzy!”

  Jane’s hissed warning was obeyed. Barely. Lizzy closed the haberdasher’s door with a firm thud that did not rattle the glass unduly, and she expelled her anger with a growling exhale as she stomped down the steps, onto the wooden walkway.

  “Feel better?”

  “I would feel much better if I had slammed the door, preferably directly onto Lottie Thorne’s face,” Lizzy snapped at her sister’s placating tone. “As if Mr. Bird, who resembles his surname uncannily, can be compared, on any level or point, with Mr. Darcy! Why, he is superior in every regard, as Lottie well knows, or she would not be reduced to grasping at Mr. Bird’s sleight-of-hand abilities and dancing skills as the only proof.”

  “Mr. Bird has entertained with his excellent card tricks on numerous occasions, and many of us, you included, have delighted in dancing with him these past couple years.”

  “That is hardly the point, Jane!” Lizzy stopped cold and turned her furious face toward her sister. Then, seconds later, was joining her in laughter. “Oh my,” she finally gasped, “I am quite testy today.”

  “Perhaps a little, and it is understandable, although unfair to blame poor Mr. Bird for it.”

  “You know I do not blame him. Mr. Bird is a fine gentlemen, his unfortunate name notwithstanding, and I am sure he and Lottie Thorne will be deliriously happy together.”