Recollections of Rosings

by Rebecca Ann Collins

  "…Say that you and Mr Burnett are engaged to be married?" Lilian concluded the sentence for her and so startled her mother, she was speechless for a few minutes.

  Seeing her discomposure, Lilian laughed merrily. "Oh Mama, did you think it was not apparent to us? Why, John and I have been speaking of the possibility for weeks now. It was so plain to both of us that Mr Burnett loved you, yet we did not know how you would respond to any approach from him. We talked of it; indeed we wished it were possible—"

  Catherine interrupted her then. "Did you? Tell me, Lilian, truly, did you wish it? I know Mr Adams would, for they are good friends, but what about you? Would you be pleased if it were to be so? Tell me, my dear, I must know how you feel," she pleaded.

  Lilian put her arms around her mother.

  "Dearest Mama, of course I am pleased. John has known for some time that Mr Burnett, during his earlier time at Rosings, when you were under the protection of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, had an interest in you, which was cruelly suppressed by Her Ladyship, who ordered him not to pursue the matter. It was something they spoke of as intimate friends, when Mr Adams first confided in Mr Burnett about his feelings for me. Yet he said nothing to me, not wishing to compromise his friend, until very recently; indeed until after the accident, when we were speaking of the immense debt of gratitude we owed to Mr Burnett. Only then did I learn of Frank Burnett's feelings for you and how they had been renewed since his return to Rosings."

  "Were you very shocked?" asked Catherine, still concerned that her daughter may have disapproved in some way of this association.

  "By the revelation of Lady Catherine's interference, yes, I was, but not by the news that Mr Burnett loved you. Why should it surprise or shock me? Are you not the kindest person I know and most deserving of love in the world? Why should you not be happy? But tell me, Mama, do you love him as well as you did then? Are you certain that you will be happy together now, after all those years?"

  Catherine looked into her daughter's serious eyes, understood her concern, and said, "Yes indeed, my darling Lilian, I am. I do love him now—far, far more than I could have when I was a young girl, for I can appreciate fully the extraordinary qualities that make him the fine man he is. He has helped me more than I can say and the depth of his feelings has given me a new understanding of love. Yes, I am happy, and even more so, Lilian, that you are pleased too, for my own pleasure would have been greatly diminished had it not been shared with you."

  Mother and daughter spent some time assuring each other that no such circumstance was even remotely possible, before they parted for the night.

  ***

  On the following day, once again accompanied by Mr Burnett, Catherine and Rebecca walked through the grounds, met with the rector Mr Jamison, and crossed the Hunsford churchyard into the lane that marked the boundary of Rosings Park.

  Approaching the old iron gates of the property known as Edgewater, it was clear to them that the property was unoccupied; the grounds, though not extensive, did not appear to have been cared for to any extent, as drifts of early Autumn leaves blowing across the lawn testified.

  Attached to the locked gates was a notice, which announced that the property was available for lease. Interested parties were invited to inspect it by contacting the caretaker, and anyone who then wished to sign a lease was urged to see a Mr Gunning, attorney at law in the town of Hallam.

  Becky Tate turned to her companions with a gleam in her eye.

  "If the property is available for lease, it is surely unlikely that the owner will make much of the matter of schoolchildren using the lane way," she said.

  "Ah," said Mr Jamison sagely, "that may be so, but whoever leases the property may very well object and refuse permission. Many people, especially those who are unfamiliar with the area, assume that children from the village are thieves and rascals; they may be accused of trespass."

  Catherine was disappointed and Rebecca appeared exasperated, but only for a moment or two; then, turning to Frank Burnett, she said, "Mr Burnett, I do believe we need to see Mr Gunning sooner than next week. If you will be so kind as to drive us in tomorrow, I think I should like to lease the property myself."

  "Becky!" Catherine was astonished. "You cannot possibly do that!" she protested.

  "Why not? I shall need a place of my own when I move out of the house in London, and this is as good a place as any I am likely to find in the area."

  "But you have not seen the house yet. It may well be too large or a complete ruin inside," said Catherine, betraying her rising anxiety about this sudden turn of events.

  "Oh, I think not, Mrs Harrison," said the rector. "I understand the property is regularly inspected and is in good condition. My housekeeper knows the caretaker and his wife well, and if Mrs Tate wishes, we could apply to see the house, as this notice invites us to do."

  "Of course," said Becky, "let us do so now, why delay any longer?"

  She rang the rather rusty bell at the gate to summon the caretaker. The man arrived, a cheerful old fellow with a large bunch of keys, and having heard of their interest in the property, he admitted them and took them around the house to the front door.

  It was quite a substantial house, but compact and well-built in early Georgian style, with a pair of bay windows, which must have been added some time later, looking out across the lawns towards the small natural lake that gave the property its name. Despite having been unoccupied for some time, it was generally in good order and Rebecca soon became convinced that it would suit her well.

  "It is rather large for me, I will admit, but then, I shall bring some of my staff with me and I have no doubt we shall have visitors to stay," she said cheerfully.

  The grounds left something to be desired, it was true, but the house, it was agreed by all, was far from neglected, being both solid and reasonably well appointed, though not extravagantly so. The traditional colour schemes were pleasing enough and though there was not a lot of good furniture, that did not trouble Rebecca, who had a house full of fine furniture in town.

  With barns, outhouses, and stables screened from view by a shrubbery and a well-cultivated kitchen garden, it appeared to be a good proposition, and even Catherine's initial reservations began to abate as they walked around the property.

  Becky grew more enthusiastic with every step.

  Having thanked the caretaker and ascertained that there had been as yet no offers for the place, they determined to go into town on the morrow and meet with the attorney Mr Gunning.

  ***

  That evening, Mr Burnett called to see the ladies and report that he had sent a message by telegraph to Mr Gunning indicating Mrs Tate's interest in the property and suggesting an appointment for half past ten.

  Becky was most impressed. "Well done, Mr Burnett. I am keen to settle this business. If the lease price is reasonable, I intend to sign up immediately," she said, but Catherine still harboured some doubts.

  After dinner, when Lilian and Becky had both simultaneously discovered how tired they were and retired upstairs, leaving them together in the parlour, she expressed her fears to Mr Burnett.

  "I do wish I could be as certain as Becky is that this is the right way to proceed. I would hate to think she is doing this only to help me with the school. Should all our plans go awry, I fear she may lose a lot of money," she said anxiously.

  Taking her hand in his, he spoke earnestly, trying to reassure her.

  "My dear Catherine, it is quite clear to me that your sister is eager and anxious to do this for you, but it must be admitted there is also something in it for her. I do not wish to pry into her private affairs, but am I wrong in assuming that Mrs Tate's marriage is not entirely happy?"

  Catherine had no alternative but to tell him of the letter her sister had received from her husband, and so he would understand the reasons for it, she explained also something of the history behind it.

  "It was devastating to the entire family. Their paths have diverged ever since Josie's tragic
death; my brother-in-law doted on her and has never been able to come to terms with his loss. Poor Becky has been very much alone for many years, which is probably why she wishes to become involved with the school at Hunsford—it will be a new interest," she said.

  "Well then," said Mr Burnett reasonably, "though it may initially stem from her distress, it is possible that this may be exactly what Mrs Tate needs to help her cope with her situation. From a practical standpoint, she is possibly well placed to help you and herself. My impression of your sister is that she is both courageous and resilient and is determined not to be daunted by circumstances. Am I right?" he asked.

  Catherine nodded, smiling as she realised how very right he was. "You are indeed, but is there not a danger that her intrepid nature will lead her into making decisions she may later regret and may well cause friction between us?"

  "Catherine, my dear, I do not believe there is any danger of that. Your sister is as likely to regret assisting you to set up the parish school as I am to regret returning to Rosings Park and finding you again. If it gives her so much pleasure, why set your mind against it?"

  This gentle hint was sufficient to change the direction of their conversation, which soon took a turn towards more personal matters.

  Catherine had never wished to appear inquisitorial and so had resisted the temptation to ask too many questions about Mr Burnett's return to Rosings Park. However, now that the opportunity presented itself, she was less reluctant to do so. She had occasionally wondered at what point after his return Mr Burnett had rediscovered his interest in her. It was a matter of curiosity to which she addressed her first tentative question.

  "Frank, would you consider me very unladylike and silly if I were to ask you to recall for me the moment, or even the day or the week after your return, when you discovered that your feelings for me were unchanged?"

  Frank Burnett was genuinely surprised by her question, simply because she had never, until then, interrogated him in the way that younger women were wont to do with their lovers. However, he regained his equanimity very quickly and replied, "No, not at all, why would I? Catherine, you may ask me anything you wish and I would answer you without hesitation. There is nothing naïve or unladylike in your question and you are certainly entitled to ask it.

  "As to my feelings, I did not have to rediscover them; they had remained with me. As I told you before, I had found it impossible to so much as feign an interest in anyone else. I will admit that I tried once or twice, quite deliberately, knowing my case was futile, to put you out of my mind altogether, but I was hopelessly unsuccessful."

  "And when you returned to Rosings?" she prompted.

  "I did so for professional reasons alone. The position offered was too good to turn down and my superior at the museum, who had recommended me to Mr Bingley, advised me to take it. I have no estate and not a great deal of money, except for some savings invested in the funds, which bring me a modest income. I must have employment and need to earn a reasonable salary. I had no other motive at the time. Besides, as far as I knew, you were married to Dr Harrison; I had no idea he was ill," he explained.

  Catherine reassured him, "I did not mean to suggest that you had any other motives, but my question goes to the time after Dr Harrison's death, when Lilian and I moved to the Dower House. Did you then continue the association with a view to the future?"

  He regarded her gravely as he answered, keen to have her understand the sincerity of his intentions. "I confess I did, and I make no apology for doing so. I am not unaware that many women in our society are left to fend for themselves when widowed. Some are fortunate enough to be well provided for, others are not. Most need some practical help. I had no knowledge of your situation, but I cared enough for you to wish to stay around and if the need arose, offer you my friendship and assistance at least," he explained and seeing her interest, continued.

  "For my part, I had discovered soon enough after my return to Rosings that my feelings for you were unchanged—indeed they were if anything deeper than before—but I did not know if you would welcome an association that offered more than friendship. If you did need me, I intended to be there for you. Is that so reprehensible? Do you blame me for hoping?" he sounded somewhat anxious, but she soon set his mind at rest.

  "Blame you? Of course not. Nor would I have, had you not done so. I would have assumed that you were occupied with matters of work and quite indifferent to me. I had no claim upon your time or your friendship. But, when they were offered, I will admit I was most grateful. Lilian and I, though we were fairly well provided for materially, had been left very much alone, and if not for the generosity of Mr Darcy and Jonathan Bingley, our lives may have been very different indeed. Mr Adams was eager to help, but being such a young man, I would have been reluctant to impose upon him in any way. Your kindness in offering both friendship and practical advice was deeply appreciated."

  "And you suspected nothing of my feelings?" he asked.

  "Not at first; indeed, not until I saw my framed picture in your work room at Rosings!" she replied, with a smile.

  He threw back his head and laughed, as colour flooded over his face at the memory of his embarrassment. "Ah, that picture! How very badly I felt when you found me out; I had thought that my secret had been so well concealed!" he confessed, still a little awkward at having to admit to that deception.

  But his discomfiture was soon replaced by a glow of pleasure when Catherine, in the kindest and most loving words, assured him that having found out his secret, she had discovered within her heart a reawakening of her own feelings for him. Indeed, she admitted, her feelings were far deeper and more intense than anything she had felt in her youth.

  "I had not thought it possible for me ever to feel such love as I do now," she confessed and in so doing, provoked a response of such tenderness, as made their shared affection far more rewarding than any association she had known before and ensured that the delightful exercise of reminiscing would be repeated on many other occasions.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Their meeting with the attorney Mr Gunning proved to be infinitely simpler than any of them had anticipated.

  The gentleman into whose chambers they were ushered by a clerk of some considerable antiquity was Mr Gunning Jr., who had long succeeded his father. Far from being the crusty old lawyer Catherine had feared meeting, he turned out to be a most agreeable young man and a friend of Mr Jonathan Bingley, for whom he claimed he had done some work in the recent past. Having thus established a congenial basis for their business dealings, they were able to conduct their negotiations with a minimum of fuss and with considerable trust in each other.

  Young Mr Gunning, conscious of his responsibilities to his client Mr George Grahame, was pleased to deal with Mrs Tate, for whose knowledge and clarity of purpose he soon developed a good deal of respect. When she offered to pay a year's lease in advance, he was absolutely delighted.

  An efficient as well as affable fellow, Mr Gunning had the papers drawn up immediately and promised to have the property ready for her inspection and occupation by the first week of September.

  Their business concluded, they repaired to a hotel for a light luncheon before returning home to break the good news to Lilian and Mr Adams.

  Becky was most excited. To have the place at the beginning of September would mean she would be able to move her furniture and establish her staff there while the weather was still quite mild.

  "I should not have liked the prospect of moving things down from town in Winter; besides, it will be nice to be settled in well before Lilian's wedding in October. I can be of some use to you in the preparations for the day, and some of the family can stay with me at Edgewater. Will that not be a good thing? Oh Cathy, I have to confess I am quite delighted with the way things have turned out and all accomplished so simply."

  "Becky, are you quite sure about this? You have not jumped in too soon?" asked Catherine, still a little doubtful.

  "No, indeed I have not.
I have rarely been more certain of anything. Cathy dear, do you not realise that this means I shall be an independent woman at last? I need not depend upon my daughter-in-law's goodwill for a place to stay, I shall be near you and my dear Lilian, and best of all, I shall be here to help with your plans for the school. That is something I shall enjoy very much; indeed, I am reminded of the days when we were young girls, after Papa's death, when Mama moved to Mansfield and set up the school for young ladies there. I used to help her with the accounts and with some of the teaching, and I have never enjoyed anything as much. I was a good teacher, Cathy, would you believe?"

  Catherine remembered well. "I certainly would. You were the best educated of us all, and I always said you should have been a teacher; you were very good at explaining things and could read poetry so well…"

  "Oh, I can do more than that now; my work with Cassy Darcy and Caroline for the Kympton parish school and library taught me a great deal. Caroline is such a good businesswoman, she insisted that we keep accurate records and maintain the books in perfect order, so I am well able to help you with the accounts for your project. You will need someone to do that, will you not? I cannot imagine that poor Mr Jamison is much good at it, so I will look after the books, while you and Mr Burnett can get on with the plans for the school and whatever other happy arrangements you may have in prospect! Is that agreed?"