by Ted Bader
“You are most gracious, Mr. Darcy. I am uncomfortable remaining here with this black cloud hanging over me. I will leave today. Will you give me a letter I can take to Devonshire?”
“I will compose it at once,” Mr. Darcy replied. He went to the writing table nearby and penned the following note:
Dear Lord Elgin,
In reply to your letter of 15 January 1816, I am sending Mr. Thomas Staley, with my recommendation for his skills as a tutor. An unfortunate incident has arisen here at Pemberly Hall, which necessitates his absence from us. I shall expand on this issue in a separate letter. Be assured, however, that you will find him to be an excellent teacher.
Yours Truly,
Fitzwilliam Darcy
Mr. Darcy read the note out loud to Thomas, folded it, placed his seal on the wax, and handed it to Thomas, who left the room.
Later that afternoon, Georgiana felt well enough to come down to the parlor. She anxiously inquired about the resolution concerning Thomas. She arrived in time to see Lady Catherine departing at the entrance door.
Her aunt said, “Fitzwilliam, I believe you have acted wisely in regards to this scandalous affair with the tutor. I am sorry I cannot stay longer, but my wretched health bids me return to Rosings.”
“I understand, and I hope you will feel better,” was his reply as he escorted their aunt to the carriage.
When he returned to the parlor and sat down next to Elizabeth, Georgiana asked with anxiety in her voice, “What have you decided to do regarding the situation with Mr. Staley?”
Her brother replied, “His father and I have decided to find him another position as a tutor. I have given him a letter of recommendation to the Earl of Devonshire. . .”.
He was interrupted by Georgiana’s exclamation, “So far away!”
This remark raised the eyebrows of both Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, but Mr. Darcy continued, “The maidservant has been given a settlement, and she and her fiancé are to be married tomorrow. They are leaving Pemberley today.”
“So, you do not trust Thomas!” Georgiana said.
“I do not know the truth in this case; if I disbelieved him entirely, I should not have assisted him in procuring another position.”
He paused for a minute and Elizabeth said gently, “This incident was a vexing dilemma for us. Is Mr. Thomas Staley another Mr. Wickham--all goodness on the surface and vile underneath? Or, have we made a grievous misjudgement of an excellent man? We are still torn between the two.”
Georgiana replied, “I wish I had felt better yesterday and stayed to defend him. There are things you do not know about him.”
“It is a moot point now, since he is leaving,” her brother replied.
“May I talk to him before he leaves?”
“Certainly. Perhaps you can soften the blow, which I fear may be more severe than he deserves.”
Georgiana turned and walked hurriedly out of the room and down the hall towards the turret room. She encountered Andrew, John and Maria on the way and they asked why she was walking fast. “Mr. Staley is going to leave Pemberley Hall today. I must say goodbye.”
“Where is he going?” asked Andrew.
Before she could answer, John inquired, “How long will he be gone?”
She could only reply shakily, “I do not know.”
“Can we come too?” Andrew asked.
“Yes, but I need some time alone with him.”
“We understand,” Andrew replied.
As she began walking up the stairs to his room, she had to stop for a minute to catch her breath. With the recent episodes of prolonged bed rest, she was not conditioned to walking this fast. Her emotional state further aggravated her breathlessness. After pausing for several minutes, she and the children continued climbing the stairs to his door. She knocked once. She knocked again. No answer. She lifted the latch and peeked inside. “Thomas. Are you there?”
Still no answer came. She walked into an empty room. His books and clothes were gone. An envelope was sealed on the desk. She broke the seal, unfolded the note, and read the letter while standing, so the children could not read it over her shoulder. It was the poem she had read the night they discovered the aeolian harp! She sat down and wept. She did not care what her nephews and niece might think. Thomas had left without saying goodbye. What did this mean? The phrase from the note, “I feel unworthy of her,” kept revolving in her mind.
Could it be that Thomas was guilty of the charge levied against him and lied merely to avoid unpleasant consequences? Was this the reason for his feeling of low esteem? Was this why he wanted to keep their love secret? Her mind told her it was not so, but her heart remained torn with wretched feelings.
After a few minutes, she began to compose herself. Andrew approached her, with John and Maria behind him on each side, and asked, “Dear Auntie, what is the matter?”
“Thomas has left and did not say goodbye,” she said with a tear stained face.
“Why would Mr. Staley do that?”
“I do not know.”
The three children moved over by the bed and began crying. Georgiana joined them in their behavior. In a minute, Andrew turned to his aunt and exclaimed, “Was it because we were not good students? Sometimes, I failed to study and learn as I should have. It is my fault he has left.”
John cried, “No, Andrew, it is I who did not always obey him. It is my fault he is angry and gone away.”
Georgiana gathered the children in her arms and reassured them that Thomas was not displeased with them. She told them of the high opinion he had for them, a regard he had expressed on many occasions.
Andrew brightened a little and asked, “Where did he go? Will he ever come back?”
“He has apparently gone to Devonshire for awhile,” Georgiana replied. She did not wish to tell them it was for another teaching position, for fear it would cause further unhappy feelings. “I do not know if he will ever come to Pemberley again. His family home is Staley Hall, of course, and he will surely visit it again. I have an address in Devonshire. Perhaps we can write him when we are more composed.”
A state of depression settled over Pemberley Hall for the next few days, a forlorn feeling, from the lowest servant all the way to Mr. Darcy. Even the servants who had taken the side of Hannah, did not rejoice at the absence of the tutor.
February, 1816
Section Three
Chapter Twenty-Five
In the evening, four days after the departure of Thomas, a servant announced to the Darcy adults gathered in the parlor, “Reverend Westbrook is calling.”
“Show him in,” Mr. Darcy said. “Please be seated, Reverend.”
“The purpose of my visit is to verify the rumors about Mr. Thomas Staley,” Henry Westbrook began. “I hope you do not think me presumptuous.”
“Not at all. These things are never able to be kept as secret as we should like.”
“Is it true that Mr. Staley left Pemberley under a cloud of suspicion?”
Mr. Darcy replied, “It grieves us to confirm your report. Since you are the rector, you should be fully informed. One of our servants alleged that Mr. Staley was the father of her baby. He denied it, of course. However, it placed us in the most uncomfortable predicament. My aunt and some of the servants demanded that something be done. Uncertain about the truth of the allegation, we compromised and found him another position where he could be monitored.”
Reverend Westbrook turned to Georgiana and asked, “Was this done with your consent?”
She bowed her head and said, “I am ashamed I did not defend him more vigorously, but I am still not well from my accident.”
Mr. Darcy intervened, “Georgiana had very little to do with our decision.”
Reverend Westbrook continued looking at Georgiana, who lifted her eyes to
meet his. He said, “Thomas has his faults, such as worrying about his financial affairs, but dishonesty is not one of them. I have never known a more truthful man. Do you not remember, Georgiana, when we were all little and the three of us broke the expensive vase in the sculpture room? The only one of our trio who told the truth was Thomas. He took his punishment without implicating us.” The room became uncomfortably silent and tears began streaming down Georgiana’s face. The reverend continued, “I am sorry to grieve you, but I felt Thomas must have a defender. As Alexander Pope said, ‘An honest man is the noblest work of God.’ If this places me in jeopardy, then so be it.”
Mr. Darcy replied contritely, “Do not fear, Reverend. My desire is always to find the truth and adjust my life to it. Your reminder is quite appropriate. Would you mind leaving us so we can discuss this matter further among ourselves?”
Reverend Westbrook stood, bowed and exited the house quietly. Mr. Darcy began pacing in front of the fireplace and said, “Reverend Westbrook confirms the troublesome feelings persisting in my soul. I fear we have been mistaken in this affair with Mr. Staley.”
“Your feelings echo mine,” Elizabeth said pensively.
Georgiana was lifted, knowing her kind and generous brother and sister reflected her own feelings.
Mr. Darcy continued, “The more I evaluate and recall the evening of the accusation, I cannot help but feel a grievous injustice was done to Mr. Staley.”
“What is to be done?” Elizabeth asked.
“Perhaps we can recall him after one or two months of exile are finished. That way his honor, and ours, will have been restored.”
“That is an excellent idea,” Georgiana exclaimed. She had not yet been able to steady her feelings enough to write Thomas. The plan of requesting a recall was resolved upon. The letter would be written on the morrow.
After breakfast the next morning, the post arrived with two letters to Mr. Darcy. The first from the Earl of Devonshire read:
Dear Fitzwilliam,
The tutor, Mr. Thomas Staley, has not yet arrived. Is he still detained at Pemberley? When shall we expect him?
Yours truly,
Lord Elgin
The second letter was opened and read:
Dear Mr. Darcy,
I am compelled to write you and thank you for your effort in securing me another position. I can understand your dilemma of last week. However, my word and honor are the same; and, as such, I feel unable to continue in your service or that of your friend. I have decided against going to Devonshire. I am informing you of this so as to not embarrass you in further communication with the Earl.
Sincerely,
Thomas Staley
After Georgiana read the letter, she experienced overwhelming fear that Thomas was slipping away as he did three years earlier. Until the letter arrived, she at least knew where he was located. She raised her voice courageously and told her brother, “We must find out where he is so we can recall him. He does not yet know our plan.”
“I will have a servant take a note over to Staley Hall today. Perhaps, Sir William knows the whereabouts of his son; surely, he has informed his father.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
The following day at the end of breakfast, Mrs. Reynolds came to the table and announced, “I have just seen an ornate carriage pass over the bridge, with four elegantly dressed footmen and a horseman before and after! Who can it be, Mr. Darcy?”
The family rose and went out to the front steps as the procession arrived. The day was cloudy and dreary. The lead horseman dismounted and came to Mr. Darcy proclaiming, “His Grace, Duke of Kent, to visit Pemberley Hall!”
The footman opened the door to the carriage and Lord Percy stepped down with a certain step and surveyed the Darcy family. After bowing, he said, “I am sorry to barge in on you without any notice, Mr. Darcy; however, I had some business in Manchester. I trust your sporting invitation for angling still stands!”
“Yes, indeed,” Mr. Darcy replied.
“To be truthful, I planned to come to see you and your family, but was uncertain as to the day. I did not want you to make any fuss on my account.”
He turned to Georgiana and said, “I cannot forget your beauty. I hope you are feeling better?”
She curtsied, “I am, thank you, my lord.” Phillip began to growl softly. Georgiana knelt beside her pet and stroked him in reassurance. She had mixed feelings about the Duke’s surprise visit. She had thought, without remorse, to never see him again. As she stood, she suspected that his visit was only to see her. She was pleased that a man of such elevation would exhibit interest in herself and Pemberley Hall. On the other hand, she still felt loyal to Thomas despite the uncertainty surrounding his location and what his true feelings towards her and Pemberley Hall were.
The Darcy family escorted the Duke into the parlor. After they all sat down, he turned to Georgiana and said, “I must heartily apologize for my part in causing the accident and your injury. I am most anxious that you should recover and not think ill of me.”
She replied, “Do not be obliged, my lord. Spirited horses cannot always be controlled, even by the best of horsemen.”
“Looking at you now, the fading bruise on the side of your head sends a stave through my heart as to my willful irresponsibility. How can you forgive me so easily?”
“I have never resented you for the accident,” Georgiana truthfully replied. The Duke signaled to a footman, who brought a large, shallow package forward.
“Take it to Miss Darcy,” Lord Percy said. “I have brought an olive branch to you--a token of my respect for the Darcy family.”
The children crowded around their aunt as she removed the elegant wrapping. A large two by three foot country painting in an ornate golden frame, was uncovered.
“It. . . cannot. . . be,” she gasped. “A country scene by Gainsborough! This is nearly priceless. You should not have gone to the trouble of giving this.”
“No trouble is too great for you and your family. Since I could not see you safely to the art exhibit, I thought I would bring the best of the exhibit to you!”
Georgiana blushed and sat back quietly as the children asked to be excused, since it was ‘just a painting’ in their language.
Elizabeth spoke up, “We thank you, Lord Percy, for your generosity and your kind attention to us. We shall find a prominent place for a painting by such a celebrated artist.”
Mr. Darcy said to Lord Percy, “If you would like to settle in the red bedroom, let us not waste any time we may spend fishing. I will see the equipment is made ready.”
“I shall be dressed as soon as possible,” was the Duke’s reply as he stood and left the room with Mr. Darcy.
When they were gone, Elizabeth said, “Georgiana, I expect you knew about this.”
“Not at all. It is a surprise to me.”
“Do you not think he seems genuinely interested in you?”
“I pray that he is not. I do not wish to encourage his attentions.”
“Why not? He bestows a great honor with his visit and attention.”
“I am simply not interested.”
“Whatever you wish, my dear sister. We do not want to force any decision, or person, upon you,” was Elizabeth’s puzzled reply.
That evening, after dinner, Mr. Darcy asked his sister, “Do you feel well enough to play your pianoforte for us and our visitor?”
She had not played since her accident three weeks earlier. She did not have a headache now. Her brother was so kind to her, that she felt it was her duty to play--despite the absence of any desire to perform. She begged off from singing and played several numbers, tolerably well, for her audience. She noted numerous mistakes during her songs and felt her performance was wretched. During the last song, she caught the admiring look in the Duke’s fac
e and wished that he would not stare at her so.
The following day, Lord Percy and Mr. Darcy were gone all morning fishing. In the afternoon, Georgiana was asked by her brother to lead a tour of Pemberley Hall for Lord Percy. Hiding her reluctance, she agreed to do so. She led the Duke, Mrs. Darcy and the children from the entrance hall down to the chapel. Entering its doorway, the quiet chapel caused all to be contemplative. With the early afternoon sun, the stained glass caused more shadows than it would have in the morning.
Georgiana said, “This is where I pray each morning. My brother and sister join me on Sunday mornings before we attend the parish church.”
“Such devotion is quite commendable,” said the Duke in a tone of approbation.
After leaving the chapel and returning towards the circular staircase in the entrance hall, Andrew and John began arguing over an issue not apparent to the adults.
“Yes, you did!” Andrew said.
“Did not!”
“Did too!”
“Did not!”
“Boys,” Elizabeth cried, “let us not vex our guest with an argument!”
“May we go outside?” John implored of his mother.
“Yes, you may; but, please, do not argue anymore.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Andrew replied as the boys left and Maria followed.
“Boys that age can be quite obnoxious,” said the Duke with a scowl, as they ascended the stairs.
Georgiana tried to ignore his remark, lest she be unable to continue in the hospitable manner required of her.
