Writing to her friend Charlotte Collins, Elizabeth expressed amazement at the ease with which her husband had accepted Mr Frank Wickham:
Irritated an
d angry as I have often been, with complete justification, at the behaviour of my sister Lydia and her late husband, I have to say, dear Charlotte, I am pleased to see Mr Darcy move to make peace with Frank, their youngest son. Indeed, I can find nothing of either Lydia or Wickham in this young man, who is both talented and modest, a rare combination these days, as I am sure you will agree.
It is partly Cassy's doing, of course, and Mr Carr's. For it was they who made their first meeting possible and what followed thereafter. I know you will not speak of this matter to any one else, Charlotte, for if it were to become generally known and spoken of in Meryton, I have no doubt at all that Lydia will feel it is her right to arrive at Pemberley herself, to view her son's work.
While my dear husband is most appreciative of FrankWickham's work and speaks well of him, I have no illusions that he will be as charitable towards his mother. I trust you are still well, my dear Charlotte, and look forward to seeing you when we visit Jonathan and Anna in the Summer.
Yours etc…
Elizabeth Darcy.
Postscript…
SPRING HAD BROUGHT SOME significant changes, though many things stayed the same.
The Gardiners, now Sir Richard and Lady Cassandra, with their younger children and young Anthony Darcy, had moved, without mishap or undue fuss, to Camden House, which was soon to become one of the most admired properties in the county. For Cassy, much pleasure was to be derived not only from the elegance of her new home, but from its close proximity to Pemberley and her parents as well as her daughter's home at Rushmore Farm. The distinction bestowed upon her husband by the Queen was but one more element in the sum total of her happiness.
Visiting her parents at Pemberley, Cassandra went upstairs to the library, where she found her father supervising the hanging of the series of sketches, which had been appropriately framed.
After spending some time admiring them and proffering advice on how they might be hung, Cassandra approached her father, to ask, gently, if it were not fitting that the artist be invited to dine at Pemberley.
"I know how you feel about the family, Papa, I understand that the prospect of Aunt Lydia at Pemberley is abhorrent to you and Mama; but, would it not be possible to ask Frank, so he knows that we do not hold his parents' misdemeanours against him?" she pleaded, and her father laughed and put an arm around her.
"My dear Cassy, so you are concerned that Mr Wickham may feel slighted?
Well, we cannot have that, can we? Talk to your Mama and, if she agrees, you can send out the invitations. I cannot have you worried about the fellow's tender feelings. Besides," he added almost as an afterthought,"he has done some good work and, like any artist, is entitled to see it in its proper place, is he not?"
Cassy smiled and embraced her father; she had been very confident of his magnanimity.
"Indeed he is, Papa. I knew you would not be unfair to him. Thank you. It is but a small matter for us to ask him to dine at Pemberley, but to a man in Frank Wickham's occupation, where so much depends upon recognition and patronage, a generous gesture of appreciation is far more valuable than a fee," she said, and Mr Darcy could not help being moved by the fervour of her voice.
"Sage words, Cassy. I know I can count on you to remind me of my obligations, if ever your mother should forget. Whatever shall I do without your wise head, my dear?"
Cassy laughed."Why should you, Papa? I am even closer at hand, now we are neighbours," she said and went to find her mother, whose astonishment at this turn of events rendered her almost speechless.
Never had Elizabeth expected to see the day when Mr Darcy would voluntarily and gladly invite one of"Wickham's boys" to dine at Pemberley. Again she was convinced, as she had written to Charlotte, that it must have been all Cassy's doing.
"I shall never understand how you persuaded your father to do this, Cassy," she declared, as they went together to find Mrs Grantham and make arrangements for the occasion.
* * *
Frank Wickham came to dinner at Pemberley and, though he never did become a close friend of the Darcys, his work for them enhanced his reputation.
He continued to occupy the cottage at Rushford and to teach at the parish school. Moreover, his friendship with Darcy Gardiner, whose charm opened many doors for him, also gained him entry to Camden House, where he was invited to dine with the Gardiners.
He had the highest regard for Sir Richard and Lady Cassandra, to whose compassion and generosity he owed much of his present good fortune. A modest man of moderate habits, he never overstepped the bounds of propriety, nor did he presume upon his acquaintance with the family. He was well aware of the need for discretion and, despite the untiring efforts of his mother to discover where he spent his Summers, he kept his secret very well.
As for Cassandra, with her son Darcy taking over most of her duties at Pemberley and young Lizzie drawn more deeply into her husband's work at Rushmore Farm, she was free to enjoy the pleasures of her own family. As the wife of Sir Richard Gardiner, one of the country's most respected physicians, she now had several public duties to perform, and these she did with a grace and elegance that greatly enhanced her husband's reputation and standing in the community.
As the guardian of the young heir to the Pemberley estate, Cassy had her hands full ensuring that young Anthony was being trained to take on his appointed role one day, which she hoped with all her heart was in the distant future. Her parents, with whom she met often and whose love strengthened her every resolve, were prouder of their daughter than they would admit to anyone but each other.
Cassy's life was busier and happier than it had ever been. Yet in spite of the many demands upon her, she still found time for those she loved and neither her husband nor their children ever felt any diminution of her care and affection.
Love and respect, deeply felt, given, and received, brought enhanced satisfaction in every aspect of her life, and she contemplated the future with an enviable degree of equanimity and contentment.
Appendix
A list of the main characters in Mr Darcy's Daughter:
Cassandra Gardiner (née Darcy)—daughter of Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy of Pemberley
Dr Richard Gardiner—husband of Cassandra, son of Mr and Mrs Edward Gardiner (Mr Gardiner, deceased)
Edward Gardiner and Darcy Gardiner—elder sons of Richard and Cassy Lizzie Gardiner and Laura Ann Gardiner—daughters of Richard and Cassy James Gardiner—youngest son of Richard and Cassy Mr Michael Carr—a friend of Darcy Gardiner and a newcomer to Derbyshire Julian Darcy—son of Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy of Pemberley Josie Darcy (née Tate)—wife of Julian, daughter of Anthony and Rebecca Tate of Matlock Rebecca Tate—Josie Darcy's mother, daughter of Charlotte Collins Anthony Fitzwilliam Darcy—young son of Julian and Josie Emma Wilson (née Bingley)—daughter of Charles and Jane Bingley, cousin of Cassandra and Julian James Wilson, MP—Emma's husband Jonathan Bingley—brother of Emma Wilson, son of Charles and Jane Bingley
Anna Bingley—Jonathan's wife
Colin Elliott, MP, and Anne-Marie Elliott—son-in-law and daughter of Jonathan Bingley
Emily Courtney (née Gardiner)—sister of Richard Gardiner, daughter of Mr and Mrs Edward Gardiner
James Courtney—husband of Emily, Rector at Kympton Parish
William Courtney—son of James and Emily
Jessica Courtney—youngest daughter of James and Emily
Caroline Fitzwilliam (née Gardiner)—sister of Richard Gardiner, wife of Col.
Fitzwilliam (Mr Darcy's cousin)
Frank Wickham—youngest son of George Wickham and Lydia Bennet
And from the pages of Pride and Prejudice:
Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy of Pemberley
Charles and Jane Bingley of Ashford Park
Mrs Gardiner—widow of Mr Edwa
rd Gardiner, aunt of Elizabeth and Jane, mother of Richard, Robert, Caroline, and Emily
Colonel Fitzwilliam—Mr Darcy's cousin, husband of Caroline Gardiner
Charlotte Collins—Elizabeth's close friend, widow of the late Mr Collins
Lydia Wickham—sister of Elizabeth and Jane
Acknowledgements
THE AUTHOR WISHES TO thank all her readers, especially those who have written to express their interest and pleasure in her work, and Ms Averil Rose and Mrs Jenny Scott of England for their kind encouragement and help.
Special thanks to Ms Claudia Taylor for her valuable research and assistance with proofreading the text, Ben and Robert for technical assistance, and Ms Natalie Collins for organising the first printing and production of this book by Snap Printing in Sydney, Australia.
Thanks also to Mr David Gilson of Swindon, UK, for including the Pemberley series of novels in his collection of Jane Austen and related works, to be lodged in the library at King's College, Cambridge.
To Ms Beverly Wong of Alberta, Canada, many thanks for her expertise, which has taken the Pemberley series to readers all over the world, via the Internet, at the website www.geocities.com/shadesofpemberley.
And, of course, heartfelt gratitude to Miss Jane Austen, for her inspiration and example, as well as some of the happiest times of this author's life.
December 2000
The Pemberley Chronicles
For readers who wish to discover how it all began, we offer an
excerpt from Book One, The Pemberley Chronicles.
CHAPTER ONE OF
The Pemberley Chronicles:
Reunions
SINCE HER MARRIAGE TO Mr Darcy some seven weeks ago, Elizabeth had wanted for nothing to complete her happiness, unless it was a chance to see her sister Jane again. Which is why her excitement increased markedly as they drove into London and around mid-morning found themselves approaching Mr Bingley's house in Grosvenor Street. Her husband could not conceal his amusement, as she cried out,"There they are!" like a little girl on her first visit to the city. As the carriage pulled up, she could barely wait to be helped out, before she flung herself into the welcoming arms of her sister.
Charles Bingley, who had been waiting beside Jane, smiled broadly as he exchanged greetings with Darcy, now his brother-in-law. They waited for the sisters to break from their warm and tearful embrace, the men's expressions of indulgent affection mixed with a degree of helplessness. It was Mr Bingley who intervened as the servants unloaded the travellers' trunks onto the footpath. Putting a solicitous arm around his wife and her sister, he said,"Shall we go indoors and let the luggage be taken upstairs?" He led them indoors, while Darcy followed, carrying Elizabeth's silk shawl, which had slipped off her shoulders as the sisters embraced.
They passed from the open hall into the comfort of a warm, pleasant room, where a fire crackled in the grate and a sideboard with an ample array of foodand drink welcomed the travellers. While the gentlemen helped themselves to sherry and warmed themselves in front of the fire, Jane and Lizzie escaped upstairs, ostensibly so that Lizzie could divest herself of her travelling clothes and boots.
There was nothing the sisters wanted more than the privacy of a bedroom, where they hugged and kissed again as the words tumbled out, with neither able to wait for the other to finish a sentence. There was mutual acknowledgement that they had missed each other, they were both blissfully happy, they had the best husbands in the world, and they wished everyone could be as blessed as they were. The only matter upon which they could not agree was the question of which of them was the happier.
There was so much to tell, but it had to wait awhile; Jane promised they would have the afternoon to themselves as Bingley had planned to take Darcy out to his club to meet mutual friends.
Coming downstairs, they found Georgiana Darcy and Mrs Annesley come to call; they were staying in town at Mr Darcy's elegant townhouse in Portman Square and had been invited over by Jane to meet the returning couple. Georgiana, whose love for her brother was matched only by her devotion to her sister-in-law, whom she regarded as the sister she had always longed for, greeted Elizabeth with warmth and affection. Jane, looking on, wished she too could feel the same confidence of gaining the affection and approval of her in-laws, Caroline Bingley and Mrs Hurst. She felt not a little sadness as she saw the obvious satisfaction that Darcy felt as Lizzie and Georgiana embraced and talked together for all the world like loving sisters.
But, being Jane, she soon shook herself free of any trace of melancholy, as her husband came to her side and whispered,"I've arranged to take Georgiana and Mrs Annesley back to Portman Square, after which Darcy and I will go on to Brooks for an hour or two—that should give you and Lizzie plenty of time together. How would you like that, my love?" Jane replied that she would like it very much indeed and added her heartfelt thanks to her husband, whose sensitivity was a source of constant pleasure. As she said later to Lizzie,"I can hardly believe that he is so good and kind a man and yet preferred me above all others, knowing he could quite easily have had any of a dozen young ladies of greater substance and standing than myself."To which, Lizzie's reply was a reproachful reminder to her sister not to let her natural modesty trap her into undervaluing herself.
"For there is no one I know with a nature as good or a disposition as sweet as yours. Believe me, Jane, Mr Bingley is well aware of it and is considered, by his friends, to be a singularly fortunate man."
Earlier, they had partaken of a light luncheon of fresh rolls, sliced ham, cheese, and fruit, with tea, hot chocolate, or wine, as desired, before Georgiana and her companion left with the two gentlemen, who promised to be back in time for dinner. As the servants cleared away the remains of the repast, the two sisters returned upstairs to the comfort of Jane's boudoir to spend the rest of the afternoon in the kind of happy exchange of news and views that only two loving friends—both newly wed and blissfully happy—could hope to enjoy. Unhappily, the news from Longbourn was not good. Mrs Bennet, whose health was never the best, had not been well, having suffered from exhaustion after giving away two of her daughters at once. Their father, in his last letter to Jane, had asked that Lizzie be permitted to complete her travels undisturbed by this news.
"You know how it is, poor Mama will insist on having everyone over for Christmas; but this year, Lizzie, your kind invitation to us and Uncle and Aunt Gardiner to spend Christmas at Pemberley has relieved Mama of the strain. Because she cannot undertake the journey to Derbyshire, Papa has decided that he will remain with her at Longbourn, while Mary and Kitty will travel North with Aunt Gardiner," Jane explained. At this piece of bad news, Lizzie cried out, for she had been hoping so much to have her father at Pemberley, because she wanted him to see how happy she really was, especially in view of the doubts he had expressed at the time of Mr Darcy's proposal of marriage.
Jane offered some comfort,"Lizzie, Mr Bingley and I have talked about this. We knew how disappointed you would be if Papa could not be with you, so we have a plan. How would it be if Mr Bingley and I returned home at the New Year and had Mama to stay at Netherfield, so Papa could come to you for a few weeks?"
"Has he agreed to this?" asked her sister, somewhat surprised.
"Not yet, but we think he will, if Mr Darcy will ask him, tomorrow," said Jane."Tomorrow?" Lizzie was astonished and more so when Jane replied,"He is to be at Aunt Gardiner's where, you will remember, we are all asked to dine tomorrow."
Elizabeth's pleasure at the news that she would see her father sooner than expected was much enhanced by the realisation that her sister Jane had gained in marriage a totally new confidence. If there was one criticism that could have been made against Jane, for all her sweetness of nature and strength of character, it was a diffidence—a reluctance to make judgements. To Elizabeth, it seemed as if this tiny flaw, if one could call it that, had disappeared since her marriage to Mr Bingley. However, she said nothing, not wanting to embarrass her sister. Besides there was so much to tal
k of their new lives, their husbands, their travels and so much love and happiness, that they quite forgot the time, until a maid ran upstairs to tell them the gentlemen were back.
Lizzie wished to bathe before dressing for dinner, and the luxury of a hot bath scented with lavender oils, prepared for her by Jane's maid, reminded her that this was London and not the inns of Gloucester shire or Wales, which, despite their charm, had been less than modern in their toilet facilities.
When they joined the gentlemen downstairs, they found there, to their surprise, Colonel Fitzwilliam, who had not been heard from since their weddings, when he had carried out his duties as Darcy's groomsman with aplomb.
Having greeted both sisters with affection and expressed satisfaction at finding them looking so well, he let Bingley explain his presence."We found him at the club, where he has been staying all week," said Bingley, which led Jane to protest that he should have come to them.
"You could have stayed here, we have many empty rooms."
"I did not wish to intrude," Fitzwilliam said apologetically,"and I had no idea when Darcy and Elizabeth were expected."
"Well, you are here now, and you must stay," said Bingley firmly, as if that was the end of the matter,"until your ship is to sail." Amid cries of astonishment from the ladies of"What ship?" and"Where is he sailing to?" Fitzwilliam explained that he'd been at a loose end after the end of the war with France, and when he was offered a berth on a ship going to the new colonies of Ceylon and India, he had accepted."That's the other side of the world!" said Jane, but Fitzwilliam assured her it was opening up fast and many people were going out there.
"I wanted a change of scene," he added by way of explanation.
Mr. Darcy's Daughter Page 38
