Legacy of Pemberley (The Pemberley Chronicles; Pride and Prejudice Sequel Series)

by Rebecca Ann Collins

  “No, it isn’t to do with that at all,” she said hurriedly.

  “What then? Rachel, let me make it simpler for us both. I love you very much; do you think you could love me?” to which she replied, “I do, of course I do. Oh Daniel… I do love you, but…” and he, determined that this answer was not to go unrewarded, took her in his arms and kissed her, gently at first, but then, when she did not resist, more deeply, after which she was very quiet, until he asked gently, “And what was your problem?”

  “It’s Mama, leaving her so soon after Papa’s death. If I marry you, I may never see her again,” and she could not conceal her tears.

  “Why?” he asked, and she looked at him in bewilderment.

  “Because if we are to settle in Victoria, it is unlikely that Mama will travel across the globe to visit me.”

  “I see,” he said in a very reasonable sort of voice, then asked, “What if she had to travel just a few miles? Would that make a difference?”

  She frowned. “What do you mean by a few miles?”

  “What if, for example, she had to come down to Riversleigh?” he asked, and his voice was matter-of-fact, giving nothing away.

  “To Riversleigh?”

  “Hmmm.”

  “But I don’t understand. Why would she come down to Riversleigh to see me?” she asked, looking even more confused.

  He smiled then and touched her face gently, as if to wipe away the frown from her forehead and cheeks, and kissed her again, before saying, “Because, my dearest Rachel, I have just come from Pemberley, where Mr Darcy has this morning appointed me rector to the living of Riversleigh.”

  “What?” she shook her head, unable to take in what he had just said; it made no sense to her.

  “Perhaps I should have told you first; then your astonishment would not have been so great. I am sorry, but I had my reasons for not discussing it openly. I needed to be sure of my situation before I approached you.”

  “But since when have you…” she began, and he put a finger to her lips,

  “Let me explain. During the last five years in Australia, I took Holy Orders and have been a deacon and a rector of a country parish in Victoria. I have told very few people, just my sister, Anna, and Cassy and Mr Darcy, of course. Cassy had to know because I had to attend chapel daily while I was at Camden Park, and it was Cassy who suggested that I take a look at the church in the village when I hinted that I was not entirely committed to returning to the colony. However, after I had seen Riversleigh, she also mentioned it to her father, who then sent for me to discuss the possibility of my appointment.” Seeing the astonishment on her face, he said, “I am sorry if I have surprised you, my love, but I did not wish to say anything to you or your mother, until those matters were finally settled.”

  “I understand,” said Rachel and then asked, “Does Cassy know about me?”

  “No, not yet; I did tell Mr Darcy, however, that I had an intention to marry, but had not made the lady an offer until I was certain of my prospects, a position of which he was very supportive. I said nothing more, but I mentioned it because I was given to understand that his preference is for a married man at the rectory,” he explained. “Mr Darcy had said that the parish has been serviced by Reverend Frank Grantley from Kympton, but they badly need their own rector with a wife who could help with his parish duties.”

  “And do you believe I would make a good rector’s wife?” she asked, with a smile, and he took her in his arms and assured her in the fondest possible words that he was confident no rector in the land would have a more perfect wife. Though unaccustomed to such extravagant expressions of affection, Rachel was delighted with the warmth of his words and the tenderness of his manner. She was certain now that nothing, not even the need to travel to the other side of the planet, would have kept her from accepting him. Of all the men she had met in her life, only Daniel Faulkner had made her admit to such feelings.

  Once he had assured himself that she had quite understood the depth of his affection for her, he wished to consult her considered opinion. “And what is your opinion, Rachel? Do you think I would make a good rector for the parish of Riversleigh?” he asked.

  Her answer delighted him. “I think the people of Riversleigh are very fortunate indeed to have you as their rector, as I shall be to have you for my husband.”

  “And you do not mind being a clergyman’s wife?”

  “Why should I? It is your faith and your wish, and it is you I love; I have no reason to object. I do not love you more or less for it.”

  “And how do you like the rectory?” he asked rather tentatively.

  “I like it very well; I think it’s charming; it will need some refurbishment, of course, but Mama will help me with it,” she replied.

  “No need for that,” he said with a smile. “Mr Darcy has undertaken to have it completely refurbished. All you need do is instruct his steward what work you wish to have done. You may want to consult your mama about fabrics and colours, perhaps, but everything will be made ready for us.”

  “That is very generous of Mr Darcy; I have always loved this place; it is so tranquil and unspoilt, I could quite happily spend the rest of my life here with you,” said Rachel, and he drew her arm through his, kissed her hand, and looking at his watch, said, “I suppose we had better be getting back, my love; we should tell your mama first. Will you tell her? Or do you wish me to ask her for your hand?”

  Rachel laughed. “I think I would like to tell Mama myself; I will let you explain to her how it is that we are to live at Riversleigh and not in Victoria. I shall enjoy that.”

  They locked the rectory door and returned to the church, and in the stillness she felt bold enough to ask, “Shall we be married here, do you think?”

  “Of course, my love,” he replied. “With that wonderful altarpiece, why would we go elsewhere? Besides, it was here I first realised that I loved you too well to leave England and all this. But is it what you wish?”

  “Oh yes, I cannot imagine a better place,” she replied softly, and they left, happy and content in the certainty of their love, and as they stepped outside and looked across the river at the village and the hills beyond, confident too of their future in the community they hoped to serve.

  * * *

  Caroline had spent the morning clearing out cupboards and putting together a basket of items for next Saturday’s charity fair. She saw them arrive and went out into the hall to greet them and knew before a word was said that they were engaged. As tears filled her eyes, Rachel embraced her mother and took her upstairs directly, while Daniel waited in the parlour. Knowing the reason for her tears, Rachel wanted to tell her everything as fast as she could, just so she could set her mother’s heart at rest.

  As she heard it, Caroline, at first amazed by the news about Daniel, wept with relief. “Oh my darling girl, I am so happy. I never wanted to push you into anything, but I will confess I was sad that you might never know the kind of happiness your papa and I enjoyed. Then, just last week I thought you and Daniel looked as though you were falling in love, and while I wanted it to be true for you, I was so desperately afraid that it would mean you would go away to the ends of the earth and I would never see you again. But this, oh Rachel, this is wonderful news!”

  “Mama, tell me, do you really like him? I mean for himself? Do you respect and love him for what he is, not just because I love him?”

  There was no equivocation in Caroline’s response. “Of course, my dear, everything about him, every opinion we hear of him is good and agreeable. He is clearly an honest man with sound principles and such a gentle, amiable disposition, and yes, I did respect and like him well before I thought he showed some partiality for you. So set your mind at rest,” she said, and Rachel embraced her mother.

  “Thank you, Mama, that makes me very happy,” she said.

  “I am very happy for you, my dear,” said her mother, “and to think we owe it all to Mr Darcy.”

  “Indeed, even though Daniel di
d not mention me at the time.”

  “Just think, my dear, how pleased Mr Darcy and Lizzie will be when they discover that you are to marry Daniel,” said Caroline. “I cannot believe this has worked out in this happy way. If there is one thing I regret, it is that your papa will not be there to see you married.”

  At that, both mother and daughter wept again, before going down to the sitting room, where Caroline greeted her future son-in-law warmly. “Mr Faulkner—if I may call you Daniel—let me say how happy I am, Daniel, to welcome you into our family.”

  Daniel responded with all the correctitude of a man who was conscious of the need to explain his circumstances, and while Rachel went upstairs to change, he told Caroline in some detail the manner in which he had come to a decision to enter the church.

  “It was chiefly born of my experiences in the colony, where it was plain to see how those men and even some women, who lacked faith and sound principles, could so easily be drawn into a morass of corruption, where money was all that mattered. People holding high office, no less than ordinary men, were equally guilty of unscrupulous conduct themselves or turned a blind eye to it in others in return for favours or money. I knew I could not survive long in such a society, and when my wife died, I became very dejected, lacking any hope.

  “I took the opportunity offered by the chaplain to assist him in his parish as a lay worker. He opened up a door to a new life for me. I gave some of the money I had made on the goldfields to my wife’s parents for the upbringing of my son and invested the rest in a small wool scouring business in Victoria. I have to say I did not expect it to do particularly well, but some years later, they went into partnership with an exporter of wool and thereafter were exceedingly successful, and I was also a beneficiary of their success. It brings me a reasonable and regular income, which is the extent of my so-called fortune, Mrs Fitzwilliam. For the rest, I shall depend upon my stipend as rector at Riversleigh,” he explained and then continued, “After working for some time with the chaplain at Ballarat, during which time my view of life improved considerably, I became more interested in the idea of entering the church myself. With his help and recommendation, I was accepted. As I have told Mr Darcy and Rachel, I have served as a deacon and a rector of a small rural parish in Victoria. I said nothing to you and Rachel because I was unsure of obtaining a living in England.”

  Caroline waited until he had finished and said, “My dear Daniel, please do not feel you have to apologise or explain yourself to me any further. If Mr Darcy is sufficiently confident to appoint you to Riversleigh and my dear daughter loves you as she says she does and you love and care for her, then I am perfectly content. If you can make her happy, that is all I ask; it is what her father and I wanted for Rachel and all our children.”

  Rachel returned in time to hear Daniel tell her mother that since he had lost his young wife sixteen years ago, he had met no other woman for whom he had felt the same esteem and affection until he met her daughter.

  “I am honoured that she has accepted me, and I give you my promise to love and care for her and secure her happiness to the very best of my ability,” he said, and as Rachel came to his side and took his hand in hers, Caroline rose and embraced them both. It seemed to her there was no longer any concern about her daughter’s future felicity.

  * * *

  Writing to her son David and her daughter Isabella, Caroline expressed her happiness at the engagement of their sister in the warmest terms.

  I am sure, David, that you will find Daniel Faulkner both intelligent and amiable and will agree that your sister is fortunate indeed. As to his background and prospects, they must be considered to be excellent, since he is Anna Bingley’s brother and the rector of the parish of Riversleigh, to which Mr Darcy has appointed him. You will not doubt that this last piece of news is a matter of great joy to me, as it means my dear Rachel will be no more than twenty minutes’ distance from me by pony cart.

  We hope you and Lucy will come to dinner to meet Daniel three weeks from today and that young James may be allowed away from school to accompany you. I am sure if you were to see the headmaster and explain the circumstances, there will be no objection.

  Meanwhile, I am to go with the happy pair to Hertfordshire, to see Daniel’s parents. You may recall Charlotte Collins’ sister Maria—she is Daniel’s mother and her husband, Doctor Faulkner, is unwell, and Daniel must visit him and take Rachel, too. We shall travel by train and expect to be away for a week or ten days at the most. Give my fondest love to Lucy and my dear granddaughter, and do not forget to give young James the good news about his sister.

  We look forward to seeing you.

  Your loving mother etc

  Her letter to Isabella, though fundamentally similar, contained more of the sort of information that a woman would insist upon knowing.

  My dearest Isabella,

  I cannot tell you with what pleasure I write to confirm my suspicion, expressed in my last letter to you, of a possible attachment between your sister Rachel and Mr Daniel Faulkner, soon to be known as Rev Daniel Faulkner. He must be one of the most pleasing and discerning men I have met in years, and Rachel is clearly deeply in love with him and he with her.

  Dear Isabella, when one compares him to that awful fraud Adam Fraser, to whom Virginia Grantley is engaged, one has to give thanks to the Almighty, for there is no comparison between the two men.

  I hope I have not surprised you too much with this news, but they are in fact engaged, and he is to be the new rector of Riversleigh parish, which you may recall is not above half an hour’s walk from home or half that time were I to take the pony cart.

  That he was already a clergyman was not revealed except to Cassandra and Mr Darcy until he could be certain that the position would be his. But now it is all settled and they are to be married after Christmas.

  Mr Darcy has generously agreed to refurbish the rectory for them, and better still, Rachel says he has told Daniel he will increase the rector’s stipend once they are married. Of course, Rachel has her own income too, thanks to your dear papa’s good sense and excellent management, so they should be quite comfortable.

  I hope that Philip and you will come to dinner with us to meet Daniel, three weeks from today, and when you are here, you may be able to help Rachel choose her wedding clothes. She is so engrossed with the whole idea of being in love with Daniel that she gives no thought at all to the practicalities of getting married. I am able to attend to matters of linen and household things, but she will need some help with her wedding gown. Your advice will be invaluable.

  They broke the news to Mr Darcy and Lizzie the day after they became engaged, and tomorrow we are all invited to a small celebration at Pemberley. I have to say, Isabella my love, that while I have always enjoyed the Darcys’ dinner parties, I am not looking forward to this one because Virginia and that dreadful Adam Fraser will probably be there, too. As for poor Georgiana, I cannot imagine how she must feel.

  Meanwhile, we are to leave for Hertfordshire, where we are invited to stay at Netherfield with Jonathan and Anna Bingley and call on Daniel’s parents.

  I know you will remember Lizzie’s friend Charlotte Collins, who passed away last year; well, her sister Maria is Daniel’s mother. I am looking forward very much to the visit and will tell you all about it when we meet.

  Do give my fondest love to your dear husband and to my darling grandchildren.

  Your loving mother etc

  PS, I have just had some wonderful news: Rachel has returned from visiting Cassy and it appears that we will not have the dubious pleasure of the company of Virginia and Mr Fraser, for they are gone with Georgiana to London to purchase Virginia’s wedding clothes and trousseau. Such a relief! I can now say with absolute certainty that I shall definitely enjoy the dinner party at Pemberley tomorrow. In fact, I am looking forward to it.

  Chapter Eleven

  Their visit to Hertfordshire was rendered even happier by the good news that Daniel’s father Doctor Faul
kner was said to be on the mend and unlikely to require the hazardous surgical procedure that they had all feared could leave him a permanent invalid.

  Instead, the man from Harley Street had returned to London, and Doctor Charles Bingley of the Bell’s Field cottage hospital had recommended rest, a light diet, and some moderate exercise, which Dr Faulkner declared after just two weeks had given him a whole new lease on life.

  “These young fellows seem to know a whole lot more about our bodies than we did, and what’s more, they are not afraid to experiment with new remedies. Dr Bingley was very frank with me, though. ‘Either you will feel very much better very soon, or you will collapse and probably die of a heart attack,’ he said, and though I confess I was somewhat shaken by his words and your mother was ready to order her mourning gowns, I did appreciate his honesty,” he told his family.

  Anna and Daniel both laughed, but Maria Faulkner could not see the humour in it, she said, berating her husband for making fun of such a serious matter. “It is so like your father to make light of such things,” she complained. “Why, I have been a nervous wreck these past few months.”

  Daniel’s reunion with his parents and their meeting with Rachel seemed to imbue their visit with true heartfelt delight. There could be no doubt that seeing their son again and finding him not only in good spirits, but engaged to be married as well, had brought real joy and comfort to his parents. That the young woman he was to marry was intelligent and charming, with an excellent background and a modest income of her own, and that Daniel, having entered the church, had just been appointed by Mr Darcy to a living on the Pemberley estate had the Faulkners almost believing in miracles.

  That they knew little of the hardship and privation he had endured while in Australia, and the distress he had suffered at losing his young wife and having to surrender his infant son, was due in no small part to Daniel’s genuine desire to protect his parents from his afflictions. It made it easier for them to enjoy his present good fortune.